cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PCR assays for the sugarcane rust pathogens Puccinia kuehnii and P. melanocephala and detection of a SNP associated with geographical distribution in P. kuehnii

Puccinia kuehnii and P. melanocephala cause orange and brown rust of sugarcane, respectively. Puccinia kuehnii has been confirmed in Asia, Australia and recently, the Caribbean basin, whereas P. melanocephala is distributed among the majority of sugarcane growing regions. Differentiating these two economically significant pathogens visually is problematic and limited to material exhibiting mature disease symptoms or spores. Partial ITS1, ITS2 and complete 5·8S sequences were generated from P. kuehnii and P. melanocephala isolates from around the world. PCR primers and dual labelled hydrolysis probes were designed for each pathogen for use in real-time PCR and optimized using locked nucleic acids (LNA). The primers amplified DNA from their target pathogens and not from other species of Puccinia or fungal species isolated from sugarcane leaves. Optimized real-time PCR conditions allowed the detection of 0·19 pg of P. kuehnii or P. melanocephala genomic DNA and differentiated the pathogens on sugarcane leaves prior to observing typical symptoms in the field. Primer-introduced restriction analysis-PCR (PIRA-PCR) was used to detect a single nucleotide polymorphism (Pk ITS1 183A>G) in ITS1 of P. kuehnii. Allele 183A was observed in all samples, whereas 183G was detected in 52% of samples from Asia and Australia yet absent from all Caribbean basin samples. Long distance spore dispersal, dispersal through an intermediate location or improper movement of contaminated material could explain the introduction of P. kuehnii to the Western hemisphere. However, the current proliferation of the pathogen in the Americas is limited to isolates which contain only the 183A allele.
Finite-size calculations of spin-lattice relaxation rates in Heisenberg spin-ladders

Calculations of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rates are carried out by means of exact diagonalization on small (2 x 6) antiferromagnetic Heisenberg ladders, using the simplest forms permitted by symmetry for the hyperfine couplings for the three nuclear sites in Cu2O3 ladders. Several values of the rung/chain exchange ratio have been considered. Comparisons with experimental results, field theoretic calculations, and the Gaussian approximation highlight some open problems.
TATOO: Testing and Analysis Tool for Object- Oriented Software

Testing is a critical component of the software development process and is required to ensure the reliability, robustness and usability of software. Tools that systematically aid in the testing process are crucial to the development of reliable software. This paper describes a code-based testing and analysis tool for object-oriented software. TATOO provides a systematic approach to testing tailored towards object behavior, and particularly for class integration testing. The underlying program analysis subsystem exploits combined points-to and escape analysis developed for compiler optimization to address the software testing issues.
The mobilities of flame synthesized aggregates/agglomerates in the transition regime

Abstract Mobility analysis is frequently used to evaluate the size distribution of nanoparticle aggregates synthesized in high temperature, gas phase environments, such as flames. Theoretically, the scalar mobilities of such non-spherical entities, whose characteristic sizes are similar to the mean free path of their background gas ( λ ), are dependent on two size descriptors, the hydrodynamic radius ( R H ) and the orientationally averaged projected area ( PA ) (as well as λ ). Unfortunately, the theoretical relationship linking the mobility to R H and PA for aggregates has not been experimentally tested, and has often been discarded in lieu of simpler yet theoretically invalid expressions. Here, we examine the mobilities of flame synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) aggregates to directly test the link between the mobility, R H , PA , and λ . Flame synthesized aggregates with mobility equivalent diameters in air in the 45–80 nm range were classified with a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and deposited on a transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid for subsequent imaging. Probable 3-dimensional structures for each imaged aggregate were constructed, based on the assumption that aggregates were quasifractal in nature and by comparing four 2-dimensional size descriptors calculated for images to those of computationally generated projections of quasifractal aggregates (of prescribed pre-exponential factor, fractal dimension, and number of primary particles). The calculated mobilities for the 3-dimensional structures inverted for each image are found to be in excellent agreement with their mobilities inferred from DMA classification, supporting the theoretically proposed relationship between the mobility and R H , PA , and λ in the Kn=πλR H / PA= 1.27–4.11 range. Although a wide range of fractal dimensions and pre-exponential factors are inferred for the observed aggregates, the volumes of the reconstructed aggregates are still found to scale with the mobility diameters.
Nicole Detraz. International Security and Gender

Nicole Detraz. International Security and Gender. Cambridge: Polity, 2012. ISBN 978-0-7456-5116-3. In the last two decades, Feminist Security Studies has emerged as a strong and vibrant body of lit...
Design, synthesis, and conformational analysis of a novel series of HIV protease inhibitors

A combination of structure-based design and both solution, and solid-phase synthesis were utilized to derive a potent (nM) series of HIV-1 protease inhibitors bearing a structurally novel backbone. Detailed structural analysis of several inhibitors prepared in this series has suggested that rigidification of the P1/P2 region of this class of molecules may result in compounds with improved potency.
Bacterial wall growth and division or life without actin

