cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemotaxis toward Nitrogenous Compounds by Swimming Strains of Marine Synechococcus spp.

Many of the open-ocean isolates of the marine unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus spp. are capable of swimming motility, whereas coastal isolates are nonmotile. Surprisingly, the motile strains do not display phototactic or photophobic responses to light, but they do demonstrate positive chemoresponses to several nitrogenous compounds. The chemotactic responses of Synechococcus strain WH8113 were investigated using blind-well chemotaxis chambers fitted with 3.0-μm-pore-size Nuclepore filters. One well of each chamber contained cells suspended in aged Sargasso Sea water, and the other well contained the potential chemoattractant in seawater. The number of cells that crossed the filter into the attractant-seawater mixture was measured by direct cell counts and compared with values obtained in chambers lacking gradients. Twenty-two compounds were tested, including sugars, amino acids, and simple nitrogenous substrates, at concentrations ranging from 10−5 to 10−10 M. Strain WH8113 responded positively only to ammonia, nitrate, β-alanine, glycine, and urea. Typically, there was a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in cell concentrations above control levels in chambers containing these compounds, which is comparable to results from similar experiments using enteric and photoheterotrophic bacteria. However, the threshold levels of 10−9 to 10−10 M found for Synechococcus spp. chemoresponses were lower by several orders of magnitude than those reported for other bacteria and fell within a range that could be ecologically significant in the oligotrophic oceans. The presence of chemotaxis in motile Synechococcus spp. supports the notion that regions of nutrient enrichment, such as the proposed microzones and patches, may play an important role in picoplankton nutrient dynamics.
Coupled phase field, heat conduction, and elastodynamic simulations of kinetic superheating and nanoscale melting of aluminum nanolayer irradiated by picosecond laser.

An advanced continuum model for nanoscale melting and kinetic superheating of an aluminum nanolayer irradiated by a picosecond laser is formulated. Barrierless nucleation of surface premelting and melting occurs, followed by a propagation of two solid–melt interfaces toward each other and their collision. For a slow heating rate of Q = 0.015 K ps−1 melting occurs at the equilibrium melting temperature under uniaxial strain conditions Teeq = 898.1 K (i.e., below equilibrium melting temperature Teq = 933.67 K) and corresponding biaxial stresses, which relax during melting. For a high heating rate of Q = 0.99–84 K ps−1, melting occurs significantly above Teq. Surprisingly, an increase in heating rate leads to temperature reduction at the 3 nm wide moving interfaces due to fast absorption of the heat of fusion. A significant, rapid temperature drop (100–500 K, even below melting temperature) at the very end of melting is revealed, which is caused by the collision of two finite-width interfaces and accelerated melting in about the 5 nm zone. For Q = 25–84 K ps−1, standing elastic stress waves are observed in a solid with nodal points at the moving solid–melt interfaces, which, however, do not have a profound effect on melting time or temperatures. When surface melting is suppressed, barrierless bulk melting occurs in the entire sample, and elastodynamic effects are more important. Good correspondence with published, experimentally-determined melting time is found for a broad range of heating rates. Similar approaches can be applied to study various phase transformations in different materials and nanostructures under high heating rates.
Magneto-optical studies of flux penetration in super-hard Nb wire

We present a study of the magnetic response of type-II superconductivity in the extreme pinning limit, where screening currents within an order of magnitude of the Ginzburg–Landau depairing critical current density develop upon the application of a magnetic field. We show that this 'super-hard' limit is realized in highly disordered, cold drawn, Nb wire whose magnetization response is characterized by a cascade of Meissner-like phases, each terminated by a catastrophic collapse of the magnetization. Direct magneto-optic measurements of the flux penetration depth in the virgin magnetization branch are in excellent agreement with the exponential model in which Jc(B) = Jcoexp(−B/B0), where Jco~5 × 106 A cm−2 for Nb. The implications for the fundamental limiting hardness of a superconductor are discussed.
Examples of EO-1 data analysis

To demonstrate the utility of EO-1 data, combined analysis of panchromatic, multispectral (ALI, Advanced Land Imager) and hyperspectral (Hyperion) data was conducted. In particular, the value added by HSI with additional spectral information will be illustrated. Data sets from Coleambally Irrigation Area, Australia on 7 March 2000 and San Francisco Bay area on 17 January 2000 are employed for the analysis. Analysis examples are shown for surface characterization, anomaly detection, spectral unmixing and image sharpening.
A new method for the production of non-specific capsular swelling of the pneumococcus.

