cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isothermal Environmental Heat Energy Utilization by Transmembrane Electrostatically Localized Protons at the Liquid-Membrane Interface.

This study employing the latest theory on transmembrane electrostatic proton localization has now, for the first time, consistently elucidated a decades-longstanding bioenergetic conundrum in alkal...
Scan-Specific Accelerated Mri Reconstruction Using Recurrent Neural Networks In A Regularized Self-Consistent Framework

Long scan duration remains a challenge for high-resolution MRI. Several accelerated imaging strategies have been proposed based on deep learning (DL) that require databases of fully-sampled images for training. However, scan-specific training is desired where individual variability is important, e.g. in free-breathing cardiac MRI, or where such datasets are not available due to scan time constraints for acquiring fully-sampled data. Building on our earlier method called Self-consistent Robust Artificial-neural-networks for k-space Interpolation (sRAKI), we propose a scan-specific DL reconstruction method based on recurrent neural networks that combines training and reconstruction phases of sRAKI. We use self-consistency among coils in k-space and regularization in arbitrary domains, as well as consistency with acquired data, in each iteration of the recurrent network. Results on knee MRI show that this method improves upon parallel imaging and compressed sensing methods.
Misrecognition and Passing

This chapter begins with an acknowledgment of religious precedents that refer to and warn against hypocrisy, since moral condemnations rely on fixed moral ideals, some of which are found in sacred texts. Passing and code-switching are essential strategies for survival available to oppressed minorities. Victim hypocrisy as a response to threatening and discriminatory treatment has been morally justified for centuries. The moral register is never far removed from discussions of human conduct and when historically studied calls for rethinking such judgments. Barring an appeal to the divine or to solidarity and empathy, perhaps what remains is an appeal to virtues and the virtue of friendship. Virtuous friends might be in a position to critically challenge the conduct of their friends with honesty and goodwill. No matter the judgment, it can serve as a useful lifeline that has the potential to ensure the well-being of a community.
Virtual and physical experiments of encapsulated phase change material embedded in building envelopes

Abstract This paper investigates the temperature and heat flux fields of composite materials containing phase change materials (PCM) for energy efficient buildings. A novel numerical method validated by accurately controlled laboratory experiments is presented for virtual experiments of more complex applications. Considering a finite bounded domain containing one inclusion, the Green’s function technique has been applied to obtain the transient heat transfer response caused by sources on inclusion domains and prescribed boundaries. Based on the Eshelby’s equivalent inclusion method (EIM), the thermal property mismatch between the PCM particle and matrix phases is simulated with a uniformly distributed eigen-temperature gradient field and a fictitious heat source on the particle. Through the combination of EIM and boundary element method, namely the iBEM, the temperature field can be written in terms of the temperature and heat flux on the boundary and the distributed eigen-temperature gradient and heat source on the particle. By using the equivalent heat flux conditions and the specific heat-temperature relationship, the eigen-temperature gradient and fictitious heat source can be solved and the temperature field of the bounded domain can be calculated. This new numerical method has been verified by the finite element simulation and validated with the laboratory measurements of the transient heat transfer within a building block containing a PCM capsule. Parametric studies have also been conducted to study the influences of the PCM location and volume fraction on the temperature field of composites with multiple particles. The virtual experiments demonstrate the energy saving and phase delay by using the PCM-concrete wall panel. This method will be very useful for the design and thermal analysis of building envelopes.
Left Ventricular Assist Device Graft Obstruction Relieved by Transcutaneous Stenting in a Teenage Patient

Introduction We describe a case of LVAD outflow graft stenosis from external outflow graft compression in a teenage patient successfully treated with percutaneous stenting. Case Report 17-year-old female with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device implanted 3 years prior for heart failure secondary to cardiomyopathy due to a TTN gene mutation. She presented with 1 week of worsening shortness of breath and 3 kilogram weight gain. LVAD flows were 3 liters-per-minute (L/min). The patient was referred for transcatheter stent therapy due to concern for outflow cannula obstruction. Hemodynamics during initial catheterization showed a gradient of 30 mmHg across the conduit. A stent was deployed in the distal aspect of the outflow cannula. A second stent was placed to reinforce the area of persistent stenosis. Post-intervention hemodynamics showed an improvement in the gradient to 13 mmHg. She re-presented 3 months later due to LVAD low flow alarm, decreased flows to 0.3 L/min, and decreased wattage of 2.9 watts (Figure 1). CT angiography (CTA) demonstrated 80% narrowing of the outflow conduit, proximal to previously placed outflow graft stents (Figure 2a-b). Low density material between the outflow graft and circumferential wrap was identified by radiology. The previously placed stents were first re-dilated. Three additional stents were placed within the LVAD outflow cannula. We placed the stents from aortic end toward LVAD inflow. In total, the outflow graft was stented for a length of approximately 7.5cm (Figure 3). Angiography showed mild residual narrowing at the anastomotic site. LVAD flows improved to 3.5L/min. Repeat CTA showed no residual evidence of stenosis. Summary To our knowledge this is the first reported case of external compression of an LVAD outflow graft from an overwrap treated with successful transcatheter stent treatment in the pediatric population. By stenting the outflow graft we believe we pushed the built-up material into the mediastinum, relieving the obstruction.
Governance and Economy in the Ramayana

