cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 5585: Generation of novel cell lines for analyzing the role of TLR4 in breast cancer

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a transmembrane receptor expressed in macrophages that plays a major role in pathogen recognition and activation of innate immunity. TLR4 signaling has been linked to tumorigenesis and promotion of metastasis in ovarian, lung, prostate and head-neck cancers through up-regulation of the expression of inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha). These factors increase cancer cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy through up-regulation of anti-apoptotic and down-regulation of apoptotic proteins, respectively. The goal of this study was to generate new isogenic cell lines that would allow analysis of the TLR4 role in paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer. To this end, we used TLR4-positive and negative lines (MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806, respectively) to generate stable TLR4 knockdown and over-expressing line derivatives. Methods: To generate a TLR4 knockdown line, MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with pisiRNA-TLR4 plasmid and selected with zeocin (50μg/ml). To generate a TLR4 over-expressing line, HCC1806 cells were transfected with pKT2-TLR4-PURO plasmid and selected with puromycin (1μg/ml). Ten to 20 monoclonal colonies were selected from each line and characterized for TLR4 expression and TLR4-dependent cell activities by qRT-PCR and western blot. Results: TLR4 mRNA expression was reduced by >90% as compared with parental line in five out of 8 MDA-MB-231TLR4− clones examined. One clone had 60% reduction and two clones had no effect on TLR4 mRNA determined by qRT-PCR. TLR4 mRNA was up-regulated 1,000-12,000 fold in five (out of 11) clones derived from HCC1806 line. Two clones overexpressed TLR4 mRNA by 300-500 fold and four clones had increased TLR4 expression by 1-6 fold. All selected clones were analyzed for TLR4 functional signaling by exposure to LPS (1μg/ml), which was reduced by 50-70% in MDA-MB-231TLR4− clones and increased by 15-25 folds in HCC1806TLR4+ sub-lines, as compared with cells transfected with empty vectors. Conclusions: These data show that we successfully created sub-lines of MDA-MB-231 with stable knockdown of TLR4 and sub-lines of breast carcinoma HCC1806 line with stable over-expression of TLR4. Ectopically expressed human TLR4 as well as TLR4 downregulating sequence had significant functional effects on the TLR4 signaling as demonstrated by increase and decrease of LPS-activated targets (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha) in MDA-MB-231TLR4− and HCC1806TLR4+ sub-lines, respectively. These new sub-lines will serve as excellent tools for analyzing the role of the TLR4 pathway signaling in breast cancer progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy. * These authors contributed equally in this work. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5585. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5585
Pharmacokinetics and endometrial tissue concentrations of enrofloxacin and the metabolite ciprofloxacin after i.v. administration of enrofloxacin to mares.

Enrofloxacin was administered i.v. to five adult mares at a dose of 5 mg/kg. After administration, blood and endometrial biopsy samples were collected at regular intervals for 24 h. The plasma and tissue samples were analyzed for enrofloxacin and the metabolite ciprofloxacin by high-pressure liquid chromatography. In plasma, enrofloxacin had a terminal half-life (t(1/2)), volume of distribution (area method), and systemic clearance of 6.7 +/- 2.9 h, 1.9 +/- 0.4 L/kg, and 3.7 +/- 1.4 mL/kg/min, respectively. Ciprofloxacin had a maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of 0.28 +/- 0.09 microg/mL. In endometrial tissue, the enrofloxacin Cmax was 1.7 +/- 0.5 microg/g, and the t(1/2) was 7.8 +/- 3.7 h. Ciprofloxacin Cmax in tissues was 0.15 +/- 0.04 microg/g and the t(1/2) was 5.2 +/- 2.0 h. The tissue:plasma enrofloxacin concentration ratios (w/w:w/v) were 0.175 +/- 0.08 and 0.47 +/- 0.06 for Cmax and AUC, respectively. For ciprofloxacin, these values were 0.55 +/- 0.13 and 0.58 +/- 0.31, respectively. We concluded that plasma concentrations achieved after 5 mg/kg i.v. are high enough to meet surrogate markers for antibacterial activity (Cmax:MIC ratio, and AUC:MIC ratio) considered effective for most susceptible gram-negative bacteria. Endometrial tissue concentrations taken from the mares after dosing showed that enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin both penetrate this tissue adequately after systemic administration and would attain concentrations high enough in the tissue fluids to treat infections of the endometrium caused by susceptible bacteria.
Temporary Formation of H - 2 above the H + 2 Threshold by Electron Impact

The energy-differentiated electron impact spectra of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ has been studied near the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ threshold in a transmission experiment. Eleven structures with spacings characteristic of the $^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}_{\mathrm{g}}$ state of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ have been found starting at about 13.6 eV. Five of these structures are above the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ threshold. It is suggested that some of the structure previously found in the cross section for the production of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ near threshold is due to autoionization of this state of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$.
Towards the next industrial revolution

