cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis: Selective Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon Monoxide by a Nickel N-Heterocyclic Carbene–Isoquinoline Complex

The solar-driven reduction of carbon dioxide to value-added chemical fuels is a longstanding challenge in the fields of catalysis, energy science, and green chemistry. In order to develop effective CO2 fixation, several key considerations must be balanced, including (1) catalyst selectivity for promoting CO2 reduction over competing hydrogen generation from proton reduction, (2) visible-light harvesting that matches the solar spectrum, and (3) the use of cheap and earth-abundant catalytic components. In this report, we present the synthesis and characterization of a new family of earth-abundant nickel complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbene-amine ligands that exhibit high selectivity and activity for the electrocatalytic and photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to CO. Systematic changes in the carbene and amine donors of the ligand have been surveyed, and [Ni((Pr)bimiq1)](2+) (1c, where (Pr)bimiq1 = bis(3-(imidazolyl)isoquinolinyl)propane) emerges as a catalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO2 with the lowest cathodic onset potential (E(cat) = -1.2 V vs SCE). Using this earth-abundant catalyst with Ir(ppy)3 (where ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) and an electron donor, we have developed a visible-light photoredox system for the catalytic conversion of CO2 to CO that proceeds with high selectivity and activity and achieves turnover numbers and turnover frequencies reaching 98,000 and 3.9 s(-1), respectively. Further studies reveal that the overall efficiency of this solar-to-fuel cycle may be limited by the formation of the active Ni catalyst and/or the chemical reduction of CO2 to CO at the reduced nickel center and provide a starting point for improved photoredox systems for sustainable carbon-neutral energy conversion.
Aromatization of n-hexane by platinum-containing molecular sieves III. Reactivity of platinum aluminophosphates

In accompanying reports, the authors describe a vapor phase impregnation procedure for loading highly dispersed platinum into the intracrystalline voids of molecular sieves and the catalytic behavior of platinum-containing aluminosilicate and silicate materials for the aromatization of n-hexane. Here they report on the reactivity of platinum-containing aluminophosphate molecular sieves and compare the results to those obtained from platinum-impregnated zeolites. All details of material synthesis and reaction conditions are described in the accompanying papers. (References are cited.)
Optimizing sleep/wake schedules in space: Sleep during chronic nocturnal sleep restriction with and without diurnal naps

Abstract Effective sleep/wake schedules for space operations must balance severe time constraints with allocating sufficient time for sleep in order to sustain high levels of neurobehavioral performance. Developing such schedules requires knowledge about the relationship between scheduled “time in bed” (TIB) and actual physiological sleep obtained. A ground-based laboratory study in N = 93 healthy adult subjects was conducted to investigate physiological sleep obtained in a range of restricted sleep schedules. Eighteen different conditions with restricted nocturnal anchor sleep, with and without diurnal naps, were examined in a response surface mapping paradigm. Sleep efficiency was found to be a function of total TIB per 24 h regardless of how the sleep was divided among nocturnal anchor sleep and diurnal nap sleep periods. The amounts of sleep stages 1+2 and REM showed more complex relationships with the durations of the anchor and nap sleep periods, while slow-wave sleep was essentially preserved among the different conditions of the experiment. The results of the study indicated that when sleep was chronically restricted, sleep duration was largely unaffected by whether the sleep was placed nocturnally or split between nocturnal anchor sleep periods and daytime naps. Having thus assessed that split-sleep schedules are feasible in terms of obtaining physiological sleep, further research will reveal whether these schedules and the associated variations in the distribution of sleep stages may be advantageous in mitigating neurobehavioral performance impairment in the face of limited time for sleep.
Colocalization of MCM8 and MCM7 with proteins involved in distinct aspects of DNA replication.

Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins are essential for DNA replication in eukaryotes. A subcomplex of the MCM2-7 family members, initially characterized in yeast, is thought to serve as a eukaryotic DNA replicative helicase. MCM8 is a new family member, not present in yeast, which may function alone or with other family members in aspects of DNA metabolism, including replication initiation and elongation. Through the use of chromatin immunoprecipitation, we find that MCM8, like MCM7, colocalizes on a specific DNA segment of the c-MYC replication initiation zone (c-MYC replicator) with Cdc6, a protein potentially involved in loading MCM proteins onto DNA. The association between MCM8 and MCM7 peaks in mid G1, at the time of assembly of the prereplication complex. The association of both MCM proteins with Cdc6, however, continues even after DNA replication is complete. We also find that MCM8 colocalizes at the c-MYC replicator with chromatin-bound Cdk2. Our data indicate that any role MCM8 may play in elongation is likely to be discontinuous, in its association with DNA, from a potential role in initiation. Using immunogold electron microscopy we show that MCM8 and MCM7 differ in spatial relation to RPA70 during S phase. Our data strongly suggest that MCM8 functions with other known replication proteins in processes which accompany DNA replication, especially initiation, and which are specifically adapted to suit higher eukaryotes. Microsc. Res. Tech, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Some biochemical characteristics of allergic histamine release from leukocytes of ragweed-sensitive subjects

