cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seismic performance of two-side structural silicone glazing systems

This paper presents the results of the first phase of an experimental research program on simulated seismic performance of structural silicone glazed (SSG) curtain wall systems. Full-scale, two-side SSG mockups made up of three side-by-side glass panels were tested under cyclic racking displacements to determine serviceability and ultimate behavior responses. Variables were glass type (annealed and fully tempered) and panel configuration (monolithic, laminated, and insulating glass). In the experiments carried out, damage states such as gasket deformation/pullout, sealant failure (e.g., adhesion/cohesion, etc.), glass cracking glass and fallout were identified and their corresponding drift levels were determined. The extent of damage to silicone sealant was determined through air leakage tests.
p-wave superconductors in magnetic fields

The possibility of vortex solutions existing for a bulk superconductor with $p$-wave pairing and isotropic normal-state properties is investigated on the basis of Gorkov's theory of weakly coupled superconductors. Assuming translational symmetry in the direction of the magnetic field only anisotropic states are found. Among these the polar state gives the highest upper critical field. States of the Anderson-Brinkman-Morel type are also found. Apart from the absence of Pauli paramagnetic limiting, the temperature dependence of the corresponding upper critical fields does not differ dramatically from that obtained for $p$-wave superconductors. Contrary to the predictions for the case of fast rotating superfluid $^{3}\mathrm{He}$, which is closely related to the problem considered here, it appears to be impossible to construct vortex lattices without singular vortex cores.
Properties of ZnO/W-doped In2O3/ZnO multilayer thin films deposited at different growth temperatures

Multilayer thin films of zinc oxide and tungsten-doped indium oxide are deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique using a KrF excimer laser. The effect of growth temperature on the properties of multilayer films is studied. It is observed that these films are highly transparent and the transparency of the films increases with growth temperature. X-ray diffraction study reveals that films grown at high growth temperature are crystalline, while films grown at low growth temperature are amorphous in nature. The electrical properties such as conductivity and electron mobility of the multilayer films increase with growth temperature.
Evidence for asymmetric shapes from high-spin odd-A spectra

The model of a single-$j$ nucleon coupled to an asymmetric rotor is applied to new experimental results on yrast bands in $^{187}\mathrm{Ir}$, $^{195}\mathrm{Au}$, and $^{197}\mathrm{Tl}$. The core asymmetry is shown to account for systematic trends in the high-spin spectra. Information on the shape dependence of moments of inertia is obtained which supports the idea of nuclear flow of irrotational type.
Effect of prasugrel versus clopidogrel on outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention without stent implantation: a TRial to assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by optimizing platelet inhibitioN with prasugrel (TRITON)-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 38 substudy.

Background Prasugrel led to a significant reduction in ischemic cardiovascular events among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation compared to clopidogrel. Whether this benefit extends to patients undergoing PCI without stent implantation is unknown. Methods In TRial to assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by optimizing platelet inhibitioN with prasugrel (TRITON)-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 38, patients (n = 13 608) undergoing PCI for ACS were randomized to aspirin plus clopidogrel or prasugrel. This postrandomization analysis of a prespecified subgroup was restricted to patients who underwent PCI without stent implantation (n = 569). Results Patients who underwent PCI without stent implantation were older and had a higher incidence of hypertension, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction (MI), prior coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery, and renal dysfunction than patients who underwent stent implantation. In the group that did not undergo stent implantation, baseline characteristics were similar between patients receiving clopidogrel and prasugrel. The composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal stroke occurred in 14.2% of patients receiving prasugrel and 17.1% of patients receiving clopidogrel (HR 0.82, P = .27). There were significant reductions favoring prasugrel in the rates of urgent target vessel revascularization (TVR; HR 0.46, P = .040) and any TVR (HR 0.40, P = .009) and a trend toward a reduction in the incidence of nonfatal MI (HR 0.65, P = .11). CABG-related TIMI major bleeding was more frequent among patients receiving prasugrel. There were no significant interactions between treatment and PCI type. Conclusion Among ACS patients who underwent PCI without stent implantation, prasugrel therapy tended to reduce clinical ischemic events and to increase bleeding events to a similar magnitude as among patients who received stents.
The Sex of the Situationist International

In June 1958, Guy Debord, Gil Wolman, Michele Bernstein, and other founding members of the Situationist International (SI) published the first issue of internationale situationniste (IS). There, interspersed among essays on police brutality, functionalist architecture, and industrialization essays all invested with a clear sense of import and urgency are found photographs of sexy, flirtatious women. One stands underneath a shower, smiling as water trickles down her neck, while another wears nothing but a man's trench coat, an erotic accouterment through which she exposes a thigh and a tantalizing glimpse of decolletage. What are sexually charged images such as these doing in a periodical whose twelve issues published some of the most incisive critiques of alienation, capitalism, and spectacle along with astute analyses of current events like the Franco-Algerian War and the Watts Riots to appear after World War II? Readymade photographs of nude and semi-nude women are one of the leitmotifs of Situationist visual production. They embellish everything, from its collages and artist books to its films and publications. Nevertheless, these images have received only cursory attention from historians, and in the opinion of those who have addressed them, they constitute little more than a gratuitous sidebar to the group's more lofty, less compromised pursuits. Susan Suleiman's view, expressed in a footnote to her 1990 book Subversive Intent, typifies the scholarly response to date. "The Situationists appear to have been more of a 'men's club' than the Surrealists," Suleiman writes. When they weren't ignoring women, they were treating them as "sex objects in the most banal
Speciation of the curium(III) ion in aqueous solution: a combined study by quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics simulation.

