cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoionization yields in the doubly doped SrF2:Eu,Sm system.

The doubly doped ${\mathrm{SrF}}_{2}$:Eu,Sm system was examined as a model system for the photoionization process. These crystals were codoped with 0.01 mol % ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{2+}$ and 0.02 mol % ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{3+}$. From optical-absorption measurements, the absolute ionization efficiency of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{2+}$ was found to be 0.65% at 295 K and 1.6% at 310 K upon irradiation with 4.9-eV light in this system. The ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{3+}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${\mathrm{F}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ centers were found to be the principal traps for the generated electrons. The temperature dependence of the ionization efficiency of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{2+}$ with irradiation at 5.2 and 5.7 eV led to the measurement of an activation barrier of 0.34 eV. These experiments also show that only cubic ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$ is initially formed upon photoionization of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{2+}$ and that subsequently an interstitial fluoride-ion charge compensates the ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$ ion. The photoconductivity does not show a temperature dependence corresponding to that of the ionization yield. This result leads us to propose that the trapping of electrons at the majority ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{3+}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${\mathrm{F}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ sites is followed by a reverse ${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathit{i}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ current from trap to donor, which cancels the electron current. The measured photocurrent arises from the small minority of other traps present. A mechanism is proposed to explain the observed yields and temperature dependence.
Atmospheric correction for NO 2 absorption in retrieving water-leaving reflectances from the SeaWiFS and MODIS measurements

The absorption by atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas in the visible has been traditionally neglected in the retrieval of oceanic parameters from satellite measurements. Recent measurements of NO2 from spaceborne sensors show that over the Eastern United States the NO2 column amount often exceeds 1 Dobson Unit (approximately 2.69x10(16) molecules/cm2). Our radiative transfer sensitivity calculations show that under high NO2 conditions (approximately 1x10(16) molecules/cm2) the error in top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance in the blue channels of the sea-viewing wide field-of-view sensor (SeaWiFS) and moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors is approximately 1%. This translates into approximately 10% error in water-leaving radiance for clear waters and to higher values (>20%) in the coastal areas. We have developed an atmospheric-correction algorithm that allows an accurate retrieval of normalized water-leaving radiances (nLws) in the presence of NO2 in the atmosphere. The application of the algorithm to 52 MODIS scenes over the Chesapeake Bay area show a decrease in the frequency of negative nLw estimates in the 412 nm band and an increase in the value of nLws in the same band. For the particular scene reported in this paper, the mean value of nLws in the 412 nm band increased by 17%, which is significant, because for the MODIS sensor the error in nLws attributable to the digitization error in the observed TOA reflectance over case 2 waters is approximately 2.5%.
Cervicovaginal microflora and pregnancy outcome: Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of erythromycin treatment

Available information suggests that some instances of preterm birth or premature rupture of membranes are associated with clinically unrecognized infection and inflammation of the lower uterine segment, decidua, and fetal membranes. Various cervicovaginal microorganisms have been recovered from these sites. Many of these microorganisms produce factors that may lead to weakening of the fetal membranes, release of prostaglandins, or both. This study evaluated the presence of various lower genital tract microflora and bacterial conditions in 229 women enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of short-course erythromycin treatment at 26 to 30 weeks' gestation to prevent preterm birth. Demographic, obstetric, and microbiologic parameters were prospectively evaluated. Premature rupture of membranes occurred less frequently (p less than 0.01) among women who received erythromycin (6%) versus placebo (16%). Preterm premature rupture of membranes also occurred less frequently, although not significantly (p = 0.3) in patients who received erythromycin (2%) versus placebo (5%). Erythromycin treatment significantly decreased the occurrence of premature rupture of membranes among women who were initially positive for Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that C. trachomatis (p = 0.05; odds ratio, 9), vaginal wash phospholipase C (p = 0.08; odds ratio, 6) and prior preterm birth (p = 0.007; odds ratio 17) were associated with increased risk of preterm birth. Bacterial vaginosis, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum were not significantly associated with increased risk of preterm birth or preterm rupture of membranes. These findings support a role for selected lower genital tract microflora in preterm birth and premature rupture. Large controlled treatment trials of specific infections or conditions associated with preterm birth and premature rupture of membranes are required to confirm the value of antimicrobial treatments in prevention of microbial-associated preterm birth.
Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome caused by both a 27-bp deletion and a novel splice mutation in the MIS type II receptor gene.

