cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aspects of the morphology and life cycle of Lecithocladium excisum (Digenea, Hemiuridae), a parasite of Scomber spp.

Abstract Previously undescribed motile cystophorous cercariae which develop in sporocyst-like germinal sacs in the bullomorph opisthobranch Philine aperta are experimentally shown to develop into Lecithocladium excisum (Digenea, Hemiuridae), a common stomach parasite of mackerel Scomber scombrus in the north-east Atlantic and adjacent seas. Between 3 and 8% of P. aperta from the northern Oresund, Denmark, were infected with cercariae of L. excisum . Ninety per cent were infected with Rhopalura sp. (Orthonectida). Copepods of the genera Acartia, Paracalanus, Pseudocalanus, Eurytemora and Oithona were experimentally infected. Pressure exerted by their mouth limbs caused delivery tube eversion and the injection of the eercarial body into the copepod haemocoel. The metacercariae did not grow in the above mentioned hosts at 12°C, but 590 μm long metacercariae developed within 22 days in laboratory-reared A. tonsa at 18°C. The ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus and the holoplanktonic polychaete Tomopteris helgolandica , which were found to be naturally infected with metacercariae of L. excisum , may act as transport hosts.
Conceptual continuity and the science of baseball: using informal science literacy to promote students’ science learning

This project explores conceptual continuity as a framework for understanding students’ native ways of understanding and describing. Conceptual continuity suggests that the relationship between the use of words in one genre and the scientific genre can exist at varying levels of association. This perspective can reveal the varied relationships between ideas explained in everyday or vernacular genres and their association to scientific explanations. We conducted a 2-year study involving 15 high school baseball players’ understanding of the physics involved in baseball. First, we conducted a quantitative assessment of their science understanding by administering a test prior to season one (2006) and season two (2007). Second, we examined the types of linguistic resources students used to explain their understanding. Third, we revisited our data by using conceptual continuity to identify similarities between students’ conceptual understanding in the informal contexts and their similarities to canonical scientific ideas. The results indicated students’ performance on the multiple-choice questions suggested no significant improvement. The qualitative analyses revealed that students were able to accurately explain different components of the idea by using a diversity of scientific and non-scientific genres. These results call attention to the need to reconstruct our vision of science learning to include a more language sensitive approach to teaching and learning.
The use of a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for identification and enumeration of Lactobacillus buchneri in silage

Aims: To detect and quantify Lactobacillus buchneri in plant samples with the aid of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Methods and Results: DNA from silage samples spiked with different amounts of L. buchneri cells was isolated using a lysozyme/sodium dodecyl sulfate lysis and phenol/chloroform extraction method. The DNA served as a template for PCR amplification with primers specific for the bacterium. The primers were developed by comparison of 16S rDNA sequences from different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and testing for specificity with 11 different strains of LAB. As few as 100 L. buchneri colony-forming units per gram of silage could be detected. Additionally, the technique was successfully applied to quantify the population of L. buchneri in two cultivars of corn with or without inoculation. Conclusions: The PCR assay provided a specific and rapid tool for identifying and enumerating L. buchneri in silage samples. Significance and Impact of the Study: The use of microbial inoculants for silage production is a safe and environment friendly practice, but the full potential of such additives can only be achieved with a better understanding of the fate and activity of the microbes involved. The current study describes a methodology to detect and enumerate L. buchneri, a micro-organism used as an inoculant.
Chiroptical and physicochemical properties of the extracellular haemoglobin from Cirriformia tentaculata

Abstract 1. 1. The extracellular respiratory protein from the vascular system of the poylychaete annelid Cirriformia tentaculata is a giant haemoglobin with a minimum molecular mass subunit of 16.5±0.5 kDa . 2. 2. λ max Values and the respective molar extinction coefficients for selected ligand-bound states are reported. 3. 3. Nitrosyl autoreduction kinetics and the azide binding affinity are examined. 4. 4. Circular dichroism spectra show a helix content similar to that of human haemoglobin. 5. 5. Using previously characterized proteins from the literature as models, an experimental approach is developed to quantitatively estimate the haem orientation of proteins from circular dichroism measurements. 6. 6. The majority haem orientation in Cirriformia tentaculata haemoglobin is identical with that of human haemoglobin.
Feeling the beat: intelligent coding advice from metaknowledge in qualitative research

There are few tasks in research more onerous than coding qualitative data. Ironically, the coded data in a qualitative research database themselves represent a great store of knowledge largely untapped by traditional qualitative analysis programs. By "feeling the beat" in data and by using the information that is implicit in coded cases (the metaknowledge), we can develop more intelligent qualitative analysis programs that can offer active assistance with coding, thus reducing the burden to researchers, making coding more efficient, and improving its quality. In this article, the authors examine the coding process, then show how intelligent computational strategies--case-based reasoning, natural-language generation, semantic networks, and production rules--can take advantage of the knowledge implicit in coded information in qualitative databases to help code additional data. This approach dramatically alters the relationship of data to the researcher from passive database to active agent, with important implications for both methodology and theory.
Sediment Trap Studies in Lake Superior: Insights into Resuspension, Cross-margin Transport, and Carbon Cycling

