cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterizing optimally fault-tolerant manipulators based on relative manipulability indices

In this article, the authors examine the problem of designing nominal manipulator Jacobians that are optimally fault tolerant to one or more joint failures. In this work, optimality is defined in terms of the worst case relative manipulability index. While this approach is applicable to both serial and parallel mechanisms, it is especially applicable to parallel mechanisms with a limited workspace. It is shown that a previously derived inequality for the worst case relative manipulability index is generally not achieved for fully spatial manipulators and that the concept of optimal fault tolerance to multiple failures is more subtle than previously indicated. Lastly, the authors identify the class of eight degree-of-freedom Gough-Stewart platforms that are optimally fault tolerant for up to two locked joint failures. Examples of optimally fault-tolerant seven and eight degree-of-freedom mechanisms are presented.
Improving Neighborhood Quality: A Hierarchy of Needs

A sample of 306 residents of New Jersey stratified by type of neighborhood was gathered in order to measure the association of residents’ ratings of neighborhood quality with neighborhood attributes and residents’ characteristics. Poor neighborhood quality was strongly associated with crime/vandalism and physical decay, as well as with mistrust of authority, negative emotions, pessimism, and a lack of sense of mastery of the environment. The policy implications of these findings are important. First, improving schools, controlling locally unwanted land uses, and improving other neighborhood conditions will help improve neighborhood quality only if crime and blight are controlled. Second, many residents of poor and fair quality neighborhoods mistrust authority, including the local officials and potential investors who will spearhead neighborhood redevelopment. This destructive form of mistrust must be addressed.
Observations on the energy balance of internal waves during JASIN

Depth-integrated horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) in the frequency band 0.1-4 cycles per hour is used to estimate the time variation at one site of internal wave energy over a 40 day period during JASIN 1978. The HKE smoothed over three days varies from 400 to 1500J m -2 . The canonical Garrett-Munk total energy of 3800J m -2 would provide about 1400J m -2 of hke in this high frequency band; a scaled-down estimate based on local mean buoyancy frequency and water depth suggests 450J m -2 . The first part of the record (1 to about 16 August) slowly grows then decays in energy to the record minimum at rates between 0.6 and — 1 mW m -2 , followed by about 11 days of sporadic growth and decay at rates between 3 and — 0.8 mW m -2 to the record maximum, and then a week of fast decay at rates between — 2 and — 1 mW m -2 . A speculative balance of possible energy sources, sinks, and advection/ propagation is discussed. The tentative conclusion is that horizontal shears and wind stress fluctuations are the principal energy sources, the latter possibly via interacting surface waves, and that loss of energy from the internal wave continuum to the near-inertial band may be a major sink of hke. A surprising heuristic correspondence is shown between the amplitude of the local surface wavefield, and the internal wave energy 11 days later.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Hyperpure Polysilicon on Industrial Scale

The worldwide production of semiconductor grade polysilicon for electronic application has reached nowadays the amount of 10,000 T/y. The material is produced universally by CVD of extremely purified (chloro)silanes reacting with hydrogen. A modern plant will be described operating under conditions which are optimized for energy saving and ecological purposes (closed-loop operation). Other CVD applications in use for electronic materials are described, namely polysilicon deposition on wafer back, for gettering purposes, and epitaxial layer deposition on wafer front. Last one accounts for an annual production of more than 450 MSQI (million square inches).
Permanent mycoplasma removal from tissue culture cells: A genetic approach

Mycoplasma contamination of tissue culture cells easily evades detection and, thus, represents a continous threat to cell biologists. In cases where infected cell can not simply be replaced, attempts have to be made to eradicate mycoplasma from the tissue culture cells. A variety of anti-microbial agents have been shown to be toxic to mycoplasma strains; however, cell associated mycoplasmas are often protected from antibiotics at concentrations shown to be effectivein vitro. Antibiotic concentrations high enough to be lethal to cell asso|ciated mycoplasmas frequently are also detrimental to the host cells, while moderately increased antibiotic levels tolerated by the host cells often lead to only temporary growth suppression and/or to the emergence of mycoplasma strains resistant even to high concentrations of the antibiotic applied. Here, a genetic approach for the elimination of mycoplasma from tissue culture cells that overcomes these limitations is described. By expression of a selection marker conferring resistance to an otherwise toxic agent,Acholeplasma laidlawii infected BHK-21 cells used as the model system were enabled to temporarily tolerate antibiotic concentrations high enough to be lethal to cell associated mycoplasma while leaving the host cells unharmed. Upon successful mycoplasma eradication, cultivation of the cured host cells in the absence of the selective agent yielded revertant cell clones that had regained susceptibility to the toxic agent. Cessation of the selection marker expression was shown to result from the loss of the selection marker DNA, which is a consequence of the fact that the stable and permanent integration of foreign DNA in eucaryotic cell chromosomes is highly inefficient. Thus, the cells were cured from mycoplasma yet remained biochemically unaltered.
Differences in left ventricular adaptation to chronic mitral and aortic regurgitation.

