cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Temperature and Annealing on the Phase Composition, Molecular Mobility, and the Thickness of Domains in Isotactic Polypropylene Studied by Proton Solid-State NMR, SAXS, and DSC

A combination of DSC, SAXS, WAXD, 1H time-domain, and frequency domain NMR measurements was used for determining the amount of rigid/crystallinity, semirigid, and soft fractions of iPP. Changes in the rigid, semirigid, and soft fractions of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) were investigated as a function of temperature, annealing time, and annealing temperature. The most probable iPP morphology was established by TEM and by comparing 1H spin-diffusion data with data from multidimensional solutions of the spin-diffusion equations. Proton NMR spin-diffusion method, which employs double-quantum (DQ) and Goldman−Shen dipolar filters, was used in order to provide the domain thickness in iPP. The temperature dependence of spin diffusivities was taken into account, and a semiquantitative theory is presented for this dependence in the case of amorphous domains. A combination of 1H spin-diffusion NMR and SAXS was used to estimate the lamellar thicknesses for nonannealed and annealed iPP samples. Annealing at temperat...
Left Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction Pathophysiology and Therapy

Left ventricular remodeling is the process by which ventricular size, shape, and function are regulated by mechanical, neurohormonal, and genetic factors.1 2 Remodeling may be physiological and adaptive during normal growth or pathological due to myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, or valvular heart disease (Figure 1⇓). This article will review postinfarction remodeling, pathophysiological mechanisms, and therapeutic intervention. Figure 1. Diagrammatic representation of the many factors involved in the pathophysiology of ventricular remodeling. ECM indicates extracellular matrix; RAAS, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; CO, cardiac output; SVR, systemic vascular resistance; LV, left ventricular; and AII, angiotensin II. ### Postinfarction Left Ventricular Remodeling The acute loss of myocardium results in an abrupt increase in loading conditions that induces a unique pattern of remodeling involving the infarcted border zone and remote noninfarcted myocardium. Myocyte necrosis and the resultant increase in load trigger a cascade of biochemical intracellular signaling processes that initiates and subsequently modulates reparative changes, which include dilatation, hypertrophy, and the formation of a discrete collagen scar. Ventricular remodeling may continue for weeks or months until the distending forces are counterbalanced by the tensile strength of the collagen scar. This balance is determined by the size, location, and transmurality of the infarct, the extent of myocardial stunning, the patency of the infarct-related artery, and local tropic factors.1 3 The myocardium consists of 3 integrated components: myocytes, extracellular matrix, and the capillary microcirculation that services the contractile unit assembly. Consideration of all 3 components provides important insights into the remodeling process and a rationale for future therapeutic strategies. The cardiomyocyte is terminally differentiated and develops tension by shortening. The extracellular matrix provides a stress-tolerant, viscoelastic scaffold consisting of type I and type III collagen that couples myocytes and maintains the spatial relations between the myofilaments and their capillary microcirculation.4 5 The collagen framework couples adjacent myocytes by intercellular struts that …
Bayesian factor analysis for multilevel binary observations

Multilevel covariance structure models have become increasingly popular in the psychometric literature in the past few years to account for population heterogeneity and complex study designs. We develop practical simulation based procedures for Bayesian inference of multilevel binary factor analysis models. We illustrate how Markov Chain Monte Carlo procedures such as Gibbs sampling and Metropolis-Hastings methods can be used to perform Bayesian inference, model checking and model comparison without the need for multidimensional numerical integration. We illustrate the proposed estimation methods using three simulation studies and an application involving student's achievement results in different areas of mathematics.
Oxidation of selenium surfaces by ozone produced in a corona discharge

The effects of ozone exposure on amorphous selenium surfaces have been studied. The study has shown that selenium surfaces oxidize to SeO2 upon exposure to ozone at concentrations commonly found in rapid electrostatic printers.
Assessed relevance and stylistic variation

Texts exhibit considerable stylistic variation. This paper reports an experiment where a large corpus of documents is analyzed using various simple stylistic metrics. A subset of the corpus has been previously assessed to be relevant for answering given information retrieval queries. The experiment shows that this subset differs significantly from the rest of the corpus in terms of the stylistic metrics studied.
Simple strategies to reduce healthcare associated infections in the neonatal intensive care unit: Line, tube, and hand hygiene

This article describes strategies to prevent 2 important healthcare associated infections in the neonatal intensive care unit: central line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Hand hygiene is discussed as the cornerstone for prevention of all healthcare associated infections. Specific recommendations for education and training of health care personnel who insert and maintain central venous catheters and urinary tract catheters are made and best practices for insertion and maintenance of these catheters are discussed. Throughout this article, the emphasis is on prevention of these high morbidity and mortality healthcare associated infections.
A Novel CDK9-Associated C-Type Cyclin Interacts Directly with HIV-1 Tat and Mediates Its High-Affinity, Loop-Specific Binding to TAR RNA

