cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lactococcal bacteriophages require a host cell wall carbohydrate and a plasma membrane protein for adsorption and ejection of DNA.

The mechanism of the initial steps of bacteriophage infection in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C2 was investigated by using phages c2, ml3, kh, l, h, 5, and 13. All seven phages adsorbed to the same sites on the host cell wall that are composed, in part, of rhamnose. This was suggested by rhamnose inhibition of phage adsorption to cells, competition between phage c2 and the other phages for adsorption to cells, and rhamnose inhibition of lysis of phage-inoculated cultures. The adsorption to the cell wall was found to be reversible upon dilution of the cell wall-adsorbed phage. In a reaction step that apparently follows adsorption to the cell wall, all seven phages adsorbed to a host membrane protein named PIP. This was indicated by the inability of all seven phages to infect a strain selected for resistance to phage c2 and known to have a defective PIP protein. All seven phages were inactivated in vitro by membranes from wild-type cells but not by membranes from the PIP-defective, phage c2-resistant strain. The mechanism of membrane inactivation was an irreversible adsorption of the phage to PIP, as indicated by adsorption of [35S] methionine-labeled phage c2 to purified membranes from phage-sensitive cells but not to membranes from the resistant strain, elimination of adsorption by pretreatment of the membranes with proteinase K, and lack of dissociation of 35S from the membranes upon dilution. Following membrane adsorption, ejection of phage DNA occurred rapidly at 30°C but not at 4°C. These results suggest that many lactococcal phages adsorb initially to the cell wall and subsequently to host cell membrane protein PIP, which leads to ejection of the phage genome.
Imaging white matter tracts and nuclei of the hypothalamus: an MR-anatomic comparative study.

PURPOSE To evaluate the MR appearance of the hypothalamus and its associated white matter tracts. METHODS Coronal and sagittal spin-echo images were obtained in cadaver brains. Gross and histologic sections were made of the cadaver brains. The size, shape, signal intensity, course, and pattern of structures in the hypothalamic region were identified in MR images by comparison with the anatomic sections. RESULTS The mamillary bodies, paraventricular zone of hypothalamic nuclei, postcommissural fornix, mammillothalamic fasciculus, and anterior commissure were identified on the MR images. CONCLUSION This study suggests that, with MR imaging of sufficiently high resolution, some of the tracts and nuclei in the hypothalamus may be identified.
Optimizing State Patrol Manpower Allocation

One of the most difficult tasks of state highway patrol administrators is allocation of manpower; i.e. determining the most effective level of operational manpower for patrol tasks. Typically, administrators resolve the allocation problem by relying on prior statistical data and by employing subjective analysis. In general, only limited systematic analyses have been applied to the problem. This paper presents an integer goal programming model for allocating highway patrolmen to road segments within a patrol region. The model is demonstrated via a case example of the Nebraska State Patrol. The results of the model are valuable to the patrol administrator for considering departmental goals and priority structure, in addition to available historical data, in the assignment of state patrol manpower.
A Comparative Analysis of the Economic Risk of Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerling Production in Ponds and Indoor Tanks

Abstract A risk analysis was conducted to compare the economic risk of producing hybrid striped bass (♀ white bass Morone chrysops × ♂ striped bass M. saxatilis) fingerlings in ponds and indoor tanks. Cost budgets developed previously for three pond sizes (0.4, 1.2, and 2.4 ha) and three tank sizes (945, 2,457, and 5,670 L) for each of six scales of production (50,000, 100,000, 250,000, 500,000, 1,000,000, and 2,000,000 fingerlings/year) were used as the initial starting point for the development of a spreadsheet-based risk analysis. Probability distributions and cumulative frequency distributions of break-even prices above total costs were calculated for each scenario. Pond production was less risky than tank production, and larger pond sizes had lower risk. Survival rates contributed the most to the economic risk of hybrid striped bass fingerling production. Research is needed to improve survival rates for hybrid striped bass fingerling production in ponds. Received December 9, 2011; accepted April 9, 2012
Reaction of {HC(CMeNAr)2}Li (Ar=2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) with indium monochloride to yield the InIn bonded dimer [{HC(CMeNAr)2}InCl]2 and the hydroxide [{HC(CMeNAr)2}InCl(μ-OH)]2

Abstract The reaction of the sterically encumbered lithium β-diketiminate {HC(CMeNAr)2}Li (Ar=2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) with InCl in THF at approximately −78 °C yielded In metal and [{HC(CMeNAr)2}InCl]2 (1) as well as minor amounts of the hydroxide [{HC(CMeNAr)2}In(Cl)(μ-OH)]2, 2. The compounds 1 and 2 were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The centrosymmetric structure of 1 features an InIn bond that is 2.8343(7) A long which is well within the known range of InIn single bond distances. The metal β-diketiminate ring (i.e. C3N2In) is folded along the N⋯N vector and features an out of plane deviation by the indium of 0.8953 A and a dihedral angle between the C3N2 and InN2 arrays of 145.8°. This can be attributed to steric effects of the Ar groups on the β-diketiminiate ligand. The structure of the hydroxide derivative 2 is a dimer in which the indiums are bridged by hydroxides to afford a planar In2O2 core with an average InO distance of 2.13(2) A. Attempted reduction of the dihalide compounds {HC(CMeNAr)2}InX2 (X=Cl, I) with sodium or potassium led to the formation of metallic indium and the free β-aminoimine (Ar)NC(Me2)CHC(Me2)N(Ar)H rather than the desired In(I) species, {HC(CMeNAr)2}In:.
Retinal degeneration in the pcd cerebellar mutant mouse. II. Electron microscopic analysis

