cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alkyl-group grafting onto glassy carbon cathodes by reduction of primary monohaloalkanes: electrochemistry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies

Abstract Surface alkylation of glassy carbon (GC) and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) cathodes can occur when a primary alkyl monohalide is present in solution and when the electrode is polarized at potentials more negative than those required for reductive cleavage of the carbon–halogen bond, leading to the grafting of alkyl moieties onto the surface of the carbon cathode. Examination of electrode surfaces by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has revealed that surface sp2:sp3 carbon ratios are approximately 4:1 for both pristine GC and RVC electrode materials that are commercially available. Further XPS analysis of these electrodes before and after reduction of perfluorobutyl iodide (C4F9I) provides substantial supporting evidence for a previously proposed mechanism for the grafting process that involves an SN2-like reaction between sp2-hybridized carbon (nucleophile) of the cathode and primary alkyl halides (electrophile) leading to conversion of sp2 sites to sp3 sites, with final surface sp2:sp3 carbon ratios that fall below 1:1. At the end of this paper, we discuss (mainly in qualitative terms) the ramifications of this surface modification of GC and RVC electrodes with respect to (a) bulk reduction of primary alkyl halides and (b) use and behavior of a well-known catalyst precursor (1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene).
Chapter 21 – Respiratory System

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the gill filament whose unique structure has become highly specialized in order to perform the variety of diverse activities requisite for an aquatic existence. The gill filament is the functional unit of the gill and this is where essentially all of the homeostatic activities of the gill arch are carried out. Oxygen is taken up by simple diffusion across the epithelium of the respiratory lamellae. Carbon dioxide is excreted either as a dissolved gas across the lamellae, or in the form of bicarbonate by specialized ion transporting cells found on the filament body and occasionally on the lamellae. These and other ion transporting cells also transport sodium, calcium, hydrogen and chloride ions and thereby are vital in acid-base balance, calcium metabolism and osmoregulation. Other epithelial cells secrete mucus or provide a physiological barrier from the environment. Gill vessels not only serve as conduits for blood, they also metabolically activate or inactivate numerous hormones and other molecules in the plasma and in response to neural and endocrine signals they provide a means for selective control of tissue perfusion.
Analysis of the factor of effective thrombus aspiration on patients in primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective To find the factors lowering the rate of effective thrombus aspiration in patients with STsegment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Method From January to December 2008 , a total of 226 AMI patients from Beijing Anzhen Hospital,treated with primary PCI to aspirate the thrombus from the infracted coronary artery via a cannula, were enrolled in a single center retrospective study. The criterion of successful thrombectomy (device success) was defined as the coronary blood flow of involved vessel after PCI resumed to greater than TIMI grade 1. One hundred seventy-eight patients were assigned to effective thrombus aspiration group, and 48 patients without improvement in coronary blood flow of involved vessel after PCI to control group. Data collected after PCI including the normalization of the elevated ST segment,the use of direct stent, ratio of no-flow/slow flow, intra-coronary administration of Tirofiban and the rate of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade 3 were analyzed with logistic analysis soas to find out the factors affecting the efficacy of thrombus aspiration. Results There were no significant differences in data before PCI between two groups ( P ＞0.05). Compared with the control group, the factors studied such as smoke, diabetes, the rate of pre-PCI TIMI flow grade 0,the post-PCI ratio of no-reflow/slow flow,and the intra-coronary administration of Tirofiban were fewer significantly in the effective thrombus aspiration group. And the rate of post-PCI TIMI flow grade 3, and the rate of direct stent were higher in the effective thrombus aspiration group. Logistic analysis showed that smoke ( OR = 1.551,95%CI: 1.018 ～ 2. 154, P = 0.012), diabetes ( OR = 1. 132,95%CI:0.276 ～ 3.562, P =0.044), and pre-PCI TIMI flow grade 0 OR = 0.544,95%CI:0.368 ～ 1.911,P = 0.035) were independent factors of effective thrombus aspiration. Conclusions Effective thrombus aspiration may improved the coronary blood flow to TIMI flow grade 3 after PCI and reduce the impaiment of myocardial perfusion, and the factors affecting the efficacy of thrombus aspiration should be paid more attention to and should be minimized to achieve the better clinical outcomes. Key words: Acute myocardial infarction; Primary percutaneous coronary intervention; Thrombus aspiratiou; Effective; ST segment recovery; Direct stem; No-reflow/slow flow; Effect factors
Using neural networks to mine text and predict metabolic traits for thousands of microbes