Abstract Bacteria grow, achieve non-spherical shapes, and divide even though the hydrostatic pressure tends to round and burst them. All is achieved with a peptidoglycan corset and a strategy to insert and covalently bond new murein before cleaning old stress-bearing murein.
Relation of Patients Living Without a Partner or Spouse to Being Physically Active After Acute Coronary Syndromes (from the PULSE Accelerometry Substudy)

Living alone is associated with adverse outcomes after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). One potential mediator of the relation between partner status and outcomes after ACS is physical activity. To evaluate the association of partner status with physical activity after ACS, data from 107 participants enrolled in the Prescription Use, Lifestyle, and Stress Evaluation (PULSE) study, a prospective observational study of post-ACS patients, were analyzed. Accelerometers were used to measure physical activity after hospital discharge. The primary outcome measure was a maximum 10 hours of daytime activity 1 month after discharge. One month after discharge from ACS hospitalizations, participants without a partner or spouse exhibited 24.4% lower daytime activity than those with a partner or spouse (p = 0.003). After controlling for age, gender, body mass index, Charlson co-morbidity index, and traditional psychosocial and clinical cardiovascular correlates of post-ACS physical activity, partner status remained an independent predictor of post-ACS physical activity (20.5% lower daytime activity among those without a partner or spouse, p = 0.008). In conclusion, in this study of accelerometer-measured physical activity after an ACS hospitalization, those without a partner or spouse exhibit significantly less physical activity than those with a partner or spouse 1 month after discharge from the hospital. Low physical activity may be an important mediator of the prognosis associated with partner status after ACS.
Impact of AMS 14C determinations on considerations of the antiquity of Homo sapiens in the western hemisphere

Abstract The ability of AMS facilities to obtain direct 14C determinations on milligram amounts of organic extracts of bone has significantly advanced efforts to reexamine the validity of the dating evidence for a number of allegedly Pleistocene Homo sapiens skeletons from the Western Hemisphere previously assigned ages of from about 20000 to 70000 years. AMS 14C analysis has indicated that four of these skeletons are actually of Holocene age, i.e., less than 10000 years old. Holocene ages have previously been documented on the basis of conventional 14C analysis for six other purported Pleistocene human skeletons from the New World. These data point to the danger of accepting pre-Holocene age assignments for such skeletal materials in the absence of direct 14C evidence.
Moments of spectral functions: Monte Carlo evaluation and verification.

The subject of the present study is the Monte Carlo path-integral evaluation of the moments of spectral functions. Such moments can be computed by formal differentiation of certain estimating functionals that are infinitely differentiable against time whenever the potential function is arbitrarily smooth. Here, I demonstrate that the numerical differentiation of the estimating functionals can be more successfully implemented by means of pseudospectral methods (e.g., exact differentiation of a Chebyshev polynomial interpolant), which utilize information from the entire interval $(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\hbar}∕2,\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\hbar}∕2)$. The algorithmic detail that leads to robust numerical approximations is the fact that the path-integral action and not the actual estimating functional are interpolated. Although the resulting approximation to the estimating functional is nonlinear, the derivatives can be computed from it in a fast and stable way by contour integration in the complex plane, with the help of the Cauchy integral formula (e.g., by Lyness' method). An interesting aspect of the present development is that Hamburger's conditions for a finite sequence of numbers to be a moment sequence provide the necessary and sufficient criteria for the computed data to be compatible with the existence of an inversion algorithm. Finally, the issue of appearance of the sign problem in the computation of moments, albeit in a milder form than for other quantities, is addressed.
Computational and experimental studies of the effect of substituents on the singlet-triplet energy gap in phenyl(carbomethoxy)carbene.

The effect of aromatic substitution on the singlet−triplet energy gap in substituted phenyl(carbomethoxy)carbene (X−Ph−C−CO2CH3, PCC) has been explored by time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy and gas-phase computational methods. The ground state of para-substituted PCC is calculated to change from the triplet state in p-NO2-PCC (ΔGST = 6.1 kcal/mol) to the singlet state in p-NH2-PCC (ΔGST = −2.8 kcal/mol). The absence of solvent perturbation in the TRIR spectra of p-N(CH3)2-PCC (which should have electronic properties similar to p-NH2-PCC) and parent PCC is consistent with their ground states lying >±2 kcal/mol from the next available electronic state, in line with the computational results. The observation of solvent perturbation in the TRIR spectra of p-OCH3-PCC and p-CH3-PCC implies that their ground states lie <±1 kcal/mol from their next available electronic state. This is in agreement with our computational results, which predict a gas-phase ΔGST of −0.8 and 1.6 kcal/mol for p-OCH3-PCC and p-C...
Online racial discrimination and psychological adjustment among adolescents.

