cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary allergic reactions impair systemic vascular relaxation in ragweed sensitive mice

Asthma is often associated with cardiovascular complications, and recent observations in animal models indicate that induction of pulmonary allergic inflammation increases susceptibility of the myocardium to ischemia and reperfusion injury. In this study, we used a murine model of allergen sensitization in which aspiration of allergen induces pulmonary and systemic inflammation, to test the hypothesis that pulmonary exposure to allergen alters vascular relaxation responses. BALB/C mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ragweed and challenged by intratracheal instillation of allergen. Airway hyperreactivity and pulmonary inflammation were confirmed, and endothelium-dependent and -independent reactivity of thoracic aorta rings were evaluated. Ragweed sensitization and challenge induced airway hyperreactivity to methacholine and pulmonary inflammation, but did not affect constrictor responses of the aortic rings to phenylephrine and K+ depolarization. In contrast, maximal relaxation of aortic rings to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside decreased from 87.6±3.9% and 97.7±1.2% to 32±4% and 51±6%, respectively (p<0.05). The sensitivity to acetylcholine was likewise reduced (EC₅₀=0.26±0.05 μM vs. 1.09±0.16 μM, p<0.001). The results demonstrate that induction of allergic pulmonary inflammation in mice depresses endothelium-dependent and -independent vascular relaxation, which can contribute to cardiovascular complications associated with allergic inflammation.
Electrical control of light by fluid logic devices.

A variety of novel fluid logic–light control devices are described. The devices operate by using electrically controlled fluid logic circuits to fill and empty transparent chambers with fluids having different optical properties. The experimental data obtained with photoformed fluid logic circuits operated in a two-phase (water–air) mode, show that: great design flexibility is possible. These fluid logic–light control devices have a good light transmission efficiency, a high optical contrast ratio over wide angles, good reliability and uniformity, and a reasonable switching speed; they can be cheaply fabricated in a wide range of sizes, have a true switching threshold, and be operated in a random access mode. The separation of electrical and optical functions permits attractive geometries. The fluid logic–light control devices are particularly suited for displays, for controlling high-power laser beams in measuring, tracking, and machining applications, and for varying the focus of large optical systems.
Antituberculosis activity of 6 cyclo-octylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone (CQQ).

Abstract A new compound, 6 cyclo-octylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone (CQQ), a dual analogue of vitamin K and coenzyme Q, was effective against several drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In vitro studies indicated the bactericidal nature of its action at 1 μg/ml. Pulse exposure studies using M. tuberculosis H 37 Rv showed that a growth lag period of 96 hours resulted with exposure to 1 μg/ml for 24 hours or longer.
Multiple Inhibitor Analysis of the Brequinar and Leflunomide Binding Sites on Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase

Brequinar and the active metabolite of leflunomide, A77 1726, have been clearly shown to inhibit human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), but conflicting mechanisms for their inhibition have been reported. DHODH catalyses the conversion of dihydroorotate (DHO) to orotate concurrent with the reduction of ubiquinone. This study presents data that indicates brequinar is a competitive inhibitor versus ubiquinone; A77 1726 is noncompetitive versus ubiquinone and both are uncompetitive versus DHO. 2-Phenyl 5-quinolinecarboxylic acid (PQC), the core moiety of brequinar also shows competitive inhibition versus ubiquinone. Multiple inhibition experiments indicate that PQC (and thus brequinar) and A77 1726 have overlapping binding sites. Both PQC and A77 1726 are also mutually exclusive with barbituric acid (a competitive inhibitor versus DHO). In addition, we failed to observe brequinar binding to E.orotate by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). These results indicate that the E.DHO.inhibitor and E.orotate.inhibitor ternary complexes do not form. The absence of these complexes is consistent with the two-site ping-pong mechanism reported for DHODH. This kinetic data suggests that recent crystal structures of human DHODH complexed with orotate and A77 1726 or brequinar may not represent the relevant physiological binding sites for these inhibitors [Liu, S., Neidhardt, E. A., Grossman, T. H., Ocain, T., and Clardy J. (2000) Structure 8, 25-33].
"Rapid" rhythmic discharges of sympathetic nerves: sources, mechanisms of generation, and physiological relevance.

Like virtually all other physiological control systems, the sympathetic nervous system controlling cardiovascular function is characterized by the presence of rhythmic activity. These include slow rhythms with frequencies at or below that of the respiration and rapid rhythms with frequencies at or above that of the heart beat. The rapid rhythms are the subject of this review. The specific questions entertained are as follows: (1) Are the rapid cardiac-related and 10-Hz rhythms inherent to central sympathetic networks, or are they imposed on sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) by extrinsic periodic inputs? (2) Does basal SND arise from an anatomically circumscribed "vasomotor center" composed of pacemaker neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla or from an anatomically distributed network oscillator composed of different types of brainstem neurons, none of which necessarily have intrinsic pacemaker properties? (3) Are the rapid rhythms generated by single circuits or by systems of coupled oscillators, each with a separate target? (4) Are the rapid rhythms in SND simply by-products of the sympathetic generating mechanisms, or do they subserve selective and special functions, such as the formulation of differential patterns of spinal sympathetic outflow that support particular behaviors? The controversial aspects of these issues and the state-of-the-art analytical methods used to study them are stressed in this review.
Coming to terms with movement studies

