cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved Outcomes with Class I and II DNA-Based HLA Typing for Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant (ABMT) in Hematologic Diseases.

Abstract Class I and II DNA-based HLA typing has resulted in improved outcomes in MUD ABMT compared to that observed with HLA serologic typing methods. Since MUDs do not necessarily possess the same linkage of HLA genes on haplotypes as found in matched sibling donors (MSD) it is important to determine the specific alleles present through DNA-based methods in order to improve matching between recipients and donors. We analyzed 146 consecutive hematologic malignancy patients (pts) who underwent ABMT at our institution from 1/7/99–2/4/04, to compare outcomes of 41 MUD and 105 MSD pts. All pts were matched at HLA-A, B, C, and DRB1 by at least low to intermediate resolution using either PCR-sequence specific priming or PCR-sequence specific oligonucleotide probing using Class I and II DNA-based HLA typing. All pts received a busulfan/cyclophosphamide (Bu/Cy)-based preparative regimen. All MUD ABMTs were CD8+ T cell depleted while all MSD ABMTs were T cell replete. GVHD prophylaxis for MUD pts consisted of FK506 and methotrexate while MSD pts received cyclosporine and methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil. There were no differences between MUD or MSD pts in terms of sex, age, race, prior radiation therapy, or donor-pt gender. Primary diagnoses were comparable except the MSD group had more CML pts (19 vs. 0) (p=0.01 for all diagnoses). There were no differences between MUD and MSD pts regarding infection, acute GVHD, acute grade 3–4 GVHD, chronic GVHD or extensive chronic GVHD. MUD pts as compared to MSD pts had higher graft failure rates (12% vs. 3%, p = 0.019); lower relapse-free survival (median 5.4 mos vs. 10.7 mos, p=0.037); higher 100-day mortality (37% vs. 21%, p=0.05), and lower overall survival (median 5.7 mos vs.13.6 mos, p=0.036). Deaths occurred in 30 (73%) of MUD pts and 61 (58%) of the MSD pts with disease relapse followed by GVHD as the most common causes of death. Since CML pts were only in the MSD group, we repeated the analysis excluding these pts and there were no longer any significant differences between the MUD and MSD pts in 100 day mortality (p=0.12), relapse-free survival (median 5.4 mos vs. 6.5 mos, p=0.22), or overall survival (median 5.7 mos vs. 10.0 mos, p=0.18). For further purposes of comparison, we also analyzed 112 consecutive ABMT pts (31 MUD, T cell depleted; 81 MSD, T cell replete; Bu/Cy-based preparative regimens for all pts) previously transplanted at our institution from 4/93–11/98 during which time only HLA serologic and Class II DNA-based typing was used. In this earlier pt cohort, the MUD pts had a significantly higher incidence of acute GVHD (p
Questioning Kaufman: How Cross-Level Political Coalitions Interact with Organizational Structure

Herbert Kaufman's The Forest Ranger is considered a landmark study of how organizations can be structured to elicit compliance from field officials, yet there have been few attempts to validate Kaufman's claims. The author argues that the outcomes observed by Kaufman resulted from interplay between organizational structure and political context—a variable that Kaufman ignored. This argument is supported by case studies of two agencies with structures similar to Kaufman's U.S. Forest Service but poorer outcomes: the same agency today and India's forest departments. Both differences in organizational structure and poorer outcomes are found to be the result of political context. Specifically, coalitions assembled around agencies use the implementation process to shape outcomes in ways that could not be accomplished solely through changing laws or formal administrative structure. This points to the importance of building supportive field-level coalitions to complement administrative reforms.
The new tissue culture

I am well acquainted with tissue culture as a laboratory technique. It was an integral part of my research throughout my doctoral training and during my early years in the pharmaceutical industry. But it wasn't until later in my career that I was introduced to an entirely new form of tissue culture
Studies of substrate metabolism in isolated myocytes.

Although techniques of isolating heart myocytes from adult animals have heen available for over a decade, the often encountered low yield, poor viability, contamination by non-muscle cells and extreme sensitivity to the presence of calcium ions have limited the use of such preparations. During the last two to three years several laboratories have reported techniques of isolating adult myocardial cells with good yield, good viability, minimal contamination by non-muscle cells, as well as calcium-tolerance (1,2,3,4). Thus, the use of freshly isolated adult heart myocytes in myocardial biology has become more widespread (5) primarily, because of the following advantages of the preparation: a) Homogeneous population of myocytes is obtained which is virtually free of other cellular elements, whereas in the rat heart, myocytes comprise only about 25 percent of the total cell population (6). b) A cell population, free of neuronal and hormonal influences is obtained. c) During an experiment the isolated myocyte preparation can be divided into several aliquots and thus, internal controls for each preparation can be employed. d) Cells can be exposed to environmental changes without the necessity to consider capillary and extracellular barriers.
The Effect of Music on Attention to Audio Ads

