cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Armageddon's Shadow: The Civil War and Canada's Maritime Provinces

The important and long-standing economic, social, and kinship ties between the United States and Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island were profoundly shaken by the Civil War. In this engaging and accessible account, Greg Marquis explores the shadow cast on the Maritimes and its people by America's bloodiest conflict. "In Armageddon's Shadow" chronicles events as they unfolded and highlights the very real threat of conflict between Britain and the United States. Major crises such as the highjacking of the Chesapeake by Confederate partisans and the destructive cruise of the CSS Tallahassee - the only Confederate warship to reach a mainland British North American port - in addition to Halifax's growing importance as a communications link for the South and the Maritimes' involvement in blockade running are recounted in detail. "In Armageddon's Shadow" also explores the impact of the Civil War at a more personal level. Marquis highlights Maritimers' growing support for the beleaguered Confederacy, despite the colonies' official neutrality, and the grave implications this had for local race relations. He describes the impact of refugees, crimping, and recruiting on Maritimers' attitudes and recounts the experiences of some of the thousands of men born in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island who served in the Civil War. Drawing extensively on newspaper reports, personal papers, and local histories, Marquis captures the drama of events as they unfolded, effectively putting the reader into the thick of the action and into the minds of the individuals involved. "In Armageddon's Shadow" is a must read for anyone with an interest in the American Civil War or the history of the Maritime provinces.
Immunochromatographic purification of a nematocyst toxin from the cnidarian Chironex fleckeri (sea wasp)

Abstract A cardiotoxin from “milked venom” of the sea wasp ( Chironex fleckeri ) was purified by immunochromatography on an immobilized mouse monoclonal anti-Portuguese man-o'war ( Physalia physalis ) venom antibody column. The 20,000 molecular weight toxin caused bradycardia followed by cell lysis when applied to cultured chick embryonic cardiocytes at concentrations higher than 1.7 μg protein per ml and was lethal to mice at 0.04 μg protein per g. The toxin affected ion permeability in lipid bilayer membranes by forming monovalent cation channels.
Mindful practice in action (II): Cultivating habits of mind.

Habits of mind, such as attentiveness, curiosity, and presence, are fundamental to effective medical practice and physician wellbeing. In this second of two articles about mindfulness, I propose an 8-fold method for promoting mindful practice in medicine: (a) Priming—setting the expectation of selfobservation, (b) Availability—creating physical and mental space for exchange, (c) Reflective questions to open up possibilities and invite curiosity, (d) Active engagement— direct observation and exchange, (e) Modeling while "thinking out loud" to make mental processes more transparent, (f) Practicing attentiveness, curiosity, and presence, (g) Praxis—consolidation of learning by experience, and (h) Assessment and confirmation. I include examples from medicine, music, and meditation.
Wavelet-based compression of covariances in Kalman filtering of geophysical flows

The covariance matrix in Kalman filter is reduced using compactly supported orthonormal wavelet transform and is parameterized by only O(N) coefficients, where N is the dimension of the state vector. An approximate filtering algorithm, in which the covariances remain in such a transformed and compressed form throughout the time recursion, is designed. For estimation of space-time processes characteristic of geophysical flows, the proposed algorithm performs near optimally, while reducing computational and storage requirements of Kalman filter.
Research Spotlight: Corals expanding poleward due to warming climate

[1] Corals are important organisms for ecosystems and are sensitive indicators of the effects of climate warming. While corals are bleaching and dying in tropical areas due to climate warming, a new study shows that in temperate areas they are expanding their range poleward as water temperatures increase. Yamano et al. used 80 years of records to study the range of corals around Japan. Sea surface temperatures have risen in these temperate areas during that time. They found that four of the nine species of coral they studied expanded their range northward since the 1930s, while none had its range shrink southward. The corals expanded northward as quickly as 14 kilometers per year. The study suggests that rapid modifications of temperate coastal ecosystems could be taking place. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2010GL046474, 2011)
Segmental dynamics of polymers in nanoscopic confinements, as probed by simulations of polymer/layered-silicate nanocomposites.

In this paper we review molecular modeling investigations of polymer/layered-silicate intercalates, as model systems to explore polymers in nanoscopically confined spaces. The atomic-scale picture, as revealed by computer simulations, is presented in the context of salient results from a wide range of experimental techniques. This approach provides insights into how polymeric segmental dynamics are affected by severe geometric constraints. Focusing on intercalated systems, i.e. polystyrene (PS) in 2 nm wide slit-pores and polyethylene-oxide (PEO) in 1 nm wide slit-pores, a very rich picture for the segmental dynamics is unveiled, despite the topological constraints imposed by the confining solid surfaces. On a local scale, intercalated polymers exhibit a very wide distribution of segmental relaxation times (ranging from ultra-fast to ultra-slow, over a wide range of temperatures). In both cases (PS and PEO), the segmental relaxations originate from the confinement-induced local density variations. Additionally, where there exist special interactions between the polymer and the confining surfaces ( e.g., PEO) more molecular mechanisms are identified.
Dynamic measurement of the helium concentration of evolving tungsten nanostructures using Elastic Recoil Detection during plasma exposure

