cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical properties of highly compressed polystyrene: An ab initio study

Using all-electron density functional theory, we have performed an ab initio study on x-ray absorption spectra of highly compressed polystyrene (CH). We found that the $K$-edge shifts in strongly coupled, degenerate polystyrene cannot be explained by existing continuum-lowering models adopted in traditional plasma physics. To gain insights into the $K$-edge shift in warm, dense CH, we have developed a model designated as ``single mixture in a box'' (SMIAB), which incorporates both the lowering of the continuum and the rising of the Fermi surface resulting from high compression. This simple SMIAB model correctly predicts the $K$-edge shift of carbon in highly compressed CH in good agreement with results from quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) calculations. Traditional opacity models failed to give the proper $K$-edge shifts as the CH density increased. Based on QMD calculations, we have established a first-principles opacity table (FPOT) for CH in a wide range of densities and temperatures [$\ensuremath{\rho}=0.1\ensuremath{-}100\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$ and $T=2000\ensuremath{-}1\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}000\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}000\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$]. The FPOT gives much higher Rosseland mean opacity compared to the cold-opacity--patched astrophysics opacity table for warm, dense CH and favorably compares to the newly improved Los Alamos atomic model for moderately compressed CH (${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{CH}}\ensuremath{\le}10\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$), but remains a factor of 2 to 3 higher at extremely high densities (${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{CH}}\ensuremath{\ge}50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$). We anticipate the established FPOT of CH will find important applications to reliable designs of high-energy-density experiments. Moreover, the understanding of $K$-edge shifting revealed in this study could provide guides for improving the traditional opacity models to properly handle the strongly coupled and degenerate conditions.
Second-Class Integration: A Historical Perspective for a Contemporary Agenda.

In this essay, Vanessa Siddle Walker invokes the voices of black educators who challenged the diluted and failed vision for an integrated South after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision mandating school desegregation. Through collaboration and activism, these educators fought against the second-class integration implemented in the southern states and instead advocated for true equality and empowerment for black children entering integrated schools. Walker demonstrates that these educators' critiques are strikingly applicable to the present U.S. educational system, as they highlight our country's failure to provide educational equity despite decades of debate about its necessity and reforms to address the injustices. She advises President Obama's administration to incorporate these original visions of black educators in efforts to craft and advance a new vision for integration and racial equality in schools.
Subproblem coupling in convolutional dictionary learning

The current leading algorithms for both convolutional sparse coding and dictionary learning are based on variable splitting and Augmented Lagrangian methods. The dictionary learning algorithms alternate between sparse coding and dictionary subproblems, typically interleaving the updates for each of these two subproblems. Due to the variable splitting, in each subproblem one of these two variables must be chosen to be passed to the other subproblem. We perform a careful comparison of the algorithm convergence resulting from the different choices in conjunction with a number of different algorithms for the dictionary subproblem, showing that one of these choices consistently provides the best convergence.
The Geography of the Dermatophytes

The dermatophyte fungi are ubiquitous, and no geographic area nor any group of people is spared by these organisms. The geography of the dermatophyte has changed gradually in the past four decades. The socioeconomic factors that contribute to these changes are discussed. Additional changes are to be expected as these factors continue to operate.
Supercooled Liquids and Glasses

Complex systems range from supercooled liquids to glasses , to proteins, to the brain, to societies. Do these systems share properties? It is likely that they do. A hierarchically organized energy landscape and a range of motions, connecting substates, are candidates. In this chapter we sketch some aspects of the physics of supercooled liquids and glasses. Starting with these materials may appear to be strange, but many properties of glasses and proteins are similar, and it is easier to recognize crucial properties of the dynamics in the less complex system. The information covering the physics of glasses is staggering. A Web search engeine has over 3 × 108 entries for “glass” and 7 × 106 for glass transition! We restrict the treatment to a few salient facts that are useful for understanding related phenomena in proteins. More information can be found in books and selected articles [1]–[6].
Microwave Auditory Effect—A Comparison of Some Possible Transduction Mechanisms

When human subjects are irradiated with pulse modulated microwave energy they report the perception of a sound that appears to originate from within or slightly behing the head. Three of the possible mechanisms are examined using first order mathematical approximations and several simplifying assumptions. The results show that while all three (radiation pressure, strictive force and thermal expansion) are capable of producing the phenomenon, the stress resulting from thermal expansion may be so great that it masks the effect of the others completely.
Survey of Ranavirus and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Introduced Frogs in Hawaii, USA

Ranaviruses and the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis are globally important agents of emerging infectious amphibian diseases. Amphibians on Oahu, the Hawaiian Island with the greatest potential for disease introduction through the movement of goods and people, have never been surveyed for ranaviruses or B. dendrobatidis. We surveyed all five species of frogs on Oahu, Hawaii, US for these pathogens. Of 325 individuals sampled from six sites, none were positive for ranavirus. However, we found B. dendrobatidis in a total of four individuals of three species, the cane toad (Bufo marinus), the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), and the greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris), but not in the green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus) or the Japanese wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa). The apparent lack of ranavirus and low prevalence of B. dendrobatidis are noteworthy given how widespread these pathogens are in terms of both global distribution and host range. Surveillance should continue to document any changes in B. dendrobatidis prevalence or the arrival of ranaviruses in Hawaii.
A meta-analysis of natural resources and conflict:

