cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition by activated neutrophils of the Ca2+ pump ATPase of intact red blood cells

Human neutrophils, activated by phorbol myristate acetate in the presence of intact red blood cells (RBCs), caused inhibition of the Ca2+ pump ATPase of the RBCs and fragmentation of the enzyme as well as other membrane proteins. Inhibition of the Ca2+ pump ATPase of intact RBCs was directly related to the neutrophil concentration and the time of incubation. Ca2+ pump ATPase activity was partially protected by the addition of exogenous glutathione-glutathione peroxidase, but not by superoxide dismutase. The addition of sodium azide, a potent inhibitor of endogenous RBC catalase, enhanced inhibition of the Ca2+ pump ATPase of intact RBCs. Examination by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of membrane proteins isolated from RBCs preincubated with activated neutrophils showed gross changes in banding patterns as compared to controls. Thus, a significant amount of methemoglobin appeared to be associated with the membrane proteins, and, in general, protein bands appeared to be more diffuse and less defined than proteins in control lanes. In addition, there was an increase in the low molecular weight protein bands. Using a monoclonal antibody to the Ca2+ pump ATPase, it was shown that the 140 kDa band representing the Ca2+ pump ATPase decreased, with concomitant appearance of two low molecular weight bands running at 8.2 and 6.8 kDa in the membrane proteins from RBCs preincubated with activated neutrophils. The data are interpreted to suggest that inhibition of the Ca2+ pump ATPase in intact RBCs under these conditions occurred as a result of: neutrophil-derived superoxide, dismutation of superoxide, to H2O2, diffusion of H2O2 into RBCs, a Fenton type reaction between oxyhemoglobin, and H2O2 producing hydroxyl radical and/or a ferryl radical capable of promoting protein fragmentation of RBC membrane proteins, including the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump ATPase.
Multidetector-row CT image quality and radiation dose: Imaging the lung

M ULTIDETECTOR COMPUTED tomography (CT) technologies have the potential to produce medical images of high quality. A necessary consequence of using this technology to produce high-quality images is that patients will receive higher radiation doses from their CT examinations. Historically, the maximum x-ray tube output limited the radiation dose to patients, that is, the x-ray tube would melt before high radiation exposures of the patient occurred. Multidetector CT has removed this technological limitation because it enables the transmission of the x-rays emitted from the point source of the tube over a larger solid angle. Consequently, multiderector CT has shifted more responsibility to physicians to control the radiation exposure and determine the required image quality. This presentation will discuss the basic limitations of image quality, the factors that control levels of radiation exposure, and the risks associated with the radiation exposures. The reduced section thickness images produced by multidetector CT pose both a challenge and an opportunity. The opportunity, not available before multidetector CT technology, is to obtain the CT sections with isotropic voxels. Previously, the pixel sizes were typically between 1.0 mm and 0.5 mm. The pixel size is determined by the specification of a 512 × 512 image matrix over a 50-cm field of view for body imaging and 25-cm field of view for imaging of the head. Previously, the axial increment was typically 5 mm to 10 mm with comparable section thickness. The axial increment was determined by the requirements for imaging whole regions of interest, such as the chest, in a single breath hold. Using multidetector technologies, regions of interest can be imaged using 1.0-mm section thickness. Thinner-section images
The solid state structure of polycarbonate blends with lead phthalocyanine

Abstract The physical properties of polycarbonate blends containing the nonlinear optical dye lead tetracumylphenoxy phthalocyanine were characterized. Blends with up to 20 wt% dye were prepared and characterized in terms of density, refractive index, glass transition temperature, loss modulus, subambient relaxation behavior, and free volume hole size from positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The dye strongly affected the physical properties of the blend. The initial 0.1 wt% dye produced a dramatic increase in the density. A similar trend in the refractive index was accounted for by the change in density using a relationship between density and refractive index derived from the Lorentz–Lorenz equation. Increasing the dye content to 8 wt% led to a large reduction in the glass transition temperature. An increase in E ′ and a decrease in the subambient γ-relaxation intensity accompanied the large decrease in T g . This behavior fit the conventional concept of antiplasticization, which has been described for other low molecular weight diluents in PC. Recognizing that the dye was present as a mixture of monomer, dimer and higher aggregates, it was shown that the monomer form was responsible for the antiplasticization. In the glass, dimer and higher aggregates were viewed as nanoparticle fillers. It was confirmed that the antiplasticization effect was due to a reduction in excess hole free volume of the polymer.
Report from the grass roots

IN RECENT YEARS, engineering students have been constantly reminded that, in addition to their technical abilities, they must acquire and maintain poise, understanding, and a co-operative spirit in their daily associations with other people.
Endothelin enhances adrenocorticotropin-stimulated aldosterone release from cultured bovine adrenal cells.