The first section of this essay responds to McGee's putative critique of movement theory and assesses the concept of “rhetorical movement.”; The second section recommends priorities for research in the rhetoric of social movements.
Suppression of human tumor cell proliferation through mitochondrial targeting

Intracellular calcium signaling plays a central role in cell proliferation. In leukemic cells, the calcium release-activated calcium channels provide a major pathway for calcium entry (I(CRAC)) perpetuating progression through the cell cycle. Although I(CRAC) is under mitochondrial regulation, targeting mitochondrial function has not been exploited to control malignant cell growth. The benzothiadiazine diazoxide, which depolarized respiration-dependent mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced the rate of proliferation and arrested human acute leukemic T cells in the G0/G1 phase. Diazoxide did not alter cellular energetics, but rather inhibited the mitochondria-controlled I(CRAC) and reduced calcium influx into tumor cells. The antiproliferative action of diazoxide was mimicked by removal of extracellular calcium or by the tyrphostin A9, an I(CRAC) inhibitor. Deletion of the mitochondrial genome, which encodes essential respiratory chain enzyme subunits, attenuated the inhibitory effect of diazoxide on I(CRAC)-mediated calcium influx and cell proliferation. Thus, manipulation of mitochondrial function and associated calcium signaling provides a basis for a novel anticancer strategy.
A new non-parametric method for image intensity inhomogeneity correction using a non-uniform gradient filter and path integrals

ABSTRACT A new local gradient-based non-parametric inhomogeneity correction method is developed that is independent of image acquisition modality and protocol. Image intensity inhomogeneity, mostly caused by imperfections in imaging devices and underlying processes, results in different image intensity values at different regions of an object. This phenomenon often poses a major challenge to different post processing applications (e.g., segmentation, quantitative analysis), especially in medical imaging. Prospective intensity correction approaches in MRI are time consuming and costly, and they fail to resolve patient-specific magnetic susceptibility and RF coil attenuation. Most of the image post-processing methods for intensity inhomogeneity correction require segmentation of iso-tissue regions (therefore, prone to segmentation related errors and unreliability) and other methods do not apply direct analyses on spatial image domain (therefore, causes different artifacts and less reliable). Here, we present a new approach that directly works on spatial domain, requires no pre-segmentation or parametric model, and uses only local image gradient  a low level information. The key idea is to distinguish the two components of the gradient at a point  (1) slow background intensity variations, and (2) intensity variations due to true edges. It allows computing intensity inhomogeneity along a path by integrating slow intensity variations which subsequently, yields intensity inhomogeneity surface. The method requires no experts intervention and may easily be amended to an imaging system. The new method is applied on image slices taken from MR data of different body regions. Keywords: MRI, RF coil, intensity inhomogeneity, gradient, edge Snake, object class uncertainty, image gradient, spline, elasticity, rigidity, energy minimization.
Memory materials without characteristic time and their relation to the rheology of certain particle suspensions

Abstract It is shown that the lack of a characteristic time and the associated time-scale invariance serve to plac e severe restrictions on the rheology of a simple material. i.e. on the general form of the functional relating stress to deformation history. The rate-independent material proposed by Pipkin and Rivlin in 1965 as a model of plasticity in solids is found to arise as an important special case of a time-scale invariant material, and it is shown how their idea of rate-independent functionals can be used to construct rheological representations for more general materials, including fluids without charcateristic time. It is also demonstrated that such idealized fluids, which exhibit mathematically singular viscometric behavior, should provide a faithful continuum model for the rheology of rigid particle suspensions in Newtonian liquids (the generalized Einstein problem) and, as such, may provide asymptotic models for real particle susension, such as colloids, in the “flow-dominated” limit of large Deborah number.
Constitutive Equations of Power-Law Composites and Failure of Materials Having Multiple Cracks

Based upon the Mori Tanaka method, the constitutive equations of power law materials and the failure criteria of multiple cracks materials are investigated. The piecewise linear incremental approach is also employed to analyze the effective stress and strain of the power law materials. Results are presented for the case of pure shear where the matrix is a power law material with rigid or void inhomogeneities. For multiple cracked materials, the Griffith fracture criterion is applied to determine the critical volume fraction which causes the catastrophic failure of a material. The failure criteria of penny shaped, flat ellipsoidal, and slit-like cracked materials are examined
Critical Magnetic Behavior of Nickel near the Curie Point

