cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary search and convertible agents for the simultaneous type and dimensional synthesis of planar mechanisms

In the field of mechanical engineering, synthesizing a mechanism to perform an intended task is deceptively complex. In this paper, a novel approach to automated mechanism synthesis is described which uses an evolutionary search algorithm and a technique called "convertible agents" to simultaneously find the most appropriate mechanism type for a given problem, while finding an optimum set of dimensions for that mechanism to complete a specified task. The search was limited to four-bar, Stephenson, and Watt types of planar, single-degree-of-freedom mechanisms, although the method is readily scalable to include any number of different types. Several case studies are described which illustrate the effectiveness of the method. The developed convertible agent approach is well suited for evolutionary design applications in which there are a small number of distinct topological possibilities each with parametric variables to be optimized.
Travelers' Tales: Empire, Victorian Travel, and the Spectacle of English Womanhood in Mary Kingsley's Travels in West Africa

Victorian travel has always been about the politics of leaving home. And in a twentieth-century critical universe shaped by some of the fundamental questions about the making of “home” and “away” and the invention of “self” and “other,” the field of Victorian travel has necessarily taken its place at the center of a critical discourse about the sometimes fabulous and often sordid details of the colonial encounter. The Western travelers of such encounters are intriguing figures if simply because, despite the multiple voyagers' mythologies that adhere to them, they do not escape the demands of the Victorian world at home or the intricate structures of power out of which this world is made. Rather, the English adventurers who ostensibly left England behind for the mangrove swamps and cannibal villages of Africa regularly reproduced in their travels some of the very same structures of power from which they were purportedly freed. In leaving home, the English traveler also quite literally rediscovered it.
Application of speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry to evaluate extraction methods for determining mercury speciation in soils and sediments.

Extraction techniques commonly used to extract methylmercury or mercury species from various matrixes have been evaluated regarding their potential to transform inorganic mercury to methylmercury, ...
The preparation of [35S]homocysteine thiolactone free of [35S]methionine

The unambiguous study of homocysteine metabolism requires a source of [355]homocysteine completely free from contaminating [35S]methionine. Until now, such a reagent has not been readily available. Homocysteine is an important metabolite involved in methionine, cysteine and methylation metabolism. Homocysteine can be methylated to form methionine with either 5-methyltetrahydrofolate [1] or betaine [2] serving as the methyl donor, it can be condensed with serine to form cystathionine [3] which can be converted to cysteine, or it can be condensed with adenosine [4] to form S-adenosylhomocysteine, a strong inhibitor of all known cellular methylation reactions [5,6]. Additionally, there is evidence that in methionine-dependent tumor lines, methionine synthesized endogenously from homocysteine is used differently by the cell than exogenously supplied methionine [7]. In this report we describe a novel, simple and fast method of recovering methionine-free [35S]homocysteine thiolactone following its synthesis.
One Little, Two Little,… Ten System Users

One of my responsibilities as an OCLC secretary is creating, editing, and filing various types and styles of “paper” documents. This routinely involves handling the work of up to ten people. At OCLC, computers are used to create, edit, and file these documents. In time—sometimes just a few weeks, depending on the work load—just retrieving a single document after it has been filed can be a time‐consuming task. Even given the speed at which the computer works, finding files in an automated system can be as difficult as it ever was in the old‐fashioned metal filing cabinet—unless your files are as organized as they were in that cabinet. (They were, weren't they?)
An estuarine fine-particle budget determined from radionuclide tracers

The sedimentary distributions of radiocesium and plutonium have been used to determine patterns of fine-particle accumulation, estimate net sediment fluxes from different sources, and develop a fine-particle budget for the Hudson-Raritan estuary. It is proposed that the rates and patterns of fineparticle accumulation reflect a sediment surface in dynamic equilibrium with the wave and current regimes. Rates of accumulation in most estuarine areas appear to equal the rate to sea-level rise or land subsidence. Localized areas, which have not yet attained or are presently out of equilibrium, serve as fine particle traps.
Complex response analysis of shells of revolution including uniform base translation and rocking

A complex response algorithm for the dynamic analysis of axisymmetric thin shells supported on an interactive foundation is developed. The substructure deletion method is employed through the utilization of a dynamic boundary system at the contact area between the superstructure and the substructure. A new mathematical formulation in conjunction with the shell behaviour is developed to deal with rigid body motions due to the negation of the fixed base assumption. Four foundation conditions, that is, a fixed base, two pile foundation cases and a flexible base, are considered to examine the effect of base flexibility on the seismic response of cooling towers. Also, excellent comparative results between the frequency domain solution and a time domain solution are obtained.
Cloning and expression of rabbit pancreatic phospholipase A2.

