cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dark-ground illumination as a quantitative diagnostic for plasma density.

Radial electron density profiles of a toroidal belt pinch plasma have been obtained by a single measurement. Collimated ruby laser light, incident on the plasma, is focused to a diffraction-limited spot (100 microm). The technique, a variation of the dark-ground microscope, involves masking the center of the plasma diffraction pattern with a thin wire. Undiffracted light is blocked by a thin wire, whereas light diffracted by the plasma is spread beyond the wire and onto a photoplate. The resulting interference generates a high-contrast fringe pattern whose intensity varies as 1 - cosDeltao, where Deltao is the phase shift induced by the plasma. The fringes are recorded on Polaroid-type 46L transparency film. Using this technique, radial density profiles of the plasma produced in the Columbia Torus I belt pinch have been measured. The plasma minor cross section is elliptical with 2a ~ 2 cm, 2b ~ 30 cm, and (n(0))~3x 10(16)/cm(3). Average densities as low as 2 x 10(15)/cm(3) have been measured.
Anthropometric formulas versus intracavitary ECG for optimal tip position of central venous catheters

Peres [1] and more recently Lum [2] developed some anthropometric formulas to correlate patient's height (H) and ideal length of central venous catheter (CVC) in order to identify optimal tip position. The aim of this study is to compare the reliability of the anthropometric formulas with the method based on intracavitary ECG.
Fatal breathing dysfunction in a mouse model of Leigh syndrome.

Leigh syndrome (LS) is a subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy with gliosis in several brain regions that usually results in infantile death. Loss of murine Ndufs4, which encodes NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) iron-sulfur protein 4, results in compromised activity of mitochondrial complex I as well as progressive neurodegenerative and behavioral changes that resemble LS. Here, we report the development of breathing abnormalities in a murine model of LS. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed hyperintense bilateral lesions in the dorsal brain stem vestibular nucleus (VN) and cerebellum of severely affected mice. The mutant mice manifested a progressive increase in apnea and had aberrant responses to hypoxia. Electrophysiological recordings within the ventral brain stem pre-Botzinger respiratory complex were also abnormal. Selective inactivation of Ndufs4 in the VN, one of the principle sites of gliosis, also led to breathing abnormalities and premature death. Conversely, Ndufs4 restoration in the VN corrected breathing deficits and prolonged the life span of knockout mice. These data demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction within the VN results in aberrant regulation of respiration and contributes to the lethality of Ndufs4-knockout mice.
Regulation of Ribosomal RNA Gene Transcription during Retinoic Acid-Induced Differentiation of Mouse Teratocarcinoma Cells

Abstract We have examined the mechanism of regulation of rRNA synthesis in mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells that were induced to differentiate by retinoic acid and dibutyryl cAMP. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis was significantly reduced during differentiation of F9 cells into parietal endoderm cells. Nuclear run-on assay revealed that the rRNA gene transcription rates were reduced in differentiated cells, and this phenomenon could be mimicked by in vitro transcription assay using nuclear extracts prepared from F9 stem and F9 parietal endoderm cells. Analysis of the DNA-binding activities of two RNA polymerase I (pol I) transcription factors E 1 BF/Ku and UBF revealed decreased affinity for their cognate recognition sequences. Immunoblot analysis showed a marked reduction in the amounts of E 1 BF/Ku and UBF in the differentiated cells. Analysis of the steady-state RNA levels for the smaller subunit of E 1 BF/Ku and for UBF in differentiating F9 cells revealed decreased mRNA synthesis and increase in message level for the differentiation-specific marker laminin B1 with progression of the differentiated status of the cells. This study has demonstrated that differentiation of mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells into parietal endoderm cells leads to diminished rRNA synthesis, which may be mediated by reduced DNA-binding activities and amounts of at least two pol I transcription factors.
Cryptococcal Meningitis and Internal Ophthalmoplegia

A 17-year old girl received prednisone and azathioprine for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. She developed a fever and hallucinations 18 months later; cryptococcal meningitis was diagnosed. An internal ophthalmoplegia with loss of accommodation and dilation of the pupils developed together with bilateral lateral rectus palsy. Treatment with intravenous amphotericin resulted in disappearance of papilledema, muscle palsy, and internal ophthalmoplegia. We believe that the internal ophthalmoplegia was secondary to involvement of the accommodative and pupillary fibers of both third nerves at the base of the brain.
The influence of primary caregivers on the sexual behavior of early adolescents