There are good indicators of the nature of the economy underlying the famous Hindu epic love story of Rama and Sita, the Ramayana. This paper attempts to extract the main features of this economy and present them succinctly.
Human hepatic microsomal sulfatase catalyzes the hydrolysis of polychlorinated biphenyl sulfates: A potential mechanism for retention of hydroxylated PCBs.

Abstract Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental contaminants that continue to be of concern due to their varied toxicities. Upon human exposure, many PCBs with lower numbers of chlorine atoms are metabolized to hydroxylated derivatives (OH-PCBs), and cytosolic sulfotransferases can subsequently catalyze the formation of PCB sulfates. Recent studies have indicated that PCB sulfates bind reversibly with a high affinity to human serum proteins, and that they are also taken up by cells and tissues. Since PCB sulfates might be hydrolyzed to the more toxic OH-PCBs, we have investigated the ability of human hepatic microsomal sulfatase to catalyze this reaction. Twelve congeners of PCB sulfates were substrates for the microsomal sulfatase with catalytic rates exceeding that of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate as a comparison substrate for steroid sulfatase (STS). These results are consistent with an intracellular mechanism for sulfation and de-sulfation that may contribute to retention and increased time of exposure to OH-PCBs.
Lower Intent to Comply with COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations Correlates to Higher Disease Burden in Following 30 Days

Efforts to forecast coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case burden have been largely unsuccessful. Correlating responses from a national, demographically representative sample of US adults (N = 10,650) with subsequent COVID-19 infection rates, this article reports that for every 3% increase in intent to comply with public health recommendations, the authors estimate a 9% reduction in new COVID-19 cases during the subsequent 30 days. Objectives: We sought to determine whether self-reported intent to comply with public health recommendations correlates with future coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease burden. Methods: A cross-sectional, online survey of US adults, recruited by snowball sampling, from April 9 to July 12, 2020. Primary measurements were participant survey responses about their intent to comply with public health recommendations. Each participant's intent to comply was compared with his or her local COVID-19 case trajectory, measured as the 7-day rolling median percentage change in COVID-19 confirmed cases within participants' 3-digit ZIP code area, using public county-level data, 30 days after participants completed the survey. Results: After applying raking techniques, the 10,650-participant sample was representative of US adults with respect to age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Intent to comply varied significantly by state and sex. Lower reported intent to comply was associated with higher COVID-19 case increases during the following 30 days. For every 3% increase in intent to comply with public health recommendations, which could be achieved by improving average compliance by a single point for a single item, we estimate a 9% reduction in new COVID-19 cases during the subsequent 30 days. Conclusions: Self-reported intent to comply with public health recommendations may be used to predict COVID-19 disease burden. Measuring compliance intention offers an inexpensive, readily available method of predicting disease burden that can also identify populations most in need of public health education aimed at behavior change. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Southern Medical Journal is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by repetitive negatively pulsed helium atmospheric pressure plasma jets propagating into humid air

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets have many beneficial effects in their use in surface treatment and, in particular, plasma medicine. One of these benefits is the controlled production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in the active discharge through the molecular gases added to the primary noble gas in the input mixture, and through the interaction of reactive species in the plasma effluent with the ambient air. In this computational investigation, a parametric study was performed on the production of RONS in a multiply pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma jet sustained in a He/O2 mixture and flowing into ambient humid air. The consequences of flow rate, O2 fraction, voltage, and repetition rate on reactant densities after a single discharge pulse, after 30 pulses, and after the same total elapsed time were investigated. At the end of the first discharge pulse, voltage has the greatest influence on RONS production. However, the systematic trends for production of RONS depend on repetition rate and flow rate in large part due to the residence time of RONS in the plasma zone. Short residence times result in reactive species produced by the previous pulse still being in the discharge tube or in the path of the ionization wave at the next pulse. The RONS therefore accumulate in the tube and in the near effluent on a pulse-to-pulse basis. This accumulation enables species requiring multiple reactions among the primary RONS species to be produced in greater numbers.
Loan Spreads and Unexpected Earnings