Static magnetization of polycrystalline nickel spheres (diameter about 0.3 cm) has been studied in detail as a function of the magnetic field above and below the Curie point, Tc, using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Above Tc the initial magnetic susceptibility is proportional to ϵ−γ, where ϵ = ∣1 − (T/Tc)∣ and γ = 1.33 ± 0.01, T being the absolute temperature. The spontaneous magnetization, determined by the kink method, is proportional to ϵβ, where β = 0.50 ± 0.02 for ϵ 5 × 10−3. The magnetization at Tc is proportional to H, where Hi is the internal magnetic field and δ = 4.17 ± 0.05. These results are compared with the power values obtained by other investigators and are discussed from the viewpoint of various theoretical models. Die statische Magnetisierung von polykristallinen Nickelkugeln (Durchmesser etwa 0,3 cm) wurde ausfuhrlich als Funktion des Magnetfeldes oberhalb und unterhalb des Curiepunktes Tc mittels eines Schwingprobenmagnetometers untersucht. Oberhalb Tc ist die ursprungliche magnetische Suszeptibilitat proportional ϵ—γ, wobei ϵ = ∣1 − (T/Tc)∣ und γ = 1,33 ± 0,01 ist (T absolute Temperatur). Die spontane Magnetisierung, die mit der Knotenmethode bestimmt wurde, ist proportional ϵβ, wobei β = 0,50 ± 0,02 fur ϵ 5 × 10−3 ist. Die Magnetisierung bei Tc ist proportional H, wobei Hi das innere magnetische Feld und δ = 4,17 ± 0,05 ist. Diese Ergebnisse werden mit den Werten anderer Autoren verglichen und vom Standpunkt verschiedener theoretischer Modelle diskutiert.
Postoperative Bleeding: Coagulopathy, Bleeding, Hemothorax

Several issues are involved in determining a patient's risk for postoperative hemorrhage and in managing this potential postoperative complication. The impact of minimally invasive procedures on the incidence of this complication is addressed in this article.
Developing Teaching Competencies for Instructors in the Academic Library: A Case Study

A university library developed a list of teaching competencies with three goals in mind: (1) to improve the quality of teaching in the information literacy program, (2) to create an outline for training in pedagogy, and (3) to provide a mechanism for self and peer assessment in library instruction. The authors describe the development process and discuss the rationale for each set of skills and behaviors. The article includes the list of competencies.
Pregnancy after Essure placement: report of two cases.

Objective To report two cases of pregnancy after placement of Essure ® micro-inserts. Design Case report. Setting University-based Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Patient(s) Patient 1, a 38-year-old woman, presented with a positive pregnancy test 7 months after Essure ® hysteroscopic sterilization. Patient 2, a 35-year-old female, became pregnant approximately 1 year after undergoing the Essure ® procedure. Intervention(s) Patient 1 received obstetric ultrasounds, a prophylactic cerclage, a cesarean section, and a tubal ligation. Patient 2 underwent a postprocedure hysterosalpingogram, an obstetric ultrasound, pregnancy termination, diagnostic pelvic ultrasound, and a hysterectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Documentation of normal progress of pregnancy after Essure ® placement. Result(s) Patient 1 carried an uncomplicated pregnancy to term with an Essure ® micro-insert in place. Patient 2 became pregnant despite an hysterosalpingogram showing tubal occlusion and was ultimately found to have a micro-insert perforating the uterine wall. Conclusion(s) The presence of Essure ® micro-inserts in the fallopian tubes do not appear to interfere with implantation and pregnancy. Uterine perforation by an Essure ® micro-insert in proximity to the tubal ostia may mimic proper micro-insert placement and bilateral tubal occlusion on both hysterosalpingogram and saline infusion sonography.
Conformation of Complementarity Determining Region L1 Loop in Murine IgG λ Light Chain Extends the Repertoire of Canonical Forms

Abstract The refined structure of Se155-4 Fab fragment, the first murine antibody with the λ light chain, reveals a novel conformation of the light chain complementarity determining region L1. This conformation extends the repertoire of canonical structures. The main determinant of this conformation is the packing of the Val27c side-chain into a hydrophobic pocket formed by the side-chains of Ala33, Leu66, Ala71 and Leu90. The framework L-FR3 loop, encompassing residues 66 to 72, which packs next to the L1 loop, bends significantly more toward the exterior of the molecule than in other Fab fragments. Sequence analysis suggests that the conformations of the L1 and L-FR3 Loops observed in Se155-4 are adopted by a majority of murine λ light chains.
Geographies of Tolerance: Human Development, Heteronormativity, and Religion

In their work on the human development sequence, Inglehart and Welzel (Modernization, cultural change, and democracy: the human development sequence. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2005) argue that there is a “rising tide” of gender equality across various countries in the system. While the authors propose that the process that holds true for a rising tide in women’s rights is also true for other outgroups including minorities and homosexuals, they do not test their proposed relationship on feelings toward these groups. At the same time, studies on sexuality and tolerance suggest that religious beliefs and government institutions play a significant role in shaping societal attitudes about homosexuality, promulgating beliefs and policies that place homosexuality in a negative light. In the case of government institutions, sexuality may also be framed as a security issue, making homosexuality appear as a threat. The present work performs an empirical test of the mechanisms of the human development sequence on tolerance toward homosexuality, and compares this theory to rival hypotheses regarding the effects of religion and heteronormative policies. Empirical testing using hierarchical linear models shows mixed support for hypotheses drawn from work on the human development sequence, but indicates that religious belief and heteronormativity in government policies have a significant relationship to levels of tolerance.
Six unusual dextrans: methylation structural analysis by combined g.l.c.—m.s. of per-O-acetyl-aldononitriles

Abstract Six bacterial dextrans from NRRL strains Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299, B-1303. B-1355, and B-1399; Streptobacterium dextranicum B-1254; and A g.l.c. procedure permitted, for the first time. separation of the 2,3,4- from the 2.3.6-tri- O -methyl derivative of d -glucose. Deuteriomethyla
Freezing breast cancers to enhance complete resection.