For comparable volume load, impedance to ejection of the regurgitant volume in AR exceeds that in MR. To determine whether this load difference results in differences in PLVH and ejection performance, we studied consecutive, untreated, asymptomatic patients (11 in each group) by echocardiography and Doppler. Mean LVID, SBP, h, and FS were, respectively, in AR vs MR: 60.3 ± 3.1 mm vs 62.0 ± 2.3 mm (p = NS), 152 ± 7.1 mm Hg vs 125 ± 6.4 mm Hg (p (Chest 1989; 95:106-10)
Contribution of host genotype to the composition of health‐associated supragingival and subgingival microbiomes

Papapostolou A, Kroffke B, Tatakis DN, Nagaraja HN, Kumar PS: Contribution of host genotype to the composition of health-associated supragingival and subgingival microbiomes. J Clin Periodontol 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2011.01718.x. Abstract Aim: Periodontitis and caries are two of the most prevalent diseases to affect humans, however; the individual susceptibility to these diseases varies significantly in the population. The aim of this investigation, therefore, was to examine the influence of host genotype on the composition of health-associated supragingival and subgingival microbiomes. Materials and methods: Subgingival and supragingival plaque was collected from orally and systemically healthy adult monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. Zygosity was determined by multiplexed PCR amplification of 13 short tandem repeats. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for bacterial community profiling. The number of species shared by the twin pairs as well as the similarity of the microbial communities between the twins was computed and compared using two-sample t-test Results: There was no difference in the number of species shared by the twin pairs as well as the similarity of the microbial communities between the twin dyads. Age was not a modifier of genetic influence on these microbial parameters. There was no difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs in the correlation between supragingival and subgingival community similarity. Conclusion: The contributory role of host genotype, if any, is not apparent on an established, health-associated oral microbial community.
A decision aid to enhance informed decision making about bowel cancer screening improved knowledge but reduced screening uptake

Commentary on: SK Smith, L Trevena, JM Simpson, et al.. A decision aid to support informed choices about bowel cancer screening among adults with low education: randomised controlled trial.BMJ2010;341:c5370.
Theoretical and physical aspects of nuclear shielding

This chapter is a review of the literature published between June 2013 and May 2014 on physical and theoretical aspects of nuclear magnetic shielding. Theoretical aspects include (a) general theory, for example, newly developed approaches in relativistic theory of nuclear shielding, the relation between the spin-rotation tensor and shielding in relativistic theory, NMR shielding for electronically degenerate states and benchmark studies (b) ab initio and DFT calculations, both relativistic and non-relativistic. Physical aspects include (a) anisotropy of the shielding tensor, (b) shielding surfaces and rovibrational averaging, (c) isotope shifts, (d) intermolecular effects on nuclear shielding, and (e) absolute shielding scales.
PROCESS CONTROL PERSPECTIVE FOR PROCESS ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGY: INTEGRATION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PRACTICE INTO SEMICONDUCTOR AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES

FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative provides an unprecedented opportunity for chemical engineers to play significant roles in the pharmaceutical industry. In this article, the authors provide their perspectives on (1) the need for chemical engineering principles in pharmaceutical development for a thorough process understanding; (2) applications of chemical engineering principles to meet the challenges from the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries; and (3) the integration of chemical engineering practice into the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries to achieve process understanding and the desired state of quality-by-design. A real-world case study from the semiconductor industry is presented to demonstrate how a classic chemical engineering concept, mixing homogeneity, can be implemented by inducing forced flow to ensure an excellent copper electrochemical plating process performance and to improve product quality substantially. Further, a case study of brake system design ...
Abscisic Acid and Precocious Germination in Soybeans

Immature embryos ot soybeans (Olycine max L. Merr.J can be induced to germinate precociously by depleting the endogenous pool of abscisic acid (ABA). Washing the embryos or allowing the embryos to dry slowly within or out of detached pods causes a gradual decline in ABA content. The extent of germination is correlated with the length of washing or drying treatments, which in turn, affects the level of endogenous ABA. Providing embryos are three weeks of age or older, maturation and precocious germination can be induced by treating embryos in a way that causes a reduction in embryo ABA content. Drying is not an obligatory requirement for soybean seed maturation or germination.
A global modeling study on carbonaceous aerosol microphysical characteristics and radiative effects