The outputs or products of an economy can be divided into services products and goods products (due to manufacturing, construction, agriculture and mining). To date, the services and goods products have, for the most part, been separately mass produced. However, in contrast to the first and second industrial revolutions which respectively focused on the development and the mass production of goods, the next - or third - industrial revolution is focused on the integration of services and/or goods; it is beginning in this second decade of the 21st Century. The Third Industrial Revolution (TIR) is based on the confluence of three major technological enablers (i.e., big data analytics, adaptive services and digital manufacturing); they underpin the integration or mass customization of services and/or goods. As detailed in an earlier paper, we regard mass customization as the simultaneous and real-time management of supply and demand chains, based on a taxonomy that can be defined in terms of its underpinning component and management foci. The benefits of real-time mass customization cannot be over-stated as goods and services become indistinguishable and are co-produced - as “servgoods” - in real-time, resulting in an overwhelming economic advantage to the industrialized countries where the consuming customers are at the same time the co-producing producers.
Thermally Stable Electro-Optic Polymer Modulator Using Diels-Alder Cross-linkable Polymer

A thermally stable modulator using a novel Diels-Alder cross-linkable electro-optic polymer was fabricated to overcome the
Diagnosis and quantification of aortic stenosis with pulsed doppler echocardiography

The presence of disturbed or turbulent flow in the ascending aorta, as assessed with pulsed Doppler echocardiography, was correlated with the presence and severity of aortic stenosis in 95 patients: 18 normal subjects, 18 with a normal aortic prosthesis and 59 with clinically suspected aortic stenosis who underwent hemodynamic studies. Turbulence was defined as a frequency dispersion greater than 1.5 cm on a time interval histographic recording of the Doppler signal. Systolic turbulence was absent in all 18 normal subjects and present in the 59 patients with aortic stenosis. The patients were divided into a test group (Group I, 34 patients) and a prospective group (Group II, 25 patients). Five graphic indexes were evaluated indicative of either duration or amplitude of turbulence, amount of frequency dispersion above and below the 0 frequency shift baseline or degree of distortion of the “flow-curve” pattern of the analog signal. Chi square analysis of results in group I indicated significant (p < 0.001) differences in the magnitude of each index between patients with an aortic valve area greater than 1.0 cm2 (n = 12) and those with an area less than 1.0 cm2 (n = 22). When all five indexes were combined, 91 percent of patients with a valve area of less than 1.0 cm2 had three or more indexes suggesting reduced valve area (positive score of 3 to 5), whereas 92 percent of patients with an area greater than 1.0 cm2 had two or fewer positive indexes (p < 0.001). In Group II, 93 percent of patients with an aortic valve area of less than 1.0 cm2 (n = 14) had a positive score of 3 to 5 whereas 82 percent of patients with an area greater than 1.0 cm2 (n = 11) had a score of 0 to 2 (p < 0.001). The overall sensitivity of the technique (n = 59) in detecting valve areas of less than 1.0 cm2 was 92 percent with a specificity of 87 percent; the predictive values for distinguishing areas less than from those greater than 1.0 cm2 were 92 and 87 percent, respectively. The technique could not be used to distinguish patients with a valve area of 0.7 cm2 or less (n = 27) from those with an area greater than 0.7 but less than 1.0 cm2 (n = 9). Turbulence was either absent or mild (0 to 2 positive scores) in the patients with an aortic prosthesis. The presence of either aortic insufficiency (n = 17), increased age (65 years or older) (n = 20) or left ventricular dilatation or failure (n = 23) did not appear to alter the results significantly. Severity of aortic stenosis could not be assessed with M mode echocardiography in 30 of 59 patients (51 percent). Thus, pulsed Doppler echocardiography allows objective assessment of severity of aortic stenosis and may therefore be an excellent screening technique for detection of patients with an aortic valve area of less than 1.0 cm2.
Cross-Validation of Anthropometric and Bioelectrical Resistance Prediction Equations for Body Composition in Older People Using the 4-Compartment Model as a Criterion Method

