cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
INDUCED HELICAL CONFORMATION OF IONIC POLYPEPTIDES BY PHOSPHOLIPIDS SOLUBILIZED IN A NONIONIC SURFACTANT SOLUTION

Phosphatidylcholine that has been solubilized in hexadecylpoly (oxyethylene) ether can induce a coil-to-helix transformation for poly (L-glutamic acid) in neutral solution. Similarly, solubilized phosphatidylserine promotes a helical conformation of poly (L-lysine) at neutral pH through complex formation. The mixed micelles of a phospholipid and a nonionic surfactant are thermodynamically stable and do not separate on standing. The nonionic surfactant here has no effect on the conformation of the two polypeptides.
Activity-Dependent Modulation of Neural Circuit Synaptic Connectivity

In many nervous systems, the establishment of neural circuits is known to proceed via a two-stage process; 1) early, activity-independent wiring to produce a rough map characterized by excessive synaptic connections, and 2) subsequent, use-dependent pruning to eliminate inappropriate connections and reinforce maintained synapses. In invertebrates, however, evidence of the activity-dependent phase of synaptic refinement has been elusive, and the dogma has long been that invertebrate circuits are “hard-wired” in a purely activity-independent manner. This conclusion has been challenged recently through the use of new transgenic tools employed in the powerful Drosophila system, which have allowed unprecedented temporal control and single neuron imaging resolution. These recent studies reveal that activity-dependent mechanisms are indeed required to refine circuit maps in Drosophila during precise, restricted windows of late-phase development. Such mechanisms of circuit refinement may be key to understanding a number of human neurological diseases, including developmental disorders such as Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism, which are hypothesized to result from defects in synaptic connectivity and activity-dependent circuit function. This review focuses on our current understanding of activity-dependent synaptic connectivity in Drosophila, primarily through analyzing the role of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in the Drosophila FXS disease model. The particular emphasis of this review is on the expanding array of new genetically-encoded tools that are allowing cellular events and molecular players to be dissected with ever greater precision and detail.
Circulating levels and function of 1,25-(OH)2D3 in lactation

During lactation in the rat, vitamin D is required for maintenance of a normal serum calcium level and maximal enhancement of active calcium transport in the duodenum. Vitamin D does not appear to be required for part of the adaptive increase in intestinal calcium transport or for calcium transport into the milk. The functions of vitamin D appear to be mediated by 1,25-(OH)2D3, the circulating level of which increases during lactation. Two days after sudden weaning, the serum level of 1,25-(OH)2D3 falls to levels below the pre-pregnant control level in parallel with a sharp increase in serum calcium; normal levels of calcium and 1,25-(OH)2D3 are observed one week after weaning. The initial stimulus for the increase in circulating 1,25-(OH)2D3 during lactation appears to be a small decrease in serum calcium which stimulates parathyroid hormone secretion, which in turn enhances synthesis of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Vitamin D is also required by the lactating rat to insure normal development of the suckling pup, since vitamin D deprivation during pregnancy and lactation causes significant decreases in body weight gain, in serum levels of 25-OHD3, calcium and phosphorus, in bone ash content and clear evidence of histological rickets by 20 days of age.
Risk perception and risk attitude in informed consent

The standard account of the â€˜reflection effectâ€™ (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979) is that attitude toward risk changes across gain or loss framings of outcomes. Weber and Bottom (1989) proposed an alternative account in which decision makers have stable risk attitudes, but changing risk perceptions. Undergraduates were randomly assigned to read one of three hypothetical informed consent documents from a trial of a cholesterol-lowering drug. Documents used gain, loss or both framings to describe expected benefits. Respondents rated riskiness of participation and non-participation in the trial and made a choice about whether they would participate in the trial.The reflection effect was replicated. In addition, as predicted by the Weber and Bottom account, respondents in the gain condition were more likely to rate participation as riskier than non-participation compared to respondents in the loss condition, and in each condition more than 70 per cent of respondents chose to avoid the option they judged as riskier. Implications for informed consent are discussed.
Metabolism-based herbicide resistance: regulation by safeners

Abstract Safeners are chemical agents that reduce the phytotoxicity of herbicides to crop plants by a physiological or molecular mechanism, without compromising weed control efficacy. Commercialized safeners are used for the protection of large-seeded grass crops, such as corn, grain sorghum, and wet-sown rice, against preplant-incorporated or preemergence-applied herbicides of the thiocarbamate and chloroacetanilide families. Safeners also have been developed to protect winter cereal crops such as wheat against postemergence applications of aryloxyphenoxypropionate and sulfonylurea herbicides. The use of safeners for the protection of corn and rice against sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, cyclohexanedione, isoxazole, and triketone herbicides also is well established. A safener-induced enhancement of herbicide detoxification in safened plants is widely accepted as the major mechanism involved in safener action. Safeners induce cofactors such as glutathione and herbicide-detoxifying enzymes such as glutathione...
Realistic Training for Effective Crew Performance