Abstract Pancreatic phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ; E.C. 3.1.1.4) has been cloned from a gt11 library made from poly A + RNA of adult rabbit pancreas. PLA 2 catalyzes the hydrolysis of the 2-acyl ester bond of 3-sn-phophoglycerides. As the rabbits are classically used for the study of diet induced changes in lipid metabolism, as a prelude to studying the diet and age dependent changes in this enzyme, we have undertaken to clone it from a rabbit pancreatic library. Three full length clones were obtained from the rabbit pancreatic library when probed with a synthetic oligonucleotide derived from the conserved portion of the molecule. One of these clones is completely sequenced and analyzed. The sequence consists of 606 nucleotides with an open reading frame of 441 nucleotides, coding for 147 amino acids which include a 15 amino acid leader peptide and a seven amino acid propeptide. Northern blot analysis revealed a major mRNA band at 600bp. When compared to phospholipases A 2 of other species, rabbit PLA 2 exhibited considerable conservation both at nucleotide and the protein level. In vitro translation of synthetic mRNA obtained from T 7 polymerase transcription of the cDNA yielded a protein of apparent molecular weight of 15kd similar to that predicted from its primary structure.
Methodological problems in measuring harm

There is a strong ideological and political movement in the USA to convince pregnant women not to drink any alcohol. An examination of the research literature on the results of drinking during pregnancy does not provide any evidence that light drinking is harmful to the foetus. The chief defects in the research that make conclusions about the effects of moderate or light drinking invalid are the ways in which drinking patterns are categorized: a) usually the categories used are average per day , the different effects of bingeing and light drinking being thus confused; b) often the heaviest drinking category is described as two or more drinks a day , sometimes even one or more
A Preliminary Investigation of Exploration-Oriented, Learning Behaviors for Managing Project Quality

Customers are typically dissatisfied when projects fail to meet requirements and/or expectations. While effectively managing projects requires balancing competing constraints, quality is one aspect of project management that has not been widely explored. To address this issue, this research investigated the characteristics of learning/exploration used to support managing project quality. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with information technology IT project managers to identify learning/exploration-oriented approaches currently used in project-based environments. Analysis of the data obtained through interviews identified characteristics of learning/exploration used in projects and these findings were validated through a focus group with additional IT project managers. Based on this research, an approach is proposed that provides specific insights for project managers about using exploratory practices. When coupled with traditional project quality management processes, these learning/exploratory activities may help to enhance ambidexterity within project-based organizations and improve project quality outcomes.
Tectonically-induced diversion of the Indus River west of the Salt Range, Pakistan

Abstract Neogene and Quaternary molasse deposition at the west end of the Salt Range in the foreland fold-thrust belt of northern Pakistan produced an unusually thick upper Siwalik section near the Indus River. Here, Siwalik sedimentary rocks coarsen upsection to 1500 m thick stacked channel conglomerate deposits with a distant provenance similar to deposits forming the bed load of the modern Indus River. The Chisal Algad, an underfit stream separated from the Indus River by a tectonically-induced drainage divide, contains a bed load clast assemblage resembling that of the Indus River. The Indus channel migrated eastward, abandoning the Chisal Algad and leaving high terrace deposits of Indus gravels unconformably overlying tilted Siwalik sedimentary rocks north of Shakardarra. Uplift accompanying thrust faulting and transpression in the right-slip Kalabagh fault zone tilted a block measuring 15 km east-west by 30 km north-south. The block has been incised by juvenile consequent drainage toward the Indus River. The Indus River was diverted eastward in the last 0.5 Ma and now occupies the lower part of the Soan River system.
Towards a professional civil service in post‐transition Romania

To what degree and under what conditions can a young democracy build a competent, politically neutral public bureaucracy? A crucial component of the transition from communist party rule to democracy is the creation of a professional civil service. Success along this dimension of state-building generates administrative capacity: non-elected public officials ensure the implementation of reforms initiated by political leaders. In the communist party-led regimes of Eastern Europe, forging this new administrative class from its highly politicised predecessor took place as new democracies sought to overcome historical legacies and integrate with the European Union. A case study of administrative reform in Romania during the post-1989 period suggests the importance of external influences in forming a civil service more closely adhering to the Weberian ideal of an expert, rules-based bureaucracy. Through analysis of survey data from a nationally representative sample of the Romanian civil servants, the public bureaucracy has professionalised insofar as educational and training credentials rather than political affiliation are significant predictors of salary levels. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental demonstration of novel imaging geometries for x-ray fluorescence computed tomography