The cerebellar ataxia in Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd) mutant mice results from the rapid loss of Purkinje cells between 3 and 5 weeks after birth. The loss of photoreceptors in these mutants begins about the same time but proceeds slowly, with most photoreceptors being lost by 1 year of age. In this study the retinas of pcd/pcd mice and their littermate controls from the age of 10 postnatal days to 15 months were analyzed by electron microscopy. The first signs of photoreceptor cell degeneration are apparent in the region of photoreceptor inner segments as early as postnatal day 13, and more prominently at day 18. During this time, the degeneration is characterized by a large number of vesicles, ranging in diameter from 150 to 350 nm, which are located in the extracellular space adjacent to the photoreceptor inner segments. Analysis of serial sections shows that most of these membrane-bound degeneration profiles are tubular in shape and some are continuous with the cell membrane of the inner segment. Therefore, these "profiles" are thought to arise from tubular outpocketings of the inner segments which cleave off to form isolated membrane-bound profiles. This represents a new and unusual form of photoreceptor degeneration. While the most obvious abnormality in the retina is degeneration of photoreceptor cells, Muller cells also appear to be affected, with swollen apical processes often seen coursing through the outer nuclear layer.
Expression and characterization of cytochrome c 553 from Heliobacterium modesticaldum

Cytochrome c553 of Heliobacterium modesticaldum is the donor to P800 +, the primary electron donor of the heliobacterial reaction center (HbRC). It is a membrane-anchored 14-kDa cytochrome that accomplishes electron transfer from the cytochrome bc complex to the HbRC. The petJ gene encoding cyt c 553 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli with a hexahistidine tag replacing the lipid attachment site to create a soluble donor that could be made in a preparative scale. The recombinant cytochrome had spectral characteristics typical of a c-type cytochrome, including an asymmetric α-band, and a slightly red-shifted Soret band when reduced. The EPR spectrum of the oxidized protein was characteristic of a low-spin cytochrome. The midpoint potential of the recombinant cytochrome was +217 ± 10 mV. The interaction between soluble recombinant cytochrome c 553 and the HbRC was also studied. Re-reduction of photooxidized P800 + was accelerated by addition of reduced cytochrome c 553. The kinetics were characteristic of a bimolecular reaction with a second order rate of 1.53 × 104 M−1 s−1 at room temperature. The rate manifested a steep temperature dependence, with a calculated activation energy of 91 kJ mol−1, similar to that of the native protein in Heliobacillus gestii cells. These data demonstrate that the recombinant soluble cytochrome is comparable to the native protein, and likely lacks a discrete electrostatic binding site on the HbRC.
The effects of drugs on the discrimination of color following a variable delay period: a signal detection analysis.

Six pigeons were trained in a chamber with three response keys. Following an observing response on the center key, either colored or noncolored (white) lights were projected on that key. A second center key observing response provided an opportunity to respond on one of the side keys, appropriate to the stimuli presented, to obtain food; responding on the incorrect side produced a 30-s time-out. A delay period of varying duration with no stimuli followed stimulus presentation; the length of the delay was determined ‘on-line’, such that performance would be maintained at about 80% correct. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, 0.04–0.2 mg/kg) had no significant effect on the accuracy of the discrimination (overall percent conrrect responses), even at doses that produced cessation of responding in some animals. Amphetamine (1–4 mg/kg) and morphine (0.5–4 mg/kg) decreased accuracy by decreasing sensitivity (A') and had little effect on reaction time. Haloperidol (0.5–2 mg/kg) had no significant effect on any measure of performance. None of the drugs altered response bias (B″).
Virtual calibration of a supply air temperature sensor in rooftop air conditioning units

Supply air temperature (SAT) measurement is an important element in sequencing control and automated fault detection and diagnosis (AFDD) in HVAC systems to ensure the comfort of building occupants, decrease energy consumption, and lower maintenance cost. But in rooftop air conditioning units (RTUs) with gas-fired heating, the accuracy and reliability of manufacturer-installed supply air temperature (MSAT) sensors are notoriously difficult to attain. Experimental evaluations in this study, covering both the cooling and heating modes and using both direct measurements of a MSAT sensor and a multi-sensor measuring grid, demonstrate that direct measurements cannot obtain the true value of SAT in RTUs in the heating mode. Erratic measurement errors exist due to nonuniform temperature distribution and intensive thermal radiation in a compact chamber. An innovative indirect virtual calibration method for an MSAT sensor is proposed in this article to solve this issue. It demonstrates that a virtual calibrated MS...
Photopolymerization of a Semifluorinated Difunctional Liquid Crystalline Monomer in a Smectic Phase