BACKGROUND Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a rare form of male pseudohermaphroditism that is characterized by the persistence of Mullerian derivatives in otherwise normally virilized males. Mutations of the Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) gene or the MIS type II receptor (MISRII) gene have been identified in PMDS patients with autosomal recessive transmission. We analyzed a compound heterozygote PMDS patient who had a 27-bp deletion in exon 10 in one allele and a novel mutation in intron 5 in the other allele of the MISRII gene. METHODS Whole blood and tissue samples were obtained from a one-month-old 46,XY male with persistent PMDS and the MISRII gene was sequenced and compared to his mother's genomic DNA and that of 22 normal individuals. Serum MIS and the reproductive hormones were measured by standard immunoassays. RESULTS The patient's hormone levels were normal but the gene for MISRII contained several mutations, a 27-bp deletion in exon 10 on one allele (one of the most common mutations in PMDS) and a novel mutation in intron 5 in the other allele that altered splicing, resulting in retention of the intron and a frameshift, introducing a stop codon. Other mutations in introns 6 and 9 and in exon 11 might not be functionally significant. CONCLUSIONS This case reveals a novel mutation in the MISRII gene involving intronic sequences, which when coexisting with the already identified 27-bp deletion in exon 10, leads to PMDS. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Diesel exhaust particle exposure causes redistribution of endothelial tube VE-cadherin

Abstract Whether diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) potentially have a direct effect on capillary endothelia was examined by following the adherens junction component, vascular endothelial cell cadherin (VE-cadherin). This molecule is incorporated into endothelial adherens junctions at the cell surface, where it forms homodimeric associations with adjacent cells and contributes to the barrier function of the vasculature ( Dejana et al., 2008 , Venkiteswaran et al., 2002 , Villasante et al., 2007 ). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) that were pre-formed into capillary-like tube networks in vitro were exposed to DEPs for 24 h. After exposure, the integrity of VE-cadherin in adherens junctions was assessed by immunofluorescence analysis, and demonstrated that increasing concentrations of DEPs caused increasing redistribution of VE-cadherin away from the cell–cell junctions toward intracellular locations. Since HUVEC tube networks are three-dimensional structures, whether particles entered the endothelial cells or tubular lumens was also examined. The data indicate that translocation of the particles does occur. The results, obtained in a setting that removes the confounding effects of inflammatory cells or blood components, suggest that if DEPs encounter alveolar capillaries in vivo, they may be able to directly affect the endothelial cell–cell junctions.
An Obstacle Control Problem with a Source Term

Abstract. An optimal control problem for an elliptic variational inequality with a source term is considered. The obstacle is the control, and the goal is to keep the solution of the variational inequality close to the desired profile while the H 1 norm of the obstacle is not too large. The addition of the source term strongly affects the needed compactness result for the existence of a minimizer.
Imaging Size-Selective Permeation through Micropatterned Thin Films Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

This paper describes a new approach for quantification of rates of molecular transport through patterned, or otherwise heterogeneous, porous films supported on conductive substrates. Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) has been used to image molecular sieving of redox active probes by thin, electropolymerized films of Fe(5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline)32+ on micropatterned and microdisk array electrodes. Films as thin as 12 nm completely block redox mediators with average molecular diameters greater than 12 A, whereas smaller diameter probes (radii 5−8 A) were observed to permeate selectively. SECM tip currents measured for three different redox permeants/mediators are observed to decrease with increasing polymer thickness, consistent with a transport model that includes partitioning into and diffusion within the polymer films. Permeabilities, PDf, within the poly-[Fe(5-NH2-phen)32+] films have been quantitatively determined from the SECM tip currents and are in excellent agreement with data previousl...
Perceptions of the Value of Interior Design: Factors Influencing Program Accountability and Sustainability in Higher Education

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify elements critical to the missions of universities with FIDER accredited interior design programs and to determine administrators' perceptions of program factors and faculty products and activities that define value. Research Design: Mission statements were obtained from universities offering FIDER accredited programs. Administrators in these universities were surveyed to determine perceptions of the value of various program factors and faculty products and activities in relation to the university's mission. Analysis: The mission statements were analyzed using content analysis. Analysis of the survey data included an aggregate ranking of responses and a comparison of groups based on demographics of program location and university type. Fisher's exact tests were used to determine statistical significance in the responses. Key Findings: Regardless of university type, elements critical to the universities' missions had the trifold focus of teaching, research, and service. Program factors perceived by administrators to have the most value in demonstrating relevance to the institutions' missions were faculty research/grantsmanship and large numbers of undergraduate majors. Likewise, faculty products and activities perceived to have the highest value were refereed journal publications and externally-funded research projects. Conclusions: To survive in today's university climate, programs must demonstrate excellence in a broad range of areas outlined in university mission statements. Further, this excellence must be communicated in language that is meaningful to administrators. Interior design programs must do a better job of making their relevance and importance to the university's mission understood by administrators and the public if they are to thrive in institutions of higher education.
Impact of surface deposition of lactoferrin on physical and chemical stability of omega-3 rich lipid droplets stabilised by caseinate