Abstract. Recently, attention has been drawn towards black carbon aerosols as a short-term climate warming mitigation candidate. However the global and regional impacts of the direct, indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects are highly uncertain, due to the complex nature of aerosol evolution and the way that mixed, aged aerosols interact with clouds and radiation. A detailed aerosol microphysical scheme, MATRIX, embedded within the GISS climate model is used in this study to present a quantitative assessment of the impact of microphysical processes involving black carbon, such as emission size distributions and optical properties on aerosol cloud activation and radiative effects. Our best estimate for net direct and indirect aerosol radiative flux change between 1750 and 2000 is −0.56 W/m2. However, the direct and indirect aerosol effects are quite sensitive to the black and organic carbon size distribution and consequential mixing state. The net radiative flux change can vary between −0.32 to −0.75 W/m2 depending on these carbonaceous particle properties at emission. Taking into account internally mixed black carbon particles let us simulate correct aerosol absorption. Absorption of black carbon aerosols is amplified by sulfate and nitrate coatings and, even more strongly, by organic coatings. Black carbon mitigation scenarios generally showed reduced radiative fluxeswhen sources with a large proportion of black carbon, such as diesel, are reduced; however reducing sources with a larger organic carbon component as well, such as bio-fuels, does not necessarily lead to a reduction in positive radiative flux.
ESPRIT-based extended-aperture source localization using velocity-hydrophones

A novel ESPRIT-based 2D angle estimation scheme is proposed using a rectangular array of triads of spatially co-located but orthogonally oriented velocity-hydrophones spaced much farther apart than a half-wavelength. Each velocity-hydrophone measures one Cartesian component of the sonar velocity-field. The use of such velocity-hydrophone triads enable the measurement of the velocity-field vector of the sonar wavefield. Each source's normalized velocity-field vector is equal to the source's Cartesian direction-cosines. The source's arrival angle can thus be extracted from the velocity-field measurements. On the other hand, when uniformly spaced array elements are spaced beyond a half wavelength, ESPRIT's eigenvalues offer a cyclic ambiguity. The direction-cosine estimates obtained from the velocity-field may serve as reference to clarify the low-variance but cyclically ambiguous direction-cosine estimation obtained from ESPRIT's eigenvalues. Simulations are presented showing the sample variance of direction-cosine estimates decreasing linearly as inter-triad spacing is increased from a half-wavelength to 12 half-wavelengths, with a 33-fold reduction in estimation standard deviation relative to the half-wavelength case. This proposed scheme also outperforms a uniform half-wavelength-spaced array of pressure-hydrophones with comparable hardware and software costs by an order of magnitude in estimation standard deviation.
Quasi-decentralized networked control of process systems

This paper develops a quasi-decentralized control framework for plants with distributed, interconnected units that exchange information over a shared communication network. In this architecture, each unit in the plant has a local control system that communicates with the plant supervisor - and with other local control systems - through a shared communication medium. The objective is to design an integrated control and communication strategy that enforces the desired closed-loop stability and performance for the plant while minimizing network utilization and communication costs. The idea is to reduce the exchange of information between the local control systems as much as possible without sacrificing stability of the individual units and the overall plant. To this end, dynamic models of the interconnected units are embedded in the local control system of each unit to provide it with an estimate of the evolution of its neighbors when measurements are not transmitted through the network. The use of a model to recreate the interactions of a given unit with one of its neighbors allows the sensor suite of the neighboring unit to send its data in a discrete fashion since the model can provide an approximation of the unit's dynamics. The state of each model is then updated using the actual state of the corresponding unit provided by its sensors at discrete time instances to compensate for model uncertainty. By formulating the networked closed-loop plant as a hybrid system, an explicit characterization of the maximum allowable update period (i.e., minimum cross communication frequency) between each control system and the sensors of its neighboring units is obtained in terms of the degree of mismatch between the dynamics of the units and the models used to describe them. The developed control strategy is illustrated using a network of interconnected chemical reactors with recycle.
A job completion time estimation method for work center scheduling

Two related issues in the development of scheduling algorithms are addressed. The first centers on the inability of schedulers to predict when jobs will actually be completed. Existing jobs scheduled without information concerning future arrivals are frequently postponed to make room for incoming jobs of significant urgency. A probabilistic method of considering future arrivals when scheduling a bottleneck work center via the Lagrangian relaxation method is presented. In addition, a method of reducing the scheduling time step is presented. Implementation of a smaller time step allows for more accurate representation of job processing times. Both methods are combined to improve the determination of promised delivery dates. >
The Substitutability between Short Sales and Bearish-Option Activity