The photoinitiated polymerization of a semifluorinated difunctional monomer, which can exist in both a smectic liquid crystalline phase and an isotropic phase, has been investigated as a function of temperature. Although the maximum rate attained for photoinitiated polymerization in the smectic phase is lower than for polymerization in the isotropic phase, the polymer chain kinetic lifetime is markedly longer in the smectic phase, presumably due to a relatively large decrease in termination rate compared to propagation. The results also suggest that both termination and propagation rate processes are diffusion controlled. By conducting polymerization at a temperature corresponding to the smectic phase of the monomer, it is possible to “lock-in” the order of the smectic phase in the cross-linked network generated.
Coupling of Human D-1 Dopamine Receptors to Different Guanine Nucleotide Binding Proteins. EVIDENCE THAT D-1 DOPAMINE RECEPTORS CAN COUPLE TO BOTH Gs AND Go

Coupling between D-1 dopamine receptors and G proteins in cell lines expressing human D-1 receptors and different G proteins was examined. Pertussis toxin (PTX) treatment of rat pituitary GH4C1 cells significantly reduced, but did not abolish, agonist high affinity binding sites of the D-1 dopamine receptor; in SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells, PTX failed to have any effect on D-1 high affinity sites. Cholera toxin (CTX) treatment of GH4C1 cells reduced but did not abolish the high affinity sites of D-1 receptors, while in SK-N-MC cells, treatment with CTX abolished all the high affinity sites. Western blot analyses with specific antisera indicated that Gs alpha, Gi1 alpha, Gi3 alpha, and Gq alpha were expressed in both cell lines, while Gi2 alpha and G(o) alpha were expressed in GH4C1 but not SK-N-MC cells. Antisera NEI-805 (anti-Gs alpha) and 9072 (anti-G(o) alpha) immunoprecipitated 24 +/- 4.3 and 34.4 +/- 6.9%, respectively, of G protein-associated D-1 dopamine receptors. Antisera 3646 (anti-Gi1 alpha), 1521 (anti-Gi2 alpha), 1518 (anti-Gi3 alpha), and 0941 (anti-Gq alpha) failed to coimmunoprecipitate appreciable levels of soluble receptors. These data indicate that D-1 dopamine receptors are coupled to both Gs alpha and G(o) alpha but not to Gq alpha.
Domestic violence: a review for case managers of regulations, women's center services, and referral questions

The need for knowledge about domestic violence is woven into the case management's aim to strike a balance between quality and cost and its goal to coordinate care with community providers. The purpose of this article is to provide information for case managers on the current regulations that influence service delivery to victims of domestic battery, to provide an understanding of services provided by women's centers, and to understand referral questions that may support referrals to domestic violence services.
Overcoming Alcohol Miuse: A 28-Day Guide

Overcoming Alcohol Miuse: A 28-Day Guide . Conor Farren. Kite Books, Blackhall Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-84218-213-0 This book is written by an experienced Addiction Psychiatrist based in Dublin. His stated aim is to provide information to sufferers of alcohol addiction, their families and professionals on what they need to know about the problems and complications of the disease in order to enter and maintain recovery. There are 28 chapters, with an illustrative theme of Joe's 28 day experience of in-patient rehabilitation for alcohol …
A Novel Airflow Management System With Redundant Fan Field Replaceable Units

A novel airflow architecture for a networking chassis will be described in this work. This chassis is a pull system with two sets of four fans located in series at its exhaust. Each set of four fans is a field replaceable unit (FRU). The unique feature of this chassis is that one set of fans, called the rear fan FRU, is replaceable from the rear side of the chassis and the other set of fans, called the front fan FRU, is replaceable from the front side of the chassis. Computational fluid dynamics simulations and measurement data show this chassis is capable of providing up to 78% – 79% of its maximum cooling capacity when one fan FRU is removed from the chassis, and up to 62% – 67% of its maximum cooling capacity when one fan FRU has failed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The change and maintenance effectiveness of persistence training regarding the treatment of laboratory-induced and naturally occurring depression

A study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of persistence training as a model for treating depression. Subjects were female college students who were exposed to experimental manipulations to induce learned helplessness or who reached multiple-depression criteria on the MMPI and Beck Depression Inventory. Helpless and depressed subjects were treated with either response-contingent continuous reinforcement or partial reinforcement (persistence training) on a human shuttle apparatus. Following therapy, all subjects encountered recurring failure during an extinction phase. The findings showed that continuous and partial reinforcement schedules were equally effective in therapy, resulting in improved performances for both helpless and depressed subjects. There was evidence, however, that the treatment gains were less for depressed subjects than for helpless subjects, regardless of the type of therapy schedule used. With respect to maintenance of change, it was found that both helpless and depressed subjects persisted longer in the face of successive nonreinforcements (extinction) following partial reinforcement therapy as opposed to continuous reinforcement therapy. Further, there was evidence that depressed subjects persisted less in extinction than did helpless subjects, but only when therapy had occurred under conditions of continuous reinforcement.
Neutrophil Release of Myeloperoxidase in Systemic Vasculature of Obese Women May Put Them at Risk for Preeclampsia

