cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First order rate processes and axial dispersion in packed bed reactors

By employing recently secured data for the axial dispersion of mass flowing through fixed beds, it is shown that for first order isothermal processes conducted in fixed beds of practical aspect ratios (L/Dp), the effect of mixing upon kinetics is insignificant. It follows that in shallow bed systems usually employed in kinetic research efforts, the influence of axial mixing cannot be ignored, particularly in the case of a liquid reactant. The dispersion data and the analyses support the contention of Ergun (14) and the recent treatment of the problem by Epstein (16).
Chinese and Persian Giraffe Paintings

IN NATURE of February 18 and July 29, 1915, and in the American Museum Journal for last year, figures were published of ancient Egyptian and also of late fifteenth-century representations of the giraffe. To this series of olden-time drawings may now be added one from Chinese sources, dating probably from the early Ming period, a reproduction of which is shown in the accompanying illustration.
Phenylethanoids can Modulate Amyloid-β Aggregation Associated with Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease and the 6th leading cause of death in the US. One neurological marker of AD is the deposition of extracellular plaques composed of aggregates of the amyloid-β (Aβ) protein. Aβ aggregation follows a nucleation-dependent pathway, beginning with monomer forming nuclei that grow into soluble aggregates and proceed to form the insoluble fibrils deposited in AD brain. As such, many therapeutic treatments target the inhibition of Aβ aggregation. It is hypothesized that compounds containing a phenol structure can interrupt aggregate β-sheet formation by disrupting π-π stacking at phenylalanine residues in the core of the protein. In this study, the phenlyethanoid oleuropein, along with metabolites hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, were studied for their effect on Aβ aggregation.Aggregation of SEC-purified Aβ was initiated via agitation in the presence of a 5-fold excess of compound and monitored using thioflavin-T to detect aggregate β-sheet structure. To examine the earliest stages of aggregation, oligomerization was induced by combining DMSO-solubilized Aβ with a 10-fold excess of inhibitor and diluting into PBS. Oligomer formation was monitored via SDS-PAGE and Western blotting to quantify oligomer size.Distinct correlations were observed between compound structure and the effect on oligomer size and the formation of larger aggregates. Hydroxytyrosol, a metabolite of oleuropein, exhibited the most effective inhibition among these compounds in aggregation and oligomerization. Thus, effectiveness of phenylthanoid compounds in Aβ inhibition is influenced by the substitutions present on the ring. In contrast, the structure with only one hydroxyl group, tyrosol, has little effect. Further study will elucidate the effect that these changes in Aβ aggregation have upon Aβ neurotoxicity.
Exploring factors that influence the food behaviors of junior enlisted Army family members

ABSTRACT With the stress of an ongoing war and soldiers being deployed, the needs of US military families have likely increased. Young military families, generally E-4s (Specialists) and below, may suffer even more stress due to lack of experience and life skills. Many families have seen financial difficulties arise as a result of the soldier being deployed. The nutrition and health status of these families may be at risk because of some of the dietary behaviors associated with limited financial resource audiences. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore factors that influenced the food behaviors of junior enlisted (E-4s and below) Army families.
Shortest Path Refinement For HARP Motion Tracking.

Harmonic phase (HARP) motion analysis is widely used in the analysis of tagged magnetic resonance images of the heart. HARP motion tracking can yield gross errors, however, when there is a large amount of motion between successive time frames. Methods that use spatial continuity of motion - so-called refinement methods - have previously been reported to reduce these errors. This paper describes a new refinement method based on shortest-path computations. The method uses a graph representation of the image and seeks an optimal tracking order from a specified seed to each point in the image by solving a single source shortest path problem. This minimizes the potential for path dependent solutions which are found in other refinement methods. Experiments on cardiac motion tracking shows that the proposed method can track the whole tissue more robustly and is also computationally efficient.
Nerve membrane Na+ channels as targets of insecticides

The mechanisms of action of neuroactive insecticides on the nervous system has been studied for many years. It is now well established that severe neurological symptoms of poisoning with pyrethroids and DDT in mammals and insects are the result of modification of Na+ channel activity. Toshio Narahashi discusses the history, approaches and results of the studies leading to this conclusion. Advanced electrophysiological experiments using voltage clamp and patch clamp, together with ligand-binding and ionic flux experiments, have unveiled unique actions of pyrethroids and DDT of keeping the Na+ channel in the open state for an extremely long period, sometimes as long as several seconds. This modification of Na+ channel properties leads to hyperactivity of the nervous system. These insecticides have also been shown to suppress GABA and glutamate receptor-channel complexes and voltage-activated Ca2+ channels, but the toxicological significance of these actions remains to be seen. The results of these studies provide clues for developing newer insecticides with higher selectivity between mammals and insects and for coping with the problem of insecticide resistance.
Effect of concentration-time parameters on sister-chromatid exchanges induced in rabbit lymphocytes by ethylene oxide inhalation.

