cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Work crew routing problem for infrastructure network restoration

Abstract This paper introduces a synchronized routing problem for planning and scheduling restorative efforts for infrastructure networks in the aftermath of a disruptive event. In this problem, a set of restoration crews are dispatched from depots to a road network to restore the disrupted infrastructure network. Two mathematical formulations are presented to scheduling and sequencing disrupted network components to restoration crews and route the crews towards disrupted components to maximize network resilience progress in any given time horizon. In the first formulation, the number of restoration crews assigned to each disrupted component, the arrival time of each assigned crew to each disrupted component and consequently the restoration rate associated with each disrupted component are considered as variables to increase the flexibility of the model in the presence of different disruptive events. Along with the contributions applies in the first formulation, in the second formulation, each disrupted component can be partially active during its restoration process. To find the coordinated routes, we propose a relaxed mixed integer program as well as a set of valid inequalities which relates the planning and scheduling efforts to decision makers policies. The integration of the relaxed formulation and valid inequalities results in a lower bound for the original formulations. We further introduce a feasibility algorithm to derive a strong initial solution for the routing restorative capacity problem. Computational results on gas, water, and electric power infrastructure network instances from Shelby County, TN data, demonstrates both the effectiveness of the proposed model formulation, in solving small to medium scale problems, the strength of the initial solution procedure, especially for large scale problems.
Analysis of patient factors associated with 30‐day mortality after tracheostomy

Objective Mortality has been reported to be 22% to 45% in patients with a tracheostomy. To better counsel patients and families, we aimed to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status (SES), and the 17 conditions of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) on 30-day survival posttracheostomy. Methods This retrospective cohort study identified adult patients enrolled from our institution in the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative database from March 2014 to June 2015. Data collected included age, BMI, residential zip code, and comorbidities. Cox proportionate univariate and multivariate analyses were used to measure the impact of BMI, SES, and CCI variables with 30-day posttracheostomy survival. We used geocoding as a surrogate for patients' SES. We used Deyo's modification of the CCI, which utilized International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, codes to identify comorbidities. Results Of 326 tracheostomies identified, the 30-day mortality rate was 15.6%. No significant differences were noted in BMI or in any of the SES categories between survivors and nonsurvivors. CCI was significantly higher in the 30-day mortality group. Congestive heart failure (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.39), severe liver disease (HR = 3.15), and peripheral vascular disease (HR = 2.62) were found to significantly impact 30-day survival. Conclusion Higher CCI and specifically severe liver disease, congestive heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease were associated with increased 30-day mortality posttracheostomy. No association was found between BMI or SES and 30-day survival. This study identified three comorbidities that independently affect mortality in tracheostomy patients, which should be discussed with patients and families before tracheostomy. Level of evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 129:847-851, 2019.
New Technologies To Enhance In Vivo Reprogramming for Regenerative Medicine.

Cellular identity and state are determined by a collection of molecular components that are specified during development and stabilized thereafter to maintain and protect tissue functions. Alteration of the molecular elements (gene expression program and chromatin state) as a result of disease or age can induce somatic cells to assume different identities or modulate functions. Therapeutic use of this technique, called ‘cellular reprogramming’, is very promising for regenerative medicine, but implementation of reprogramming-based strategies in vivo has been precluded by technological and safety limitations. Recent advances in transcriptional control and improved transmembrane delivery strategies now offer exciting potential to more efficiently reprogram cell fates as well as to control the reprogramming timeline and scale of delivery to improve safety.
Heat capacity and thermodynamic functions of γ-Al2O3 synthesized from Al(NO3)3

Abstract Heat capacity measurements provide important insight into the energetics and thermodynamic properties of a material, but they are also sensitive to minor changes in a material. Previous experiments have shown that the heat capacity functions for gamma phase aluminum oxide (Al2O3 or alumina) are significantly different from gamma phases calcined at different temperatures or those of alpha phase aluminum oxide (corundum). Thus, calorimetric measurements of different transitional alumina phases are required despite intensive studies conducted on corundum. In this study, we examine the heat capacities for gamma aluminas synthesized from the inorganic reagent Al(NO3)3⋅9H2O, rather than aluminum alkoxides as has been reported previously. Water forms an important part of the gamma alumina’s porous structure and thus makes a significant but complex contribution to the measured heat capacities. Samples calcined to final temperatures of (300, 600, 900, and 1050) °C have chemical formulae Al2O3·1.528H2O, Al2O3·0.571H2O, Al2O3·0.309H2O, and Al2O3·0.0367H2O respectively. Heat capacity data was collected using a Quantum Design Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS) and divided into three regions for fitting to mathematical models. These models were then used to generate Cp,m, ΔTSm , ΔTHm , and φm values over the range 1.8 K–300 K for all samples.
Selective activation of Dopamine D3 receptors and norepinephrine transporter blockade enhances sustained attention.