Prior research argues that pessimistic traders can use options as substitutes for short sales particularly when stocks are expensive to short. We test this hypothesis and find that (i) put-call ratios are inversely related, instead of directly related, to proxies for short-sale constraints and (ii) the significant negative relation between current put-call ratios and future returns (Pan and Poteshman, 2006) is orthogonal to proxies for short-sale constraints. These results indicate that short-sale constraints do not influence bearish option activity. While prior studies show that short sellers are generally contrarian in contemporaneous and past returns, we find that put-call ratios follow periods of negative returns. However, any observed return predictability contained in put-call ratios is driven by ratios that follow periods of positive returns.
Renewed investigations at the Folsom Palaeoindian type site

The Folsom site (New Mexico, USA) is justly famous as the place where in 1927 four decades of sometimes bitter controversy came to an end, when it was finally demonstrated humans had been in the New World since the Pleistocene (Meltzer 1993). Folsom became the type site for the Palaeoindian period and distinctive fluted projectile point that bears its name (see Hofman 1999). Yet, as the excavations done in the 1920s by the Colorado (now Denver) and American Museums of Natural History focused initially on the recovery of Bison antiquus skeletons suitable for museum display, and latterly on documenting the association of projectile points with those bison remains, many fundamental questions of interest about the site’s stratigraphic, environmental and archaeological context were left unanswered (and often not asked).
Would H.R. 463 Improve the Competitiveness of U.S. R&D Tax Incentives?

This report simulates effective research credit rates for a number of research-intensive firms over the 1998-2000 period using the research and development (R&D) tax incentive rules offered by the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Japan, India, and Singapore. Comparisons across these simulations demonstrate that the U.S. offers among the lowest rate of tax-based R&D-related incentives. Moreover, the simulated rates show that a number of major research-intensive firms get minimal levels of incentive under the U.S. credit formula. The proposed Internal Revenue Code section 41(c)(5) alternative of H.R. 463, now under consideration in the House (as is an identical bill in the Senate), would offer higher rates of credit than the existing section 41(c)(4) alternative. A number of firms receiving minimal levels of incentive under existing law would benefit from the section 41(c)(5) alternative of H.R. 463. Based on simulated rates for the 20 firms examined, H.R. 463 would raise the average credit rate from about 3.7 percent to about 4.8 percent of the amount spent on R&D. Considering the proposal to make the credit permanent and the increased credit rate, the authors conclude that H.R. 463 would represent a significant first step in helping to level the playing field with other major industrialized nations regarding making the U.S. a destination of choice for R&D investments.
Eikonal approximation, Finsler structures, and implications for Lorentz-violating photons in weak gravitational fields

In the current article, the classical analog of the minimal photon sector in the Lorentz-violating Standard-Model extension (SME) is investigated. The analysis is based on describing a photon classically by a geometric ray that satisfies the eikonal equation. The action principle, which leads to the eikonal equation in conventional optics, is demonstrated to work in most (but not all) Lorentz-violating cases as well. Furthermore it is found that the integrands of the action functional correspond to Finsler structures. Based on these results, Lorentz-violating light rays in a weak gravitational background are treated through the use of the minimal-coupling principle. This allows for obtaining sensitivities on Lorentz violation in the photon sector by measurements of light bending at massive bodies such as the Sun. The computations are carried out for the currently running ESA mission GAIA and the planned NASA/ESA mission LATOR. Finally, a range of aspects of explicit Lorentz violation for photons is discussed in the Finsler setting.
Barriers and Facilitators to Scaling Up the Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment for Treating Obstetric Hemorrhage: A Qualitative Study.

Background Obstetric hemorrhage (OH), which includes hemorrhage from multiple etiologies during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum, is the leading cause of maternal mortality and accounts for one-quarter of global maternal deaths. The Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) is a first-aid device for obstetric hemorrhage that can be applied for post-partum/post miscarriage and for ectopic pregnancies to buy time for a woman to reach a health care facility for definitive treatment. Despite successful field trials, and endorsement by safe motherhood organizations and the World Health Organization (WHO), scale-up has been slow in some countries. This qualitative study explores contextual factors affecting uptake. Methods From March 2013 to April 2013, we conducted 13 key informant interviews across four countries with a large burden of maternal mortality that had achieved varying success in scaling up the NASG: Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. These key informants were health providers or program specialists working with the NASG. We applied a health policy analysis framework to organize the results. The framework has five domains: attributes of the intervention, attributes of the implementers, delivery strategy, attributes of the adopting community, the socio-political context, and the research context. Results The interviews from our study found that relevant facilitators for scale-up are the simplicity of the device, local and international champions, well-developed training sessions, recommendations by WHO and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and dissemination of NASG clinical trial results. Barriers to scaling up the NASG included limited health infrastructure, relatively high upfront cost of the NASG, initial resistance by providers and policy makers, lack of in-country champions or policy makers advocating for NASG implementation, inadequate return and exchange programs, and lack of political will. Conclusions There was a continuum of uptake ranging in both speed and scale. Ethiopia while not the first country to use the NASG has the most rapid scale-up, followed by Nigeria, then India, and finally Zimbabwe. Increasing the coverage of the NASG will require collaboration with local NASG champions, greater NASG awareness among clinicians and policymakers, as well as stronger political will and advocacy.
Serum gamma globulin and Trypanosoma cruzi agglutinin in embryonic, normal and germ-free chickens.

