cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transportation rates, market structure and the production-location decision: A note

Abstract This note examines the effects of market structure on production and location decisions of an oligopolistic firm. It shows that if transportation rates are a function of quantity shipped and distance traveled, a linearly homogeneous production function is not sufficient to ensure independence between the optimum location and market structure unless (i) the elasticities of transportation rates with respect to quantity shipped are constant and identical, and (ii) the ratios of marginal products to the marginal transportation costs are equal for each input. This results is significantly different from Hwang and Mai's in the constant transportation rates case.
Femtosecond internal conversion and reorientation of 5-methoxyindole in hexadecane

Abstract The femtosecond internal conversion (IC) of the tryptophan sidechain analog 5-methoxyindole (5MI) in hexadecane (HD) was observed using fluorescence upconversion. The time constant for internal conversion between 1 L a and 1 L b was estimated at 10–40 fs. A triple-exponential emission anisotropy decay, due to molecular reorientation, was also observed. The dependence of initial anisotropy upon excitation wavelength sets limits on 1 L a vs. 1 L b transition oscillator orientations.
Cdk1-Dependent Regulation of the Mitotic Inhibitor Wee1

The Wee1 kinase phosphorylates and inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), thereby delaying entry into mitosis until appropriate conditions have been met. An understanding of the mechanisms that regulate Wee1 should provide new insight into how cells make the decision to enter mitosis. We report here that Swe1, the budding-yeast homolog of Wee1, is directly regulated by Cdk1. Phosphorylation of Swe1 by Cdk1 activates Swe1 and is required for formation of a stable Swe1-Cdk1 complex that maintains Cdk1 in the inhibited state. Dephosphorylation of Cdk1 leads to further phosphorylation of Swe1 and release of Cdk1. Thus, Cdk1 both positively and negatively regulates its own inhibitor. Regulation of the Swe1-Cdk1 complex is likely to play a critical role in controlling the transition into mitosis.
Construction and Reactivity Mapping of a Platinum Catalyst Gradient Using the Scanning Electrochemical Microscope

We describe a method for the characterization of electro-oxidation catalysts that involves the fabrication and reactivity mapping of samples possessing a catalyst gradient. The objective of this work is to demonstrate a method for catalyst preparation and screening that directly measures the activity of spatially localized catalyst samples toward electro-oxidation reactions relevant to the fuel cell anode in an effort to discover and characterize new catalyst formulations. In this report, a well-defined gradient in the surface coverage of platinum is created on an electronically conductive but catalytically inactive indium−tin-oxide (ITO) substrate by the application of a nonuniform electric field during platinum electro-deposition. A linear variation in applied potential is imposed on an ITO substrate to induce a nonuniform platinum deposition rate, which results in the formation of a coverage gradient. The reactivity of this catalyst gradient is measured directly as a function of spatial position using ...
Arsenic trioxide: its role in acute promyelocytic leukemia and potential in other hematologic malignancies.

1More than 50 years ago, arsenicals (included in Flower’s solution; potassium arsenite) were recognized to be effective in controlling the white blood cell count (WBC) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. 2,3 However, with the introduction of contemporary cytotoxic chemotherapy, the use of arsenic-containing compounds was abandoned throughout most of the 20th century with the exception of melarsoprol for the treatment of trypanosomiasis, until reports from China emerged showing that arsenic trioxide (ATO) was extremely effective in inducing complete remission (CR) in patients with relapsed and refractory acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). 4,5 The outstanding results from these preliminary reports led to studies in the United States and elsewhere which confirmed very high CR rates achieved with ATO in patients with relapsed and refractory APL, even among those patients resistant to all-transretinoic acid (ATRA). At the same time, a large number of correlative ancillary laboratory studies have examined the specific mechanism of action of ATO in patients with APL. 6‐8
Cancer biomarker discovery in saliva by mass spectrometry

The quest for biomarkers has been much pursued to aid in the early diagnosis, monitor post-treatment progress and development of targeted therapies. Nevertheless, the translation of biomarker discovery to clinical use has been limited due to multiple reasons such as the long path from discovery to clinical assays, limitation of samples and incoherent pipeline for biomarker development. To date, diagnosis of cancer has been based on biopsies and histological examinations and often becomes difficult to get repeated sampling from patients for confirmation. Consequently, it is important for clinical researchers to look at multiple body fluids and different molecular techniques to identify biomarkers. One such bodyfluid is saliva, which is easily and non-invasively collected and contains thousands of potential protein biomarkers. Moreover, recent advances in the sensitivity and specificity of mass spectrometry based proteomics hold great promise to identify potential biomarkers. This review presents an overview of the potential use of saliva and mass spectrometry for global discovery and validation of biomarkers.
Death during induction therapy and first remission of acute leukemia in childhood: the St. Jude experience.