Abstract Helium (He) concentration depth profiles of evolving tungsten (W) nanostructures have been measured for the first time using in situ Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) throughout plasma irradiation. Exposures resulting in fuzzy and non-fuzzy surfaces were analyzed in order to illuminate the role of He during the development of these surface morphologies. ERD was performed on samples with surface temperatures from T s = 530–1100 K and irradiated by He flux densities of Γ He ∼ 10 20 –10 22 m −2 s −1 . He concentration profiles in samples that developed either non-fuzzy or fuzzy surfaces are uniformly shaped with concentrations of 1.5–7 at.%, which is presumed to be too low for pressure driven growth models. Therefore, surface morphology changes are not perpetuated by continuous bubble bursting deformation. Also, a threshold in He flux density above 10 20 m −2 s −1 is suggested by using in situ ERD to monitor the depth profile evolution of the He-rich layer while changing the flux during exposure.
Self-sustaining reactions as a tool to study mechanochemical activation

Ever since Faraday reported on the reduction of AgCl with Zn and Sn the “dry way”, the study of Mechanically induced Self-propagating Reactions (MSRs) has been an important area within mechanochemistry. An interesting phenomenon is the mutual suppression of ignition in some mixed metal–chalcogen systems, such as in (1 − x)(Sn + Se) + x(Zn + Se) powders. Here both the Sn + Se and Zn + Se mixtures react in a self-sustaining manner after some activation time, but when they are combined, the reaction is gradual in the middle of the concentration scale. Mechanically induced metal–chalcogen combination reactions were studied by Chakurov et al. in the 1980s, using a low-energy vibratory mill. Similar measurements were carried out in our laboratory using the more energetic SPEX 8000 shaker mill. The results show qualitative similarities, but the details are different. It is suggested that the loss of MSR in mixed systems is the consequence of the very different properties of the binary systems, so that either one of the components (Zn) or a product formed gradually without ignition (e.g. SnSe) can act as an inert component relative to the rest of the system. Several examples are presented and the effect of the milling conditions is discussed. Finding new systems with similar behaviour and detailed studies of the activated state are needed to understand MSR in these systems.
The historiography of Arab immigration to Argentina: The intersection of the imaginary and the real country

This essay explores the historiography of Arab immigration to Argentina and addresses the following questions: how was the imaginary Argentina constructed? who are the Arabs that came to Argentina and why did they come? how did they assimilate? how did the Argentines receive Arab immigrants? and finally, what areas need further exploration?
Donald A. Schön, Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1987. 355 pages

Donald A. Schon, Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1987. 355 pages Nancy Bennett; Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions
The deterministic side of geostatistics

The probabilistic approach is but one language used by geostatisticians to characterize spatial variability and to express a very simple criterion for goodness of estimation. Notions such as stationarity and ergodicity are important for the consistency of the probabilistic language but are irrelevant to the real problem, that of estimating a well-defined deterministic spatial average. The kriging algorithm is established without any recourse to probabilistic modeling or notation.
Draft Genome Sequences for Two Metal-Reducing Pelosinus fermentans Strains Isolated from a Cr(VI)-Contaminated Site and for Type Strain R7

Pelosinus fermentans 16S rRNA gene sequences have been reported from diverse geographical sites since the recent isolation of the type strain. We present the genome sequence of the P. fermentans type strain R7 (DSM 17108) and genome sequences for two new strains with different abilities to reduce iron, chromate, and uranium.
The PhyloFacts FAT-CAT web server: ortholog identification and function prediction using fast approximate tree classification

The PhyloFacts ‘Fast Approximate Tree Classification’ (FAT-CAT) web server provides a novel approach to ortholog identification using subtree hidden Markov model-based placement of protein sequences to phylogenomic orthology groups in the PhyloFacts database. Results on a data set of microbial, plant and animal proteins demonstrate FAT-CAT’s high precision at separating orthologs and paralogs and robustness to promiscuous domains. We also present results documenting the precision of ortholog identification based on subtree hidden Markov model scoring. The FAT-CAT phylogenetic placement is used to derive a functional annotation for the query, including confidence scores and drill-down capabilities. PhyloFacts’ broad taxonomic and functional coverage, with >7.3 M proteins from across the Tree of Life, enables FAT-CAT to predict orthologs and assign function for most sequence inputs. Four pipeline parameter presets are provided to handle different sequence types, including partial sequences and proteins containing promiscuous domains; users can also modify individual parameters. PhyloFacts trees matching the query can be viewed interactively online using the PhyloScope Javascript tree viewer and are hyperlinked to various external databases. The FAT-CAT web server is available at http://phylogenomics.berkeley.edu/phylofacts/fatcat/.
Thermodynamic properties of liquid gallium-lead alloys