Conclusions and summaryThe progressive changes in gamma globulin content in the sera of developing embryos indicated here confirm earlier findings(2). Following absorption of the yolk by the newly hatched chick, the transmitted gamma globulin levels decline until the young birds attain immunological maturity. The mature birds show high gamma globulin levels as illustrated by the electrophoretic patterns. In contrast, germ-free chicks reveal low levels of gamma globulin which remain so even at 313 days of age; T. cruzi agglutinin follows the same pattern. These results strongly suggest that a close correlation exists between serum gamma globulin levels and the indicator antibody. They also suggest that chickens reared under germ-free conditions, after losing the maternal antibody, do not replace it with gamma globulin of their own to any significant degree. Further studies are needed in order to follow the serum protein changes in older adult germ-free chickens and their response to controlled antigenic st...
A Third world international health elective for U.S. medical students. The 16-year experience of the State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn

The Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn (SUNY, HSCB) instituted an eight-week third world international health elective for fourth year medical students in 1980. Since that time, ninety students have participated. The purposes of this elective are to provide fourth year medical students with an opportunity to observe and study the structure and functions of a health care delivery system in a third world country, to provide medical service, and to have a crosscultural experience. The emphasis in this elective is on public health, preventive medicine, and primary care. There is a high level of student competition for this elective, with 46.9% of applicants having been accepted over a fifteen-year period. Although women comprise 40% of the average medical school class, they represent 50% of participants in this elective program. The percentage of African-American and Hispanic students has been 20%. These two minority groups represented from 8% to 10% of the student body during the period under study. Careful screening, including an examination of academic records and personal interviews, has resulted in the selection of highly motivated, adaptable, and dedicated students who have performed well at overseas sites. Student satisfaction levels with this elective are extremely high, with most rating it the best experience of their medical school years. Students undergo extensive preparation prior to going overseas. This covers issues related to individual health and safety, travel and lodging, and the nature of the host country culture, health care system, and assignment site. Our students are especially experienced at cross-cultural understanding because of the unusual diversity of the patients they treat in Brooklyn, and the ethnic diversity of local hospital staffs and the medical school class. This Brooklyn experience in cross-cultural understanding has been cited by many participants as having been the best preparation for functioning in a foreign culture. The Alumni Fund of the College of Medicine has strongly and consistently supported this elective both with philosophical commitment and financial grants to help defray travel costs. This type of support is unusual among medical schools in New York City. Overseas preceptors have willingly given of their time and institutional resources to make these experiences available and meaningful for students.
Observations on a Freeze-dried Preparation Containing the Scrapie Agent

Summary A freeze-dried powder prepared from scrapie brain by treatment with chloroform-methanol and repeated shaking with water contained a readily detectable amount of scrapie agent and was stable at 4 °C. The scrapie-producing activity of a preparation of the powder in saline (2 mg./ml.) was only slightly reduced by centrifugation at 100,000 g for one hour, but 15 hours at this speed reduced activity to nil. It is suggested that this powder could form a useful starting material in further attempts to identify the scrapie agent.
Application Status of Ultraviolet Disinfection Lamp in Cooked Food Room of Army Hotels in Urumchi

[Objective]To realize the application and management status of ultraviolet disinfection lamp in cooked food room of army hotels in Urumchi,so as to ensure the food safety of solders and consumers.[Methods]Using the combination of field survey,random inquiry and ultraviolet radiation monitoring,18 hotels were investigated.[Results]Among 18 hotels,the effective installation rate of ultraviolet lamp in cooked food room was 83.3%,the qualified rate of power was 80%,the qualified rate of radiation intensity of ultraviolet lamp was 17.6%,the qualified rate of disinfection methods was 53.3%,the qualified rate of position and height was 29.4% and the qualified rate of temperature and humidity of cooked food room was 55.6%.[Conclusion]There are some problems on application and management of ultraviolet disinfection lamp in cooked food room,and it should be further improved.
Novel microwave-induced zero-resistance states in the two-dimensional electron system

We examine zero resistance states induced by electromagnetic wave excitation in ultra high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure devices at low magnetic fields, in the large filling factor limit, below the quantum Hall regime. Zero-resistance states are exhibited about B=(4/5)B/sub f/ and B=(4/9)B/sub f/ where B/sub f/ = 2/spl pi/fm*/e, m* is the electron effective mass, e is electron charge, and f is the microwave frequency. In this instance, the absence of backscattering appears to be associated with an ordinary Hall effect, unlike the typical quantum Hall situation. The dependence of the effect is reported as a function of electromagnetic wave frequency, the temperature, and other experimental variables.
Talking to the Muslim world: how, and with whom?