Abstract To evaluate the effect of exposure pattern on induction and persistence of SCEs in peripheral lymphocytes and formation and persistence of the specific adduct N-3′-(2-hydroxyethyl)-histidine in hemoglobin, groups of male New Zealand white rabbits were exposed to ethylene oxide (ETO) at 200 ppm or 400 ppm for 6 h a day, 5 days a week or to 1500 ppm twice a day for 15 min until all groups reached an equal concentration—time (Ct) product of 4.8 × 104 ppm · h. Results show that both induced SCEs and the specific histidine adduct in hemoglobin reflect cumulative ETO exposure whether it occurs chronically at a concentration of 200 ppm or to brief exposures at the 7.5 times higher concentration of 1500 ppm. Haber's rule appears to be in effect over this range of exposure concentrations and times. Persistence of these effects appears not to be related to exposure concentration nor exposure pattern. These results contribute to further understanding of alkylating chemical mutagen dosimetry and of SCE and hemoglobin adducts as indices of exposure.
Investigation of mixture diffusion in nanoporous adsorbents via the pressure-swing frequency response method. 2. Oxygen and nitrogen in a carbon molecular sieve

A simple apparatus using the pressure-swing frequency response method has been extended to measure multicomponent diffusivities. Transfer phenomena are investigated for different compositions of a binary mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in a carbon molecular sieve. The paper has two objectives. First, we consider the applicability of some predictive multicomponent diffusion models, which predict the mixture diffusivities based on pure-component information. The results show that these models can provide qualitative but not quantitative descriptions. Second, we determine mixture diffusivities, including Fickian diffusivities and Maxwell−Stefan surface diffusivities, from the data using a new mathematical model. These diffusivities are concentration-dependent. A simple relationship that introduces a thermodynamic factor is used to describe the concentration dependence of the Fickian diffusivities. It reduces to Darken's equation for pure components. This approach, based on nonconstant Fickian diffusivities, p...
Prehistoric Chronology of the Common Bean in the New World: The Linguistic Evidence

At European contact, Native American agriculturalists in both eastern North America and Middle America (Mexico and Central America) relied primarily on a group of three crops: maize, squash, and beans. The widespread geographical occurrence of this agrarian triad in historical times would seem to suggest its considerable antiquity in the New World. While archaeological investigation indicates that each of the crops was domesticated in the Americas thousands of years ago, it also indicates that times of domestication and times of diffusion were substantially different for each (Smith 2001). This study presents linguistic evidence bearing on the prehistoric chronology of one of these crops, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).
V. The double nature of nabla

(1909). V. The double nature of nabla. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 17, No. 97, pp. 113-125.
A mathematical model describing tannin-protein association.

Abstract A quantitative model is derived for tannin–protein binding and protein precipitation in solution. This model is based on the assumption that precipitation occurs when the number of tannin molecules associated with one protein molecule attains a critical value. Precipitation occurs at this point because tannin crosslinking causes formation of large protein aggregates. Analytical expressions were derived for the dependence of protein precipitate yields upon the concentrations of the protein and tannin in solution. This expression fits reasonably well the experimentally observed bell-shaped dependencies of bovine serum albumin or gelatin precipitation upon total protein and tannin concentrations.
PUBLIC PREFERENCES FOR MANAGING THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER SYSTEM

The human dimension is an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of river ecosystem analyses. To provide decision makers with information to maintain the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) as a viable large river system, a survey of the general public was designed and conducted in 1996 to assay river resource values and expectations. Members of 500 randomly selected households in each of the five UMRS states completed the survey (total of 2,500). Factor analysis, reliability analysis, and analysis of variance techniques were employed in the data analysis. Results show that citizens value the river strongly for multiple purposes and expect balanced use in its management. An important point is that although there is not a consensus regarding future management of the UMRS, levels of support do not vary substantially across regions. Differences in preferences between the general population and more active stakeholders suggest that strategies for engaging the public be reconsidered.
Conjugate gradient on Grassmann manifolds for robust subspace estimation

Most geometric computer vision problems involve orthogonality constraints. An important subclass of these problems is subspace estimation, which can be equivalently formulated into an optimization problem on Grassmann manifolds. In this paper, we propose to use the conjugate gradient algorithm on Grassmann manifolds for robust subspace estimation in conjunction with the recently introduced generalized projection based M-Estimator (gpbM). The gpbM method is an elemental subset-based robust estimation algorithm that can process heteroscedastic data without any user intervention. We show that by optimizing the orthogonal parameter matrix on Grassmann manifolds, the performance of the gpbM algorithm improves significantly. Results on synthetic and real data are presented.
Using the simpsons to teach humanities with gen X and gen Y adult students

This chapter discusses how the animated show The Simpsons can be used successfully to present and critique various concepts normally found in traditional undergraduate Humanities courses.
Climate change policy capacity at the sub-national government level