This paper explores whether banks have superior information to financial analysts about borrowers’ future earnings at the financing decision stage. The results suggest that at the loan initiation banks have “priced-in” borrowers’ future earnings news that is unexpected by analysts. The sensitivity of loan spreads to unexpected earnings varies cross-sectionally and over time in the same direction as the predicted changes in banks’ relative information advantages. Further tests show that the results are robust to alternative measures of unexpected earnings, and are unlikely to be driven by correlated omitted risk factors.
A Review of “The Speaker of the House: A Study of Leadership”

For the past 20 years, congressional scholars have focused a great deal of attention on describing and explaining the impact of political parties in Congress. Much of this effort has tackled the pr...
Recovery of Noble Metals from Fission Products

Spent nuclear fuels contain significant quantities of three of the platinum-group metals—ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium—plus a related element, technetium, which is nearly absent in nature. Appl...
DNA arrested mutants of gene 59 of bacteriophage T4. II. Replicative intermediates.

Abstract The abnormal DNA replication of bacteriophage T4 containing amber nonsense mutants in gene 59 (amC5, amHL628) has been studied. Zonal centrifugal analysis of the mutant intracellular DNA molecules isolated from a nonpermissive host, Escherichia coli B, reveals the following: (1) Parental mutant DNA as well as nascent mutant DNA can be recovered by sucrose gradient centrifugation as a fast sedimenting fraction (>1500 S) which is presumably a cell-membrane DNA replication complex. (2) At 2–3 min after initiation of viral DNA synthesis, a gradual accumulation of mutant DNA with a sedimentation coefficient of 63 S is observed. The molecular weight of this DNA is close to, or a little less than, that of a mature viral DNA, suggesting that less than one round of replication occurs before the complete arrest of DNA synthesis. (3) In contrast to what is found in wild-type infected cells, little or no long single-stranded DNA (concatemer) appears in mutant infected cells. Concatenated molecules of DNA, which have been proposed as intermediates in viral replication, are normally found in wild-type infected cells 7 min after infection. (4) Unlike the case of cells infected with mutants of gene 46 and 47, addition of chloramphenicol prevents premature release of the mutant DNA of gene 59 from the fast-sedimenting fraction (>1500 S).
Triangular Numbers, Gaussian Integers, and KenKen.

SummaryLatin squares form the basis for the recreational puzzles sudoku and KenKen. In this article we show how useful several ideas from number theory are in solving a KenKen puzzle. For example, the simple notion of triangular number is surprisingly effective. We also introduce a variation of KenKen that uses the Gaussian integers in order to illustrate the concept of unique factorization.
Bringing Order to Chaos: RIF as the New Standard for Rule Interchange

As the W3C Rule Interchange Format (RIF) nears completion, we consider what it offers users and how it may change the design of systems and change the industry. More than just a standard XML format for rules, RIF is integrated with the W3C Semantic Web technology stack, offering a vision for combining some of the best features of the Web with the best features of rule systems. RIF is designed to directly handle rule bases which use only standard features, but it can be extended. Some example extensions and possible areas for future standards work will be discussed.
I Forgot to Shave My Hands: Spiny Keratoderma of the Palms and Soles

A 57 year-old Caucasian man presented with multiple, asymptomatic, spiny papules on the palms and soles that he had been shaving off with a razor for many years. He was otherwise healthy with no personal or family history of any skin disease. The clinical impression was punctate porokeratosis. Histology revealed columns of parakeratin arising from epidermis with underlying hypogranulosis. There was no associated dyskeratosis, vacuolization, or dermal infiltrate beneath the parakeratotic column. A diagnosis of spiny keratoderma of the palms and soles or “music box spine dermatoses” was made. Spiny keratodermas encompass a group of rare hereditary and acquired diseases. This entity was previously classified as porokeratosis palmaris et plantaris, porokeratosis punctata, or punctate porokeratotic keratoderma. The clinical, histologic, and electron microscopic features of spiny keratodermas are distinct. This entity should be distinguished from porokeratosis and punctate keratodermas which can be linked to cutaneous and internal malignancies, respectively. In the acquired form, spiny keratodermas have been reported to be associated with polycystic kidney disease, liver cysts, Darier’s disease, and hyperlipoproteinenia. Spiny keratoderma does not resolve spontaneously and treatment is very difficult.
Immunodeficiency of aging: restorative effects of phorbol ester combined with calcium ionophore