SummaryThe experiments outlined indicate that pneumococcal polysaccharides combine with various proteins at pH 4.0 to form insoluble aggregates. This reaction is one of loose combination, since it can be reversed by readjusting the pH to 7.0. Non-specific capsular swelling of pneumococci can be produced also under these conditions, but, in addition, the protein-pneumococcus mixture at pH 4.0 must be relatively salt-free. It is felt that an altered state of the capsular gel is produced by the interaction of protein and carbohydrate. In the absence of ionized salts, the polysaccharide-protein gel becomes increasingly hydrophilic and therefore capable of enlarging to produce the “quellung” reaction. Both specific and the described acid-protein quellung can be produced in the absence of calcium in distinction to LofStrom's non-specific “quellung” phenomenon.Grateful acknowledgment is made to Henry W. Scherp, Ph.D., Department of Bacteriology, University of Eochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, for suppl...
Psychosis Due to Neurologic Conditions.

Psychosis arises with considerable frequency in a number of neurologic conditions. The treatment of such patients is often challenging, as many of the treatments for psychosis pose some risk of worsening the underlying neurologic condition. Although psychosis may emerge in the context of any neurologic condition that sufficiently disrupts the functioning of or connections between limbic, paralimbic, frontal, subcortical areas mediating complex sensory perception, interpretation, and thought or language organization, secondary psychoses are most often encountered in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (Parkinson’s disease receives dopaminomimetic therapies) and epilepsy. Psychosis, and particularly delusions and visual hallucinations, may arise in Alzheimer’s disease. Based on the available literature, the first-line therapy for this problem is risperidone 0.5 to 3 mg per day. If this treatment proves unsuccessful, low-dose haloperidol or olanzapine should be considered next. If these treatments prove unsuccessful, quetiapine should then be considered. Finally, clozapine may be useful for treatment-refractory psychosis due to Alzheimer’s disease, but due caution is warranted given its considerable anticholinergic properties and potential for worsening cognition in these patients. Although disease-emergent psychosis (paranoid delusions and visual hallucinations) may develop in patients with Parkinson’s disease, psychosis due to dopaminomimetic therapy is much more common. When such symptoms develop, the accepted first step is to taper anti-parkinsonian medications were possible. Anticholinergic medications, amantadine, selegiline, and dopamine receptor agonists should be reduced or discontinued, provided that the patient can tolerate changes in motor symptoms attendant to such reductions. When these reductions are not feasible or fail to improve treatment-emergent psychosis, low-dose quetiapine or clozapine may be useful. The greatest body of evidence supports the effectiveness of these treatments and their relative lack of adverse effects on motor function. When psychosis develops in the context of epilepsy, the generally accepted first step is to maximize anticonvulsant therapy in an effort to reduce the possible contribution of electrophysiologic disturbances in the described areas to psychotic symptoms. When interictal psychosis persists despite such adjustments, initiation with low-dose atypical antipsychotics carries the least risk of lowering seizure threshold and should be considered.
Abstract 4021: Genetic studies identify a map of redox signaling pathways inDrosophila

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Altered redox signaling, a consequence of oxidative stress and hypoxia, is seen in many human cancers and there is compelling evidence that altered redox signaling leads to tumorigenesis and aggressive tumor growth. In order to survive redox stress, tumor cells must initiate an adaptive response that facilitates both survival and drug resistance. The response to oxidative stress is largely restricted to tumor cells and thus offers a selective target for drug development. While it is clear that redox signaling is an important cellular response, our understanding of redox signaling pathways is rudimentary, and a map of redox signaling pathways comparable to that for protein phosphorylation is not available. In order to identify novel redox signaling genes we have undertook a classical dominant modifier screen in Drosophila melanogaster. Redox homeostasis is maintained in humans and Drosophila by scavenger systems such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin (Trx). In humans, Trx and glutathione are reduced and regenerated by thioredoxin reductase (Trxr) and glutathione reductase. Drosophila, and possibly insects in general, have only one glutathione/thioredoxin reductase gene encoded by the thioredoxin reductase-1 gene (Trxr-1). Thus, in Drosophila Trxr-1 serves as the starting point for all redox reactions in the cell and mutational disruption of the Trxr-1 gene leads to a genetically redox stressed animal suitable for screening. We screened a collection of second and third chromosome deficiency lines to identify genomic regions that dominantly suppress, or enhance the semi-lethal phenotype of Trxr-1 mutants. Our initial screen identified 18 genomic regions that dominantly suppress or enhance Trxr-1 mutants. We used overlapping deficiencies to validate and narrow down 9 genomic regions and have identified six individual genes with multiple alleles that show suppressing or enhancing phenotypes in four of these regions including mutations in two genes associated with lipid signaling and the Toll-like receptor, 18-Wheeler. The identification of 18-Wheeler indicates that the screen was successful, as 18-Wheeler, in addition to playing a critical role in the Drosophila immune response, is a member of the redox-regulated NF-κB pathway. This screen identified several genes not previously known to be involved in redox signaling, and begins to define a map of redox signaling pathways likely conserved through evolution. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4021.
Finite Element Model Study of Head Impact Based on Hybrid III Head Acceleration: The Effects of Rotational and Translational Acceleration

