cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
METABOLITE PROFILES IN STARVED DIPOREIA SPP. USING LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY (LC-MS) BASED METABOLOMICS

The holarctic amphipod Diporeia spp. was historically the most abundant benthic macroinvertebrate in the offshore region of the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. However, since the 1990’s, the numbers of Diporeia have declined precipitously throughout the region. Competition for food with introduced dreissenid mussels may be partly to blame for this decline. Thus, a better understanding of how Diporeia responds and adjust to starvation is needed. For this purpose, we used liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) to study the metabolite profiles of Diporeia during starvation. Diporeia were collected from Lake Michigan, brought to the laboratory and starved for up to 60 days. During the starvation period, metabolite levels were determined at 12-day intervals and compared to those of day 0. Principal component and cluster analyses revealed differential abundance of metabolite profiles across groups. Significantly down-regulated metabolites included polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, and amino acids and their derivatives. Overall, starved organisms relied predominantly on glycerophospolipid metabolism and protein based catabolism for energy production. This research demonstrates that LC-MS based metabolomics can be used to assess physiological status and has shown that unique metabolite profiles are distinguishable over several weeks of starvation in this freshwater amphipod. More importantly, these unique metabolites could be used to gain insights into the underlying cause(s) of Diporeia’s decline in the Laurentian Great Lakes.
Analyzing the encoding range of amplitude-phase coupled spatial light modulators

Most spatial light modulators (SLMs) are limited in that they cannot produce arbitrary complex modulations. Because phase and amplitude are usually coupled, it is difficult to computer design appropriate modulation patterns fast enough for the real-time applications for which SLMs are suited. Dramatic computational speedups can be achieved by using encoding algorithms that directly translate desired complex values into values that the modulator can produce. For coherently illuminated SLMs in a Fourier transform arrangement, pseudorandom encoding can be used. Each SLM pixel is programmed in sequence by selecting a single value of pixel modulation from a random distribution having an average that is identical to the desired fully complex modulation. While the method approximates fairly arbitrary complex modulations, there are always some complex values that are outside the encoding range for each SLM coupling characteristic and for each specific pseudorandom algorithm. Using the binary random distribution leads to methods of evaluating and geometrically interpreting the encoding range. Evaluations are presented of achieving fully complex encoding with SLMs that produce less than 2? of phase shift, identifying an infinite set of encoding algorithms that encode the same value, identification of the maximum encoding range, and geometric interpretation of encoding errors.
TH‐E‐330A‐01: Computational Evaluation of Breast Geometry From Breast CT

Purpose: Estimation of breast skin thickness and breast shape using a radial‐geometry segmentation algorithm on breast CTimages.Method and Materials: Forty‐two breast imagedata sets were obtained from a prototype breast CT scanner, and were used to evaluate breast skin thickness and effective diameter. Patients were imaged at 80‐kVp using x‐ray tube currents (0.7 – 7.6 mA) depending on the patient's breast size. For each coronal breast image, the breast silhouette was segmented using a threshold value computed by a histogram‐based iterative algorithm. Breast area was also computed from the thresholded coronal images. A 360‐degree radial scan, originating at the center of mass of each breast CTimage and continuing to the image edge, produced a radial profile of breast tissue intensity as a function of angle. A derivative filter was used to identify the inner and outer breast skin layers. In order to accurately estimate breast skin thickness, a tangent‐finding algorithm was developed to correct the thickness measurement in non‐circular breast geometries. A standard‐deviation‐based iterative algorithm was also implemented to reduce noise in the skin thickness estimation. Results: Among 42 patients, breast skin thickness was determined to be between 1.50 – 1.55 mm. Plots of effective breast diameter as a function of posterior‐anterior position serve as a concise method for characterizing idealized 3D breast shape, and these parameterized curves are reported for breasts of different size classes based on the cup size metric. Conclusion: Breast CT acquisition techniques, combined with algorithms designed for determining specific breast metrics, were useful for classifying breast shape and skin thickness. Most breast dosimetry coefficients (DgN) are based on the assumption of a 4 mm skin thickness, and the thinner skin dimensions found in this study will likely have a small but significant influence (increase) on breast dosimetry in mammography.
Slow 514 nm absorption phases and oxygen exchange transients in Ulva.

Abstract 1. 1. The slow 514-nm spectral changes in Ulva were studied using bright continuous 650-nm light. Transient and steady-state absorption changes were compared with changes in net rate of O 2 exchange in a system designed to measure both parameters simultaneously. 2. 2. Time courses of the 514-nm absorption change show three phases following the onset of light: one rapid increase and two slower ( ≧ 1 s ) transient increases. Upon cessation of the light three transient absorption phases also follow: a rapid decrease and two slower (> 1 s) transient increases. Parallel transient phases (but opposite in sign) were found at 480 nm. 3. 3. The kinetics of the slow 514-nm absorption transients correlate with the characteristic induction transients in net O 2 exchange. 4. 4. Similar difference spectra and the restoration kinetics of the light-on and light -off transient phases indicate that the slow 514-nm absorption changes reflect the same component(s) and process(es). 5. 5. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the electrochromic hypothesis for the 515-nm absorption shift. We interpret the slow 514-nm absorption changes in Ulva as a reflection of relatively slow ionic readjustments across the photosynthetic membranes.
The importance of "high valence" events in a successful program for teaching geriatrics to medical students.