Current models for lectin-induced T cell proliferation suggest that activation of protein kinase C (PK-C) and elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ may both play important roles in the earliest phases of signal transduction. To learn more about the relative inability of T cells from old mice to proliferate in response to mitogenic stimuli, we attempted to stimulate T cells by the synergistic effects of a PK-C activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and the calcium ionophore ionomycin. T cells from young mice respond as well to optimal combinations of these agents as they do to the strong polyclonal activator Con A, but T cells from old mice respond much better to PMA plus ionomycin than they do to Con A. This result suggests that an inability to transduce the signal supplied by extracellular ligands into the intracellular signals represented by Ca2+ and PK-C activators may underlie the age-associated loss of T cell reactivity. We also found evidence for a second defect in old T cells related to their response to elevated intracellular Ca2+: old T cells, compared with young, required higher levels of ionomycin for maximal proliferation.
Estimation of the spatial bandwidth of an optical parametric amplifier with plane-wave pump

We analyze the spatial-frequency dependence of the gain of phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive optical parametric amplifiers with plane-wave pumping. We discuss the dependence of their spatial bandwidths on pump power and crystal length, L, and observe that the well-known (k s/L)1/2 approximation of spatial bandwidth is not very accurate (here k s is the signal beam's wavevector magnitude). We derive an alternative approximation that is highly accurate at large gains and moderately accurate at low gains. The differences between the phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive amplifier bandwidths are shown to be insignificant for gains above several dB. Maximum phase-sensitive gain and bandwidth are realized by imposing an optimum phase profile onto the input signal's spatial spectrum, which has nearly parabolic shape with added series of π/2 phase discontinuities at spatial frequencies outside the main bandwidth of the amplifier. We show that, apart from the discontinuities, such a profile can be closely appr...
Convective Heat Transfer and Aerodynamics in Axial Flow Turbines

The primary focus of this paper is convective heat transfer in axial flow turbines. Research activity involving heat transfer generally separates into two related areas: predictions and measurements. The problems associated with predicting heat transfer are coupled with turbine aerodynamics because proper prediction of vane and blade surface-pressure distribution is essential for predicting the corresponding heat transfer distribution. The experimental community has advanced to the point where time-averaged and time-resolved three-dimensional heat transfer data for the vanes and blades are obtained routinely by those operating full-stage rotating turbines. However, there are relatively few CFD codes capable of generating three-dimensional predictions of the heat transfer distribution, and where these codes have been applied the results suggest that additional work is required. This paper outlines the progression of work done by the heat transfer community over the last several decades as both the measurements and the predictions have improved to current levels. To frame the problem properly, the paper reviews the influence of turbine aerodynamics on heat transfer predictions. This includes a discussion of time-resolved surface-pressure measurements with predictions and the data involved in forcing function measurements. The ability of existing two-dimensional and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes codes to predict the proper trends of the time-averaged and unsteady pressure field for full-stage rotating turbines is demonstrated. Most of the codes do a reasonably good job of predicting the surface-pressure data at vane and blade midspan, but not as well near the hub or the tip region for the blade. In addition, the ability of the codes to predict surface-pressure distribution is significantly better than the corresponding heat transfer distributions. Heat transfer codes are validated against measurements of one type or another. Sometimes the measurements are performed using full rotating rigs, and other times a much simpler geometry is used. In either case, it is important to review the measurement techniques currently used. Heat transfer predictions for engine turbines are very difficult because the boundary conditions are not well known. The conditions at the exit of the combustor are generally not well known and a section of this paper discusses that problem. The majority of the discussion is devoted to external heat transfer with and without cooling, turbulence effects, and internal cooling. As the design community increases the thrust-to-weight ratio and the turbine inlet temperature, there remain many turbine-related heat transfer issues. Included are film cooling modeling, definition of combustor exit conditions, understanding of blade tip distress, definition of hot streak migration, component fatigue, loss mechanisms in the low turbine, and many others. Several suggestions are given herein for research and development areas for which there is potentially high payoff to the industry with relatively small risk.
Human papillomavirus and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: the dilemma continues

The majority of cutaneous human papillomaviruses (HPVs) belong to the α, β and γ genera. High-risk mucosal HPVs belonging to α-papillomaviruses are strongly implicated in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, prompting many to speculate about the oncogenic potential of β-papillomavirus in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. In this review, evidence favoring, as well as disputing, the putative role of HPV in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is presented. Specific questions pertaining to HPV and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma that this review attempts to answer include the following: is the presence of HPV the cause of the cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or an epiphenomenon?; is HPV involved in the initiation or promotion of squamous cell carcinoma?; and last, but not least, what really is the oncogenic potential of β-papillomavirus?
Methods for the characterization of Jet Propellent-8: vapor and aerosol.

Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) has been responsible for the majority of reported chemical exposures by the US Department of Defense. Concerns related to human exposure to JP-8 are relatively new; therefore, there is a lack of literature data. Additionally, health effects related to the composition of the exposure have only recently been considered. Two major questions exist: (1) what is the compositional difference between the aerosol and vapor portions of JP-8 under controlled conditions and (2) what is the most representative method to sample JP-8 aerosol and vapor? Thirty-seven standards, representing more than 40% of the mass of JP-8, were used for characterization of the neat fuel, vapor and aerosol portions. JP-8 vapor samples at a concentration of 1600 mg/m3 were prepared in Tedlar bags. A portion of the vapor samples was adsorbed on charcoal, Tenax and custom mixed phase sorbents. These samples were then extracted using organic solvent and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The vapor samples extracted from the sorbent tubes were directly compared with a vapor bag. The samples collected using Tenax sorbent tubes were found to be most representative of the composition of the vapor bags. In another set of experiments, aerosolized JP-8 was generated using a collision nebulizer. Aerosol samples were collected and the chemical composition was characterized. The entire aerosol distribution was collected on a glass filter, extracted into solvent, and analyzed by GC-MS. Finally, the composition of the vapor and aerosol was compared. The vapor was found to represent the lower molecular weight components of JP-8, while the aerosol was composed of higher molecular weight components. Therefore, the vapor and aerosol should be treated as two discrete forms of exposure to JP-8. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An in vitro model to study the intestinal absorption of carotenoids

Abstract An in vitro cell culture model to assess the intestinal absorption of carotenoids is described. When supplemented with taurocholate and oleic acid, differentiated Caco-2 cells on membranes are able to produce chylomicrons. Under conditions mimicking the in vivo postprandial state, Caco-2 cells take up carotenoids and secrete them incorporated into chylomicrons; the extents of absorption of all-trans, 9-cis, 13-cis β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, lycopene were 11%, 2%, 3%, 10%, 7%, and 3%, respectively. Saturation of β-carotene transport through Caco-2 cells occurred at concentrations (>15 μM) higher than “physiological” concentrations. Finally, retinol supplementation resulted in an 1.7-fold increase in β-carotene transport. The data suggest that (1) the intestinal absorption of carotenoids is facilitated by the participation of a specific epithelial transporter and (2) retinol promotes β-carotene incorporation into larger, retinyl ester-enriched chylomicrons. The present in vitro cell culture system is a relevant model to study the intestinal absorption of carotenoids at the molecular level.
Expanding priorities--confronting chronic disease in countries with low income.

Gerard Anderson and Edward Chu argue that international health organizations need to greatly expand their efforts to prevent and treat noncommunicable chronic diseases.
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA: THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF A PORT CITY

ABSTRACT The historical development of Wilmington, North Carolina, is examined as an example of how sensitive one American city has been to a changing geographical situation. Beginning early in the Colonial Period, three distinct functional periods are identified for the city. The first and longest, when Wilmington functioned as a regional port, lasted through the nineteenth century. The second, ending about 1950, saw the city function chiefly as a regional trade and service center while use of the port declined. The period since 1950 has been characterized by manufacturing development, revival of the port and related activity, and relative decline in regional trade. The three periods have been separated by times of critical transition as reorganization lagged behind changes in the pattern and significance of transportation forms and the character and requirements of the city-region.
From Static Stretching to Dynamic Exercises: Changing the Warm-Up Paradigm

(2010). From Static Stretching to Dynamic Exercises: Changing the Warm-Up Paradigm. Strategies: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 13-17.
A Micropower Pulsewidth-Modulation-Pulse-Position-Modulation Two-Channel Telemetry System for Biomedical Applications

A novel micropower, two-channel telemetry system, which has been used to transmit the occurrence of the QRS complex of the heart waveform and temperature information, is described. The system employs pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) and pulse-position-modulation (PPM) methods plus a few unique circuits and system-design techniques so that it has the following desirable features. 1) The transmitting unit consumes extremely low power due to low duty cycle and yet delivers high peak power for better receiving. In addition, the unit is compensated (not regulated) for battery voltage variation. 2) By means of adaptive threshold, pulse-width-discrimination and pulse-rate-discrimination networks, the receiving unit is relatively noise free in signal identification. Information in analog and digital form are available at the output for convenience. A prototype system was designed and fabricated. Test results are presented. Due to the availability of the integrated circuits on the market, medical doctors and biologists will be able to duplicate the system if the system-size problem is not severe. Although the design was not trivial, the implementation is quite straightforward. Hence it is believed that device or integrated-circuit manufacturers would be able to implement it in a much more compact form.
Diffusion from a Circular Stoma through a Boundary Layer: A FIELD-THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

