cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General Principles of Animal Selection and Normal Physiological Values

Animals used in meaningful experiments must be held long enough in approved facilities to insure that they are not incubating infectious diseases. If the animal care facility does not require this, responsible investigators must still make certain these precautions are taken. Animals should be vaccinated, or tested and certified to be free of the diseases most likely to cause a problem in that species or that can be transmitted to personnel working with them. They should be verified free of both internal and external parasites. Prior to use they should be given a complete physical exam. Normal physiological parameters for the most commonly used species are in this chapter. Depending upon the experimental design, it might be prudent to collect blood samples and establish normal hematological and/or serum enzyme levels for each individual animal used. Although these precautions can be time consuming and expensive, the costs are minimal when compared with the overall cost of conducting experiments where the results are suspect because the physical condition or general health of the subject animals is a problem.
Increasing Activities of Daily Living Is as Easy as 1-2-3

Background: Human flora are the most common cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised patients. Activities of daily living (ADL), including oral care and daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing, can lower the risk of infection. Methods: To address ADL compliance in our pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant patients, we adopted the ADL 1-2-3 initiative: daily chlorhexidine gluconate bath and linen change, at least 2 activities per day, and oral care 3 times per day. Using the Model for Improvement we created a standardized ADL process that involved all providers. Interventions included addressing ADL 1-2-3 compliance during rounds, establishing accountability in care delivery, an oral care order set and algorithm, daily text message reminders, and physician intervention with noncompliant and high-risk patients. Results: With our interventions, we increased our median compliance with the all-or-none ADL 1-2-3 initiative from 25% to 66% in 90 days. We have sustained our median compliance to 75% sixteen ...
A Novel Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist LY2940094 Inhibits Excessive Feeding Behavior in Rodents: A Possible Mechanism for the Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), a 17 amino acid peptide, is the endogenous ligand of the ORL1/nociceptin-opioid-peptide (NOP) receptor. N/OFQ appears to regulate a variety of physiologic functions including stimulating feeding behavior. Recently, a new class of thienospiro-piperidine-based NOP antagonists was described. One of these molecules, LY2940094 has been identified as a potent and selective NOP antagonist that exhibited activity in the central nervous system. Herein, we examined the effects of LY2940094 on feeding in a variety of behavioral models. Fasting-induced feeding was inhibited by LY2940094 in mice, an effect that was absent in NOP receptor knockout mice. Moreover, NOP receptor knockout mice exhibited a baseline phenotype of reduced fasting-induced feeding, relative to wild-type littermate controls. In lean rats, LY2940094 inhibited the overconsumption of a palatable high-energy diet, reducing caloric intake to control chow levels. In dietary-induced obese rats, LY2940094 inhibited feeding and body weight regain induced by a 30% daily caloric restriction. Last, in dietary-induced obese mice, LY2940094 decreased 24-hour intake of a high-energy diet made freely available. These are the first data demonstrating that a systemically administered NOP receptor antagonist can reduce feeding behavior and body weight in rodents. Moreover, the hypophagic effect of LY2940094 is NOP receptor dependent and not due to off-target or aversive effects. Thus, LY2940094 may be useful in treating disorders of appetitive behavior such as binge eating disorder, food choice, and overeating, which lead to obesity and its associated medical complications and morbidity.
Renal Surgery Potpourri and Tricks of the Trade: Open Nephrostomy, Open Renal Biopsy, Perinephric Abscess, and Upper Pole Nephrectomy

New advances in minimally invasive percutaneous and endoscopic techniques have largely replaced the open surgical approach in certain areas of urology, including nephrostomy drainage, renal biopsy, drainage of perinephric abscesses, and management of the dysfunctional upper pole renal moiety. Nonetheless, the urologic surgeon must be knowledgeable concerning the open approaches, which may be required in each of these settings. Herein we present these techniques-their indications, preoperative care, and associated complications.
How Effective is Physical Therapy for Common Low Back Pain Diagnoses?: A Multivariate Analysis of 4597 Patients.

Study design A retrospective review. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the treatment of low back pain with physical therapy results in clinically significant improvements in patient-reported pain and functional outcomes. Summary of background data Low back pain is a major cause of morbidity and disability in health care. Previous studies have found poor efficacy for surgery in the absence of specific indications. A variety of nonoperative treatments are available; however, there is scant evidence to guide the practitioner as to the efficacy of these treatments. Methods Four thousand five hundred ninety-seven patients who underwent physical therapy for the nonoperative treatment of low back pain were included. The primary outcome measures were pre-and post-treatment scores on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) during activity, and NPRS during rest. Previously published thresholds for minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were used to determine the proportion of patients meeting MCID for each of our outcomes. Patients with starting values below the MCID for each variable were excluded from analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine patient risk factors predictive of treatment failure. Results About 28.5% of patients met the MCID for improvement in ODI. Presence of night symptoms, obesity, and smoking were predictors of treatment failure for ODI. Fifty-nine percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in resting NPRS, with a history of venous thromboembolism, night symptoms, psychiatric disease, workers' compensation status, smoking, and obesity predictive of treatment failure. Sixty percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in activity NPRS, with night symptoms, workers' compensation status, and smoking predictive of treatment failure. Conclusion We observed that a substantial percentage of the population did not meet MCID for pain and function following treatment of low back pain with physical therapy. Common risk factors for treatment failure included smoking and presence of night symptoms. Level of evidence 4.
Application of reverse engineering in industrial design