The relationship between natural resource wealth and civil conflict remains unclear, despite prolonged scholarly attention. Conducting a meta-analysis—a quantitative literature review—can help synt...
Lithium–Olefin π-Complexes and the Mechanism of Carbolithiation: Synthesis, Solution Behavior, and Crystal Structure of (2,2-Dimethylpent-4-en-1-yl)lithium

We describe the first crystallographically characterized example of a nonconjugated olefin bound in a simple dihapto fashion to a lithium center, as part of a study of two alkyllithium compounds th...
Sustained Natural Killer Cell Recovery Post-Autologous Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Predicts Survival in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Abstract Abstract Our group recently reported a Phase III clinical trial (Porrata et al. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation 2016; 22: 1017-1023) demonstrating that the infusion of the autograft-absolute lymphocyte count (A-ALC) and autograft natural killer cells (A-NKC) are survival prognostic factors in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients treated with autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APBHSCT). A limitation of our Phase III clinical trial was the short-term follow-up of just two years. Therefore, we evaluated longer follow-up and assessed the role of the infused A-ALC, infused A-NKC, and peripheral blood absolute natural killer cell count (ANKC) recovery on survival post-APBHSCT. Of the 122 patients that participated in the Phase III trial, 111 patients were able to complete APBHSCT and included in the current study. With a median follow-up of 57.2 months (range: 2.1-84.6 months), superior overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was observed in patients infused with an A-ALC ≥ 0.5 x 109 lymphocytes/kg [OS: HR = 0.429, 95%CI, 0.128-0.828, p Download : Download high-res image (87KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Yield Strength Anomaly in Co–Ni Design Space

A new computational approach to model precipitate compositions and properties in the CoNi-design space for yield strength anomaly prediction is presented. The antiphase boundary (APB) energies on {111} and {010} and the degree of elastic anisotropy are known to influence the yield strength anomaly. APB energies were estimated by a diffuse multi-layer fault (DMLF) model using the structural energies of proximate structures: L12, γa′, and D023. The elastic moduli were calculated via the energy-strain approach using density functional theory calculations. (Ni1−xCox)3(Al1−yWy) was chosen as the model system, and Yoo’s criterion is evaluated over the entire range of compositions to identify regions that exhibit the yield strength anomaly. (Ni0.65Co0.35)3(Al0.5W0.5) has the maximum APB (111) and any two-phase alloy (γ + γʹ) in Ni–Co–Al–W system with this precipitate composition might exhibit higher strength upon shearing by a matrix dislocation. ThermoCalc was employed to identify stable L12 regions in (Ni1−xCox)3(Al1−yWy). The effect of Co on the yield strength anomaly was investigated experimentally in three (Ni1−xCox)3Al alloys with L12 structure. All three alloys exhibited the yield strength anomaly, validating the computational approach. The addition of Co provides solid solution strengthening to Ni3Al at room temperature; however, this contribution to the overall strength diminished as a function of temperature. CoNi-alloys displayed strengths similar to Ni3Al at elevated temperatures with Co addition resulting in a marginal increase in strength at the peak temperature. The present study elucidates that APB energies from a DMLF model combined with elastic moduli can be employed to predict yield strength anomaly using Yoo’s criteria.
Endophilin recruitment drives membrane curvature generation through coincidence detection of GPCR loop interactions and negative lipid charge.

Endophilin plays key roles during endocytosis of cellular receptors, including generating membrane curvature to drive internalization. Electrostatic interactions between endophilin's BIN/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain and anionic membrane lipids have been considered the major driving force in curvature generation. However, the SH3 domain of endophilin also interacts with the proline-rich third intracellular loop (TIL) of various G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and it is unclear whether this interaction has a direct role in generating membrane curvature during endocytosis. To examine this, we designed model membranes with a membrane density of 1400 receptors per μm2 represented by a covalently conjugated TIL region from the β1-adrenergic receptor. We observed that TIL recruits endophilin to membranes composed of 95 mol% of zwitterionic lipids via the SH3 domain. More importantly, endophilin recruited via TIL tubulates vesicles and gets sorted onto highly curved membrane tubules. These observations indicate that the cellular membrane bending and curvature sensing activities of endophilin can be facilitated through detection of the TIL of activated GPCRs in addition to binding to anionic lipids. Furthermore, we show that TIL electrostatically interacts with membranes composed of anionic lipids. Therefore, anionic lipids can modulate TIL/SH3 domain binding. Overall, our findings imply that an interplay between TIL, charged membrane lipids, BAR domain, and SH3 domain could exist in the biological system and that these components may act in coordination to regulate the internalization of cellular receptors.
Interim Analysis of the Phase II Study: Noninferiority Study of Doxorubicin with Upfront Dexrazoxane plus Olaratumab for Advanced or Metastatic Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