OBJECTIVE: To cross-validate existing equations in the literature for their accuracy and precision for estimating body fat in older people from anthropometric measures and height2/resistance, using the 4-compartment model as a criteria method, and to propose new practical equations with improved accuracy and precision. DESIGN: Measurement of body composition in a cross-sectional cohort of healthy men and women and comparison by cross-validation techniques against existing prediction equations. SETTING: The study was performed on subjects admitted to a General Clinical Research Center. PARTICIPANTS: The subjects were 41 healthy women (68.2 ± 6.6 years; 64.1 ± 10.2 kg) and 41 healthy men (70.2 ± 7.0 years; 74.9 ±11.0 kg). MEASUREMENTS: The criteria method for total body composition was the 4-compartment model based on measurement of total body density by underwater weight, total body water by isotope dilution, and total bone mineral from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The other techniques examined for accuracy and validity were body fat estimates derived by skinfolds using the Durnin and Womersley Equations; waist circumference and age using the Lean Equations; and bio-electrical resistance using five published equations, including two derived in the older population. RESULTS: When compared with data derived from the 4-compartment model, the skinfold equation of Durnin and Womersley was cross-validated successfully in women but not in men. The Baumgartner equation was the only bioelectrical resistance equation that met the criteria for successful cross-validation in men and women, although in women the intercept (4.0 ±2.1 kg) was close to significantly different from zero (P = .06). Error in the estimates of body fat using the Durnin and Womersley and the Baumgartner equations was significantly and inversely related to fat mass (r = -.39 to r = -.56). In our data, the significant predictors of fat mass were hip circumference, calf skinfold, gender, body weight, height2/resistance, and biceps skinfold, explaining 84% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: The Durnin and Womersley equation is accurate for women and the Baumgartner equation is accurate for both men and women if a correction of +4 kg is made in women; however, for both equations the error in the estimate is inversely related to fat mass. We suggest new anthropometric equations for estimating body fat in older people, which may improve accuracy and precision. The new equations will need to be tested in independent cross-validation studies.
Nature in the New World: From Christopher Columbus to Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo

In "Nature in the New World", Antonello Gerbi examines the fascinating reports of the first Europeans to see the Americas. These accounts provided the basis for the images of strange and new flora, fauna, and human creatures that filled European imaginations. Initial chapters are devoted to the writings of Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Verrazzano, and others. The second portion of the book concerns the "Historia general y natural de las Indias" of Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, a work commissioned by Charles V of Spain in 1532 but not published in its entirety until the 1850s. Gerbi contends that Oviedo, a Spanish administrator who lived in Santo Domingo, has been unjustly neglected as a historian. In this book, Gerbi shows Oviedo to be a major authority on the culture, history, and conquest of the New World.
Long Noncoding RNAs: Emerging Stars in Gene Regulation, Epigenetics and Human Disease

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are classes of transcripts that are encoded by the genome and transcribed but never get translated into proteins. Though not translated into proteins, ncRNAs play pivotal roles in a variety of cellular functions. Here, we review the functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their implications in various human diseases. Increasing numbers of studies demonstrate that lncRNAs play critical roles in regulation of protein-coding genes, maintenance of genomic integrity, dosage compensation, genomic imprinting, mRNA processing, cell differentiation, and development. Misregulation of lncRNAs is associated with a variety of human diseases, including cancer, immune and neurological disorders. Different classes of lncRNAs, their functions, mechanisms of action, and associations with different human diseases are summarized in detail, highlighting their as yet untapped potential in therapy.
Some Organometallic Chemistry of Molybdenum Complexes that Contain the (HIPTN3N) 3- Triamidoamine Ligand, {(3,5-(2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2)2C6H3NCH2CH2)3N} 3-

Reactions between [HIPTN3N]Mo(N2) and ethylene, acetylene, or CO yield Mo(η2-C2H4), Mo(η2-C2H2), and Mo(CO), respectively ([HIPTN3N]3- = [3,5-(2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2)2C6H3NCH2CH2]3N3-; HIPT = hexaisopropylterphenyl; [HIPTN3N]Mo = Mo). All are paramagnetic C3 symmetric species. Attempts to prepare Mo(CO) through reduction of MoCl with Na/Hg in THF under carbon monoxide yielded [Mo(CO)]Na, in which the sodium ion is believed to be bound within the HIPT aryl system. Addition of a variety of acids such as [Et3NH]BAr‘4 to [Mo(CO)]Na led to formation of the carbonyl hydride, Mo(CO)H, which also could be prepared by treating MoH with CO. Reactions between MoH and ethylene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene in benzene yield paramagnetic, red Mo(CH2R) complexes (CH2R = ethyl, hexyl, or octyl). MoMe could be prepared by treating MoCl with AlMe3 at room temperature over a period of 2 days. Treatment of MoH with acetylene affords yellow diamagnetic Mo(η2-CHCH2) plus polyacetylene. The MoCH2R complexes decompose at ∼150 °C to yield the ...
Simultaneous stress separation, smoothing of measured thermoelastic isopachic information and enhanced boundary data

A new thermoelastic hybrid method of stress analysis is demonstrated experimentally which simultaneously smooths the measured isopachic data, enhances the boundary information, and separates the stresses at nonboundary locations using only the isopachics. The technique is illustrated by application to a tensile plate containing a hole.
Streaming speech3: a framework for generating and streaming 3D text-to-speech and audio presentations to wireless PDAs as specified using extensions to SMIL