The case of diffusion of a gas from a single circular stoma through an unstirred boundary layer of finite thickness into a perfectly stirred atmosphere free of convective effects is examined theoretically, with the gas assumed to be at constant concentration across the stoma. The analysis employs a mathematical solution to an analogous problem in electrostatic physics previously obtained by Kuz9min (1972 Sov Phys Tech Phys 17: 473-476). The diffusion flux is shown to be no more than 1% greater than that into a perfectly unstirred atmosphere if the boundary layer is thicker than 40 times the stomatal radius. Under the conditions assumed, for realistic boundary-layer and stomatal dimensions, taking the diffusion flux through the boundary layer to be linear with the stomatal radius would usually involve no significant error. This result may indicate that the principal effect of wind velocity on mass exchange between leaf and atmosphere may be exerted through influencing convection outside the boundary layer rather than through determining the thickness of that layer.
Fluid Membrane Thermal Fluctuations and Bending Curvature Modulus Determination

Extending the current theory, a new formula, concerning the average tilt angle for a thermally undulating fluid membrane in an, on average, equally spaced stack, has been developed. For large interlayer spacings, this new formula resembles the existing onethe tilt angle varies logarithmically with the interlayer spacing. When the interlayer spacing is relatively small, the new formula differs from the existing theory. This new formula is then used to extract the membrane bending curvature modulus κ for membranes in a lamellar phase made from sodium dodecyl sulfate, water, pentanol, and dodecane. The fit of the water layer thickness to the formula shows that the membrane has a bending curvature modulus of 2.1 ± 0.5 kBT, with T = 300 K. The water layer thicknesses are accurately determined by combining X-ray scattering determined interlayer spacings with sample specific gravities.
Reprogramming DNA-Directed Reactions on the Basis of a DNA Conformational Change

A strategy has been developed for switching chemical reactions between two identical reagents on the basis of DNA duplex−triplex transition. In response to the change of solution pH, a DNA complex changes its conformation and repositions chemical reagents that are conjugated with DNA strands. As a result, chemical reactions are reprogrammed. This strategy is expected to be applicable to sophisticated chemical syntheses.
Education of the engineering manager

Abstract The Second World Conference on Continuing Engineering Education was held in Paris, France on April 6–8, 1983. This article reports on the various concepts and directions of management education for engineers that were presented and discussed during the conference.
Proton spin-lattice relaxation in Rochelle salt

Abstract Proton spin-lattice relaxation times have been determined as a function of temperature and frequency. The results are compared with recent 23 Na and deutron magnetic resonance measurements and a tentative model for the two ferroelectric transitions is proposed.
The Death of Environmentalism or the Advent of Public Ecology

In this response to a widely circulated essay by environmental activists Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, the author provides a critique of some of their key points, including their assertion that “third wave environmentalism” must emphasize investments in public-private partnerships. Contrary to the positions advocated by Shellenberger and Nordhaus, an argument is made that the environment is a public space and collective good and that it is best understood through the lens of a truly public ecology. This approach offers the best chance to reconstruct environmentalism as a vital space for addressing global warming and other major problems. It provides a framework for gathering together new progressive movements aimed at achieving equity from the economy and ecology of the Earth. Further discussion is invited.
Atypical exanthem following exposure to natural measles: Eleven cases in children previously inoculated with killed vaccine

A severe illness characterized by high fever, tachypnea, myalgia, prostration, and an atypical exanthem occurred after exposure to measles in children previously immunized with killed measles vaccine. Laboratory and epidemiological data were suggestive of recent measles infection. Other previously immunized children had local reactions at the site of injection of live measles vaccine. The host response to subsequent challenge with live measles virus is apparently sometimes altered by prior vaccination with inactivated measles vaccine, but the exact mechanisms remain obscure.
Effect of multiple images on associative learning

The present research investigated the effects of multiple images on associative learning. In Experiment 1, subjects formed either a noninteractive image of two words, a single interactive image, a multiple interactive image consisting of multiple copies of the same image, or a multiple interactive image consisting of different images. In Experiment 2, the different multiple images were formed across trials instead of simultaneously during the same trial. Both experiments showed that, although interactive images are superior to noninteractive images, there is no reliable facilitation from multiple images as compared with single images. The results were discussed in terms of the variable-encoding hypothesis and previous findings that multiple retrieval paths facilitate verbal learning.
Deletion of h2-calponin in Macrophages Facilitates Cell Motility and Lipid Clearance: A Novel Mechanism to Attenuate Arterial Atherosclerosis