The translational and rotational components of acceleration measured at the center of gravity of a Hybrid III dummy head were used to investigate their individual and combined effects on a two-dimensional finite element model of the human brain. Each component of acceleration generated distinct patterns of deformation. Although translational acceleration is related to pressure and rotational acceleration has a dominant effect on shear deformations, complete acceleration (combination of translation and rotation) yielded the highest values in all stresses and produced a maximum shear stress at the top of the brain.
Standardized Clinical Assessment And Management Plans (SCAMPs) Provide A Better Alternative To Clinical Practice Guidelines

Variability in medical practice in the United States leads to higher costs without achieving better patient outcomes. Clinical practice guidelines, which are intended to reduce variation and improve care, have several drawbacks that limit the extent of buy-in by clinicians. In contrast, standardized clinical assessment and management plans (SCAMPs) offer a clinician-designed approach to promoting care standardization that accommodates patients’ individual differences, respects providers’ clinical acumen, and keeps pace with the rapid growth of medical knowledge. Since early 2009 more than 12,000 patients have been enrolled in forty-nine SCAMPs in nine states and Washington, D.C. In one example, a SCAMP was credited with increasing clinicians’ rate of compliance with a recommended specialist referral for children from 19.6 percent to 75 percent. In another example, SCAMPs were associated with an 11–51 percent decrease in total medical expenses for six conditions when compared with a historical cohort. Inno...
Conformational isomers of a peptide-class II major histocompatibility complex.

The relative plasticity of peptide binding to class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules permits formation of multiple conformational isomers by the same peptide and MHC molecule; such conformers are specifically recognized by distinct subsets of T cells. Here, we review current knowledge and recent advances in our understanding of peptide-class II MHC conformational isomerism and the mechanisms that generate distinct MHC-peptide conformers. We focus on our studies of two T-cell subsets, type A and B, which recognize distinct conformers of the dominant epitope of hen egg white lysozyme presented by I-A(k). These conformers form via different pathways and in distinct intracellular vesicles: the type A conformer forms in late endosomes upon processing of native protein, while the more flexible type B conformer forms in early endosomes and at the cell surface. In this process, H2-DM acts as a conformational editor, eliminating the type B conformer in late endosomes. Type B T cells constitute a significant component of the naive T-cell repertoire; furthermore, self-reactive type B T cells escape negative selection and are present in abundance in the periphery. Ongoing studies should elucidate the role of type B T cells in immunity to pathogens and in autoimmune pathology.
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma using doxorubicin/ethiodized oil/gelatin powder chemoembolization.

Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy worldwide with limited effective therapeutic options available or appropriate for cirrhotic patients. Methods. Chemoembolization, using sequential intraarterial doxorubicin/ethiodized oil and gelatin sponge particle/ethanol embolization, was used to treat patients with unresectable HCC localized to the liver. Fifty-two patients were treated in this manner from 1988 to 1992. The objective response was determined by sequential computed tomography (CT) scans. Results. Of the 47 patients evaluable for response, 20 (43%) achieved a partial response, and 12 (26%) achieved a minor response. Sixteen patients underwent repeated chemoembolization for locally recurrent disease as many as three times after the initial procedure. All 52 patients were evaluable for survival and toxicity, with a median follow-up of 14 months. Twelve-month survival was 60%, and median survival was 16 months. This compares favorably with values reported in the literature of approximately 20% and 6–14 weeks, respectively. There was a 17% 30-day mortality, with a slightly higher risk for patients with portal vein obstruction. Other toxicities generally were mild and transient, including fever, pain, encephalopathy, and malaise. Conclusions. Chemoembolization may enhance survival for patients with unresectable, localized HCC. It appears to be an effective alternative to standard treatment, even in cirrhotic patients.
Parallel synthesis enablement of 2-pyridyl-5-cyano-pyrimidine-6-ones—a novel class of HIF-hydroxylase inhibitors

Abstract The synthesis of various substituted 2-pyridyl-5-cyano-pyrimidine-6-ones was accomplished via a three-step protocol. The key aspects of this parallel protocol was the preparation of amidines from nitriles under mild conditions followed by cyclization with ethyl (ethoxymethylene)cyanoacetate.
Autoignition studies of conventional and Fischer–Tropsch jet fuels