Abstract Catecholamine transmitters dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) regulate prefrontal cortical (PFC) circuit activity and PFC-mediated executive functions. Accordingly, pharmacological agents that influence catecholamine neurotransmission exert prominent effects on cognition. Many such agents are used clinically to treat attention disorders. For example, methylphenidate blocks DA and NE reuptake and is the leading choice for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment. Recently, we have designed SK609 – a selective small molecule agonist of the DA D3 receptor (D3R). In this study, we further characterized SK609's ability to selectively inhibit the reuptake of NE by NE transporters (NET). Our results indicate SK609 selectively inhibits NET with a Ki value of ∼500 nM and behaves as a NET substrate. Systemic dosing of SK609 (4 mg/kg; i.p.) in naive rats produced a 300% and 160% increase in NE and DA, respectively, in the PFC as measured by microdialysis. Based on these neurochemical results, SK609 was tested in a PFC-dependent, visually-guided sustained attention task in rats. SK609 improved performance in a dose-dependent manner with a classical inverted-U dose response function with a peak effect at 4 mg/kg. SK609's peak effect was blocked by a pre-treatment with either the D2/D3R antagonist raclopride (0.05 mg/kg; i.p) or the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin (0.25 mg/kg; i.p), confirming a role for both DA and NE in promoting sustained attention. Additionally, SK609 improved sustained attention more prominently among low-performing animals. Doses of SK609 (2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) associated with cognitive enhancement did not produce an increase in spontaneous locomotor activity, suggesting a lack of side effects mediated by DA transporter (DAT) activity. These results demonstrate that the novel catecholaminergic modulator SK609 has the potential to treat sustained attention deficits without affecting DAT activity, distinguishing it from amphetamines and methylphenidate.
Effects of simultaneous diabetes and hypertension in an insulin dependent diabetic model.

Several lines of evidence suggest that hypertension is a contributing factor to diabetic nephropathy, a major cause of mortality in diabetes mellitus patients. The present study tested the hypotheses (1) that insulin dependent diabetes (IDD) causes hypertension, and (2) that simultaneous hypertension and IDD causes greater renal damage than would be expected from the independent contributions of each disease. IDD was induced by injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg i.p.) into male Wistar rats, causing severe hyperglycaemia within 4 days. Seven days after the STZ treatment, hypertension was initiated by subcutaneous implantation of deoxycorticosterone acetate and administration of 1% saline in the drinking water (DOCA-NaCl). IDD rats not receiving DOCA-NaCl displayed a small elevation of blood pressure one week after STZ treatment, but thereafter displayed significant hypotension. The IDD rats receiving DOCA-NaCl displayed elevated systolic arterial pressure throughout the study, but by the end of the experiment, their mean systolic arterial pressure was significantly lower than that of the rats treated with DOCA-NaCl alone. Only the IDD/DOCA-NaCl rats displayed significant signs of renal dysfunction, i.e. greatly increased proteinuria and morphological renal damage, including marked distension of distal tubules and occasional casts. No other group displayed these abnormalities.
High-Performance Selective and Output Filter Techniques for Sensorless Direct Position and Speed Estimation

This article introduces high-performance filter techniques for direct position and speed estimation to augment its robustness against disturbances. The direct estimation concept provides an independent position and speed estimate at each sampling instant by solving an optimization problem parameterized with the current, current derivative, and voltage of the same sample. It can operate at any speed employing a voltage injection at low speed or pulsewidth modulated current derivative. A selective filter concept is proposed that discards samples lacking robustness based on cost function properties. The concept is most effective in removing worst case errors and should always be applied. Also, output filter techniques are investigated to improve the estimates. A finite impulse response (FIR) structure is proposed that filters estimates according to a least-square criterion and is effective in reducing average estimation errors. The FIR filter is benchmarked against an enhanced dual phase-locked loop (PLL) filter, which is enabled by direct estimation. The FIR and dual-PLL filters are found to have a 6.8 and 1 kHz practical bandwidth, respectively, while achieving a $ 1% absolute mean position and speed estimation error. Hence, they perform one to two orders of magnitude better than traditional estimation schemes, which typically achieve $ 100 Hz bandwidth at similar errors.
Dynamics of collapsing stellar filament and exotic matter

This paper studies the collapse of stellar filaments in the presence of dark matter (DM). We use f(R) gravity to involve DM in the collapse. We apply Darmois junction conditions (DJCs) on the surfa...
On the Use of Quantum Entanglement in Secure Communications: A Survey.

