cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aqueous salt absorption by ampholytic polysaccharides

Abstract Studies of the solution properties of polyampholytes have revealed that these polymers are capable of undergoing viscosity increases in the presence of increasing salt concentration. Employing this unique characteristic, we have prepared graft copolymers of the ampholytic ion pair comonomer 3-methacrylamido-propyltrimethylammonium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulphonate with acrylamide onto starch and hydroxyethyl cellulose by both ceric ion and cobalt-60 irradiation. The deionized water and aqueous salt absorbing properties of these materials are reported.
2-Dimensional particle tracking velocimetry (PTV): technique and image processing algorithms

An automated particle track velocimeter (PTV) was constructed to determine the fluid velocity field in a transparent test section (an engine throttle body assembly is used as an example) by analyzing images of scattered light from hollow nylon particles as they move with the flow. The light from individual particles was imaged on an SIT vidicon at video rates, digitized on an FG100CD frame buffer board and analyzed automatically in an IBMPC/AT. The essence of this technique is a novel processing algorithm which converts particle track segments to flow velocity vectors at the rate of 2–3 images/minute with this hardware. An application of the technique to a gas phase flow (≅ 6.5 m/s) through this throttle body assembly is presented.
Functional diversity of ankyrin repeats in microbial proteins

The ankyrin repeat (ANK) is the most common protein-protein interaction motif in nature, and is predominantly found in eukaryotic proteins. Genome sequencing of various pathogenic or symbiotic bacteria and eukaryotic viruses has identified numerous genes encoding ANK-containing proteins that are proposed to have been acquired from eukaryotes by horizontal gene transfer. However, the recent discovery of additional ANK-containing proteins encoded in the genomes of archaea and free-living bacteria suggests either a more ancient origin of the ANK motif or multiple convergent evolution events. Many bacterial pathogens employ various types of secretion systems to deliver ANK-containing proteins into eukaryotic cells, where they mimic or manipulate various host functions. Studying the molecular and biochemical functions of this family of proteins will enhance our understanding of important host-microbe interactions.
Mapping resting-state functional connectivity using perfusion MRI.

Resting-state, low frequency (< 0.08 Hz) fluctuations of blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance signal have been shown to exhibit high correlation among functionally connected regions. However, correlations of cerebral blood flow (CBF) fluctuations during the resting state have not been extensively studied. The main challenges of using arterial spin labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging to detect CBF fluctuations are low sensitivity, low temporal resolution, and contamination from BOLD. This work demonstrates CBF-based quantitative functional connectivity mapping by combining continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL) with a neck labeling coil and a multi-channel receiver coil to achieve high perfusion sensitivity. In order to reduce BOLD contamination, the CBF signal was extracted from the CASL signal time course by high frequency filtering. This processing strategy is compatible with sinc interpolation for reducing the timing mismatch between control and label images and has the flexibility of choosing an optimal filter cutoff frequency to minimize BOLD fluctuations. Most subjects studied showed high CBF correlation in bilateral sensorimotor areas with good suppression of BOLD contamination. Root-mean-square CBF fluctuation contributing to bilateral correlation was estimated to be 29% ± 19% (N = 13) of the baseline perfusion, while BOLD fluctuation was 0.26% ± 0.14% of the mean intensity (at 3T and 12.5 ms echo time).
Microbial deterioration of partially submerged service timbers in a tropical inter-tidal zone

The micromorphological features of decay in service timbers in a tropical inter-tidal zone were studied to ascertain the pattern of biodeterioration. Bacterial tunneling, soft-rot cavities and basidiomycete attack were evident in parts of the timbers between low and high tide water levels. Bacterial erosion was frequently encountered below the waterline at low tides while tunneling was rare and soft-rot or basidiomycete attack was not observed. However, only rare soft-rot and frequent basidiomycete degradation were observed above the waterline at high tide. A microchemical test indicated that lignin was attacked only in wood areas above the waterline at high tide while cellulose degradation occurred in all areas. The observation on the pattern of decay may be useful in predicting the service life of timbers in the tidal zone.
Formation of NOx and burnoff of co during thermal quenching of the products from combustion in a thermally stabilized burner