Cryoablation is currently being used to treat fibroadenomas and is being explored in clinical protocols as a potential treatment modality for highly selected small breast cancers without the need for surgical resection.1–6 The article by Tafra et al.7 demonstrates an additional use of cryoablation—to assist in the surgical resection of sonographically detectable, nonpalpable breast cancers. Cryoablation-assisted lumpectomy (CAL) allows three-dimensional localization of the lesion for resection by ultrasound guidance. As with cryoablation techniques, once the probe is positioned within the center of the tumor, liquid nitrogen or argon gas is used to generate a freezeball from the probe tip. This freezeball can be observed on real-time ultrasound to encompass the tumor and a margin of normal tissue. The proximity of the freezeball to the skin and pectoralis major muscle is monitored. If the freezeball approaches the skin or muscle, room temperature saline can be injected to create a separation and avoid tissue injury,1 as was used in this study. Tafra et al. showed some difficulty obtaining reliable tumor markers following CAL. For that reason, as with cryoablation, it is critical to perform a core biopsy before the cryo procedure to obtain accurate biologic tumor markers (e.g., estrogen or progesterone status and Her-2/neu).1,8 Several advantages of CAL over traditional wire localized excisional biopsy were demonstrated by Tafra et al.7 Because CAL is performed in the operating or procedure room, the patient does not have wire localization, which can be uncomfortable if placed before sedation. The freezing process itself acts as an anesthetic so the procedure is essentially pain-free for the patient1 and can be performed easily in an office setting with only local anesthesia or in the ambulatory surgical setting. The potential scheduling problems of coordinating preoperative wire localization, especially for an early morning surgical case, can also be avoided. CAL creates a palpable lesion from one that was initially not palpable, facilitating the ease of surgical resection. Tafra et al. demonstrated in those patients with a frozen margin of 6 mm or more beyond the sonographic limits of the tumor, the incidence of positive or close margins was reduced to 5.6%, compared with a 40% to 60% positive margin rate for wire localizations in the literature. Cryoablation-assisted lumpectomy is an interesting new option for the treatment of women with nonpalpable breast cancer. Clinical trials to further evaluate and compare CAL with traditional wire localized excision are currently underway.
Traveling-wave photodetectors

Wave PhotodetectorsH. F. Taylor, 0. Eknoyan, C. S. Park,K. N. Choi, and K. ChangDepartment of Electrical EngineeringTexas A&M UniversityCollege Station, Texas 77843ABSTRACTDesigns for traveling wave photodetectors in semiconductormaterials are presented, and advantages over conventionalphotodetectors are discussed.
Stable inversion for nonlinear systems

Abstract There have been two recent major developments in output tracking for nonlinear systems, and our first main contribution is to relate these. Under appropriate assumptions, we show that the bounded.solution of the partial differential equation of Isidori and Byrnes for each trajectory of an exosystem must be given by an integral representation formula of Devasia, Chen and Paden. Under restrictive hypotheses, Devasia, Chen and Paden develop a Picard process that converges to the solution of the integral equation. This solution to the integral equation is also a bounded solution to a dynamical equation driven by the desired outputs. In aircraft applications our nonlinear systems are perturbations of ‘pure-feedback systems’ with outputs, and we find a solution to the stable inversion problem i.e. finding bounded controls and bounded state trajectories in response to bounded output signals, in two steps. The first step ignores the perturbation error and computes the major part of the desired control and corresponding state trajectory. The second step computes the remaining control and states by finding a noncausal and stable solution to an ‘error-driven dynamical equation’. In other words, the method of Devasia, Chen and Paden is applied to an ‘error system’ and not to the full system. This two-step procedure is the second main contribution of this paper. Throughout this paper it is assumed that our nonlinear systems have vector relative degree.
Better-Than-Worst-Case Design: Progress and Opportunities

Today, designers are forced to reduce performance and increase power requirements in order to reserve larger margins that are required due to the greater variability introduced by smaller feature sizes and manufacturing variations of modern IC designs. The better-than-worst-case design can both address the variability problem and achieve higher performance/energy efficiency than the worst-case design. This paper surveys the progress to date, provides a snapshot of the most representative methods in this field, and discusses the future research directions of the better-than-worst-case design.
Effect of fungicides, application timing, and canker removal on incidence and severity of constriction canker of peach