The technology of reverse engineering is studied in the applicable field of covered surface production,and the outlook of an electricity production is chosen as example.A further research to obtain cloud,to pick up characteristic line before dealing with the cloud,surface reconstruction and error analysis.etc.The results show that it is good for the inspection of design quality and make designers finish their jobs as quickly as possible.
TENNYSON'S THE PRINCESS AND THE CULTURE OF COLLECTION

The Princess (1847), which Tennyson himself famously dismissed as “only a medley” (qtd. in Hallam Tennyson 2.71), presents itself as a cacophonous tangle of poetic experimentation and narrative diversity. Even the frame narrative of The Princess, which ostensibly provides a rationale for the tonal discontinuities of the fantastic tale of gender, education, and sexual dominance that comprises its internal story, creates further confusion by establishing seven largely unidentifiable narrators, an unclear number of intercalary singers, and a poet-speaker whose supposed efforts to compile and record the tale end not in a cohesive narrative, but in a text that moves “as in a strange diagonal” between burlesque and heroic, comic and tragic, narrative and lyric (Conclusion 27).
STARD4 Membrane Interactions and Sterol Binding.

The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer (START) domain family is defined by a conserved 210-amino acid sequence that folds into an α/β helix-grip structure. Members of this protein family bind a variety of ligands, including cholesterol, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and bile acids, with putative roles in nonvesicular lipid transport, metabolism, and cell signaling. Among the soluble START proteins, STARD4 is expressed in most tissues and has previously been shown to transfer sterol, but the molecular mechanisms of membrane interaction and sterol binding remain unclear. In this work, we use biochemical techniques to characterize regions of STARD4 and determine their role in membrane interaction and sterol binding. Our results show that STARD4 interacts with anionic membranes through a surface-exposed basic patch and that introducing a mutation (L124D) into the Omega-1 (Ω1) loop, which covers the sterol binding pocket, attenuates sterol transfer activity. To gain insight into the ...
In vitro development of porcine embryos in coculture with endometrial cell monolayers or culture supernatants.

The objective of this study was to determine if porcine endometrial cell contact would enhance the in vitro development of porcine embryos relative to endometrial cell culture supernatants or ovarian fibroblast contact. One hundred forty-nine embryos of various developmental stages were collected from 10 excised gilt reproductive tracts. Embryos were washed three times and placed randomly into one of four treatments: Minimal Essential Medium + 5% heat-treated fetal calf serum (complete MEM), porcine endometrial cell coculture (pEM), porcine endometrial cell supernatant (pEMS) and porcine ovarian fibroblast coculture (pOF). All cultures were conducted in 96 well microtiter plates, one embryo per well, at 37 C in a 5% CO2 in humidified air atmosphere. Observations for stage of development were made every 12 h by phase contrast microscopy (100X). Embryos in the pEM and pOF treatments had significantly greater (P less than .05) mean embryonic development scores (1.59 +/- .22 and 1.44 +/- .18, respectively) than embryos cultured in complete MEM only or pEMS (.63 +/- .13 and .48 +/- .15, respectively). The results of this study indicate that cell to embryo contact enhances in vitro development of porcine embryos.
The Challenge of Community Representation

Although community advisory boards (CABs) are widely used in clinical research, there is limited data regarding their composition and structure, especially in Africa. Our research provides the first qualitative study of the membership practices, selection methods, and qualifications of the six major HIV research centers that comprise the Ugandan National CAB Network (UNCN). Researchers conducted interviews ( n = 45) with CAB members and research liaisons at each of the sites. While selection practices and demographics varied between the sites, all six CABs exclusively followed a broad community membership model. Results suggest successful CABs are context dependent and thus distinct guidelines may be needed based on variables including CAB funding level, representation model, and research focus.
Algae-mediated removal of selected pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) from Lake Mead water.

