cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical stability of hollow glass microspheres in cementitious syntactic foams

Abstract Recent studies have shown cementitious syntactic foams (CSF) to have great potential as a low density and high strength structural material. However, CSFs are made with hollow glass microsphere (HGM) inclusions and cementitious materials with amorphous silica inclusions such as glass are known to have a potential for the deleterious alkali silica reaction (ASR). In this study, CSFs containing HGMs are tested for ASR expansion and compressive strength along with solid particles of soda-lime and borosilicate glass to compare. Results show that in the 30–90 μm average particle size range, only solid borosilicate particles lead to more than 0.2% expansion of the composite material in an accelerated ASTM C1260 lab test for ASR, which is considered as the limit for deleterious effects. Similarly, compressive strength tests show that only solid borosilicate particles lead to reduced compressive strengths (from ~95 to ~40 MPa) in the long term, while CSFs showed no sign of loss of compressive strength even at extremely alkaline conditions. Scanning electron microscopy investigations suggest that CSFs are safe from ASR expansion of the composite and internal stresses due to their hollow geometry, which provides reservoir space for the alkaline silica gel expansion and mitigates the ASR effects.
Next Generation GNSS-R Instrument

The science payload on each spacecraft in the CYGNSS constellation is a GNSS-R receiver and antennas designed to receive GPS L1 signals scattered from the Earth surface. The constellation was launched on 15 Dec 2016 and the GNSS-R instruments continue to operate successfully. A next generation version of the receivers and antennas is in development which adds significant measurement capabilities that are expected to enhance the resolution, precision and coverage of current CYGNSS science data products as well as enable some new ones.
Issue Politics in Congress

Do representatives and senators respond to the critiques raised by their challengers? This study, one of the first to explore how legislators' experiences as candidates shape their subsequent behavior as policy makers, demonstrates that they do. Winning legislators regularly take up their challengers' priority issues from the last campaign and act on them in office, a phenomenon called 'issue uptake'. This attentiveness to their challengers' issues reflects a widespread and systematic yet largely unrecognized mode of responsiveness in the US Congress, but it is one with important benefits for the legislators who undertake it and for the health and legitimacy of the representative process. This book provides fresh insight into questions regarding the electoral connection in legislative behavior, the role of campaigns and elections, and the nature and quality of congressional representation.
Psychological reaction to therapeutic abortion. II. Objective response.

Abstract The Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory test was administered to 65 abortion patients and 20 maternity patients shortly before their respective medical “events” and again to most of them 6 months later. Preoperatively, the abortion patients were less “normal” in over-all adjustment, anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. The abortion group showed an “improvement” in psychologic state 6 months after the abortion except in impulsivity. The importance of these findings to the physician providing an abortion service to his patients is discussed.
Technology and the balance of work family conflict: an investigation into the role of telecommuting

This paper investigates one form of technology-enabled work, telecommuting, and its link to work family conflict. Specifically, it examines how the extent of telecommuting is associated with work family conflict, and how this relationship is influenced by the nature of the employee's work. Results suggest an inverse relationship between the extent of telecommuting and work family conflict which was moderated by the nature of the telecommuter's job. These results are interpreted as suggesting that organizations need to understand more completely the nature of a telecommuter's job when anticipating benefits from telecommuting.
Minimal fine derivatives and Brownian excursions

The paper will present some basic properties of minimal fine derivatives which seems to be a new concept (or at least a new combination of well-known ones). Why is it worthwhile to study this new concept? Why hasn’t it been done earlier?
A new method of circumscribing beliefs: the propositional case

We propose here a new notion of a minimal model for forming circumscription in belief-logic by incorporating the notion of minimal models in the prepositional logic. This results in a new circumscription operation for belief-formulas than the one considered in [4-6]. An important feature of the new circumscription operation is its close relationship with the circumscription of prepositional formulas. For instance, we have CIRC[Bp] = B(CIRC[p]), where p is a prepositional formula. We give several examples to show that the new notion of circumscription fits quite well with intuition.
Customizing Processors: Lofty Ambitions, Stark Realities

Publisher Summary This chapter describes some of the lessons learned in almost a decade of custom-fit processors research, from the research goals initially developed at HP Labs in the early 1990s through the development of the Lx/ST200 family of customizable VLIW processors. Many of the technically challenging issues in customizing architectures and their compilers have either been solved or are along the way to being solved in the near future. This chapter presents a critical view of the area of processor customization, based on long experience in the arena (which led to the design of the Lx/ST200 family of VLIW embedded cores). It reviews the motivations and achievements of the “Custom-Fit Processors” (CFP) project at HP Labs and discusses a set of lessons that were learned during the project that point to the obstacles (not always technical), which slowed the adoption of customizable processors. It largely refers to socio-technological issues, rather than the challenges of automating the customization.
Chronic hypoxia augments protein kinase G-mediated Ca2+ desensitization in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle through inhibition of RhoA/Rho kinase signaling

Pulmonary vascular smooth muscle (VSM) sensitivity to nitric oxide (NO) is enhanced in pulmonary arteries from rats exposed to chronic hypoxia (CH) compared with controls. Furthermore, in contrast ...
Structures of anhydrous and hydrated copper(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate.