Arterial atherosclerosis, a major cardiovascular risk condition, is a chronic inflammatory disease. The atherosclerotic plaques are built up by excessive lipid deposition and accumulation of apoptotic immune cells. Macrophages migrate into atherosclerotic lesions and function in scavenging extracellular lipid and mediating the inflammatory process. Lipid-laden macrophages transform into foam cells and loss their migration ability. The retention of foam cells at arterial intima promotes the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Calponin is an actin filament-associated protein and its h2 isoform regulates cell proliferation, migration and other cell motility-based functions. We previously demonstrated that removal of h2-calponin in macrophages enhances cell migration and phagocytosis. Deletion of h2-calponin in macrophages significantly attenuated the development of inflammatory arthritis in mouse models (our unpublished results). In the present study, we investigated the function of h2-calponin-null mouse macrophages and foam cells in lipid clearance as well as their migration and transendothelial migration abilities. Foam cells are produced in culture by loading mouse peritoneal macrophages with acetylated low density lipoprotein. Lipid phagocytosis was quantified using Oil Red O staining of intracellular lipid droplets. Migration and transendothelial migration were examined using Transwell assay system. Foam cell apoptosis was studied using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The results showed that h2-calponin-null macrophages exhibit significantly higher lipid engulfment and faster migration and transendothelial migration than wild type controls. The h2-calponin-null foam cells retained higher migration capacity than that of wild type cells, which potentially facilitates migrating out of the arterial intima, reducing accumulation of apoptotic cells, and attenuating atherosclerotic lesions. The data demonstrate that h2-calponin is a novel molecular target for modulating macrophage functions and the development of new therapeutic approaches to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
Disparities in the treatment and outcomes of lung cancer among HIV-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVES HIV-infected people have elevated risk for lung cancer and higher mortality following cancer diagnosis than HIV-uninfected individuals. It is unclear whether HIV-infected individuals with lung cancer receive similar cancer treatment as HIV-uninfected individuals. DESIGN/METHODS We studied adults more than 18 years of age with lung cancer reported to the Texas Cancer Registry (N = 156 930) from 1995 to 2009. HIV status was determined by linkage with the Texas enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System. For nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases, we identified predictors of cancer treatment using logistic regression. We used Cox regression to evaluate effects of HIV and cancer treatment on mortality. RESULTS Compared with HIV-uninfected lung cancer patients (N = 156 593), HIV-infected lung cancer patients (N = 337) were more frequently young, non-Hispanic black, men, and with distant stage disease. HIV-infected NSCLC patients less frequently received cancer treatment than HIV-uninfected patients [60.3 vs. 77.5%; odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.52, after adjustment for diagnosis year, age, sex, race, stage, and histologic subtype]. HIV infection was associated with higher lung cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio 1.34, 95% CI 1.15-1.56, adjusted for demographics and tumor characteristics). Inclusion of cancer treatment in adjusted models slightly attenuated the effect of HIV on lung cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio 1.25; 95% CI 1.06-1.47). Also, there was a suggestion that HIV was more strongly associated with mortality among untreated than among treated patients (adjusted hazard ratio 1.32 vs. 1.16, P-interaction = 0.34). CONCLUSION HIV-infected NSCLC patients were less frequently treated for lung cancer than HIV-uninfected patients, which may have affected survival.
Enhancing Performance of Relational Fuzzy Neural Networks with Square BK-Products

In this paper, we extend research done in max-min fuzzy neural networks in several important ways. We replace max and min operations used in the fuzzy operations by more general t-norms and co-norms, respectively. In addition, instead of the Łukasiewicz equivalence connective used in network of ReyesGarcia and Bandler, we employ in our hybridization a variety of equivalence connectives. We explore the effectiveness of this network in the domain of phoneme recognition, and diabetes data. We find increased classification ability in many cases, as well as great potential for further expansion of the use of fuzzy operations in the field of pattern recognition.
Towards Mapping the Communication Targets of Organisational Change

Four perspectives are outlined on organisational phenomena and three types of organisational change. Using those categories, a framework is developed which identifies 12 major organisational communication focuses. That framework facilitates identification of the nature and purpose of organisational communication from each perspective as it relates to each type of organisational change.
Characterization of α-Crystallin-Plasma Membrane Binding *

α-Crystallin, a large lenticular protein complex made up of two related subunits (αA- and αB-crystallin), is known to associate increasingly with fiber cell plasma membranes with age and/or the onset of cataract. To understand better the binding mechanism, we developed a sensitive membrane binding assay using lens plasma membranes and recombinant human αA- and αB-crystallins conjugated to a small fluorescent tag (Alexa350®). Both αA and αB homopolymer complexes, as well as a reconstituted 3:1 heteromeric complex, bind to lens membranes in a specific, saturable, and partially irreversible manner that is sensitive to both time and temperature. The amount of α-crystallin that binds to the membrane increases under acidic pH conditions and upon removal of exposed intrinsic membrane protein domains but is not affected at high ionic strength, suggesting that α-crystallin binds to the fiber cell plasma membranes mainly through hydrophobic interactions. The binding capacity and affinity for the reconstituted 3:1 heteromeric complex were measured to be 3.45 ± 0.11 ng/μg of membrane and 4.57 ± 0.50 × 10−4 μg−1 of membrane, respectively. The present membrane binding data support the hypothesis that the physical properties of a mixed α-crystallin complex may hold particular relevance for the function of α-crystallin within the lens.
Use of volume averaging for the modeling of thermal properties of porous materials

