cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional-differential equations with unbounded delay in a banach space

REFERENCE [l] contains an extensive survey of work in the area of equations with unbounded delay. A short history is included along with discussions of applications of such equations, recent theoretical results, important outstanding problems and a large bibliography. An attempt has been made in this paper to make the notation consistent with the notation used in [l]. Let B denote a Banach space, and let T be a fixed positive number. This paper deals with functional-differential equations with unbounded delay of the form :
Childhood Psychosis in the Preschool Child

Six cases of childhood psychosis in children 3 to 5 years of age are summarized in order to alert clinicians to include this clinical entity in the differential diagnosis of children with major developmental difficulties. They represent children treated in a day, nonresidential treatment facility in a suburb of New York City. These cases suggest that we reexamine the prevalent interest in a bipolar distribution of childhood psychosis that focuses on children whose psychosis occurs under 3 and over 5 years of age. Children with psychosis occurring between 3 and 5 are currently described as essentially rare, and are characterized by a path of massive deterioration. Our cases indicate that we should be alert to the phenomenon of young children with psychosis appearing at the preschool age, and in whom the course of illness is in a more positive direction.
Observed Fibonacci Sequences in the Periodic Table

C. H. Waddington: “…how genotypes become translated into phenotypes? … Selection does not impinge directly on genotypes, but on phenotypes” [Annals of NYAS v.231, 1974, pp.32-42]. At the 54th Annual Meeting [Biophysical J. v.98. Issue 3, p.659a] we showed that the Fibonacci Sequence specifically maps the 20 Amino Acids and their corresponding 64 Codons distributed in the 4x4 Genetic Tableau (1969), and also 6x6 DO Group of Proteins (Waddington-Thom Epigenetic Landscape). Nucleic Acids (C,G,U{T}A} are phenotypes of elements (C,N,O,H), and finally Elements are phenotypes of Orbitals as genotypes. In this presentation, we show that, in the Periodic Table, specific orbitals of certain elements signal topological characteristics of the formation of biomolecules. The group of elements, their (Fibonacci) numbers, and topological characteristics are: 1 - 0 {s: Space Origin}; 5 −1; 13 - 1 {p: Dynamics by Bonding}; 24,29 - 2 {s to d: (Congruence mod 6) and Hexagon}; 42,(44,45,46),47 - 3 {s to d: (Asymmetric Triangle)}; 57,58,64,78,79 - 5 {d to f and s to d: (Non-orientable Mobius Band)}; 89,90,91,92,93,96,110,111 - 8 {d to f and s to d: (Non-orientable Klein Bottle)}. The Periodic Table indicates a helical growth that creates a hyperbolic surface.
Effect of a high phosphorus diet on acid-base balance in guinea pigs.

SummaryInjurious effects of high phosphorus diets for the guinea pig, which include poor growth, metastatic calcification, and death, are due in part to the fact that this animal does not tolerate an acid diet. This has been demonstrated by the marked drop in urine pH, a decrease in plasma carbon dioxide capacity and an increase in blood inorganic phosphorus. Addition of various cations produced a more alkaline urine, but a combination of sodium or potassium and magnesium proved most beneficial. The guinea pig is highly sensitive to an acid diet because a negligible amount of ammonia is excreted by way of the kidneys.
Congenital Malformation: Teratogenic Foods and Additives

: The principles and research problems of teratology as related to foods and additives are reviewed. A report is made of the medical literature on teratogenicity of caffeine, nitrosamines, fungal metabolites (aflatoxins), potato blight, artificial sweeteners, Red dye no. 2, and alcohol. Some research problems in teratogenicity of foods and additives are discussed.
Ab initio studies of low-lying 3Sigma(-), 3Pi, and 5Sigma(-) states of NH. I - Potential curves and dipole moment functions

Configuration interaction wave functions, potential energy curves, and dipole moment functions have been calculated for the four lowest 3Sigma(-) and the three lowest 3Pi states and 5Sigma(-) states of NH. The electronic wave functions were constructed to give a balanced description of valence-Rydberg interactions. Two repulsive states have been identified as important photodissociation pathways. Spectroscopic constants are presented for the bound states, and results are compared to other theoretical and experimental work. The possible predissociation of the A 3Pi state by the 1 5Sigma(-) state is discussed.
Surface science: A metallic semiconductor surface

A well-established principle of semiconductor surface science is that chemisorption tends to eliminate intrinsic surface states. But results for cubic SiC show that this is not universally true.
Enantioselective Host-Guest Complexation of Ru(II) trisdiimine complexes using neutral and anionic derivatized cyclodextrins

