cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of Symmetry and Group Theory for the Investigation of Molecular Vibrations

The application of symmetry and mathematical group theory is a powerful tool for investigating the vibrations of molecules. In this paper, we present an overview of the methods utilized. First we briefly discuss the quantum mechanical nature of vibrations and the experimental methods used. We then present the principal concepts for applying group theory to molecules. The symmetry operations which are used to comprise groups are described and then used to determine the point groups of molecules. The properties of character tables are presented and the method for obtaining a reducible representation for all the motions of a molecule is detailed. This can then be broken down to obtain the irreducible representation which contains the symmetry species of the individual vibrations. The determination of symmetry adapted linear combinations is outlined and the basis for spectroscopic selection rules is presented. The paper concludes by examining how matrix algebra along with symmetry concepts simplifies calculations with molecular force constants.
Delayed rectifier current of bullfrog sympathetic neurons: ion‐ion competition, asymmetrical block and effects of ions on gating.

1. The delayed rectifier (DR) K+ channel pore was probed using different permeant and blocking ions applied intra- and extracellularly. Currents were recorded from bullfrog sympathetic neurons using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. 2. With intra- and extracellular Cs+ (0 K+), there were large, tetraethylammonium (TEA)-sensitive currents. Adding K+ back to the extracellular solution revealed that the current with Cs+i was K+ selective (permeability ratio PCs/PK = 0.17 +/- 0.02, n = 4) and showed a strong anomalous mole fraction effect. 3. There were also large non-inactivating currents with Na+i and Na+o (0 K+). The current with Na+i was K+ selective (Na+o vs. K+o: PNa/PK = 0.022 +/- 0.005, n = 5), and was TEA sensitive with K+o but not with Na+o. 4. Permeant ions affected gating kinetics. DR currents activated faster in K+ than in Cs+, and activated faster with increasing concentrations of either K+ or Cs+. Deactivation was slowed by increased K+ or Cs+ concentration, with no difference between K+ and Cs+. 5. The pore was also characterized using intracellular blocking ions. A wide variety of monovalent cations (TEA, N-methyl-D-glucamine, arginine, choline, CH3NH3+, Li+, Cs+ and Na+) blocked DR channels from the inside in a voltage-dependent manner: KD at 0 mV was 2.9 mM for TEA and 134-487 mM for the others, at apparent electrical distances (delta) of 0.33-0.79. There was no detectable block by 10 mM Mgi2+. Apart from TEA, the organic cations did not block from the outside. 6. The permeability to Na+ in the absence of K+, and the strong anomalous mole fraction effects observed for Cs+o + K+o mixtures, suggest that DR channels select for K+ using ion-ion competition. The block by large intracellular cations shows that the pore is asymmetrical. The loss of high affinity TEAo block with Na+i and Na+o, and the effects of permeant ions on gating, suggest that channel conformation may be affected by ions in the pore.
Influence of 12-week nicotine treatment and dietary copper on blood pressure and indices of the antioxidant system in male spontaneous hypertensive rats

Nicotine treatment and copper (Cu) deficiency have been associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen species that may contribute to the development and/or progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The present study investigated the influence of dietary Cu intake on the response to chronic nicotine treatment in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) with respect to tissue trace mineral levels, several components of the oxidant defense system, and lipid peroxidation rates. SHR weighing 100-110 g were fed a Cu deficient diet (-Cu) (0.5 microgram Cu/g) for 14 d prior to nicotine treatment. SHR were inserted with tablets that released nicotine at a rate of 75 micrograms/h or placebo (control). Following tablet insertion, rats were fed a control diet (+Cu) (12.0 micrograms Cu/g) or the -Cu diet. Nicotine treatment lasted for 12 wk. Blood pressure (BP) was higher in nicotine-treated SHR than in control SHR at wk 3; BP was unaffected by diet. BP was higher in +Cu nicotine-treated SHR at wk 6 compared to -Cu nicotine and control rats. BP was not affected by nicotine or diet at wk 2. Liver, heart, and brain Cu levels and liver, heart, and red cell CuZn superoxide dismutase and plasma ceruloplasmin oxidase activities were lower in the -Cu SHR than in the +Cu SHR. Liver Fe levels were higher and plasma Fe levels were lower in the -Cu rats than in the +Cu rats. Liver selenium-dependent-glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px) activity was lower in the -Cu rats than in the +Cu rats; heart and thoracic aorta Se-GSH-Px activity was unaffected by -Cu diet. Thoracic aorta, liver, and heart GSH-reductase activities were unaffected by treatments. Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were higher in the -Cu than in the +Cu SHR. Liver and heart TBARS production was similar among the groups. These data show that nicotine can exacerbate the development of high BP in susceptible individuals; Cu deficiency did not exacerbate the effects of nicotine.
The Itinerant Book: Julia A. J. Foote’s A Brand Plucked from the Fire as a Religious Activist Text