Quantum computing and quantum communications are exciting new frontiers in computing and communications. Indeed, the massive investments made by the governments of the US, China, and EU in these new technologies are not a secret and are based on the expected potential of these technologies to revolutionize communications, computing, and security. In addition to several field trials and hero experiments, a number of companies such as Google and IBM are actively working in these areas and some have already reported impressive demonstrations in the past few years. While there is some skepticism about whether quantum cryptography will eventually replace classical cryptography, the advent of quantum computing could necessitate the use of quantum cryptography as the ultimate frontier of secure communications. This is because, with the amazing speeds demonstrated with quantum computers, breaking cryptographic keys might no longer be a daunting task in the next decade or so. Hence, quantum cryptography as the ultimate frontier in secure communications might not be such a far-fetched idea. It is well known that Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is essentially a "negative result" in Physics and Quantum Mechanics. It turns out that Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, one of the most interesting results in Quantum Mechanics, could be the theoretical basis and the main scientific principle behind the ultimate frontier in quantum cryptography or secure communications in conjunction with Quantum Entanglement.
Competitive hierarchies, antibiosis, and the distribution of bacterial life history traits in a microbiome

Microbiome manipulation requires an understanding of how species interact within communities. Can outcomes of ecological interactions be predicted from microbial life history traits, the identity of the species, or both? We addressed these questions by studying the competitive interaction network in a community of 40 endophytic Pseudomonas spp. bacterial isolates from a native plant. Pairwise competition experiments revealed competitive dominance of *P. fluorescens* over P. syringae strains within this microbiome-derived community. P. syringae strains with higher growth rates won more contests, while P. fluorescens strains with shorter lag times and lower growth rates won more contests. Adding to their competitive dominance, *P. fluorescens* strains often produced antibiotics to which few P. syringae strains were resistant. Many competitive outcomes among P. syringae strains were predicted to be reversed by P. fluorescens inhibitors because indirect benefits accrued to less competitive strains. P. fluorescens strains frequently changed competitive outcomes, suggesting a critical role of strains within this bacterial clade in structuring plant microbiome communities. Microbial traits also may provide a handle for directing the outcome of colonization processes within microbiomes.
Investigation on Cd0.9Zn0.1Te1-ySey single crystals grown by vertical Bridgman technique for high-energy gamma radiation detectors

CdxZn1-xTe1-ySey (CZTS) is an emerging wide bandgap semiconductor material for the applications of high-resolution room-temperature x-ray and gamma-ray detectors. Large volume Cd0.9Zn0.1Te1-ySey single crystal ingots were grown by vertical Bridgman technique with composition &#119910; = 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07. Several planar detectors were fabricated on single grain cut out from the grown ingots and characterized. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements revealed very low leakage current (≤ 1 nA) at an operating bias voltage of ≥ 100 V and a bulk resistivity of ~1010 Ω-cm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed sharp diffraction peaks, which confirmed a highly crystalline structure of the grown crystals. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) showed uniform elemental distribution over a large area and confirmed the stoichiometry of the samples. While all the detectors showed response to alpha particles, the detector with composition &#119910; = 0.03 showed very good 137Cs (662 keV) gamma response. The drift mobility and mobility-lifetime product in all the samples of those compositions were calculated for both electrons and holes. Pulse height spectroscopy using 137Cs on the fabricated detectors showed fully resolved 662 keV gamma peaks with an energy resolution of ~2%. A one-to-one correlation between the space charge limited current (SCLC) flow and radiation detection properties was found to exist in these crystals. An anomalous current flow mechanism, falling outside the comprehension of SCLC flow mechanism, has been observed in the rest of the samples. The anomalous behavior has been attributed to the presence of electron traps.
Rényi squashed entanglement, discord, and relative entropy differences

The squashed entanglement quantifies the amount of entanglement in a bipartite quantum state, and it satisfies all of the axioms desired for an entanglement measure. The quantum discord is a measure of quantum correlations that are different from those due to entanglement. What these two measures have in common is that they are both based upon the conditional quantum mutual information. In Berta et al (2015 J. Math. Phys. 56 022205), we recently proposed Renyi generalizations of the conditional quantum mutual information of a tripartite state on ABC (with C being the conditioning system), which were shown to satisfy some properties that hold for the original quantity, such as non-negativity, duality, and monotonicity with respect to local operations on the system B (with it being left open to show that the Renyi quantity is monotone with respect to local operations on system A). Here we define a Renyi squashed entanglement and a Renyi quantum discord based on a Renyi conditional quantum mutual information and investigate these quantities in detail. Taking as a conjecture that the Renyi conditional quantum mutual information is monotone with respect to local operations on both systems A and B, we prove that the Renyi squashed entanglement and the Renyi quantum discord satisfy many of the properties of the respective original von Neumann entropy based quantities. In our prior work (Berta et al 2015 Phys. Rev. A 91 022333), we also detailed a procedure to obtain Renyi generalizations of any quantum information measure that is equal to a linear combination of von Neumann entropies with coefficients chosen from the set {-1, 0, 1}. Here, we extend this procedure to include differences of relative entropies. Using the extended procedure and a conjectured monotonicity of the Renyi generalizations in the Renyi parameter, we discuss potential remainder terms for well known inequalities such as monotonicity of the relative entropy, joint convexity of the relative entropy, and the Holevo bound.
Fuzzy Well-Being Achievement in Pacific Asia

