cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Security Monitoring System Using Magnetically-Activated RFID Tags

Existing methods for home security monitoring depend on expensive custom battery-powered solutions. In this article, we present a battery-free solution that leverages any off-the-shelf passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for real-time entry detection. Sensor consists of a printed RFID antenna on paper, coupled to a magnetic reed switch and is affixed on the door. Opening of the door triggers the reed switch causing RFID signal transmission detected by any off-the-shelf passive RFID reader. This paper shows simulation and experimental results for such magnetically-actuated RFID (or magRFID) opening sensor.
Clinical Activity and Safety of Cediranib and Olaparib Combination in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma without BRCA Mutation.

LESSONS LEARNED Cediranib and olaparib combination did not result in clinically meaningful activity in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma without known BRCA mutation. BACKGROUND Cediranib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor, suppresses expression of BRCA1/2 and RAD51 inducing homologous recombination DNA repair deficiency (HRD) in several cancer cell lines and xenograft models [1]. Olaparib provides a clinical benefit in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) with germline BRCA mutation (gBRCAmt) [2]. We hypothesized that cediranib induces HRD in the absence of gBRCAmt and synergizes with olaparib, resulting in an objective response in patients with mPDAC. METHODS Patients with mPDAC with at least one prior systemic chemotherapy were enrolled. Patients with known gBRCAmt were excluded. Patients took cediranib 30 mg daily and olaparib 200 mg twice daily, orally. The primary endpoint was objective response (OR) rate. RESULTS Nineteen patients received the study drugs. Seven patients came off treatment before the first restaging scan: six because of clinical progression and one because of an adverse event. No OR was observed. Six patients had stable disease (SD) as a best overall response. The median duration of SD was 3.1 months. The median overall survival was 3.4 months. Common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue, hypertension, and diarrhea. CONCLUSION Cediranib and olaparib combination did not result in clinically meaningful activity in patients with mPDAC without gBRCAmt.
Benjamin G. Davis: A Different Drummer

This is a tribute essay in celebration of the retirement of Professor Benjamin G. Davis from The University of Toledo College of Law.
4 – Buckling Analysis of Columns

The chapter presents fundamental theories, formulas, solution methods, and a set (toolbox) of MATLAB functions for the buckling analysis of columns described by the Euler–Bernoulli beam model. Long slender members under axial compressive loadings are called columns. When the axial force is large enough, the dramatic lateral deflection of a column occurs, which is often referred to as buckling. Buckling of a column may lead to a sudden failure of structures and thus is of special concern in the design of structures and machines. The axial load is always applied to the column at a short distance (eccentricity) from the centroid of a cross-section. Because of this, a column never suddenly buckles but bends immediately after the load is applied and deflects more as the load increases. The eccentric loading is statically equivalent to the axial load applied to the centroid of the cross-section and a moment. The chapter provides functions—eccenload and eccenload1—for plotting the deflection of eccentrically loaded columns.
SU-E-T-709: Spatial Resolution Requirements for Fragment Identification in a Carbon Ion Spread Out Bragg Peak

Purpose: To determine spatial resolution for detectors used to identify charged fragments in a carbon ion therapy spread out Bragg peak. Methods: The Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit was used to simulate a 2 x 2 cm2 broad beam of carbon ions incident on a 30 x 30 x 12 cm3 water phantom. The carbon ion energies ranged from 165 MeV/n to 220 MeV/n and intensities were selected in order to simulate a SOBP extending from 6 to 10 cm in depth. Scoring of secondary fragments was performed for different pixel sizes at 3 depths in water. The analysis was designed to identify situations where two or more fragments intercept a pixel coincidently. Results: Initial results show that increased depths in the phantom require smaller pixel sizes due to increases in fragment population. At a pixel size of 1 x 1 cm2, a detector pixel was intercepted by two or more particles 16%, 14% and 30% percent of the time at depths of 6, 8 and 10 cm respectively. The probability of coincident hits decreases with smaller pixel size. At a pixel size of 0.05 x 0.05 cm2 a detector pixel was intercepted by two or more particles 0.7%, 0.9%, and 2% of the time at depths of 6, 8 and 10 cm respectively. Conclusion: Accurate characterization of carbon ion beams requires the consideration of secondary charged particles that have different radiobiological effectiveness. A method for accurate identification in a clinical setting could lead to improved models for treatment planning. This work investigated the spatial resolution requirements for a detector that could be used to perform secondary fragment identification in a spread out Bragg peak. These preliminary results show that detectors with pixel size on the order of 0.5 x 0.5 mm2 may be sufficient. This work was supported through research grant NNX13AD19G for Early Stage Innovations (ESI) administered through the NASA Space Technology Research Grants Program. No conflict of interest.
Placental metabolism of vitamin C