The struggle against terrorism in the Middle East, and the success of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in its use of social media to spread its ideas, has led to a search for new messages to counter the appeal of violent extremists. Thus far, United States counter-messaging has failed to articulate a normative position that is compelling to its target audiences. The US has also not found an effective way to speak to and with other parts of the Muslim world. The article shows that these failures are not accidental but reflect profound factors in American culture and society. The US' normative position has also failed to take into account the crucial differences between 'liberals' and 'moderates' in the Muslim world. To proceed one must acknowledge that there are two fundamentally different interpretations of Islam, both of which are supported by a close reading of the Qur'an and other major texts. To draw on that difference, the article shows, requires drawing on voices and resources not available in the US. The article proposes a way forward that both acknowledges the inherent weaknesses and liabilities of the US government as a messenger and points to more credible messengers within the Muslim world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
CD34+-Selected Infusions of Fresh or Cryopreserved Peripheral Blood Stem Cells for the Treatment of Poor Graft Function Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Abstract Introduction: CD34+-selected peripheral blood stem cell infusions without conditioning have recently been utilized for poor graft function (PGF) with promising results. Unfortunately, many patients have been unable to receive the boost infusion as their donors were unwilling or unable to undergo an additional stem cell collection. Therefore, we conducted this pilot trial utilizing either fresh or cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cell products to create CD34+-selected peripheral blood stem cell infusions for the treatment of PGF. Additionally, to explore relationship of CD34+ dose and response we included a cohort of donors mobilized with plerixafor in addition to the standard G-CSF. Methods: Poor graft function (PGF) was defined as ANC 500/μl without growth factor support for >7 days; platelet improvement was defined as platelet count ≥ 50,000/µl without platelet transfusion support for > 7 days; and RBC improvement was defined as hemoglobin > 9 g/dL and transfusion independence. Complete response was defined as improvement of all involved cells lines; partial response was defined as improvement of platelets and/or neutrophils with continuing RBC transfusion dependence. Results: The mean post-selection CD34+ count per kg of recipient weight was 3.7x106, 12x106, and 1.7x106 for G-CSF only, G-CSF plus plerixafor, and cryopreserved products, respectively. Mean CD34+ yields (defined as the number of CD34+ cells after selection/CD34+ cells prior to CD34 selection) was 58%, 67%, and 31% for G-CSF only, G-CSF plus plerixafor, and cryopreserved products, respectively (Table 1 and Figure 1). The mean number of CD3+ T cells/kg infused in each product was 0.004 x 106, 0.032 x 106, and 0.015 x 106 for G-CSF only, G-CSF plus plerixafore and cryopreserved groups respectively (Table 1). Following the CD34+-selected stem cell infusion, 12 of the 17 recipients (71%) had a complete response including all 3 who received cryopreserved products; 3 had a partial response (17%) and 2 patients (12%) did not respond. One year relapse-free and overall survival was 71% and 65%. There was no treatment related toxicity reported other than graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD); three (18%) developed acute GVHD (1 grade I localized to the skin, 2 grade II with gut involvement), 6 chronic GVHD (2 limited and 4 extensive) (Table 1). Conclusion: Cryopreserved products seem to be a viable alternative to create CD34+ -selected peripheral blood stem cell infusions for the treatment of PGF. When collecting fresh products is an option, the addition of plerixafor increases CD34+ yield over G-CSF alone. Download : Download high-res image (90KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (107KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Abboud: Teva Phamaceutical: Research Funding. Uy: Novartis: Research Funding.
Extremist Violence From the Fatherland to the Homeland: A Comparison of Far-Right Homicide in Germany and the United States

The creation of open-source terrorist and extremist crime databases has led to a more complete understanding of violence committed by members of the extreme far-right movement in the United States....
[3+2] Cycloaddition-based one-pot synthesis of 3,9-diazabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane-containing scaffold

Three-component [3+2] cycloaddition followed by reduction and lactamization has been developed as a one-pot methodology for diastereoselective synthesis of 3,9-diazabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane-containing scaffold.
Harmonious Coexistence and Efficient Spectrum Sharing for LTE-U and Wi-Fi

