cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tubular Liposomes with Variable Permeability for Reconstitution of FtsZ Rings

We have developed a system for producing tubular multilamellar liposomes that incorporate the protein FtsZ on the inside. We start with a mixture of spherical multilamellar liposomes with FtsZ initially on the outside. Shearing forces generated by applying a coverslip most likely distort some of the spherical liposomes into a tubular shape, and causes some to leak and incorporate FtsZ inside. We describe protocols for liposome preparation, and for preparing membrane-targeted FtsZ that can assemble contractile Z rings inside the tubular liposomes. We also describe the characterization of the multilamellar liposomes in terms of the permeability or leakiness for a small fluorescent dye and larger protein molecules. These liposomes may be useful for reconstitution of other biological systems.
Charge pulse studies of transport phenomena in bilayer membranes

A charge pulse technique has been applied to studies of transport phenomena in bilayer membranes. The membrane capacitance can be rapidly charged (in less than a microsecond). The charge then decays through the membrane's conductive mechanism-no current flows through the solution or external circuitry. The resulting voltage decay is thus a manifestation of membrane and boundary layer phenomena only. There are a number of advantages to this approach over conventional voltage or currentclamp techniques: the rise-time of the voltage perturbation is not limited by the time constant deriving from the membrane capacitance and solution resistance, thus permitting study of extremely rapid rate processes; the membrane is exposed to high voltage for relatively short times and thus can be subjected to higher voltages without breakdown; the steady-state current-voltage behavior of the membrane can be deduced from a single charge pulse experiment; the charge (and therefore the integral of the ion flux through the membrane) is monitored allowing detection of rate processes too rapid to follow directly. In this paper we present what is primarily a steady-state analysis of actin (non-, mon-, din-, trin-)-mediated transport of ammonium ion and valinomycin-mediated transport of cesium and potassium ions through glycerol monooleate bilayers. We introduce the concept of the “intercept discrepancy”, a method for measuring charge lost through extremely rapid rate processes. Directly observable pre-steady-state phenomena are also discussed but will be the main subject of part II.
What Innocent Spouse Relief Says about Wives and the Rest of Us

Every time spouses sign joint returns, knowingly or not they accept joint and several liability, meaning that either spouse may be held liable for all of the tax due on the joint return. Although joint and several liability facilitates tax collection, it may conflict with a spouse’s claims to have signed the return while being lied to, abused, or manipulated. The question for Congress is how to balance these competing demands. Innocent spouse relief provides some tax relief for spouses Congress does not believe should be jointly and severally liable. The existence of this relief also offers an opportunity to explore how the government views married women, as wives have always composed the lion’s share of seekers and recipients of innocent spouse relief. The relief currently provided is both over- and under-inclusive by (1) not offering relief to all spouses or former spouses who are unable to assess the validity of their returns and (2) offering relief to some who both knew of, and helped orchestrate, tax evasion. This Article argues that the existing innocent spouse relief regime should be replaced with one that respects joint filers’ agency when signing joint returns and affords relief only when a joint filer was unable to exercise that agency. In the event that a spouse is coerced into signing the return, relief needs to be speedier and less burdensome in application than under today’s law. This approach would increase the equity of the tax system and reduce the administrative costs on both the taxpayer and the government.
Effects of age on responses to isometric exercise. Isometric handgrip in noninvasive screening for cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Isometric handgrip (IHG) imposes an acutely increased afterload on the left ventricle. Utilizing systolic time intervals, we studied various responses to IHG, measured as changes from resting values with near-maximum IHG, in old normal (ON) subjects, young normal (YN) subjects, and old patients with hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). There were no differences in responses to IHG between ON and patients with HHD or patients with CAD. However, there were clear differences between the responses of ON and YN subjects. Increase in heart rate (HR) was much more prominent in YN (ON vs. YN = +11.6 ± 2.6 vs. +51.6 ± 5.7 beats per minute p 0.5). IHG produced no significant differences between ON and YN in the timing of the “mitral” component of the first heart sound (q-Im), in the ratio PEP/LVET, or in pulse transmission time (PTT). By contrast, resting control PTT was markedly short in ON, especially those with CAD. Resting PTT in ON was 27.1 ± 2.6 msec.; in YN 43.7 ± 1.4 msec.; in CAD patients 20.7 ± 1.3 msec. We conclude that even near-maximal IHG does not seem to be an adequate noninvasive screening test for cardiovascular disease in that age alone seems to have the most significant influence on the responses.
Olanzapine: a serotonin-dopamine-receptor antagonist for antipsychotic therapy