Abstract The evidence directly relating vitamin C with the process of reproduction is constantly accumulating. The recent papers of Lardy, Casida and Phillips, 1 as well as of Korenchevsky and Hall 2 summarize much of this work. With respect to the fetal-maternal relationship, McDevitt and co-workers 3 and Lund and Kimble 4 have postulated a selective retention of vitamin C by the placenta. The extensive study of Lund and Kimble 4 bears consideration. They confirmed the observation that in a fasting or near-fasting state the fetal ascorbic acid level is always greater than the maternal. Subsequent to the administration of vitamin C, both the fetal and maternal plasma levels rise, followed in a few hours by a drop in the maternal level, while the fetal plasma ascorbic acid remains higher. Their tentative hypothesis, that the placenta permits free maternal-fetal passage of ascorbic acid, while limiting fetal-maternal passage, must be examined closely in view of Needham's observation that electrolytes of low molecular weight pass freely and equally in both directions across the placental barrier. 5 These significant observations led us to undertake a study of the placental metabolism of vitamin C. The present report has the purpose of (a) extending the observations of the maternal-fetal plasma ascorbic acid relationship to whole blood, (b) correlating these levels with placental assays of vitamin C, (c) ruling out the possibility of ascorbic acid synthesis by the placenta, and (d) determining whether or not such selective retention is a nonspecific nutritional function of the placenta which applies to all vitamins.
Wilson's disease presenting as symptomatic urolithiasis: a case report and review of the literature.

AbstractWilson’s disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that typically presents as hepatic, neurological or psychiatric illness in late adolescence and early adulthood. Although urolithiasis has been documented in as many as 16% of patients with Wilson’s disease, only 3 cases have been described that presented with stone disease. We report on a healthy 17-year-old girl who presented with renal colic and a distal ureteral calculus that was subsequently passed. The patient was hospitalized 2 months later with jaundice, ascites, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and elevated hepatic enzymes. She was hypophosphatemic and hypouricemic with a low serum ceruloplasmin. Diagnosis was Wilson’s disease with Fanconi’s syndrome, but despite penicillamine therapy and intensive care support rapidly progressive hepatic failure, coagulopathy and encephalopathy developed. The patient died before emergency liver transplantation. Our case illustrates the role urologists may have in the diagnosis of this rare but pote...
Xenobiotic Efflux in Bacteria and Fungi.: : A Genomics Update

“…not enough to kill the streptococci but enough to educate them to resist penicillin” (Alexander Fleming, Nobel Prize lecture, Dec. 11, 1945). These prophetic words underscore the arms race in which we find ourselves today. Large populations and mutable genomes give microbes a profound capacity to respond to changing environmental conditions. The misuse of antibiotics in human health and agriculture has contributed to continuing microbial drug resistance. Thus, 65 years later, in 2010, we continue to battle microorganisms and strive to design novel and useful antimicrobial agents (1).
Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2001 Pages: 336 Publisher: Wesleyan University Press Prices: $19.95
Charged-current quasielastic scattering of muon antineutrino and neutrino in the MINERvA experiment

One of the largest sources of systematic uncertainties in ongoing neutrino-oscillation measurements is the description of nuclear effects. Its considerable reduction is expected thanks to the dedicated studies of (anti)neutrino-nucleus interactions in the MINERvA experiment. In this article, the calculations within the spectral function approach are compared to the charged-current quasielastic cross sections reported from MINERvA. The obtained results show that the effect of final-state interactions on the (anti)muon kinematics plays a pivotal role in reproducing the experimental data.
Bestimmung der Koeffizienten der gegenseitigen Induktion und der Kopplung

Der Kopplungskoeffizient ϰ ist durch den Ausdruck $$\aleph = \frac{M}{{\sqrt {{L_1} \cdot {L_2}} }}$$ gegeben, wenn M = L12 = L21 fur den Koeffizienten der gegenseitigen Induktion steht und L1 und L2 die wirksamen Selbstinduktionen zweier Spulen bedeuten. Wenn die gegenseitigen Induktionen ungleich sind, so hat man $$\aleph = \sqrt {\frac{{{L_{12}} \cdot {L_{21}}}}{{{L_1} \cdot {L_2}}}} .$$
AM-FM expansions for images

In this paper we present a novel method for computing AM-FM expansions for images. Given an image, we show how to compute an appropriate AM-FM representation. We also describe a general class of functions for which this approach gives the best results. Then, we compute the AM-FM representation on a real-life texture, and show that it has a compact AM-FM spectrum.
Optical studies of single CdSe quantum rods

Summary form only given. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the shape of CdSe nanocrystals can be manipulated by controlling the growth kinetics (Peng et al, Nature, vol. 404, p. 59, 2000). The resulting nanostructures can be from a nearly spherical morphology to a rod-like one. The quantum confined nano-rods (quantum rods) can grow up to 200 nm long with an aspect ratio of up to 50. The successful growth of these rod- and wire-like structures provides a testing ground for studying the shape-dependent electronic and optical properties of nanocrystals and the quantum confinement effects in one-dimensional (1D) and quasi-1D regime, and in comparison with much characterized zero-dimensional (OD) quantum-dot system. Consequently, studies of quantum-rod system will explore another dimension for device applications of colloidal nanocrystals. In this paper, we report the optical studies of single CdSe quantum rods using far-field microscopic techniques.
Composition operators with maximal norm on weighted Bergman spaces