Enantioselective host-guest complexation between five racemic Ru(II) trisdiimine complexes and eight derivatized cyclodextrins (CDs) has been examined by NMR techniques. The appearance of non-equivalent complexation-induced shifts of between the Δ and Λ-enantionomers of the Ru(II) trisdiimine complexes and derivatized CDs is readily observed by NMR. In particular, sulfobutyl ether-β-cyclodextrin sodium salt (SBE-β-CD), R-naphtylethyl carbamate β-cyclodextrin (RN-β-CD), and S-naphtylethyl carbamate β-cyclodextrin (SN-β-CD) showed good enantiodiscrimination for all five Ru complexes examined, which indicates that aromatic and anionic derivatizing groups are beneficial for chiral recognition. The complexation stoichiometry between SBE-β-CD and [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) was found to be 1: 1 and binding constants reveal that Λ-[Ru(phen)(3)](2+) binds more strongly to SBE-β-CD than the Δ-enantiomer. Correlations between this NMR method and separative techniques based on CDs as chiral discriminating agents (i.e., selectors) are discussed in detail.
Efficacy of laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of patients with small solitary colorectal liver metastasis

Background Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been incorporated to the treatment algorithm of patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastasis (CLM), its utility in patients with resectable disease has not been well studied. The aims of this study were to define the clinical profile of patients with a solitary CLM who underwent laparoscopic RFA and to analyze their oncologic outcomes. Methods Between 2000 and 2011, 44 patients underwent laparoscopic RFA and 60 patients resection of solitary CLM ≤3 cm. Data were analyzed from a prospectively maintained institutional review board-approved database using Student's t test, Chi-square, and Kaplan–Meier tests. Results The indications for RFA were patient decision in 61% ( n = 27), comorbidities in 34% ( n = 15), and intraoperative findings in 5% ( n = 2). In comparison with the resection group, RFA patients had a greater American Society of Anesthesiologists score (3.0 ± 0.1 vs 2.6 ± 0.1, respectively; P = .002), more frequent incidence of cardiopulmonary comorbidities (60% vs 38%, respectively; P = .045), and tumors located deeper in the liver parenchyma (39% vs 12%) that would have required a formal lobectomy. The 2 groups were otherwise similar for age, gender, carcinoembrradyogenic antigen, synchronous versus metachronous presentation of CLM, tumor size, and tumor and nodal status of primary colorectal cancer. The local recurrence rate was 18% after RFA and 4% after resection ( P = .012). The overall Kaplan–Meier, cancer-specific, 5-year survival was 47% for RFA and 57% for resection ( P = .464). Median disease-free survival was 25 months after RFA and 22 months after resection ( P = .973). Conclusion Our results suggest that laparoscopic RFA might spare a number of patients at greater risk with a small solitary CLM the risk of morbidity from a formal liver resection. Furthermore, laparoscopic RFA might also be acceptable as the first line of therapy for patients with tumors that otherwise would have required a formal lobectomy or open resection. Nevertheless, the local recurrence rate of RFA should be kept in mind and the patients followed closely to treat failures promptly.
Global sustainability: Toward measurement

The widespread interest in the concept of sustainable environment and development has been accompanied by the need to develop useful systems of measurement. We discuss the use of indicators which might be used to assess such conditions. Our characteristics, or criteria, for desirable global sustainability indicators are: We discuss the basis of these characteristics, and examine two categories of indicators (soil erosion and population) and two specific indicators (physical quality of life index and energy imports as a percentage of consumption) for their value as sustainability measures.
Analysis of responder cell-cell interactions in the syngeneic mixed leukocyte response.

Abstract In a previous study we identified the target antigens on stimulator cells in the murine syngeneic mixed leukocyte response (MLR) as self Ia molecules. The experiments reported here utilized analysis of log-log cell number-response titration slopes to study the responder T-cell population in the syngeneic MLR. The data indicated that in the peripheral lymphoid population at least two cell populations interact to produce a murine syngeneic MLR. One of these cell types appeared to be a member of an Lyt 2 − subset, another a member of an Lyt 2 + subset. A potential third cell type, which was detected in the presence of (PMA)-induced EL4 supernatants, was found in the thymus, an organ that did not appear to contain either of the other two subsets. Experiments with adult thymectomized and neonatal mice suggested that the cell populations involved in the syngeneic MLR were mature T cells and were not an early differentiation state of T lymphocytes whose ability to be stimulated by Ia antigens alone was a transient event.
Magnetic vibrational circular dichroism of transition metal hexacarbonyls

The magnetic vibrational circular dichroism (MVCD) of three neutral metal hexacarbonyls, M(CO)6(M=Cr, MO, W), is reported in the C≡O stretching and its first overtone regions. The spectra observed are dominated by large A terms in both regions. An attempt to correlate these results with those of calculations based on the Laux et al. empirical charge model was not successful. However, we have found that the A and B terms measured are consistent with a parametrized model based on vibronic coupling of the ground and lowest excited states.
Trace Analysis of Explosives in Seawater Using Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography/Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