Abstract The HIV-1 Tat protein regulates transcription elongation through binding to the viral TAR RNA stem-loop structure. We have isolated a novel 87 kDa cyclin C–related protein (cyclin T) that interacts specifically with the transactivation domain of Tat. Cyclin T is a partner for CDK9, an RNAPII transcription elongation factor. Remarkably, the interaction of Tat with cyclin T strongly enhances the affinity and specificity of the Tat:TAR RNA interaction, and confers a requirement for sequences in the loop of TAR that are not recognized by Tat alone. Moreover, overexpression of human cyclin T rescues Tat activity in nonpermissive rodent cells. We propose that Tat directs cyclin T–CDK9 to RNAPII through cooperative binding to TAR RNA.
Performance Evaluation of WiMAX System in Various Morphological Scenarios

In the recent years, the WiMAX cellular system has been greatly deployed worldwide as it can provide high data rate to mobile subscribers. However, a few works has been done to characterize the behavior of the WiMAX network in different deployment scenarios. In this paper, we investigate the performance of the WiMAX system in various morphological scenarios, namely, dense urban, urban, and sub-urban. Moreover, we evaluate the behavior of the WiMAX system with different environment parameters such as cell radius, penetration loss, and receiver antenna gain. For each WiMAX scenario, relevant set of performance criteria such as the spectral efficiency is evaluated via system level simulations (SLS). Finally, this paper provides understanding and insights on the main design parameters affecting the performance of WiMAX systems.
Dropping Out: Relationship of Speaking Anxiety to Self-Esteem, Crime, and Educational Achievement

This study focused on the relationship that anxiety about speaking has to educational achievement, self-esteem, and type of crime. The data gathered from 46 female felons indicated significant relationships and suggested that programs designed to decrease anxiety about speaking can be effectively presented. Perhaps such treatment should be the first step in developing and correcting deficiencies in skills thereby preventing the skid toward dropping out and delinquency.
Plant Phenotype and Interspecific Competition between Insects Determine Sawfly Performance and Density

Host plants not only influence herbivore performance, they can also mediate interactions between herbivores. We conducted a 5—yr field study to test the effects of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) phenotype and competitive interactions on the colonization success, mortality, fecundity, and sex ratios of a foliage—feeding sawfly, Neodiprion edulicolis. Our experiments revealed four major patterns. (1) Sawfly survival was significantly higher on susceptible trees than on resistant trees. (2) In contrast, sawfly fecundity was significantly lower on susceptible trees than on resistant trees. (3) Interactions with a stem moth, Dioryctria albovitella, caused significantly reduced sawfly fecundity on susceptible trees. (4) Sawfly mortality, rather than sawfly fecundity, was the dominant factor influencing population growth rates: after four generations, sawflies transferred to resistant trees. A model developed with performance information from our field experiments accurately described patterns of population increase in the field: sawflies rapidly attain high densities on susceptible tress, and accumulate slowly on resistant trees. Trees displaying a susceptible phenotype are therefore better hosts than resistant phenotypes, despite the negative competitive interactions that occur between sawflies and moths on heavily infested susceptible trees.
Trophic strategies of euphausiids in a low-latitude ecosystem

Vertical distribution, diet, and morphology of adults were examined in 27 species of euphausiids occurring in the upper 1000 m in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Vertical distribution patterns were similar to those found in the central ocean gyres and oceanic equatorial waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Most species migrated vertically from their daytime depths of 300 to 600 m to the upper 300 m at night. Exceptions were the non-migrating species of Stylocheiron, which remained in the epipelagic zone day and night, and Nematobrachion boopis, which remained in the mesopelagic zone. Based on gut-contents analysis, the Gulf euphausiids were largely zooplanktivorous, with cyclopoid and calanoid copepods being the most common items in stomachs. ostracods were especially common in the stomachs of Thysanopoda spp. and phytoplankton in the guts of Euphausia spp. Nearly every species' diet contained a considerable amount of olive-colored debris, which may have been marine snow generated in the epipelagic zone. Cluster analysis grouped the euphausiids into nine diet guilds. Euphausiids with a generalized morphology (i.e., spherical eyes, uniform thoracic appendages) tended to group together and demonstrated little variety in stomach contents among species. Euphausiids with a specialized morphology (i.e., bilobed eyes, elongate thoracic appendages) showed considerable variety in stomach contents among species, and several species had diets that were highly specific. Many of the species that had similar gut contents fed on prey of different sizes, as indicated by the width of the calanoid copepod mandibles found in stomachs. Principal-components analysis of seven morphological characters yielded species groups that were similar, but not identical, to those generated by cluster analysis of stomach contents data. We inferred from this that morphological characters partly determine diet, but that behavior is also important. Using the 20 most abundant species and 3 niche parameters, we attempted to identify the degree of separation among euphausiids based on the level of overlap in vertical distribution and diet composition, and on differences in mean prey size. Overlap of <60% in vertical distribution or diet composition was considered to indicate distinction of that parameter. Of 190 total species pairs, only 4 pairs did not demonstrate niche separation in at least one of these categories. We found that differences in these niche parameters were greatest among species with a specialized morphology and least among species that were morphologically generalized.
Changes in interneuronal phenotypes regulated by estradiol in the adult rat hippocampus: a potential role for neuropeptide Y.