The fungal plant pathogen Phomopsis amygdali, causal agent of constriction canker, initiates infections of peach twigs through petiole scars in fall and bud scale scars and flowers in spring. Fall fungicide treatments, consisting of seven to eight sprays during leaf abscission, reduced canker incidence by 45 to 63%. In contrast, spring applications consisting of four to five sprays from bud-break through bloom, provided only 10 to 28% control. When applied during both fall and spring, chlorothalonil (46 to 71% control) and captan (46 to 69% control) provided the lowest canker incidence and severity, followed by azoxystrobin (41% control) and myclobutanil (28 to 44% control). Removing cankers by pruning significantly reduced disease incidence by 42% 1 year but had no effect in another year. Possible causes for the inability of any treatment to achieve >90% disease control include: (i) none of the fungicides tested were highly effective against the pathogen, (ii) additional infections may have occurred outside the time period during which fungicides were applied, or (iii) use of single-tree plots surrounded by heavily infected nonsprayed trees. Also, the relationship between disease incidence and severity was quantified and observed to be the same for the two cultivars examined. When modeled using the power and quadratic functions, incidence explained 89% of the variation in severity.
Center Frequency Shift in Transistor Class C Amplifiers

A simple model is developed to predict the center frequency shift due to nonlinear collector junction capacitance. This model shows reasonable agreement with experiments for peak output levels up to approximately one-half of the collector supply voltage.
Phytotoxicity observed in Tradescantia correlates with diesel fuel contamination in soil

Abstract Bioremediation of fuel oil spills requires a sensitive biological detection system that determines the degree of impact in a predictable, log-linear fashion based on soil pollutant concentrations. Tradescantia plants were transplanted into soil contaminated with fresh No. 2 diesel fuel at 0, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 and 100.0 mg kg−1 and followed for phytotoxicity and mutagenicity based on plant morphology, chloroplast function, and the micronucleus assay of tetrads isolated from young inflorescences. Results showed a high degree of correlation (R2=0.952, P=0.024) between the percentage of dead and withered plants 1 week following transplantation and increasing fuel concentrations in soil. The highest contaminant concentration yielded no buds or flowers until the third week, and by the fourth week plants in all treatment groups appeared to be recovering. This matched the decreases in diesel fuel soil concentration and increased bacterial activity over time. Leaf chlorophyll concentration decreased log-linearly as well with increasing diesel fuel concentration (R2=1.000, P=0.000), with higher impacts on function as indicated by decreases in photosystem II (R2=0.997, P=0.035). The micronucleus assay yielded results indicating no observable increases in mutagenicity by any concentration of diesel fuel at any week. Transplantation of the Tradescantia plant appears to offer a sensitive phytotoxicity assay for acute fuel oil contamination.
Post‐treatment effects of token reinforcement, verbal praise, and self‐monitoring in a residential psychiatric program

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of token reinforcement, verbal praise, and self-monitoring on post-treatment performance of bedroom preparation tasks by adult clients in a residential psychiatric program. Twenty-four clients were randomly assigned to six experimental conditions (four subjects per condition) as follows: (1) contingent token reinforcement, (2) contingent verbal praise, (3) contingent token reinforcement plus contingent verbal praise, (4) self-monitoring, (5) self-monitoring plus contingent token reinforcement, and (6) control. All participants were exposed to a one week initial baseline period, then one week of their experimental condition, and finally, one week of a second baseline period. Research participants who received contingent token reinforcement engaged in bedroom-area preparation tasks significantly less during the second baseline period of the study than during the initial baseline period. Verbal praise, however, produced a significant increase in performance from Baseline 1 to Baseline 2. The presence of both contingent token reinforcement and verbal praise produced a significant increase in performance during the second baseline period as compared to the control condition. This increase, however, was not found with concomitant token reinforcement and self-monitoring. Changes in performance from Baseline 1 to Baseline 2 for participants assigned to the token reinforcement plus self-monitoring condition were not significantly different from those found for participants assigned to the control condition. Implications of these results for clinical settings using token economies are presented.
The Great Stalin Plan for the Transformation of Nature

AbstractOn October 20, 1948, the Soviet government announced the world's first state-centered program to reverse human-induced climate change, a grandiose plan to construct 5.7 million hectares of ...
Absolutely summing processes

Absolutely summing processes are defined, which form a subclass of weakly operator harmonizable processes. When the parameter space is the set of real numbers, it is proved that an absolutely summing process is represented as an integral of operator stationary processes with respect to an appropriate probability measure. To do this, weak convergence of scalar and vector measures is considered. Then we prove compactness of the unit ball of vector measures under certain topologies, and we apply the Choquet theorem to derive an integral representation.
From Breakthrough to Incremental Innovation Leadership: Lessons from Germany

The relationship between breakthrough and incremental innovation remains one of the more important issues in innovation theory and in national innovation policy. Using a comparative historical approach, in this paper, we analyze the rise and fall of Germany as a science and innovation leader of the early part of the twentieth century and its transformation from a breakthrough to an incremental innovator after 1945. We find that Germany was an important early precursor and successful practitioner of such contemporary concepts as national innovation systems, the triple (quadruple) helix, and university–business collaboration well before they became regarded as best practice only after 1980. We then pose the question of why modern Germany, in spite of its economic success, was not able to restore its preeminence in science and breakthrough innovations limiting its performance to incremental innovation in selected traditional industries. In our conclusions, we propose to draw important lessons from the successes and failures of Germany for countries that aspire to innovation leadership today. We argue that although many conditions have changed, key rules of maintaining breakthrough innovation leadership remain valid.
Splenic artery aneurysm rupture