Complex matrixes typically cannot be analyzed directly to obtain the selectivity and sensitivity required for most trace analysis applications. To circumvent this problem, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) techniques were used to preconcentrate analytes selectively prior to gas chromatographic/ion trap mass spectrometric analysis. This approach was applied to the trace analysis of explosives and their metabolites in seawater. The choice of SPME sorbent phase was shown to be important especially for the amino metabolites of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and RDX, which were extracted better on polar phases. Although equilibration times were quite lengthy, on the order of 30 min or greater, a sampling time of only 10 min was shown to be sufficient for achieving low part-per-billion (ppb) to part-per-trillion (ppt) detection limits for TNT and the amino metabolites in real seawater samples. While SPME was ideal for rapid screening of explosives in seawater samples, methods for improving the reproducibility and accur...
Sea Breeze Theory and Applications

Abstract The linearized Boussinesq equations with rotation, viscosity, conduction, and a mean stratification are used to model the sea breeze in two dimensions. The motion is forced by a prescribed surface temperature function. The linear model produces a sea breeze with realistic velocities and spatial dimensions. Hydrostatic solutions are found to differ very little from nonhydrostatic solutions. The only distinguishing feature of the solution at the inertial latitude is an amplitude maximum far from the coastline. Both the phase and the amplitude depend on the mean atmospheric stability. The computed vertical heat fluxes, when summed along the coastlines of the principal land masses, indicate that the sea breeze effect can account for several percent of the globally averaged vertical flux of sensible heat at a height of several hundred meters. The land-sea temperature difference required by the model to create a net onshore flow in opposition to a basic current agrees well with the empirical criterion ...
Perinatal Immunity to Group B β-Hemolytic Streptococcus Type Ia

Sera from 14 of 56 adult women protected mice from intraperitoneal challenge with mouse-virulent group B Streptococcus serotype Ia, and sera from seven of 25 nonparturient women in this group were bactericidal for greater than 99% of the organisms in the presence of normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes. There were no discrepancies between the in vivo and in vitro assays. Protective activity was found in the IgG class in seven sera, and in the IgM class in one. Opsonic activity was partially dependent on heat-labile serum factors. Of 31 mother-cord serum pairs studied, seven maternal sera were protective, but four of the corresponding cord sera were not. Pooled human gamma-globulin injected by either the intraperitoneal or the intramuscular route protected mice from bacterial challenge.
Effect of dimensionality on the Nelder–Mead simplex method

The effect of dimensionality on the widely used Nelder–Mead simplex method for unconstrained optimization is investigated. It is shown that by using the quadratic function f(x)=x T x, the Nelder–Mead simplex method deteriorates as the dimension increases.
Pangaea: a symbiotic wide-area file system

Pangaea is a planetary-scale file system designed for large, multi-national corporations or groups of collaborating users spread over the world. Its goal is to handle people's daily storage needs---e.g., document sharing, software development, and data crunching---that can be write intensive. Pangaea uses pervasive replication to achieve low access latency and high availability. It creates replicas dynamically whenever and wherever requested, and builds a random graph of replicas for each file to propagate updates efficiently. It uses an optimistic consistency semantics by default, but it also offers a manual mechanism for enforcing consistency. This paper overviews Pangaea's philosophy and architecture for accommodating such environments and describes randomized protocols for managing large numbers of replicas efficiently.
Identification of an Endogenous Allosteric Modulator's Binding Site at the Human Cannabinoid-1 Receptor, Using Forced-Biased Metropolis Monte Carlo Simulated Annealing Method (MMC) and Molecular Dynamics

The CB1 endogenous, positive allosteric modulator, lipoxin A4, increases the equilibrium binding and efficacy of CP55,940 and anandamide (orthosteric agonists), yet has no significant effect when applied alone. We have reported that ORG27569 (a negative CB1 allosteric modulator) binds in the THM3/6/7 region (Shore et al., JBC, 2013); here, ORG27569 sterically blocks movements of the second and third extracellular (EC) loops, as well as those of TMH6, that are necessary for G protein-mediated signaling. Because lipoxin A4 is a positive allosteric modulator, one would not expect it to sterically block these functionally-important conformational changes.To identify lipoxin A4's binding site(s) at CB1, we used the Forced-Biased Metropolis Monte Carlo simulated annealing program, MMC. In this method, lipoxin A4 was separated into 4 fragments. Four MMC runs were performed, in which our in silico CB1 receptor model (with CP55,940 docked) was immersed in a box filled with copies of one of these fragments. The system chemical potential was then systematically annealed, causing only those fragment copies with the best free energy of binding to the protein to remain. MMC results were used as a starting point for Glide automated-docking studies of lipoxin-A4. Molecular dynamics simulations were also performed to study how lipoxin A4 may enter CB1. Here, CB1 was placed in a fully hydrated, POPC bilayer; 14 lipoxin A4 molecules (7 per leaflet) were placed with random orientations, around the receptor. Altogether, these results suggest that lipoxin A4 may bind in the TMH3/6/7, extending extracellularly. Lipoxin A4 may act as a positive allosteric modulator by forming electrostatic interactions with the EC-1 and EC-3 loops, promoting an active loop conformations. [Support: RO1 DA003934 and KO5 DA021358 (PHR)]
Evaluation of irreversible reactions in geochemical processes involving minerals and aqueous solutions - I. Thermodynamic relations