Abstract The persistence and fate of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in the Lake Mead ecosystem are particularly important considering the potential ecological risks and human health impacts. This study evaluated the removal of five common PPCPs (i.e., trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, and triclosan) from Lake Mead water mediated by the green alga Nannochloris sp. The results from the incubation studies showed that trimethoprim and carbamazepine were highly resistant to uptake in the algal cultural medium and were measured at approximately 90%–100% of the applied dose after 14 days of incubation. Sulfamethoxazole was found relatively persistent, with > 60% of the applied dose remaining in the water after 14 days, and its removal was mainly caused by algae-mediated photolysis. However, ciprofloxacin and triclosan dissipated significantly and nearly 100% of the compounds were removed from the water after 7 days of incubation under 24 h of light. Ciprofloxacin and triclosan were highly susceptible to light, and their estimated half-lives were 12.7 hours for ciprofloxacin and 31.2 hours for triclosan. Algae-mediated sorption contributed to 11% of the removal of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, 13% of the removal of carbamazepine, and 27% of the removal of triclosan from the lake water. This research showed that 1) trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine are quite persistent in aquatic environments and may potentially affect human health via drinking water intake; 2) photolysis is the dominant pathway to remove ciprofloxacin from aquatic ecosystems, which indicates that ciprofloxacin may have lower ecological risks compared with other PPCPs; and 3) triclosan can undergo photolysis as well as algae-mediated uptake and it may potentially affect the food web because of its high toxicity to aquatic species.
Single image sectioning using spatial frequency domain imaging

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) works well to produce depth information by removing undesired light from out of focus planes within a specimen. However, it generally requires multiple images in order to produce sectioning. We show that, under the right conditions, we can leverage Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI) to produce both sectioning and relative depth information about a specimen using only a single image. After processing, we find that the axial resolution is comparable to that of traditional 3 phase SIM. With this technique, we are able to produce real-time videos in-vivo at 21 frames per second. Additionally, no moving parts are needed to produce sectioning at depth.
Quantitative Relationships Between Net Volume Change and Fabric Properties During Soil Evolution

The state of soil evolution can be charted by net long-term volume and elemental mass changes for individual horizons compared with parent material. Volume collapse or dilation depends on relative elemental mass fluxes associated with losses form or additions to soil horizons.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: The New Standard

Bladder cancer, most often of the transitional cell type (TCC), is the fourth most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the United States (1). About 75% of patients are diagnosed with localized disease at initial presentation, with about 20% having loco-regionally advanced (stage II/III) disease (2). Following radical cystectomy or definitive radiation therapy, recurrence risk in these patients exceeds 50% (3). Table 22.1 summarizes the data of the recent outcome for patients with locally advanced bladder cancer treated with cystectomy alone.
Historical Knowledge: A Response to Hal Childs

In his book,The Myth of the Historical Jesus and the Evolution of Consciousness, Hal Childs undertakes to do something which is probably impossible. He wishes to show that my reconstruction of the historical Jesus is positivistic without becoming positivistic himself in his own reconstruction of the historical Crossan, a work which, unfortunately for him but fortunately for me, is still very much in process. Here I only use, as he does, publications up to 1995. That means, for example, that I do not cite either The Birth of Christianity or my recent memoir A Long Way from Tipperary. I discuss Hal's dissertation under three headings, moving from the less to the more fundamentally important.
Number and Types of cis Carotenoids. Steric Hindrance

As mentioned, the carotenoids and related multiconjugated systems constitute a unique case among low-molecular weight substances because of the great number of possible geometrical isomers.
The Impulse Imparted upon Monolithic Metal Plates due to Blast Loading

The impulse imparted onto a structure is a major component in the study of fluid-structure interactions during a blast loading event. A better understanding of the impulse transferred to a structure will lead to an improved evaluation of an object’s blast performance. However, limited experimental studies have been performed to determine the impulse imparted to a structure during a blast event. In this study, a comprehensive experimental study on the impulse imparted to free standing monolithic plates under blast loading is conducted. A series of aluminum and steel cylindrical plates were subjected to various experimental loading conditions using a shock tube apparatus. The motion of the specimens was captured using a high speed camera, Photron SA1, to determine their velocity and momentum. The relationship between the impulse transferred to the specimens and the shock wave pressures was analyzed. These results were compared with the theories developed by Xue and Hutchinson, 2004 and Kambouchev, et al, 2006, 2007. The comparisons show that the current fluid-structure model needs to be modified in air blast when the compressibility of the fluid cannot be ignored.
Stabilization and Optimal Trajectory Generation for a Compact Aerial Manipulation System with a Delta-type Parallel Robot