Obesity is a risk factor for preeclampsia, but the reason for this risk is unknown. Neutrophils infiltrate into systemic blood vessels of both obese and preeclamptic women. Neutrophils are a major source of myeloperoxidase (MPO), which is associated with hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that systemic vasculature of both obese and preeclamptic women will have a significant presence of MPO as a result of neutrophil infiltration. We found that immunohistochemical staining of MPO was significantly greater in subcutaneous fat blood vessels of obese women than overweight women, which was significantly greater than normal weight women. Expression of MPO was significantly greater in maternal blood vessels of preeclamptic women than normal pregnant or normal nonpregnant women. In general, when vessels of overweight or normal pregnant women were stained it was primarily for leukocytes in the lumen and not infiltrated into the vessel. In contrast, in obese and preeclamptic women staining was present for leukocytes in the lumen, flattened, and adhered to the endothelium and infiltrated into the vessel wall. There was also extensive diffuse staining for MPO in vessels of obese and preeclamptic women. In conclusion, both obese and preeclamptic women have increased presence of MPO in systemic vasculature as a result of neutrophil infiltration. We speculate that obese women may be at risk of preeclampsia because their vasculature is already prone to hypertension.
Fluorescent homogeneous immunosensors for detecting pathogenic bacteria

We developed a straightforward antibody-based assay for rapid homogeneous detection of bacteria. Our sensors utilize antibody recognizing cell-surface epitopes of the target cell. Two samples of the antibody are prepared, each labeled via nanometer size flexible linkers with short complementary oligonucleotides that are modified with fluorochromes that could participate in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The length of the complementary oligonucleotide sequences was designed such that very little annealing occurred in the absence of the target cells. In the presence of the target cells the two labeled antibodies bind to the surface of the cell resulting in a large local concentration of the complementary oligonucleotides that are attached to the antibody. This in turn drives the annealing of the complementary oligonucleotides which brings the fluorescence probes to close proximity producing large FRET signals proportional to the amount of target cells. Long flexible linkers used to attach the oligonucleotides to the antibody enable target-induced oligonucleotide annealing even if the density of surface antigens is only modest. We used Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium to demonstrate that this design produced sensors exhibiting rapid response time, high specificity, and sensitivity in detecting the target bacteria.
Regulation of male fertility by the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin

Traditionally, bone has been viewed as a relatively static tissue only fulfilling mechanical and scaffolding function. In the past decade however, this classical view of the bone has considerably evolved towards a more complex picture. It is now clear that the skeleton is not only a recipient for hormonal input but it is also an endocrine organ itself. Through the secretion of an osteoblast-derived molecule, osteocalcin, the skeleton regulates glucose homeostasis and male reproductive functions. When undercarboxylated, osteocalcin acts following its binding to a G-coupled receptor, Gprc6a, on pancreatic β cells to increase insulin secretion, on muscle and white adipose tissue to promote glucose homeostasis and on Leydig cells of the testis to favor testosterone biosynthesis. More recently, it was also shown that osteocalcin acts via a pancreas-bone-testis axis that regulates, independently of and in parallel to the hypothalamus–pituitary–testis axis, male reproductive functions by promoting testosterone biosynthesis. Lastly, in trying to expand the biological relevance of osteocalcin from mouse to human, it was shown that Gprc6a is a potential new susceptibility locus for primary testicular failure in humans. Altogether, these results shed new light on the importance of the endocrine role of the skeleton and also provide credence to the search for additional endocrine functions of this organ.
Water fluoridation and the environment: current perspective in the United States.

AbstractEvidence of water fluoridation's effects on plants, animals, and humans is considered based on reviews by scientific groups and individual communities, including Fort Collins, CO, Port Angeles, WA, and Tacoma-Pierce County, WA. The potential for corrosion of pipes and the use of fluoridation chemicals, particularly fluorosilicic acid, are considered, as is the debate about whether fluoridation increases lead in water, with the conclusion that there is no such increase. The arguments of anti-fluoridationists and fluoridation proponentsare examined with respect to the politics of the issue.
Animated simulation of a flexible manufacturing system

A flexible manufacturing system requires computer control of a variety of machines, complicated product routings and mixing, and costly installation. To reduce potential design errors and associated financial risk, simulation techniques must be employed. This paper applies animated simulation to a flexible robotic inspection cell, a flexible wave soldering cell, and an automated guided vehicle system (AGVS) in one of Intel's integrated circuit assembly plants in Arizona. The flexible robotic inspection cell consists of two inspection stations, two robots, a programmable conveyor system, and input/output mechanisms. The simulation identifies the units per hour (UPH) of the cell, and operator's utilization which gives clues to multiple cell handling. The flexible wave soldering cell includes a wave soldering machine, a loader, and an unloader. The simulation provides insights to critical design parameters of the loader/unloader and the number of operators that are necessary to maintain smooth operation of the cell. In the AGVS, one automated guided vehicle (AGV) and 21 docks are used. The AGV picks up or drops off a tote of materials on each dock. Excessive raw material delivered to each dock increases manufacturing cost; however, too little will increase the number of AGV. The simulation is used to identify the optimal quantity of material in a tote.
Clinical evidence for the concept of levels in action and perception