Ovarian hormones regulate pyramidal cell synapse formation and excitability and interneuronal GABAergic tone in the CA1 region of the adult female rat hippocampus. The role of 17β-estradiol in these effects is complex and appears to involve a subset of hippocampal interneurons, which express different calcium-binding protein and neuropeptide phenotypes and nuclear estrogen receptor α. We found that, in the hippocampus, nuclear estrogen receptor α-immunoreactive interneurons co-express neuropeptide Y, calbindin-D28k and calretinin but do not parvalbumin or cholecystokinin. Moreover, a proportion of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive interneurons co-expresses calbindin-D28k and calretinin. This pattern is similar in the presence or absence of 17β-estradiol treatment in ovariectomized rats. We then used immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization to determine whether 17β-estradiol treatment regulates expression of CA1 interneuronal phenotypic markers via nuclear estrogen receptor α activation. We found that 17β-estradiol treatment of ovariectomized rats increased neuropeptide Y mRNA levels (25%) and the neuropeptide Y mRNA-associated grain density per cell (11%), as well as the number of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive cells (11%), predominantly in the pyramidal cell layer (stratum pyramidale). Treatment with CI628, a selective estrogen response modulator that acts as an antagonist for nuclear estrogen receptor, blocked 17β-estradiol-induced increase of neuropeptide Y mRNA levels. 17β-Estradiol treatment did not alter the number of parvalbumin, calretinin, and cholecystokinin immunoreactive cells, nor mRNA levels for parvalbumin and cholecystokinin. Therefore, the present study has identified neuropeptide Y expression as the main interneuronal phenotype that co-expresses nuclear estrogen receptor α and shown that neuropeptide Y is responsive to 17β-estradiol in CA1 pyramidal cell layer. We suggest that 17β-estradiol may regulate neuropeptide Y expression mediated by nuclear estrogen receptor α-dependent activation in a subset of hippocampal interneurons, and we speculate that subsequent neuropeptide Y release may indirectly contribute to regulate glutamate-dependent neuronal activity in the adult rat hippocampus.
Nucleation of Pt Monolayers Deposited via Surface Limited Redox Replacement Reaction

The study of Pt nucleation on Au(111) deposited via surface limited redox replacement of underpotentially deposited Cu monolayer is presented. Series of Pt deposition experiments were performed where starting coverage of an underpotentially deposited Cu monolayer varied from 0 to 1. Exsitu Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and statistical image processing are used to characterize the morphology of deposited Pt monolayers. The Pt nucleation density and the average size (area) of Pt nanoclusters is used as the main descriptors of Pt monolayer morphology. Results are discussed within the framework of analytical model developed to describe qualitatively our data. The relevance of our work for design of Pt monolayer catalyst is illustrated studying the CO electrosorption on Pt monolayers with different nucleation densities and average size of Pt nanoclusters. © 2014 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.007407jes] All rights reserved.
Free energy landscape of the retinol/serum retinol binding protein complex: a biological host-guest system.

Small molecule host−guest complexes have traditionally provided model systems for biological ligand recognition. Nonetheless, direct extrapolation of these results is precluded by the comparative simplicity of these supramolecular assemblies. If energetic behavior analogous to small molecule host−guest chemistry exists, it is unclear how this would manifest for protein−small molecule interactions. To answer this question, we employ the retinol/serum retinol binding protein (sRBP) system as an analogue of a classical host−guest complex. Using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and free energy methods, we decompose the potential of mean force for retinol unbinding from the sRBP into constituent interactions. Our calculations reveal an unexpected mechanism of host−guest complexation. Desolvation is sufficient to drive formation of an intermediate binding state; however, a combination of electrostatic and van der Waals interactions pull the intermediate into a stable configuration. Association is...
Restoration of immune response gene induction in trophoblast tumor cells associated with cellular senescence.