BACKGROUND Despite improvements in supportive care, death due to treatment toxicity remains a significant problem for children treated for acute leukemia. METHODS To determine the causes of and risk factors for death unrelated to refractory leukemia, to disease recurrence, or to second malignancy, the authors reviewed the records of 1011 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 260 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated between 1984 and 1999 and between 1983 and 2002, respectively, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN). Data for patients who underwent stem cell transplantation were censored at the time of transplantation. RESULTS For patients with ALL, the estimated 10-year cumulative incidence of death was 2.9% ± 5.3%. Age was the only predictor of death. Patients with ALL 1–9 years old had a significantly lower risk of death than did younger or older patients (P = 0.002). For patients with AML, the estimated 5-year cumulative incidence of death was 7.6% ± 1.9%. Increasing age and increasing leukocyte count were significantly associated with increased risk of death. For patients with ALL and with AML, the incidence of death remained relatively constant during the time periods studied. Infection was the most common cause of death. CONCLUSIONS In the current study, the authors determined that children ≥ 10 years of age are at increased risk of death during therapy for ALL and AML. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Specific requirements for the action of deoxyribonuclease.

THE mechanism of action of pancreatic deoxyribonuclease, now available in the crystalline state1,2, on highly polymerized deoxypentose nucleic acids is still obscure. The enzymatic attack is known to result in the formation of dialysable oligonucleotides and of a non-dialysable ‘core’ which, in the case of the nucleic acids from calf thymus3,4 and wheat germ5, is characterized by proportions of adenine, and to a lesser degree of thymine, greatly in excess of those encountered in the original substrate. Mononucleotides and inorganic phosphate are not found among the degradation products3,4, and this precludes the attribution to deoxyribonuclease of functions similar to those of phosphomonoesterases. It could be regarded as a phosphodiesterase of a closely circumscribed, as yet undefinable, specificity. A small number of acidic groups is, in fact, Liberated during the digestion6. That the attack of an enzyme the action of which consists in the depolymerization of a substance of high molecular weight, exhibiting no easily recognizable periodicity of constituent sequence, must follow an intricate pattern is clear: every break of the original molecule produces substrates that are new and different; the enzyme must deal with kaleidoscopic substrate changes.
Optimization of combinations of bactericidal and bacteriostatic treatments to control Listeria monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon

Abstract Contamination of cold-smoked salmon by Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern for the seafood industry. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the most effective bactericidal treatment for L. monocytogenes on salmon and (ii) optimize bactericidal and bacteriostatic treatment combinations to identify cost-effective treatments against L. monocytogenes on salmon. L. monocytogenes challenge trials were conducted in brain heart infusion (BHI) and on salmon disks that were supplemented with bactericidal compounds nisin (NIS), lauric arginate (LAE), e-polylysine (EPL), and chitosan (CHIT). Subsequently, the most effective bactericidal compound was further tested by concurrent application of a blend of organic acid salts containing potassium lactate and sodium diacetate (PLSDA). L. monocytogenes populations were measured at 7 °C over 60 days, and initial cell density ( N 0 ), maximum initial log reduction ( N r ), lag phase (λ), maximum growth rate (μ max ), and maximum cell density ( N max ) over 60 days storage were estimated. Time to recover to initial cell density ( T initial ) was also compared for combinations of bactericidal and bacteriostatic treatments. Varying degrees of antimicrobial effects were observed with bactericidal compounds in BHI. However, when tested on salmon, only NIS significantly decreased initial L. monocytogenes populations by approximately 2 log CFU/g, and reduced N max by approximately 1.5 log CFU/g compared to untreated control (CTRL). N r achieved by the combined treatment of NIS and PLSDA was approximately 2 log CFU/g regardless of the presence of PLSDA, and a dose-dependent increase in N r was observed with increasing NIS concentrations. PLSDA alone or in combination with 20 ppm NIS was most effective at delaying growth of L. monocytogenes . The greatest reduction in N max was observed with the combination of 20 ppm NIS and PLSDA; N max was 3.1 log CFU/g lower compared to CTRL. Comparison of T initial indicated that PLSDA with NIS can effectively retard growth of L. monocytogenes to its initial level (following initial reduction) and offers a cost benefit over using high concentrations of NIS alone. In summary, the combined application of NIS (for a bactericidal effect) and PLSDA (for a bacteriostatic effect) proved to be an effective treatment option to reduce initial levels as well as minimize subsequent growth of L. monocytogenes throughout the expected shelf-life of cold-smoked salmon.
Inter- and Intramolecular Crosslinking Kinetics: Partitioning According to Number of Crosslinks

Intramolecular crosslinking is important in many processes, including nanoparticle fabrication, but quantitative models of the kinetics have not been extensively investigated. We propose a distribution kinetics analysis for simultaneous intramolecular and intermolecular crosslinking. For realistic cases, moment equations can be solved and crosslink density computed according to the number of crosslinks. An analytical solution for the ratio of intramolecular to intermolecular crosslinking rates varies inversely with the initial polymer concentration and initial molecular weight, in agreement with published experimental data.
Helmholtz decomposition coupling rotational to irrotational flow of a viscous fluid.