Microbes can metabolize more chemical compounds than any other group of organisms. As a result, their metabolism is of interest to investigators across biology. Despite the interest, information on metabolism of specific microbes is hard to access. Information is buried in text of books and journals, and investigators have no easy way to extract it out. Here we investigate if neural networks can extract out this information and predict metabolic traits. For proof of concept, we predicted two traits: whether microbes carry one type of metabolism (fermentation) or produce one metabolite (acetate). We collected written descriptions of 7,021 species of bacteria and archaea from Bergey9s Manual. We read the descriptions and manually identified (labeled) which species were fermentative or produced acetate. We then trained neural networks to predict these labels. In total, we identified 2,364 species as fermentative, and 1,009 species as also producing acetate. Neural networks could predict which species were fermentative with 97.3% accuracy. Accuracy was even higher (98.6%) when predicting species also producing acetate. We used these predictions to draw phylogenetic trees of species with these traits. The resulting trees were close to the actual trees (drawn using labels). Previous counts of fermentative species are 4-fold lower than our own. For acetate-producing species, they are 100-fold lower. This undercounting confirms past difficulty in extracting metabolic traits from text. Our approach with neural networks can extract information efficiently and accurately. It paves the way for putting more metabolic traits into databases, providing easy access of information by investigators.
COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home mandates promote weight gain in US adults.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the effect of state stay-at-home mandates on weight of US adults by BMI over 3 months during COVID-19. METHODS US adults completed an online questionnaire containing demographics, weight, physical activity, sedentary time, fruit/vegetable intake, depressive symptoms, stress, and sleep at baseline (May 2020) and after 3 months (August 2020). RESULTS Participants gained 0.6 kg (76.7-77.3 kg, p = 0.002). A total of 26% of those with obesity gained > 2 kg compared with 14.8% of those with normal weight (p < 0.001). A total of 53.3% of individuals with obesity maintained weight within 2 kg compared with 72.5% of those with normal weight (p < 0.001). Greater weight gain was related to longer stay-at-home mandates (β = 0.078, p = 0.010), lower baseline minutes of physical activity per day (β = -0.107, p = 0.004), greater declines in minutes of physical activity per day (β = -0.076, p = 0.026), depressive symptoms (β = 0.098, p = 0.034), and greater increases in time preparing food (β = 0.075, p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS US adults gained weight, and stay-at-home mandates were associated with atypical weight gain and greater reported weight gain in individuals with obesity over 3 months.
Microglial FACS for Robust RNA Recovery for Next-Generation Sequencing.

Microglia are immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), which play an instrumental role in eliminating invading pathogens and help regulate localized inflammation. They also assist in maintaining homeostasis of the brain microenvironment. Microglia isolation from primary brain tissue can be difficult with poor yields from tissue dissociation which precludes many downstream assays from being efficiently conducted. Recovery of intact microglia for single-cell or next-generation RNA sequencing (NGS, RNAseq) can be a difficult process. The recovery of intact RNA transcripts inside viable cells has its challenges. Here we describe a method to enrich CD11b + microglial cells from brain tissue followed by FACS, for a reliable and reproducible method for the recovery of high-quality RNA from sorted microglia for downstream sequencing.
Capillary transfer: Numerical study of how topology affects the fluid flow rate into a planar microstructure with pseudopotential multiphase Lattice-Boltzmann method

We investigate how topology impacts capillary action with the hope of aiding future thermal engineering decisions. Heat pipes and their two-dimensional variant, vapor chambers are essential components in electronics cooling. With thin-film evaporation as the driving force for such high-heat-flux movers, studies have been done to optimize the thermal performance of different designs. However, the fundamental problem of liquid transportation needs to be addressed exclusively: evaporation can only work as long as the new liquid is continuously being replaced. The device achieves this by the capillary process (or wicking) through the thermal ground (or wicks): a configuration of microstructures attached to the device's walls. Some planar topologies of the structure allow for consistent but slower mass feeding; others offer higher bandwidth but with local flow hindrance, creating a pulsating tendency; certain conditions would even block the capillary flow. Surveying the capillary performance of different two-dimensional designs of the thermal ground, we encounter a topological factor that correlates with this mass transfer rate. We incorporate in the factor the wick's width, its height, and the gap between one microstructure to another. An energy model is studied to explain the underlying influence of the structure topology, while Lattice-Boltzmann method is used to evaluate the capillary dynamics inside the thermal ground. With ultra-thin applications in mind, the paper looks at the length scales of micrometers with a wick height of 50 μm. Overall, we find that tightly packed structures pull the most liquid in the same amount of time; however, we find that two core constraints need to be met: sufficient clearance between structures and freedom of mobility.
In Situ Hybridization Histochemical and Immunocytochemical Analysis of Opioid Gene Products in a Rat Model of Peripheral Inflammation