We prove that any composition operator with maximal norm on one of the weighted Bergman spaces A 2 α (in particular, on the space A 2 = A 2 0 ) is induced by a disk automorphism or a map that fixes the origin. This result demonstrates a major difference between the weighted Bergman spaces and the Hardy space H 2 , where every inner function induces a composition operator with maximal norm.
Effect of intrathecal morphine during labor on maternal plasma β-endorphin levels

Abstract Plasma β-endorphin was measured in 16 patients in labor prior to and after complete onset of analgesia with 1 mg of morphine administered intrathecally. Human β-endorphin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay following silicic acid extraction of plasma samples and separation of the β-endorphin fraction by gel chromatography. Plasma β-endorphin levels decreased significantly (p
Determinants of faculty attitudes toward collective bargaining in university graduate departments: An organizational climate approach

This study examines the relationship between some facets of organizational climate in university departments and faculty attitudes toward various aspects of faculty unionization. The dimensions of organizational climate explored are: the perceived power structure, assessment of rewards, and perceived organizational goals. The major findings of this study are: (a) The perceived power structure is an important determinant of attitudes toward an egalitarian system, especially in the social sciences. Perceived individual power is negatively related to egalitarian attitude in the physical sciences whereas perceived faculty group power is negatively related to favorable attitudes toward collective bargaining in the social sciences. (b) Perceived emphasis on consulting activities is positively related to attitudes toward seniority-based aspects of collective bargaining in the physical sciences while perceived emphasis on personal factors is positively related to all aspects of attitude toward collective bargaining in the social sciences. (c) Inequity is positively related to attitudes toward unionization both in the physical and social sciences. The policy implications of these findings to faculty and university administration are discussed.
Reaction of the Si8O20(SnMe3)8 Building Block with Silyl Chlorides: A New Synthetic Methodology for Preparing Nanostructured Building Block Solids

A series of silicate based “building block” (bb) materials has been synthesized via the reaction of the cubic, spherosilicate Si8O20(SnMe3)8 with the chlorosilanes HSiCl3, Me2SiCl2, and SiCl4. The resulting materials are amorphous, porous, high surface area matrices composed of intact Si8O20 building blocks that are cross-linked together through a series of siloxane linkages formed from the reaction of trimethyltin groups on the spherosilicate precursor and the silyl chloride groups. These siloxane-based linkages provide chemically robust, covalent connections between building blocks. The distribution of chemically distinct linking groups may be influenced by manipulating initial stoichiometries, changing solvents, varying temperature, and using different linking silyl chlorides. General procedures for preparing silicate platforms having linking groups with specific connectivities to surrounding building blocks in the matrix are described. The synthetic strategy for preparing the building block matrices d...
Stimulation of Sperm Production by Human Luteinizing Hormone in Gonadotropin-Suppressed Normal Men

The relative roles of FSH and LH in the control of human spermatogenesis are not well established. We previously reported that supraphysiological doses of hCG can stimulate sperm production in gonadotropin-suppressed normal men despite prepubertal FSH levels. To determine whether more nearly physiological levels of human LH (hLH) also can stimulate spermatogenesis when FSH levels are suppressed, we administered hLH to normal men whose endogenous gonadotropin levels and sperm production were suppressed by exogenous testosterone enanthate (T). After a 3-month control period, 11 normal men received 200 mg T, im, weekly to suppress LH and FSH. T administration alone was continued for 3-4 months until 3 successive sperm concentrations (performed twice monthly) revealed azoospermia or severe oligospermia (sperm concentrations, less than 4 million/ml). Then, while continuing T, 4 of the 11 men (experimental subjects) simultaneously received 1100 IU hLH, sc, daily for 4-6 months to replace LH activity, leaving FSH activity suppressed. The effect on sperm production of the selective FSH deficiency produced by hLH plus T administration was determined. The remaining 7 men (control subjects) continued to receive T alone at the same dosage, without gonadotropin replacement, for an additional 6 months. In the four experimental subjects, sperm concentrations increased significantly from 0.7 +/- 0.7 million/ml (mean +/- SEM) during T treatment alone to 19 +/- 4 million/ml during hLH plus T administration (P less than 0.001). However, none of the men achieved sperm concentrations consistently in their own pretreatment range. Sperm motilities and morphologies were normal in all four subjects by the end of hLH plus T administration. In contrast, sperm concentrations in the seven control subjects remained suppressed (less than 3 million/ml) throughout the entire period of prolonged T administration alone. Serum LH bioactivity, determined monthly by in vitro mouse Leydig cell bioassay in all four experimental subjects, was markedly suppressed during T administration alone (120 +/- 10 ng/ml) compared to that during the control period (390 +/- 20 ng/ml; P less than 0.001). With the addition of hLH to T, LH bioactivity returned to control levels (400 +/- 40 ng/ml; P = NS compared to control value). Serum FSH levels determined monthly by RIA were reduced from 98 +/- 12 ng/ml during the control period to undetectable levels (less than 25 ng/ml) during the T alone and the hLH plus T periods (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Staged assembly of histone gene expression machinery at subnuclear foci in the abbreviated cell cycle of human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells have an abbreviated G1 phase of the cell cycle. How cells expedite G1 events that are required for the initiation of S phase has not been resolved. One key regulatory pathway that controls G1/S-phase transition is the cyclin E/CDK2-dependent activation of the coactivator protein nuclear protein, ataxia–telangiectasia locus/histone nuclear factor-P (p220NPAT/HiNF-P) complex that induces histone gene transcription. In this study, we use the subnuclear organization of factors controlling histone gene expression to define mechanistic differences in the G1 phase of hES and somatic cells using in situ immunofluorescence microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We show that histone gene expression is supported by the staged assembly and modification of a unique subnuclear structure that coordinates initiation and processing of transcripts originating from histone gene loci. Our results demonstrate that regulatory complexes that mediate transcriptional initiation (e.g., p220NPAT) and 3′-end processing (e.g., Lsm10, Lsm11, and SLBP) of histone gene transcripts colocalize at histone gene loci in dedicated subnuclear foci (histone locus bodies) that are distinct from Cajal bodies. Although appearance of CDK2-phosphorylated p220NPAT in these domains occurs at the time of S-phase entry, histone locus bodies are formed ≈1 to 2 h before S phase in embryonic cells but 6 h before S phase in somatic cells. These temporal differences in the formation of histone locus bodies suggest that the G1 phase of the cell cycle in hES cells is abbreviated in part by contraction of late G1.
Characterization of a stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase gene family from chocolate tree, theobroma cacao L