Abstract Purpose To describe rates of sexual intercourse initiation, anticipated level of sexual activity in the next 12 months, and other risk behaviors among fifth graders and to examine parental factors associated with such behaviors. Methods This study is based on a cross-sectional, self-administered survey conducted with a nonrandom sample of 408 fifth graders and their caregivers. Children answered questions regarding sexual intercourse initiation, anticipated sexual activity in the next 12 months, and involvement in other risk behaviors. Caregivers answered questions about parenting factors such as monitoring behaviors, parent-child relationship quality, and parent-child communication. Bivariate and multivariable analyses examined the association of these variables with the adolescents’ behaviors. Results Almost 5% of girls and 17% of boys reported they had engaged in sexual intercourse. Only 34% of girls and 13% of boys said they did not expect to engage in any type of sexual contact in the next 12 months if they were going with someone they “liked a lot.” Parental factors associated with fewer risk behaviors and expected sexual behaviors included higher levels of monitoring, fewer communication barriers, less permissive attitudes regarding adolescent sexual behavior, higher relationship quality with child, having fewer than five children in the household, higher levels of education, and being employed. Significant gender interactions were found for several variables. Conclusions Adolescents are initiating sexual intercourse at extremely young ages. To delay early sexual activity and prevent adolescent pregnancy, prevention efforts must begin during the elementary school years and include those who raise and care for the adolescent.
Are Temperature and Precipitation Extremes Increasing over the U.S. High Plains

AbstractLarge-scale environmental, social, and economic impacts of recent weather and climate extremes are raising questions about whether the frequency and intensity of these extremes have been increasing. Here, the authors evaluate trends in climate extremes during the past half century using the U.S. High Plains as a case study. A total of eight different extreme indices and the standardized precipitation index (SPI) were evaluated using daily maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation data from 207 stations and 0.25° gridded data. The 1958–2010 time period was selected to exclude the 1950s and 2011 droughts. Results show general consistency between the station data and gridded data. The annual extreme temperature range (ETR) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in ~54% of the High Plains, with a spatial mean rate of −0.7°C decade−1. Decreases in ETR result primarily from increases in annual lowest temperature in ~63% of the stations at a mean rate of ~0.9°C decade−1, whereas increases in annual h...
Electron microscopy of tobacco mosaic virus under conditions of minimal beam exposure.

Abstract A new technique of electron microscopy has been developed which, when applied to the micrography of tobacco mosaic virus, results in a notably improved delineation of its fine structure. The technique stems from earlier observations that the amount of electron beam irradiation normally used in electron microscopy is destructive to biological specimens. A method is described to minimize such damage, wherein the specimen is subjected only to the irradiation necessary to obtain a photographic exposure. The contrast in the appearance of tobacco mosaic virus as micrographed by the new procedures, and by traditional ones, is demonstrated.
A weak statement perturbation CFD algorithm with high-order phase accuracy for hyperbolic problems

Abstract Achieving improved order of accuracy for any numerical method is a continuing quest. The discrete approximate solution error, in general, can be expressed as a truncation of a Taylor series expansion. Herein, we present a weak statement perturbation always yielding simple tridiagonal forms that can reduce, or annihilate in special cases, the Taylor series truncation error to high order. The procedure is analyzed via a von Neumann frequency analysis, and verification CFD solutions are reported in one and two dimensions. Finally, using the element specific (local) Courant number, a continuum (total) time integration procedure is derived that can directly produce a final time solution independent of mesh measure.
Human Cytochrome P450 2E1 Mutations That Alter Mitochondrial Targeting Efficiency and Susceptibility to Ethanol-induced Toxicity in Cellular Models

Human polymorphisms in the 5′-upstream regulatory regions and also protein coding regions of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) are known to be associated with several diseases, including cancer and alcohol liver toxicity. In this study, we report novel mutations in the N-terminal protein targeting regions of CYP2E1 that markedly affect subcellular localization of the protein. Variant W23R/W30R protein (termed W23/30R) is preferentially targeted to mitochondria but very poorly to the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas the L32N protein is preferentially targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum and poorly to mitochondria. These results explain the physiological significance of bimodal CYP targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria previously described. COS-7 cells and HepG2 cells stably expressing W23/30R mutations showed markedly increased alcohol toxicity in terms of increased production of reactive oxygen species, respiratory dysfunction, and loss of cytochrome c oxidase subunits and activity. Stable cells expressing the L32N variant, on the other hand, were relatively less responsive to alcohol-induced toxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction. These results further support our previous data, based on mutational studies involving altered targeting, indicating that mitochondria-targeted CYP2E1 plays an important role in alcohol liver toxicity. The results also provide an interesting new link to genetic variations affecting subcellular distribution of CYP2E1 with alcohol-induced toxicity.
COMPUTER-EASE: A TWENTIETH-CENTURY LITERACY EMERGENT