Three genes which encode families of opioid peptides have been described. They are 1: preproopiomelanocortin (POMC), 2: preproenkephalin (PPE), and 3: preprodynorphin (PPD) (Fig. 1). The peptide products of each of these opioidgenes have been identified in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Enkephalin-like immunoreactive (ENK-LI) cell bodies which likely originate from PPE (although the enkephalin sequence is present in each of the three opioid genes) have been observed in many laminae of the spinal cord (Miller and Seybold, 1987; Cruz and Basbaum, 1985; Bennett et al, 1982; Sumal et al, 1982; Conrath-Verrier et al, 1983; Hokfelt et al, 1977; Aronin et al, 1981; Glazer and Basbaum, 1981; Hunt et al, 1981; Merchenthaler et al, 1986; Ruda et al, 1986). Both the ENK-LI cell bodies and axons are concentrated in superficial dorsal horn laminae I and II, in deep dorsal horn laminae V and VI, and in the area around the central canal. Most enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn likely originates from intrinsic dorsal horn neurons, while a few ENK-LI fibers may descend from the brainstem (Hokfelt et al, 1979) or originate in dorsal root ganglion neurons (Senba et al, 1982; Kawatani et al, 1984). The location of the PPD product, dynorphin (Goldstein et al 1979; Civelli et al 1985), has also been examined immunocytochemically in the spinal cord. Dynorphin-like immunoreactive (DYN-LI) neurons and axons are concentrated in laminae I, II, V, and VI, and in the area around the central canal (Sasek et al 1984; Cruz and Basbaum 1985; Miller and Seybold 1987). Similar to ENK-LI axons, DYN-LI axons in the dorsal horn arise predominantly from intrinsic neurons while a small number may be of primary afferent origin (Botticelli et al,1981; Kawatani et al, 1984; Basbaum et al, 1986). No neuronal cell bodies containing POMC gene products have been found in the spinal cord although a few, scattered, varicose, POMC peptide immunoreactive axons have been observed in the dorsal horn (Tsou et al, 1986).
Effects of Fall Fertilizer Applications on Mitotic Index and Bud Dormancy of Loblolly Pine Seedlings

A series of studies examined the effects of fall fertilization with diammoniwn phosphate (DAP) on mitotic index and bud donnancy [as measured by mean days to budbreak (DBB)] of two half-sib seed sources of loblolly pine. The first study tested different rates of DAP (0, 67, and 202 kg Nlha), the second study compared DAP with ammoniwn nitrate, and the third study examined the effect of different application dates (September 28, October 19, and November 9). An increase in mitotic index of unfertilized seedlings was observed during October and was due to developmental activity which follows initial budset. Differences in mitotic index were observed between families in all three studies. Overall, the Georgia family has a higher mitotic index, but in one study, the Virginia family had higher values in the spring. Both families tended to reach a minimwn level of mitotic index at the same time (midto late December). However, the Virginia family reached maximwn rest (as measured by days to budbreak) about 1 to 2 weeks prior to the Georgia family. Fertilization with DAP in the fall (after budset in September) did not delay the progression of the bud donnancy cycle as measured by days to budbreak in a greenhouse. The overall effect of fall fertilization on increasing the mitotic index was temporary and only lasted for about three weeks after fertilization. These findings indicated that a direct relationship may not exist between the bud dormancy cycle and mitotic index. FoR. Sci. 38(2):336--349. ADDITIONAL
Local and regional applications of hydrogen peroxide in the control of clostridial myositis in rabbits.

The intra-arterial infusion of hydrogen peroxide has been used as a method for producing a hyperoxic environment in experimental animals for the treatment of experimentally induced clostridial myositis. Eighty-five rabbits were employed in this study; 43 were controls and 42 were experimental animals. In the experimental study, 21 animals were treated with hydrogen peroxide by each route of administration. In this group, 52.4% of the animals receiving the intra-arterial infusion and 66.6% receiving intramuscular clysis survived. There were no survivors past 72 hr in the control group. Images
Party Strength and Activity and Women's Political Representation at the Local Level

This paper examines the effects of political parties on women‘s representation, testing a theory which ties together party institutions and the political actors working within them. I consider the effects of party structure, activity, recruitment practices, and gatekeeping on the proportion of female county candidates, and test how these institutional factors interact with the differing ideologies of Democratic and Republican party actors, with the gender of party leaders, and with party leader beliefs about women as political candidates. I find support for my central hypothesis that party strength can enhance women‘s representation, conditional on the beliefs and characteristics of political actors. I also find substantial differences between Republicans and Democrats with regard to the effects of party activities and of party interactions with other political actors on women‘s representation. This paper demonstrates that local parties and their leaders fundamentally affect who runs for and holds political office at the local level and beyond. If parties increase their structure, activity, and recruitment, and decrease their gatekeeping activities, the proportion of women running for office could increase a great deal. The strength of these effects depends on the gender of party leaders and whether these leaders update their perceptions of women‘s electability. More broadly, the results in this paper indicate that it is critical to consider the interaction of political institutions and political behavior in order to explain political outcomes.
trans processing of vaccinia virus core proteins.