As part of the Keweenaw Interdisciplinary Transport Experiment in Lake Superior (KITES) project, sediment traps were deployed at multiple locations along the northern coast of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior. Traps were deployed at multiple depths (25 m below water surface to 5 m above sediments) at varying distances from shore (0.5–21 km) during the months May-October over a 3-year period. Material captured in the sediment traps was analyzed for total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), total copper (Cu), 210Pb, and stable isotope ratios of C and N. Copper in sediment trap material, a tracer for mine residues, indicated transport of material in both directions along the peninsula. Cross-margin transport of material occurred at all trap locations along the coast and in all seasons. The most significant finding was that sediment traps suspended just below the thermocline collected large amounts of resuspended sediments even when the trap was moored in 120–220 m of water (9–21 km from shore). Estimates of the contribution to settling fluxes of organic carbon from resuspended sediments ranged from 10–30% in offshore traps; estimates based on 210Pb agreed well with estimates based on a carbon mixing model. Element ratios suggest that resuspended material in offshore traps originated in near-shore regions. Despite the strong influence of resuspension on the composition of sedimenting material, stable isotope ratios were controlled by processes occurring in the water column. Seasonal variations in isotope ratios may reflect seasonal shifts between predominance by autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in the water column.
Logical equations in monadic logic

A logical formula F(X, P) can be treated as an equation to be satisfied by the solutions X 0(P) for the predicates X with the expressions P as parameters (if there are such solutions). J. McCarthy considered the parametrization of the solutions, gave the general solution in the case of propositional logic, and stated the problem for other logics. We find the general solution for formulas in the first-order language with monadic predicates and equality. The solutions are obtained via quantifier elimination and parametrized by ϵ-terms. Bibliography: 10 titles.
Promotion of breast cancer by β-Hexachlorocyclohexane in MCF10AT1 cells and MMTV-neu mice

Background Exposure to β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), a contaminant of the hexachlorohexane pesticide lindane, has been implicated as a risk factor in the development of breast cancers in epidemiological studies. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated the ability of β-HCH to elicit its actions via a ligand-independent activation of the estrogen receptor through increased c-Neu (= erbB2 or HER-2) expression and kinase activation in both the BG-1 and MCF-7 cell lines. In addition, long term exposure (33 passages) to β-HCH was shown to promote the selection of MCF-7 cells which exhibit a more metastatic phenotype.
An investigation of infrared deicing through experimentation

Traditional deicing of parked aircraft with Aircraft Deicing Fluids (ADF), while effective, has a significant environmental and cost impact, with an estimated 75% of the cost of using ADF attributed to permitting, storage and disposal. In addition, traditional ADF deicing fluids are harmful to helicopter components, and cannot be used for deicing helicopters. Infrared energy is a potential alternative to ADF. However, excessive infrared heating of the laminated composite helicopter blades during deicing could result in blade failure. This report investigates infrared deicing physical processes through experimentation and found excessive infrared heating of the ice substrate is only an issue when the ice thickness is less than 1 mm. In addition, this report evaluates IR heater designs for optimizing deicing and recommends future development that may allow hybrid infrared systems to reduce ADF use.
Health Resource Utilization of the Emergency Department Headache “Repeater”

Objective.—To document the health resource utilization of patients who repeatedly use emergency department services for headache care. Background.—Patients with headache who frequently use emergency department services may differ from patients with more typical, episodic migraine. Previous studies of health resource utilization have often failed to distinguish the high utilizer as a specific subset of the migraine population. Design.—Retrospective review of urgent care/emergency department charts, clinic charts, and pharmacy rosters. Patients and Methods.—Patients who made three or more visits for headache to an urgent care/emergency department (UC/ED) facility for headache over a 6-month study period were identified and designated as “repeaters” for this study. Pharmacy profiles and appointment histories of 52 of the 54 repeaters whose records were available were reviewed for the 12 months prior to the study period. Results.—Over the 6-month study period, 518 patients visited the UC/ED 1004 times for primary headache complaints. Fifty-four (10%) repeaters made 502 visits (50% of total visits; mean 9.3, range 3-50). In the 12 months prior to the study period, 52 of these repeaters made 1832 visits to the UC/ED or clinic (mean 35.2, range 0-178): 1458 (79.6%) were headache related, and 1271 (69.4%) of all visits were to the UC/ED. An estimated 12-month cost for all visits was $183,760. Pharmacy rosters showed use of narcotics in 41 of the 52 patients (annual mean ± SD, 613 ± 670 tablets), benzodiazepines in 30 patients (500 ± 486 tablets), and butalbital products in 27 patients (395 ± 590 tablets). Mean daily use of all symptomatic medications combined was 3.9 ± 3.2 doses/day. Conclusion.—Health resource utilization of emergency department headache repeaters is predominantly headache-related acute care. Associated medication overuse is frequently present. Efforts to improve care for patients with headache will benefit from distinguishing the high utilizer as a subset of the migraine population.
Multiple Retinal Occlusions From a Left Atrial Myxoma