This paper presents the design, modeling, and control of a quadcopter equipped with a Delta-type parallel manipulator. Such systems present demanding challenges in both control theory and task planning, which are addressed with novel mechanical features, modern flight controllers, and optimal trajectory generation. They are primarily designed for versatile indoor pick-and-place tasks where the characteristics of the proposed solution introduce useful kinematic properties. We explore these traits to address critical deficiencies found in previous approaches. First, we introduce and discuss the mechanical design of the coupled system. Second, we derive the kinematic and dynamic relationships between all bodies. Third, we develop the flight controller, where the baseline, feedforward, and adaptive components are combined and used in unison with an optimal trajectory generation algorithm. Finally, we present simulation results which reflect the feasibility of the concepts.
Grid Reduction Method Considering Electromagnetic Loop and Local Accommodation Effect for the Dynamic Equivalent

Keeping the invariability of power flow and dynamic characteristics of generators rotor angles before and after the equivalent is an essential evaluation indicator for dynamic equivalence, which is necessary to electromagnetic transient modeling and simulation. A novel dynamic equivalent method is proposed for large-scale power systems electromagnetic transient modeling, which could reflect the characteristics of power alternation via electromagnetic loop and local accommodation among generators and loads in the equivalent network. The key method is to determine an equivalent bus for each node located in the equivalent section firstly, calculate the equivalent bus voltage(magnitude and phase) as well as the impedance of the equivalent tie branch follow the principle of unchanged of power flow and total current of the boundary transmission sections based on the initial operation point of the original power grids, then compute the effective sending power ability of equivalent coherent generators, and the effective receiving power ability for each equivalent bus. The effective load is summed finally for every equivalent bus. The real power system cases equivalent results demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the method.
Humanismo medieval y humanismo vernáculo. Observaciones sobre la obra cultural de Alfonso X el Sabio

Resumen: Estudio sobre el origen del humanismo vernaculo castellano en el ambito del humanismo medieval. Se analizan sus caracteristicas, contrastandolas con las del humanismo latino clasicista del siglo XV. Se ilustra por que es un humanismo total, que, por influjo de la filosofia aristotelica, incluye las letras y las ciencias, e integrador de las tres culturas presentes en la sociedad peninsular del siglo XIII, las cuales usaron el vernaculo como lengua comun. Palabras clave: Humanismo medieval, humanismo vernaculo, humanismo latino clasicista, el castellano lengua de cultura, Alfonso X el Sabio. Abstract: A study of the origins of Castilian vernacular humanism in the context of medieval humanism. Its characteristics are analyzed and contrasted with the Latin classicist humanism of the XVth Century. The study illustrates why vernacular humanism, due to the influence of the Aristotelian philosophy, is comprehensive, integrating both the letters and the sciences, and it is inclusive of all three cultures present in the Spanish society of the XIIIth Century that used the vernacular as their common language. Keywords: Medieval humanism, vernacular humanism, Latin classicist humanism, Castilian as language of culture, Alfonso X the Learned.
Adversarial and counter-adversarial support vector machines

Abstract A support vector machine (SVM) is a simple but yet powerful classification technique widely used in various applications, such as handwritten digits classification and face recognition. However, as any linear classification algorithm, it is vulnerable to adversarial attacks on test/training data. The majority of machine learning attacks aim to corrupt online data to affect automated classification in a number of business applications. This work formulates a multistage game between an SVM and adversary. The SVM aims to maximize classification accuracy on a test dataset and includes a procedure for validating a training dataset, whereas the adversary aims to minimize the accuracy on the test dataset by perturbing the training dataset. At each stage, a new training data batch arrives and the SVM’s validation procedure yields a training set that includes only those batches whose distributions are sufficiently close to that of a validation dataset, which is not known to the adversary. The procedure uses a modified multivariate Cramer test. However, the SVM has access to the test dataset only in the very end, whereas the adversary knows it from the very beginning. SVM’s strategy is a sequence of thresholds used in the validation procedure, whereas adversary’s strategy is a sequence of upper bounds on perturbation norm. The adversary’s optimization problem at each stage is non-convex and two ways for solving it approximately are suggested. The proposed game is applied in malware detection. Among several considered SVM’s strategies, the one that increases the threshold when SVM performance on the validation set improves is the most efficient one.
Release of pharmaceutical cocktails from small polymeric micelles

Abstract Here we model release of multidrug cocktails from small micelles. As most emerging anticancer agents remain sparingly soluble in water, they require carriers such as poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PEG-b-PLA) micelles to enhance their delivery. These micelles have been used as vectors for multidrug cocktails (e.g., the hydrophobic anticancer agents paclitaxel, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin, and rapamycin). Empirically determined agent release takes hours and half-lives depend on oil-water partition coefficients, a representative thermodynamic parameter. This contrasts with the assertion that the cocktail release rate is diffusion controlled, with diffusion time scales less than a millisecond. Here we resolve this inconsistency in mechanism using a “lumped capacitance” method. The two parameter equation that results provides excellent agreement with experimental release profiles. Model time scales depend on the micelle radius, external mass transfer coefficient, and lumped partition coefficient. These findings enable tuning of release rates of multidrug mixtures from micelles, which will become increasingly important because many new drug candidates remain hydrophobic.
Equivalence of $$L_p$$ L p diffusion approximation and a function’s diffusion smoothness