Trophoblast cells and many cancer cells that harbor foreign antigens may evade immunity by epigenetic silencing of key immune response genes, including MHC class I and II and CD40. Chromatin active agents, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), induce immune response gene expression but often the expression levels are low and the cells lack a robust antigen presentation response. We show here that pre-treatment of trophoblast cells and certain cancer cells with agents that activate stress pathways (Ras oncogene, PMA or H2O2) and induce senescence can substantially enhance the induction of immune response genes (MHC class II, CD40, MICA, MICB) by HDACi and restore a vigorous IFN-γ response in trophoblast cells and tumor cells. These results could potentially impact the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
The scheduling problem where multiple machines compete for a common local buffer

Abstract The problem of scheduling jobshops with restricted buffer space between machines to hold the work-in-process has received scant attention in the scheduling literature. One interesting aspect of this problem is to understand how jobs arriving simultaneously from different machines would compete for common limited buffer space. This paper considers this issue by studying a two-stage flowshop environment with multiple machines at the first stage, a single machine at the second stage and a finite-size buffer area between the two stages. Jobs are processed at a (pre-assigned) machine at the first stage and then at the machine at the second stage. We model the problem of minimizing the sum of weighted completion times of a given set of jobs as a mixed integer linear program. Two lower bounds to the problem are then developed using a Lagrangian and a combined Lagrangian-surrogate relaxation respectively. Heuristics for the problem based on priority rules are proposed and analysed computationally. We see that the multipliers from the relaxations carry sufficient information to be used to build successful priority rules for this problem.
Convergence and Energy Bounding Properties of the Nosanow Cluster Expansion

We consider a one-dimensional linear lattice of particles whose mass, pair potential, and nearest neighbor separation are those of a real rare gas crystal. Numerical solution of the Hartree equation shows that the model behaves as a quantum crystal in the low mass, weak attraction case. In the basic Nosanow cluster approximation the cohesive energy of this helium-like system drops from 6.903°K/N (Hartree) to 3.64°K/N. When all except nearest neighbor correlations in the Jastrow function are taken as unity, the result is 3.69°K/N. For the case of nearest neighbor correlations only, we introduce a positive integral operator with properties akin to those of a transfer matrix and thus form a rigorous upper bound on the cohesive energy of the model system. The convergence rate of the Nosanow expansion is shown to depend on the ratio of the two highest eigenvalues of this operator.
The interactive constitution of mathematical meaning in one second grade classroom: an illustrative example

Abstract The manner in which a horizontal addition and subtraction number sentence activity was constituted in one second grade classroom is analyzed for the purpose of discussing and illustrating how mathematical meaning is interactively constituted in the classroom. In particular, the teacher's emphasis on different solutions contributed to students' development of increasingly sophisticated concepts of ten. In turn, students' solutions contributed to the teacher's development of an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the children's mathematical activity and their concepts of ten.
Sputtering induced recombination of nitrogen isotopes on tungsten

Abstract Adsorbed isotopic mixtures of 14N2 and 15N2 at low coverages on polycrystalline tungsten have been used as model systems for studying sputtering induced recombination during secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Earlier studies have shown that N2 is completely dissociated on a W surface at low coverage. Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) has been employed here to confirm this fact; our results show that complete isotopic mixing occurs. Adsorbed nitrogen can be sputtered as both atoms and molecules and sputtering induced recombination of adsorbate atoms increases as primary ion energy increases. Sputtering induced recombination is detected through isotopic mixing in SIMS. The data show that the dominant mechanism for sputtering of dimers (N2) is not direct emission from the surface but rather a sputtering induced recombination mechanism.
Beyond evidence-based practice-achieving fundamental changes in research and practice.

Vol. 40, No. 3, May 2013 • Oncology Nursing Forum Since the early 2000s, significant discussion about evidence-based practice (EBP) has occurred in the healthcare arena and early steps have been taken toward it; however, searching the EBP literature can be overwhelming. A MEDLINE® (EBSCO) search for evidence-based practice yielded interesting results. When limited to 1999 or prior, 635 articles were identified starting at 1987, and when limited to 2000–2013, 11,511 articles were identified, an 18-fold increase. The concept of EBP has been readily adopted in the healthcare community. However, the questions that remain are: So what? Who cares? Has this avalanche of new information truly changed practice or just added more layers to practice and workloads? Where do we go next? The focus of the current article is to present current initiatives directed toward integrating research and clinical knowledge through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary processes.
Spectroscopic investigations of borosiloxane bond formation in the sol-gel process

The formation of borosilicate glass by the sol-gel process has been monitored during all stages, from the initial alkoxide solution to the final heat-treated product, using nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy as well as chemical analysis. The reactions of boric acid and trialkyl borates with silicon alkoxides and their hydrolysis mixtures have been studied for various compositions and catalysts. For all samples it was found that there exists only a small number of borosiloxane (-B-O-Si-) bonds at the time of gelation, the majority of boron being in the form of boric acid. This boric acid is condensed to borosiloxane bonds only upon heat treatment of the dried gel. For compositions having higher boron contents a small number of -B-O-B- bonds are also formed, which do not convert to -B-O-Si- upon heating to 500 °C.
Effective theory of quadratic degeneracies

We present an effective theory for the Bloch functions of a two-dimensional square lattice near a quadratic degeneracy point. The degeneracy is protected by the symmetries of the crystal, and breaking these symmetries can either open a band gap or split the degeneracy into a pair of linear degeneracies that are continuable to Dirac points. A degeneracy of this type occurs between the second and third transverse magnetic bands of a photonic crystal formed by a square lattice of dielectric rods. We show that the theory agrees with numerically computed photonic band structures and yields the correct Chern numbers induced by parity breaking.
A mathematical coastal ocean circulation system with breaking waves and numerical grid generation