While monochrome unformatted text and richly colored graphical content are both capable of conveying a message, well designed graphical content has the potential for better engaging the human sensory system. It is our contention that the author of an audio presentation should be afforded the benefit of judiciously exploiting the human aural perceptual ability to deliver content in a more compelling, concise and realistic manner. While contemporary streaming media players and voice browsers share the ability to render content non-textually, neither technology is currently capable of rendering three dimensional media. The contributions described in this paper are proposed 3D audio extensions to SMIL and a server-based framework able to receive a request and, on-demand, process such a SMIL file and dynamically create the multiple simultaneous audio objects, spatialize them in 3D space, multiplex them into a single stereo audio and prepare it for transmission over an audio stream to a mobile device. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first reported solution for delivering and rendering on a commercially available wireless handheld device a rich 3D audio listening experience as described by a markup language. Naturally, in addition to mobile devices this solution also works with desktop streaming media players.
Infectious Diseases of Pacific Salmon

Abstract Investigations on infectious diseases of Pacific salmon due to micro-organisms other than viruses are reviewed. The etiological agents include trematodes, fungi, protozoa and bacteria. Bacteria have been found to be the most important agents of disease in the several species of Pacific salmon. Kidney disease, due to a small, unnamed Gram-positive diplobacillus, causes serious mortalities in young salmon reared in hatcheries. The disease has also been found in wild fish. Aquatic myxobacteria are important agents of disease both in the hatchery and in the natural habitat. One of the myxobacteria, Chondrococcus columnaris, causes disease at relatively high water temperatures. The problem of the taxonomy of this organism is discussed. Another myxobacterium, Cytophaga psychrophila, has been found responsible for epizootics in coho salmon at lower water temperatures, i.e., in the range of 40° to 55° F. In outbreaks of gill disease in young salmon, myxobacteria of several kinds have been implicated. A v...
Obituary: J. Beverley Oke (1928–2004)

Optical telescopes have very long useful lives, but they are only as good as the light-detecting instruments at their focal planes — which, in turn, are only as good as their designers. J. Beverley (Bev) Oke, who died on 2 March 2004 at the age of 75, devoted most of his scientific career to devising and building a succession of such instruments — photometers, cameras and spectrographs that have helped, in particular, to keep the 50-year-old Hale telescope at the Palomar Observatory, California, at the forefront of astronomical research.
A critical analysis of continuum electrostatics: the screened Coulomb potential--implicit solvent model and the study of the alanine dipeptide and discrimination of misfolded structures of proteins.

An analysis of the screened Coulomb potential–implicit solvent model (SCP–ISM) is presented showing that general equations for both the electrostatic and solvation free energy can be derived in a continuum approach, using statistical averaging of the polarization field created by the solvent around the molecule. The derivation clearly shows how the concept of boundary, usually found in macroscopic approaches, is eliminated when the continuum model is obtained from a microscopic treatment using appropriate averaging techniques. The model is used to study the alanine dipeptide in aqueous solution, as well as the discrimination of native protein structures from misfolded conformations. For the alanine dipeptide the free energy surface in the ϕ–ψ space is calculated and compared with recently reported results of a detailed molecular dynamics simulation using an explicit representation of the solvent, and with other available data. The study showed that the results obtained using the SCP–ISM are comparable to those of the explicit water calculation and compares favorably to the FDPB approach. Both transition states and energy minima show a high correlation (r > 0.98) with the results obtained in the explicit water analysis. The study of the misfolded structures of proteins comprised the analysis of three standard decoy sets, namely, the EMBL, Park and Levitt, and Baker's CASP3 sets. In all cases the SCP–ISM discriminated well the native structures of the proteins, and the best-predicted structures were always near-native (cRMSD ∼2 A). Proteins 2002;47:45–61. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Using antibiotic concentrations in middle ear fluid to predict potential clinical efficacy.

Background. The effectiveness of an antibiotic in eradicating an infection within an anatomic compartment is related to both its availability (penetration) and the susceptibility of the causative pathogen. Antimicrobial penetration can be assessed by measuring concentrations in serum or tissue. However, to assess antibiotic effectiveness in the treatment of otitis media, both antibiotic concentrations and pathogen profiles in middle ear fluid (MEF) should be considered. Tympanocentesis is required to access fluid in the middle ear compartment. This paper considers data on (MEF) antibiotic concentrations obtained with this procedure. Methods. Data on MEF antibiotic concentrations were considered in relation to the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the more common otitis media pathogens. Results. Amoxicillin reaches MEF concentrations that exceed MICs for penicillin-susceptible and penicillin relatively resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, but not for beta-lactamase-producing Haemophilus influenzae. Several betalactamase-stable drugs, e.g. cefixime and amoxicillin/clavulanate, however, achieve MEF concentrations that easily exceed their respective MIC 90 s for both beta-lactamase-producing and nonproducing H. influenzae but at ordinary doses may not exceed MIC 90 s for penicillin relatively resistant S. pneumoniae. Conclusion. Ongoing observation of organisms and their antibiotic resistance patterns in patients failing initial therapy of acute otitis media indicate that stability to beta-lactamase remains an essential quality for effective second line therapies. However, when possible tympanocentesis with culture is the ideal method of targeting specific therapy for patients failing multiple consecutive antibiotic regimens.
Surgical Career Choices: The Vital Impact of Mentoring