Nineteenth-century AME preacher Julia Foote self-published her spiritual autobiography twice during her itinerancy; the text—a blend of personal and collective narrative and sermonic rhetoric—enabled her to enter the more public, political discourse of religious activism. Foote engages in national sociopolitical debates, uses publically available histories, and manipulates genre to create a de facto church service over which she can preside. In essence, Foote’s text is a performative subgenre of the spiritual autobiography—the itinerant book—that literally circulates in print culture as an activist text and figuratively circulates within the psychic fervor of late nineteenth-century American Protestantism.
Modeling the Influence of Acoustic Coupling of Hearing Aids on FM Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Purpose A model was developed to examine variables that influence signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the tympanic membrane (TM) when using a hearing aid (HA) and frequency modulated (FM) system. The model was used to explore how HA coupling influences SNR. Method To generate the model, HA output was measured in a coupler. Known coupler to real-ear transformations and known values for vent (gain) loss as a function of coupling were also used. The model was verified by measuring sound pressure level (SPL) at the TM in 6 ears. Results The model predicts similar overall SNRs at the TM regardless of coupling method when HA and FM microphones are active. The primary difference in SNR is in the low frequencies and depends on the amount of low frequency insertion gain and the noise levels at the HA and FM microphones. Conclusions A model was developed to explore how complex variables contribute to SNR at the TM. One variable, HA coupling, is predicted to have only a minimal effect on SNR at the TM when there is HA ga...
Detection of human T-lymphotropic virus type-I/II env antibodies by immunoassays using recombinant fusion proteins

Abstract Two recombinant fusion proteins representing the C-terminus of the envelope glycoprotein of HTLV-I (rEnv-93 201−440 ) and the C-terminus of the external glycoprotein (RE-3 165−306 ) were tested in a Western blot (WB) assay for their ability to detect the presence of env antibodies in serum specimens from HTLV-I ( n = 27) and HTLV-II ( n = 22) infected individuals. The rEnv-93 reacted with 27 (100%) of 27 HTLV-I-in-fected specimens and 19 (86%) of 22 of HTLV-II-infected specimens. In contrast, RE-3 reacted with 25 (93%) of 27 HTLV-I-infected specimens, and only six (27%) of 22 HTLV-II-infected specimens, thus demonstrating predominant reactivity with HTLV-I compared with HTLV-II. Because of the high sensitivity of rEnv-93 reactivity in both HTLV-I and HTLV-II, the specificity of this env protein was evaluated in specimens with isolated gag reactivity (HTLV ind ). Of the 44 HTLV ind specimens, four (9%) demonstrated reactivity to rEnv-93 in WB assay. We, therefore, conclude that although rEnv-93 is highly sensitive for detection of env protein, it has the potential to yield some false-positive reactions presumably due to the conserved nature of retroviral transmembrane epitopes.
Male Mammies: A Social-Comparison Perspective on How Exaggeratedly Overweight Media Portrayals of Madea, Rasputia, and Big Momma Affect How Black Women Feel About Themselves

In-depth interviews with 36 Black women, ages 18 to 59, reveal that exaggeratedly overweight depictions of Black women portrayed by men dressed up as women had a strong effect on their identities. The women reported that portrayals, such as Madea in Tyler Perry's films, Rasputia in Eddie Murphy's Norbit, and Martin Lawrence's Big Momma, were “mammy-like” and the fact that men dressed as women to depict these roles heightened the stereotypes these images evoke. The male mammy portrayals increase the mockery of Black women in the media and contribute to the effeminization of African American men, according to women in our sample. Social comparison, social identity, and self-categorization theories are used for interpretation.
Relationship of GABAa receptor heterogeneity to regional differences in drug response.

Molecular biological approaches to the GABAa receptor have resulted in new insights into the structure and pharmacology of this complex. It is known that the GABAa complex is a heterooligomer composed of multiple subunits which contain binding sites for the GABA, benzodiazepines and barbiturates. These subunits also contain regulatory sites for phosphorylation by intracellular kinases. There appear to be regional differences in the expression of the various subunits for the GABAa receptor complex. The functional significance of molecular heterogeneity is not yet known but it is expected that regional differences may result in pharmacologically diverse responses. Studies on the effects of chronic administration of diazepam have clearly delineated such regional differences. Chronic benzodiazepine administration results in the development of subsensitivity to the electrophysiological actions of GABA in the dorsal raphe, but not in GABA receptive neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Such data is consistent with regional heterogeneity in response to chronic benzodiazepine, exposure. It is hoped that by understanding GABAa receptor heterogeneity, and its molecular basis, we can improve the, existing receptor subtype specificity and pharmacology of the benzodiazepines.
The fine structure of the nerve cord of Myxicola infundibulum (Annelida, Polychaeta).