Abstract Application of the thermodynamic principles of chemical petrology and solution chemistry to the study of geochemical processes permits prediction of the consequences of reaction between aqueous solutions of electrolytes and typical igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary mineral assemblages. A given geochemical process can be represented by a set of reversible and irreversible chemical reactions that corresponds to an array of linear differential equations relating partial equilibrium and nonequilibrium in thermodynamic systems. Simultaneous evaluation of these equations defines the nature and extent of the compositional change and redistribution of species in the aqueous phase, the order of appearance of stable and metastable phases, and the mass transfer resulting from irreversible reactions between the minerals and the aqueous solution.
Theory And Status Of High Performance Heterodyne Detectors

Both near-ideal heterodyne performance and an enhancement of CO2 laser heterodyne system capabilities have been obtained by means of recently developed wide-bandwidth HgCdTe photodiodes and photoconductors. Design considerations, including limitations due to various HgCdTe material parameters, performance predictions, and the current development status of wide bandwidth HgCdTe photodiodes are presented. Attention is also given to the uses and recent results obtained for p-type HgCdTe photoconductors in the role of elevated temperature photomixers.
Welfare reform and interstate migration of poor families.

The thesis of this study is that as a result of increased inequalities in welfare rules, the 1996 welfare reform act not only enhanced incentives for poor families to move but also (and perhaps more important) created disincentives for them to stay in “race to the bottom” states. In testing this thesis, we evaluated the mediating and moderating roles of state economic development and family structure. We merged data from three main sources: the 1996–1999 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, and state economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Modeling both destination (pull) and departure (push) effects of welfare policy measures and selected covariates in a nested discrete-time event-history migration analysis, we found robust support for the thesis that stringency in state welfare-eligibility and behavior-related rules stimulated interstate out-migration of poor families in the United States. However, poor families were not drawn to states with relatively more-lenient welfare rules, although stringency in state welfare dollar benefits inhibited in-migration and state unemployment patterns may have conditioned the migration effects of welfare-reform rules on the choice of destination. Single mothers were not more directly affected by welfare-eligibility and behavior-related rules than were poor married couples.
On the Behavior of Some Quantities Used in Bayesian Reliability Demonstration Tests

Equipment mean time between failures (MTBF) is assumed to be a frequency random variable. The goodness of fit of the uniform prior as a probability model for the MTBF is compared to the goodness of fit of the inverted gamma prior for actual failure data. These distributions can both be adequately fitted to the same failure data when the method of moments is used to fit the distributions. A comparison of posterior producer and consumer risks in a Bayesian reliability demonstration test is made using the fitted inverted gamma and uniform distributions as the priors. There can be rather large differences in the values of the posterior risks even when the two priors fit the data equally well or equally poorly.
Tobacco control for anesthesiologists

Anesthesiologists daily witness the consequences of tobacco use, the most common preventable cause of death. Smoking-related diseases such as atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increase anesthetic risk, and even smokers without overt disease are at increased risk for morbidity such as pulmonary and wound-related complications. Evidence suggests that stopping smoking will reduce the frequency of these complications. Nicotine and the other constituents of cigarette smoke, such as carbon monoxide, have important physiologic effects that may affect perioperative management. In addition, it is now apparent that the scheduling of elective surgery represents an excellent opportunity for smokers to quit in the long term. This review serves as an introduction to tobacco control for anesthesiologists, first examining issues of importance to perioperative management. It then discusses how anesthesiologists and other perioperative physicians can help address tobacco use, both at an individual level with their patients, and by contributing to the implementation of effective public health strategies in their countries. Anesthesiologists can play a key role in helping their patients quit smoking. Effective tobacco control measures applied to surgical patients will not only improve immediate perioperative outcomes but also long-term health.
GaAs f.e.t.s with graded channel doping profiles

Graded-channel GaAs f.e.t.s with the carrier concentration decreasing from the substrate-epitaxial interface outwards are observed to exhibit more linear d.c. transfer characteristics, higher reverse gate breakdown voltages and lower 3rd-order intermodulation products than f.e.t.s fabricated from companion slices with uniform or flat doping profiles.
Olfactory event-related potentials to amyl acetate in congenital anosmia

Olfactory function was evaluated by olfactory event-related potentials and standardized psychophysical measures including the Smell Identification Test and odor detection threshold tests for 3 chemosensory stimulants in 9 subjects with isolated congenital anosmia and 9 age- and gender-matched normosmic controls. There was a significant difference in Smell Identification Test scores (P < 0.001) and odor detection thresholds for phenylethyl alcohol (P < 0.001) and isoamyl acetate (P < 0.001) between the anosmic and normosmic subjects. Detection thresholds for chloracetyl phenone, a trigeminal stimulant, did not differ between the 2 groups. Olfactory evoked potentials were recorded in response to amyl acetate and air control stimuli presented at volume flow rate of 5 l/min, stimulus duration of 40 ms, and randomized interstimulus intervals of 6-30 s. In the control subjects, evoked potentials to amyl acetate were characterized by 4 reproducible components (P1, N1, P2, and N2). In the subjects with congenital anosmia, no reproducible evoked potential components were identified in response to amyl acetate. No reproducible evoked potential components were seen in response to the air control stimulus in either the anosmic or normosmic groups. These data suggest that olfactory evoked potentials provide a specific measure of olfactory function.
Retrospective Analysis of Etomidate Versus Ketamine for First‐pass Intubation Success in an Academic Emergency Department