Abstract Virginia Commonwealth University developed an enhanced medical student geriattic curriculum that includes required home visits and nursing home visits for second year students (180 per year), an annual Forum on Aging for all first and second year students, and small group exercises. We added 30 hours of basic science material to pre-clinical courses and increased clinical exposure to geriatricians in third and fourth years. Student satisfaction with individual experiences was high. Persistent effects of “high valence” required activities, where emotion played a role, was shown by post-pre survey techniques and focus groups. Fourth year AAMC exit questionnaire items in areas addressed by this curriculum improved markedly between 2002 and 2006, while an internal control changed much less.
Adenosine induces apoptosis by inhibiting mRNA and protein synthesis in chick embryonic sympathetic neurons

Our previous work has established that adenosine is toxic to chick embryonic sympathetic neurons and kills freshly plated neurons by a process of apoptosis. Although the exact mechanism remains unknown, we found that phosphorylation of adenosine was essential to the toxicity. Using markers for RNA ([3H]uridine) and protein ([35S]methionine) synthesis we demonstrate here that in freshly plated sympathetic neurons adenosine inhibits RNA and protein synthesis by about 50%. The inhibitory effects of adenosine on RNA and protein synthesis, and increased ATP synthesis were blocked by adenosine kinase inhibitor, suggesting that phosphorylated products are responsible for inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis and cell death. Adenosine-induced inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis in neuronal cells provides a new role for adenosine in the regulation of cell function.
Evaluation of evapotranspirative covers for waste containment in arid and semiarid regions in the Southwestern USA

Performance evaluation of evapotranspirative (ET) covers is critical for waste containment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ET covers at sites in Texas and New Mexico representative of arid and semiarid regions in the southwestern USA using water balance monitoring during 4- and 5-yr periods and water balance simulations using short-term (1–5 yr) and long-term (25 yr) climate forcing. Estimated drainage at the Texas site was related to irrigation while measured drainage at the New Mexico site was restricted to the first 2 yr of the 5-yr monitoring period. Evapotranspirative covers work extremely well in these regions because of the dominance of summer precipitation (62–80%) that corresponds to periods of highest ET. Strong relationships between decreases in soil water storage and vegetation productivity at both sites underscore the importance of vegetation in controlling the water balance in these systems. Simulations of the Texas site indicate that drainage can occur in response to high precipitation near the end of the growing season, but such drainage can be eliminated with a capillary barrier. Inclusion of a capillary barrier increased available water storage by a factor of about 2.5 at both sites. The capillary barrier effect of drainage lysimeters can result in underestimation of drainage and overestimation of water storage relative to covers not underlain by capillary barriers. The data from this study indicate that a 1-m-thick ET cover underlain by a capillary barrier should be adequate to minimize drainage to ≤1 mm yr −1 in these arid and semiarid regions. Comprehensive monitoring integrated with modeling is required to assess total system performance to develop a predictive understanding of ET covers.
Strategies for nested and eddy‐permitting state estimation

[1] Both ocean process and prediction studies increasingly rely on state estimation (i.e., data assimilation) to provide the most complete representation of how the ocean circulates. This study applies the formalism and methodology of state estimation, recently developed for the global, coarse-resolution problem, to eddy-permitting state estimation in regional domains. Two major challenges exist for a state estimate that is nested inside a global state estimate: (1) estimation of open-boundary conditions consistent with information interior and exterior to the regional domain and (2) estimation with the higher-resolution models of regional studies. Here a least squares cost function defines the problem of minimizing the misfit between a North Atlantic regional general circulation model and actual observations, including those of the Subduction Experiment. A first experiment, using a novel “multiscale” method to constrain the large-scale regional circulation, shows that the use of the adjoint of both an eddy-permitting model and its coarse-resolution twin leads to a solution of the least squares problem in a computationally practical way. Therefore no fundamental obstacle exists to constraining the large-scale regional circulation nested within a global circulation. A second experiment in the North Atlantic shows that the model circulation can be constrained to the full observational signal, including eddy variability, as observed at selected point locations. Both experiments in this study produce eddy-permitting state estimates which are exactly self-consistent with the equations of motion as embodied by a general circulation model. Therefore dynamical balances can be diagnosed and easily interpreted; in particular, a companion paper uses the state estimates to determine eddy subduction rates in the North Atlantic.
Performance Evaluation of Ultra-Precision Motion Controlled Positioning Stage