Ultrastructural observations of the giant axon of Myxicola infundibulum reveal that the axoplasm contains neurofilaments, a few neurotubules and mitochondria. Finger-like projections issuing from the glial cells of the sheath encircle the giant axon at various angles. The space between the axolemma and sheath is 125 A. Branches of the giant axon are also surrounded by a glial sheath as they course through the neuropil. Some branches of the giant axon seem to fuse with certain neurons, creating a syncytial arrangement between the giant axon and these neurons.
Nicotine administration in rabbits using Habitrol nicotine patches and nicotine nasal spray.

SUMMARY 1. Several methods are used to provide predictable and effective nicotine to experimental animals in scientific studies. Due to the expense and technical challenges of these methods, we sought suitable alternatives. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was to develop a reliable experimental nicotine protocol in rabbits that included either Habitrol® nicotine patches (Novartis Consumer Health Inc., Summit, NJ, USA) or nicotine nasal spray. 2. Administration of one of three doses of nicotine (2.5, 5, or 10 mg) was accomplished daily on 13 rabbits divided between either the patch or spray groups. Systemic nicotine and cotinine levels at 0 h, 15 min and 8 and 24 h were assayed. Data were analysed by a Fisher’s protected least significant difference test at P = 0.05. 3. Rabbits treated with Habitrol® patches exhibited consistent and predictable systemic nicotine levels. The nicotine nasal spray produced an immediate dose-dependent response with no measurable nicotine serum levels at 8 h. 4. For nicotine administration in rabbits, nicotine patches are easy to administer and provide a nicotine serum level between 5 and 25 ng/mL, which is consistent with the average daily level found in a patient who smokes cigarettes.
Mutagenicity of γ‐radiation, mitomycin C, and etoposide in the Hprt and Tk genes of Tk+/− mice†

The recently developed Tk+/− mouse detects in vivo somatic cell mutation in the endogenous, autosomal Tk gene. To evaluate the sensitivity of this model, we have treated Tk+/− mice with three agents that induce DNA damage by different mechanisms, and determined spleen lymphocyte mutant frequencies (MFs) in the autosomal Tk gene and in the X-linked Hprt gene. γ-Radiation, which produces single- and double-strand breaks by nonspecific oxidative stress, efficiently increased Hprt MF, but not Tk MF. Mitomycin C, which produces bulky DNA monoadducts and crosslinks, was mutagenic in both the Hprt and Tk genes, but the response was greater in the Tk gene. An inhibitor of the ligase function of DNA topoisomerase II, etoposide, did not increase Hprt MF, and induced a small, but nonsignificant increase in Tk MF. Combined with previous data, the results indicate that the two genes are differentially sensitive to many agents, and that the Tk gene is more sensitive than the Hprt gene to some, but not all types of DNA damage. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 39:342–347, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Does Kant's Ethics Imply Reincarnation?

L'A. defend la these selon laquelle la realisation du bien souverain dans l'ethique kantienne implique la reincarnation -la rephenomenalisation- de l'agent moral. La conception theologique du bien souverain chez Kant est indissociable de la presence du soi phenomenal dont la vertu est recompensee par le bonheur
Early Scientific Results and Future Prospects for the Rejuvenated Hubble Space Telescope

Following the extraordinarily successful Servicing Mission 4 (SM4) of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in May of 2009, the Observatory is now fully equipped with a broad array of powerful science instruments that put it at the pinnacle of its scientific power. Relevant to the subject matter of the Beyond 2010 Conference, HST will be well-placed over the next five-plus years to advance our knowledge of the formation of high-redshift galaxies and their growth with cosmic time; the emergence of structure in the early universe via Dark Matter-driven gravitational instability; and the universe's expansion history and any resulting implications for the temporal character of Dark Energy. These are fitting projects for the iconic facility now celebrating its 20th anniversary in orbit.
Ascorbic acid induces collagenase-1 in human periodontal ligament cells but not in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells: potential association between collagenase expression and changes in alkaline phosphatase phenotype.