Abstract Studies of perceptual and motor systems reveal considerable sub-surface processing prior to the registration of a signal, or the activation of a movement, at primary cortex. This material is reviewed in the context of a microgenetic theory of cognitive organization, in which primary cortices mediate the terminal processing of an object or action representation, which have all but completed their preliminary development.
New insights and new approaches for the treatment of essential hypertension: Selection of therapy based on coronary heart disease risk factor analysis, hemodynamic profiles, quality of life, and subsets of hypertension

The pharmacologic therapy of mild primary hypertension (diastolic blood pressure less than 105 mm Hg) has effectively reduced hypertensive arteriolar end organ disease such as cerebrovascular accidents, congestive heart failure, and nephropathy, but there has been no convincing evidence that coronary heart disease (CHD) or its complications, acute myocardial infarction or angina, have been reduced. The risks of therapy with certain antihypertensive drugs may outweigh their treatment benefits as it relates to CHD. The optimal treatment strategy should be to reduce all CHD risk factors, reverse the hemodynamic abnormalities present by lowering the systemic vascular resistance (SVR), preserving cardiac output (CO) and perfusion, and to select the best antihypertensive drug for concomitant medical diseases or problems while maintaining a good quality of life. Antihypertensive drugs that have favorable or neutral effects on CHD risk factors include alpha blockers, calcium channel blockers, central alpha agonists, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. On the other hand, diuretics and beta blockers without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity have unfavorable effects on many CHD risk factors. Baseline and serial evaluation of the effects of these drugs on serum lipids, lipid subfractions, glucose, uric acid, electrolytes, exercise tolerance, left ventricular hypertrophy, blood pressure, SVR, CO, perfusion, concomitant diseases, and side effects is necessary to evaluate overall cardiovascular risk.
Composition of joint fluid in patients undergoing total knee replacement and revision arthroplasty: correlation with flow properties

The protein, phospholipid and hyaluronic acid (HA) contents of joint fluid samples were determined in specimens obtained from patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and revision TKA. It was hypothesized that these components would vary widely among patients undergoing TKA, and that the composition of joint fluid in patients undergoing revision would differ from that in patients undergoing revision. It was further hypothesized that HA concentration and molecular weight would principally determine the flow properties previously reported. Biochemical assays were used to assess protein and phospholipid content, and size exclusion chromatography was used to determine HA concentration and molecular weight. Sixty samples were included in the study. HA, protein, and phospholipid concentrations all varied widely in patients undergoing index TKA and revision TKA. HA concentration was lower in patients undergoing revision arthroplasty due to wear-related failure compared to patients undergoing the index procedure (0.9 +/- 0.4 mg/ml versus 1.3 +/- 0.5 mg/ml, mean +/- standard deviation, p = 0.04). Other components were not different between the groups. Flow properties at high shear rates were correlated with HA concentration and, to a lesser extent, HA molecular weight, but neither protein nor phospholipid concentration. The composition of joint fluid is highly variable in the context of arthroplasty. Much of the variation in flow properties, especially at high shear rate, is explained by large variation in HA concentration and small variation in HA molecular weight. The variation in composition and lower HA concentration in joints necessitating revision may relate to variation in arthroplasty lubrication leading to highly variable wear rates and clinical outcomes.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Research and Development: The Challenge of Evidence-based Practice

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) computer-based systems are used by individuals with severe disabilities who cannot speak. AAC technology is designed with the goal to optimize communication and improve quality of life. This paper presents principles of design based on evidence-based practice (EBP) and language activity monitoring (LAM). When applied to the research and development of AAC computer-based technology, these principles provide quantitative data for making decisions about product performance and achievable outcomes focusing on the benefit to the end-user. The evaluation of a Mandarin language software application provides an example of how the steps of EBP and LAM data were applied during the initial research tasks. The EBP model offers a unique innovation to product development by challenging computer processing designers and programmers to design systematic and scientific data collection and analysis procedures specific to EBP.
Infrared two-photon-excited visible lasing from a DNA-surfactant-chromophore complex

Infrared two-photon-pumped and cavity-enhanced frequency upconversion lasing has been achieved in a novel DNA-surfactant-chromophore complex (DSCC) gel system, which is a new step toward producing a biological laser. Once the focused intensity of the 150 fs and approximately 775 nm pump laser beam is higher than a certain threshold level, highly directional stimulated emission at approximately 582 nm wavelength can be observed from a 1 cm long DSCC complex gel cell. With cavity feedback provided by the two optical windows, the pump threshold can be further reduced, the highly directional output lasing can be greatly enhanced, and the output spectral linewidth can be reduced to less than 1/5 of the spontaneous fluorescence spectral bandwidth.
Exciton-exciton annihilation in single-walled carbon nanotubes