Abstract The capacity of large bureaucratic organizations to address climate change issues is an area that many consider to be important yet there is very little empirical evidence available. This article employs a structural equation model (LISREL) from survey data of mid-level public servants in the Province of Alberta, Canada and considers such factors as the extent that they work with climate change information, the use of risk-based tools, risk perception, and broader organizational factors. The results suggest that policy-based staff is more engaged in climate change issues than researchers and are also more likely to employ risk-based tools and techniques. We conclude that structural equation modeling can provide valuable indicators of policy capacity to decision makers who are charged with developing climate change policies.
Accommodating the rainy season in Third World location-allocation applications

Abstract While data limitations do not preclude the application of location-allocation (LA) models in the Third World, the socio-spatial circumstances in such locations are sufficiently different to warrant additional caution in applications. For example, the rainy season disrupts transportation and travel for long periods in many countries; yet, typical LA applications fail to consider it. Using the simple p-median and coverage models, this study examines the effect of the rainy season on Third World LA applications. The results indicate that ignoring the rainy season can produce potentially disastrous results, while accommodating it, perhaps by simply editing the data, is likely to produce better results. Moreover, embedded values in these models influence locational outcomes. The results thus call for considerable caution in Third World LA applications.
Feeding responses of the beetle Scolytus to chemical stimuli in the bark of Ulmus

Abstract Feeding responses of Scolytus multistriatus adults on assay disks soaked in 5 mg of a benzene extract of second- to fourth-year twig bark of Ulmus americana collected on 6 June 1966 were significant (0·01 level) from the control. The same assay of a benzene extract of current-year twig bark collected 6 June, 1966 yielded a non-significant (0·05 level) feeding response. Alkaline hydrolysis of the benzene extract destroyed the significant (0·05 level) feeding-stimulant activity. Excellent separation of the chemicals in the benzene extract was obtained with thin-layer chromatographic techniques. Feeding responses to an 80% ethanol extract of benzene extracted bark were not significantly different (0·05 level) from those of controls. Several sugars present in elm tissue failed to stimulate feeding.
Effects of sensory deprivation and hydroxyzine on rats’ bar pressing

Female albino rats (N = 20) were used in this experiment designed to study the effects of hydroxyzine on operant behavior following 24 h of sensory deprivation (SD). A significant drug effect was demonstrated, but no significant degree of inhibition upon the number of bar presses, nor any of the interaction effects resulted from SD. The inconsistency of these results with earlier studies was discussed.
Gun Tube M3 Symposium—Overview and Perspective

Gun barrel wear and erosion is similar to corrosion in that it is not considered a very glamorous or “high tech” field of investigation. Problems associated with these areas have been around since ...
Effect of Stimulus Duration on Electrical Responses of the Human Retina

The size and form of the b-wave of the human electroretinogram are shown to be dependent on the duration as well as on the intensity (the term stimulus intensity as used in this paper refers to luminance specified in ft-L.) of the stimulating light. In determining the amplitude of submaximal b-waves, intensity and duration share equally until a certain critical duration is reached. Above this critical duration of about 100 msec in the dark-adapted eye, less under conditions of light-adaptation, amplitude is determined by intensity alone. The latency of the response, however, is determined without reference to the stimulus duration. It is interesting to note that a critical duration of just over 100 msec has also been reported from psychophysical studies of the dark-adapted eye in which visual threshold rather than electrical response criteria were used.
Groundwater in the Earth's critical zone: Relevance to large‐scale patterns and processes

Although we have an intuitive understanding of the behavior and functions of groundwater in the Earth's critical zone at the scales of a column (atmosphere-plant-soil-bedrock), along a toposequence (ridge to valley), and across a small catchment (up to third-order streams), this paper attempts to assess the relevance of groundwater to understanding large-scale patterns and processes such as represented in global climate and Earth system models. Through observation syntheses and conceptual models, evidence are presented that groundwater influence is globally prevalent, it forms an environmental gradient not fully captured by the climate, and it can profoundly shape critical zone evolution at continental to global scales. Four examples are used to illustrate these ideas: (1) groundwater as a water source for plants in rainless periods, (2) water table depth as a driver of plant rooting depth, (3) the accessibility of groundwater as an ecological niche separator, and (4) groundwater as the lower boundary of land drainage and a global driver of wetlands. The implications to understanding past and future global environmental change are briefly discussed, as well as critical discipline, scale, and data gaps that must be bridged in order for us to translate what we learn in the field at column, hillslope and catchment scales, to what we must predict at regional, continental, and global scales.
Protecting the Integrity of Forensic Psychological Testing: A Reply to Geffner, et al. (2009)