Objectives The objective of this study was to compare first-pass intubation success between patients who received etomidate versus ketamine for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the emergency department (ED). Methods This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data recorded in a quality improvement database between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2012. The study was conducted in an academic ED in the United States. All patients who received etomidate or ketamine as part of RSI were included. The primary outcome measure was first-pass success. A multivariate analysis was conducted to determine if sedative type was associated with first-pass success, after adjusting for potential confounders and baseline differences. Results The final cohort consisted of 2,098 RSI procedures using either etomidate (n = 1,983) or ketamine (n = 115). First-pass success occurred in 77.0% of patients in the etomidate group and 79.1% of patients in the ketamine group (difference = –2.1%; 95% CI = –5.5% to 9.8%). In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders, sedative type was not associated with first-pass success (odds ratio = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.5 to 1.5; p = 0.632). Conclusions Etomidate and ketamine are associated with equivalent first-pass success when used in RSI. Ketamine may be an appropriate alternative to etomidate for RSI in the ED. Resumen Objetivos El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la intubacion exitosa en el primer intento en los pacientes que recibieron etomidato frente a ketamina para la secuencia de intubacion rapida (SIR) en el servicio de urgencias (SU). Metodologia Analisis retrospectivo de datos recogidos de forma prospectiva entre el 1 de julio de 2007 y el 31 de diciembre de 2012 y almacenados en una base de datos de mejora de la calidad. Este estudio se llevo a cabo en un SU universitario en Estados Unidos. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes que recibieron etomidato o ketamina como parte de SIR. La variable de resultado principal fue el exito al primer intento. Se llevo a cabo un analisis multivariable para determinar si el tipo de sedacion se asocio con el exito al primer intento, tras ajustar por las posibles diferencias basales y los factores de confusion. Resultados La cohorte final consistio en 2.098 procedimientos de SIR, en los que se uso bien etomidato (n = 1.983) o bien ketamina (n = 115). El exito al primer intento ocurrio en un 77.0% de los pacientes del grupo de etomidato y en un 79,1% en el grupo de la ketamina (diferencia = –2,1%; IC 95% = –5,5% a 9,8%). En el analisis multivariable, tras ajustar por los potenciales factores de confusion, el tipo de sedacion no se asocio con el exito al primer intento (odds ratio = 0,89; IC 95% = 0,5 a 1,5; p = 0,632). Conclusiones El etomidato y la ketamina estan asociados con un exito al primer intento equiparable. Por tanto, la ketamina puede ser una alternativa apropiada para el SIR en el SU.
Feasibility of using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the quantification of brain edema

Many diseased states of the brain can result in the displacement of brain tissues and restrict cerebral blood flow, disrupting function in a life-threatening manner. Clinical examples where displacements are observed include venous thromboses, hematomas, strokes, tumors, abscesses, and, particularly, brain edema. For the latter, the brain tissue swells, displacing the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) layer that surrounds it, eventually pressing itself against the skull. Under such conditions, catheters are often inserted into the brain's ventricles or the subarachnoid space to monitor increased pressure. These are invasive procedures that incur increased risk of infection and consequently are used reluctantly by clinicians. Recent studies in the field of biomedical optics have suggested that the presence or absence of the CSF layer can lead to dramatic changes in NIR signals obtained from diffuse reflectance measurements around the head. In this study, we consider how this sensitivity of NIR signals to CSF might be exploited to non-invasively monitor the onset and resolution of brain edema.
Apoptotic and Antiapoptotic Activity of L Protein of Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus

Cellular apoptosis induced by viral genes can play a critical role in determining virulence as well as viral persistence. This form of cell death has been of interest with respect to Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) because the GDVII strain and members of the GDVII subgroup are highly neurovirulent, while the DA strain and members of the TO subgroup induce a chronic progressive inflammatory demyelination with persistence of the virus in the central nervous system. The TMEV L protein has been identified as important in the pathogenesis of Theiler's virus-induced demyelinating disease (TMEV-IDD). We now show that DA L is apoptotic following transfection of L expression constructs or following DA virus infection of HeLa cells; the apoptotic activity depends on the presence of the serine/threonine domain of L, especially a serine at amino acid 57. In contrast, GDVII L has little apoptotic activity following transfection of L expression constructs in HeLa cells and is antiapoptotic following GDVII infection of HeLa cells. Of note, both DA and GDVII L cleave caspase-3 in BHK-21 cells, although neither implements the full apoptotic machinery in this cell type as manifested by the induction of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The differences in apoptotic activities of DA and GDVII L in varied cell types may play an important role in TMEV subgroup-specific disease phenotypes.
Association between Smoking and Latent Tuberculosis in the U.S. Population: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background Evidence of an association between cigarette smoking and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is based on studies in special populations and/or from high prevalence settings. We sought to evaluate the association between LTBI and smoking in a low prevalence TB setting using population-based data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods In 1999–2000, NHANES assessed LTBI (defined as a tuberculin skin test measurement ≥10 mm) in participants, and those ≥20 years of age were queried regarding their tobacco use and serum cotinine was measured. We evaluated the association of LTBI with self-reported smoking history and smoking intensity in multivariable logistic regression models that adjusted for known confounders (gender, age, birthplace, race/ethnicity, poverty, education, history of BCG vaccination, and history of household exposure to tuberculosis disease). Results Estimated LTBI prevalence was 5.3% among those ≥20 years of age. The LTBI prevalence among never smokers, current smokers, and former smokers was 4.1%, 6.6%, and 6.2%, respectively. In a multivariable model, current smoking was associated with LTBI (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.9). The association between smoking and LTBI was strongest for Mexican-American and black individuals. In multivariate analysis stratified by race/ethnicity, cigarette packs per day among Mexican-American smokers and cotinine levels among black smokers, were significantly associated with LTBI. Conclusions In the large, representative, population-based NHANES sample, smoking was independently associated with significantly increased risks of LTBI. In certain populations, a greater risk of LTBI corresponded with increased smoking exposure.
Local Synchronization for Time Varying Topological Networks

In this paper, local synchronization problem of complex networks is theoretically and numerically studied. Base on the Lyapunov stability theory, a sufficient criterion for local synchronization of complex network which have the time-varying connection topologies is derived via designed decentralized linear controllers. And a numerical example of typical the Rossler network system with time-varying linear coupling has been used to demonstrate and verify the proposed. And, the simulation results show the effectiveness of proposed synchronization approaches.
Spatial distribution, life history and estimates of survivorship in a fourteen-species assemblage of larval dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera)

SUMMARY. 1. Spatial and temporal changes in larval densities were used to infer patterns of habitat use and survivorship in a fourteen-species assemblage of dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) in a small fishless pond. The density of all species combined peaked at >1000 m−2 in late summer, Most species (e.g. Libellula spp.) were restricted to shallow, nearshore habitats (<1.0m in depth), but a few (e.g. Epitheca spp.) also used deeper areas of the pond. Only Perithemis tenera was most abundant in deep habitats. 2. Because many species exhibited temporal shifts in their use of habitats, it was necessary to estimate survival from changes in population size, calculated as the product of density and habitat area, summed across habitats. In most species, periods of high mortality in autumn and spring were separated by 3–4 months of negligible mortality in winter. Survivorship was linear only in the two species that completed all of larval development in summer (Sympetrum vicinum and Pantala flavescens). Average survival rates for these two species (−0.0049 and −0.0079 log density d−1) were similar to those in previous studies (Lawton, 1970; Benke & Benke, 1975). 3. Survivorship in many species was confounded by other life history phenomena such as (i) mixed voltinism, (ii) overlapping migrant and resident cohorts, and (iii) asynchronous development within species. Asynchrony made it difficult to estimate initial and final population sizes, hence total larval survivorship. However, based on emergence data, only 0.4–3% of larvae survived after peak abundance. None of this mortality can be ascribed to vertebrate predation, and only a little to overwintering stress and starvation. Thus, predation by invertebrates might play a major role in the regulation of these populations.
Elevated startle during withdrawal from acute morphine: a model of opiate withdrawal and anxiety

Rationale An elevated startle response has been observed in humans and animals during withdrawal from multiple substances of abuse, a phenomenon thought to reflect the anxiogenic effects of withdrawal. Although anxiety is a common symptom of opiate withdrawal, few studies have examined the effects of morphine withdrawal on acoustic startle.
Eigenvalue statistics for CMV matrices: From Poisson to clock via random matrix ensembles

We study CMV matrices (discrete one-dimensional Dirac-type operators) with random decaying coefficients. Under mild assumptions, we identify the local eigenvalue statistics in the natural scaling limit. For rapidly decreasing coefficients, the eigenvalues have rigid spacing (like the numerals on a clock); in the case of slow decrease, the eigenvalues are distributed according to a Poisson process. For a certain critical rate of decay, we obtain the β-ensembles of random matrix theory. The temperature β−1 appears as the square of the coupling constant
An accurate, residue-level, pair potential of mean force for folding and binding based on the distance-scaled, ideal-gas reference state