Purpose: To report the interim analysis of the phase II single-arm noninferiority trial, testing the upfront use of dexrazoxane with doxorubicin on progression-free survival (PFS) and cardiac function in soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). Patients and Methods: Patients with metastatic or unresectable STS who were candidates for first-line treatment with doxorubicin were deemed eligible. An interim analysis was initiated after 33 of 65 patients were enrolled. Using the historical control of 4.6 months PFS for doxorubicin in the front-line setting, we tested whether the addition of dexrazoxane affected the efficacy of doxorubicin in STS. The study was powered so that a decrease of PFS to 3.7 months would be considered noninferior. Secondary aims included cardiac-related mortality, incidence of heart failure/cardiomyopathy, and expansion of cardiac monitoring parameters including three-dimensional echocardiography. Patients were allowed to continue on doxorubicin beyond 600 mg/m2 if they were deriving benefit and were not demonstrating evidence of symptomatic cardiac dysfunction. Results: At interim analysis, upfront use of dexrazoxane with doxorubicin demonstrated a PFS of 8.4 months (95% confidence interval: 5.1–11.2 months). Only 3 patients were removed from study for cardiotoxicity, all on > 600 mg/m2 doxorubicin. No patients required cardiac hospitalization or had new, persistent cardiac dysfunction with left ventricular ejection fraction remaining below 50%. The median administered doxorubicin dose was 450 mg/m2 (interquartile range, 300–750 mg/m2). Conclusions: At interim analysis, dexrazoxane did not reduce PFS in patients with STS treated with doxorubicin. Involvement of cardio-oncologists is beneficial for the monitoring and safe use of high-dose anthracyclines in STS.
Synthesis of Terminal Bis(hydrosulfido) and Disulfido Complexes of Ni(II) from a Geometrically Frustrated Tetrahedral Ni(II) Chloride Complex

Recent studies have highlighted how reactive sulfur species (RSS) can be regulated and transported by metal-sulfur coordination compounds. We report herein the reactivity of PhB(tBuIm)3NiCl (1) with RSS, including the hydrosulfide anion ([Bu4N][SH]) and a reduced tetrasulfide ([K18-C-6]2[S4]). The strongly donating tris(carbene) ligand in 1 is geometrically constrained to a tetrahedral geometry, and the energetically preferable square planar geometry is not achievable with the [PhB(tBuIm)3]- ligand. Upon reaction of 1 with [Bu4N][SH] and [K18-C-6]2[S4], the square planar complexes PhB(tBuIm)2(tBuImH)Ni(SH)2 (2) and PhB(tBuIm)2(tBuImH)Ni(η2-S2) (3) are formed, respectively, via the protonation of one carbene ligand donor atom. Mechanistic investigation suggest that protonation occurs either from decomposition of 1 during the reaction progress, reactions with advantageous [Bu4N]+/[K18-C-6]+ countercations or from the generation of transient unidentified RSS that facilitate proton transfer reactions.
Disability-competence training influences health care providers' conceptualizations of disability: An evaluation study.

Abstract Background Often, health care providers’ approach to people with disabilities is grounded in a medical model perspective. This view highlights individual deficits and does not foster patient-centeredness. Learning about and adopting a more social model, focused on creating accessible and inclusive approaches and environments, could help providers to reshape their attitudes about disability, dismantling barriers to care. Objective This study used innovative methods to evaluate a recorded, online disability-competence training for health care providers. It was hypothesized that the training would 1) shift providers’ conceptualizations of disability away from a medical model view toward a social model view of disability and 2) equip providers with actionable strategies to improve access to care for people with disabilities. Methods Quantitative and qualitative evaluation data were analyzed for n = 192 training participants. Measures included participants’ pre- and post-training conceptualizations of disability, proposed actions steps to facilitate patient-centered care, and measures of satisfaction and self-assessed knowledge gain. Results Both hypotheses were supported. After the training, participants’ conceptualizations of disability were more reflective of the social model, and participants were better able to articulate specific action steps they could take to promote accessible, responsive care. Conclusions This study demonstrates that health care provider training can positively affect providers’ knowledge, outlook, and approach to caring for people with disabilities. Its findings can inform broader efforts aimed at systematically changing the way health professionals are educated and trained to provide care in disability-competent ways.
Outpatient follow-up of nonoperative cerebral contusion and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: does repeat head CT alter clinical decision-making?