In plants, the conversion of stearoyl-ACP to oleoyol-ACP is catalyzed by a plastid-localized soluble stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturase (SAD). The activity of SAD significantly impacts the ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and is thus a major determinant of fatty acid composition. The cacao genome contains eight putative SAD isoforms with high amino acid sequence similarities and functional domain conservation with SAD genes from other species. Sequence variation in known functional domains between different SAD family members suggested that these eight SAD isoforms might have distinct functions in plant development, a hypothesis supported by their diverse expression patterns in various cacao tissues. Notably, TcSAD1 is universally expressed across all the tissues, and its expression pattern in seeds is highly correlated with the dramatic change in fatty acid composition during seed maturation. Interestingly, TcSAD3 and TcSAD4 appear to be exclusively and highly expressed in flowers, functions of which remain unknown. To test the function of TcSAD1 in vivo, transgenic complementation of the Arabidopsis ssi2 mutant was performed, demonstrating that TcSAD1 successfully rescued all AtSSI2 related phenotypes further supporting the functional orthology between these two genes. The identification of the major SAD gene responsible for cocoa butter biosynthesis provides new strategies for screening for novel genotypes with desirable fatty acid compositions, and for use in breeding programs to help pyramid genes for quality and other traits such as disease resistance.
Cultivating New Opportunities: Tribal Government Gaming on the Pechanga Reservation:

This case study of Indian gaming’s genesis and development on the Pechanga Reservation highlights profound changes made possible by a coordinated strategy of nation building and economic development in Indian Country. It also highlights the profound influence of coordinating intertribal political and economic initiatives. Examining one tribe’s particular experience with Indian gaming provides insight into the ways federal and state policies actually “play out” at the tribal level. Economic and institutional development at Pechanga has resulted in rapid and profound changes in the quality of life on the reservation. Today, the Pechanga government’s gaming and resort revenues have allowed the tribe to effectively eliminate its reliance on other governments and create opportunities that benefit the entire region. The results are a sense of independence and self-determination among Pechanga citizens and productive and mutually supportive relations with surrounding communities where once there was very little ...
Phylogeny, Life History, and Ecology Contribute to Differences in Amphibian Susceptibility to Ranaviruses

Research that identifies the potential host range of generalist pathogens as well as variation in host susceptibility is critical for understanding and predicting the dynamics of infectious diseases within ecological communities. Ranaviruses have been linked to amphibian die-off events worldwide with the greatest number of reported mortality events occurring in the United States. While reports of ranavirus-associated mortality events continue to accumulate, few data exist comparing the relative susceptibility of different species. Using a series of laboratory exposure experiments and comparative phylogenetics, we compared the susceptibilities of 19 amphibian species from two salamander families and five anurans families for two ranavirus isolates: frog virus 3 (FV3) and an FV3-like isolate from an American bullfrog culture facility. We discovered that ranaviruses were capable of infecting 17 of the 19 larval amphibian species tested with mortality ranging from 0 to 100%. Phylogenetic comparative methods demonstrated that species within the anuran family Ranidae were generally more susceptible to ranavirus infection compared to species from the other five families. We also found that susceptibility to infection was associated with species that breed in semi-permanent ponds, develop rapidly as larvae, and have limited range sizes. Collectively, these results suggest that phylogeny, life history characteristics, and habitat associations of amphibians have the potential to impact susceptibility to ranaviruses.
Study of self-compensation of random field errors in low-β insertion triplets of hadron colliders