Recommendations regarding psychological test use made by Geffner, Conradi, Geis, and Aranda (2009) directly contradict well established standards of practice, guidelines promulgated by several professional organizations, and well-known legal standards regarding the admissibility of evidence in Court. This article refutes these recommendations and argues that test selection in the forensic context requires adherence to the principles enumerated in established case law as well as relevant ethical principles and standards of practice reflected in practice guidelines. Utilizing subjectively based and scientifically unreliable psychological assessment tools such as those recommended by Geffner and his colleagues introduces unknowable degrees of error, jeopardizes the integrity of evaluative methodologies in use, and seriously compromises the data that comprises the foundation upon which psychological opinions are rendered and legal decisions are made. In making their recommendations, these authors ignore an ex...
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase is downregulated during hyperdynamic sepsis

Abstract Although studies have shown that endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) release is depressed during endotoxic shock or polymicrobial sepsis, it remains unknown whether the decreased release of endothelium-derived NO during the hyperdynamic stage of sepsis is due to downregulation of endothelial NO synthase. To study this, adult rats were subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). At 10 h after CLP (i.e., hyperdynamic sepsis) or sham operation, the aorta was removed and a monoclonal antibody against endothelial (constitutive) NO synthase (E-NOS) was used to determine the immunohistochemical presence and electron microscopic localization of E-NOS in rat aortic endothelial cells. Image analysis was used to quantify aortic E-NOS. In additional groups of animals, the aorta was isolated at 10 h after CLP and the vascular responses to an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, acetylcholine, and an endothelium-independent vasodilator, nitroglycerine, were determined. The results indicate that the number of E-NOS negative endothelial cells increased from 7% in shams to 22% in septic animals. E-NOS densely labeled endothelial cells were significantly reduced from 20% to 8% at 10 h after CLP. The E-NOS positive area in aortic endothelial cells was reduced from 26.1±1.0 μm2/standard frame in sham to 22.3±0.9 μm2/standard frame in septic animals. Moreover, acetylcholine-induced but not nitroglycerine-induced vascular relaxation was significantly depressed at 10 h after the onset of sepsis. These results, taken together, indicate that the decreased E-NOS in the vascular endothelial cell is at least in part responsible for endothelial cell dysfunction (i.e., the reduced endothelium-derived NO release) observed during the early, hyperdynamic stage of polymicrobial sepsis.
The phosphophoryn gene family: identical domain structures at the carboxyl end

Phosphophoryns (PPs), a family of aspartic acid and phosphoserine rich dentin proteins, are considered to be archetypal regulators of extracellular matrix biomineralization. Their very unusual composition, extensive phosphorylation, and tissue-specific heterogeneity have made their characterization a difficult task. We have recently cloned several rat incisor PP genes from our odontoblast cDNA library. The first clone, designated as DMP2, was 2.4 kb long, with an open reading frame of approximately 700 bp and an untranslated region of approximately 1.7 kb. Northern blot analysis of odontoblast mRNA showed a single message between 5 and 6 kb. When a 5' RACE technique was used to obtain the full length clone, a second approximately 2 kb DNA fragment (DMP3) was also found. Cloning and sequencing of DMP3 showed that the 3' end was highly homologous to the 3' end of DMP2, but the 5' end of this clone had 100% homology to dentin sialoprotein (DSP). DMP3 is not a typical Asp-rich phosphophoryn, but DMP2 contains a domain N-terminal to the common region which has the hallmark Asp- and Ser-rich composition of the phosphophoryns. Both DMP2 and DMP3 are closely localized on mouse chromosome 5q21, corresponding to human chromosome 4q21. The expression of these two genes is regulated differently. Thus, there may be a family of phosphophoryn-related genes coding for a common C-terminal peptide sequence domain, but involving different N-terminal domains with different functions.
An error analysis and mesh adaptation method for shape design of structural components

Abstract A finite element error analysis and mesh adaptation method that can be used for improving analysis accuracy in carrying out shape design of structural components is presented in this paper. The simple error estimator developed by Zienkiewicz is adopted in this study for finite element error analysis, using only post-processing finite element data. The mesh adaptation algorithm implemented in ANSYS is investigated and the difficulties found are discussed. An improved algorithm that utilizes ANSYS POST1 capabilities is proposed and found to be more efficient than the ANSYS algorithm. An example is given to show the efficiency. An interactive mesh adaptation method that utilizes PATRAN meshing and result-displaying capabilities is proposed. This proposed method displays error distribution and stress contour of analysis results using color plots, to help the designer in identifying the critical regions for mesh refinement. Also, it provides guidance for mesh refinement by computing and displaying the desired element size information, based on error estimate and a mesh refinement criterion defined by the designer. This method is more efficient and effective than the semi-automatic algorithm implemented in ANSYS, and is suitable for structural shape design. This method can be applied not only to set-up a finite element mesh of the structure at initial design but to ensure analysis accuracy in the design process. Examples are given to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed method.
A mixed integer programming approach for accommodating outliers with the minimax absolute error criterion