The structures of aquo complexes of the curium(III) ion have been systematically studied using quantum chemical and molecular dynamics (MD) methods. The first hydration shell of the Cm3+ ion has been calculated using density functional theory (DFT), with and without inclusion of the conductor-like polarizable continuum medium (CPCM) model of solvation. The calculated results indicate that the primary hydration number of Cm3+ is nine, with a Cm−O bond distance of 2.47−2.48 A. The calculated bond distances and the hydration number are in excellent agreement with available experimental data. The inclusion of a complete second hydration shell of Cm3+ has been investigated using both DFT and MD methods. The presence of the second hydration shell has significant effects on the primary coordination sphere, suggesting that the explicit inclusion of second-shell effects is important for understanding the nature of the first shell. The calculated results indicate that 21 water molecules can be coordinated in the se...
Effects of α-Tubulin K40 Acetylation and Detyrosination on Kinesin-1 Motility in a Purified System

Long-range transport in cells is achieved primarily through motor-based transport along a network of microtubule tracks. Targeted transport by kinesin motors can be correlated with posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of the tubulin subunits in specific microtubules. To directly examine the influence of specific PTMs on kinesin-1 motility, we generated tubulin subunits that were either enriched in or lacking acetylation of α-tubulin lysine 40 (K40) or detyrosination of the α-tubulin C-terminal tail. We show that K40 acetylation does not result in significant changes in kinesin-1’s landing rate or motility parameters (velocity and run length) across experimental conditions. In contrast, detyrosination causes a moderate increase in kinesin-1’s landing rate. The fact that the effects of detyrosination are dampened by prior K40 acetylation indicates that the combination of PTMs may be an important aspect of the functional output of microtubule heterogeneity. Importantly, our results indicate that the moderate influences that single PTMs have on kinesin-1 in vitro do not explain the strong correlation between specific PTMs and kinesin-1 transport in cells. Thus, additional mechanisms for regulating kinesin-1 transport in cells must be explored in future work.
Suppression of BDNF-induced expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in cortical cultures by oxygen-glucose deprivation: a model system to study ischemic mechanisms in the perinatal brain.

The aim of this study was to establish a culture system that can serve as a model to study hypoxic-ischemic mechanisms regulating the functional expression of NPY neurons in the perinatal brain. Using an aggregate culture system derived from the rat fetal cortex, we defined the effects of oxygen and glucose deprivation on NPY expression, using BDNF-induced production of NPY as a functional criterion. NPY neurons exhibited a differential susceptibility to oxygen and glucose deprivation. Although the neurons could withstand oxygen deprivation for 16 hr, they were dramatically damaged by 8 hr of glucose deprivation and by 1-4 hr of deprivation of both oxygen and glucose (N+Glu-). One-hour exposure to N+Glu- led to a transient inhibition ( approximately 50%) of NPY production manifesting within 24 hr and recovering by 5 days thereafter, a 2-hr exposure to N+Glu- led to a sustained inhibition (50-75%) manifesting 1-5 days thereafter, and a 4-hr exposure to N+Glu- led to a total irreversible suppression of BDNF-induced production of NPY manifesting within 24 hr and lasting 8 days after re-supply of oxygen and glucose. Moreover, 1-hr exposure to N+Glu- led to a substantial and 4-hr exposure led to a total disappearance of immunostaining for MAP-2 and NPY but not for GFAP; indicating that neurons are the primary cell-type damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation. Analysis of cell viability (LDH, MTT) indicated that progressive changes in cell integrity take place during the 4-hr exposure to N+Glu- followed by massive cell death 24 hr thereafter. Thus, we defined a culture system that can serve as a model to study mechanisms by which ischemic insult leads to suppression and eventually death of NPY neurons. Importantly, changes in NPY neurons can be integrated into the overall scheme of ischemic injury in the perinatal brain.
Down-regulation of cortical β-adrenoceptors by chronic treatment with functional NMDA antagonists

Down-regulation of cortical β-adrenoceptors is observed in laboratory animals following chronic treatment with many clinically effective antidepressant therapies. [3H]Dihydroalprenolol (DHA) binding to cortical β-adrenoceptors was examined in mice treated with the functional NMDA antagonists 1-aminocyclopropane-carboxylic acid (ACPC) and MK-801. ACPC and MK-801 reduced [3H]DHA binding by 19 (P>0.05) and 21% (P<0.05), respectively, while imipramine produced a 23% (P<0.05) reduction. No corresponding changes in the Kd of [3H]DHA were observed. These findings are consistent with the observation that functional NMDA antagonists are active in animal models commonly used to evaluate antidepressants and may represent a novel approach to the treatment of depression.
Comparison Of Phase-Only And Classical Matched Filter Scale Sensitivity