Purpose: X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) is an emerging imaging modality that maps the three-dimensional distribution of elements, generally metals, inex vivo specimens and potentially in living animals and humans. At present, it is generally performed at synchrotrons, taking advantage of the high flux of monochromatic x rays, but recent work has demonstrated the feasibility of using laboratory-based x-ray tube sources. In this paper, the authors report the development and experimental implementation of two novel imaging geometries for mapping of trace metals in biological samples with ∼50–500 μm spatial resolution. Methods: One of the new imaging approaches involves illuminating and scanning a single slice of the object and imaging each slice's x-ray fluorescent emissions using a position-sensitive detector and a pinhole collimator. The other involves illuminating a single line through the object and imaging the emissions using a position-sensitive detector and a slit collimator. They have implemented both of these using synchrotron radiation at the Advanced Photon Source. Results: The authors show that it is possible to achieve 250 eV energy resolution using an electron multiplying CCD operating in a quasiphoton-counting mode. Doing so allowed them to generate elemental images using both of the novel geometries for imaging of phantoms and, for the second geometry, an osmium-stained zebrafish. Conclusions: The authors have demonstrated the feasibility of these two novel approaches to XFCT imaging. While they use synchrotron radiation in this demonstration, the geometries could readily be translated to laboratory systems based on tube sources.
Clinicopathologic correlation of choroidal and retinal neovascular lesions in age-related macular degeneration

Purpose To describe histopathologic findings in donor eyes of 3 individuals with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and to correlate with results of clinical and fluorescein angiographic studies performed before death. Design Retrospective, observational case series. Methods Three eyes of 3 individuals with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were obtained after death and were prepared for histopathologic examination at a tertiary care referral center. Serial sections through the macula and optic nerve were evaluated with light microscopy. Findings were correlated with results of clinical evaluation, including findings of fluorescein angiography performed from 1 week to 5 months before death. Results In Case 1, histopathologic examination revealed a thin choroidal neovascular membrane beneath a relatively intact retinal pigment epithelium (type 1 neovascularization). This correlated with an occult choroidal neovascular membrane on fluorescein angiography characterized by a stippled appearance with minimal late leakage, representing possibly the earliest clinically detectable neovascular membrane for which histopathologic correlation is available. In Case 2, histopathologic examination demonstrated subfoveal choroidal neovascularization with distinctly separate subretinal pigment epithelial (type 1) and subretinal (type 2) components, correlating to fluorescein angiographic appearance of a mixed neovascular membrane with corresponding occult and classic features. The histopathologic findings in Case 3 revealed a plexus of blood vessels in the outer retina surrounded by an abundant eosinophiolic extracellular matrix and associated with a pigment epithelial detachment. There was no communication with the choroid. This correlated with clinical findings of retinal angiomatous proliferation. Conclusions These 3 in situ clinicopathologic correlative studies add new knowledge of the broad clinical spectrum of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
An analytical algorithm for the rapid determination of the solvent accessibility of points in a three‐dimensional lattice around a solute molecule

We address the problem of marking points on a grid lattice of arbitrary size and spacing as either accessible or inaccessible to a solvent-sized spherical probe. It is shown that an analytical description of the solvent-accessible volume suitable for rapidly testing a large number of lattice points can be constructed from relatively simple geometric elements. By first constructing these basic analytical elements and storing them in suitable data structures, any number of subsequent lattice markings can be carried out. This approach leads to increased computational efficiency whenever a multiple calculation using different lattice sizes and scales is necessary on the same molecular geometry. We also present an algorithm for determining the analytical volume elements. Some aspects of this algorithm, particularly the method for finding all sterically allowed probe positions in which the probe simultaneously contacts three atoms, may also be useful for improving the speed and reliability of analytical surface area calculations. An object-oriented implementation of these algorithms written in C + + is freely available via Internet. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Studies on the conversion of folic acid to citrovorum factor by avian liver homogenate.

Abstract 1. 1. Nitrogen enhances the conversion of added folic acid (PGA) to citrovorum factor (CF) by chick liver homogenate (pH 6.3). 2. 2. Under these conditions, ascorbic acid does not augment the conversion of added PGA to CF. 3. 3. Liver homogenates from hens injected with vitamin B 12 synthesize CF from added PGA more effectively than similar homogenates of liver from hens on a basal diet unsupplemented. 4. 4. In vitro addition of vitamin B 12 to the homogenate of liver from the vitamin B 12 -deficient hen failed to give a significant increase in CF synthesis from added PGA. 5. 5. Although the two groups of hens received the same amount of PGA and CF, the group receiving an injection of vitamin B 12 showed an increased storage of CF in their livers and in egg yolk. 6. 6. Egg yolk and liver from hens receiving vitamin B 12 contained about twice as much vitamin B 12 per gram of egg yolk and 2.5 times as much vitamin B 12 per gram of liver in comparison to the egg yolk and liver from hens not receiving vitamin B 12 .
Analysis of microstripline coupled to microstrip antenna

An analytical method based on the aperture coupling theory and S-parameter matrix has been developed for modelling a microstripline coupled to a microstrip antenna using a circular coupling aperture. The theoretical results agree fairly well with the measurements. The analysis should have many applications in active array developments.
Representing the dynamics of the occluding contour