Abstract The experiments reported in this article show that allergic histamine release from leukocytes of atopic subjects (ragweed sensitivity) can be blocked by the chelating agents, EDTA, citrate, and oxalate. The concentrations which are anticoagulant also inhibit histamine release. This finding is interpreted as showing a requirement for calcium ions in the release reaction. Of a number of other compounds tested for their inhibitory effect on histamine release, only iodoacetate and phenol were found to be consistently inhibitory. Phenylbutazone and phthlate exhibited mild inhibitory properties. The mechanism by which these compounds inhibit has not been elucidated. Allergic histamine release is abolished when the reaction is run at 45° C., and it is reduced at temperatures below 37° C.
Cross layer design of heterogeneous virtual MIMO radio networks with multi-optimization

In virtual MIMO technology, distributed single-antenna radio systems cooperate on information transmission and reception as a multiple- antenna MIMO radio system. In this paper, a new virtual MIMO communication scheme and routing protocol are cross layered designed for a wireless sensor network (WSN) to jointly achieve reliability, energy efficiency and delay reduction. The proposed communication scheme minimizes the intra communication in virtual MIMO nodes. It saves energy and reduces latency simultaneously at transmission links even when the diameters of virtual nodes are large. Given a required reliability, the proposed routing protocol simultaneously optimizes energy and latency along the route. Virtual MIMO nodes/links are allowed to be heterogeneous in order to apply the visual MIMO technology to a general WSN. A virtual MIMO radio network can be formed for any underlying WSN. The network is reconfigurable with low cost. The performance evaluation shows that the proposed design can fully realize the potential of the virtual MIMO technology and largely improve network throughput, network lifetime, and reliability in a WSN.
Heteroleptic cationic iridium(III) complexes bearing naphthalimidyl substituents: synthesis, photophysics and reverse saturable absorption.

Three heteroleptic cationic iridium(III) complexes containing a cyclometalating 2-[3-(7-naphthalimidylfluoren-2′-yl)phenyl]pyridine ligand and different diimine (N^N) ligands (N^N = 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy, Ir-1), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, Ir-2), and 5,5′-bis[7-(benzothiazol-2′-yl)fluoren-2′-yl]-2,2′-bipyridine (BTF-bpy, Ir-3)) were synthesized and characterized. The photophysics of these complexes was systematically investigated via spectroscopic methods and by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). All complexes possess a very weak charge-transfer tail at ca. 450–570 nm; and two intense absorption bands in the region of 290–350 nm and 350–450 nm, respectively. The emission of Ir-1–Ir-3 in CH2Cl2 emanates predominantly from the C^N ligand-localized 3π,π* state. These emitting excited states also give rise to broadband triplet excited-state absorption in the visible to the near-IR region (i.e. 420–800 nm for Ir-1 and Ir-2, and 460–800 nm for Ir-3). The kinetics of fs transient absorption (TA) reveals that the lowest singlet excited-state lifetimes of these complexes vary from 1.43 ps to 142 ps. The stronger excited-state absorption of Ir-1–Ir-3 compared to their respective ground-state absorption in the visible spectral range leads to strong reverse saturable absorption (RSA) at 532 nm for ns laser pulses. The trend of transmission signal decrease follows Ir-2 > Ir-3 > Ir-1. Extending the π-conjugation of the N^N ligand increases the strength of RSA. In addition, the naphthalimidyl (NI) substitution at the cyclometalating ligand dramatically increases the triplet excited-state lifetimes and broadens the triplet excited-state absorption to the NIR region compared to the respective Ir(III) complexes with a benzothiazolyl substituent on the cyclometalating ligand.
Balance mass flux and ice velocity across the equilibrium line in drainage systems of Greenland

Estimates of balance mass flux and the depth-averaged ice velocity through the cross-section aligned with the equilibrium line are produced for each of six drainage systems in Greenland. (The equilibrium line, which lies at approximately 1200 m elevation on the ice sheet, is the boundary between the area of net snow accumulation at higher elevations and the areas of net melting at lower elevations around the ice sheet.) Ice drainage divides and six major drainage systems are delineated using surface topography from ERS (European Remote Sensing) radar altimeter data. The net accumulation rate in the accumulation zone bounded by the equilibrium line is 399 Gt/yr and net ablation rate in the remaining area is 231 Gt/yr. (1 GigaTon of ice is 1090 kM(exp 3). The mean balance mass flux and depth-averaged ice velocity at the cross-section aligned with the modeled equilibrium line are 0.1011 Gt kM(exp -2)/yr and 0.111 km/yr, respectively, with little variation in these values from system to system. The ratio of the ice mass above the equilibrium line to the rate of mass output implies an effective exchange time of approximately 6000 years for total mass exchange. The range of exchange times, from a low of 3 ka in the SE drainage system to 14 ka in the NE, suggests a rank as to which regions of the ice sheet may respond more rapidly to climate fluctuations.
Induction of Tumours in Mice with Tritiated Thymidine

