cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation and properties of an extracellular beta-glucosidase from the polycentric rumen fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2.

An extracellular beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) was purified from culture filtrate of the anaerobic rumen fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2 grown on 0.3% (wt vol-1) Avicel by using Q Sepharose anion-exchange chromatography, ammonium sulfate precipitation, chromatofocusing ion-exchange chromatography, and Superose 12 gel filtration. The enzyme is monomeric with a M(r) of 85,400, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, has a pI of 3.95, and contains about 8.5% (wt vol-1) carbohydrate. The N terminus appears to be blocked. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of cellobiose and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside (PNPG). The Km and Vmax values with cellobiose as the substrate at pH 6.0 and 40 degrees C are 0.25 mM and 27.1 mumol.min-1 x mg-1, respectively; with PNPG as the substrate, the corresponding values are of 0.35 mM and 27.7 mumol.min-1 x mg-1. Glucose (Ki = 8.75 mM, with PNPG as the substrate) and gluconolactone (Ki = 1.68 x 10(-2) and 2.57 mM, with PNPG and cellobiose as the substrates, respectively) are competitive inhibitors. Optimal activity with PNPG and cellobiose as the substrates is at pH 6.2 and 50 degrees C. The enzyme has high activity against sophorose (beta-1,2-glucobiose) and laminaribiose (beta-1,3-glucobiose) but has no activity against gentiobiose (beta-1,6-glucobiose). The activity of the beta-glucosidase is stimulated by Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, and Ni2+ and inhibited by Ag+, Fe2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, SDS, and p-chloromercuribenzoate. Images
IN SEARCH OF A LINKAGE

Previous research has produced conflicting findings concerning the relationship between police evaluation by citizens and unreported crime rate. Data for thirteen large American cities indicate a weak positive relationship between the two variables. Strong negative relationships are evident between unreported crime rate and variables measuring police systems activities and demographic characteristics. Cities with the highest levels of police expenditures and manpower have the lowest levels of unreported crime, as do cities with high percentages of nonwhites and dense populations. Further analysis reveals that controlling for percentage of nonwhites and police manpower severely attenuates the original correlation between unreported crime rate and police evaluation. We conclude that future research should endeavor to explain the linkage between police systems activities and unreported crime.
Evidence-based software processes

Many software projects fail because they commit to a set of plans and specifications with little evidence that if these are used on the project, they will lead to a feasible system being developed within the project's budget and schedule. An effective way to avoid this is to make the evidence of feasibility a first-class developer deliverable that is reviewed by independent experts and key decision milestones: shortfalls in evidence are risks to be considered in going forward. This further implies that the developer will create and follow processes for evidence development. This paper provides processes for developing and reviewing feasibility evidence, and for using risk to determine how to proceed at major milestones. It also provides quantitative result on "how much investment in evidence is enough," as a function of the project's size, criticality, and volatility.
The optical loss suppression in thin gold film within mid-IR range

Novel experimental mechanism of suppression losses in plasmonic subsystem in noble metal is demonstrated. This mechanism is based on the so-called parametric two-wave coherent coupling irradiation. The ratio of the frequency of the probe mode to the support mode corresponds to parametric resonance condition w p : w s = 2 : 1. The support mode is generated by the CO 2 pulsed laser, and the probe mode was obtained due to the second harmonic generation (SHG) of the support mode. By adjusting the parameters phase shift, between the two waves, and their amplitudes, the optical losses can be dramatically reduced to near zero. A highly dispersive Au thin film were analyzed. When the specific conditions are satisfied, the losses, in the probe wave, were shown to be reduced significantly.
The Use of Transgenic Papaya to Control Papaya Ringspot Virus in Hawaii, and the Transfer of this Technology to Other Countries

A handful of virus-resistant transgenic plants have been commercialised in the United States. This communication does not dwell on discussing possible reasons for the lack of other commercial virus-resistant transgenic plants. Rather it focuses on an analysis of the events involved in development and commercialisation of transgenic papaya that is currently grown in Hawaii to control Papaya ringspot virus, on the impact of the varieties on the Hawaii papaya industry, on the current status of the Hawaiian transgenic papaya in United States, Canada, and Japan, and on our efforts to transfer this technology to other countries. This paper primarily deals with the rationale and motivations for the commercialisation of transgenic papaya, and to a lesser degree on the technical development of the transgenic papaya. Keywords: pathogen-derived resistance; SunUp; rainbow
Assessing the impact of patient self-selection on the costs to treat latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) with isoniazid and transitional rifampin