Endothelin (ET) is an endothelial cell-derived peptide with profound hemodynamic effects. We investigated the effects of ET on steroid release from bovine adrenal cortical cells. ET-1 (10-1110-6 M) did not alter basal aldosterone release from adrenal glomerulosa cells. However, both angiotensin-II (All)- and ACTH-stimulated aldosterone release from these cells. ET-1 enhanced ACTH-stimulated aldosterone release over a range of concentrations. This enhancement was observed at a threshold of 0.1 nM ET-1. Similar responses were observed in incubations of 1- and 2-h duration. In contrast, All-stimulated aldosterone release was not altered by ET-1. ET-1 also enhanced aldosterone release in cells stimulated with 8-bromo-cAMP. All increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations in fura-2-loaded cells; however, ET-1 alone or with ACTH had no effect. In addition, chronic treatment of cells with ACTH for 2 days caused an enhanced release of aldosterone in cells acutely treated with ET- 1 compared to cells not acutely trea...
Combined intravenous and intra-arterial recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in acute ischemic stroke.

Background and Purpose—A retrospective analysis was performed on 20 consecutive patients who presented with severe acute ischemic stroke and were evaluated for a combined intravenous (IV) and local intra-arterial (IA) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) thrombolytic approach within 3 hours of onset. Methods—Twenty consecutive patients with carotid artery distribution strokes were evaluated and treated using a combined IV and IA rtPA approach over a 14-month period (September 1998 to October 1999). rtPA (0.6 mg/kg) was given intravenously (maximum dose 60 mg); 15% of the IV dose was given as bolus, followed by a continuous infusion over 30 minutes. A maximal IA dose, up to 0.3 mg/kg or 24 mg, whichever was less, was given over a maximum of 2 hours. IV treatment was initiated within 3 hours in 19 of 20 patients. All 20 patients underwent angiography, and 16 of 20 patients received local IA rtPA. Results—The median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score for the 20 patie...
Photochemical features of intermolecular C–H bond activation

Abstract The photophysical and photochemical properties of the C–H activating (η5-C5H5)Rh(CO)2, (η5-C5Me5)Rh(CO)2, (η5-C5H5)Ir(CO)2 and (HBPz3*)Rh(CO)2 (Pz*=3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl) complexes in room-temperature hydrocarbon solutions are compared and contrasted. Recent quantitative measurements of the solution photochemistry and kinetic analyses of the reaction pathways are discussed. The data reveal that the C–H and Si–H activation reactions occur via similar photochemical routes, whereas the ligand photosubstitution reaction proceeds by a different pathway. Several key mechanistic features of the light-induced intermolecular C–H bond activation process are identified.
3D FDTD modeling of multi-scale structures at low frequencies

Full Wave 3D electromagnetic modeling at low frequencies is an issue which still remains unresolved for a number of multi-scale problems, such as logging while drilling (LWD), modeling of brain waves, and EMI/EMC in electronic packages. All of the traditional computational methods, including the method of moments (MoM), finite element method (FEM), and the finite difference time domain method (FDTD) breakdown at such low frequencies. In this paper we present an approach for low frequency FDTD modeling, which is useful for the applications mentioned above.
Study of intensity-modulated photon-electron radiation therapy using digital phantoms.

Intensity-modulated photon?electron radiation therapy (IMPERT) takes advantage of the high conformity of photon intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and low distal dose of electrons to reduce the total energy delivered to healthy tissue, potentially reducing serious side effects including secondary malignancies. This theoretical study was undertaken to elucidate basic principles of IMPERT planning and to help quantify the advantage of IMPERT over photon IMRT. Plans using 6 MV x-rays alone (IMRT) or in combination with 6?21 MeV electron beams (IMPERT) were developed for digital cylindrical water phantoms that included an organ at risk (OAR) situated 0.25 cm below a 5 cm thick planning target volume (PTV), with the top of the PTV positioned up to 4 cm below the surface. Electron beam energy and percentage dose contribution of the electron beam to the total dose were investigated with a flat-bottom PTV. The effect of target shape was investigated with a concave- or convex-bottom PTV positioned at the surface. Air or bone cavities were embedded in the PTV to investigate the effect of tissue inhomogeneity. Dose variations in the electron dose distribution due to tissue inhomogeneity were accurately calculated with Monte Carlo simulation. The preferred electron dose contribution was approximately 50% of the total dose. For all the PTV?OAR scenarios, IMPERT was able to achieve comparable PTV coverage and OAR sparing as IMRT while reducing the energy deposited to the healthy tissue by 6?25%. The IMPERT technique is a clinically viable approach for reducing serious side effects in radiotherapy.
A comparative study of size and function of the remnant kidney in patients nephrectomized in childhood for Wilms' tumor and hydronephrosis