Thermally stabilized combustion in a refractory tube can be controlled to produce minimal concentrations of NOx, but at the expense of moderate concentrations of CO. The objective of the present investigation was to determine if, by cooling the products of combustion rapidly, the concentration of CO could be reduced while avoiding the formation of additional NOx. In the experimental work, premixed ethane and air were burned in passage through seven 9.5-mm round channels in a ceramic block. In this burner, volumetric rates of heat release due to combustion greater than 2.0×108 W/m3 were achieved. The products of combustion were then passed in series through stainless steel tubes of the same diameter immersed in boiling water. The composition of the gas was determined at a number of locations along one of the cooling tubes. Twenty-one free-radical reactions were used to model the chemical behavior of the gas during this process of cooling. The two-dimensional fields of velocity and temperature, upon which the chemical behavior depends critically, were obtained from previous calculations. Both the measurements and the computations showed the mole fraction of NOx to be frozen at the value near the entrance of the cooling tube. The formation of prompt NOx is negligible in this burner owing to minimal back-mixing. Hence, the total formation of NOx is proportional to the time of residence between the flame front and the exit of the burner, which can be reduced to as low as 2.0 ms on the mean, resulting in concentrations as low as 10 ppm in the effluent. For lean mixtures the CO was found to continue oxidizing during the process of cooling, leaving, for an equivalence ratio of 0.80, as few as 90 ppm (.009%) in the effluent. Forabove 0.88, the greater initial amount of CO resulted in its incomplete oxidation during the cooling. Owing to the use of forced convection inside tubes, a very high rate of heat transfer from the burned gas to the boiling water was achieved. Thus, the overall process described herein is very efficient thermally as well as minimally polluting.
DEMOGRAPHY, POLICE BEHAVIOR, AND DETERRENCE *

This paper presents a model of police response to changes in crime frequencies and a criminal response model characterizing the deterrent effects of police arrest behavior. These models are estimated for data taken from police department records in the city of St. Louis. The underlying theoretical conception is that arrests constitute communication to criminals in general in addition to the specific deterrence achieved through the arrest itsee Disaggregation in both space and time enables identification of the statistical models through measurement rather than through statistical manipulation. The models are estimated for burglaries under varying demographic conditions and using data organized through aggregation in time (by weeks) and space (by census tracts). Under some demographic conditions, both police response and deterrent effects on criminal behavior are enhanced. Under other demographic conditions, these effects are suppressed. Enhancements and attenuations arising from specijic demographic conditions for both the police response and criminal response models have a similar pattern, consistent with the underlying communication hypothesis. How does social structure condition the interaction between criminals and police? This question is addressed here by exploiting the differential time response pattern that characterizes the interaction between police and criminals while varying the demographic characteristics of microenvironments. Four assumptions are critical. First, police respond to changes in criminal activity, and criminals respond to changes in police activity (i.e., arrests). Second, change is assessed relative to a background frequency of events; hence, the relevant perceptual units are changes in event frequencies for both criminals and police. Third, for allocations of resources that are roughly constant in time (for large administrative aggregates such as city police departments), criminal activity and the activities of police are close to equilibrium in
Evaluation of unimolecular rate constants for some outer-sphere electrochemical reactions

Abstract Unimolecular rate constants, ket (s−1), and transfer coefficients, αcet, for the outer-sphere electroreduction of several Co(III) ammine and ethylenediamine complexes have been evaluated by electrostatically adsorbing the reactants at silver electrodes coated with chloride or bromide monolayers. Sufficiently strong diffuse-layer adsorption is thereby produced so to enable kcet and αcet to be determined by means of linear sweep voltammetry, employing sufficiently fast sweep rates (10–100 V s−1) and dilute reactant concentrations (≤ 50 μM) so that the bulk solution reactant contributes negligibly to the observed faradaic transients. Comparison with corresponding rate constants and transfer coefficients for the solution reactants enables the influence of precursor-state stability upon the latter rate parameters to be assessed.
Endometrial ablation and hysteroscopic myomectomy by electrosurgical vaporization

Electrosurgical vaporization, first performed by urologists in prostate surgery, is useful during operative hysteroscopy for endometrial ablation and myomectomy. From June 1995 through May 1996, 9 surgeons performed 44 endometrial ablations and hysteroscopic myomectomies using the vaporization electrode. Our experience with this technique thus far has been very favorable. The procedure is less expensive than laser ablation and is easier to teach than wire loop resection. It is also less tedious than wire loop resection since myoma chips that often obstruct the operator's view are eliminated. Long-term efficacy of this technique remains to be proved.
TCA*-a time-constrained approximate A* search algorithm

The authors develop TCA*, a family of problem-independent, time-constrained, approximate A* search algorithms. The algorithms are designed to achieve the best ascertained degree of approximation with the minimum cost under a fixed time constraint, where cost is measured by either the cumulative space-time (CST) product or the maximum space encountered during the search. Only A* searches with admissible heuristic functions are considered; a branch-and-bound algorithm with a best-first strategy is an example of such a search. NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems whose feasible solutions can be found easily in polynomial time are studied. For the problems studied, it is observed that the execution time, the CST product and the maximum space required all increase exponentially as the degree of approximation decreases. >
Harnessing mobile ubiquitous video