Expectation values in the frequency domain are used to calculate the correlation peak of an optical matched filter. These calculations show that the phase-only and classical matched filters are equally sensitive to scale changes when modest high-pass filtering is used. Computer simulations were done for verification.
Chronic stress and fatigue-related quality of life after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE:: To determine relationships among chronic stress, fatigue-related quality of life (QOL-F), and related covariates after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN:: Observational and cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS:: A total of 84 community-dwelling individuals with mild to moderate TBI recruited from multiple out patient rehabilitation clinics assessed on average 15 months after injury. METHOD:: Self-report surveys and chart abstraction. MEASURES:: Neuro-functional Behavioral Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale-14, Impact of Events Scale, McGill Pain Short-form Scale, and modified version of the Fatigue Impact Scale. RESULTS:: QOL-F was associated with somatic symptoms, perceived situational stress, but not with event-related stress (posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms) related to index TBI, preinjury demographic, or postinjury characteristics. Somatic symptoms and chronic situational stress accounted for 42% of the variance in QOL-F. CONCLUSIONS:: QOL-F in community-dwelling individuals with mild to moderate TBI is associated with chronic situational stress and somatic symptoms. Symptom management strategies may need to include general stress management to reduce fatigue burden and improve quality of life. Language: en
A seven-year experience with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

From July 1983 through June 1990, 319 patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were identified at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. Initially, our goal was eradication of MRSA from the hospital flora. Our approach was: (a) immediate notification of all MRSA isolates by the microbiology laboratory; (b) strict isolation; (c) cohorting; (d) bathing patients with an iodophor; (e) surveillance cultures of patients and staff; (f) treatment of all colonized persons; and (g) strict isolation on readmission. Control of spread was achieved but eradication was not. In 1987 our strategy was modified in order to establish the least restrictive methods to maintain control of the spread of MRSA. After notification by the microbiology laboratory, we now require: (a) contact isolation; (b) surveillance cultures of patients associated with each new case; and (c) contact isolation for all MRSA patients on readmission. Strict isolation and employee culturing are used only during major outbreaks. We have averaged four new cases of MRSA per month over the 7-year period, including four major outbreaks. Since 1987, we have averaged only three new cases per month with one major MRSA outbreak. Annual cost savings of greater than $50,000 have been realized through the policy modifications. We conclude that the use of contact isolation with some modifications has saved time and money and has successfully controlled the spread of MRSA in our university hospital.
[D66] TouchMover 2.0

Summary form only given. Our actuated immersive 3D display is capable of providing 1D movement and haptic screen force feedback in a single dimension perpendicular to the screen plane, and has an additional capability to render haptic texture cues via vibrotactile actuators attached to the touchscreen. We will demonstrate: 1) touch and feel the 3D contour and 2D texture of a topographic map, and 2) interaction with 3D objects by pushing on the screen with realistic force feedback, and 3) intuitively explore and feel pseudo tissue texture within volumetric data such as medical images (e.g., MRI brain scan).
Queueing Theory: The State-of-the-Art

Abstract Approximately seven years ago T. L. Saaty wrote, “If one also takes the trouble to examine the (queueing) literature, …, he might get the idea that all those contributing to the understanding of congestion phenomena are interested in doing something about them …” This survey of the state-of-the-art in queueing theory directs attention to two areas—theory and applications—attempting to indicate their evolution to their present states. The appropriateness of Saaty's comment now is assessed, and based on this assessment some recommendations about what needs to be done are presented. The notion implied in the foregoing quotation, that if the queueing theorists were really interested in doing something about real-world problems they could, is subjected to scrutiny.
The transformation to a learner‐centered community as a result of university‐wide assessment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the way(s) in which the introduction of systematic outcomes assessment throughout a university has begun to transform its academic culture.Design/methodology/approach – The college is incrementally introducing system‐supported evaluation of student work. It began with general education, working with interdisciplinary faculty committees to define common learning outcomes with shared rubrics, and using these in all courses designated as general education. The use of this approach is now expanding into the majors and specific programs.Findings – The paper finds that the process by which general education and program outcomes and rubrics have been defined has already led to a change of focus – with more clear emphasis on what students should demonstrate – and a shared sense of ownership in the learning outcomes and rubrics.Originality/value – Concordia University (Saint Paul) is one of the first colleges to methodically introduce this system‐supported approac...
Scaling of negative moments of the growth probability of diffusion-limited aggregates