Crystal structure analyses are reported for anhydrous copper(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate (Cu(hfac)2) and for two of its hydrates. The anhydrous compound (Cu(hfac)2, 1: P1; at 100 K, a = 5.428(1), b = 5.849(1), c = 11.516(3) A; α = 81.47(2), β = 74.57(2), γ = 86.96(2)°; Z = 1) contains centrosymmetric square-planar complexes with close intermolecular Cu···F contacts. The geometry of the complex is similar to that previously reported for Cu(hfac)2·toluene. The monoaquo compound (Cu(hfac)2(H2O), 2: P21/c; at 100 K, a = 10.8300(8), b = 6.5400(6), c = 21.551(3) A; β = 90.282(8)°; Z = 4) consists of square-pyramidal molecules with apical H2O ligands, and close-lying F atoms in the sixth coordination sites. The major difference between this structure and the two other polymorphs previously reported is the nature and direction of hydrogen bonds. The yellow-green solid formed from Cu(hfac)2 with excess H2O is identified as the trihydrate. In crystalline form it is the previously unreported [trans-Cu(hfac)2(H2...
Unlikely allies: embodied social cognition and the intentional stance

I argue that proponents of embodied social cognition (ESC) can usefully supplement their views if they enlist the help of an unlikely ally: Daniel Dennett. On Dennett’s view, human social cognition involves adopting the intentional stance (IS), i.e., assuming that an interpretive target’s behavior is an optimally rational attempt to fulfill some desire relative to her beliefs. Characterized this way, proponents of ESC would reject any alliance with Dennett. However, for Dennett, to attribute mental states from the intentional stance is not to attribute concrete, unobservable mental causes of behavior. Once this is appreciated, the kinship between IS—understood as a model of our quotidian interpretive practices—and ESC is apparent: both assume that quotidian interpretation involves tracking abstract, observable, behavioral patterns, not attributing unobservable, concrete, mental causes, i.e., both assume social cognition is possible without metapsychology. I argue that this affinity constitutes an opportunity: proponents of ESC can use IS as a characterization of the subpersonal basis for social cognition. In the process, I make my interpretation of IS more precise and relate it to current empirical literature in developmental psychology.
Future research on urban transportation network modeling

The distribution of citations of five path‐breaking publications across regional science and transportation journals is examined to gauge whether RSUE was a significant player in the evolution of urban transportation network modeling research. Concluding this research area is pertinent to the journal, and research advances in transportation network equilibrium modeling are traced through five phases of development from its beginnings in the early 1950s. Then, the future of this research area is examined with regard to four issues: representation of congestion; tour‐based representation of travel; non‐separable travel time–flow relationships; and dynamic network flows.
Universal approach to predicting heat transfer coefficient for condensing mini/micro-channel flow

Abstract A new universal approach to predicting the condensation heat transfer coefficient for mini/micro-channel flows is proposed that is capable of tackling many fluids with drastically different thermophysical properties and very broad ranges of all geometrical and flow parameters of practical interest. This is accomplished by first amassing a consolidated database consisting of 4045 data points from 28 sources. The database consists of single-channel and multi-channel data, 17 different working fluids, hydraulic diameters from 0.424 to 6.22 mm, mass velocities from 53 to 1403 kg/m 2 s, liquid-only Reynolds numbers from 276 to 89,798, qualities from 0 to 1, and reduced pressures from 0.04 to 0.91. An exhaustive assessment of prior correlations shows only two correlations, that are actually intended for macro-channels, provide relatively fair predictions, while mini/micro-channel correlations generally show poor predictions. Two new correlations are proposed, one for predominantly annular flows, and the second for slug and bubbly flows. This approach shows very good predictions of the entire consolidated database, with an overall MAE of 16.0%. It is shown this accuracy is fairly even for different working fluids, and over broad ranges of hydraulic diameter, mass velocity, quality and pressure, and for both single and multiple mini/micro-channels.
Coarse grained gather and scatter operations with applications

We introduce asymptotically optimal algorithms for gathering and scattering a small-to-moderate sized set of data on a coarse grained parallel computer. We use these operations to obtain efficient to optimal solutions to several fundamental problems in image processing and string matching (exact or approximate) for coarse grained parallel computers.
1233 SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF A NEW FORMULA FOR TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU)

1233 SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF A NEW FORMULA FOR TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU)
Porometry and fabric of marine clay and carbonate sediments: Determinants of permeability