Splenic artery aneurysms are rare and usually asymptomatic. However, rupture can produce severe abdominal pain and prove lethal. Two cases of ruptured splenic artery aneurysm are presented. In one, cocaine injection occurred immediately prior to the onset of symptoms and may have precipitated the event.
The influence of strategic monitoring on the neural correlates of prospective memory

The influence of strategic monitoring on the neural correlates of prospective memory was examined in two experiments. Strategic monitoring was manipulated by varying the context in which prospective cues occurred, with the cues requiring a prospective response in one task context and not the other. The N300, associated with cue detection, and the prospective positivity, associated with postretrieval processes, were elicited by prospective hits and were not elicited by prospective misses or ignore prospective cues. A parietal old-new effect was elicited by prospective misses and ignore prospective cues. Together these findings indicate that strategic monitoring may be necessary for cue detection and the recruitment of postretrieval processes, but not the recognition of a prospective cue as an old item. These findings serve to refine strategic monitoring and automatic associative accounts of prospective memory.
Numerical modeling of axisymmetric coaxial waveguide discontinuities

Techniques for determining field behavior in the presence of coaxial-to-coaxial discontinuities are presented for axisymmetric geometries. A bilinear functional is formulated from which field solutions are obtained by way of the finite element method. An absorbing boundary condition is applied at the input and output port boundaries to reduce the size and complexity of the problem. An additional approach, mode matching, is outlined and presented as verification of finite element results. Two geometries are investigated, for which numerical results are presented. A comparative evaluation of the two techniques is included. >
Gamma-gamma directional correlations in Rh105

Abstract Directional correlation measurements have been made on the 320–475 keV and 485-475 keV gamma-gamma cascades in Rh 105 following the decay of 4.5 h half-life Ru 105 with a coincidence scintillation spectrometer using NaI detectors. The observed correlation functions are W(θ) = 1+(0.035±0.005)P 2 (cosθ)−(0.017±0.004)P 4 (cosθ), W(θ) = 1+(0.171±0.016)P 2 (cosθ)−(0.137±0.004)P 4 (cosθ) respectively, for the two cascades. These gamma-gamma directional correlations have been found to be consistent with the spin assignment of 7 2 , 7 2 , 5 2 and 7 2 to the levels at the ground state, 475 keV, 795 keV and 960 keV in Rh 105 . The probable assignment of multipolarities for different gamma rays is as follows: The 475 keV gamma ray has a mixture of (30–55)% dipole and (45–70)% quadropole, with δ 475 = 0.904 − +1.527. The 485 keV gamma ray has a mixture of (0–20)% dipole and (80–100)% quadrupole, with δ 485 ≧ +2.0 . The 320 keV gamma ray has a mixture of (95–96.5)% dipole and 3.5–5)% quadrupole, with δ 320 = +0.191 − +0.230.
Nonlinear electrodynamics in the granular superconductor YBa2Cu3O7: Experiments and interpretation.

For bulk samples of superconducting Y${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ powder and pellets subject to a dc magnetic field ${H}_{0}$ and a parallel ac magnetic field ${H}_{1}$ at frequency $f\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{3} \mathrm{to} {10}^{5}$ Hz, we report data on the generated harmonic power $P(\mathrm{nf})$ up to harmonic $n\ensuremath{\approx}40$, finding: (1) If ${H}_{0}=0$, only odd harmonics; (2) if ${H}_{0}\ensuremath{\ne}0$, even harmonics are additionally generated; (3) for ${H}_{1}$ sufficiently large (\ensuremath{\gtrsim} 10 Oe) and $n$ large, then $P(\mathrm{nf})$ vs ${H}_{0}$ displays sharp and deep periodic dips, revealing a remarkably consistent and reproducible macroscopic flux quantization for the bulk sample. These data, as well as the relative intensities of the harmonic power, are found to be in semiquantitative agreement with detailed numerical predictions of a dynamical model of the material as a suitably averaged ensemble of prototype flux quantized loops with weak links. At lower values of ${H}_{1}$ additional structure is observed, related to fluxon pinning and depinning.
Are interactions with p63 and p73 involved in mutant p53 gain of oncogenic function

Although still controversial, the presence of mutant p53 in cancer cells may result in more aggressive tumors and correspondingly worse outcomes. The means by which mutant p53 exerts such pro-oncogenic activity are currently under extensive investigation and different models have been proposed. We focus here on a proposed mechanism by which a subset of tumor-derived p53 mutants physically interact with p53 family members, p63 and p73, and negatively regulate their proapoptotic function. Both cell-based assays and knock-in mice expressing mutant forms of p53 support this model. As more than half of human tumors harbor mutant forms of p53 protein, approaches aimed at disrupting the pathological interactions among p53 family members might be of clinical value.
Evaluation of P2P resource discovery architectures using real-life multi-attribute resource and query characteristics