Abstract There is considerable interest in developing delivery systems to encapsulate and protect chemically labile lipophilic food components, such as omega-3 rich oils. In this study, multilayer emulsion-based delivery systems were prepared consisting of omega-3 rich oil droplets coated by either caseinate (Cas) or lactoferrin–caseinate (LF–Cas). Surface deposition of LF onto Cas-coated oil droplets was confirmed by ζ -potential measurements. Emulsions containing lactoferrin and caseinate had better physical stability to pH changes and salt addition (pH 3–7, 0–50 mM CaCl 2 at pH 7) than those containing only caseinate (pH 5–7, 0–2 mM CaCl 2 at pH 7). The addition of LF also retarded the formation of lipid oxidation markers (hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) in the emulsions. The ability of LF to enhance both the physical and chemical stability of protein-stabilised emulsions is useful for the fabrication of delivery systems designed for utilisation within the drug and food industries.
Enduring Effects of Marital Disruption and Subsequent Living Arrangements

This research examines the enduring effects of marital disruption and the subsequent living arrangements upon adolescents. A large national sample of adults (N = 8224) is examined to compare those living in each of eight types of disrupted families when they were 16 years old with a comparable group who were living with both biological parents at this age. Measures of interpersonal trust and confidence, anomie, and general satisfaction with aspects of life are studied using multiple regression techniques to ascertain whether such items reveal consistent and regular effects associated with family disruption. Controls are introduced to remove the effects of a wide range of extraneous influences. Results indicate that living arrangements following family disruptions vary in their effects. Most adults from disrupted families do not differ appreciably from those who were living with both natural parents at 16. Those effects that are noted, however, are positive, suggesting that under certain circumstances a fa...
Smoked cocaine self-administration in females and voucher incentives for abstinence.

Abstract There are three purposes for this study: (1) To extend the laboratory study of heavy smoked cocaine use to women, (2) to assess cocaine withdrawal symptoms and (3) to assess the utility of voucher incentives for achieving and maintaining cocaine and other drug abstinence in female cocaine abusers. Methods: Ten non-treatment seeking female cocaine smokers resided inpatient for 4–5 days and could smoke up to 6 doses of cocaine base (50 mg each) twice a day (at 1200 h and again at 1600 h) for 2 consecutive days. During the following 2-week outpatient phase, women were given US$40 in merchandise vouchers if urinalysis indicated lower drug levels from the previous day. Results: Women self-administered 20.4 out of 24 possible doses. Compared to the 1200 session, heart rate and blood pressure, but not subjective effects, were still significantly increased prior to the 1600 session. Nine women completed the outpatient phase, attending 98% of their appointments. Using the One-Half Rule, 56% of urines indicated no new cocaine or other drug use. Implications: Although a US$40 voucher incentive for a “clean” urine was not sufficient to eliminate cocaine use, the possibility of earning the voucher was sufficient to maintain nearly perfect attendance.
Enabling Systems Thinking in the "Mesonic Millennium": The Need for Systemic Methodologies for Conceptual Learning in Undergraduate Management Education.

Successful managerial performance in the 21st century demands systems thinking. Given the challenges to effective systems thinking in practice, conceptual learning in undergraduate management education presents a significant opportunity to facilitate the development of mental models that enable such thinking. Using a cognitive approach that underscores the influence of selective attention on the development of mental models, this article explores this opportunity by highlighting the impact of attentional strategies on novice students' conceptual understanding of complex organizations. To overcome the limitations of previous educational efforts, a hypermedia methodology for teaching theory is presented as a tool that engenders the robust conceptual knowledge needed for systems thinking in the “mesonic millennium“ -a millennium of change accelerated to 1/1000 of a nanosecond.
Active and Passive Immunotherapy for Lymphoma: Proving Principles and Improving Results

Conventional chemotherapy for lymphoma has advanced greatly over the past 50 years, changing some lymphoma subtypes from uniformly lethal to curable; however, the majority of lymphomas in patients remain incurable, and there is a need for novel therapies with less toxicity and more specific targeting of tumor cells. The vertebrate immune system has evolved the capacity for such specific targeting through the B-cell and T-cell receptors; passive immunotherapies utilizing these receptors, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or T cells, have shown efficacy in treating lymphomas. The first generation of mAb-based therapies has transformed the standard of care for lymphoma, and newer antibodies may improve on this approach. Clinical activity has been shown by T cells bearing receptors that target viral antigens as well as T cells bearing re-engineered receptors that target antigens recognized by antibodies. Active immunotherapies, such as vaccines and immune checkpoint blockades, have prolonged survival in certain solid tumors and are being actively pursued to treat lymphoma. A variety of vaccines (eg, protein- and cell-based vaccines) are being tested in ongoing trials, and the most recent iterations show therapeutic activity. Newer trials are addressing the problem of tumor-induced immunosuppression by the use of antibodies against immunologic checkpoints or by the reinfusion of primed T cells after lymphodepletion, a process we refer to as immunotransplantation. Herein, we discuss results of the various immunotherapy strategies applied to lymphoma and the ongoing approaches for their improvement.
A Dynamic Survey of Graph Labeling