WE wish to record preliminary results of an experiment, in which we are investigating the possibility of inducing tumours in mice with tritiated thymidine. The β-particles from tritium incorporated into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 3H-thymidine produce an irradiation which primarily affects the cell nucleus, since about 90 per cent of the energy of these particles is dissipated within the nucleus. This procedure, therefore, enables one to distinguish in long-range experiments the results of nuclear damage from that caused by irradiation of whole cells and tissues, and to study the importance of nuclear damage in radiation carcinogenesis. It is desirable to do this, since there are many indications that alterations in deoxyribonucleic acid are involved in carcinogenesis in general. It is also commonly assumed that the tumour-inducing properties of ionizing radiations are mediated through changes in the nucleus, but there is no proof of this assumption.
Inhibitory activity and structural characterization of a C-terminal peptide fragment derived from the prosegment of the proprotein convertase PC7.

Mammalian proprotein convertases (PCs) belong to the family of recently discovered serine proteases responsible for the processing of a large number of precursor proteins into their active forms. The enzymatic activities of the convertases have been implicated in a variety of disease states, such as cancer and infectious and inflammatory diseases. Like many other proteases, PCs are also synthesized as inactive proenzymes with N-terminal extensions as their prosegments. Here, we present the inhibitory activities of a number of “putative” interfacial peptide fragments derived from the proregion of PC7. We found that a peptide fragment corresponding to the C-terminal region (residues 81p−104p, or C24: E1-A-V-L-A-K-H-E-A-V-R-W-H-S-E-Q-R-L-L-K-R-A-K-R24) of the PC7 prosegment displays a strong inhibition (Ki = 7 nM) of the PC7 enzyme comparable to that of the full-length (104 residue) prosegment. The same 24 residue peptide shows significantly populated helical conformations in an aqueous solution close to th...
Melt-formed superconducting joints for Nb 3 Sn tape

Several new persistent-current superconducting magnet applications become possible for Nb3Sn when joints can be fabricated that are superconducting over the full range of temperatures and fields accessible with Nb3Sn. Melt forming has been found to be an effective way to form such a joint. Both tungsten inert gas welding and laser welding have been used successfully for this purpose. Methods for fabrication, microstructures, and performance of melt-formed Nb3Sn superconducting joints are discussed in detail.
Mirrors and Resistance Exercise, Do They Influence Affective Responses?

The purpose of this study was to examine affective responses during and following resistance exercise in a mirrored environment. Thirty-two females completed three sessions. During session one, exercise intensity was determined for the subsequent two sessions. During the next two sessions participants performed eight exercises either with or without mirrors. Affect was measured prior to, during, immediately following and 15 minutes post-exercise. Affect was more pleasant and activated during and following exercise, but did not differ by condition. The inability to find a difference in mirrored condition may be a result of participants using the mirrors for technique as opposed to self-evaluation purposes.
The Role of Diastolic Outward Current Deactivation Kinetics on the Induction of Spiral Waves

The mechanism of induced reentry in an initially homogeneous repolurization matrix still remains undefined, In the present study we hypothesized that the slow deactivation rate of the delayed outward current (dIo/dt), which occurs during diastole after complete repolarizafion, can cause activation failure and facilitate reentry. We modeled the excitation-recovery process using the modified FilzHugh-Nagumo equations in a two-dimensional medium of 128 by 128 cells using the Connection Machine (CM-2), a massively parallel computer that is highly suitable for this class of problem. The model was one cell thick, uniformly excitable, and isofropic. When (he rate of Io deactivation was slowed to yield action potential duration (APD) restitution curves similar to experimentally observed arrhythmic ventricular muscle cells APD restitution curves, premature stimulation (S2) induced nonstationary double spiral waves (Figure 8 reentry). A decrease in d/o/dt increased the radius of the circle around which the iip of the spiral waves rotates and decreased its angular velocity. Wave fronts propagated through areas where the residual dia-stolic Io was fully inactivated and blocked in areas where its amplitude was high. No such dynamics of wave front propagation could be induced when S2 was applied after the completion of lo deactivation. We conclude that the kinetics of deactivation of the Io during diastole has a profound influence on the dynamics of two-dimensional wave front propagation. The similarities of the APD restitution curve implemented in the computer model with slow deactivation of Io and that observed in our canine model of quinidine induced ventricular fachyarrhythmias suggest that Io deactivation kinetics may play an important role in arrhythmogenesis in the intact ventricle.
Adsorption/migration of a perfluorohexylated fullerene from the bulk to the polymer/air interface