This paper develops a framework that uses fuzzy-set theory to measure human well-being. Fuzzy sets allow for gradual transition from one state to another while also allowing one to incorporate rules and goals, and hence are more appropriate for measuring outcomes that are ambiguous. Such ambiguity is an inherent characteristic of cross-country achieved well-being assessments. This framework is used to provide a fuzzy representation of the well-known Human Development Index (HDI) and its three components. Fuzzy HDI estimates for 14 Pacific Asian countries are provided and compared with non-fuzzy estimates. Quite large differences in rankings emerge. The paper concludes by suggesting that fuzzy measures should be used more widely to measure achieved well-being outcomes.
State-level social safety nets for families coping with job loss

Critics of the modern American welfare state allege that safety net benefits discourage work by providing sufficient resources to replace earned income. Yet, research in social policy has long depicted the US safety net as parsimonious and inadequate relative to its European counterparts, even when considering benefits from programs that reward favorable work histories. Other theories predict variability across states and regional clustering even amid low overall spending. Moreover, the recent COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the insufficiency and lack of resilience of the major US safety nets in the face of unprecedented unemployment. This study examines the benefit expenditures on three safety net programs available to American families with recently unemployed breadwinners—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Unemployment Insurance—as a proportion of median annual income for a given state-year between 1997 and 2017. We examine the overall spending as well as variability and clustering across states. We find that the average benefit expenditure comprises only 42% of median income, and while there is substantial variability around this average, only one state is above 78%. We also find that spending levels appear to be regionally clustered. We conclude that safety nets for the recently unemployed and their families are weak relative to earned income and that the extent of this weakness varies by state, with some regional patterning. © 2021 Policy Studies Organization
Observations of high-frequency acoustic attenuation due to bubble entrainment at estuarine fronts

Frontal boundary features with strong gradients in water properties and velocity are common features in coastal environments where fresh discharge meets ambient ocean waters. Convergence at these fronts results in two features that support the entrainment of bubbles. First, horizontal velocity gradients causes surface waves to steepen and break at these boundaries. Second, localized downwelling can further entrain and transport these bubbles. In experiments using broadband echosounders (45–420 kHz) at the Connecticut River ebb plume front and James River tidal intrusion front, bubble entrainment was observed to cause frequency-dependent excess attenuation. Seabed backscattering near fronts is used as a baseline, whereas a decrease in observed backscattering from the seabed under bubble plumes was attributed to excess attenuation due to bubble concentrations. Despite observing significant (>10 dB in some cases) excess attenuation in lower-frequency channels, we hypothesize that these fronts are unlikely to significantly affect propagation in the horizontal at these frequencies and that factors, such as refraction and three-dimension structure, are more operationally significant. [This work was funded by ONR.]
Dynamics of Concentration Fluctuation on Both Sides of Phase Boundary

Phase separation kinetics of binary polymer mixtures has become an increasingly interested subject in recent years because of its fundamental and practical importance1–9. The Cahn-Hilliard10 or Cahn-Hilliard-Cook11 theory has generally been used in the analysis of experimental data, but the results are still not conclusive. For example: the importance of the thermal fluctuation during spinodal decomposition and a quantitative comparison of the interfacial free energy density between experiment and theory are still unsettled topics, let alone the more subtle question of the nature of the instability.
The Life Attitudes Schedule Short Form: an abbreviated measure of life-enhancing and life-threatening behaviors in adolescents.

An abbreviated version of the Life Attitudes Schedule (LAS) was developed, consisting of 24 items, each representing one cell of the original LAS theoretical matrix (4 content categories x 2 behavior types x 2 valence). Items were retained on the basis of high correlations with LAS total score and low correlations with gender. Psychometric properties of the LAS Short Form were robust and the Short Form total score correlated .93 with the original LAS total score. As with the original LAS, boys reported more injury-related behaviors than girls. Future research and clinical directions are suggested.
The Disulfide Bonds of Bovine α-Lactalbumin