Abstract Minimax absolute error (MMAE) is a data fitting criterion which has several desirable features. However at the same time, this criterion is especially sensitive to the influence of outliers. In this paper we discuss a minimax problem which can be solved by a mixed integer programming model, which is paired with the MMAE criterion to provide simultaneous determination of candidate outliers along with model parameter estimation. We limit discussion to the case of one dependent variable per observation and focus attention on data fitting rather than inferential issues.
Femtosecond laser micromachining of aluminum surfaces under controlled gas atmospheres

The interaction of 180 femtosecond (fs), 775 nm laser pulses with the surface of aluminum under controlled gas atmospheres at ambient pressure has been investigated to study material redeposition, residual surface roughness, and ablation rate. The effect of using various gases to protect the surface of the material appears to interfere with the effects of the plasma and can change the resulting microstructure of the machined surface. By varying the combinations of fluence and laser-scanning speed during ultrafast ablation at high repetition rates, an optimum micromachining condition can be reached, depending on the type of gas used during machining. The debris produced under certain laser-machining conditions tends to produce pure aluminum nanoparticles that are deposited very close to the machined feature by the gas used to protect the surface of the aluminum.
Lower eyelid splinting: An alternative to the Frost suture.

Objectives: To describe a new method of postoperative eyelid suspension used for the prevention of eyelid malposition and to report its efficacy through an outcome study. Study Design: An outcome study was performed on 10 patients who would potentially need postoperative eyelid suspension. Candidates included patients with entropion, ectropion, or orbital fractures requiring transconjunctival approaches. Patients were photographed pre- and postoperatively and followed for signs of eyelid malposition. Methods: At the conclusion of the surgical procedure, a sheet of Xeroform gauze was folded into 6 overlapping layers and cut to conform to the shape of the inferior orbital rim. The superior edge of the gauze was sutured to the lower eyelid using interrupted 5-0 nylon suture. Sutures were placed at the medial and lateral canthi to raise the eyelid above the inferior limbus and along the inferior orbital rim. The splint was removed between postoperative days 7 and 14. Results: There were no perioperative complications related to the surgery or placement of the splint. No cutaneous marks persisted after healing. No complications such as shifting of the splint, ocular damage, or recurrent eyelid malposition occurred. One patient had asymptomatic restriction of lower eyelid elevation on upward gaze, which resolved at 6 months. Conclusions: The lower eyelid splint appears effective in maintaining lower eyelid position postoperatively. There were no complications with its use, and the splint was tolerated well. Benefits of the splint over the Frost suture include less risk of corneal abrasion, ability to check visual function, and ability to use the splint bilaterally.
NovoTTF-100A alternating electric fields therapy for recurrent glioblastoma: An analysis of patient registry data

Author(s): Wong, ET; Engelhard, HH; Tran, D; Kew, Y; Mrugala, M; Cavaliere, R; Villano, J; Bota, D; Rudnick, J; Sumral, A; Zhu, JJ
Reciprocity and Romance

This article examines the place of romance in the lives of single mothers. Drawing on interviews with single mothers in a rural state, I challenge prevailing views of relationships between single mothers and romantic partners that highlight the issues of exchange and that emphasize the possibility that women will be exploited by men. I argue instead that although single mothers generally adhere to the norm of reciprocity in their other relationships, in romantic relationships they accept substantial imbalances. In explaining this surprising finding, I consider the significance of romance within the context of the daily lives of single mothers and I explore how romance can become a “strategic explanation” for imbalance.
Infant-Directed Visual Prosody: Mothers' Head Movements and Speech Acoustics.

Acoustical changes in the prosody of mothers’ speech to infants are distinct and near universal. However, less is known about the visible properties of mothers’ infant-directed (ID) speech, and their relation to speech acoustics. Mothers’ head movements were tracked as they interacted with their infants using ID speech, and compared to movements accompanying their adult-directed (AD) speech. Movement measures along three dimensions of head translation, and three axes of head rotation were calculated. Overall, more head movement was found for ID than AD speech, suggesting that mothers exaggerate their visual prosody in a manner analogous to the acoustical exaggerations in their speech. Regression analyses examined the relation between changing head position and changing acoustical pitch (F0) over time. Head movements and voice pitch were more strongly related in ID speech than in AD speech. When these relations were examined across time windows of different durations, stronger relations were observed for shorter time windows (< 5 sec). However, the particular form of these more local relations did not extend or generalize to longer time windows. This suggests that the multimodal correspondences in speech prosody are variable in form, and occur within limited time spans.
Versatile routes toward functional, water-soluble nanoparticles via trifluoroethylester-PEG-thiol ligands.