In this work, I present the form of the Navier–Stokes equations implied by the Helmholtz decomposition in which the relation of the irrotational and rotational velocity fields is made explicit. The idea of self-equilibration of irrotational viscous stresses is introduced. The decomposition is constructed by first selecting the irrotational flow compatible with the flow boundaries and other prescribed conditions. The rotational component of velocity is then the difference between the solution of the Navier–Stokes equations and the selected irrotational flow. To satisfy the boundary conditions, the irrotational field is required, and it depends on the viscosity. Five unknown fields are determined by the decomposed form of the Navier–Stokes equations for an incompressible fluid: the rotational component of velocity, the pressure, and the harmonic potential. These five fields may be readily identified in analytic solutions available in the literature. It is clear from these exact solutions that potential flow of a viscous fluid is required to satisfy prescribed conditions, like the no-slip condition at the boundary of a solid or continuity conditions across a two-fluid boundary. It can be said that equations governing the Helmholtz decomposition describe the modification of irrotational flow due to vorticity, but the analysis shows the two fields are coupled and cannot be completely determined independently.
Health monitoring of aging aerospace structures using the electromechanical impedance method

This paper describes the use of the electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance method for health monitoring of aging aerospace structures. As a nondestructive evaluation technology, the E/M impedance method allows us to identify the structural dynamics directly by obtaining the E/M impedance signatures of attached piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS). The theoretical model for 2-D structures, which predicts the E/M impedance response at PWAS terminals, was developed and validated. The model accounts for axial and flexural vibrations of a host structure and considers both, structural dynamics and dynamics of the sensor. The study of sensor's sensitivity to structural damage is presented. The presence of damage modifies the E/M impedance spectrum causing frequency shifts, peak splitting and appearance of new harmonics. The overall-statistics damage metrics and probabilistic neural network (PNN) were used to classify data according to damage severity. When installed on the aging aircraft panel, the sensors response features: (a) in the near field, spectral baseline change; (b) in the medium field, changes in harmonics distribution. These effects were successfully captured with overall-statistics damage metrics (correlation coefficient deviation) and PNN respectively. The health monitoring of aging aerospace specimens shows that unobtrusive permanently attached PWAS in conjunction with E/M impedance method can be successfully used to assess the presence of incipient damage through the examination and classification of the E/M impedance spectra.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Analysis of the Game of Tennis

(1974). An Analysis of the Game of Tennis. The American Statistician: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 130-134.
Conformational changes in the ribosome induced by translational miscoding agents.

Ribosomes are dynamic complexes responsible for translating the genetic information encoded in mRNAs to proteins. The accuracy of this process is vital to the survival of an organism, and is often compromised by translational miscoding agents. Aminoglycosides are a group of miscoding agents that bind to the ribosome and reduce the fidelity of translation. Previous studies have shown that aminoglycosides alter the higher order structure of the ribosome. Here, we used a toeprinting assay to how that streptomycin, neomycin, kanamycin, gentamycin, and hygromycin B trigger conformational changes within Escherichia coli ribosome. Miscoding agents viomycin and 30 % ethanol also cause similar structural changes within the ribosome. In contrast, antibiotics that do not cause miscoding, such as tetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, fusidic acid and spectinomycin, do not induce the conformational changes triggered by miscoding agents. Furthermore, ribosomes isolated from strains that are either streptomycin resistant or dependent for growth do not show these conformational changes in the presence of streptomycin. These results correlate structural changes in the ribosome induced by miscoding agents in vitro with their in vivo phenotype.
CAVET on Bulk GaN Substrates Achieved With MBE-Regrown AlGaN/GaN Layers to Suppress Dispersion

A current aperture vertical electron transistor (CAVET) with a Mg-ion-implanted current blocking layer (CBL) and a channel regrown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), is successfully demonstrated on bulk GaN to work as a high voltage device. The fabrication of the device combined a drift region grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), to hold the blocking voltage, with AlGaN/GaN layers regrown by plasma-MBE to conduct current. The device registered a maximum current of 4 kA· cm-2 under direct-current operation offering a specific on-state resistance Ron - A of 2.2 mΩ·cm2. With 80 μs pulses applied to the gate, the devices showed no dispersion. The increased aperture length Lap resulted in the decrease in specific Ron, as expected. The impact of the gate overlap to aperture Lgo on the leakage current was studied, where the leakage current was found to increase with a smaller overlap.
Fractionation of the polynucleotide coenzyme of oxidative phosphorylation