This abstract presents the development of an ultra-precision motion controlled positioning stage for nanometer positioning over a working volume of 50 mm × 50 mm × 4 µm at an accuracy of better than 10 nm that is traceable to the national standards. The positioning stage is designed to use various probing systems to perform “pick and place” manipulations and scanning of large specimens, including biological. The system is comprised of a two-axis, long-range stage and a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) short-range stage. The long-range stage is responsible for coarse motions of up to 50 mm, while the short-range stage is responsible for correcting positioning errors generated by the long-range stage to achieve nanometer level accuracies. The system will be housed in a vacuum chamber operating at a vacuum pressure of better than 10-3 Torr. The vacuum chamber is also designed to act as an environmental chamber where different gases can be used depending on the measurement task. The initial results of the fully developed positioning stage will be presented at the conference.
Collector capacitance versus collector current for a double-diffused transistor

Collector junction capacitance is computed for a diffused reverse-biased collector junction in the presence of a limited velocity electron current. Two cases are considered--constant collector background doping and a heavily doped subcollector background. The computation shows that the collector junction capacitance can either increase or decrease depending on the doping profile of the subcollector structure.
alpha-cluster wave functions for 9be from the 9Be(p, pα)5He reaction between 35 and 160 MeV

Abstract We have used harmonic-oscillator, Hulthen, square-well and Woods-Saxon wave functions in an attempt to describe the 9Be(p, pα)5He reaction in the context of the plane-wave impulse approximation (PWIA) with radial cut-off. We have obtained reasonable fits to all the data between 35 and 160 MeV by using the Woods-Saxon wave functions, and increasing the cut-off radius for decreasing energy. A consistent value for the effective number of α-clusters in 9Be was obtained and found to be 0.2.
Cocaine effects on dopamine and NMDA receptors interactions in the striatum of Fischer rats

Numerous studies have shown that biochemical and behavioral effects of cocaine are mediated by dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) and NMDA R1 receptor (NR1)-mediated transmission. In this study, we investigated the physical interactions between D1R and NR1 in response to acute cocaine administration in a time course of 5-60 min. In the caudate-putamen (CPu) of male Fischer rats, a single cocaine injection (30 mg/kg) reduced D1R-NR1 protein-protein interactions 30 min after treatment. In addition, activation or blockade of the NMDA receptor using NMDA (25mg/kg) or MK-801 (0.25mg/kg), respectively, also reduced the D1R-NR1 physical interactions. Acute cocaine administration did not alter total D1R or NR1 protein levels in our time course of study. These results indicate that D1R-NR1 physical interaction rather than total protein levels may regulate the intracellular signaling after acute cocaine administration.
Regional Skill Structure and the Diffusion of Technology

This paper examines the relationship between the skill structure of states’ manufacturing sectors and technological change. Various measures of technological change are utilized including private and public R&D stocks, high-tech capital, recent capital, and the spatial spillover effects attributed to R&D stocks. We analyze the impact of changes in technology on spatial wage-bill shares, utilizing panel data for the 48 contiguous states over three sequential five-year periods. Overall, the results show a positive connection between skill upgrading and technological change. In other words, we find that states that adopt new technologies have more skilled workforces. Of particular interest, we find that publicly funded R&D stocks from neighboring states play a significant role in skill upgrading. The general implication of this finding is that geographic proximity is key to diffusing government-funded technology that enhances state economic performance. Our results strengthen the case for regional cooperation among states in developing policies to attract both private and public R&D capital.
Isolation of Metabolites of 4-14C-Corticosteroids from Urine of an Ovariectomized Heifer

Abstract The purpose of this study was to isolate and characterize major 14 C-labeled compounds excreted in urine of an ovariectomized heifer following intravenous injections of 4- 14 C-corticosterone (4.96 μ Ci) and 4- 14 C-cortisoI (4.28 μ Ci). Only 7.4% and 11.7% of the injected radioactivity were recovered in urine during the first 12 hours after injection of corticosterone and Cortisol, respectively, and 53% and 62% of this urinary radioactivity were extracted. Enzymatic hydrolysis and sol-volysis procedures were used in sequence. The urine was extracted with ethyl acetate before and after each hydrolysis. Isolation of distinct zones of radioactivity was accomplished by column (one system) and paper chromatography (three systems). Partial identifications of labeled compounds were made by matching their mobilities to those of authentic standards during paper chromatography. Ultraviolet light, blue tetrazolium, and phosphomolybdic acid were used as indicators of certain reactive groups. Due to small quantities of labeled metabolites only tentative identifications were possible. Isolations corresponding to standards of 6-hydroxycortisol represented 35% of the radioactivity recovered after injection of 14 C-cortisol as compared to 19% tetrahydrocortisol, 6.4% cortols, 4.5% cortolones, and 1.6% tetrahydrocortico-sterone. Similarly, for 14 C-corticosterone, 34% of the radioactivity recovered and isolated was from an unknown highly polar compound(s) as compared to 17.6% tetra-hydrocorticosterone, 15.7% tetrahydrocortisol, 3.6% 6-hydroxycortisols, 2.4% cortolones and 2.2% cortols.
A SIMPLIFIED ANALYSIS FOR AN ELASTIC QUARTER-SPACE