A graph labeling is an assignment of integers to the vertices or edges, or both, subject to certain conditions. Graph labelings were first introduced in the late 1960s. In the intervening years dozens of graph labelings techniques have been studied in over 1000 papers. Finding out what has been done for any particular kind of labeling and keeping up with new discoveries is difficult because of the sheer number of papers and because many of the papers have appeared in journals that are not widely available. In this survey I have collected everything I could find on graph labeling. For the convenience of the reader the survey includes a detailed table of contents and index.
The design of a task parallel library

The Task Parallel Library (TPL) is a library for .NET that makes it easy to take advantage of potential parallelism in a program. The library relies heavily on generics and delegate expressions to provide custom control structures expressing structured parallelism such as map-reduce in user programs. The library implementation is built around the notion of a task as a finite CPU-bound computation. To capture the ubiquitous apply-to-all pattern the library also introduces the novel concept of a replicable task. Tasks and replicable tasks are assigned to threads using work stealing techniques, but unlike traditional implementations based on the THE protocol, the library uses a novel data structure called a 'duplicating queue'. A surprising feature of duplicating queues is that they have sequentially inconsistent behavior on architectures with weak memory models, but capture this non-determinism in a benign way by sometimes duplicating elements. TPL ships as part of the Microsoft Parallel Extensions for the .NET framework 4.0, and forms the foundation of Parallel LINQ queries (however, note that the productized TPL library may differ in significant ways from the basic design described in this article).
Region Detection by Minimizing Intraclass Variance With Geometric Constraints, Global Optimality, and Efficient Approximation

Efficient segmentation of globally optimal surfaces in volumetric images is a central problem in many medical image analysis applications. Intraclass variance has been successfully utilized for object segmentation, for instance, in the Chan-Vese model, especially for images without prominent edges. In this paper, we study the optimization problem of detecting a region (volume) between two coupled smooth surfaces by minimizing the intraclass variance using an efficient polynomial-time algorithm. Our algorithm is based on the shape probing technique in computational geometry and computes a sequence of minimum-cost closed sets in a derived parametric graph. The method has been validated on computer-synthetic volumetric images and in X-ray CT-scanned datasets of plexiglas tubes of known sizes. Its applicability to clinical data sets was also demonstrated. In all cases, the approach yielded highly accurate results. We believe that the developed technique is of interest on its own. We expect that it can shed some light on solving other important optimization problems arising in medical imaging. Furthermore, we report an approximation algorithm which runs much faster than the exact algorithm while yielding highly comparable segmentation accuracy.
A molecular model for singlet/singlet energy transfer of monovalent ligand/receptor interactions.

receptor were docked together to form a Iigandlreceptor complex. The intermolecular distances between the lysine residues of the ligand and receptor were then estimated, and the average energy transfer for the docked ligandf receptor complex was calculated assuming a value for the characteristic length Ro of the donor/acceptor pair. Results from the stochastic model were used to calculate the level of fluorescence quenching one would expect for a resonance energy transfer competition assay based on the monovalent ligandheceptor pair. Three key assumptions were made during the model development. First, all lysine residues for the ligand and receptor were equally reactive with the dye molecules so the stoichiometry of the donor and acceptor chromophores was governed by a binomial distribution. Second, the dye molecules were located at the a-carbon position for each reactive lysine residue. Finally, in the energy transfer competition assay, it was assumed that equilibrium existed between the ligand, receptor, and competing hapten at all times. Based on these assumptions, results are presented that indicate the maximum energy transfer for the monovalent papainfconcanavalin A complex is strongly dependent on the number of acceptor chromophores and on the value of Ro. Results are also presented on the approximate level of fluorescence quenching that may occur in a competition assay based on the papain/pConA complex. Lastly, a strategy is discussed for maximizing the dynamic range and linearity of energy transfer assays by optimizing several key design variables.
The US Business Cycle since 1950: A Post Keynesian Explanation

Despite its professed emphasis on the real world, the Post Keynesian literature lacks a history of business cycle fluctuations in a particular economy. This is an extremely important oversight. Not only might such a study be useful to researchers, but students are anxious to acquire practical as well as theoretical knowledge and to see historical applications of theory. This paper fills that gap by offering both theory and evidence regarding US cycles since 1950 through the Great Recession. The theory is derived from Keynes’ General Theory, while the evidence is comprised of a simple statistical analysis along with a narrative covering each expansion and recession. It will be argued that, despite Mainstream descriptions of capitalism as a relatively stable system occasionally interrupted by exogenous shocks, business cycles are systemic and a manifestation of the instability inherent to the capitalist system. The complete story cannot be told without reference to fiscal and monetary policy, oil shocks, strikes, and so on–but most of it can.
Case Management for Frail Elders: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Program for Hospital Initiatives in Long-Term Care.