Abstract The requirement for a polynucleotide in oxidative phosphorylation in extracts of Alcaligenes faecalis has been studied further. A single polynucleotide fraction, isolated from the crude material by column and paper chromatography, followed by paper electrophoresis, had activity in oxidative phosphorylation. This fraction was shown to contain adenine, guanine, and uracil. All other fractions isolated were inactive in oxidative phosphorylation, even though some differed from the active fraction by only a single base. The active component is assumed to be tetranucleotide with uridine phosphate at one end of the chain.
Imaging in vivo secondary caries and ex vivo dental biofilms using cross-polarization optical coherence tomography

Abstract Objective Conventional diagnostic methods frequently detect only late stage enamel demineralization under composite resin restorations. The objective of this study is to examine the subsurface tooth–composite interface and to assess for the presence of secondary caries in pediatric patients using a novel Optical Coherence Tomography System with an intraoral probe. Methods A newly designed intraoral cross polarization swept source optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT) imaging system was used to examine the integrity of the enamel–composite interfaces in vivo. Twenty-two pediatric subjects were recruited with either recently placed or long standing composite restorations in their primary teeth. To better understand how bacterial biofilms cause demineralization at the interface, we also used the intraoral CP-OCT system to assess ex vivo bacterial biofilm growth on dental composites. Results As a positive control, cavitated secondary carious interfaces showed a 18.2 dB increase ( p ex vivo biofilms on dental composites and assess their thickness. Significance This paper shows that CP-OCT imaging using a beam splitter based design can examine the subsurface interface of dental composites in human subjects. Furthermore, the probe dimensions and acquisition speed of the CP-OCT system allowed for analysis of caries development in children.
Linear polarization of low-energy-electron bremsstrahlung

The linear polarization of bremsstrahlung from thin targets (\ensuremath{\sim} 50 ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{2}$) of Al, Cu, Ag, and Au was measured for incident electron energies of 50, 75, and 100 keV. The polarization was measured as a function of photon energy at four emission angles ($\ensuremath{\theta}={22.5}^{\ensuremath{\circ}},{45}^{\ensuremath{\circ}},{90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}, \mathrm{and} {135}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$). Data presented were obtained with a Compton polarimeter having a large asymmetry ratio (from 35 to 150) and high resolution. The results have been found to be in general agreement with the predictions of various bremsstrahlung calculations.
Possibilistic linear programming for managing interest rate risk

Abstract In this study, we consider the linear programming problem with the objective of the investment discounted value, where the interest rate is imprecise and has a triangular possibilistic distribution. An (crisp) auxiliary bi-objective linear programming model is proposed to resolve this possibilistic nature. Furthermore, we develop an extended Zimmermann approach, called augmented max-min approach, for solving this auxiliary bi-objective linear programming problem and other multiple objective linear programming problems. Finally, a numerical bank balance sheet problem, where interest rates, price of futures contract, loan demand, deposit supply and ratio of desired loan to deposit are assumed to be fuzzy, is solved for illustrating the new approach.
Cecal-sigmoid anastomosis for advanced carcinoma of the colon.

In certain cases of advanced (incurable) colonic cancer, a cecalsigmoid anastomosis may relieve actual or impending bowel obstruction. In this way, a colostomy can be avoided and the patient may improve symptomatically. An illustrative case is briefly presented.
the forensic nurse and violence prevention and response in public health

Title 17 U.S.C. 101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties. LCDR Ferguson is a military service member. This work was prepared as part of her official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. 105 provides that Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the U.S. Government. The forensic nurse who responds to incidents of violence, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, gang violence, human trafficking, homicide, and suicide frequently devotes long hours providing professional health care and forensic nursing expertise to a variety of patient populations. In attempting to both improve the patient care process and mitigate occurrences of violence in the community, one of the problems forensic nurses encounter is that there are a limited number of opportunities to share expertise with violence prevention and response (VIPR) programs in local communities or on national stage. In addition, for nongraduate forensic nurses within healthcare and/or public health programs, there is little opportunity to develop population based research using cohorts subjected to violence, develop or implement VIPR programs, or test valid and reliable tools that evaluate the outcomes in those programs. While a number of current advocacy and behavioral health programs exist to address violence prevention and intervention across the United States, evidence supports healthcare programs responding to violence still remain inadequately developed and often do not include the
Advances in Bioconjugation.

