cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative expression analysis of a Glyptapanteles indiensis polydnavirus protein tyrosine phosphatase gene in its natural lepidopteran host, Lymantria dispar

In the present study, expression of a newly identified Glyptapanteles indiensis polydnavirus (GiPDV) gene encoding a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase (PDVPTP) was monitored in vivo in the parasitized host, L. dispar, using one step RT-PCR. Expression levels of the PDVPTP transcript were also evaluated in various host tissues at different times post parasitization (pp) using RT quantitative competitive PCR (RT-qcPCR). Expression levels varied, with the most abundant transcript detected in host haemolymph 2 h pp. The high expression level in host haemolymph at an early stage of parasitization suggested a potential role for viral PDVPTP in disruption of the host immune system and protection of the endoparasitoid egg from encapsulation. Additionally, the PDVPTP gene or its homolog(s) mapped to more than one GiPDV genomic DNA segment, which may account for its increased level of expression in the absence of virus replication.
The empirical importance of enduring rivalries

This article explores the empirical significance of the concept of enduring rivalries for the study of international conflict. We examine whether conflict occurring in enduring rivalries was more f...
1374 H1N1 in Children Requiring Intensive Treatment; the Rotterdam Experience

Objective: To describe the characteristics of children with H1N1 influenza who required PICU (paediatric intensive care unit) treatment. Patients and Methods: We reviewed the charts of all children with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 influenza requiring PICU admission between September 2009 and March 2010 in the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, the Netherlands. Results: 12 children were admitted to our PICU, whereas 1 died before transport to our hospital due to cardiorespiratory failure. Of these 12 children (50% boys, mean age 10.8 years), 7 (58%) had clinical significant previous medical conditions. All 12 presented with fever and flu-like symptoms. Mean interval between onset of symptoms and PICU admission was 2 days (0-5 days). PICU treatment consisted of oseltamivir (n=12, 100%), high flow oxygen through a non-rebreathing mask (n=5, 42%, mean duration 1 day), invasive mechanical ventilation (n=1, 8%, duration 2 days) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because of severe cardiorespiratory failure (n=6, 50%). The latter 6 children were referred by other Dutch PICU tertiary centres for ECMO therapy. Of these 6 children, 4 (66%) had clinical significant previous medical conditions. Four of the 6 were discharged alive from the PICU after a mean ECMOduration of 7.5 days, whereas 2 died after a mean ECMO-duration of 31 days because of refractory respiratory failure with a staphylococcus-infection. Conclusions: The majority of children with H1N1 admitted to our PICU were teenagers and had clinical significant previous medical conditions. 50% were referred by other PICU for ECMO treatment. Overall mortality was high (23%).
Wavelength Modulation Spectrum of Copper

The wavelength modulation spectrum of Cu is presented at 7\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in the range of $2.0l~\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}l~6.0$ eV. The band structure of Cu calculated by the empirical pseudopotential method is used to compute the imaginary part of the dielectric function ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and the logarithmic derivative of the reflectivity, $\frac{{R}^{\ensuremath{'}}(\ensuremath{\omega})}{R(\ensuremath{\omega})}$. Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained at the absorption edge and at higher energies using the one-electron approximation if dipole matrix elements are calculated from wave functions including core contributions rather than the pseudowave functions. The transitions causing the structure in $\frac{{R}^{\ensuremath{'}}(\ensuremath{\omega})}{R(\ensuremath{\omega})}$ are identified.
Target-oriented wave-equation least-squares migration/inversion with phase-encoded Hessian

Prestack depth migration produces blurred images resulting from limited acquisition apertures, complexities in the velocity model, and band-limited characteristics of seismic waves. This distortion can be partially corrected using the model-space least-squares migration/inversion approach, where a target-oriented wave-equation Hessian operator is computed explicitly and then inverse filtering is applied iteratively to deblur or invert for the reflectivity. However, one difficulty is the cost of computing the explicit Hessian operator, which requires storing a large number of Green's functions, making it challenging for large-scale applications. A new method to compute the Hessian operator for the wave-equation-based least-squares migration/inversion problem modifies the original explicit Hessian formula, enabling efficient computation of this operator. An advantage is that the method eliminates disk storage of Green's functions. The modifications, however, also introduce undesired crosstalk artifacts. Two different phase-encoding schemes, plane-wave-phase encoding and random-phase encoding, suppress the crosstalk. When the randomly phase-encoded Hessian operator is applied to the Sigsbee2A synthetic data set, an improved subsalt image with more balanced amplitudes is obtained.
Multiple anatomy optimization of accumulated dose