Abstract The thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of single and two-phase materials were measured using the transient hot wire method. The mathematical basis for the use of this method for measurements on single phase materials is well documented. Thermal property measurements on two-phase materials are more complex to analyse than those of single phase materials. A mathematical model based on volume averaging was developed to predict measured values of the effective thermal properties of two-phase materials.
Endoscopic reconstruction of the cranial base using a pedicled nasoseptal flap.

Objective Reconstruction of the cranial base using vascularized tissue promotes rapid and complete healing, thus avoiding complications caused by persistent communication between the cranial cavity and the sinonasal tract. The Hadad-Bassagasteguy flap (HBF), a neurovascular pedicled flap of the nasal septum mucoperiosteum and mucoperichondrium based on the nasoseptal artery, seems to be advantageous for the reconstruction of the cranial base after endonasal cranial base surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent endonasal cranial base surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from January 30, 2006 to January 30, 2007, identifying patients who experienced reconstruction with a vascularized septal mucosal flap (HBF). We analyzed the demographic data, pathological characteristics, site and extent of resection, use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion techniques, and outcome. Results Seventy-five patients who underwent endonasal cranial base endoscopic surgery received repair with the HBF. In this population, we encountered eight postoperative CSF leaks (10.66%), all in patients who required intra-arachnoidal dissection. When we correct the statistical analysis to include only patients with intra- arachnoidal lesions, the postoperative CSF leak rate is 14.5% (eight of 55 patients). It is notable that six CSF (33%) leaks occurred in our first 25 repairs, whereas we encountered only two postoperative leaks (4%) in the last 50 patients. The corrected CSF leak rate, considering only intra-arachnoidal lesions, was two (5.4%) of 37 patients. This improvement in the CSF leak rate reflects our growing experience and comfort with this reconstructive technique. All of our failures could be matched to a specific technical mistake. In addition, we modified the flap-harvesting technique to allow for staged procedures and the removal of caudal lesions. These special circumstances require storage of the flap in the antrum during the removal of caudal lesions, and suturing of the flap in its original position for staged procedures. One patient experienced a posterior nose bleed from the posterior nasal artery. This was controlled with bipolar electrocautery, thereby preserving the flap blood supply. We encountered no infectious or wound complications in this series of patients. The donor site accumulates crusting, which requires debridement until mucosalization is complete; this usually occurs 6 to 12 weeks after surgery. Conclusion The HBF is a versatile and reliable reconstructive technique for repairing defects of the anterior, middle, clival, and parasellar cranial base. Its use has resulted in a significant decrease in our incidence of CSF leaks after endonasal cranial base surgery. Attention to technical details is of paramount importance to achieve the best outcomes.
Thinking Critically about Justice Judgments

Abstract In his commentary on Cropanzano et al. (2001), the author notes that their literature review is thorough and well done. He centers his commentary around four main points. First, he argues that justice research as reviewed by Cropanzano et al. is not as focused on answering broad questions about organizational psychology as much as it should be. Second, he asserts that the particular justice theories described by Cropanzano et al. may not be well suited for integration, and he takes issue with the use of an information processing continuum as a vehicle for integration. Third, he suggests that the common types of organizational justice reviewed by Cropanzano et al. (i.e., distributive, procedural, interactional) may not differ very much among themselves. Finally, he proposes that to truly examine the question of why justice matters to employees, researchers need to step back and examine justice in light of how organizations operate and how employees and supervisors function, think, and interact.
Possible role of mycobacteria in inflammatory bowel disease

An unclassifiedMycobacterium species has been isolated from two patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Antibodies to the unclassified mycobacteria cross-reacted withMycobacterium paratuberculosis. Because of this cross-reactivity, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine the sera of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, both CD (N=56), and ulcerative colitis (UC) (N=34), for antibodies toM. paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium kansasii, andMycobacterium tuberculosis. Controls consisted of healthy, PPD-negative individuals (N=67), and from PPD-positive patients (N=41). Eighteen resected CD patients were also examined. CD patients had a statistically significant increase in antibody titer (P=0.0003) toM. paratuberculosis compared to healthy controls. Although patients with positive PPD had elevated titers to this organism, the positive response of CD patients was not related to PPD responsiveness, area of involvement in the gut, nor to activity of the disease process.