ABSTRACT. To obtain more information about the natural history of compensatory renal hypertrophy beginning in childhood we traced those who were nephrectomized in childhood for Wilm's tumor (W) and hydronephrosis (Hn) between 1950 and 1978 at one department of surgery in Stockholm. AH W patients had received treatment that suppresses cellular division. None of the patients were in renal failure or treated with antihypertensive drugs. All the patients in the follow-up study (22 W, 15 Hn) had a normal contralateral kidney at nephrectomy. Five healthy adults served as controls. The kidney was enlarged in both Hn (142 %) and W (125 %), but significantly larger in Hn than in W. Renal compensatory growth in W was retarded during the first two years after nephrectomy. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 92 % of control in Hn and 82 % of control in W. The GFR did not seem to decline with a longer follow-up time in any of the groups. PAH clearance was the same in Hn and W. Albumin excretion was significantly higher in Hn than in W, but not significantly higher in W than in controls. The highest albumin excretion rates were found among the Hn patients with long follow-up time. The results suggest that the large increases in size and function that follow childhood nephrectomy can be blunted by antimitotic agents.
A study of the reactions 16O(d, p)17O and 90Zr(d, p)91Zr using the WBP model

Abstract The weakly bound projectile model is tested against measurements of differential cross sections, vector analysing power and polarisation in the reactions 90Zr(d, p)91Zr and 16O(d, p) 17O leading to states in the s- and d-shells at deuteron energies between 7 MeV and 15 MeV.
Object recognition by spectral feature derived from canonical shape representation

In this paper, we introduce a new spectral shape feature that can be used in content-based object recognition. We explain a new canonical string representation for a polygonal shape approximation from which the proposed spectral feature is derived. This spectral feature is a composition of Fourier coefficients of the shape function that is derived from the canonical representation. We applied the proposed feature in classification of lung nodules by means of our hierarchical learning scheme proposed in another study. The results show that the spectral feature is promising for lung nodule recognition.
UPPER AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION AND HEART FAILURE IN PATIENTS WITH HEINER'S SYNDROME

Two conditions, right heart failure secondary to upper airway obstruction and pulmonary hemosiderosis with serum precipitins to cow's milk (Heiner's Syndrome), have been simultaneously documenred in 3 children. A total of 6 patients with Heiner's Syndrome were found by screening for multiple precipitins in 160 consecutive children with idiopathic chronic lung disease. All 6 were black; 3 were infants and 3 were 1-4 years of age. All had normal or elevated serum immunoglobulins, normal sweat chlorides, and AA or AS hemoglobin. None were clearly predisposed to aspiration. All displayed typical manifestations of Heiner's Syndrome; recurrent pulmonary infiltrates (6/6), hemosiderin-laden macrophages (5/6), intermittent wheezing (4/6), eosinophilia (4/6), iron deficiency (4/6), and failure to thrive (4/6). The 3 older patients also manifested chronic rhinitis, large adenoids, evidence of right heart failure, hypercapnia and acidosis during sleep, and pulmonary/systemic resistance ratios of 1/2 to 1/3 with resultant mean pulmonary artery pressures from 35-45 mmHg. Symptomatic therapy, a cow's milk-free diet, and adenoidectomy when indicated led to improvement in all patients. Heiner's Syndrome and upper airway obstruction with pulmonary hypertension may be two stages, early and delayed, of the same process. Early dietary intervention may prevent cardiac complications and CO2 narcosis in children with this process.
Is neurotoxicity associated with environmental trichloroethylene (TCE)

Individuals who lived near 2 electronic manufacturing plants were exposed to odorous chlorinated solvents by inhalation (directly) and by out gassing from well water. An exposure zone was defined by concentrations of trichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and vinyl chloride in groundwater. The author adopted trichloroethylene as a "shorthand" for the exposure designation. Residents complained of impaired recall and concentration, and of dizziness; therefore, the focus of this investigation was brain functions. Neurobehavioral functions, Profile of Mood States, frequencies of 35 symptoms, and questionnaire responses provided by 236 residents from exposure zones were compared with responses provided by 161 unexposed regional referents and by 67 Phoenix residents who lived outside the exposure zone areas. Pulmonary functions were measured with spirometry. Residents of the exposure zones were compared with regional referents, and the former had significantly (p < .05) delayed simple and choice reaction times, impaired balance, delayed blink reflex latency R-1, and abnormal color discrimination. In addition, these individuals had impaired (1) cognitive functions, (2) attention and perceptual motor speed, and (3) recall. Individuals who lived in exposure zones had airway obstructions. Adverse mood state scores and frequencies of 33 of 35 symptoms were elevated. In conclusion, individuals who lived in the exposure zones had neurobehavioral impairments, reduced pulmonary functions, elevated Profile of Mood State scores, and excessive symptom frequencies.
Age-related decline in actomyosin structure and function

Aging is associated with a progressive decline of muscle mass, strength, and quality, a condition described as sarcopenia of aging. Despite the significance of skeletal muscle atrophy, the mechanisms responsible for the deterioration of muscle performance are only partially understood. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight cellular, molecular, and biochemical changes that contribute to age-related muscle dysfunction, particularly the molecular basis of contraction, changes in muscle protein structure assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, oxidative damage from reactive oxygen species, and post-translational modifications in key contractile proteins. Age-related changes in the interaction between the contractile proteins, actin and myosin, provide insights into potential molecular mechanisms responsible for changes in muscle contractility with advancing age.
Implications of the visual appearance of ball lightning for luminosity mechanisms