Several years ago at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, the Standing Committee on Educational Policy convened an informal subcommittee to consider whether all Smith undergraduates should be required to take a course in the art and science of computing. For months the subcommittee considered what it was that every Smith graduate should know about computers to live happily in a world in which their presence would be increasingly felt. The subcommittee’s task was nothing less than to arrive at a definition of functional computer literacy, and to decide whether Smith graduates ought to have that degree of literacy or better. This did not turn out to be an easy job. After a year of trying to decide whether computer literacy meant meeting a certain criterion of computing proficiency, or achieving a certain level of social awareness about computers, the committee gave up. At Smith College there are now a number of courses in computing, and there is a concerted effort to introduce students to computers in the context of other courses whenever possible. But for the time being, the attempt to create a uniformly computer-literate class of Smith undergraduates has been abandoned.
Quantitative structure‐activity relationships: Molecular structures and different modes of exposure affecting transport and toxicities of chemicals: QSAR analysis

Although relatively few systematic studies have been reported on the disposition of various toxicants or pollutants, considerable effort has been devoted to disposition studies on various drugs and simple organic molecules. Our group and others have in the last few years reported the quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) on the absorption, distribution and metabolism of several series of organic compounds. The mathematical model embodies the concept of the pH partition hypothesis and the Sutherland-Einstein diffusion equation, as well as Hansch's parabolic model. For most exogenous molecules of intermediate mol wt (102 to 104), passive diffusion through the lipoprotein barrier appears to be the most important route among the known mechanisms of absorption, with an ideal lipophilic character (log P0) around 0.5 to 3. For polar and/or high mol wt compounds (>104) passage through interstitial space becomes mainly a negative function of log mol wt. High mol wt compounds and strong acids and bases (highly ionized) should not be absorbed readily based on the generalizations obtained. However, this does not eliminate the adsorption or binding of these compounds onto the membrane, or direct tissue damage caused by the strong acidity or basicity. Other mechanisms of absorption such as pinocytosis of liquid droplets and phagocytosis of solids are possible, but no quantitative data are available for analysis. Evidence is also presented to show that strong acids or bases can be absorbed as ion pairs with appropriate counter ions. Specific examples of QSAR using the following general equation and its simplified forms are presented log A = -a · (log P)2 + b · log P + c · log (U/D) + d · log mol wt + e · χ + f. The types of compounds discussed include nonelectrolytes, weak acids and bases, cationic molecules, strong acids, surfactants and some high mol wt substances. Relationships of the absorption via different routes (e.g., gastric, intestinal, percutaneous and corneal) are compared.
Cell-cycle regulation of formin-mediated actin cable assembly

Assembly of appropriately oriented actin cables nucleated by formin proteins is necessary for many biological processes in diverse eukaryotes. However, compared with knowledge of how nucleation of dendritic actin filament arrays by the actin-related protein-2/3 complex is regulated, the in vivo regulatory mechanisms for actin cable formation are less clear. To gain insights into mechanisms for regulating actin cable assembly, we reconstituted the assembly process in vitro by introducing microspheres functionalized with the C terminus of the budding yeast formin Bni1 into extracts prepared from yeast cells at different cell-cycle stages. EM studies showed that unbranched actin filament bundles were reconstituted successfully in the yeast extracts. Only extracts enriched in the mitotic cyclin Clb2 were competent for actin cable assembly, and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 activity was indispensible. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 activity also was found to regulate cable assembly in vivo. Here we present evidence that formin cell-cycle regulation is conserved in vertebrates. The use of the cable-reconstitution system to test roles for the key actin-binding proteins tropomyosin, capping protein, and cofilin provided important insights into assembly regulation. Furthermore, using mass spectrometry, we identified components of the actin cables formed in yeast extracts, providing the basis for comprehensive understanding of cable assembly and regulation.
Simultaneous proton transfer along a linear water polymer

SCF CNDO calculations were performed for species H3O+·(H2O)n·OH− where n was varied from one to three. The position of the intervening protons was changed simultaneously while the oxygens and remaining hydrogens were kept fixed. It was found that only one minimum occurs when n is one or two while an asymmetric double minimum potential is found when n is equal to three. A barrier of 10.4 kcal/mole was found.
Aphakic cystoid macular edema. The pharmacology of ocular trauma

Abstract Ocular tissues, like those of other organs, exhibit limited morphologic reactions to trauma, i.e., hyperemia, abrupt vasodilation, increased blood flow; increased permeability of blood vessels, edema and increased tissue pressure (disrupted blood-ocular barrier); and later, a cellular inflammatory response. The cystoid macular edema (CME) that occurs after surgery for cataract has a considerably higher incidence in more severely traumatized eyes. It is characterized by increased perifoveal capillary permeability that may be related either to prior vasocon-striction or to vasodilation, and it may be accompanied by a cellular inflammatory response either in the (uvea) ciliary body, vitreous, or retina, or in combination thereof. Virtually all the physiologic, metabolic, and morphologic responses to trauma can be assigned to liberation of endogenous mediators. The lesions that occur after ocular trauma may be related to the synthesis and release of prostaglandins. There is moderate support for this hypothesis, but other or additional endogenous mediators must also be considered as contributing to the production of retinal edema as a nociceptive response to trauma. The various factors that may contribute to development of CME, and their mechanisms of action, are discussed. The speculations and hypotheses contained in this review need to be confirmed or denied by applications to the eye of techniques that have been used successfully in other organ systems. Adequate prophylaxis may be provided by cyclooxygenase inhibitors, but it is more likely accomplished with corticosteroids. However, definitive clinical tests have not been done, and it should be noted that excellent surgery with minimal disruption of the blood-ocular barrier is the best prophylaxis for this iatrogenic disease. When the lesion is established and does not respond to large doses of corticosteroids, a careful study is needed to decide whether vitreous inflammation and/or strand formation accounts for the irreversibility.
Hyperthyroidism as a high cardiac output state