Purpose: To examine associations between individual and vicarious racial discrimination via the Internet and psychological adjustment. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey using a school-based sample of adolescents. Two hundred sixty-four high school students aged 14-18 completed the online survey. Results: Twenty percent of whites, 29% of African Americans and 42% of multiracials/other experienced individual discrimination and approximately 71% of African Americans and whites and 67% of multiracials witnessed discrimination experienced by same-race and cross-race peers. Hierarchical linear regressions revealed that individual racial discrimination was significantly related to depression and anxiety over and above offline measures. Vicarious discrimination was not related to psychological adjustment measures. Conclusions: Adolescents frequently experienced both individual and vicarious discrimination online. Consistent with offline studies, online racial discrimination was negatively associated with psychological functioning. This study highlights the need to address racial issues in Internet safety prevention. 2008 Society for Adolescent Medicine. All rights reserved.
Monitoring single-stranded DNA secondary structure formation by determining the topological state of DNA catenanes

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) has essential biological functions during DNA replication, recombination, repair, and transcription. The structure of ssDNA must be better understood to elucidate its functions. However, the available data are too limited to give a clear picture of ssDNA due to the extremely capricious structural features of ssDNA. In this study, by forming DNA catenanes and determining their topology (the linking number, Lk) through the electrophoretic analysis, we demonstrate that the studies of catenanes formed from two ssDNA molecules can yield valuable new information about the ssDNA secondary structure. We construct catenanes out of two short (60/70 nt) ssDNA molecules by enzymatic cyclization of linear oligodeoxynucleotides. The secondary structure formed between the two DNA circles determines the topology (the Lk value) of the constructed DNA catenane. Thus, formation of the secondary structure is experimentally monitored by observing the changes of linking number with sequences and conditions. We found that the secondary structure of ssDNA is much easier to form than expected: the two strands in an internal loop in the folded ssDNA structure prefer to braid around each other rather than stay separately forming a loop, and a duplex containing only mismatched basepairs can form under physiological conditions.
Successful nonoperative management of chronic osteoarthritis pain of the knee: safety and efficacy of retreatment with intra-articular hyaluronans

Summary Context Although there are many nonsurgical therapies available for the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA), their long-term use and safety have not been systematically followed. Intra-articular hyaluronan therapy has been used in the treatment of symptoms associated with OA of the knee with a very favorable safety profile. Five intra-articular hyaluronan products are approved in the US. No systematic review of the safety and efficacy of their chronic use has been reported. Objective To evaluate the literature on the efficacy and safety of repeat courses of hyaluronan therapy in patients with OA of the knee. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, searched through October 2004. Study selection Databases were searched using the terms hyaluronan , sodium hyaluronate , hyaluronic acid , hylan , hylan G-F 20 , osteoarthritis , adverse events , repeat treatment , and multiple courses . Data synthesis There are some data that support the benefit and safety of repeat treatment for all products. Data also indicate that one formulation of sodium hyaluronate (molecular weight [MW] 500–730kDa) is well tolerated and as effective after multiple courses of treatment as it is after a single course. There is also clinical evidence that prolonged use of sodium hyaluronate (MW 500–730kDa) may significantly decrease the rate of deterioration of joint structure. Localized severe acute inflammatory reactions reported with repeated treatment in some patients are not a class effect but may be linked to physicochemical characteristics of hylan-based treatment. Conclusions Repeat courses of the hyaluronans are safe and effective in the treatment of pain associated with OA of the knee.
Blockade of immune tolerance induction by puromycin aminonucleoside

Abstract A tranfser system was used to explore the metabolic requirements for tolerance induction to human gamma globulin in the murine thymocyte. CBF1 (BALB/c × C57BL/6) mice were treated with a metabolic inhibitor and deaggregated HGG. Twenty-four hours later these mice were used as donors of thymus cells for irradiated recipients reconstituted with normal bone marrow cells. After a course of immunogenic HGG, the recipient animals were sacrificed and their immunocompetence assessed by use of the hemolytic plaque assay. It was determined that puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN), an inhibitor of RNA and protein synthesis, was capable of obviating tolerance induction in this system. This obviation was found to be temporal, and was not due to increased activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Radioautography revealed that these observed effects with PAN were not due to interference with specific interactions at the cellular membrane. The possible role of PAN in this system is discussed.
Examining the Influence of Development Patterns on Flood Damages along the Gulf of Mexico

The rising cost of floods is increasingly attributed to the pattern and form of the built environment. Our study empirically tests this notion by examining the relationship between development intensity and property damage caused by floods. We examine five years of insured flood loss claims across 144 counties and parishes fringing the Gulf of Mexico. Results indicate that clustered, high-intensity development patterns significantly reduce amounts of reported property damage, while increasing percentages of sprawling, low-intensity development involving recent conversion of open space greatly exacerbate flood losses. These findings demonstrate the importance of community development design in fostering flood-resilient communities.
Planktonic hydroids on Georges Bank: effects of mixing and food supply on feeding and growth