Purpose: To investigate the potential advantages of multiple anatomy optimization (MAO) for lung cancer radiation therapy compared to the internal target volume (ITV) approach. Methods: MAO aims to optimize a single fluence to be delivered under free-breathing conditions such that the accumulated dose meets the plan objectives, where accumulated dose is defined as the sum of deformably mapped doses computed on each phase of a single four dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) dataset. Phantom and patient simulation studies were carried out to investigate potential advantages of MAO compared to ITV planning. Through simulated delivery of the ITV- and MAO-plans, target dose variations were also investigated. Results: By optimizing the accumulated dose, MAO shows the potential to ensure dose to the moving target meets plan objectives while simultaneously reducing dose to organs at risk (OARs) compared with ITV planning. While consistently superior to the ITV approach, MAO resulted in equivalent OAR dosimetry at planning objective dose levels to within 2% volume in 14/30 plans and to within 3% volume in 19/30 plans for each lung V20, esophagus V25, and heart V30. Despite large variations in per-fraction respiratory phase weights in simulated deliveries at high dose rates (e.g., treating 4/10 phases during single fraction beams) the cumulative clinical target volume (CTV) dose after 30 fractions and per-fraction dose were constant independent of planning technique. In one case considered, however, per-phase CTV dose varied from 74% to 117% of prescription implying the level of ITV-dose heterogeneity may not be appropriate with conventional, free-breathing delivery. Conclusions: MAO incorporates 4DCT information in an optimized dose distribution and can achieve a superior plan in terms of accumulated dose to the moving target and OAR sparing compared to ITV-plans. An appropriate level of dose heterogeneity in MAO plans must be further investigated.
Effect of a Butter-Rich Diet on Murine Frostbite

A simple reproducible, humane model for producing frostbite in rodents is desirable. We have developed such a model and have investigated the effects of a butter-rich diet on severe cold injury. Mice (25 ± 2 g) were randomly divided into two groups (n = 10). One group was given a standard rodent diet and the other group a butter-enriched (25%) rodent diet for 1 month. Under pentobarbital sodium anesthesia the mice were placed in a plastic funnel with the stem removed so that the entire tail protruded. The tails were submerged in a freezing solution (-18°C)for 8 min. The mice received no further treatment. Tail lengths were measured 2 weeks after freezing to determine the amount of tail surviving from cold injury after autoamputation. Mean tail lengths (cm ± SD) for the two groups were as follows: butter-rich diet, 4.3 ± 1.8; standard diet, 7.3 ± 2.0 (P > 0.002). A high saturated-fat diet has a deleterious effect in murine frostbite. This simple model can be employed to test various modalities in the treat...
A new high order dispersive FDTD method for Drude material with complex interfaces

In this paper, motivated by the needs of tracking the transient change in the regularity of the electromagnetic fields across a Drude interface, we propose a new Maxwell-Drude formulation for transverse magnetic problems with inhomogeneous Drude dispersive materials. Based on the auxiliary differential equation approach, the proposed formulation couples the wave equation for the electric component with Maxwell's equations for the magnetic components. A new finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm is introduced for solving the proposed Maxwell-Drude system, in which the time dependent jump conditions across the Drude interface are enforced through the matched interface and boundary (MIB) method. The proposed FDTD method achieves a second order of accuracy in solving Drude interfaces with fluctuating curvatures and non-smooth corners based on a simple Yee lattice, while it can be generalized to up to sixth order in dealing with a straight Drude interface. Therefore, the proposed FDTD method is more accurate and cost-efficient than the classical FDTD methods for Drude material with complex interfaces.
Gouging Induced Fractures in Tungsten Long Rods

High-speed metal-on-metal sliding experiments have shown unique tribological phenomena. Dominant surface modification occurs in the form of teardrop-shaped craters (gouges). Gouges on rocket sled tracks and electromagnetic (EM) launcher rails are the best known cases of steel-on-steel and aluminum-on-copper sliding damages, respectively. We have shown here that severe gouging is produced during hypervelocity sliding between long rods and target material in reverse ballistics experiments. This is the first reported gouging in a non-planar geometry. Nevertheless, the gouges produced are strikingly similar to those found in planar experiments. In this paper, we also present our analysis of gouges caused in a tungsten-steel system due to hypervelocity sliding. The gouges so produced were examined to establish the underlying tribological and fractographic behavior. We found that gouging provides an efficient mode of material removal and a probable cause for fracture. A numerical simulation of plate target interaction with a long rod possessing a gouge indicates that the gouge can indeed lead to fracture and subsequent performance degradation of the penetrator.
Outcome After Curative Resection for Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer

Few biologic markers have been studied as prognostic factors in recurrent rectal carcinoma patients. We sought to determine the influence of clinical, pathologic, and biologic (p53, bcl-2, and ki-67) variables on survival after curative resection of locally recurrent rectal cancer. Retrospective review of patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer who received surgery with curative intent. From 1988 to 1998, 134 patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer underwent operative exploration. Curative resection was performed in 85 patients. Median follow-up was 43 (range, 1.3–149) months. On multivariate analysis, negative predictors of overall survival included an elevated carcinoembryonic antigen level (P = 0.02; hazard ratio 2.41; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.19–4.89) and an R1 resection margin (P = 0.01; hazard ratio, 2.81; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.27–6.21). In 26 patients for whom biologic variables were available, p53, bcl-2, and ki-67 did not significantly impact disease-specific survival or overall survival. Five-year disease-specific survival, overall survival, and pelvic control rates were 46, 36, and 51 percent respectively. Of the 50 patients who relapsed, time to second local recurrence was longer than time to development of metastasis (median, 16.5 vs. 9 months). Median survival for patients with metastatic recurrence was 26.l vs. 41.5 months for those with a subsequent local recurrence alone. Approximately two-thirds of patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer can be resected for cure. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen and an R0 resection margin were the only significant predictors of overall survival. p53, bcl-2, and ki-67 did not impact survival outcomes.
Laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors.