Realityflythrough is a telepresence/tele-reality system that works in the dynamic, uncalibrated environments typically associated with ubiquitous computing. By opportunistically harnessing networked mobile video cameras, it allows a user to remotely and immersively explore a physical space. Live 2d video feeds are situated in a 3d representation of the world. Rather than try to achieve photorealism at every point in space, we instead focus on providing the user with a sense of how the video streams relate to one another spatially. By providing cues in the form of dynamic transitions, we can approximate photorealistic telepresence while harnessing cameras "in the wild." This paper shows that transitions between situated 2d images are sensible and provide a compelling telepresence experience.
Ingredients for better routing? Read the label

Administrators of wide-area IP networks-whether for Internet Service Providers or large corporate intranets-will face new and difficult challenges over the next few years. The growth of IP traffic is dwarfing the flat or modest growth rates of legacy (SNA, IPX) traffic. End-users are demanding consistently reliable performance for their network-based applications. Network managers are under pressure to enhance their infrastructures to support special or premium services for customers willing to pay for them. More bandwidth, lower network latencies, and high-speed traffic classification will be required to adequately support increased traffic volumes and new services.
Reflex: using low-power processors in smartphones without knowing them

To accomplish frequent, simple tasks with high efficiency, it is necessary to leverage low-power, microcontroller-like processors that are increasingly available on mobile systems. However, existing solutions require developers to directly program the low-power processors and carefully manage inter-processor communication. We present Reflex, a suite of compiler and runtime techniques that significantly lower the barrier for developers to leverage such low-power processors. The heart of Reflex is a software Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) that enables shared memory objects with release consistency among code running on loosely coupled processors. In order to achieve high energy efficiency without sacrificing performance much, the Reflex DSM leverages (i) extreme architectural asymmetry between low-power processors and powerful central processors, (ii) aggressive compile-time optimization, and (iii) a minimalist runtime that supports efficient message passing and event-driven execution. We report a complete realization of Reflex that runs on a TI OMAP4430-based development platform as well as on a custom tri-processor mobile platform. Using smartphone sensing applications reported in recent literature, we show that Reflex supports a programming style very close to contemporary smartphone programming. Compared to message passing, the Reflex DSM greatly reduces efforts in programming heterogeneous smartphones, eliminating up to 38% of the source lines of application code. Compared to running the same applications on existing smartphones, Reflex reduces the average system power consumption by up to 81%.
Teaching Castells [Review of the book Castells and the Media, by Philip N. Howard]

Howard, P. N. (2011). Castells and the Media . Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. 160 pages We have seen significant changes in our cultural, political, and economic lives, and those changes are usually ...
A nonintrinsic regional basis for increased infrarenal aortic MMP-9 expression and activity.

Abstract Objective: This investigation was undertaken to determine whether intrinsic or regional factors at different anatomic sites of the aorta affect expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Methods: Aortas from Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 22) were divided into arch, descending thoracic, and infrarenal abdominal segments. Specimens were stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (2 ng/mL) for 72 hours. In separate experiments, syngeneic aortic segments were transplanted from the thoracic or abdominal aortas of donor rats into the infrarenal aortic position of recipient rats (n = 12 each). At 4 weeks, aortas from rats who had received transplants were harvested, sectioned into arch, thoracic, and transplanted thoracic or transplanted abdominal segments, and stimulated with IL-1β. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, zymography, and reverse zymography were performed to assess MMP-9, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in all aortic segments. Differences were assessed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey test. Results: In control rats, abdominal segments had significantly higher MMP-9 expression compared with arch and thoracic segments ( P P P P P P Conclusions: These data demonstrate that variations in aortic MMP-9 expression and activity result from regional factors affecting the aorta rather than intrinsic aortic wall differences. Increases in abdominal aortic MMP-9 may contribute to the predilection for aneurysm to develop in the infrarenal aorta. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:1059-66.)
Introduction to the special issue: Coherence and correspondence in judgment and decision making

In 2007, Kenneth Hammond published Beyond Rationality: The search for wisdom in a troubled time. In this book and in prior works, Hammond (1990; 1996) promotes the recognition and equal acceptance of two different classes of criteria for the assessment of human judgment and decision making (JDM). Coherence criteria are those that are based on normative standards of logic (or some other formal model) while correspondence criteria are based on the accuracy of predicting or judging empirical events. In his 1996 book, Hammond summarizes correspondence research: Correspondence theory focuses on the empirical accuracy of judgments, irrespective of whether the cognitive activity of the judge can be justified or even described. Although correspondence researchers may be interested in describing the processes that produce the judgments, they rarely inquire into the question of whether these processes are rational, that is, conform to some normative, or prescribed, model of how a judgment ought to be reached. (p. 106)
Investigation of the inhomogeneous shear flow of a wormlike micellar solution using a thermodynamically consistent model