The qth moment M(q) of the growth probability of diffusion-limited aggregates is studied for q<0 in terms of the value [M(q,N)]av obtained by averaging M(q) over the ensemble of all aggregates of a given number of particles N. For a range of structures that are susceptible to precise analysis, we verify that all moments, even those for q<0, obey asymptotic power-law scaling in N. Since we cannot analyze completely arbitrary structures, our analysis is not definitive. However, it does suggest the validity of a recent proposal by one of us that there is no Lifshitz-like anomaly (similar to that found for the distribution of currents in the random resistor network) leading to non-power-law scaling of the negative moments of the growth probability.
Interfacial free energy and interfacial stress: The case of an internal interface in a solid

Abstract When the order parameter affects the lattice parameter a stress arises in the antiphase boundary between two domains of an ordered phase. Near the critical point this stress raises the magnitude of the free energy of the interface and narrows its width. It also gives rise to some anisotropy, but does not change the exponents of the critical behavior for energy and width (respectively 3 2 and − 1 2 classically, and 1.3 and −0.6 in modern critical theory). The interfacial stress on the other hand is much more anisotropic, can be positive or negative with a magnitude that approaches zero with a classical exponent of 1 2 or 0.0 according to modern critical theory. Thus the ratio of stress to free energy diverges.
Algorithms for autonomous visual flight control

Summary form only given. The authors attempt to utilize optic flow and the geometrical properties of a sensor configuration to perform fast, reliable target tracking from crude visual inputs. Artificial neural networks are used to implement the authors' algorithms because of their excellent generalization capabilities which allow for quite a good answer in situations where an answer would not be expected of conventional computer algorithms. The advantages offered are speed of computation, simplicity of schemas and algorithms, and robustness as regards the environmental conditions where such tracking is performed. >
87-year-old woman with painful swallowing.

An 87-year-old woman presented to her local emergency department with symptoms of acute-onset odynophagia with a sense of fullness in her throat. She was suspected to have an esophageal food impaction. Conservative management was unsuccessful, and she underwent attempted endoscopic removal of the food impaction. The procedure revealed a food impaction at the distal half of the esophagus, with probable tissue erosion, stenosis, and bleeding into the esophageal lumen. Attempts at removal of the food bolus were unsuccessful. During the procedure, she was transiently hypertensive with systolic blood pressures greater than 230 mm Hg and had a self-limited episode of supraventricular tachycardia. She was urgently transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for further evaluation and management.
Absorption of strontium from the gastrointestinal tract into plasma in healthy human adults.

The radioactive isotopes of strontium have always been a major concern in radiation protection. Currently, radiostrontium is of interest for evaluation of the health effects of the Chernobyl accident and for epidemiological studies in populations exposed to releases from the Mayak nuclear facilities in Russia. Ingestion is one of the most important exposure pathways involving radioactive strontium. The main sources of published data on the fraction of the ingested strontium that is transferred to plasma (f 1 ) are summarized. For some of these studies, the original data had to be reanalyzed and a new iterative method to account for the elimination in feces of strontium of endogenous origin (i.e., that was absorbed to blood and has already been returned into feces) was employed. Data indicate no significant dependence of the absorbed fraction on sex or age at exposure within the adult group, but absorption of strontium is reduced if the intake of stable calcium is very high and is enhanced if the intake of calcium is very low. The probability distribution function of f 1 values is well represented by a lognormal curve with a geometric mean of 22.3% and a geometric standard deviation of 1.44 (95% confidence interval 10.9% to 45.6%, or about a factor of 2 around the geometric mean). This distribution can be considered representative for the variability of the f 1 values in a population of healthy adults.
Renormalization constants for scalar, pseudoscalar, and tensor currents

We calculate the renormalization constants describing nucleon and pion matrix elements of scalar, pseudoscalar, and tensor ($S, P, T$) current densities. For certain of the constants, expressions can be obtained using standard S${\mathrm{U}}_{3}$ and chiral S${\mathrm{U}}^{3}$\ensuremath{\bigotimes}S${\mathrm{U}}^{3}$ methods. To get the remaining constants, we employ the quark model with spherically symmetric quark wave functions to relate the $S$, $P$, $T$ renormalization constants to known parameters of the usual vector and axial-vector ($V,A$) currents. We also evaluate the renormalization constants using the MIT "bag" model quark wave functions. We summarize our results in tabular form, compare the results of the various calculational methods used, and attempt to estimate the accuracy of our predictions.
Cultural Development and City Neighborhoods

Abstract This article examines four defining characteristics of city cultural policy: (1) the concentration of cultural resources in downtowns and cultural districts; (2) a policy infrastructure focused on nonprofit organizations, cultural industries and tourism; (3) the narrow policy scope and political influence of city-level cultural agencies; and (4) the decentralized and under-institutionalized authority and oversight in the public cultural sector. The article traces the impacts of these characteristics on cultural development and the cultural life of neighborhoods, arguing that when city cultural agencies do not consciously and actively incorporate communities and their needs into cultural development, their policies and programs can in fact conflict with and threaten the cultural health of urban neighborhoods. The article concludes that in order to foster a more coordinated and holistic approach to developing and managing neighborhood cultural life: (1) cultural development must be purposefully dedicated to supporting the diverse cultural lives of city residents; (2) cities should designate an agency responsible for supporting neighborhood cultural life, invest in neighborhood cultural asset mapping, and plan for ways to promote identified cultural assets; (3) licensing and permitting of cultural activities should be governed by codified, transparent processes overseen by a cultural agency accountable to both the cultural sector and neighborhoods; (4) public sector cultural agencies should be better integrated into decision-making and implementation of policies that impact cultural activity; and (5) in some cities, a central cultural authority should be designated.
Determination of antimony by atomic absorption spectrometry with flow injection hydride generation by a tetrahydroborate-form anion-exchanger