The four disulfide bonds formed by the 8 half-cystinyl residues in α-lactalbumin have been established by sequence analysis of peptides isolated from enzymic digests. Two unique disulfide-containing peptides were isolated by chromatography from peptic digests of α-lactalbumin. A third peptic peptide contained 4 half-cystinyl residues. Further degradation of this peptide with thermolysin gave two additional, unique disulfide-containing peptides that were readily separated by column chromatography. Partial sequence analysis of each of the four unique disulfide peptides after reduction and carboxymethylation provided an unequivocal assignment of the four disulfide bonds in α-lactalbumin. The four disulfide bonds are formed through linkages between Residues 6 and 120, Residues 28 and 111, Residues 61 and 77, and Residues 73 and 91. This arrangement of the disulfide bonds is essentially identical with that found in chicken egg-white lysozyme.
System Modeling and Stability Problems

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Power System Stability Problem Model Structures and Parameters Measurement-Based Modeling Power System Stability Problems Approaches for Stability Analysis Concluding Remarks
Molecular, pharmacological and functional properties of GABAA receptors in anterior pituitary cells

Anterior pituitary cells express γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor-channels, but their structure, distribution within the secretory cell types, and nature of action have not been clarified. Here we addressed these questions using cultured anterior pituitary cells from postpubertal female rats and immortalized αT3-1 and GH3 cells. Our results show that mRNAs for all GABAA receptor subunits are expressed in pituitary cells and that α1/β1 subunit proteins are present in all secretory cells. In voltage-clamped gramicidin-perforated cells, GABA induced dose-dependent increases in current amplitude that were inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin and facilitated by diazepam and zolpidem in a concentration-dependent manner. In intact cells, GABA and the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol caused a rapid and transient increase in intracellular calcium, whereas the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen was ineffective, suggesting that chloride-mediated depolarization activates voltage-gated calcium channels. Consistent with this finding, RT-PCR analysis indicated high expression of NKCC1, but not KCC2 cation/chloride transporter mRNAs in pituitary cells. Furthermore, the GABAA channel reversal potential for chloride ions was positive to the baseline membrane potential in most cells and the activation of ion channels by GABA resulted in depolarization of cells and modulation of spontaneous electrical activity. These results indicate that secretory pituitary cells express functional GABAA receptor-channels that are depolarizing.
Relative contributions of depth and directional adjacency to simultaneous whiteness contrast.

Abstract Simultaneous whiteness contrast is a decreasing function of the spatial separation of the test and induction objects, either laterally or in depth. The present paper describes an experiment which represents the first attempt to compare simultaneously the relative effectiveness of the two kinds of separation in reducing contrast. Seventy-two subjects observed a test object at several positions within a three-dimensional configuration of induction objects. The perceived whiteness of the test object was found to vary systematically with changes in both directional and depth position. The comparison of the effects of the two kinds of separation was dependent upon whether physical or perceptual measures of separation were used. The possible confounding effect of successive contrast was discussed.
Probabilistic quantum control via indirect measurement

The most basic scenario of quantum control involves the organized manipulation of pure dynamical states of the system by means of unitary transformations. Recently, Vilela Mendes and Man'ko have shown that the conditions for controllability on the state space become less restrictive if unitary control operations may be supplemented by projective measurement. The present work builds on this idea, introducing the additional element of indirect measurement to achieve a kind of remote control. The target system that is to be remotely controlled is first entangled with another identical system, called the control system. The control system is then subjected to unitary transformations plus projective measurement. As anticipated by Schroedinger, such control via entanglement is necessarily probabilistic in nature. On the other hand, under appropriate conditions the remote-control scenario offers the special advantages of robustness against decoherence and a greater repertoire of unitary transformations. Simulations carried out for a two-level system demonstrate that, with optimization of control parameters, a substantial gain in the population of reachable states can be realized.
New Properties of the Hamilton-Jacobi Functional for General Relativity

It is shown that, analogously to the situation in the usual classical theories, the solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equations of general relativity, $S$, satisfies the relation $S=\ensuremath{\int}\mathcal{L}{d}^{4}x$, where, however, $\mathcal{L}$ is the Lagrangian density of Dirac, rather than the more usual Einstein Lagrangian. This result is then used to prove that if we write $S=\ensuremath{\int}\mathcal{S}({g}_{\mathrm{mn}}){d}^{3}x$, the integrand $\mathcal{S}$ is a three-dimensional scalar density which is a homogeneous functional of ${g}_{\mathrm{mn}}$ of degree 1.
Secretion in the brain of Rana catesbeiana and its modification by osmotic stress and hypophysectomy

Abstract The number of cell bodies of preoptic neurons which contained aldehyde fuchsinophilic granules showed an increase in unoperated frogs exposed to 150 m M NaCl for 3 days, and in adenohypophysectomized frogs maintained in tap water for 3 days, in comparison to normal frogs maintained in tap water. Frogs which were both adenohypophysectomized and exposed to 150 m M NaCl for 3 days had fewer stained cells in the preoptic nuclei than unoperated frogs of the salt-treated group or adenohypophysectomized frogs maintained in tap water. Observations were made on secretion in the epiphysial-subcommissural organ area and on four additional areas with possible secretory function.
Association of breast cancer with meningioma: report of two cases and review of the literature.