Abstract By using the generalized bracket approach of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, we recently developed a new two-species model for wormlike micelles based on the flow-induced breakage of the longer species. In this work, we complete the model by adding diffusion in a thermodynamically consistent manner. Furthermore, we discuss the behavior of a limiting case of the model in transient Couette flow between two coaxial cylinders, which is a flow that exhibits spatial inhomogeneities and has widely been studied for wormlike micellar solutions. The flow problem was spatially discretized using a Chebyshev method. A Crank–Nicolson scheme was employed for time discretization. At each time step, the nonlinear system of discretized flow equations was solved using a preconditioned Newton–Krylov solver. The model parameters were obtained by fitting experimental data of a previously studied wormlike micellar system. We found that the model can capture the trends observed in steady simple shear, small-amplitude oscillatory shear, and step strain. The main feature of the model is a strong elastic recoil during the start-up of simple shear flow.
Unsupervised Object Pose Classification from Short Video Sequences

We address the problem of recognizing the pose of an object category from video sequences capturing the object under small camera movements. This scenario is relevant in applications such as robotic object manipulation or autonomous navigation. We introduce a new algorithm where we model an object category as a collection of non parametric probability densities capturing appearance and geometrical variability within a small area of the viewing sphere for different object instances. By regarding the set of frames of the video as realizations of such probability densities, we cast the problem of object pose classification as the one of matching (i.e., comparing information divergence of) probably density functions in testing and training. Our work can be also related to statistical manifold learning. By performing dimensionality reduction on the manifold of learned PDFs, we show that the embedding in the 3D Euclidean space yield meaningful trajectories which can be parameterized by the pose coordinates on the viewing sphere, this enables an unsupervised learning procedure for pose classification. Our experimental results on both synthesized and real world data show promising results toward the goal of accurate and efficient pose classification of object categories from video sequences.
Diffraction-limited constant-resolution zoom lens across multi-wavelengths for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

Zoom lenses are usually designed for a specified waveband and change magnification, and thus resolution, for different object sizes or different object distances. However, the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST)/ Visible Light Broadband Imager (VLBI), under development by the National Solar Observatory, require constant resolution for different wavelengths over a wide spectral range (388.3 nm 3o 854.2 nm). An eight-element zoom lens meeting this requirement is presented, and yields diffraction-limited performance over the field of view at nine specific wavelength/zoom positions. Each zoom position, corresponding to a specific wavelength, has a focal length and f/number for achieving constant CCD sampling. The Strehl ratio of the telescope is greater than 90% over all zoom positions.
The Implications of an Ethnographer’s Sexuality

This article discusses the implications of an ethnographer’s sexuality with regard to his fieldwork. Adopting a self-reflexive stance, the author discusses how his queer identity and the fear of repercussions against his intellectual and physical body affected his fieldwork. As a native Brazilian, he was still an outsider in the rural community in which he did his fieldwork. But more than his outsider status, his memories of growing up in the closet in Brazil informed some of his research choices and shaped his reactions to the experience of returning to the closet to conduct research in a community where machista attitudes, notions of queerness, and his own internalized homophobia positioned his queer self as an outsider.
Black Holes and Antivirulence Genes: Selection for Gene Loss as Part of the Evolution of Bacterial Pathogens

This chapter discusses the concept of gene loss in the evolution of bacterial pathogens from commensals as a mechanism of fine-tuning pathogen genomes for maximal fitness in new host environments. It describes the nature of antivirulence genes and the pressures that drive selection for gene inactivation, and examines how this process complements the mechanisms of pathogen evolution through gene acquisition. Pathoadaptive mutation via gene loss complements bacterial pathogen evolution by gene acquisition. The evolutionary model of antagonistic pleiotrophy predicts that genes required for fitness in one niche may actually inhibit fitness in another environment that presents new selective pressures. “Black holes” in pathogen genomes are formed by inactivation or loss of ancestral genes that are incompatible with, and even antagonistic to, the pathogenic lifestyle. These incompatible genes are defined as antivirulence genes. Shigella serves as a model for pathoadaptive mutation by gene loss and gene inactivation. Converse Koch’s postulates are proposed as criteria for identification of antivirulence genes. New techniques such as phenotypic arrays, comparative genomic hybridization, and transposon site hybridization will improve the ability to identify pathoadaptive mutations in an organism. Pathoadaptive mutations played a critical role in Bacillus anthracis evolution and provide further evidence of the important contribution of the evolutionary pathway in niche adaptation and the generation of maximally fit pathogen clones.
Ischemia-induced cleavage of cadherins in NRK cells requires MT1-MMP (MMP-14)