A quartz tube atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of antimony by FI-HG was developed in which stibine (SbH3) was generated from the reaction between antimony in the injected solution and tetrahydroborate immobilized on a strong anion-exchange resin (Amberlite IRA-400). Several samples could be injected before the column was reloaded. The LOD (3s) in 4 mol l−1 HCl and 10% cysteine, and 4 mol l−1 HCl and 10% thiourea, were 0.55 and 0.54 μg l−1, respectively. The precision, expressed as %RSD (n = 5), was 5.9, 4.9, 3.8, 2.6 and 1.0 for 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0 and 60.0 μg l−1, respectively, in 4 mol l−1 HCl and 10% (m/v) L-cysteine; and 8.1, 5.0, 1.5, 1.2 and 1.4 for the same concentrations in 4 mol l−1 HCl and 10% (m/v) thiourea. The throughput was 60 h−1. Interferences from transition metals and hydride-forming elements, and signal suppression due to high ionic strength, were eliminated by the addition L-cysteine or thiourea to the samples, which also allowed the acid concentration to be decreased to 0.61 mol l−1. The method was evaluated by the analysis of spiked sea and well waters, for which no matrix effects were observed: the recoveries for 3.0 and 5.0 μg l−1 were 102% and 110–114%, respectively.
Programmed demethylation in CpG islands during human fetal development.

The mechanism for establishing the DNA methylation patterns observed in adult mammalian tissues is not well understood. To determine when adult patterns are established for housekeeping genes, we examined the clustered CpGs in genes on the human active X chromosome (PGK, G6PD, P3, GdX, HPRT) and the autosomal gene,DHFR. We find unique methylation patterns present at theP3 locus in all tissues analyzed from 6- to 9-week fetal specimens, and at theHPRT locus in adrenal gland DNA at this stage of development. Adult patterns are established subsequently by demethylating specific CpGs. Our results show that demethylating events affecting CpG islands are programmed during mammalian fetal development. They suggest that the process of de novo methylation in the fetus methylates at least some sites in the 3′ region of the CpG islands in active genes and that adult patterns are established at 6–14 weeks developmental age by sequence-specific demethylation.
An experimental investigation of dynamic crack growth past a stiff inclusion

Abstract The mechanics of transient crack growth past stiff inclusions embedded in a relatively compliant matrix are studied optically under stress wave dominant loading conditions. An ultra high-speed rotating mirror-type CCD digital camera is used to record gray scales in the crack–inclusion vicinity at rates of up to 300,000 frames per second and 1000 × 1000 pixel resolution in real time. By analyzing the images before and after deformations, crack-tip deformation histories from the time of impact up to complete fracture are mapped and fracture parameters are extracted. The effects of inclusion–matrix adhesion strengths (weak and strong) and eccentricity of the inclusion relative to the crack path in the crack-tip vicinity are examined. A weakly bonded inclusion attracts and traps a dynamically growing mode-I crack momentarily whereas the same is deflected away by the inclusion if it is bonded strongly to the matrix. As a result, significantly higher re-initiation crack velocities are seen in weakly bonded inclusion cases upon re-initiation when compared to the strongly bonded counterparts. The effective stress intensity factor histories extracted from measured full-field displacements show a spike in values corresponding to higher crack velocities. Further, crack-tip mode-mixities correlate well with crack attraction and deflection mechanisms. The measured surface roughness is found to be consistently higher for weakly bonded inclusion specimens compared to the strongly bonded ones.
3D Patterning at the Nanoscale of Fluorescent Emitters in Glass

Three-dimensional fluorescent nanostructures are photoinduced by a near-infrared high repetition rate femtosecond laser in a silver-containing femto-photoluminescent glass. By adjusting the laser dose (fluence, number of pulses, and repetition rate), these stabilized intense fluorescent structures, composed of silver clusters, can be achieved with a perfect control of the luminescence intensity, the emission spectrum, and the spatial distribution at the nanometer scale. This novel approach opens the way to the fabrication of stable fluorescent nanostructures in three dimensions in glass for applications in photonics and optical data storage.
Calcification. XXIV. Mineralization of collagen and other fibers.