Object Many neurosurgeons obtain repeat head CT at the first clinic follow-up visit for nonoperative cerebral contusion and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH). The authors undertook a single-center, retrospective study to determine whether outpatient CT altered clinical decision-making. Methods The authors evaluated 173 consecutive adult patients admitted to their institution from April 2006 to August 2012 with an admission diagnosis of cerebral contusion or tSAH and at least 1 clinic follow-up visit with CT. Patients with epidural, subdural, aneurysmal subarachnoid, or intraventricular hemorrhage, and those who underwent craniotomy, were excluded. Patient charts were reviewed for new CT findings, new patient symptoms, and changes in treatment plan. Patients were stratified by neurological symptoms into 3 groups: 1) asymptomatic; 2) mild, nonspecific symptoms; and 3) significant symptoms. Mild, nonspecific symptoms included minor headaches, vertigo, fatigue, and mild difficulties with concentration,...
What can be deduced about the structure of Shaker from available data

Voltage-gated K+ channels are transmembrane proteins that control and regulate the flow of K+ ions across cell membranes in response to changes in membrane potential and are essential for the propagation of action potentials in the nervous system. One of the most studied voltage-gated channels is Shaker. Available experimental results clearly provide specific constraints on the structure of the channel, even though the direct translation of the available information into 3D structures is not trivial. The goal of this work is to develop a computational approach to construct and refine 3D models of Shaker by incorporating and integrating available experimental data. Our approach is based on comparative modelization and global conformational optimization using energy restraints extracted from experimental data.
The Paradox of Political Power: Post-Racialism, Equal Protection, and Democracy

Racial minorities have achieved unparalleled electoral success in recent years. Simultaneously, they have continued to rank at or near the bottom in terms of health, wealth, income, education, and the effects of the criminal justice system. Social conservatives, including those on the Supreme Court, have latched onto evidence of isolated electoral success as proof of “post-racialism,” while ignoring the evidence of continued disparities for the vast majority of people of color. This Essay will examine the tension between the Court's conservatives' repeated calls for minorities to achieve their goals through the political process and the Supreme Court's increasingly restrictive "colorblind" or "post-racial" jurisprudence, which severely constrains the circumstances in which their political power can effectively be exercised. Examples include: City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., where the Court struck down an affirmative action program adopted by a majority black city council; Ricci v. DeStefano, where black and Latino residents of New Haven successfully lobbied the city of New Haven to discard a test for promotions in the fire department because the test resulted in substantial exclusion of racial minorities, only to have the city's action struck down by the Court; and Northwest Austin v. Holder, where the renewal of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act passed the House and Senate by overwhelming margins, only to have its constitutionality strongly questioned by the Supreme Court, particularly Justice Thomas. This Essay argues that the Court’s suspicion of the exercise of minority political power will only increase as its post-racial jurisprudence accelerates. For racial minorities, the counter-majoritarian difficulty is likely to become much more difficult.
Computer modeling of a hybrid RF/US phased array system for hyperthermia cancer treatments in the intact breast

Computer simulation of power distributions of a hybrid applicator consisting of a planar square US phased array and an radio frequency (RF) array and the impact of temperature responses for hyperthermia treatments in the intact breast were analyzed. The RF phased array, which operates at 140 MHz, consists of four end-loaded dipole antennas mounted on a Lexan water tank. The 3D patient model, including breast, tumor, chest wall, heart, and lung structures, were extracted manually from MR or CT images. It was found that the hybrid method achieves a better temperature distribution inside the tumor than either modality applied alone.
SU-E-J-203: Investigation of 1.5T Magnetic Field Dose Effects On Organs of Different Density

Purpose: For the combined 1.5T/6MV MRI-linac system, the perpendicular magnetic field to the radiation beam results in altered radiation dose distributions. This Monte Carlo study investigates the change in dose at interfaces for common organs neighboring soft tissue. Methods: MCNP6 was used to simulate the effects of a 1.5T magnetic field when irradiating tissues with a 6 MV beam. The geometries used in this study were not necessarily anatomically representative in size in order to directly compare quantitative dose effects for each tissue at the same depths. For this purpose, a 512 cm3 cubic material was positioned at the center of a 2744 cm3 cubic soft tissue material phantom. The following tissue materials and their densities were used in this study: lung (0.296 g/cm3), fat (0.95), spinal cord (1.038), soft tissue (1.04), muscle (1.05), eye (1.076), trabecular bone (1.40), and cortical bone (1.85). Results: The addition of a 1.5T magnetic field caused dose changes of +46.5%, +2.4%, −0.9%, −0.8%, −1.5%, −6.5%, and −8.8% at the entrance interface between soft tissue and lung, fat, spinal cord, muscle, eye, trabecular bone, and cortical bone tissues respectively. Dose changes of −39.4%, −4.1%, −0.8%, −0.8%, +0.5%, +6.7%, and +10.9% were observed at the second interface between the same tissues respectively and soft tissue. On average, the build-up distance was reduced by 0.6 cm, and a dose increase of 62.7% was observed at the exit interface between soft tissue and air of the entire phantom. Conclusion: The greatest changes in dose were observed at interfaces containing lung and bone tissues. Due to the prevalence and proximity of bony anatomy to soft tissues throughout the human body, these results encourage further examination of these tissues with anatomically representative geometries using multiple beam configurations for safe treatment using the MRI-linac system. NSF GRFP Grant Award #LH-102SPS
Finite Volume Corrections to the Electromagnetic Mass of Composite Particles