The problem is formulated in terms of two coupled two-dimensional integral equations. The integral equations contain a logarithmic singularity with an unknown coefficient which varies along the edge of the quarter-space. A special solution for a half-space is developed which isolates the elastic field caused by this singularity and it is incorporated into the numerical-boundary-element solution of the integral equations. Once the equations are solved, the elastic field in the quarter-space can be found
Vocational Counselor Success Rate as a Criterion for Client Assignment

Although researchers have suspected that rehabilitation counselors may often experience different success rates with different kinds of clients, little effort has been made to determine the best methods of assigning clients to counselors. Our study represents an attempt to provide insight into the desirability of assigning clients to counselors with a high proportion of successful closures with members of the clients' disability group. The criterion of desirability was the Cooper-Rubin suitability-of-placement index. Results indicated no positive relationship between counselors' proportion of successful closures and their average Cooper-Rubin index scores.
Antimicrobial Therapy of Experimental Endocarditis Caused by Staphylococcus aureus

The rate at which various antimicrobial agents eradicated Staphylococcus aureus from cardiac vegetations in a rabbit model of endocarditis was studied. The rate at which various drugs and combinations killed high titers of bacteria in broth correlated with the relative effectiveness of the agents in vivo. Gentamicin plus penicillin proved to be synergistic in vitro and more effective in eradicating bacteria from cardiac vegetations in vivo than was penicillin alone. Vancomycin killed bacteria at a rate similar to that for the combination of penicillin and gentamicin, and the rate for cefazolin was similar to that for penicillin alone. Clindamycin was less effective in vivo and in vitro than penicillin. Therapy with rifampin led to the emergence of resistant organisms, and, when penicillin, this drug was less effective in vitro and in vivo than was penicillin alone. This model appears to offer an effective method for evaluation of antimicrobial treatment of staphylococcal endocarditis.
Cathepsin Cleavage Potentiates the Ebola Virus Glycoprotein To Undergo a Subsequent Fusion-Relevant Conformational Change

ABSTRACT Cellular entry of Ebola virus (EBOV), a deadly hemorrhagic fever virus, is mediated by the viral glycoprotein (GP). The receptor-binding subunit of GP must be cleaved (by endosomal cathepsins) in order for entry and infection to proceed. Cleavage appears to proceed through 50-kDa and 20-kDa intermediates, ultimately generating a key 19-kDa core. How 19-kDa GP is subsequently triggered to bind membranes and induce fusion remains a mystery. Here we show that 50-kDa GP cannot be triggered to bind to liposomes in response to elevated temperature but that 20-kDa and 19-kDa GP can. Importantly, 19-kDa GP can be triggered at temperatures ∼10°C lower than 20-kDa GP, suggesting that it is the most fusion ready form. Triggering by heat (or urea) occurs only at pH 5, not pH 7.5, and involves the fusion loop, as a fusion loop mutant is defective in liposome binding. We further show that mild reduction (preferentially at low pH) triggers 19-kDa GP to bind to liposomes, with the wild-type protein being triggered to a greater extent than the fusion loop mutant. Moreover, mild reduction inactivates pseudovirion infection, suggesting that reduction can also trigger 19-kDa GP on virus particles. Our results support the hypothesis that priming of EBOV GP, specifically to the 19-kDa core, potentiates GP to undergo subsequent fusion-relevant conformational changes. Our findings also indicate that low pH and an additional endosomal factor (possibly reduction or possibly a process mimicked by reduction) act as fusion triggers.
The changing face of acoustic neuroma management in the USA: analysis of the 1998 and 2008 patient surveys from the acoustic neuroma association.

AbstractObjective. A recent review of the national cancer center registry Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database revealed that in the United States, 25% of Acoustic Neuromas (AN) are managed with observation. Several articles have questioned the aggressive treatment of these slow growing tumors. Concern has been raised that data from the SEER database might be biased towards treatment as patients who chose observation are less likely to be seen at a cancer center. To try and adjust for this potential bias, we decided to investigate management trends of AN in the United States using patient surveys conducted by the Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA). Study design. Database review. Methods. Data from the 1998 and 2008 ANA patient's surveys were analyzed to detect trends between tumor size and treatment modality. Management trends including observation, microsurgical resection and radiation were examined as well based on tumor size criteria. Results. During this study period, tumor size at...
Some exact solutions of Reynolds equation

In order to check the numerical analysis of Reynolds equation for gas lubricated bearings, it is desirable to have available exact analytical solutions. This note outlines the construction of some exact, two-dimensional, transient solutions for this purpose
Redox-linked gating of nucleotide binding by the N-terminal domain of adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase.

Adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate kinase (APSK) catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (APS) to 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS). Crystallographic studies of APSK from Arabidopsis thaliana revealed the presence of a regulatory intersubunit disulfide bond (Cys86–Cys119). The reduced enzyme displayed improved catalytic efficiency and decreased effectiveness of substrate inhibition by APS compared with the oxidized form. Here we examine the effect of disulfide formation and the role of the N-terminal domain on nucleotide binding using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and steady-state kinetics. Formation of the disulfide bond in A. thaliana APSK (AtAPSK) inverts the binding affinities at the ATP/ADP and APS/PAPS sites from those observed in the reduced enzyme, consistent with initial binding of APS as inhibitory, and suggests a role for the N-terminal domain in guiding nucleotide binding order. To test this, an N-terminal truncation variant (AtAPSKΔ96) was generated. The resulting protein was completely insensitive to substrate inhibition by APS. ITC analysis of AtAPSKΔ96 showed decreased affinity for APS binding, although the N-terminal domain does not directly interact with this ligand. Moreover, AtAPSKΔ96 displayed reduced affinity for ADP, which corresponds to a loss of substrate inhibition by formation of an E·ADP·APS dead end complex. Examination of the AtAPSK crystal structure suggested Arg93 as important for positioning of the N-terminal domain. ITC and kinetic analysis of the R93A mutant also showed a complete loss of substrate inhibition and altered nucleotide binding affinities, which mimics the effect of the N-terminal deletion. These results show how thiol-linked changes in AtAPSK alter the energetics of binding equilibria to control its activity.
Numerical and experimental evaluations of the flow past nested chevrons

An effort is made to contribute to the development of CFD by relating the successful use of vortex dynamics in the computation of the pressure drop past a planar array of chevron-shaped obstructions. An ensemble of results was used to compute the loss coefficient k, stimulating an experimental program for the assessment of the measured loss coefficient for the same geometry. The most provocative result of this study has been the representation of kinetic energy production in terms of vorticity source terms.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Presentation and Pathophysiology

HCM is a heterogeneous disease with various clinical presentations. Recent advances in understanding the genetic abnormalities responsible for ventricular hypertrophy promise to improve our ability to diagnose this condition and to identify subgroups who are at the highest risk of cardiovascular mortality. Numerous difficulties remain in treating patients with HCM, including obtaining relief of symptoms and preventing SCD, but several new treatment options are currently being evaluated. In the future, randomized trials comparing the major treatment options (eg, pharmacologic therapy, myotomy/myectomy, mitral valve replacement, pacemaker implantation, and nonsurgical septal reduction) will be needed to provide guidance concerning the optimal treatment of patients with HCM.
The use of psychological techniques in measuring and critically analyzing navigators' flight performance.

Under controlled flight conditions, the distance between a navigator's report of position and his actual position is a criterion of success in dead reckoning navigation. Students' logs were evaluated for five separate missions by comparing the students' entries with standards determined by experts. The reliability of this technique is indicated by the fact that mission to mission inter-correlations of error scores were low, while the intercorrelations between legs of the same mission were moderately high. The intercorrelations between the error scores for the different navigation variables were computed and analyzed by using both factor analysis and multiple regression techniques. Both analyses indicated that a major portion of all dead reckoning error could be attributed to errors made in determining magnetic deviation. As a result of these analyses, recommendations were made for changing the instruction in dead reckoning and alterations in the equipment used were suggested.
Partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between dissolved and particulate phases in natural waters

Abstract Quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which are carcinogens, enter natural waters in effuents of coke production and other high-temperature industrial pyrolysis processes. Because of their low water solubilities. PAH compounds are generally considered to occur in particulate form in lakes and rivers. However, present studies of 14 C-anthracene adsorption by autoclaved yeast cells indicated that significant fractions of both dissolved and particulate forms of PAH may exist in natural waters. Quantities of anthracene adsorbed exceeded values for PAH adsorption onto mineral surfaces by more than an order of magnitude: suspended organic material may thus be more important than mineral particles in adsorption of PAH compounds. Adsorption was highly dependent upon the yeast cell concentration, and varied widely through the range of suspended organic solids normally encountered in natural waters. The heat of adsorption (5.2 kcal/mole) was characteristic of a physical adsorptive process. Because ecological effects and pathways of dissolved and particulate PAH may differ, adsorptive partitioning may be important in determining PAH hazards to higher organisms in aquatic food chains, and ultimately to man.
Strategic management and artificial intelligence

Abstract The presence today of ‘thinking’ robots has great implications for general management (as opposed to production management). The possibility is clear that within a decade a supercomputer may share or usurp functions of a corporate chief executive—functions that up to now have been thought unsharable. Now is the time to begin planning for such a development.
The future of military innovation studies

Abstract This article assesses the state of the art in military innovation research. It begins with a description of the field's four major schools of thought, summarizing their central tenets, key points of similarity and differentiation, and major empirical cases. It then addresses priorities for future research, observing that while much has been learned about innovation originating among senior officers and civilian policy-makers, far less is known about innovation originating in field formations. Recent empirical studies hint at the importance of such bottom-up innovation but little progress has been made in achieving a conceptual understanding of the phenomenon. Therein lies the next major challenge, and opportunity, for the field.
Radiative lifetimes for the X 1Σ+ state of NO+