Let $$\left\{ A_t\right\} _{t\ge 0}$$ be a symmetric diffusion semigroup on $$L_p(X)$$ , for X a complete positive $$\sigma $$ -finite measure space. We establish an equivalence between the $$L_p$$ rate of approximation of $$A_t\phi $$ to $$\phi $$ (as $$t\rightarrow 0^+$$ ) and a measure of the smoothness of $$\phi $$ relative to the diffusion. The following is our main result: For $$1<p<\infty $$ and q its conjugate exponent, there exists $$\epsilon _p>0$$ independent of the semigroup so that for $$\phi \in L_p(X)$$ and $$0<\alpha <\epsilon _p$$ , and for constants depending only on $$\alpha $$ , p and $$\phi $$ , $$\left\| \left( A_{t}-I\right) \phi \right\| _{L_p}\le ct^\alpha $$ , $$0 < t\le 1$$ if and only if $$|\int _X \phi (x) h(x)\,dx|\le c\int ^1_0 s^\alpha \left\| A_{s}h\right\| _{L_q}\frac{ds}{s}$$ , for all $$h\in L_q(X)$$ . For $$p=2$$ (when $$\epsilon _2$$ can be taken to be 1), we also establish a near-equivalence between an $$L_2$$ function’s smoothness (as defined using our main result) and the rate of decay of the function’s spectral coefficients (relative to the diffusion semigroup).
Cholesterol 25-Hydroxylase inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses by depleting membrane cholesterol.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and has spread across the globe. SARS-CoV-2 is a highly infectious virus with no vaccine or antiviral therapy available to control the pandemic; therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and the host immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a new member of the betacoronavirus genus like other closely related viruses including SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV have caused serious outbreaks and epidemics in the past eighteen years. Here, we report that one of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H), is induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in COVID-19-infected patients. CH25H converts cholesterol to 25-hydrocholesterol (25HC) and 25HC shows broad anti-coronavirus activity by blocking membrane fusion. Furthermore, 25HC inhibits USA-WA1/2020 SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung epithelial cells and viral entry in human lung organoids. Mechanistically, 25HC inhibits viral membrane fusion by activating the ER-localized acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) which leads to the depletion of accessible cholesterol from the plasma membrane. Altogether, our results shed light on a potentially broad antiviral mechanism by 25HC through depleting accessible cholesterol on the plasma membrane to suppress virus-cell fusion. Since 25HC is a natural product with no known toxicity at effective concentrations, it provides a potential therapeutic candidate for COVID-19 and emerging viral diseases in the future.
Primary aortogastric fistula following Nissen fundoplication: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Aortoenteric fistula (AEF) is a rare condition and consists of an abnormal communication between the aorta and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The duodenum is the most common location. Fistulas involving the stomach are very uncommon and account for only 2% of the cases. AEF typically results in rapid and fatal exsanguination as diagnosis is frequently missed or made too late (Bixby et al., 2018; Kougias et al., 2003; Lookman, 1959; Genc et al., 2000; Ong et al., 2019; Li et al., 2020). Presentation of case A 59 years old female with a history of Nissen fundoplication presented with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed a large blood clot in the gastric fundus with no visible source of active bleeding. A mesenteric angiogram, performed for persistent gastro-intestinal bleeding and following two episodes of cardiac arrest, showed no evidence of active bleeding. The left gastric artery was prophylactically embolized. Persistent hemorrhage prompted an exploratory laparotomy followed by a left thoracotomy and confirmed the diagnosis of an aortogastric fistula (AGF). The patient expired intra-operatively. Discussion AGF is a very rare but often fatal condition (Busuttil and Goldstone, 2001). Computerized tomography angiography (CTA) can be a key to the diagnosis (Raman et al., 2012). EGD and catheter angiography have low sensitivity (Kuhara et al., 2015; Manduch et al., 2008). Definitive diagnosis is usually made during surgical exploration or autopsy (Wasvary et al., 1997). While open surgical repair is considered the gold standard therapy, endovascular therapy is becoming the preferred initial treatment option (Bixby et al., 2018). Conclusion AGF should be considered in the differential diagnosis of GI bleeding, especially in patients with massive hemorrhage where EGD and mesenteric angiography are not diagnostic.
Truth Hidden in Plain Sight: How Social–Emotional Learning Empowers Novice Teachers’ Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Title I Schools:

Educational inequity for students in highly impacted urban schools in the United States remains a persistent challenge despite efforts to reshape teaching practices. This article argues for the inc...
Dynamic wireless power transfer in the presence of reflecting walls