Objectives. To assess retrospectively whether laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in patients with clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor (NSGCT) provides useful pathologic staging information on which subsequent management can be based. Approximately 30% of patients with clinical Stage I NSGCT will have pathologic Stage II disease. Methods. A retrospective review of 29 patients with clinical Stage I NSGCT who underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic RPLND by a single surgeon was performed. Selection criteria included the presence of embryonal carcinoma in the primary tumor or vascular invasion. A modified left (n = 18) or right (n = 11) template was used. Results. Positive retroperitoneal nodes were detected in 12 (41%) of 29 patients. Ten of these patients received immediate adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy, and 2 patients refused chemotherapy. The nodes were negative in 17 (59%) of 29 patients; all but 2 patients (one with recurrence in the chest, the other with biochemical recurrence) have undergone observation. No evidence of disease recurrence has been found in the retroperitoneum of any patient (follow-up range 1 to 65 months). Prospectively, the dissection was limited if grossly positive nodes were encountered; therefore, the total number of nodes removed was significantly different if the nodes were positive or negative (14 ± 2 and 25 ± 3, respectively; P <0.004). Two patients required an open conversion because of hemorrhage. Complications included lymphocele (n = 1) and flank compartment syndrome (n = 1). Conclusions. Laparoscopic RPLND is a feasible, minimally invasive surgical alternative to observation or open RPLND for Stage I NSGCT. Disease outcomes are favorable to date. Longer follow-up in a larger series is necessary to determine therapeutic efficacy.
Impact of tracheostomy timing on outcome after severe head injury.

Background The influence of tracheostomy timing on outcome after severe head injury remains controversial.
The twentieth-century migration of parabolic dunes and wetland formation at Cape Cod National Sea Shore, Massachusetts, USA: Landscape response to a legacy of environmental disturbance

Cape Cod, an early North American colony, was covered by mature forest prior to European contact but, with settlement in the late seventeenth century, aeolian processes dominated into the twenty-first century. An aerial photographic time series from AD 1938 to 2003 quantifies dune movement that reflects processes over centuries and documents accelerated parabolic dune movement at ~4 m/yr from 1938 to 1977 during a drier interval. In contrast, dune movement between 1987 and 2003 slowed to ~1 m/yr with wetter conditions. Wetlands expand post dune movement often forming in dune blowouts with seasonally wet conditions. Stratigraphic studies, coupled with optically stimulated luminescence ages, place erosion and burial of the pre- settlement forest soil by migrating dunes at AD 1690 ± 40 yr, with aeolian deposition continuing into the nine- teenth and twentieth centuries, consistent with the historic record of land surface conditions. A threshold of landscape stability was exceeded in the late seventeenth to early eighteenth centuries, indicated by dune for- mation in response to human-induced land-cover changes, concomitant severe droughts and exposure to tropi- cal storm/hurricane windfield. Dune orientation indicates preferential movement during winter with winds dominantly from the W-NW and with reduced vegetation cover. The present high biodiversity in interdunal wetlands is a legacy of aeolian processes from landscape disturbance initiated by European settlers in the sev- enteenth century.
YEAST two-hybrid and itc studies of alpha and beta spectrin interaction at the tetramerization site

Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) methods were used to further study the mutational effect of non-erythroid alpha spectrin (αII) at position 22 in tetramer formation with beta spectrin (βII). Four mutants, αII-V22D, V22F, V22M and V22W, were studied. For the Y2H system, we used plasmids pGBKT7, consisting of the cDNA of the first 359 residues at the N-terminal region of αII, and pGADT7, consisting of the cDNA of residues 1697–2145 at the C-terminal region of βII. Strain AH109 yeast cells were used for colony growth assays and strain Y187 was used for β-galactosidase activity assays. Y2H results showed that the C-terminal region of βII interacts with the N-terminal region of αII, either the wild type, or those with V22F, V22M or V22W mutations. The V22D mutant did not interact with βII. For ITC studies, we used recombinant proteins of the αII N-terminal fragment and of the erythroid beta spectrin (βI) C-terminal fragment; results showed that the Kd values for V22F were similar to those for the wild-type (about 7 nM), whereas the Kd values were about 35 nM for V22M and about 90 nM for V22W. We were not able to detect any binding for V22D with ITC methods. This study clearly demonstrates that the single mutation at position 22 of αII, a region critical to the function of nonerythroid α spectrin, may lead to a reduced level of spectrin tetramers and abnormal spectrin-based membrane skeleton. These abnormalities could cause abnormal neural activities in cells.
Human trophoblasts confer resistance to viruses implicated in perinatal infection