Abstract The porometry of a marine sediment is determined by the fabric, i.e., the shape, orientation, arrangement (spatial distribution) and associations of the solid particles. Fabric ultimately determines the permeability of the sediment by controlling the size, shape and continuity of the pore space. Electron microscopy studies have revealed complex fabrics and porometries of surficial and deeply buried sediments from various geological environments. When viewed in profile using thin sections, the pores of unconsolidated, high-porosity marine clays are often very irregular in shape and span a broad size range. In general, however, the pore profiles of these sediments can be described as having aspect ratios (length-to-width ratios) which approach 1.0. Pore profiles of consolidated, low-porosity clays are characterized by aspect ratios which approach infinity. Coefficients of permeability for marine clays typically range from 10 −5 cm/s (porosities of 70–75%) to 10 −8 cm/s (porosities of about 50%). The permeability coefficient was 10 −13 cm/s and the porosity was 27% for bentonite (a smectite) consolidated in the laboratory to a maximum load of 68.9 × 10 3 kPa ∗ . The pore space characteristics in carbonate sediments vary greatly depending on the constituent particles. Aspect ratios for pore profiles can range from 1.0 in a coccolith ooze to 2.0 in an aragonitic needle matrix consolidated uniaxially at pressures of 4.32 × 10 3 kPa. The permeability of shallow-water (3–4 m) oolitic carbonates is largely controlled by the permeability of the aragonite needle matrix. Despite the large quantity (in one case 94% by weight) of fine-sand-size ooids in these deposits, the comparatively impermeable ooids are matrix supported. This results in a sediment with relatively high porosity and medium permeability, similar to fine sands that are tightly packed and, therefore, grain supported. Permeability coefficients of these oolitic carbonate sediments range from 10 −2 to 10 −4 cm/s. Carbonate sediments recovered from intermediate water depths (970–1980 m) are composed of grains (mostly large shell fragments) embedded in either a coccolith matrix or an aragonite needle matrix. The permeability coefficients for these carbonates range from 10 −5 to 10 −6 cm/s. The sediments studied range in size from sands to clays, and the differences in porosity and permeability observed for these sediments reflect differences both in the fabrics of the fine-grained matrices and in the grain-size distributions. The data presented suggest that the sediment fabric is a function of the characteristics of the constituent particles and the physical and chemical environments of deposition and that the fabric plays a major role in determining the permeability of the deposit. Limited but revealing computerized image analyses have been carried out on scanning and transmission electron micrographs of these sediments. Initial results indicate that this approach may prove useful for quantifying fabric parameters and providing a statistical basis for fabric descriptions.
Self-rated health, psychosocial functioning, and health-related behavior among Thai adolescents.

Background: Despite the popularity of self-rated health (SRH) in Western countries as a useful public health tool, it has only rarely been used in Asian countries. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether measures of psychosocial functioning and health-related factors differ according to SRH in a school-based sample of Thai adolescents. Methods: The survey was given to 2519 adolescents attending 10 coeducational secondary high schools in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand and included measures of psychosocial functioning (loneliness, hopelessness, shyness, perceptions of social status, self-rated happiness, and perception of physical attractiveness) and certain health-related factors (height/weight, physical activity, eating breakfast, sleep). Results: The proportion of boys (5.1%) reporting that they were not healthy was similar to the proportion of girls (4.6%) making the same rating. These adolescents showed a pattern of overall poor health risk. Compared to adolescent peers who rated their health as healthy or very healthy, they were less physically active, got less sleep, were more likely to be overweight, and scored lower on loneliness, shyness, hopelessness, and self-rated happiness. Conclusions: The present pattern of poor health risk warrants attention and supports the merit of using SRH in adolescent health assessment. SRH is easy to obtain and simple to assess and single-item assessments of SRH appear to be valid measures of health status in adults and adolescent. Interventions, such as health counseling, mental health counseling, and health education, can target adolescents who rate themselves as ‘not healthy’ or report poor health status.
M2, S2, K1 models of the global ocean tide on an elastic earth

Ocean tidal signals appear in many geophysical measurements. Geophysicists need realistic tidal models to aid in interpretation of their data. Because of the closeness to resonance of dissipa‐tionless ocean tides, it is difficult for numerical models to correctly represent the actual open ocean tide. As an approximate solution to this problem, test functions derived by solving Laplace's Tidal Equations with ocean loading and self gravitation are used as a basis for least squares dynamic interpolation of coastal and island tidal data for the constituents M2, S2, and K1. The resulting representations of the global tide are stable over at least a ±5% variation in the mean depth of the model basin, and they conserve mass. The paper presents maps of the geocentric tide, the induced free space potential, the induced vertical component of the solid earth tide, and the induced vertical component of the gravitational field for each constituent.
Expert systems: An integral part of knowledge management

Knowledge management is one of the hottest topics in organizations today. Much of what is being proposed and accomplished is not novel by any means. Techniques, tools, concepts, and methodologies can easily be borrowed from the expert systems and artificial intelligence disciplines. This paper emphasizes that expert systems need to be an integral part of knowledge management if knowledge management is to succeed, and not simply be a fad!
Circuit Assembly: The Repulsive Side of Lamination