The long-range electromagnetic interaction presents a challenge for numerical computations in $\mathrm{QCD}+\mathrm{QED}$. In addition to power-law finite volume effects, the standard lattice gauge theory approach introduces nonlocality through removal of photon zero-momentum modes. The resulting finite volume effects must be quantitatively understood; and, to this end, nonrelativistic effective field theories are an efficient tool, especially in the case of composite particles. Recently an oddity related to nonlocality of the standard lattice approach was uncovered by the Budapest-Marseille-Wuppertal collaboration. Explicit contributions from antiparticles appear to be required so that finite volume QED results for a pointlike fermion can be reproduced in the effective field theory description. We provide transparency for this argument by considering pointlike scalars and spinors in finite volume QED using the method of regions. For the more germane case of composite particles, we determine that antiparticle modes contribute to the finite volume electromagnetic mass of composite spinors through terms proportional to the squares of timelike form factors evaluated at threshold. We extend existing finite volume calculations to one order higher, which is particularly relevant for the electromagnetic mass of light nuclei. Additionally, we verify that the analogous finite volume contributions to the nucleon mass in chiral perturbation theory vanish in accordance with locality.
Role of calcitriol in prevention of osteoporosis: Part I

Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis is an alternative to the currently problematic goal of reversing the trabecular plate thinning and perforation that constitute the major pathologic defects in patients with established osteoporosis. 1,25(OH)2D3 (calcitriol) has been suggested as a drug that may decrease bone resorption sufficiently to preserve trabecular structure in perimenopausal women. In the present study, we compared the effects of calcitriol and an investigational analog, 1,25,26-(OH )3Δ22-D3 (Ro-23-8525), to those of an inert vehicle in maintaining the bone mass of oophorectomized adult beagles. In these studies, we used dual-energy radiography to serially quantitate the bone density of control and treated animals. Treatment for 1 year with either agent resulted in no evidence of hypercalcemia or decreased renal function. Moreover, calcitriol and Ro-23-8525 effectively abolished the loss of bone mass observed in untreated oophorectomized controls. Indeed, treated animals displayed variations in bone density similar to that observed in sham-operated untreated animals. These data suggest that calcitriol and Ro-23-8525 may be potentially effective agents for prophylaxis of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Epidemiology of isolation precautions.

Objective To investigate compliance with isolation precautions. Design A prospective observational study carried out during ten weeks of 1989. Participants were unaware of the study. Setting The isolation bay of a 24-bed surgical intensive care unit in a 900-bed university tertiary care facility. Participants Study participants included any healthcare worker or visitor entering the patient room during designated 15-minute intervals. Results We observed 467 subjects entering patient rooms. Compliance with strict isolation (65%) was better than with wound/skin (40%) or excretion/secretion (36%) isolation (p less than .01). Visitors were more compliant than healthcare workers (88% versus 41%; p less than .01). Spending more time in the room was associated with improved compliance (p less than .01). Compliance was higher for subjects entering with a group compared with those entering alone (51% versus 41%; p less than .05). The compliance rate for nurses improved as the nurse/patient ratio improved (p = .14). Compliance was independent of severity of illness. Multivariate analysis revealed that the amount of time spent in the room, being a visitor, and use of strict isolation were independent predictors of compliance. Conclusions Noncompliance was widespread. When increased demands are placed on the time of physicians and nurses in the name of cost containment, unperceived consequences, such as those resulting from decreased compliance, must be considered.
Biography of a Chairman Mao Badge: The Creation and Mass Consumption of a Personality Cult

Biography of. Chairman Mao Badge: The Creation and Mass Consumption of. Personality Cult. Melissa Schrift New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001. ix. 214 pp., photographs, references, index.
Effect of Preparation Method on Physical Properties of Amorphous Trehalose

Purpose. To determine the effect of preparation method on the physical properties of amorphous trehalose. Methods. Amorphous anhydrous trehalose was prepared by four different methods, viz., freeze-drying, spray-drying, dehydration, and melt quenching. The glass transition temperature (Tg), enthalpic relaxation behavior, and crystallization were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, whereas X-ray diffractometry was used for phase identification. The rate and extent of water uptake at different relative humidity values were also obtained. Results. Though the enthalpic relaxation and crystallization behaviors were influenced by the method of preparation of amorphous trehalose, the Tg and fragility were not. The phase prepared by dehydration showed the highest enthalpic recovery at Tg, indicating that aging may have occurred during preparation. Among the four methods used, trehalose prepared by dehydration had the highest tendency to crystallize, whereas there was no crystallization in melt-quenched amorphous trehalose. The method of preparation influenced not only the rate and extent of water sorption but also the phase crystallized. Water vapor sorption removed the effects of structural history in the amorphous phase formed by dehydration. Conclusions. The method of preparation strongly influenced the pharmaceutically relevant properties of amorphous trehalose. The resistance to crystallization can be rank ordered as trehalose prepared by dehydration < freeze-dried mF spray-dried < melt-quenched. The rate of water sorption can be rank ordered as trehalose prepared by dehydration < freeze-dried < spray-dried.
Characterization and reactivity of organically bound sulfur and nitrogen fossil fuels