Abstract The presence of unavoidable field errors in superconducting low-β insertion triplets is one of the major causes for limiting the dynamic aperture of colliders during collisions. Sorting of quadrupoles of the triplets, in which the quadrupoles are installed in the ring according to a certain sequence based on the measured multipole errors, is a way to reduce the adverse effects of random field errors without an increase in the cost. Because of a very small phase advance within each triplet, significant self-compensation of random field errors of the triplet can be achieved even with sorting of a small number of quadrupoles. A study on low-β insertion triplets of the LHC interaction regions show that sorting of the quadrupoles with the vector sorting scheme is quite effective in enlargement of the dynamic aperture and improvement of the linearity of the phase-space region occupied by beams. Since the sorting scheme is based entirely on the local compensation of random errors, the effectiveness of the sorting is independent of the operational condition of the collider.
STUDIES ON THE SENSITIZATION OF ANIMALS WITH SIMPLE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS VIII. SENSITIZATION TO PICRIC ACID; SUBSIDIARY AGENTS AND MODE OF SENSITIZATION

Sensitization of guinea pigs to picric acid was obtained by application of oil solutions to the skin, preferably on inflamed sites or by treatment with a compound of picric acid with n-butyl-p-aminobenzoate. The lesions obtained in sensitive animals on superficial administration bore resemblance to human eczema. It seems probable that picric acid sensitization is an instance where a substance does not sensitize directly but after conversion into a more reactive compound, a principle which should be of wider application to instances where the original substance does not readily form conjugates.
Robust locally optimum detection of signals in dependent noise

A robust locally optimum detector of a signal embedded in additive dependent nonGaussian noise is presented. The performance criterion is Bayes risk, the sample size is finite, and the uncertainty class of multivariate inputs is the in -contamination model. The locally optimum detector is shown to be a censored version of the nominal likelihood ratio. >
Silencing the type II sodium channel gene: A model for neural-specific gene regulation

Neural-specific expression of a sodium channel mini-gene has been shown to be mediated by a 28 bp silencer element, RE1, located in the 5' flanking region of the gene. This element is active exclusively in cell lines that do not express the endogenous brain type II sodium channel gene, including fibroblast, skeletal muscle, and certain neuronal cell lines. All of these non-type II expressing cells contain RE1-binding complexes. On the basis of mutational analysis and in vivo "repressor trap" experiments, we propose that cell-specific RE1-binding proteins are responsible, at least in part, for restricting expression of the type II sodium channel gene to specific neurons in the vertebrate nervous system.
Nonlinear models in 2 + ε dimensions☆

The general nonlinear scalar model is studied at asymptotically low temperature near two dimensions. The low temperature expansion is renormalized and effective algorithms are derived for calculation to all orders in the renormalized expansion. The renormalization group coefficients are calculated in the two loop approximation and topological properties of the renormalization group equations are investigated. Special attention is paid to the infrared instabilities of the fixed points, since they provide the continuum limits of the model.
The effect of strain on laminar diffusion flames of chlorinated hydrocarbons

Abstract Laminar counterflow diffusion flames of mixtures of methyl chloride and trichloroethylene with methane have been studied. Measurements of the temperature profiles were obtained through the flames, the velocity profiles, and the profiles of major species and selected minor species such as polycyclic aromatics. The critical strain rate at which flame extinction occurred was measured for a range of chlorine loading in these flames. It was found that the critical strain rate varied in an approximately linear fashion with the mole fraction of the chlorinated species in the flame. Furthermore, the results suggested that the fuel structure did not affect flame extinction greatly; the chlorine loading appeared to be the only important parameter. Measurements of minor species showed that chlorinated compounds responded more sensitively to the strain rate of the flow than other, nonchlorinated hydrocarbons.
The fluency heuristic in recognition memory: The effect of repetition

Abstract Five experiments investigate whether the attribution of processing fluency to recognition memory depends on the amount of fluency that is expected from targets based on the frequency with which they appeared during an earlier study phase. Subjects studied targets either one or five times and then were given a recognition test that included a priming phase to enhance the fluency of half of the test items. Results showed that the priming phase had a greater influence on recognition responses when targets had been presented once than when they had been presented five times. However, an interaction between fluency and target frequency was found only when frequency was manipulated between-subjects. An interaction between the priming manipulation and target frequency was also found using a “counterfeit” manipulation of frequency, suggesting that attributions of fluency are adjusted according to subjects’ expectations for the amount of fluency that should result from previous experiences with a stimulus.
New Parallelized DelPhi: Fast and Efficient Poisson-Boltzmann Solver to Calculate Electrostatics of Large Supramolecular Structures