This paper investigates wireless power transmission (WPT) system efficiency of antenna arrays in free space and in fully enclosed boxes with reflecting walls. In this study we investigate the WPT approach for both a uniform transmitting antenna array and a random array. Specifically, we consider 10 transmitting antennas (Tx) placed on two opposite walls of a cubical room and one receiving antenna (Rx) centered in the middle. We calculate the received (Rx) power for different array configurations. Simulation results show that randomness and the presence of reflecting walls provide significant enhancement to the system’s power transfer efficiency compared to the maximum efficiency achievable with a similar configuration in free space. Furthermore, the simulated power flow density shows multiple hotspots in space, making the system very dynamic with the advantage of random array over the linear array. This enables power delivery to a moving receiver and meets the demand of harvesting the wireless energy to charge or power up multiple devices at the same time.
Seepage Analysis of Earth Banks under Drawdown

The problem of transient unconfined seepage under drawdown in riverbanks and dams is solved by using a finite element procedure. An iterative procedure is employed to compute movements of the free surface caused by time wise fluctuations in the external water levels. The finite element solutions are compared with laboratory experiments on a parallel-plate viscous flow model and field observations at a section along the Mississippi River. Correlation between the numerical solutions and observations is found to be good. Consideration is given to such special requirements of numerical techniques as discretization of infinite media and various possible flow situations at discretized end boundaries. An effort is made to obtain the numerical formulations and the computer codes that yield acceptable accuracy with economy. Some projections for use of the method for design analysis are presented.
The carboxy-terminal portion of the CheA kinase mediates regulation of autophosphorylation by transducer and CheW.

The CheA kinase is a central protein in the signal transduction network that controls chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. CheA receives information from a transmembrane receptor (e.g., Tar) and CheW proteins and relays it to the CheB and CheY proteins. The biochemical activities of CheA proteins truncated at various distances from the carboxy terminus were examined. The carboxy-terminal portion of CheA regulates autophosphorylation in response to environmental signals transmitted through Tar and CheW. The central portion of CheA is required for autophosphorylation and is also presumably involved in dimer formation. The amino-terminal portion of CheA was previously shown to contain the site of autophosphorylation and to be able to transfer the phosphoryl group to CheB and CheY. These studies further delineate three functional domains of the CheA protein.
Constituents of IV A species—IX : Isolation, structure proof and synthesis of acerosin from IV A acerosa (nutt.) jackson

Abstract A new flavone, acerosin, has been isolated from Iva acerosa (Nutt.) Jackson and identified as 3′,5,7-trihydroxy-4′,6,8-trimethoxyflavone by synthesis.
Speckle Interferometry of New and Problem Hipparcos Binaries. II. Observations Obtained in 1998-1999 from McDonald Observatory

The Hipparcos satellite made measurements of over 9734 known double stars, 3406 new double stars, and 11,687 unresolved but possible double stars. The high angular resolution afforded by speckle interferometry makes it an efficient means to confirm these systems from the ground, which were first discovered from space. Because of its coverage of a different region of angular separation–magnitude difference (ρ-Δm) space, speckle interferometry also holds promise to ascertain the duplicity of the unresolved Hipparcos "problem" stars. Presented are observations of 116 new Hipparcos double stars and 469 Hipparcos "problem stars," as well as 238 measures of other double stars and 246 other high-quality nondetections. Included in these are observations of double stars listed in the Tycho-2 Catalogue and possible grid stars for the Space Interferometry Mission.
Spin Diffusion in RbMn F 3

The spin-diffusion coefficient has been measured in RbMn${\mathrm{F}}_{3}$ between room temperature ($3.55{T}_{N}$) and the critical region ($1.028{T}_{N}$). The relationship $D{(\ensuremath{\kappa}a)}^{\frac{1}{2}}=22.47\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.73$ meV ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$ is well obeyed over this temperature range, and at room temperature the diffusion coefficient has the value 12.86 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.21 meV ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$. These numerical results are compared with the predictions of dynamic scaling and with theoretical calculations based on the Heisenberg model.
The Formation of Secondary Dentin and Related Problems