This evaluation of 24 hospital-based case management services found that case management could take a variety of forms, ranging from postacute medical management service to planning community-based care for potential long-term care users. Future research should concentrate on documenting the costs and outcomes of various models of case management in acute care settings.
Direct activity of recombinant human lactoferrin against Helicobacter pylori.

We report the activity of recombinant human lactoferrin against Helicobacter pylori. Lactoferrin exerted a time- and dose-dependent action against 8 of the 13 clinical isolates of H. pylori tested in vitro. These results highlight a potential therapeutic use for lactoferrin against H.pylori infection.
Dynamic BRG1 Recruitment during T Helper Differentiation and Activation Reveals Distal Regulatory Elements

T helper cell differentiation and activation require specific transcriptional programs accompanied by changes in chromatin structure. However, little is known about the chromatin remodeling enzymes responsible. We performed genome-wide analysis to determine the general principles of BRG1 binding, followed by analysis of specific genes to determine whether these general rules were typical of key T cell genes. We found that binding of the remodeling protein BRG1 was programmed by both lineage and activation signals. BRG1 binding positively correlated with gene activity at protein-coding and microRNA (miRNA) genes. BRG1 binding was found at promoters and distal regions, including both novel and previously validated distal regulatory elements. Distal BRG1 binding correlated with expression, and novel distal sites in the Gata3 locus possessed enhancer-like activity, suggesting a general role for BRG1 in long-distance gene regulation. BRG1 recruitment to distal sites in Gata3 was impaired in cells lacking STAT6, a transcription factor that regulates lineage-specific genes. Together, these findings suggest that BRG1 interprets both differentiation and activation signals and plays a causal role in gene regulation, chromatin structure, and cell fate. Our findings suggest that BRG1 binding is a useful marker for identifying active cis-regulatory regions in protein-coding and miRNA genes.
Estrogen uncouples beta-adrenergic receptor from the stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding protein in female rat hypothalamus

The responsiveness of adenylyl cyclase to beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation was investigated in membranes prepared from hypothalamus-preoptic area and cortex of ovariectomized female rats injected with oil vehicle or estradiol benzoate 24 or 48 h before death. Membranes from the hypothalamus-preoptic area of ovariectomized animals displayed a concentration-dependent stimulation of adenylyl cyclase when incubated with the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, isoproterenol (10(-7)-10(-5) M). This response was suppressed in membranes from estrogen-treated animals. The effect of estrogen was observed 48 h, but not 24 h, after hormone administration. In addition, estrogen had no measurable effect on hypothalamic adenylyl cyclase activation by either GTP (10(-8)-10(-5) M) or forskolin (10(-8)-10(-6) M), on beta-adrenergic receptor density, or on antagonist binding affinity measured with the beta-adrenergic antagonist [125I]iodocyanopindolol. Analysis of isoproterenol displacement of iodocyanopindolol binding re...
The Social Gospel in Black and White: American Racial Reform, 1885-1912

In a major revision of accepted wisdom, this book, originally published by UNC Press in 1991, demonstrates that American social Christianity played an important role in racial reform during the period between Emancipation and the civil rights movement. As organizations created by the heirs of antislavery sentiment foundered in the mid-1890s, Ralph Luker argues, a new generation of black and white reformers--many of them representatives of American social Christianity--explored a variety of solutions to the problem of racial conflict. Some of them helped to organize the Federal Council of Churches in 1909, while others returned to abolitionist and home missionary strategies in organizing the NAACP in 1910 and the National Urban League in 1911. A half century later, such organizations formed the institutional core of America's civil rights movement. Luker also shows that the black prophets of social Christianity who espoused theological personalism created an influential tradition that eventually produced Martin Luther King Jr. |Examines the impact of the new wave of black and white reformers, many of them social Christians, who struggled for solutions to America's racial problems between 1885 and 1912.
The Dependence of Ultrasound Doppler Bandwidth on Beam Geometry

.4bstrmt-The output spectrum of ultrasound Doppler flowmeters contains information about flow parameters such as degree of turbulence, flow velocity gradient, and direction. This information can be extracted if the effects of the sound beam geometry on the Doppler spectrum can be understood and controlled. Equations for calculating the Doppler output signal bandwidth caused by constant velocity flow through the waist of focused transducers and through the intermediate and far field of unfocused transducers are derived and experimentally verified in this paper. The results presented show how to minimize the bandwidth caused by beam geometry and thus maximize the accuracy of flow parameter estimation. It is also shown that the angle between flow and beam can be estimated from the Doppler bandwidth if the velocity gradient in the range cell is small enough and if flow is laminar.
Formation of Mullite from Sol‐Gel Mixtures and Kaolinite