The role of music in advertising is discussed and, based on a limited capacity model of attention, it is hypothesized that highly attractive music may contribute to learning of commercial message information in "noisy" environments but inhibit same in "quiet" environments. An experimental study provides support for the hypothesis. The use of music in advertising is discussed broadly and research issues raised.
Energy Efficient In-Memory Binary Deep Neural Network Accelerator with Dual-Mode SOT-MRAM

In this paper, we explore potentials of leveraging spin-based in-memory computing platform as an accelerator for Binary Convolutional Neural Networks (BCNN). Such platform can implement the dominant convolution computation based on presented Spin Orbit Torque Magnetic Random Access Memory (SOT-MRAM) array. The proposed array architecture could simultaneously work as non-volatile memory and a reconfigurable in-memory logic (AND, OR) without add-on logic circuits to memory chip as in conventional logic-in-memory designs. The computed logic output could be also simply read out like a normal MRAM bit-cell using the shared memory peripheral circuits. We employ such intrinsic in-memory computing architecture to efficiently process data within memory to greatly reduce power hungry and omit long distance data communication concerning state-of-the-art BCNN hardware.
Integrating Global Sensitivity Approaches to Deconstruct Spatial and Temporal Sensitivities of Complex Spatial Agent-Based Models

Spatial agent-based models (ABMs) can be powerful tools for understanding individual level decision-making. However, in an attempt to represent realistic decision-making processes, spatial ABMs often become extremely complex, making it difficult to identify and quantify sources of model sensitivity. This paper implements a coastal version of the economic agent-based urban growth model, CHALMS, to investigate both space- and time-varying sensitivities of simulated coastal development dynamics. We review the current state of spatially- and temporally-explicit global sensitivity analyses (GSA) for environmental modeling in general, and build on the innovative but nascent efforts to implement these approaches with complex spatial ABMs. Combined variance- and density-based approaches to GSA were used to investigate the partitioning, magnitude, and directionality of model output variance. Time-varying GSA revealed sensitivity of multiple outputs to storm frequency and cyclical patterns of sensitivity for other input parameters. Spatially-explicit GSA showed diverging sensitivities at landscape versus (smaller-scale) zonal levels, reflecting trade-offs in residential housing consumer location decisions and spatial â€˜spill-overâ€™ interactions. More broadly, when transitioning from a conceptual to empirically parameterized model, sensitivity analysis is a helpful step to prioritize parameters for data collection, particularly when data collection is costly. These findings illustrate unique challenges of and need to perform comprehensive sensitivity analysis with dynamic, spatial ABMs.
A LARGE SECOND POOL OF NOREPINEPHRINE IN THE HIGHLY PURIFIED VESICLE FRACTION FROM BOVINE SPLENIC NERVE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a large second pool of norepinephrine in the highly purified vesicle fraction from bovine splenic nerve. Large dense-core vesicles (LDV) can be prepared from bovine splenic nerve at a routine purity of 80–90%. This can be verified by improvements in sedimentable norepinephrine (NE): protein ratios and by systematic whole pellet examination at the ultrastructural level. The purity compares favorably to that of bovine adrenomedullary vesicles and justifies acceptance of analytical data on the two vesicle types with equal confidence. An LDV content of 100 nmoles NE/mg protein can be achieved, which depends not only on the purity attained but also on a minimal ∼ 10 min post mortem delay at the slaughterhouse. This compares to 20–30 min delay experienced previously in several laboratories. The shorter delay reveals a second pool of NE not apparent earlier. It accounts for 20% of the NE content and it is rapidly lost even in the presence of ATP.
Precision of the Gonyaulax circadian clock.

Under constant conditions, the circadian bioluminescent glow rhythm in populations (105 cells) ofGonyaulax polyedra is accurate to within 2 min/day. On successive days following the transfer to constant conditions, however, the glow exhibits a progressively broader waveform, implying that individual clocks in the population are drifting out of synchrony. Analysis of the glow waveform suggests that the standard deviation in circadian period among individual clocks is about 18 min and that the period of a given clock varies by less than this from one day to the next.
Etiological Models of Non-suicidal Self-Injury and Eating Disorders

The high rate of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among individuals with eating disorders is a well-documented and clinically significant phenomenon (Svirko and Hawton, Suicide Life Threat Behav 37:409–421, 2007). Several shared risk factors have been identified for disordered eating and NSSI. These common risk factors were examined within the context of etiological models that have the potential to explain why they so frequently co-occur. Thus, data on the relevance of the shared risk factors are reviewed within the framework of multiple conceptual models for eating disorders and/or NSSI. Moreover, empirical data and the explanatory potential for the overlapping nature of these maladaptive behaviors are evaluated for each model. A summary of the commonalities and limitations of the various etiological models is then presented. Finally, the chapter concludes by highlighting clinical implications and future directions for the advancement of knowledge regarding this pernicious problem, with a focus on the need for additional research and the development of integrative, comprehensive etiological models for non-suicidal self-injury and eating disorders.
Auto-Reflexive Algondonic Looping of Pedagogic Operational Research