Abstract Calculations using large atomic natural orbital (ANO) basis sets and high levels of correlation treatment are employed to determine the radiative lifetime for the v =1–5 levels of the X 1 Σ + state of NO + . The theoretical lifetimes, which agree well with previous theoretical estimates, are estimated to be accurate to 5%. These results strongly suggest that the recently measured radiative lifetimes for the v =2 and 3 levels are in error.
Ab Initio Calculation of Crystalline Electric Fields and Kondo Temperatures in Ce Compounds

We have calculated the band- $f$ hybridizations for ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{x}{\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{M}_{3}$ compounds ( $x\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1$ and $x\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$; $M\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{Pb},\mathrm{In},\mathrm{Sn},\mathrm{Pd}$) within the local density approximation and fed this into a noncrossing approximation for the Anderson impurity model applied to both dilute and concentrated limits. Our calculations produce crystalline electric field splittings and Kondo temperatures with trends in good agreement with experiment and demonstrate the need for detailed electronic structure information on hybridization to describe the diverse behaviors of these Ce compounds.
The Fruit of Knowledge and the Bodies of the Gods: Religious Meanings of Plants among the Baniwa

This article focuses on the sacrificial acts of divinities and other primal beings whose bodies became cultivated and wild plants; and plants as forms of gifts and other types of exchange from the deities to humanity among the Baniwa peoples of the Northwest Amazon. I seek to extend Viveiros de Castro’s ideas on Amerindian ‘perspectivism’ (1996, 2002) to evaluate their ‘fit’ to Baniwa spiritual ethnobotany. Initially, I see a major difference between the perspectivism and agentivity of animal and fish-people, which is very common amongst all Arawak and Tukanoan-speaking peoples, and the plants which derive more often from a divinity that has been sacrificed, dismembered, transformed, and divided up into many distinct plants. The predator-prey relation between animals and humans is secondary when compared to sacrifice and gifting relations between plants and humans, which seem to have more to do with the development of chiefly and priestly societies.
Efficacy of blood cultures in the critically ill surgical patient

Background. Blood cultures are commonly obtained to delineate an infectious process in the ill surgical patient with fever, leukocytosis, or other septic parameters. We studied how often bacteremia was diagnosed, whether a positive blood culture changed therapy, and the cost analysis of this practice. Methods. A heterogenous adult population of 158 patients at high risk for bacteremia was retrospectively reviewed. Blood cultures were not obtained in 37 patients, and thus they were excluded from further study. Results. We obtained 1040 blood cultures in 121 patients. Forty-eight patients (40%) had 122 positive cultures; 20 of these patients had only false-positive cultures. Thus 28 patients (23%) had 82 cultures that represented true bacteremia. Among clinical events, only antibiotic changes and interventions occurred significantly more often as a result of a positive blood culture (p≤0.05). No change in therapy occurred in most patients with both positive and negative cultures. Cost for all cultures was $60,058 or $1,251 per positive culture and $1,877 per clinical therapeutic event change. Conclusions. Routine ordering of blood cultures is not cost-effective, rarely alters or provides therapeutic direction, and appears not to affect mortality. Obtaining clinically indicated blood cultures as a secondary rather than a primary diagnostic measure is suggested.
New approaches to magnetic clusters with hexacyanometallate building blocks

Abstract Polymeric cyanide complexes, whose archetype is the well-known Prussian blue mixed valence compound Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3, are key players in the field of molecule-based magnetism. One reason for the popularity of the cyanide ligand is that it effects strong and predictable magnetic exchange interactions between paramagnetic centers. In an effort to produce high-dimensional materials that behave as magnets, researchers in the area have focused on reactions of [M(CN)6]n− with labile cations that contain few or no protecting groups to limit the growth of polymeric phases. This article reports the syntheses and characterization of new ligand protected precursors of the types cis-[M(LL)2(S)2]2+ (S=solvent), cis-M(LL)2(CN)2 and cis-M(LL)2(O35CF3)2. Reactions of these convergent precursors with hexacyanometallate anions yield novel cyanide clusters, described along with key X-ray structures.
The effect of hog gastrin and ICI-50123 on intestinal serotonin in the Sprague-Dawley rat

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) was measured spectrophotofluorometrically in the gastric, duodenal, jejunal and ascending colonic mucosa of male Sprague-Dawley Charles River rats (200–260 g) following subcutaneous saline, synthetic gastrin (ICI-50123) or hog gastrin. ICI-50123 was injected in doses of 5 μg/100 g and 15 μg/100 g. Gastrin was given in doses equivalent to 10 g and 20 g of hog mucosa. Total serotonin levels 60 and 120 min following the two dosage levels of gastrin were similar in comparable tissues. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the serotonin levels of comparable tissues following saline and gastrin injections. Sixty minutes following the two dosage levels of ICI-50123 total serotonin levels in comparable tissues were similar to those obtained from saline injected rats. Increased serotonin particulate binding was observed at both dose levels of ICI-50123 in pyloric antral mucosa (P < 0.05 and < 0.02 respectively), and in the upper duodenum after 15 μg ICI/100 g (P < 0.05). Serotonin particulate binding was similar for comparable tissues in all other instances.
The observation of gapped quasiparticles near the metal–insulator transition in NaxCoO2