Inquiries to John M. Lewis, M.D., Department of Oph­ thalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Cardiac myxoma is an uncommon but wellknown tumor. Of all cardiac myxomata, 70% occur in the left atrium. The tumor consists of a soft, friable mass, which has a propensity to fragment and embolize systemically. Embolization to the eye is rare. Yasuma, Tsuzuki, and Yasuma reviewed 15 cases reported between 1934 and 1989. A more recent case was report­ ed by Tonz and associates in 1992. The pa­ tients' ages in these cases ranged from 8 to 64 years, with an average of 36 years. Of these patients, ten were male and six female. Only two of the cases had isolated retinal embolism, and most were associated with other neurologic involvement. Myxomatous emboli were found in the choroidal and ciliary vessels in all four eyes that underwent autopsy. I managed an unusual case of atrial myxoma in which visual change was one of the initial symptoms, and occlusions of multiple retinal vessels were not­ ed. Diffuse choroidal thickening suggested that ischemia of the circulation occurred as well. A 53-year-old woman with a history of hy­ pertension and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was brought to the emergency depart­ ment shortly after the onset of right-sided weakness, difficulty in speaking, left eye pain, and visual loss. On general physical examina­ tion, no carotid bruits were heard. A grade II/IV systolic ejection murmur was noted. Neu­ rologic examination showed right facial palsy, deviation of the tongue to the right, right-sided upper and lower extremity weakness, and ex­ pressive aphasia. On ophthalmic examination, visual acuity was R.E.: 20/40 by pinhole and L.E.: light perception. Results of intraocular pressure by tonometry were within normal limits. Pupils were equal and reactive, with a moderate affer­ ent pupillary defect in the left eye. Results of an anterior segment examination were unremarka­ ble except for mild nuclear sclerosis of the lenses in both eyes. Ophthalmoscopic examina­ tion of the right eye showed mild background Fig. 1 (Lewis). Red-free fundus photograph of the left eye discloses multiple vascular emboli, hemor­ rhages, and thickening of the choroid in the region of the macula.
Review Essay: Unifying Social Movement Theories

Dynamics of Contention. By McAdam, Doug, Tarrow, Sidney, and Tilly, Charles. New York and Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2001. 387 pages, ISBN: 0521011876. Silence and Voice in the Study of Contentious Politics. By Aminzade, Ronald R., Goldstone, Jack A., McAdam, Doug, Perry, Elizabeth J., Sewell, William H., Jr., Tarrow, Sidney, and Tilly, Charles. New York and Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2001. 280 pages, ISBN: 0521001552. The publication of Dynamics of Contention (hereafter DoC) and its companion volume, Silence and Voice in the Study of Contentious Politics (hereafter SV it was publically announced the next year in the lead essay of the first edition of Mobilization, a journal devoted to studies of social movements. The 1996 essay and DoC are authored by Doug McAdam, Sidney Tarrow and Charles Tilly. DoC and S&V are complex books. Their complexity stems from two sources. First, although the authors are major contributors to social movement theory, they now view their earlier work as deficient and are determined to move forward theoretically. A new theory requires a new conceptual language which they employ, and some description of their language is necessary to assess the significance of the work in a manner appropriate to the authors’ intentions. The second source of complexity stems from the authors’ attempt to integrate “structure and agency” while accommodating theory to the fragmented character of everyday social life. Use of an appropriate epistemology is a difficult problem facing contemporary sociological theory in general. Many sociologists have stumbled upon the obstacles
Weird ideas that work: an interview with Robert Sutton

In this interview Robert Sutton talks about some of the counterintuitive practices he believes spur innovation. He proposes that companies should adopt eleven practices. Hire slow learners (of the organizational code). Hire people who make you uncomfortable, even those you dislike. Hire people you probably do not need. Use job interviews to get ideas not just to screen candidates. Encourage people to ignore and defy superiors and peers. Find some happy people and get them to fight. Reward success and failure and punish inaction. Decide to do something that will probably fail, and then convince yourself and everyone else that success is certain. Think of some ridiculous or impractical things to do, and then plan to do them. Avoid, distract, and bore customers, critics and anyone else who just wants to talk about money. Do not try to learn anything from people who say they have solved the problems you face. Forget the past, especially your company’s successes. In sum, he believes that creative companies and teams are inefficient and annoying places to work.
Near-field optical microscopy nanoarray