Advances in X-ray instrumentation over the last decade have allowed the determination and quantification of organically bound sulfur and nitrogen forms in fossil fuels, which led to deeper understanding of their reactivities. This paper reviews recent technical advances in this area, highlights achievements of significant progress in chemical understanding and areas where further advances will likely occur.
Development of a Variable Electromotive-Force Generator for a Wind Turbine

To improve the power production and the overall operational range of a wind turbine, a modified generator called a variable electromotive-force generator (VEG), which has an adjustable overlap between the rotor and the stator, is proposed. Theoretical analysis of employing a VEG relies on numerous assumptions about the aerodynamic and electromagnetic models of a wind turbine drivetrain. In this work, a novel test stand for a VEG prototype, including a 12 V DC synchronous generator with an adjustable overlap between the rotor and the stator, a 700 W electric motor as the prime mover, and a stepper motor as the actuator for an active control system, is designed and fabricated. The performance of the VEG prototype is studied experimentally, and the active control system to adjust the overlap between the rotor and the stator based on the desired output power at different input speeds is developed. A variable factor is used to condition the desired and real output powers to improve the stability of the control system. The results show that decreasing the overlap between the rotor and the stator of the generator at low speeds results in decreasing the torque loss of the generator and increasing the rotational speed of the generator rotor. Having a VEG in a wind turbine operating under a lower input power than that of a regular generator means the VEG can start working at a lower wind speed than the current cut-in speed of the regular generator.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Solution Structure of the Cytoplasmic Domain of the Human CD4 Glycoprotein by CD and 1H NMR Spectroscopy: Implications for Biological Functions

The human T cell receptor CD4 is a type I integral membrane glycoprotein that is involved in T cell activation and also acts as the primary coreceptor for human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). Here...
A gene encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase produces two transcripts: elucidation of a conserved response

Summary Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) promotes ethylene biosynthesis in stems of etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings by rapidly increasing the expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase mRNA and by enhancing the activity of the enzyme. Two cDNA clones encoding ACC synthase, Ps-ACS1 and Ps-ACS2, were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from the apical hooks of etiolated pea seedlings that had been treated with 100 μM IAA for 4 h. While studying the expression pattern of IAA-induced ACC synthase mRNA, we observed that the probe for Ps-ACS1 hybridized to two transcripts of 1.6 and 1.9 kb on RNA gel blots. The shorter transcript accumulated before the longer one did, indicating that it is not a degradation product of the latter. Because a similar observation, namely hybridization of one ACC synthase probe to two transcripts, has also been reported in other species, we investigated the relationship between the 1.6- and 1.9-kb transcripts. DNA gel blot analysis using the entire cDNA as probe and RNA gel blot analysis using the 3′-untranslated region as probe indicated that both transcripts are encoded by the same gene. Oligonucleotide-directed RNase H mapping showed that the transcripts differ in the sequence of their 5′-ends. Using 5′-RACE to obtain the DNA sequence of the shorter transcript, we determined that the 1.6-kb transcript (Ps-ACS1b) begins within the second exon of the 1.9-kb transcript (Ps-ACS1a) and lacks the first 383 bases. Thus, Ps-ACS1b does not encode a full-length ACC synthase protein. Because the Ps-ACS1b sequence is identical to that of Ps-ACS1a, including proper splicing of the second intron, Ps-ACS1b appears to result from the use of an alternative, internal promoter.
Taphonomy and time-averaging of foraminiferal assemblages in Holocene tidal flat sediments, Bahia la Choya, Sonora, Mexico (northern Gulf of California)

Abstract Foraminiferal reproduction and preservation have been studied in Holocene tidal flat sediments of Bahia la Choya, Sonora, Mexico (northern Gulf of California). Foraminiferal reproduction at Choya Bay tends to occur in discrete (~ a few weeks) seasonal pulses, which are then followed by periods of homogenization and dissolution of several months duration. Foraminiferal number (number of tests/gram sediment) increases northward across the flat primarily because of decreasing intensity of bioturbation and increasing total carbonate weight percent (shell content) of sediments. Despite intensive dissolution of foraminiferal reproductive pulses, tests which appear to be relatively fresh are actually quite old (up to ~ 2000 years based on 14C dates). We hypothesize that after reproduction some tests survive dissolution because of rapid advection (burial) downward by conveyor belt deposit feeders (e.g., callianassid shrimp, polychaete worms) into a subsurface shell layer, where tests are preserved until exhumation much later by biological activity or storms. Thus, taphonomic grade (surface condition) of foraminiferal tests in these sediments is not an infallible indicator of shell age (time since death). The condition of the test surface is indicative of the residence time of the test at the sediment-water interface (“taphonomically active zone”) and not test age.
Coupling of sodium transport to respiration in the toad bladder