Abstract The three-dimensional coastal ocean modelling system is presented. The system is a primitive equation coastal ocean modelling system with grid generation routines and turbulent closure taking surface ocean breaking waves into account. The system consists of the coastal ocean model, grid-generated routines, and a grid package that allows the model to be coupled with model grids. Although the influence of surface waves on the surface layer of the ocean has been well studied numerically and experimentally the ocean wave effects on momentum and energy fluxes, currents, and turbulence are not taken into account in all existing coastal ocean models. On the other hand, traditionally, rectangular grids have been most commonly used in coastal ocean modelling for their simplicity. However these grids may not be well suited to some coastal regions, especially those with complicated physical fields, open boundaries, coastlines, and bathymetry. In many cases open boundary conditions are poorly treated with traditional rectangular (cartesian) grids even at very high resolution. In the system the curvilinear orthogonal and nearly orthogonal, coastline-following grids are used to enhance model numerical solution by better treating coastlines, complicated topography, and boundary conditions. These kinds of grids can also easily increase horizontal resolution in the subregion of the model domain without increasing the computational expense with a higher resolution over the entire domain. These grids are designed by using grid generation techniques. The coastal ocean model for the South China Sea (SCS) has 16 sigma vertical levels, free surface dynamics, a turbulence closure taking breaking waves into account (see Ref. 3), and realistic coastlines and bathymetry. The SCS model and associated grids are used to simulate winter circulation and to produce the basic physics of the SCS such as coastal currents and upwelling locations.
Challenging students with creative assignments

Although I still generally use standard problem sets in my theory classes, I find myself experimenting more and more with alternatives, including more open-ended assignments. One big motivation for this change is to put some science back in my computer science class, by making assignments more like laboratory exercises in chemistry and biology: students have to experiment to find an answer. I also find that open-ended assignments offers more room for student creativity, although it is not clear to me that students prefer this. (Indeed, it is clear that some students resent it.) Or perhaps, more pessimistically, it is just my fear that the solutions of all the standard problems are available somewhere on the Web. In an effort to encourage a conversation in the community about the topic, I thought I would present one of my recent assignments. The fall text of the assignment lies below. (I have made only small modifications, so please forgive its rough form.) In one sentence, the thrust of the assignment is that the students should model the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" and use their model to determine the best player strategy. The problem is harder than it might seem, and it raises many interesting questions about how to design a reasonable model. I gave this assignment to my graduate seminar on Probabilistic Analysis and Randomized Algorithms, a class primarily meant for first and second year graduate students in theory and networks. I belive that beginning graduate students and advanced undergraduates leaning towards graduate school should be learning how to develop models for complex systems. Designing proper abstractions is a useful skill for both theoreticians and non-theoreticians; this problem has the advantage of being easily understood by everyone. While I think the assignment is far too open-ended for an undergraduate class, a simpler variation might make an interesting project. (At the very least, underlying it all is a reasonably well-motivated dynamic programming problem.) Student opinion was mixed, with the primary complaint centering on open-endedness of the assignment; one said that they could spend an arbitrary amount of time on it without getting closer to the final solution. I thought this was an appropriate metaphor for graduate school. The next biggest complaint was that students were not familiar with the show, which is somehow disturbing and refreshing at the same time. If anyone wants to use this assi~ment or some variation in a class, you have my permission and encouragement. I would ask that you let me know how it goes and if you have any suggestions for how to improve it.
3-Methylcholanthrene Induces Differential Recruitment of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor to Human Promoters

The paper by Pansoy and coworkers investigates the effects of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligand 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) on recruitment of the AHR complex to human promoters in T47D breast cancer cells. The results are particularly important because they can be compared with a prior study using the potent AHR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in the same cell line. The chromatin immunoprecipitation and promoter-focused microarrays (ChIP-chip) demonstrated that after treatment of T47D cells with 1microM 3MC, there were 241 AHR-3MC bound regions and many of these contained AHR-responsive elements. However, they also observed interactions with regions that do not contain these responsive elements, and subsequent analysis of selected target genes show that 3MC-dependent AHR binding did not necessarily predict Ah-responsiveness because induction, repression, and no effects were observed. A prior study with TCDD demonstrated that both 3MC and TCDD induced AHR binding to 127 common regions; however, there were significant differences in ligand (3MC vs. TCDD)-dependent AHR bound regions. The results illustrate the complexity of AHR signaling and also demonstrate that compared with TCDD as a reference ligand, 3MC is a selective AHR modulator.
Benzobisoxazole fluorophore vicariously senses amines, ureas, anions