Observations of ball lightning continue to pose one of the more difficult unsolved problems in atmospheric physics. Lack of quantitative data has frustrated attempts to explain how the objects emit light. We examine three leading theories for the immediate cause of light emission: excitation of plasma, small hot individual particles suspended in air, and hot fractal clusters of small particles. Using radiative transport theory, we find quantitative values for the ranges of particle density and temperature required to produce luminous intensities consistent with the bulk of reported observations, as well as estimates of power requirements for each mechanism. We conclude that all of these mechanisms are consistent with many ball-lightning observations, and that more than one of them may be involved in the luminosity of ball lightning.
The place of American empire: Amerasian territories and late American Modernity

Imperialism rarely receives discussion in mainstream philosophy. In radical philosophy, where imperialism is analyzed with some frequency, European expansion is the paradigm. This essay considers t...
Tick Size, Spread, and Volume

Abstract The AMEX changed the tick size from[formula]to[formula]for low-price stocks on September 3, 1992. Consistent with the prediction of L. E. Harris (1994, Minimum price variations, discrete bid–ask spreads, and quotation sizes,Rev. Finan. Stud.7,149–178), the change has reduced both quoted and effective spreads, although the magnitude of the reduction is much smaller than predicted. However, we fail to find evidence of a significant increase in trading volume. Our cross-sectional regressions show that stocks with greater trading activity, lower prices, and stronger competition from the regional exchanges experienced greater spread reductions.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: G10, G18, G20.
SMF robust filtering in impulsive noise

An adaptive M-estimation algorithm based on set-membership filtering (SMF) is presented for robust filtering in impulsive noise. The proposed algorithm has unique features of data-dependent weights and selective update. It is derived from the general M-estimation and a SMF-type cost function. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm performs much better than conventional recursive least-squares algorithms and conventional SMF algorithms in impulsive noise. Simulation results also demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has tracking capability superior to the least M-estimation approach, and it is more resistant to outliers.
Stability of Dapsone in Two Oral Liquid Dosage Forms

OBJECTIVE:Dapsone use in pediatric patients is increasing; however, the currently available tablet dosage form cannot be used in young children. The objective of our study was to determine the stability of dapsone in two oral suspensions stored at two temperatures.METHODS:Commercially available dapsone tablets (25 mg) were used to prepare the suspensions: the first in simple syrup and water with citric acid, the second in 1:1 Ora Sweet:Ora Plus to yield a concentration of 2.0 mg/mL. The dosage forms were stored in 10 amber plastic prescription bottles. Five were stored at 25 °C and five at 4 °C. Three samples were taken from each of five bottles at 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 91 days (n = 15). Dapsone concentrations in each sample were measured in duplicate by a validated and stability-indicating HPLC method; the pH of each sample was also determined. The drug was considered stable if the mean concentration ≥90% of the original concentration.RESULTS:The mean concentrations of dapsone were >95% of the in...
Using Virtual Worlds in Education: Second Life® as an Educational Tool

The online virtual world Second Life (www.secondlife.com) has multiple potential uses in teaching. In Second Life (SL), users create avatars that represent them in the virtual world. Within SL, avatars can interact with each other and with objects and environments. SL offers tremendous creative potential in that users can create content within the virtual world, including buildings, environments, and objects. Psychology instructors can use SL as a space to meet with students, and to create labs, buildings, and objects that can be used to learn psychology content and skills. Students' engagement with course content and sense of community with the class can be enhanced using interactions within SL. Potential drawbacks include learning time required and technological issues involved in using the program. We suggest that instructors using SL formulate clear objectives, start with simple activities, and involve their students in designing and assessing learning activities in the virtual world.
Advancements in the Development of a Plasma-Driven Electromagnetic Launcher

The institute for advanced technology (IAT) is developing a plasma-driven railgun to launch low-mass projectiles of 5-10 g to a velocity in excess of 7 km/s. Accomplishing this goal requires overcoming the problem of bore ablation, which has been linked to an observed velocity ceiling of about 6 km/s in plasma-armature launchers. Bore ablation is a direct consequence of the intense heat radiated by plasma armatures. Controlling bore ablation requires a coordinated approach that includes magnetic augmentation to reduce power dissipation in the plasma, high-purity alumina insulators to raise the ablation resistance of the bore, and pre-acceleration to prevent ablation of the bore materials at low velocity. This paper describes the consequences of excessive bore ablation, the rationale for the IAT experiment, and results obtained from the hardware that has been designed and tested to date.
Internationalization of Counselor Education: Lived Experiences of US Counselors-in-Training Abroad