Critical analyses of published reaction studies on kaolinite, and sol-gel and powder mixtures equivalent to 3Al2O3·2SiO2 mullite, were made. Supplementary experiments on reactions of kaolinite at different rates of heating were analyzed. Complete atomic homogeneity of precursors results in formation of tetragonal mullite. Colloidal precursors initially form spinel which reacts with the remaining silica by a diffusion-nucleation mechanism to form orthorhombic mullite. Precursors with intermediate atomic homogeneity follow both reaction paths. Kaolinite with a layer lattice structure has two-dimensional atomic homogeneity. Both reaction routes are followed and their degree of interaction is dependent on the crystallinity and impurities of the kaolinite.
Antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsular Polysaccharide Enhance Pneumococcal Quorum Sensing

ABSTRACT The use of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PPS)-based vaccines has resulted in a substantial reduction in invasive pneumococcal disease. However, much remains to be learned about vaccine-mediated immunity, as seven-valent PPS-protein conjugate vaccine use in children has been associated with nonvaccine serotype replacement and 23-valent vaccine use in adults has not prevented pneumococcal pneumonia. In this report, we demonstrate that certain PPS-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) enhance the transformation frequency of two different Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes. This phenomenon was mediated by PPS-specific MAbs that agglutinate but do not promote opsonic effector cell killing of the homologous serotype in vitro . Compared to the autoinducer, competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) alone, transcriptional profiling of pneumococcal gene expression after incubation with CSP and one such MAb to the PPS of serotype 3 revealed changes in the expression of competence ( com )-related and bacteriocin-like peptide ( blp ) genes involved in pneumococcal quorum sensing. This MAb was also found to induce a nearly 2-fold increase in CSP2-mediated bacterial killing or fratricide. These observations reveal a novel, direct effect of PPS-binding MAbs on pneumococcal biology that has important implications for antibody immunity to pneumococcus in the pneumococcal vaccine era. Taken together, our data suggest heretofore unsuspected mechanisms by which PPS-specific antibodies could affect genetic exchange and bacterial viability in the absence of host cells. IMPORTANCE Current thought holds that pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PPS)-binding antibodies protect against pneumococcus by inducing effector cell opsonic killing of the homologous serotype. While such antibodies are an important part of how pneumococcal vaccines protect against pneumococcal disease, PPS-specific antibodies that do not exhibit this activity but are highly protective against pneumococcus in mice have been identified. This article examines the effect of nonopsonic PPS-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) on the biology of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The results showed that in the presence of a competence-stimulating peptide (CSP), such MAbs increase the frequency of pneumococcal transformation. Further studies with one such MAb showed that it altered the expression of genes involved in quorum sensing and increased competence-induced killing or fratricide. These findings reveal a novel, previously unsuspected mechanism by which certain PPS-specific antibodies exert a direct effect on pneumococcal biology that has broad implications for bacterial clearance, genetic exchange, and antibody immunity to pneumococcus.
Specification and execution of transactions for advanced database applications

Abstract Autonomous multidatabases, Computer Aided Design (CAD) databases, and Object Oriented Databases have requirements which traditional transactions cannot meet. Users of these advanced applications are more sophisticated than users envisioned for On Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) applications a few decades ago. The need to relax the properties of complex database transactions is urgent. Frameworks for flexible transaction systems are needed. This paper is a step towards this objective. This paper addresses the formalization of a new transaction model called Flex transactions, along with execution control and analysis protocols. The algorithm is formalized through the use of Predicate Transition Nets (PTN) and reachability trees.
Analysis of radio frequency (RF) power distribution in dry food materials

The objectives of this research were to investigate the influence of various factors on radio frequency (RF) power distribution in dry food materials, placed in a 12 kW, 27.12 MHz parallel plate RF system, using a validated finite element computer model. The factors investigated were sample size, shape, relative position between the RF electrodes, and dielectric properties (DPs) of the sample and the surrounding medium. Effects of electrode gap and top electrode configuration on the RF power distribution behavior of the sample were also studied. The RF power uniformity in the samples was compared using RF power density uniformity index (PUI). Simulated results showed that the RF power uniformity in cuboid shaped samples, placed on the bottom electrode, first decreased and then increased with the increase in sample size. The sample shape and its vertical position between the fixed gap parallel plate electrodes also affected the RF power distribution and uniformity. A cuboid sample had higher RF power densities at the edges, while an ellipsoid had higher power densities in the center parts. Simulated results showed that the smaller values of DPs resulted in better RF power uniformities in the samples. Reducing the electrode gap improved the RF power uniformity of the sample. While studying the influence of the top electrode configuration on the RF power distribution and uniformity, the results showed that optimum RF power uniformity in a particular sample size could be achieved with a particular top electrode bending position and angle. The results are useful in understanding complex RF heating, designing and scaling up of efficient RF systems.
Development of a Prototype Bayesian Network Model Representing the Relationship between Fresh Market Yield and Some Agroclimatic Variables Known to Influence Storage Root Initiation in Sweetpotato