Multiplexing near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) by the use of a nanoarray with parallel imaging is studied. The fabrication, characterization, and utilization of nanoarrays with {approximately} 100 nm diameter apertures spaced 500 nm center-to- center is presented. Extremely uniform nanoarrays with {approximately} 10{sup 8} apertures were fabricated by electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. The nanoarrays were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this paper we utilize these nanoarrays in a laser-illuminated microscope with parallel detection on a charge- coupled device (CCD). Detection of B-phycoerythrin (B-PE) molecules using near-field illumination is presented. In principle, our system can be used to obtain high lateral resolution NSOM images over a wide-field of view (e.g. 50-100 {mu}m) within seconds.
The caudal photoreceptor of the crayfish: quantitative study of responses to intensity, temporal and wavelength variables

Quantitative measurements of the multicellular activity recorded with gross electrodes from the ventral nerve cord of the crayfish have been made to determine the adaptation function, the spectral sensitivity and the relation between stimulus intensity and response amplitude of the simple photoreceptor located in the sixth caudal ganglion. A digital computer analysis technique was used to discriminate between those fibers associated with the photic stimulation and other spontaneously active neurons and to perform the bookkeeping operations of peak detection, and tabular and graphic display of amplitude and interval distributions. The neural output was found to adapt considerably over a period of one minute with high activity rates (produced by high level stimuli) showing a greater percentage decrease in activity than lower rates. A constant energy spectrum was produced by means of a grating monochrometer and the luminosity function plotted by measuring the total amount of activity in a two second sample. The photosensitivity function was found to closely approximate the luminosity curve of the dark adapted human eye. The relation between stimulus intensity and response amplitude was found to be well fitted by a power function with an exponent of 53.
TRADITION AND INTERPRETATION

Doing catholic systematic theology means: interpreting the great Tradition of the undivided Church in such a way as, perhaps, to help further it. This involves presenting oneself to, and letting on...
A toroidal charge monitor for high-energy picosecond electron beams

A monitor system suitable for the accurate measurement of the total charge of a 2-ps 28.5 GeV electron beam over a large dynamic range is described. Systematic uncertainties and results on absolute calibration, resolution, and long-term stability are presented.
Abstract 1132: Identification of synthetic lethal genes to MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Purpose. Despite the identification of MYCN amplification as an adverse prognostic marker in neuroblastoma, no drugs that target MYCN have yet been developed, in part due to the inherent difficulty in designing therapeutic molecules that can target transcription factors. An alternative approach is to identify genes that are essential for the growth of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Methods. We have screened for MYCN synthetic lethal genes using a highly efficient microRNA-short-hairpin RNA (miRNA-shRNA) library that contains more than 200,000 shRNAs targeting almost all predicted genes in the human genome. If a shRNA leads to cellular death, this shRNA will diminish in the cell population. The level of each shRNA was measured both by hybridizing genomic PCR products to microarrays that contain complementary sequence to the shRNA region and by direct high-throughput sequencing of the shRNA region. Selected candidates were further validated in MYCN amplified and non-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. Results. We have performed an shRNA screen utilizing the SHEP-21N cell line, which expresses MYCN under a tetracycline controlled promoter. 396 significantly (P<0.01) depleted or enriched genes by both best shRNA and integrated gene level were identified. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed utilizing the Pathway Commons data set. 25 potential synthetic lethal genes were examined by secondary screening utilizing Dharmacon SMARTpool siRNAs. The potential synthetic lethal gene transcription factor AP-4/activating enhancer binding protein (TFAP4) was further validated in three MYCN amplified cell lines and three MYCN non-amplified cell lines. Knocking down TFAP4 by siRNA inhibited cell growth in MYCN amplified cell lines (NGP, SKNDZ, and Be(2)c) by 30%-50%, 96 hours after transfection, while knocking down TFAP4 in MYCN non-amplified lines (CHP212, SKNSH, and SH-SY5Y) did not affect cell growth. Utilizing a tetracycline inducible shRNA system, knocking down TFAP4 significantly reduced colony formation of NGP by70% and Be(2)c by 25%. Conclusions. By the use of a genome wide RNAi screen, we identified potential synthetic lethal genes to MYCN amplification. The top candidate TFAP4 was validated to inhibit neuroblastoma cell growth and colony formation in a MYCN dependent manner. This may provide novel targets for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Citation Format: Shuobo Zhang, J Yu, N Wei, J Silva, J J. Kandel, D J. Yamashiro. Identification of synthetic lethal genes to MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1132. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1132
Weighted inequalities and negative binomials

The following topics and their interconnection are discussed: 1. a general product inequality for the weighted seminorms on the vector space of formal power series and its special cases and applications; 2. the properties and applications of the binomial coefficients d"n(@a) that arise in the expansion (1-z)^-^@a=@?"n"="0^~d"n(@a)z^n with @a>0. The recursive methods of proof and the new product inequalities (4-parameter generalizations of the classical Holder inequality) are presented. It is shown that the product inequality with the binomial weights constructed of coefficients d"n(@a) is of particular importance as it leads to a variety of applications. The applications include the sharp weighted norm inequalities for complex-valued functions, exponential inequalities of binomial type, coefficient inequalities for univalent functions, some properties of generalized hypergeometric series, entire functions, convolutions, Bernstein polynomials, and Laplace-Borel transforms, as well as the various pure binomial and matrix results.
A comparison of clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin for use in conjunction with intrauterine insemination