The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, dosage and administration, and cost of olanzapine are reviewed. Olanzapine is a serotonin-dopamine-receptor antagonist indicated for use in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The affinity of olanzapine for neuroreceptors is similar to that of clozapine. The drug is well absorbed from the GI tract; food has no effect. Olanzapine is more effective than placebo and equal to haloperidol in reducing psychotic symptoms on two rating scales. However, unlike typical dopamine-receptor antagonists used for antipsychotic therapy, olanzapine is more effective in reducing the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The most frequent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with olanzapine are somnolence, agitation, insomnia, and headache. Constipation and dry mouth occur as dose-dependent ADRs. Unlike clozapine, olanzapine does not cause agranulocytosis. No cases of tardive dyskinesia or neuroleptic malignant syndrome have been reported. Olanzapine has been associated with slight increases in hepatic transaminases. More study is needed to determine whether olanzapine interacts significantly with other drugs. The recommended starting dosage is 5-10 mg orally once daily. Efficacy beyond six weeks has not been evaluated; patients treated for longer than six weeks should be periodically reassessed. Olanzapine costs about 10 times more than typical antipsychotics because a generic version is not available; however, olanzapine costs less than clozapine therapy and may cost less than haloperidol in terms of total health care costs. Olanzapine offers an effective alternative for treating schizophrenia and has a favorable adverse-effect profile.
EFFECTS OF MATERNAL BODY SIZE ON CLUTCH SIZE AND EGG WEIGHT IN A PHOLCID SPIDER (HOLOCNEMUS PLUCHEI)

Abstract The pholcid spider Holocnemus pluchei (Scopoli 1763) competes for food with conspecifics, and spiders reared on high food levels are generally larger. In this study, we examined whether larger female body size (as estimated by tibia-patella length) translated into increased reproductive success in the form of increased clutch size, clutch weight, and average egg weight. Larger spiders had more eggs and thus heavier clutches, but there was no relationship between maternal size and average egg weight. We also looked for a tradeoff between average egg weight and egg number, and we found a weak relationship in which average egg weight was highest for intermediate-sized clutches. Larger female body size thus translates into increased reproductive success in terms of egg number and clutch weight, but not weight of individual eggs.
Lymphocyte gene expression in subjects fed a low-choline diet differs between those who develop organ dysfunction and those who do not

Background Some humans fed a low-choline diet develop hepatosteatosis, liver and muscle damage, and lymphocyte apoptosis. The risk of developing such organ dysfunction is increased by the presence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in folate and choline metabolism.
Dietary practices and nutrition beliefs through the adult life cycle

LYDIA C. MEDEIROS,1 RHONDA SHIPP,2 AND DAVID T. TAYLOR 3 Department of Home Economics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; lPresent address: Department of Human Nutrition and Food Management, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210; 2Park County Cooperative .Extension Service, University of Wyoming, Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, Cody, Wyoming 82414; and 3Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071
Coccidioides immitis in the gallbladder and biliary tree

Intraabdominal coccidioidomycosis is a very rare entity and usually responds to medical therapy. Operative intervention is reserved for diagnosis or drainage of localized collections. With biliary coccidioidomycosis, medical treatment appears to be ineffective, and biliary tract drainage is necessary for optimal management. A case of coccidioidomycosis in the gallbladder and biliary tree is described and the literature reviewed.
Image reconstruction from projections using circular harmonic expansion

A method is described for image reconstruction which processes the projection data in polar rather than rectangular coordinates, and does not require backprojection. It is based on the decomposition of the object and its shadow (set of projections) into "circular harmonics," or radial modulators of angular Fourier components. An inverse filter is derived which enables the radial modulators of the object to be reconstructed from those of the shadow. Experimental results from digital and coherent optical implementations are given. A real time optical reconstruction processor is proposed.
Obesity and breast cancer: status of leptin and adiponectin in pathological processes.

It is well recognized that obesity increases the risk of various cancers, including breast malignancies in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, obesity may adversely affect tumor progression, metastasis, and overall prognosis in both pre- and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. However, the precise mechanism(s) through which obesity acts is/are still elusive and this relationship has been the subject of much investigation and speculation. Recently, adipose tissue and its associated cytokine-like proteins, adipokines, particularly leptin and adiponectin, have been investigated as mediators for the association of obesity with breast cancer. Higher circulating levels of leptin found in obese subjects could be a growth-enhancing factor as supported by in vitro and preclinical studies, whereas low adiponectin levels in obese women may be permissive for leptin’s growth-promoting effects. These speculations are supported by in vitro studies which indicate that leptin promotes human breast cancer cell proliferation while adiponectin exhibits anti-proliferative actions. Further, estrogen and its receptors have a definite impact on the response of human breast cancer cell lines to leptin and adiponectin. More in-depth studies are needed to provide additional and precise links between the in vivo development of breast cancer and the balance of adiponectin and leptin.
Exploring help-seeking for ADHD symptoms: a mixed-methods approach.

Objective: Gender and race differences in treatment rates for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are well documented but poorly understood. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study e...
Helminths and Symbiotic Protozoa of Blanchard's Cricket Frog, Acris blanchardi Harper, 1947 (Hylidae), from Michigan and Ohio, U.S.A.