Extending LTE to unlicensed bands (LTE-U) is gaining increasing interest recently. However, its success faces great challenges due to the inherent lack of compatibility between LTE and Wi-Fi. In this paper, we address the problem of harmonious coexistence and efficient spectrum sharing for LTE-U and Wi-Fi. We develop an analysis framework for the Carrier Sensing Adaptive Transmission (CSAT) mechanism, which leads to a Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) enhanced CSAT scheme that achieves capacity gains for both LTE-U and Wi-Fi, and provides useful guidelines on achieving fairness. For efficient spectrum sharing among LTE-U Pico Evolved NodeBs (PeNBs), we propose an Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) based spectrum share mechanism incorporated into a spectrum auction framework. Both the analysis and the superior performance of the proposed scheme are validated with simulations and comparison with several benchmarks.
Temporally continuous vs. clocked networks

We discuss advantages and disadvantages of temporally continuous neural networks in contrast to clocked ones, and continue with some “tricks of the trade” of continuous time and recurrent neural networks.
Atmospheric Humidity Sounding Using Differential Absorption Radar Near 183 GHz

A tunable G-band frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar system has been developed and used to perform differential absorption atmospheric humidity measurements for the first time. The radar’s transmitter uses high- power-handling GaAs Schottky diodes to generate between 15–23 dBm over a 10-GHz bandwidth near 183 GHz. By virtue of a high-isolation circular polarization duplexer, the monostatic radar’s receiver maintains a noise figure of about 7 dB even while the transmitter is on. With an antenna gain of 40 dB, high-SNR detection of light rain is achieved out to several hundred meters distance. Owing to the strong spectral dependence of the atmospheric absorption over the upper flank of the 183-GHz water absorption line, range-resolved measurements of absolute humidity can be obtained by ratioing the rain echoes over both range and frequency. Absorption measurements obtained are consistent with models of atmospheric millimeter-wave attenuation, and they demonstrate a new method for improving the accuracy of humidity measurements inside of clouds.
The Political Without the Personal

What is there new to say about Hitler? The United States Library of Congress subject heading for Hitler's biography lists between 10,000 and 20,000 unique titles, depending on language and other fi...
Regulation of Messenger Rna-Binding Proteins by Protein Kinases A and C

The discovery in 1983 that catecholamines via the second messenger cAMP stabilize the mRNA of the lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDH-A) subunit gene indicated for the first time that intracellular mRNA levels are not only controlled at the level of transcription, but that post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA stability is an equally vital mechanism of gene control (1). This finding pointed to a major new mechanism controlling gene expression through binding of effector agents to plasma membrane receptors, a process that elevates intracellular levels of important second messengers such as diacyl glycerol, cAMP, inositol phosphates, ionized calcium and others. These second messengers in turn activate specific protein kinases leading to the phosphorylation and functional modification of putative trans-regulatory proteins that may participate in modulating the mRNA decay mechanism. Two of the major signal transduction pathways that control gene expression involve activation of protein kinase A (PKA) (2) and protein kinase C (PKC) (3). Indeed, evidence has accumulated over recent years showing that the stability of a number of mRNA species is changed by extracellular signals that activate PKA and/or PKC exerting both positive and negative effects on mRNA stability (1, 4–17). This implicates protein kinase target proteins in the process of mRNA stability regulation. Assuming the existence of phosphoproteins as trans-acting mRNA-binding factors, intriguing questions arise: How do these factors modulate mRNA turnover rates and what is their biochemical nature? Do factors interact with mRNA directly or through intermediates, and what is the molecular mechanism of the key interactions? The major goal of this chapter is to discuss the latest insights into the molecular mechanism of mRNA stabilization by two major signal transduction pathways represented by PKA and PKC.
Human somatotropin. Reaction with hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract Two methionine-modified derivatives of human somatotropin have been prepared by oxidation of the methionines with H2O2 to sulfoxide. The monomeric derivatives were characterized by exclusion chromatography, amino acid composition, circular dichroism spectra, relative rates of tryptic digestion, and biological property. Partially oxidized somatotropin, with two of its three methionines oxidized, was found to be similar to the native hormone by all criteria examined except that the growth promoting potency was reduced to 25% of the native hormone. The unoxidized methionine in this derivative was found to be the residue at position 170. The derivative in which all of the methionines had been oxidized showed major changes in all physical parameters examined as well as significant loss of the growth-promoting activity.
Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) I. Normal values for adults and evaluation of the hematofluorometer