Objective Few studies have analyzed the impact of mentoring on general surgical graduates’ future career choices. We attempted to characterize the impact mentoring had on choices made by graduates from our residency program regarding surgical subspecialty training. Methods A 32 item web survey was sent to 99 graduates of a university general surgery program, who matriculated between 1985 and 2007. The intent of the questionnaire was to evaluate influences on future subspecialty choice. Focusing on the influence of mentoring, we compared graduates who indicated that an influential mentor was an important factor in their decision (MENTOR) to those respondents who ranked this factor as unimportant (OTHER). Results were analyzed using Fisher's exact test with significance determined at p ≤ 0.05. Results A total of 83 respondents (84%) answered the questionnaire (61 men, 18 women, 4 not indicated). Of these respondents, 61 (75%) indicated that an influential mentor was important or very important in choosing their specialty field (MENTOR). The most common fields of the mentors were general surgery (22%), surgical oncology (15%), and plastic surgery (13%). Proteges indicated that their decision to pursue a subspecialty was most influenced by the following mentor characteristics: demonstrating expertise (77%), being a role model (72%), and practicing professional integrity (70%). In the MENTOR group, the vast majority of respondents [72% (43/60)] were in the same field as their mentor (P= Conclusion Mentored surgical residency graduates were likely to enter the same specialty and practice type as their mentor. Also, the timing of identifying a mentor was strongly correlated with future practice type. With increasing concerns about “the impending disappearance of the general surgeon” along with increasing growth in surgical sub-specialization, it is essential that all types of surgeons provide early and sustained mentorship to medical students and residents to help shape the future of surgery.
Software release management

A poorly understood and underdeveloped part of the software process is software release management, which is the process through which software is made available to and obtained by its users. Complicating software release management is the increasing tendency for software to be constructed as a “system of systems”, assembled from preexisting, independently produced, and independently released systems. Both developers and users of such software are affected by these complications. Developers need to accurately document complex and changing dependencies among the systems constituting the software. Users will be heavily involved in the location, retrieval, and assembly process of the systems in order to appropriately configure the software to their particular environment. In this paper we identify the issues encountered in software release management, and present an initial set of requirements for a software release management tool. We then describe a prototype of such a tool that supports both developers and users in the software release management process.
High bit rate germanium single photon detectors for 1310nm

There is increasing interest in development of high speed, low noise and readily fieldable near infrared (NIR) single photon detectors. InGaAs/InP Avalanche photodiodes (APD) operated in Geiger mode (GM) are a leading choice for NIR due to their preeminence in optical networking. After-pulsing is, however, a primary challenge to operating InGaAs/InP single photon detectors at high frequencies1. After-pulsing is the effect of charge being released from traps that trigger false ("dark") counts. To overcome this problem, hold-off times between detection windows are used to allow the traps to discharge to suppress after-pulsing. The hold-off time represents, however, an upper limit on detection frequency that shows degradation beginning at frequencies of ~100 kHz in InGaAs/InP. Alternatively, germanium (Ge) single photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD) have been reported to have more than an order of magnitude smaller charge trap densities than InGaAs/InP SPADs 2 , which allowed them to be successfully operated with passive quenching 2 (i.e., no gated hold off times necessary), which is not possible with InGaAs/InP SPADs, indicating a much weaker dark count dependence on hold-off time consistent with fewer charge traps. Despite these encouraging results suggesting a possible higher operating frequency limit for Ge SPADs, little has been reported on Ge SPAD performance at high frequencies presumably because previous work with Ge SPADs has been discouraged by a strong demand to work at 1550 nm. NIR SPADs require cooling, which in the case of Ge SPADs dramatically reduces the quantum efficiency of the Ge at 1550 nm. Recently, however, advantages to working at 1310 nm have been suggested which combined with a need to increase quantum bit rates for quantum key distribution (QKD) motivates examination of Ge detectors performance at very high detection rates where InGaAs/InP does not perform as well. Presented in this paper are measurements of a commercially available Ge APD operated at relatively short GM hold-off times to examine whether there are potential advantages to using Ge for 1310 nm single photon detection. A weaker after-pulsing dependence on frequency is observed offering initial indications of the potential that Ge APDs might provide better high frequency performance.
Nernst effect and anomalous transport in cuprates: A preformed-pair alternative to the vortex scenario

We address those puzzling experiments in underdoped high-${T}_{c}$ superconductors which have been associated with normal-state ``vortices'' and show these data can be understood as deriving from preformed pairs with onset temperature ${T}^{*}g{T}_{c}.$ For uncorrelated bosons in small magnetic fields and arbitrary ${T}^{*}{/T}_{c},$ we present the exact contribution to all transport coefficients. In the overdoped regime our results reduce to those of standard fluctuation theories ${(T}^{*}\ensuremath{\approx}{T}_{c}).$ Semiquantitative agreement with Nernst, ac and dc conductivity, and diamagnetic measurements is quite reasonable.
The Ama1-Directed Anaphase-Promoting Complex Regulates the Smk1 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase During Meiosis in Yeast