Abstract Thermodynamic functions for the liquid binary Ga-Pb were calculated from measured activities in the compositional range 10–90 at.% Pb. Enthalpies and excess entropies of mixing were found to be positive over this range at the selected temperature of 1000 K. Combining the free energies calculated in this study with the recently reported heats of mixing, a more reliable set of entropy functions for the Ga-Pb system has resulted. These results are discussed in the light of available information on other alloys of lead with Group IIIA metals.
A designer's polymer as an oral drug carrier (tablet) with pseudo-zero-order release kinetics

A new synthetic polymeric material has been investigated as an oral controlled-release system. The water soluble polymer consists of a non-cross-linked, ionic polymer possessing sulfonate functional groups: poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium-co- methyl methacrylate) (PSPMK/MMA). Drug–resin complexes were obtained by preparing an aqueous solution of the polymer to which propranolol HCl as a model drug was added. Using either dextrose or microcrystalline cellulose as a tablet binder did not cause any problems in fabricating a compact drug–resinate tablet. The release of propranolol HCl from drug–resinate tablets (2.5 mm × 9.0 mm, 10% dextrose) was pseudo-zero-order kinetics from the beginning to the end for over 21 h. This was due to the greater contribution of drug release from the edge of the tablets. However, zero-order release tablets were obtained by increasing the radius to thickness ratio of the tablet to greater than 3.13. A mathematical model describing release kinetics from drug–resinate tablets predicted the effects of drug loading and the physical dimensions of the tablets by a heterogeneous dissociation/erosion-controlled mechanism. As the content of dextrose in the tablets increased, the dissociation/erosion rate constant (ko) increased due to the greater influx of water into the tablets along with counterions. As expected, the release rate was decreased as the stirring rate decreased from 100 to 50 rpm, resulting in the dissociation/erosion rate constant of 2.62–2.04 mg/cm2 h, respectively. Therefore, this system has been proven to release drugs independent of the pH of simulated gastric/intestinal fluids (1.2 and 7.5) as well as the compression force of the tablet, which ranged from 1500 to 4400 lbs.
Use of Spatial Resources by Fishes in Grayrocks Reservoir, Wyoming

ABSTRACT Relative abundance of fishes in different habitat types and sampling areas of a reservoir in eastern Wyoming was assessed with experimental gill nets during summer 1989. Seven of 12 species captured in the gill nets were numerous enough to enable statistical evaluation: quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). All seven species were significantly more numerous in samples from littoral and offshore bottom areas than in samples from offshore surface areas throughout the summer. Common carp and walleye were significantly more abundant in the upstream portion of the reservoir throughout the summer, whereas quillback, gizzard shad, shorthead redhorse, and channel catfish were more abundant in the upstream portion during early summer.
Redo Submammary Incision for Median Sternotomy and Cardiac Repair

Background Minimally invasive and cosmetically attractive approaches are fashionable in conducting cardiac operations. Methods We reviewed retrospectively our experience in patients undergoing cardiac operations by means of redo submammary incisions. Results Fifteen consecutive female patients with a mean age of 13.2 years (range, 0.7 to 44 years) underwent reoperation through a former submammary incision. Seventy-three percent (11 of 15) had median sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, and cardiac repairs. The mean aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 78 ± 49.7 minutes (range, 16 to 182 minutes) and 114.4 ± 66.4 minutes (range, 27 to 261 minutes), respectively. Twenty-seven percent (4 of 15) had off-pump procedures; 3 for pacemaker-related issues (1 a third time reentry) and 1 for removal of sternal wires. Mean time interval between the primary submammary incision and reoperation was 5.4 ± 5.6 years (range, 0.01 to 20 years). Mean first 24 hours Hemovac drainage was 3.2 ± 2.4 mL/kg (range, 0.4 to 8.5 mL/kg). Mean intensive care unit and hospital stays were 2.1 ± 1.7 days (range, 0.0 to 5 days) and 5.5 ± 3.6 days (range, 0.80 to 13 days), respectively. One patient exhibited a chylothorax requiring ligation of her thoracic duct. Another patient had an infected seroma requiring incision and drainage 2 months postoperatively. Skin necrosis and infection were absent in this group. Breast development and lactation were normal. The cosmetic results were satisfactory. There was no mortality. Conclusions Redo sternotomies performed through redo transverse submammary incisions are safe for cardiac repair and result in acceptable cosmetic and functional results.
Du Pont Quality Assurance Program For The Radiology Department