Rationale, aims and objectives This article examines costs to treat latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in an urban clinic population and highlights the potential effectiveness of an alternative transitional treatment regimen. Methods Patients who experienced side effects on the gold standard of 9 months of isoniazid (9INH) were either continued on isoniazid or transitioned to 4 months of rifampin (4RIF). I use multilevel Tobit models with selection to analyse whether transitioning to 4RIF is less costly than remaining on 9INH among patients experiencing side effects. Results Results reveal that self-selection is present in this clinic data. Using an ordered probit parametric selection rule to account for selection, I find transitioning patients to 4RIF costs significantly less than continuing on 9INH. This result is especially sensitive to selection: not controlling for selection demonstrates that patients transitioning to 4RIF actually cost significantly more to treat. Post hoc analysis revealed that switching to 4RIF significantly reduced the dropout probability among these patients. Conclusion Future work should more carefully assess the clinical attributes, including effectiveness, of treatment with 9INH and transitional 4RIF as alternative treatment for LTBI.
Salicylic Acid-Based Polymers for Guided Bone Regeneration Using Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is used clinically to promote spinal fusion, treat complex tibia fractures, and to promote bone formation in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Excessive bone formation at sites where BMP-2 has been applied is an established complication and one that could be corrected by guided tissue regeneration methods. In this study, anti-inflammatory polymers containing salicylic acid [salicylic acid-based poly(anhydride-ester), SAPAE] were electrospun with polycaprolactone (PCL) to create thin flexible matrices for use as guided bone regeneration membranes. SAPAE polymers hydrolyze to release salicylic acid, which is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. PCL was used to enhance the mechanical integrity of the matrices. Two different SAPAE-containing membranes were produced and compared: fast-degrading (FD-SAPAE) and slow-degrading (SD-SAPAE) membranes that release salicylic acid at a faster and slower rate, respectively. Rat femur defects were treated with BMP-2 and wrapped with FD-S...
Throughfall studies of deposition to forest edges and gaps in montane ecosystems

An extensive network of bottle/funnel collectors was used to measure hydrologic, SO42−, and NO3− fluxes in rain events and in throughfall beneath the canopies of several high elevation forest stands in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during 1989–1990. The throughfall fluxes were used as deposition surrogates to quantify trends in atmospheric inputs to sapling trees growing in forest gaps and to the mature forest canopy at the edge surrounding each gap. The paired gap/edge stands were located above (1940 m) and below (1720 m) the base of the clouds typically impacting this mountain. Total hydrologic and ion fluxes beneath the edge trees during the forest growing season exceeded fluxes beneath the adjacent gap saplings by nearly a factor of three (e.g. 230 vs 88 meq m−2 for SO42−) at both elevations. Water and SO42− fluxes were up to two times greater beneath the forest edge at the cloud-prone 1940 m site than at 1720 m (e.g. 230 vs 110 meq m−2 for SO4−2). However, throughfall NO3− fluxes were about 30% higher at 1720 m (17 vs 13 meq m−2), because this lower site receives greater dry deposition of HNO3 due to its ridgetop location and greater wind penetration. Estimates of SO42−; deposition from cloud impaction were consistent with the net throughfall flux of SO42− (throughfall flux minus rain flux) at the 1940 m forest edge, but greatly exceeded the net throughfall flux at 1940 m gap, suggesting differences in ion concentrations in cloud droplets impacting on mature edge trees and young saplings in forest gaps.
Selective Cryolysis of Sebaceous Glands

Acne vulgaris is a nearly universal cutaneous inflammatory disease. Excess sebum production is an integral part of disease pathogenesis. Medical therapies that reduce sebum excretion result in clinical improvement of acne. Given the preferential susceptibility of lipid-containing cells to cold, we investigated the hypothesis that controlled local skin cooling causes preferential injury to sebaceous glands, in murine and swine models using a range of temperatures as low as -10 °C, and then on the backs of human subjects. In mouse ears, peak histologic damage occurred 72 hours after treatment; eosinophilic necrotic plugs formed within sebaceous glands, and the number of glands was significantly reduced up to 1 week post treatment. Cooling disrupted sebocyte cell membranes, alkaline phosphatase activity, and significantly reduced sebocyte lipid content. In human volunteers, cooling damaged sebaceous glands and reduced sebum output for 2 weeks, with minimal injury to surrounding tissues. Selective cryolysis of sebaceous glands is achievable through brief, non-invasive skin cooling, suggesting that controlled cooling could be developed as an effective treatment for acne vulgaris.
Correlation of behavioral and neurochemical effects of acute administration of methylphenidate in rats

Abstract 1. 1. Methylphenidate increased spontaneous motor activity and produced stereotyped behavior at 5–20 mg/kg intraperitoneal doses in rats. 2. 2. With the increase of dose, the total count as well as the peak level of spontaneous motor activity during the 3-hour sessions decreased, but those for stereotyped behavior increased. 3. 3. Neurochemically, levels of norepinephrine and serotonin in pons-medulla and diencephalonmidbrain decreased significantly, while dopamine in caudate nucleus and diencephalonmidbrain increased significantly at 30 and 60 min following injection of 10 mg/kg of methylphenidate. 4. 4. The methylphenidate-induced behavioral changes can be correlated with the neurochemical changes produced by this drug.
Examining Relationships among Work Ethic, Academic Motivation and Performance.