Abstract In total, 160 Blanchard's cricket frogs, Acris blanchardi, were collected from several southern Michigan locations (Grand Rapids Gravel Pit, Ives Gravel Pit, Ypsilanti wetland, unknown locations) and the St. Marys Fish Hatchery, Ohio, in 2001 through 2007 and examined for parasites. Acris blanchardi harbored the following helminths in parentheses from the following locations: Grand Rapids Gravel Pit (plerocercoid of Ophiotaenia sp., gravid Cosmocercoides sp.), Ives Gravel Pit (unidentified metacercaria, larval Spiroxys sp.), Ypsilanti wetland (larval Clinostomum sp., gravid Rhabdias ranae), and the St. Marys Fish Hatchery (larval Eustrongylides sp.). The reason few helminth species were found, and in general the reason their occurrences were infrequent and intensities low in Michigan and Ohio frogs, is that most frogs examined were young of the year and that this species has a short life span and a terrestrial diet. Frogs from the gravel pits commonly harbored the protozoan symbionts Nyctotherus ...
Fully matched dual‐operation‐mode GaAs FET amplifier for efficiency enhancement at low‐power level

This paper presents a 2.12-GHz GaAs FET dual-operation-mode amplifier with a new efficiency-enhancing technique that employs novel switchable 1:1/1:0 ratio power-routing schemes. The amplifier switches its operation, depending upon a required power level, to either a low-power or high-power mode. The integrated power routers enable all matching requirements in both modes to be satisfied regardless of the operating condition of the reference amplifiers. The measurement results show an improved efficiency performance in a low-operation power range, as compared to a conventional balanced amplifier, due to the power-routing schemes and demonstrated dual-mode operation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 47: 41–44, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21075
Comparison of thyroxine and 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine metabolism in rat kidney and liver homogenates☆☆☆

Abstract The effects of agents added in vitro, in vivo PTU treatment, and fasting for 72 hr on T 4 -T 3 conversion rates and rT 3 degradation rates in rat kidney and liver homogenates were compared. In kidney homogenates, 5 m M DTT stimulated both reactions, whereas 0.3 m M diamide, 0.1 μ M iopanoic acid, 17 μ M PTU and 1 m M 2,4-dinitrophenol inhibited both reactions; 25 μ M methimazole had no effect. DTT also stimulated both of these reactions in liver homogenates. Diamide was a less potent inhibitor in liver than in kidney homogenates. Kinetic analysis showed that the k m for T 4 in kidney and liver homogenates were similar, but not identical, and that the k m for rT 3 in kidney and liver homogenates were again similar, but not precisely the same. When a particulate fraction of the homogenates was employed, the k m for T 4 in two kidney preparations was 0.8 and 1.0 μ M , and in two liver preparations it was 2.9 and 5.5 μ M . PTU administered in vivo reduced the T 4 -T 3 conversion rates and rT 3 degradation rates in kidney and liver homogenates to 3 concentration to 3 concentration to nine times control, but did not alter the mean serum T 4 concentration or the hepatic glutathione content. A 72-hr fast had no effect on T 4 -T 3 conversion or rT 3 degradation rates in kidney homogenates and had no effect on renal glutathione content, but fasting had the expected inhibitory effect on T 4 -T 3 conversion in liver homogenates and lowered the hepatic glutathione content to 79% of control. These results, along with previous findings from this and other laboratories, strongly suggest that there is a single iodothyronine 5′-monodeio-dinase in rat kidney that metabolizes both T 4 and rT 3 . The results are also compatible with the hypothesis that the iodothyronine 5′-monodeiodinases in rat kidney and liver are the same enzyme.
Cervical Vertebral Artery Aneurysms and Arteriovenous Fistulae in Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Case Reports

Neurofibromatosis is of particular interest to neurosurgeons because of the various central and peripheral nervous system tumors and, more rarely, cervicocerebral arterial lesions associated with the disease. In the present paper, we report two patients with neurofibromatosis Type 1 (von Recklinghausen's disease) who had anomalies of the extracranial vertebral arteries. A large extracranial vertebral artery aneurysm was incidentally discovered in the first patient, a 43-year-old woman, after rupture of a subclavian artery aneurysm. The second patient, a 28-year-old woman, had an enlarging neck mass and was found to have an extensive extracranial vertebral artery arteriovenous fistula. The vascular lesions associated with neurofibromatosis Type 1 in general and those arising from the extracranial vertebral artery in particular are reviewed.
Effect of Extreme Likelihood Values upon Information Use

Using a static decision situation, 90 Ss were tested for frequency of information use as a function of the number of choice alternatives and the likelihood that the information was correct. Extreme values were used in both high and low probability categories. The following major conclusions were reached. When a simple, i.e., 2-choice situation is used, a significant number of Ss actively avoid a very low information probability, while with a more complex choice, i.e., 8 alternatives, Ss behave in a random manner. The use of extreme probability values for the information likelihood pushes behavior toward, but not all the way to, a statistically good solution, for both high and low probability values.
Managing chronic pain in adults with haemophilia: current status and call to action.