Abstract Objective: To compare the outcome of superovulation using clomiphene citrate (CC) versus hMG in conjunction with IUI. Design: Sequentially assigned, observational study. Couples initially were assigned to receive either CC or hMG for three cycles. Setting: The Clinical Outpatient Department of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Patient(s): Eighty-three infertile couples. Intervention(s): IUI with hMG use. Main Outcome Measure(s): Conception rate, term pregnancy rate (PR), and pregnancy complications, such as spontaneous miscarriage and multiple gestation. Result(s): Of 83 couples who underwent at least one treatment cycle, 29 (35%) conceived during the study period. The relative rate of conception for hMG versus CC was 2.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93 to 4.68). The relative term PR was 2.10 (95% CI, 0.77 to 5.73) for hMG versus CC. There was no difference in the miscarriage rate for hMG versus CC. Conclusion(s): Both the conception rate and the term PR were higher using hMG, compared with CC, in combination with IUI, and showed a trend toward statistical significance.
Security Sector Reform and Transitional Justice in Kosovo: Comparing the Kosovo Security Force and Police Reform Processes

Abstract Transitional justice and security sector reform are critical in post-conflict settings, particularly regarding the reform of judicial systems, intelligence services, police, correctional systems, the military, and addressing systemic massive human rights abuses committed by individuals representing these institutions. Accordingly, the relationship between security sector reform and transitional justice mechanisms, such as vetting, the representation of ethnic minorities in key institutions, the resettlement and reintegration of the former combatants deserve special attention from scholars. This article presents a comparative analysis of the reform of police and security forces in Kosovo, and explores the causes of different outcomes of these two processes.
Alcohol and the liver

Excerpt To the editor: In their editorial "Significance of Alcohol-Induced Hypertriglyceridemia in Patients with Type IV Hyperlipoproteinemia" (Ann Intern Med80:270-271, 1974), Drs. Mendelson and M...
CO Oxidation on Supported Single Pt Atoms: Experimental and ab Initio Density Functional Studies of CO Interaction with Pt Atom on θ-Al2O3(010) Surface

Although there are only a few known examples of supported single-atom catalysts, they are unique because they bridge the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Here, we report the CO oxidation activity of monodisperse single Pt atoms supported on an inert substrate, θ-alumina (Al2O3), in the presence of stoichiometric oxygen. Since CO oxidation on single Pt atoms cannot occur via a conventional Langmuir–Hinshelwood scheme (L–H scheme) which requires at least one Pt–Pt bond, we carried out a first-principles density functional theoretical study of a proposed pathway which is a variation on the conventional L–H scheme and inspired by the organometallic chemistry of platinum. We find that a single supported Pt atom prefers to bond to O2 over CO. CO then bonds with the oxygenated Pt atom and forms a carbonate which dissociates to liberate CO2, leaving an oxygen atom on Pt. Subsequent reaction with another CO molecule regenerates the single-atom catalyst. The energetics of the proposed mechanism ...
Morphine effects on cholinergic synaptic transmission in Aplysia: evidence for receptor blockade.

Abstract The effects of morphine on inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs and EPSPs) produced by an identified cholinergic neuron in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica were studied and these observations were made. 1. In lower concentrations (7.5 × 10−6 M–1 × 10−4 M) morphine mainly depressed the rapid Cl− mediated IPSPs without affecting presynaptic or postsynaptic membrane properties. 2. In higher concentrations (2.5 × 10−4 – 2.5 × 10−3 M) morphine also affected the Na+ mediated and K+ mediated slow IPSPs. 3. Responses produced by iontophoretic application of Ach mimicking the IPSPs and EPSPs were blocked by morphine in concentrations paralleling those observed for blockade of IPSPs and EPSPs. 4. Morphine did not produce shifts in the Cl− or K+ equilibrium potentials of the IPSPs. 5. The effects of morphine on synaptic tranmission were found to be postsynaptic rather than presynaptic; the mechanism of action being receptor blockade instead of inhibition of transmitter release.
Transverse Shear Stresses and Their Sensitivity Coefficients in Multilayered Composite Panels