Smk1 is a meiosis-specific MAPK homolog in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that regulates the postmeiotic program of spore formation. Similar to other MAPKs, it is activated via phosphorylation of the T-X-Y motif in its regulatory loop, but the signals controlling Smk1 activation have not been defined. Here we show that Ama1, a meiosis-specific activator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), promotes Smk1 activation during meiosis. A weakened allele of CDC28 suppresses the sporulation defect of an ama1 null strain and increases the activation state of Smk1. The function of Ama1 in regulating Smk1 is independent of the FEAR network, which promotes exit from mitosis and exit from meiosis I through the Cdc14 phosphatase. The data indicate that Cdc28 and Ama1 function in a pathway to trigger Smk1-dependent steps in spore morphogenesis. We propose that this novel mechanism for controlling MAPK activation plays a role in coupling the completion of meiosis II to gamete formation.
Dual Particle-Specie Concept for Improved Electrostatic Deposition Through Space-Charge Field Enhancement

A method is developed for enhancing the space-charge deposition of airborne particulates within electrostatically shielded target systems. Upon uniform dispersion of an active specie of particulate along with an inert specie within the target confines, differential electrical migration velocities can be effected to assure preferential deposition of all particles of the active specie before depletion of the interspersed cloud's space-charge field. Theoretical equations provide for judicious selection of relative application volumes and particle radii for the two distinct species. The model shows, for example, that when utilized for agricultural pesticide spraying of the interior regions of plant canopies, all toxic pesticide droplets can be electrostatically deposited prior to a 35-percent depletion of the cloud's space-charge field if a) at least 80 percent as much inert spray is dispersed along with the toxic spray, and b) if the toxic-to-inert specie radii ratio is ? 5. For this specific example of pesticide application, poor deposition of the remaining inert spray under electric-field depletion conditions would be of neither economic nor ecological consequence. The method is also applicable to numerous industrial uses in which space-charge generates the dominant force field for removal of particulate material out of air or other gas streams (e.g., fugitive dust control, precipitation of air-polluting emissions, resource recovery, etc.).
Key to Adventive Sap Beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in Hawaii, with Notes on Records and Habits

Abstract A key to the species of adventive sap beetles of Hawaii is provided to assist in the separation of adventive species from endemics, and includes the following species: Cybocephalus nipponicus Endrody-Younga, Conotelus mexicanus Sharp, Carpophilus (Urophorus) humeralis (F.), Carpophilus hemipterus (L.), Carpophilus (dimidiatus) dimidiatus (F.), Carpophilus (dimidiatus) freemani Dobson, Carpophilus (dimidiatus) maculatus Murray, Carpophilus (dimidiatus) mutilatus (Erichson), Carpophilus marginellus Motschulsky, Carpophilus oculatus Murray, Epuraea (Haptoncus) luteola Erichson, Epuraea (Haptoncus) munda (Sharp), Epuraea (Haptoncus) ocularis Fairmaire, Aethina (Idaethina) concolor (Macleay), Omosita discoidea (F.), Stelidota geminata (Say), Stelidota chontalensis Sharp, Phenolia (Aethinodes) attenuata (Reitter), and Phenolia (Lasiodites) limbata tibialis (Boheman). For each adventive species, general habits, island distributions within Hawaii, new collection records, and worldwide distribution are noted.
Wireless investor - triple-screen investing

Markets often focus on the short- and medium-term view. While it is too early to be wildly bullish, it may be time to start picking cautiously through the post-crash rubble. This column describes investment strategies that may be appropriate for this phase of the market. This column presents a triple-screen system for investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks.
Surgery of the Ambulatory Patient

Abstract The ambulatory treatment of surgical lesions has many advantages. The requirements in equipment are not great; the personnel must include at least one other person besides the operator. A practical knowledge of surgical technique and asepsis is necessary. Procaine solution has distinct advantages as a local anesthetic and has been used in 87 per cent of 1000 operations. Vinethene is the general anesthetic of choice because of its rapid induction and recovery and relative freedom from postanesthetic difficulties. The scope of surgery in the ambulatory patient includes operations upon superficial tumors and cysts, repair of minor deformities, the care of infections, anal lesions, and fractures of the arm and lower leg. Practical suggestions have been made concerning the treatment of these lesions
Expression of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis acr-Coregulated Genes from the DevR (DosR) Regulon Is Controlled by Multiple Levels of Regulation