Bioconjugation is a burgeoning field of research. Novel methods for the mild and site-specific derivatization of proteins, DNA, RNA, and carbohydrates have been developed for applications such as ligand discovery, disease diagnosis, and high-throughput screening. These powerful methods owe their existence to the discovery of chemoselective reactions that enable bioconjugation under physiological conditions—a tremendous achievement of modern organic chemistry. Here, we review recent advances in bioconjugation chemistry. Additionally, we discuss the stability of bioconjugation linkages—an important but often overlooked aspect of the field. We anticipate that this information will help investigators choose optimal linkages for their applications. Moreover, we hope that the noted limitations of existing bioconjugation methods will provide inspiration to modern organic chemists.
Effect of microfabrication processes on surface roughness parameters of silicon surfaces

Surface roughness parameters affect the real area of contact and hence the friction in micro/nanoscale systems. Few studies have addressed the interplay between surface roughness of processed surfaces using prevalent microfabrication processes and their anticipated tribological behavior. In this paper, the effects of different etchants on the surface roughness of a Si (100) surface were investigated using atomic force microscopy. The etchants studied were TMAH (25% aqueous at 90 °C) and KOH solution (6, 8 and 10 M at 80 °C). The surfaces generated by these wet-etching techniques were compared with the surface generated by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). Quantitative surface roughness parameters (root mean square (RMS), peak-to-valley distance (PTV), skewness (Sk), kurtosis (K) and autocorrelation length (ACL)) of the various surfaces were obtained from atomic force microscope images at different scan sizes. Results showed that DRIE produced the smoothest etched surface while TMAH produced the roughest surface. KOH (8 M) produced smoother surfaces than 6 and 10 M solutions. A dry contact model based on using the Pearson system of curves to generate the probability density function from the measured roughness parameters was used to estimate real area of contact and number of contacts for the various surfaces. From the contact model, we find that DRIE and 6 M KOH surfaces show the least number of contacts and are therefore the preferred etching methods to realize surfaces with minimum adhesion/friction.
Vibronic Enhancement of Exciton Sizes and Energy Transport in Photosynthetic Complexes

Transport processes and spectroscopic phenomena in light harvesting proteins depend sensitively on the characteristics of electron-phonon couplings. Decoherence imposed by low-frequency nuclear motion generally suppresses the delocalization of electronic states, whereas the Franck-Condon progressions of high-frequency intramolecular modes underpin a hierarchy of vibronic Coulombic interactions between pigments. This Article investigates the impact of vibronic couplings on the electronic structures and relaxation mechanisms of two cyanobacterial light-harvesting proteins, allophycocyanin (APC) and C-phycocyanin (CPC). Both APC and CPC possess three pairs of pigments (i.e., dimers) that undergo electronic relaxation on the subpicosecond time scale. Electronic relaxation is ~10 times faster in APC than in CPC despite the nearly identical structures of their pigment dimers. We suggest that the distinct behaviors of these closely related proteins are understood on the same footing only in a basis of joint electronic-nuclear states (i.e., vibronic excitons). A vibronic exciton model predicts well-defined rate enhancements in APC at realistic values of the site reorganization energies, whereas a purely electronic exciton model points to faster dynamics in CPC. Calculated exciton sizes (i.e., participation ratios) show that wave function delocalization underlies the rate enhancement predicted by the vibronic exciton model. Strong vibronic coupling and heterogeneity in the pigment sites are the key ingredients of the vibronic delocalization mechanism. In contrast, commonly employed purely electronic exciton models see heterogeneity as only a localizing influence. This work raises the possibility that similar vibronic effects, which are often neglected, may generally have a significant influence on energy transport in molecular aggregates and photosynthetic complexes.
Influence of hand-carried ultrasound on bedside patient treatment decisions for consultative cardiology.

Abstract To test the hypothesis that hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) may influence patient treatment on consultative cardiology rounds, 235 patients who were hospitalized (aged 65 ± 10 years) were studied. First, routine treatment decisions regarding diagnostic workup and therapy were made from patient history, physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiogram, and chart data. Second, a goal-directed HCU study was performed in
Liberalism and enlightenment in eighteenth‐century Germany

This is a preprint (author's original) version of the article published in Critical Review 13(1-2):31-53. The final version of the article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08913819908443521 (login required to access content). The version made available in Digital Common was supplied by the author.
N2-fixing competence of Rhizobium japonicum strains in soybean infected with tobacco ringspot virus†