Abstract Here we report autoignition studies for five compositionally-distinct jet aviation fuels: Jet A; Jet A blended with the JP-8 additive package; two Fischer–Tropsch (F–T) jet fuels synthesized in gas-to-liquid processes, S-8 and Shell GTL; and a coal-to-liquid F–T fuel, Sasol IPK. Ignition delay time measurements were made in a heated shock tube at pressures from 8 to 39 atm and at a wide range of temperatures, from 651 to 1381 K, for gaseous jet fuel/air mixtures at equivalence ratios from 0.25 to 1.5. Ignition delay times were determined by monitoring pressure and electronically-excited OH chemiluminescence behind reflected shock waves. Experiments reveal three regions of reactivity: a high-temperature regime with positive apparent activation energy, for temperatures greater than approximately 900 K at 20 atm; a negative-temperature-coefficient (NTC) regime exhibiting slightly decreasing ignition delay with decreasing temperature, for approximately 750–900 K at 20 atm; and a low temperature regime where ignition delay returns to positive apparent activation energy, for temperatures less than approximately 750 K at 20 atm. Measurements for Jet A/air mixtures at a wide range of conditions quantify the ignition delay dependence on temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio; where appropriate, scaling laws are reported. Comparison of ignition delay times for Jet A and the three F–T fuels studied shows that at high temperatures (T > 1000 K) and common conditions (fuel/air at ϕ = 1.0 and 20 atm) these four fuels have indistinguishable reactivity. However, in the NTC and low-temperature regimes the ignition delay times for these four fuels diverge, in accordance with their derived cetane numbers (DCNs), by up to a factor of three. Comparisons are made with predictions from literature jet fuel surrogate kinetic models for Jet A, S-8, and Shell GTL.
An Integrated Sandstone Acidizing Fluid Selection and Simulation to Optimize Treatment Design

An optimized design of a matrix treatment involves fluid selection and acidizing simulations to predict the outcome of the treatment. Many matrix acidizing treatment designs and fluid selections have been successfully accomplished by utilizing expert system technology. However, none of these present a complete and optimized result (i.e., by utilizing the output of the expert system to predict the acidizing outcome using an acidizing numerical simulator). In the meantime, several acidizing computer simulation studies have been conducted separately. This paper presents a study which integrates the treatment design, particularly the fluid selection process, and acidizing simulation for sandstone formations. Required parameters for sandstone acidizing such as acid type, concentration, volume, and injection rate/pressure are first selected using an expert system. The output from the expert system is further used for the input to an acidizing numerical simulator (UTACID). A new sandstone acidizing reaction model, appropriate for a high-temperature environment, and anisotropic medium have been implemented into UTACID to enhance the performance of the simulator. The expert system and the simulator have been integrated to provide an optimization tool for sandstone acidizing treatment design and simulation.
Structural ordering of Pennsylvania anthracites on heat treatment to 2000-2900 °C

Three Pennsylvania anthracites from the Penn State Coal Sample Bank and Data Base were heat-treated to temperatures to 2900 °C. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction. These anthracites clearly differ in the extent to which they transform to a graphitic structure by heat treatment at ambient pressure. Graphitizability, based on approach of interlayer spacing to the ideal value for graphite and development of crystallite height, is in the order DECS 21 > PSOC 1461 > PSOC 1468. By 2700 °C the interlayer spacing is largely established, since improvements by increasing graphitization temperature to 2900 °C are small. The crystallite stacking continues to develop; significant changes are achieved at 2900 vs 2700 °C. The structural changes can be related to composition via two factors. In heat treatment to 2000 °C, the structural ordering may be impeded by a “locking” of aromatic sheets in place by cross-linkers, such as oxygen atoms. At the higher temperatures, i.e., 2700 and 2900 °C, the ease of...
Characterization of a Reversible Thermoresponsive Gel and Its Application to Oligonucleotide Separation

Pluronic mixtures of F87 (E61P40E61) and F127 (E99P69E99), with E and P being poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide), respectively, have been used as effective separation media for the separation of small charged biomacromolecules, such as oligonulceotide fragments, by microchip electrophoresis. The temperature-dependent solubility of the middle block (P40 or P69) enables a convenient micelle formation of the triblock copolymer by self-assembly, forming ordered gel-like macrolattice structures at high polymer concentrations or high temperatures. Laser light scattering (LLS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to investigate the solution behavior, including the gel structure. Micelles of the F87/F127 mixture solution at different weight ratios almost had a constant hydrodynamic radius of about 10.6 nm, except for the pure F87 solution with a hydrodynamic radius size of about 6.3 nm. The aggregation number of the micelle increased from ∼5 to ∼17 with an increase in the F127 content in ...
An energy finite element optimization process for reducing high-frequency vibration in large-scale structures

Abstract The energy finite element analysis (EFEA) offers an attractive alternative to the established statistical energy analysis (SEA) for simulating the vibration of large-scale structures. One of the main benefits of utilizing EFEA in a simulation-based design process is the capability to prescribe local damping properties on selected sections of the numerical model. Thus, it is possible to control the flow of power at certain locations of interest by modifying the damping distribution. In this paper an optimization process is presented. An EFEA solver is integrated with an optimization routine in order to optimize the distribution of damping over a large-scale structure. The formulation of the optimization process, the software implementation, and the validation of the developed optimization process are presented.
Understanding Workplace Empowerment as Inclusion: A Historical Investigation of the Discourse of Difference in the United States