A schedule of services selected by a department of radiology is put together in documented program form to reduce the causes of radiographic variables. The program contains controls on processing, equipment performance, and processor performance, standards in radiographic technique, training of all personnel, and many various system checks. Methods to analyze all steps of the process of obtaining a finished radiograph are presented.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Coordinate‐space formulation of polymer lattice cluster theory

Freed et al. have recently developed a lattice cluster theory of polymer solutions that involves series expansions in momentum space. Here we reformulate the lattice cluster theory in coordinate space. The present treatment has certain useful features. In particular, the terms in the reformulated theory can be obtained readily from existing exhaustive computer enumerations. Also, the Flory–Huggins theory can be shown to arise as the first term in a recentered coordinate‐space expansion. Generalization to treat polymers in confined space is straightforward.
Characteristics of the street children of Colombia

Psychological characteristics of 56 Colombian male street children, aged 7 to 16, were examined from participant observations and results of three psychological tests given the children. The Kohs Block Design measured their intelligence; and the Human Figure Drawing and the Bender Gestalt measured emotional and neurological functioning. The test data showed the sample to be relatively healthy, intelligent, and emotionally intact. The children's relatively good scores on the tests may be understood by placing their abandonment in a cultural perspective, which includes the children's strong peer support system, their access to adult benefactors, and the fact that the children were developing in an orderly fashion from matrifocal families. The premise is made that by understanding the children more accurately more appropriate help may be given.
An isoline separating relatively warm from relatively cool wintertime forest surface temperatures for the southeastern United States

Abstract Forest-oriented climate mitigation policies promote forestation as a means to increase uptake of atmospheric carbon to counteract global warming. Some have pointed out that a carbon-centric forest policy may be overstated because it discounts biophysical aspects of the influence of forests on climate. In extra-tropical regions, many climate models have shown that forests tend to be warmer than grasslands and croplands because forest albedos tend to be lower than non-forest albedos. A lower forest albedo results in higher absorption of solar radiation and increased sensible warming that is not offset by the cooling effects of carbon uptake in extra-tropical regions. However, comparison of forest warming potential in the context of climate models is based on a coarse classification system of tropical, temperate, and boreal. There is considerable variation in climate within the broad latitudinal zonation of tropical, temperate, and boreal, and the relationship between biophysical (albedo) and biogeochemical (carbon uptake) mechanisms may not be constant within these broad zones. We compared wintertime forest and non-forest surface temperatures for the southeastern United States and found that forest surface temperatures shifted from being warmer than non-forest surface temperatures north of approximately 36°N to cooler south of 36°N. Our results suggest that the biophysical aspects of forests' influence on climate reinforce the biogeochemical aspects of forests' influence on climate south of 36°N. South of 36°N, both biophysical and biogeochemical properties of forests appear to support forestation as a climate mitigation policy. We also provide some quantitative evidence that evergreen forests tend to have cooler wintertime surface temperatures than deciduous forests that may be attributable to greater evapotranspiration rates.
Strength and thermal stability of nanocrystalline gold alloys

By additions of Cu and Sn elements, we have synthesized nanocrystalline Au–Cu and Au–Cu–Sn materials with a minimum grain size down to ∼3 nm. Tensile measurements of these nanocrystalline materials indicate that the Hall–Petch scaling law is maintained to the smallest length scale. Though Cu and Sn solid solutions are observed to have little effect on the strength of nanocrystalline Au, they substantially enhance the thermal stability of these alloys. Abnormal grain growth no longer becomes the characteristic feature of alloyed nanocrystalline Au.
Direct visualization and model validation of microsphere impact and surface capture

Digital high-speed photographic images of microsphere impact with a flat surface were made over a range of incident microsphere velocities. The incident and rebound velocities determined from successive images were used to validate a recently published model for low-speed impact. This model is shown to predict the experimental values of the normal coefficient of restitution and the surface-capture velocity to within 95% confidence.
Radiative Recombination in Gallium Phosphide Point-Contact Diodes

CAREFUL observation of the radiation emitted from point-contact gallium phosphide diodes under conditions of reverse bias has shown that the luminescence is associated with the recombination of carriers in the breakdown region of the current-voltage characteristic. Electroluminescent radiation has been observed in gallium phosphide by several workers1–5. The electroluminescence appears to be associated with p–n junctions formed between the p-type bulk and an n-type skin on the surface of the material and at grain boundaries. From measurements of optical absorption in gallium phosphide, a value for the energy gap at room temperature of 2.19 eV. was deduced. This value is in good agreement with the value of 2.20 eV. for the room temperature band gap measured at Bell Telephone Laboratory6.
HI-C: diagnosing object churn in framework-based applications

In prior work we have developed an escape analysis to help developers identify sources of object churn (i.e., excessive use of temporaries) in large framework-based applications. We have developed Hi-C, an Eclipse plug-in that allows users to visualize, filter, and explore analysis results to aid them in diagnosis of object churn and in program comprehension in general.
RA-228 in the deep Indian Ocean