Structure prediction on a genomic scale requires a simplified energy function that can efficiently sample the conformational space of polypeptide chains. A good energy function at minimum should discriminate native structures against decoys. Here, we show that a recently developed, residue-specific, all-atom knowledge-based potential (167 atomic types) based on distance-scaled, finite ideal-gas reference state (DFIRE-all-atom) can be substantially simplified to 20 residue types located at side-chain center of mass (DFIRE-SCM) without a significant change in its capability of structure discrimination. Using 96 standard multiple decoy sets, we show that there is only a small reduction (from 80% to 78%) in success rate of ranking native structures as the top 1. The success rate is higher than two previously developed, all-atom distance-dependent statistical pair potentials. Applied to structure selections of 21 docking decoys without modification, the DFIRE-SCM potential is 29% more successful in recognizing native complex structures than an all-atom statistical potential trained by a database of dimeric interfaces. The potential also achieves 92% accuracy in distinguishing true dimeric interfaces from artificial crystal interfaces. In addition, the DFIRE potential with the Cα positions as the interaction centers recognizes 123 native structures out of a comprehensive 125-protein TOUCHSTONE decoy set in which each protein has 24,000 decoys with only Cα positions. Furthermore, the performance by DFIRE-SCM on newly established 25 monomeric and 31 docking Rosetta-decoy sets is comparable to (or better than in the case of monomeric decoy sets) that of a recently developed, all-atom Rosetta energy function enhanced with an orientation-dependent hydrogen bonding potential.
Neutral pH Ferrofluid Fabrication for Biomedical Applications

Ferrofluids are composed of nanoscale magnetic nanoparticles (iron, cobalt, nickel, or their oxides) and strongly polarized in the presence of magnetic field. After coating the surface of these nanoscale particles (∼10nm) by surfactant molecules (e.g., oleic acid, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, citric acid, etc.), they become fully stable and do not aggregate or segregate under the strong magnetic field. Ferrofluids are used for various applications, including medical (cancer detection ∕ curing, pharmaceutical, MRI), ferrofludic seal around the spinning drive shafts, liquid coolant (megaphones and loudspeakers), friction reducer ∕ shock absorber, earthquake, as well as defense, aerospace, grain size measurement and heat transfer. Ferrofluids are produced at extreme high or low pH values in order to prevent agglomeration of the nanoparticles caused by van der Waals and magnetic forces. This limits the application of ferrofluid for various fields because of the oxidation, corrosion as well as harmful effect to body. In this study, magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (∼10nm) were produced by coprecipitation of iron (II) and iron (III) chloride salts in the presence of ammonium hydroxide, and stabilized using first citric acid at 100°C and a fatty acid at room temperature. Measured pH value of the ferrofluid was 7.0. As is known, magnetite nanoparticles that have excellent magnetic saturation (∼78emu∕g) are desirable for those applications due to the strong ferromagnetic behavior, less sensitivity to oxidation and relatively low toxicity compared to many other magnetic materials (e.g., iron, nickel and cobalt).
Temperature-sensitive mutants of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) S6 strain was treated with nitrosoguanidine to obtain temperature-sensitive mutants. Of the 101 colonies screened, 4 were found to be temperature sensitive. These mutants and the wild type organisms were serologically and morphologically identical. Three of the 4 mutants failed to produce air sac lesions when inoculated directly into air sacs of the chicken.
American and Chinese Children’s Knowledge of Basic Relational Concepts

Three hundred kindergarten, first and second grade children from Beijing, China were given the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised (BTBC-R) at the end of the school year. Their performance was com...
Evaluation of Rahim's Organizational Conflict Inventory-II as a measure of conflict-handling styles in a sample of Indian salespersons.

A mail survey of 108 salespersons was conducted to examine their conflict-handling styles with customers. The Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory–II was used to measure the conflict-handling styles of respondents. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were performed on the items. Analysis indicated this is a reliable and valid measure of salespersons' conflict-handling styles. Thus, sales researchers can use this measure to examine the conflict-handling styles of salespersons.
Content feature enrichment for analyzing trust relationships in web forums

As criminals and terrorist employ social media platforms for planning and executing nefarious activities, understanding the degree of trustworthiness in interactions among actors becomes crucial for detecting their activities. Measuring trust in these environments can benefit analysts who are monitoring web forums to detect criminal or terrorist activities. Previous research proposed a trust model that could enable automatic trust discovery using speech act theory. This paper introduces a new classification method that enriches traditional techniques with contextual information. We conducted experiments to compare the proposed method with traditional approaches. The results show that the proposed method outperforms other alternative methods.
Cold-Atom Magnetism

How do you cool something that is already the coldest stuff in the universe? That is the challenge facing physicists who are trying to use extremely dilute ultracold atomic gases to model condensed matter systems. Cold gases hold promise for simulating a variety of many-body problems, but progress has been limited by the inability to reach sufficiently low temperatures. On page 1307 of this issue, Greif et al. ( 1 ) show that by dynamically manipulating the atom-trapping potential, a gas of ultracold potassium atoms could be cooled enough to observe magnetic correlations that arise only at sufficiently low temperatures. These results mark an important step toward realizing quantum magnetism with cold atoms, an achievement that could lead to a better understanding of a range of interesting states of matter.
Distributed light sensing with convex potential fibers

We report on a photoconductive fiber that supports decaying and convex electrical potential profiles capable of localizing a point of illumination, and propose a scheme to perform distributed optical sensing.
Evidence of mesospheric gravity‐waves generated by orographic forcing in the troposphere