The femtosecond fluorescence and transient absorption kinetics recorded on selected semiconducting singlewalled carbon nanotubes exhibit pronounced excitation-intensity-dependent decays as the result of excitonexciton annihilation. A satisfactory description of the decays obtained at various excitation intensities, however, requires a time-independent annihilation rate that is valid only for extended systems with dimensionality greater than 2 in conjunction with diffusive migration of excitons. We resolved this apparent contradiction by developing a stochastic model, in which we assumed that the exciton states in semiconducting nanotubes are coherent, and the multiexciton manifolds are resonantly coupled with other excited states, which decay by subsequent linear relaxation due to electron-phonon coupling. The formalism derived from this model enables a qualitative description of the experimental results for the 9,5, 8,3, and 6,5 semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Superrigidity for homomorphisms into isometry groups of CAT(−1) spaces

CAT(−1) spaces are generalizations of manifolds with negative curvature. In this paper, we prove three types of rigidity results related to CAT(−1) spaces, namely the rigidity of the isometric actions on CAT(−1) spaces under the commensurability subgroups, the higher rank lattices and certain ergodic cocycles. The main idea for our approach relies on a study of the boundary theory we established for the general CAT(−1) spaces.
ADAPTIVE SPAM FILTERING USING DYNAMIC FEATURE SPACES

Unsolicited bulk e-mail, also known as spam, has been an increasing problem for the e-mail society. This paper presents a new spam filtering strategy that 1) uses a practical entropy coding technique, Huffman coding, to dynamically encode the feature space of the e-mail collected over time and, 2) applies an online algorithm to adaptively enhance the learned spam concept as new e-mail data becomes available. The contributions of this work include a highly efficient spam filtering algorithm in which the input space is radically reduced to a single-dimension input vector, and an adaptive learning technique that is robust to vocabulary change, concept drifting and skewed class distributions. We compare our technique with several existing off-line learning techniques including support vector machine, logistic regression, naive Bayes, k-nearest neighbor, C4.5 decision tree, RBFNetwork, boosted decision tree and stacking. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique by presenting the experimental results on the e-mail data that is publicly available. A more in-depth statistical analysis on the experimental results is also presented and discussed.
Loco-regional therapy in patients with Milan Criteria-compliant hepatocellular carcinoma and short waitlist time to transplant: an outcome analysis.

Objectives Liver transplantation (LT) in Milan Criteria (MC) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has excellent outcomes. Pre-transplant loco-regional therapy (LRT) has been used to downstage HCC to meet the MC. However, its benefit in patients with a brief waiting time to transplant remains unclear. This study evaluated outcomes in patients with short waitlist times to LT for MC-compliant HCC.
Seasonal pattern of ammonium (methylamine) uptake by phytoplankton in an oligotrophic lake

Our primary objective was to determine if a relationship existed between seasonal change in phytoplankton and high affinity for (Km) or uptake rates (VmaX) of ammonium which might explain seasonal phytoplankton succession in oligotrophic ecosystems. We measured ammonium uptake using [14C]-methylamine and estimatedKm andVmax using Hanes Plots at 2-week intervals during 6 months of thermal stratification in Mountain lake, Virginia (37° 22′ N, 80° 32′ W). Community composition, nutrient levels, and other variables were determined in all uptake experiments. A second objective was to determine if ammonium was preferentially utilized over nitrate and to characterize further the ammonium transport system.Vmax increased steadily from May until the end of July, each increase coinciding with major changes in the phytoplankton community. Cryptophyceans dominated in May, chlorophyceans in June and July, and cyanophyceans from the end of July to late October. With cyanophycean dominance,Vmax declined until chlorophyceans reestablished dominance in late October. By contrast,Km values increased from May to the end of July, but thereafter showed no correlation. Acetylene reduction experiments showed no nitrogen fixation during late summer and fall when blue-green algae were present. Preference for ammonium was implied also by negative nitrate reductase assays. Overall, the coincidence ofVmax andKm values for [14C]-methylamine uptake and changing phytoplankton community structure suggests the possibility that successive algal communities may be changing as a result of specific species differences in ammonium affinity and uptake rates.
Geometric modeling of the carotid bifurcation in humans: Implications in ultrasonic doppler and radiologic investigations

A geometric representation of the carotid bifurcation is presented with data obtained from biplane angiograms of normal branches and branches exhibiting less than 5% vessel diameter reduction. Three features are identified that are of importance in the interpretation of ultrasonic Doppler velocity information and in the design of engineering flow models for evaluation of carotid branch hemodynamics: the variability of the bifurcation angles, the degree of tortuosity, and the nonplanar nature of the branches. In addition, data collected demonstrate the potential usefulness of the common carotid artery as a reference diameter in evaluating stenosis of the carotid bulb.
Constraints on thermochemical convection of the mantle from plume heat flux, plume excess temperature, and upper mantle temperature