A benzobisoxazole-based cruciform fluorophore forms fluorescent complexes with simple boronic acids. Through the changes of their fluorescence emission colours, these complexes can sense and qualitatively distinguish among structurally similar organic nitrogen compounds (amines and ureas) and small organic and inorganic anions. Preliminary results suggest that the intensity of this hybrid sensor's fluorescent response to chloride anions can be quantitatively correlated to chloride concentration.
Barriers to Study Enrollment in Patients With Advanced Cancer Referred to a Phase I Clinical Trials Unit

Background. We conducted this retrospective study to identify reasons that patients referred to a phase I clinical trial failed to enroll or delayed enrollment onto the trial.
Facilitating Identity Development in Collegiate Recovery: An Eriksonian Perspective

As the studies reported throughout this volume make abundantly clear, the college environment is flooded with alcohol and drugs and a student who wishes to abstain must swim against the tide. For no students is it more important to abstain than for those already in recovery from substance abuse and addiction. Although other factors, such as social identity and social support (see Chapter 7 by H.H. Cleveland et al., this volume), are certainly important to the recovering adolescent, a strong sense of personal identity can help a student resist the pressures, both internal and external, to use substances because ultimately only the addict himself or herself can choose to follow a path out of active addiction.
Serrated-aperture apodizers for high-energy laser systems

Spatial beam apodization is a critical part of the design of high-energy solid-state laser systems. Standard methods of making apodizers include photographic and metal-vapor-deposition techniques. Apodizers fabricated with these methods are subject to damage and deterioration from high-intensity laser pulses. An alternative approach is to use a serrated-edge aperture in conjunction with the spatial filter. This system can produce beams with smooth edge profiles. We present the theory of operation of the serrated aperture along with some useful design rules and describe the successful application of a serrated-aperture apodizer in the Beamlet laser system.
A miniature RF MEMS metal-contact switch with high biaxial and stress-gradient tolerance

This paper presents a miniature RF MEMS (Micro—Electro-Mechanical System) switch design optimized for the high residual stress and stress gradient available in a thin metal layer process. The switch demonstrates a stress gradient tolerance of ±100 MPa/µm, with &#60;40% pull-down voltage change. The up-state capacitance is 9.4 fF and results in 20 dB isolation at 20 GHz. The contact resistance is 3.6 Ω for an Au-Au contact under 30 V actuation voltage.
Forty Years in the Making: Understanding the Molecular Mechanism of Peptide Regulation in Bacterial Development

Signal transduction systems are influenced by positive and negative forces resulting in an output reflecting the sum of the opposing forces. The Rap family of regulatory protein modules control the output of two-component signal transduction systems through protein∶protein and protein∶peptide interactions. These modules and their peptide regulators are found in complex signaling pathways, including the bacterial developmental pathway to sporulation, competence, and protease secretion. Two articles published in the current issue of PLOS Biology reveal by means of crystallographic analyses how the Rap proteins of bacilli are regulated by their inhibitor Phr peptide and provide a mechanistic explanation for a genetic phenotype isolated decades earlier. The Rap-Phr module of bacterial regulators was the prototype of a family that now extends to other bacterial signaling proteins that involve the use of the tetratricopeptide repeat structural fold. The results invite speculation regarding the potential exploitation of this module as a molecular tool for applications in therapeutic design and biotechnology.
Phase II Clinical Trial of Interleukin-12 in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Disease

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical activity and toxicity of recombinant human Interleukin (IL)-12 in patients with relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin’s disease (HD). Experimental Design: Forty-two previously treated patients (32 patients with NHL and 10 patients with HD) were enrolled on the study. Patients were treated with either intravenous ( n = 11) or subcutaneous ( n = 31) administration of IL-12. The patients had received a median of three prior treatment regimens, and 16 patients had undergone prior autologous stem cell transplantation. Results: All patients were assessable for toxicity, and 39 of 42 (93%) patients were assessable for response. Six of 29 (21%) patients with NHL had a partial or complete response, whereas none of the 10 patients with HD responded. Furthermore, 15 patients had stable disease that lasted for up to 54 months. Progression-free survival in patients with indolent NHL, aggressive NHL, and HD was 6, 2, and 2.5 months, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated, and the most common toxicity was flu-like symptoms. Reversible grade 3 hepatic toxicity was observed in three patients requiring dose reduction. IL-12 therapy increased the median number of peripheral blood CD8 T lymphocytes from 423/μl to 576/μl ( P = 0.0019). Furthermore, IL-12 therapy decreased serum vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor concentrations in 37% of the patients. Conclusions: The ability of recombinant human IL-12 therapy to increase the number of circulating CD8+ cells and induce clinical remissions in patients with relapsed NHL warrants further investigation of the drug.
Surface and Pore Water Mixing in Estuarine Sediments: Implications for Nutrient and Si Cycling