Adsorption/migration of a perfluorohexylated-C60 (C60(C6F13)5) from the bulk of a polymer matrix (polystyrene) to the polymer/air interface is reported here as a tool for surface modification as well as the demonstration of a method to increase the efficiency of polymer additives. Surface activity of C60(C6F13)5 was evaluated as a function of bulk concentration, annealing temperature, and annealing time. C60(C6F13)5 is extremely surface-active in the polystyrene matrix, occupies ∼90% of the outermost ∼40 A (XPS sampling depth), and renders a surface that is similar in wettability to a monolayer containing CF3 groups (hexadecane contact angle data). Surface reconstruction studies were carried out by either spin-casting or the transfer of a free-standing (solid) polystyrene film onto the composite materials (the surface-active agent and polystyrene) and subsequent thermal annealing. Both approaches show similar results: migration of perfluorohexylated-C60 from the bulk to the surface is driven by surface f...
Stateless and guaranteed geometric routing on virtual coordinate systems

Geographic routing can provide efficient routing at a fixed overhead. However, the performance of geographic routing is impacted by physical voids, and localization errors. Accordingly, virtual coordinate systems (VCS) were proposed as an alternative approach that is resilient to localization errors and that naturally routes around physical voids. However, VCS also faces virtual anomalies. Moreover, there are no effective complementary routing algorithm that can be used to traverse voids. Most existing solutions use variants of flooding or blind searching when a void is encountered. In this paper, we make the observation that increasing the number of dimensions in virtual coordinate systems cannot eliminate all virtual anomalies since some portions of the network may be 1-connected to the rest of the network. As a result, we conjecture that a delivery guaranteed protocol must be one-dimensional and propose a spanning-path virtual coordinate system that has this property. We develop a delivery guaranteed routing algorithm on top of this system that can be used on its own, or as a complementary algorithm to traverse voids. With this approach, and for the first time, we demonstrate a stateless and delivery guaranteed geometric routing algorithm on VCS. When used in conjunction with our previously proposed aligned virtual coordinate system (AVCS), it out-performs not only all geometric routing protocols on VCS, but also geographic routing with accurate location information.
The mechanism of sputter-induced epitaxy modification in YBCO (001) films grown on MgO (001) substrates

The sputter-induced epitaxy change of in-plane orientation occurring in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} (001) thin films grown on MgO (001) substrates by pulsed organo-metallic beam epitaxy (POMBE) is investigated by a series of film growth and characterization experiments, including RBS and TEM. The factors influencing the orientation change are systematically studied. The experimental results suggest that the substrate surface morphology change caused by the ion sputtering and the Ar ion implantation in the substrate surface layer are not the major factors that affect the orientation change. Instead, the implantation of W ions, which come from the hot filament of the ion gun, and the initial Ba deposition layer in the YBCO film growth play the most important roles in controlling the epitaxy orientation change. Microstructure studies show that a Ba{sub x}Mg{sub 1{minus}x}O buffer layer is formed on top of the sputtered substrate surface due to Ba diffusion into the W implanted layer. It is believed that the formation of this buffer layer relieves the large lattice mismatch and changes the YBCO film from the 45{degree} oriented growth to the 0{degree} oriented growth. {copyright} {ital 1998 Materials Research Society.}
Simultaneous Measurement, Phase-Space Distributions, and Quantum State Determination

Noting that a classical phase-space probability distribution w(q, p) may be calculated from moment expectation values { }, we inquire as to whether similar data in quantum mecha- nics would be adequate to determine the statistical operator e. For the family of simultaneous (q, p) measurement schemes investigated, it turns out that such momenta do not suffice to fix e. Comparison of the empirical information that is adequate to determine e with that required to find w(p, p) reveals that in a sense more data are needed for state determination in quantum statistics than are needed in the classical case. Simultan-Messung, Phasenraum-Verteilungen und Bestimmtheit der Quantenzustiinde Inhaltsubersicht. Da die klassische Wahrscheinlichkeitaverteilung w(p, p) im Phasenraum aus den Erwartungswerten der Momente {<pmplz)} berechenbar ist, erhebt sich die Frage, ob sich nicht in ahnlicher Weise der statistische Operator der Quantenmechanik bestimmen IiiBt. Fur die Gruppe der untersuchten simultanen (9, p)-Messungen stellt es sich heraus, daB die 0.g. Momente nicht zur Bestimmung von Q ausreichen. Der Vergleich der zur Festlegung von e benotigten empirischen Infor- mationen mit denen zur Bestimmung von w zeigt, daB in gewissem Sinne mehr Daten zur Festlegung der Zustiinde in der Quantenmechanik erforderlich sind als im klassischen Falle.
Inverse Spectral Problem for Analytic Domains I: Balian-Bloch Trace Formula