Ascorbic acid (AA) enhances osteoblastic differentiation by increasing collagen accumulation, which in turn, results in increased alkaline phosphatase (AP) expression in some osteogenic cells. However, in other cells, including human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, additional osteoinductive agents are required for this response. To understand the potential basis for the maintenance of the AP phenotype of PDL cells exposed to AA, we examined the modulation of the tissue-degrading matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors by AA in short-term cell cultures. Early passage PDL cells in serum-free medium were exposed to AA for 5 days. The samples were analyzed for MMPs and their inhibitors, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), AP, collagen I(α1), and osteocalcin. We found that AA dose-dependently increased the expression of collagenase-1, and minimally TIMP-1, but not stromelysin-1 or TIMP-2. Additionally, AA caused substantial increases in levels of type I collagen. AA was unable to increase AP activity or osteocalcin messenger RNA in PDL cells. However, the cells retained the ability to show a significantly greater AP expression in high- versus low-density cultures, and increased osteocalcin as well as AP levels when cultured in the presence of dexamethasone. Moreover, in cells exposed to dexamethasone, increases in AP and osteocalcin were accompanied by a repression of collagenase-1 expression. In contrast to PDL cells, AA did not induce collagenase but produced a significant increase in AP expression in MC3T3-E1 cells. These findings provide the first evidence that AA, by modulating both collagen and collagenase-1 expression in PDL cells, most likely contributes to a net matrix remodeling response in these cells. Furthermore, the relationship between changes in collagenase expression and alterations in AP activity in PDL and MC3T3-E1 cells suggests a potential role for collagenase in modulating the AP phenotype of cells with osteoblastic potential.
Coenzyme Q10 deficiency in patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are well known to contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinical trials of antioxidants are currently underway in PD patients, however, antioxidant research has been hindered by a lack of peripheral biomarkers. Methods Twenty-two patients with PD elected to have a novel antioxidant assessment (Functional Intracellular Assay (FIA), SpectraCell Lab, Houston, TX) performed between 2004 and 2008. Each PD case was compared to four age- and gender-matched controls (n = 88) in four separate, random iterations using laboratory data submitted during the same time period. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of functional deficiency in antioxidant nutrients (i.e., glutathione, coenzyme Q10, selenium, vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid) by case–control status. The proportion of cases with functional deficiency was also compared to that for controls by chi2 test. Results Compared to cases, PD patients had a significantly greater odds of deficiency in coenzyme Q10 status (OR: 4.7–5.4; 95% CI: 1.5–17.7; P = 0.003–0.009) based on FIA results, but not of vitamin E, selenium, lipoic acid, or glutathione (all P > 0.05). The proportion of cases with coenzyme Q10 deficiency was also significantly greater in cases than in controls (32–36% vs. 8–9%; P = 0.0012–0.006). Conclusions Deficiency of coenzyme Q10 assessed via FIA should be explored as a potential peripheral biomarker of antioxidant status in PD.
New agents in post-remission therapy

The choice of post-remission therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) depends on age, response to initial therapy, and on disease-related biology. High-dose ara-C (HIDAC) is the standard chemotherapy-based post-remission treatment for younger AML patients, but diagnostic cytogenetics and genetic features may mandate an allogeneic stem cell transplant. While intensive chemotherapy has little utility, the optimal post-remission therapy for older adults remains unclear, though reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplant is being used with increasing frequency.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress in Parkinson’s Disease

Environmental toxins, genetic predisposition and old age are major risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although the mechanism(s) underlying selective dopaminergic (DA) neurodegeneration remain unclear, molecular studies in both toxin based models and genetic based models of the disease suggest a major etiologic role for mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PD. Further, recent studies have presented clear evidence for a high burden of mtDNA deletions within the substantia nigra neurons in individuals with PD. Ultimately, an understanding of the molecular events which precipitate DA neurodegeneration in idiopathic PD will enable the development of targeted and effective therapeutic strategies. We review recent advances and current understanding of the genetic factors, molecular mechanisms and animal models of PD.
The safe project; an environmental assessment prototype

Abstract An environmental measurement system was devised that covers five areas: surface water quality, groundwater quality, water quantity and use, and natural resource protection. A fifth area, air quality, was covered by a co‐investigator. For each area, indices were developed that were designed to encompass that area. Over fifty indices were developed, and the research stimulated the development of many more. Utilization of these indices provides a system of measurement of environmental quality that is broader than typical chemical/biochemical measurements that are used. The SAFE Project may be a prototype for environmental assessments for other geographical areas.
Daily self-weighing within a lifestyle intervention: impact on disordered eating symptoms.

Objective To determine whether daily self-weighing (DSW) is associated with disordered eating (DE) symptoms within an adult lifestyle intervention (LI), and to examine changes in DE symptoms during the 18-month trial.
The new pluralism: Farewell to the fifties

There is a venerable tradition, much honored by politicians, pundits, and professors, that consists of pointing with pride and viewing with alarm. Sociology has regularly evoked both since its emergence as an indigenous discipline. By 1906, Lester F. Ward, the first president of the American Sociological Society, had already condescended to Newton and declared physics a lesser science. "Sociology," Ward announced, "has ... discovered the laws of society and the principles according to which social operations take place [while] physics has thus far only discovered the law of gravitation, but has not yet discovered its cause or principle" (Ward, 1906:7). At about the same time that Ward had come perilously close to declaring further social inquiry superfluous, Woodrow Wilson was advising his audiences that there was no such discipline as sociology. "I don't know what sociology is (laughter); moreover I am convinced that there isn't a man living who does (laughter and applause); whenever a man is studying anything queer he calls it sociology (laughter)... and sociology, as I understand it, is everything left over after the political economist and the student of politics are through (laughter and applause)" (Wilson, 1902). The mood, at present, is Wilsonian, but hilarity has yielded to pathos. A recent report in America's newspaper of record describes the field as "impoverished, fragmented, vulnerable, precisely the kind of subject sociologists like to study" (New York Times, 1989). Neil Smelser, the editor of the Handbook of Sociology, a collaborative volume whose 33 contributors survey virtually every sector of the disciplinary terrain, appears to have surrendered to the encircling gloom (Smelser, 1988). The burden of his message is that in the past two decades sociology (1) has endured "increased specialization of inquiry, diversification of both perspectives and subject matter studied, and considerable fragmentation and
Acceleration of HIV dementia with methamphetamine and cocaine

We report a patient with rapidly accelerating HIV dementia accompanied by seizures and an unusual movement disorder despite highly potent antiretroviral therapy. This clinical constellation was associated with the non-parenteral use of methamphetamine and cocaine. Fractional enhancement time on post contrast magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed a progressive breakdown of the blood brain barrier particularly in the basal ganglia. The movement disorder but not the dementia responded to a combination of dopamine replacement and anticholinergic therapy. While the movement disorder may have been unmasked by concomitant anticonvulsant therapy, we suggest in this instance, that prior drug abuse synergized with HIV to cause a domino effect on cerebral function. Careful attention and analysis to histories of remote non-injecting drug abuse may help substantiate our hypothesis.
Country Size, Technology and Manufacturing Location

Country size, technology and trade costs jointly affect the location of manufacturing activity. In this paper, the combined effects of country size and technology differences on manufacturing location are examined in a simple new economic geography model. The specification yields a closed-form, analytic relationship between measures of relative productivity, country size and trade costs. The patterns of agglomeration are consistent with recent empirical evidence. Market and supplier access favor manufacturing agglomeration in large countries for high to intermediate trade costs. High productivity countries, however small, are favored for low trade costs. The model's tractability facilitates welfare analysis.
La morphologisation de qui

Cette etude presente les resultats d'une analyse d'un corpus de francais romand conversationnel et demontre, par le biais d'une serie de tests de morphologisation (Schwegler, 1990) que l'ancien pronom relatif-interrogatif qui1 s'est separe en deux formes distinctes sur les plans semantique et morphosyntaxique: (1) un pronom interrogatif autonome, qui2 et (2) un prefixe relatif flexionnel, qui- qui s'ajoute au paradigme des prefixes preverbaux. La relation entre qui2 et qui- est du meme genre que celui deja atteste pour la relation entre les prefixes personnels flexionnels je, tu, il/elle, etc., et les pronoms sujets facultatifs, moi, toi, lui/elle, etc. Conformes aux processus de la grammaticalisation et propulses par la frequence des tournures en qui-V dans les constructions clivees, ces resultats suggerent en outre un changement typologique et une diglossie naissante entre l'oral spontane (prefixal) et l'ecrit classique (suffixal), au moins sur le plan morphosyntaxique. Le present article a pour but de determiner le statut de qui dans le francais romand conversationnel, relatif a son stade de morphologisation par rapport aux prefixes personnels flexionnels ainsi qu'a la question d'une diglossie naissante entre l'oral et l'ecrit.
Intense focused ultrasound preferentially stimulates subcutaneous and focal neuropathic tissue: preliminary results.

Objective Potential peripheral sources of pain from subcutaneous tissue can require invasive evocative tests for their localization and assessment. Here we describe studies whose ultimate goal is development of a non-invasive evocative test for subcutaneous, painful tissue.
Alveolar hypoventilation and cor pulmonale secondary to damage to the respiratory center

Abstract A patient is described with alveolar hypoventilation due to organic disease of the brain in whom cor pulmonale developed. Lesions were found in the portion of the medulla where the respiratory center is thought to be located. As a consequence of alveolar hypoventilation, hypercapnia and hypoxemia developed. The hypercapnia resulted in clouding of the sensorium and further depression of the respiratory center. Vascular changes in the lungs, presumably the consequence of chronic hypoxemia, are believed to have contributed to the pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale.
OCCURRENCE OF CASSITERITE AS A STONE IN GLASS

Black stones occurring in a glass prepared from a Santa Anna, Texas, sand were identified by petrographic, X-ray diffraction, and chemical methods as cassiterite (stannic oxide).
Characterization of the unusual metal-free, zinc, chloroindium, and ferrocenylindium 5,10,15,20-tetraferrocenylporphyrin anion-radicals by spectroelectrochemical, DFT, and TDDFT approaches