Abstract Purified tail tendon and skin acid-soluble collagens mineralize equally well in vitro when precipitated with chondroitin sulfate. Crude preparations of skin collagen mineralize poorly, compared to tail tendon collagen. Finely cut rat tail tendon showed appreciable calcifiability in vitro , but fresh skin calcified only to a slight extent. Fibrin, in some experiments, and, to a small extent, surgical silk calcified in vitro . Rat hair and filter paper did not calcify in vitro . Acid-insoluble (often referred to as cross-linked) bovine Achilles' tendon collagen and rachitic bone slices treated with 0.5 M sodium citrate at a pH of 7.3 calcified in vitro , but this calcifiability was blocked by acidification or EDTA. Calcification in vitro of rachitic cartilage takes place at a more rapid rate and a lower Ca × P product than that of collagen. Some objections to the collagen concept of mineralization are presented. It is concluded that although the mineralization of collagen represents an incomplete or inadequate model for the mineralization of calcifying matrix in vivo , it does constitute a mineralizing matrix related to bone.
The OH + HBr reaction revisited

Variable-temperature measurements of the rate coefficient /k(1)/ for the reaction OH + HBr yield Br + H2O are presented. The measurements are verified by two techniques: one involved a 266-nm pulsed-laser photolysis of O3/H2O/HBr/He mixtures in conjunction with time-resolved resonance fluorescence detection of OH, the second comprised pulsed laser-induced fluorescence detection of OH following 248-nm pulsed-laser photolysis of H2O2/HBr/Ar mixtures. It is reported that k(1) = (11.9 + or -1.4 x 10 to the -12th (cu cm)/(molecule)(s) independent of temperature. The measurements are compared with other available results.
Neurofilament Protein Levels: Quantitative Analysis in Essential Tremor Cerebellar Cortex

Essential tremor (ET) is among the most prevalent neurological diseases. A substantial increase in the number of Purkinje cell axonal swellings (torpedoes) has been identified in ET brains. We recently demonstrated that torpedoes in ET contain an over-accumulation of disorganized neurofilament (NF) proteins. This now raises the question whether NF protein composition and/or phosphorylation state in cerebellar tissue might differ between ET cases and controls. We used a Western blot analysis to compare the levels and phosphorylation state of NF proteins and α-internexin in cerebellar tissue from 47 ET cases versus 26 controls (2:1 ratio). Cases and controls did not differ with respect to the cerebellar levels of NF-light (NF-L), NF-medium (NF-M), NF-heavy (NF-H), or α-internexin. However, SMI-31 levels (i.e., phosphorylated NF-H) and SMI-32 levels (i.e., non-phosphorylated NF-H) were significantly higher in ET cases than controls (1.28±0.47 vs. 1.06±0.32, p=0.02; and 1.38±0.75 vs. 1.00±0.42, p=0.006). Whether the abnormal phosphorylation state that we observed is a cause of defective axonal transport and/or function of NFs in ET is not known. NF abnormalities have been demonstrated in several neurodegenerative diseases. Regardless of whether these protein aggregates are the cause or consequence of these diseases, NF abnormalities have been shown to be an important factor in the cellular disruption observed in several neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, further analyses of these NF abnormalities and their mechanisms are important to enhance our understanding of disease pathogenesis in ET.
Results of a restrictive use of antiarrhythmic drugs in the chronic treatment of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardias in infancy and childhood.

Abstract Childhood supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) carries a good prognosis. Thus, treatment should be based on the use of drugs with a low risk of such potentially serious side effects as proarrhythmia, which is well documented for class I and III drugs in children. We studied all pediatric patients with a first manifestation of SVT between 1988 and the end of 1995 who were seen for a follow-up examination, including Holter monitoring, during 1996. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Fifty children met study entry criteria. Mean patient age at first presentation was 2 years (median 1 month), with 33 of the patients (66%) having experienced their first episode of tachycardia in their first year of life. Of 39 patients initially treated with either digoxin or a β blocker, SVT in 29 (75%) responded favorably to this treatment. There were no adverse effects. Of the 10 children whose disease did not respond to these first-line agents, 9 (23% of those treated) required class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs. Thus, first-line antiarrhythmic long-term prophylaxis using drugs with a favorable risk profile, such as digoxin and β blockers, resulted in successful disease management in a large proportion of unselected children, avoiding the need for chronic use of class I or class III antiarrhythmic drugs.
Inferential processing of context: Studies of cognitively impaired subjects

Language comprehension tasks involving pronoun coreference were administered to a group of demented patients, a group of patients with cardiac disease, and groups of normal elderly persons and young adults. Pronoun coreference was constrained by either lexical, syntactic, or contextual cues. No differences were found between old and young subjects for any task. While the demented patients were impaired on all tasks, the cardiac patients were specifically impaired in the inferential processing of context.
Measurement of Thermal Accommodation Coefficients Using Laser-Induced Incandescence

Laser-induced incandescence (LII) is used to measure the thermal accommodation coefficient between soot sampled from a well-characterized flame and various monatomic and polyatomic gases. These measurements show that the thermal accommodation coefficient between soot and monatomic gases increases with molecular mass due to the decreasing speed of incident gas molecules and corresponding decrease in surface deformation rate, and that energy is transferred preferentially from the surface to the translational mode of the polyatomic gas molecules over internal energy modes.Copyright © 2007 by National Research Council of Canada
Effect of streptomycin on phosphate and nucleic acid metabolism of Escherichia coli