Identifying the mechanisms that shape neuronal circuit architecture remains a major challenge. A recent study shows that repulsive signaling between parallel visual pathways helps organize their connections into laminar circuits in the inner retina.
Logistics: An overview of the state of the art and perspectives on future research

Abstract A conceptual model of logistics incorporating consumers, producer/shippers, carriers and governments is formulated. Private and public sector problems, including vehicle routing, inventory management, fleet selection and facility location, are identified. We argue that logistics interfaces intimately with production planning and marketing. Stochasticity, temporal factors, multiple modes, multiple objectives and multiple products are outlined as key dimensions of logistics models. Models of vehicle routing, facility location, integrated logistics within a firm and shipper/carrier interactions are reviewed. Promising research opportunities in algorithmic development, incorporation of more realistic assumptions and integration of logistics models are outlined.
Relationship between aboveground and belowground biomass of Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass)

Aboveground and belowground biomass ofSpartina alterniflora were harvested during the period of peak aerial biomass from six sites along a latitudinal gradient ranging from Georgia to Nova Scotia. An equation relating live aboveground to live belowground biomass for short-form plants was formulated, using data collected in Delaware marshes. When data from the other sites were substituted into the equation, the mean live belowground biomass it predicted was within 15% of the value determined by harvesting at four of the five sites. At all sites, short-form plant live belowground biomass was concentrated in the upper 10 cm. Dead belowground biomass was located mostly in the top 15 cm in southern marshes, but was more evenly distributed with depth in northern marshes. Results were more ambiguous for tall-form plants, probably because of greater spatial variability in biomass distribution, and greater seasonal biomass dynamics.
Altered bone mineral density and body composition, and increased fracture risk in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate fracture rate and bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with dexamethasone-based chemotherapy. Study design: Children with ALL (n = 61) participated. At diagnosis, during therapy, and one year after cessation of therapy, BMD and body composition were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of lumbar spine (LS) and total body (TB). Serum markers of bone turnover were assessed. Results: BMDLS was significantly reduced at diagnosis, and remained low during therapy. BMDTB was normal at diagnosis, with a fast decrease in the first 32 weeks, in which chemotherapy was relatively intensive. Apparent ("volumetric") BMDLS was also reduced, but this did not reach significance at diagnosis and follow-up. Bone formation markers were reduced at diagnosis; formation as well as resorption markers increased during treatment. Fracture rate was 6 times higher in ALL patients compared with healthy controls. Lean body mass was decreased at baseline. Percentage of body fat increased significantly during therapy. After ALL treatment was completed, BMD and body composition tended to improve. Conclusions: Children with ALL are at risk for osteopenia because of the disease itself and the intensive chemotherapy. Fracture rate increases substantially, not only during but also shortly after treatment. (J Pediatr 2002;141:204-10)
The association between velocity of the center of closest proximity on subchondral bones and osteoarthritis progression

Altered surface interactions following joint instability may apply novel, damaging loads to articular cartilage. This study measured the velocity of the centers of closest proximity on subchondral bone surfaces on the femur and tibia during running in normal and unstable canine stifle (knee) joints. The purpose was to explore the relationship between the velocity of the centers of closest proximity on subchondral bones and the severity of cartilage damage. Dynamic biplane radiography was used to acquire serial knee kinematics [5 control, 18 cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficient] during treadmill running over 2 years. Custom software calculated the difference between the rate at which the center of closest proximity on the femur translated relative to the femur bone surface and the rate at which the center of closest proximity on the tibia translated relative to the tibia bone surface. Comparisons were made between dogs that developed minor versus major medial compartment cartilage damage over 2 years. Major damage dogs showed a significantly greater increase in the difference between femur and tibia medial compartment closest proximity point velocity from the instant of paw strike to peak velocity difference at 2, 4, and 6 months after CCL transaction. This implies increased tangential forces associated with the velocity of the compressed cartilage region during joint movement (plowing) may be a mechanism that initiates osteoarthritis (OA) development and drives OA progression. In the future, articulating surface velocity measurements may be useful to identify patients at risk for long-term OA due to joint instability.
Clinical management of Ewing sarcoma of the bones of the hands and feet: a retrospective single-institution review.