Operational Research, inwardly directed, feeding back into itself the environmental information gained as a result of its applications, can effect its own future by creating an autoletic educational environment for the pedagogic descendants of its current practitioners. The present generation of operational research specialists encountered it in their adult years of advanced study, superimposing it over a variety of other often educationally-static behavioral layers. During the developmentally sensitive years, these concepts can be internalized to impact on personal developmental interaction with the environment. Our contemporaries have the capability of operationalizing a system of education that could apply a self-reflexive and self-rewarding process to the succeeding generation. Beginning with the earliest, and continuing with each subsequent level of education, the individual student could be provided an opportunity of utilizing operational research in the analysis of systems for personal application, for group-classroom application, a school-wide application, and hypothetical extensions to the levels of city, region, nation, and planet, involving all of the social sciences. This opportunity would make the student not just the recipient of static concepts, but a participant in a process whereby he would exercise a degree of control in the shaping of his own environment. The classroom setting would become part of the “real world” to which he would apply increasingly complex degrees of systems analysis and institute self-rewarding alterations in his environmental sub-systems. Such training could develop a generation of participants for whom operational research was not a superimposed theory but a behavioral reality. Their impact on all of the social sciences could a major factor during the next quarter century.
Values and Decision-Making

This chapter explores the importance of organizational values established through norms and how those values influence ethical or unethical decision-making in the workplace. Leader behavior is the number one influencer of employee behavior in the workplace. Ethics can be developed through education and training. Human resource development (HRD) scholars and professionals must provide the appropriate ethics education and training needed by workplace leaders. Historical views, principles, and theories of ethics are also discussed. The establishment of codes of ethics and communicating their importance to all employees are reviewed. Understanding the importance of holding employees accountable for their ethical or unethical behavior is also examined. HRD scholars and professionals must show that they are credible providers of ethical education and training by behaving ethically in the workplace.
Comparison of Coil Configuration and Position on Flow Characteristics of A319 Aluminum in Electromagnetically Stirred Solidification Systems

This article examines the influence of an induction coil position and configuration on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in electromagnetic (EM) solidification processes. The mutual inductance technique was used to solve for the EM field, whereas a dual-zone model was used to describe the flow in the two-phase “mushy” region, and accounts for damping of the flow due to grain growth within the suspended particle region. Simulations were performed for a A319 aluminum alloy within a laboratory-scale casting apparatus surrounded by a six turn coil for three configurations and three locations with respect to the melt. It was found that the coil arrangement had only a small effect on the flow structure and velocities in comparison with the coil position. The implications with regard to solidification behavior are discussed.
Peepshow, Death Camp, Art Gallery: The Spaces of Pasolini's Salò and Mauri's Intellettuale

Fabio Mauri’s performance Intellettuale, set in the context of the opening of Leone Pancaldi’s new building for the Museum of Modern Art in Bologna, summed up a life-long collaboration and controversy between Pier Paolo Pasolini and Mauri about the fate of Western art after WWII. In the context of Pancaldi’s building, Intellettuale throws into relief the cultural and ideological project of Pasolini’s filmmaking and its relation to the body art of the 1960s–’70s.
Review Paper on Fault Tolerant Scheduling in Multicore System

In this paper, it was discussed about various fault tolerant task scheduling Algorithm for the multicore system based on hardware and software. Blend of triple module redundancy and double module redundancy considering Agricultural vulnerability factor other than EDF and LLF scheduling algorithms were used to create hardware-based algorithm. Most of the real-time systems used shared memory as dominant part. Low overhead software-based fault tolerance approach could be implemented at user space level so that it did not require any changes at an application level. Redundant multithread processes were used which could detect soft recover from the errors and could recover from them giving low overhead, fast error mechanism recovery, and detection. The overhead incurred by this method ranged from 0 to 8% for selected benchmarks. Another system used for scheduling approach in real-time systems was hybrid scheduling. Dynamic fault tolerating scheduling gave high feasibility where task critically was used to select the fault recovery method type in order to tolerate maximum no. of faults.
From Under the Baobab to the Haunted Oak: The Reemergence of a Distinctly African-Derived Griot Tradition in the Americas

It will be the aim of this essay to discuss the following: 1) the historical struggle of Black writers to define a Creative Self and the meaning of our work in the American context from the creators of the Slave Narratives to the present; 2) the location of my own place within this struggle for cultural definition; and, 3) the emergence of what I will call a new literary griot tradition in contemporary African world writing. I will attempt to identify the aesthetic connections that spring from the now classical roots of the original forms of cultural expression enslaved Africans forged out of the furnace of American slavery. The folklore, spirituals, ring shouts, folk seculars, the blues, the jazz, and the dances continue to exist as the foundation for our creativity in the present. It is through our forms of cultural expression that we continue to remain connected to the larger Pan-African world.
The evolving landscape of HPV-related neoplasia in the head and neck