Emerging collaborative Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications rely on resource discovery solutions to aggregate groups of heterogeneous, multi-attribute, and dynamic resources that are distributed. In the absence of data and understanding of real-life resource and query characteristics, design and evaluation of existing solutions have relied on many simplifying assumptions. We first present a summary of resource and query characteristics from PlanetLab. These characteristics are then used to evaluate fundamental design choices for multi-attribute resource discovery based on the cost of advertising/querying resources, index size, and load balancing. Simulation-based analysis indicates that the cost of advertising dynamic attributes is significant and in-creases with the number of attributes. Compared to uniform queries, real-world queries are relatively easier to resolve using unstructured, superpeer, and single-attribute dominated query based structured P2P solutions. However, they cause significant load balancing issues in all the designs where a few nodes are mainly involved in answering majority of queries and/or indexing resources. Moreover, cost of resource discovery in structured P2P systems is effectively O(N) as most range queries are less specific. Thus, many existing design choices are applicable only under specific conditions and their performances tend to degrade under realistic workloads.
4D Conformal Field Theories and Strings on Orbifolds

We propose and test correspondences between 4D quantum field theories (QFTs) with N=2,thinsp1,thinsp0 (super)conformal invariance and type IIB string theory on various orbifolds of AdS{sub 5}{times} S{sup 5} . This allows us to translate the problem of finding stable nontrivial nonsupersymmetric string backgrounds into the problem of realizing nontrivial renormalization group (RG) fixed point QFTs on branes. RG fixed lines in this context correspond to string theories in which no vacuum energy is generated quantum mechanically. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Hematopoietic chimerism following allotransplantation of the spleen, splenocytes or kidney in pigs.

Abstract Background Mixed chimerism is associated with donor-specific tolerance. Spleen or splenocyte allotransplantation (Tx) is recognized as potentially tolerogenic. There is no definitive report comparing chimerism levels following spleen and splenocyte Tx in a large animal model. We have compared chimerism after spleen, splenocyte, or kidney Tx in pigs. Methods Outbred (n = 5) and MHC-defined miniature (n = 1) pigs underwent orthotopic spleen Tx. Outbred pigs received splenocytes through a systemic vein (n = 1) or the portal vein (n = 3). Kidney Tx (n = 2) or concomitant Tx of spleen + kidney (n = 2) was carried out. All except one recipient pigs were irradiated (700 cGy thymic and 100–125 cGy whole body) on day − 2. Cyclosporine or tacrolimus was administered for 42 days. All donors were males and all recipients were females; chimerism in the blood was determined by Quantification-PCR for the donor Y chromosome. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was performed before and after Tx. Results One week after spleen Tx in outbred and MHC-defined pigs, chimerism ranged between 0.8 and 22.5%, and 5.4–20.1%, respectively, and remained between 17.7 and 67.4%, and 2.2–7.4%, respectively, until day 28. One week after splenocyte Tx, chimerism ranged between 0.1 and 8.5%, and decreased to 0.1–0.8% at 3–4 weeks. There was no detectable chimerism 14 days after kidney Tx. The response on MLR of all recipient pigs to donor cells was decreased after Tx, except in one case of splenocyte Tx, indicating that this pig might have become sensitized. After discontinuation of immunosuppression, most isolated spleen or kidney grafts were not rejected, but the kidney was rejected after concomitant spleen + kidney Tx. Conclusions There was a significantly higher level of blood chimerism following spleen Tx compared to splenocyte or kidney Tx. However, concomitant Tx of spleen + kidney may be associated with accelerated kidney graft rejection.
NIK is a new Ste20‐related kinase that binds NCK and MEKK1 and activates the SAPK/JNK cascade via a conserved regulatory domain

Nck, an adaptor protein composed of one SH2 and three SH3 domains, is a common target for a variety of cell surface receptors. We have identified a novel mammalian serine/threonine kinase that interacts with the SH3 domains of Nck, termed Nck Interacting Kinase (NIK). This kinase is most homologous to the Sterile 20 (Ste20) family of protein kinases. Of the members of this family, GCK and MSST1 are most similar to NIK in that they bind neither Cdc42 nor Rac and contain an N-terminal kinase domain with a putative C-terminal regulatory domain. Transient overexpression of NIK specifically activates the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) pathway. Both the kinase domain and C-terminal regulatory region of NIK are required for full activation of SAPK. NIK likely functions upstream of MEKK1 to activate this pathway; a dominant-negative MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) blocks activation of SAPK by NIK. MEKK1 and NIK also associate in cells and this interaction is mediated by regulatory domains on both proteins. Two other members of this kinase family, GCK and HPK1, contain C-terminal regulatory domains with homology to that of NIK. These findings indicate that the C-terminal domain of these proteins encodes a new protein domain family and suggests that this domain couples these kinases to the SAPK pathway, possibly by interacting with MEKK1 or related kinases.
Projections of the Tropical Atlantic Vertical Wind Shear and Its Relationship with ENSO in SP-CCSM4