We report two cases of breast cancer in whom meningioma subsequently developed and provide a brief review of the literature. A hormonal interrelationship is suggested. The knowledge of this potential association is important in the interpretation and treatment of patients with breast cancer who develop central nervous system manifestations. Cancer 42:1992-1994, 1978.
A systematic approach toward the analysis of drug–DNA interactions using Raman spectroscopy: The binding of metal‐free bleomycins A2 and B2 to calf thymus DNA

Bleomycins A(2) and B(2) are the two active components in the antineoplastic drug Blenoxane. DNA is targeted by this drug in cancer cells and the mode of action of this drug involves DNA binding. Ambiguity exists as to the way in which bleomycin binds to DNA. Raman spectroscopy was used to examine both calf thymus DNA and a bleomycin/DNA complex at two temperatures. A curvefitting technique was applied to these spectra for a spectral region obscured by many overlapping bands associated with the nucleotide bases in order to derive information about frequencies, bandwidths, and intensities of the vibrational modes in this region. This allowed identification and analysis of bands associated with specific assigned nucleotide base residues. Upon binding of bleomycin, several significant changes in bandwidth, intensities, and frequencies relative to uncomplexed DNA were observed consistently at both higher (30 degrees C) and lower (19 degrees C) temperature. The data presented here support at least a partial intercalation mode of binding for bleomycin that is temperature dependent and more pronounced at the more physiologically relevant temperature of 30 degrees C.
Turbulence and small scale dynamo action in population III star formation

We discuss some results from a recent set of magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the formation of the first stars, including cosmological initial conditions and a full treatment of primordial chemistry. These simulations follow the exponential amplification of seed magnetic fields by small-scale dynamo action, and we explore some of the details of the turbulence that leads to this behavior. The key to understanding the growth of magnetic fields is the growth of vorticity, and we focus on its generation and dissipation in simulations of varying resolution. We show that the production and amplification of vorticity changes with increasing resolution, leading to the previous observations of dynamo growth rates and late time field strengths increasing with increased resolution.
Allelochemical resistance of bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, heartwood to the subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus

The heartwood of bald cypress,Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich., resisted feeding attack by the Formosan subterranean termite,Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Hexane-extracted heartwood, however, was consumed at > 12 times the amount of sound heartwood eaten. A bioassay usingT. distichum sapwood as a feeding substrate was employed to assess the antitermitic activity of successive hexane, acetone, and methanol extracts of heartwood shavings and isolates derived from the active hexane extract. Two fractions, eluted from the crude hexane extract by liquid chromatography, significantly reduced termite feeding compared to the parent extract, while a third fraction was less active than the original hexane extract. Each fraction contained one major component. All three components were structurally related diterpenes. The two most active heartwood constituents were identified by GC-MS and NMR as ferruginol and manool, while the third and least active, but most prevalent, compound in heartwood was identified as nezukol. Results of bioassays suggest that these allelochemicals act principally as feeding deterrents with accompanying termite mortality due to starvation.
Natal dispersal in monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarai) of the Argentinean Chaco

This study offers a detailed description of natal dispersal patterns in owl monkeys ( Aotus azarai ) and evaluates the extent and characteristics of sex-biased dispersal in this monogamous mammal. Owl monkeys are small, territorial primates that live in socially monogamous groups in the Argentinean Chaco. Between 1997 and 2007 we recorded the disappearance or dispersal of 102 individuals born in 24 social groups. All individuals, both males and females, left their natal group, and they did so when they were between 2.2 and 4.9 years of age. Most dispersal events occurred immediately before or during the birth season and very few of them occurred during the mating season. Males and females did not differ significantly in the timing of dispersal, the age when they dispersed or how far they dispersed. Dispersals during the harsher Fall/Winter season were associated with the eviction of one or both adults in the group. The limited data on the fate of dispersed individuals suggests that natal dispersal is a highly risk event in the life of owl monkeys. The data also provide adequate support for the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis for natal dispersal in this species.
Neurofilament and tubulin transport slows along the course of mature motor axons