Abstract Utilizing high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with fine-tuned polarization selection we present a systematic study of the insulating cobaltates. A single-particle gap opening is observed, suggesting an anisotropic particle–hole instability is present due to the material's unique topology. Unlike conventional density waves, charge stripes or band insulators, the onset of the gap depends on the quasiparticle's quantum coherence, which occurs well below the symmetry breaking temperature of the crystal.
Multi-User MISO Broadcast Channel with User-Cooperating Decoder

In a wireless multi-user system using multiple antennas, full multiplexing gain can be achieved through perfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station (BS). However, because of the limitations on the feedback rate and of standard requirements, such as the 3GPP, it is difficult to obtain perfect CSI, or even partial CSI with the extremely large number of feedback bits needed at the region of high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in practical systems. Instead of a feedback channel resource, this paper considers another resource for the system, a cooperation channel, which can be used by users to participate in cooperation in a broadcast fading channel. The cooperation among users in a multi-user system has the effect of transforming it into a cooperative point-to-point MIMO system. This paper analyzes the cooperation channel gain and the mobile power used in a cooperation channel to maintain a constant rate gap against the zero-forcing beamforming scheme with full CSI at the BS. In addition, the performance results of this proposed cooperation strategy are provided by computer simulations.
iBubble: Multi-Keyword Routing Protocol for Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

Many tasks require multiple sensing capabilities; in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), it is expensive to deploy a homogeneous network wherein every sensor has the same functionality. Instead, it is economical to deploy a heterogeneous network wherein sensors differ in their capabilities; in such a network, efficient data querying is essential. We propose a multi-keyword routing protocol, iBubble, for heterogeneous wireless sensor networks (HWSNs) where keywords describe sensor functionalities. iBubble provides an efficient query interface for locating data; queries are routed only along paths with nodes matching the query. iBubble utilizes an intelligent bubbling mechanism to propagate keywords to the base-station (BS). The keywords are aggregated via a novel use of lattices to reduce network cost. We show that iBubble can emulate diffusion and generally produce less traffic by restricting the query dissemination based upon both application type and data value. Our study analytically compares iBubble and diffusion, and formally characterizes the conditions required for iBubble to outperform diffusion in both static (fixed) and dynamic (mobile) networks. We did extensive simulations, our results match our theory and show that iBubble can outperform diffusion in many heterogeneous deployments when keyword distributions are "clustered" enough to satisfy the fraction of the network involved in a query/update defined by our analytical bound. Additionally, iBubble handles mobility, fault-tolerance, and provides network diagnosis via keyword bubbling. By utilizing keywords, iBubble bridges many routing and energy problems prevalent in WSNs, and provides a simple, uniform solution.
Occurrence of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles during Intense Magnetic Storms

An important issue in low-latitude ionospheric space weather is how magnetic storms affect the generation of equatorial plasma bubbles. In this study, we present the measurements of the ion density and velocity in the evening equatorial ionosphere by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites during 22 intense magnetic storms. The DMSP measurements show that deep ion density depletions (plasma bubbles) are generated after the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) turns southward. The time delay between the IMF southward turning and the first DMSP detection of plasma depletions decreases with the minimum value of the IMF Bz, the maximum value of the interplanetary electric field (IEF) Ey, and the magnitude of the Dst index. The results of this study provide strong evidence that penetration electric field associated with southward IMF during the main phase of magnetic storms increases the generation of equatorial plasma bubbles in the evening sector.
An exponential formula for solving Boltzmann's equation for a Maxwellian gas*

Abstract A class of nonlinear Boltzmann-like equations are interpreted from a probabilistic point of view. The model leads to an exponential formula for the solution, which, in the special cases considered, can be made explicit by algebraic and combinatorial considerations involving derivations of an associated algebra and exponentials of these and a (commutative but possibly nonassociative) multipliaction (convolution) on a dual of this algebra. Kac's idea of “propagation of chaos” plays a central role in all this.
Ultra-low power monolithically integrated InGaAs/GaAs phototransceiver incorporating a modulated barrier photodiode and a quantum dot microcavity LED

We report the design and performance characteristics of GaAs-based low-power phototransceivers which offer large optical gain and very low power dissipation. In these monolithically integrated circuits we have integrated modulated barrier photodiodes with quantum dot-based microcavity LEDs. Quantum dots promise higher quantum efficiency, higher power, together with a more directed emission profile.
Development of a novel orthotopic non-small cell lung cancer model and therapeutic benefit of 2′-(2-bromohexadecanoyl)-docetaxel conjugate nanoparticles

