cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New START or Not? U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Reductions in Perspective

The New START agreement signed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in April 2010 could be the basis for further nuclear arms reductions as well as U.S.-Russian cooperation and leadership on nuclear nonproliferation. Obama's ambitious agenda of nuclear limitation includes possible reductions in NATO and Russian substrategic nuclear weapons deployed in Europe, a revised U.S. missile defense plan for Europe, and forward progress on Prompt Global Strike conventional weapons—as well as nonproliferation initiatives within a subtext of ridding the world of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, post–New START progress on arms control and disarmament is not guaranteed, given the complexities of the political and military issues and the uncertainties of U.S. and Russian domestic politics.
Measuring underwater polarization field from above-water hyperspectral instrumentation for water composition retrieval

Increasing efforts are devoted by the Ocean Color Radiometry community to explore the polarization features of the underwater light field in order to enhance possibilities for retrieving inherent optical properties (IOPs) of coastal waters. New instrumentations and data inversion algorithms are being developed to take into account the supplementary information contained in polarization data. However, estimating the Stokes vector components of the polarized water radiance from above water measurements is a challenging task, mainly because of their small magnitude and the strong contamination by the polarized sky light reflected from the sea surface. In this study, above-water measurements are used to assess the feasibility of such retrievals and their utility for retrieving IOPs. The Long Island Sound Coastal Observational platform (LISCO) near Northport, NY, was established in October 2009 to support satellite data validation. In June 2010, three customized hyperspectral HyperSAS systems (HyperSAS-POL) were added to LISCO platform enabling polarization measurements. A data processing algorithm, which includes vector radiative transfer computations, was developed and used to remove the polarization signal due to sky light reflected from the sea surface (sky glint) and derive the underwater polarization field. The spectral shape of the retrieved underwater degree of polarization was then evaluated against theoretical radiative transfer computations and in situ underwater measurements. The results confirmed the validity of the polarization measurements by the LISCO site, thus validating a continuous time series starting from the beginning of June 2010 to the present which can be used for retrievals of IOPs from polarization measurements.
Assessment of Platinum Availability for Advanced Fuel-Cell Vehicles:

The supply and demand of platinum-group metals (PGMs) are assessed through 2030. Recent increases in PGM demand and tight supplies from the two main sources have caused platinum and palladium prices to rise substantially. Future PGM demand driven by new technologies could significantly outstrip supplies. Five scenarios are based on different assumptions about demand for platinum in automotive fuel cells, demand for new vehicles in developing countries, the market penetration of vehicles with fuel cells and advanced catalytic converters, and several other factors. The scenarios suggest a midterm boom in the PGM market caused by increasing demand for platinum for fuel-cell vehicles and an increased use of advanced catalytic converters containing high amounts of PGMs, which could squeeze supplies between 2005 and 2020. This period would potentially be followed by a bust in PGM demand by 2030, as recycling exerts an influence on overall demand in developing countries. Demand for PGMs could outstrip supplies regardless of the market penetration rates of fuel-cell vehicles because of the demand for relatively high amounts of PGMs for advanced catalytic converters. Future research should focus on assessing costs associated with increasing PGM production and on PGM market dynamics.
CONTINUED-FRACTION ABSORBING BOUNDARY CONDITIONS FOR THE WAVE EQUATION

Absorbing boundary conditions are generally required for numerical modeling of wave phenomena in unbounded domains. Local absorbing boundary conditions are generally preferred for transient analysis because of their computational efficiency. However, their accuracy is severely limited because the more accurate high-order boundary conditions cannot be implemented easily. In this paper, a new arbitrarily high-order absorbing boundary condition based on continued fraction approximation is presented. Unlike the existing boundary conditions, this one does not contain high-order derivatives, thus making it amenable to implementation in conventional C0 finite element and finite difference methods. The superior numerical properties and implementation aspects of this boundary condition are discussed. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the performance of these new high-order boundary condition.
Second-harmonic generation of semiconductor quantum dots studied by near-field optical microscopy

Abstract We present a theoretical study of optical second-harmonic generation(SHG) of symmetric semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) excited by the near field of the tip in a near-field scanning optical microscope. We show that the usual optical transition selection rules for the SH nonlinear interaction between the tip field and the QD are broken when the tip is scanned over the QD, because the tip field varies rapidly over the QD domain. It is also demonstrated that the tip-position dependence of the SH signal essentially maps the spatial distribution of the tip field.
Expression and distribution of the receptors for coxsackievirus B3 during fetal development of the Balb/c mouse and of their brain cells in culture