Abstract Samples collected from the deep Indian Ocean on the GEOSECS Indian Ocean Expedition and R.V. Vema cruise 34 reveal that horizontal processes control mixing in the lower 1 km of the water column. Intermediate 228 Ra maxima occur throughout the deep water of the Indian Ocean. 228 Ra becomes enriched in waters in contact with bottom sediments. This probably occurs as horizontally migrating water masses move from one basin to another. Thus 228 Ra seems to trace the flow of water through the deep Indian Ocean. In the basins of the northwest Indian Ocean (Arabian, Madagascar and Crozet), an intermediate 228 Ra maximum is associated with high Si waters originating in the north. A broad 228 Ra maximum in the Wharton Basin is probably derived from a northward flowing western boundary current from the Antarctic. In the Central Indian Basin high Si waters spreading southward from the Bay of Bengal do not carry a significant 228 Ra signal; but water from the south, which overrides this high Si water occurring at about 3700 m depth, does carry a significant 228 Ra signal above and below 3700 m.
Error estimates of the Markov finite approximation of the Frobenius-Perron operator

IN THE practical application of the modern ergodic theory, one of the main problems is related to the computation of the absolutely continuous invariant measures for nonsingular transformations on measure spaces (see Lasota and Mackey [l]). A simple example is constructed in Li [2] to show that the round-off error can completely dominate the calculation if one is to compute the invariant measure directly using a sequence of Cesaro sums. An alternative is to compute the invariant density function for the Frobenius-Perron operator P,: L’(0, 1) + L’(0, 1) associated with the nonsingular measurable transformations S: [0, 11 + [0, 11. The Frobenius-Perron operator P, is defined by
AN IMPROVED ALGORITHM FOR THE FIXED-RADIUS NEIGHBOR PROBLEM *

The planar fixed-radius near neighbor problem can be stated as follows: Preprocess a set P of N points in the plane so that all points of P lying within some fixed radius r of a new point can be listed effectively. This problem has many practical applications in domains as varied as molecular graphics, statistics, air traffic control or data transmission [3]. Although a great deal of work has been done on the subject, the intricacy of the L, (Euclidean) metric has often led to consider the L, (Manhattan) or L, metrics instead (where the locus of points within a fixed distance of a given point becomes a square), or to introduce simplifying assumptions on the density of points (e.g., sparsity conditions) [3]. In [ 11, however, Bentley and Maurer do examine the worst-case performance of our searching problem in the Euclidean metric. and they develop a locus method which is optimal for that criterion. More precisely, for any query point M, the A points of the set P less than r away from M can be reported in A + log N time. Unfortunately, the preprocessing involved becomes rapidly prohibitive as N grows, since the time P(N)
Clinical Investigation in Children: Presidential Address to The Society for Pediatric Research [8]

Clinical Investigation in Children: Presidential Address to The Society for Pediatric Research [8]
Eyewitness Memory in Context: Toward a Taxonomy of Eyewitness Error

Although eyewitness memory and identification have captured substantial research interest in the past decades, an understanding of the types and prevalence of errors typically made by eyewitnesses is lacking. The purpose of the present research was to begin the development of a taxonomy of eyewitness error, employing standardized stimuli and established techniques. Respondents were exposed to a crime scene modeled on SWAT-training scenarios for systematically varied exposure times, and were then asked to describe what they had seen. The stimuli and questions employed were prepared with the aid of senior police field training officers. As anticipated, eyewitness performance in general was subject to a variety of inaccuracies. Physical errors, such as mistakes in the clothing or physical characteristics of the perpetrator, or in details of the environmental context, predominated. However, other less-expected errors were also observed: in relatively low numbers of cases, witnesses inferred emotional states or intent on the part of the perpetrator or victim. Some contributed wholly artificial backstories, reported the future actions of the perpetrator or victim as memories, or even inserted themselves into the scene. The pattern of results was shown to interact with exposure time, gender of the perpetrator, and the presence or absence of weapons in the scene. The results of this study are consistent with reconfigurative theory dating to Bartlett (1932), with subsequent research, and with more recent work under the aegis of Gestalt/Feature-Intensive Processing theory. These findings provide information on types and prevalence of eyewitness error which should prove useful in investigative and courtroom settings.
Translating Java for Multiple Model Checkers: The Bandera Back-End