Soybean budblight and nodule infection by tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) is a most severe, although not the most prevalent, soybean disease in the USA as it reduces growth, nodulation, N2-fixation, and yield. Infection of cv. “Tracy” soybean with tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) had a severe effect upon the symbiotic competence of eight Rhizobium japonicum (Rj) strains in combination with this soybean. This effect was associated with a significant decrease in nodule (g fresh wt plant−1) and N2-fixation activity as expressed by the acetylene reduction assay. This was particularly evident with TRSV infection at the unifoliate developmental stage of plant growth as shown by a 63% decrease in nodulation and 62% decrease in acetylene reduction activity. However, with TRSV infection at the trifoliate stage there was no decrease in nodulation although acetylene reduction activity decreased 36%. The significantly higher N2-fixing competence of USDA Rj strains 110, 122, and 143 in healthy plants was associated with their greater nodulation. No such significant association was demonstrated with the other Rj strains tested. The re-isolation of the virus from nodules of plants inoculated with TRSV in either growth stage, and the kill of cowpea and limabean plants inoculated with extracts from TRSV-infected nodules, showed that the virus remained viable. Serotyping of somatic antigens of the Rj strains in extracts from TRSV-infected nodules from plants in the unifoliate or in the trifoliate inoculation showed that the virus within the nodule did not always suppress agglutinability. These results indicate that the inherent high N2-fixing competence of Rj strains 110, 122, and 143 in particular is consistent with their reported ability for hydrogenase-enhanced nitrogenase N2-fixation and that TRSV is a significant repressing factor through its effect on plant growth and the soybean-Rhizobium symbiosis.
How unusual is the 2012–2014 California drought?

For the past three years (2012–2014), California has experienced the most severe drought conditions in its last century. But how unusual is this event? Here we use two paleoclimate reconstructions of drought and precipitation for Central and Southern California to place this current event in the context of the last millennium. We demonstrate that while 3 year periods of persistent below-average soil moisture are not uncommon, the current event is the most severe drought in the last 1200 years, with single year (2014) and accumulated moisture deficits worse than any previous continuous span of dry years. Tree ring chronologies extended through the 2014 growing season reveal that precipitation during the drought has been anomalously low but not outside the range of natural variability. The current California drought is exceptionally severe in the context of at least the last millennium and is driven by reduced though not unprecedented precipitation and record high temperatures.
Exploiting Multi-core Processors to Improve Time Predictability for Real-Time Java Computing

As a successful programming language, Java has extended its application from general-purpose systems to embedded, real-time systems. However, some of Java's excellent features, like automatic memory management and dynamic compilation, bring indeterminism to the execution time of real-time Java programs. In this paper, we propose several multi-core approaches to remove or at least reduce the unpredictability inside of Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Our goal is to retain high performance competitive to dynamic compilation and, at the same time, obtain better time predictability for JVM. Also, we study pre-compilation techniques to utilize second core more efficiently. Furthermore, we develop Pre-optimization on Another Core (PoAC) scheme to replace the Adaptive Optimization System (AOS) in Jikes JVM, which is very sensitive to execution time variation and impacts time predictability greatly. The experimental results indicate that our approaches are able to reach high performance while greatly reduce execution time variation of Java applications.
The Effects of Fiber Surface Treatments by a Cold Plasma in Carbon Fiber/Bismaleinide Composites

The effects of plasma treatments on the physical and chemical characteristics of carbon fiber surface and on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber/bismaleimide (BMI) resin composites were investigated. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and wettability measurements were applied for fiber surface characterization. Oxygen plasmas were found to be effective in enhancing the interfacial adhesion between carbon fiber and BMI matrix. Possible mechanisms of interfacial adhesion promotion were suggested and discussed.
Numerical Investigation of Micro-Tab in Airframe Noise Reduction

A two-dimensional numerical study was performed to investigate the acoustic effects of micro-tab device on airframe noise reduction. As the noise generated by leading-edge slat and trailing-edge flap rise with their increased deflection angles, it is possible to mitigate such high-lift noise by using reduced settings without sacrificing the aerodynamic performance during approach. In this paper, micro-tab device attached to the pressure side of the flap surface is envisioned as a mean to achieve this goal. Hybrid method involving Computational Fluid Dynamics and acoustic analogy was used to predict the far-field noise spectrum. Results illustrate that the micro-tab device with reduced deflection angles of the high-lift settings provides lower noise signature at far-field positions, comparing to the baseline configuration, while the aerodynamic performance is maintained. In addition, some parametric studies including the tab location and the variation in angle of attack were also investigated.
Extending a capability based system into a network environment

The Mach operating system supports secure local communication within one node of a distributed system by providing protected communication abstraction can be extended over a network by Network Server tasks. The network servers effectively act as local representatives for remote tasks by implementing an abstraction of Network Ports. To extend the security of the port-based communication abstraction into the network environment, the network servers must protect both the messages sent over the network to network ports and the access rights to network ports. This paper describes in detail the protocols used by the network servers to support security.
Vulnerability and all that jazz: Addressing vulnerability in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