Since the early 1970s, measurement of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) (by microextraction or by hematofluorometer) has been widely used to screen for lead poisoning and to evaluate microcytic red blood cell (RBC) disorders in children. However, published information on normal values for FEP, performance of the hematofluorometer, and usefulness of FEP in classifying microcytic RBC disorders in adults is scant. In an adult population with normal hematocrit and MCV and normal values for serum ferritin, blood lead level, and serum bilirubin, we obtained normal hematofluorometer FEP levels of less than 30 micrograms/dL for men, and less than 40 micrograms/dL levels for women. We have evaluated a hematofluorometer against a standard microextraction procedure and feel that the hematofluorometer is superior for clinical laboratories if elevated FEPs are confirmed by retesting with washed RBC. In the second part of this paper we demonstrate the usefulness of the FEP in classifying microcytic RBC disorders in adults.
High Resolution X-Ray Computed Tomography for Composites and Electronics Inspection

A useful computed tomography (CT) or digital radiography (DR) system must simultaneously resolve both the smallest meaningful features and least relevant differences in density in the objects it is designed to inspect. The advent of structural composites and high-density electronic assemblies requires digital x-ray systems that are tailored to their properties. The critical flaw size in graphite composites is thought to be 25 to 50 μm. Similarly, prototype military electronics are now being assembled on circuit boards with conductive patterns only 100 μm in width.
THE EFFECT OF ISOTOPIC SUBSTITUTION ON THE LIVING CELL

The discovery of deuterium and the subsequent concentration of the less abundant stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen had an influence on the development of biochemistry. It provided a procedure for labeling the naturally occurring organic constituents of the living cell and studying their transport and metabolism in the intact cell. Replacement of H/sub 2/O by D/sub 2/ O or H/sub 2/O/sup 18/ leads to interference in the delicately synchronized net of chemical reactions in the cell. This leads to inhibition of growth and division. It is likely that these phenomena are connected with changes in the tertiary structure of the proteins and the nucleic acids. (auth)
Introduction to Gynecologic Cancer

One of the key aspects in the assessment of the patient with suspected or known gynecologic cancer is imaging. Upon patient presentation, it is often the next step in its management following a thorough history and detailed physical examination. The role of imaging is equally crucial during the preoperative evaluation as well as during the postoperative surveillance period for the documentation of clinical remission or suspected tumor relapse and/or metastasis.
Magnesium Thiodialkanoates: Dually-Functional Additives to Organic Coatings

Magnesium salts can enhance corrosion-protective properties of organic coatings. Here, mirocrystalline magnesium thiodipropionate (MgTDPA) and amorphous magnesium acetate thiodipropionate (MgAcTDPA) are synthesized in water via replacement and metathesis reactions, respectively, from 3,3′-thiodipropionic acid (TDPA), a nontoxic, film-forming dicarboxylic acid. The ability of the uncovered magnesium thiodipropionates to accelerate ring-opening polymerization of benzoxazines such as the aniline derivative of bisphenol and curing of the epoxy resin-amine hardener is confirmed using differential scanning calorimetry and rheological methods. The corrosion inhibition of galvanized steel by magnesium thiodipropionates was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Adsorption of TDPA anions on the galvanized steel surface followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Epoxy-amine powder compositions containing MgTDPA were designed and coated on galvanized ste...
Videoconferencing psychological therapy and anxiety: a systematic review.

Background The growing worldwide prevalence of individuals with anxiety disorders has increased needs for mental health services. Due to limited number of mental health providers and community resources, especially in low-income countries, individuals often seek services from primary care settings. Through collaborative care models, services via telemedicine address the mental health provider shortage. While previous reviews show telemedicine effectively treats mental illness, a gap exists for reviews on videoconferencing psychological therapy for anxiety treatment. Objective This systematic review aims to summarize videoconferencing psychological therapy for anxiety disorder treatment. Methods Database searches were performed with PubMed, PsychINFO and Embase. Inclusion criteria identified controlled and uncontrolled studies evaluating videoconferencing psychological therapy. Studies were appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment tool. Data collected included research design, sample size, intervention details, outcome results, intervention effect size and differences between videoconferencing psychological therapy and face-to-face therapy. Results The search revealed 1253 articles, with 21 meeting inclusion criteria. Sample sizes ranged from 1 to 121 participants; cognitive-behavioral therapy was most commonly evaluated. Participants' diagnoses included panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, social phobia and hypochondriasis. Three studies occurred in outpatient health care settings. Fourteen studies reported statistically significant improvement on anxiety measures; 11 reported clinically significant improvements. Effect sizes ranged from small to very large, and all controlled studies found no differences between videoconferencing and face-to face groups. Conclusion Results provide promise for evidence-based interventions delivered via videoconferencing psychological therapy. More rigorous research is needed in various settings and populations.