Abstract Background/Purpose Bones of the hands and feet are uncommon sites for Ewing sarcoma. In this study, we reviewed our experience in the management of these tumors. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical presentation, management, and outcome of patients with Ewing sarcoma of the bones of hands and feet treated at our institution (1981-2006). Results The cohort included 6 males and 3 females (8 white, 1 African American; median age at diagnosis, 15 years). Primary tumor site was the hand in 6 and the foot in 3 patients. Three patients had distant metastatic disease at diagnosis (lung [n = 2]; ipsilateral axillary lymph node[(n = 1]). All patients had painful swelling at the primary site, and 2 (22%) had pathological fracture. All patients received chemotherapy and local control measures (surgery [n = 6], radiation [n = 2], surgery and radiation [(n = 1]). Three patients received radiotherapy for distant metastases. Three patients had systemic recurrence (lungs [n = 2], lung and brain [n = 1]); none had local tumor recurrence. Median follow-up was 5 years. Five patients (55.6%) are alive at last follow-up. Conclusions Chemotherapy and surgical excision of primary tumor are the mainstays of treatment. Radiotherapy is recommended for local control of lesions in the hand for patients declining excisional therapy.
Lower Limit of Water Availability to Plants

Measurements of transpiration, cell division, and cell enlargement show that no single lower limit of available water can be defined for these three plant processes. The soil-water content at which permanent wilting is exhibited does not represent a true lower limit for any of these.
Comparative in vitro activity of a new quinolone, AM-1091.

Abstract The in vitro activity of a new quinolone, AM-1091 [7-(3-amino-1-pyrrolidinyl)-8-chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro- 4-oxo- 3-quinoline carboxylic acid hydrochloride], was compared with those of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, beta-lactams, and gentamicin. AM-1091 inhibited 90% of the isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae at less than or equal to 0.12 micrograms/ml. For many species AM-1091 was 2-fold more active than ciprofloxacin and 2- to 32-fold more active than ofloxacin. It inhibited Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Klebsiella species resistant to ceftazidime and gentamicin. Ninety percent of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were inhibited by 0.5 micrograms/ml, so for this species AM-1091 was twofold less active than ciprofloxacin. AM-1091 was more active against Pseudomonas cepacia and Xanthomonas maltophilia, inhibiting isolates resistant to imipenem and gentamicin. Most Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Branhamella catarrhalis isolates were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.06 micrograms/ml. The MICs for 90% of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis isolates were 0.06, 0.06, and 2 micrograms/ml, respectively. AM-1091 inhibited hemolytic streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae at 0.25 micrograms/ml and was more active than ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin against gram-positive species. AM-1091 inhibited 90% of the Bacteroides species at 0.5 micrograms/ml. The frequency of spontaneous resistance was less than 10(-10) for most organisms, but resistant strains could be selected by repeated subculturing. Although AM-1091 had lower in vitro activity at pH 5.5 and in the presence of high concentrations of Mg2+, it still inhibited most organisms at </= 0.5 micrograms/ml under these conditions. AM-1091 rapidly killed Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa and had a prolonged postantibiotic suppressive effect on these bacteria.
Training Level, Acculturation, Role Ambiguity, and Multicultural Discussions in Training and Supervising International Counseling Students in the United States

This research partially replicated Nilsson and Anderson’s Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (2004) study on training and supervising international students. It investigated the relationships among international counseling students’ training level, acculturation, supervisory working alliance (SWA), counseling self-efficacy (COSE), role ambiguity (RA) and multicultural discussion (MD) in supervision. In the present study (N = 71), two acculturation variables and RA predicted SWA. SWA and MD did not predict COSE, while language use in acculturation did. Training level differences were only associated with COSE. Findings indicate that supervisors should attend to role ambiguity and multicultural issues when supervising international students, including acculturation issues and their impact on students’ performance. Results are discussed against Nilsson and Anderson’s original study and the implications for supervision of international counseling students.
Reliability of Comparably Wriften Two-Option Multiple-Choice and True-False Test Items:

This study compares two-option multiple-choice vocabulary test items with comparably written true-false test items. Results indicate that the multiple-choice format provides a significantly more reliable measure than the true-false format. Results further indicate that the true and false items do not appear to be measuring the same abilities. Potential strategies are discussed that an examinee may use for solving two-option multiple-choice and true-false test items in an effort to explain these results.
Mode of action of insect growth regulators in lepidopteran tissue culture

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) have been proposed as agents for the control of insect pests. These compounds disrupt the normal development of insects by mimicking juvenile hormone and the molting hormone, 20-hydroxyecdsyone, or by interfering with chitin synthesis. The effectiveness and selectivity of IGRs provide new tools for integrated pest management. The simultaneous advances in the chemistry of IGRs and the ability to study insect tissues in culture, have led to research on the mode of action of IGRs in vitro. Plodia interpunctella and Spodoptera frugiperda have been used to examine the effects of IGRs on wing imaginal discs in organ culture, as well as in hormonally responsive cell lines established from wing imaginal discs of these species. Our research has focused on the action of ecdysteroid mimics, chitin synthesis inhibitors and juvenile hormone mimics. The effects of the IGRs on chitin synthesis, uptake of amino-sugars, and cellular proliferation were studied in tissue culture. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using organ cultures and hormonally responsive cell lines for investigating IGRs at the cellular and tissue level. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry
Blastocoel-spanning filopodia in cleavage-stage Xenopus laevis: Potential roles in morphogen distribution and detection.