A prototype phenology-driven Bayesian belief network (BBN) model, named BxNET, was developed to represent the relationship between fresh market yield (U.S. #1 grade) and agroclimatic variables known to influence the critical storage root initiation stages in 'Beauregard' sweetpotato. This data-driven model was developed from experimental data collected over 3 years of field trials in which management variables were kept as uniform as possible. The BBN was developed assuming that soil moisture measured at the 15-cm depth was not a limiting variable during the first 20 days after transplanting, during which the onset of storage root initiation determined the majority of storage root yield at harvest. The absence of influence from weeds, disease, insect pests, and chemical injury was also assumed. Accuracy of the fully parameterized working prototype was estimated through leave-one-out cross-validation (14% error rate), validation on an independent test data set (20% error rate), and area under the receiving operator characteristic curve (0.59) analysis. As a result of its empirical nature, BxNET is only applicable to the cultivar, location, and the limited set of environmental (air temperature, soil temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation) and management variables as defined in the 3-year study. This beta-level model can serve as a foundation for the development of a final working model through further testing and validation. Additional validation data may require revision of the current model structure and conditional probabilities. These validation studies will also allow the model to be used in other locations. BxNET can be expanded to include other causal variables such as weed incidence, disease presence, insects, and chemical injury. Such an expansion can lead to the development of a model-based decision support system for sweetpotato production. Such a system can help model alternative management scenarios and determine the most reasonable management interventions to achieve optimum yield outcomes under different agroclimatic conditions.
Analysis of a multigrid preconditioner for Crouzeix–Raviart discretization of elliptic partial differential equation with jump coefficients

SUMMARY In this paper, we present a multigrid V-cycle preconditioner for the linear system arising from piecewise linear nonconforming Crouzeix–Raviart discretization of second-order elliptic problems with jump coefficients. The preconditioner uses standard conforming subspaces as coarse spaces. We showed that the convergence rates of the (multiplicative) two-grid and multigrid V-cycle algorithms will deteriorate rapidly because of large jumps in coefficient. However, the preconditioned systems have only a fixed number of small eigenvalues depending on the large jump in coefficient, and the effective condition numbers are independent of the coefficient and bounded logarithmically with respect to the mesh size. As a result, the two-grid or multigrid preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm converges nearly uniformly. We also comment on some major differences of the convergence theory between the nonconforming case and the standard conforming case. Numerical experiments support the theoretical results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum.

Summary 1.A case of the rarely occurring squamous cell carcinoma arising in the rectum is presented, showing no metastasis to the inguinal lymph nodes. 2.The literature has been reviewed.
The global description of locally linear systems

Let π: E → X be a vector bundle with a flat affine connection ∇ and let γ e Γ(E, π⋆TX) be a control system which has, in the neighborhood of any point in X, a description of the form $$\dot x = Ax + Bu + \xi$$ with \(\nabla \left( {\frac{\partial }{{\partial u_i }}} \right) = 0\). We show that under a mild hypothesis that X must then admit the structure of a complete flat affine space. Using the standard representation of such spaces we investigate the relationship between the holomony group and the Kronecker indices of the system and establish the appropriate canonical form with respect to state feedback.
Angiotensin II increases cardiac protein synthesis in adult rat heart

This study examined the direct effect of angiotensin II (ANG II) on cardiac muscle atrophy previously observed in the denervated rat heart. Rats with transplanted hearts were infused with normal saline (1 microliter/h) or a subpressor dose of ANG II dissolved in saline (3 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) for 1 wk. Left ventricular (LV) mass of transplanted hearts decreased by 29 and 18% in the saline-infused and ANG II-infused groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Total LV protein synthesis of the transplanted heart was 1.4 +/- 0.1 mg.LV-1.day-1 in the saline compared with 2.2 +/- 0.2 mg.LV-1.day-1 in the ANG II (P < 0.05) group. Heart rate and carotid systolic arterial pressures were not affected by ANG II infusion, and the decrease in alpha-myosin heavy chain normally observed in this model was unchanged between the two groups (61 +/- 3 and 66 +/- 1%, saline vs. ANG II). These data demonstrate that ANG II increases total cardiac protein synthesis in the adult heart, leading to an attenuation in cardiac atrophy. The failure of ANG II to prevent the shift from alpha- to beta-myosin heavy chain may be related to its lack of an effect on heart rate, since other interventions that affect myosin isoenzyme distribution also increase heart rate.
A comparison of various angles of halo pin insertion in an immature skull model