ABSTRACT Little is known about how Mycobacterium tuberculosis regulates gene expression in response to its host environment, despite its importance as a pathogen. We previously characterized 10 acr-coregulated genes (ACGs), all of which belong to the DevR (DosR) “dormancy” regulon, and identified one to three copies of a conserved 18-bp palindromic DNA motif in the promoter of each ACG family member. In the present study, we used base substitution analyses to assess the importance of individual motif copies and to identify additional regulatory sequences in five ACG promoters. Regulation of acr, acg, Rv2623, narK2, and Rv1738 was examined by using single-copy M. tuberculosis promoter-lacZ reporter constructs in Mycobacterium bovis BCG under conditions of ambient air versus hypoxia, each in shaking versus standing shallow culture conditions. We found that regulation of these ACG promoters is more heterogeneous than expected and is controlled at multiple levels. In addition to the positive regulation previously associated with DevR (DosR) and the 18-bp ACG motif, we identified negative regulation associated with sequences in the 5′ untranslated regions of acg and Rv2623 and positive regulation associated with far upstream regulatory regions of narK2 and Rv1738. The importance of individual ACG motifs varied among the promoters examined, and Rv1738 was exceptional in that its ACG motif copies were associated with negative, rather than positive, regulation under some conditions. Further understanding of this important regulon requires the identification of additional regulators that compete and/or collaborate with DevR (DosR) to regulate its individual gene members.
Direct Water Splitting under Visible Light with Nanostructured Hematite and WO3 Photoanodes and a GaInP2 Photocathode

A p-GaInP{sub 2} photocathode was paired with nanostructured hematite and tungsten trioxide photoanodes to investigate the utility of these systems for direct water splitting under visible light illumination. For the hematite system, under illumination at open-circuit conditions, the potential of hematite shifts cathodically and that of the GaInP{sub 2} shifts anodically. Under short-circuit condition and visible light illumination, the combination of the two photoelectrodes can split water, though with a very low rate of a few {micro}A/cm{sup 2} even at an intensity of 1 W/cm{sup 2}. It was determined that the very low photocurrent from the hematite nanorod photoelectrode limits the short-circuit current of the two-photoelectrode combination. Similar potential shifts were observed with the nanostructured WO{sub 3}/GaInP{sub 2} combination. However, at light intensities below 0.2 W/cm{sup 2}, the short-circuited combination would not split water due to an insufficient potential difference. Above 0.2 W/cm{sup 2}, the combination can split water under visible light, with {approx}20 {micro}A/cm{sup 2} obtained at 1 W/cm{sup 2}. A linear photocurrent-light intensity relationship was observed and was attributed to efficient charge transfer and a low recombination of the charge carriers. The bandgap and the associated absorption limit of WO{sub 3} remain a challenge for a higher efficiencymore » system.« less
Developmental trajectories of delinquency symptoms in childhood: The role of marital conflict and autonomic nervous system activity

Trajectories of delinquency symptoms across middle and late childhood were examined through latent growth modeling, with a focus on the role of interactions among parental marital conflict, child sex, and multiple indices (baseline, reactivity) of either parasympathetic nervous system activity, indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), or sympathetic nervous system activity, indexed by skin conductance level (SCL), as predictors of growth. At Time 1, 128 girls and 123 boys (mean age = 8.23 yrs ± 0.73) and their parents participated. The sample comprised 64% European American and 36% African American children. Families participated in second and third waves of data collection with a 1-year lag between each wave. Interactions among marital conflict, sex, baseline RSA, and RSA reactivity from baseline to a frustrating lab task were significant predictors of growth in delinquent behavior from age 8 to age 10, with overall patterns indicating increasing symptoms for boys who lived in high-conflict homes and had an RSA response profile comprising lower RSA during the baseline and RSA augmentation (increase from baseline to the frustrating task). Furthermore, increases in delinquency symptoms over time were observed for children from high-conflict homes and with an SCL profile characterized by higher baseline levels and lower reactivity (less pronounced SCL increases from baseline) to the frustrating task. Findings highlight the importance of contemporaneous assessments of resting and reactivity levels when examining relations among the environment, physiological functioning, and psychopathology. Results are discussed in the context of interactions between biology and environment as relevant to the development of psychopathology.
A Multiagent System for Touristic Travel Planning

This paper presents the progress in the development of a multiagent system for the tourism sector, whose objective is to give support to the tourists before and during his travel. Are presented the changes between an earlier and a stable version of the system, also is described the scenario that corresponds to the creation of a new itinerary and some diagrams designed with the PASSI methodology are shown.
The amalgamation behavior of heavy elements—III Extraction of radium, lead and the actinides by sodium amalgam from acetate solutions

Abstract This paper presents extraction yields of radium, lead and the actinides from Ac through No, with sodium amalgam from 7 M sodium acetate solutions. The extraction yield is shown to depend upon the amount of HCl added to 7 M sodium acetate solution before extraction. Californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, radium and lead are extracted with high yields (75–100 per cent relative to Cf), while the lower actinides, Ac, Th, Pa, U, Np, Am, Cm and Bk are extracted with low yield (below 10 per cent relative to Cf). The addition of oxidizing agents such as H 2 O 2 or HNO 3 before extraction strongly suppresses the extraction, except in the case of lead. Investigation of the extraction behavior of all actinide elements (except lawrencium, which has no isotopes suitable for conventional chemical study) and a survey of the literature of the extraction behavior of the lanthanides show cases of uncorrelated extraction properties in both series. On the whole, however, high extraction yields correlate with independent evidence for the existence of a dipositive oxidation state in the lanthanides and suggest the possible formation of this oxidation state in californium and heavier actinides.
A Unified Framework for Periodic, On-Demand, and User-Specified Software Information