Abstract 1. 1. Normal Escherichia coli cells can grow in a phosphate-deficient medium, but cells grown for the first time in a streptomycin-containing medium cannot grow in the phosphate-deficient medium. 2. 2. The phosphate incorporation by phosphate-starved streptomycin-sensitive cells is strongly inhibited by a low concentration of streptomycin. 3. 3. In contrast to the phosphate-starved cells, phosphate incorporation by normal streptomycin-sensitive or streptomycin-resistant cells is not inhibited by streptomycin. 4. 4. In contrast to the cells grown in streptomycin-free medium, the cells grown in the streptomycin-containing medium cannot utilize their ribonucleic acid for growth during phosphate starvation.
Electron capture mechanisms

Abstract The capture of an electron by a charged projectile requires the presence of a third body to conserve both momentum and energy. The intrinsic three-body nature of electron capture complicates the theoretical treatment of such reactions. Two dominant mechanisms are currently well understood. At low energies, a temporary, nonstationary, molecular state is formed. The electron charge cloud oscillates between target and projectile with capture ocurring when the system separates while the charge cloud is near the projectile. At high energies capture occurs by the Thomas double collision mechanism in which the electron first scatters from the projectile, strikes the target nucleus, and scatters a second time in a direction favorable for capture. Progress towards building quantal theories incorporating these mechanisms is reviewed.
Field survival and early height growth of Douglas-fir rooted cuttings: relationship to stem diameter and root system quality

Abstract In 1990, three studies involving 11 half-sib families of Douglas-fir rooted cuttings were established at three sites in western Washington State (USA): two with low regeneration difficulty (RD) and one with high RD. Grading and cull studies were installed on each site and a root number study on one site. The grading study compared the performance of nine classes of rooted cuttings based on stem diameter and root system quality. The cull study evaluated five different types of putative culls. The root number study determined the correlation between the number of initial roots and field performance. In the grading study survival and height growth reflected stem diameter and relative root quality on all three sites. Mean survival by treatment was in the range 92–100%, 82–97% and 66–87% across the three sites. First year height growth varied from approximately 10 cm to 20 cm and was greatest on the low RD sites. Second year height growth was from three to four times greater than first year height growth on the low RD sites and two to three times greater on the high RD site. Plants with larger diameter had higher survival and better growth than those with smaller diameter. Within each diameter class, plants with good or fair root systems outperformed those with poor root systems. Performance of seedlings and transplants was nearly identical to that of rooted cuttings with corresponding diameter and root system quality. In the cull study only trees with stem diameter
Elastic and Core Anisotropies for the 〈111〉 Screw Dislocation in Cubic Crystals

The stress component srz which gives rise to an angular force between parallel screw dislocations is calculated. The stress components tend to stabilize a pile-up of screws on a {112} plane, while they would add to the instability of pile-ups on {110} planes. Sodium is an extreme case in which a pile-up on {112} should be elastically stable so that it cannot disperse by cross-slip. It is also demonstrated that in general there are asymmetries in the dislocation cores, which are manifested as important asymmetries in dislocation mobility and cross-slip processes. Die Spannungskomponente srz, die eine Winkelkraft zwischen parallelen Schraubenversetzungen ergibt, wird berechnet. Die Spannungskomponenten neigen dazu, eine Anhaufung von Schraubenversetzungen auf einer {112}-Ebene zu stabilisieren, und die Instabilitat der Anhaufungen auf den {110}-Ebenen zu vergrosern. Natrium ist ein extremer Fall, bei dem eine Anhaufung auf {112} elastisch stabil sein sollte, so das sie nicht durch Quergleitung zerstreut werden kann. Es wird weiterhin gezeigt, das es im allgemeinen Asymmetrien in den Versetzungskernen gibt, die sich als bedeutende Asymmetrien der Versetzungsbeweglichkeit und der Quergleitungsprozesse erweisen.
Absorptive propagation effects in femtosecond four-wave-mixing

Propagation distortions are examined for frequency resolved pump-probe (FRPP) signals in the perturbative limit. Propagation distortions exhibit qualitative differences that depend on the system dynamics.
Hemodynamic Studies One Year After Homograft Aortic Valve Replacement

Clinical and hemodynamic evaluation has been carried out one year after homograft aortic valve replacement in 15 patients. These studies have included an evaluation of pressure gradients across the aortic valve, supravalvular cineangiocardiography, and left atrial biplane angiocardiography for the measurement of left ventricular volume, left ventricular mass, and quantitation of aortic regurgitation. Eight patients had an excellent result, three patients a good result, and three patients a fair result. One patient had a poor result because of persistent, severe aortic regurgitation. A small systolic pressure gradient was present across the homograft valve in 2 of 13 patients. Significant aortic regurgitation, defined as more than 3 L/min, occurred in four patients. Patients with aortic regurgitation preoperatively had reduction in LV volume in proportion to the reduction in regurgitation after surgery. Left ventricular mass diminished postoperatively in proportion to the reduction in stroke work, as deter...
Amyloid beta-peptide: biphasic dose responses.