Abstract Huge numbers of hydroids (principally Clytia gracilis) were recently reported suspended in the plankton over the shallow, well-mixed region of Georges Bank, where preliminary feeding experiments suggested that these planktonic predators could have a potentially devastating effect on their zooplankton prey (Madin et al., 1996). Based on these initial findings we undertook a more extensive set of laboratory experiments examining the effects of particulate food concentration and mixing (turbulence) intensity on the feeding and growth of suspended hydroids. Not surprisingly, we found a clear effect of particulate food concentration on the growth of hydroid colonies. After 7 days at 15°C, both colony size (number of hydranths colony−1) and specific growth rate (hydranth hydranth−1 day−1) were significantly greater in well-fed (80–160 Artemia nauplii L−1) versus starved treatments. More interesting was the additional significant effect of turbulent mixing (e=9×10−5 W kg−1) on hydroid growth. Consumption rates (4.5 Artemia nauplii hydranth−1 day−1) were not significantly different between mixing vs. non-mixing treatments, indicating that the enhanced growth rate in the mixing treatments could not have been due to turbulence-enhanced predator–prey contact rates. An alternative hypothesis for the apparent advantage that mixing seemed to confer on hydroid growth is that reduced boundary layer thickness around the hydroids served to replenish the local supply of DOM and oxygen and/or remove waste products. This study indicates that growth rate of planktonic hydroids is dependent on both food concentration and mixing intensity, a finding that helps explain why these organisms are vastly more abundant in the central, shallow, well-mixed region of Georges Bank compared to the stratified flanks of the Bank.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE AXONEMAL MICROTUBULES AND LINKS OF ECHINOSPHAERIUM NUCLEOFILUM

In their interesting paper Tilney and Byers (6) describe the arrangement of the microtubules constituting the axonemes of Echinosphaerium nucleofilum . The writer finds several points of theirs with which on geometrical grounds he cannot agree . Fig. 1 shows an idealized cross-section of an axoneme with the positions of the microtubules shown by heavy dots. The microtubules are arranged in a double polygonal spiral with the array divided into 12 sectors by 12 clearly defined, approximately radial boundaries. The boundaries radiate from two central microtubules . There is evidence for the presence of macromolecular links connecting microtubules but, unfortunately, in the only published micrograph known to the writer which distinctly shows links (6), the arrangement is far from clear.
Conceptualizing Bureaucratic Responsiveness

The concept of bureaucratic responsiveness has been utilized by scholars in contradictory and incomplete fashion. This analysis considers essential elements of the general concept of political responsiveness to provide the basis for consideration of the unique components of bureaucratic responsiveness. The problems of specifying the parameters of responsiveness under any given conceptualization are addressed as a means of delineating the bases of disagreement regarding the meaning of bureaucratic responsiveness.
The benefits of a broader perspective in case-finding for disease management of depression: early lessons from the PROSPECT Study.

The PROSPECT (Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly — Collaborative Trial) Study evaluates collaborative care for the treatment of current depressive disorders in older primary care patients. Using screening data, we evaluate implications of expanding the focus to additional patients who report taking psychotropic medication or having a history of depression. Some 13.8% of the patients screened were taking a psychotropic medication and 7.3% were both taking an antidepressant and had a Center for Epidemiologic Studies — Depression Scale (CES-D) score of > 15. Patients who reported current antidepressant use and those with a history of depression also had elevated CES-D scores. Conversely, most patients having an elevated CES-D score also reported taking an antidepressant or having a history of depression. These latter criteria for potential caseness yielded a larger number of patients than those identified by the CES-D alone. More comprehensive approaches to the management of depression should attend to patients already taking psychotropic medication and symptomatic patients with a history of depression, as well as those with current syndromal depression. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electoral Myth and Reality: The 1964 Election.

On Election Day, 1964, the aspirations of Senator Barry Goldwater and the conservative wing of the Republican Party were buried under an avalanche of votes cast for incumbent President Lyndon Johnson. The margin of victory, approaching 16 million votes, was unprecedented. Historical comparisons with other presidential landslides are left somewhat indeterminate by the intrusion of third parties. However, it is safe to observe that Johnson's 61.3 percent of the two-party popular vote put him in the same general range as the striking victories of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936, Harding in 1920, and Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Before the fact, the election was also expected to be the most intensely ideological campaign since 1936, in no small measure because of Goldwater's reputation as a “pure” conservative. After the fact, doubts existed as to whether this expectation had been fulfilled. Goldwater supporters, in particular, expressed disappointment that President Johnson had refused to join battle on any of the fundamental ideological alternatives that were motivating the Goldwater camp.
Quantitation of effector-target affinity in the human NK cell and K562 tumor cell system

Abstract A quantitative procedure to characterize the affinity of human natural killer (NK) cells for K562 tumor is described. Using highly purified (⩾ 98%) NK cells, measurements of the conjugate frequencies permit the determination of the apparent Michaelis constants ( K M app for the conjugation process. Because no intermediate steps for the lytic process are involved the interpretation of the values of K M app is the simplest one that can be achieved. Thus, we found that a plot of K M app against the number of effector cells allows us to determine the dissociation constant, K S , that characterizes the effector-target affinity. K S is independent of the donor cell source and this value was (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10 5 cell/tube. In contrast, the K M app values vary among donors, and this could be used to compare the relative activity of different donors in relation to their binding capacity.
Dislocation nucleation mechanisms from fcc/bcc incoherent interfaces