In this study, work ethic was examined as a predictor of academic motivation and performance. A total of 440 undergraduate students completed measures of work ethic and academic motivation, and reported their cumulative grade point average. Results indicated that several dimensions of work ethic were related to academic motivation and academic performance. Differences between correlations were examined, and work ethic dimensions were more strongly related to hypothesised dimensions of motivation than other dimensions of motivation. In addition, structural equation modelling was used to examine the mediating effect of academic motivation. These findings provide additional evidence for the importance of work ethic in academic settings, as well as important construct-related validity evidence for work ethic. Implications of these study findings, limitations and future directions are discussed.
Geometric phase and gauge connection in polyatomic molecules

Geometric phase is an interesting topic that is germane to numerous and varied research areas: molecules, optics, quantum computing, quantum Hall effect, graphene, and so on. It exists only when the system of interest interacts with something it perceives as exterior. An isolated system cannot display geometric phase. This article addresses geometric phase in polyatomic molecules from a gauge field theory perspective. Gauge field theory was introduced in electrodynamics by Fock and examined assiduously by Weyl. It yields the gauge field Aμ, particle–field couplings, and the Aharonov–Bohm phase, while Yang–Mills theory, the cornerstone of the standard model of physics, is a template for non-Abelian gauge symmetries. Electronic structure theory, including nonadiabaticity, is a non-Abelian gauge field theory with matrix-valued covariant derivative. Because the wave function of an isolated molecule must be single-valued, its global U(1) symmetry cannot be gauged, i.e., products of nuclear and electron functions such as χnψn are forbidden from undergoing local phase transformation on R, where R denotes nuclear degrees of freedom. On the other hand, the synchronous transformations (first noted by Mead and Truhlar): ψn → ψneiζ and simultaneously χn → χne−iζ, preserve single-valuedness and enable wave functions in each subspace to undergo phase transformation on R. Thus, each subspace is compatible with a U(1) gauge field theory. The central mathematical object is Berry's adiabatic connection i〈n|∇n〉, which serves as a communication link between the two subsystems. It is shown that additions to the connection according to the gauge principle are, in fact, manifestations of the synchronous (eiζ/e−iζ) nature of the ψn and χn phase transformations. Two important U(1) connections are reviewed: qAμ from electrodynamics and Berry's connection. The gauging of SU(2) and SU(3) is reviewed and then used with molecules. The largest gauge group applicable in the immediate vicinity of a two-state intersection is U(2), which factors to U(1) × SU(2). Gauging SU(2) yields three fields, whereas U(1) is not gauged, as the result cannot be brought into registry with electronic structure theory, and there are other problems as well. A parallel with spontaneous symmetry breaking in electroweak theory is noted. Loss of SU(2) symmetry as the energy gap between adiabats increases yields the inter-related U(1) symmetries of the upper and lower adiabats, with spinor character imprinted in the vicinity of the degeneracy.
Mechanism designs for natural orifice surgery: A review

Surgery, especially intra-abdominal surgery, has taken large steps away from the conventional method of open incisions during the last two decades. Intra-abdominal surgery is now successfully performed through minimally invasive approaches. This paradigm overcomes problems encountered in the conventional method, which include substantial blood loss and long recovery periods for patients. However, a newer approach to surgery involves inserting tools through natural orifices of the patient rather than creating skin incisions. Natural orifice surgery is performed through body orifices like the esophagus or anus. This approach has substantially reduced certain disadvantages of both the conventional and minimally invasive surgeries. Natural orifice surgery has been extensively researched of late, and many institutions and companies have filed patents regarding this approach. Due to the constraints on motion and manipulation, coupled with the continued need for precise control of tool position and forces, mechanical design is an important aspect of these new technologies.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Screening for bacteriuria in the newborn nursery: collection of the suitable urine specimen.

Summary A program for daily newborn screeningfor bacteriuria was instituted in the nursery of a community hospital. One individual, a laboratory technician, was assigned the daily task of applying a two-chambered collector (U-Bag) to the grossly clean perineum of the normal male or female fullterm newborn infant. The collector was monitored until the infant voided but was removed at the end of one hour and discarded if the child failed to void. Quantitative cultures were done by the same technician in the nursery. Voided specimens suitable for culture and analysis were obtained from 81 per cent of the study population. Bacterial counts exceeded 10 5 organisms per milliliter in only 6 per cent of the specimens collected; in no instance dis this degree of bacteriuria persist in three consecutive specimens.
Punishment Theory’s Golden Half Century: A Survey of Developments from (about) 1957 to 2007

This paper describes developments in punishment theory since the middle of the twentieth century. After the mid–1960s, what Stanley I. Benn called “preventive theories of punishment”—whether strictly utilitarian or more loosely consequentialist like his—entered a long and steep decline, beginning with the virtual disappearance of reform theory in the 1970s. Crowding out preventive theories were various alternatives generally (but, as I shall argue, misleadingly) categorized as “retributive”. These alternatives include both old theories (such as the education theory) resurrected after many decades in philosophy’s graveyard and some new ones (such as the fairness theory). Only in the last decade or so have new vares o “consequentialism” appeared to dilute a debate among philosophers that had become almost entirely about “retributivism”. I shall describe this trend in more detail. The description will be less an update of my 1990 survey than a rethinking of it. The conclusion I draw from this rethinking is that we need to drop the utilitarian–retributivist (and nonconsequentialist–nonconsequentialist) distinction in favor of one sorting punishment theories according to whether they rely in part on empirical considerations (externalist theories) or instead rely (almost) entirely on conceptual relations (internalist theories).
Complexity-based program phase analysis and classification