Abstract Hyperthyroidism is the most common cause of hyperkinetic circulatory disease. Thyroid hormone probably produces this high output state by inducing vasodilatation of the circulatory beds supplying muscle and skin. This hormone induced effect lowers the total peripheral resistance which increases cardiac output. The heart responds to the low peripheral resistance by accelerating the heart rate and augmenting stroke volume. In addition, the thyroid hormone enhances ventricular contractility. These cardiac responses are generated by a direct effect of thyroid hormone on the cardiovascular system and are essentially independent of autonomic influence. Thyrotoxicosis can induce congestive heart failure without complicating influences. Present information does not allow a full explanation of this phenomenon, but improper utilization of energy by an oversized heart may be a contributing factor. Adequate treatment of this high cardiac output state, whether or not it is accompanied by congestive heart failure, cannot be properly accomplished without vigorous treatment of the underlying endocrine disorder. Most adjunctive therapeutic measures presently recommended are of only slight and temporary benefit. Digitalis and diuretics can help control the manifestations of heart failure and should be used when these symptoms are present. Bed rest in a quiet environment is certainly more important in reducing the circulatory load of an already overstressed heart. Reserpine and other autonomic-blocking drugs cannot be recommended on a rational scientific basis. There is little evidence that these agents have any salutory effect on the circulatory disease of hyperthyroidism.
Dielectric spectroscopy ofl-α-lysolecithin-packaged gramicidin A

Abstract The complex permittivities of l -α-lysolecithin in the absence and presence of the gramicidin A ion channel were measured over the temperature range 0-60°C and over the frequency range 1-1000 MHz. One dielectric relaxation/loss has been observed. It is located at 103.3 MHz (1.54 ns) for a micellar 0.4 M l -α-lysolecithin solution at 20°C, whereas it is shifted to 71.7 MHz (2.22 ns) for a lamellar l -α-lysolecithin-gramicidin A aqueous solution (0.4 M l -α-lysolecithin, 0.0308 M gramicidin A) at 20°C. The dielectric relaxation decreases and the relaxation time increases when gramicidin A is incorporated into l -α-lysolecithin. These dielectric changes are related, in part, to the micellar-to-lamellar lipid phase transition induced by the incorporation of gramicidin A into lysolecithin. We suggest that the diffuse rotational motion of the polar head group Of l -α-lysolecithin contributes to the dielectric relaxation/loss at around 100 MHz.
A portable four-channel cassette recording system for short-term electroencephalogram in the field

A portable four-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) cassette recording system has been designed which offers good performance, is simple to construct, and moderate in cost. The recorder is compatible with a commercially available, portable, battery-operated power source, and is therefore usable in the field where line power is unavailable. The system incorporates a small, lightweight, portable, battery-powered oscilloscope which provides monitoring and playback capability. While a few experimental portable EEG recorders have been reported in recent years with more channel capacity or perhaps lighter weight, the engineering details of these units are rarely published and, in any event, would require a substantial effort for most electronics support shops to reproduce. The recording system described here, however, should be within the capability of most electronics support groups to assemble in a very short time and provide good performance.
Efficient automated schematic map drawing using multiobjective mixed integer programming

Abstract We present an efficient multiobjective mixed binary linear program that automates schematic mapping for network visualization and navigation. Schematic mapping has broad applications in representing transit networks, circuits, disease pathways, project tasks, organograms, and taxonomies. Good schematic maps employ distortion while preserving topology to facilitate access to physical or virtual networks. Automation is critical to saving time and costs, while encouraging adoption. We build upon previous work, particularly that of Nollenburg and Wolff, improving upon the computational efficiency of their model by relaxing integrality constraints and reducing the number of objectives from three to two. We also employ an efficient augmented ϵ-constraint method to assist in obtaining all Pareto optimal solutions, both supported and unsupported, for a given network. Through the Vienna Underground network and a cancer pathway, along with three numerical examples, we demonstrate the applications of our methods. Finally, we discuss future directions for research in this area.
Land evaluation for land use planning