[1] Seismic and geochemical observations indicate a compositionally heterogeneous mantle in the lower mantle, suggesting a layered mantle. The volume and composition of each layer, however, remain poorly constrained. This study seeks to constrain the layered mantle model from observed plume excess temperature, plume heat flux, and upper mantle temperature. Three-dimensional spherical models of whole mantle and layered mantle convection are computed for different Rayleigh number, internal heat generation, buoyancy number, and bottom layer thickness for layered mantle models. The model results show that these observations are controlled by internal heating rate in the layer overlying the thermal boundary layer from which mantle plumes are originated. To reproduce the observations, internal heating rate needs ∼65% for whole mantle convection, but for layered mantle models, the internal heating rate for the top layer is ∼60–65% for averaged bottom layer thicknesses 2520 km) and has radiogenic heat generation rate >2.82 × 10−12 W/kg that is >3 times of that for the depleted mantle source for mid-ocean ridge basalts (DMM). For the top layer to have the radiogenic heat generation of the DMM, mantle secular cooling rate needs to exceed 145 K/Ga. The current study also shows that plume temperature in the upper mantle is about half of the CMB temperature for whole mantle convection or ∼0.6 of temperature at compositional boundary for a layered mantle, independent of internal heating rate and Rayleigh number. Finally, the model calculations confirm that mantle plumes accounts for the majority (∼80%) of CMB heat flux in whole mantle convection models. However, plume heat flux decreases significantly by as much as a factor of 3, as plumes ascend through the mantle to the upper mantle, owing to the adiabatic and possibly diffusive cooling of the plumes and owing to slight (∼180 K) subadiabaticity in mantle geotherm.
The treatment of TBI with human marrow stromal cells impregnated into collagen scaffold: Functional outcome and gene expression profile

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that human marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) embedded in collagen I scaffolds significantly enhance the restorative therapeutic effect of hMSCs after traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we test the hypothesis that the collagen scaffold alters gene expression in hMSCs and that hMSCs impregnated into scaffolds increase the astrocytic expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the injured brain. Following TBI induced by controlled cortical impact injury, scaffold with hMSCs (3.0 × 106), hMSCs-only and saline were implanted into the lesion cavity one week after brain injury (n = 8/each group). Morris water maze and modified neurological severity scores were performed to evaluate the spatial learning and sensorimotor functions, respectively. Lesion volume and expression of VEGF were measured one week after different treatments. In vitro, total RNA from hMSCs was extracted one week after culture with or without collagen I scaffold for evaluation of gene microarrays. Furthermore, an RT-PCR study on a select subgroup of genes was performed to identify the changes of expression between the culturing hMSCs with collagen scaffolds and hMSCs only. The treatment of TBI with collagen scaffold impregnated with hMSCs significantly decreases the functional deficits from TBI within 7 days after treatment, and significantly enhances the VEGF expression of astrocytes in the injured brain compared to the hMSCs-only group. In vitro data indicate that collagen scaffolds stimulate hMSCs to express multiple factors which may contribute to hMSC survival, tissue repair and functional recovery after TBI.
Two crystal structures of dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase from Cryptosporidium hominis reveal protein-ligand interactions including a structural basis for observed antifolate resistance.

Cryptosporidium hominis is a protozoan parasite that causes acute gastrointestinal illness. There are no effective therapies for cryptosporidiosis, highlighting the need for new drug-lead discovery. An analysis of the protein–ligand interactions in two crystal structures of dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) from C. hominis, determined at 2.8 and 2.87 A resolution, reveals that the interactions of residues Ile29, Thr58 and Cys113 in the active site of C. hominis DHFR provide a possible structural basis for the observed antifolate resistance. A comparison with the structure of human DHFR reveals active-site differences that may be exploited for the design of species-selective inhibitors.
Parametric instability of thick, orthotropic, circular cylindrical shells

The dynamic instability of simply supported, finite-length, circular cylindrical shells subjected to parametric excitation by axial loading, is investigated analytically. The shell is taken to be orthotropic, due to closely spaced longitudinal and/or circumferential stiffeners or to many layers of fiber-reinforced composite material either oriented at angles of 0° and 90° (cross-ply) or at +θ and −θ (angle-ply) with respect to the shell axis. The theory used is a general first-order shear deformable shell theory introduced by Hsu, Reddy, and Bert; it can be considered to be the thick-shell version of the popular Sanders-Koiter thin-shell theory. By means of tracers, this theory can be reduced to thick-shell versions of the theories of Love (and Loo) and of Donnell (and Morley). Quantitative results are presented to show the effects of shell geometry, materials, and fiber orientation on the stability boundaries.
An improved large-field focusing schlieren system

The analysis and performance of a high-brightness large-field focusing schlieren system is described. The system can be used to examine complex two- and three-dimensional flows. Techniques are described to obtain focusing schlieren through distorting optical elements, to use multiple colors in a time multiplexing technique, and to use diffuse screen holography for three-dimensional photographs.
Transtelephonic monitoring and transmission of stored arrhythmia detection and therapy data from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