In response to globalization in the counseling profession and the incorporation of international immersion courses in counselor education programs, the purpose of this study is to understand the lived experience of counselors-intraining participating internationally in a study abroad course. The research question was: What is the experience of a counselor-in-training who has participated in a study abroad trip as a part of their training program? Utilizing van Manen’s phenomenological methodology (1990), the researcher explored the experiences of four counselors-in-training participating in an international study abroad course. Overall emergent themes included experiencing new contexts, emotions, and new learning with an emphasis on “experiencing.” These themes highlighted implications for counselor educators in international curriculum development and course planning as well as informing counselorsin-training on potential impacts of international immersion courses. Keywords: Counselor Training, Internationalization, Study Abroad, Phenomenology
METHODS TO QUANTITATE ATRIAL ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY USING ELECTROGRAMS ACQUIRED DURING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Herein, commonly used quantitative bioengineering methods that have been developed to analyze fractionated electrograms recorded from the surface of the atria during atrial fibrillation (AF) are described. Techniques were categorized as time-domain and frequency-domain methods. The main time-domain method is peak counting. Its variations based on preprocessing and thresholding are discussed. The main frequency-domain method is spectral analysis. Two spectral estimators, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and the new spectral estimator (NSE) are described. The ability of each estimator to detect the main periodic component of fractionated atrial electrograms is compared. Several spectral parameters that are used for analysis of atrial electrograms including the dominant frequency (DF), dominant amplitude (DA) and mean spectral profile (MP) are defined. Mean values of these parameters are compared in paroxysmal versus persistent AF fractionated electrograms based upon the results of several studies. Time-domain methods are shown to work best for analysis with deterministic, not fractionated atrial electrograms. For fractionated atrial electrograms, frequency-domain methods are often used. The DF, DA and MP spectral parameters are significantly different in paroxysmal versus longstanding persistent AF recordings. The DF and the DA are significantly higher, and the MP is significantly lower, in persistent AF electrogram recordings. The higher DF and DA parameter values reflect substrate remodeling in persistent AF, which increases the stability of the electrical activation pattern. The lower MP value in persistent AF reflects the lower spectral noise floor, indicative of a less complex and more periodic pattern of electrical activity.
Recurrent immunoglobulin gene translocations identify distinct molecular subtypes of myeloma

Summary Background: Chromosome translocations involving the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) on 14q32 are a seminal event in the pathogenesis of many B-cell malignancies. Since myeloma is a post-germinal center tumor of mature, isotype switched plasma cells, we hypothesized that 14q32 translocations would usually involve IgH switch regions. Materials and methods: We analyzed a panel of 21 human myeloma cell lines using a Southern blot assay to detect illegitimate rearrangements involving the switch regions. We then cloned the breakpoints, developed probes for FISH analysis, and characterized the oncogenes dysregulated by the translocations. Results: Only half of the cell lines demonstrated a 14q32 abnormality by conventional karyotypic analysis, but we were able to identify translocations involving IgH switch regions in 15 of 21 lines, including all of the lines in which a 14q32 translocations was not identified by conventional karyotypic analysis. Six cell lines have an Ig translocation involving 11q13 with overexpression of cyclin D1. Six cell lines have an Ig translocation involving 16q23 with overexpression of c-maf. Five lines have an Ig translocations involving 4p16 with over-expression of FGFR3 and a novel gene, MMSET. The 4p16 breakpoints occur within the 5′ introns of MMSET, and are associated with IgH-MMSET hybrid mRNA transcripts. The remaining five cell lines have translocations involving other loci, including: 6p25 (MUM1), 8q24 (c-myc), and 21q22 (?AML1). Conclusions: Recurrent Ig translocations identify at least three distinct molecular subtypes of myeloma. Our long-term goal is to determine if there are phenotypic, prognostic and therapeutic differences associated with these molecular subtypes.
Ultrastructural abnormalities of respiratory cilia: a 25-year experience.

Abstract Context.—Ciliary dyskinesia is a rare, but significant, cause of chronic respiratory infections, and transmission electron microscopy is a critical adjunct to making the diagnosis. Objective.—To investigate a single institution's experience with patients demonstrating abnormal ciliary ultrastructure. Design.—Retrospective clinicopathologic review of 278 bronchial or nasal turbinate brushings or biopsies from 1983 through 2007. Results.—There were 12 women and 9 men (mean age, 19.6 years; range, 1–54 years) with abnormal ciliary ultrastructure. Clinical history was unavailable in 3 patients, 15 (83%) of 18 patients presented with chronic or recurrent upper respiratory infections, and 3 (17%) presented with infertility. Seven (39%) of 18 patients had findings of Kartagener syndrome with situs inversus, dextrocardia, and bronchiectasis. Truncation or absence of inner or outer dynein arms occurred in 15 (71%) of 21 cases, and 5 (24%) revealed transposition defects with displacement of the central mic...
PARTIALLY ADAPTIVE STAP FOR FMRI: A METHOD FOR DETECTING BRAIN ACTIVATION REGIONS IN SIMULATION AND HUMAN DATA

This paper introduces three partially adaptive space-time processing (STAP) schemes for analyzing fMRI data. Element space partially adaptive STAP can achieve performance close to that of fully adaptive STAP while greatly decreasing the CPU running time and memory requirements when applied to both synthetic as well as real human brain data. In synthetic analyses, partially adaptive STAP algorithms exhibit better detection characteristics than the traditional cross-correlation method. This is supported by human data in which element space and fully adaptive STAP produce activation maps that closely resemble those of cross-correlation.
Inhibitors of HER2/neu (erbB-2) signal transduction

Signaling by the HER2 proto-oncogene product results in the activation of several biochemical pathways that in turn modulate the expression and function of molecules involved in cell proliferation and survival. It is well established that forced overexpression of HER2 results in transformation of nontumor cells, and that high levels of HER2 in tumors are associated with a more aggressive biological behavior. It is also clear that a subset of HER2-overexpressing tumors is dependent on HER2 function for proliferation and/or survival. Over the last few years, several elegant studies have dissected the biochemical mechanisms of HER2 signaling. This research has provided information about critical functional domains in HER2 that can be targeted with rational molecular approaches, some of which are already being implemented at the bedside. This report will focus on one of these anti-HER2 signaling strategies.
Rapid Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate by an Iridium Pincer Catalyst Immobilized on Carbon Nanotube Electrodes

An iridium pincer dihydride catalyst was immobilized on carbon nanotube-coated gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) by using a non-covalent binding strategy. The as-prepared GDEs are efficient, selective, durable, gas permeable electrodes for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate. High turnover numbers (ca. 54 000) and turnover frequencies (ca. 15 s−1) were enabled by the novel electrode architecture in aqueous solutions saturated in CO2 with added HCO3−.
Ground- and Excited-State Electronic Structures of the Solar Cell Sensitizer Bis(4,4'-dicarboxylato-2,2'-bipyridine)bis(isothiocyanato)ruthenium(II)

The ground- and excited-state electronic structures of the photosensitizer bis(4,4‘-dicarboxylato-2,2‘-bipyridine)-bis(isothiocyanato)ruthenium(II), [RuL‘2(NCS)2]4- (where L‘ = 4,4‘-dicarboxylato-2,2‘-bipyridine), have been examined computationally in an effort to better understand this molecule's effectiveness in TiO2-based photoelectrochemical cells. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the compound's ground state indicate that occupied molecular orbitals (MOs) localized on carboxylate groups of the bipyridyl ligands (through which the compound binds to the TiO2 nanoparticles) energetically match the semiconductor valence band; the lowest unoccupied MOs lie above the conduction band edge and are bipyridine π* in character. These results suggest that the compound is well-positioned to bind strongly to TiO2 and engage in electron transfer from excited states associated with the bipyridyl groups. Various excited states of the chromophore were identified using time-dependent density functional th...
A DNA extraction protocol for improved DNA yield from individual mosquitoes

Typical DNA extraction protocols from commercially available kits provide an adequate amount of DNA from a single individual mosquito sufficient for PCR-based assays. However, next-generation sequencing applications and high-throughput SNP genotyping assays exposed the limitation of DNA quantity one usually gets from a single individual mosquito. Whole genome amplification could alleviate the issue but it also creates bias in genome representation. While trying to find alternative DNA extraction protocols for improved DNA yield, we found that a combination of the tissue lysis protocol from Life Technologies and the DNA extraction protocol from Qiagen yielded a higher DNA amount than the protocol using the Qiagen or Life Technologies kit only. We have not rigorously tested all the possible combinations of extraction protocols; we also only tested this on mosquito samples. Therefore, our finding should be noted as a suggestion for improving people’s own DNA extraction protocols and not as an advertisement of a commercially available product.
Voluntary upper-extremity movements in patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction.

Background and Purpose. People with peripheral vestibular pathology demonstrate motor impairments when responding and adapting to postural platform perturbations and during performance of sit-to-stand and locomotor tasks. This study investigated the influence of unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction on voluntary arm movement. Subjects and Methods. Subjects without known neurological impairments and subjects with vestibular impairments performed 3 voluntary arm movements: an overhead reach to a target, a sideward reach to a target, and a forward flexion movement through 90 degrees. Subjects performed these tasks under precued and choice reaction time conditions. During all tasks, body segment motion was measured. Head velocity measurements were calculated for the side task only. Results. Subjects with vestibular loss restricted upper body segment motion within the frontal and transverse planes for the 90-degree and overhead tasks. Average angular head velocity was lower for the group with vestibular hypofunction. Task uncertainty (the introduction of a choice reaction time paradigm) differentially influenced the groups regarding head velocity at target acquisition. Discussion and Conclusion. Individuals with vestibular loss altered their performance of voluntary arm movements. Such alterations may have served to minimize the functional consequences of gaze instability.
Everybody in the Tent: Lessons from the Grassroots About Labor Organizing, Immigrants, and Temporary Worker Policies