Abstract The three major vaccinia virus (VV) virion proteins (4a, 4b, and 25K) are proteolytically matured from larger precursors (P4a, P4b, and P25K) during virus assembly. Within the precursors, Ala-Gly-X motifs have been noted at the putative processing sites, with cleavage apparently taking place between the Gly and X residues. To identify the sequence and/or structural parameters which are required to define an efficient cleavage site, a trans-processing assay system has been developed by tagging the carboxy terminus of the P25K polypeptide (precursor of 25K) with an octapeptide FLAG epitope, which can be specifically recognized by a monoclonal antibody. By using transient expression assays with cells coinfected with VV, the proteolytic processing of the chimeric gene product (P25K:FLAG) was monitored by immunoblotting procedures. The relationship between the P25K:FLAG precursor and the 25K:FLAG cleavage product was established by pulse-chase experiments. The in vivo cleavage of P25K:FLAG was inhibited by the drug rifampin, implying that the reaction was utilizing the same pathway as authentic VV core proteins. Moreover, the 25K:FLAG protein was found in association with mature virions in accord with the notion that cleavage occurs concomitantly with virion assembly. Site-directed mutagenesis of the Ala-Gly-Ala motif at residues 31 to 33 of the P25K:FLAG precursor to Ile-Asp-Ile blocked production of the 25K:FLAG product. The efficiency of 25K:FLAG production (33.71%) is, however, approximately only half of the production of 25K (63.98%) within VV-infected cells transfected with pL4R:FLAG. One explanation for the lower efficiency of 25K:FLAG production was suggested by the observation in the immunofluorescent-staining experiment that 25K:FLAG-related proteins were not specifically localized to the virus assembly factories (virosomes) within VV-infected cells, although virosome localization was prominent for P25K-related polypeptides. Since VV core protein proteolytic processing is believed to take place during virion maturation, only the P25K:FLAG which was assembled into immature virions could undergo proteolytic maturation. Furthermore during these experiments, a potential cleavage intermediate (25K') of P25K was identified. Amino acid residues 17 to 19 (Ala-Gly-Ser) of the P25K precursor were implicated as the intermediate cleavage site, since no 25K':FLAG product was produced from a mutant precursor in which the sequence was altered to Ile-Asp-Ile. Taken together, these results provide biochemical and genetic evidence to support the hypothesis that the Ala-Gly-X cleavage motif plays a critical role in VV virion protein proteolytic maturation.
What Happended to the Voice of the Author

There are a series of issues that people designing multimedia for educational purposes should consider. These include, among others, the salience of the voice of the author, the balance between the seductive nature of the medium and the substantive content of the message, and the way(s) in which the navigational tools either promote or constrain the learening and teaching of the content. This paper explores some of these questions and suggests how the answers to them depend on the pedagogic ideology and philosophy of the creators of the software.
Considering Grounded Theory: Categories, Cases, and Control

Kathy Charmaz is the mother of grounded theory. A member of the “second generation” following Barney Glaser and the late Anselm Strauss, she has brought the approach into contemporary times and, along the way, inspired students and colleagues with publications that span a twenty-five-year period. Constructing Grounded Theory builds on her previous work and extends with unusual clarity and precision in the methodological literature the interpretive turn in grounded theory she charted in earlier methodological publications. The book will be a major resource for investigators for years to come. All readers will appreciate her concise summary of the history of grounded theory from Discovery (Glaser and Strauss 1967) to the present. She offers a respectful and balanced account of current strains and tensions between “objectivist” grounded theorists and the growing constructivist tradition, noting areas of overlap as well as points of divergence. The origins of the tension could have been anticipated given the intellectual biographies of the method’s originators, with Glaser coming from the epicenter of survey research and structural functionalism—the sociology department at Columbia University—while Strauss was oriented toward fieldwork, and Chicago school symbolic interactionism. Throughout the book there is close attention paid to both the epistemological stance of objectivists and that of constructivists. As Charmaz writes, a “constructivist would emphasize eliciting the participant’s definitions of terms, situations, and events and try to tap his or her assumptions, implicit meanings, and tacit rules. An objectivist would be concerned with obtaining information about chronology, events, settings, and behaviors” (p. 32). Since Glaser and Strauss’s original “discovery” of grounded theory, practitioners of the method have straddled both sides of the divide, and there are plenty of ambiguous statements
The qualification of “radiation-hard” dielectrics for capacitor applications

Specific polymer dielectric materials have been identified that can be used to minimize the discharge of capacitors upon exposure to ionizing radiation. The testing procedures used to qualify the radiation-induced conductivity in capacitor dielectrics are discussed, and a comparison is made of various “radiation-hard” dielectrics that display low levels of radiation-induced conductivity.
Cell division inhibitors SulA and MinCD prevent formation of the FtsZ ring.