One approach to model checking program source code is to view a model checker as a target machine. In this setting, program source code is translated to a model checker's input language using a process that shares much in common with program compilation. For example, well-defined intermediate program representations are used to stage the translation through a series of analyses and optimizing transformations and target-specific details are isolated in code generation modules. In this paper, we present the Bandera Intermediate Representation (BIR)--a guarded-assignment transformation system language that has been designed to support the translation of Java programs to a variety of model checkers. BIR includes constructs, such as inheritance, dynamic creation of data, and locking primitives, that are designed to model the semantics of Java primitives. BIR also includes several non-deterministic choice constructs that support abstraction in modeling and specification of properties of dynamic heap structures. We have developed a BIR-based tool infrastructure that has been applied to develop customized analysis frameworks for several different input languages using different model checking tools. We present BIR's type system and operational semantics in sufficient detail to support similar applications by other researchers. This semantics details several state space reductions and state space search variations. We describe the translation of Java to BIR and how BIR is translated to the input languages of several model checkers.
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate Is a Novel Coactivator of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cytotoxin ExoU

ExoU is a potent phospholipase A2 effector protein secreted by the type III secretion system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By cleaving plasma membrane phospholipids, it causes rapid lysis of eukaryotic cells. However, ExoU does not exhibit activity on its own but instead requires eukaryotic cell cofactors for activation. Ubiquitin and ubiquitinated proteins have been shown to activate ExoU, but previous work suggested that other cofactors are also involved. In this study, we demonstrate that phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] is another important coactivator of ExoU. PI(4,5)P2 works synergistically with ubiquitin to greatly enhance the phospholipase A2 activity of ExoU. Distinct residues of ExoU were critical for activation by PI(4,5)P2 and by ubiquitin, indicating that these factors activate ExoU by discrete mechanisms. In support of the biological relevance of PI(4,5)P2 coactivation, a yeast mutant with reduced PI(4,5)P2 levels was less susceptible to the cytotoxic activity of ExoU. Together, these findings further elaborate the molecular mechanism of ExoU.
Lifting the cloak of invisibility: the effects of changing optical conditions on pelagic crypsis.

While transparency, cryptic coloration, and counterillumination are all highly successful cryptic strategies for pelagic species, they become less effective when confronted with varying optical conditions. Transparent species are susceptible to detection by reflections from their body surface, particularly at shallow depths. Colored and mirrored species are vulnerable to detection when viewed from certain angles, or at certain times of day. Counterilluminating species must cope with the changes in the angular distribution and spectra of downwelling light at different depths. In all cases the vulnerabilities are more pronounced at shallow depths and essentially negligible at depths greater than 200 m. The results suggest interesting adaptations both for crypsis (e.g., anti-reflection coatings, variable coloration, variable filters for photophores) and for visual detection (e.g., circling, crepuscular predation), all of which are potentially fruitful topics for future research.
Real-time feedback enhances forward propulsion during walking in old adults.

Abstract Background Reduced propulsive function during the push-off phase of walking plays a central role in the deterioration of walking ability with age. We used real-time propulsive feedback to test the hypothesis that old adults have an underutilized propulsive reserve available during walking. Methods 8 old adults (mean [SD], age: 72.1 [3.9] years) and 11 young adults (age: 21.0 [1.5] years) participated. For our primary aim, old subjects walked: 1) normally, 2) with visual feedback of their peak propulsive ground reaction forces, and 3) with visual feedback of their medial gastrocnemius electromyographic activity during push-off. We asked those subjects to match a target set to 20% and 40% greater propulsive force or push-off muscle activity than normal walking. We tested young subjects walking normally only to provide reference ground reaction force values. Findings Walking normally, old adults exerted 12.5% smaller peak propulsive forces than young adults (P Interpretation Old adults with propulsive deficits have a considerable and underutilized propulsive reserve available during level walking. Further, real-time propulsive feedback represents a promising therapeutic strategy to improve the forward propulsion of old adults and thus maintain their walking ability and independence.
Detection of asymptomatic renal Leptospira infection in abattoir slaughtered cattle in southeastern Georgia, United States:

Objectives:Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic infectious diseases affecting humans and animals. Several animal species, including cattle, can act as potential asymptomatic carrier...
A SEARCH FOR STABLE PARTICLES HEAVIER THAN THE PROTON AND FOR Q =-2/3 QUARKS PRODUCED IN e+e-ANNIHILATION

Abstract We have searched 1.4 × 10 6 e + e − annihilation events for particles with 1–3 GeV/ c 2 mass and charge Q = − 2 3 from the processes e + e − →q q X and e + e − → q q . Upper limits of RQ ∼ 10 −4 for each process are presented which improve the previous limits on free quark production in electromagnetic interactions by 2 orders of magnitude.
Current management approach for left renal vein entrapment syndrome: the so-called ‘Nutcracker’ syndrome

Nutcracker syndrome, or more accurately, left renal vein (LRV) entrapment syndrome, refers to an abnormally narrow angle between the superior mesenteric artery and abdominal aorta leading to symptomatic compression and distal dilatation of the LRV as it traverses between these two structures. This compression of the renal vein in its normal anatomic position has been termed ‘anterior nutcracker syndrome’. An analogous syndrome may also occur in patients with a retroaortic LRV, whereby the vein is symptomatically compressed between the aorta and the vertebral bodies. This has been referred to as ‘posterior nutcracker syndrome’. In either configuration, the external compression may lead to venous hypertension in a subset of patients that typically manifests as left flank pain and hematuria. It may also be associated with varicocele in men and pelvic congestion syndrome in women. While traditional treatment in symptomatic patients has relied on open surgical repair, the recently demonstrated technical feasib...
Different Effects of Phenelzine Treatment on EEG Topography in Waking and Sleep in Depressed Patients