Why are so many immigrant workplaces non-unionized and what can the labor movement do about it? The questions about whether and how effectively to bring immigrant workers into the labor movement involve not just the impact of immigrant labor on organizing efforts, but also the effect of the labor movement’s policy positions on immigrant labor. According to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (“AFL-CIO”), protections for immigrant workers are as important to the labor movement as protecting jobs for U.S. workers. While there are great examples of union success in organizing immigrant workplaces, however, the vast majority of immigrant workers remain unorganized. The residential construction industry is one of the areas where low-skilled, non-unionized immigrant workplaces dominate the landscape. Unions have had some limited and scattered success in rebuilding the residential construction industry labor movement in places like Los Angeles, California, but the success has not been sustained. In this article, I share perspectives of local residential construction workers and labor leaders collected from a series of interviews in Las Vegas, Nevada about obstacles to organizing immigrants. I conducted over 100 interviews between 2006 and 2008 that are the basis for a larger project on working conditions among immigrant workers in the residential construction industry in Las Vegas. In this article, I explore how immigrant workers and local organizers respond to questions about the difficulties in organizing immigrants. Their responses should provide some guidance to policy advocates and the labor movement as they formulate positions around comprehensive immigration reform proposals. In Part I of this article, I describe what academics view as obstacles to immigrant worker organizing, including changes in the structure of the construction industry, and restrictive immigration laws. In Part II, I describe the Las Vegas Residential Construction Industry Study and explore the gap in perceptions between local union leaders and non-union workers about obstacles to organizing. I conclude in this part that the construction trade union movement must incorporate aspects of immigrant organizing strategies that have occurred in the service industry. In Part III, I explore the effects of union activity in the most recent negotiations over comprehensive immigration reform, analyzing how the AFL-CIO’s position might work at cross-purposes to its stated goals of organizing immigrant workplaces and bringing immigrants into the labor movement. I conclude that by conceding the contingent nature of construction work and then limiting the legal avenues for immigration into construction work, the AFL-CIO’s compromises further weaken local labor organizers’ attempts to organize immigrants.
Theory Building Surrounding Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Assessing What We Know, Exploring Where to Go

This special topic forum (STF) features four articles that focus on sustainability, which is generally defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Our own research of the 500 most cited studies on sustainability shows that scholars and managers often struggle with the concept and applications of sustainability. To some, sustainability is about environmental preservation, to others, it is about addressing societal needs, and yet for those who use a financial lens, sustainability is primarily about the economic bottom line. Then, there are scholars and managers for whom sustainability is synonymous with corporate social responsibility, ethical issues, shared value creation, and/or legal compliance. Naturally, all of the above are critical, and efforts in these areas should continue. But as we explain, none of these are sustainability per se, and to date, no firm is truly or fully sustainable. Also, most research and practice in sustainability follows a preservation view. We advance a new paradigm and evince that sustainable practices—whether in supply chain management or any other business activity—are a function of two inseparable principles: (1) they must enhance ecological health, follow ethical standards to further social justice, and improve economic vitality; and (2) they must prioritize the environment first, society second, and economics third. Our introduction to this STF elaborates on what sustainability is and is not, and it also summarizes the four articles in the STF.
“My Ol’ Black Mammy” in Brazilian Modernist Memoirs

Such words of gratefulness and appreciation for a Black Mammy, taken from a 1888 folletin entitled ―Mai preta‖ ( Black Mammy‘) fail to reflect the recurring image of slaves in abolitionist literary and political texts of the second half of the 19th century. As Jurandir Costa Freire argues, the ―antislavery propaganda‖ in Brazil was founded on the idea of an ―irremediable antagonism‖ between master and slave, whose consequences implicated, among other evils, the degradation or perversion of family values. Regarding the wet-nurse and the foster mother, in particular, her intimate contact with the children of her masters, according to Sonia Giacomini, bestowed her ―o lugar privilegiado de agente de corrupcao da familia branca‖ [the privileged place of corruption‘s agent of the White family] (49). As we read in another 1880s newspaper, O Mentor das Brazileiras,
Diffusion of Cations Along the Polymer/Metal Interface Under an Applied Electrical Potential

Diffusion of cations along the polymer/metal interface controls the rate of blistering of polymer coatings on metals exposed to electrolytes. Cations are driven by both concentration and electrical potential gradients. A theoretical and experimental study was carried out on the diffusion of sodium ion along the polymer coating/steel interface under an applied potential. Mathematical models, consisting of initial and propagation stages, are derived based on a moving boundary diffusion problem. Model variables include ion diffusivity, potential gradient and distance between defects and delamination sites. Models are solved to predict ion fluxes and concentration in the blistering areas. Experimental data are analyzed to extract model parameters. Model predictions agreed well with experimental data and practical observations
The Origins of Epitaxial Orientations in thin Films

When a continuous film is deposited on a planar, single crystal substrate, there is usually a single set of relative film-substrate orientations for which the free energy of the film-substrate interface is minimized. It is often assumed that epitaxial films have adopted the orientation which minimizes this energy. However, this is not necessarily the case. Orientation selection is also constrained by minimization of the energy of the/ree surface of a film, as well as by minimization of the strain energy. In systems in which films grow by an island mechanism, epitaxial orientations can be established during or after nucleation, and can change before or after formation of a continuous film. Interfacial and surface energy minimization is constrained differently for islands and films. Epitaxial grain growth is a process which occurs in continuous films, in which epitaxially-aligned, energy-minimizing grains grow at the expense of other grains. Recent experiments on epitaxial grain growth in polycrystalline Ag films on single crystal Ni is discussed to illustrate, the affects of surface, interface, and strain energy minimization on epitaxial orientation selection.
Making in the 21st Century [Guest editor's introduction]