Using atomistic simulations, we study the nucleation and emission of dislocations from face-centered cubic/body-centered cubic (fcc/bcc) incoherent interfaces in which interface dislocations only have in-plane Burgers vectors. We show that nucleation sites and preferred slip systems are associated with interface regions with intense localized shear and are not solely determined by Schmid factors. Activation barriers for nucleation from the interface are lower than those for homogeneous nucleation, indicating that flat fcc/bcc incoherent interfaces can act as viable sources of lattice dislocations.
Monetary Policy, Banking Crises, and the Friedman Rule

Banking crises are frequent events. Gerard Caprio and Daniela Klingebiel (1997) catalog over 80 banking crises during the last 25 years. Interestingly, some banking crises are associated with no output losses whatsoever, while others involve massive recessions. Finally, it is known that the probability of a banking crisis rises as the rate of inflation rises (see Asli Demirguc-Kunt and Enrica Detragiache, 1997; John Boyd et al., 2001a, b). While received wisdom exists about the conduct of monetary policy while a crisis is underway, there is no formal treatment of how the conduct of monetary policy during “normal times” affects the potential for banking crises to occur. To fill that gap, I consider economies where spatial separation and limited communication create a transactions role for money, and random shocks to agents’ liquidity preferences create a role for banks. In addition, banks confront randomness in withdrawal demand. When withdrawal demand is sufficiently high, banks exhaust their cash reserves. There are good reasons to associate this with a banking panic. The output lost during a banking panic depends on how great withdrawal demand is. Some banking crises generate no output losses, while others generate large reductions in resource availability. In addition, the conduct of monetary policy during “normal times” affects the probability of a banking crisis. The higher the nominal interest rate (the inflation rate), the higher is the probability of a panic. Driving the nominal interest rate to zero (following the Friedman rule) eliminates bank panics. This constitutes a new rationale for the Friedman rule. Nonetheless, conventional methods of implementing the Friedman rule never produce an optimal resource allocation. In particular, low nominal interest rates induce banks to hold large cash reserves, thereby forgoing socially more productive investments. In effect, the Friedman rule induces banks to become narrow banks voluntarily. The banking system is very safe, but it undertakes a suboptimal level of investment. Less conventional methods for implementing the Friedman rule, such as allowing unrestricted access to the discount window at a zero nominal interest rate, lead either to the nonexistence of equilibrium, or to massive indeterminacies. None of the equilibria will be consistent with full optimality.
Field aflatoxin contamination of maize genotypes of broad genetic base

Contamination of maize (Zea mays L.) grain prior to harvest with aflatoxin frequently occurs in the southern U.S.A. and sources of resistance are needed. Maize from twelve genotypes (varieties) crossed to two testers was analyzed for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination at Baton Rouge, LA and Tifton, GA in 1987. Variety Philippines had the lowest amount of AFB1 at Baton Rouge and one of the lowest amount of AFB1 at Tifton. In the combined analysis of variance, the location x treatment x tester x variety interaction was significant. This interaction was analyzed and a stability variance (σ12) statistic calculated. Mean AFB1 accumulation and stability of AFB1 production were examined simultaneously, i.e., variety ranks for AFB1 and σ12 were summed. The most desirable (lowest rank sum) variety across locations, testers, and treatments (inoculation and control) was St. Charles White, followed by Delta Prolific White, and Hopi. The most inconsistent AFB1 accumulation, along with high AFB1, was on Fino, Atkinson, USAWI, Navajo, and Michoacan-21. The ranks of varieties between the inoculation and control treatments were different (rs=−0.51 for Baton Rouge and 0.29 for Tifton). The rs (rank correlation coefficient) for the control treatments between Baton Rouge and Tifton was 0.60 (P<0.05) and that for the inoculation treatments was −0.20. The varieties identified in this study as having relatively low concentration of AFB1 should be useful to maize breeders in reducing AFB1 contamination in field maize.
Energy-Aware Autonomic Framework for Cloud Protection and Self-Healing

Cloud computing technology is being adopted by a growing number of organizations as a way to manage, store and process data. Protecting this infrastructure and key resources such as data and recovering against cyber threats has become a critical concern. At the same time, cloud computing technology such as virtualization and on-demand provisioning can be leveraged to implement protection and recovery mechanisms for sensitive computing services. However, the energy costs of such self-healing mechanisms has been ignored. In this paper, we present a novel IDS-based self-protection mechanism at the virtual machine level inspired by software rejuvenation concepts, and a proof-of-concept prototype built upon state-of-the-art cloud technology. Our empirical evaluation aims at characterizing the cost of the proposed strategy in terms of response time and energy consumption. Preliminary results show a clear correlation between IDS accuracy, attack rate, cloud system workload, energy consumption, and response time.
Economics of assembly systems