This is the first in a series of papers [Z3, Z4] on inverse spectral/resonance problems for analytic plane domains Ω. In this paper, we present a rigorous version of the Balian-Bloch trace formula [BB1, BB2]. It is an asymptotic formula for the trace Tr1ΩRρ(k+iτ log k) of the regularized resolvent of the Dirichlet or Neumann Laplacian of Ω as k→∞ with τ>0. When the support of Open image in new window contains the length Lγ of precisely one periodic reflecting ray γ, then the asymptotic expansion of Tr1ΩRρ(k+iτ log k) is essentially the same as the wave trace expansion at γ. The raison d’etre for this approach is that it leads to relatively simple explicit formulae for wave invariants. For example, we give the first formulae for wave invariants of bouncing ball orbits of plane domains (the details will appear in [Z3]). Although we only present details in dimension 2, the methods and results extend with few modifications to all dimensions.
Automatic tracking of muscle fascicles in ultrasound images using localized radon transform

Ultrasound images of muscle fascicles have been widely used to investigate muscle properties under static/dynamic and pathologic conditions. Fascicle images are usually detected and measured manually, which is subjective and time consuming, especially when dealing with large number of images. In this study, an automatic linear extraction method based on localized Radon transform and revoting strategy is proposed to detect and track muscle fascicles in ultrasound images. The performance of the proposed method is compared to another automatic linear feature extraction method of revoting Hough transform using both simulated images generated by Field II and clinical images from two human subjects. The proposed tracking method is further validated using experimental data. Both the simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method is robust in the presence of speckle noise, accurate in terms of orientation and position measurement, and feasible for analyzing clinical data.
Unrestricted BIC context tree estimation for not necessarily finite memory processes

Context trees of arbitrary stationary ergodic processes with finite alphabets are considered. Such a process is not necessarily a Markov chain, so the context tree may be of infinite depth. Calculated from a sample of size n, the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) is shown to provide a strongly consistent estimator of the context tree of the process, via minimization over hypothetical context trees, without any restriction on the hypothetical context trees. Strong consistency means that the estimated context tree recovers the true one up to any fixed level K, eventually almost surely as n tends to infinity. This generalizes the previous results, where either the context trees were assumed to be of finite depth or the depth of the hypothetical context trees was bounded by o(log n). Moreover, under some conditions on the process it is also shown that the level K above can grow with n at a specific rate determined by the distribution of the process; thus the BIC estimator can recover the true context tree to larger and larger depths.
A Two-Dimensional Diabatic Isopycnal Model—Simulating the Coastal Upwelling Front

Abstract A two-dimensional diabatic isopycnal model is designed to study coastal upwelling. The diabatic effect is represented by vertical mixing of the density field. Vertical eddy coefficients are determined by either a Richardson-number-dependent formula or a diagnostic second-order-moment closur turbulence model. Some idealized coastal upwelling cases are studied. The results show that in a frontal zone. not only the density and velocity, but also the mixing intensity develop strong spatial variability. By using the turbulence model, sharp boundaries exist between the fully turbulent and quiescent regions. The thermal wind relation is greatly affected by turbulent mixing. Besides the effect of vertical diffusion of longshore momentum as suggested by one-dimensional models, vertical diffusion of density at a different rate horizontally has a strong effect on the thermal wind balance. Localized turbulent mixing will change the horizontal density gradient of its surrounding areas. As a result, strong upw...
The German Peasant League and the Limits of Rural Liberalism in Wilhelmian Germany

To what extent was liberalism a resurgent force in the last decade of the German Empire? Considerable debate has materialized around this question. After he became chair of the National Liberal caucus in the Reichstag, the Badenese attorney Ernst Bassermann gathered around himself a coterie of young reformers (the most notable of whom was Gustav Stresemann) who were eager to rejuvenate German liberalism. While opening themselves to alliances with social democracy and the working class, these self-consciously proud members of the business and educated middle classes vigorously asserted an aggressive liberal profile and busied themselves with the creation of new organizational structures to undergird a revivified liberal movement. We know a great deal about some of these political-organizational projects, most notably the Young Liberal movement and the Hansabund. Historians have, however, neglected the rural component of this revival—the German Peasant League (Deutscher Bauernbund, or DBB)—which Bassermann recognized as equally important to the National Liberal party's future as the Hansabund.
Space Shuttle Rudder Speed Brake Actuator-A Case Study Probabilistic Fatigue Life and Reliability Analysis

The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet was originally intended to have a life of 100 flights for each vehicle, lasting over a 10-year period, with minimal scheduled maintenance or inspection. The first space shuttle flight was that of the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102), launched April 12, 1981. The disaster that destroyed Columbia occurred on its 28th flight, February 1, 2003, nearly 22 years after its first launch. In order to minimize risk of losing another Space Shuttle, a probabilistic life and reliability analysis was conducted for the Space Shuttle rudder/speed brake actuators to determine the number of flights the actuators could sustain. A life and reliability assessment of the actuator gears was performed in two stages: a contact stress fatigue model and a gear tooth bending fatigue model. For the contact stress analysis, the Lundberg-Palmgren bearing life theory was expanded to include gear-surface pitting for the actuator as a system. The mission spectrum of the Space Shuttle rudder/speed brake actuator was combined into equivalent effective hinge moment loads including an actuator input preload for the contact stress fatigue and tooth bending fatigue models. Gear system reliabilities are reported for both models and their combination. Reliability of the actuator bearings was analyzed separately, based on data provided by the actuator manufacturer. As a result of the analysis, the reliability of one half of a single actuator was calculated to be 98.6 percent for 12 flights. Accordingly, each actuator was subsequently limited to 12 flights before removal from service in the Space Shuttle.
EGFR inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer: current evidence and future directions