In this special issue, we peer into the Maker Movement and explore its potential impact on engineering and technology. This issue is broken into three sections. In the first, ?The World of Making,? we asked our contributors to tell us about why they make. In the second, ?Passionate Projects: This Is What I Made,? we asked each maker to tell us about what they made in 2014 and what it meant. And in the third section, ?The Future of Making,? we asked our contributors to tell us about why making is important and where it might lead us.
The Performance of High-Frequency Doppler Sonars in Actively Breaking Wave Crests

Breaking ocean waves influence wave dynamics, momentum transfer, air–sea exchange, ocean albedo, and ambient noise generation, all of which are impacted by the transient, two-phase flow in a whitecap. Lasting O(1s) or so, actively breaking whitecaps contain air fractions up to 0.6, bubbles ranging in size O(10–1000) $\mu\hbox{m}$ and turbulent dissipation rates O(1) W $\cdot \hbox{kg}^{ - 1}$ . Strong fluid turbulence, high air fractions, large bubbles, and short duration make active whitecaps a challenging process to study. This paper presents a model for the performance of high-frequency Doppler sonar (0.5–2 MHz) when used to probe the interior of actively breaking whitecaps. The results suggest that the ability of high-frequency sonars to penetrate the interior of bubble plumes in whitecaps becomes limited for air fractions greater than 0.03–0.06 and plumes become completely impenetrable for air fractions greater than 0.08–0.17. This severely limits their usefulness as a tool to probe the interior of breaking waves. Moreover, the bias introduced by the terminal rise velocity of large bubbles interacting with fluid turbulence within the wave crest will need to be accounted for when interpreting any backscatter signals that are returned from the plume interior. At this time, in situ methods such as optical fiber probes, conductivity cells, and cameras remain the best option for field studies of the interior of breaking oceanic waves.
Efficacy and safety of linezolid in treatment of 26 children with severe gram-positive coccobacterial infections

AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of linezolid in the treatment of children with gram-positive coccobacterial infections.METHODS Twenty-six children from PICU with severe gram-positive bacterial infections were enrolled in the study from January 2008 to January 2009,of which 16 were male and 10 were female in the age range from 4 month to 12 years old.After failure of initial antibiotic therapy or cultured gram-positive bacteria,the children were administered with linezolid 10 mg·kg-1,q 8 h,iv,gtt.The mean duration of linezolid was(13 ± s 6) days with a range of 7-14 days,and the longest was 21 days.The changes of symptom and sign were observed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of linezolid.Blood routine,routine biochemical tests,C-reactive protein(CRP) ,hepatic and renal function were tested before and after treatment.RESULTS The overall success rate was 88%(23 /26) .Of these,20 patients(77%) were clinical cured and3 patients(11%) were markedly effective.Therapy failed in 3 patients.Of these,2 patients(8%) discharged due to improvement and 1 patients(4%) discharged due to exacerbation.Overall bacterial eradication rate was 96%.White blood cell(WBC) ,CRP,aspartate aminotransferase(AST) ,alanine aminot-ransferase(ALT) improved significantly(P 0.05) .Urea nitrogen(BUN) and creatinine(Cr) showed no significant difference before and after treatment(P 0.05) .Diarrhea occurred in 6 patients,the incidence rate of was 23%,and no other severe adverse events.CONCLUSION Linezolid is effective and safe in the treatment of children with severe gram-positive coccobacterial infections.
INFLUENCE OF THE PIPE INCLINED ANGLES ON THE EXISTING REGION OF THE STRATIFIED FLOW IN GAS-LIQUID COMBINED PIPELINES

To provide the theoretical basis for practical production and the design of two phase separators, this paper simulated the existing region of the stratified flow under different pipe inclined angles and the inclined angle of maximum region for stratified flow in the pipeline operation conditions was presented. The stable criterion for the stratified flow interface was derived from Kelvin Helmholtz instability theory, and the transition from stratified flow to annual flow presented by Barnea was adopted in the present papers. The results show that: the stratified flow in the upward pipelines almost did not exist; with the angle under the downward pipeline increasing, the existing region for stratified flows gradually increased, and quickly decreased after exceeding the maximum region, and even disappeared; The optimal separating efficiency can be obtained when the inlet inclined angle of two phase separators is about -30 degree.
A Tale of Two Tests (and of Two Examinees)

It is widely accepted dogma that consequential decisions are better made with multiple measures, because using but a single one is thought more likely to be laden with biases and errors that can be better controlled with a wider source of evidence for making judgments. Unfortunately, advocates of using multiple measures too rarely provide detailed directions of exactly how to use them. In this article, we describe one source of problems with multiple measures and lay out a strategy for finding solutions.