Modeling and analysis of program behavior are at the foundation of computer system design and optimization. As computer systems become more adaptive, their efficiency increasinsgly depends on program dynamic characteristics. Previous studies have revealed that program runtime execution manifests phase behavior. Recently, methods and tools to analyze and classify program phases have also been developed. However, very few studies have been proposed so far to understand and evaluate program phases from their dynamics and complexity perspectives. In this work, we propose new methods, metrics and frameworks which aim to analyze, quantify, and classify the dynamics and complexity of program phases. Our methods use wavelet techniques to represent program phases at multiresolution scales. The cross-correlation coefficients between phase dynamics observed at different scales are then computed as metrics to quantify phase complexity. We propose to apply wavelet-based multiresolution analysis and data clustering to classify program execution into phases that exhibit similar degree of complexity. Experimental results on SPEC CPU 2000 benchmarks show that the proposed schemes classify complexity-based program phases better than currently used approaches.
Linear and nonlinear spectroscopy of a porphyrin-squaraine-porphyrin conjugated system.

The linear and nonlinear absorption properties of a squaraine-bridged porphyrin dimer (POR-SQU-POR) are investigated using femto-, pico-, and nanosecond pulses to understand intramolecular processes, obtain molecular optical parameters, and perform modeling of the excited-state dynamics. The optical behavior of POR-SQU-POR is compared with its separate porphyrin and squaraine constituent moieties. Linear spectroscopic studies include absorption, fluorescence, excitation and emission anisotropy, and quantum yield measurements. Nonlinear spectroscopic studies are performed across a wide range (∼150 fs, ∼25 ps, and ∼5 ns) of pulsewidths and include two-photon absorption (2PA), single and double pump−probe, and Z-scan measurements with detailed analysis of excited-state absorption induced by both one- and two-photon absorption processes. The 2PA from the constituent moieties shows relatively small 2PA cross sections; below 10 GM (1 GM = 1 × 10−50 cm4 s/photon) for the porphyrin constituent and below 100 GM fo...
Investigating the magnetorheological effect at high flow velocities

The objective of this work is to investigate the magnetorheological (MR) effect at high flow velocities. A slit-flow rheometer has been built which allows for high speed testing of MR fluid under varying field strengths. The gap size of the rheometer was chosen to achieve high fluid velocity and high shear rates. With a 1 mm gap size, fluid velocities range from 1 to 37 m s−1 with resulting shear rates ranging from 0.07 × 105 to 2.5 × 105 s−1. In order to evaluate the performance of the fluid, the force required to drive the fluid through the flow channel is measured and force–velocity characteristics are generated. From the force–velocity curves, the apparent viscosity is found. The apparent viscosity is used to calculate the yield stress for several magnetic field strengths. Two MR valve lengths are considered (25.4 and 6.35 mm). At each velocity the yield stress is found using the closed form solution for the non-dimensional yield stress. Fluid dwell time is introduced as the amount of time the fluid spends in the presence of a magnetic field. For the range of velocities considered, fluid dwell times range from 12.4 to 0.18 ms. A reduction in apparent yield stress is observed as dwell time decreases. Results indicate that the MR fluid can achieve 63.2% of the expected yield stress for dwell times greater than 0.6 ms.
Information resource management: is it sensible and can it work?

Abstract Information Resource Management, or IRM, is founded on the assumptions that organizations are systems amenable to systematic control, and that information is a resource that can be managed in economically efficient ways. The management techniques embodied under the IRM rubric are said to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of information management in organizations. These assumptions are questioned. Systems approaches to organizations have proven inadequate in most instances where they have been tried, and there is little reason to believe the IRM approach will be different. Information is not a resource in the conventional sense of the term, and economic techniques for dealing with information as a resource are lacking. Implementation of IRM suffers from ambiguities about what it is supposed to accomplish, the breadth of its intentions, and the practical constraints of implementing top-down reforms in complex organizations. The broad vision of IRM is useful for articulating goals for information management, but the efficacy of IRM as an organizing framework for actual management of information practices is limited.
Analysis of time-resolved, in-situ change in high-resolution electron microscopy

Abstract The mechanisms proposed for physical change or for solid state chemical reactions are usually couched in phenomenological terms partly because of the difficulty of obtaining detailed information on occurrences at the atomic level. Use of the high-resolution electron microscope could provide the required atomic-level information in those instances where the rate of change is suitable. Two cases where the transformation rates are near the lower time limits of present capability are used here as illustrations. First, the removal of a twin boundary separating a surface promontory from the main body of a TbO 2 crystal is followed and analyzed from sequences of video-field images recorded at 1/60 second. Sudden disorder of the promontory is followed within a few seconds by reconstructive, epitaxial, outward growth on the main body of the crystal. Second, to illustrate similar analyses of a chemical reaction, an episode in the transformation of a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) precursor gel toward the crystalline PZT is observed at intervals from video-fields selected during condensation and the loss of solvent and the accompanying crystallization process. Areas of condensation on the surface of the colloidal sphere are amorphous at first but begin fitful crystallization when the diameter reaches about 3 nm and continues wild reconstructions until the stable perovskite is formed.
Oxidation of compression annealed pyrolytic graphites