EGFR inhibition has emerged to be an important strategy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and mono-clonal antibodies (mAbs) to the EGFR have been tested in multiple large randomized phase III studies alone or combined with chemotherapy, as well as small phase I-II studies which investigated their efficacy as radiosensitizers when combined with radiotherapy. In this review, we described the current clinical outcome after treatment with EGFR TKIs and mAbs alone or combined with chemotherapy in advanced stage NSCLC, as well as the early findings in feasibility/phase I or II studies regarding to whether EGFR TKI or mAb can be safely and effectively combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced NSCLC. Furthermore, we explore the potential predictive biomarkers for response to EGFR TKIs or mAbs in NSCLC patients based on the findings in the current clinical trials; the mechanisms of resistance to EGFR inhibition; and the strategies of augmenting the antitumor activity of the EGFR inhibitors alone or when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Relationship of reactive oxygen species levels in day 3 culture media to the outcome of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Objective To examine the relationship of early human embryonic development parameters to day 3 reactive oxygen species (D-3 ROS) levels in culture media. Design Prospective study. Setting Tertiary care hospital. Patient(s) Patients were undergoing IVF (n = 92; 36 with intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]). Intervention(s) The D-3 ROS levels in sample and control of each embryo culture dish were measured by the chemiluminescence method using a luminol probe. Main Outcome Measure(s) Embryo quality (days 3 and 5) and pregnancy rates (PR). Result(s) The D-3 ROS level was significantly lower in pregnant cycles 26.8 ± 13.9 × 10 6 cpm (counted photon per minute) versus nonpregnant cycles 66.4 ± 39.4 × 10 6 cpm. This relationship was maintained when the cycles were stratified to conventional IVF (27.1 ± 14.95 vs. 67.0 ± 39.9 × 10 6 cpm) or ICSI (25.6 ± 12.75 vs. 65.5 ± 39.7 × 10 6 cpm). After controlling for all variables, D-3 ROS levels were negatively correlated with blastocyst development rate as well as PR. Odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of clinical pregnancy corresponding to a 10 × 10 6 cpm increase in D-3 ROS was 0.47 (0.30–0.74) for ICSI and 0.56 (0.37–0.85) for IVF. Conclusion(s) During extended in vitro culture, ROS generated in culture media by day 3 may be an important biochemical marker for blastulation. An increase of 10 units in D-3 ROS may decrease the clinical pregnancy by 41%.
Multidisciplinary system design optimization of on orbit satellite assembly architectures

Multidisciplinary system design optimization is performed to determine an optimal on-orbit satellite assembly mission architecture. Modern satellite assembly and launch systems rely on monolithic launches of complete satellites. There are many benefits, however, that may be attained through deviating from the status quo. Launching robotic, on-orbit assemble-able satellite modules increases the number of launches, but since each is launch is of a smaller satellite, the net launch costs can be decreased. Additionally, the price per pound of satellite launches can be decreased through ride-share programs with other missions. Spacecraft versatility is increased when not restricted to the selected launch vehicle payload weight capacity and geometric envelope by instead relying on reconfiguration once in orbit to achieve a final operational configuration. To facilitate the realization of these and other benefits, this paper addresses the architecture of an on-orbit assembly mission that requires an assembly satellite(s) to rendezvous with customer modules and assemble them into a complete satellite in the desired final orbit. A model of this assembly mission is created which calculates costs over the whole multi-assembly mission lifetime of one through five assembler satellites and the downtime which customer satellites experience while on orbit waiting for assembly to be complete. Five design variables are identified for this model, namely, the number of assembler satellites, the number of modules each assembler can manipulate at once, the starting location of each assembler, the autonomy level of the assemblers, and type of transfer orbits utilized by the assemblers. By varying these five aspects of the mission, an optimization is carried out which seeks to minimize total cost of the assembler mission and downtime of the customer satellites while holding to certain parameters and meeting constraints. This paper presents the problem, a simulation of the problem, the optimization methodology, and the results of that optimization.
Dual AAV therapy ameliorates exercise-induced muscle injury and functional ischemia in murine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) membrane delocalization contributes to the pathogenesis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by promoting functional muscle ischemia and exacerbating muscle injury during exercise. We have previously shown that supra-physiological expression of nNOS-binding mini-dystrophin restores normal blood flow regulation and prevents functional ischemia in transgenic mdx mice, a DMD model. A critical next issue is whether systemic dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy can restore nNOS-binding mini-dystrophin expression and mitigate muscle activity-related functional ischemia and injury. Here, we performed systemic gene transfer in mdx and mdx4cv mice using a pair of dual AAV vectors that expressed a 6 kb nNOS-binding mini-dystrophin gene. Vectors were packaged in tyrosine mutant AAV-9 and co-injected (5 × 10(12) viral genome particles/vector/mouse) via the tail vein to 1-month-old dystrophin-null mice. Four months later, we observed 30-50% mini-dystrophin positive myofibers in limb muscles. Treatment ameliorated histopathology, increased muscle force and protected against eccentric contraction-induced injury. Importantly, dual AAV therapy successfully prevented chronic exercise-induced muscle force drop. Doppler hemodynamic assay further showed that therapy attenuated adrenergic vasoconstriction in contracting muscle. Our results suggest that partial transduction can still ameliorate nNOS delocalization-associated functional deficiency. Further evaluation of nNOS binding mini-dystrophin dual AAV vectors is warranted in dystrophic dogs and eventually in human patients.
Refinable bivariate quartic and quintic C 2 -splines for quadrilateral subdivisions