Abstract In the frog Xenopus laevis, dorsal–ventral axis specification involves cytoskeleton-dependent transport of localized transcripts and proteins during the first cell cycle, and activation of the canonical Wnt pathway to locally stabilize translated beta-catenin which, by as early as the 32-cell stage, commits nuclei in prospective dorsal lineages to the subsequent expression of dorsal target genes. Maternal ligands important for activating this dorsal-specific signaling pathway are thought to interact with secreted glypicans and coreceptors in the blastocoel. While diffusion between cells is generally thought of as sufficient to accomplish the distribution of secreted maternal ligands to their appropriate targets, signaling may also involve other potential mechanisms, including direct transfer of morphogens via membrane-bounded entities, such as argosomes, exosomes, or even filopodia. In Xenopus, the blastocoel-facing, basolateral surfaces where signaling interactions ostensibly take place have not been previously examined in detail. Here, we report that the cleavage-stage blastocoel is traversed by hundreds of extremely long cellular protrusions that maintain long-term contacts between nonadjacent blastomeres during expansion of the interstitial space in early embryogenesis. The involvement of these protrusions in early embryonic patterning is suggested by the discoveries that (a) they fragment into microvesicles, whose resorption facilitates considerable exchange of cytoplasm and membrane between blastomeres; and (b) they are active in caveolar endocytosis, a prerequisite for ligand-receptor signaling.
Critical flux of hard sphere suspensions in crossflow filtration: Hydrodynamic force bias Monte Carlo simulations

A Monte Carlo method is developed for crossflow membrane filtration to determine the critical flux of hard sphere suspensions. Brownian and shear-induced diffusion are incorporated into an effective hydrodynamic force exerted on the hard spheres in a concentrated shear flow. Effects of shear rate and particle size on the critical flux are investigated using hydrodynamic force bias Monte Carlo simulations, providing a baseline of the critical flux.
High-fidelity quantum operations on superconducting qubits in the presence of noise.

We present a scheme for implementing quantum operations with superconducting qubits. Our approach uses a ``coupler'' qubit to mediate a controllable interaction between data qubits, pulse sequences which strongly mitigate the effects of $1/f$ flux noise, and a high-$Q$ resonator-based local memory. We develop a Monte Carlo simulation technique capable of describing arbitrary noise-induced dephasing and decay, and demonstrate in this system a set of universal gate operations with $O({10}^{\ensuremath{-}5})$ error probabilities in the presence of experimentally measured levels of $1/f$ noise. We then add relaxation and quantify the decay times required to maintain this error level.
Five-year outcomes with alemtuzumab induction after lung transplantation.

Background Induction therapy with alemtuzumab, followed by lower than conventional intensity post-transplant immunosuppression (eg, tacrolimus monotherapy), has been associated with reduced morbidity and mortality in abdominal and heart transplantation. We examined 5-year outcomes in lung recipients receiving alemtuzumab in conjunction with reduced-intensity post-transplant immunosuppression (early lower-dose tacrolimus; lower-dose steroids, with or without mycophenolate mofetil), compared with lung recipients receiving other induction agents or no induction in association with post-transplant immunosuppression. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using prospectively collected data from a single-site clinical database of 336 lung recipients (aged ≥18) who received allografts between 1998 and 2005, classified by induction type: alemtuzumab, 127; Thymoglobulin, 43; daclizumab, 73; and none, 93. Survival analyses examined patient and graft survival, and freedom from acute cellular rejection (ACR), lymphocytic bronchiolitis, obliterative bronchiolitis (OB), bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Results Five-year patient and graft survival differed by group ( p = 0.046, p = 0.038, respectively). Alemtuzumab patient/graft survival rates were 59%/59%. Survival rates were 60%/44% for Thymoglobulin, 47%/46% for no induction, and 44%/41% for daclizumab. Freedom from ACR, lymphocytic bronchiolitis, OB, and BOS differed by group (all values, p p = 0.864). Effects were unchanged after controlling for potential covariates. Conclusions Alemtuzumab induction may be associated with improved outcomes in lung transplantation. Randomized controlled trials are needed to establish any effects of this agent.
Czechoslovakia: From revolution to reconstruction

As one of the countries in east-central Europe liberated in 1989 from Communist rule, Czechoslovakia is currently undergoing profound social, political, and economic changes. This article presents both the positive outcomes of the “velvet revolution” and a variety of problems that the country has to cope with. Of particular concern are three problem areas: the legacy of Communist rule, the unsettled relationship between Czechs and Slovaks, and the ruined national economy. Of the three problem areas, the latter is considered most painful, since it involves layoffs and thus directly affects the lives of individuals and families. The article reviews administrative initiatives undertaken by the government to modernize production and minimize unemployment. It also focuses on the changing role of helping professionals in Czechoslovakia. By reasserting their true mission-assist people rather than manipulate them-helping professionals can promote significant attitudinal changes in their society.
Reduction of copper(I) sulfide with hydrogen and the morphology of Cu(s) product