Abstract The rate of axonal transport of tubulin and of neurofilament proteins was measured in mature, non-growing, axons of rat lumbar ventral roots and sciatic nerves. A progressive decrease in the velocity of transport was observed along the course of the axons. The rate of advance of the ‘front’ of labeled neurofilaments decreased from 1.40 ± 0.07 mm/day proximally to 0.64 ± 0.04 mm/day distally. The rate for tubulin decreased from 3.10 ± 0.13 proximally to 1.01 ± 0.04 mm/day distally. These results demonstrate that a gradient of the velocity of cytoskeletal transport along axons is not a specific adaptation for radial growth of axons, as previously suggested. Local degradation of excess cytoskeletal proteins may permit axons to accomodate a net slowing of cytoskeletal transport without accumulation of neurofilaments or microtubule. Alternatively, the transport kinetics of radiolabeled proteins may be influenced by mixing of labeled and unlabeled cytoskeletal proteins within the axoplasm; in this case, a slowing of the movement of the labeled proteins may not reflect net slowing of transport of the total pool of cytoskeletal proteins.
Moving to change: Action groups in an out-patient setting

This paper presents an account of setting up and running an “Action Group” in an out-patient setting. The ideas and aims underlying “Action Groups” are presented through a contrast with Social Skills Training. The paper illustrates the way in which this “therapeutic philosophy” informs the details which are attended to in defining such a group's boundaries, procedure and purpose. A typical group session is described, and the paper seeks to illustrate how the therapeutic potency of such work is intimately related to the clarity of the group's boundaries and structure.
Sensitivity analysis on battery modeling to large-scale PHEV/PEV charging algorithms

An in-depth need exists to address the potential problems caused by the emergence of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) within in the next 20 years. The large penetration of these vehicles into the marketplace poses a potential threat to the existing power grid. A large number of PHEVs/ PEVs may cause serious system instability without a sophisticated control strategy. Energy storage is the key enabling technology for PHEVs/PEVs. The battery state information is critical to ensure optimal utilization of the available energy. It enables optimal control over the battery's charging and discharging process, thereby reducing the risk of overcharge or undercharge and prolonging battery life. In this paper, we first simulate real-world parking deck scenarios and implement four types of battery models (i.e., the linear model, relaxation model, hysteresis model, and combined model). We then evaluate optimal performance of the proposed large-scale PHEV/PEV charging algorithms under certain operating conditions. We characterize system performance and illustrate the importance of battery modeling to large-scale charging algorithms. The simulation results provide a general overview of the impact of battery modeling on optimal performance.
Rod-cone interrelationships at light onset and offset

The spatial constraints needed to obtain rod-cone interaction under steady adaptation levels apply to transient conditions of adaptation. The influence of cones upon rod threshold, however, is qualitatively different at light onset as opposed to light offset.
Unexpected dimeric products from the amidomethylation of pentasubstituted benzenes

An isomeric series of unexpected diarylmethane products with flexible substituents, isolated from amidomethylation reactions of p-dimethoxybenzene derivatives, was analyzed by X-ray crystallography to reveal novel solid-state structures, two of which have identical elemental cell parameters.
Grafted Carbazole-Assisted Electrodeposition of Graphene Oxide

The electrodeposition of graphene oxide (GO) by covalently linked electroactive monomer, carbazole (Cbz) is first demonstrated herein. This is based on the electropolymerization and electrodeposition of covalently linked Cbz units when a potential is applied. During the electrochemical process, the Cbz groups electropolymerize and carry the GO nanosheets as it electrodeposits on the substrate. Moreover, the GO–Cbz sheets selectively deposit onto the conducting regions of the substrate, which demonstrates its promise for the fabrication of electropatterned graphene-based devices. In addition, GO–Cbz is a promising material for the fabrication of nanocomposite coatings for anticorrosion application. In as little as 1 wt % GO–Cbz loading, a protection efficiency as high as 95.4% was achieved.
Upper limb reflex sympathetic dystrophy associated with cccult malignancy

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, characterized by pain, swelling, vasomotor instability, and trophic changes in an extremity, has been infrequently described in patients with occult malignancy. Two cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy associated with local tumor involvement are reported. Both patients had a history of cancer in clinical remission. Despite aggressive physical therapy measures, the patients' symptoms persisted. Workup of the first patient found an apical paravertebral mass in the lung; biopsy revealed recurrent breast carcinoma. In the second case, workup found an axillary mass contiguous with the lower brachial plexus. Biopsy revealed lymphoma, a second primary malignancy. In both cases, medical treatment of the tumor was instituted, with consequent improvement of hand and shoulder function. Both patients required prolonged hospitalization and multiple procedures that might have been avoided if malignancy had been suspected. Spontaneous development of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in patients with a history of cancer should alert the physician to the possibility of occult malignancy.
Social support and work–family conflict: A test of an indirect effects model