Human papilloma virus (HPV) has emerged as the key etiologic driver in the majority of cancers at head and neck mucosal sites. First described in the uterine cervix and subsequently in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, the morphologic and clinical spectrum of HPV-related neoplasia has continued to expand and now includes a newly described entity in the sinonasal tract. A recent study has also suggested a role of HPV in some ocular adnexal sebaceous carcinomas. Herein, we review and concisely summarize the spectrum of HPV-driven neoplasia in the head and neck, with a focus on variant morphologies and newly-described entities including key differential diagnoses and clinical implications.
Disease and Pest Outbreaks

Until recent times, the periodic irruptions of infectious diseases have been significant factors in the lives of humans and in the history of civilized society. Today many of the serious infectious diseases of humankind have been controlled. However, the increased control of human infectious disease has not lessened the importance of studying and understanding infectious diseases, because agricultural crops as well as forest resources are continually damaged by outbreaks of pests and disease. Strategies for their elimination or control are urgently needed.
Case Fatality Decline from 2009 to 2013 among Medicare Beneficiaries with Ischemic Stroke.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to examine the temporal trend of 30-day and 1-year mortality among U.S. Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized for ischemic stroke, with special focus on the mortality among subgroup of patients in relation to acute reperfusion therapies including intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Methods We evaluated Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries age 65 years or older who were hospitalized for ischemic stroke between 2009 and 2013. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were generated to analyze the trend of adjusted mortality. Results A total of 1,070,574 patients were included in the study. The 30-day mortality did not change among patients who were not treated with IVT or EVT. It decreased by 13% among patients treated with IVT but not EVT (HR = .87, 95% CI .82-.92), 25% among patients treated with EVT but not IVT (HR = .75, 95% CI .59-.95), and 37% among patients treated with both IVT and EVT (HR = .63, 95% CI .52-.77). One-year mortality decreased by 19% among patients who were not treated with IVT nor EVT (HR = .81, 95% CI .80-.83), 22% among those treated with IVT but not EVT (HR = .78, 95% CI .75-.81), 33% among those treated with EVT but not IVT (HR = .67, 95% CI .55-.81), and 38% among those treated with both IVT and EVT (HR = .62, 95% CI .53-.73). Conclusions From 2009 to 2013, the 30-day stroke case fatality decreased only among the patients received reperfusion therapy. The 1-year mortality declined among all the stroke patients, with the greatest decline among those treated with both IVT and EVT.
Effect of Wing Plates on a Multiline Ring Anchor System in Cohesive Soils

Attractive sites for offshore renewable energy facilities, such as offshore wind or wave energy systems, are often located in deep water due to stronger, more consistent resources and mitigation of aesthetic concerns. Despite improvements in the technology associated with floating offshore energy systems, the high capital cost of the support systems still remains a significant obstacle. This study presents a novel, efficient multiline ring anchor (MRA) system which can provide significant capital cost savings. A limited comparative study of the MRA to a suction caisson in soft clays shows the MRA has a clear advantage under horizontal loading, but further efficiencies may be realized by attaching wing plates to the cylindrical core of the anchor. Two-dimensional finite element analyses were conducted to understand how wing plates alter the collapse mechanism of a cylindrical anchor and to provide reliable estimates of load capacity. The studies show that the collapse mechanisms and bearing factors can be understood in terms of existing knowledge of the behavior of plate and cylindrical anchors.
Modal dynamic residual-based model updating through regularized semidefinite programming with facial reduction

Abstract Structural model updating techniques optimize model parameter values for improving the predication accuracy of a numerical model. Formulated as optimization problems, the objective of these techniques is to minimize the difference between model prediction and the experimental data. Most of these optimization problems are nonconvex, and consequently, the global optimum is very hard to solve. The sum of squares (SOS) approach and its sparse variant have been reported to relax a nonconvex polynomial optimization problem into a convex semidefinite programming (SDP) problem, which is more readily solvable. However, the corresponding convex SDP problem may fail the Slater condition qualification. The failure increases the difficulty for numerical algorithms, e.g. the interior point method, to solve the SDP problem. This paper proposes to utilize the facial reduction technique to regularize an SDP problem which fails the Slater condition qualification. In addition, the regularized SDP problem has smaller size, which helps to improve the computation efficiency. The performance of the proposed model updating approach is evaluated through a plane truss example.
Developing Technologies and Procedures to Reduce Tracking and Achieve Uniform and Accurate Tack Coat Application

The tack coat bond is known to affect the longevity of asphalt pavements. Proper interlayer bonding prevents successive pavement layers from acting independently of one another and creating non-uni...
Exploring the knowledge gap of immune checkpoint inhibitors in chronic renal failure: A systematic review of the literature.