A novel approach to investigate the relationship between depression and changes in sleep-wake regulatory mechanisms used the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) phenelzine that is known to suppress rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Sleep architecture and EEG topography during wakefulness and sleep were studied in eight depressed patients before and after five weeks of treatment with phenelzine (30–90 mg/day), which induced a significant alleviation of depressive symptoms. Theta power (4.75–7.5 Hz) during a 5-min wake EEG prior to sleep increased two-fold during administration of phenelzine. REM sleep was almost completely eliminated. This latter effect was compensated by increased duration of stage 2, whereas total sleep time was not shortened. In non-REM sleep (stages 2, 3, and 4), treatment slightly reduced EEG power between 2.0–6.25 Hz and 8.5–13.75 Hz; power in the 16.75–25.0 Hz band increased. Activity in the delta band (2.0–3.25 Hz) tended to be reduced in the fronto-central derivation, but not in centro-parietal and parieto-occipital derivations. However, the Treatment X Derivation interaction was not significant. These data indicate that in contrast to wakefulness the effects of phenelzine treatment on the EEG in non-REM sleep were small. Rank correlation analyses revealed no association between the antidepressant treatment response and the changes in sleep and EEG power spectra during administration of phenelzine.
Dependence of the switching characteristics of resistance random access memory on the type of transition metal oxide

In this paper, a systematic approach using HfO 2 , ZrO 2 and TiO 2 with TiN or Ti/TiN electrode has been conducted to research the best material for ReRAM device integration. From the experimental results and proposed model, the proper electrical properties such as the stability of switching variation, low current and voltage operation, long endurance and retention characteristics are obtained with a TiN/Ti/HfO 2 /TiN structure.
Asynchronous vowel-pair identification across the adult life span for monaural and dichotic presentations.

Purpose Temporal order abilities decrease with age. Declining temporal processing abilities may influence the identification of rapid vowel sequences. Identification patterns for asynchronous vowel...
The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere

Plant roots serve a multitude of functions in the plant including anchorage, provision of nutrients and water, and production of exudates with growth regulatory properties. The root–soil interface, or rhizosphere, is the site of greatest activity within the soil matrix. Within this matrix, roots affect soil structure, aeration and biological activity as they are the major source of organic inputs into the rhizosphere, and are also responsible for depletion of large supplies of inorganic compounds. Roots are very complicated morphologically and physiologically, and their metabolites are often released in large quantities into the soil rhizosphere from living root hairs or fibrous root systems. Root exudates containing root-specific metabolites have critical ecological impacts on soil macro and microbiota as well as on the whole plant itself. Through the exudation of a wide variety of compounds, roots impact the soil microbial community in their immediate vicinity, influence resistance to pests, support beneficial symbioses, alter the chemical and physical properties of the soil, and inhibit the growth of competing plant species. In this review, we outline recent research on root exudation and the role of allelochemicals in the rhizosphere by studying the case of three plants that have been shown to produce allelopathic root exudates: black walnut, wheat and sorghum
The invariant theory of isotropic turbulence

The statistical theory of isotropic turbulence, initiated by Taylor (3) and extended by de Karman and Howarth (2), has proved of value in attacking problems associated with the decay of turbulence. In its application to such hydro-dynamical problems, the theory falls into two parts, a kinematical part and a dynamical part. The kinematical aspect consists in setting up correlations between velocity components, or their derivatives, at two arbitrary points in the fluid, and reducing the form of the tensor thus obtained in accordance with the severely restrictive assumption of isotropic turbulence; the success of de Karman and Howarth's investigations is largely attributable to their improved treatment of this purely kinematical problem. The dynamical part then consists in applying the implications of the equations of continuity and motion to the functions defining the correlation tensors, in order to obtain information concerning their functional dependence on time and on the displacement between the two points for which the correlations are computed.
Image segmentation and dynamic lineage analysis in single-cell fluorescence microscopy

An increasingly common component of studies in synthetic and systems biology is analysis of dynamics of gene expression at the single-cell level, a context that is heavily dependent on the use of time-lapse movies. Extracting quantitative data on the single-cell temporal dynamics from such movies remains a major challenge. Here, we describe novel methods for automating key steps in the analysis of single-cell, fluorescent images-segmentation and lineage reconstruction-to recognize and track individual cells over time. The automated analysis iteratively combines a set of extended morphological methods for segmentation, and uses a neighborhood-based scoring method for frame-to-frame lineage linking. Our studies with bacteria, budding yeast and human cells, demonstrate the portability and usability of these methods, whether using phase, bright field or fluorescent images. These examples also demonstrate the utility of our integrated approach in facilitating analyses of engineered and natural cellular networks in diverse settings. The automated methods are implemented in freely available, open-source software.
Effect of a Macropore Structure on Cycling Rates of LiCoO2