Objective Primary human trophoblasts were previously shown to be resistant to viral infection, and able to confer this resistance to nontrophoblast cells. Can trophoblasts protect nontrophoblastic cells from infection by viruses or other intracellular pathogens that are implicated in perinatal infection? Study Design Isolated primary term human trophoblasts were cultured for 48-72 hours. Diverse nonplacental human cell lines (U2OS, human foreskin fibroblast, TZM-bl, MeWo, and Caco-2) were preexposed to either trophoblast conditioned medium, nonconditioned medium, or miR-517-3p for 24 hours. Cells were infected with several viral and nonviral pathogens known to be associated with perinatal infections. Cellular infection was defined and quantified by plaque assays, luciferase assays, microscopy, and/or colonization assays. Differences in infection were assessed by Student t test or analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Results Infection by rubella and other togaviruses, human immunodeficiency virus-1, and varicella zoster was attenuated in cells preexposed to trophoblast-conditioned medium ( P Toxoplasma gondii or Listeria monocytogenes . Conclusion Our findings indicate that medium conditioned by primary human trophoblasts attenuates viral infection in nontrophoblastic cells. Our data point to a trophoblast-specific antiviral effect that may be exploited therapeutically.
Synchronous Vortex Shedding (Vortex Pumping) Downstream of a Flat Plate Array

Flow visualization and statistics, obtained downstream of an array of flat plates, are presented. Flow visualization shows that the mean separation between streaklines for the flow downstream of adjacent channels is negatively correlated. Consistent with this observation, the zero-time cross correlation of the fluctuating velocity between adjacent plates is negative. Vortices shed at the trailing edges of the bounding surfaces that form a channel in the plate array are in-phase, but they are nearly 180 deg out-of-phase with the vortices shed at the trailing edges of the bounding surfaces of adjacent channels. Relative to the mean velocity, the axial velocity on the midplane of the channel increased in the region between each pair of vortices. At downstream positions not near the vortex pair, the velocity on the midplane is relatively decreased. Hence, vortices shed at the trailing edges of the channe surfaces lead to vortex pumping, which is consistent with the negative correlation of the fluctuating velocity on the midplanes between adjacent channels
Giant colonic lipoma as lead point for intermittent colo-colonic intussusception ☆

A 45-YEAR-OLD WOMAN presented to her primary care physician with a 1-month history of intermittent, crampy abdominal pain and non-bloody diarrhea. Physical examination revealed mild left abdominal tenderness but results were otherwise unremarkable. No abdominal masses were appreciated, and stool results were guaiac negative. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan was obtained, revealing a 5-cm low attenuation mass at the splenic flexure. The fat density and radiographic appearance suggested a colonic lipoma, which appeared to be functioning as a lead point for colonic intussusception (Fig 1). Subsequent colonoscopy confirmed the presence of a giant lipomatous polyp, which had telescoped into the distal transverse colon. Attempts at colonoscopic reduction and snaring were unsuccessful because of the large size of the polyp. The patient underwent an operative resection with primary anastomosis. Her postoperative course was unremarkable, and she was discharged to home on postoperative day 5. Surgical pathologic examination confirmed a large lipoma (Fig 2).
A state network approach to parallel 3-D graphics

Abstract This paper describes a parallel object-oriented approach to 3-D graphics. In the approach, each 3-D object or pixel is modeled as an active object, which employs a set of ECA rules to control its state transitions. With this a graphic system can be considered as a homogeneous system which consists of a large number of objects belonging to a small number of classes. This logical model allows labor to be divided at the finest level so that incremental updates can be achieved easily. To overcome the problem associated with most fine-grain object-oriented systems, our approach compiles a set of active (graphic) objects into a state network which consists of a set of control state processes (CSPs), where each CSP corresponds to a control state associated with a class of objects. Consequently our approach converts a large number of active objects into a much smaller set of processes during execution without losing the advantage of incremental processing. It can be shown that the proposed approach can perform better than most conventional approaches in a moderate parallel environment.
Comparison between continuous and discrete sources in the Paris system of implants

Since the Paris system of interstitial brachytherapy is based on iridium wires, the consequences resulting from the substitution of discrete point sources in afterloading ribbons have been analyzed. The results are presented in this article for single ribbons, single plane implants of thicknesses 0.5 and 1.0 cm, and biplanar implants of both equal and unequal areas of sizes most frequently used clinically in the thickness range 1.5--3.0 cm. These results indicate changes in the quality of implants using wires and point sources up to the maximum spacing of 1.5 cm. The quality of the implants is judged on the basis of a parameter, the uniformity index, which takes into account both the size of the treatment volume for a given target volume and the homogeneity within the treatment volume as determined from the integral dose. Other implant parameters such as total activity, treatment volume, total volume receiving greater than twice the stated dose rate, average dose rate, and variation of basal dose rate, etc., are also provided to indicate quality of the implants. The results with the customary seed spacing of 1 cm are compatible with those using wires and are found to have improved quality in many cases.
Escherichia coli B N 5 -methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine cobalamin methyltransferase: gel-filtration behavior of apoenzyme and holoenzymes.