Energy expenditure and transepithelial sodium transport were measured continuously and simultaneously from isolated urinary bladders of the Dominican toad,Bufo marinus. Sodium transport was measured as the short-circuit current and CO2 produced by the bladder was measured conductometrically by the method of Maffly. The rates of sodium transport and CO2 production were linearly related. The slope of the regression of sodium transport on CO2 production,dJ Na/dJ CO 2, was found to be quite similar in paired half bladders but to differ significantly between bladders from different toads. Thus, in this preparation there appears to be no unique stoichiometric ratio characterizing sodium transport and metabolism and past efforts to arrive at such a value by averaging results obtained from different animals do not seem warranted. The CO2 production by the isolated bladder which is unrelated to sodium transport was determined by two means: 1) extrapolating the regression ofJ Na onJ CO 2 toJ Na=0, and 2) measuring CO2 production with sodium transport suppressed by removal of all sodium from the mucosal bathing medium. The two methods gave values which were in close agreement in each preparation. This suggests that metabolism which supports nontransport activities in this tissue cannot be recruited to support the energy requirement of sodium transport and vice versa.
Estimation of the linear programming technological coefficient matrix by a principle of maximum efficiency

This paper provides a rationale and computational method for estimating a technological coefficient matrix for which input and output vectors of an organization are approximately consistent with the assumption that outputs are exogenous and inputs were planned according to a linear programming model of cost minimization type. By comparison of total observed costs to those of the inputed optimal linear programming model, efficiency measures over past operational time periods for a single organization become a by-product of the estimation procedure. The rationale of the method stems from the assumption of approximately efficient past allocations to output producing activities. For the assumption that past allocations have maximized average efficiency, the computational method consists of two successive linear programming problems. Marginal costs of outputs for each year of data are a further by-product of the procedure.
Prevalence of high-risk thallium-201 scintigraphic findings in left main coronary artery stenosis: Comparison with patients with multiple- and single-vessel coronary artery disease

Abstract To determine the prevalence of high-risk thallium-201 (TI-201) scintigraphic findings in patients with left main (LM) coronary artery disease (CAD), quantitative exercise TI-201 scintigrams were analyzed in 295 consecutive patients with angiographic (⩽ 50% stenosis) CAD, of which 43 (14%) had ⩽ 50% LM stenosis. A high-risk scintigram was defined as one that demonstrated (1) a LMCAD scintigraphic pattern (⩽ 25% homogeneous decrease in TI-201 activity in the middle and upper septal and posterolateral walls on the 45 ° left anterior oblique projection); (2) abnormal TI-201 uptake or washout in multiple vascular scan segments indicative of multivessel disease; and (3) increased lung TI-201 uptake on the initial anterior projection image. Of the 43 patients with LMCAD, 41 (95%) had an abnormal scintigram. Thirty-three (77%) had 1 or more high-risk scintigraphic findings, including 29 (67%) with a multivessel CAD scan pattern, of which 6 (14%) demonstrated a typical LMCAD pattern; and 18 (42%) with abnormal lung TI-201 uptake. The prevalence of a high-risk scintigram in patients with LMCAD was significantly greater than that in 53 patients with 3-vessel disease (58%) (p = 0.05), 99 patients with 2-vessel disease (60%) (p = 0.04) and 100 patients with 1-vessel disease (41%) (p In this study, a high-risk electrocardiographic stress test was defined as one that had at least 2 of the following characteristics: (1) ≥ 2.0 mm of ST depression (ST↓); (2) horizontal or downsloping (> 1.0 mm) ST↓ persisting for 5 minutes or longer after exercise; (3) appearance of ST↓ at 5 METs or less; and (4) a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg or more during exercise. The prevalence of a high-risk stress test (58%) in the 43 patients with LMCAD was significantly lower than the prevalence of a high-risk scintigram (77%) (p = 0.05). The prevalence of a high-risk electrocardiographic stress test was significantly greater than that in the 53 patients with 3-vessel disease (32%) (p In conclusion, in patients with LMCAD of ⩽ 50% narrowing, a typical scintigraphic finding for LMCAD, is infrequently observed, but a markedly positive exercise stress test or a high-risk scintigram (predominantly showing a multivessel disease pattern) is seen in most patients (86%) with this angiographic finding.
The electron neutrino mass, double beta decay and cosmology

Abstract The Lubimov et al. experiment suggests a nonzero ν e mass in the 20–45 eV range, while neutrinoless double beta decay experiments set upper limits between 2 and 10 eV if the ν e is an unmixed Majorana particle. Together, these imply that the ν e is either a Dirac neutrino or that it is a mixture of Majorana mass eigenstates which cancel in the double beta decay amplitude. We consider the laboratory and cosmological constraints on the latter possibility and show that it is ruled out except for two small regions of parameter space unless new physics is invoked to allow a fast invisible decay or annihilation channel for the heavy neutrino. Surprisingly, the cosmological constraints are often stronger if the heavy neutrino is mainly an SU 2 ×U 1 singlet than if it has normal weak interactions. Implications for the recently reported 17 keV neutrino are also discussed.
The caspase inhibitor z-VAD is more effective than CD18 adhesion blockade in reducing muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury: implication for clinical trials