Anion-radicals of general formula [MTFcP]- (M = 2H, Zn, InCl, and InFc; TFcP2- is a dianion of 5,10,15,20-tetraferrocenylporphyrin) were prepared for the first time in situ by controlled potential reduction of the respective neutral MTFcP complexes in a thin layer spectroelectrochemical cell. UV-vis spectroscopy reveals the formation of a broad NIR band between 827–890 nm and another broad band in the Soret region between 458 and 527 nm. A similar NIR band has previously been assigned to 5,10,15,20-tetra(aryl)porphyrin radical-anions. Additional information on the electronic structure and nature of the vertical excitation energies in the [H2TFcP]- system were obtained by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) methods. DFT calculations predict that the SOMO in the [H2TFcP]- anion-radical is predominantly localized over the porphyrin core. TDDFT calculations suggest numerous MLCT transitions in addition to the expected π–π* excitations, which play a key role in the formation of unusual UV-vis spectra in the [MTFcP]- anion-radicals.
Theoretical study of two-photon circular dichroism on molecular structures simulating aromatic amino acid residues in proteins with secondary structures

Herein, we report on the calculation and the comparative analysis of the theoretical two-photon circular dichroism (TPCD) spectra of L-histidine (His), L-phenylalanine (Phe), and L-tyrosine (Tyr) simulating residues in proteins with secondary structures (α-helix, β-strand and random coil), down to the far-UV region (FUV). This work exposes unique signatures in the FUV for each conformer in each configuration. The outcomes of this research show how FUV-TPCD can be used to study peptide and protein structures in a region never evaluated before but packed with important structural information.
Gate current injection in MOSFET's with a split-gate (virtual drain) structure

Gate current injection into the gate oxide of MOSFETs with a split-gate (virtual drain) structure is examined. The split-gate structure is commonly encountered in flash EEPROM and CCDs. An important parameter characterizing the gate current injection is the ratio phi /sub b// phi /sub i/ (where phi /sub b/ is the effective energy barrier for electron injection into gate oxide, and phi /sub i/, is the impact ionization energy). Measurements of phi /sub b// phi /sub i/ at relatively constant vertical and lateral electric fields are reported. Through the use of a novel triple-gate MOSFET, the drain current as well as the lateral and vertical electric field at the point of injection were independently controlled during the measurements. The measured phi /sub b// phi /sub i/ showed a dependence on gate and drain biases not reported previously. >
Dry deposition to forests—On the use of data from clearings

To quantify dry deposition rates to forest canopies normally requires the use of a tower erected so that measurements can be made above the treetops, as well as often within the canopy. However, wet deposition protocols call for deployment of instruments in forest clearings. The question arises as to whether forest clearing measurements can be used to estimate dry deposition rates to the surrounding forest canopy. A trial program was implemented in the 1980s, to explore this possibility. Two nearby sites were set up at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as part of the Dry Deposition Inferential Method network, now a component of the Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network (AIRMoN). One site was a tower extending to about 35 m above the floor of a mixed deciduous forest, with trees about 27 m tall. The second site was in the forest clearing used for measurements under the protocols of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). The data indicate that clearing concentrations of SO2 ,S O 4 2 , and HNO3 are consistently and significantly different from those above the forest, as measured at the nearby tower. In addition, turbulence data obtained in the clearing do not lead to estimates of deposition velocities like those derived from the tower instrumentation. The data indicate that the ratio F f/F c (where F f is the dry deposition rate to the forest canopy and F c is that of the same chemical to the clearing) varies with the chemical species of interest, and with the time of year in a manner that suggests a direct linkage with the leaf area index of the canopy. On the average, F f/F c appears to be slightly above 2.0 for SO2 and HNO3, and slightly below 2.0 for SO4 2 .
Complete Identification Methods for the Causal Hierarchy

We consider a hierarchy of queries about causal relationships in graphical models, where each level in the hierarchy requires more detailed information than the one below. The hierarchy consists of three levels: associative relationships, derived from a joint distribution over the observable variables; cause-effect relationships, derived from distributions resulting from external interventions; and counterfactuals, derived from distributions that span multiple "parallel worlds" and resulting from simultaneous, possibly conflicting observations and interventions. We completely characterize cases where a given causal query can be computed from information lower in the hierarchy, and provide algorithms that accomplish this computation. Specifically, we show when effects of interventions can be computed from observational studies, and when probabilities of counterfactuals can be computed from experimental studies. We also provide a graphical characterization of those queries which cannot be computed (by any method) from queries at a lower layer of the hierarchy.
Noggin suppression enhances osteogenesis of murine osteoblasts

METHODS: Noggin directed siRNA constructs were generated using a restriction enzyme-generated system (REGS). Individual construct efficacy was assessed by QRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. MC3T3-E1 and P53-/osteoblasts were infected with validated constructs and changes in differentiation potential were assayed histologically. QRT-PCR analysis of osteoblast differentiation markers was also performed to evaluate for changes in gene expression patterns. Specificity in all experiments was verified through control siRNA and sham infection.
Eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a neonatal intensive care unit by active surveillance and aggressive infection control measures.