A computational procedure is presented for the accurate determination of transverse shear stresses and their sensitivity coefficients in flat multilayered composite panels subjected to mechanical and thermal loads. The sensitivity coefficients measure the sensitivity of the transverse shear stresses to variations in the different lamination and material parameters of the panel. The panel is discretized by using either a three-field mixed finite element model based on a two-dimensional first- order shear deformation plate theory or a two-field degenerate solid element with each of the displacement components having a linear variation throughout the thickness of the laminate. The evaluation of transverse shear stresses can be conveniently divided into two phases. The first phase consists of using a superconvergent recovery technique for evaluating the in-plane stresses in the different layers. In the second phase, the transverse shear stresses are evaluated by using piecewise integration, in the thickness direction, of the three-dimensional equilibrium equations. The same procedure is used for evaluating the sensitivity coefficients of the transverse shear stresses. The effectiveness of the computational procedure is demonstrated by means of numerical examples of multilayered cross-ply panels subjected to transverse loading, uniform temperature change, and uniform temperature gradient through the thickness of the panel.more » In each case the standard of the comparison is taken to be the exact solution of the three dimensional thermoelasticity equations of the panel.« less
Effects of optical illumination on fatigued lead zirconate titanate capacitors

Abstract PZT thin films with the composition PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 were deposited via metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) and rapid thermally processed (RTP) at 725°C and 875°C. A technique using “white” light to photostimulate electrons into unassociated oxygen vacancies was employed to study fatigue mechanisms. We propose that free electrons stimulated by light illumination fill doubly charged oxygen vacancies and restore local charge equilibrium within the material near the PZT/Pt interfaces. The restoration of charge was explained based on changes in the energy band diagram of the PZT/Pt interface due to oxygen vacancy build up. It was found that this restoration of charge resulted in nearly a 50% recovery of lost polarization. Therefore, we conclude that oxygen vacancy migration and subsequent build up at the PZT/Pt interfaces is a likely source of fatigue.
A cell permeable peptide analog as a potential-specific PET imaging probe for prostate cancer detection

Non-invasive detection of prostate cancer or metastases still remains a challenge in the field of molecular imaging. In our recent work of screening arginine- or lysine-rich peptides for intracellular delivery of a therapeutic agent into prostate cancer cells, an arginine-rich cell permeable peptide (NH2GR11) was found with an unexpectedly preferential uptake in prostate cancer cell lines. The goal of this work was to develop this peptide as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probe for specific detection of distant prostate cancer metastases. The optimal length of arginine-rich peptides was evaluated by the cell uptake efficiency of three fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-tagged oligoarginines (NHGR9, NHGR11, and NHGR13) in four human prostate cell lines (LNCaP, PZ-HPV-7, DU145, and PC3). Of the three oligoarginines, NH2GR11 showed the highest cell uptake and internalization efficiency with its subcellular localization in cytosol. The biodistribution of FITC-NHGR9, FITC-NHGR11, and FITC-NHGR13 performed in control nude mice displayed the unique preferential accumulation of FITC-NHGR11 in the prostate tissue. Further in vivo evaluation of FITC-NHGR11 in PC3 tumor-bearing nude mice revealed elevated uptake of this peptide in tumors as compared to other organs. In vivo pharmacokinetics evaluated with 64Cu-labeled NH2GR11 showed that the peptide was rapidly cleared from the blood (t1/2 = 10.7 min) and its elimination half-life was 17.2 h. The PET imaging specificity of 64Cu-labled NH2GR11 was demonstrated for the detection of prostate cancer in a comparative imaging experiment using two different human cancer xenograft models.
Emergent features: A new factor in the object-superiority effect?

Lanze, Weisstein, and Harris (1982) reported object-superiority effects in which subjects’ accuracy for identifying target lines in patterns was correlated more with the patterns’ apparent three-dimensionality than with structural relevance of target line to overall pattern. This result (Lanze et al., 1982, Experiment 3) was potentially confounded by the presence of triangular- and arrow-shaped emergent-feature patterns in the pattern that was high in three-dimensionality and low in structural relevance. We report two experiments in which these emergent features and perceived depths are independently varied in a target-identification task. In both experiments, patterns that were high in perceived depth yielded higher accuracy scores than did those low in perceived depth (regardless of emergent features). Similarly, high-emergent-features patterns yielded higher accuracies than did low-emergent-features patterns (regardless of perceived depth). It is argued that each of these factors independently contributes to the object-superiority effect.
Disentangling Attentional Biases and Attentional Deficits in Depression: An Event-Related Potential P300 Analysis

Electroencephalographic event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to investigate maladaptive attentional processes in depression. Specifically, we measured the ERP P300 component—a waveform that reflects the real-time allocation of attention to stimuli of high informational salience—as it was elicited by neutral and negatively valent words among currently depressed, previously depressed, and never-depressed participants. The study design allowed us to clarify the degree to which the oft-reported attenuation of P300 response in depression should be regarded as evidence of: (a) a general, pervasive impairment in depressive attentional function; or (b) the operation of depressotypic attentional biases, which may give rise to attentional deficits only regarding stimuli of non-negative emotional valence. Consistent with the latter possibility, depressed individuals were observed in this study to experience, on average, a robust P300 response to negatively valent target words—a response of larger magnitude than that observed among previously depressed and never-depressed controls. This enhanced P300 response to negative stimuli in depression appears to be a statelike, rather than traitlike, phenomenon.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Patient-Reported Measures Provide Unique Insights Into Motor Function After Stroke”