Abstract Targeting the immune system with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) to treat cancer has been lately adopted with a significant improvement of patients’ survival. In parallel, the incidence of malignancy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is increasing, but solid evidence concerning the efficacy and safety of ICI in this population is lacking. Moreover, the use of these agents as immunity boosters in kidney graft recipients treated with immunosuppressors is still controversial. We present in this article a review of the pharmacological properties of these drugs and their behavior with kidney failure and dialysis, as well as evidence of their use in different populations of CKD. Most of the available data are limited to case reports and case series. These drugs appear to be safe without dose adjustment in CKD patients and patients on dialysis. A major concern with this therapy in transplanted patients remains the risk of graft rejection.
Interpersonal classroom model: students experiencing the group process

This paper provides an overview of the interpersonal classroom model (ICM). The ICM was designed primarily for social work group practice courses. This paper describes the theoretical foundation fo...
Design and Experimentation Guidelines for DER's Emulation Testbed

Due to the increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into the national grid, research is needed to understand high DER penetration in relation to grid reliability and stability. Emulation-based research is a viable option to consider hardware intensive investigations. Indeed, DER emulation-based research has advantages over DER software-based simulation and real DER implementation research. Some of these advantages are more realistic performance and boundaries and considerably less expense, higher safety, and modularity. While the downside of DER emulation-based research is the complexity of modeling large scale grid systems. This paper provides a rationalization for the selection of an emulation-based DER laboratory and description of the DER laboratory's capabilities. Additionally, guidelines for running experiments are discussed and two approaches, power scaling using rescaling coefficients and system sizing using Multi-Port Thevenin Equivalence (MPTE), are proposed to emulate realistic complex interconnected DER grid connected systems.
Surgical Treatment of Chronic Migraine Headaches

Surgical management is indicated for chronic migraine headache and can be especially useful in those patients who fail medical management, seek to avoid adverse drug-related side effects, and/or desire a longer-term solution than afforded by chemodenervation with botulinum toxin injections. Surgery aims to decompress well-described craniofacial sensory nerves at one of four anatomic trigger sites: frontal, temporal, occipital, and intranasal (“rhinogenic”). Successful surgery critically depends on appropriate patient selection, which is aided by selective injection of botulinum toxin A into preoperatively identified trigger sites and assessing patient response. Open and endoscopic surgical approaches can be utilized depending on the trigger sites being treated. Successful surgery is defined by greater than 50% reduction in migraine headache index (MHI), a validated outcome tool that reflects a product of headache frequency, severity, and duration. Level 1 evidence supports migraine surgery as being successful in 68–95% of patients with 1–5-year follow-up. Migraine surgery and use of botulinum toxin may also be considered in adolescent patients with severe refractory headaches and exhaustion of pharmacologic management.
Polar effects in free radical reactions

s a hydrogen atom much faster than the peroxy radical as can be seen by the rates of the two processes for the cumene molecule. abstract a hydrogen atom or terminate. The chlorine atom k CI* 2.1 x 10 10 liter mole-second and 1.3 Mto. mole-second The rate constant for the chlorine atom was obtained from the
Sugar transport by the bacterial phosphotransferase system. Reconstitution of inducer exclusion in Salmonella typhimurium membrane vesicles.

The accompanying articles (Saffen, D.W., Presper, K.A., Doering, T.L., and Roseman, S. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16241-16253; Mitchell, W.J., Saffen, D. W., and Roseman, S. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16254-16260) show that "inducer exclusion" in intact cells of Escherichia coli is regulated by IIIGlc, a protein encoded by the crr gene of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glycose phosphotransferase system (PTS). The present studies attempt to show a direct effect of IIIGlc on non-PTS transport systems. Inner membrane vesicles prepared from a wild type strain of Salmonella typhimurium (pts+), carrying the E. coli lactose operon on an episome, showed respiration-dependent accumulation of methyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (TMG) via the lactose permease. In the presence of methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside or other PTS sugars, TMG uptake was reduced by an amount which was dependent on the relative concentrations of IIIGlc and lactose permease in the vesicles. The endogenous IIIGlc concentration in these vesicles was in the range 5-10 microM, similar to that found in whole cells. Methyl-alpha-glucoside had no effect on lactose permease activity in vesicles prepared from a deletion mutant strain lacking the soluble PTS proteins Enzyme I, HPr, and IIIGlc. One or more of the pure proteins could be inserted into the mutant vesicles; when one of the two electrophoretically distinguishable forms of the phosphocarrier protein, IIIGlc Slow, was inserted, both the initial rate and steady state level of TMG accumulation were reduced by up to 40%. The second electrophoretic form, IIIGlc Fast, had much less effect. A direct relationship was observed between the intravesicular concentration of IIIGlc Slow and the extent of inhibition of the lactose permease. No inhibition was observed when IIIGlc Slow was added to the outside of the vesicles, indicating that the site of interaction with the lactose permease is accessible only from the inner face of the membrane. In addition to the lactose permease, IIIGlc Slow was found to inhibit both the galactose and the melibiose permeases. Uptake of proline, on the other hand, was unaffected. The results are therefore consistent with an hypothesis that dephosphorylated IIIGlc Slow is an inhibitor of certain non-PTS permeases.
Fluorine‐Containing Polymers, Tetrafluoroethylene‐Perfluorovinyl Ether Copolymers

Copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) have been a laboratory curiosity for many years. These polymers exhibit a unique combination of mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties as well as excellent weatherability. However, thermal stress-crack resistance is poor. The copolymer modified with a termonomer that undergoes free-radical polymerization and does not cause undesirable chain transfer or termination during polymerization exhibits almost identical properties of the 1:1 alternating copolymer, but retains high ultimate elongation up to 200C. Thus, modified ETFE copolymers are the products of commercial value because they have good tensile strength, moderate stiffness, high flex life, as well as outstanding impact strength, abrasion resistance, and cut-through resistance. Electrical properties include low dielectric constant, high dielectric strength, excellent resistivity, and low dissipation factor. Thermal and cryogenic performance and chemical resistance are good. These properties, combined with elasticity, make this material an ideal candidate for heat-shrinkable film and tubing. These polymers can be produced in aqueous, nonaqueous, or mixed medium with free-radical initiators. The polymer is isolated and converted to extruded cubes, powders, and beads or dispersion. Keywords: Perfluoroalkoxy fluorocarbon resins; Tetrafluorethylene; Perfluorovinyl ethers; Copolymerization; Teflon PVA; Electrical properties; Optical properties; Extrusion; Injection molding; Beads; Rotocasting; Electrical insulation; Pigmentation Wires; Tubing
Robot colony power supply: controlled use with PIC chip

Protein Data Bank, PDB, files are widely used by biologists although the format is difficult to interpret. This project designed a user interface by storing the PDB file in XML format and a database. The interface was created with HTML and querying the XML files using XSL files and JavaScript. The XML file is also stored in a database that is queried through the interface using SQL and PHP. The interface allows the user to query specific information of a protein, such as heavy and light amino acid chains, molecules, amino acids, revisions, disulfide bonds, crystallographic waters, structures well defined, and prolins.
The Accounting Rate of Return as a Framework for Analysis

Research on the accounting rate of return (ARR) began with Harcourt (1965), Solomon (1966) and Vatter (1966) and continued with Kay (1976, 1978), Peasnell (1982), Franks and Hodges (1984), Kay and Edwards (1986), Edwards, Kay and Mayer (1987), Brief and Lawson (1992), Brief (1996) and others. The basic framework was provided by an economic model and the ARR was interpreted in terms of that model. In contrast, this paper focuses on an accounting model that defines the ARR as a constant over a multi-period horizon. Twenty-six properties of the accounting model are discussed. More than half relate to the constant ARR. Property 15 defines two economic models as special cases. The remaining properties concern the relationship between the ARR and IRR, the residual income valuation model and the direct comparison of the accounting and economic models. Some of these properties were previously derived by others and some are discussed for the first time. Taken together, the twenty-six properties can viewed as a framework for analysis. First, many of the relationships that are derived hold for a finite time horizon and mimic steady state conditons. Consequently, the analytical results have more generality than those that assume an infinite time horizon or steady state. Second, the accounting model is structured as a present value model and, therefore, mimics economic models. This makes many of the relationships between the accounting and economic models transparent. Third, this work could be extended to compare two accounting policies or to compare the accounting process.
Mechanical design of the SNS coupled cavity accelerator

The mechanical design and manufacturing details of the Spallation Neutron Source Coupled Cavity Linac are presented. The mechanical design and manufacturing approach for the RF cavity components is and results of initial development work for manufacturing is presented. The RF cavity components include both the main accelerating cavity structure (RF Segments) and the bridge couplers. The design utilizes a relatively standard approach for the RF accelerating segments but novel packaging techniques for the bridge coupler allow a minimum length coupler to be used. The resulting structure allows for a short magnetic focusing period and straightforward tuning of the multi-segment module.
G-protein-coupled receptor heterodimerization modulates receptor function