AbstractThe vertical wind shear over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and its relationship with ENSO are analyzed in the superparameterized Community Climate System Model, version 4 (SP-CCSM4) and in the conventional CCSM4. The climatology of vertical wind shear over the tropical Atlantic and the ENSO–shear relationship are well simulated in the control runs of SP-CCSM4 and CCSM4. However, because of different representations of cloud processes, in a warmer climate such as the representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario, SP-CCSM4 projects increased mean westerlies at 200 hPa during July through October (JASO), whereas CCSM4 projects decreased mean westerlies at 200 hPa over the equatorial Atlantic. The different changes in the upper-level wind further contribute to different projection of JASO mean vertical wind shear over the equatorial Atlantic. In the RCP8.5 scenario, when excluding the linear trend, projection of the ENSO–shear relationships by SP-CCSM4 retains similar features as in the obs...
Borel summation of string theory for Planck scale scattering

We resum string perturbation theory by Borel transform techniques to study the high-energy fixed-angle behavior of elastic string scattering amplitudes. The resummed amplitude behaves as A(s) ∼ e−√s, for a restricted range of couplings and momenta. This is much larger than the behavior, e−s, of the individual terms of the series. We interpret this as an improvement in the locality of strings.
Novel approach to dynamic shock attenuation and its validation through computational analysis

Abstract It is of great significance to develop and construct new, more efficient supersonic missiles and aircrafts including commercial ones. The one major difficulty for supersonic flight is the shock waves that produce a wave drag and sonic boom. When an object moves faster than the information about it propagates into a surrounding medium, the regions of the medium near the disturbance area cannot withdraw before the object arrives. This phenomenon creates a shock wave in front of the moving object, through which the flow turns outside almost instantaneously. This paper offers a novel dynamic approach to shock wave reduction/attenuation. An illustration of the particular implementation of the new dynamic approach using a rotating spike is considered and explained in this paper. Numerical simulations were used to validate this approach and show the shock wave attenuation by the dynamic spike that rotates. Novel dynamic approach is opening a new perspective for a supersonic missile and aircraft design and improves of the efficiency of the existing ones.
Measurement of Young’s modulus and damping of fibers at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract High-yield inertial confinement fusion targets are at cryogenic temperatures and must remain stable to within 10 μm during the implosion. Young’s modulus and damping properties of fibers used to mount cryogenic targets are needed to design stable targets, but these property values do not exist in literature. A novel experimental method that tracks how target vibrations respond to an impulse is used to quantitatively measure these properties from 295 to 20 K. Young’s modulus and the critical damping ratio are measured for Nicalon TM ceramic grade [silicon carbide (SiC)], Zylon®HM {poly[p-phenlyne-2,6-benzobisoxazole] (PBO)}, M5 {dimidazo-pyridinylene [dihydroxy] phenylene (PIPD)}, and polyimide fibers. This method allows one to accurately measure the properties of interest for fiber diameters as small as 12 μm at ∼20 K. Significant changes are seen in Young’s modulus for the three polymeric fibers with respect to temperature; while Young’s modulus is relatively invariant to temperature for the ceramic fiber.
Predictors of Mortality and Resource Utilization in Cirrhotic Patients Admitted to the Medical ICU

Background and objective: Cirrhotic patients admitted to the medical ICU (MICU) are associated with high mortality rates and high resource utilization. This study identifies specific predictors of increased mortality and resource utilization and uses them to develop and validate prognostic models in cirrhotic patients admitted to the MICU. Methods: Cirrhotic patients admitted to the MICU were identified from the Critical Care Section database (January 1993 to October 1998). Clinical data were extracted from chart review including hospital course variables, mortality, and length of stay (LOS). Total cost per case (TCPC) was obtained from the Transition System Inc. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses identified the independent predictors of increased mortality and resource utilization used for model building (MB) and model validation (MV). Results: A total of 582 cases were randomized to the MB and MV groups. Each group contained 240 cases after exclusion criteria were applied. The MICU mortality rate was 36.6%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 49.0%. Acute physiology, age, and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) III score (odds ratio [OR], 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70 to 8.16; p Conclusion: Simple prognostic models for mortality and resource utilization have been developed for cirrhotic patients admitted to the MICU.
Results from the commissioning of the ATLAS Pixel detector

Abstract The ATLAS Pixel detector is a high-resolution, low-noise silicon-based device designed to provide tracking and vertexing information within a distance of 12 cm from the LHC beam axis. It consists of approximately 80 million pixel channels with radiation-hard front-end electronics connected through optical fibers to a custom-controlled DAQ system away from the detector. Following the successful installation of the detector in June 2007, an intense commissioning period was conducted in the year 2008 and more than 400,000 cosmic-ray tracks were recorded in conjunction with other ATLAS sub-detectors. By the end of the year, 96% of the detector was tuned, calibrated, and taking data at 99.8% tracking hit efficiency and with noise occupancy at the 10−10 level. We present here the results of the commissioning, calibration, and data-taking as well as the outlook for future performance with LHC collision-based data.
At-wavelength characterization of DUV-radiation-induced damage in fused silica

Fused silica is the optical material of choice for deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithographic systems. However, this material is subject to irradiation-induced compaction with ArF excimer radiation. Here we report direct, at-wavelength, wavefront measurements of DUV-laser-damaged fused silica samples performed using phase-shifting point diffraction interferometry (PS/PDI). Experimental results show that the damage anneals in the temperature range of 200 to approximately 600 degrees Celsius. Finally, the interferometric measurements are compared to birefringence studies performed on the same samples.