Ischemia is a leading cause of acute renal failure (ARF), a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Disruption of intercellular adhesion in the proximal tubules is linked to ARF, although the molecular mechanism(s) remains unclear. Our previous studies showed that ischemia is associated with cadherin cleavage and loss in NRK cells, putatively due to a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) (7). In the current studies, a MMP required for E-cadherin cleavage and N-cadherin loss was identified. Chemical inhibitors against a number of soluble MMPs (1, 2, 3, 8, 9) failed to completely attenuate ischemia-induced cadherin loss. Under ischemic conditions, there was an increase in active membrane-type (MT)1-MMP but a decrease in MMP-2 protein expression. Plating cells on fibronectin protected against ischemia-induced loss of cadherins and, interestingly, no increase in active MT1-MMP levels was seen in ischemic cells on fibronectin-coated dishes. In addition, L cells stably expressing E- (LE) or N-cadherin (LN), but lacking MT1-MMP expression, were resistant to ischemia-induced cadherin loss. The role of MT1-MMP in ischemia-induced cadherin loss was confirmed by either blocking MT1-MMP activity with a neutralizing antibody or expression with shRNA constructs which protected full-length E- and N-cadherin during ischemia. Using shRNA constructs to suppress MT1-MMP expression, ischemia-induced disruption of cadherin function was ablated, and cell-cell contacts were preserved. These results demonstrate that ischemia induces increased expression of active MT1-MMP and subsequent disruption of cadherin/catenin complexes, implying that MT1-MMP plays a role in ischemia-induced ARF.
Structure and stability of variants of the sarcin-ricin loop of 28S rRNA: NMR studies of the prokaryotic SRL and a functional mutant

NMR has been used to examine the conformational properties of two variants of the sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) from eukaryotic 28S rRNA, which is essential for elongation factor interactions with the ribosome: (1) its bacterial homologue, which lacks two of the bases that flank the conserved 12-nt sequence in the middle of the SRL, but which is functionally equivalent, and (2) a functionally active variant of the eukaryotic SRL in which the bulged G within the conserved sequence is replaced by an A. The data indicate that, although the bacterial SRL is less stable than the eukaryotic SRL, its conformation is closely similar. Furthermore, even though replacement of the bulged G in the SRL with an A seriously destabilizes the center of the loop, its effect on the overall conformation of the SRL appears to be modest. In the course of this work, it was serendipitously discovered that at neutral pH, the C8 proton of the bulged G, in both PRO-SRL and E73, exchanges about 10 times faster than it does in GMP.
Decomposition of frequency domain RCS data using a damped exponential model

The high resolution capabilities of the TLS-Prony method allow for frequency domain analysis of specific mechanisms on a radar target in addition to providing a high resolution time domain response. Although the time domain response is often quite useful, the inherent decomposition of the radar cross section (RCS) data the model provides in the frequency domain allows for the detailed study of individual scattering mechanisms.
Gold: A Unique Pigmentation Defective Laboratory Strain of the Lady Beetle

A laboratory colony of Coleomegilla maculata (De Geer) was selected for a novel phenotypic color trait. The phenotype was paler in color than the wild type, although not as pale as a previously described mutant strain, yellow (ye), and retained dark pigmentation in the eyes. This selected strain was named gold. Mendelian breeding experiments indicate a recessive biallelic inheritance. The strain has decreased fitness characteristics based on measurements of egg production and pupa size.
Viscous and Gravitational Fingering in Multiphase Compositional and Compressible Flow

Abstract Viscous and gravitational fingering refer to flow instabilities in porous media that are triggered by adverse mobility or density ratios, respectively. These instabilities have been studied extensively in the past for (1) single-phase flow (e.g., contaminant transport in groundwater, first-contact-miscible displacement of oil by gas in hydrocarbon production), and (2) multi-phase immiscible and incompressible flow (e.g., water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection in oil reservoirs). Fingering in multiphase compositional and compressible flow has received much less attention, perhaps due to its high computational complexity. However, many important subsurface processes involve multiple phases that exchange species. Examples are carbon sequestration in saline aquifers and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by gas or WAG injection below the minimum miscibility pressure. In multiphase flow, relative permeabilities affect the mobility contrast for a given viscosity ratio. Phase behavior can also change local fluid properties, which can either enhance or mitigate viscous and gravitational instabilities. This work presents a detailed study of fingering behavior in compositional multiphase flow in two and three dimensions and considers the effects of (1) Fickian diffusion, (2) mechanical dispersion, (3) flow rates, (4) domain size and geometry, (5) formation heterogeneities, (6) gravity, and (7) relative permeabilities. Results show that fingering in compositional multiphase flow is profoundly different from miscible conditions and upscaling techniques used for the latter case are unlikely to be generalizable to the former.
Blind Image Quality Assessment is Not Impossible Plenary Talk

In this talk I will discuss our recent efforts on blind or “no reference” image quality assessment problems, including machine learning approaches and the looming question of stereo (3-D) image quality.
Role of a Metal–Metal Bonded Dimer Dication in the One-Electron Oxidation of Rh(η5-C5H5)(CO)(PPh3) and Related Compounds