The kinetics of reduction of copper(I) sulfide fines with hydrogen gas were determined in the range 500–1040°C using thermogravimetry. The rate constant values derived from the experimental results were plotted in an Arrhenius manner: at moderate temperatures (500–655°C), the activation energy for the reduction process was found to be 57.3 kj mol−1. At elevated temperatures, due to mass-transfer effects, the activation energy declines to 38.8 kJ mol−1. The morphology of the copper product was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The Cu2S grains were found to be reduced nontopochemically: in the range 500–750°C, the copper product consisted of fibers. But at higher temperatures (850–1020 °C), sintered spongy copper was formed. The mechanism of fiber-growth was elucidated.
The neuroanatomy of pure apraxia of speech in stroke

The left insula or Broca’s area have been proposed as the neuroanatomical correlate for apraxia of speech (AOS) based on studies of patients with both AOS and aphasia due to stroke. Studies of neurodegenerative AOS suggest the premotor area and the supplementary motor areas as the anatomical correlates. The study objective was to determine the common infarction area in patients with pure AOS due to stroke. Patients with AOS and no or equivocal aphasia due to ischemic stroke were identified through a pre-existing database. Seven subjects were identified. Five had pure AOS, and two had equivocal aphasia. MRI lesion analysis revealed maximal overlap spanning the left premotor and motor cortices. While both neurodegenerative AOS and stroke induced pure AOS involve the premotor cortex, further studies are needed to establish whether stroke-induced AOS and neurodegenerative AOS share a common anatomic substrate.
Ethical considerations in software engineering

The author discusses ethical considerations that arise in the practice of software engineering and uses cases to help focus the discussion on ethical concerns in the practice of software engineering. The author comments on the relationship between software safety and ethics, informed consent and ethical decisions, the customer's responsibility for end-product quality, internal performance standards and customer consent to inferior work, and techniques for addressing ethical issues. >
Empirical Analysis of Search Advertising Strategies

Top search ad placement is the coin of today's Internet services realm. An entire industry of search engine marketing companies have emerged to help advertisers optimize their ad campaigns to deliver high returns on investment, peddling a plethora of advertising strategies. Yet, very little is publicly known about the effectiveness of online search advertising, especially when trying to compare the various campaign strategies used by advertisers.This paper presents the first large-scale measurement of the effectiveness-measured in terms of incremental conversion gains'of online search ads. We develop a simple metric called net acquisition benefit (NAB) that admits comparisons between the efficacy of different ad campaign strategies without access to advertisers' private financial information. We study three common campaign strategies used by advertisers on a large search ad network: cannibalization, poaching, and ad extensions. Considering data from a month in the last two years, we employ NAB to identify cases where these campaign strategies are justified. Advertisers and ad agencies can replicate our methodology to apply it to other strategies of interest.
Local recurrence outcomes using the 32P intraoperative brachytherapy plaque in the management of malignant lesions of the spine involving the dura

Abstract Purpose Sterilization of surgical margins for lesions involving the dura is complicated by the tolerance of the spinal cord and/or cauda equina, especially in the setting of prior radiation therapy (RT); use of intraoperative brachytherapy may allow local delivery of therapeutic dose without damaging sensitive structures. Methods and Materials Patients with malignant lesions involving the dura received intraoperative brachytherapy with a 32P plaque after maximal resection of the tumor. Local recurrence (LR) was analyzed using competing risks analysis; overall survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier statistics. Results Between September 2009 and April 2013, 68 patients with 69 lesions in the spine were treated with the 32P plaque. Median followup was 10 months. Most patients (n = 59, 85.5%) had previously been treated with at least one course of prior RT to the treated site. About 38 (55%) lesions received postoperative RT (median dose, 30 Gy; range, 18–30 Gy). The LR and overall survival at 12 months were 25.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 15.5–37%) and 59.5% (95% CI = 46–73%), respectively. For patients who received postoperative RT, LR at 12 months was 18.5% (95% CI = 7.5–33%) compared with 34% (95% CI = 18–51%) for those who were treated with the plaque alone (p = 0.08 and 0.04 on univariate and multivariable analysis, respectively). There were no acute or long-term complications from treatment observed in this cohort. Conclusions The 32P intraoperative brachytherapy plaque is a useful adjunct to surgical intervention for primary recurrent and metastatic lesions of the spine involving the dura, and is not associated with additional toxicity.
Hepatitis C reactivation in patients who have diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab: a case report and review of literature.