Electrostatic potential in systems comprised of biological macromolecules and water phase is described by a 2nd order elliptic partial differential equation, known as the Poisson-Boltzmann equation (PBE). DelPhi is a PBE solver (http://compbio.clemson.edu/delphi.php) which adopts finite difference method to solve this equation numerically and has been widely recognized in the biological community due to its efficiency and accuracy. In this work, we introduce an efficient parallel computing technique via the unique implementation of Gauss-Seidel iteration method in DelPhi. The implementation allows for dynamics partitioning of the multiprocessing jobs by decision making algorithm which takes into account the available computing resources associated with a particular computer cluster. Further we demonstrate the advantages of the new parallelized DelPhi by computing the electrostatic potential and the corresponding energies of large supramolecular structures and molecular motors. The work is supported by NIH, NIGMS, grant number 1R01GM093937-01.
High Detectivity Uncooled Thermal Detectors With Resonant Cavity Coupled Absorption in the Long-Wave Infrared

We describe uncooled thermal detectors with a peak detectivity of at least 3 ×109 cm √{Hz}/W with spectrally selective absorption in the long-wave infrared. The spectral selectivity in absorption is achieved through resonant cavity coupling of a thin metal film with a low-order air-gap optical cavity. The electrical readout uses thermoelectric thin films with a Johnson noise limited performance. The detectors are of multiple sizes but those with 100- μm2 area have time constants of 58 ms and thermal conductances of 2.3 ×10-7 W/K.
Catalytic reduction of carbonyl functional groups in 2-propanol by molybdocene hydrides

The catalytic reduction of acetophenone in 2-propanol by the organometallic complex [Cp2Mo(μ-OH)2 MoCp2](OTs)2 (I) proceeds through a molybdocene hydride intermediate. Activation parameters for the reduction of acetophenone to 1-phenylethyl alcohol in 2-propanol-d8 are 19 kcal mol-1 and −26 cal mol-1 K-1 for ΔH⧧ and ΔS⧧, respectively. These parameters suggest 2-propanol and I are involved in a C−H activation step to form a molybdocene monohydride that may be the active species in the hydrogenation catalysis. When the catalysis reaction was performed with (CH3)2CHOD as the solvent, 1-deuterio-1-phenylethyl alcohol was almost quantitatively formed. This is consistent with a mechanism where a Cp2Mo hydride, formed in the C−H activation of (CH3)2CHOD, is converted to the deuteride by the solvent's alcoholic deuteron. The labeling experiment further supports the a molybdocene hydride as the catalytic species.
Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups: IV. Factors associated with self‐reported functional outcome in a large cohort study

Objective To identify features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with poor functional outcome as measured by the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Methods Two hundred twenty-four patients with early SLE (70 Hispanic, 83 African American, and 71 white) enrolled in a longitudinal study of outcomes were evaluated at study entry. The 8 composite scales and 2 summary measures (physical and mental) of the SF-36 were the dependent variables. Independent variables—1) sociodemographic, 2) clinical features, 3) immunologic, 4) global scores, and 5) behavioral/cultural—were examined for each of the scales and summary measures and for each ethnic group. Significant variables in these analyses were then used to construct models to determine their association with each of the scales and the 2 summary measures for the entire population and the 3 ethnic groups. Results Self-reported physical and mental functioning were most consistently associated with abnormal illness-related behaviors, helplessness, fatigue, and pain at study entry. Helplessness was more strongly associated with functioning in the Hispanics than in the African American or white patients. Pain was strongly associated with physical but not mental health. The models were quite robust, accounting for 41% to 68% of the variance for the two summary measures. Conclusion Patients' attitudes toward their disease, fatigue, and pain have greater impact on self-perceived functional levels, as measured by the SF-36, than do more objective measures of disease activity and damage such as the presence of specific autoantibodies and/or the occurrence of specific organ involvement. Interventions designed to improve outcome may need to include ethnic-specific as well as general strategies.
Worker Behavior on the Job: A Multi-Methods Study of Labor Cooperation with Management

In the 2000s, the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) called for labor-management cooperation from its rank and file members in response to concerns about increasing competition from the nonunionized electrical contracting sector. The IBEW’s leadership implored members to cooperate by altering their behavior on the job, thereby modifying the effort bargain between workers and management. To date, this type of cooperation with management has been little studied. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from one Local of the IBEW, this study analyzes how workers responded to the leadership’s call and the factors guiding this behavior. Among the findings, cooperative behavior on the job is found to be strongly associated with workers’ attitudes, as measured by their commitments to their occupation and to their union.
A Picture is Worth One Thousand Words: Body Art in the Workplace

Despite the large number of adults with tattoos or other forms of body art, stereotypes of individuals who have body modification, most inaccurate, abound. Tattooed and pierced persons are viewed as irresponsible, unprofessional, and less qualified than their un-modified peers. While body modifications are not protected under federal laws—or laws in other countries—prejudice and discrimination based on body art can have significant repercussions for individuals and their organizations. Using qualitative data culled from message board postings, this paper discusses the stereotypes surrounding body art and investigates the possible sources of these beliefs. It describes the impact of these stereotypes on tattooed, pierced, and otherwise modified individuals, exploring the relationship between body art, identity, and authenticity. It wrestles with the impact prejudice and stigma have on modified employees and potential employees, considering self-esteem, performance, and other employee outcomes. Finally, it discusses what employees with body art and organizations can do to promote a positive, compassionate work environment. The paper concludes with a discussion of managerial implications and suggestions for future research.
Credit Cards as Spending-Facilitating Stimuli: A Test and Extension of Feinberg's Conditioning Hypothesis