A new transtelephonic monitoring device designed for use with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) was evaluated. It is capable of interrogating ICDs and transmitting the following data via telephone: programmed parameters (e.g., ventricular tachycardia [VT] and ventricular fibrillation [VF] detection, therapies), number of VT and VF episodes, identification of successful therapies, the 20 cycle lengths preceding the last episode detected, the 10 cycle lengths after the last delivered therapy, battery voltage, and real-time transmission of the patient's rhythm. Eighteen patients (mean age 64 +/- 17 years; 15 males) were implanted with an ICD and epicardial lead system. The patients who did not live near the primary hospital were provided with this transmitter and instructed to transmit monthly and whenever presyncope, syncope, or a shock were experienced. Five hundred ten episodes of spontaneous arrhythmia (495 VT, 15 VF) were detected in 14 of 18 patients in a 24-month period and the success of each therapy (antitachycardia pacing, cardioversion 0.4-34 J, defibrillation 34 J) was analyzed. The number of therapies delivered and their success (%) in terminating the arrhythmia were: 380 ramp/86%, 116 burst/84%, 119 cardioversion/57%, and 15 defibrillations/100%. Sixty-three (42%) of the 152 transmissions indicated an arrhythmia. Twenty-five (16%) of the 152 were transmitted because of symptoms. Sixteen (9.7%) of 165 VT episodes could not be terminated by the full set of programmed VT therapies. Analysis of the pre- and post-episode intervals along with the patient's transmitted rhythm indicated that sinus tachycardia or atrial fibrillation were likely responsible for these episodes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Space station propulsion system trade study

This study evaluates alternative space station propulsion system options for a range of space station configurational and operational architectures. Space station propulsion requirements ranging from those representative of the first generation space station to those of an advanced space station with a space based OTV are considered. A methodology for comparing the candidate propulsion technologies is developed which considers design/development/qualification and operational costs, system mass, performance, reliability, and other relevant parameters. Advanced propulsion systems are shown to reduce space station costs by providing higher performance but to require a larger front end investment for development and qualification. This study indicates that if the full potential of such systems is to be realized, then low cost implementations of this technology must be developed.
Speculative Computation: Overcoming Communication Delays

Communication latencies and delays are a major source of performance degradation in parallel computing systems. It is important to "mask" these communication delays by overlapping them with useful computation in order to obtain good parallel performance. This article proposes speculative computation as a technique to mask communication latencies in synchronous iterative algorithms. Processors speculate the contents of messages that are not yet received and perform computation based on the speculated values. When the messages are received, they are compared with the speculated values and, if the error is unacceptable, the resulting computation is corrected or recomputed. If the error is small, the speculated value is accepted and the processor has masked the communication delay. The technique, applied to N-body simulations yielded a performance improvement of up to 34%.
Galectin-1 Pulls the Strings on VEGFR2

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cancer immunotherapy targets angiogenesis but development of resistance in patients is common. In this issue of Cell, Croci et al. identify a complex set of mechanisms by which galectin-1 prolongs cell-surface retention of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and stimulates VEGF-independent tumor angiogenesis.
A TRMM-Based Tropical Cyclone Cloud and Precipitation Feature Database

AbstractThe Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite has provided invaluable data for tropical cyclone (TC) research since December 1997. The challenge, however, is how to analyze and efficiently utilize all of the information from several instruments on TRMM that observe the same target. In this study, a tropical cyclone precipitation, cloud, and convective cell feature (TCPF) database has been developed by using observations of the TRMM precipitation radar (PR), Microwave Imager (TMI), Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS), Lightning Imaging System (LIS), and the TRMM 3B42 rainfall product. The database is based on an event-based method that analyzes the measurements from multiple sensors. This method condenses the original information of pixel-level measurements into the properties of events, which can significantly increase the efficiency of searching and sorting the observed historical TCs. With both convective and rainfall properties included, the database offers the potential to aid the r...
CYSTIC RENAL CELL CARCINOMA IS CURED BY RESECTION: A STUDY OF 24 CASES WITH LONG-TERM FOLLOWUP

AbstractPurpose: The true incidence and biological behavior of cystic renal cell carcinoma are not known. To our knowledge we present the largest series of patients with cystic renal cell carcinoma with long-term followup.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the Mayo Clinic surgical pathology files of renal cell cancer cases with a cystic component resected from 1969 to 1997, and arbitrarily chose 75% tumor involvement by cysts as a cutoff for inclusion in the study.Results: We identified 24 cases of clear cell renal cell carcinoma with 75% or greater involvement by cysts comprising 0.79% of 3,047 renal cell cancer cases resected at our institution between 1969 and 1997. Mean patient age was 62.7 years (range 40 to 83). A total of 11 patients (46%) underwent radical nephrectomy, 4 (17%) simple nephrectomy, 3 (12%) partial nephrectomy and 6 (25%) tumor enucleation. Mean tumor involvement by cysts was 84% (range 75 to 95) and in 11 cases (46%) involvement was 90% or greater. Cancer stage was T1 in 20 patients...
Zinc Deficiency in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(1990). Zinc Deficiency in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. International Journal of Neuroscience: Vol. 52, No. 3-4, pp. 239-241.