Abstract 1. 1. Sephadex G-200 chromatography revealed a significant difference in the gel-filtration behavior of urea-resolved apomethyltransferase compared to three forms of the enzyme containing bound cobalamin (B 12 ). The initial (unalkylated) B 12 holoenzyme, a cobalt-propyl-B 12 enzyme, and reconstituted methyl-B 12 holoenzyme each eluted as if their molecular weights were 150 000; whereas, urea-resolved apoenzyme appeared to have a molecular weight of 205 000. In addition, the following average Stokes radii were obtained: initial B 12 holoenzyme, 54.2 A; urea-resolved apoenzyme, 62.9 A; reconstituted methyl-B 12 holoenzyme, 53.6 A; and propyl-B 12 enzyme, 55.1 A. Sephadex G-200 chromatography of apoenzyme in the presence of 6.0 M urea + 10 mM 1,4-dithiothreitol indicated that dissociation into subunits is not essential in order to remove the B 12 from holoenzyme with urea.
Advances in generation of high-repetition-rate burst mode laser output

It is demonstrated that the incorporation of variable pulse duration flashlamp power supplies into an Nd:YAG burst mode laser system results in very substantial increases in the realizable energy per pulse, the total pulse train length, and uniformity of the intensity envelope. As an example, trains of 20 pulses at burst frequencies of 50 and 20 kHz are demonstrated with individual pulse energy at 1064 nm of 220 and 400 mJ, respectively. Conversion efficiency to the second- (532 nm) and third- (355 nm) harmonic wavelengths of ~50% and 35-40%, respectively, is also achieved. Use of the third-harmonic output of the burst mode laser as a pump source for a simple, home built optical parametric oscillator (OPO) produces pulse trains of broadly wavelength tunable output. Sum-frequency mixing of OPO signal output at 622 nm with residual output from the 355 nm pump beam is shown to produce uniform bursts of tunable output at ~226 nm, with individual pulse energy of ~0.5 mJ. Time-correlated NO planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) image sequences are obtained in a Mach 3 wind tunnel at 500 kHz, representing, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of NO PLIF imaging at repetition rates exceeding tens of hertz.
Research to practice: emotional development and maternal/infant attachment.

Abstract A mother's responsiveness to her infant's signals is important for developing their personal relationship and the child's social and cognitive competence. While interacting, both mother and infant emit signals to capture each other's attention and to indicate whether to join, sustain, or terminate their interaction. Maternal sensitivity to these signals is a central feature in the development of optimal or secure attachment. However, a mother's perceptions and expectations of her infant's behavior affects her sensitivity to infant signals. Because of the effect of these parental perceptions, modifying the parents' cognitive sets and coping strategies to help them better deal with the challenge of responding to infant distress can be beneficial.
Lung cancer growth dynamics

Mathematical modeling furnishes valuable and otherwise unattainable insights, some counterintuitive, into the natural history of lung cancer. We modeled lung cancer growth dynamics to show that: (1) early diagnosis of lethal lung cancer by means of radiographic or CT screening is an unattainable goal. (2) At a given dimension and constant tumor volume doubling time, the rate of diameter increase is an exponential function (base 1.26) of the number of tumor volume doublings, and the rate of increase in volume, a quadratic function of the radius. (3) This methodology delineates the magnitude of diameter increase in small nodules required to discern volume growth. (4) Under the assumption of a high degree of compliance with sequential screens in large-scale trials, mean tumor volume doubling time can be estimated from the prevalence:incidence ratio. For example, in the Mayo Clinic computerized tomography trial, stage IA tumor volume doubling time was 230 days.
A rapid steam distillation method of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil

Abstract A rapid steam distillation of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil is described. It involves determination of the ammonia‐N produced by steam distillation of the soil sample with pH 11.2 phosphate‐borate buffer solution for 8 min. The method is simple and precise, and its results are not significantly affected by air‐drying or air‐dry storage of the soil sample before analysis. It is well suited for use in soil testing laboratories because it does not require extraction, filtration or transfer steps. Studies using 33 Brazilian soils showed that the results obtained by this method were highly correlated with those obtained by aerobic and anaerobic incubation methods of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil.
Emulsion pathways to composite polymeric membranes for separation processes