Objectives:To describe an outbreak of hospital-acquired MRSA in a NICU and to identify the risk factors for, outcomes of, and interventions that eliminated it.Setting:An 18-bed, level III-IV NICU in a community hospital.Methods:Interventions to control MRSA included active surveillance, aggressive contact isolation, and cohorting and decolonization of infants and HCWs with MRSA. A case–control study was performed to compare infants with and without MRSA.Results:A cluster of 6 cases of MRSA infection between September and October 2001 represented an increased attack rate of 21.2% compared with 5.3% in the previous months. Active surveillance identified unsuspected MRSA colonization in 6 (21.4%) of 28 patients and 6 (5.5%) of 110 HCWs screened. They were all successfully decolonized. There was an increased risk of MRSA colonization and infection among infants with low birth weight or younger gestational age. Multiple gestation was associated with an increased risk of colonization (OR, 37.5; CI95, 3.9–363.1) and infection (OR, 5.36; CI95, 1.37–20.96). Gavage feeding (OR, 10.33; CI95, 1.28–83.37) and intubation (OR, 5.97; CI95, 1.22–29.31) were associated with increased risk of infection. Infants with MRSA infection had a significantly longer hospital stay than infants without MRSA (51.83 vs 21.46 days; P = .003). Rep-PCR with mec typing and PVL analysis confirmed the presence of a single common strain of hospital-acquired MRSA.Conclusion:Active surveillance, aggressive implementation of contact isolation, cohorting, and decolonization effectively eradicated MRSA from the NICU for 2½ years following the outbreak. (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005;26:616-621)
Unaltered optical fiber as an absolute wavelength reference for OFDR systems

We present a novel method of obtaining an absolute wavelength reference for OFDR measurements using Rayleigh backscatter from standard optical fiber. We report 1 GHz (8pm) accuracy.
Improving the assessment of depression remission with the Remission Evaluation and Mood Inventory Tool.

ObjectiveThe Remission Evaluation and Mood Inventory Tool (REMIT) is a practical 5-item self-report measure of key positive mood states associated with recovering from depression, as distinct from ...
Gastrointestinal bacteria will have its way.

and is becoming an increasingly visible component of day-to-day medical practice. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis has also been suggested as an appropriate framework for designing strategies whereby our use of antibiotics can minimize the risk of emergence of antimicrobial resistance [1]. The rationale underlying such strategies is simple and compelling: Assuming a majority susceptible population at an infection site (one that might contain within it a small minority of bacteria that have
Algorithms for effective variable bit rate traffic smoothing

The transfer of prerecorded, compressed variable-bit-rate video requires multimedia services to support large fluctuations in bandwidth requirements on multiple time scales. Bandwidth smoothing techniques can reduce the burstiness of a VBR (variable bit rate) stream by transmitting data at a series of fixed rates, simplifying the allocation of resources in video servers and the communication network. The RCBR (renegotiated constant bit rate) service model seems ideally suited for smoothed VBR traffic which is piece-wise CBR. Zhimei Jiang (see Proc. IEEE Infocomm 98, p.676, 1998) proposed a dynamic programming algorithm to compute the optimal renegotiation schedule given the relative cost of renegotiation and client buffer size. We show that the schedule produced by his algorithm has high peak rates and frequent renegotiations. We propose another algorithm that computes a renegotiation schedule that has a slightly higher cost than the optimal schedule, but has other desirable properties, such as lower peak rate and lower frequency of renegotiations. We also consider proxy-based online smoothing, and propose an adaptive heuristic algorithm to generate renegotiation schedules at runtime without knowledge of future frame size information. We compare the schedule computed by the algorithm to the optimal schedule computed with full knowledge of future frame sizes.
On confirmation and rational betting

The purpose of this paper is to analyze rational betting. In particular, we concentrate on one necessary feature of rational betting, the avoidance of certainty of losing to a clever opponent. If a bettor is quite foolish in his choice of the rates at which he will bet, ah opponent can win money from him no matter what happens.This phenomenon is well known to professional bettors—especially bookmakers, who must as a matter of practical necessity avoid its occurrence. Such a losing book is called by them a “dutch book.” Our investigations are thus concerned with necessary and sufficient conditions that a book not be “dutch.”De Finetti [3] has started with the same idea and used it as a foundation for the theory of probability. It is our aim to consider the same subject more precisely and attempt to answer some questions about desirable features of a confirmation function. We wish to connect the ideas of De Finetti with those of Carnap [1] and Hossiasson-Lindenbaum [6]. The results expressed by Theorem 1 are essentially contained in De Finetti's work. Theorems 3 and 4 seem to be new.The confirmation functions which we consider will be functions with two sentences as arguments taking real numbers as values. Intuitively, C(h, e) will represent the rate at which a bettor would be willing to bet on the hypothesis h if he knew the information expressed by the sentence e, the evidence.
Mechanisms underlying thrombocytopenia in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common hematological problems among neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but in the majority of cases the kinetic mechanism responsible is unclear. This review focuses on both traditional and innovative methods used to evaluate the mechanisms responsible for thrombocytopenia in neonates, and analyzes the data generated from those methods. Conclusion: Results of studies using new methods for evaluating thrombocytopenia, coupled with recent descriptions of marrow megakaryocyte mass, suggest that decreased platelt production complicates most cases of thrombocytopenia among neonates in the NICU.
Phase I Clinical Investigation of Fludarabine Phosphate by a Loading-Dose and Continuous-Infusion Schedule