[1] We report on the first imaging observations of stationary mesospheric gravity-waves in the three nightglow emissions of OH (695–1050 nm), Na (589.3 nm) and O(1S) (557.7 nm). The waves were observed in all-sky images at the El Leoncito Observatory (ELO), Argentina (31.8°S, 69.3°W), during the period of 1–8 July 2008. Over the course of each night, the band-like wave features exhibited a zero or near-zero observed horizontal phase speed and had lifetimes of several hours. These factors, coupled with the winds measured locally, and the orientation of the waves to the Andes mountain range located nearby, suggested that the waves were mountain waves generated by ∼70 ms−1 eastward winds flowing over the Andes.
Iudin’s “Second Library,” 1907–1912: Current Status of Research

The paper explains the history and contents of the book collection assembled by Gennadii Vasil’evich Iudin (1840–1912) between 1906, when he sold his 80,000-volume “first” library to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and his death in 1912. The paper also examines efforts in both Russia and the United States to reconstruct the contents of the second library.
An Optimal Spatial Sampling Design for Intra-Urban Population Exposure Assessment.

Abstract This article offers an optimal spatial sampling design that captures maximum variance with the minimum sample size. The proposed sampling design addresses the weaknesses of the sampling design that Kanaroglou, P.S., M. Jerrett, J. Morrison, B. Beckerman, M.A. Arain, N.L. Gilbert, and J.R. Brook (2005. Establishing an air pollution monitoring network for intra-urban population exposure assessment: a location-allocation approach. Atmospheric Environment 39(13), 2399–409) used for identifying 100 sites for capturing population exposure to NO2 in Toronto, Canada. Their sampling design suffers from a number of weaknesses and fails to capture the spatial variability in NO2 effectively. The demand surface they used is spatially autocorrelated and weighted by the population size, which leads to the selection of redundant sites. The location-allocation model (LAM) available with the commercial software packages, which they used to identify their sample sites, is not designed to solve spatial sampling problems using spatially autocorrelated data. A computer application (written in C++) that utilizes spatial search algorithm was developed to implement the proposed sampling design. The proposed design has already been tested and implemented in three different urban environments – namely Cleveland, OH; Delhi, India; and Iowa City, IA – to identify optimal sample sites for monitoring airborne particulates.
Microbatch macromolecular crystallization on a thermal gradient

Abstract We can exploit the temperature dependence of protein solubility in a blind search for optimal crystallization conditions by conducting experiments on thermal gradients. A microbatch technique coupled with a specially constructed thermal gradient allows us to conduct polythermal experiments over the range 6–30°C using as little as 7 μl of solution. The crystallization vessel is a micropipette commonly used in blood testing labs. As many as 150 simultaneous experiments can be conducted on a gradient machined out of a 200×250×25 mm aluminium plate.
Does endotoxin stimulate cells by mimicking ceramide

Recent studies indicate that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) stimulate cells via the intracellular messenger ceramide. Bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) shows strong structural and functional resemblance to ceramide. Here, Samuel Wright and Richard Kolesnick review data suggesting that LPS may provoke cellular responses by mimicking the action of ceramide.
Comparing simulation tools and experimental testbeds for wireless mesh networks

Wireless simulators provide full control to researchers in investigating traffic flow behavior, but do not always reflect real-world scenarios. Although previous work pointed out such shortages are due to the limitation of radio propagation models in the simulators, it is still unclear how these imperfect models affect network behavior and to what degree. In this paper, we quantify network behavioral differences between simulations and real-world testbed experiments. We compare and analyze the experimental results from indoor and outdoor experiments with the results from NS-2 and Qualnet simulations. We find that in the PHY layer, the distribution of received signal strength in experiments is usually different from simulation due to the antenna diversity. However, path loss, which is regarded as a dominating factor in simulator channel modeling, can be configured to match the real-world behavior. For the MAC layer, increasing traffic load on a flow may cause significant performance degradation in experiments, but it is not the case in simulations. Interference is inadequately captured in simulations and cannot show the flow level unfairness phenomenon. In the network layer, a few dominant routes exist in testbed experiments while routes in simulations are less stable. These findings give the wireless research community an improved overview about the differences between simulations and testbed experiments. They will help researchers to choose between simulations and experiments according to their particular research requirements.
Control of Nematodes in Rose Plants By Hot-Water Treatment Preceded By Heat-Hardening

A successful hot-water treatment for rose plants infected with P. vulnus was storing at 2.2° for 3 wk to induce cold-hardening then holding at 37.8° for 24 h to induce heat-hardening, followed by immersion of the plants' root systems in water at 48.3° for up to 35 min. No thermal injury to the plants was observed over a 6-wk period. Some P. vulnus were recovered from all nontreated plants, but none from plants treated for 30 or 35 min. The level of dormancy was greater in plants lifted in October than in plants lifted in subsequent months, but dormancy was not correlated with heat tolerance: plants lifted in October were most sensitive to hot-water treatment.