The anodic oxidation mechanism of RhCp(CO)(PPh3), 1, has been studied in CH2Cl2/0.1 M [NBu4][PF6]. This complex and its analogue RhCp(PPh3)2 had been previously shown to form the fulvalenyl dirhodium complexes [Rh2FvL2(PPh3)2]2+ (Fv = (η5,η5-C10H8), L = CO (22+) or PPh3) upon chemical oxidation. The present work investigated the reaction of 1 by variable-temperature electrochemistry and IR spectroelectrochemistry. The radical cation 1+ initially undergoes a radical–radical coupling reaction, giving the metal–metal bonded dimer dication [Rh2Cp2(CO)2(PPh3)2]2+ (52+), which dominates at low temperatures. The room-temperature products are best accounted for by hydrogen atom transfer reactions of the dimer dication, affording 22+ and the metal hydride [RhCp(CO)(PPh3)H]+. The dimetalate complex [Rh2(σ:η5-C5H4)2(CO)2(PPh3)2]2+ (7) may also be formed. The radical cation of the analogue RhCp(CO)(PPh2Me) (3) undergoes very rapid formation of a similar metal–metal bonded dimer. A derivative with a large cone angle p...
Abstract 800: Dysregulation of DLL4 gene expression in Li-Fraumeni syndrome and tumorigenesis

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), a clinically and genetically rare heterogeneous cancer syndrome, is characterized primarily by a p53 (TP53) gene mutation. This study is an attempt to understand why 30-40% of LFS patients who do not harbor p53 mutation are nonetheless besieged by the same preponderance of primary cancers, die at an early age, and at the same rate as those with the p53 mutation. LFS provides powerful insights into our understanding of the somatic mutations present in sporadic cancers influenced by p53. The p53 protein is a transcription factor that guards against genomic instability by inducing target genes that mediate its functions. Utilizing cytogenetic techniques, we previously discovered a novel balanced reciprocal translocation t(11;15)(q23;q15) between chromosomes 11 and 15 in the normal skin fibroblasts of a patient with LFS who had bilateral breast cancer but was homozygous for wild-type p53. Analysis of the breakpoint regions of this translocation yielded a number of genes; of particular interest was DLL4 (Delta-like ligand 4, locus 15q15.1), which encodes a ligand that binds to Notch receptors. Notch signaling controls cell fate specification during embryonic and postnatal development. DLL4 is a putative regulator of T cell lineage and thymopoiesis. In this study, we analyzed DLL4 gene expression and regulation in tumorigenesis. We also analyzed the transcriptional regulation of the DLL4 promoter. Our data reveal that DLL4 expression is abrogated in the normal skin fibroblasts of all LFS patients under study and markedly down-regulated in breast cancer cells and neuroblastoma cells due to TP53 mutation, DNA methylation or gene disruption caused by a balanced reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 11q23 and 15q15. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining corroborated the down-regulation of DLL4 in cancer tissue samples from different organs. These findings taken together not only have possible implications for karyotype-phenotype correlation in carcinogenesis, specifically of breast cancer, but also shed light on the possible implication of DLL4 in LFS and breast cancer initiation and progression. The drastic reduction or absence in the expression of DLL4 in normal skin fibroblasts of LFS patients as well as breast and brain cancer cells is significant and supports the concept that this ligand may play a role in cancer immune-surveillance and its resuscitation in the tumor microenvironment may stimulate T-cell immunity and suppress tumor growth. This demonstrates that DLL4 may provide a strong platform as an immuno-therapeutic target in LFS and breast cancer patients. Citation Format: Zhixing Yao, Zaki A. Sherif. Dysregulation of DLL4 gene expression in Li-Fraumeni syndrome and tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 800. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-800
Influence of Water on Protein Transitions: Thermal Analysis

We have developed a methodology using advanced thermal analysis to characterize the role of water in a specially synthesized family of recombinant spider silk-like block copolymers. These proteins were inspired by the genetic sequences found in the dragline silk of Nephila clavipes, comprising an alanine-rich hydrophobic block, A; a glycine-rich hydrophilic block, B; and a C-terminus or a His-tag, H. This family of proteins serves as a model system in which the hydrophobicity is controlled by A and B block lengths, allowing systematic comparison of water effects within the family. Temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyses were employed to capture the glass to rubber transition, Tg, in water-cast protein films. Modeling of the solid and liquid state heat capacity baselines allows us to determine the critical role played by bound water which plasticizes and stabilizes the protein through interchain bonding. In samples containing bound water, two sequential glass ...
Numerical Simulation on NO_x Distribution in a 660MW Ultra Supercritical Opposed Firing Boiler

The distribution of NOx concentration in a 660MW ultra supercritical opposed firing boiler was numerically simulated using Ansys fluent 14.0software,of which the results were compared with actual measurements.Results show that the simulated results agree well with actual measurements,proving the simulation method to be effective.NOx concentration in combustion zone of the first layer is higher than other two layers,which,at the combustor outlet,gets up to 0.001rapidly;volumetric concentration of NOx reduces gradually along the furnace height,starting from the combustor in the first layer;maximum NOx concentration appears in the area near rear wall above combustion zone of the second layer.
Differences in the Predictors of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction for Black and White Jail Staff

ABSTRACTThe importation model holds that certain personal characteristics, such as race, may shape employees’ views and may also influence how workplace factors affect them. Most correctional staff job stress and job satisfaction studies treat race/ethnicity as a dichotomous variable (i.e., White/Non-White) to be controlled for in multivariate analysis but have not explored if the effects of variables differ by racial groups. Thus, the effects of workplace variables may differ between Black and White correctional staff. Using survey data from staff at a large southern jail system, this study examined how personal characteristics (i.e., age, gender, educational level, and position) and workplace factors (i.e., role strain, perceived dangerousness of the job, instrument communication, input into decision making, and administrative support) predicted job stress and job satisfaction between Black and White staff. Results indicate that there were no significant differences in the effects between the two groups...
Gastric HCO3- secretion: relationship with Na+ secretion and effect of acetazolamide in humans

We examined the relationship between gastric HCO3- and Na+ secretion under fasting and sham-fed conditions in nine healthy men and also evaluated the effect of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide on gastric secretion of HCO3- and Na+. Secretion of H+, K+, and Cl- were also measured. Gastric HCO3- secretion rates under fasting and sham-fed conditions closely paralleled Na+ secretion rates. A maximally tolerated intravenous dose (10 mg/kg) of acetazolamide significantly inhibited H+, Cl- and K+ secretion but did not significantly affect Na+ or HCO3- secretion. Thus the gastric mucosa secretes HCO3- and Na+ in parallel in humans both under fasting and sham-fed conditions. Relative to parietal secretion of HCl, nonparietal secretion of HCO3- and Na+ is resistant to carbonic anhydrase inhibition.
The Economic Performance of Small Versus Large Nations

The number of nations has quadrupled during the past 50 years, from 51 in 1945 to 210 in 1997. Globalization and the reduction of trade barriers have sharply reduced the disadvantages of smallness and encouraged the proliferation of new nations during the past decades. And there is no end in sight — some political scientists predict that the number of nations may double again during the next two or three decades. In this paper, we begin by classifying nations into large and small nations and then we examine the economic performance of small nations in relation to large nations over the past 12 years (1985–1997). Data availability and the greater relevance of the experience of the last dozen years make it the most feasible and useful period to study.
STAT3 Activation Is Preceded By Two Independent Pathways (BCR-BTK and IL6-JAK) in Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Introduction Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma with poor outcome and therapeutic challenge. Oral single-agent ibrutinib, a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, elicited a response rate of 68% in phase II clinical trial and has been approved by FDA for the treatment of MCL patients who received at least one prior therapy. To increase the possibility of therapeutic potential, the investigation of BTK-dependent/independent signaling pathways is needed. Methods and Results Using both established MCL cell lines and primary MCL cells as a model system, our data demonstrated that ibrutinib effectively inhibited BTK phosphorylation along with quick STAT3 inactivation within 30 minutes of ibrutinib incubation at a dose lower than 100nM. Since the results clearly indicated that ibrutinib inhibited both BTK and STAT3 activation in MCL cells, we next elucidated the function and action between BTK and STAT3. Using a validated BTK-specific siRNA, we knocked down BTK to test the legitimacy of the relationship between BTK and STAT3. The results showed that transient knockdown of BTK significantly inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation in MCL cells. Next, the results from both immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy showed that STAT3 was BTK-associated transcription protein indicating that BTK could function as a kinase upstream of STAT3, in a similar manner to the JAK/STAT pathway. Since STAT3 is predominately known as the downstream protein of the IL-6/JAK pathway, we examined whether there is a cross-talk between the BTK-STAT3 and the JAK-STAT3 pathways in MCL cells. After stimulation of MCL cells with IgM or IL-6, ibrutinib only inhibited IgM-induced STAT3 activation but not IL-6-induced STAT3 activation. Even with an increased dose of ibrutinib, the basal level of STAT3 phosphorylation remains detectable in MCL cells due to IL-6 autocrine. However, ibrutinib plus JAK inhibitor completely inactivated STAT3 and synergistically inhibited the growth of MCL cells. These data indicate that there are two independent pathways, BCR-BTK and IL6-JAK, which lead to STAT3 activation without cross-talk in MCL cells. Conclusions Our results may lead to the development of more effective combination therapy to block both BCR-BTK and IL-6-JAK signaling pathways for relapsed or refractory MCL. Disclosures Wang:Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding.
Multimode fibre transmission using room temperature double-fused 1.54 /spl mu/m vertical-cavity lasers

We have used double-fused 1.54 /spl mu/m InGaAsP MQW vertical cavity lasers (VCLs) at room temperature to successfully transmit 155 Mbit/s signals over 1 km of multimode fibre. The VCL diameter ranged from 8 to 26 /spl mu/m.
Trapped Electrons in Disordered Matrices