We thank Drs Stinear and Byblow for their kind words. These authors identified a compelling message regarding patient stratification from Figure 2 of our prior report: specific ranges of upper extremity (UE) Fugl–Meyer (FM) scores correspond to distinct UE functional states (see below). This approach provides a Rosetta Stone, whereby examination assessments are expressed in terms that are clinically meaningful and elegantly simple. Drs Stinear and Byblow consider use of this approach in the setting of clinical care delivery, but its value might also extend to clinical trial design, including end points. In some studies, a continuous variable used to measure behavior is collapsed into a categorical variable. Although doing so can decrease statistical power1 and reduce granularity of the measure, this approach can be advantageous in certain settings, 2 of which are considered below: (1) when the levels of the categorical variable are defined in a manner that has strong clinical validity, and (2) when …
A Functional Polymorphism in the 5HTR2C Gene Associated with Stress Responses Also Predicts Incident Cardiovascular Events

Previously we have shown that a functional nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6318) of the 5HTR2C gene located on the X-chromosome is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to a stress recall task, and with endophenotypes associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). These findings suggest that individuals carrying the rs6318 Ser23 C allele will be at higher risk for CVD compared to Cys23 G allele carriers. The present study examined allelic variation in rs6318 as a predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and a composite endpoint of all-cause mortality or myocardial infarction (MI) among Caucasian participants consecutively recruited through the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Duke University Hospital (Durham, NC) as part of the CATHGEN biorepository. Study population consisted of 6,126 Caucasian participants (4,036 [65.9%] males and 2,090 [34.1%] females). A total of 1,769 events occurred (1,544 deaths and 225 MIs; median follow-up time= 5.3 years, interquartile range =3.3–8.2). Unadjusted Cox time-to-event regression models showed, compared to Cys23 G carriers, males hemizygous for Ser23 C and females homozygous for Ser23C were at increased risk for the composite endpoint of all-cause death or MI: Hazard Ratio (HR) =1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.17, 1.84, p =.0008. Adjusting for age, rs6318 genotype was not related to body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking history, number of diseased coronary arteries, or left ventricular ejection fraction in either males or females. After adjustment for these covariates the estimate for the two Ser23 C groups was modestly attenuated, but remained statistically significant: HR =1.38, 95% CI=1.10, 1.73, p=.005. These findings suggest that this functional polymorphism of the 5HTR2C gene is associated with increased risk for CVD mortality and morbidity, but this association is apparently not explained by the association of rs6318 with traditional risk factors or conventional markers of atherosclerotic disease.
Thin-flap (sub-Bowman keratomileusis) versus thick-flap laser in situ keratomileusis for moderate to high myopia: case-control analysis.

Purpose To compare the refractive and visual outcomes of sub-Bowman keratomileusis (SBK) and thick-flap laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for moderate to high myopia and evaluate the effect of corneal flap thickness on outcomes. Setting Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Methods Two studies were performed. In the first study, the refractive and visual outcomes in 33 eyes that had SBK (flap thickness 82 to 120 μm) and 62 eyes that had thick-flap LASIK (flap thickness ≥160) were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria were spherical equivalent −4.0 to −10.0 diopters (D), astigmatism 3.0 D or less, and follow-up 3 months or more. In the second study, the influence of flap thickness was evaluated. A case-control matched study (21 pairs) that controlled for residual stromal bed (RSB) thickness was performed. Results The mean flap thickness was 110.2 μm ± 9.2 (SD) in the SBK group and 179.2 ± 19.5 μm in the thick-flap LASIK group. There were no significant differences in visual outcomes. In the second study with equivalent RSB thickness, case-control matched comparisons between SBK (mean 108.6 ± 8.0 μm) and thick-flap LASIK (mean 165.7 ± 12.6 μm) showed no differences in preoperative and postoperative refractive and visual outcomes. Comparison of the intended versus achieved correction showed no significant differences between the 2 groups. Conclusion Retrospective analyses showed that the safety, efficacy, and predictability of SBK were similar to those of conventional thick-flap LASIK in corneas with equivalent RSB thickness.
Correlation-Aware QoS Routing for Wireless Video Sensor Networks

The spatial correlation among the images retrived from distributed video sensors leads to considerable data redundancy, thus resulting in significant performance degradation in energy efficiency and QoS satisfaction. In this paper, a correlation-aware QoS routing algorithm (CAQR) is proposed to efficiently deliver visual information under QoS constraints by exploiting the correlation among video sensors. Firstly, a correlation-aware differential coding scheme is designed to reduce the amount of traffic generated by correlated video sensors. Then, a correlation-aware load balancing scheme is proposed to prevent network congestion by spliting the correlated flows that cannot be reduced to different paths. Finally, these correlation-aware schemes are integrated into an optimization QoS routing framework with an objective to minimize energy consumption subject to QoS constraints. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves efficient delivery of visual information under QoS constraints in wireless video sensor networks.
The bacterial rotary motor