This study was designed mainly to determine the relationships between the expression and distribution of the cellular receptor proteins for coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) and susceptibility of mouse brain cells during fetal development of Balb/c mice. Immunoblot analysis of fetal extracts demonstrated that the CVB3 receptor proteins were first expressed at day 14 of the fetal stage, and that maximal expression of the cellular receptor occurred at near term or newborn stage. Results also suggested that newborn mouse brain tissue expressed much larger quantities of viral receptor proteins, compared to other tissues. In vitro studies showed that both mouse neurons and astrocytes could be infected by two CVB3 strains, pantropic CVB3 Nancy strain (CVB3N) and myocardiotropic CVB3 Woodruff strain (CVB3W). CVB3N, however, replicated and grew to high titer in primary astrocyte cultures and in primary neuron cultures, whereas, primary astrocyte cultures were relatively resistant to CVB3W. Virus binding assays revealed that CVB3N bound faster and in greater amounts to mouse brain cells than CVBW. These two virus strains, however, were found to share the same receptor specificity by virus competition assays. The number of virus binding sites for CVB3 on newborn mouse brain cells was approximately 1.8 x 10(4) per cell. The data suggested that preferential expression of the cellular receptors on newborn mouse brain cells may be related to their high susceptibilities to CVB3 infection.
Climate of the earth: an overview.

Abstract Climate has varied over a large range in the recent history of the Earth, with extremes represented by equable environments of the Cretaceous and Eocene and the comparatively frigid conditions of the ice ages that punctuated the past few million years. It is suggested that major shifts in climate are controlled largely by variations in CO 2 with related fluctuations in modes of ocean circulation. Changes in climate can proceed rapidly, on time scales as short as centuries or even decades, as indicated by data for the Younger Dryas (a period of globally cold conditions interrupting recovery of the Earth from the last ice age) and the Little Ice Age (a cold snap extending from about 1250 to about 1850 ad ). Rapid fluctuations in climate appear to be linked to changes in production of deep water in the North Atlantic, possibly also to variations in circulation of intermediate waters in the Pacific. Mechanisms are discussed whereby changes in ocean circulation can result in shifts of climate on a global scale. A 10 000 year record of climate from Norway is used to provide context for a discussion of possible changes in climate today arising as a result of the build-up of industrially related greenhouse gases. Brief, somewhat pessimistic, comments are offered concerning the prospects for meaningful near-term predictions of the response of climate to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. Studies of past climates, by drawing attention to important processes and feedbacks, can play a valuable role in the development of credible models for the future.
Polymeric Schiff Bases. V. The Four Isomeric Xylylidenephenylenediamine Polymers

The four isomeric Schiff base polymers, poly(p-xylylidene-p-phenylenedi-amine), poly(p-xylylidene-m-phenylenediamine), poly(m-xylylidene-p-phenylenediamine), and poly(m-xylylidene-m-phenylenediamin...
Risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in urogynecologic surgical patients

Objective We sought to determine the incidence of symptomatic deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, collectively referred to as venous thromboembolic events (VTE), in patients undergoing urogynecologic surgery to guide development of a VTE prophylaxis policy for this patient population. Study Design We conducted a retrospective analysis of VTE incidence among women undergoing urogynecologic surgery over a 3-year period. All patients wore sequential compression devices intraoperatively through hospital discharge. Results Forty of 1104 patients (3.6%) undergoing urogynecologic surgery were evaluated with chest computed tomography, lower extremity ultrasound, or both for suspicion of VTE postoperatively. The overall rate of venous thromboembolism in this population was 0.3% (95% confidence interval, 0.1–0.8). Conclusion Most women undergoing incontinence and reconstructive pelvic surgery are at a low risk for VTE. Sequential compression devices appear to provide adequate VTE prophylaxis in this patient population.
Infection and Immunity with a Virus Isolate from Turkeys

Abstract Avian pox virus was isolated from cutaneous pox lesions removed from turkey breeders that had been vaccinated three times with a commercial fowl pox vaccine. In three cross-immunization experiments with turkeys and two with chickens, the turkey pox isolate, designated NC5271, proved immunologically different from fowl, pigeon, and quail pox viruses. Significant protection against NC5271 virus infection and inducement of pox lesions was only attained when the homologous isolate was used as a vaccine. The potential need in the field for such a vaccine was discussed.
Comment on a ''New test of the synchronization procedure in noninertial systems''

A proposed test of the synchronization of very closely spaced clocks, which was obtained in a recent paper using general relativity, is derived using special relativity only and generalized to the case of large separation between the clocks. It is pointed out that an equivalent test was performed by Sagnac in 1915, with results in agreement with the theory.
Suppression by naloxone of water intake induced by deprevation and hypertonic saline in intact and hypophysectomized rats

Abstract Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, was administered to intact and hypophysectomized male rats following hypertonic saline pretreatment or 12 hr water deprivation. Water intake following hypertonic saline or water deprevation was reduced by 0.01 – 10 mg/kg of naloxone in a dose-related fashion in both intact and hypophysectomized rats. Water consumption induced by hypertonic saline administration appeared to be more susceptible to the suppressant effects of naloxone than did that evoked by water deprevation. These results demonstrate that naloxone reduces water intake in the rat following intracellular dehydration by hypertonic saline administration, as well as after general dehydration induced by water deprevation. Furthermore, the suppressant effects of naloxone on water intake do not appear to involve pituitary endorphins, although a possible involvement of antidiuretic hormone in these effects cannot be excluded.
Remarks on the influence of Edward Prescott

I was very pleased to be asked to provide an introduction to this volume in honor of Edward C. Prescott. There is a sense in which all of us working in macroeconomics today honor Ed Prescott in every paper we write, so great has been his influence on the way we conceive and carry out our research. This was the theme of some comments I gave at a 1993 conference in Louvain honoring Kenneth Arrow, Gerard Debreu, and Lionel McKenzie for their work 25 years earlier on the general theory of competitive equilibrium. I will begin by reproducing these remarks, and then conclude with some additional thoughts.
Über die Wirkungsweise der Sulfonamide

Es wurde untersucht, ob und wieweit die Sulfonamide einen Einflus auf das Blutbild des gesunden und kranken Menschen, auf den Verlauf des kunstlichen Fiebers durch Pyrifer, auf den Zuckerbelastungsversuch, den Wasserbelastungsversuch und die Saurewerte des Magensaftes haben. Bei einem Teil dieser Versuche lies sich eine deutliche Wirkung des Sulfapyridins sowohl beim gesunden als auch in besonderem Mase beim kranken Menschen erkennen.
Developmental genetics of a P element induced allele of suppressor-of-forked in Drosophila melanogaster.

In this paper we describe a new allele of suppressor of forked, su(f)hd37, referred to as hd37, which was isolated in a hybrid dysgenesis mutation screen and is shown to be P induced by its high frequency of reversion in hybrid dysgenic crosses, and by in situ hybridization. hd37 suppresses forked and fails to complement the forked suppression of known su(f) alleles. However, it complements the recessive lethality of alleles in both of the su(f) lethal complementation groups. We also describe a new phenotypic effect of su(f) alleles, the enhancement of Minute(3)i55. Recessive lethal alleles enhance the lethal effects of this Minute, but hd37 does not. The temperature sensitive period for forked bristle suppression by hd37 was found to be very narrow, consisting of a short interval (12–18 h) immediately before bristle formation. These results suggest that the several genetic functions associated with this locus may be genetically separable.
The Chronicles of Me: Understanding Blogging as a Religious Practice

Abstract Blogs represent an especially interesting site of online religious communication. Analysis of the content of 200 blogs with mentions of topics related to Christianity, as well as interviews of a subset of these bloggers, suggests that blogs provide an integrative experience for the faithful, not a “third place,” but a melding of the personal and the communal, the sacred and the profane. Religious bloggers operate outside the realm of the conventional nuclear church as they connect and link to mainstream news sites, other nonreligious blogs, and online collaborative knowledge networks such as Wikipedia. By chronicling how they experience faith in their everyday lives, these bloggers aim to communicate not only to their communities and to a wider public but also to themselves. This view of blogging as a contemplative religious experience differs from the popular characterization of blogging as a trivial activity.
The Ethnic I: A Sourcebook for Ethnic-American Autobiography

Acknowledgments Introduction: Personal Voices from the New World Mary Anderson: Women at Work Mary Jane Hill Anderson: The Autobiography of Mary Jane Hill Anderson Maya Angelou: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Mary Antin: The Promised Land Black Elk: Black Elk Speaks Edward Bok: The Americanization of Edward Bok Carlos Bulosan: America Is in the Heart Frank Capra: The Name above the Title, An Autobiography Andrew Carnegie: Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie Edward Corsi: In the Shadow of Liberty Leonard Covello: The Heart Is the Teacher Nicky Cruz: Run, Baby, Run James Michael Curley: I'd Do It Again Emma Goldman: Living My Life Zora Neale Hurston: Dust Tracks on a Road Lee Iaococca: Iaococca Maxine Hong Kingston: The Woman Warrior Malcolm X: The Autobiography of Malcolm X Jerre Mangione: An Ethnic at Large Michael Pupin: From Immigrant to Inventor Jacob A. Riis: The Making of an American Richard Rodriquez: Hunger of Memory Carl Schurz: The Autobiography of Carl Schurz Monica Stone: Nisei Daughter Piri Thomas: Down These Mean Streets Booker T. Washington: Up from Slavery Theodore H. White: In Search of History Jade Snow Wong: Fifth Chinese Daughter Richard Wright: Black Boy Bibliographical Essay Index
Association Between Two Common Polymorphisms of PPARγ Gene and Metabolic Syndrome Families in a Chinese Population

Background and Aims We investigated the association between the two common polymorphisms, C1431T and Pro12Ala of PPARγ gene, and metabolic syndrome (MS) in a Chinese population. Methods We included 423 subjects with MS and families without MS. Subjects were divided into three groups: MS probands and first- and second-degree relatives of probands, spouses and controls. Each group was then divided into two subgroups according to genotype (Pro/Pro and Pro/Ala for Pro12Ala, CC and CT + TT for 1431C/T). Anthropometric indices, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, Sv1 + Rv5 of electrocardiogram and single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected. Results Frequencies of C1431T genotypes, but not Pro12Ala, were different among the three groups. MS patients with Pro/Ala genotype had higher fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels and Sv1 + Rv5. Controls with Ala allele had lower total cholesterol levels. In relatives, Ala carriers had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels. BMI of the different groups were not significant. MS patients with T allele had higher FBS and Sv1 + Rv5. In relatives of MS subjects, T-allele carriers had lower blood uric acid, creatinine and higher HDL-c levels and Sv1 + Rv5. Conclusions C1431T, but not Pro12Ala polymorphisms, are associated with MS in a Chinese population. In MS patients, Ala allele and T allele are both associated with higher fasting blood sugar and higher left ventricular voltage. In controls, Ala carriers have lower total cholesterol. In MS relatives, Ala carriers had higher HDL-c levels and T-allele carriers had lower uric acid, creatinine and higher HDL-c levels and left ventricular voltage.
An example of Arnold diffusion for near-integrable Hamiltonians

In this paper, using the ideas of Bessi and Mather, we present a simple mechanical system exhibiting Arnold diffusion. This system of a particle in a small periodic potential can be also interpreted as ray propagation in a periodic optical medium with a near-constant index of refraction. Arnold diffusion in this context manifests itself as an arbitrary finite change of direction for nearly constant index of refraction.
Caution in interpreting biochemical control rates after treatment for prostate cancer : Length of follow-up influences results

Objectives. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) based end points are commonly used to report outcomes after treatment for prostate cancer. This study examines the influence of follow-up length on biochemical control (bNED) rates. Methods. We reviewed 437 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with conformal radiotherapy without neoadjuvant androgen deprivation. Biochemical failure was defined as three consecutive PSA increases or an increase large enough to prompt androgen deprivation therapy. The failure date was projected back to the midpoint between the PSA nadir and the first PSA increase (or between the nadir and the initiation of androgen deprivation therapy). The analysis was performed by censoring patients with longer follow-up in a stepwise fashion, thus creating smaller subgroups with shorter follow-up intervals. Subgroup 1 (n = 191) and subgroup 2 (n = 273) were defined to include those patients monitored for up to 2 years and up to 3 years, respectively. Results. The median follow-up intervals for subgroup 1, subgroup 2, and the original study population were 1.1, 1.5, and 2.5 years. No significant differences were seen in pretreatment prognostic factors among the three groups. The 2-year bNED of subgroup 1, subgroup 2, and the original population was 86%, 77%, and 73%, respectively. Although subgroup 1 had a superior bNED compared with the original population (P = 0.04), no differences in clinical recurrence rates were seen among any of the three groups. Conclusions. Because of projecting the biochemical failure dates back according to commonly used bNED definitions, control rates are highly dependent on the length of follow-up.
Interaction of selenium deficiency and fat intake in the regulation of enzymes associated with peroxide metabolism

The present study was designed to examine the effect of selenium deficiency on the activities of heme hydroperoxidase and glutathione peroxidases in the liver of male rats maintained on either a 5% or a 25% corn oil diet and treated with phenobarbital. Our results showed that although the basal levels of cytochrome P-450 and heme hydroperoxidase were unaffected by selenium deficiency, the magnitude of phenobarbital induction was impaired because of the depletion of this trace element. This effect was accentuated especially in rats with a high-fat intake. Selenium deprivation resulted in a virtual disappearance of glutathione peroxidase activity when assayed with hydrogen peroxide, because of depletion of the selenium-dependent enzyme. In contrast, only a 60% reduction in glutathione peroxidase activity was observed when assayed with cumene hydroperoxide. Phenobarbital administration was found to increase the activity of the latter only. Unlike the situation with the hemoprotein, dietary fat had no influence on either the basal or stimulated glutathione peroxidase activities, regardless of the selenium status of the animals.
Intramolecular Screening in Nondilute Polymer Solutions

The Flory-Huggins theory of polymer solutions is modified in a simple way to account for intramolecular contacts. In the concentrated regime under conditions where chain dimensions are close to ideal, this is accomplished by using a single parameter describing the fraction of same-chain contacts. The resulting equations have the same form as those obtained originally by Koningsveld and Kleintjens and reproduce the composition dependence of experimental values of χ extremely well.
A New Nusselt Number for Complicated Configurations

Convective heat transfer over surfaces is generally presented in the form of the heat-transfer coefficient (h) or its nondimensional form, the Nusselt number (Nu). Both require the specification of the free-stream temperature (Too) or the bulk (Tb) temperature, which are clearly defined only for simple configurations. For complicated configurations with flow separation and multiple temperature streams, the physical significance of Too and Tb becomes unclear. In addition, their use could cause the local h to approach positive or negative infinity if Too or Tb is nearly the same as the local wall temperature (Twall). In this paper, a new Nusselt number, referred to as the SCS number, is proposed, that provides information on the local heat flux but does not use h and hence by-passes the need to define Too or Tb. CFD analysis based on steady RANS with the shear-stress transport model is used to compare and contrast the SCS number with Nu for two test problems: (1) compressible flow and heat transfer in a straight duct with a circular cross section and (2) compressible flow and heat transfer in a high-aspect ratio rectangular duct with a staggered array of pin fins. Parameters examined include: Reynolds number at the duct inlet (3,000 to 15,000 for the circular duct and 15,000 and 150,000 for the rectangular duct), wall temperature (Twall = 373 K to 1473 K for the circular duct and 313 K and 1,173 K for the rectangular duct), and distance from of the inlet of the duct (up to 100D for the circular duct and up to 156D for the rectangular duct). For the circular duct, Nu was found to decrease rapidly from the duct inlet until reaching a minimum and then to rise until reaching a nearly constant value in the “fully” developed region if the wall is heating the gas. If the wall is cooling the gas, then Nu has a constant positive slope in the “fully” developed region. The location of the minimum in Nu and where Nu becomes nearly constant in value or in slope are strong functions of Twall. For the SCS number, the decrease from the duct inlet is monotonic with a negative slope, whether the wall is heating or cooling the gas. Also, different SCS curves for different Twall approach each other as the distance from the inlet increases. For the rectangular duct, Nu tends to oscillate about a constant value in the pin-fin region, whereas SCS tends to oscillate about a line with a negative slope. For both test problems, the variation of SCS is not more complicated than Nu, but SCS yields the local heat flux without need for Tb, a parameter that is hard to define and measure for complicated problems.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Transmission line analysis using interval mathematics

Uncertainty is a major issue facing electric utilities in planning and decision making. Modeling uncertainty can be based on the approach called “Unknown but Bounded” in which upper and lower limits on the uncertainties are assumed without probability distributions. Interval mathematics provides a tool for the practical implementation and extension of the unknown but bounded concept. The calculation of transmission line sag and inductance are used as examples to illustrate the use of interval mathematics. The purpose of sag calculations is to determine the change in cable length, given a fixed span and an interval of cable sag values, for numerous variations in temperature. The resulting change in cable length will therefore be an interval corresponding to the interval of cable sag values. Inductance values are also calculated using the traditional single point numbers as well as interval numbers. The values from these two methods are compared to prove the validity of interval analysis.
Near-Infrared Spectrophotometry of Phobos and Deimos

We have observed the leading and trailing hemispheres of Phobos from 1.65 to 3.5 micrometers and Deimos from 1.65 to 3.12 micrometers near opposition. We find the trailing hemisphere of Phobos to be brighter than its leading hemisphere by 0.24 plus or minus 0.06 magnitude at 1.65 micrometers and brighter than Deimos by 0.98 plus or minus 0.07 magnitude at 1.65 micrometers. We see no difference larger than observational uncertainties in spectral slope between the leading and trailing hemispheres when the spectra are normalized to 1.65 micrometers. We find no 3-micrometer absorption feature due to hydrated minerals on either hemisphere to a level of approximately 5-10% on Phobos and approximately 20% on Deimos. When the infrared data are joined to visible and nearby data obtained by previous workers, our data suggest the leading (Stickney-dominated) side of Phobos is best matched by T-class asteroids. The spectral slope of the trailing side of Phobos and leading side of Deimos are bracketed by the D-class asteroids. The best laboratory spectral matches to these parts of Phobos are mature lunar soils and heated carbonaceous chondrites. The lack of 3-micrometer absorption features on either side of Phobos argues against the presence of a large interior reservoir of water ice according to current models of Phobos' interior.
The complications and difficulties of management of nonunion in the severely obese

Summary:Operative fixation of 22 nonunited fractures was undertaken in 21 obese patients. Eleven patients were women and 10 were men, with an average age of 46.3 years (range 25–74). The average body mass index in this group of patients was 37.9 kg/m2 (range 33.2–57.1). Two patients were classified
An investigation of linguistic features and clustering algorithms for topical document clustering

We investigate four hierarchical clustering methods (single-link, complete-link, groupwise-average, and single-pass) and two linguistically motivated text features (noun phrase heads and proper names) in the context of document clustering. A statistical model for combining similarity information from multiple sources is described and applied to DARPA's Topic Detection and Tracking phase 2 (TDT2) data. This model, based on log-linear regression, alleviates the need for extensive search in order to determine optimal weights for combining input features. Through an extensive series of experiments with more than 40,000 documents from multiple news sources and modalities, we establish that both the choice of clustering algorithm and the introduction of the additional features have an impact on clustering performance. We apply our optimal combination of features to the TDT2 test data, obtaining partitions of the documents that compare favorably with the results obtained by participants in the official TDT2 competition.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STATIC MALTING

Micromalting and the subsequent development of a 30-ton single-vessel malting system are described. The micromalting variables of modification degree and intensity at different moistures and temperatures with various root killing steeping sequences are discussed. These are shown to be essential physiological guides to running this static malting, which is constructionally and operationally simple. The importance of greater understanding of the pneumatic behaviour of grain beds is stressed.
An electronic computer for venous occlusion volume plethysmography of the human digit

An analog computer for measuring blood flow by venous occlusion plethysmography of the human digit is described. It: (1) standardizes the system for a known (10 mm3) volume change; (2) initiates venous occlusion at a set interval with respect to the pulse cycle; (3) inflates the venous occlusion cuff; (4) institutes a delay to allow for the “milking” artifact resulting from venous occlusion; (5) measures the length of a single pulse beat; (6) measures the volume change of the digit during this pulse beat, and (7) deflates the venous cuff.
A Heterocyclic Peptide Nanotube

An open-ended hollow tubular structure is designed based on hydrogen-bond-directed self-assembly of a chimeric cyclic peptide subunit comprised of alternating α- and e-amino acids. The design features a novel 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole e-amino acid and its utility as a peptide backbone substitute. The N-Fmoc-protected e-amino acid was synthesized in high yield and optical purity in three steps from readily available starting materials and was employed in solid-phase peptide synthesis to afford the desired cyclic peptide structure. The cyclic peptide self-assembly has been studied in solution by 1H NMR and mass spectrometry and the resulting tubular ensemble characterized in the solid state by X-ray crystallography.
Bioelectrochemical perchlorate reduction in a microbial fuel cell

Perchlorate is an emerging surface water and groundwater contaminant, and it is of concern because of its mobility in the environment and its inhibitory effect on thyroid function. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) may be a suitable method for its treatment. We investigated a MFC with a denitrifying biocathode for perchlorate reduction and utilized the system to identify putative biocathode-utilizing perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PCRB). Perchlorate reduction in the MFC was established by increasing the perchlorate loading to the biocathode, while decreasing nitrate loading. Perchlorate reduction was obtained without the need for exogenous electron shuttles or fixed electrode potentials, achieving a maximum perchlorate removal of 24 mg/L-d and cathodic conversion efficiency of 84%. The perchlorate-reducing biocathode bacterial community, which contained putative denitrifying Betaproteobacteria, shared little overlap with a purely denitrifying biocathode community, and was composed primarily of putative iron-oxidizing genera. Despite differences in cathodic function, the anode communities from the perchlorate-reducing MFC and the denitrifying MFC were similar to each other but different than their corresponding biocathode community. These data indicate that PCRB can utilize a cathode as an electron donor, and that this process can be harnessed to treat perchlorate while producing usable electrical power.
Odorant receptor (OR) gene choice is biased and non‐clonal in two olfactory placode cell lines, and OR RNA is nuclear prior to differentiation of these lines

We have investigated two clonal mouse olfactory placode (OP) cell lines as a model system for studying endogenous odorant receptor (OR) regulation. Both lines can be differentiated into bipolar neurons with transcriptional profiles consistent with mature sensory neurons. We show that single cells exhibit monogenic OR expression like sensory neurons in vivo. Monogenic OR expression is established in undifferentiated cells and persists through differentiation, but OR gene choice is not a clonal property of either cell line. Interestingly, OR RNA shifts from predominantly nuclear to cytoplasma during differentiation of both cell lines. Finally, our data indicate that a restricted subset of OR genes and OR clusters are over-represented in cell populations, suggesting either a pre-existing intrinsic bias in OP founder cells or extrinsic influences arising from culture conditions.
Western spruce budworm response to different moisture levels in artificial diets

Abstract Western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) performance (survival, larval development time, and pupal biomass) was evaluated for three consecutive generations on artificial diets with four moisture levels: 72%, 76%, 84%, and 88% moisture, for three levels of nitrogen: 1.2%, 1.9%, and 3.9% N dry biomass. Budworm performance was generally negatively associated with food moisture content, rather than positively associated as reported by others. Furthermore, increased moisture in the artificial diets did not improve the efficiency with which the budworm could utilize the nitrogen in the diets. Budworm survival, pupal biomass, and development time were best on diets with low N and low water or high N and low water. Water appeared simply to be acting as a diluent in these experiments. For the western spruce budworm the importance of plant water and N as key nutrients for predicting herbivore performance may not be direct cause-and-effect but, rather, to be related to other factors that are linked to these characteristics in plant tissues. Water is not likely to be a critically limiting nutrient when budworm larvae feed on the new, current-year needles of their conifer hosts. The higher moisture levels tested, 84% and 88%, did not improve larval performance; thus, the budworm's enhanced growth on early-season, new foliage may not be directly associated with the higher moisture content of new, expanding needles, but is probably related to other factors linked to plant water content.
Ventricular rate control as an endpoint for treatment of atrial fibrillation

Interest in the use of rate control as an endpoint for managing atrial fibrillation likely will increase given the results of recent randomized clinical trials. As an endpoint, rate control has favorable attributes of ease of measurement and clear numerical definitions. Pharmacologic rate control is achieved in approximately 80% of patients in large clinical trials. Ablation and pacing may achieve rate control in all patients. Rate control has been shown to improve quality of life over pretreatment status. However, several issues regarding the use of rate control as an endpoint are unsettled. Technical issues concerning when and how to measure heart rate remain. The current definitions of rate control are lacking in scientific foundation and demonstration of clinical relevance. Heart rate control during exercise may be difficult to achieve in many patients despite control at rest. Finally, the relationship of rate control to some important clinical outcomes has not been established.
Quantifying ecosystem geomorphology of the southern Appalachian Mountains