Abstract This essay reviews the concept of vulnerability, paying special attention to the vulnerability of New Orleans exposed by Hurricane Katrina, and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to reducing vulnerability. Vulnerability is defined as a function of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Physical vulnerability results from exposure, and social vulnerability emanates from social factors that place people in highly exposed areas, affect the sensitivity of people to that exposure, and influence their capacity to respond and adapt. The paper describes how the city's physical exposure has caused extreme vulnerability. Its large population of poor blacks is even more exposed than others, has high sensitivity, and possesses limited capacity to adapt. The paper argues that to understand vulnerability requires an interdisciplinary approach, one that physical scientists, engineers, social scientists, and humanists should work on collaboratively in order to reduce vulnerability in New Orleans.
Source number detection in spatial correlated color noise using the canonical correlation coefficients

The accurate estimation of source number detection may be very essential to high-resolution array processing. However, the traditional algorithms are sensitive to different noise fields. To overcome the drawback, this paper addresses a novel effective accurate detection algorithm by using the canonical correlation coefficients of the joint covariance matrix. Compared with the traditional algorithms, the presented algorithm has better performance and lower complexity.The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Methodology, the matching law, and applied behavior analysis.

The practical value of the quantitative analysis of behavior is limited by two methodological characteristics of this area of research: the use of (a) steady-state strategies and (b) relative vs. absolute response rates. Applied behavior analysts are concerned with both transition-state and steady-state behavior, and applied interventions are typically evaluated by their effects on absolute response rates. Quantitative analyses of behavior will have greater practical value when methods are developed for their extension to traditional rate-of-response variables measured across time. Although steady-state and relative-rate-of-response strategies are appropriate to the experimental analysis of many behavioral phenomena, these methods are rarely used by applied behavior analysts and further separate the basic and applied areas.
Keeping abreast of the mammary epithelial hierarchy and breast tumorigenesis

The epithelium of the mammary gland exists in a highly dynamic state, undergoing dramatic morphogenetic changes during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and regression. The recent identification of stem and progenitor populations in mouse and human mammary tissue has provided evidence that the mammary epithelium is organized in a hierarchical manner. Characterization of these normal epithelial subtypes is an important step toward understanding which cells are predisposed to oncogenesis. This review summarizes progress in the field toward defining constituent cells and key molecular regulators of the mammary epithelial hierarchy. Potential relationships between normal epithelial populations and breast tumor subtypes are discussed, with implications for understanding the cellular etiology underpinning breast tumor heterogeneity.
Exudative Hemorrhagic Duodenitis as a Primary Event in a Child With Henoch-Schönlein Purpura

2 4-year-old girl had a history of an acute onset of severe generalized colicky abdominal pain, fever, oral ulcer, loody diarrhea, and melena for 7 days. An examination showed ever, and generalized abdominal tenderness without organoegaly. Her blood tests showed a white blood cell count of 6,400/mL3, a hemoglobin level of 11.8 mg/dL, a hematocrit evel of 34.2%, a platelet count of 122,000/mm3, a neutrophil evel of 80%, an albumin level 2.6, a sedimentation rate of 11 m/h, and a C-reactive protein level of 6.5 mg/dL. A stool ulture, Clostridium difficile toxin, and parasites were negative. A agnetic resonance image of the abdomen showed significant owel-wall thickening in the duodenum and jejunum with dematous changes and sloughing of the mucosa (Figure A). A outine upper endoscopy revealed marked hyperemia, friability, nd edema with focal exudates in duodenum (Figure B). olonoscopy and ileoscopy were normal. The histologic findngs showed mild esophagitis, normal gastric mucosa, crypt bscess formation and cryptitis, fibrinopurulent exudates, an ncrease in mixed primarily neutrophilic inflammatory infilrates, and diffuse submucosal hemorrhage of the duodenum Figure C). The patient responded well with methylpredisolone within 1 week. Eighteen days after her onset of the llness a group of petechial rash appeared on her buttocks and he posterior aspect of her legs and progressed to significant urpura. Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) was diagnosed.
Thin-skin eddy-current inversion for the determination of crack shapes

An important aim of nondestructive evaluation is to quantify flaws in components using sensor measurements. In pursuit of this aim, a method has been developed for finding the size and shape of planar cracks in electrical conductors from single-frequency eddy-current probe impedance measurements. In the direct problem, the change in the impedance of an eddy-current probe due to a crack in a conductor is determined in the regime where the skin depth is much smaller than the dimensions of the crack face. The thin-skin field at the crack face is represented by a potential satisfying the two-dimensional Laplace equation. In the corresponding inverse problem, the crack shape is sought from probe impedance measurements. Here the crack boundary is located using an iterative inversion scheme in which a cost function quantifying the overall difference between predictions and measurements is minimized using a gradient method. The gradient is found from the derivative of the cost function with respect to a variation of the flaw. Shape estimates found by the inversion of impedance data have been compared with the measured profiles of simulated cracks in aluminium plates. The comparisons show that the inversion scheme gives good agreement with direct physical measurements.
Fiber and Penton Base Capsid Modifications Yield Diminished Adenovirus Type 5 Transduction and Proinflammatory Gene Expression with Retention of Antigen-Specific Humoral Immunity

