cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-trivial behavior of palladium(II) acetate.

Reaction of activated palladium metal with a HNO3/acetic acid mixture produces both orange Pd3(OAc)6, 1, and purple Pd3(OAc)5(NO2), 2. Compound 2 has a trinuclear structure derived from that of the well-known triangular complex 1 in which one acetate group has been replaced by a nitrite group which is bonded to one palladium atom by the nitrogen atom and to another Pd atom using one of the oxygen atoms. Highly pure 1 can be made by continuous removal of the nitric oxides from the reaction mixture using a flow of N2. 1H NMR spectra of solutions of 1 in CDCl3 and C6D6 show several signals of various intensities when a small amount of water is present in the deuterated solvents but only one signal when the solvents are thoroughly dried. These results are consistent with the occurrence of one or more hydrolysis processes when the solvents contain water and suggest that hypotheses about various [Pd(OAc)2]n aggregates that have previously been brought forward in the literature to explain the complexity of the spectrum of 1 are unnecessary, especially for nonpolar solvents. Compound 2 does not hydrolyze, and in wet or dried solvents shows a 1H NMR spectrum that consists of five equal-intensity signals due to the five nonequivalent acetate groups.
Static checking java with the Java Static Checker

This paper introduces a new open source static analysis tool, the Java Static Checker (JSC). Traditional static analysis tools examine Java code for fault instances considering specific code patterns. JSC is novel in that it examines Java code for potential fault classes based on propagating values and examining fault classes. In this paper, we use the tool to examine programs for potential null pointer dereferences. We empirically evaluate JSC and two other open source tools, Jlint and FindBugs, on a multiple programs. The results show that JSC finds more null pointer dereferences than the other tools.
The cultural grounding of personal relationship: enemyship in North American and West African worlds.

This study considers how different constructions of self and social reality influence the experience of relationship. Reflecting the relational interdependence of West African worlds, the authors hypothesized and observed that Ghanaian participants were significantly more likely than U.S.A. participants (ns ¼ 50 each) to advocate caution toward friends and to emphasize practical assistance in friendship. Reflecting the atomistic independence of North American worlds, the authors hypothesized and observed that U.S.A. participants were significantly more likely than Ghanaian participants to indicate a large friendship network; to emphasize companionship, particularly relative to Ghanaian women; and to emphasize emotional support, particularly relative to Ghanaian nonstudents. Results suggest that friendship is not a universal form; instead, it takes different forms in different cultural worlds.
Characterization of three mycobacterial DinB (DNA polymerase IV) paralogs highlights DinB2 as naturally adept at ribonucleotide incorporation

This study unveils Mycobacterium smegmatis DinB2 as the founder of a clade of Y-family DNA polymerase that is naturally adept at incorporating ribonucleotides by virtue of a leucine in lieu of a canonical aromatic steric gate. DinB2 efficiently scavenges limiting dNTP and rNTP substrates in the presence of manganese. DinB2's sugar selectivity factor, gauged by rates of manganese-dependent dNMP versus rNMP addition, is 2.7- to 3.8-fold. DinB2 embeds ribonucleotides during DNA synthesis when rCTP and dCTP are at equimolar concentration. DinB2 can incorporate at least 16 consecutive ribonucleotides. In magnesium, DinB2 has a 26- to 78-fold lower affinity for rNTPs than dNTPs, but only a 2.6- to 6-fold differential in rates of deoxy versus ribo addition (kpol). Two other M. smegmatis Y-family polymerases, DinB1 and DinB3, are characterized here as template-dependent DNA polymerases that discriminate strongly against ribonucleotides, a property that, in the case of DinB1, correlates with its aromatic steric gate side chain. We speculate that the unique ability of DinB2 to utilize rNTPs might allow for DNA repair with a ‘ribo patch’ when dNTPs are limiting. Phylogenetic analysis reveals DinB2-like polymerases, with leucine, isoleucine or valine steric gates, in many taxa of the phylum Actinobacteria.
Treatment of postoperative residual hepatolithiasis after progressive sleeting of associated bile duct strictures through the T-tube tract

Purpose: The authors report their experience with the treatment of intrahepatic bile duct strictures associated with hepatolithiasis. Methods: Eighty patients had multiple postoperative retained intrahepatic duct stones trapped behind intrahepatic biliary strictures. Before stone extraction, the strictures were opened gradually by semirigid dilators, followed by stent placement to create enough patency for stone removal. All procedures were carried out through the T-tube tracts and were aided by cholangioscopy and electrohydraulic lithotripsy. Results: Complete clearance of stones was achieved in 69 patients. Failure to dilate the strictures was due to acute and multiple ductal angulations. These included the right posterior inferior intrahepatic duct at its junction with the left intrahepatic ducts when it was more than 2 cm distal to the hepatic bifurcation, when the angle between the T-tube tract and the common bile duct was smaller than 90°, and when stones were located in peripheral intrahepatic ducts with more than five angulations. Conclusion: This technique is considered safe and effective for complicated hepatolithiasis with intrahepatic biliary strictures
A review of robustness of selection procedures

The robustness of selection procedures against deviations from model assumptions is an important aspect. Although moderate investigations have been made in the past in this regard, recent years have witnessed a renewed and growing interest. As a framework for further investigations, a review of significant results on robustness of selection procedures is given.
Synthesis and Polymerization of New Multifunctional Pyrrolidinone Methacrylate Monomers

Abstract Methacrylate monomers have been widely used in medical and dental applications such as bone cements, dental fillings, bioadhesives, and hydrogels. One major problem of these monomers resides in their low rates of polymerization leading to leaching problems that cause irritation of the surrounding tissues and even cell death. Here we describe the synthesis and polymerization of new mono-methacrylates containing multifunctional pyrrolidinone moieties. Such monomers possess stronger inherent hydrogen bonding potential susceptible to increase their reactivity and polymerization rates. These monomers were shown to homopolymerize rapidly leading to crosslinked polymers. The corresponding rates of polymerization were found to be comparable to difunctional methacrylates such as hexanediol dimethacrylate. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions involving the pyrrolidinone unit leads these monomers to behave as “pseudo” difunctional monomers upon homopolymerization.
Comparison of nondominant and dominant hand performances on the Wechsler Memory Scale–Fourth Edition Visual Reproduction subtest copy and memory components

Using both clinical and nonclinical samples, we investigated the effects of nondominant hand completion of copy and memory components on the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) Visual Reproduction (VR) subtest. Part I of the study revealed statistically significant intermanual differences on the copy component, though discrepancies were not clinically meaningful. Part II showed similar memory scores between the group who used their nondominant hand and the group who used their dominant hand. Findings suggest that when a standard administration is precluded, it is reasonable to use the nondominant hand to complete the VR subtest and to make use of the WMS-IV norms for interpretation.
Hydrogen Sulfide, a Direct and Potentially Indirect Contributor to Cooked Chicken Aroma

SUMMARY: The 35 parts per billion (ppb) H2S in freshly prepared broth and the 180 to 730 ppb H2S in meat of freshly simmered, roasted and fried chicken all substantially exceed the 10 ppb H2S odor threshold in water. Hence, HeS contributes directly to the aroma of these products. Freezing, thawing and reheating can reduce the H2S in broth to subthreshold levels thus indicating the transient nature of its direct contribution to aroma. In a model system, H2S was passed through molten chicken fat containing 5% acetaldehyde. After expulsion of excess H2S and acetaldehyde the residual highly odorous fat exhibited a fixed sulfur content. These exploratory results, together with related results reported in the literature, suggest that a reaction beween HIS and acetaldehyde was involved and that such interactions between H2S and carbonyls in fat could be quite general. Thus H2S mav also contribute to cooked chicken flavor and aroma through the formation of such secondary products.
Ultrasonic Signal Characteristics for Nondestructive-Yield Detection in Steel Structures

Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for identifying stress levels in materials mostly rely on the theory of acoustoelasticity. However, the sensitivity and the accuracy of acoustoelasticity are affected by several factors such as the (1) type, (2) propagation, and (3) polarization directions of the used signals. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of longitudinal waves propagating perpendicular to the applied uniaxial tensile stresses in structural steel specimens. The changes in four ultrasonic signal characteristics were investigated with increasing stress levels ranging from below to above the yield stress of steel. The considered signal characteristics were the peak amplitudes and signal energy in the time domain, and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and chirp-Z transform (CZT) in the frequency domain. Even though the acoustoelastic effect on the type ultrasonic signal used is very small, clear distinctions between prior to and postyielding are observed for all investigated parameters. The results are presented with a detailed statistical and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) analyses. The results show that identifying damage to steel structures due to local yielding is possible using the simple ultrasonic signal classification.
A Comparison of Virtual Condition Cylinder Evaluation Methods in Coordinate Metrology

When a cylindrical datum feature is specified at maximum material condition (MMC) or least material condition (LMC) a unique circumstance arises: a virtual condition (VC) cylindrical boundary must be defined [1]. The geometric relationship between a cylindrical point cloud obtained from inspection equipment and a VC cylinder has not been specifically addressed in previous research. In this research, novel approaches to this geometric analysis are presented, analyzed, and validated. Two of the proposed methods are new interpretations of established methods applied to this unique geometric circumstance: least squares and the maximum inscribing cylinder (MIC) or minimum circumscribing cylinder (MCC). The third method, the Hull Normal method, is a novel approach specifically developed to address the VC cylinder problem. Each of the proposed methods utilizes a different amount of sampled data, leading to various levels of sensitivity to sample size and error. The three methods were applied to different cylindrical forms, utilizing various sampling techniques and sample sizes. Trends across sample size were analyzed to assess the variation in axial orientation when compared to the true geometric form, and a relevant case study explores the applicability of these methods in real world applications.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Fabrication and characterization of gain guided, index anti-guided planar waveguide laser resonator

Gain-guided and index anti-guided waveguides hold great promise to increase laser output power while maintaining single mode operation. Although lasing in GG-IAG fibers was demonstrated, slope efficiency is poor and output power is low. This work presents the first, to the best of our knowledge, lasing characteristics of a diode-pumped GG-IAG planar waveguide in a plano-plano resonator configuration. The laser waveguide is fabricated using 1% doped Nd:YAG core with diffusion bonded TGG claddings. With continuous-wave pumping, 8.5% slope efficiency is demonstrated and an output power of 1.5W achieved, the highest power reported so far from a GG-IAG waveguide laser. Under such pumping condition, however, thermal lensing is shown to override gain guiding and mode narrowing is observed.
Determination of Clorsulon Residues in Milk Using a Solid-Phase Extraction Cleanup and Liquid Chromatographic Determination

Abstract A method for the isolation and liquid chromatographic determination of the antiparasitic drug clorsulon in milk is presented. Milk samples are deproteinized and the supernatant is purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The purified extracts are quantified by HPLC analysis with UV detection. The overall recovery of clorsulon from 30 control milk samples spiked at 25-200 ppb was 77.0% (C. V.=5.3%). This method, a liquid-liquid extraction method, and a matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) method for the determination of clorsulon in milk gave comparable values for milk samples with incurred clorsulon residues. However, the SPE method uses less solvent and is more rapid than the liquid-liquid extraction method and is more sensitive than the MSPD method.
Response of L1210 to combinations of cytosine arabinoside and VM-26 or VP16-213.

Abstract Each of two promising new oncolytic drugs, 4′demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9 -( 4,6 - O -2-thenylidene-β- d -glucopyranoside) (VM- 26 ) and 4′-demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9 -( 4,6 - O -ethylidene-β- d -glucopyranoside) (VP 16–213 ), was administered simultaneously with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) to BDF 1 mice inoculated i.p. with L 1210 ascites tumor cells. The therapeutic effectiveness of these drug combinations and the interdrug relationships contributing to the observed responses were evaluated. Sixteen combinations of VM- 26 and Ara-C produced cures in eight treatment groups and, for mice that died with tumor, survival was extended 6·42 to 20·39 days (88–280%) over controls. Similarly, combinations of VP 16–213 and Ara-C produced cures in 10 of 16 treatment groups and mice that died with tumor lived 7·12–21·72 days (98–298%) longer than controls. None of the drugs given singly on the same schedule cured mice or extended mean survival beyond controls by more than 9·62 days (132%) . Responses obtained with combinations of VM- 26 and Ara-C were qualitatively similar to those obtained with combinations of VP 16–213 and Ara-C. Simultaneous administration of Ara-C, while extending survival, neither antagonized nor potentiated the response to VM- 26 or VP 16–213 . Conversely, each podophyllum potentiated the response to Ara-C. Each 100 -mg/kg increase in Ara-C extended survival by 0·6 days when the drug was administered alone, by 1·3 days when given with VM- 26 , and by 1·4 days when given with VP 16–213 . Dosage interactions between Ara-C and either podophyllum were not statistically significant. Thus, within the employed limits of dosage, small quantities of podophyllum were as effective as larger quantities in potentiating the response to Ara-C. When comparably effective levels of Ara-C and VM- 26 or VP 16–213 were combined, variation in Ara-C dosage accounted for approximately two-thirds of the treatment-related variation in survival. Inasmuch as survival increased as a function of increasing Ara-C dosage, this observation emphasizes the importance of high Ara-C dosage to the success of treatment with combinations of Ara-C and the epipodophyllotoxins, VM- 26 and VP 16–213 .
Tight blood pressure control and cardiovascular outcomes among hypertensive patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Context Hypertension guidelines advocate treating systolic blood pressure (BP) to less than 130 mm Hg for patients with diabetes mellitus; however, data are lacking for the growing population who also have coronary artery disease (CAD). Objective To determine the association of systolic BP control achieved and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in a cohort of patients with diabetes and CAD. Design, Setting, and Patients Observational subgroup analysis of 6400 of the 22 576 participants in the International Verapamil SR-Trandolapril Study (INVEST). For this analysis, participants were at least 50 years old and had diabetes and CAD. Participants were recruited between September 1997 and December 2000 from 862 sites in 14 countries and were followed up through March 2003 with an extended follow-up through August 2008 through the National Death Index for US participants. Intervention Patients received first-line treatment of either a calcium antagonist or β-blocker followed by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a diuretic, or both to achieve systolic BP of less than 130 and diastolic BP of less than 85 mm Hg. Patients were categorized as having tight control if they could maintain their systolic BP at less than 130 mm Hg; usual control if it ranged from 130 mm Hg to less than 140 mm Hg; and uncontrolled if it was 140 mm Hg or higher. Main Outcome Measures Adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including the primary outcomes which was the first occurrence of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. Results During 16 893 patient-years of follow-up, 286 patients (12.7%) who maintained tight control, 249 (12.6%) who had usual control, and 431 (19.8%) who had uncontrolled systolic BP experienced a primary outcome event. Patients in the usual-control group had a cardiovascular event rate of 12.6% vs a 19.8% event rate for those in the uncontrolled group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-1.71; P Conclusion Tight control of systolic BP among patients with diabetes and CAD was not associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes compared with usual control. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00133692
Otter's Method and the Homology of Homeomorphically Irreduciblek-Trees

Let T(k)ndenote the collection of trees withnk+2 labelled leaves which have the property that every internal node has degreemk+2 for somem?1. Partially order the elements of T(k)nby definingT?SifTcan be obtained fromSby contracting some collection of internal edges. Then T(k)nis a Cohen?Macaulay poset with an action ofSnk+2. We show that the top homology of T(k)nas anSnk+2-module isformula]whereLie(k)Nis the action ofSNon the 1N-homogeneous piece of the free Liek-algebra. This generalizes the result obtained by Sarah Whitehouse W] in the casek=1.
Human occludin is a hepatitis C virus entry factor required for infection of mouse cells

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. The development of much needed specific antiviral therapies and an effective vaccine has been hampered by the lack of a convenient small animal model. The determinants restricting HCV tropism to human and chimpanzee hosts are unknown. Replication of the viral RNA has been demonstrated in mouse cells, but these cells are not infectable with either lentiviral particles bearing HCV glycoproteins (HCVpp) or HCV produced in cell culture (HCVcc) (A.P., M.E. and C.M.R., unpublished observations), suggesting that there is a block at the level of entry. Here we show, using an iterative complementary DNA library screening approach, that human occludin (OCLN) is an essential HCV cell entry factor that is able to render murine cells infectable with HCVpp. Similarly, OCLN is required for the HCV-susceptibility of human cells, because its overexpression in uninfectable cells specifically enhanced HCVpp uptake, whereas its silencing in permissive cells impaired both HCVpp and HCVcc infection. In addition to OCLN, HCVpp infection of murine cells required expression of the previously identified HCV entry factors CD81 (ref. 4), scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI, also known as SCARB1) and claudin-1 (CLDN1). Although the mouse versions of SR-BI and CLDN1 function at least as well as the human proteins in promoting HCV entry, both OCLN and CD81 must be of human origin to allow efficient infection. The species-specific determinants of OCLN were mapped to its second extracellular loop. The identification of OCLN as a new HCV entry factor further highlights the importance of the tight junction complex in the viral entry process, and provides an important advance towards efforts to develop small animal models for HCV.
Majors of geometric strong maps

Most of the constructions in the theory of combinatorial geometries take place in the category of pregeometries and strong maps. In this present paper, we study these constructions and the structure of pregeometries by factoring strong maps into elementary maps, after the work of Dowling and Kelly. Using the modular cuts of the factorization to determine certain single-element extensions, we associate each factorization @F to a unique labeled pregeometry, called the major of @F. Every major of a factorization of a strong map f:H->G has H and G as distinguished minors: H as a subgeometry; G as a contraction. A partial order is defined on the set of all factorizations of f, , and a compatible partial order is defined on the set of all majors of f, . The map @F : -> is shown to be an increasing surjection, while the map Y : -> is shown to be an increasing injection. The composition @F @? Y is shown to be the identity on , while Y @? @F is a decreasing map on , defining a co-closure on majors. The partial order on , although seemingly more restrictive than necessary, is shown to be necessary to reflect the order on factorizations. Special consideration is given the zero element of , called the Higgs factorization of f, which is constructed using the lift construction of Higgs. We explore the connection between the majors of this theory and a particular major constructed by Higgs, and show that this Higgs major is the major of the Higgs factorization. As the unique smallest major of any strong map, the Higgs major thus defines a unary operator on pregeometries: Y(G) is the Higgs major of f : ->G.
Simulation of LOX reorientation using magnetic positive positioning

A combination of both experimental and computational simulation results have recently provided strong evidence that magnetic positioning may be a feasible alternative technology for managing cryogenic propellants onboard spacecraft. One prerequisite in the assessment of magnetic propellant management is the ability of predicting propellant reorientation in full-scale propellant tanks. A computational simulation is used to model magnetically induced liquid oxygen (LOX) flows in reduced gravity. Simulations of magnetic positive positioning of LOX are presented and the influence of the magnetic field and background acceleration on reorientation timing is explored. A dimensionless reorientation time is sought to compliment the magnetic Bond number and Bond number as an additional predictive correlating parameter for scaling this process. Evidence is provided that supports the continued use of these correlating parameters to predict the magnetic fields required to reorient cryogenic propellants in full-scale spacecraft tanks. Further, this study supports the conclusion that magnetic positive positioning appears to be a viable emerging technology for cryogenic propellant management systems that merits further computational investigation and space-based experimentation to establish the technology base required for future spacecraft design.
Host Plant Effects on Entomopathogenic Nematodes

We conducted assays to determine the effects of host plant and a plant secondary metabolite, cucurbitacin D, on the mortality of Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi from infection by entomopathogenic nematodes and on nematode progeny production. Rootworms were produced on corn, peanut, and two squash varieties, one containing cucurbitacin D and the other lacking this secondary metabolite. Rootworms were exposed to the NC, HP88, and Lewiston strains of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and the All, Mexican, and Agriotos strains of Steinernema carpocapsae. The plant on which the rootworms had fed significantly affected rootworm mortality and nematode progeny production. In general, rootworms which had fed on corn suffered significantly lower mortality than those reared on peanuts or either of the squash varieties. Rootworms that had fed on the squash varieties suffered greatest mortality. Nematode progeny production was highest from rootworms that had fed on corn, lower for peanut, and lowest on squash. Progeny production from rootworms that had fed on bitter squash was lower than from nonbitter squash for all nematode strains tested. Possible effects of cucurbitacins and plant primary metabolites on rootworms and entomopathogenic nematodes are discussed.
Ingestion of spinosad bait GF-120 and resulting impact on adult Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Abstract The spinosad bait spray GF-120 Naturalyte F® (Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN, USA) is widely used in commercial olives in California. Because of concern about its non-target effects on beneficial insects, we studied its impact on feeding behavior, mortality, and reproductive parameters of adult green lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), under laboratory conditions. Male and female feeding rate and quantity, and subsequent mortality, were compared over a 5-day period following a 24-h exposure to honey, GF-120, or the bait component (without spinosad) in two-choice and no-choice assays. All treatments were ingested equally when offered alone. Spinosad did not impart repellency or preference to GF-120 relative to the bait. Honey was preferred in choice tests with GF-120 or bait. Significant mortality occurred when GF-120 was offered alone, but was not significant when it was offered in choice with honey or bait. In a separate assay of female longevity and reproduction, mortality rate as...
Energy Requirements for Relaxation from Tonic Contractions (`Catch') in an Invertebrate Muscle

THE anterior byssus retractor muscle (ABRM) of the edible mussel, Mytilus edulis, responds to pulses of alternating current with a rapid phasic contraction. Stimulation with direct current or acetyl choline produces a prolonged tonic contraction or ‘catch’1, and a rapid relaxation from this catch follows the addition of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin)2.
Silver films condensed at 300 and 90 K: Scanning tunneling microscopy of their surface topography.

Scanning tunneling microscopy shows that warm-condensed Ag films consist of a gently rolling surface topography with compact boundary regions. In contrast, cold-condensed films retain structure on the nanometer scale after annealing to room temperature: These intercrystallite channels or trenches show a strong similarity in width (1-3 nm), separation (5-15 nm), and possibly depth [3-(g4.5) nm] to the surface topographic models for surface-enhanced-Raman-scattering activated films. This suggests that postannealing does not imply the annihilation of channels, also termed "pores" or "cavities," postulated by some current models.
Communications in Severe Low-Frequency Noise: An Investigation of Microphone Type and Speech Level on Intelligibility and Attenuation

Severe (114 dBA) low-frequency-biased noise, characteristic of military tracked vehicles, was used to examine the speech intelligibility and cognitive effects of at-ear noise reductions provided by contrasting microphone technologies. Using two communications microphones (hereafter, “CommMicl and CommMic2”) intended for U.S. Army tank crew members, participants underwent Modified Rhyme intelligibility tests and Complex Cognitive Assessment Battery (CCAB) tests simultaneously in the noise environment while immersed in loading tasks. Results indicated that CommMic2 reduced the noise level at the ear by about 2 dB more than CommMicl. However, CommMicl yielded significantly better speech intelligibility at a 96 dB speech level. CCAB performance showed an increasing trend with higher speech levels for both communication microphones, but only significantly so for CommMicl. Speech level and communication microphone type did not have an effect on perceived mental workload.
Treatment with the Iron Chelator, Deferoxamine Mesylate, Alters Serum Markers of Oxidative Stress in Stroke Patients

The iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate (DFO), has shown neuroprotective effects, mediated via suppression of iron-induced hydroxyl radical formation, in various animal models of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether DFO can exert similar actions in stroke patients, by examining the effects of treatment with DFO on biological markers of oxidative stress, namely serum total hydroperoxides and lipoperoxides and total radical trapping antioxidant capacity (TRAP), in stroke patients. We found that serum levels of peroxides were reduced, and TRAP levels increased after a 3-day treatment with DFO (500 mg). These findings provide a preliminary proof of concept that DFO can exert potential antioxidant neuroprotective effects in stroke patients. Future, larger-scale, randomized, and controlled studies to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of DFO in patients with stroke are warranted.
Digital etching of III-N materials using a two-step Ar/KOH technique

A two-step digital etch technique, based on an argon plasma exposure followed by a 0.2 M boiling KOH surface treatment, is shown to be effective for etching III-N materials. Etching takes place as a result of the fact that damaged nitride material, whose depth can be controlled by the argon reactive ion etching (RIE) plasma, is susceptible to removal in heated solutions of KOH, which has been demonstrated for GaN, AlGaN, and InGaN. The process is shown to be highly linear across a number of digital etch cycles and capable of producing smooth surface morphologies.
REDUCTION BY NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET (334 nm) LIGHT OF E. COLI CAPACITY FOR PHAGE GROWTH DEPENDS UPON THE rel GENE AND 4-THIOURIDINE

Abstract— Near-ultraviolet radiation (near UV; 300–380 nm) has long been known to produce a transient reduction of the capacity of bacteria to support phage growth. The present work shows that, at high fluenœs (40–100 kJ/m2), 85% of 334-nm-induced reduction of capacity in Escherichia coli B/r requires the rel gene; that is, it results from rel-gene activity caused by the near-UV treatment. This rel-gene activity leads to (1) a bacterial growth delay and concomitantly lowered bacterial metabolism, and (2) a parallel delay in phage development, with a considerable depression of burst size. We propose that the observed effects on phage development are a consequence primarily of the lowered bacterial metabolism, but they may also result partly from a direct inhibition of phage DNA synthesis by the rel gene product, these effects together leading to the observed reduction of capacity in a rel+ strain. The remaining 15% of capacity reduction, observed in a rel strain, has an unknown mechanism, but does appear to involve a delay in phage development. At least 95% of the total capacity reduction observed in the rel+ strain in the range 40–100 kJ/m2 requires the presence of 4-thiouridine, an unusual base in E. coli transfer RNA, which is presumably both the chromophore and the target for near-UV-induced capacity reduction.
Ben & Jerry's: A case study in Catholic Social Teaching?

For more than a century, Popes have spoken to the issue of proper treatment of employees. Through several encyclicals, they have collectively constructed a framework that offers specific guidance for the management of human resources. Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. is a successful producer of super-premium ice cream. Although it in no way professes to practice Catholic Social Teaching in its management, the parallels between its approach and the Catholic model are striking. This article explores those parallels to contemplate to what extent an organization can realistically implement Catholic Social Teaching in a competitive environment.
Evidence for a Growth-Stabilizing Regulatory Feedback Mechanism between Myc and Yorkie, the Drosophila Homolog of Yap

An understanding of how animal size is controlled requires knowledge of how positive and negative growth regulatory signals are balanced and integrated within cells. Here we demonstrate that the activities of the conserved growth-promoting transcription factor Myc and the tumor-suppressing Hippo pathway are codependent during growth of Drosophila imaginal discs. We find that Yorkie (Yki), the Drosophila homolog of the Hippo pathway transducer, Yap, regulates the transcription of Myc, and that Myc functions as a critical cellular growth effector of the pathway. We demonstrate that in turn, Myc regulates the expression of Yki as a function of its own cellular level, such that high levels of Myc repress Yki expression through both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. We propose that the codependent regulatory relationship functionally coordinates the cellular activities of Yki and Myc and provides a mechanism of growth control that regulates organ size and has broad implications for cancer.
Two-step sequential reactions for large activation energies

In this article large activation-energy asymptotics are employed to study one-dimensional, steady laminar flame propagation involving a sequential two-step reaction A → B → C. The response of the system is presented in terms of a graph for the burning rate M as a function of the Damkohler numbers D1 and D2 of the two reactions. It is found that, in general, there exist two separated flames and the burning rate is controlled by the hotter reaction zone alone. Either reaction may occur first, depending upon the relative magnitudes of the Damkohler numbers and the activation energies. Under appropriate conditions the two flames may either merge, when both reactions are rate-controlling, or spread far apart, when the cooler reaction alone controls.
Bats as 'special' reservoirs for emerging zoonotic pathogens.

The ongoing West African Ebola epidemic highlights a recurring trend in the zoonotic emergence of virulent pathogens likely to come from bat reservoirs that has caused epidemiologists to ask ‘Are bats special reservoirs for emerging zoonotic pathogens?’ We collate evidence from the past decade to delineate mitochondrial mechanisms of bat physiology that have evolved to mitigate oxidative stress incurred during metabolically costly activities such as flight. We further describe how such mechanisms might have generated pleiotropic effects responsible for tumor mitigation and pathogen control in bat hosts. These synergisms may enable ‘special’ tolerance of intracellular pathogens in bat hosts; paradoxically, this may leave them more susceptible to immunopathological morbidity when attempting to clear extracellular infections such as ‘white-nose syndrome’ (WNS).
Acetylmethadol versus methadone: human mood and motility.

Outpatients receiving daily methadone-maintenance treatment were crossed over to alternating-day doses of l-alpha-acetylmethadol, receiving placebo on between-dose days. Spontaneous motility was dramatically higher on acetylmethadol dose days than on placebo days; activity on methadone days was intermediate between these extremes. Patients reported less vigor, more fatigue, and fewer ejaculations on placebo days than on acetylmethadol days, and patients' mood while on this drug was slightly euphoric in comparison to methadone. These effects are subtle, but such drug-induced variations in day-to-day behavior might adversely affect social interactions.
Glance: enabling rapid interactions with data using the crowd

Behavioral coding is a common technique in the social sciences and human computer interaction for extracting meaning from video data [3]. Since computer vision cannot yet reliably interpret human actions and emotions, video coding remains a time-consuming manual process done by a small team of researchers. We present Glance, a tool that allows researchers to rapidly analyze video datasets for behavioral events that are difficult to detect automatically. Glance uses the crowd to interpret natural language queries, and then aggregates and summarizes the content of the video. We show that Glance can accurately code events in video in a fraction of the time it would take a single person. We also investigate speed improvements made possible by recruiting large crowds, showing that Glance is able to code 80% of an hour-long video in just 5 minutes. Rapid coding allows participants to have a "conversation with their data" to rapidly develop and refine research hypotheses in ways not previously possible.
Separation of lithium, sodium and potassium present as sulphates and citrates by means of paper chromatography

The technique of paper chromatography has been applied for the separation of the alkali metals present as sulphates and citiateh. The sulphates are made visible on the chromatogram by spraying the paper at first with barium chloride in 70% alcohol and then with Na-rhodizonate solution. The sulphate spots appear as yellow on reddish background by spraying the paper with an alcoholic solution of bromophenol blue made slightly acid with citric acid. There are different optimum proportions of water in its mixture with methanol, ethanol and acetone for the separation of the metals. These optimum proportions depend also on the nature of the salts used. The significance of the nonaqucous component of the mixture used for developing is briefly discussed.
Constellation design in noncoherent massive SIMO systems

An uplink system with a single antenna transmitter and a single receiver with a large number of antennas is considered. For this system we propose an average energy-detection-based one-shot noncoherent communication scheme which does not use the instantaneous channel state information at either the transmitter or the receiver. We provide a constellation design that is asymptotically optimal in terms of achievable error exponent (in the number of receiver antennas) with an increasing constellation size. We also present numerical results on how this design performs in non-asymptotic regimes. Since the channel statistics may not be precisely known, we present a robust constellation design scheme which takes into account possible uncertainty in the large scale statistics and compare numerically its performance with the constellation design assuming perfect knowledge of channel and noise statistics. In terms of achievable symbol error rates, the robust constellation design is shown to perform almost as well as the scheme designed with perfectly known statistics despite mismatch in the channel statistics.
Partial miscibility of poly(butylene terephthalate)/BPA polycarbonate melt blends

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements have been carried out on a number of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/BPA polycarbonate (PC) blends prepared by melt compounding and solution casting from hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP). The results clearly indicate that appreciable mixing of the two polymers takes place in the melt phase whereas complete separation is observed in cast films. The failure of the casting procedure to mimic the melt blending results is related in part to liquid-liquid phase separation and to crystallization of both polymers from the casting solvent.
Increased response of asthmatic subjects to methacholine after influenza vaccine

Abstract The purpose of this study was to obtain evidence clarifying the mechanism whereby acute respiratory infections provoke asthma. On the day following an injection of killed influenza virus vaccine, nine of ten patients with asthma, but none of ten normal subjects, had a significant increase in the airway obstruction produced by a standard aerosol dose of methacholine. The vaccine alone produced no airway obstruction and there was no evidence of atopic allergy to the virus. The most likely explanation for the obscrved results was considered to be an endotoxin-like "toxic" effect of the vaccine.
Global view of nonlinear dynamics in coupled-cavity lasers a bifurcation study

Abstract This paper investigates nonlinear behavior of coupled lasers. Composite-cavity-mode approach and a class-B description of the active medium are used to describe nonlinearities associated with population dynamics and optical coupling. The multimode equations are studied using bifurcation analysis to identify regions of stable locking, periodic oscillations, and complicated dynamics in the parameter space of coupling-mirror transmission T and normalized cavity-length mismatch dL/λ. We further investigate the evolution of the key bifurcations with the linewidth enhancement factor α. In particular, our analysis reveals the formation of a gap in the lockband that is gradually occupied by instabilities. We also investigate effects of the cavity-length on chaotic dynamics.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY - RESPONSE TO HUMAN INFLUENCE

Global atmospheric chemistry is surveyed, and the agreement of models with observed distribution of gases is considered. The influence of human perturbations due to combustion, agriculture, and chloro-carbon releases is examined with emphasis on ozone. Effects of combustion-related releases of CO on the abundances of other gases as well as possible effects of CO on tropospheric ozone are discussed. Other topics include the contribution of the chlorocarbon industry to stratospheric chloride and the recombination of nitrogen fixed by agriculture and combustion.
Learning from the codes of the academic disciplines

By looking across discipline-specific codes of ethics, we can identify similarities that translate into general principles and specific ethical teaching behaviors.
Terminal excitability of the corticostrial pathway. I. Regulation by dopamine receptor stimulation

Abstract Glutamatergic cortical and dopaminergic nigral afferents converge onto neurons of the neostriatum forming synapses in close proximity. Studies, mainly using pharmacological methods, suggest presynaptic interactions between these afferents. The influence of dopaminergic transmission on the cortical terminal fields in the striatum was assessed electrophysiologically using the terminal excitability method. Antidromic action potentials recorded from neurons in the prefrontal cortex were elicited by bipolar electrical stimulation (250 μm wire, 0.5 mm tip separation) of the cortical terminal field in the contralateral dorsomedial neostriatum. Threshold excitability was defined as the minimum current sufficient to elicit 95–100% antidromic response on non-collision trials. Under control conditions, the mean threshold current was 1.7 ± 0.2mA. Drugs were applied in a volume of 312 nl delivered over 5 min to the striatal stimulation site. Following local striatal administration of amphetamine (10 μM) or electrical stimulation of the nigrostriatal pathway (1–2 pulses, 1.5 mA/0.5 ms/1 Hz) an increase in striatal stimulating current was required in order to reinstate threshold levels of antidromic response. This decrease in the excitability of corticostriatal afferents cpuld be reversed by local infusion of haloperidol (1 μM) or l -sulpiride (10 nM) and did not occur following depletion of dopamine stores with α-methylparatyrosine and reserpine. The possible participation of postsynaptic dopamine receptor stimulation was ruled out as these effects were still seen in animals with kainic acid induced lesions of the striatum. In addition, terminal excitability was not modified by the muscarinic agonist carbachol (10 μM). Striatal administration of apomorphine (10 μM) decreased terminal excitability similar to amphetamine. The specific D-2 agonist, quinpirole (10–20 μM) did not affect excitability. These results indicate that manipulations which have been shown to increase the release of endogenous dopamine decrease the excitability of prefrontal corticostriatal afferents by stimulation of presynaptic dopamine receptors which are insensitive to low doses of quinpirole but sensitive to l -sulpiride and apomorphine. The mechanisms underlying dopamine-induced changes in terminal excitability are likely to be similar to those which have been shown to alter conductance at postsynaptic sites.
Empirical Models for Lake Acidification in the Upper Great Lakes Region

A large data base on inland lakes in the Upper Great Lakes Region (UGLR) was used to evaluate assumptions and relationships of empirical acidification models. Improved methods to calculate background alkalinity and background SO4 2- are reported; SO4 2- enrichment factors indicate that terrestrial SO4 2- sources and watershed or lake sinks must be considered for site-specific backgound SO4 2- estimates. Significant relationships were found between lake acidification estimated as change in SO4 2- and precipitation acidity but not between changes in lake alkalinity and precipitation acidity in this lightly impacted region.
Agomelatine Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Objective:To review the efficacy, safety, pharmacologic, and pharmacokinetic data of agomelatine to better understand its potential role in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder.Data:A MEDLINE search (1966–October 2008) was conducted using the following terms: agomelatine, antidepressant, S20098, melatonin, serotonin, 5-HT2C, MT, efficacy, safety, adverse effect, pharmacology, pharmacokinetic, receptor binding, depression, major depressive disorder, and mood disorder.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles in English identified from the data sources were evaluated. Randomized, controlled trials involving humans were prioritized in the review. The references of published articles identified in the initial search process were also examined for any additional studies appropriate for the review.Data Synthesis:Agomelatine, a potent agonist at type 1 and 2 melatonin receptors, selectively inhibits serotonin. It is extensively metabolized via cytochrome P450 isoenyzmes 1A1, 1A2, and 2...
Analysis of hemF Gene Function and Expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1

The hemF gene of Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 is predicted to code for an oxygen-dependent coproporphyrinogen III oxidase. We found that a HemF- mutant strain is unable to grow under aerobic conditions. We also determined that hemF expression is controlled by oxygen, which is mediated, at least in part, by the response regulatory protein PrrA.
Excitable front geometry in reaction-diffusion systems with anomalous dispersion

Two-dimensional excitable systems with anomalous dispersion provide a discrete set of interpulse distances for the stable propagation of planar wave trains. Numerical simulations show that the trailing front of a pulse pair can undergo transitions between these stable distances. In response to localized perturbations, the trailing front converges towards one of numerous, sigmoidal shapes. Their transition segments move at constant speeds and can collide and fuse with each other. A complementing kinematic analysis of the front dynamics yields a reaction-diffusion-like equation.