Abstract Immunoelectron microscopy was used to assess the effects of inhibitors of cell division on formation of the FtsZ ring in Escherichia coli. Induction of the cell division inhibitor SulA, a component of the SOS response, or the inhibitor MinCD, a component of the min system, blocked formation of the FtsZ ring and led to filamentation. Reversal of SulA inhibition by blocking protein synthesis in SulA-induced filaments led to a resumption of FtsZ ring formation and division. These results suggested that these inhibitors block cell division by preventing FtsZ localization into the ring structure. In addition, analysis of min mutants demonstrated that FtsZ ring formation was also associated with minicell formation, indicating that all septation events in E. coli involve the FtsZ ring.
A brief history of flow cytometry and sorting.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some of the key events in the development of flow cytometry. The flow cytometric instruments and a growing number of monoclonal antibody probes of cell structure, cell constituents, and cell function have forever changed the classification of hemopoietic and other cell types, and recast the study of cell biology. It is difficult now to find a single clinical or biomedical laboratory that does not make use of this technology. During the 1980s and 1990s, there have been dramatic advances resulting from (i) improved instrumentation, increasing the precision of measurements and the number of simultaneously measurable parameters including, most recently, combining flow with cell scanning image cytometry; (ii) new antibodies and other probes of cellular constituents, with new techniques to measure a variety of cell attributes and cell functions; and (iii) new clinical and research applications. Advances in each of these areas depend on and influences the others.
A Concise History of World Population

. Concise History of World Population. 2nd edition. Massimo Livi-Bacci. Maiden, MA: Blackwell, 1997.250 pp.
Antagonism of metabotropic glutamate group II receptors in the potential treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders

The metabotropic glutamate Group II receptors (mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors) regulate the synaptic availability of glutamate and thus control the broad-ranging neural transmission of glutamate as well as glutamate-modulated transmission. The present review focuses on the potential role of Group II mGlu receptor antagonism in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent findings have determined that agonists of metabotropic glutamate type 2/3 receptors (mGlu2/3) have antianxiety efficacy. Although it could be assumed that blockade of these receptors might engender anxiogenic responses, new data have indicted that these compounds produce antidepressant-like, wake-promoting, and pro-cognitive effects in rodents. However, there are almost no data available to define the relative importance of mGlu2 versus mGlu3 receptors in these activities. Although there are some hints that antagonism of mGlu2/3 receptors could have additional therapeutic impact, the preponderance of data suggests that agonists of the mGlu2/3 receptors would be more likely to have efficacy in anxiety disorders, positive symptoms of schizophrenia, neurodegenerative disorders, and stroke, pain, and epilepsy. The pharmacology of antagonists of mGlu2/3 receptors suggests that such compounds could have a unique place in the medicinal arsenal for mood disorders as well as disorders of cognition and arousal. Given the activity surrounding the discovery of orally available antagonists for these receptors, there may be an opportunity for clinical investigation of these possibilities in the future. Drug Dev. Res. 67:757–769, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Relationship between Strain and Velocity for Ground Vehicle Vibration

This paper uses experimental vibration data to evaluate the relationship between strain and velocity on a ground vehicle platform. The data also are used to compare the acceleration and the strain. Comparisons are made in the time, frequency, and damage domains. The results clearly show the strain data are more closely related to the vibratory velocity than to the acceleration, but the analysis is complicated somewhat by characteristics of the experimental data set.
Do Individual Differences in Reinforcement Smoking Moderate the Relationship Between Affect and Urge to Smoke

The elucidation of individual differences in tobacco use motivation is of considerable interest. Accordingly, the present study tested the hypothesis that between-person variation in reinforcement smoking (RS)--a tendency to smoke to regulate affect--moderates the relationship between poor mood and urge to smoke. In this cross-sectional, correlational study, smokers (N = 212; > or =5 cig/day) completed measures of RS, positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and smoking urge. RS significantly moderated the relation between PA and urge (betas > .11, ps < .04), such that the inverse correlation between PA and urge was stronger among smokers higher in RS. NA was positively correlated with urge in the overall sample (rs = .34, ps < .0001), but RS did not moderate this relationship. The overall results were consistent across 2 measures of mood and adjusted models that controlled for demographics and smoking characteristics. Continued investigation of these moderational pathways could identify which smokers may benefit most from treatments that target mood during smoking cessation.
A facile synthesis and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties of 7-ketocholesteryl benzoate

This paper presents a modified method of the selective allylic oxidation of cholesteryl benzoate. Pyridinium chlorochromate, in refluxing benzene, has been found to be an effective and convenient reagent for the efficient oxidation of cholesteryl benzoate to 7-ketocholesteryl benzoate in high yield. Also included herein are the carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties of 7-ketocholesteryl benzoate and cholesteryl benzoate.
Probabilistic Damage Tolerance Analysis for General Aviation