Geomorphology is a dominant factor influencing vegetation distribution in the southern Appalachians, and quantifying landform characteristics is increasingly important for forest ecosystem classification. This study used slope gradient and two previously published geomorphic indices, terrain shape index and landform index that quantify landform shape and protection, to develop a field-based landform quantification system at four study areas in the southern Appalachians. Six major landform types (ridgetops, nose slopes, linear hillslopes, coves, stream ravines, and stream bottoms) exhibited quantitatively different characteristics, and these differences among landforms were not evident when using only categorical landform descriptions (e.g., convex, concave) that have been most common in southern Appalachian ecological research. Discriminant function resubstitution based on quantitative geomorphic variables distinguished 78% or more of categorical landform types, and misclassifications partly resulted from...
Noninvasive redox fluorometry: how light can be used to monitor alterations of corneal mitochondrial function.

Ultraviolet light can result in corneal, lenticular and retinal damage; however it can also be used (at much lower intensities) to measure the light induced alteration of cellular respiration and function. Mitochondrial function can be measured by noninvasive redox fluorometry which measures the intrinsic mitochondrial fluorescence of the reduced pyridine nucleotides (NADH + NADPH) and of the oxidized flavoproteins. Impaired mitochondrial respiration results in an increase in the reduced pyridine nucleotide fluorescence signal (366 nm excitation and 450 nm emission) and in a decrease in the oxidized flavoprotein fluorescence signal (450 nm excitation and 550 nm emission). These redox signals are sensitive to the cellular supply and utilization of oxygen and glucose as well as the mitochondrial work load. The effects of a reduced oxygen supply to the corneal epithelial surface can be measured. While redox fluorometry has been applied to the study of corneal hypoxia, it may also be used to monitor the effec...
Outage probability for cooperative diversity with selective combining in cellular networks

This paper analyzes the outage probability for amplify-and-forward (AF) and decode-and-forward (DF) cooperative diversity systems with selective combining, for the case of a log-normal Nakagami faded desired signal and log-normal Rayleigh faded co-channel interferers. The outage probability is compared to that of a dual-receive antenna system also with selective combining. The results of this paper show that the proposed cooperative diversity systems can result in a lower outage probability than the corresponding dual-receive antenna system, but only when the relay is located in a particular region of the cell with respect to the destination mobile station location. Moreover, this paper shows that the AF cooperative diversity system is more robust than the DF cooperative diversity system for the composite channel condition and multiple interferers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This work was presented in part at the International Conference On Communications And Mobile Computing (IWCMC), Caen, France, June, 2010
Cysteine-rich protein 61 (CCN1) and connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) at the crosshairs of ocular neovascular and fibrovascular disease therapy

The vasculature forms a highly branched network investing every organ of vertebrate organisms. The retinal circulation, in particular, is supported by a central retinal artery branching into superficial arteries, which dive into the retina to form a dense network of capillaries in the deeper retinal layers. The function of the retina is highly dependent on the integrity and proper functioning of its vascular network and numerous ocular diseases including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and retinopathy of prematurity are caused by vascular abnormalities culminating in total and sometimes irreversible loss of vision. CCN1 and CCN2 are inducible extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins which play a major role in normal and aberrant formation of blood vessels as their expression is associated with developmental and pathological angiogenesis. Both CCN1 and CCN2 achieve disparate cell-type and context-dependent activities through modulation of the angiogenic and synthetic phenotype of vascular and mesenchymal cells respectively. At the molecular level, CCN1 and CCN2 may control capillary growth and vascular cell differentiation by altering the composition or function of the constitutive ECM proteins, potentiating or interfering with the activity of various ligands and/or their receptors, physically interfering with the ECM-cell surface interconnections, and/or reprogramming gene expression driving cells toward new phenotypes. As such, these proteins emerged as important prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in neovascular and fibrovascular diseases of the eye. The purpose of this review is to highlight our current knowledge and understanding of the most recent data linking CCN1 and CCN2 signaling to ocular neovascularization bolstering the potential value of targeting these proteins in a therapeutic context.
Lactose-Inducible System for Metabolic Engineering of Clostridium ljungdahlii