This article summarizes recent findings indicating that amyloid β-peptide displays neurotoxic and neurotrophic effects, depending on concentration. Mechanistic findings revealed that reactive oxygen species mediate both the toxic and neurotropic responses as a function of concentration with low doses being neutotrophic, while higher doses were toxic. The data reveal a potential biological function for amyloid β-peptide within an optimal concentration zone. These findings suggest the critical role of dose in understanding disease causation and clinical therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.
Crystal growth of high-quality ZrB2 single crystals using the floating-zone method

Abstract High-quality ZrB2 single crystals with diameters of 13 mm and lengths of 45 mm were grown from boron-rich molten zones (boron 80 mol%), using the RF heated floating-zone method. The (0 0 0 1) single crystals were also grown using seed crystals. Control of temperature gradients on the growing interfaces was performed by arranging ceramic cylinders around the growing crystals and the feed rods. This made it possible to grow high-quality ZrB2 single crystals free of defects such as lineage structures observed in X-ray topographies of cross-sections. In the central areas (3 mm square) of the grown crystals, the full-widths at half-maximum (FWHM) of the X-ray rocking curve (( 10 - 1 ¯ 0 ) diffraction) were improved to 24.5–42.4 arc sec compared with the crystals obtained until now. The ZrB2 obtained seems to be quite suitable for substrates of GaN.
Centralized Packaging of Beef Loin Steaks with Different Oxygen-Barrier Films: Physical and Sensory Characteristics

Vacuum packaged beef strip loins (n = 72) were stored (2 ° 1°C) for either 0, 12 or 24 days before fabrication; steaks were packaged and displayed (2°C or 7°C) up to 6 days in oxygen-permeable film or up to 30 days in vacuum packages (medium or high oxygen-barrier film). Steaks displayed at 2°C, rather than 7°C, tended to have higher overall appearance scores especially when steaks were from 12 or 24 day subprimals. Overall palatability of vacuum packaged steaks was unacceptable after 10–15 days of display. Vacuum packaged steaks can be displayed for 10 days if: (1) steaks are from relatively fresh subprimals, (2) steaks are vacuum packaged with high oxygen-barrier film, and (3) steaks are displayed at 2°C. Although visual scores for vacuum packaged steaks were acceptable for 20–30 days, off-odors and off-flavors were limiting factors in determining shelf-life.
The Amino-Conserved Domain of Human Cytomegalovirus UL80a Proteins Is Required for Key Interactions during Early Stages of Capsid Formation and Virus Production

Assembly of many spherical virus capsids is guided by an internal scaffolding protein or group of proteins that are often cleaved and eliminated in connection with maturation and incorporation of the genome. In cytomegalovirus there are at least two proteins that contribute to this scaffolding function; one is the maturational protease precursor (pUL80a), and the other is the assembly protein precursor (pUL80.5) encoded by a shorter genetic element within UL80a. Yeast GAL4 two-hybrid assays established that both proteins contain a carboxyl-conserved domain that is required for their interaction with the major capsid protein (pUL86) and an amino-conserved domain (ACD) that is required for their self-interaction and for their interaction with each other. In the work reported here, we demonstrate that when the ACD is deleted (δACD) or disrupted by a point mutation (L47A), the bacterially expressed mutant protein sediments as a monomer during rate-velocity centrifugation, whereas the wild-type protein sediments mainly as oligomers. We also show that the L47A mutation reduces the production of infectious virus by at least 90%, results in the formation of irregular nuclear capsids, gives rise to tube-like structures in the nucleus that resemble the capsid core in cross-section and contain UL80 proteins, slows nuclear translocation of the major capsid protein, and may slow cleavage by the maturational protease. We provide physical corroboration that mutating the ACD disrupts self-interaction of the UL80 proteins and biological support for the proposal that the ACD has a critical role in capsid assembly and production of infectious virus.
The Lowell Affair

In February 1949, less than a year before Senator Joseph McCarthy embarked on his nationwide anticommunist campaign, poet Robert Lowell rocked the eastern establishment's art world by attempting to purge the administration at an upstate New York artists' community. As Yaddo's future hung in the balance, loyalties collided, Left battled Right, and aesthetics shouted down politics.
Large-Scale Urban Mesh Networks: from Deployment to Applications

Summary form only given, as follows. Many cities are embarking on ambitious plans to cover large geographical areas with high-performance wireless access networks employing a mesh architecture. In this talk, I will describe key challenges encompassing mesh network architectures, technologies, and protocols, as well as new applications enabled by mesh. I will draw on our experiences from the deployment and operation of the Technology For All mesh network in Houston, Texas, an IEEE 802.11 network serving the low-income community.