Summary Haemophilic arthroses are associated with acute pain during bleeding episodes and with chronic pain caused by arthritic complications of repeated bleeding into joints. Unlike other conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell disease), there are limited data on pain management in haemophilia. Management of arthritic individuals and those with sickle cell disease relies heavily on administration of acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioid analgesics. In haemophilia, acetaminophen often has limited efficacy at therapeutic doses, offering a narrow dosing range in those with liver disease due to chronic hepatitis C. NSAIDs can effectively manage pain in patients with haemophilia, but these agents are potentially associated with a significant risk of precipitating or exacerbating bleeding complications in an already coagulopathic population. Opioids have proven effective in osteoarthritis and sickle cell disease, but outcomes data in those with haemophilia are virtually non-existent. Patients with haemophilia are at least as vulnerable as other chronic pain populations to opioid-related adverse events and to developing abusive behaviours and addiction. Despite pain management strategies for patients with haemophilia being far from optimal, the predominant precept of haemophilia management still applies. As such, it is critically important to aggressively reverse or prevent acute symptomatic bleeding in a timely and effective manner to at least minimize pain and progressive joint damage. This review should serve as a call to action to prioritize pain management in haemophilia care and spur interest in the development, improvement and standardization of tools to assess and manage acute and chronic pain in haemophilia.
Single Molecule Observation of Cyclization of Short DNA Duplex

In the presented work, a single molecule DNA cyclization assay was used to follow the looping kinetics of single DNA 83 bp molecules, utilizing single molecule fluorescence energy transfer (smFRET) technique. The assay was first prepared in a Na+ free condition and the majority of the DNA was in its unlooped form. A sudden Na+ jump was introduced at different concentrations (0.05-1.75M) and finally yielded DNA in its looping state by annealing the complementary single-strand overhangs of the assay. Looping and unlooping rates were obtained from the kinetic measurements. The result shows a positive and negative linear dependence of the Na+ concentration to the looping and unlooping rate, respectively, until they reach a plateau at 500 mM. The plateau persists until about 1M. For concentrations beyond 1M, an immoderate increase in looping rate is noticed while the unlooping rate does so gradually. Above 1M Na+ there is a preference of looping events that is attributed to the increase of the annealing rate of the overhangs rather than increased flexibility, consistent with earlier studies by Ibrahim Cisse et al. (2012).A protein mediated cyclization assay was also used in experiments with HU protein in which a dramatic increase in the looping rate is noticeable. However in high HU concentration, looping is prohibited implying filament formation.
Composition and deposition of throughfall in a flooded forest archipelago (Negro River, Brazil)

The sources of spatial and temporal variation and rates of nutrient deposition via throughfall were studied for 9 months in the Anavilhanas archipelago of the Negro River, Brazil. A total of 30 events was sampled individually for rain and throughfall chemistry in a 1-ha plot of flooded forest. Throughfall samples were collected in 40 collectors distributed in five parallel transects in the study plot, while rain was collected in 4 collectors in an adjacent channel. Volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of solutes in rain were consistently lower than in throughfall, except for H+, NO 3 − and NH 4 + . Ratios of VWM concentrations of rain to throughfall indicated that K+, followed by Mg2+ and PO 4 3− , were the most enhanced solutes as rain passed through the forest canopy. The deposition of solutes varied significantly among transects, except for Na+ and Ca2+, and was significantly correlated with maximum flooding depth, foliar nutrient content, soil fertility and canopy closure for most solutes. The concentrations of PO 4 3− and most major ions were higher in throughfall compared to those in rain due to canopy exchange and dry deposition. In contrast, NO 3 − , NH 4 + and H+ were retained due to immobilization by leafy canopy and ion exchange processes. Solute inputs via throughfall (not including stemflow) to a floodplain lake (Lake Prato) of the archipelago accounted for 30 to 64% of the total for most solutes in the lake at high water, which indicates that throughfall is an important source of nutrients to the aquatic ecosystem of the Anavilhanas archipelago.
INFANTILE HYPOGLYCEMIA (HG) FROM FAMILIAL HYPERPROIN SULINISM (HPI)

Dominantly transmitted asymptomatic HPI was discovered in 4 generations of a family by Gabbay et al. We add 2 instances of a white newborn girl and a black 11-month-old boy with profound HG. The girl developed HG (<5mg/dl) at 30 hrs with hypothermia and seizures; she was poorly controlled with cortisol and IV glucose (G), very sensitive to glucagon at 2 wks (from 19 to 70 mg/dl) and rapidly responsive to oral diazoxide (DZX). DZX suppressed insulin (I) levels from max 100μU/ml at 19mg/dl G to 7 at 142mg/dl. 80% pancreatectomy was done at age 10 wks; nesidioblastosis was found. Remission lasted 2 mos. DZX was again effective; the most recent effort to stop DZX, at age 5, failed after 10 days without drug when G was 17-40mg/dl, I 20μU/ml and PI 54% (n1 5-22). Parents, 2 sibs, maternal aunt and paternal grandmother had n1 % PI; mat. grandmother had increase (44%). The boy had fasting seizure with G 32mg/dl, glucagon response (26-134), inappropriate I/G (13μU/ml / 19mg/dl, 16/16, 27/36) and HPI (75%). He responded to DZX after 5 days (G 69-107). 80% pancreatectomy was done at age 20 months; histology was normal. Recurrence was complete 4 mos later and DZX effective. Father, young and lean, had fasting hyperI (53μU/ml) and HPI (31%) with normal G tolerance. Mother and sister had normal % PI. HFI is not diagnostic of adenoma in infants with HG, but may indicate a familial abnormality. Good response to DZX may be a contraindication to surgery despite hyperI and/or HPI.
Prognostic modeling in early stage lung cancer: an evolving process from histopathology to genomics.

The goal is to validate a molecular-based tumor model that identifies patients at low-risk for cancer recurrence and who will not benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The remaining patients will be randomized to observation (present standard of care) or adjuvant chemotherapy to determine efficacy of adjuvant in this population. Investigators have focused on the identification of markers that may predict poor prognosis as a way to "enrich" the population by separating those likely to have early recurrence and cancer death from those not needing additional treatment after resection. The initial projects refined predictive models of cancer recurrence after resection for patients with early stage non–small cell lung cancer.
Segmental organization of neural crest migration

Avian neural crest cells migrate on precise pathways to their target areas where they form a wide variety of cellular derivatives, including neurons, glia, pigment cells and skeletal components. In one portion of their pathway, trunk neural crest cells navigate in the somitic mesoderm in a segmental fashion, invading the rostral, while avoiding the caudal, half-sclerotome. This pattern of cell migration, imposed by the somitic mesoderm, contributes to the metameric organization of the peripheral nervous system, including the sensory and sympathetic ganglia. At hindbrain levels, neural crest cells also travel from the neural tube in a segmental manner via three migratory streams of cells that lie adjacent to even-numbered rhombomeres. In this case, the adjacent mesoderm does not possess an obvious segmental organization, compared to the somitic mesoderm at trunk levels. Thus, the mechanisms by which the embryo controls segmentally-organized cell migrations have been a fascinating topic over the past several years. Here, I discuss findings from classical and recent studies that have delineated several of the tissue, cellular and molecular elements that contribute to the segmental organization of neural crest migration, primarily in the avian embryo. One common theme is that neural crest cells are prohibited from entering particular territories in the embryo due to the expression of inhibitory factors. However, permissive, migration-promoting factors may also play a key role in coordinating neural crest migration.
On a class of (0,1) matrices with vanishing determinants

Abstract Let Dn denote the class of all n×n(0,1) matrices having distinct, non-zero, ordered rows. The present paper exhibits a calculation of the number, Tn, of matrices belonging to Dn which have at least two equal columns, or at least one identically zero column, or both. The result is expressed as a series of terms, each of which is a product of a binomial coefficient and a Stirling number of the first kind. All the matrices enumerated by Tn have zero determinant. A short table is given comparing Tn with the total number, Nn, of matrices in Dn which have vanishing determinant; Nn is at present known only through n=6.
Entropy-Driven Stabilization of a Novel Configuration for Acceptor-Hydrogen Complexes in GaN

We present a model for the microscopic structure of Mg-H complexes in GaN, explaining the unusual bond angle observed in recent vibrational spectroscopy studies. The structure is not the lowest-energy configuration at $T\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0$, but it is stabilized at elevated temperatures due to the large entropy associated with a set of low-energy rotational excitations. The rotational excitation spectrum is calculated using a quantum-mechanical model in which the hydrogen atom moves in a weak corrugation potential. Consequences for experiment are discussed.
Hitler's opening gambit: Intelligence, encirclement, and the decision to Ally with Poland

This article asks why the German Foreign Ministry supported Hitler's radical reconstruction of Germany's eastern policy. Already by the fall of 1933, Germany was turning to an alignment with Poland against Soviet Russia ‐ the reverse of Germany's decade‐long Rapallo policy. The author identifies three principal factors that influenced the conservative, typically anti‐Polish diplomats in the Foreign Ministry to support the scheme: fear of a Polish‐Soviet alliance hinted at by recurrent intelligence reports; internal pressure from army and state police officials; and the constraints of the international system.
Angular distributions of α-particles from the reaction 11B(3He, α)10B

Abstract The angular distributions of α-particles from the reaction 11 B( 3 He, α) 10 B leading to the four lowest states in 10 B were measured for 3 He energies of 1.0, 1.8 and 2.15 MeV. The distributions were compared with predictions made from the plane-wave, Butler pick-up theory which was extended to the case of ( 3 He, α) reactions. The comparison indicates the presence of the direct interaction mechanism for the excitation of the three lowest states in 10 B. The α-particles associated with the formation of the 2.15 MeV state in 10 B were symmetric about 90° in the centre-of-mass system. The excitation functions for the formation of the five lowest states in 10 B by the 11 B( 3 He, α) 10 B reaction were measured for 3 He energies from 1.0 MeV to 2.15 MeV.
Induction of pH sensitivity on the fluorescence lifetime of quantum dots by NIR fluorescent dyes

Modulation of the fluorescence lifetime (FLT) of CdTeSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) by near-IR (NIR) organic chromophores represents a new strategy for generating reproducible pH-sensing nanomaterials. The hybrid construct transfers the pH sensitivity of photolabile NIR cyanine dyes to highly emissive and long-lifetime pH-insensitive QDs, thereby inducing a reproducible FLT change from 29 ns at pH >7 to 12 ns at pH <5. This approach provides an unparalleled large dynamic FLT range for pH sensing at NIR wavelengths.
National and local influenza surveillance through Twitter: an analysis of the 2012-2013 influenza epidemic

Social media have been proposed as a data source for influenza surveillance because they have the potential to offer real-time access to millions of short, geographically localized messages containing information regarding personal well-being. However, accuracy of social media surveillance systems declines with media attention because media attention increases "chatter" - messages that are about influenza but that do not pertain to an actual infection - masking signs of true influenza prevalence. This paper summarizes our recently developed influenza infection detection algorithm that automatically distinguishes relevant tweets from other chatter, and we describe our current influenza surveillance system which was actively deployed during the full 2012-2013 influenza season. Our objective was to analyze the performance of this system during the most recent 2012-2013 influenza season and to analyze the performance at multiple levels of geographic granularity, unlike past studies that focused on national or regional surveillance. Our system's influenza prevalence estimates were strongly correlated with surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the United States (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) as well as surveillance data from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene of New York City (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). Our system detected the weekly change in direction (increasing or decreasing) of influenza prevalence with 85% accuracy, a nearly twofold increase over a simpler model, demonstrating the utility of explicitly distinguishing infection tweets from other chatter.
Photochemistry of NO Chemisorbed on TiO2(110) and TiO2 Powders

The photodecomposition of chemisorbed NO has been studied using ultraviolet radiation of (3.96 ± 0.07) eV. Both the TiO2 (110) single-crystal substrate and high area compressed TiO2 powders have been investigated. A primary photoproduct is N2O gas, which desorbs immediately upon irradiation of the TiO2 (110) surface. Following this process, the photoproduction of NO gas is observed to reach a maximum rate and then to decline. The cross section for the initial photodepletion of NO is about 1 × 10-15 cm2, corresponding to a quantum efficiency near unity. In contrast, the quantum efficiencies of gas-phase N2O and NO photoproduction from chemisorbed NO on TiO2 are only in the range 10-2−10-4, indicating that NO photodecomposition primarily yields an intermediate photoproduct (N2O) which is captured on the crystal surface at 118 K. Studies of the infrared spectral behavior of NO on powdered and compressed high area TiO2 powders during photolysis confirm that much of the N2O photoproduct is retained on the surf...
Orientation-insensitive methodology for second harmonic generation. 2. Application to adsorption isotherm and kinetics measurements

In this work, the theory presented in part 1 for an experimental configuration that provides a means to isolate surface coverage measurements by SHG from coverage-dependent molecular orientation changes was tested. The adsorption isotherm for disperse red 1 on glass was found to be quite sensitive to the choice of excitation polarization rotation angle due to a coverage-dependent change in molecular orientation. Appropriate selection of the polarization rotation angle, as dictated by the theory presented in part 1, yielded reliable adsorption isotherm results that were essentially independent of changes in molecular orientation. Use of a standard experimental approach (e.g., probing the intensity of p-polarized second harmonic for p-polarized fundamental), resulted in large error (nearly 100%) in the calculated equilibrium constant. The adsorption isotherm for rhodamine 6G on glass was found to be relatively insensitive to the choice of polarization rotation angle since its apparent orientation angle did not change significantly as a function of coverage.
Comparison of nicotinic receptor binding and biotransformation of coniine in the rat and chick

Coniine, an alkaloid from Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), is a known teratogen in many domestic species with maternal ingestion resulting in arthrogryposis of the offspring. We have previously shown that rats are not susceptible and rabbits only weakly susceptible to coniine-induced arthrogryposis. However, the chick embryo does provide a reproducible laboratory animal model of coniine-induced teratogenesis. The reason for this cross-species variation is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate coniine binding to nicotinic receptors and to measure coniine metabolism in vitro between susceptible and non-susceptible species. Using the chick model, neither the peripheral nicotinic receptor antagonist d-tubocurarine chloride nor the central nicotinic receptor antagonist trimethaphan camsylate blocked the teratogenesis or lethality of 1.5% coniine (50 microliters/egg). Trimethaphan camsylate enhanced coniine-induced lethality in a dose-dependent manner. Neither nicotinic receptor blocker prevented nicotine sulfate-induced malformations but d-tubocurarine chloride did block lethality in a dose-dependent manner. Competition by coniine for [125I]-alpha-bungarotoxin to nicotinic receptors isolated from adult rat diaphragm and chick thigh muscle and competition by coniine for [3H]-cytisine to receptors from rat and chick brain were used to assess coniine binding to nicotinic receptors. The IC50 for coniine in rat diaphragm was 314 microM while that for chick leg muscle was 70 microM. For neuronal nicotinic receptors, the IC50s of coniine for maternal rat brain, fetal rat brain, and chick brain were 1100 microM, 820 microM, and 270 microM, respectively. There were no differences in coniine biotransformation in vitro by microsomes from rat or chick livers. Differences in apparent affinity of coniine for nicotinic receptors or differences in the quantity of the nicotinic receptor between the rat and chick may explain, in part, the differences in susceptibility of coniine-induced teratogenesis between these two species.
Remote flare brightenings and type III reverse slope bursts

We present two large flares which were exceptional in that each produced an extensive chain of Hα emission patches in remote quiet regions more than 105 km away from the main flare site. They were also unusual in that a large group of the rare type III reverse slope bursts accompanied each flare. The observations suggest that this is no coincidence, but that the two phenomena are directly connected. The onset of about half of the remote Hα emission patches were found to be nearly simultaneous with RS bursts. One of the flares (August 26, 1979) was also observed in hard X-rays; the RS bursts occurred during hard X-ray spikes. For the other flare (June 16, 1973), soft X-ray filtergrams show coronal loops connecting from the main flare site to the remote Hα brightenings. There were no other flares in progress during either flare; this, along with the X-ray observations, indicates that the RS burst electrons were generated in these flares and not elsewhere on the Sun. The remote Hα brightenings were apparently not produced by a blast wave from the main flare; no Moreton waves were observed, and the spatially disordered development of the remote Hα chains is further evidence against a blast wave. From geometry, time and energy considerations we propose: (1) That the remote Hα brightenings were initiated by direct heating of the chromosphere by RS burst electrons traveling in closed magnetic loops connecting the flare site to the remote patches; and (2) that after onset, the brightenings were heated by thermal conduction by slower thermal electrons (kT∼1 keV) which immediately follow the RS burst electrons along the same loops.
Calculating call blocking and utilization for communication satellites that use dynamic resource allocation

The performance of most satellite communication (SATCOM) systems is characterized by loading analyses that assess the percentage of users or total throughput a particular system can satisfy. These analyses usually assume a static allocation of resources in which users request communication resources 100% of the time and higher priority users often block lower priority users from getting service. However, the loading of more dynamic, circuit networks such as the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) is typically analyzed on a statistical basis where the probability of a blocked call is computed. These types of systems can potentially satisfy more users than those that use static resource allocation because they take advantage of statistical multiplexing. As SATCOM moves toward a more dynamic concept of operations (CONOPS) to take advantage of potential statistical multiplexing gains, it is crucial to develop analysis capabilities to evaluate performance. In this paper, a method is developed to calculate call-blocking, preemption, and resource utilization for dynamically-allocated SATCOM systems in which users have different priorities and bandwidth requirements. The first part of the study augments the classical M/M/m queuing model to account for users with different priorities and bandwidth requirements. In the second part of the study, the model is used to predict the performance for two competing traffic classes with different bandwidths or priorities and highlight important trends. Finally, the third part of the study directly compares the performance of static and dynamic resource allocation approaches. This work was performed by The Aerospace Corporation in collaboration with a team of students representing the Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) Program. Administered by the UCLA Institute for Pure & Applied Mathematics (IPAM), RIPS provides opportunities for high-achieving undergraduate students to work in teams on real-world research projects proposed by a sponsor from industry.
Extensions of Three Matrix Inequalities to Semisimple Lie Groups

We give extensions of inequalities of Araki-Lieb-Thirring, Audenaert, and Simon, in the context of semisimple Lie groups.
OBSERVABILITY OF THE ANAPOLE MOMENT AND NEUTRINO CHARGE RADIUS

The properties of the neutrino charge radius (NCR) and anapole moments (AM's) of elementary fermions, nucleons, and nuclei are discussed. The dependence of these off-shell electromagnetic couplings on the weak gauge parameter is explicitly demonstrated by a calculation performed in the ${R}_{\ensuremath{\xi}}$ gauge. The gauge dependence of the AM's and NCR implies that they cannot be observed in isolation from other second-order, electroweak effects. It is shown, however, that the AM's of various hadronic systems having an $\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{L}$ quantum number ${T}_{3}^{L}=0$ can be considered "observables" in certain formal, though unphysical, limits. It is argued that, apart from these special limits, the AM is a physically meaningful entity only for heavy and/or nearly degenerate nuclei.
A spectrophotometric assay for glutaminyl-peptide cyclizing enzymes

Current assays for the glutaminyl-peptide cyclizing enzyme, glutaminyl cyclase, have several shortcomings. In this report a rapid spectrophotometric assay for cyclization of glutaminyl-peptides to pyroglutamyl-peptides by glutaminyl cyclase is described which overcomes many of these shortcomings. This coupled assay utilizes glutamate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate and NADH to measure the ammonia released during cyclization of the dipeptide substrate Gln-Gln. Glutaminyl cyclase from bovine pituitary, partially purified by ion exchange chromatography, exhibits a Km for this substrate of 0.6 mM and a Vmax of 9.6 nmol/min/mg protein. These values are comparable to ones previously reported using other glutaminyl-peptide substrates and either radioimmunoassay or high-performance liquid chromatography to measure glutaminyl cyclase activity.
Portrait of the Artist as an Arabesque: Romantic Form and Social Practice in Wilhelm von Schadow’s The Modern Vasari