Fiber and penton base capsid proteins of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) mediate a well-characterized two-step entry pathway in permissive tissue culture cell lines. Fiber binds with high affinity to the cell surface coxsackievirus-and-adenovirus receptor (CAR), and penton base facilitates viral internalization by binding αv integrins through an RGD motif. In vivo, the entry pathway is complicated by interactions of capsid proteins with additional cell surface molecules and blood factors. When administered systemically in mice, adenovirus vectors (Adv) localize primarily to hepatic tissue, resulting in efficient gene transduction and potent activation of the host antiviral immune response. The goal of the present study was to detarget Adv uptake through fiber and penton base capsid protein manipulations and determine how detargeted vectors influence transduction efficiency, inflammatory activation, and activation of the adaptive arm of the immune system. By manipulating fiber and the penton base, we have generated highly detargeted vectors (up to 1,200-fold reduction in transgene expression in vivo) with reduced macrophage stimulatory activity in vitro and in vivo. In spite of the diminished transduction and macrophage activation, the detargeted vectors induce strong neutralizing immunity as well as efficient antitransgene antibody. Three of the modified vectors produce antitransgene humoral immunity at levels that exceed or are equal to that seen with an unmodified Ad5-based vector. The fiber-pseudotyped and penton base constructs with RGD deleted have attributes that could be important enhancements in a number of vaccine applications.
Fewer permutations, more accurate P-values

Motivation: Permutation tests have become a standard tool to assess the statistical significance of an event under investigation. The statistical significance, as expressed in a P-value, is calculated as the fraction of permutation values that are at least as extreme as the original statistic, which was derived from non-permuted data. This empirical method directly couples both the minimal obtainable P-value and the resolution of the P-value to the number of permutations. Thereby, it imposes upon itself the need for a very large number of permutations when small P-values are to be accurately estimated. This is computationally expensive and often infeasible. Results: A method of computing P-values based on tail approximation is presented. The tail of the distribution of permutation values is approximated by a generalized Pareto distribution. A good fit and thus accurate P-value estimates can be obtained with a drastically reduced number of permutations when compared with the standard empirical way of computing P-values. Availability: The Matlab code can be obtained from the corresponding author on request. Contact: tknijnenburg@systemsbiology.org Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Parents' Expression and Discussion of Emotion in the Multilingual Family: Does Language Matter?

Parents regularly use words to express and discuss emotion with their children, but does it matter which language they use to do so? In this article, we examine this question in the multilingual family context by integrating findings from both psychological and linguistic research. We propose that parents’ use of different languages for emotional expression or discussion holds significant implications for children’s emotional experience, understanding, and regulation. Finally, we suggest that an understanding of the implications of emotion-related language shifts is critical, particularly in adapting interventions within a rapidly diversifying society.
Cross-regulation of TNF and IFN-α in autoimmune diseases

Cytokines, most particularly TNF and type I IFN (IFN-αβ), have been long considered essential elements in the development of autoimmunity. Identification of TNF in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and TNF antagonist therapy represent successes of immunology. IFN-αβ plays a major role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a prototype autoimmune disease characterized by a break of tolerance to nuclear components. Here, we show that TNF regulates IFN-α production in vitro at two levels. First, it inhibits the generation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), a major producer of IFN-αβ, from CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors. Second, it inhibits IFN-α release by immature pDCs exposed to influenza virus. Neutralization of endogenous TNF sustains IFN-α secretion by pDCs. These findings are clinically relevant, as five of five patients with systemic juvenile arthritis treated with TNF antagonists display overexpression of IFN-α-regulated genes in their blood leukocytes. These results, therefore, might provide a mechanistic explanation for the development of anti-dsDNA antibodies and lupus-like syndrome in patients undergoing anti-TNF therapy.
Solution conformation and crystal structure of methyl 3,6-dideoxy-β-d-ribohexopyranoside, an immunodominant sugar of O-antigens

Abstract The crystal structure of methyl 3,6-dideoxy-β- d -ribohexopyranoside monohydrate was determined by direct methods. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P21, with cell dimensions a = 9.089(1), b = 7.668(1), c = 6.956(1) A , β = 101.12° . The molecule adopts the 4C1 chair conformation. The same conformation was also found in both aqueous and chloroform solutions. The pyranose ring is only slightly distorted, and the consequences of this observation on antigen structure are discussed.