To replicate and extend the 1986 work of Feinberg, the effect of a credit card's presence on subjects' spending behavior was assessed. Over-all, no main effect was observed, which does not support Feinberg's conditioning hypothesis that credit cards function as spending-facilitating stimuli. These results held even for subjects who exhibited high scores on materialism, as assessed on Belk's 1984 scale. Inasmuch as our procedure replicated Feinberg's, the contrasting results might be attributed to either methodological differences (our experiment used comparatively small numbers of subjects, composed of women largely from working-class backgrounds) or to nomological problems (in which case the validity of Feinberg's conditioning hypothesis and/or that of Belk's materialism scale would be called into question).
Anisotropic H c 2 , thermodynamic and transport measurements, and pressure dependence of T c in K 2 Cr 3 As 3 single crystals

We present a detailed study of single crystalline K2Cr3As3 and analyze its thermodynamic and transport properties, anisotropic Hc2(T), and initial pressure dependence of Tc. In zero field, the temperature-dependent resistivity is metallic. Deviation from a linear temperature dependence is evident below 100 K and a T3 dependence is roughly followed from just above Tc (~10K) to ~40K. Anisotropic Hc2(T) data were measured up to 140 kOe with field applied along and perpendicular to the rodlike crystals. For the applied field perpendicular to the rod, Hc2(T) is linear with a slope ~–70 kOe/K. For field applied along the rod, the slope is about –120 kOe/K below 70 kOe. Above 70 kOe, the magnitude of the slope decreases to ~–70 kOe/K. The electronic specific heat coefficient γ, just above Tc, is 73 mJ/mol K2; the Debye temperature ΘD is 220 K. As a result, the specific heat jump at the superconducting transition ΔC~2.2γTc. Finally, for hydrostatic pressures up to ~7 kbar, Tc decreases under pressure linearly at a rate of –0.034K/kbar.
Packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography using SE-54 polymer encapsulated silica

A new method of preparing stationary phases for packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is presented. Surface deactivation of silica particles was carried out by dehydrocondensation of the silicon hydride groups in polymethylhydrosiloxane with the silanol groups on the silica surface. The deactivated particles were then coated with a thin film of SE-54 stationary phase. The coated layer was immobilized by a crosslinking reaction between the methyl groups of the surface-bonded polymethylhydrosiloxane and the SE-54 stationary phase using dicumyl peroxide as a free radical initiator. With these two reactions, the polar groups on the silica surface were more completely capped than with bonding only a monomolecular polymeric layer on the silica surface. The SFC performance of the newly developed packing materials was evaluated using a standard polarity mixture, a series of fatty acid methyl esters, a peppermint oil, and several high-molecular-mass and complex polymers.
Genetic introduction of a diketone-containing amino acid into proteins.

An orthogonal tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pair was evolved that makes possible the site-specific incorporation of an unnatural amino acid bearing a β-diketone side chain into proteins in Escherichia coli with high translational efficiency and fidelity. Proteins containing this unnatural amino acid can be efficiently and selectively modified with hydroxylamine derivatives of fluorophores and other biophysical probes.
Mechanistic Modelling of Polymer Pyrolysis Using Monte Carlo Methods

Abstract Reaction modelling techniques using Monte Carlo Simulation are applied to the reactions of poly (arylether sulfones). We find that structure, reactions and diffusions may be described quantitatively in terms of a dynamic reaction lattice.
Functional melatonin receptors and metabolic coupling in cultured chick astrocytes.

Melatonin is an important hormone regulating circadian clocks in birds, but the specific cellular sites of action are not completely known. The present study was designed to determine whether astrocytes derived from chick brain contained functional melatonin receptors. Primary cell cultures of diencephalon astrocytes that express glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), but not neuron-specific enolase (NSE) immunoreactivity, were employed to determine the cellular distribution and physiological role for the three known receptor subtypes. Saturation and Scatchard analysis of 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding demonstrated melatonin receptor binding with a high affinity and a pharmacological profile similar to that obtained from brain. In situ hybridization for receptor subtypes revealed Mel1A and Mel1C receptor mRNA, but not Mel1B. Administration of pharmacological levels of melatonin acutely inhibited forskolin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake, while rhythmic administration of physiological levels of melatonin gradually imposed a rhythm in 2DG uptake and of the release of both lactate and pyruvate into the medium. These results indicate that (1) there are functional Mel1A and Mel1C melatonin receptors in astrocyte-rich cultures, and (2) rhythmic administration of melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of astrocytic metabolic activity. Together, the data suggest that the circadian secretion of melatonin probably plays a role in the global metabolic economy of the avian brain through rhythmic regulation of metabolism in astrocytes. GLIA 39:268–278, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Upper genital tract abnormalities in the Syrian hamster as a result of in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol. II. Scanning electron microscope analysis of endometrium cell surfaces

Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we show that an in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) will induce endometrial abnormalities postnatally. These changes are magnified when a subsequent postnatal DES treatment is given. More specifically, changes in cell surface morphology are associated with alterations in cell size and shape (from columnar to cuboid/squamous), and in microvilli and mucus secretion. Uteri from hamsters treated postnatally with DES and derived from normal (CD) or DES-treated mothers (DD) show that accumulated mucoid secretion products are not expelled in the uterine lumen but are "stored" in cystic dilated glandular spaces of the fibrocellular stroma of polyps and papillae filling the uterine lumen. Uteri from female hamsters that have been prenatally treated with DES (DC) show endometrial mucosal crypts containing mucus and other cell debris including migrating granulocytes. In all cases, DES-treated uteri show mucosal cell surface pleomorphism in the sequence DD greater than CD greater than DC Merocrine and/or cystic secretions were observed. Microvilli cover cell surfaces and include some rare and peculiar long microvillous growth. In contrast, DC hypoplastic uteri present no secretory activity. Structures similar to those described for CD uteri can be observed only after 250 days of age in DC uteri. This report confirms and complements previous observations, favoring the choice of the hamster as an animal mode for the study of endometrial carcinogenesis.
From SOV to SVO: the grammar of interlanguage word order:

This paper analyses the grammatical outcome of the conflict speakers of a head-final L1 (Southern Quechua) face when learning a head-initial target (Standard Spanish) in a naturalistic setting. It proposes that interlanguage sentential word orders reflect a transfer of two independent parameters from the L1: the possibility of having null objects with definite/specific antecedents and a feature triggering object movement for sentential focus. The second parameter can be successfully reset through contradictory evidence; the first one, however, cannot, since target evidence is compatible with the L1 setting. This data can better be accounted for in Schwartz and Sprouse's full-access/full-transfer model (Schwartz and Sprouse, 1994; 1996) than in other alternatives such as Vainikka and Young-Scholten's (1994) minimal trees hypothesis and Eubank's (1994; 1996) valueless features hypothesis.
A two-dimensional continuum theory for angle-ply laminates

Abstract A two-dimensional continuum theory of microstructure is developed for stress analysis of angle-ply laminates under in-plane loading. An example problem is used to evaluate the results of the theory against a reference solution obtained by the finite element method. The results are in satisfactory agreement; they also show that the in-plane stresses reach somewhat higher peak values than reported in previous literature. The theory is also presented in a simplified version, which is found to be adequate for predicting interlaminar stresses and in-plane stress resultants, but does not give acceptable results for the variation of in-plane stresses through the thickness of the laminations.
Rb/E2F4 and Smad2/3 link survivin to TGF-β-induced apoptosis and tumor progression

Survivin is a prosurvival protein overexpressed in many cancers through mechanisms that remain poorly explored, and is implicated in control of tumor progression and resistance to cancer chemotherapeutics. Here, we report a critical role for survivin in the induction of apoptosis by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). We show that TGF-beta rapidly downregulates survivin expression in prostate epithelial cells, through a unique mechanism of transcriptional suppression involving Smads 2 and 3, Rb/E2F4, and the cell-cycle repressor elements CDE and CHR. This TGF-beta response is triggered through a Smad2/3-dependent hypophosphorylation of Rb and the subsequent association of the Rb/E2F4 repressive complex to CDE/CHR elements in the proximal region of the survivin promoter. Viral-mediated gene delivery experiments, involving overexpressing or silencing survivin, reveal critical roles of survivin in apoptosis induced by TGF-beta alone or in cooperation with cancer therapeutic agents. We propose a novel TGF-beta/Rb/survivin axis with a putative role in the functional switch of TGF-beta from tumor suppressor to tumor promoter.
Electric-Field Dependence of Electroreflectance and Photocurrent Spectra at Visible Wavelengths in Movpe-Grown InAlGaP Multiple Strained Quantum-Well Structures

The authors present electric-field dependent electroreflectance and photocurrent spectra of visible-bandgap In{sub x}(Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1{minus}y}){sub 1{minus}x}P/In{sub x{prime}}(Al{sub y{prime}}Ga{sub 1{minus}y{prime}}){sub 1{minus}x{prime}}P multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on 6{degrees}-misoriented (100) GaAs substrates, have undoped MQWs sandwiched between doped In{sub 0.5}Al{sub 0.5}P layers, forming p-i-n diodes. Quantum-well compositions in the range 0.46{le}x{le}0.52 and 0{le}y{le}0.4, corresponding to bandgaps in the red to yellow-green range, were used. The Stark shifts in these various samples were measured and found to depend on the details of the Mg p-type doping profile, confirming important diffusion effects, in agreement with secondary ion mass spectrometry and capacitance-voltage data. The results show that these new materials are promising for visible-wavelength optical modulator applications.