cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of carboxyl groups of transferrin.

Abstract Carboxyl groups of transferrin were coupled with glycine methyl ester using a water-soluble carbodiimide. The iron-binding activity of the modified protein did not change until some 16 carboxyl groups had been modified. The activity then fell in proportion to the number of groups modified until no iron binding was seen with 62 carboxyl groups modified. Such a slow drop in activity was interpreted to indicate that the carboxyl groups do not directly participate in the iron-binding reaction and that the activity was lost because of a conformational change in the protein structure. Experiments involving competition of native transferrin and EDTA for iron indicated that the iron-binding activity of the former declined with increasing EDTA concentrations in a gradual manner. Similar experiments with transferrin with 15–17 carboxyl groups blocked by the glycine methyl ester showed that half of the iron-binding activity was lost with very low EDTA concentrations, remained at the 50% level over an EDTA concentration range of 0.0025–0.01 M and then commenced to decline in a gradual manner. It was concluded that the more reactive carboxyl groups are situated in the vicinity of only one of the two iron-binding sites of transferrin and that their modification then destabilizes the coordination complex. Very few if any reactive carboxyl groups are situated in the vicinity of the other iron-binding site. This finding supports the idea that the environments of the two iron-binding sites of transferrin are not identical.
A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDY OF SURFACE FEATURES OF VIRAL AND SPONTANEOUS TRANSFORMANTS OF MOUSE BALB/3T3 CELLS

Cells of the mouse line Balb/3T3 as well as three virus-induced transformants and two spontaneous transformants grown in vitro have been studied for their topography by scanning electron microscopy. The parent cell in confluent culture closely resembles an endothelial cell in its form and in the structure of its association with adjacent cells. The tumorigenic transformants produced by SV40, murine sarcoma virus, or polyoma viruses are fusiform to pleomorphic and distinctly different from the cell of origin. They show relatively smooth surfaces except for blebs and marginal microvilli. Perhaps most surprising is the similarity they bear to one another. This is made the more singular by the very different form shown by the tumorigenic transformants of spontaneous origin. One of these, S2-4, possesses a thickened rather than the lamellar form of the parent A31 cell and is covered by long microvilli and many spherical blebs. The other, TuT(3), more closely resembles the cell of origin but shows extensive ruffling at its margins. All transformants grow without evidence of contact inhibition. The significance of the surface morphologies and the factors influencing cell form are discussed.
Expanding the Scope of the National Practice Oncology Benchmark Would Be a Critical Source for Understanding Outpatient Oncology Practice Costs and Profits in a Time of Change

Expanding the scope of National Practice Oncology Benchmark reporting would be critical for assessing practice-level effects of imminent national policies to improve the quality of cancer care and control costs.
The Ruling Political Elite in Ba thi Iraq, 1968–1986: The Changing Features of a Collective Profile

While to the casual observer Iraq appears to have been ruled by the same political elite since 1968, closer examination reveals that its leadership underwent important changes between 1968 and the mid-1980s. This article intends to show that even though the changes were very gradual, sometimes almost imperceptible, the accumulated effect over 18 years was considerable.
Morphine-induced motor stimulation, motor incoordination, and hypothermia in adolescent and adult mice

Given evidence for age-related differences in the effects of drugs of abuse, surprisingly few preclinical studies have explored effects of opioids in adolescents (versus adults). This study compared the motor stimulating, ataxic, and hypothermic effects of morphine in adolescent, late adolescent, and adult mice. Plasma and brain levels of morphine were assessed to examine possible pharmacokinetic differences among the age groups. Locomotion was measured as occlusions of horizontal infrared light beams, ataxia as failing the horizontal wire test, body temperature by rectal probe, and morphine levels by HPLC-UV. Morphine (3.2–56 mg/kg, i.p.) increased locomotion along an inverted U-shaped dose–response curve in adolescent, late adolescent, and adult male C57BL/6J mice. Its potency to stimulate locomotion was similar in all age groups. However, maximal stimulation was higher in adolescents than in late adolescents, and higher in late adolescents than in adults. In contrast, adolescents showed less ataxia than adults when given morphine (5.6–100 mg/kg, i.p.). The hypothermic effects of morphine did not differ among the age groups. Morphine levels, which peaked in plasma at 15 min and in brain at 45 min after i.p. injection, did not show age-related differences. The finding that adolescents are not generally more sensitive to morphine than adults, but differ in their sensitivity to effects involving nigrostriatal/mesolimbic dopamine systems, is consistent with evidence of overactivity of these dopamine systems during adolescence relative to adulthood. The age-related differences observed here are unlikely due to pharmacokinetic factors.
College student reactions to health warning labels: Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors related to perceived effectiveness of different approaches