Macroporous LiCoO 2 powders were synthesized in order to investigate the effect of a macropore structure upon high rate cycling capabilities of this cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. Monodisperse poly(methyl methacrylate) spheres, centrifuged to produce a cubic close-packed template, were infiltrated with a mixture of lithium acetate and cobalt acetate, then dried and heated to produce the desired R3m phase of LiCoO 2 . Poly(ethylene glycol) or platinum modifiers were added to improve the macroporosity. Products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Macropores were not as well ordered as in other inverse opal materials due to crystallite growth, though the electrode particles still contained open, interconnected pores. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic cycling experiments were performed on coin cells prepared with the macroporous LiCoO 2 powders. The expansion and contraction of the small particles in the walls with cycling led to swelling and particle disconnections, and consequently poor cyclability. However, the macroporous electrodes exhibited marked improvement in specific discharge capacities at higher cycling rates relative to bulk materials. The open electrode architecture facilitated an increase in the charge/discharge rate of Li batteries by reducing the solid-state diffusion distances through the electrode particles.
Comparison of major depressions with and without panic attacks.

Abstract Panic attacks occur in some patients with major depressive disorder. To examine whether this group of patients might represent a unique depressive subtype, we compared 18 depressives with panic attacks to 85 depressives without panic attacks, using multiple clinical variables. Few differences were found. Depressives with panic attacks had an increased number of first-degree relatives with alcoholism, and they experienced increased levels of anxiety, dysphoria, guilt, and initial insomnia.
Monitoring Northern Fowl Mites (Acari: Macronyssidae) in Caged Laying Hens: Feasibility of an Egg-Based Sampling System

Northern fowl mites were monitored on a caged-layer operation in southern California for 22 mo. Three experienced observers underestimated actual numbers of mites in the vent region approximately 80% of the time. Errors were higher for heavy infestations. Observer estimates were highly correlated with each other (r > 0.89, P 0.82, P about 20% of eggs. The chemical was marginal for controlling mites on hens (25% reduction in percentage of hens infested), but effectively reduced mites on eggs (95% fewer mites on eggs at 1 wk and 90% at 2 wk). When data were grouped by mite index score on hens, there was a strong relationship (r2 = 0.83, P < 0.01) between mite prevalence on eggs and the scores of the hens which laid them. Sampling 100 eggs evenly spaced in a house required < 7 min, and adult mites were easily seen. Sampling mites on eggs appears to be useful to localize at least high-level infestations, and egg-based sampling for mites merits further investigation.
Comparison of a modern broiler line and a heritage line unselected since the 1950s

Selecting chicken for improved meat production has altered the relative growth of organs in modern broiler lines compared with heritage lines. In this study, we compared the growth and feed efficiency of a heritage line, UIUC, with a modern production line, Ross 708, for 5 wk posthatch. During this period, the BW and feed efficiency of the modern strain was higher than that of the heritage line, indicating that the Ross 708 birds were more efficient than the UIUC birds at converting feed to body mass. The relative growth of the breast, heart, liver, and intestine were also compared during these 5 wk. The breast muscle of the heritage line constituted 9% of the total body mass at 5 wk, whereas in the modern line, the breast muscle was 18% of the total mass of the bird. In contrast, the relative size of the heart decreased after d 14 in the modern line, suggesting that selection for increased breast muscle has translated into relatively less weight of the heart muscle. The liver matured earlier in modern lines, possibly improving nutrient utilization as the birds shift from lipid- to carbohydrate-rich feed. Finally, jejunal and ileal sections of the intestine were 20% longer in the modern line, perhaps allowing for increased nutrient absorption.
Recurrent Networks and NARMA Modeling

There exist large classes of time series, such as those with nonlinear moving average components, that are not well modeled by feedforward networks or linear models, but can be modeled by recurrent networks. We show that recurrent neural networks are a type of nonlinear autoregressive-moving average (NARMA) model. Practical ability will be shown in the results of a competition sponsored by the Puget Sound Power and Light Company, where the recurrent networks gave the best performance on electric load forecasting.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE ROLE OF RADIATION THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MUCOCUTANEOUS MALIGNANT MELANOMA

The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of malignant melanoma has evolved substantially over time. Years ago, malignant melanomas were generally considered radioresistant. Over time, the palliative value of radiation therapy was established. Most recently it also has become clear that judiciously applied therapy may be curative in either an adjuvant setting or for small-volume disease.