Refinable compactly supported bivariate C2 quartic and quintic spline function vectors on the four-directional mesh are introduced in this paper to generate matrix-valued templates for approximation and Hermite interpolatory surface subdivision schemes, respectively, for both the √2 and 1-to-4 split quadrilateral topological rules. These splines have their full local polynomial preservation orders. In addition, we extend our study to parametric approach and use the symmetric properties of our refinable quintic spline components as a guideline to reduce the number of free parameters in constructing second order C2 Hermite interpolatory quadrilateral subdivision schemes with precisely six components.
A conceptual modeling framework for the study of DNA mismatch repair pathway to improve therapeutic gain in cancer treatment

The DNA mismatch repair pathway is an important repair mechanism in the cell that ensures genomic stability. Mismatch repair deficiencies are shown to be associated with certain hereditary forms of cancer as well as many sporadic cancers. The loss of mismatch repair also leads to resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and other types of DNA stress including ionizing radiation. An alternative treatment strategy for mismatch repair deficient cancers is the use of iododeoxyuridine and ionizing radiation together to generate cytotoxicity that will eventually lead to cell death. There are measurable differences in the cell cycle dynamics for mismatch repair proficient and deficient cells with and without treatment using iododeoxyuridine. A finite-state probabilistic cell cycle model is developed to study the effects of iododeoxyuridine on the cell cycle dynamics. We discuss how these models can be used to maximize therapeutic gain through the design of optimal dosing strategies of iododeoxyuridine and optimal timing of the ionizing radiation treatment. We introduce a conceptual hybrid modeling framework to study the dynamics of mismatch repair pathway in order to be able to manipulate the pathway to improve therapeutic gain. We also discuss the experimental data that are required to support the modeling framework.
A new direction in fuzzy logic-toward a computational theory of perceptions

Perceptions play a pivotal role in human cognition. The ability to reason with perceptions underlies the remarkable human capability to perform a wide variety of physical and mental tasks without any measurements and any computations. Everyday examples of such tasks are parking a car, driving in city traffic, playing golf, cooking a meal and summarizing a story. In an essential way, the capability to perform these tasks is based on the brain's ability to manipulate perceptions-perceptions of time, distance, force, direction, speed, shape, color, likelihood, intent, truth and other attributes of physical and mental objects.
Constrained decision-making for low-count radiation detection by mobile sensors

This paper approaches from an optimal control perspective the problem of fixed-time detection of mobile radioactive sources in transit by means of a collection of mobile sensors. Under simplifying assumptions on the motion and geometry of the source, the sensors, and the surrounding environment, the optimal control problem admits an intuitive, analytic closed-form solution. This solution is obtained thanks to analytic expressions for bounds on the probabilities of detection and false alarm for a Neyman---Pearson detection test. The intuition derived from this analytic solution supports the development of a motion control law that steers (suboptimally) the sensors to a given neighborhood of the suspected source, while navigating among stationary obstacles in their environment. This motion controller closes the loop at the acceleration level of a heterogeneous collection of sensor platforms. Experimental studies with these platforms corroborate the theoretical convergence results.
The Emotional Intelligence of Managers: Assessing the Construct Validity of a Nonverbal Measure of “People Skills”

Researchers have long been interested in managerial socio-emotional competency —“people skills.” One problem has been that many such competencies are properly categorized as nonverbal in nature, yet researchers typically utilize paper and pencil, verbal, measures to assess these. The present research draws upon emerging literature on emotional intelligence, as well as upon psychological research on cross-cultural universals in the display and recognition of facial expressions of emotion, combining these streams of research to develop a nonverbal measure of skill at nonverbal communication—particularly, of the ability to recognize emotional expressions displayed by others. Applications to leadership, human relations skills, and communication in organizations are discussed.
Tiered CFCs and Inbound Exchanges