This article situates workplace empowerment within the broader principle of inclusion and offers a historical analysis of the discourse of difference in America since the 1930s with a view to devel...
Structure of the demand function and Pareto optimal set with natural boundary conditions

Abstract We consider utility functions defined on P, the closure of the positive orthant of Rl, that satisfy the differentiable monotonicity and differentiable convexity conditions. We show that the demand function derived from such a utility function is piecewise smooth in a strong sense. We use this result to show that the Pareto optimal subset of a pure exchange economy derived from the kind of utility functions we consider is generically the union of a finite number of compact manifolds-with-corners.
Role of calcium signaling in the activation of mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase and citric acid cycle

An apparent discrepancy arises about the role of calcium on the rates of oxygen consumption by mitochondria: mitochondrial calcium increases the rate of oxygen consumption because of the activation of calcium-activated dehydrogenases, and by activating mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS), decreases the rates of oxygen consumption because nitric oxide is a competitive inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase. To this end, the rates of oxygen consumption and nitric oxide production were followed in isolated rat liver mitochondria in the presence of either L-Arg (to sustain a mtNOS activity) or N(G)-monomethyl-L-Arg (NMMA, a competitive inhibitor of mtNOS) under State 3 conditions. In the presence of NMMA, the rates of State 3 oxygen consumption exhibited a K(0.5) of 0.16 microM intramitochondrial free calcium, agreeing with those required for the activation of the Krebs cycle. By plotting the difference between the rates of oxygen consumption in State 3 with L-Arg and with NMMA at various calcium concentrations, a K(0.5) of 1.2 microM intramitochondrial free calcium was obtained, similar to the K(0.5) (0.9 microM) of the dependence of the rate of nitric oxide production on calcium concentrations. The activation of dehydrogenases, followed by the activation of mtNOS, would lead to the modulation of the Krebs cycle activity by the modulation of nitric oxide on the respiratory rates. This would ensue in changes in the NADH/NAD and ATP/ADP ratios, which would influence the rate of the cycle and the oxygen diffusion.
Survival of Calves Treated with Autologous Bone Marrow After Exposure To Lethal Dose of Whole-Body Irradiation.∗

lntravenous injection of homologous bone marrow or of a mixture of fetal liver, spleen, and thymus after exposure to a lethal dose of whole-body radiation failed to protect calves against death from bone marrow damage. Nine of 15 calves treated with autologous bone marrow recovered after a severe hematologic crisis; 8 of these developed normally, showed no apparent signs of late radiation damage, and had regular estrous cycles and 7 are now pregnant. (auth)
Morphological and microchemical phenomena in the high-temperature oxidation of binary Al-Li alloys

The high-temperature oxidation behavior of binary Al-Li alloys has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry in order to understand the mechanism of rapid oxidation in these alloys and to correlate the oxide morphology to its microchemistry. The oxide scale developed on polished specimens during short exposures in air at 530°C shows characteristic nodules that usually nucleate at grain boundaries. Examination of the alloy surface after removal of the oxide layer shows that the initial growth of the oxide nodules occurs laterally in addition to thickening normal to the oxide/alloy interface. Microchemical analysis of the oxide film with a scanning ion microprobe reveals a thick Li-oxide layer at the oxide/gas interface indicating preferential oxidation of Li at the free surface; the rest of the oxide film is composed of both Al- and Li-rich oxides, probably Li2O and LiAlO2 The presence of trace impurities (K, Na, F, and Cl) in the oxide scale was also detected. A microstructural model for the development of the oxide film in the Al-Li system is presented on the basis of both morphological and microanalytical data obtained in this study; this new model is compared with existing models.
Stem cells, DNA damage, ageing and cancer

A comprehensive knowledge of adult stem cells not only sheds light on their significant roles in many fundamental biological process, but also on their implications in a variety of deleterious disorders including leukemia, lymphoma, ageing and other relevant degenerative disorders. Elucidating the diverse signaling pathways in stem cells paves the way for development of targeted therapeutic approaches against degenerative disorders. Despite emerging studies, our understanding of the key molecular machineries that profoundly influence key stem cell properties is poor. This review discusses the seminal aspects of stem cell self-renewal mechanisms with an emphasis on various influencing factors, including DNA damage, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors that govern the significant characteristics of tissue stem cells under normal and stress conditions. Also outlined are intriguing aspects of how molecular interventions in key stem cell pathways could be exploited to develop novel therapies against stem cell disorders.
Pathologic and Pathogenic Processes in Osteoarthritis: The Effects of Synovitis