Study design A basic science biomechanical study involving an animal model. Objectives To evaluate the effect of varying angles of halo pin insertion on the force generated at the pin-bone interface, and thereby the stability of the halo pin-bone interaction during insertion. Background data Because of variations in the shape and size of the pediatric skull, halo pins often are inserted at various angles rather than perpendicular to the skull. Concern exists that the high complication rate associated with pediatric halo use may result in part from less than ideal structural properties at the halo pin-bone interface. Methods The authors used a fetal calf skull model to simulate the thickness and structural properties of the pediatric skull. Halo pins were inserted at angles of 0 degree (perpendicular), 10 degrees, 15 degrees, and 30 degrees into skull segments via a halo ring. Load generated at the pin-bone interface was measured using a modified mechanical testing device. Twenty trials were conducted per angle, with the endpoint being specimen failure, pin penetration, or maximum load. Results Mean maximum loads per unit thickness were 82.15 +/- 7.54 N/mm at 0 degree, 68.80 +/- 4.79 N/mm at 10 degrees, 51.49 +/- 5.08 N/mm at 15 degrees, and 42.38 +/- 3.51 N/mm at 30 degrees, There was a significant difference between perpendicular insertion (0 degree) and 15 degrees angles of insertion. There was also a significant difference between the 10 degrees and 30 degrees angles of insertion. Conclusions Perpendicular halo pin insertion in an immature skull model was shown to result in increased load at the pin-bone interface. This improved structural behavior may help to reduce the incidence of complications of halo application in children.
A broadcaster's guide to WAN connectivity

For years the vast majority of audio/video assets have been moved between locations using both streamed audio/video and tape. With the advent of local area networking (LAN) and wide area networking (WAN) technology and associated infrastructure, new ways to move assets are available to augment the existing methods. This paper gives motivation for broadcasters to use WAN methods for moving media files. Several very compelling reasons for using WAN technology as part of a broadcast facility are outlined. A brief overview of WAN technology is given with emphasis on the salient points for the broadcaster. Six different WAN technologies are compared. Some favorable trends are presented with a view to the future.
Ultrabright 4.5 keV Xe(L) X-Ray Source from Optimized Stable Relativistic Channels

A new technique has been established to produce stable ultra-powerful relativistic channels in high-density plasmas optimized to significantly increase the brightness of the developed 4.5 keV Xe(L) x-ray source.
NICU Follow-up: Medical and Developmental Management Age 0 to 3 Years

Over the last several decades, the number of infants graduating neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) continues to increase despite advances in obstetrical practice. Many of these NICU graduates have complex medical, social, developmental, and medicinal needs that require a physician dedicated to providing a NICU follow-up medical home. The object of the present review is to address the epidemiology and management of common problems that occur in the at-risk NICU graduate.
Prediction of serum gentamicin concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis

The predictability of a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model for estimating serum gentamicin concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis was studied. Nine hemodialysis patients with gram-negative bacillary infections requiring aminoglycoside therapy and with creatinine clearances of less than 1 ml/min were studied. A series of blood samples was assayed by radioimmunoassay to determine serum concentrations after an initial 1.5- to 2.0-mg/kg i.v. dose and throughout the dialysis period. These data were used to predict post-dialysis serum concentrations and post-dialysis doses needed to achieve therapeutic concentrations. The mean apparent volume of distribution for gentamicin was 0.26 +/- 0.06 liter/kg. The mean gentamicin half-life was 31.5 hours before dialysis and 7.6 hours during dialysis. No significant differences were found between predicted and measured peak gentamicin serum concentrations after dialysis; nor were there significant differences for peak serum concentrations obtained with a post-dialysis gentamicin dose (p less than 0.001). Neither the peaks predicted based on the individual patient's pharmacokinetic values nor those based on the average of the patients' pharmcokinetic values were statistically different from measured. The kinetic model developed can be used to determine gentamicin dosing for hemodialysis patients and to determine an average elimination rate constant for a given dialysis apparatus.
The person with schizophrenia as a person. II: Approaches to the subjective and complex

In the mental health field, the attention given to the subjective side of a person's experience is grossly inadequate. The best way to reflect the subjectivity of a person may be by means of the subjectivity of another. To take account of both subjective experience and objective measures in the course of mental disorders, a new concept is needed. This may be the person's story.
Real-Time Monitoring of Cellular Bioenergetics with a Multianalyte Screen-Printed Electrode.

Real-time monitoring of changes to cellular bioenergetics can provide new insights into mechanisms of action for disease and toxicity. This work describes the development of a multianalyte screen-printed electrode for the detection of analytes central to cellular bioenergetics: glucose, lactate, oxygen, and pH. Platinum screen-printed electrodes were designed in-house and printed by Pine Research Instrumentation. Electrochemical plating techniques were used to form quasi-reference and pH electrodes. A Dimatix materials inkjet printer was used to deposit enzyme and polymer films to form sensors for glucose, lactate, and oxygen. These sensors were evaluated in bulk solution and microfluidic environments, and they were found to behave reproducibly and possess a lifetime of up to 6 weeks. Linear ranges and limits of detection for enzyme-based sensors were found to have an inverse relationship with enzyme loading, and iridium oxide pH sensors were found to have super-Nernstian responses. Preliminary measuremen...