The opioid system modulates several physiological processes, including analgesia, the stress response, the immune response and neuroendocrine function1. Pharmacological and molecular cloning studies have identified three opioid-receptor types, δ, κ and µ, that mediate these diverse effects2,3. Little is known about the ability of the receptors to interact to form new functional structures, the simplest of which would be a dimer. Structural and biochemical studies show that other G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) interact to form homodimers4,5. Moreover, two non-functional receptors heterodimerize to form a functional receptor, suggesting that dimerization is crucial for receptor function6,7,8,9,10,11. However, heterodimerization between two fully functional receptors has not been documented. Here we provide biochemical and pharmacological evidence for the heterodimerization of two fully functional opioid receptors, κ and δ. This results in a new receptor that exhibits ligand binding and functional properties that are distinct from those of either receptor. Furthermore, the κ–δ heterodimer synergistically binds highly selective agonists and potentiates signal transduction. Thus, heterodimerization of these GPCRs represents a novel mechanism that modulates their function.
The Molecular Genetics of Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor trait defined by symptoms that interfere with sleep onset and maintenance in a clinically meaningful way. Nonvolitional myoclonus while awake and asleep is a sign of the disorder and an informative endophenotype. The genetic contributions to RLS/periodic leg movements are substantial, are among the most robust defined to date for a common disease, and account for much of the variance in disease expressivity. The disorder is polygenic, as revealed by recent genome-wide association studies. Experimental studies are revealing mechanistic details of how these common variants might influence RLS expressivity.
Deletion of glucose-inhibited division (gidA) gene alters the morphological and replication characteristics of Salmonella enterica Serovar typhimurium

Salmonella is an important food-borne pathogen that continues to plague the United States food industry. Characterization of bacterial factors involved in food-borne illnesses could help develop new ways to control salmonellosis. We have previously shown that deletion of glucose-inhibited division gene (gidA) significantly altered the virulence potential of Salmonella in both in vitro and in vivo models of infection. Most importantly, the gidA mutant cells displayed a filamentous morphology compared to the wild-type Salmonella cells. In our current study, we investigated the role of GidA in Salmonella cell division using fluorescence and electron microscopy, transcriptional, and proteomic assays. Scanning electron microscopy data indicated a filamentous morphology with few constrictions in the gidA mutant cells. The filamentation of the gidA mutant cells is most likely due to the defect in chromosome segregation, with little to no sign of septa formation observed using fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, deletion of gidA altered the expression of many genes and proteins responsible for cell division and chromosome segregation as indicated by global transcriptional profiling and semi-quantitative western blot analysis. Taken together, our data indicate GidA as a potential regulator of Salmonella cell division genes.
Complement component C1q inhibits β-amyloid-and serum amyloid P-induced neurotoxicity via caspase-and calpain-independent mechanisms

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuronal loss, beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. Complement protein C1q has been found associated with fibrillar Abeta deposits, however the exact contributions of C1q to Alzheimer's disease is still unknown. There is evidence that C1q, as an initiator of the inflammatory complement cascade, may accelerate disease progression. However, neuronal C1q synthesis is induced after injury/infection suggesting that it may be a beneficial response to injury. In this study, we report that C1q enhances the viability of neurons in culture and protects neurons against Abeta- and serum amyloid P (SAP)-induced neurotoxicity. Investigation of potential signaling pathways indicates that caspase and calpain are activated by Abeta, but C1q had no effect on either of these pathways. Interestingly, SAP did not induce caspase and calpain activation, suggesting that C1q neuroprotection is in distinct from caspase and calpain pathways. In contrast to Abeta- and SAP-induced neurotoxicity, neurotoxicity induced by etoposide or FCCP was unaffected by the addition of C1q, indicating pathway selectivity for C1q neuroprotection. These data support a neuroprotective role for C1q which should be further investigated to uncover mechanisms which may be therapeutically targeted to slow neurodegeneration via direct inhibition of neuronal loss.
Ciliary dyskinesia factors in cystic fibrosis and asthma

CYSTIC fibrosis (CF) homozygotes and heterozygotes carriers for CF harbour a factor in their serum (termed CDF) which causes ciliary dyskinesia when applied to ciliated epithelial tissue derived from rabbit trachea1–4. Spock et al.1 reported that serum ciliary dyskinesia activity (CDA) was a specific marker for the CF gene. Conover et al.5 have reported that a CDA is also found in sera from individuals with various respiratory and autoimmune disorders; they have since suggested that the CF-ciliary dyskinesia factor was C3a (anaphylatoxin), and proposed that a defect or deficiency in the anaphylatoxin inactivator was the primary gene defect in cystic fibrosis6,7. Other laboratories have been unable to detect CF-CDF using a rabbit tracheal bioassay for the detection of the CF-CDF (refs 8–10). Using a modified rabbit tracheal bioassay, we have confirmed that serum from individuals with bronchial asthma and serum from homozygotes and heterozygotes for CF cause ciliary dyskinesia, whereas normal healthy control sera do not. Most individuals with asthma, however, were also found to have serum which causes a subsequent ciliostasis. All sera tested by bioassay for CFP by electrofocusing indicated that all CDA-positive sera except sera from seven of eight individuals with asthma were also positive for cystic fibrosis protein (CFP). The CFP is a small (molecular weight 5,000–9,000), positively charged compound and is found in sera from most homozygotes and heterozygotes for CF (refs 11–16). These two findings suggested that the CDAs in CF sera and in asthmatic sera could be due to two different substances. We have developed two simple chromatographic techniques which can separate CDAs in CF and asthmatic sera. Our results indicate that they may be useful in purifying a CF-specific CDA. Purification of this CF-CDA is a prerequisite for its biochemical characterisation and for elucidating its role in the pathophysiology of CF (ref. 17).
Inborn errors of folate metabolism (first of two parts).