Recently issued final regulations under sections 367(b) and 1248 clarify the amount of earnings and profits taken into account by some U.S. shareholders upon an otherwise tax-free inbound exchange of the stock or assets of the parent of a tiered group of controlled foreign corporations. This article explains the rationale underlying the clarification, which was not articulated in its issuance, and endorses it from both technical and policy perspectives.
Representation and Roll Calls

To simulate and study the electoral incentives of the roll call-constituent connection, we designed a survey experiment and administered it to nationally representative samples on the 2006 and 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) studies. In our experiments, respondents were randomly assigned to either receive information about a particular vote or set of votes made by their Senator in the most recent session of Congress or to receive no information. Each respondent was also asked to state their own position on the roll call issue in question, allowing us to assess the level of agreement or disagreement between Senator and constituent. This design allows us to directly measure the extent to which respondents who received roll call information either rewarded the Senator for an agreeable vote or punished them for a disagreeable one. We find that citizens are responsive to roll call information and that their responsiveness varies in predictable and consequential ways. In particular, we find that senators' co-partisans and citizens who share senators' ideologies are more responsive to roll call information than other elements of the electorate and are particularly likely to punish senators for unfavorable votes.
Roll-to-roll fabrication of high surface area mesoporous carbon with process-tunable pore texture for optimization of adsorption capacity of bulky organic dyes

Abstract Large-scale (multigram-to-kilogram) fabrication of soft-templated ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) is enabled by roll-to-roll (R2R) processing via evaporation induced self assembly of Pluronic F127, oligomeric phenolic resin (resol), and tetraorthosilicate (TEOS) from ethanolic solution. The solution concentration, TEOS loading (etchable for microporous framework), and crosslinking temperature impact the pore structure. Here we demonstrate that mesoporous carbons with surface areas up to 2455 m2/g can be obtained under the proper processing conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms reveal (i) suppressed framework shrinkage with increasing solution concentration during casting, (ii) improved long range order and higher surface area with increasing TEOS content up to 3:1 TEOS:resol, and (iii) enhanced porosity with crosslinking at 100 °C. These differences can be explained on the basis of block copolymer thermodynamics and mechanical reinforcement by silica. This family of OMCs are effective adsorbents for bulky aqueous organic dyes, such as methylene green (MG) and methyl blue (MB), with high adsorption capacities of 0.436 g MG/g OMC and 0.378 g MB/g OMC obtained. This R2R method provides a facile method to generate significant quantities of OMCs with tunable pore textures.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Clinical Features, Disease Modifiers, and Natural History

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) typically presents as an asymptomatic elevation of liver-associated enzymes and has been associated with a number of clinical conditions that are included in the definition of the metabolic syndrome such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. NAFLD also has been shown to be related to a variety of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and obstructive sleep apnea. This review will address the clinical presentation and natural history of NAFLD as the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.
Nitroreductase-activatable morpholino oligonucleotides for in vivo gene silencing

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides are widely used to interrogate gene function in whole organisms, and light-activatable derivatives can reveal spatial and temporal differences in gene activity. We describe here a new class of caged morpholino oligonucleotides that can be activated by the bacterial nitroreductase NfsB. We characterize the activation kinetics of these reagents in vitro and demonstrate their efficacy in zebrafish embryos that express NfsB either ubiquitously or in defined cell populations. In combination with transgenic organisms, such enzyme-actuated antisense tools will enable gene silencing in specific cell types, including tissues that are not amenable to optical targeting.
Substrate effects: Disappearance of adsorbate-induced magnetism in graphene

In this theoretical work, we show that substrates play key roles in the properties of layered systems such as graphene by focusing on magnetic properties associated with adsorbates. Local magnetic moments formed in fluorinated and hydrogenated graphene layers are quenched when they are deposited on a copper substrate due to several interconnected effects: doping by the substrate, increased structural distortion, and broadening of the defect states. We find that these effects contribute in different degrees to the changes in the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the system and that they vary between adsorbates. The most important factor in the disappearance of magnetism in the functionalized graphene is shown to be the formation of metal-carbide bonds and the subsequent broadening of the impurity states that erases their spin splitting. We show that interactions with the substrate and the formation of local magnetic moments can be modified using multiple layers of graphene.
Reduction in chlamydial infectivity by lysozyme.

Results and ConclusionsThe mean values of the number of inclusions per field were calculated for each treatment group and submitted to computer analysis using a hierarchical design (8). This method (“nested design”) involves the comparison of the two fixed treatment group means, taking into consideration the random variation of mean slide counts within treatment groups and the random variation of counts on slides within each treatment group. An F ratio was computed which represents the variation due to treatment, divided by the random count variation. The greater the F ratio, the more significant the difference between treatment group means. An example of the results of experiments analyzed in this fashion is given in Table I.The only known variable between control and experimental groups is the presence of hen egg white lysozyme. While the lysozyme failed to inactivate a majority of the infective chlamydial particles, it consistently produced a significant reduction in chlamydial infectivity. This suppor...