Abstract Dissolved constituent fluxes from the sediment to the water column are important in estuarine environments. Benthic nutrient source depends on the mechanisms driving advection, the advective transport rate, and the concentration of nutrients in the discharged water, all of which depend on the source of discharged water and water-solid reactions along its flow. Pore water advection has been measured at rates of 3 to 6 cm/d using seepage meters in the Banana River Lagoon, Florida. Diffusion, advection, and reaction modeling of SiO2 profiles in pore water indicate that advection and reactions are more important than diffusion in the upper 1 m of the sediments. Advection results from the recirculation of the overlying water column through the bottom sediments, oxygenating the lagoon water, while pore water lacks oxygen. As lagoon water recirculates through sediments, the subsequent loss of oxygen enhances regeneration of buried organic matter. Using measured seepage rates and average pore water conce...
A scanning multichannel microwave radiometer for Nimbus-G and SeaSat-A

A scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) has been designed for the Nimbus-G spacecraft and incorporated also into the SeaSat-A payload for the primary purpose of determining sea surface temperatures and wind stress on a nearly all-weather basis. Observations of microwave polarization components will be made at wavelengths of 0.8, 1.4, 1.7, 2.8, and 4.6 cm over a swath 822 km wide below the Nimbus-G and 595 km wide below the SeaSat-A spacecraft. The smallest spatial resolution cell is about 20 km at a wavelength of 0.8 cm, and proportionately larger at the other wavelengths. Using algorithms based on a combination of experimental data and physical models for converting the observed brightness temperatures, the indicated accuracies of the results (excluding conditions of significant rainfall) are within 1 K for sea surface temperature and 2 m/s for surface wind speeds, over a range from 0-50 m/s.
Frequency of Intimate Partner Violence and Rural Women’s Mental Health in Four Indian States

This study examines the association between self-reported frequency of verbal, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health among 6,303 rural married women (age 15-49), in four Indian states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Data are taken from the 2002-2003 National Family Health Survey-2 Follow-Up Survey. The results indicate that experiencing physical, verbal, or sexual IPV is associated with an increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. Our results provide support for the importance of screening for IPV in mental health settings, especially in resource-poor settings where both IPV and mental health are often overlooked.
Red-Shouldered Hawk Nesting Habitat Preference in South Texas

Abstract We examined nesting habitat preference by red-shouldered hawks Buteo lineatus using conditional logistic regression on characteristics measured at 27 occupied nest sites and 68 unused site...
Melt transesterification and characterization of segmented block copolyesters containing 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐cyclobutanediol

Conventional melt transesterification successfully produced high-molecular-weight segmented copolyesters. A rigid, high-Tg polyester precursor containing the cycloaliphatic monomers, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and dimethyl-1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate allowed molecular weight control and hydroxyl difunctionality through monomer stoichiometric imbalance in the presence of a tin catalyst. Subsequent polymerization of a 4000 g/mol polyol with monomers comprising the low-Tg block yielded high-molecular-weight polymers that exhibited enhanced mechanical properties compared to a nonsegmented copolyester controls and soft segment homopolymers. Reaction between the polyester polyol precursor and a primary or secondary alcohol at melt polymerization temperatures revealed reduced transesterification of the polyester hard segment because of enhanced steric hindrance adjacent to the ester linkages. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and tensile testing of the copolyesters supported the formation of a segmented multiblock architecture. Further investigations with atomic force microscopy uncovered unique needle-like, interconnected, microphase separated surface morphologies. Small-angle X-ray scattering confirmed the presence of microphase separation in the segmented copolyesters bulk morphology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Echocardiography contrast for image optimization: beyond confidence, it is a matter of accuracy.

Since the first intravenously administered echocardiographic contrast agent capable of left ventricular cavity opacification to enhance visualization of the endocardium was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 13 years ago, important advances in these agents and in the
Rapid Gelatin Liquefaction Test

A modification of Hoyt and Pickett’s rapid gelatinase test4 was evaluated. The results obtained with 3,357 isolates indicate this test should be a reliable adjunct of assistance in the rapid identification of Gram-negative bacilli.
Human Rights: The Role of the State and the Church

The role of state and church in foreign policy has become blurred in part because some religious figures on both extremes of the political spectrum have claimed for themselves semi-official standing in politics. In an era of crusading politics and ideological polarization, religious leaders have—more recently on the far right and somewhat earlier on the far left—asserted that they speak for a definable body of religious opinion. In making this claim and defending it as religious spokesmen, they have preempted for their followers free and open discussion of complex issues, including relations with the Soviet Union, American policy toward South Africa, and human rights. Ironically, their claim to speak for the religious right or the religious left, and by implication for the whole of the right-minded religious community, has come at a time when more detached observers and thinkers are inspiring a search for great clarity of thought on certain outstanding issues of foreign policy. For example, successive administrations in Washington, D.C. have redirected the focus on human rights from an essentially skeptical view (Richard Nixon Henry Kissinger) to a public campaign for human rights (Jimmy Carter) to a pulling back from too great an emphasis on human rights (Ronald Reagan). Thus, objective observers can point to a body of historical experience and public policy that illustrates how perplexing the molding of a human rights policy can be. Moreover, human rights are a manifestation of a larger issue with which the nation has struggled since its founding—the issue of morality and foreign policy. It is often asked why it is that the United States returns to the writings of the Founding Fathers preserved in The Federalist Papers and other early political writings. One answer is that Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John
An Outdoor Test Pool for Evaluating Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Larvicides