Abstract This paper presents a description of typical assembly systems including manual, special-purpose automatic and programmable assembly systems. For each case, mathematical models are developed to describe economic performance. Comparisons of the economics of the various systems are also made and the future role for programmable assembly robots discussed.
Mechanisms of activation of eNOS by 20-HETE and VEGF in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells

We have demonstrated that VEGF-induced dilation of bovine pulmonary arteries is associated with activation of cytochrome P-450 family 4 (CYP4) enzymes and eNOS. We hypothesized that VEGF and the CY...
Aperture synthesis observations of Saturn and its rings at 2.7-mm wavelength

We present 2.7-mm interferometric observations of Saturn made near opposition in June 1984 and June 1985, when the ring opening angle was 19° and 23°, respectively. By combining the data sets we produce brightness maps of Saturn and its rings with a resolution of 6″. The maps show flux from the ring ansae, and are the first direct evidence of ring flux in the 3-mm wavelength region. Modelfits to the visibility data yield a disk brightness temperature of 156 ± 5°K, a combined A, B, and C ring brightness temperature of 19 ± 3°K, and a combined a ring cusp (region of the rings which block the planet's disk) brightness temperature of 85 ± 5°K. These results imply a normal-to-the-ring optical depth for the combined A-B-C ring of 0.31 ± 0.04, which is nearly the same value found for wavelenghts from the UV to 6 cm. About 6°K of the ring flux is attributed to scattered planetary emission, leaving an intrinsic thermal component of ∼13°K. These results, together with the ring particle size distributions found by the Voyager radio occultation experiments, are consistent with the idea that the ring particles are composed chiefly of water ice.
Retardation effects at low doping in the spin-bag mechanism of high-Tc superconductivity.

The effects of small doping on the interactions involved in the superconducting transition for the spin-bag mechanism are studied within the random-phase approximation. We find a low-energy peak in the effective attractive interaction between pairing quasiparticles. We elucidate the effects of retardation which derive from this peak. Eliashberg-like equations are derived for the self-energy functions of superconducting quasiparticles. We find that for a fairly large range of model parameters this low-energy peak can have a substantial influence upon the gap equation. We also find that the interaction which produces superconductivity is itself altered by the opening up of a superconducting energy gap, becoming stronger in the presence of the gap.
Dietary self-monitoring in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Self-monitoring of food intake is a cornerstone of behavioral weight loss interventions, but its use has not been evaluated in the treatment of obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This pilot study described patterns of adherence to dietary self-monitoring in obese patients with OSA and determined associations between self-monitoring and weight loss, psychosocial functioning, and adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Participants completed a 6-week behavioral weight loss intervention focused on dietary self-monitoring. Approximately one-third of participants were adherent to self-monitoring throughout the course of the intervention and experienced more weight loss than those who did not self-monitor regularly. More frequent dietary self-monitoring also appeared to be associated with adherence to other health behaviors. These preliminary data suggest that use of dietary self-monitoring may be beneficial for promoting weight loss and adherence to other important health behaviors in OSA patients.
Solar zenith angle effects on vegetation indices in tallgrass prairie

The examination of the effects of solar zenith angle is based on computations of spectral vegetation indices (VIs) computed from spectral reflectance factors. The indices are examined in terms of biomass and LAI, and low-density canopies show no change in the low VI values during the day. The spectral VIs appear to measure the instantaneous, projected, and illuminated LAI canopy fraction relative to the illuminated substrate.
The Delegation of Dispute Settlement Authority to Conventional International Governmental Organizations

The issue of dispute settlement is problematic in the international system because it may conflict with sovereignty. States may find, however, that in order to facilitate cooperation, they should delegate some authority to resolve disputes to a third party. This article seeks to provide a measure for dispute settlement authority and some explanation for the delegation aspect of international cooperation by examining why states agree to grant dispute settlement authority to a particular kind of institutional arrangement, conventional international governmental organizations (IGOs). The analysis reveals that states tend to enter into IGO agreements with a higher degree of dispute settlement authority when members have a greater incentive to defect due either to the large number of other parties to the agreement, or due to greater cooperative demands as provided by the agreement.
Dose variation due to differences in applicator placement used for intracavitary brachytherapy of cervical cancer.

Abstract The prognosis for women with early stage cancers of the cervix is excellent. The cervix and proximal vagina are relatively radioresistant structures; dose limiting critical structures for radiation treatment in this area are tissues such as the bladder and rectum. The high dose rate gradient of brachytherapy allows high doses to the tumor volume, while doses to the neighboring structures are lower. Intracavitary treatment of cervical cancer is performed by insertion of tandem and ovoid applicators. Correct tandem and ovoid placement is verified and documented with orthogonal radiographs. If placement of the tandem and ovoid is not acceptable, the packing is removed, and the tandem or ovoid is repositioned or exchanged as necessary. To examine the difference in dose to specific reference points when tandem or ovoid placement was changed by the physician, three patients’ initial insertion radiographs were compared to those that were accepted to treat. Points of comparison selected for the patients on each of the insertions were: point A (L and R), external iliac nodes (L and R), bladder, and rectum. Each of the placement changes for the three patients resulted in differences in distance, and therefore, differences in dose. Changes as high as 823 cGy resulted from the adjustment of only one component. In the cases examined, repositioning improved dose distribution to the cervix, and lowered the dose to adjacent critical structures.
Identification of an agonist-induced conformational change occurring adjacent to the ligand binding pocket of the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