Our current understanding of the role of synovitis in osteoarthritis has evolved substantially over the past decade. We understand that inflammation is present even early in the course of the disease and is associated with symptoms, function, and progression of cartilage damage (Fig. 1). Whether synovitis is a predictive marker in posttraumatic osteoarthritis remains to be established. Data from a recently published rodent model suggested that synovitis may be a good therapeutic target in posttraumatic osteoarthritis [1]. Elucidating how synovial inflammation is triggered and sustained in the joint is likely to guide the design of future treatment regimens targeting synovitis in osteoarthritis. Fig. 1 Relationship between synovitis and outcomes in osteoarthritis and important remaining questions. Synovitis has been associated with pain, joint dysfunction, and rate of structural progression in osteoarthritis. Important questions remaining are how variable ... Acknowledgement Carla R. Scanzello is supported by 1K08AR057859 award from the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Rush University Medical Center and the Hospital for Special Surgery have filed a patent application on behalf of the author on inflammatory biomarkers in osteoarthritis.
Treatment of acute stent thrombosis with local urokinase therapy using catheter-based, drug delivery systems: a case report.

Abrupt thrombotic stent closure remains a difficult problem to treat in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. A 63-yr-old white female initially underwent successful placement of a Palmaz-Schatz biliary stent in the proximal RCA following failed coronary angioplasty. One week later, the patient represented with an acute inferior infarction and thrombotic occlusion of the stent site in spite of adequate anticoagulation. A new, local drug infusion catheter (the Dispatch™ catheter) was placed at the angioplasty site and 150,000 units of urokinase were locally infused, with immediate restoration of normal distal flow and a subsequent marked decrease in angiographic thrombus. A small, residual thrombotic filling defect was further treated with a urokinase-coated hydrogel balloon (Hydro Plus™). Following local urokinase delivery with the Dispatch catheter and hydrogel balloon, there was complete resolution of angiographic thrombus with TIMI 3 flow and no evidence of distal embolization or no-reflow. Local urokinase delivery directly to the site of thrombus with catheter-based drug delivery systems may be a useful technique for rapidly lysing intracoronary clot and re-establishing coronary flow in the setting of acute stent thrombosis.
Long-term restoration success of re-sprouter understorey species is facilitated by protection from herbivory and a reduction in competition

Factors affecting the long-term survival and growth of planted understorey species in re-introductions and restoration are poorly known. Seven understorey species were planted in jarrah forest restored after bauxite mining in the Southwest of Western Australia to test the effects of the competitive environment (both over- and understorey) and herbivory by large mammals on survival and growth over a 16-year period. Differences in the overstorey environment were achieved by planting the study species into restored sites differing in age (0, 1, 4 and 10 years of age). The understorey competitive environment was manipulated by removing other understorey species at the time of planting. Reducing both herbivory (using plant guards) and competition with other understorey plants significantly increased survival, spread and height growth of the study species. Planting into different ages of restored site significantly affected plant responses: survival and growth were maximal in either newly restored (year 0) or the oldest (10 years of age) sites. Across species, survival decreased to ~50 % after 2 years, but thereafter mortality was low. These data demonstrate survival and spread of planted species over a 16-year period indicating that planting nursery-raised plants can be a viable strategy for establishing long-term persistent plant populations in both newly restored and older restored sites.
Procedure using voltage-sensitive spin-labels to monitor dipole potential changes in phospholipid vesicles: The estimation of phloretin-induced conductance changes in vesicles

Voltage-sensitive membrane potential probes were used to monitor currents resulting from positive or negative charge movement across small and large unilamellar phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles. Positive currents were measured for the paramagnetic phosphonium ion or for K+-valinomycin. Negative currents were indirectly measured for the anionic proton carriers CCCP and DNP by monitoring transmembrane proton currents. Phloretin, a compound that is believed to decrease dipole fields in planar bilayers, increases positive currents and decreases negative currents when added to egg PC vesicles. In these vesicles, positive currents are increased by phloretin addition to a much larger degree than CCCP currents are reduced. This asymmetry, with respect to the sign of the charge carrier, is apparently not the result of changes in the membrane dielectric constant. It is most easily explained by deeper binding minima at the membrane-solution interface for the CCCP anion, when compared to the phosphonium. The measured asymmetry and the magnitudes of the current changes are consistent with the predictions of a point dipole model. The use of potential-sensitive probes to estimate positive and negative currents, provides a methodology to monitor changes in the membrane dipole potential in vesicle systems.
Quantization and overflow effects in digital implementations of linear dynamic controllers

The stability of a class of single-input/single-output (SISO) digital-feedback control systems is investigated. The systems considered contain a linear dynamic plant, a digital controller, and suitable D/A (digital-to-analog) and A/D converters. The design of such systems is usually accomplished by ignoring the nonlinear effects caused by quantization and overflow truncation. Simulations of specific examples establish the quantization in such systems can lead to loss of asymptotic stability of the origin. Obtained results prove that when quantization is taken into account (but overflow is neglected), one only has convergence to some (small) neighborhood about the origin. The results also prove that for initial conditions sufficiently far from the origin, overflow effects can lead to unbounded solutions. In particular, this is the case for observable systems with at least one eigenvalue in the open right-half plane (RHP). The case of systems with no eigenvalues in the open RHP, but with eigenvalues on the j omega -axis, is still unresolved. >
A DNA excision repair system for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The removal of pyrimidine dimers from deoxyribonucleic acid of ultraviolet irradiated cultures of Neisseria gonorrhoeae can not be readily ascertained by using radioactively labeled thymidine percursors. However, by adapting the alkaline agarose gel technique of Achey et al. (Photochem Photobiol 29, 305–310, 1979), it was possible to demonstrate that this human pathogen does possess an active excision repair system that functions on pyrimidine dimers.
Data-centric security: integrating data privacy and data security

Classifying data according to its permissible use, appropriate handling, and business value is critical for data privacy and security protection. This is essential for compliance with the constantly evolving regulatory landscape concerning protected data. Problems arise when users compromise data privacy and security by overlooking the critical need to manage data according to these requirements. This paper considers the creation and application of data classification systems for security and privacy purposes. It focuses primarily on classifying information in a meaningful way through the use of a partially automated methodology that normalizes and classifies structured data throughout an enterprise. We introduce the three pillars of the data-centric security model, which are based on the data-centric security classification offering by IBM Global Business Services (GBS) and the IBM Research Division. In particular, we describe the data classification pillar of the data-centric security architecture, which provides the framework and method for partially automated classification of data to meet the demands of compliance standards.
Effect of interstitial anisotropy and the extracellular volume conductor on action potential morphology in a thin layer of cardiac tissue

We simulated conduction in a thin layer of cardiac tissue using both a bidomain and monodomain model of the structure. The two models predict similar wavefronts and action potential shapes when the intracellular and interstitial spaced are both insulated. The most significant differences in active tissue are observed in the foot of the transmembrane potential, the portion of the upstroke due to passive current flow. The two models yield markedly different behavior when the interstitial space is not insulated but permitted to exchange currents with a thin layer of bounding fluid.
4-Aminobutryrate aminotransferase, the reaction of lysine residues connected with enzymatic activity

Abstract 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase from pig brain is inactivated by incubation with o-phthalaldehyde at pH 7.4. The reaction of 6 lysil residues per dimer brings about 90% loss of aminotransferase activity. The substrate 2-oxoglutarate at concentrations higher than the KM 0.1 mM affords complete protection against inactivation. Several lines of experimental evidence indicate that o-phthalaldehyde reacts with lysyl residues other than those involved in the binding of Pyridoxal-5-P. It is postulated that the carboxyl groups of 2-oxoglutarate interacts with positively charged lysyl residues located at the catalytic site.
Recognizing the politics of MIS

Abstract MIS development and implementation is a highly political process where users and developers may be more concerned about furthering their self-interests than about contributing to their organization. At the same time, MIS professionals have often been accused of being oblivious to this political process and being unaware of the ulterior motives and hidden agendas that their users actually follow. This political process can be viewed as a system of games. A typology, adopted from Bardach and from Keen, describes the games. In-depth interviews with eighteen MIS practitioners produced numerous examples of these games and thus confirmed that practitioners can recognize them during MIS development and implementation. Furthermore, the interviews provided some practical implications for MIS professionals who know that they must face the political machinations within their organizations but do not necessarily know how to recognize them. The interviews also laid the groundwork for future investigations.
Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis : Case report with immunohistochemical analysis and literature review

This report describes the case of a patient with multicentric reticulohistiocytosis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed prominent markers of monocyte/macrophage origin, as well as the presence of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and IL-12; the occurrence of the latter in this disease has not previously been reported. Clinical, laboratory, radiographic, and histologic findings in multicentric reticulohistiocytosis are reviewed. In addition, all published cases of multicentric reticulohistiocytosis which included reports of cytokine and immunohistochemical analysis are reviewed, and evidence for a monocyte/macrophage origin and role in disease pathogenesis is provided.
Putting “God's Honor First”: Truth, Lies, and Servants in Reformation Geneva

This article begins to examine the role of servants in the implementation of the Genevan Reformation in the 1530s–1560s by looking at the Genevan Consistory records and city legislation as recorded in the Sources du Droit, as well as considering John Calvin's stance on the absolute importance of truth in a godly society. It contrasts official efforts to inculcate the principle of truth-telling among servants with employers' expectations that servants would lie in order to protect family honor and reputation. It argues that, as a result of these potentially conflicting obligations to employers and to the principles of Geneva's reforming church and city authorities, servants were at one and the same time vital to the enforcement of the Reformed system of discipline and the consistory's pursuit of truth and frequent obstacles to that enforcement.
Performance Target Revisions in Incentive Contracts: Do Information and Trust Reduce Ratcheting and the Ratchet Effect?