Abstract Background Whether to interrupt or to continue induction therapy for lymphoma when hepatitis C virus (HCV) reactivation occurs during therapy with rituximab and chemotherapy remains a controversial question. There is limited evidence-based literature to help guide the management of patients with lymphoma in the setting of HCV reactivation. To address this issue we report an illustrative case and review the prevalence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in HCV-infected patients; the role of HCV in lymphomagenesis; the role of antiviral therapy in the management of HCV-associated lymphomas; as well as comparing the outcomes for NHL patients with and without HCV infection. Case Report A patient diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was treated with rituximab and chemotherapy with the patient achieving a complete remission, but treatment was complicated by asymptomatic HCV reactivation. Because conflicting data exist regarding management of such cases, the criteria for discontinuing chemotherapy, in the event of escalation in HCV replication in an asymptomatic patient, remain unclear. Conclusion Patients with HCV have increased prevalence of marginal zone lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Whether HCV has a role in the lymphomagenesis is still uncertain, and limited to conjecture. The question whether to treat HCV-related lymphomas with antiviral therapy is debatable and not well-supported. Without initial liver dysfunction, HCV-infected patients can experience a similar outcome compared to their HCV-negative counterparts when treated with standard chemotherapy/immunotherapy despite differences in the presentation of the disease.
Shunting in intracranial microvasculature demonstrated by SEM of corrosion-casts.

The use of methyl methacrylate corrosion-casts has made it possible to examine the intracranial microvasculature on a three-dimensional scale with the scanning electron microscope. By this means we have compared regions of four cerebral and cerebellar arteries among three domestic animal species. The results of this study suggest that there are from one to three different levels of interarteriolar anastomosis between branches of the same or adjacent vessels. In the horse and ox anastomoses were demonstrated (1) at the level of the precapillary arterioles, (2) along the arterioles, and (3) between small pial arteries. In the dog only the first-named anastomoses were evident in this study. These morphological characteristics may explain, in part, the shunting mechanism by which hypoxia may be reduced among intracranial capillary networks.
An Optical Evaluation Laboratory For Laser Fusion

AbstractThe Antares CO2 laser system is being constructed at the Los Alamos Scientific Labo-ratory (LASL) to investigate inertial confinement fusion. Antares will be a very largelaser system, with 72 beams and a total beam area of some 6 square meters. There will bethousands of optical components, predominantly copper -plated mirrors and sodium chloridewindows. To coordinate the specification, procurement, evaluation, and disposition of these components, a centralized Optical Evaluation Laboratory (OEL) is being set up. TheOEL is principally a quality -control facility for routinely evaluating the optical per-formance of components and assemblies with apertures of up to 18 -inch diameter. However, the OEL has a much broader involvement and responsibility for the Antares optics. Virtu- ally every piece of optics in Antares will be specified and ordered through the OEL. Af- ter acceptance, the OEL will be responsible for tracking the history of each optical com-ponent via a computerized data base. This paper describes the Optical Evaluation Labora-tory facility and its operation.IntroductionThe Laser Fusion Program at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) is developinghigh- energy carbon -dioxide
Solvated liquid-lignin fractions from a Kraft black liquor.

Abstract A softwood Kraft black liquor was acidified with carbon dioxide at 115 °C and 6.2 bar over a pH range of 13.6–9.5, resulting in the precipitation of liquefied-lignin fractions as a separate phase. Seven such “liquid-lignin” fractions were produced, with each fraction being phase-separated within a narrow pH band of 0.5 units. The fractions were found to be highly hydrated phases, containing 32.3–48.2 wt.% water; as a result, their measured melting points were quite low, 90.7–110.5 °C. In contrast, no melting point was detected up to 375 °C for any of the lignin fractions after drying. Significant reductions in metals content were observed for the lignin fractions compared to the original black-liquor feed.
Properties of exgS, a gene for a major subunit of the Clostridium cellulovorans cellulosome

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of P70, one of the three major subunits of the Clostridium cellulovorans cellulosome, has been determined. The gene designated as exgS (Genbank Accession No. U34793) consists of 2112 bp and encodes a protein containing 703 amino acids with a molecular mass of 77.7 kDa. ExgS has a putative signal peptide sequence of 32 amino acids. The N-terminal region is separated from the C-terminal region by a short Pro–Thr–Pro linker. The C-terminal region of ExgS contains a duplicated sequence (DS), each sequence consisting of 22 amino acids. exgS, located 67 bp downstream of cbpA in the chromosome, is immediately upstream of a gene encoding a family 9 type endoglucanase that we have designated as EngH. This gene cluster to date consists of regA–cbpA–exgS–engH. Recombinant ExgS (rExgS) containing no signal peptide was expressed in E. coli. The rExgS actively digested several forms of cellulose, including Avicel, Sigmacell101, crystalline cellulose, and xylan, but not carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Cellotetraose was the smallest oligosaccharide substrate for rExgS. The enzymatic studies indicated that ExgS was an exoglucanase and had some properties similar to that of CelS from C. thermocellum and CelF from C. cellulolyticum. An exoglucanase has now been found to be a component of the C. cellulovorans cellulosome as well as the previously reported endoglucanases.