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the bacterial rotary motor. The flagellar motor's job is to rotate the helical flagellar filament, thus driving the cell through the external medium. Both motors appear to be remarkably efficient, at least when turning slowly. However, flagellar motors of the sodium kind hold the speed record, spinning more than 60,000 rpm. Also, the flagellar motor has been the first to be recognized as a rotary device. Bacterial flagella, like muscles, are output organelles for complex behavioral systems. They are elaborate multicomponent devices that run in either direction, clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW), even as ions continue to flow down their electrochemical gradient. As noted above, the F 0 -ATPase is reversible, but in a different sense, running one way during ion influx (ATP synthesis) and the other during ion efllux (ATP hydrolysis). The chapter discusses what the flagellar motor does for the cell—that is, how cells of Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhimurium swim and respond to chemical stimuli. The motor along with its structure, genetics, assembly, and function (torque generation and switching) and a survey of existing motor models are discussed in the chapter. The work done on a motile Streptococcus, an organism that can be starved and artificially energized and used for studying chemiosmotic mechanisms, is described in the chapter.
Laser generation of narrowband and directed ultrasound for noncontact ultrasonic testing

The authors describe investigations directed at the use of spatial arrays and temporal beam modulation to generate ultrasonic signals which are both narrowband and may be directed ('steered') over some angle within the test piece. By directing a portion of the ultrasonic energy, displacement amplitudes at the receiving site may be increased. Furthermore, the narrowband nature of the signal permits a corresponding reduction in the signal bandwidth of the laser receiver with a commensurate reduction in noise. Both factors, therefore, increase the ratio of the signal-to-noise and, as a result, improve the detection sensitivity of the laser-ultrasonic system. Experimental results on this technique are presented. >
Targeting stroma to treat cancers

All cancers depend on stroma for support of growth. Leukemias, solid tumors, cancer cells causing effusions, metastases as well as micro-disseminated cancer cells release factors that stimulate stromal cells, which in turn produce ligands that stimulate cancer cells. Therefore, elimination of stromal support by destroying the stromal cells or by inhibiting feedback stimulation of cancer growth is in the focus of many evolving therapies. A stringent evaluation of the efficacy of stromal targeting requires testing in animal models. Most current studies emphasize the successes of stromal targeting rather than deciphering its limitations. Here we show that many of the stromal targeting approaches, while often reducing tumor growth rates, are rarely curative. Therefore, we will also discuss conditions where stromal targeting can eradicate large established tumors. Finally, we will examine still unanswered questions of this promising and exciting area of cancer research.
DNA binding to proteolytically activated TLR9 is sequence-independent and enhanced by DNA curvature.

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) recognizes microbial DNA in endolysosomal compartments. The ectodomain of TLR9 must be proteolytically cleaved by endosomal proteases to produce the active receptor capable of inducing an innate immune signal. We show that the cleaved TLR9 ectodomain is a monomer in solution and that DNA ligands with phosphodiester backbones induce TLR9 dimerization in a sequence-independent manner. Ligands with phosphorothioate (PS) backbones induce the formation of large TLR9–DNA aggregates, possibly due to the propensity of PS ligands to self-associate. DNA curvature-inducing proteins including high-mobility group box 1 and histones H2A and H2B significantly enhance TLR9 binding, suggesting that TLR9 preferentially recognizes curved DNA backbones. Our work sheds light on the molecular mechanism of TLR9 activation by endogenous protein–nucleic acid complexes, which are associated with autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus.
A residual correction method for iterative reconstruction with inaccurate system model

The quality of images produced by iterative image reconstruction methods is directly affected by the accuracy of the system model being used. Although the system response of an imaging system can be computed or measured with high accuracy, practical constraints on computation cost often force the adoption of various approximations to the system model to obtain a computationally efficient system matrix. These approximations inevitably cause artifacts in reconstructed image. In this work we propose a residual correction method for iterative reconstruction to reduce reconstruction artifact caused by the model inaccuracies. Unlike conventional iterative methods which assume that the system matrix is accurate, the proposed method reconstructs an initial image with an approximate system model and then corrects for the reconstruction artifacts by introducing a data correction term to compensate for the model inaccuracies. Computer simulation showed that the proposed method can significantly improve image quality in terms of objective function value compared to approximate algorithms, while it is computationally more efficient than the conventional method that uses the accurate system model at every iteration.
Amplification of DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from peripheral blood of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Sputum examination for rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is not always satisfactory. We examined peripheral blood with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Blood samples were collected from 8 consecutive patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and from 18 healthy controls, half of whom were tuberculin skin-test positive. All 8 patients had evidence of circulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in the lymphocyte fraction of peripheral blood, and positive sputum cultures indicating active pulmonary tuberculosis. None of the healthy controls had positive PCR results. This PCR technique may prove useful for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis.