cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Motion of Organic Species Occluded or Sorbed Within Zeolites [1]

Containment of organic species within microporous materials such as zeolites influences their modes of molecular motion. This manifests itself in a range of ways, including a reduction in the volume that is readily accessible to the molecules by translation, constraints upon the molecular conformational space, restricted modes of molecular reorientation, or altered vibrational frequencies. The perspectives on certain of the motional properties of sorbates and of tetramethylammonium cations within zeolites provided by simple molecular modelling, neutron powder diffraction, 13C and 2H(D) NMR, and inelastic and quasielastic neutron scattering are outlined and illustrated by selected recent results.
Development of symptom assessment tool for terminal cancer patients

19634 Background: A symptom assessment is important to control the terminal cancer patients’ symptoms successfully and improve their quality of life. Our research team has developed the objective a...
Submicrovillar tubules in distal segments of squid photoreceptors detected by rapid freezing.

Invertebrate phototransduction is believed to involve an inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated release of calcium from intracellular storage compartments. Although light-induced production of InsP3 has been demonstrated for squid retinas, morphological evidence for the presence of internal calcium stores has been lacking. Because squid retinas are about 1 mm thick and composed of densely packed receptor cells, conventional aldehyde fixatives may not penetrate rapidly enough to preserve subcellular organelles. To reduce the time for fixative penetration, receptor cells were isolated from intact retinas before fixation, but these techniques provided little improvement in the preservation of membrane-bound compartments. Alternatively, the distal ends of the receptors were ultra-rapidly frozen by dropping 1 mm2 pieces of intact retina against a liquid helium-cooled copper block. Electron micrographs of thick sections from rapidly frozen and freeze- substituted retinas showed elongated saccules oriented parallel to the long axis of the receptor cell and located about 40 nm from the microvillar openings. Freeze-fracture and etch views of rapidly frozen cells showed that the saccules are 130 nm diameter tubules and extend for at least several micrometers along the length of the receptor cell. We call these organelles submicrovillar tubules (SMT). The gap between the SMT and the plasma membrane contains a network of filaments that appear to be actin. Freeze-fracture and etch views of the rhabdomeres also indicate that adjacent microvilli are separated by a 6–8-nm-wide extracellular space along most of their length. This space is spanned by extracellular connections linking adjacent microvilli. The position and orientation of the SMT suggest that these organelles may serve the same function as the more voluminous and highly convoluted submicrovillar cisternae found in other invertebrates. The SMT is likely to be the intracellular compartment that stores and releases calcium as part of the InsP3-mediated light response.
Beyond the hospital doors: Improving long-term outcomes for elderly trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Elderly trauma patients (TPs) are the fastest growing trauma population, increasing the need for postacute care rehabilitation. For TP, discharge to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) has been associated with higher 1-year mortality compared with discharge to inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) or home. The availability of IRF beds has been decreasing, but the proportion occupied by non-TPs, specifically stroke patients (SPs), has increased. We wanted to better characterize trends in trauma discharges and compare them with a population that is equally dependent on postdischarge rehabilitation. We hypothesized that discharge to SNF is rapidly increasing, while discharge to IRF is declining for trauma, but not for SPs. METHODS: This is retrospective cohort study of adult trauma and SPs discharged from 2003 to 2009. The National Trauma Data Bank and National Inpatient Sample were used to study TPs and SPs, respectively. RESULTS: Falls became the leading cause of injury, and the proportion of older TPs increased from 23% to 30%. Older TPs discharged to SNF increased from 30.7% in 2003 to 40.8% in 2009 (p CONCLUSION: For TPs, there was a significant increase in SNF discharges and a decrease in IRF discharges. During the same period, after implementation of stroke center certification, SPs were more likely to be discharged to an IRF. Future research should focus on evaluating which postacute care setting is most effective in providing rehabilitation for TPs and adjusting our discharge efforts to improve long-term outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and epidemiologic, level III. Language: en
Size-dependent melting temperature of individual nanometer-sized metallic clusters

Gold and silver clusters with diameters in the nanometer-size range were grown in an inert-gas beam and deposited on the end of a tungsten field emitter. The field-emission current from an individual cluster is used to study a size-dependent change in shape of the cluster as a function of temperature. Three experimental signatures indicate an abrupt change in cluster shape at a temperature below the bulk melting point. This temperature is found to depend on cluster size and is in agreement with a thermodynamic model for cluster melting, provided the cluster diameter is greater than \ensuremath{\sim}2 nm.
Reflection and Transmission Properties of Cylindrically Guided Electromagnetic Waves

Cylindrically guided hybrid, TE and TM electromagnetic waves, which satisfy the wave equation, Maxwell’s equations, and certain boundary conditions at the curved surface of a homogeneous, isotropic cylinder, are permitted to be incident normally on plane interfaces between the cylinder and arbitrary outside media. The laws of reflection and transmission are then derived as boundary-value problems, using electromagnetic theory. These laws, for all three types of waves, differ from each other and from Fresnel’s equations, and depend upon the material constants of both media, the frequency, the radius of the cylinder, the form of the incident electromagnetic wave, and on whether the cylinder is experiencing stimulated emission or absorption in the direction of the axis. At interfaces outside the cylinder, these laws recover some of their Fresnel-like properties and depend only upon the material constants and frequency, but there are still differences between the three types of waves and Fresnel’s equations. There are also corresponding differences in the radiant-flux distributions for all three types of waves in each of the media.
Development of PCR-based methods for detection of Sphaerothecum destruens in fish tissues.

Single-round and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were developed for amplification of a 434 bp fragment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene from Sphaerothecum destruens, previously known as the rosette agent, an intracellular parasite of salmonid fishes. Both tests have successfully amplified S. destruens-specific DNA from different iso- lates of S. destruens but not from related organisms. The limits of detection using the nested PCR test were 1 pg for purified S. destruens genomic DNA and 0.1 fg for plasmid DNA. We conducted 2 ex- perimental transmission studies, consisting of injection or waterborne exposure of juvenile winter- run Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to spore stages of the parasite. In the injection study, parasite DNA was detected in 100% of kidney samples from exposed fish (n = 83) at 1 and 3 mo post- exposure using nested PCR, versus 98% using microscopic analysis of Gram-stained impression smears made from the kidney. Following waterborne exposure, fish were sampled over the course of a year. From each fish, samples of gill, liver, posterior intestine and kidney were analyzed. S. destru- ens-specific DNA was detected most often in gill and kidney over the course of the experiment, and 71% (64/90) of the exposed fish were identified as positive for S. destruens using the nested PCR test, versus 16% (14/90) using microscopic analysis of Gram-stained kidney smears. Natural infections in captive broodstock of adult winter-run Chinook salmon, originally diagnosed by examination of Gram-stained kidney smears, were confirmed using the nested PCR test in all fish examined (15/15). Further, the nested test amplified parasite-specific DNA from other tissues in these fish with varying frequencies. This report introduces the first DNA-based detection method for S. destruens, to be used alone as a diagnostic tool or in conjunction with histologic tests for confirmatory identification of the parasite.
Storytelling 2.0: Playing the news

Video games can be used for more than just entertainment. In fact, they may be the future of journalism, says Ian Bogost
Investigation of the role of free-carrier screening during relaxation of carriers excited by femtosecond optical pulses

ABSTRACTThe role of free carrier screening, in the ultrafast relaxation of optically excited carriers, is reassessed using the ensemble Monte Carlo technique. The conventional static screening approximation is compared to a new dynamic screening model. Evolution of the nonequilibrium dynamic dielectric function and its consequences for the carrier scauering are examined. It is shown that dynamic screening results in significant enhancement of both the carrier-carrier and polar optic phonon scattering rates. Relaxation times for the dynamic screening model are found to be dramatically shorter than those for thestatic screening model. Methods of experimentally differentiating between the two models are proposed. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last few years the femtosecond relaxation of optically excited electron-hole plasmas has received considerable interest. A number of investigations, both experimenta*3 and simulation,47 have drawnattention to carrier-carrier scattering as an important mechanism through which the relaxation occurs.
Electrical Field-Flow Fractionation of Proteins

Protein separation has been achieved by electrical field-flow fractionation, a heretofore unrealized separation technique. Some advantages of this method relative to electrophoresis are the low voltage required, the lack of adverse heating and support effects, and the existence of the method as an elution technique. A comparison of theoretical and experimental retention shows good agreement.
Strain-induced shape changes of cubic precipitates in a cubic matrix with positive anisotropy

This paper considers the evolution of equilibrium shape during the coarsening of a system of cubic precipitates in a cubic matrix with positive anisotropy [Delta] = C[sub 11] - C[sub 12] - 2C[sub 44] [gt] 0). The system is assumed to have homogeneous elastic constants and isotropic surface tension. The low-energy shapes include the sphere, and the octahedron, tetrahedron and plate with [l brace]111[r brace] faces. Minimization of the sum of the elastic and surface energies shows that the sphere is preferred at arbitrarily small sizes, but ordinarily transforms into a tetrahedron, and finally in a plate as size increases. When [Delta] [gt] 0.79C[sub 11] the octahedron is preferred for a small range of sizes between sphere and tetrahedron. Analytic expressions are given from the equilibrium shape transitions. The results are compared to experimental observations of shape changes during coarsening in (mg, Y)-ZrO[sub 2]. The experimentally observed absence of octahedral shaped precipitates and the size at which tetrahedral shaped precipitates become stable in this system are consistent with the theoretical predictions.
Colour, fat and social status in male damselflies, Calopteryx maculata.

In the black-winged damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, younger males challenge and displace older males from mating territories. Fatter males tend to win fights. These fights were initially interpreted as wars of attrition based on fat reserves, but the distributions of fat at the end of fights suggests at least some assessment of the opponent's condition. Alternatively, new models have been developed that show how the observed pattern could result without assessment. We show that there is a subtle but reliable cue to fat reserves: colour. Females are a relatively drab brown-black. Males are a strikingly iridescent blue-green colour, resulting from a multilayer constructive interference reflector system in the epicuticle. In fatter males the lamellae are more compressed and the peak reflectance is at shorter wavelengths (blue). Leaner, greener males have greater spacing between lamellae and reflect longer wavelengths. The peak reflectance is as predicted from transmission electron micrograph measurements of the lamellar spacing. The rate of change in spacing over time can be manipulated experimentally by manipulating the diet. Individuals on a higher food diet remained blue longer and at the end of the experiment were fatter and bluer. In our studies, colour is a better predictor of territorial status than fat.
Phosphorylation of a sugar-specific protein component of the lactose transport system in Staphylococcus aureus.

Abstract A sugar-specific component of the lactose transport system in Staphylococcus aureus, Factor IIIlac, is phosphorylated as an intermediate in the over-all transfer of a phosphoryl group from PEP to lactose. P-IIIlac is isolated and shown to be a substrate for the final phosphoryl transfer reaction to sugar, catalyzed by Enzyme IIlac.
More Meanings and More Questions for the term "Emotion"

I am very appreciative of those who wrote comments on my article. They raised some interesting and some quite challenging questions. Their responses seem quite in synchrony with my focus and intent—to reveal some problems that we need to address in advancing emotion science. The authors of the commentaries reflected some of the same sort of differences among themselves as I found among the emotion scientists whom I surveyed in search of a definition of emotion. Like the emotion scientists who responded to my survey, most of the authors of the commentaries were generally in agreement on the significance of research in the emotion domain but not in agreement on the meaning of the term emotion. I briefly discuss the noteworthy question (raised in one of the commentaries) as to whether and when discrete emotion concepts might someday share the same fate as the general term emotion and disappear from emotion science.
Reconfigurable antennas and apertures: State-of-the-art and future outlook

The future proliferation of truly high-speed wireless systems will require more functionality from antennas than can be provided by classic designs. One approach to this challenge is to develop reconfigurable antennas. The goal of a reconfigurable radiator - one that can adjust its operating frequency, bandwidth, and/or radiation pattern to accommodate changing requirements - poses significant challenges to both antenna and system designers. This paper highlights some of the recent advances in the area of antenna reconfiguration, at the University of Illinois and elsewhere, as well as discusses some of the barriers that still need to be overcome to arrive at realizable technologies. These barriers include the development of reliable, mass-manufacturable RF MEMS switches, the design of switch bias networks that will not interfere with antenna operation, and the expansion of signal processing and feedback algorithms to fully exploit this new antenna functionality.
Strong-coupling approximation in supersymmetric field theory

Abstract We show how to use the lattice strong-coupling approximation in a wide class of two-dimensional supersymmetric field theories. We demonstrate that this technique is highly accurate for supersymmetric theories by calculating the ground-state energy density E 0 through seventh order in perturbation theory and by showing that the result approaches the correct supersymmetric limit E 0 =0. We argue that, by their nature, strong-coupling methods are especially well-suited for practical calculation in supersymmetric theories.
Protective coatings of nanophase diamond deposited directly on stainless steel substrates

Composed of sp3 bonded nodules of carbon, nanophase diamond films are deposited in vacuum onto almost any substrate by condensing carbon ions carrying keV energies. These multiply charged ions are obtained from the laser ablation of graphite at intensities in excess of 1011 W cm−2. The high energy of condensation provides both the chemical bonding of such films to a wide variety of substrates and low values of residual compressive stress. Coatings of 2–5 μm thickness have extended lifetimes of materials such as Si, Ti, ZnS, ZnSe, and Ge against the erosive wear from high-speed particles by factors of tens to thousands. In this research emphasis has been placed on studies of the bonding and properties realized by the direct deposition of nanophase diamond films on stainless steel substrates. Examinations of interfacial layers showed deep penetrations of carbon atoms into steel substrates. Resistances to low and high impact wear estimated by a tumbler device and a modified sand blaster, respectively, and results indicated significant increases in the lifetime of stainless steel samples. The characterization studies in this work demonstrated nanophase diamond as an attractive material for use as a protective coating in current industrial applications.
Killing the messenger to maintain control of HIV.

Certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are associated with vigorous human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific CD8+ T cell responses and good clinical outcomes. A new study suggests that CD8+ T cell–mediated killing of regulatory CD4+ T cells may partially explain how people with these protective alleles control HIV-1 replication (pages 989–995).
The Role of Dendritic Cells and Immunotherapy in Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis

This review focuses on dendritic cells and immunotherapy as they relate to allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS). A comprehensive review using PubMed was performed and articles were reviewed and selected for inclusion based on applicability to our topic of interest and quality of data. Many questions remain unanswered in regards to the management and etiology of AFRS. Much of our current care is driven by small studies and global extrapolation is not possible. Dendritic cells represent an intriguing option for a target cell in the abnormal immune response that is seen with AFRS. Immunotherapy may also play a prominent role in the adjuvant therapy for AFRS but strong data is lacking. AFRS is a challenge to treat and close surveillance as well as consideration of the patient’s symptoms, both separate from and combined with clinical or radiographic findings, may be the most valuable medicine we have at present.
Risk stratification in hypertension: new insights from the Framingham Study

Five decades of epidemiologic research have established that blood pressure elevation is a common and powerful contributor to all of the major cardiovascular diseases, including coronary disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, renal disease, and heart failure. The common variety of hypertension designated benign essential hypertension was not shown to be either benign or essential. Although clinicians favor the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in terms of diastolic blood pressure elevation and categoric cut points, epidemiologic data show a more important influence of systolic blood pressure, and a continuous, graded influence of blood pressure even within what is regarded as the normotensive range. An important revelation in epidemiologic hypertension research is that hypertension usually occurs in conjunction with other metabolically linked risk factors; therefore, less than 20% occurs in isolation. The other risk factors that tend to accompany hypertension include glucose intolerance, obesity, left ventricular hypertrophy, and dislipidemia (elevated total, LDL, and small dense LDL cholesterol levels, raised triglyceride, and reduced HDL cholesterol levels). Clusters of three or more of these additional risk factors occur at four times the rate expected by chance. This clustering is attributed to an insulin resistance syndrome promoted by abdominal obesity. The amount of risk factor clustering accompanying elevated blood pressure was observed to increase with weight gain. Based on Framingham Study data the prevalence of insulin resistance syndrome in the general population could be as high as 22% in men and 27% in women. Risk of coronary disease, the most common and most lethal sequel to hypertension, increased stepwise with the extent of risk factor clustering. Among persons with hypertension, about 40% of coronary events in men and 68% in women are attributable to the presence of two or more additional risk factors. Only 14% of coronary events in hypertensive men and 5% of those in hypertensive women occurred in the absence of additional risk factors. Other important features of risk stratification of hypertension are the presence of an elevated heart rate and left ventricular hypertrophy, and an elevated fibrinogen that often accompany hypertension. Recent population-based data reported suggest that elevated renin accompanying hypertension may independently enhance the risk of coronary events. Because clustering of other major risk factors with hypertension is the rule, the prudent physician should routinely screen for the presence of these other factors. Multivariate risk assessment profiles are now available for coronary disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure, to enable physicians to pool all the relevant risk factor information so as to arrive at a composite risk estimate. Hypertensive patients are more appropriately targeted for therapy by such risk stratification and the goal of the therapy should be to improve the multivariate risk profile.
Stimulus intensity and recency contrasts and orienting response strength.

Several groups of 30 college students heard sequences of noise pulses. Skin conductance response (SCR) magnitudes revealed that intensity and recency effects remain effective during habituation trials. Habituation of the SCR magnitude occurred to stimuli that were presented in a pattern composed of two intensities and to stimuli in a pattern of two interstimulus intervals though the specific differential effects of level of intensity and of recency remained clearly evident. There appeared further an enhancement of response magnitude to intense stimuli (an apparent contrast effect) when they were presented in that pattern of two intensities and compared to response to suitable control sequences. After significant but not complete habituation occurred, a reduction in stimulus intensity or of interstimulus interval reduced SCR magnitude further. The findings were discussed as supplements to Sokolov's habituation theory.
Analytical electron microscope studies of size-segregated particles collected during AGASP-II, flights 201–203

Cascade impactor samples were collected over the Alaskan Arctic during the first three research flights of AGASP-II. These samples were analyzed using analytical electron microscopy to determine the morphology, mineralogy and elemental composition of individual particles. For analytical considerations, a typical impactor sample was run for approximately 20 min, thus giving excellent time resolution of discrete events. Samples collected during flights 201 and 202 consisted of stratospheric aerosol and lower-altitude haze samples. Stratospheric samples were characterized by moderate loadings of H2SO4 droplets with relatively few particles of other types. Samples collected in tropospheric haze layers generally exhibited light-to-moderate particle loadings. H2SO4 was again the most prevalent species, with crustal and anthropogenic particles also observed. One sample taken over south-central Alaska near the end of flight 203 showed high concentrations of solid crustal particles, with relatively little associated H2SO4. Giant particles larger than 5 μm were occasionally observed in this aerosol. The composition of this material closely matches that of bulk ash from the Mt. Augustine volcano, which erupted 9–13 days before collection of this sample. This brings forth the possibility that pockets of ash-rich aerosol existed over parts of south and central Alska during the AGASP-II field mission. There is no evidence that these volcanic aerosols were present in the AGASP study area north of the Brooks Range.
Assembly of a polyoma-like particle from empty capsids and DNA in a cell-free system.

Abstract A polyoma-like particle (PLP)is formed when polyoma DNA and purified empty capsids are incubated in a cell-free system. The DNA of this new particle is protected against the action of pancreatic DNase. The density of the purified PLP in CsCl is 1.32 g/cc, which is intermediate between that of polyoma virions (1.34 g/cc) and empty capsids (1.29 g/cc). Purified PLP sediments at 190S in sucrose and is stable in solutions of high ionic strength. When the DNA is extracted from PLP by the use of detergent and phenol, it is found to be double-stranded with a molecular weight of approximately 1.1 × 10 6 . The particles are stable in CsCl at 4° for at least 5 months. Electron micrographs indicate that highly purified PLPs stained with 2% PTA have the same appearance as polyoma capsids. Neither aggregates nor complexes bound by loose ionic bonds appear reasonable to explain these results. The evidence indicates that the DNA of this new polyoma-like particle, made under cell-free conditions, is protected by the capsid.
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgical Treatment of Initial Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Young Patients

Abstract Background The treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in young adults has been controversial. Conventional treatment consisting of chest tube thoracostomy may be associated with morbidity at the time of tube insertion, prolonged hospitalization, and interval operation in many patients. As spontaneous pneumothorax in young adults is usually associated with apical blebs, we hypothesized that video-assisted thoracic surgical (VATS) resection of the blebs at the time of the first pneumothorax may be an effective treatment associated with low morbidity and short hospital stays. Methods From July 1992 to February 2001, 156 young adults were treated for spontaneous pneumothorax. Within 12 hours of presentation to the emergency department patients underwent semielective VATS with bleb resection and pleuradesis. During follow-up patients were observed for recurrent pneumothorax. Results There were 69 men (44%) and 87 women (56%). The median age was 19 years old (range 14 to 38 years old). Patients were predominantly tall and thin. Patients were mildly symptomatic at the time of presentation. Apical blebs were seen in all patients and the presence of blebs was confirmed in the pathologic specimen. In 23 patients bleeding was associated with bleb rupture. There were no postoperative air leaks. The mean hospital stay was 2.4 ± 0.5 days. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 96 months (median 62 months). There were no recurrences on the index side. Conclusions VATS resection of apical blebs is associated with low morbidity and short hospitalization and provides an attractive alternative to the conventional treatment of initial tube thoracostomy and possible interval repeat thoracostomy or operation. VATS may be an effective first line treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax in young adults. Due to the pathophysiology of this disease, patients should be closely followed for the occurrence of pneumothorax on the contralateral side.
The Noonan syndrome/cherubism association.

Abstract Noonan syndrome is characterized by short stature, unusual facies, congenital heart disease, chest deformity, mild mental retardation, and cryptorchidism in males. It may be sporadic or inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and occurs between 1 in 1000 and in 1 2500 live births. Cherubism is a giant cell lesion of the jaws thought to be transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. It is usually recognized by age 7 years, follows a variable course, and is not known to be related to other genetic disorders. We herein report on four patients with Noonan syndrome, all of whom had cherubism. Two other probable cases are cited in the literature for a total of six known cases.
An Enzymatic Platform for the Synthesis of Isoprenoid Precursors

The isoprenoid family of compounds is estimated to contain ∼65,000 unique structures including medicines, fragrances, and biofuels. Due to their structural complexity, many isoprenoids can only be obtained by extraction from natural sources, an inherently risky and costly process. Consequently, the biotechnology industry is attempting to genetically engineer microorganisms that can produce isoprenoid-based drugs and fuels on a commercial scale. Isoprenoid backbones are constructed from two, five-carbon building blocks, isopentenyl 5-pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl 5-pyrophosphate, which are end-products of either the mevalonate or non-mevalonate pathways. By linking the HMG-CoA reductase pathway (which produces mevalonate) to the mevalonate pathway, these building block can be synthesized enzymatically from acetate, ATP, NAD(P)H and CoA. Here, the enzymes in these pathways are used to produce pathway intermediates and end-products in single-pot reactions and in remarkably high yield, ∼85%. A strategy for the regio-specific incorporation of isotopes into isoprenoid backbones is developed and used to synthesize a series of isotopomers of diphosphomevalonate, the immediate end-product of the mevalonate pathway. The enzymatic system is shown to be robust and capable of producing quantities of product in aqueous solutions that meet or exceed the highest levels achieved using genetically engineered organisms in high-density fermentation.
Cytogenetic abnormalities in essential thrombocythemia: prevalence and prognostic significance.

Objectives: In the current study we describe cytogenetic findings as well as clinical correlates and long-term prognostic relevance of abnormal cytogenetics at the time of diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia (ET). Patients and methods: The study cohort consisted of a consecutive group of patients with ET who fulfilled the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria, and in whom cytogenetic analysis was performed at diagnosis. Results: A total of 402 patients were studied (median age, 56 yrs; median follow-up 70 months). The prevalence of abnormal cytogenetics at diagnosis was 7% (28 of 402). The most common cytogenetic anomalies were trisomy 9 (four patients), abnormal chromosome 1 (three patients) and trisomy 8 (two patients). Parameters at diagnosis that were significantly associated with abnormal cytogenetics included palpable splenomegaly (P = 0.03), current tobacco use (P = 0.04); venous thrombosis (P = 0.02), and anemia with a hemoglobin of <10 g/dL (P = 0.02); but did not include JAK2V617F mutation status, or advanced age. During follow up, patients with abnormal cytogenetics did not have shorter survival, or increased transformation to acute leukemia or myelofibrosis. Conclusion: Cytogenetic anomalies at diagnosis are relatively uncommon in ET, and do not predict evolution into more aggressive myeloid disorders, or inferior survival.
Chemistry of carbonnitrogen multiple bonds. The useful synthon CF2NBr

Abstract Improvements in the synthesis of N-bromo-difluoromethanimine, CF2NBr, will be described along with some reaction chemistry. The imine undergoes thermal addition with a variety of olefins, leading to the simple addition product and to the formation of telomers. Photolysis with CO forms the isocyanate BrCF 2 NCO, in high yield. Pyrolysis of CF 2 NBr at ∼ 450°C gives high yields of tetrafluoro-2,3-diaza-1,3- butadiene, CF 2 NNCF 2 , making this compound readily available for the first time. Some new reaction chemistry of the diene will be discussed.
Enhanced Chartreusin Solubility by Hydroxybenzoate Hydrotropy

The apparent aqueous solubility of the water-insoluble cytotoxic agent, chartreusin, was increased at neutral pH in the presence of hydroxybenzoates. Water molecules play an important role in the chartreusin conformation. Studies included solubility and spectral examinations. The weakest and strongest interactants with chartreusin were sodium benzoate and sodium trihydroxybenzoate, respectively, while the effect of mono- and dihydroxybenzoates was intermediate. A plane-to-plane orientation of chartreusin and the ligand molecules brought together by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions is postulated. The dramatic chartreusin aqueous solubility increase relative to its aglycone, chartarin, under similar conditions was best rationalized by micellization.
The Role of the Labor Courts in Western Germany

F ROM THEIR INCEPTION the labor courts have occupied an important and controversial position in the system of labor relations in Germany. Though it can claim much earlier ancestry, the labor court structure bears the heavy imprint of the Labor Court Act of the Weimar Republic. Since 1926, when this act was passed, and the present day, some three decades have elapsed. These thirty years have seen the labor courts pass from the Weimar Republic, through the Third Reich and the Allied Occupation, to the Federal Republic. With the exception of the Nazi epoch, the labor courts have played a significant part during this period in the development of modern German labor law, both the collective labor law and individual labor law. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the role of the labor courts in the development of certain aspects of the individual labor law, with emphasis on the post-World War II period. But first a brief glance might be given at the historical evolution of the present system of labor courts.
Utilization of STEM nanodiffraction data

Abstract A scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) designed to simultaneously record all of the diffraction data at each beam position is necessary to fully utilize the imaging potential of a STEM. However, analysis of this large quantity of data requires considerable computation that should be undertaken only with the assurance that the data were collected under near optimum conditions from the desired region of the sample. This paper develops equations for the total elastic scattering produced with a small, coherent electron beam incident on a thin sample. These equations are used as the basis for simulations which indicate that high-angle annular-dark-field (ADF) images may be used to indicate the quality of the diffraction data. When the microscope is adjusted such that the portion of the data falling within a high-angle annulus forms a real-time high-resolution image with 2.5A˚resolution or better, the simultaneously recorded nanodiffraction data are suitable for the reconstruction of images possessing 1A˚resolution or better. While the resolution of the ADF image is determined by the electron beam size, the coherent nanodiffraction data contain structural information for each beam position to the resolution limit of the diffraction pattern.
Gene structure in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus based on transcriptome analysis

A comprehensive transcriptome analysis has been performed on protein-coding RNAs of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, including 10 different embryonic stages, six feeding larval and metamorphosed juvenile stages, and six adult tissues. In this study, we pooled the transcriptomes from all of these sources and focused on the insights they provide for gene structure in the genome of this recently sequenced model system. The genome had initially been annotated by use of computational gene model prediction algorithms. A large fraction of these predicted genes were recovered in the transcriptome when the reads were mapped to the genome and appropriately filtered and analyzed. However, in a manually curated subset, we discovered that more than half the computational gene model predictions were imperfect, containing errors such as missing exons, prediction of nonexistent exons, erroneous intron/exon boundaries, fusion of adjacent genes, and prediction of multiple genes from single genes. The transcriptome data have been used to provide a systematic upgrade of the gene model predictions throughout the genome, very greatly improving the research usability of the genomic sequence. We have constructed new public databases that incorporate information from the transcriptome analyses. The transcript-based gene model data were used to define average structural parameters for S. purpuratus protein-coding genes. In addition, we constructed a custom sea urchin gene ontology, and assigned about 7000 different annotated transcripts to 24 functional classes. Strong correlations became evident between given functional ontology classes and structural properties, including gene size, exon number, and exon and intron size.
Imagined lives and modernist chronotopes in Mexican nonmigrant discourse

The globalization literature spotlights the way that the experiences of transnational actors are refracted through lives inhabitable elsewhere. In this article, I examine this process in spoken discourse about U.S.-bound migration produced by nonmigrants in the Mexican city of Uriangato. This talk is organized around a “modernist chronotope” that pits “progress” against “tradition,” producing images of space–time grafted onto images of persons, or social personae. I show that acts of position taking vis-a-vis these social personae are fundamentally expressed through the ways speakers deploy the modernist chronotope and, thus, become emplotted in its imaginative sociology—a practice that constructs speakers as certain gender and class types. [discourse, chronotope, transnational migration, modernity, social positioning, gender and socioeconomic class]
Darwinian thinking: 150 years after The Origin.

hypothesis that adaptive divergence leads to speciation and to the evolution of traits and behaviors that influence the prospects for species coexistence. A key issue here is the role of character displacement in the origin and mainte- nance of diversity. Pfennig and Pfennig find substantial evidence that character displacement plays an important role in the evolution of species interactions and identify a number of additional areas that Darwin had not con- sidered, including sexual selection and phenotypic plas- ticity. Their paper clearly illustrates how Darwin's original observations continue to shape our thinking on the in- terface between ecology, behavior, and evolution. Of the many insightful observations presented in The Origin, perhaps none is more remarkable than Darwin's discussion of the evolution of hybrid sterility. He under- stood that sterility could not have evolved as an adaptation of individual species and that interactions in the hybrids stemming from the contributions of each parent caused incompatibilities, but without today's specific knowledge of genetics, he was unable to reach a satisfactory expla- nation. Presgraves (2010) reviews this topic in detail, in- cluding an historical perspective on the contributions by Darwin, Muller, and Dobzhansky to the problem. He also provides an overview of the recent advances in our un- derstanding of the genetic mechanisms that contribute to the evolution of hybrid incompatibilities. This includes evidence that genetic conflict, and not adaptive divergence, may be a primary cause of hybrid sterility and inviability. Darwin considered multiple sources of evidence to gain support for his theory of natural selection, including the evolution of both living and extinct organisms. Hunt (2010) describes Darwin's attempts to use the fossil record to test the hypothesis that evolution by natural selection is a gradual process. Darwin argued at the time that the record was too incomplete to provide an adequate test. Hunt reviews the current paleontological record and con- cludes that over short periods, rates of morphological evo- lution are sometimes considerably faster than Darwin had proposed. Sticklebacks provide a particularly illustrative case, where a nearly continuous record extending over the last 10 million years shows that most phenotypic evolution occurred over a brief period of approximately 1,000 gen- erations. Moreover, for a wide variety of organisms and
Factor VIII in the Setting of Acute Ischemic Stroke Among Patients With Suspected Hypercoagulable State

Background:Elevation of factor VIII is associated with higher risk of large vessel arterial occlusions including stroke.Methods:Factor VIII levels were examined in consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) presenting to a single center between July 2008 and May 2012. Factor VIII levels exceeding the laboratory reference range were considered elevated (>150%).Results: Factor VIII level was elevated in 72.4% (84 of 116) of the patients. Elevated factor VIII level was more frequent in blacks, diabetics, and patients who were anemic. Patients with elevated factor VIII had higher median baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS; 5 vs 2, P = .0295) and twice the frequency of neuroworsening (21.4% vs 9.4%), but discharge NIHSS and modified Rankin Scale were similar in the groups.Conclusions: High factor VIII level was found in the majority of tested patients with AIS. Several baseline differences were found between patients with normal and high factor VIII levels, but no differences w...
Angiogenic heterogeneity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: biological and therapeutic implications

The literature contains numerous references describing heterogeneity for tumor phenotypes including cell proliferation, invasiveness, metastatic potential, and response to therapies. However, data regarding angiogenic heterogeneity are limited. In this study, we investigated the degree of intertumoral angiogenic heterogeneity present in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). In addition, we investigated the biological relevance that this heterogeneity may have in the context of cytokine directed antiangiogenic therapy. Keratinocytes were harvested from HNSCC specimens using laser capture microdissection (LCM). Gene expression profiling of the RNA extracted from these specimens demonstrated variability in the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses (PCA) demonstrated the presence of unique patient clusters, suggesting that there may be two potentially distinct pathways by which HNSCC induce angiogenesis. Immunohistochemistry for VEGF, IL-8/CXCL8, HGF, and FGF-2, cytokines that play functional roles in HNSCC angiogenesis was performed on the original patient samples as well as a larger panel of normal, dysplastic and HNSCC specimens to validate the heterogeneous expression observed in the gene expression profiling studies. Finally, the therapeutic response of HNSCC tumor xenografts to anti-VEGF therapy was found to be dependent on the amount of VEGF produced by the tumor cells. These findings support the hypothesis of intertumoral angiogenic heterogeneity. They imply that there are differences with regard to the specific molecular mechanisms by which individual tumors within the same histological type induce angiogenesis. Moreover, they demonstrate the need for a more in-depth understanding of the variability of the angiogenic phenotype within a given type of neoplasm when designing cytokine targeted antiangiogenic therapies. Finally, they suggest that studies in conjunction with the ongoing clinical trials that explore the correlation between target expression and clinical outcome are warranted.
Induction of p16ink4a and p19ARF by TGFbeta1 Contributes to Growth Arrest and Senescence Response in Mouse Keratinocytes

TGFbeta1 acts as a potent negative regulator of the cell cycle and tumor suppressor in part through induction of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors p15(ink4b), p21, and p57. We previously showed that primary mouse epidermal keratinocytes (MEK) expressing a v-ras(Ha) oncogene undergo hyperproliferation followed by growth arrest and senescence that was dependent on TGFbeta1 signaling and associated with increased levels of p16(ink4a) and p19(ARF). Here we show that the induction of both p16(ink4a) and p19(ARF) in v-ras(Ha) expressing keratinocytes is dependent on TGFbeta1 signaling, as TGFbeta1 treatment or Smad3 overexpression induces both p16(ink4a) and p19(ARF) protein and mRNA, while Smad3 depletion or Smad7 overexpression blocks induction. Genetic ablation of the cdkn2a (ink4a/arf) locus reduced sensitivity to TGFbeta1 mediated cell cycle arrest and induction of senescence suggesting that alteration of TGFbeta1 responses may be an additional pathway impacted by the inactivation of cdkn2a locus during tumor development.
Lifetime physical and sexual abuse and the risk for depression symptoms in the first 8 months after birth

Despite the growing body of evidence on the significance of postpartum depression, little research has explored the contribution of lifetime or current abuse to postpartum depression. One hundred-thirty-nine women were assessed during their third trimester of pregnancy and followed for 2, 4, 6, and 8 months postpartum for abuse status and depression symptoms. Predictors of postpartum depression were also assessed. Few women reported current abuse experiences, although 37% reported having lifetime physical or sexual abuse or both. Women with a lifetime history of abuse were 3.6-8.4 times more likely to experience postpartum depression than their nonabused peers at each measurement time. This effect steadily increases during the first 6 months after birth and decreases at the 8th month. These findings extend recent reports of the chronicity of abuse and have implications for care providers. The standard of care for abuse assessments may need to be expanded to include consideration of lifetime physical and sexual abuse experiences of pregnant and postpartum women.
"We've conquered dark": shedding light on empowerment in critical making

We present a qualitative study based on interviews with makers engaging in a variety of critical making activities. As part of our attempt to understand what critical making is and can be, we are investigating what motivates makers, that is, seeking to understand the sorts of qualities that make making sufficiently attractive or valuable to warrant their participation. Whether making for themselves or to share with others, for fun or functionality, we found that empowerment, often defined in opposition to passive consumerism, was a recurrent theme in our interviews. We discuss the seemingly cyclical motivational and reward functions of maker empowerment in guiding and encouraging making activities, and consider the impact of a refined understanding of "critical making" as it can be leveraged and supported for future HCI research and design practice.
An Application of Holographic Interferometry for Nondestructive Vibration and Structural Analysis of High Precision Miniature Mechanical Components

Advanced Holographic techniques were applied to characterize the behavior and structure of a series of different experimental disk drive suspension arm components. The goal was to determine if dynamic vibration behavior and structural characteristics, as well as certain flaws and anomalies could be identified. The method employed depends on introducing low level, nondestructive structural stresses via vibration and thermal or mechanical actuation which propagate to induce corresponding minute displacements of the structure. Holograms of a various components with different applied vibration, mechanical, or thermal stress geometries are shown to illustrate the analytic comparisons which are made possible employing these techniques.Copyright © 2003 by ASME