This paper reports the synthesis of a trifluoroethylester−PEG−thiol ligand (TFEE−PEG−SH) and its use to create water-soluble, chemically functional Au metal and FePt magnetic nanoparticles. The trifluoroethylester terminus facilitates attachment of any primary-amine-containing molecule via amide bond formation at room temperature without the use of coupling agents. Three possible routes of nanoparticle functionalization are demonstrated: synthesis of Au nanoparticles in the presence of functionalized R−PEG−SH; ligand-exchange of R−PEG−SH onto both Au and FePt nanoparticles; and exchange of TFEE−PEG−SH onto Au nanoparticles followed by subsequent amide condensation. A series of primary-amine-containing molecules, including biotin and fluorescamine, are easily attached to the water-soluble particles, and the resulting materials are characterized by NMR, UV−visible absorption, and emission spectroscopies.
Mitigating Charge Transfer Inefficiency in the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer.

The ACIS front-illuminated CCDs on board the Chandra X-Ray Observatory were damaged in the extreme environment of the Earth's radiation belts, resulting in enhanced charge transfer inefficiency (CTI). This produces a row dependence in gain, event grade, and energy resolution. We model the CTI as a function of input photon energy, including the effects of detrapping (charge trailing), shielding within an event (charge in the leading pixels of the 3 × 3 event island protects the rest of the island by filling traps), and nonuniform spatial distribution of traps. This technique cannot fully recover the degraded energy resolution, but it reduces the position dependence of gain and grade distributions. By correcting the grade distributions as well as the event amplitudes, we can improve the instrument's quantum efficiency. We outline our model for CTI correction and discuss how the corrector can improve astrophysical results derived from ACIS data.
Mutagenesis of Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein B: Putative Fusion Loop Residues Are Essential for Viral Replication, and the Furin Cleavage Motif Contributes to Pathogenesis in Skin Tissue In Vivo

Glycoprotein B (gB), the most conserved protein in the family Herpesviridae, is essential for the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Information about varicella-zoster virus (VZV) gB is limited, but homology modeling showed that the structure of VZV gB was similar to that of herpes simplex virus (HSV) gB, including the putative fusion loops. In contrast to HSV gB, VZV gB had a furin recognition motif ([R]-X-[KR]-R-|-X, where | indicates the position at which the polypeptide is cleaved) at residues 491 to 494, thought to be required for gB cleavage into two polypeptides. To investigate their contribution, the putative primary fusion loop or the furin recognition motif was mutated in expression constructs and in the context of the VZV genome. Substitutions in the primary loop, W180G and Y185G, plus the deletion mutation Δ491RSRR494 and point mutation 491GSGG494 in the furin recognition motif did not affect gB expression or cellular localization in transfected cells. Infectious VZV was recovered from parental Oka (pOka)-bacterial artificial chromosomes that had either the Δ491RSRR494 or 491GSGG494 mutation but not the point mutations W180G and Y185G, demonstrating that residues in the primary loop of gB were essential but gB cleavage was not required for VZV replication in vitro. Virion morphology, protein localization, plaque size, and replication were unaffected for the pOka-gBΔ491RSRR494 or pOka-gB491GSGG494 virus compared to pOka in vitro. However, deletion of the furin recognition motif caused attenuation of VZV replication in human skin xenografts in vivo. This is the first evidence that cleavage of a herpesvirus fusion protein contributes to viral pathogenesis in vivo, as seen for fusion proteins in other virus families.
Some observations on the Cenozoic volcano-tectonic evolution of the Great Basin, western United States

Abstract The onset of calc-alkalic intermediate volcanism over much of the central and southern parts of the western United States about 37 my ago cannot be adequately explained by a steady-state subduction model, and may reflect an abrupt change in the relative movements of the North American and Farallon plates and the underlying asthenosphere. Late Oligocene (33-29 my) quartz latitic and rhyolitic ash-flow volcanism in the east-central and central Great Basin may represent the later stages of this early phase of calc-alkalic volcanic activity. Very highly differentiated rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs and subordinate lavas erupted during the early Miocene along an arcuate belt concave to the northeast extending from eastern Oregon to southwesternmost Utah represent a second pulse of igneous activity. The near absence of mafic and intermediate lavas of this age reflects trapping of the dense primary mafic and derivative intermediate magmas beneath an unbroken crust. Middle Miocene and younger lavas, mainly andesite and dacite with minor quartz latitic pyroclastic rocks lying to the west and southwest of the axis of early Miocene silicic volcanism comprise a southern extension of the western Cascade belt of subduction-related volcanism reaching into southeastern Nevada. In the southern and western Great Basin generally more potassic volcanics of late Miocene and Pliocene age were erupted southwest of the middle Miocene calc-alkalic belt. The parallelism of these belts and the progressive shift of volcanism towards the west and southwest from Oligocene to Pliocene time favor the interpretation that these rocks are related to subduction. The outward shift of volcanism suggests that subduction became steeper with time. Crustal extension commenced virtually simultaneously over the Great Basin and adjacent areas during the middle Miocene 16 to 17 my ago. In the southern and west-central Great Basin the early phases of extension were superimposed on the latter stages of subduction-related volcanism. The wide range of rock types erupted in this region during the late Miocene and Pliocene probably reflects this overlap which resulted in derivation of primary magmas from various source materials over a wide range of pressure. In contrast, inception of bimodal basalt-rhyolite volcanism in the northern Great Basin 16 to 17 my ago was the direct result of the onset of crustal extension. Late Miocene and Pliocene rocks of this suite interfinger complexly with subduction-related calc-alkalic rocks erupted further to the west. The fact that faulting began simultaneously within, in front of, and behind the belt of contemporaneous andesitic volcanism supports the hypothesis that crustal extension in the western United States is the result of oblique divergence of the Pacific and North American plates and that it was initiated by an abrupt change in their direction of relative movement. True extension-related basaltic volcanism did not predominate in the southern and west-central Great Basin until the latter part of the Pliocene.
A generalized statistical control chart for over- or under-dispersed data