It is generally believed that the formation of secondary dentin under fillings, caries and other forms of exposure of dentin is caused by stimuli which reach the pulp through the dentinal fibrils. It is known that the odontoblasts do not form dentin. Accordingly these stimuli must be transmitted from the odontoblasts to the surrounding connective tissue which is the source of dentin formation. Since, at least the first formed layer of secondary dentin, in most cases, has either fewer tubules than primary dentin or no tubules at all it is difficult to explain further reaction through this new dentin. If the stimulation of the fibers is the activator for the formation of secondary dentin it can not be formed in considerable thickness once the first atubular layer is deposited. Fig. 1, a photomicrograph of a ground section through a tooth which was markedly abraded, shows tubules that were present and became opaque by filling in, probably with calcium salts from outside. The light area (B) is secondary dentin without tubules. There was no possibility of conducting stimuli through odontoblastic processes to the pulp in such a case, once the first layer of atubular dentin has been deposited. Nevertheless formation of secondary dentin went on to a considerable degree. In fig. 2, a decalcified section, the primary dentin shows regular arrangement of dentinal tubules. Beneath, is a thick layer of practically atubular dentin. If a stimulus to the pulp is necessary for formation of secondary dentin no way can be found for the continuous transmission of stimuli in formation of thick layers. Wherever secondary dentin is deposited in a limited area due to some peripheral irritation the corresponding odontoblasts appear damaged. They are either smaller than the neighboring undamaged odontoblasts or hardly existing at all. Recently (1) this was reported from dog experiments and the same observation can be made in human beings. The odontoblastic processes keep open drainage canals for the flow of tissue fluid to the dentino-enamel junction. The odontoblatsts must be arranged at the inside of the dentin in order to be able to continue into the dentinal fibrils. This arrangement results in them forming a separation wall between the dentin
Energy transfer in reactive and nonreactive collisions of Na with Na2

Abstract Stimulated by the experimental finding of vibrationally and rotationally cold dimers in supersonic nozzle molecular beams of sodium, we have studied energy transfer in collisions of Na with Na2 over a wide range of initial relative translation energies E and impact parameters b by a classical mechanical trajectory method. The vibrational and rotational energies were initialized using Boltzmann distributions characterized by temperatures Tvib = 150 K, Trot = 50 K. We find that for large values of E the energy transfer in reactive collisions increases with b while it decreases with b for the nonreactive collisions. For low values of E, energy transfer is a decreasing function of b for both reactive and nonreactive encounters. Both the reactive and nonreactive mechanisms are very efficient in effecting transfer, between 40–70% of the initial relative translational energy is converted into internal energy of the diatom, leading to the conclusion that the reverse collisions would result in the rapid relaxation observed in experiment.
α-Lipoic acid and ascorbate prevent LDL oxidation and oxidant stress in endothelial cells

Both α-lipoic acid (LA) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) have been shown to improve endothelial dysfunction, a precursor of atherosclerosis. Since oxidant stress can cause endothelial dysfunction, we tested the interaction and efficacy of these antioxidants in preventing oxidant damage to lipids due to both intra- and extracellular oxidant stresses in EA.hy926 endothelial cells. LA spared intracellular ascorbate in culture and in response to an intracellular oxidant stress induced by the redox cycling agent menadione. Extracellular oxidant stress generated by incubating cells for 2 h in with 0.2 mg/ml LDL and 5 μM Cu2+ caused a time-dependent increase of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde in both cells and LDL, preceded by rapid disappearance of` α-tocopherol in LDL. α-Lipoic acid at concentrations of 40–80 μM blunted these effects. Similarly, intracellular ascorbate concentrations of 1–2 mM also prevented Cu2+-induced lipid peroxidation in LDL and cells. Cu2+-dependent oxidation of LDL in the presence of ascorbate-loaded cells decreased intracellular ascorbate by 20%, but this decrease was not reversed by LA. Both LA and ascorbate protect endothelial cells and LDL from either intra- or extracellular oxidant stress, but that LA does not spare ascorbate in oxidatively stressed cells.
A new window opens on the Arctic

The Arctic, which was once often excluded from global displays of geophysical fields, has moved to the forefront of climate research. Global climate models (GCMs) have long predicted that the high latitudes would be the bellwether of the climates response to anthropogenic modifications because of strong feedback mechanisms involving snow, sea ice, clouds, and radiation. Many questions and uncertainties surround parameterizations of polar processes in GCMs, however, and tremendous differences exist between model simulations for present-day climate conditions [e.g., Gates et al., 1999],to say nothing of future climate predictions. In recognition of these issues and the potential contribution that satellite data could make to addressing them, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) initiated the Pathfinder program (see Web site: http://xtreme.gsfc.nasa.gov/pathfinder/). The TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) Polar Pathfinder data set, produced with funding from this program, provides a new source of information about the Arctic surface and atmosphere that may offer insight into the complex processes that control the Arctic climate system.
Heuristic compression of an English word list

The goal of the project was to design and implement an English word-list representation suitable for spell-checking in space-constrained environments. The compression algorithm was derived by statistically analyzing the word list. A compression ratio of 18% was achieved through a combination of prefix and suffix encoding. The compressed file can be randomly accessed by prefix marker positions. A simple spell-checker based on the encoding was implemented and tested in Java. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of multiple molecular interactions between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

Abstract In transient gene expression assays we observed an increase in expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase (CAT) gene, under the transcriptional control of the HIVA LTR (pLTR-CAT), when this plasmid was cotransfected into Vero or MRC-5 cells with a plasmid containing either the HCMV immediate early 1 and 2 (E1, IE2) genes (pRL43a) or just the IEZ gene (pMP18). When the HCMV IE, gene (pMP12) was cotransfected with pLTR-CAT into Vero cells the level of measurable CAT gene activity was below the level observed when pLTR-CAT was cotransfected with a nonspecific carrier plasmid (pGEM3). The negative influence of the HCMV IE1, gene product on the HIVA LTR in Vero cells was also observed when the HIVA tat gene (pLTR-TAT) was cotransfected into Vero cells with pLTR-CAT and pMP12. However, when the HCMV IE1 gene was cotransfected into rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells with proviral HIV-1 DNA, an increase in viral production, as monitored by measurement of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, was observed. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, nuclear extracts obtained 15 hr post-HCMV infection (hpi) were found to contain a lower level of interaction with an oligonucleotide which corresponded to the HIVA LTR Sp-1 binding motif. Nuclear extracts obtained 40 hpi of MRC-5 cells had a greater level of interaction with, and changed the mobility of, the Sp-1 oligonucleotide relative to the uninfected nuclear extracts. HCMV-infected MRC-5 cell nuclear extracts also contain a factor(s) which interacted with the HIV-1 LTR between nucleotide positions −15 to −2 relative to the HIV-1 mRNA Start Site.
The process to make a ridge‐ and fringe‐field multidomain structure using a photoimageable polymer for a wide viewing angle liquid crystal display application

Liquid crystal display (LCD) is very important in the computer industry and many other areas. However, the application of LCD is limited by its narrow viewing angle, compared with a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. In this article a new type of LCD [ridge- and fringe field multidomain homeotropic (RFFMH) LCD], is introduced. In RFFMH LCD, a transparent photoimageable polymer resist is applied to build ridges on each pixel to control the liquid crystal pretilt direction. This photolithographic step imparts a wider viewing angle and simpler LCD production process. In this article the detailed process of building the ridge structure is described, and the thermal stability and chemical resistance of this polymer are studied.
Risk and Protective Factors for Recurrent Intimate Partner Violence in a Cohort of Low-Income Inner-City Women

The purpose of this study was to identify longitudinal predictors of any (versus no) episodes of recurrent intimate partner violence (IPV) and their severity among low-income inner-city women. A secondary analysis was conducted on data from an inception cohort of 321 previously abused women from the Chicago Women’s Health Risk Study. In a multivariable logistic regression model, pregnancy, frequency of IPV in the year prior to the baseline interview, and the partner’s use of power and control tactics increased the odds of recurrent IPV during the follow-up period and leaving an abusive partner reduced the odds. In a multivariate proportional odds logistic regression model, partner violence outside the home was associated with higher severity of recurrent IPV, but leaving an abusive partner was not. The results suggest that, for low-income women, leaving an abusive partner may reduce the risk of recurrent victimization without increasing severity of the recurrent attacks that do occur.
Pulmonary function study of myasthenia-gravis patients treated with double-filtration plasmapheresis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in pulmonary function tests for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) after treatment with double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP) and to evaluate whether pulmonary function tests predict the efficacy of DFP treatment. Thirty-five MG patients (20 females and 15 males, age range 21-69 years) underwent DFP for between four and eight consecutive sessions. Vital capacity (VC), maximal inspiratory pressure (Pi(max)), and MG score were measured before and after DFP. Based on the results of pulmonary function tests, the patients were divided into dyspnea (VC 1.0 L and Pi(max) > -25 cm H(2)O). The dyspnea group had a significantly better response to DFP treatment, reflected in the decrease of the MG-score (P=0.0327), and the increase in VC value (P=0.0561). Higher clearance rates of acetylcholine receptor antibody (AchRAb) had a trend toward higher changes of VC. In conclusion, VC might better serve as a predictor for the effect of DFP in the dyspnea patient group because of better correlation with clinical improvement and AchRAb clearance.
Septum after-discharge effects upon cortical photic-evoked responses.

Abstract In sixteen adult cats, the effects of septum after-discharges on photic evoked responses in the lateral gyrus (primary visual) and the anterior medial suprasylvian gyrus (association) were evaluated. The responses were averaged on a computer of average transients. The early negative components of the responses evoked in the lateral gyrus were attenuated by the after-discharges, but no other consistent effects were observed. No relationship between evoked potential effects and qualities of the after-discharges (duration, propagation, of frequency patterns) could be discerned. The alteration of sensory input obtained in the present study may explain some of the behavioral impairments observed during psychomotor seizures of limbic origin.