SINCE 1961, five and possibly six new disorders have been attributed to congenital defects in the uptake or utilization of folic acid, an essential vitamin in man. Although these disorders are stil...
A variable metric technique for parameter optimization

Some properties of a modification of the multidimensional Kiefer-Wolfowitz stochastic approximation algorithm are presented. First an iterative method of evaluating the Hessian matrix of a regression function is proposed. This method is then used in conjunction with the Kiefer-Wolfowitz procedure to obtain a stochastic analogue of the Newton-Raphson gradient search method. It is shown that this technique can be used to locate the minimum of a regression function, and it is also shown that under certain conditions accelerated convergence is obtained.
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY OF SYNAPTIC VESICLE CYCLING

Patch-clamp capacitance measurements can monitor in real time the kinetics of exocytosis and endocytosis in living cells. We review the application of this technique to the giant presynaptic terminals of goldfish bipolar cells. These terminals secrete glutamate via the fusion of small, clear-core vesicles at specialized, active zones of release called synaptic ribbons. We compare the functional characteristics of transmitter release at ribbon-type and conventional synapses, both of which have a unique capacity for fast and focal vesicle fusion. Subsequent rapid retrieval and recycling of fused synaptic vesicle membrane allow presynaptic terminals to function independently of the cell soma and, thus, as autonomous computational units. Together with the mobilization of reserve vesicle pools, local cycling of synaptic vesicles may delay the onset of vesicle pool depletion and sustain neuronal output during high stimulation frequencies.
Genetic Algorithms for Structural Cluster Optimization

Certain aspects of the methodology of genetic algorithms for global structural optimization of clusters were studied. Through systematic investigations of Lennard-Jones clusters with up to 100 atoms, several modifications were made to the genetic algorithm introduced by Deaven and Ho [Phys. Rev. Lett. 1995, 75, 288]. These modifications result in improved efficiency of the search procedure and in certain cases lead to determination of globally optimal structures that previous genetic algorithm studies have not found. The modifications include the following: twinning mutations, add-and-etch processes where a cluster of a given number of atoms is grown beyond that size and subsequently etched, and seeding of the initial parental population with selected structural motifs, in conjunction with randomly chosen configurations.
Post-rendering 3D warping

A pair of rendered images and their Z-buffers contain almost all of the information necessary to re-render from nearby viewpoints. For the small changes in viewpoint that occur in a fraction of a second, this information is sufficient for high quality re-rendering with cost independent of scene complexity. Re-rendering from previously computed views allows an order-of-magnitude increase in apparent frame rate over that provided by conventional rendering alone. It can also compensate for system latency in local or remote display. We use McMillan and Bishop’s image warping algorithm to re-render, allowing us to compensate for viewpoint translation as well as rotation. We avoid occlusion-related artifacts by warping two different reference images and compositing the results. This paper explains the basic design of our system and provides details of our reconstruction and multi-image compositing algorithms. We present our method for selecting reference image locations and the heuristic we use for any portions of the scene which happen to be occluded in both reference images. We also discuss properties of our technique which make it suitable for real-time implementation, and briefly describe our simpler real-time remote display system. CR
Corporate governance and social responsibility

Purpose – This paper aims to draw on the stakeholder theory to examine the association between corporate governance and social responsibility. Design/methodology/approach – This paper hypothesized that corporate governance is positively associated with corporate social responsibility (CSR), and good corporate governance also leads to good social responsibility in the following year. Corporate governance was measured by using the corporate governance index provided by Brown and Caylor (2006, 2009). CSR data come from Kinder, Lydenberg and Domini (KLD), Inc. Findings – Regression analysis documents significant evidence to support a positive association between corporate governance and social responsibility. Evidence suggests that good governance leads to good CSR performance. Originality/value – The results should interest managers who engage in behavior leading to or maintaining strong corporate governance mechanisms, financial analysts who conduct research on corporate governance and firm performance and ...
Healing pattern of small caliber Dacron grafts in the baboon: An animal model for the study of vascular prostheses

Although dogs have been used widely to study the healing of large caliber synthetic grafts, hypercoagulability probably makes the dog a poor model for studies of small caliber vascular prostheses. The baboon's coagulation system is similar to man's, but large caliber baboon grafts were reported to endothelialize rapidly. In this study the healing pattern of 4mm internal diameter Dacron carotid interpositon grafts in baboons was determined using specimens harvested at time points between 2 weeks and 18 months post-implantation and examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. The luminal surface of baboon grafts in the acute healing phase (<1 month) was comparable to that reported in the literature for dogs. Baboon grafts did not completely endothelialize until 10–12 weeks post-implantation. For work with small caliber vascular protheses, the dog appears to have no advantage over the baboon as an animal model on the basis of graft healing.