Although grid computing can increase the number of resources available to a user, not all resources on the grid may have a software environment suitable for running a given application. To provide users with the necessary assistance for selecting resources with compatible software environments and/or for automatically establishing such environments, an accurate source of information about the software installed across the grid is needed. Existing software information services and general-purpose information frameworks are inadequate for this task. This paper presents a new OGSI-compliant software information service that has been implemented as part of NASA's Information Power Grid project. This service is built on top of a general framework for reconciling information from periodic, on-demand, and user-specified sources. Information is retrieved using standard XPath queries over a single unified namespace independent of the information's source. Two consumers of the provided software information, the IPG Resource Broker and the IPG Naturalization Service, are briefly described.
Why Is N-Glycolylneuraminic Acid Rare in the Vertebrate Brain?

The sialic acids N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and N-glycolyl- neuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) differ by a single oxygen atom and are widely found at the terminal position of glycans on vertebrate cell surfaces. In animals capable of synthesizing Neu5Gc, most tissues and cell types express both sialic acids, in proportions that vary between species. However, it has long been noted that Neu5Gc is consistently expressed at trace to absent levels in the brains of all vertebrates studied to date. Although several reports have claimed to find low levels of Neu5Gc-containing glycans in neural tissue, no study definitively excludes the possibility of contamination with glycans from non-neural cell types. This distribu- tion of a molecule - prominently but variably expressed in extraneural tissues but very low or absent in the brain - is, to our knowledge, unique. The evolutionarily conserved brain-specific suppression of Neu5Gc may indicate that its presence is toxic to this organ; however, no studies to date have directly addressed this very interesting question. Here we provide a historical background to this issue and discuss potential mechanisms causing the suppression of Neu5Gc expression in brain tissue, as well as mechanisms by which Neu5Gc may exert the presumed toxicity. Finally, we discuss future approaches towards understanding the mechanisms and implications of this unusual finding.
A Review of the Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Among School-Aged Children

CONTEXT: Studies through 6 years have shown no long-term direct effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on children9s physical growth, developmental test scores, or language outcomes. Little is known about the effects of PCE among school-aged children aged 6 years and older. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed articles from studies that examined the effects of PCE on growth, cognitive ability, academic functioning, and brain structure and function among school-aged children. METHODS: Articles were obtained by searching PubMed, Medline, TOXNET, and PsycInfo databases from January 1980 to December 2008 with the terms “prenatal cocaine exposure,” “cocaine,” “drug exposure,” “substance exposure,” “maternal drug use,” “polysubstance,” “children,” “adolescent,” “in utero,” “pregnancy,” “development,” and “behavior.” Criteria for inclusion were (1) empirical research on children aged 6 years and older prenatally exposed to cocaine, (2) peer-reviewed English-language journal, (3) comparison group, (4) longitudinal follow-up or historical prospective design, (5) masked assessment, (6) exclusion of subjects with serious medical disabilities, and (7) studies that reported nonredundant findings for samples used in multiple investigations. Thirty-two unique studies met the criteria. Each article was independently abstracted by 2 authors to obtain sample composition, methods of PCE assessment, study design, comparison groups, dependent variables, covariates, and results. RESULTS: Associations between PCE and growth, cognitive ability, academic achievement, and language functioning were small and attenuated by environmental variables. PCE had significant negative associations with sustained attention and behavioral self-regulation, even with covariate control. Although emerging evidence suggests PCE-related alterations in brain structure and function, interpretation is limited by methodologic inconsistencies. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with findings among preschool-aged children, environmental variables play a key role in moderating and explaining the effects of PCE on school-aged children9s functioning. After controlling for these effects, PCE-related impairments are reliably reported in sustained attention and behavioral self-regulation among school-aged children.
Byzantine fault tolerance for session-oriented multi-tiered applications

This article presents a lightweight Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT) framework for session-oriented multi-tiered applications. We conclude that it is sufficient to use a lightweight BFT algorithm instead of a traditional BFT algorithm, based on a comprehensive study of the threat model to, and the state model of, the session-oriented multi-tiered applications. The lightweight BFT algorithm uses source ordering, rather than total ordering, of incoming requests to achieve Byzantine fault tolerant state-machine replication of such type of applications. The performance of the lightweight BFT framework is evaluated using a shopping cart application prototype built on the web services platform. The same shopping cart application is used as a running example to illustrate the problem we address and our proposed solution. Performance evaluation results obtained from the prototype implementation show that indeed our lightweight BFT algorithm incurs very insignificant overhead.