Abstract Because of the tremendous rate at which land is being converted to urban uses in the metropolitan fringe areas of the United States, and because there is not an inexhaustable supply of this land, land-use plans must be formulated to provide for the optimum utilization of available land resources. A thorough and competent analysis of the physical characteristics of the land in the planning area must be a part of the preparation of land-use plans for every metropolitan fringe area if this goal is to be attained. The purpose of this article is to present methods and recommendations for the evaluation of the physical characteristics of land that will contribute toward the development of effective master plans for land use.
Macroeconomic adjustments for debt-laden economies: The central American experience

Abstract In this article we formulate a simple economic model to analyze the effects of changes in the money supply, the national government deficit, and the exchange rate, on foreign debt and the debt-income ratio of four Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The model was estimated using annual data from 1960 to 1992. Our results indicate that currency devaluation, contractionary monetary policy, and national government deficits financed through foreign aid, lead to lower debt and debt-income ratios.
Efficacy of medroxyprogesterone acetate in suppression of estrous behavior and follicular activity in cycling mares

s / Theriogenology 70 (2008) 576–591 588 receiving hCG (2500 units IV). Mares were inseminated 12 h later with 500 million progressively motile sperm, and rebred with cooled semen the following day. Ovulation was confirmed via daily transrectal ultrasonography and embryo recovery was attempted 7 or 8 d post-ovulation. Data were analyzed with Fisher’s Exact Test and ANOVA, and results are tabulated below:
Formation and sigmatropic rearrangement of PhCOC(NO2)CH2 cycloadducts of 1,3-cyclohexadiene: a theoretical study

Abstract Competing cycloaddition pathways for the reaction of 2-nitro-1-phenyl-2-propen-1-one with 1,3-cyclohexadiene were investigated employing computational methods. A bifurcating pathway was found for formation of nitroketone 3 and nitronic ester 5 . A second bifurcating pathway was found for the formation of nitroketone 4 and enol ether 6 . Sigmatropic rearrangements of two cycloadducts, nitronic ester 5 and enol ether 6 , were also studied computationally. The reaction pathways were mapped using the B3-LYP/6-311G(d) method and relative energies for species 3 – 6 were calculated at the same level. Solution-phase corrections were performed by the PCM method. The calculations for both bifurcating cycloaddition pathways indicate kinetic control with similar rate-determining activation energies. The nitroketone 3 is more stable than nitronic ester 5 by 5.3 kcal/mol and nitroketone 4 is more stable than enol ether 6 by 3.9 kcal/mol, consistent with the observed direction of sigmatropic rearrangement.
Mechanism of microwave plasma etching of polyimides in O 2 and GF 4 gas mixtures

Abstract A mechanistic study of microwave plasma etching of polyimides in oxygen plus CF 4 gas mixtures was carried out with several mutually complementary surface-sensitive characterization techniques. In-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the polyimide surfaces before and after etching while multiple internal reflectance and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy was employed to obtain additional information on molecular structure and chemical bonds on these surfaces. In addition, steady-state and temperature-programmed mass-spectrometric measurements were made to identify the etching products, their precursor states and desorbing species. When the experimental evidence obtained by these techniques is pieced together a coherent picture of the etching process emerges. Attachment of atomic oxygen produced in the plasma to selected carbon sites on the PI surface causes aromatic ring opening, forming precursors to volatile etching products. Addition of CF 4 to oxygen plasma in small amounts increases the efficiency of oxygen production and concomitant flourination of aromatic carbon provides excess energy for ring opening and promotes imide and ether bond cleavage. At higher CF 4 concentrations flourination exhausts the reaction sites for oxygen, thus inhibiting the etch rate. Thermal desorption studies indicate that the fluorine coverage desorbs in the first stage as fluorine molecules.
Sexual Abuse, Parental Bonding, Social Support, and Program Retention for Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Abstract Residential programs that provide safe environments and child care can attract perinatal women into treatment. Other factors, however, may prevent some women from benefiting from these programs. Attachment theory suggests that one’s early history determines the effectiveness with which one can utilize available social supports. Lower levels of program retention were predicted for women who had been sexually abused and for those who had poor early bonding. Eighty-four women in residential substance abuse treatment programs were studied. Clients who reported sexual abuse also reported lower parental care. Parental care and overprotection were inversely related, and related, in predicted directions, to perceptions of social supports. Sexual abuse alone was associated with time in treatment and the likelihood of graduation. Implications for developing effective counseling programs for women in substance abuse treatment are discussed.
Fungi associated with strawberry root rot in Illinois.