The Poisson distribution is a popular distribution used to describe count information, from which control charts involving count data have been established. Several works recognize the need for a generalized control chart to allow for data over-dispersion; however, analogous arguments can also be made to account for potential under-dispersion. The Conway–Maxwell–Poisson (COM-Poisson) distribution is a general count distribution that relaxes the equi-dispersion assumption of the Poisson distribution, and in fact encompasses the special cases of the Poisson, geometric, and Bernoulli distributions. Accordingly, a flexible control chart is developed that encompasses the classical Shewart charts based on the Poisson, Bernoulli (or binomial), and geometric (or negative binomial) distributions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Neuropeptide Y on the Discriminative Stimulus and Antinociceptive Properties of Morphine

Abstract Previous research indicates that opioid receptor blockade diminishes the effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on feeding and memory. Conversely, NPY attenuates naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal. The present study evaluated the effects of NPY on the discriminative stimulus and antinociceptive effects produced by the prototypical mu opioid, morphine. Rats were trained to discriminate 5.6 mg/kg morphine (IP) from saline using a standard two-lever, food-reinforced, drug discrimination procedure. Across a range of doses (3.0, 5.0, and 10 μg), intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of NPY failed to substitute for, antagonize, or potentiate the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine. A warm-water tail-withdrawal procedure was used to examine the antinociceptive effects of morphine and NPY, alone and in combination. NPY (3.0 and 10 μg, ICV) failed to alter tail-withdrawal latencies from 52° and 56°C water, whereas morphine (1.0–30 mg/kg, IP) produced a dose-related increase in latencies at both water temperatures. A 10-μg dose of NPY also failed to alter the antinociceptive effects of morphine. This study does not support the idea that the discriminative stimulus and antinociceptive effects of morphine are dependent on an NPYergic pathway.
Storage intensive applications in the distributed environment

The rapid growth of the network infrastructure combined with the continuing reduction in the cost of storage is causing a fundamental shift in the delivery of information content, from physical to electronic means. Multimedia databases ranging well into the Terabyte range are currently not unusual, and applications in the Petabyte range can be envisioned in the future. Following an overview of the distributed storage system architecture and the requirements of some example storage intensive applications, this article describes the key SW and HW components, and some of the trade-offs required to provide the optimum solution.
When Do Market Games Have Transferable Utility

A pure exchange economy generates a “market game” in which the allocations achievable by any coalition are determined by the initial endowments of its members. Subject to certain regularity conditions, it is shown that for a market game it is possible to find utility representations for each consumer so that the game can be treated as a game with transferable utility if and only if indirect utility of all consumers can be represented in the Gorman polar form. This is the class for which aggregate demand behaves as if it were the demand of a single consumer. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: 021, 022. cc: 1985 Academic Press, Inc.
A freeform shape optimization of complex structures represented by arbitrary polygonal or polyhedral meshes

In this paper we propose a new scheme for freeform shape optimization on arbitrary polygonal or polyhedral meshes. The approach consists of three main steps: (1) surface partitioning of polygonal meshes into different patches; (2) a new freeform perturbation scheme of using the Cox–de Boor basis function over arbitrary polygonal meshes, which supports multi-resolution shape optimization and does not require CAD information; (3) freeform shape optimization of arbitrary polygonal or polyhedral meshes. Numerical experiments indicate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Small-Molecule Activators of Insulin-Degrading Enzyme Discovered through High-Throughput Compound Screening