Electrons generated by ionizing radiation or photoionization can be trapped in a variety of solids. Extensive studies have been carried out on trapped electrons in alkali halide crystals in which the electron is trapped in an anion vacancy in the crystal lattice [1]. These trapped electrons have an intense optical absorption in the visible and are thus called color centers or farben centers (F-center). Electrons may also be trapped in molecular crystals such as crystalline ice and a variety of polyhydroxy compounds such as alcohols and carbohydrates [2]. Electron trapping in molecular crystals containing hydroxy groups is qualitatively different than in alkali halides since facile rearrangements of hydrogen positions in the presence of an electron can occur in such molecular crystals. Thus, although there may be some vacancies or sites in molecular crystals with hydroxy groups oriented to favor trapping of an electron, the detailed geometry of the trapping site can be changed by the presence of the electron. This is analogous to the solvation of an electron in which the surrounding molecular groups are reoriented by the presence of the electron compared to their orientation in the absence of the electron.
Evaluation of functional outcomes in traumatic spinal cord injury with rehabilitation-acquired urinary tract infections: A retrospective study

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of urinary tract infections (UTIs) acquired during acute inpatient traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (tSCI) rehabilitation on Functional I...
The influence of age, sex, and race on the upper reference limit of serum C-reactive protein concentration.

Objective The recommended reference range for serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations is usually not adjusted for age and sex. We sought to determine if age, sex, and race or ethnicity influence the distribution of CRP values, and if upper reference limits of CRP should be adjusted by demographic factors. Methods Interviews, physical examinations, and blood draws were performed on > 22,000 individuals age > or = 4 yrs representative of the noninstitutionalized population of the United States, as part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES III). Serum CRP concentrations were measured by nephelometric immunoassay. Results The 95th percentile value of CRP in the overall population was 0.95 mg/dl for males and 1.39 mg/dl for females, and varied with age and race. For ages 25-70 yrs, the age adjusted approximate upper reference limit (mg/dl) was CRP = age/50 for males, and CRP = age/50 + 0.6 for females. The upper limits for Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites were similar, whereas for non-Hispanic black adults the approximate upper limit was CRP = age/30 for males and CRP = age/50 + 1.0 for females. Even after accounting for identified inflammatory conditions, demographic factors influenced the reference limits of CRP. The 95th percentile values were uniformly lower in children than in older adults. Conclusion Demographic factors, including age, sex, and race, should be used to adjust the upper reference limit for CRP. Clinicians should be aware of these factors when using CRP values to assess inflammatory diseases.
Application of Nor Sand Constitutive Model in a Highway Fill Embankment Slope Stability Failure Study

This paper presents a case study of a static load induced liquefaction in a simple roadway widening project constructed in north eastern part of Ohio in 2008. The widening required an embankment fill, which moved nearly 4 feet vertically and 1 foot laterally after two days of installation. The main objective of the work is to demonstrate how a simple Constitutive model, in this case Nor Sand model, can represent the static liquefaction in loose sand layers under specific conditions. A set of parameters is assumed based on the soil properties and an Excel Spreadsheet is used for simulations of triaxial compression of sand. It was considered that the situation which led to the failure, and the situation after the solution adopted. Moreover, slope stability analysis is provided for validation of the original results using a commercial software. It was found that the model can represent through stress strain curves and stress paths the behavior of the soil layer which led to the embankment fill movement. As the original work considered only slope stability analysis to explain this phenomenon, the present study shows a different approach for the case study, and this is the main contribution of this research.
Pre-conditioning strategies to accelerate the convergence of iterative methods in multiphase flow simulations

Abstract A computational bottleneck during the solution to multiphase formulations of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations is often during the implicit solution of the pressure-correction equation that results from operator-splitting methods. Since density is a coefficient in the pressure-correction equation, large variations or discontinuities among the phase densities greatly increase the condition number of the pressure-correction matrix and retard the convergence of iterative methods employed in its solution. To alleviate this shortcoming, the open-source multiphase code MFiX is interfaced with the linear solver library PETSc. Through an appropriate mapping of matrix and vector data structures between the two software packages, an access to a suite of robust, scalable, solver options in PETSc is obtained. Verification of the implementation is demonstrated through predictions that are identical to those obtained from MFiX’s native solvers for a class of single-phase and multiphase flow problems. For a low Reynolds number, flow over a cylinder case, applying Right Side Block Jacobi Preconditioning to the BiCGSTAB iterative solver in PETSc was faster than MFiX’s native solver. This speed-up increased with higher mesh resolution and for higher-order spatial discretizations. In a fluidized bed simulation, this solver–preconditioner combination resulted in a 25% decrease in solve time compared to MFiX’s native solver.