A qualitative and quantitative study of the fungi associated with apparently healthy and root rot-diseased strawberry main roots was made during a 1-year period. Eighty-one genera were isolated from lesions and stele segments of diseased roots, and tips and segments 5–6 cm from the tip of apparently healthy roots.
Protein adsorption on tethered polymer layers: effect of polymer chain architecture and composition

Abstract The ability of tethered polymer layers to modify the adsorption behavior of simple model proteins is studied using single-chain mean-field theory. Several different polymer molecular structures are considered. It is found that branched polymer chains are much more effective in preventing protein adsorption than linear flexible chains. Diblock copolymers formed by a flexible and a rigid block show similar steric repulsion than fully flexible chains of the same number of monomers. However, the distribution of free ends is very different for the two types of molecules. Polymers with the two ends tethered at surfaces are more efficient than chains with one end on the surface with the same molecular weight to prevent protein adsorption. Mixtures of polymer chains at the surface show an ability to prevent protein adsorption that is different from a linear combination of the pure component polymer layers. The effect of attractive interactions between the protein and the segments of the tethered polymer chains is studied. The effective interaction between the protein and the polymer layer shows an attractive part for proteins that are at the tip of the polymer layer in qualitative agreement with recent experimental observations.
Mobile crowd sensing in space weather monitoring: the mahali project

Space weather refers to the conditions and evolution of Earth's near space environment including electron density variations in the ionosphere. This environment is influenced by both the Sun and terrestrial processes, and has an impact on communications, navigation, and terrestrial power systems. The recent discovery of clear signatures in the ionosphere related to tsunamis and earthquakes suggests that the ionosphere itself may serve as a valuable and versatile sensor, registering many types of Earth- and space-based phenomena. To realize this potential, ionospheric electron density must be monitored through a dense wide-area sensor mesh that is expensive to realize with traditional deployments and observation techniques. Crowdsourcing can help pursue this novel direction by providing new capabilities, including an increase in the number of sensors as well as expanding data transport capabilities through participating devices that act as relays. This article describes the Mahali project, which is currently at the beginning of exploring these promising techniques. Mahali uses GPS signals that penetrate the ionosphere for science rather than positioning. A large number of ground-based sensors will be able to feed data through mobile devices into a cloud-based processing environment, enabling a tomographic analysis of the global ionosphere at unprecedented resolution and coverage. This novel approach brings the exploitation of the ionosphere as a global earth system sensor technologically and economically within reach.
Hypercard coding system for the ACR Index for Radiological Diagnoses.

We describe a computer version of the Index for Radiological Diagnoses of the American College of Radiology (ACR). This system combines a graphics interface with a search mechanism while preserving the hierarchical structure of the Index. The graphics interface allows easy selection of an anatomic part, while the search mechanism provides the code numbers associated with an entered term. The computer system and the paperback version of the ACR Index were compared by having 52 volunteers (21 radiology faculty members, 21 radiology residents, and 10 medical students) each code 30 cases with the book and a matched set of 30 cases with the computer. The average time to code cases was shorter when the computer was used (52.2 vs 64.5 sec; p less than .0001). Accuracy was higher when the computer was used (96.4% vs 90.4%; p less than .0001). The average confidence in the computer diagnosis was also higher (9.73 vs 9.51, on a scale of 1-10; p = .0016). This system demonstrates the ability of a computer program to...
A Quantitative Model for the All-or-None Permeabilization of Phospholipid Vesicles by the Antimicrobial Peptide Cecropin A

The mechanism of the all-or-none release of the contents of phospholipid vesicles induced by the antimicrobial peptide cecropin A was investigated. A detailed experimental study of the kinetics of dye release showed that the rate of release increases with the ratio of peptide bound per vesicle and, at constant concentration, with the fraction of the anionic lipid phosphatidylglycerol in neutral, phosphatidylcholine membranes. Direct measurement of the kinetics of peptide binding and dissociation from vesicles revealed that the on-rate is almost independent of vesicle composition, whereas the off-rate decreases by orders of magnitude with increasing content of anionic lipid. A simple, exact model fits all experimental kinetic data quantitatively. This is the first time that an exact kinetic model is implemented for a peptide with an all-or-none mechanism. In this model, cecropin A binds reversibly to vesicles, which at a certain point enter an unstable state. In this state, a pore probably opens and all vesicle contents are released, consistent with the all-or-none mechanism. This pore state is a state of the whole vesicle, but does not necessarily involve all peptides on that vesicle. No peptide oligomerization on the vesicle is involved; alternative models that assume oligomerization are inconsistent with the experimental data. Thus, formation of well-defined, peptide-lined pores is unlikely.
Measurement of compulsive hoarding: saving inventory-revised

Four studies examined a new measure of compulsive hoarding (Saving Inventory-Revised; SI-R). Factor analysis using 139 hoarding participants identified 3 factors: difficulty discarding, excessive clutter, and excessive acquisition. Additional studies were conducted with hoarding participants, OCD participants without hoarding, community controls and an elderly sample exhibiting a range of hoarding behavior. Internal consistencies and test-retest reliabilities were good. The SI-R distinguished hoarding participants from all other non-hoarding comparison groups. The SI-R showed strong correlations with other indices and methods of measuring hoarding (beliefs, activity dysfunction from clutter, observer ratings of clutter in the home) and relatively weaker correlations with non-hoarding measures (positive and negative affect and OCD symptoms). The SI-R appears to be an appropriate instrument for assessing symptoms of compulsive hoarding in clinical and non-clinical samples.
The Responsible Actor as "Tortured Soul": The Case of Horatio Hornblower