Abstract The reactivities of three highly crystalline, compression annealed pyrolytic graphites, designated APG142, G900, and G100 and differing in preferred orientation, crystallite size and defect content, were studied as a function of burn-off at 750°C and 20 Torr O 2 pressure. Large burn-off increments were achieved by oxidation at 900°C and about 30 Torr initial O 2 pressure. Measurements of bulk reaction anisotropy of the two principal surfaces (basal and edge) were found to correlate well with degree of preferred orientation and defect content. For two of the graphites, rate data taken on samples having wide variations in their basal surface to edge surface ratio could be normalized by expressing the rates in terms of an effective geometric edge area which takes into account the reaction anisotropy. However, the reactivity of APG142 samples, expressed in this same manner, was found to increase with increasing fraction of edge area, indicating a different mechanism for edge oxidation. Microscopic and macroscopic examination of oxidized specimens revealed a number of features including a high density (~ 10 5 /cm 2 ) of non-basal defects in the G100 material. A number of samples of APG142 and G900 showed a pronounced terracing effect at the layer plane edges. This is consistent with a mechanism of edge oxidation involving the migration of reactive species over the basal surfaces. A principal feature observed in all these materials was the occurrence of non-uniform oxidation at the edges, resulting in the formation of slit shaped voids running parallel to the layer plane direction. The possible role of lattice vacancies, non-basal dislocations and grain boundaries in the overall oxidation process has been examined by developing idealized models involving preferential attack at these defect sites.
Geomorphometry - diversity in quantitative surface analysis

A widening variety of applications is diversifying geomorphometry (digital terrain modelling), the quantitative study of topography. An amalgam of earth science, mathematics, engineering and computer science, the discipline has been revolutionized by the computer manipulation of gridded terrain heights, or digital elevation models (DEMs). Its rapid expansion continues. This article reviews the remarkable diversity of recent morphometric work in 15 selected topics and discusses their significance and prospects. The quantitative analysis of industrial microsurface topography is introduced to the earth science community. The 14 other topics are Internet access to geomorphometry; global DEMs; DEM modelling of channel networks; self-organized criticality; fractal and wavelet analysis; soil resources; landslide hazards; barchan dunes; harvesting wind energy; sea-ice surfaces; sea-floor abyssal hills; Japanese work in morphometry; and the emerging fields of landscape ecology and image understanding. Closing rema...
Globalised Religion?: The ‘parliament of the world's religions’ (Chicago 1993) in theoretical perspective

Abstract This paper tests the hypothesis that contemporary global and globalised religion as exemplified in the Chicago ‘Parliament of the World's Religions’ of 1993 may be regarded as a resource which is central, rather than marginal to current human concerns in a threatened world. The paper is structured as follows. First, a short personal narrative gives some sense of what happened at the Parliament, and how this affected one of those present. Second, as a means of conveying the scale of the meeting, a brief content analysis and interpretation of the programme shows how (within certain limits) collaboration was made possible. Third, three insights are drawn from current sociology that facilitate an informed, albeit preliminary, evaluation of the Parliament as emancipatory event. These are: i) recent globalisation theory of the world system (Roland Robertson and Peter Beyer); ii) differentiation in a social reality understood as an “economy of signs and space”; (Scott Lash and John Urry); and in) the se...
Phase III clinical trial comparing iodixanol and iohexol in cerebral angiography

Rationale and Objectives. We report on our early clinical experience in the United States with the nonionic dimeric (6:1 ratio) contrast medium iodixanol in cerebral angiography. Iodixanol has an osmolality less than half that of monomeric, nonionic contrast media such as iohexol at equivalent iodine concentrations and is isosmotic to blood. Methods. Forty-nine adult patients undergoing elective cerebral angiography were studied in a phase III, double-blind, randomized, parallel-design clinical trial comparing the safety and diagnostic efficacy of iodixanol at 320 mg I/ml (IOD-320) and iohexol 300 mg I/ml (IOH-300). Diagnostically adequate cerebral angiograms were routinely obtained with both contrast agents. Results. A total of 37% of the patients experienced adverse events (48% in the IOD-320 group and 25% in the IOH-300 group). No statistically significant differences were noted between the two groups studied in the proportion of patients with one or more adverse events or in the intensity of the adverse events. The most common adverse event was headache. There were no deaths or serious complications related to either contrast medium in this study. Conclusion. The results of this phase III trial support the conclusion that iodixanol at a concentration of 320 mg I/ml is comparable to iohexol at 300 mg I/ml in terms of efficacy (overall radiographic diagnostic visualization) and safety.
One-Dimensional Nanoelectronic Devices - Towards the Quantum Capacitance Limit

We present a study on the scaling of conventional as well as tunneling nanowire/tube field-effect transistors towards the quantum capacitance limit. As it turns out conventional FETs exhibit a scaling benefit in this limit in terms of the power delay product. In addition, the appearance of short channel-like effects due to a parasitics charge pile-up can be avoided. Scaling tFETs towards the QCL allows obtaining regular transistor output characteristics and an on-state performance similar to the performance of cFETs.
Improving permeation flux by pulsed reverse osmosis

Abstract Pulsed and nonpulsed reverse osmosis experiments were conducted with a sucrose solution in cylindrical cellulose acetate membranes. For pulsing frequencies up to 1 Hz, permeation increases of more than 70 per cent were observed. A simple quasisteady-state theory for concentration polarization based on a film model of mass transfer describes the increase.
Localized states in dichloronaphthalene crystals

Abstract Molecular crystals of 1,4-dichloronaphthalene form an excellent model for a one-dimensional exciton. Isotopically mixed crystals have been found to form multiple localized traps of varying depths. The inherently shallow traps generated in isotopically mixed crystals and the possibility of thermal repopulation of the exciton band made possible the estimation of the trap depths. Optically detected magnetic resonance methods have been used tentatively to identify these traps as those arising from aggregation of deuterated dichloronaphthalene. Further confirmation of the trap assignment was found in an analysis of the dephasing times measured by optically detected spin coherence methods.
Entrance skin dosimetry and size-specific dose estimate from pediatric chest CTA.

Abstract Background Size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), which corrects CT dose index (CTDI) for body diameter and is a better measure of organ dose than is CTDI, has not yet been validated in vivo. Objective The purpose was to determine the correlation between SSDE and measured breast entrance skin dose (ESD) for pediatric chest CT angiography across a variety of techniques, scanner models, and patient sizes. Methods During 42 examinations done on 4 different scanners over 7 years, we measured mid-sternal ESD as an approximation of breast dose with skin dosimeters. We recorded age, weight, effective tube current, kilovoltage potential, console CTDI, and dose-length product, from which we calculated effective dose. We measured effective chest diameter to convert CTDI to SSDE, and we correlated SSDE with measured ESD, using linear regression. We evaluated image quality to answer the clinical question. Results Patient mean (±SD) age was 8.4 ± 6.1 years (median, 7.9 years; range, 0.02–19.5 years); mean weight was 35 ± 27 kg (median, 26 kg; range, 3.5–115 kg); effective chest diameter was 20 ± 7 cm (median, 19 cm; range, 10–35 cm). Mean effective dose was 2.9 ± 2.8 mSv (median, 2.2 mSv; range, 0.1–14.4 mSv). We observed a linear correlation ( R 2 = 0.98, P P Conclusion SSDE is a valid dose measure in children undergoing chest CT angiography over a wide range of scanner platforms, techniques, and patient sizes, and it may be used to model breast dose and to document the results of dose reduction strategies.
A comparison of in vitro and in vivo degradation of two CPC strain gauge coatings.

Calcium phosphate ceramic (CPC) coated strain gauges have been used to measure bone strain in animal models for up to 16 weeks and are being developed to collect measurements in patients for periods of 1 year or more. A published surface roughening and heat treating procedure produced improved dry strength and in vivo stability of CPC-gauge interfaces after 16 weeks. The long term bond strength of two CPC-gauge interfaces prepared using the roughening and heat treating process were evaluated after up to 1 year in vitro and in vivo using a lap shear test. The feasibility of using an in vitro test to predict long term in vivo interface changes was established. A blended tricalcium phosphate + hydroxyapatite had a CPC-gauge interface strength which decreased from 6.07 +/- 2.64 MPa at 16 weeks to 4.71 +/- 1.840 MPa after 1 year in Hanks Balanced Salts (HBS). The same coating had a strength that decreased from 8.51 +/- 2.63 MPa at 16 weeks to 5.35 +/- 1 MPa after 1 year in vivo. A soluble calcium enhanced hydroxyapatite had an interface strength of 4.83 +/- 1.106 MPa after 16 weeks and 4.51+/- 1.100 MPa after 1 year in HBS. The same coating had an interface strength of 8.34 +/- 2.40 MPa after 16 weeks and 5.20 +/- 2.00 MPa after 1 year in vivo. Although interface strengths decreased slightly with time in vivo, after 1 year they were in the same strength range as published CPC-bone interface strengths of 4.8 +/- 2.4 MPa. Comparison of in vitro with in vivo results indicated that in vitro results were a good predictor of strength change in the blended CPC coating, but a poorer predictor of strength changes in the soluble calcium-enhanced coating.
Gestational Toluene Exposure Effects on Spontaneous and Amphetamine-Induced Locomotor Behavior in Rats