To study the conformational changes that convert G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) from their resting to their active state, we used the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, a prototypical class A GPCR, as a model system. Specifically, we employed a recently developed in situ disulfide cross-linking strategy that allows the formation of disulfide bonds in Cys-substituted mutant M3 muscarinic receptors present in their native membrane environment. At present, little is known about the conformational changes that GPCR ligands induce in the immediate vicinity of the ligand-binding pocket. To address this issue, we generated 11 Cys-substituted mutant M3 muscarinic receptors and characterized these receptors in transfected COS-7 cells. All analyzed mutant receptors contained an endogenous Cys residue (Cys-5327.42) located within the exofacial segment of transmembrane domain (TM) VII, close to the agonist-binding site. In addition, all mutant receptors harbored a second Cys residue that was introduced into the exofacial segment of TM III, within the sequence Leu-1423.27-Asn-1523.37. Disulfide cross-linking studies showed that muscarinic agonists, but not antagonists, promoted the formation of a disulfide bond between S1513.36C and Cys-532. A three-dimensional model of the inactive state of the M3 muscarinic receptor indicated that Cys-532 and Ser-151 face each other in the center of the TM receptor core. Our cross-linking data therefore support the concept that agonist activation pulls the exofacial segments of TMs VII and III closer to each other. This structural change may represent one of the early conformational events triggering the more pronounced structural reorganization of the intracellular receptor surface. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first direct demonstration of a conformational change occurring in the immediate vicinity of the binding site of a GPCR activated by a diffusible ligand.
Changes of Biomechanics-Based Indices for Patient-Specific Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Over Time

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is the 13th leading cause of death in the US. Clinicians attempt to avoid rupture by performing elective repair. Since AAAs are often times asymptomatic, impending AAA rupture can be without warning. Additionally, patients with AAA are often elderly or have co-morbid conditions. Therefore, the treatment of AAA patients presents a dilemma for the surgeon: surgery should only be recommended when the risk of rupture of the AAA outweighs the risks associated with the interventional procedure.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Role of cytosolic calcium in the control of cAMP content by calcium in bovine parathyroid cells.

Abstract In the present studies we used the calcium (Ca2+)-sensitive dye Quin-2 to determine whether the cytosolic (Cyt) Ca2+ mediates the effects of extracellular (EC) Ca2+ on cAMP accumulation through changes in adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity in bovine parathyroid cells (bPTC). In dispersed (d) bPTC, increasing the EC Ca2+ from 0.5 to 2 mM produces a rise in the Cyt Ca2+ from 179 to 646 nM which is associated with a 52% inhibition of agonist-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Over this range of free Ca2+ adenylate cyclase activity decreased by approx. half (57%) and phosphodiesterase activity increases 2-fold (101%) suggesting that changes in the Cyt Ca2+ can account for the effects of EC Ca2+ on cAMP through changes in these enzymes. Unlike dbPTC, 4-day-old cultured bPTC show only a 23% suppression of cAMP by high EC Ca2+ and a reduced rise in the Cyt Ca2+ from 0.5 to 3 mM EC Ca2+. Although there is no reduction in the Ca2+ sensitivity of adenylate cyclase, phosphodiesterase activity shows no change at varied free Ca2+. Thus, this diminished Ca2+ sensitivity of phosphodiesterase activity, and the decreased rise in Cyt Ca2+ relative to EC Ca2+ may both contribute to the resistance to the effects of EC Ca2+ on cAMP content in cultured cells. Because in addition to Cyt Ca2+, protein kinase C may also mediate the effects of EC Ca2+ on PTH release, we studied the effects of TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) on agonist-stimulated cAMP in dbPTC. Unlike its effect on hormone release, TPA did not alter the inhibition of cAMP accumulation by high EC Ca2+, indicating that in dbPTC the intracellular mechanisms by which calcium regulates PTH release and cAMP content are different.
Sensitization of O21Σg+ → 1Δg emission in solution, and observation of O21Δg → 3Σg− chemiluminescence upon decomposition of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene endoperoxide

Abstract O 2 ( 1 Σ g + ) has been detected in solution for the first time through observation of 1 Σ g + → 1 Δ g emission at 1.93 μm. In a search for direct evidence of singlet molecular oxygen expelled upon decomposition of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene endoperoxide, we found O 2 1 Δ g → 3 Σ g − chemiluminescence at 1.27 μm during thermolysis at room temperature and upon excitation of the S 2 excited state at 266 nm. No chemiluminescence was observed upon excitation of the S 1 state at 355 nm.
Longevity and Egg Production of Female Bed Bugs, Cimex lectularius, Fed Various Blood Fractions and Other Substances