Abstract Most work–family research on social support is based on matching domain relationships, that is, social support in the work domain is related to work interfering with family conflict (WIF) and social support in the family domain is related to family interfering with work conflict (FIW). In this research, based on the conservation of resources (COR) model, we examined the cross domain indirect relationship between social support in the work domain and FIW and the cross domain indirect relationship between social support in the family domain and WIF. We tested this model across three samples in two studies. In Study 1, we examined the cross domain influence of supervisory and spouse support on work–family conflict using two large random samples (N = 1130; N = 2769). In Study 2, we tested an expanded model of social support to include both generic and work–family specific support, and examined the cross domain indirect relationships between these two types of support on work–family conflict using a sample of 435 employees. Specifically, we proposed that social support systems in the work domain such as family friendly organizational policies, family supportive organizational climate, perceived organizational support, and perceived supervisory support will be indirectly and negatively related to FIW via WIF and that spouse/partner support will be indirectly and negatively related to WIF via FIW. Results for Study 1 provided support for the cross domain indirect effects model and results for Study 2 provided support for the cross domain indirect effects for work–family specific social support systems. We discuss implications of these results for the theory and practice of managing work–family conflict.
Temperature dependent optical properties of nanoparticle suspensions

The optical properties of nanoparticle suspensions in liquids have garnered significant interest recently for their potential use in applications ranging from biomedical imaging to solar energy harvesting. Although previous investigations have provided useful insight into the spectral properties of such suspensions they have been primarily limited to experimental investigation at room temperature. As these suspensions will be used in systems with significant variations in temperature it is important to understand the effects of temperature on the optical properties. Furthermore, the primary spectrometric technique used has considered only transmittance and not the effects of scattering. Here we investigate the effects of temperature on the response of TiO2, Ag, and Au nanoparticle suspensions in water utilizing an integrating sphere and heated cuvette. Additionally the responses are analytically modeled to understand the individual contributions from variations in particle size, volume fraction, and surrounding medium temperature-dependent refractive index changes.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The Villalobos Colour Atlas: An analysis

The Villalobos Colour Atlas with its 7273 samples, published in 1947 in Argentina, represents one of the most ambitious attempts at a systematic object color sample collection. Its authors saw it as a practical visual color measuring and specification instrument at a time when spectrophotometers were a rarity in research institutes. In part, its organization is similar to that of the Munsell system but differs in regard to saturation. After a brief description of the structure of the Atlas data, what may be the first extensive measurement data of samples of the Atlas is presented in the CIELAB system. The results, unsurprisingly, show that the Atlas (as represented by the over-60-year-old copy) meets some of its stated goals only to a limited extent. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 31, 109–116, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20188
IKKα negatively regulates ASC-dependent inflammasome activation

The inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that activate caspase-1 in response to infections and stress, resulting in the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Here we report that IκB kinase α (IKKα) is a critical negative regulator of apoptosis-associated specklike protein containing a C-terminal caspase-activation-andrecruitment (CARD) domain (ASC)-dependent inflammasomes. IKKα controls the inflammasome at the level of the adaptor ASC, which interacts with IKKα in the nucleus of resting macrophages in an IKKα kinase-dependent manner. Loss of IKKα kinase activity results in inflammasome hyperactivation. Mechanistically, the downstream nuclear effector IKK-related kinase (IKKi) facilitates translocation of ASC from the nucleus to the perinuclear area during inflammasome activation. ASC remains under the control of IKKα in the perinuclear area following translocation of the ASC/IKKα complex. Signal 2 of NLRP3 activation leads to inhibition of IKKα kinase activity through the recruitment of PP2A, allowing ASC to participate in NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. Taken together, these findings reveal a IKKi-IKKα-ASC axis that serves as a common regulatory mechanism for ASC-dependent inflammasomes.
Rule-based data mining for yield improvement in semiconductor manufacturing

We describe an automated system for improving yield, power consumption and speed characteristics in the manufacture of semiconductors. Data are continually collected in the form of a history of tool usage, electrical and other real-valued measurements--a dimension of tens of thousands of features. Unique to this approach is the inference of patterns in the form of binary regression rules that demonstrate a significantly higher or lower performance value for tools relative to the overall mean for that manufacturing step. Results are filtered by knowledge-based constraints, increasing the likelihood that empirically validated rules will prove interesting and worth further investigation. This system is currently installed in the IBM 300 mm fab, manufacturing game chips and microprocessors. It has detected numerous opportunities for yield and performance improvement, saving many millions of dollars.
Detection of microorganisms that produce extracellular maltases.

Abstract Maltose is a disaccharide that is widely distributed in nature. Maltases (EC 3.2.1.20) are potentially useful, therefore, in industry, clinical laboratories, and basic research. Nevertheless, few microbial maltases have been described (1), and only one true maltase, prepared from yeast, is commercially available. Procedures are needed for screening microorganisms that produce extracellular maltases. This communication describes one method.