Gestational Toluene Exposure Effects on Spontaneous and Amphetamine-Induced Locomotor Behavior in Rats. Bowen, S.E., Mohammadi, M.H., Batis, J.C., and Hannigan, J.H. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, XX, 2006. The abuse of volatile organic solvents (inhalants) continues to be a major health concern throughout the world. Toluene, which is found in many products such as glues and household cleaners, is among the most commonly abused organic solvents. The neurobehavioral teratogenic sequelae of solvent abuse (i.e., repeated, brief inhalation exposures to very high concentrations of solvents) have not been examined thoroughly. In a preclinical model of inhalant abuse, timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0, 8000, or 12,000 parts per million (ppm) for 15 min twice daily from gestation day 8 (GD8) through GD20. In the first experiment, separate groups of offspring were observed individually in an open-field on postnatal day 22 (PN22), PN42 or PN63. In the second experiment, other offspring given identical prenatal toluene exposures were observed in an "open-field" following an acute i.p. injection of amphetamine (0, 0.56, 1.78 mg/kg) on PN28. Automated measurements of distance traveled and ambulatory time were recorded. Prenatal toluene exposure resulted in small alterations in spontaneous activity compared to non-exposed rats. Prenatal exposure to 12,000 ppm toluene resulted in significant hyposensitivity to the locomotor stimulatory effects of the amphetamine challenge in male but not female rats on PN28. The results demonstrate that prenatal exposure to abuse patterns of high concentrations of toluene through inhalation can alter spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotor behavior in rats. The expression of these effects also appears to depend upon the postnatal age of testing. These results imply that abuse of organic solvents during pregnancy in humans may also produce long-lasting effects on biobehavioral development.
Palomar-Leiden minor planets - Proper elements, frequency distributions, belt boundaries, and family memberships

Tabulations are presented for the proper elements of 1227 higher accuracy orbits of faint minor planets encompassing earth and deep Mars crossers, Trojans, and Hildas. The distribution of the closest approach distance to Mars drops off sharply near zero, while that for Jupiter vanishes near 1.1 AU; it is suggested that Mars and Jupiter have caused these boundaries, so that the asteroid belt must have been larger early in the solar system's history. Some 3.5 percent of the sample, primarily shallow crossers, can impact Mars; the fortuitous alignments required for impact occur with near-simultaneity for these objects, so that they will episodically bombard Mars.
Skeleton Graph Expansion for Critical Exponents

Critical exponents are calculated using conventional many-body perturbation theory by means of a self-consistent skeleton graph expansion in $4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ deminsions, where $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ is small. The self-consistency is expressed through Ward identities. The results, the same as those of Wilson, are obtained without recourse to renormalization group arguments.
Reversibility of covalent electrophile-protein adducts and chemical toxicity.

The biotin-tagged electrophiles 1-biotinamido-4-(4′-[maleimidoethylcyclohexane]-carboxamido)butane (BMCC) and N-iodoacetyl-N-biotinylhexylenediamine (IAB) have been used as model electrophile probes in complex proteomes to identify protein targets associated with chemical toxicity. Whereas IAB activates stress signaling and apoptosis in HEK293 cells, BMCC does not. Cysteine Michael adducts formed from BMCC and nonbiotinylated analogues rapidly disappeared in the intact cells, whereas the adducts were stable in BMCC-treated subcellular fractions, even in the presence of the cellular reductants reduced glutathione, NADH, and NADPH. In contrast, cysteine thioether adducts formed from IAB and its nonbiotinylated analogues were stable in intact cells. Loss of the BMCC adduct in cells was reduced at 4 °C, which suggests the involvement of a metabolic process in adduct removal. Model studies with a glutathione−BMCC conjugate indicated rapid hydrolysis of the adducted imide ring, but neither the conjugate nor its...
Multilevel Channel Polarization for Arbitrary Discrete Memoryless Channels

It is shown that polar codes, with their original (u,u+v) kernel, achieve the symmetric capacity of discrete memoryless channels with arbitrary input alphabet sizes. It is shown that in general, channel polarization happens in several, rather than only two levels so that the synthesized channels are either useless, perfect or “partially perfect.” Any subset of the channel input alphabet which is closed under addition induces a coset partition of the alphabet through its shifts. For any such partition of the input alphabet, there exists a corresponding partially perfect channel whose outputs uniquely determine the coset to which the channel input belongs. By a slight modification of the encoding and decoding rules, it is shown that perfect transmission of certain information symbols over partially perfect channels is possible. Our result is general regarding both the cardinality and the algebraic structure of the channel input alphabet; i.e., we show that for any channel input alphabet size and any Abelian group structure on the alphabet, polar codes are optimal. Due to the modifications, we make to the encoding rule of polar codes, the constructed codes fall into a larger class of structured codes called nested group codes.
Abstract 448: Mechanism of action differences of transmembrane versus secretory tumor necrosis factor-α on tumor growth; role of tumor-associated myeloid cells