Evaluation of incident and accident statistics reveals that most problems occur not because of a lack of proficiency in pilot training, but because of the inability to coordinate skills into effective courses of action. Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) and Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) programs provide training which will develop both individual crew member skills, as well as those associated with effective group function. A study conducted by NASA at the request of the U.S. Congress supports the argument for training that enhances crew performance in addition to providing individual technical skills, and is described in detail.
ASSESSMENT OF DIASTOLIC DYSFUNCTION: Invasive Modalities

In this article, the author sought to review the two primary components of diastolic function that are most directly and accurately determined using invasive methodologies. For chamber relaxation this is optimally achieved using a micromanometer catheter, whereas for chamber compliance (or its inverse stiffness) this is best achieved by combining this catheter with a measure of instantaneous volume from a conductance catheter, using data from multiple cycles. Even with the ideal data set, the analysis of both properties involves physiologic and often mathematical assumptions, and the extent to which the data do not match these assumptions, the derived indexes may be misleading. Care in the data collection, and awareness of the various factors and pitfalls involved with their analysis can undoubtedly improve the interpretations. As advances in noninvasive methods continue to evolve, reliance on invasive methodologies will continue to fade into the background. At present, however, they remain the gold standard for the two primary diastolic properties described, and have clearly played a central role in the evolution of our understanding of cardiac diastolic disease and its treatment.
Efficient data access for parallel BLAST

Searching biological sequence databases is one of the most routine tasks in computational biology. This task is significantly hampered by the exponential growth in sequence database sizes. Recent advances in parallelization of biological sequence search applications have enabled bioinformatics researchers to utilize high-performance computing platforms and, as a result, greatly reduce the execution time of their sequence database searches. However, existing parallel sequence search tools have been focusing mostly on parallelizing the sequence alignment engine. While the computation-intensive alignment tasks become cheaper with larger machines, data-intensive initial preparation and result merging tasks become more expensive. Inefficient handling of input and output data can easily create performance bottlenecks even on supercomputers. It also causes a considerable data management overhead. In this paper, we present a set of techniques for efficient and flexible data handling in parallel sequence search applications. We demonstrate our optimizations through improving mpiBLAST, an open-source parallel BLAST tool rapidly gaining popularity. These optimization techniques aim at enabling flexible database partitioning, reducing I/O by caching small auxiliary files and results, enabling parallel I/O on shared files, and performing scalable result processing protocols. As a result, we reduce mpiBLAST users' operational overhead by removing the requirement of pre-partitioning databases. Meanwhile, our experiments show that these techniques can bring by an order of magnitude improvement to both the overall performance and scalability of mpiBLAST.
Essential role of eIF5-mimic protein in animal development is linked to control of ATF4 expression

Translational control of transcription factor ATF4 through paired upstream ORFs (uORFs) plays an important role in eukaryotic gene regulation. While it is typically induced by phosphorylation of eIF2α, ATF4 translation can be also induced by expression of a translational inhibitor protein, eIF5-mimic protein 1 (5MP1, also known as BZW2) in mammals. Here we show that the 5MP gene is maintained in eukaryotes under strong purifying selection, but is uniquely missing in two major phyla, nematoda and ascomycota. The common function of 5MP from protozoa, plants, fungi and insects is to control translation by inhibiting eIF2. The affinity of human 5MP1 to eIF2β was measured as being equivalent to the published value of human eIF5 to eIF2β, in agreement with effective competition of 5MP with eIF5 for the main substrate, eIF2. In the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, RNA interference studies indicate that 5MP facilitates expression of GADD34, a downstream target of ATF4. Furthermore, both 5MP and ATF4 are essential for larval development. Finally, 5MP and the paired uORFs allowing ATF4 control are conserved in the entire metazoa except nematoda. Based on these findings, we discuss the phylogenetic and functional linkage between ATF4 regulation and 5MP expression in this group of eukaryotes.
Size effect aspects of measurement of fracture characteristics of quasibrittle material

Abstract This paper, which represents the text of an introductory report presented at Cardiff workshop in 1995, reviews the size effect from two different viewpoints: (1) the need to eliminate or minimize the effect of specimen size on the measured material fracture characteristics, and (2) the exploitation of measured size effect on the nominal strength for determining the material fracture characteristics. Three methods of fracture testing are examined in the perspective of the size effect, and the merits and weaknesses of various methods in regard to the size effect are pointed out. The parameters of all three methods can be determined by simple formulas and linear regression from measurements allowing calibration of two parameters of the size effect law.
Bariatric surgery in Medicare patients: greater risks but substantial benefits.

Abstract Background Recent reports have documented greater mortality for bariatric surgery in Medicare (MC) patients compared with patients from other payors. Methods We reviewed our database for the mortality and outcomes of 282 MC and 3169 non-Medicare (NMC) patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Results Of the MC patients, 27 were >65 years of age, and 255 were receiving disability. The average age was 48.45 ± 11.8 years, and the average BMI was 52.4 ± 10.0 kg/m 2 . NMC patients had average age of 40.0 ± 10.1 years and a BMI of 50.6 ± 9.1 kg/m 2 . The co-morbidities were greater in the MC patients than in the NMC patients (hypertension 71.9% versus 48.4%, diabetes mellitus 39.72% versus 19.4%, obstructive sleep apnea 46.45% versus 28.46%, and obesity hypoventilation syndrome 9.93% versus 2.71%). The mortality rate was 2.48% in the MC patients and .76% in the NMC patients. Mortality was absent in MC patients >65 years old. The percentage of excess weight lost was less in the MC patients (60.8%) than in the NMC patients (66.5%, P P = .0329). The male MC patients had more prevalent co-morbidities than did the male NMC patients (hypertension 79.17% versus 58.85%; diabetes mellitus 36.11% versus 24.83%; obstructive sleep apnea 79.17% versus 54.51%; and obesity hypoventilation syndrome 26.39% versus 7.64%). The operative mortality rate was 5.6% for the male MC patients and 1.5% for the female MC patients. The weight loss was similar for the male MC and male NMC patients. The male MC patients had slightly better resolution of both hypertension (MC patients 54.8% versus NMC patients 26.7%, P = .0025) and diabetes mellitus (MC patients 30% versus NMC patients 22.5%, P = .745). When the patients were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups using a previously validated risk scale, patients with similar risk factors had similar mortality in both groups. Conclusion The results of our study have shown that disabled MC patients have greater operative mortality than NMC patients that appears to be associated with more prevalent risk factors. However, the risk was counterbalanced by a substantial improvement in health.
First-principles study of single-crystal uranium mono- and dinitride

Abstract We report all-electron relativistic calculations of the electronic and thermodynamic properties of perfect stoichiometric UN and UN 2 single crystals using the spin-polarized density functional theory. The calculated lattice parameters and interatomic distances of the relaxed unit cells are in very good agreement with recent extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. Densities of states and molecular orbitals show the importance of d–f hybridization and p-orbital contributions in the valence band of UN and UN 2 , respectively, while f-orbital character dominates the conduction band of both compounds. The heat capacity of UN derived from the present calculations reproduces calorimetric data within 4% up to 1000 K.
Computing ionization states of proteins with a detailed charge model

A convenient computational approach for the calculation of the p Kas of ionizable groups in a protein is described. The method uses detailed models of the charges in both the neutral and ionized form of each ionizable group. A full derivation of the theoretical framework is presented, as are details of its implementation in the UHBD program. Application to four proteins whose crystal structures are known shows that the detailed charge model improves agreement with experimentally determined pKas when a low protein dielectric constant is assumed, relative to the results with a simpler single-site ionization model. It is also found that use of the detailed charge model increases the sensitivity of the computed pKas to the details of proton placement. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Construct Validity and Predictive Validity of the Career Planning Inventory

A longitudinal design was used to test the hypotheses that career development indices account for significant amounts of variance in the prediction of high school success, and account for unique variance beyond that of academic predictors of high school success. The participants included 188 11th-grade students who were followed-up in the 12th grade. Career knowledge scores predicted high school GPA and accounted for a significant amount of variance beyond that of the academic prediction of high school success. The results supported the hypotheses. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression indicate that career knowledge scores predicted high school GPA and accounted for a significant amount of variance beyond that of the academic predictor of high school success.
Outcomes among elderly bariatric patients at a high-volume center

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery in elderly patients remains controversial. With a growing morbidly obese elderly population, management strategies and treatment outcomes need to be evaluated. Methods We reviewed all bariatric cases from 2001 to 2005 at a single institution. The preoperative factors (body mass index, smoking status, co-morbid conditions, number of medications) and surgical information (operation and length of stay) were recorded. Patients >60 years old who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) were followed up, and their surgical outcomes were analyzed (reduction in medications, resolution of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, percentage of excess body weight loss, complications, and mortality). Results Of 1065 patients, 76 (7.1%) were aged ≥60 years. Of these 76 patients, 61 (5.7%) underwent RYGB. The other 989 patients (92.9%) were P = .09). The 90-day operative mortality rate was 1.64% in the older group versus 0.53% for the younger group ( P = NS). Conclusion Our data support the use of RYGB in older patients in programs prepared to comprehensively manage the medical co-morbidities. Although the percentage of excess body weight loss was less, the mortality was acceptable despite the greater number of co-morbidities. Both diabetes and hypertension were more common in this population, with trends toward better improvement after RYGB than in younger patients.
Polyclonal infections due to Mycobacterium avium complex in patients with AIDS detected by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of sequential clinical isolates.

Invasive infection with organisms of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is common among patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. In previous studies, we analyzed multiple individual colonies of MAC isolated from specimens obtained at the same time and observed that 14 to 20% of patients are simultaneously infected with more than one strain. In this study, we examined sequential isolates from 12 patients with AIDS who had two or more MAC isolates available from clinical specimens collected more than 1 week apart; the intervals between the first and last specimens ranged from 8 to 192 (median, 46) days. For each isolate, restriction digests of genomic DNA were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis; DNA was prepared by using a protocol, described here in detail, which had been optimized for conditions of bacterial growth and lysis. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis identified four patients (33%) infected with two different MAC strains. Both M. avium and M. intracellulare were cultured from blood specimens from two patients. In each of the four patients, the second strain was identified from a culture taken within 14 days of the initial study isolate, and in three of these patients, the first strain was detected again in a subsequent culture. These observations suggest that the presence of two different strains among isolates from sequential cultures may reflect ongoing polyclonal infection. We conclude that polyclonal infection with MAC is common among patients with AIDS. The identification of such infections may be critical in the development of effective treatments. Images
Descriptive analysis of cola and lemon/lime carbonated beverages

Obesity trends have increased product development efforts lu replace bulk sweeteners with alternative sweetening systems without changing the full calorie sensory experience. Sweetness and bitterness intensilies and temporal properties of alternative sweetening systems have been investigated. However, mouthfeel charactteristics of carbonated beverages sweetened with alternative sweetening systems compared with hulk sweeteners are not well detined. The objectives of this research were to (1) quantitatively characterized mouth feel attributes in carbonated beverages, and (2) investigate the halo-attribute dumping effect of rating mouthfeel attributes exclusively from other sensory attributes in the modalities of aroma, aroma -by-mouth, taste, and afterfeel. Twelve panelists com pleled a 2-part training procedure to apply descriptive profiling to cola and lemon/lime carbonated beverages. In part 1, the training focused on describing mouthfeel attributes in 14 commercial carbonated beverages. Bite, burn, numbing, carbonation, astringent, body, and mouthcoating were identified as significant mouthfeel attributes. Diet cola-flavored carbonated beverages were perceived as having significantly less astringent, body, and mouthcoating compared to regular carbonated beverages in cont rast to diet and regular lemon/lime beverages In part 2, the training focused on describing aroma, aroma-by-mouth, taste, and afterfeel modalities in addition to mouthfeel of 9 corn mercial carbonated beverages. Perceived bite, burn, carbonation, and mouthcoating increased when the beverages were rated for mouthfeel attributes alone compared to when beverages were rated for all attributes demonstrating a halo-attribute dumping effect. These sensory results are also a critical 1st step in the process of determining the underlying physical/chemical property differences among carbonated beverages with different types of sweeteners.
Blocking Both E-Selectin and P-Selectin Inhibits Neutrophil Recruitment into the Murine Testis after Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Injury

Celebi M., A.G.A. Paul: Blocking Both E-Selectin and P-Selectin Inhibits Neutrophil Recruitment into the Murine Testis after Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Injury. Acta Vet. Brno 76, 2008: 321-326. Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury of the testis results in germ cell specific apoptosis, a process in which neutrophil recruitment to the testes plays a critical role. Adhesion molecules, in particular E- and P-selectins, play a critical role in this recruitment. The present study sought to characterize the inhibitory effect of function-blocking monoclonal anti-mouse E- and P-selectin antibodies on the migration of neutrophils into the IR-induced testis of the mouse. Mice were subjected to a 2 hr period of testicular torsion (ischemia) followed by detorsion (reperfusion). Ten minutes after the onset of reperfusion mice received either a mixture of 200 µg function-blocking monoclonal E-selectin and P-selectin antibody (FBMAb group; 100 µg; each) intravenously or 200 µg of isotype-matched control-antibody (IMCAb group). Separate groups of mice underwent sham- operation (SO group) or received 500 ng of TNF (IF group) to induce inflammation. Mice were sacrificed 24 h after reperfusion and testicular interstitial cells were isolated and analyzed for the presence of neutrophils by means of flow cytometry. The mixture of function-blocking monoclonal E- and P-selectin antibody (FBMAb) decreased neutrophil recruitment to the IR-induced testis significantly (FBMAb group as compared to the IMCAb group 20.2 ± 2.8 vs. 51.9 ± 4.0 % Gr-1+CD11b+ of total leukocytes; p = 0.0002). Therefore, blocking both E- and P-selectin may be therapeutically beneficial to protect postischemic testis.
On the pressure dependence of the transition temperature of superconductors with Ce impurities

Abstract As a result of the extreme sensitivity of the magnetic state of the Ce ion to pressure, rather striking variations of the superconducting transition temperature T c with pressure can be expected of certain matrix-Ce impurity system when T K / T c0 ⪡ 1 ( T K is the Kando temperature and T c0 is the T c of the matrix). In this limit, recent theories have predicted three T c 's for alloys within a given range of Ce impurity concentration. It is shown that the application of pressure may raise the yet unobserved third T c to an experimentally accessible temperature.
Modeling and control of a new robotic deburring system

This paper discusses the modeling and control of a robotic manipulator with a new deburring tool, which integrates two pneumatic actuators to take advantage of a double cutting action. A coordination control method is developed by decomposing the robotic deburring system into two subsystems; the arm and the deburring tool. A decentralized control approach is pursued, in which suitable controllers were designed for the two subsystems in the coordination scheme. In simulation, three different tool configurations are considered: rigid, single pneumatic and integrated pneumatic tools. A comparative study is performed to investigate the deburring performance of the deburring arm with the different tools. Simulation results show that the developed robotic deburring system significantly improves the accuracy of the deburring operation.
Poems, Propositions, and Dogma: The Controversy over Religious Language and the Demise of Theology in American Learning

One of the ironies in the annals of nineteenth-century American Protestantism is the impact that Horace Bushnell's famed address "Dogma and Spirit" had upon the theological scene. In his remarks before the Porter Rhetorical Society at Andover Seminary in September 1848, the Congregationalist minister from Hartford established his reputation as one of the more controversial, if not gifted, theologians in New England. Bushnell offered a vision of Christianity that he hoped would eliminate the theological bickering that, as he saw it, had plagued the church throughout its history. To be sure, many in Andover's audience would not have been surprised if Bushnell's quirky views on the Trinity and the Atonement drew fire from New England Calvinists. But few would have predicted that this reconciliatory address would provoke one of the era's more noteworthy debates, a lengthy oneand-a-half-year, 250-page quarrel between America's two most prominent Calvinist theologians, Princeton Seminary's Charles Hodge and Andover's Edwards A. Park.1
Transforming architectures inspired by origami.

Paper folding is found across cultures for both aesthetic and functional purposes, with its most widely recognized exponent being the ancient art form of origami. More recently, there has been an upsurge of interest for translating origami designs into mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, and architecture. Across these different fields, origami is becoming a fountain of inspiration for new reconfigurable and multifunctional materials and structures. However, the use of origami designs as engineering elements is typically compromised by limitations in structural performance. A new study by Filipov et al. (1) presents an innovative approach for the design of strikingly rigid deployable structures. Their strategy is based on tubular building blocks, which are themselves built on Miura-ori; a regular folding pattern that maps a flat sheet into a one degree-of-freedom deployable structure (2). Two neighboring Miura tubes can be set in a zig-zag (“zipper”) arrangement; together, the pair is remarkably stiff and effectively possesses a single degree of freedom by resisting other bending and twisting modes. These zipper tubes can then be combined to generate other structures, including more complex tubular systems and cellular assemblies. In Fig. 1 A and B, we present two particular examples from their study: a model bridge with load-bearing capacity and an architectural canopy that can be deployed to cover a wide span. Filipov et al. (1) borrow well-established tools from structural mechanics that are commonly used in civil and mechanical engineering and port them to this new emerging field of origami-inspired design.
The truncated Šesták–Berggren equation is still the Šesták–Berggren equation, just truncated

This letter comments on the recent article by Sestak entitled “Sestak–Berggren equation: now questioned but formerly celebrated—what is right.” The article questions the terminology that differentiates between two forms of the Sestak–Berggren equation, one of which is termed truncated, and contains some bizarre statements that involve my name but do not reflect any reality. This letter explains why the terminology is reasonable and why the statements are bizarre.
Influence of interparticle electronic coupling on the temperature and size dependent optical properties of lead sulfide quantum dot thin films

We report on the quantum dot(QD) size, temperature, and inter-dot coupling dependence on the optical absorption and emission for PbSQDthin films. Inter-dot coupling is induced by ligand exchange from oleic acid to 1,2-ethanedithiol, and the expected band gap red-shift observed for coupled QDthin films is accompanied by a modification to the temperature-dependence of the band gapenergy. The amplitude and temperature dependence of the photoluminescence(PL) Stokes shift support recombination via a mid-gap state and also indicate that the application of band gap-specific models to fit the temperature dependence PL peak energy is inadequate. Electronically coupled QDthin films show PL quenching with decreasing temperature, following a Boltzmann model which is consistent with thermally activated carrier transport. Enhancing the inter-dot coupling results in the dynamic PL decay signal changing from single- to bi-exponential behavior, reveals a size-dependent transport activation energy, and yields a negative temperature dependent band gapenergy for the smallest QD diameters.
Molecular cloning of NHE1 from winter flounder RBCs: activation by osmotic shrinkage, cAMP, and calyculin A.

In this report, we describe the cloning, cellular localization, and functional characteristics of Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1) from red blood cells of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus...
Structural and Magnetic Characterization of Bi-Substituted Garnet on Si and GaAs

Novel material structures that combine magneto-optic (MO) and semiconductor devices have potential applications in monolithic microwave systems and optoelectronics. We have investigated the materials issues pertaining to the film structure, interface uniformity, and magnetic/MO properties of (BiDy)3(FeGa)5O12 (Bi-DyIG) thin films sputter deposited on Si and GaAs. The rapid thermally annealed films were polycrystalline with a nominal grain size of 20 nm. The magnetic and MO properties were strongly dependent on the type of substrate such that square hysteresis loops and coercivities of 0.1 to 0.9 kOe were observed for Bi-DyIG/Si structures while Bi-DyIG/GaAs structures showed much lower coercivity values (0.03 kOe). A comparison of the magnetic properties, microstructure and substrate composition was carried out with plan-view and cross-section transmission electron microscopy, as well as electron and x-ray diffraction. The results suggest that grain orientation effects, stress, and compositional inhomogeneity due to interfacial reactions or diffusion introduced by the substrate strongly influence the magnetic and MO properties of the films.
Grasshopper (Orthoptera : Acrididae) and plant relationships under different grazing intensities

Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) density and species composition were monitored in three southwestern Montana grazing areas. Periodic comparisons were made of percent cover, percent crude protein, percent water content, and total phenolics for grasses grazed by cattle versus grasses protected from grazing. Grasshopper densities and composition differed in three areas. Grazing reduced vegetative cover, accompanied by increases in ground litter and patches of bare ground. Plant nitrogen and water content decreased during the spring and then increased in late summer following rains. Phenolics levels were independent of grazing and weather fluctuations. Changes in grasshopper nymph densities roughly corresponded to springtime decreases of crude protein and water content in grasses. Nymphal mortality was inversely related to density. Grazing, weather, or changes in plant chemistry had little effect on grasshopper parameters of this study.
Antimicrobial resistance: An ecological approach to a growing threat

Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria poses an increasing threat. To control it, we need a concerted effort from clinicians, patients, farmers, pharmaceutical companies, and public health officials.
Subcellular distribution of doxorubicin: comparison of fatty acid-modified and unmodified cells

We have examined the subcellular localization of doxorubicin and evaluated the effect of fatty acid modification on specific intracellular localization. L1210 leukemia cells enriched with docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) or oleic acid (18:1) were incubated with radiolabeled or unlabeled doxorubicin. After equilibration the cells were ruptured and the subcellular fractions were isolated by differential centrifugation and sucrose gradient separation. The doxorubicin localized primarily in nuclei, as expected, but appreciable amounts were also detected in mitochondria and smaller amounts in plasma membranes, microsomes, and cytoplasm. Subcellular distribution of another anticancer drug which binds to DNA, mitoxantrone, was similar. There were increased amounts of doxorubicin contained in the nuclei and all organelles of the 22:6-enriched cells. Although polyunsaturated fatty acid modification influenced the total amount of doxorubicin in fractions, the relative distribution of drug among the fractions was not different from that of the 18:1-enriched and unmodified cells. We conclude that enrichment with polyunsaturates influences total drug uptake but not proportional distribution of doxorubicin.
Spectral (Finite) Volume Method for the One Dimensional Euler Equations

In this paper, the spectral volume (SV) method is extended to one-dimensional systems — the quasi-1D Euler equations. The focus of this paper is to study the performance of the SV method on non-linear systems, and to verify that high order solution accuracy can be achieved for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. Both steady state and time accurate problems are used to demonstrate the overall capability of the SV method.
Analysis of the Relation Between Adjusting the Supporting Wheels of Rotary Kiln and Its Press Stress

This article elucidates the relations between the press stress of supporting wheels and rotary kiln body as well as the aslant angle of supporting wheels,and shows the maximum press stress of supporting wheels increases when aslant angle is 30′ by analyzing the maximum press stress of supporting wheels when the center line of the wheels is parallel to the center line of the kiln body or when they are aslant on two vertical planes.
Tonsillectomy and poliomyelitis: II. Frequency of bulbar paralysis, 1944–1949

Summary 1. A study was made of the frequency of bulbar paralysis in 194 cases of poliomyelitis occurring within one year of tonsillectomy. Those in the study were selected from a total of 6,524 cases of poliomyelitis reported in New York City from 1944 through 1949. 2. Two methods of analysis were employed, one based on the corrected expectancy of bulbar paralysis from its distribution among all cases reported during the six-year period under consideration, the other based on the results in a randomly selected group of cases without a history of tonsillectomy and comparable to those tonsillectomized with respect to age, sex, borough of residence, and date of onset. 3. By both methods employed in the study, the percentage of bulbar paralysis was significantly higher than expected among post-tonsillectomized cases within one month of operation. The results were inclusive from one to six months after operation. No increase in the percentage of bulbar paralysis could be demonstrated in a small group of cases from six to twelve months after operation. The critical period when bulbar paralysis was most common was the first three weeks following operation. 4. An increase in case fatality was noted among cases occurring within two months after operation.
Expert system for laser vulnerability analysis of aerospace structures

The authors discuss the framework of a knowledge-based expert system for studying the survivability of the aerospace structures exposed to high energy lasers using VAASEL (vulnerability analysis of aerospace structures exposed to lasers) software. VAASEL is a synthesis tool built around NASTRAN and ASTROS programs. The knowledge base involves threat characterization, temperature distribution, failure prediction, linear and nonlinear statics, air loads and aeroelastic disciplines. A description of the VAASEL expert system modules, the graphics interface and the input data generator is included. >
Mutant BRAF upregulates MCL-1 to confer apoptosis resistance that is reversed by MCL-1 antagonism and cobimetinib in colorectal cancer.

603Background: Oncogenic BRAFV600E mutations activate MAP kinase signaling and are associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). In BRAFV600E mutant CRCs, treatment failure may be related to BRAFV600E-mediated apoptosis resistance that occurs by an as yet undefined mechanism. Methods: BRAF isogenic RKO CRC cells and RKO, HT29, WiDr cell lines were treated with cobimetinib ± the small molecule MCL-1 inhibitor, A-1210477. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V staining and caspase cleavage. Gene knockdown or overexpression was achieved by lentivirus; ERK siRNA was utilized. Competitive RT-PCR was performed for MCL-1 mRNA expression. HT-29 cells with control or MCL-1 shRNA were xenografted into SCID mice, treated with cobimetinib or vehicle, and tumor volume was measured. Results: We found that BRAFV600E can upregulate anti-apoptotic MCL-1 in a gene dose-dependent manner using CRC cell lines isogenic for BRAF. BRAFV600E-induced MCL-1 upregulation was confirmed...
THE EXTRACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY OF AMERICIUM, CURIUM, BERKELIUM, AND CALIFORNIUM WITH DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL)ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID.

Abstract The extraction chromatography of Am(III), Cm(III), Bk(III), and Cf(III) was studied using di(2-ethylhexyl)orthophosphoric acid (HDEHP) adsorbed on hydrophobic diatomaceous earth (Celite-545). Dilute nitric and hydrochloric acid solutions were used as the elutriants. The effect of flow rate on the plate height was measured and compared for Cm(III), Am(III), Bk(III), Cf(III), and Es(III) at 25°C. The distribution coefficientsof Am(III), Cm(III), Bk(III), and Cf(III) and the separation factors Cm(III)/Am(III), Bk(III)/Cm(III), Cf(III)/Bk(III), and Cf(III)/Cm(III), were studied as a function of temperature with HDEHP adsorbed on Celite and HDEHP in heptane. The extraction chromatography method was applied to the separation of Bk(III) and Cf(III) and to the separation of Cm(III) and Cf(III).
No Equity, No Triple Aim: Strategic Proposals to Advance Health Equity in a Volatile Policy Environment

Health professionals, including social workers, community health workers, public health workers, and licensed health care providers, share common interests and responsibilities in promoting health equity and improving social determinants of health-the conditions in which people live, work, play, and learn. We summarize the underlying causes of health inequity and comparatively poor health outcomes in the United States. We describe barriers to realizing the hope embedded in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that moving away from fee-for-service payments will naturally drive care upstream as providers respond to greater financial risk by undertaking greater prevention efforts for the health of their patients. We assert that health equity should serve as the guiding framework for achieving the Triple Aim of health care reform and outline practical opportunities for improving care and promoting stronger efforts to address social determinants of health. These proposals include developing a dashboard of measures to assist providers committed to health equity and community-based prevention and to promote institutional accountability for addressing socioeconomic factors that influence health.
Eliminating the non-Gaussian spectral response of X-ray absorbers for transition-edge sensors

Transition-edge sensors (TESs) as microcalorimeters for high-energy-resolution X-ray spectroscopy are often fabricated with an absorber made of materials with high Z (for X-ray stopping power) and low heat capacity (for high resolving power). Bismuth represents one of the most compelling options. TESs with evaporated bismuth absorbers have shown spectra with undesirable and unexplained low-energy tails. We have developed TESs with electroplated bismuth absorbers over a gold layer that are not afflicted by this problem and that retain the other positive aspects of this material. To better understand these phenomena, we have studied a series of TESs with gold, gold/evaporated bismuth, and gold/electroplated bismuth absorbers, fabricated on the same die with identical thermal coupling. We show that the bismuth morphology is linked to the spectral response of X-ray TES microcalorimeters.
Generalized Non-Masing Hysteresis Model for Cyclic Loading

AbstractCyclic behavior of soils is often modeled using the Masing rules. When these rules are applied, hysteretic damping at large strains is overestimated. A non-Masing hysteresis model that redu...
Theseus: a State Spill-free Operating System

In prior work, we have shown that the underdiagnosed problem of state spill remains a barrier to realizing complex systems that are easy to maintain, evolve, and run reliably. This paper shares our early experience building Theseus from scratch, an OS with the guiding principle of eliminating state spill. Theseus takes inspiration from distributed systems to rethink state management, and leverages Rust language features for maximum safety, code reuse, and efficient isolation. We intend to demonstrate Theseus as a runtime composable OS, in which entities are easily interchangeable and can evolve independently without reconfiguring or rebooting.
On the difference between closest, furthest, and orthogonal pairs: nearly-linear vs barely-subquadratic complexity

Point location problems for n points in d-dimensional Euclidean space (and ep spaces more generally) have typically had two kinds of running-time solutions: (Nearly-Linear) less than dpoly(d) · n logO(d) n time, or (Barely-Subquadratic) f(d) · n2−1/Θ(d) time, for various f. For small d and large n, "nearly-linear" running times are generally feasible, while the "barely-subquadratic" times are generally infeasible, requiring essentially quadratic time. For example, in the Euclidean metric, finding a Closest Pair among n points in Rd is nearly-linear, solvable in 2o(d) · n logO(1) n time, while the known algorithms for finding a Furthest Pair (the diameter of the point set) are only barely-subquadratic, requiring Ω(n2--1/Θ(d)) time. Why do these proximity problems have such different time complexities? Is there a barrier to obtaining nearly-linear algorithms for problems which are currently only barely-subquadratic? We give a novel exact and deterministic self-reduction for the Orthogonal Vectors problem on n vectors in {0, 1}d to n vectors in Zω(log d) that runs in 2o(d) time. As a consequence, barely-subquadratic problems such as Euclidean diameter, Euclidean bichromatic closest pair, and incidence detection do not have O(n2−ϵ) time algorithms (in Turing models of computation) for dimensionality d = ω(log log n)2, unless the popular Orthogonal Vectors Conjecture and the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis are false. That is, while the poly-log-log-dimensional case of Closest Pair is solvable in n1+o(1) time, the poly-log-log-dimensional case of Furthest Pair can encode difficult large-dimensional problems conjectured to require n2−o(1) time. We also show that the All-Nearest Neighbors problem in ω(log n) dimensions requires n2−o(1) time to solve, assuming either of the above conjectures.
The ypT category does not impact overall survival in node negative gastric cancer.

Background Although the eighth-edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) gastric cancer staging system created ypTNM staging for patients who underwent preoperative therapy, the ideal ypTNM grouping is unknown. We sought to investigate risk factors for OS in ypT0-3N0M0 gastric cancer. Methods From an institutional database of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we identified patients with ypT0-3N0M0 gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent R0 gastrectomy after chemotherapy or chemoradiation during 1995-2015 (MD Anderson) or 2006-2014 (NCDB). Results The study included 175 MD Anderson and 3200 NCDB patients. By multivariable analysis, ypT category was not associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR] for ypT3 vs ypT1: MD Anderson, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.36-1.92], P = 0.669; NCDB, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.85-1.08], P = 0.472). cN-positive disease was not associated with OS in the MD Anderson cohort (HR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.55-1.67]; P = 0.873) but was weakly associated with shorter OS in the NCDB cohort (HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.01-1.21]; P = 0.031). Conclusions The ypT category does not impact OS in ypT0-3N0M0 gastric cancer. The impact of cN status on OS appeared limited. These findings should be considered in future systems of post-neoadjuvant pathologic staging.
Content Aware Refresh: Exploiting the Asymmetry of DRAM Retention Errors to Reduce the Refresh Frequency of Less Vulnerable Data

DRAM refresh is responsible for significant performance and energy overheads in a wide range of computer systems, from mobile platforms to datacenters [1] . With the growing demand for DRAM capacity and the worsening retention time characteristics of deeply scaled DRAM, refresh is expected to become an even more pronounced problem in future technology generations [2] . This paper examines content aware refresh , a new technique that reduces the refresh frequency by exploiting the unidirectional nature of DRAM retention errors: assuming that a logical 1 and 0 respectively are represented by the presence and absence of charge, 1 -to- 0 failures are much more likely than 0 -to- 1 failures. As a result, in a DRAM system that uses a block error correcting code (ECC) to protect memory, blocks with fewer 1 s can attain a specified reliability target (i.e., mean time to failure) with a refresh rate lower than that which is required for a block with all 1 s. Leveraging this key insight, and without compromising memory reliability, the proposed content aware refresh mechanism refreshes memory blocks with fewer 1 s less frequently. To keep the overhead of tracking multiple refresh rates manageable, refresh groups—groups of DRAM rows refreshed together—are dynamically arranged into one of a predefined number of refresh bins and refreshed at the rate determined by the ECC block with the greatest number of 1 s in that bin. By tailoring the refresh rate to the actual content of a memory block rather than assuming a worst case data pattern, content aware refresh respectively outperforms DRAM systems that employ RAS-only Refresh, all-bank Auto Refresh, and per-bank Auto Refresh mechanisms by 12, 8, and 13 percent. It also reduces DRAM system energy by 15, 13, and 16 percent as compared to these systems.
Female Self-Empowerment through Dance

In this article, utilizing the Graham Technique as a tool, I discuss strategies I use in my class to support dance as a way to challenge or transcend sanctioned female identities by shifting the fo...