Female bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., were starved for a week or more after their emergence as adults, then were fed artificially through prepared mouse skins, and were mated within 2 hours after feeding. Substances offered them for feeding included: citrated whole rabbit blood; whole rabbit blood with added sucrose; whole rabbit blood diluted 9:1 or 1:1 with insect Ringer's solution; whole rabbit blood diluted 1:1 with distilled water; rabbit erythrocytes in distilled water; rabbit blood plasma; calf blood serum; cow's milk; and insect and mammalian Ringer's solutions. Toxic substances apparently developed quickly in stored blood. Whole blood stored 4 days was lethal to the bugs, as was 2-day-old blood mixed with distilled water and 3-day-old blood with added sucrose. Blood mixed with insect Ringer and stored 2 days was much less toxic; bugs fed the 9:1 mixture showed 80% survival after 12 days, and had the highest average egg production (5.4 eggs) among the experimental groups. Second highest production (4.2 eggs) was by the bugs fed calf serum, but survival was only 37% in this group. No other group had an average production higher than 1.5 eggs, as against normal production of 10–15 eggs by females fed directly on rabbits. Highest survival (88%–100%) after 12 days was found in the groups given the Ringer solutions alone, but egg production by these groups was virtually nil. The commonest cause of death was rupture of the foregut, with consequent leakage of its contents into the hemocoel.
Microfluidic fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry (μFlowFISH)

We describe an integrated microfluidic device (μFlowFISH) capable of performing 16S rRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) followed by flow cytometric detection for identifying bacteria in natural microbial communities. The device was used for detection of species involved in bioremediation of Cr(VI) and other metals in groundwater samples from a highly-contaminated environmental site (Hanford, WA, USA). The μFlowFISH seamlessly integrates two components: a hybridization chamber formed between two photopolymerized membranes, where cells and probes are electrophoretically loaded, incubated and washed, and a downstream cross structure for electrokinetically focusing cells into a single-file flow for flow cytometry analysis. The device is capable of analyzing a wide variety of bacteria including aerobic, facultative and anaerobic bacteria and was initially tested and validated using cultured microbes, including Escherichia coli, as well as two strains isolated from Hanford site: Desulfovibrio vulgaris strain RCH1, and Pseudomonas sp.strain RCH2 that are involved in Cr(VI) reduction and immobilization. Combined labeling and detection efficiencies of 74–97% were observed in experiments with simple mixtures of cultured cells, confirming specific labeling. Results obtained were in excellent agreement with those obtained by conventional flow cytometry confirming the accuracy of μFlowFISH. Finally, the device was used for analyzing water samples collected on different dates from the Hanford site. We were able to monitor the numbers of Pseudomonas sp. with only 100–200 cells loaded into the microchip. The μFlowFISH approach provides an automated platform for quantitative detection of microbial cells from complex samples, and is ideally suited for analysis of precious samples with low cell numbers such as those found at extreme environmental niches, bioremediation sites, and the human microbiome.
Robotic-assisted abdominal cerclage: a case report and literature review

We report a robotic-assisted, ultrasound-guided abdominal cerclage placement during pregnancy that resulted in term delivery, and review the current literature with respect to the efficacy of robotic-assisted transabdominal cerclage (RoboTAC) placement. The patient was a 25-year-old gravida 5 para 0-0-4-0 with cervical insufficiency who failed McDonald cerclage placement in two prior pregnancies, and presented at 13 weeks with a shortened (1.66 cm) cervical length. Placement of abdominal cerclage with robotic assistance under ultrasound guidance was performed at a teaching hospital. The main outcome measure was feasibility of RoboTAC placement in a gravid uterus under ultrasound guidance, and delivery of an infant ≥34 weeks of gestation with neonatal survival. Abdominal cerclage was safely and successfully placed at 13 weeks with robotic assistance. The patient had an otherwise uncomplicated antenatal course and was delivered via primary cesarean section at 38 weeks. Robotic-assisted abdominal cerclage can be considered for patients who require abdominal cerclage placement by skilled robotic surgeons.
Interviewer's Moods and Reactions to Job Applicants: The Influence of Affective States on Applied Social Judgments1

Male and female subjects interviewed a same-sex applicant for an entry-level management position. In reality, this person was an accomplice who presented a carefully standardized pattern of positive and negative information. Prior to the interview, participants were exposed to treatments designed to place them in a positive, neutral, or negative mood. Results indicated that subjects’ moods influenced their reactions to the applicant. They rated this individual higher on job-related and personal dimensions and made more favorable employment decisions about him or her when in a positive than negative mood. In addition, participants recalled more information presented by the applicant that was consistent with their current mood than information that was inconsistent with these feelings. Implications of these findings for the development of closer conceptual links between (a) basic knowledge about social cognition and (b) practical issues relating to the conduction of fair employment interviews are discussed.