In 1854, the German painter Wilhelm von Schadow (1788–1862) published his first book, ambitiously titled The Modern Vasari: Reminiscences of an Artistic Life. A Novella. 1 The title confidently pre...
Surface elastic modulus of barnacle adhesive and release characteristics from silicone surfaces

The properties of barnacle adhesive on silicone surfaces were studied by AFM indentation, imaging, and other tests and compared to the barnacle shear adhesion strength. A multilayered structure of barnacle adhesive plaque is proposed based on layered modulus regions measured by AFM indentation. The fracture of barnacles from PDMS surfaces was found to include both interfacial and cohesive failure of barnacle adhesive plaque, as determined by protein staining of the substratum after forced barnacle release from the substrate. Data for freshly released barnacles showed that there was a strong correlation between the mean Young's modulus of the outermost (softest) adhesive layer (E< 0.3 MPa) and the shear strength of adhesion, but no correlation for other higher modulus regions. Linear, quadratic, and Griffith's failure criterion (based on rough estimate of crack length) regressions were used in the fit, and showed significance.
Blockade of the melatonin potentiation of tonic immobility in chickens by methysergide and cyproheptadine

The effects of two anti-serotonergic drugs, methysergide and cyproheptadine, on tonic immobility in chickens were examined. Methysergide increased the number of inductions required to produce immobility, while cyproheptadine had no effect on this measure. Neither drug had any significant effect on the duration of immobility under normal conditions, but methysergide significantly reduced the prolongation of immobility duration produced by injections of melatonin. In this regard cyproheptadine had much less of an effect than methysergide. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the serotonergic, midbrain-raphe model of tonic immobility and the possible mode of action by melatonin on the immobility response.
Priming Prejudice How Stereotypes and Counter‐Stereotypes Influence Attribution of Responsibility and Credibility among Ingroups and Outgroups

The research examines the effect of priming negative stereotypic and positive counter-stereotypic portrayals of African Americans (Study 1) and women (Study 2) on interpretations of actual media events. A counter-stereotypic portrayal of an African American male led participants to subsequently make more external or situational attributions of responsibility to other African American males involved in unrelated media events (i.e., Rodney King and Magic Johnson), whereas stereotypic portrayals led to more internal or personal attributions. Similarly, a counter-stereotypic portrayal of a female tended to increase the perceived credibility of females involved in unrelated media events (i.e., the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings and the William Kennedy Smith/Patricia Bowman rape trial) whereas stereotypic portrayals decreased their perceived credibility. Study 2 also revealed an ingroup-outgroup bias in the interpretation of media events, with females tending to be more sympathetic toward other females. Implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions made for future research.
Applying Toyota Production System Techniques for Medication Delivery: Improving Hospital Safety and Efficiency

The inpatient medication delivery system used at a large regional acute care hospital in the Midwest had become antiquated and inefficient. The existing 24-hr medication cart-fill exchange process with delivery to the patients' bedside did not always provide ordered medications to the nursing units when they were needed. In 2007 the principles of the Toyota Production System (TPS) were applied to the system. Project objectives were to improve medication safety and reduce the time needed for nurses to retrieve patient medications. A multidisciplinary team was formed that included representatives from nursing, pharmacy, informatics, quality, and various operational support departments. Team members were educated and trained in the tools and techniques of TPS, and then designed and implemented a new pull system benchmarking the TPS Ideal State model. The newly installed process, providing just-in-time medication availability, has measurably improved delivery processes as well as patient safety and satisfaction. Other positive outcomes have included improved nursing satisfaction, reduced nursing wait time for delivered medications, and improved efficiency in the pharmacy. After a successful pilot on two nursing units, the system is being extended to the rest of the hospital.
Thiophene Polymer-Grafted Barium Titanate Nanoparticles toward Nanodielectric Composites

This paper reports a strategy for controlling surface chemistry of barium titanate (BaTiO3) using surface-initiated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of an oligothiophene monomer. The modular chemistry on the engineering of nanoparticles provides a facile pathway to compatibilizing dielectric nanofillers in a matrix of oligothiophene polymers, leading to the formation of nanodielectric composites with permittivity at ∼20 and dielectric loss <0.02 over a wide range of frequencies (1 kHz to 1 MHz). This approach could be generalized to a variety of nanoparticles with tunable dipolar polymer shells for the development of novel dielectric nanocomposite systems for energy storage.
Salts of Mosher’s thioacid: agents for determining the enantiomer excess of SN2 substrates

Abstract The racemic and the (S)-enantiomer of Mosher’s thioacid, 2-methoxy-2-trifluoromethylphenylacetic thioacid, form air-stable salts with Proton Sponge [1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene]. These salts are powerful nucleophiles that react cleanly (SN2 inversion) in CDCl3 with optically active alkyl halides ranging in reactivities from unactivated alkyl bromides and iodides to benzylic bromides. The diastereomeric excess (de) of the thioester products indicates the enantiomeric excess (ee) of the starting alkyl halides.