A novel method for the preparation of selective composite membranes from emulsions is suggested. The dispersed phase is chosen to yield a polymer soluble in those components for which the membrane should be selective; the continuous phase, on the other hand, is selected to yield a polymer that is insoluble in any of the components of the mixture. Conventional emulsions (which have a maximum dispersed phase volume fraction of 0.74) or microemulsions can be employed to generate composites. However, concentrated emulsions which allow volume fractions as large as 0.99 are most suitable as precursors to selective and efficient membranes. These concentrated emulsions have the appearance of gels with a structure similar to that of foams. The relatively high permeabilities obtained with the resultant membranes are due to the small thickness of the films of the continuous phase. A concentrated emulsion of a hydrophobic (hydrophilic) monomer dispersed in a hydrophilic (hydrophobic) continuous phase is first prepared at room temperature, with suitable initiators in each phase for later polymerization, and with an appropriate dispersant in the continuous phase. To ensure the stability of the emulsion, the hydrophilic monomer is, in general, replaced by monomer plus water. On heating the gel at 50 °C, polymerization occurs in both phases and the emulsion transforms into a composite polymer membrane. As examples, composite membranes containing polystyrene as the dispersed phase and polyacrylamide as the continuous phase are used to separate toluene from cyclohexane, while other composite membranes containing acrylamide as the dispersed phase and a crosslinked polystyrene as the continuous phase are used to separate water from ethanol.
Surface-modified polyolefin microfluidic devices for liquid handling

Polymer-based microfluidic devices offer an attractive platform for single-use disposable applications due to their low cost, ease of fabrication and good biocompatibility. In this work, we investigated liquid handling in surface modified polyolefin microfluidic devices. The modification of the surface was accomplished using ultraviolet light, and the contact angle was reduced from 88° to 45°. This type of treatment is easy to implement and could be beneficial for liquid handling in microchannel networks. Capillary-driven flow, contact angle hysteresis and pulsed pumping were demonstrated in these plastic devices. This surface treatment also facilitates rapid gel loading for separation since viscous sieving media can be injected solely by capillary force. Nucleic acid separation was demonstrated in the gel-loaded devices.
Membrane probe 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulphonate promotes acetylcholine and catecholamine release.

1-ANILINO-8-NAPHTHALENE sulphonate (ANS) has been widely used to probe protein1 and membrane2 structures. It is weakly fluorescent when dissolved in water, but in hydrophobic surroundings ANS becomes intensely fluorescent. When biological membranes are exposed to ANS the probe is taken up into the hydrophobic core of the membrane; the location and the microenvironment of the probe can be studied by fluorescent spectroscopy and by X-ray diffraction3.
Flavonoid wing pigments in grasshoppers

Yellow pigments extracted from the hindwings ofDissoteira carolina (L.) (Acrididae:Oedipodinae) were identified by HPLC, GLC, MS and absorbance spectra as primarily quercetin and quercetin-β-3-O-glucoside with minor amounts of luteolin. These flavonoids make up about 2% of the hindwing live weight and are also abundant in the yellow hindwings of several related species of band-winged grasshoppers. Fat body UDPG glucosyltransferase preferentially catalyzed glucosylation of the 3-OH of quercetin.
Radar image studies of an ocean-like surface

High-resolution radar images of a 1-D ocean-like surface are formed through back-projection tomography. The surface profile is described by a Pierson–Moskowitz spectrum, and satisfies an impedance boundary condition. Backscatter results from 10 to 14 GHz excited by a tapered beam at incidence angles from 60 to 80° are considered. Radar images from approximate and numerical scattering models demonstrate dominant Bragg scattering components, small multiple interaction effects associated with the long-wave portion of the surface spectrum, and significant polarization dependencies. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 30: 381–384, 2001.
Efficiently “seeded” perturbation Monte Carlo Method for photon migration

We present a perturbation Monte Carlo method which can be used for light propagation in heterogeneous diffusive media.The method is based on the correspondence between the seed of a random number generator and the sequence of random numbers.
Past as guide to sustainable futures: 16th IPHS conference report

The 16th biennial conference of the International Planning History Society took place in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, from 20 to 23 July 2014. Chris Silver, FAICP, from the University of Florida and Leslee F. Keys from Flagler College co-chaired the conference. The programme included 45 paper and roundtable sessions, with 167 papers, plus 3 plenary sessions.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a continuum of cognitive and social problems that vary considerably in both impact and presentation for each child affected. Although successful interventions have been developed that target specific skill deficits often exhibited by children with autism, many of those interventions are exclusively behavioral in nature, and do not address the cognitive components of presenting problems. The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to address issues related to ASD, however, has been increasing. More specifically, CBT interventions have often been used to address issues of anxiety for children with ASD, and these promising results may be useful to inform practices in schools. This review examines existing literature on CBT interventions that have been evaluated with children with ASD and suggests methods and implications for adapting these interventions for use within the school setting. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MO‐EE‐A2‐04: A Framework to Determine the Risk of Developing Pneumonitis in Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Purpose: To determine which dose and non‐dose features of patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy best predict the incidence of possible lung pneumonitis and to estimate the corresponding risk of developing pneumonitis. Method and Materials: The study employed a database of 235 patients, out of which 34 were diagnosed with Grade 2+ pneumonitis. A total of 94 dose and non‐dose features of each patient were analyzed. To determine the most significant features likely to affect patient outcome, a two‐fold optimization approach was developed. First, the feature values were evaluated by four machine learningmodels for accurate prediction. The model accuracy was measured in terms of tenfold cross‐validation‐based area under ROC curve (AUC). Next, the ROCs of the four models were combined. Towards that end, a Bayesian decision fusion methodology was developed. Finally, based on the combined ROC, the fusion model isolated the set of most significant features and also computed patient‐specific risk of injury. Results: Out of 94 original features, 27 were selected by the four models. AUC values corresponding to the four models were 0.75, 0.70, 0.79, and 0.73, respectively. Most notably, when the four models were combined, the AUC improved to 0.85. Furthermore, the fusion model identified only six features as most significant. They consisted of two dose features: EUD (a=2) and V30; and four non‐dose features: gender, tumor location, histology type, and chemotherapy schedule. The corresponding probabilities for injured patients were found to be significantly higher than those for non‐injured patients, demonstrating robustness of the over all predictive model.Conclusion: A framework was developed to predict the incidence of pneumonitis in lungcancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. The predicted probabilities of injury were found to correspond well with the known injury status of the patients. The framework may potentially be used in the clinic to improve the treatment decision‐making process.
In search of social phobia subtypes: similarity of feared social situations.

The existence of subtypes of social phobia has been questioned. Although cluster analytic methods have been used to support various subtype models, a continuous model based on total number of feared social situations seems equally plausible. In a community sample, we calculated mean similarity measures for combinations of item pairs of feared social situations. Speaking fear items were significantly more similar to each other than to other items. There was also a trend for interaction fear items to be more similar to each other than to other items. These findings suggest that fear of speaking and interactional situations may represent distinct domains of socially feared situations. They should be considered separately in delineation of treatment response and may, if replicated in clinical samples, help identify meaningful subtypes of social phobia.
Fuzzy system for adaptive network routing

In this paper we propose an adaptive routing using a fuzzy system. The traffic in the network is re-routed to nodes, which are less congested, or have spare capacity. Based on a set of fuzzy rules, link cost is dynamically assigned depending upon the present condition of the network. Distance vector algorithm, which is one of the shortest path routing algorithms is used to build the routing tables at each node in the network. The proposed fuzzy system determines the link cost given the present congestion situation measured via the delays experienced in the network and the offered load on the network. Delay in the links, was estimated by the time taken for the test packets to travel from the node to its neighbors. The delay information collected by the test packets and the number of packets waiting in the queue, are the two inputs to the fuzzy system. The output of the fuzzy system is the link cost. This algorithm was applied on a simulated NSFNET, the USA backbone, as well as to another test network with a different topology. Robustness and optimality of the proposed fuzzy system was tested by simulating various types of load patterns on these networks. Simulation studies showed that the performance of the fuzzy system was very close to or better than the best performance of the composite metric under different load conditions and topologies.
Sensitivity of two-channel Ronchi test to grating misalignment

The Ronchi test is performed by placing a periodic grating at or near the focus of an optical system. Like most geometric tests, the Ronchi test measures wavefront slope instead of the contour of the wavefront like conventional interferometry. A two-channel Ronchi test with a horizontal and a vertical grating can be used to reconstruct a non-symmetric test surface. This paper investigates the errors introduced by different rotational and translation misalignments of the gratings in the two-channel Ronchi test relative to one another. The Ronchigrams are analyzed with a modal technique based on Zernike polynomials. The severity of each misalignment is dependent upon the frequency of the gratings used and on the f/# of the system.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Growth inhibitors produced by the green algae (Volvocaceae).

A complex system of growth inhibition is present in the green algae (Volvocaceae). Inhibitors are found in the culture filtrates of some genera which limit their own growth (autoinhibition) while others in the family produce inhibitors which check the growth of other genera (heteroinhibition). These inhibitors are destroyed by autoclaving.
Rattlesnake shaker muscle: I. A light microscopic and histochemical study.

Abstract Rattlesnake body and shaker muscles were studied using light microscopy and histochemistry. Five myofiber types are distinguishable in the body musculature. The majority are large diameter fast twitch fibers with high alkaline-stable ATPase activity and few mitochondria. In the shaker muscle the major fiber differs from all body fibers in that myofibrils do not entirely fill the fibers. The myofibrils branch repeatedly with one another, which leaves large areas of sarcoplasm devoid of filaments and gives the fibers a characteristic mottled appearance. Mitochondria and glycogen deposits are very numerous. Shaker fibers have high alkaline stable ATPase activity and, in addition, stain intensely for NADH-TR and αGPD. Myofibers of the shaker muscle are unusual in that they are extremely fast contracting yet are highly fatigue resistant.
High-efficiency native-oxide-passivated high-index-contrast ridge waveguide lasers