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) is a major inflammatory cytokine, produced by a wide variety of cell types including macrophages, T lymphocytes endothelial cells and tumor cells. TNF-α is expressed as a membrane-tethered protein (tmTNF-α), cleaved by tumor necrosis factor-α-converting enzyme (TACE) and subsequently released into extracellular space as a soluble TNF-α (sTNF-α). Recent studies from our laboratory and others have shown that low level expression of TNF-α by tumor cells substantially increases tumor growth, vascularity and decreases tumor necrosis, in part by increasing tumor content of a proangiogenic myeloid subtype (Li et al., Cancer Res. 2009, 1;69(1):338-48). To better understand the mechanism by which TNF-α modulates the myeloid phenotype, we generated murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and B16F10 melanoma tumor cells transduced with retrovirus expression vectors directing modest overexpression of a membrane tethered moiety, tmTNF-α. Heterotopic implantation of tmTNF-α expressing lines resulted in significantly decreased growth than control tumors in both tumor models. Our studies showed that this was not due to effects on the tumor cells themselves but likely due to effects on tumor stroma as the effect of tmTNF-α was lost in TNF-α receptor deficient mice. Further evaluation showed an absence of tumor associated myeloid cells within the tumor, which suggested apoptosis of migrated myeloid cells or inhibition of myeloid recruitment into the tumor environment. There is a significant gap in our knowledge on the mechanism of transmembrane isoform of TNF-α and its potential anti-tumorogenic role. In this study our goal is to identify the mechanism in which tmTNF-α promotes tumor regression and to understand how it modulates host bone marrow derived myeloid cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 448. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-448
Smoking Bans in Acute Care Psychiatric Settings: A Machiavellian Smoke Screen?

Do smoking bans therefore create healthier patients? Campion, McNeill, and Checinski (2006) believe that they do and hospital administrators reason that their role in promoting health requires them to forbid smoking on hospital property (Bloor, Meeson, & Crome, 2006).
Specifying the Contributions of the Human Amygdala to Emotional Memory: A Case Study

Abstract We examined emotional memory in patient SP, a 54-year-old woman with bilateral damage to the amygdala. Consistent with previous case studies, SP showed deficits on tests of fear conditioning and recognition memory for arousing stimuli. SP's performance on several emotional episodic memory tasks was examined. We found that bilateral damage to the amygdala only leads to deficits on a subset of emotional episodic memory tasks. Specifically, the amygdala does not seem to be involved when episodic memory performance benefits from the valence of the stimuli. However, when episodic memory benefits from arousal, damage to the amygdala leads to a deficit in performance. Based on our results, we postulate that the amygdala is not involved when emotion enhances episodic memory primarily by contributing an organizing principle such as a schema or category. We expect the effects of amygdala damage to be limited to memory tasks affected by the neuromodulatory changes that occur with arousal. The effects of aro...
The strategy, organization, and progress of the HUPO Human Proteome Project.

The Human Proteome Project is a major, comprehensive initiative of the Human Proteome Organization. This global collaborative effort aims to identify and characterize at least one protein product and many PTM, SAP, and splice variant isoforms from the 20,300 human protein-coding genes. The deliverables are an extensive parts list and an array of technology platforms, reagents, spectral libraries, and linked knowledge bases that advance the field and facilitate the use of proteomics by a much wider community of life scientists. Such enablement will help address the Grand Challenge of using proteomics to bridge major gaps between evidence of genomic variation and diverse phenotypes.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A RECOMBINANT NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS ALPHA -2,3-SIALYLTRANSFERASE AND ITS ACCEPTOR SPECIFICITY

The structure and specificity of the recombinant a-2,3-sialyltransferase from Neisseria meningitidis are reported. This enzyme showed an unusual acceptor specificity in that it could use a-terminal and pterminal Gal residues as acceptors. In addition (pl-+4)-linked and (pl+3)-linked terminal Gal served as acceptors. These properties distinguish the bacterial enzyme from the more widely investigated mammalian equivalents. The protein was expressed as a membrane-associated protein in Escherichia coli at a level of 750 U/I (-250 mgfl). The protein could be extracted with buffers containing 0.2% Triton X-100 and purified to homogeneity using immobilized-metal-affinity chromatography. Electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry of peptides obtained by cleavage with cyanogen bromide and trypsin confirmed over 95 % of the deduced amino acid sequence. When used for enzymatic synthesis in coupled reactions with recombinant CMP-NeuSAc synthetase, the a-2,3-sialyltransferase could sialylate fluorescent derivatives of N-acetyllactosamine with N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-propionylneuraminic acid and N-glycoloylneuraminic acid.
Airway smooth muscle modulation and airway hyper-responsiveness in asthma: new cellular and molecular paradigms.

There is growing evidence indicating the existence of a causal relationship between abnormal airway smooth muscle (ASM) function and airway hyper-responsiveness, a poorly understood feature of asthma that can be defined as an excessive bronchospastic response. In recent years, there has been a veritable explosion of articles suggesting that ASM exposed to proasthmatic cytokines can elicit a hyper-responsive state to contractile G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists. Aberrant airway responsiveness could result from abnormal calcium signaling, with changes occurring at various levels of GPCR-associated signal transduction. This review presents the latest observations describing novel mechanistic models that could explain the involvement of ASM in airway hyper-responsiveness. This review will discuss the role of ASM in β2-agonist-mediated bronchial hyper-responsiveness and the clinical significance of cell–cell contact between ASM and mast cells recently described to be intimately infiltrated within the...