"Administrative responsibility " connotes multiple and even conflicting meanings, including (a) political responsibility, which embodies the virtue of duty; (b) professional responsibility, embodying the virtue of integrity; and (c) personal responsibility, which reflects the qualities of self-awareness and authentic relationship. The theory of countervailing responsibility holds that any one of these three meanings is not only inadequate for a full understanding of responsible action, it also becomes pathological unless it is "countervailed" by each of the other two meanings. Drawing from the fictional exploits of C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, the article explores the subtle and complex relationships among the virtues and pathologies associated with the three meanings of responsibility. The intended contributions of the article are (a) to show why responsible action should not be equated with morally or legally correct action, and (b) to argue that responsibility is both a psychological issue and ...
Cinoxacin in therapy of urinary tract infections comparison of two dosage regimens

Abstract Two dosage regimens of cinoxacin, 250 mg. four times a day (QID) versus 500 mg. twice a day (BID), were compared for efficacy and safety in the treatment of initial and recurrent urinary tract infections. Patient dosage assignments were by a random table. Analysis of the 91 evaluable adult patients showed no difference between the two regimens, each group having 98 per cent bacteriologic cures at the five-to-nine-day post-therapy culture. The incidence of side effects was low and mild in degree.
Distributed load demand scheduling in smart grid to minimize electricity generation cost

Load demand scheduling of electricity consumers is an effective way to alleviate the peak power demand on the electricity grid and to combat the mismatch between generation and consumption. In this paper, we consider a scenario where multiple users cooperate to perform load demand scheduling in order to minimize the electricity generation cost. With the help of a central controller in the grid, a globally optimal solution can be achieved. However, this centralized solution may not always be feasible since it requires a huge amount of communication and the grid may not be equipped with such a central controller at all. Therefore, we propose a distributed load demand scheduling algorithm where each end user schedules its own tasks based on the partial information provided by other users. Simulation results show that this distributed load demand scheduling is able to achieve near-optimal solutions that has very little performance degradation compared to the centralized method.
Fluorinated and iodinated templates for syntheses of β-turn peptidomimetics

Abstract Various 2-fluoro-5-nitrobenzoic acids and the homocysteine derivative 2 have been combined in solid phase syntheses of the peptidomimetic types 3 – 6 . NMR and CD data collected for some of these compounds indicate that a transannular S O to H N hydrogen bond stabilizes β-turn conformations for the sulfones and one of the sulfoxide epimers. An extensive library of compounds was made and studied to test this assertion.
Periodic precipitation (liesegang phenomenon) in solid silver—i. experimental

Abstract The Liesegang phenomenon (periodic precipitation) has been studied experimentally in a solid state system. Single crystals of silver were annealed in some partial pressure of oxygen to saturation and were then annealed in a partial pressure of hydrogen at 800°C. Hydrogen diffuses into the silver and reacts with the dissolved oxygen to form water vapor which precipitates in the form of bubbles. Under certain conditions these bubbles have been found to form in bands which obey Jablczynski's relationship, that is, the spacing coefficient, which is defined as, the ratio of the distance to successive bands from the diffusion interface, is a constant. The spacing coefficients were studied in three silvers of different purities as a function of the concentration of the hydrogen and oxygen. It was found that the spacing coefficient decreased when either the concentration of hydrogen (keeping the oxygen concentration fixed) or oxygen (keeping the hydrogen concentration fixed) was increased, and it increased when the purity was decreased.
New evidence for the point defect model of ion transport in glasses

We have determined the alkali concentration within the surface region of a soda–lime silicate glass as a function of experiment time by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was measured intermittently under three experimental conditions described below, where the sample was subjected continuously to monochromatic X-rays, low energy electrons from the flood gun, or both. Significant enhancement of the sodium concentration was observed when the sample was subjected to X-irradiation. Our observations corroborate that, at any one instant, a fraction of the ions remains associated with charge compensating centers, and hence are not able to diffuse freely in the absence of irradiation. Accordingly, under most common conditions, the diffusion of ions in glass occurs by point defects similar to that observed in the extrinsic-association region of crystalline solids.
Precursors to rapid elevations in intracranial pressure

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and management have substantially improved the outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, rapid elevations in ICP remain a significant problem as they may lead to secondary brain injury and worse outcome due to cerebral ischemia. Current therapy is targeted towards treating rapid ICP elevations after they occur. Ideally, anticipatory treatment to obviate any elevation in ICP could occur if reliable precursors to ICP elevation were determined. In this paper, we report evidence for a physiologic transition zone prior to rapid elevations in ICP. We found that in thirty-three episodes of ICP elevation recorded from eleven patients, there was a statistically consistent decrease in the cardiac component of the ICP signal and the coefficient of correlation between the ICP trend and the pulse amplitude. We conclude that specific ICP signal metrics may serve as precursors that characterize the transition zone prior to a rapid elevation and may enable prediction of these elevations up to thirty seconds ahead.
Effective Governance in Managing Change—Common Perspective from Two Lenses

The article reviews the books “Positive Organizational Scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline,” edited by Kim S. Cameron, Jane E. Dutton, and Robert E. Quinn, and “Redefining the Corporation: Stakeholder Management and Organizational Wealth,” by James E. Post, Lee E. Preston, and Sybille Sachs.
Innate immunity against Granulibacter bethesdensis, an emerging gram-negative bacterial pathogen.

Acetic acid bacteria were previously considered nonpathogenic in humans. However, over the past decade, five genera of Acetobacteraceae have been isolated from patients with inborn or iatrogenic immunodeficiencies. Here, we describe the first studies of the interactions of the human innate immune system with a member of this bacterial family, Granulibacter bethesdensis, an emerging pathogen in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Efficient phagocytosis of G. bethesdensis by normal and CGD polymorphonuclear leukocytes (CGD PMN) required heat-labile serum components (e.g., C3), and binding of C3 and C9 to G. bethesdensis was detected by immunoblotting. However, this organism survived in human serum concentrations of ≥90%, indicating a high degree of serum resistance. Consistent with the clinical host tropism of G. bethesdensis, CGD PMN were unable to kill this organism, while normal PMN, in the presence of serum, reduced the number of CFU by about 50% after a 24-h coculture. This finding, together with the observations that G. bethesdensis was sensitive to H2O2 but resistant to LL-37, a human cationic antimicrobial peptide, suggests an inherent resistance to O2-independent killing. Interestingly, 10 to 100 times greater numbers of G. bethesdensis were required to achieve the same level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by Escherichia coli in normal PMN. In addition to the relative inability of the organism to elicit production of PMN ROS, G. bethesdensis inhibited both constitutive and FAS-induced PMN apoptosis. These properties of reduced PMN activation and resistance to nonoxidative killing mechanisms likely play an important role in G. bethesdensis pathogenesis.
Application of a decentralized adaptive output feedback based on backstepping to power systems

This paper considers an application of the decentralized adaptive output feedback scheme developed previously by the authors (1995) to maintain global robustness to parametric and dynamic uncertainties among interconnections in large-scale power systems and also rejection of any bounded, unmeasurable disturbances entering the system. The proposed design utilizes only feedback from local rotor angle measurements. The scheme is applied to a two axis (fourth order) model of the generator with a second order turbine/governor model and an IEEE type I excitation control (fifth order) for each subsystem. The design presented is also applicable to higher order models of the generator and turbine/governor system. Furthermore, the design methodology proposed here obviates the need for controller redesign and therefore maintains robust connective stability if individual subsystems are appended or removed.
Shape of a rhombohedral coherent Ti11Ni14 precipitate in a cubic matrix and its growth and dissolution during constrained aging

The shape of a coherent rhombohedral precipitate in a cubic matrix and its growth and dissolution during strain-constrained aging were investigated using a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau kinetic model by taking into account the coupling between the constraint (applied) strain and the local strain. The effect of boundary conditions, constraint strain or constraint stress, has been discussed. A particular example of Ti{sub 11}Ni{sub 14} precipitate growth in a TiNi shape memory alloy was considered without any a priori assumption about the particle shape. It was demonstrated that a Ti{sub 11}Ni{sub 14} precipitate grown from a supersaturated cubic TiNi matrix has a lens-like shape, with its normal parallel to the [111]{sub B2} orientation of the matrix, in agreement with experimental observations. Precipitate growth and dissolution under various strain-constraint conditions have been discussed.
NbSe3 : Fermi surface and magnetoresistance under uniaxial stress

The Fermi surface of Nbse 3 below the two CDW transitions is still not very clear. Large magnetoresistance and giant quantum oscillations have been seen at low temperature below the second CDW transition. The SdH oscillations are attributed to one or several small pieces of electron or hole pockets spared by the two CDW transitions at 145 and 59 K In a previous low field study (μ 0 H<8T) of the transverse magnetoresistance (H in the (b,c) plane) we have shown that the extremal area of one of these pockets decreases linearly with strain, e, vanishing at e = 2.5%. Here we extend our study into the high magnetic field regime (pulsed 60 T) and investigate the effect of uniaxial stress on the magnetoresistance (I//H). Our high field study is consistent with the fermiology study and shows that uniaxial stress leads to the obliteration of a small closed pocket. Above 1% strain the magnetoresistance is linear with H with no sign of saturation.