ABSTRACT: In this study, we examine a setting where principals use past performance to annually revise performance targets, but do not fully incorporate the past performance information in their target revisions. We argue that this situation is driven by some principals and agents having an implicit agreement where the principal “allows” the agent to receive economic rents from positive performance-target deviations that are the result of superior effort or transitory gains by not revising targets upward, while the agent “accepts” target revisions by not restricting output when these revisions are the result of structural changes in the operation's true economic capacity. Although both the principal and the agent can benefit from an implicit agreement, we argue that for the implicit agreement to be maintainable, the principal either needs information on the cause of the performance-target deviation or there needs to be trust between the principal and the agent. Using archival data across multiple years a...
Micromechanics of ferroelectric polymer-based electrostrictive composites

Electrostriction refers to the strain induced in a dielectric by electric polarization, which is usually very small for practical application. In this paper, we present a micromechanical analysis on the effective electrostriction of a ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene [P(VDF-TrFE)] polymer-based composite, where the exact connections between the effective electrostrictive coefficients and effective elastic moduli are established, and numerical algorithm for the prediction of the effective electrostrictive coefficients of the composite in terms of its microstructural information is developed. From our calculations, enhanced electrostriction in the composite has been demonstrated, and optimal microstructure for electrostriction enhancement has been identified. Our analysis provides a mechanism for the electrostriction enhancement, where the electrostrictive strain several times higher than that of polymer matrix can be obtained, if the microstructure of the composites can be carefully tailored.
The Contextualization of Schoolchildren's Bilingualism*

Two contextualized degree of bilingualism measures, one designed to assess the extent to which each language is used, the other to assess relative proficiency in the two languages, were administered to 34 bilingual children of Puerto Rican background who attended a parochial school in Jersey City. The children reported that they used more Spanish, when talking to other bilingual Puerto Ricans, in the contexts of family and neighbourhood, than they did in those of education and religion. Their relative proficiency scores were in general agreement with their usage scores: the greatest difference between English and Spanish proficiency scores being observed for the domain of education and the smallest difference for the domain of family. In recent years there has been increasing recognition of the need to view bilingualism, not as a global capacity, but as one which could be described in terms of various components (3, 4). This view has led to the considera tion that bilingual proficiency might vary over a range of social settings. For example, a bilingual individual might be more proficient in one language when discussing matters of an academic nature and more pro ficient in another language when talking about household matters. Drawing upon this assumption, Cooper and Greenfield (1, 2 developed a series of instruments designed to measure degree of bilingualism in various domains or institutional contexts in which language behaviour occurs, e.g., family, education, religion. In the work reported in the present paper, two contextualized measures of degree of bilingualism were adapted for use with children. One measure was designed to tap bilingual
Evaluation of a chemical vapor dosimeter using polymer-coated SERS substrates ☆

Abstract This paper describes the development and evaluation of an improved passive chemical dosimeter using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) coating on a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for monitoring airborne chemicals. Experimental studies are performed to demonstrate the longevity, enhancement of Raman signals, and selectivity of the dosimeter. The new substrate has been used to monitor exposure to vapors of benzoic acid, 2-aminopyrimidine, and 2,4-dinitrophenol over 20-day periods. The improved performance of the newly developed polymer-coated substrate is compared to that of uncoated SERS substrates. Results of substrate optimization and shelf-life studies are discussed.
Synthesis of Enantiopure, Trisubstituted Cryptophane-A Derivatives

The efficient synthesis of enantiopure, trisubstituted cryptophane-A derivatives, organic host molecules with unusually high xenon affinity, is reported. Synthesis and chromatographic separation of (±) tri-Mosher’s acid substituted cryptophane diastereomers gave ready access to the enantiopure cryptophanes, which are critical components in the design of enantiomerically pure 129Xe biosensors. Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR spectroscopy identified single resonances for both trisubstituted cryptophane diastereomers that were separated by 9.5 ppm. This highlights opportunities for using enantiopure xenon biosensors in the simultaneous detection of 129Xe in different biochemical environments.
Tear Off the Masks! Identity and Imposture in Twentieth-Century Russia – By Sheila Fitzpatrick

In this work, the author brings together nearly two decades of pathbreaking research, which collectively mines an extraordinary array of primary material ranging in time from the 1910s to the 1990s...
A design for a simple electronic exposure meter for use with an electron microscope.

SUMMARY A circuit has been developed to enable a simple yet sensitive exposure meter to be made for any electron microscope. The circuit is based around an inexpensive operational amplifier and will indicate a current range 10 −4−10 −11 A which corresponds from maximum illumination to a level of fluorescent screen illumination which is not detectable by eye. The exposure meter measures the charge on the fluorescent screen which is correlated to exposure time for photography.