The aims of these studies were to establish an orthotopic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mouse model and to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) containing 2'-(2-bromohexadecanoyl)-docetaxel (Br-C16-DX) in this new model. A novel orthotopic NSCLC model was established in nude mice through a dorsal side injection of luciferase-expressing A549 cells. The model was characterized by a survival study, histological staining, bioluminescence imaging and PET/CT imaging. The therapeutic efficacy of the Br-C16-DX NPs versus Taxotere® was investigated in this model. The results demonstrated that mouse survival time was significantly prolonged by weekly intravenous administration of the NPs or Taxotere. Furthermore, the NP group had 35 days longer progression-free survival and 27 days longer median survival compared to the Taxotere group. It was concluded that the developed orthotopic NSCLC model represents a feasible, reproducible, and clinically relevant experimental mouse model to test current and potential therapies including nanomedicines. From the clinical editor: This team of authors has developed an orthotopic non-small cell lung cancer model, and demonstrates that it represents a feasible, reproducible, and clinically relevant experimental mouse model to test current and potential therapies including nanomedicines.
Mediators of the Gender Difference in Rumination

Rumination is engaging in a passive focus on one's symptoms of distress and on the possible causes and consequences of these symptoms. Women are more likely than men to engage in rumination. This study examined whether gender differences in the following beliefs would mediate the gender difference in rumination: the controllability of emotions, the appropriateness of rumination as a coping strategy, responsibility for the emotional tone of relationships, and mastery over negative events. The sample was 740 community-dwelling adults between 25 and 75 years of age, who completed a survey by mail. The combination of beliefs about control of emotions, responsibility for the emotional tone of relationships, and mastery over negative events fully mediated the gender difference in rumination. Alternative hypotheses that the gender difference in rumination was due to gender differences in distress, emotional expressivity, and the tendency to give socially desirable answers were not supported.
A review of algorithms for molecular sequence comparison

Computers have recently become an essential component of research in molecular biology. Most computer analyses of nucleic acid and protein sequences depend on comparisons between sequences. These comparisons, depending on their purpose, may differ not only in the kinds of comparisons that are done, but also in the way the results of the comparison are used by molecular biologists or by other computer programs. This paper reviews algorithms currently in use to solve comparison problems in molecular biology. Each algorithm is explained in detail and discussed in terms of the molecular biology problems it is most suited to solve.
Maternal Low- and High-Depressive Symptoms and Safety Concerns for Low-Income Preschool Children

Objectives. Our objective was to examine the relationship between low- and high-level depressive symptoms in mothers’ and children’s risks in the areas of home and car safety, monitoring, and exposure to violence. Methods. Participants included 978 mothers of preschool-age children who were interviewed about their home environment and screened for maternal depression. Results. Whereas only 5.7% scored at high depressive levels on the screen, another 21.3% scored at low depressive levels. Logistic regression analyses controlling for demographics revealed that children were significantly more likely to experience home safety risks in 6 of 7 areas when mothers reported either low or high levels of depressive symptoms. Conclusions. Results suggest that children whose mothers experience even low-level depressive symptoms are at increased risk for safety problems in the home environment, pointing to the need for screening and interventions to reduce the risk of injury.
Designed single-step synthesis, structure, and derivative textural properties of well-ordered layered penta-coordinate silicon alcoholate complexes.

The controllable synthesis of well-ordered layered materials with specific nanoarchitecture poses a grand chal- lenge in materials chemistry. Here the solvothermal synthesis of two structurally analogous 5-coordinate organosilicate complexes through a novel transesterification mechanism is reported. Since the polycrystalline nature of the intrinsic hy- pervalent Si complex thwarts the endeavor in determining its structure, a novel strategy concerning the elegant addi- tion of a small fraction of B species as an effective crystal growth mediator and a sacrificial agent is proposed to di- rectly prepare diffraction-quality single crystals without dis- rupting the intrinsic elemental type. In the determined crys- tal structure, two monomeric primary building units (PBUs) self-assemble into a dimeric asymmetric secondary BU via strong Na + O 2 ionic bonds. The designed one-pot synthe- sis is straightforward, robust, and efficient, leading to a well- ordered (10i¯)-parallel layered Si complex with its principal in- terlayers intercalated with extensive van der Waals gaps in spite of the presence of substantial Na + counter-ions as a result of unique atomic arrangement in its structure. How- ever, upon fast pyrolysis, followed by acid leaching, both complexes are converted into two SiO2 composites bearing BET surface areas of 163.3 and 254.7 m 2 g 1 for the pyrolyzed intrinsic and B-assisted Si complexes, respectively. The trans- esterification methodology merely involving alcoholysis but without any hydrolysis side reaction is designed to have generalized applicability for use in synthesizing new layered metal-organic compounds with tailored PBUs and corre- sponding metal oxide particles with hierarchical porosity.