A GaAs-based high-index-contrast ridge waveguide laser is fabricated using a self-aligned process of deep dry etching plus oxygen-enhanced wet thermal oxidation of low Al-content AlGaAs. Lasers operating at /spl lambda/=813 nm (CW, 300 K) with external differential quantum efficiencies as high as 78% are demonstrated, indicating effective passivation of the directly-oxidised etched active region sidewall surface.
DNS study on Λ-vortex and vortex ring formation in flow transition at Mach number 0.5

Large vortex structure in late boundary layer transition with an inflow Mach number of 0.5 is studied by DNS (Direct Numerical Simulation) in this paper. First, we found that there are no Λ-vortex tubes, contradicting to what the existing literatures and textbooks addressed. The so-called Λ-vortex is always open on head, which has a different shape from Λ. Λ-vortex is really a pair of open rotation cores with a lower half of the Λ shape. It is also found that the Λ-vortex and ring-like vortex are formed separately and independently. There is no such a process that the Λ-vortex self-deforms to a hairpin vortex at the tip as many literatures indicated. Λ-vortex and ring-like vortex can be visualised by the iso-surface of λ2. However, the iso-surfaces of λ2 only represent rotation cores but not necessarily vortex tubes. In fact, many spanwise vortex filaments can easily penetrate the so-called Λ-vortex (iso-surface of λ2), change the direction toward the streamwise direction, and then leave the iso-surface o...
Tris(picolinato)manganese(II): a chemical model for the mechanism and function of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase.

Abstract The reaction of HO 2 . with the allylic groups of lipids initiates their peroxidation and auto-oxidation, and probably represents the most serious biological hazard of O 2 .− -derived species. The presence of tris(picolinato) manganese(II) [Mn II (PA) 2 (PAH)(H 2 O)], a model complex for mitochondrial Superoxide dismutase, (i) efficiently catalyzes the disproportionation of O 2 .− , (ii) precludes the formation HO 2 . , and thereby (iii) prevents hydrogen abstraction from allylic and thiol groups. Such protection demonstrates that a primary function of superoxide dismutase is to block the formation of HO 2 . , which is the obligatory intermediate for the nonenzymatic proton-induced disproportionation process. This requires that the primary step for the enzyme-O 2 .− reaction be kinetically favored and dominant relative to the protonation reaction (HA + O 2 .− ).
Sleep-dependent memory consolidation

The concept of 'sleeping on a problem' is familiar to most of us. But with myriad stages of sleep, forms of memory and processes of memory encoding and consolidation, sorting out how sleep contributes to memory has been anything but straightforward. Nevertheless, converging evidence, from the molecular to the phenomenological, leaves little doubt that offline memory reprocessing during sleep is an important component of how our memories are formed and ultimately shaped.
Quantitative Proteomics by SWATH-MS Reveals Altered Expression of Nucleic Acid Binding and Regulatory Proteins in HIV-1-Infected Macrophages

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection remains a worldwide epidemic, and innovative therapies to combat the virus are needed. Developing a host-oriented antiviral strategy capable of targeting the biomolecules that are directly or indirectly required for viral replication may provide advantages over traditional virus-centric approaches. We used quantitative proteomics by SWATH-MS in conjunction with bioinformatic analyses to identify host proteins, with an emphasis on nucleic acid binding and regulatory proteins, which could serve as candidates in the development of host-oriented antiretroviral strategies. Using SWATH-MS, we identified and quantified the expression of 3608 proteins in uninfected and HIV-1-infected monocyte-derived macrophages. Of these 3608 proteins, 420 were significantly altered upon HIV-1 infection. Bioinformatic analyses revealed functional enrichment for RNA binding and processing as well as transcription regulation. Our findings highlight a novel subset of proteins an...
Bacterioplanktonic abundance, productivity and petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in marinas and other coastal waters in North Carolina, USA.

The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in the abundance and activity of the bacterioplankton at sites with varied boating activity, and to determine the response of the communities to additional petroleum pollution. Three sites, including two marinas and a site on Bogue Sound in coastal North Carolina, were selected for monthly experiments. Seasonal patterns of bacterioplanktonic abundance and diesel fuel biodegradation for each site were examined, and possible correlations with intensity of boating activities were explored. Bacterioplanktonic communities at the three sites in this study were more similar in their structure and biodegradation potential than would have been expected from previous studies. We found no differences in the abundance and biodegradation potential of theses communities at the three sites, and only a slightly elevated number of hydrocarbon degraders at one of the marinas. Patterns of biodegradation were more closely related to total bacterial abundance, rather than number of petroleum hydrocarbon degraders. There was a strong seasonal pattern in bacterial abundance and biodegradation at all three sites. The bacterioplanktonic community at all sites responded similarly to additions of diesel fuel. Bacterial abundance and productivity were both elevated to some extent, and number of petroleum hydrocarbon degraders changed relatively little. These data indicate that marinas may not profoundly affect the bacterioplankton and that coastal waters often have resident bacterial communities capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbon pollution.