Fludarabine phosphate was studied in a phase I trial of a loading-dose/continuous-infusion schedule. The schedule was chosen to rapidly achieve and maintain concentrations that have been shown in vitro to achieve maximal inhibition of cell growth. The initial level was a loading dose of 20 mg/m2 followed by a 48-hour continuous iv (CIV) infusion of 30 mg/m2 every 24 hours. For the single-dose escalation, the loading dose was held constant while the CIV dose was increased to 45 mg/m2/24 hours for 48 hours. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression, especially leukopenia. No other significant toxicity was encountered. The maximum tolerated dose was 20 mg/m2 by iv push followed by a 48-hour CIV infusion of 30 mg/m2/24 hours for 48 hours. The recommended starting dose for phase II trials is 20 mg/m2 by iv push followed by a 48-hour CIV infusion of 30 mg/m2/24 hours. This dose level achieved the target plasma levels in the 2 patients studied.
System-level implications of disaggregated memory

Recent research on memory disaggregation introduces a new architectural building block — the memory blade — as a cost-effective approach for memory capacity expansion and sharing for an ensemble of blade servers. Memory blades augment blade servers' local memory capacity with a second-level (remote) memory that can be dynamically apportioned among blades in response to changing capacity demand, albeit at a higher access latency. In this paper, we build on the prior research to explore the software and systems implications of disaggregated memory. We develop a software-based prototype by extending the Xen hypervisor to emulate a disaggregated memory design wherein remote pages are swapped into local memory on-demand upon access. Our prototyping effort reveals that low-latency remote memory calls for a different regime of replacement policies than conventional disk paging, favoring minimal hypervisor overhead even at the cost of using less sophisticated replacement policies. Second, we demonstrate the synergy between disaggregated memory and content-based page sharing. By allowing content to be shared both within and across blades (in local and remote memory, respectively), we find that their combination provides greater workload consolidation opportunity and performance-per-dollar than either technique alone. Finally, we explore a realistic deployment scenario in which disaggregated memory is used to reduce the scaling cost of a memcached system. We show that disaggregated memory can provide a 50% improvement in performance-per-dollar relative to conventional scale-out.
What primary care physicians should know about radiation exposure, image quality, and accreditation of mammography providers.

M ammography is one of the most subtle and difficult applications of x-ray imaging3 (PP 1-4) It has the competing demands of excellent low-contrast resolution for the detection of subtle lesions and spiculations in the breast, of high spatial resolution for the detection of small microcalcifications, and of low radiation dose to the patient. Because of its sensitive nature, mammography requires modern dedicated equipment, correct imaging techniques, and adequate performance of every link in the imaging chain, from x-ray tube to processor. It also requires experience and skill on the part of the technologist positioning the patient and acquiring images, and on the part of the radiologist interpreting the images. Finally, to ensure high quality on a continuing basis, mammography requires vigilant quality control and quality-assurance practices. ~ (PP ~-4),2 This brief review touches on all of these topics, but it also deals primarily with three aspects of breast cancer detection using mammography: the radiation exposure risks from the mammographic exam, image quality in mammography, and the accreditation of mammography providers.
Commanders independent thermal viewer and hull/turret electronics unit-built-in test and diagnostics: Two different approaches to meeting the M1A2 supportability requirements

Two subsystems have been developed for the General Dynamics M1A2 Main Battle Tank. They are the commander's independent thermal viewer (CITV) and the hull/turret electronics unit (H/TEU). The built-in test and embedded diagnostics for each of these systems support the requirements for elimination of special test equipment at the tank level, and use of standard Army test equipment for test and repair at higher echelons of maintenance. The implementation of built-in test/diagnostics in these two systems was quite different, despite the fact that the functional requirements were identical. >
Prison Guards as Agents of Social Control

The fundamental task of prison guards is to maintain control over prisoners, thereby assuring that the prison will operate in a smooth and orderly fashion. Their ability to do this depends on the types of control available within the prison and on their position within the control structure of prisons. We shall examine the control structures available to guards, recent trends in altering the tasks of the guards, and how these relate to the principal task of maintaining control over prisoners.
TheCaloplaca citrinaGroup in North and Central America

Abstract This paper treats four North American yellow or orange sorediate species, C. chrysodeta, C. citrina, C. tominii, and C. xanthostigmoidea. These species are mostly sterile and sorediate and usually occur on rocks and soil. Other related non-American species, C. proteus, C. soropelta, and C. xantholyta are also discussed in relation to the treated species. Descriptions, distribution maps, and color illustrations are provided for the treated taxa.