Background: Hypocatabolism of the amyloid b-protein (Ab) by insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD), making pharmacological activation of IDE an attractive therapeutic strategy. However, it has not been established whether the proteolytic activity of IDE can be enhanced by drug-like compounds. Methodology/Principal Findings: Based on the finding that ATP and other nucleotide polyphosphates modulate IDE activity at physiological concentrations, we conducted parallel high-throughput screening campaigns in the absence or presence of ATP and identified two compounds—designated Ia1 and Ia2—that significantly stimulate IDE proteolytic activity. Both compounds were found to interfere with the crosslinking of a photoaffinity ATP analogue to IDE, suggesting that they interact with a bona fide ATP-binding domain within IDE. Unexpectedly, we observed highly synergistic activation effects when the activity of Ia1 or Ia2 was tested in the presence of ATP, a finding that has implications for the mechanisms underlying ATP-mediated activation of IDE. Notably, Ia1 and Ia2 activated the degradation of Ab by ,700% and ,400%, respectively, albeit only when Ab was presented in a mixture also containing shorter substrates. Conclusions/Significance: This study describes the first examples of synthetic small-molecule activators of IDE, showing that pharmacological activation of this important protease with drug-like compounds is achievable. These novel activators help to establish the putative ATP-binding domain as a key modulator of IDE proteolytic activity and offer new insights into the modulatory action of ATP. Several larger lessons abstracted from this screen will help inform the design of future screening campaigns and facilitate the eventual development of IDE activators with therapeutic utility.
Unplanned readmissions after vascular surgery.

Objective Existing literature on readmission after vascular surgery is limited. The upcoming reduction in Medicare reimbursement for institutions with high readmission rates mandates an accurate understanding of this issue. In this study, we characterize the frequency and causes of 30-day unplanned readmissions after elective vascular surgery. Methods Patients who underwent elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA), endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), open abdominal aortic aneurysm (oAAA) repair, or infrainguinal bypass grafting (BPG) were identified from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) 2011 database (n = 11,246). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine variables that contributed to 30-day unplanned readmissions for each surgery type. Results The unadjusted unplanned readmission rates after the four vascular procedures ranged from 6.5% for CEA to 15.7% for BPG. In multivariable analyses, patient comorbidities were associated with unplanned readmission after BPG and CEA ( P P P Conclusions Select comorbidities and postoperative complications contribute to unplanned readmissions after vascular surgery. The characteristics of readmitted patients vary with the type of procedure. Interventions designed to mitigate these factors have the potential to reduce unplanned readmissions but likely need to vary with the type of vascular treatment.
ABSENCE OF EIGENVALUES FOR INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL OPERATORS WITH PERIODIC COEFFICIENTS

The absence of the point spectrum for some nonselfadjoint integrodifierential operators is investigated by applying perturbation theory methods. The considered difierential operators could be of any order and are assumed to act in Lp(R+) or Lp(R) (1 • p < 1). Finally, as an application of general results, some spectral properties of the perturbed Hill operator are derived.
Vectorial Transport and Folding of an Autotransporter Virulence Protein During Outer Membrane Secretion

Many virulence factors secreted from pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria are autotransporter proteins. The final step of autotransporter secretion is passage across the outer membrane (OM), mediated by a cotranslated C-terminal porin domain. Sequence analysis reveals that, despite size, sequence, and functional diversity, >97% of autotransporter passenger domains are predicted to form parallel β-helices, suggesting this structure is important for secretion. We report the folding behavior of pertactin, an autotransporter passenger domain from Bordetella pertussis. Despite slow but reversible folding in vitro, the β-helix is not prone to aggregation. Interestingly, equilibrium denaturation results in formation of a partially folded structure, with a stable core comprising the C-terminal half of pertactin. Examination of the crystal structure does not reveal any obvious reason for the enhanced stability of the C-terminus. Crystallographic data of the partially folded state shows native like structure for the C-terminus. Interestingly, the C-terminus forms a dimer with a non-native interface with a relatively low KD ∼ 0.3 μM. In vivo, slow folding would prevent premature folding in the periplasm, before OM secretion. Moreover, the extra stability of the C-terminal rungs might serve as a template for the β-helix formation during secretion; hence, vectorial folding of the β-helix could contribute to the energy-independent translocation. We show here that the C-terminus is the first part of the pertactin passenger domain reaching the OM, and that the C-terminus can adopt a stable structure outside the cell, prior to the completion of OM secretion. Coupled with the sequence analysis, these results suggest a general mechanism for autotransporter secretion. The combination of this data, including the lack of pertactin aggregation, could lead to new insights into the formation and prevention of protein aggregation in vivo.
Multi-scale multi-mechanism design of tough hydrogels: building dissipation into stretchy networks

As swollen polymer networks in water, hydrogels are usually brittle. However, hydrogels with high toughness play critical roles in many plant and animal tissues as well as in diverse engineering applications. Here we review the intrinsic mechanisms of a wide variety of tough hydrogels developed over the past few decades. We show that tough hydrogels generally possess mechanisms to dissipate substantial mechanical energy but still maintain high elasticity under deformation. The integrations and interactions of different mechanisms for dissipating energy and maintaining elasticity are essential to the design of tough hydrogels. A matrix that combines various mechanisms is constructed for the first time to guide the design of next-generation tough hydrogels. We further highlight that a particularly promising strategy for the design is to implement multiple mechanisms across multiple length scales into nano-, micro-, meso-, and macro-structures of hydrogels.