Abstract This paper introduces a novel, viewer-centered approach to modeling the geometry of the visible occludingcontour of solid 3D shape. A description of the change in appearance of the rim and occluding contour as a functionof viewpoint allows the organization of features of the occluding contour for indexing and matching. This organiza-tion makes the features of the occluding contour explicit for matching in a dynamic context where image features are changing over time, and in a static context where matching methods must iteratively refine an estimation of viewpoint. The rim appearance representation models the exact appearance of the occluding contour formed by the edges of a polyhedron that is assumed to be an approximation of a smooth shape. An algorithm is presented for constructing the rim appearance representation. Bounds on space and time are given, and implementation resultsshow that the rim appearance representation is significantly smaller than the aspect graph and the aspect representa-tion.
The effect of alpha and beta adrenergic blocking drugs upon the aversive threshold of rats

An attempt was made to assay the analgesic potency of several adrenergic agents which included: reserpine (.62, 1.25, 2.50 mg/kg), phenoxybenzamine, an α-adrenergic blocking agent (5.0, 10.0, 20.0 mg/kg), and propranolol, a β-adrenergic blocking agent (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 mg/kg) in the rat using the spatial preference technique. Only the β-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, consistently elevated the aversive threshold over a wide range of doses without affecting motor activity. Reserpine augmented the aversive threshold only under the highest dose tested, while phenoxybenzamine produced no reliable effects on pain sensitivity. These results were interpreted to suggest that the high dose of reserpine may have elevated the aversive threshold indirectly through its toxic effects on motor activity. Propranolol, on the other hand, may have produced a mild analgesia through the drug’s local anesthetic properties. It was suggested that reductions in central adrenergic tone via the administration of high doses of various drugs may elevate the aversive threshold indirectly by producing debilitating motor deficits.
Evaluation of hardness–yield strength relationships for bulk metallic glasses

The applicability of various hardness–yield strength (H − σy ) relationships currently available in the literature for bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is investigated. Experimental data generated on ZrHf-based BMGs in this study and those available elsewhere on other BMG compositions are used to validate the models. A modified expanding-cavity model, proposed earlier by the authors, is extended to propose a new H − σy relationship. Unlike previous models, the proposed model takes into account, not only the indenter geometry and the material properties, but also the pressure sensitivity index of the BMGs. The influence of various model parameters is systematically analyzed. It is shown that there is a good correlation between the model predictions and experimental data for a wide range of BMG compositions.
Quantifying phosphorus levels in soils, plants, surface water, and shallow groundwater associated with bahiagrass-based pastures

Background, aim, and scope Recent assessments of water quality status have identified eutrophication as one of the major causes of water quality ‘impairment’ not only in the USA but also around the world. In most cases, eutrophication has accelerated by increased inputs of phosphorus due to intensification of crop and animal production systems since the early 1990s. Despite substantial measurements using both laboratory and field techniques, little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of phosphorus dynamics across landscapes, especially in agricultural landscapes with cow-calf operations. Critical to determining environmental balance and accountability is an understanding of phosphorus excreted by animals, phosphorus removal by plants, acceptable losses of phosphorus within the manure management and crop production systems into soil and waters, and export of phosphorus off-farm. Further research effort on optimizing forage-based cow-calf operations to improve pasture sustainability and protect water quality is therefore warranted. We hypothesized that properly managed cow-calf operations in subtropical agroecosystem would not be major contributors to excess loads of phosphorus in surface and ground water. To verify our hypothesis, we examined the comparative concentrations of total phosphorus among soils, forage, surface water, and groundwater beneath bahiagrass-based pastures with cow-calf operations in central Florida, USA.
α- d -glucosidase in normal and leukemic lymphocytes

Der einfache Nachweis von α-d-Glukosidase in leukamischen Lymphozyten gelang spektrophotometrisch. Dies lasst darauf schliessen, dass ein Enzymmangel nicht Ursache fur die Glykogenspeicherung dieser Zellen sein kann. Es scheint sich um eine Ansammlung von glykolytischen Zwischenprodukten und nicht um einen Defekt der Glykogenolyse zu handeln.
An investigation of the subunit structure and AMP-deaminases from rabbit and chicken muscle.

Abstract Native rabbit and chicken muscle AMP-deaminases have been compared by gel filtration chromatography. These studies, along with previously-reported ultracentrifugal analyses, suggest that these enzymes are virtually identical in size and shape. Chemical and physical evidence is presented which shows that: (a) each enzyme has four subunits; (b) the molecular weights of these subunits are indistinguishable (69,000 Daltons and 73,000 Daltons, as determined by gel filtration chromatography in guanidine hydrochloride and electrophoresis in SDS-containing polyacrylamide gels, respectively; and (c) the native enzymes are not stabilized by disulfiede bridges. Although previous studies suggest that these enzymes share certain structural features, the results presented here provide direct evidence, at the molecular level, that the adenylate deaminases from these sources have similar quaternary structures.
Consequences of transplant quality on chronic allograft nephropathy

Using kidneys from expanded-criteria donors to alleviate organ shortage has raised concern on reduced transplant outcomes. In this paper, we review how critical donor-related factors such as donor age, brain death, and consequences of ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) determine graft quality and impact chronic allograft nephropathy. We propose that combinatorial effects of organ-intrinsic features associated with increasing age and unspecific injuries related to brain death and IRI will impact innate and adaptive immune responses. Future research will need to explore avenues to optimize donor management, organ preservation, adapted immunosuppressive strategies, as well as modifications of the allocation of suboptimal allografts.
Monocarbollide complexes of osmium: X-ray crystal structure of [Os(CO)3{η5-5-(NMe3)-7-CB10H10}]

In bromobenzene at reflux temperatures the compounds [Os 3 (CO) 12 ] and [N(PPh 3 ) 2 ][ nido -7-CB 10 H 13 ] yield a mixture of the anionic tri- and mono-osmium complexes [Os 3 (CO) 8 (η 5 -7-CB 10 H 11 )] − and [Os(CO) 3 (η 5 -7-CB 10 H 11 )] − , respectively, characterized as their [N(PPh 3 ) 2 ] + salts ( 2b , 3c ). Protonation of 2b with HBF 4 ·Et 2 O in thf (tetrahydrofuran) yields the hydrido cluster complex [Os 3 (μ-H)(CO) 8 (η 5 -7-CB 10 H 11 )] ( 4b ), whilst treatment of 2b in the same solvent with CuCl and PPh 3 in the presence of TlPF 6 affords the bimetallic complex [Os 3 (μ-H)(CO) 8 {η 5 -10-Cu(PPh 3 )-7-CB 10 H 10 }] ( 5b ). In contrast, the compounds [NHMe 3 ][ nido -7-CB 10 H 13 ] and [Os 3 (CO) 12 ] in refluxing bromobenzene give the novel zwitterionic complex [Os(CO) 3 {η 5 -5-(NMe 3 )-7-CB 10 H 10 }] ( 6 ). The structure of 6 was determined by X-ray crystallography, revealing an Os(CO) 3 moiety η 5 -ligated by the carborane cluster in which, unusually, the NMe 3 ligand is bonded to a boron atom on the upper B 5 belt.
An Exploration of Heat Tolerance in Mice Utilizing mRNA and microRNA Expression Analysis

Background Individuals who rapidly develop hyperthermia during heat exposure (heat-intolerant) are vulnerable to heat associated illness and injury. We recently reported that heat intolerant mice exhibit complex alterations in stress proteins in response to heat exposure. In the present study, we further explored the role of genes and molecular networks associated with heat tolerance in mice.
Influence of Planting Date on Aflatoxin Accumulation in Bt, non-Bt, and Tropical non-Bt Hybrids

Aflatoxin, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link, reduces the value of corn (Zea mays L.) and is usually associated with high temperatures, water stress, and insect damage. The objective of this study was to determine if Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn hybrids or "tropical" germplasm could reduce aflatoxin accumulation with later planting dates. Aflatoxin accumulation (B 1 , B 2 , G 1 , and G 2 ) in corn grain was evaluated on Bt, non-Bt, and tropical non-Bt hybrids and four planting dates (March, April, May, and June) from 1998 to 2000. Aflatoxin concentration in corn varied across years but generally decreased with later planting date. In 1998, aflatoxin accumulation was lower in Bt (314 ng g - 1 ) than non-Bt hybrids (634 ng g - 1 ) but not different than tropical non-Bt hybrid (470 ng g - 1 ). However, aflatoxin contamination was lower from Bt hybrids (70 ng g - 1 ) than from the tropical non-Bt hybrid (259 ng g - 1 ) but not different in non-Bt hybrids (86 ng g - 1 ) in 1999. In 2000, aflatoxin levels were low, and hybrid had no effect on aflatoxin concentration. Temperature and irrigation effects on aflatoxin accumulation were not consistent. Increased temperature and delayed harvest may lead to aflatoxin accumulation before harvest. However, precipitation may influence aflatoxin levels in some years. The results of this study indicate that aflatoxin accumulation in corn may be decreased with later planting date, and less accumulation in Bt than non-Bt or tropical non-Bt hybrids may be indirectly explained by insect reductions.
Nudging healthy food consumption and sustainability in food deserts

The purpose of this paper is to set forth a theoretical model of consumer decision-making in food desert regions, where healthy food is in short supply. Our model enables theoretical comparison of multiple policy approaches to mitigating food deserts that have heretofore been considered separately: taxing less healthy food, subsidizing healthier food, correcting misperceptions of the cost of food choices, and subsidizing creation of community and home gardens. This latter policy approach enables consumers to achieve higher rates of food security and health benefits, while strengthening the sustainability and resiliency of local urban ecological-economic systems.
Effect of Pressure on Burning Velocity

Two recent communications in Nature1,2 have discussed the effect of pressure upon burning velocity and have referred to the square root law of Tanford and Pease3 as leading "to the inverse fourth root law for the variation of velocity with pressure". This statement is not strictly true. The square root law, after a number of simplifying assumptions, predicts that the burning velocity should vary with pressure as the square root of Σ 'xi/Bi', where xi is the mol fraction of an active species at the equilibrium surface, and Bi is a factor previously defined4, which is comparatively invariant with pressure. Where hydrogen atoms carry most of the burden of energy transfer into unburnt gas, we should expect xH to vary approximately as the inverse square root of the pressure, and, hence, roughly an inverse fourth root variation of burning velocity. For precise calculation, however, equilibrium computation of the xi is required. One mixture for which such a calculation has been made is stoichiometric butadiene – air5. The calculated burning velocity ratio for one atmosphere as against half an atmosphere pressure was found to be 0.88, as compared to a fourth root value of 0.84. Thus, as Gaydon and Wolfhard6 point out, the burning velocity may decrease with pressure less sharply than a fourth-root relation would predict.
Abstract 636: Non-melanoma skin cancer and risk of second primary cancer

Objective: Previous studies suggest a positive association between history of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and risk of subsequent cancer development. We prospectively investigate this association in both men and women. Methods: In two large cohorts in the US, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) and the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), we prospectively examined the risks of primary cancer according to history of NMSC. In the HPFS, 876,094 person-years were followed up from June 1986 to June 2008. In the NHS, 2,358,185 person-years were followed up from June 1984 to June 2008. We documented 30,636 cancer cases after ongoing NMSC diagnosis. The median time (and range) of diagnosis between NMSC and subsequent cancer was 156 (3 - 342) months in the NHS, and 116 (3 - 259) months in the HPFS. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for major cancer risk factors (e.g. age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, etc). Results: A history of NMSC was associated with a higher risk of other primary cancers in men (RR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.21; P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 636. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-636
Effect of Butyl-4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzoate on the Metabolism of L-Thyroxine and Related Compounds

Butyl hydroxydiiodobenzoate (BHDB) has been fed to rats within a few hours of the time of injection of L-thyroxine, L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine, tetraiodothyroacetic acid, 3,5,3′-triiodothyroacetic acid, tetraiodothyropropionic acid and 3,5,3′-triiodothyropropionic acid, all of which were labeled with 131I in the 3′ or 5′ position. BHDB greatly stimulated conjugation of these substances and their metabolites and greatly increased the excretion of these conjugates in the bile. BHDB also inhibited deiodination of the thyroid hormones and analogs from the 3′ or 5′ position and thus decreased excretion of radioactive iodide in the urine. The stimulatory effect of BHDB on conjugation was much greater than its inhibitory effect on deiodination but did not persist as long. BHDB, which has been shown to alter the binding of thyroxine to plasma proteins, probably improves the transport of the thyroid hormones and analogs to the sites in the cell where the enzyme systems for conjugation are located. The stimulation o...
Using Physical Stigmergy in Decentralized Optimization under Multiple Non-separable Constraints: Formal Methods and an Intelligent Lighting Example

In this paper, a distributed asynchronous algorithm for intelligent lighting is presented that minimizes collective power use while meeting multiple user lighting constraints simultaneously and requires very little communication among agents participating in the distributed computation. Consequently, the approach is arbitrarily scalable, adapts to exogenous disturbances, and is robust to failures of individual agents. This algorithm is an example of a decentralized primal-space algorithm for constrained non-linear optimization that achieves coordination between agents using stigmergic memory cues present in the physical system as opposed to explicit communication and synchronization. Not only does this work make of stigmergy, a property first used to describe decentralized decision making in eusocial insects, but details of the algorithm are inspired by classic social foraging theory and more recent results in eusocial-insect macronutrient regulation. This theoretical analysis in this paper guarantees that the decentralized stigmergically coupled system converges to within a finite neighborhood of the optimal resource allocation. These results are validated using a hardware implementation of the algorithm in a small-scale intelligent lighting scenario. There are other real-time distributed resource allocation applications that are amenable to these methods, like distributed power generation, in general, this paper means to provide proof of concept that physical variables in cyberphysical systems can be leveraged to reduce the communication burden of algorithms.
Spectral characterization of microsomal cytochrome P-450 from the midgut of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta J.

Absolute absorption spectra and the spectral interactions of 42 xenobiotics with the midgut microsomal cytochrome P-450 from the tobacco hornworm were studied. The study of type II optical difference spectra using several ligands revealed that the basic requirements for this perturbation are the same as in other animal species, namely, a sterically accessible sp2 or sp3 nitrogen atom. An unusual spectral interaction involving both cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5 was observed with n-octylamine and certain other amines. The spectral data are discussed in relation to the current ideas on the spectral characterization of microsomal cytochrome P-450. Type I difference spectra were observed with pinacolone, Bux, malathion and an insecticide synergist sulfoxide. However, this spectral response was not observed with several ligands such as benzphetamine, SKF-525A and other compounds known to be type I with microsomes from other animal species.
Contrast in Multi-Beam-Interference Lithography for the Fabrication of Photonic Crystal Structures

Multi-beam-interference lithography can be contrast-optimized to provide an efficient means of fabricating photonic crystal structures. Comparison to light- and dark-field mask technology in conventional lithography is presented and experimentally verified.
A Structural Model for Binding of the Serine-Rich Repeat Adhesin GspB to Host Carbohydrate Receptors

GspB is a serine-rich repeat (SRR) adhesin of Streptococcus gordonii that mediates binding of this organism to human platelets via its interaction with sialyl-T antigen on the receptor GPIbα. This interaction appears to be a major virulence determinant in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. To address the mechanism by which GspB recognizes its carbohydrate ligand, we determined the high-resolution x-ray crystal structure of the GspB binding region (GspBBR), both alone and in complex with a disaccharide precursor to sialyl-T antigen. Analysis of the GspBBR structure revealed that it is comprised of three independently folded subdomains or modules: 1) an Ig-fold resembling a CnaA domain from prokaryotic pathogens; 2) a second Ig-fold resembling the binding region of mammalian Siglecs; 3) a subdomain of unique fold. The disaccharide was found to bind in a pocket within the Siglec subdomain, but at a site distinct from that observed in mammalian Siglecs. Confirming the biological relevance of this binding pocket, we produced three isogenic variants of S. gordonii, each containing a single point mutation of a residue lining this binding pocket. These variants have reduced binding to carbohydrates of GPIbα. Further examination of purified GspBBR-R484E showed reduced binding to sialyl-T antigen while S. gordonii harboring this mutation did not efficiently bind platelets and showed a significant reduction in virulence, as measured by an animal model of endocarditis. Analysis of other SRR proteins revealed that the predicted binding regions of these adhesins also had a modular organization, with those known to bind carbohydrate receptors having modules homologous to the Siglec and Unique subdomains of GspBBR. This suggests that the binding specificity of the SRR family of adhesins is determined by the type and organization of discrete modules within the binding domains, which may affect the tropism of organisms for different tissues.
The reaction of ferrous EDTA with hydrogen peroxide: Evidence against hydroxyl radical formation

Radiolytically generated hydroxyl radicals degrade cytochrome c. In contrast, ferrocytochrome c is oxidized in the Fe-EDTA-H2O2 system, without loss of any cytochrome c. It is concluded that in the latter system no hydroxyl radicals are formed and that oxidation takes place via a FeO(II)EDTA or Fe(II)-H2O2-EDTA complex.
Induction of JNK and c-Abl signalling by cisplatin and oxaliplatin in mismatch repair-proficient and -deficient cells

Loss of DNA mismatch repair has been observed in a variety of human cancers. Recent studies have shown that loss of DNA mismatch repair results in resistance to cisplatin but not oxaliplatin, suggesting that the mismatch repair proteins serve as a detector for cisplatin but not oxaliplatin adducts. To identify the signal transduction pathways with which the detector communicates, we investigated the effect of loss of DNA mismatch repair on activation of known damage-responsive pathways, and recently reported that cisplatin differentially activates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and c-Abl in repair-proficient vs.-deficient cells. In the current study, we directly compared differential activation of these pathways by cisplatin vs. oxaliplatin. The results confirm that cisplatin activates JNK kinase 5.7 +/- 1.5 (s.d.)-fold more efficiently in DNA mismatch repair-proficient than repair-deficient cells, and that the c-Abl response to cisplatin is completely absent in DNA mismatch repair-deficient cells. In contrast, there was no detectable activation of the JNK or c-Abl kinases in DNA mismatch repair-proficient or -deficient cells exposed to oxaliplatin. The present study demonstrates that, despite the similarity of the adducts produced by cisplatin and oxaliplatin, they appear to be recognized by different detectors. The DNA mismatch repair system plays an important part in the recognition of cisplatin adducts, and activation of both the JNK and c-Abl kinases in response to cisplatin damage is dependent on the detector function of the DNA mismatch repair proteins. In contrast, this detector does not respond to oxaliplatin adducts.
A new reaction in organosilicon chemistry: the oxidative fragmentation of γ-hydroxy silanes

Abstract The Ce+4 fragmentation of γ-hydroxy silanes leads to keto-olefins of predictable structure and stereochemistry.
Infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy of PH

Abstract The infrared vibration-rotation spectrum of the PH radical was observed in emission using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. The observation of five bands (1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3, and 5-4) allowed the first six vibrational energy levels of the ground X 3 Σ − state to be characterized. An RKR potential curve for the ground state was computed.
Coherent pulse transmission through rain

The problem of received signal degradation for coherent pulse transmission through a rain scattering volume was investigated for large bandwidth transmission at 4.0, 8.0, 15.5, and 34.86 GHz. Calculations of pulse length and total pulse energy were made for different path lengths through the rain volume. The calculations were made for models of heavy and extreme rainfall, using rain rates 49.0 and 196.3 mm/h. The results of the computations show that for the rain rates considered, the dominant cause of signal degradation is attenuation. Negligible pulse lengthening was noted at 34.86 GHz. For rain rates above 196 mm/h and frequencies of 15.5 and 8.0 GHz, measurable values of pulse lengthening were calculated for bandwidths above 2.0 GHz. At 4.0 GHz, measurable values of pulse lengthening were obtained for both rain rates considered.
Aortic Fenestration for Dissection

Aortic fenestration has been used at our institution since 1973. The indications for this procedure and the technique have evolved, now being exclusively performed for patients with acute limb and/or organ ischemia secondary to descendingaorticdissection.Paramounttothesuccessofthis procedure is early recognition and quick intervention to avoid irreversible end-organ damage andfixed thrombosis in the false lumen. Physical examination and diagnostic computed tomography can aid in obtaining a quick diagnosis. Contraindications to aortic fenestration include delayed diagnosis (after 48 hours the success of re-establishing perfusion is low secondary to thrombus burden). Also fenestration should not be done in the manner described in this article unless the dissection flap reaches the level of the infrarenal aorta. Note that patients with ruptured descending aortic dissections or aneurysms can also present with malperfusion, and fenestration is contraindicated as sole therapy in this popu
Two kinds of moral relativism

Dans le cadre d'une reflexion sur le relativisme moral, l'A. met en relief un element important de la distinction traditionnelle entre le relativisme normatif et le relativisme des jugements moraux
Suppression of programmed neuronal death by a thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ influx

Rat sympathetic neurons undergo programmed cell death (PCD) in vitro and in vivo when they are deprived of nerve growth factor (NGF). Chronic depolarization of these neurons in cell culture with elevated concentrations of extracellular potassium ([K+]o) prevents this death. The effect of prolonged depolarization on neuronal survival is thought to be mediated by a rise of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) caused by Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated channels. In this report we investigate the effects of chronic treatment of rat sympathetic neurons with thapsigargin, an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ sequestration. In medium containing a normal concentration of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o), thapsigargin caused a sustained rise of intracellular Ca2+ concentration and partially blocked death of NGF-deprived cells. Elevating [Ca2+]o in the presence of thapsigargin further increased [Ca2+]i, suggesting that the sustained rise of [Ca2+]i was caused by a thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ influx. This treatment potentiated the effect of thapsigargin on survival. The dihydropyridine Ca2+ channel antagonist, nifedipine, blocked both a sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i and enhanced survival caused by depolarization with elevated [K+]o, suggesting that these effects are mediated by Ca2+ influx through L-type channels. Nifedipine did not block the sustained rise of [Ca2+]i or enhanced survival caused by thapsigargin treatment, indicating that these effects were not mediated by influx of Ca2+ through L-type channels. These results provide additional evidence that increased [Ca2+]i can suppress neuronal PCD and identify a novel method for chronically raising neuronal [Ca2+]i for investigation of this and other Ca(2+)-dependent phenomena.
Antibiotic-Impregnated Catheters Associated With Significant Decrease in Nosocomial and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteremias in Critically Ill Patients

Objective: To evaluate the impact of using central venous catheters (CVCs) impregnated with the combination of minocycline and rifampin on nosocomial bloodstream infections (BSIs), morbidity, and mortality in cancer patients in the ICU. Design: Prospective surveillance study consisting of the following two time periods: September 1997 through August 1998 ( ie , fiscal year [FY] 1998); and from September 1998 through August 1999 ( ie , FY 1999). Setting: ICUs of a tertiary care hospital in Houston, TX. Patients: Cancer patients in the medical ICU (MICU) and surgical ICU (SICU). Interventions: ICUs started using CVCs impregnated with the minocycline-rifampin combination at the beginning of FY 1999. Measurements and main results: The rates of nosocomial BSIs and other patients’ characteristics were compared for the two study periods to determine the impact of using the impregnated catheters in the ICU. Patients’ characteristics, including antibiotic use, were comparable for the two study periods in both the MICU and the SICU. The rate of nosocomial BSIs in the MICU unit decreased from 8.3 to 3.5 per 1,000 patient-days (p Conclusions: The use of antibiotic-impregnated CVCs in the MICU and SICU was associated with a significant decrease in nosocomial BSIs, including VRE bacteremia, catheter-related infections, and lengths of hospital and ICU stays.
Effects of Concept-Based Instruction on an English Language Learner in a Rural School: A Descriptive Case Study.

Abstract The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 calls for a radical restructuring of the educational system, forcing low-performing schools and districts to make widespread changes in current assessment policies and instructional practices. Our previous research on low-performing students and students with disabilities indicates that significant gains in learning can be attained by intentionally aligning curriculum and instruction with assessment using an instructional approach called concept-based instruction. The purpose of this paper is to describe the positive impact of concept-based instruction on one English language learner in a rural school district. This research is part of a much larger effort at validating concept-based instruction as an instructional approach.
The establishment of Math & Art Wiki

In 1, Mara Alagic nicely captures some of the magic and excitement of the January 2007, Banff International Research Station (BIRS) workshop ‘Innovations in Mathematics Education via the Arts.’ As ...