The General Aviation (GA) fleet includes about 150,000 airplanes that were certificated with no fatigue evaluation requirements. The average age of these airplanes is about 40 years, and many are high-time. To mitigate the aging effects on the GA fleet, a probabilistic damage tolerance analysis (PDTA) program has been developed. A PDTA approach also provides a mechanism whereby inspection and maintenance operations can be included into the simulation, thus providing engineers the opportunity to assess the benefits of maintenance actions. This paper describes the probabilistic methodology to be utilized in a computer software program (SMART|DT) that performs risk assessment of small airplanes employing NASGRO® or a user selected code as the crack growth engine. The methodology can assess a range of random variables, calculate the extreme value distribution (EVD) of maximum stress per flight from a general aviation (GA) spectrum, and generate a surrogate model for accurate and fast calculations of crack grow. The main objective is to develop a comprehensive probabilistic methodology such that engineers can conduct a risk assessment of GA structural issues in support of policy decisions.
Best-First Tree Search with Probabilistic Node Ordering for MIMO Detection: Generalization and Performance-Complexity Tradeoff

The tree representation of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection problem is illuminating for the development, interpretation, and classification of various detection methods. Best-first detection based on Dijkstra's algorithm pursues tree search according to a sorted list of tree nodes. In the first part of the paper, a new probabilistic sorting scheme is developed and incorporated in a modified Dijkstra's algorithm for MIMO detection. The proposed sorting exploits the statistics of the problem and yields effective tree exploration and truncation in the proposed algorithm. The second part of the paper generalizes the results in the first part and removes some limitations. A generalized Dijkstra's algorithm is developed as a unified tree-search detection framework. The proposed framework incorporates a parameter triplet that allow the configuration of the memory usage, detection complexity, and sorting dynamic associated with the tree-search algorithm. By tuning different parameters, desired performance-complexity tradeoffs are attained and a fixed-complexity version can be produced. Simulation results and analytical discussions demonstrate that the proposed generalized Dijkstra's algorithm shows abilities to achieve highly favorable performance-complexity tradeoffs.
Inhibition of Programmed Cell Death in the Fetal Palate by Cortisol

AbstractIn an in vitro model, cortisol inhibits a precisely timed process of palatal development, the lysosomally mediated cell death of the medial edge palatal epithelium. These steroid effects occur only in palatal shelves from mouse strains with high incidences of corticosteroid-induced cleft palate. In studies in vivo using steroid-sensitive mice, corticosteroid delays shelf elevation but does not prevent shelf contact and alters lysosomal enzyme distribution in the medial edge palatal epithelia. Thus, susceptibility to corticosteroid-promoted palatal clefting is correlated with the inhibition of programmed cell death in the medial edge epithelium in vitro and in vivo.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Inhibits Apoptosis in Human Urothelial Carcinoma Cell Lines in Response to Cytotoxic Injury

Purpose: By inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S transition bacillus Calmette-Guerin has been shown to have a direct antiproliferative effect on urothelial carcinoma cell lines. In other systems cell cycle arrest has been shown to confer a relative state of apoptotic resistance. We assessed the effect of bacillus Calmette-Guerin on the susceptibility of urothelial carcinoma cells to apoptotic stimuli.Materials and Methods: The human UC cell lines T24 and 253J (American Type Cell Culture, Rockville, Maryland) were used to evaluate the effect of bacillus Calmette-Guerin or antibody mediated α5β1cross-linking on apoptosis and apoptotic sensitivity. Following treatment baseline apoptosis and the response to the apoptotic inducing agent camptothecin was evaluated using assays for caspase 3 activation and DNA fragmentation. Pharmacological blockade of signaling pathways known to be activated in response to bacillus Calmette-Guerin/α5β1 cross-linking was used to assess the role of these pathways in the bacillu...
Selectivity in the photo‐Fenton and photocatalytic hydroxylation of biphenyl‐4‐carboxylic acid and derivatives (viz. 4‐phenylsalicylic acid and 5‐phenylsalicylic acid)

The selectivity of hydroxylation of the distal rings of 4-phenylbenzoic acid, 4-phenylsalicylic acid, and 5-phenylsalicylic acid were determined using partial TiO2-mediated photocatalytic degradation and photo-Fenton conditions. This separation of the binding site from the phenyl group being hydroxylated allows a less-biased evaluation. The hydroxylation regiochemistry behaves as qualitatively expected for an electrophilic reaction, given the assumption that 4-carboxyphenyl is a slightly electron-withdrawing substituent. Selectivity for hydroxylation of the distal phenyl in 4- and 5-phenylsalicylic acid is reversed, due to the reversal of the electronic demand, while adsorption to the TiO2 surface is assumed to be analogous for the two structures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In vitro analysis of RNA interference in Drosophila melanogaster

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) triggers the destruction of mRNA sharing sequence with the dsRNA, a phenomenon termed RNA interference (RNAi). The dsRNA is converted by endonucleolytic cleavage into 21- to 23-nt small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which direct a multiprotein complex, the RNA-induced silencing complex to cleave RNA complementary to the siRNA. RNAi can be recapitulated in vitro in lysates of syncytial blastoderm Drosophila embryos. These lysates reproduce all of the known steps in the RNAi pathway in flies and mammals. Here we explain how to prepare and use Drosophila embryo lysates to dissect the mechanism of RNAi.
A convenient method for synthesis of 14C‐carbonyl methylcarbamates