A description and construction techniques are presented for an outdoor multipurpose test pool designed to allow the evaluation of insecticides, insect growth regulators, pathogens, and predators against mosquito larvae under seminatural conditions. The pools cost ca. US125.00 each and reduce the cost and labor requirements of conducting tests while improving the accuracy of results.
Melon Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) Control by Inundative Convergent Lady Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Release on Chrysanthemum

Convergent lady beetles, Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, collected from aggregations in California were released for control of melon aphids, Aphis gossypii Clover, infesting potted chrysanthemum, Dendranthema grandiflora (Tzvelev) ‘Hurricane’, outdoors. Most beetles dispersed from plants within 1-3 d after a single release during May 1993 and July and September 1993 and 1994. Most dispersing beetles left the study area, although some moved within release plots to adjoining plants or dispersed to nearby plots within ≈40 m. Aggregation-collected beetles that were allowed to drink and fly in a screen tent for 7–10 d before release and insectary-reared beetles dispersed more slowly than aggregation-collected beetles that were stored at 4–10°C until the day of release. Although beetles dispersed within days, releases significantly reduced aphid densities during all trials. A single release of 34–42 adult H. convergens per pot provided 25–84% aphid control, calculated according to the Abbott method. Each beetle consumed ≈25–170 melon aphids per day. There was a density-dependent functional response in predation; beetles consumed more aphids when released on plants with higher aphid densities. Release of commercially available convergent lady beetles can provide augmentative control of relatively high aphid densities on small potted plants.
The Occurrence of Nontoxic Strains of CL. Parabotulinum. XXXIV

Shippen,4 Dickson,5 Orr,6 Burke, Elder and Pischel7 and Zeissler and Rassfeld 8 have observed atoxic cultures of this organism. Bengtson 9 showed that CI. botulinum type C gave rise to nontoxic variants, and Theiler 10 reported that the organisms involved in bovine botulism in South Africa also displayed this tendency. It is not unlikely that the so-called CI. sporogenes isolated by Mcintosh and Fildes11 and by Reddish12 from cultures of CI. parabotulinum may in reality have been nontoxic forms of the latter organism. Reddish 12 stated that the majority of the American strains were contaminated with CI. sporogenes. Hadley 13 subsequently advanced the theory that these nontoxic organisms were not contaminants but variants of CI. parabotulinum which had arisen as a result of dissociation. Bronfenbrenner, Schlesinger and Calazans 14 claimed that they could type cultures which had lost their toxicity by means of the agglutination test. Schoenholz and Meyer 15 worked with several type B strains which, after having lost their toxin producing ability, still gave their original specific agglutination reactions.
Pathogenic Surveillance Results of Hand,Foot and Mouth Disease in Qinhuandao City during 2009-2010

[Objective]To understand the Pathogenic and epidemiological characteristics of Hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD) in Qinhuangdao City during 2009-2010,and provide evidence for its control. [Methods]Totally 256 diagnosed HFMD cases were sampled.The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR detection of viral nucleic acid was performed with common intestinal virus PE,EV71,and CA16. [Results]Of 256 Children with HFMD,187(73.05%) were PE positive,101(39.45%) of EV71 positive,and 46(17.97%) of CA16 positive.The positive rate of EV71 in 2009(65.35%,82/127) was higher than that in 2010(4.73%,19/129),the difference was significant(χ2=66.5635,P0.01).The incidence of HFMD was not related with gender.Of 147 Children with virus positive,132(89.80%)were under 6 years. [Conclusion]The main pathogens of HFMD are EV71and CA16 among children of Qinhuangdao City.Comparing epidemic advantage,EV71 was the major in 2009.Children under 6 years old is the group with high risk of HFMD
The Effect of Medicines on Rabbit's Artery Blood Pressure and Urine Quantity

Through carotid intubatton for blood pressure and ureter intubatton for collecting urine, we observed the medicinal effects by vein injection of 0.9% Physiological brine, 50% Glucose, 10%Na_2SO_4, 0.1% Furosemide and 0.01% epinephrine on the rabbit's artery blood pressure and urine quantity. The results show that: (1) 0.1% Furosemide lowers the blood pressure (p0.05)and increases markedly the urine quantity (p0.01); (2)0.01% epinephrine raises the blood pressure (p0.01) and decreases the urine quantity (p0.05); (3)0.9% physiological brine causes little change in blood pressure but an increase in the urine quantity (p0.05); (4) 50% Glucose and 10% Na_2SO_4bring no change in blood pressure but marked changes in the urine quantity (p0.01).