The development of tools for genetic manipulation of Clostridium ljungdahlii has increased its attractiveness as a chassis for autotrophic production of organic commodities and biofuels from syngas and microbial electrosynthesis and established it as a model organism for the study of the basic physiology of acetogenesis. In an attempt to expand the genetic toolbox for C. ljungdahlii, the possibility of adapting a lactose-inducible system for gene expression, previously reported for Clostridium perfringens, was investigated. The plasmid pAH2, originally developed for C. perfringens with a gusA reporter gene, functioned as an effective lactose-inducible system in C. ljungdahlii. Lactose induction of C. ljungdahlii containing pB1, in which the gene for the aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase AdhE1 was downstream of the lactose-inducible promoter, increased expression of adhE1 30-fold over the wild-type level, increasing ethanol production 1.5-fold, with a corresponding decrease in acetate production. Lactose-inducible expression of adhE1 in a strain in which adhE1 and the adhE1 homolog adhE2 had been deleted from the chromosome restored ethanol production to levels comparable to those in the wild-type strain. Inducing expression of adhE2 similarly failed to restore ethanol production, suggesting that adhE1 is the homolog responsible for ethanol production. Lactose-inducible expression of the four heterologous genes necessary to convert acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) to acetone diverted ca. 60% of carbon flow to acetone production during growth on fructose, and 25% of carbon flow went to acetone when carbon monoxide was the electron donor. These studies demonstrate that the lactose-inducible system described here will be useful for redirecting carbon and electron flow for the biosynthesis of products more valuable than acetate. Furthermore, this tool should aid in optimizing microbial electrosynthesis and for basic studies on the physiology of acetogenesis.
Roles of Hsl1p and Hsl7p in Swe1p Degradation: beyond Septin Tethering

The morphogenesis checkpoint in Saccharomyces cerevisiae couples bud formation to the cell division cycle by delaying nuclear division until cells have successfully constructed a bud. The cell cycle delay is due to the mitosis-inhibitory kinase Swe1p, which phosphorylates the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28p. In unperturbed cells, Swe1p is degraded via a mechanism thought to involve its tethering to a cortical scaffold of septin proteins at the mother-bud neck. In cells that experience stresses that delay bud formation, Swe1p is stabilized, accumulates, and promotes a G2 delay. The tethering of Swe1p to the neck requires two regulators, called Hsl1p and Hsl7p. Hsl1p interacts with septins, and Hsl7p interacts with Swe1p; tethering occurs when Hsl1p interacts with Hsl7p. Here we created a version of Swe1p that is artificially tethered to the neck by fusion to a septin so that Swe1p no longer requires Hsl1p or Hsl7p for its localization to the neck. We show that the interaction between Hsl1p and Hsl7p, required for normal Swe1p degradation, is no longer needed for septin-Swe1p degradation, supporting the idea that the Hsl1p-Hsl7p interaction serves mainly to tether Swe1p to the neck. However, both Hsl1p and Hsl7p are still required for Swe1p degradation, implying that these proteins play additional roles beyond localizing Swe1p to the neck.
Confronting chemobrain: an in-depth look at survivors' reports of impact on work, social networks, and health care response.

Mild cognitive impairment following chemotherapy is one of the most commonly reported post treatment symptoms by breast cancer survivors. This deterioration in cognitive function, commonly referred to as “chemobrain” or “chemofog,” was largely unacknowledged by the medical community until recent years. Although chemobrain has now become the subject of more vigorous exploration, little is known about this specific phenomenon’s psychosocial impact on breast cancer survivors. This research documents in-depth the effects that cognitive impairment has on women’s personal and professional lives, and our data suggest that greater attention needs to be focused on this arena of survivorship. The results are based on an in-depth qualitative study of 74 white and African American breast cancer survivors in California who experience post-treatment side effects. The data reported herein were obtained through the use of focus groups and in-depth interviews. Our data indicate that cognitive impairment can be problematic for survivors, with many asserting that it is their most troublesome post treatment symptom. Survivors report diminished quality of life and daily functioning as a result of chemobrain. Respondents detail a range of coping strategies that they are forced to employ in order to manage their social and professional lives. Chemobrain significantly impairs a proportion of cancer survivors, at great cost to them economically, emotionally, and interpersonally. This suggests that more research needs to be conducted on the psychosocial ramifications of post treatment symptoms in order to inform the efforts of the medical and mental health communities as well as the support networks of survivors. A better and broader understanding of the effects of cognitive impairment both in the medical community and among lay people could pave the way for improved social and psychological services for this population.
Correlated crust and mantle strain fields in Tibet

Vertical to subvertical planes of shear within the active crustal deformation field in Tibet align with fast directions of shear-wave polarization. This observation suggests that the present-day velocity gradient tensor field within the crust of Tibet correlates with the lithospheric mantle velocity gradient tensor field beneath Tibet. This inference requires the following. (1) The [100] axes of olivine are aligned within established zones of lithospheric mantle fabric or anisotropy, built up through finite strain. (2) Present-day shear in the mantle lithosphere is occurring within these established zones of fabric, parallel to the direction of olivine [100] axis alignment. (3) The zones of mantle lithospheric fabric, or zones of mantle shear, are aligned with zones of crustal shear (faults). The correlation of crustal and mantle strain fields most simply results from the fact that both crust and mantle lithosphere are under the influence of similar velocity boundary conditions. Furthermore, the observations confirm the distributed nature of lithospheric mantle deformation beneath east-central Tibet and suggest that left-lateral shear has been the dominant component of finite shear there.