While [14C-carbonyl]-methyl isocyanate has been used widely for the preparation of radioactive insecticidal methylcarbamates, yields are often low, and in some cases reactions completely unsuccessful, because of the sensitivity of the isocyanate to moisture. This paper described a process whereby the [14C]-methyl isocyanate, in its break-seal container as received from the supplier, is reacted with the appropriate oxime or phenolic intermediate without exposing the isocyanate to atmospheric moisture. Results are presented for the insecticides carbaryl, carbofuran, aldicarb and methomyl demonstrating consistent yields of 85 to 95% using a procedure of uncommon simplicity.
Subgroups of anorexia nervosa and bulimia: Validity and utility

Abstract Sociodemographic and psychodynamic similarities and differences among four subgroups of eating disordered females seeking outpatient consultations for anorexia nervosa and bulimia are presented. Supporting the spectrum concept of eating disorders, the four diagnostic subgroups are: (1) anorexia nervosa, restricting; (2) anorexia nervosa with bulimic complications; (3) normal weight bulimia with a history of anorexia nervosa; and (4) normal weight bulimia without a history of anorexia nervosa. Overall, the 165 patients are white, middle to upper-middle class females in their early twenties. The highest levels of psychopathology, as measured by the Eating Disorder Inventory, was manifested by patients afflicted with both anorexic and bulimic symptomatology, either in the past or at time of consultation. Implications for diagnostic classification and clinical intervention are discussed.
Experimental evidence for cluster structures in light and medium weight nuclei

Abstract The assumption of this paper in accordance with the cluster model is that nuclei may be considered to be composed of clusters (single nucleons, H2, He3, H3, He4, etc.). Comparison of cluster model predictions and experimental level schemes are made for the nuclei Li7, Be7, C12, O16, F19 Ne20, Ca40 and Sc43. It is shown that comparisons between the spectra of certain pairs of nuclei are particularly relevant from the viewpoint of the cluster model. Comparisons of the spectra of the following pairs of nuclei are made: N16, O17; F19, Ne20; K40, Ca41; and Sc43, Ti44. In addition the cluster model predicts levels of parity different than the ground state. The relative position of these nuclei are compared in nuclei in which the smallest cluster is varied from a single nucleon to larger clusters. This model further predicts that immediately after double closed-shell structures, nuclei with H3 or He3 clusters (e.g., F19) will exhibit a strong decrease in this excitation energy. The negative parity states and first 0+ states in alpha-particle nuclei should decrease with increasing atomic number. These predicted systematics agree with the limited experimental data which are available but suggest the need for considerable additional data to further test the predictions. These results indicate substructures which are often more important than shell-model structures.
Multicultural and cross‐cultural narrative inquiry into understanding immigrant students' educational experience in Hong Kong

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of narrative inquiry to contribute to an understanding of immigrant students' educational experience. Research on immigrant students' education is reviewed and the need for detailed examination of these students' experiences in schools, such as is done in a narrative inquiry, is demonstrated. Current trends in narrative inquiry that focus on multicultural and cross‐cultural phenomena are examined. Key questions that narrative inquirers engaged in international and comparative education need to consider are discussed. One narrative inquiry on Mainland Chinese immigrant students in Hong Kong is presented to demonstrate the particular qualities of this form of inquiry and its potential for understanding immigrant students' educational experience. Dilemmas and concerns associated with this form of inquiry are briefly addressed.
Glycogenin: the primer for mammalian and yeast glycogen synthesis

Glycogen synthesis, whether in mammalian tissue, yeast, or Agrobacterium tumefaciens or other bacteria, is initiated by autoglucosylation of a protein. Initiation in muscle, by a self-glucosylating protein, glycogenin-1, is the most thoroughly studied system, as is described here. These relatively recent findings have prompted a rekindling of interest in the intermediates lying between the primer and mature mammalian glycogen.
The 25-km Discontinuity: Implications for Lunar History.

The lunar velocity profile and laboratory data on terrestrial and lunar rocks are constraints on models of lunar history. They show that shock-induced microcracks are absent from the rocks present in the moon today at depths of 25 to 60 kilometers. All possible causes of this observation are examined, and the most likely explanations are that either the rocks at depths of 25 to 60 kilometers formed after the major impacts ceased or the microcracks have annealed at temperatures of about 600 C over geologically long times.
The Longest Wavelength Band in the Electronic Spectra of Polynuclear Heterocyclic Aromatics far Analytical Use

A table is presented listing 204 polynuclear heterocyclic aromatics, with three or more aromatic rings, according to increasing values in millimicrons of the longest wavelength absorption band. Structural formulas, wavelengths in millimicrons of additional absorption bands, solvents, and literature references through 1958 also are given This table is supplemental to a previous table listing 408 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, with three or more aromatic rings.
Electrokinetic and hemostatic profiles of nonwoven cellulosic/synthetic fiber blends with unbleached cotton.