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) leads to organ injury and organ dysfunction in a variety of clinical disorders. Preclinical investigations examining leukocyte adhesion molecules in I/R provided overwhelming evidence that blocking the function of leukocyte adhesion molecules would be highly effective in improving outcome in clinically relevant diseases. Unfortunately, all 9 of the recently completed phase 2 and 3 clinical trials examining antiadhesion therapy have failed. In this report, we show that a modest increase in ischemic time results in conversion from a CD18-dependent to a CD18-independent injury. This fundamental change in the mechanism of injury can be reduced by inhibition of caspases leading to blockade of apoptosis. Muscle injury resulting from aortic clamping was measured by release of creatine kinase. I/R injury following ischemia of 60 minutes or less and 3 hours of reperfusion was significantly reduced by pretreatment with anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody. However, 90 minutes of ischemia resulted in a marked increase in injury that was not reduced by CD18 blockade. Importantly, the injury resulting from 90 or 120 minutes of ischemia was reduced by the pancaspase inhibitor z-VAD. We propose that the length of ischemia can result in a fundamental change in the mechanism of injury and that all preclinical investigations of I/R must be evaluated with increasing ischemia if they are to model the clinical disease. The result showing CD18-independent I/R injury is not unique; likewise, protection by caspase inhibitors is not unique. However, we show for the first time that caspase inhibitors are effective when CD18 blockade is not.
Adaptive cytoprotection against alcohol injury in the rat stomach is not due to increased prostanoid synthesis

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of 25% ethanol, a mild irritant, on endogenous prostanoid synthesis in the rat stomach before and after exposure to oral 100% ethanol. Rats received water or 25% ethanol orally. After 15 min, a portion of each group was sacrificed and the remaining animals treated with 100% ethanol prior to sacrifice one minute later. Microsomal membrane fractions were prepared from the glandular gastric mucosa in all groups and incubated with 14C arachidonic acid in the presence of cofactors. Endogenous mucosal prostanoid synthesis was analyzed by radiochromatography and results correlated with the presence or absence of gastric injury macroscopically. Prostanoids measured included PGI2, PGF2α, PGE2, PGD2, PGA2, and thromboxane A2. Additional experiments were performed in like manner to those just described with the exception that indomethacin (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) pretreatment was rendered. Stomachs exposed to water or 25% ethanol alone demonstrated a modest and equivalent level of synthesis of all prostanoids measured. Exposure to 100% ethanol (with and without mild irritant pretreatment) significantly increased prostanoid synthesis (especially PGI2, PGF2α, and PGE2) compared with stomachs exposed to water or 25% ethanol alone; only mild irritant treated mucosa was protected from injury by 100% ethanol. Indomethacin pretreatment reversed the increased prostanoid synthesis in mucosa exposed to 100% ethanol, with or without mild irritant pretreatment, and partially reversed the protective effect of 25% ethanol. Other experiments using tissue slices in which perturbations in mucosal levels of prostanoids were mesured by radioimmunoassay under identical experimental conditions exhibited similar results. These data dispute the notion that adaptive cytoprotection is mediated by increased endogenous prostanoid synthesis. The partial reversal of this process by indomethacin was most likely secondary to some other action of this agent, such as a reduction in gastric blood flow, rather than direct effects on prostanoid synthesis.
SOLVING DYNAMIC WILDLIFE RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS USING REINFORCEMENT LEARNING

ABSTRACT. An important technical component of natural resource management, particularly in an adaptive management context, is optimization. This is used to select the most appropriate management strategy, given a model of the system and all relevant available information. For dynamic resource systems, dynamic programming has been the de facto standard for deriving optimal state-specific management strategies. Though effective for small-dimension problems, dynamic programming is incapable of providing solutions to larger problems, even with modern microcomputing technology. Reinforcement learning is an alternative, related procedure for deriving optimal management strategies, based on stochastic approximation. It is an iterative process that improves estimates of the value of state-specific actions based in interactions with a system, or model thereof. Applications of reinforcement learning in the field of artificial intelligence have illustrated its ability to yield near-optimal strategies for very complex model systems, highlighting the potential utility of this method for ecological and natural resource management problems, which tend to be of high dimension. I describe the concept of reinforcement learning and its approach of estimating optimal strategies by temporal difference learning. I then illustrate the application of this method using a simple, well-known case study of Anderson [1975], and compare the reinforcement learning results with those of dynamic programming. Though a globally-optimal strategy is not discovered, it performs very well relative to the dynamic programming strategy, based on simulated cumulative objective return. I suggest that reinforcement learning be applied to relatively complex problems where an approximate solution to a realistic model is preferable to an exact answer to an oversimplified model.