Greige cotton contains waxes and pectin on the outer surface of the fiber that are removed when bleached, but these components present potential wound dressing functionality. Cotton nonwovens blended with hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers including viscose, polyester, and polypropylene were assessed for clotting activity with thromboelastography (TEG) and thrombin production. Clotting was evaluated based on TEG measurements: R (time to initiation of clot formation), K (time from end of R to a 20 mm clot), α (rate of clot formation according to the angle tangent to the curve as K is reached), and MA (clot strength). TEG values correlate to material surface polarity as measured with electrokinetic parameters (ζplateau, Δζ and swell ratio). The material surface polarity (ζplateau) varied from −22 to −61 mV. K values and thrombin concentrations were found to be inversely proportional to ζplateau with an increase in material hydrophobicity. An increase in the swell ratios of the materials correlated with decreased K values suggesting that clotting rates following fibrin formation increase with increasing material surface area due to swelling. Clot strength (MA) also increased with material hydrophobicity. Structure/function implications from the observed clotting physiology induced by the materials are discussed.
On privacy-preserving time series data classification

In this paper, we propose discretisation-based schemes to preserve privacy in time series data mining. Traditional research on preserving privacy in data mining focuses on time-invariant privacy issues. With the emergence of time series data mining, traditional snapshot-based privacy issues need to be extended to be multi-dimensional with the addition of time dimension. In this paper, we defined three threat models based on trust relationship between the data miner and data providers. We propose three different schemes for these three threat models. The proposed schemes are extensively evaluated against public-available time series datasets. Our experiments show that proposed schemes can preserve privacy with cost of reduction in mining accuracy. For most datasets, proposed schemes can achieve low privacy leakage with slight reduction in classification accuracy. We also studied effect of parameters of proposed schemes in this paper.
Jet Impingement Cooling Using Micro Channels in Low Temperature Cofire Ceramic (LTCC) Substrates

With power densities near 200 W/cm2 for devices, new methods for thermal management from the heat generation at the die to heat removal to the ambient must be addressed. Signal interconnect and thermal management are often decoupled, with the I/Os from the substrate to the chip through flip chip solder balls and heat removed through the backside of the chip. However, interconnect substrates could provide both first level interconnect and fluid cooling thermal management. Providing micro channels in the same dimension as the interconnect pitch in the substrate allows for new and novel cooling methods to be integrated at the lowest level of chip assembly. X-Y micro channels less than 2 5 m wide and Z dimension channels 4 5 m wide were fabricated within the LTCC substrate. The integrated micro channels allow for direct jet impingement cooling. Initial thermal testing using single jet impingement demonstrated over a 200X reduction in thermal impedance.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
On the internal pressure of strong electrolytes

It is shown that the difference in thermal properties of dilute solutions against those of the pure solvent is due to the superposition of two effects: 1. A physical effect of the ion on the solvent which is manifested as an internal pressure varying from point to point in the solution. This pressure distribution is calculated for aqueous solutions of monovalent salts by an approximation theory in which the effect of the so-called ion atmosphere is estimated by means of the Debye-Huckel potential. In this, as in ensuing calculations, the thermal properties of the solvent are assumed to be known. The effect of this internal pressure on the thermal coefficient of expansion and on the compressibility of dilute binary solutions is calculated and the results are found to be in satisfactory agreement with experimental values. 2. Definite evidence is obtained that the second effect determining the thermal properties of solutions is due to a chemical action of the ion on the solvent. This effect increases linearly with the molal concentration. As a result of the present paper and previous work, to which reference is given, we can say that the caloric as well as the thermal behaviour of dilute solutions is duly accounted for.
Limitations of patient-associated co-morbidity model in predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in pancreatic operations.

Background Patient-associated co-morbidities are a potential cause of postoperative complications. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) collects data on patient outcomes to provide risk-adjusted outcomes data to participating hospitals. However, operations which may have a high distribution of technically-related complications, such as pancreatic operations, may not be adequately assessed using such predictive models.
Induction of lysosomal glycosidases by dibutyryl cAMP in neuroblastoma cells.

We have studied the regulation of lysosomal glycosidases during morphological differentiation of NB2a neuroblastoma cells. Cells treated with dibutyryl cAMP induced axon-like neurites and showed a 2–4 fold increase in the activity of 6 lysosomal glycosidases, reaching their highest level after 5 days of treatment. Cells treated with retinoic acid, which induced dendrite-like neurites, did not show significant changes in the glycosidases activity although cell proliferation was also inhibited. There was no change in the pattern of the enzyme secretion during the dibutyryl cAMP treatment and morphological analysis using electron microscopy and cytochemical staining with acid phosphatase indicated the presence of lysosomes in the induced neurites.