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with perceiving different types of pictorial cigarette health warning labels as most effective in motivating smokers to quit or preventing smoking initiation among college students. METHOD: We administered an online survey to 24,055 students attending six Southeast colleges in Fall, 2010. We obtained complete data for the current analyses from 2600. RESULTS: Current smoking prevalence was 23.5%. The largest majority (78.6%) consistently rated gruesome images as most effective, 19.5% rated testimonial images as most effective, and only a small proportion rated either standard (1.6%) or human suffering images (0.3%) as most effective. Subsequent analyses focused on differences between those endorsing gruesome images or testimonials as most effective. Factors related to ranking testimonials versus gruesome images as most effective included being female (p Language: en
Tenderness and Juiciness of Freeze-Dried Chicken Meat as Related to Maturity of Birds

Abstract ALTHOUGH freeze-dried chicken has highly acceptable flavor, color and storage stability, a dry and tough texture often remains after rehydration. This deficiency in texture has been attributed to the loss of water holding capacity by the muscle proteins, and protein denaturation during drying was suggested as the cause of this loss (Brooks, 1958). According to Hamm and Deatherage (1960), the decreased ability of meat proteins to rehydrate was usually due to the formation of an excessive amount of electrostatic and hydrogen bonds between actin and myosin in the myofibrillar filaments. Connell (1957) suggested that increases in toughness and a loss of gel-forming ability in dehydrated fish might be due to increased crosslinking of protein chains. He proposed that this could also cause dryness, due to poor water-binding capacity. Gawronski et al. (1964) concluded that sulfhydryl/disulfide exchange had an important role in post-rigor tenderization. Kahn and van den Berg (1965) recently …
The application of Markov chain analysis to oligonucleotide frequency prediction and physical mapping of Drosophila melanogaster.

Here we compare several methods for predicting oligonucleotide frequencies in 691 kb of Drosophila melanogaster DNA. As in previous work on Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a relatively simple equation based on tetranucleotide frequencies can be used in predicting frequencies of higher order oligonucleotides. For example, the mean of observed/expected abundances of 4,096 hexamers was 1.07 with a sample standard deviation of .55. This simple predictor arises by considering each base on the sense strand of D. melanogaster to depend only on the three bases 5' to it (a 3rd order Markov chain) and is more accurate than the random predictor. This equation is useful in predicting restriction enzyme fragment sizes, selecting restriction enzymes that cut preferentially in coding vs noncoding regions, and in selecting probes to fingerprint clones in contig mapping. Once again, this equation well predicts the occurrence of higher order oligonucleotides, supporting our hypothesis that this predictor holds in evolutionarily diverse organisms. When ranked from highest to lowest abundance, the observed frequencies of oligomers of a given length are closely tracked by the predicted abundances of a 3rd order Markov chain. Through use of the dependence of oligomer frequencies on base composition, we report a list of oligomers that will be useful for the completion of a cosmid physical map of D. melanogaster. Presently, the library is such that it will be possible to construct large contigs using only 30 oligonucleotide probes to fingerprint cosmids.
Social and Emotional Aging

The past several decades have witnessed unidimensional decline models of aging give way to life-span developmental models that consider how specific processes and strategies facilitate adaptive aging. In part, this shift was provoked by the stark contrast between findings that clearly demonstrate decreased biological, physiological, and cognitive capacity and those suggesting that people are generally satisfied in old age and experience relatively high levels of emotional well-being. In recent years, this supposed "paradox" of aging has been reconciled through careful theoretical analysis and empirical investigation. Viewing aging as adaptation sheds light on resilience, well-being, and emotional distress across adulthood.
Choosing the cost vector of the linear programming approach to approximate dynamic programming

We consider the linear programming approach to approximate dynamic programming. In the general case of linear combination of features, we prove the existence of a solution which can be used to generate a policy with performance proportional to the strength of the architecture. In the special case of features defined on a partition of the state space, we give a simpler method to find the solution, as well as a stronger performance bound.
Evaluation of Light-Emitting Diode Warning Beacons for Maintenance Vehicles

Rotating warning beacons containing filament light sources have long been used on highway maintenance vehicles to indicate the presence of the vehicle to other drivers. Flashing warning beacons containing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are beginning to be used in place of rotating warning beacons, in part because they use considerably less power. To help ensure that LED warning beacons will provide a comparable warning signal to drivers who approach vehicles outfitted with them, the photometric and temporal characteristics of LED warning beacons were measured and compared with data on human response time. In addition, several LED warning beacons were compared with a conventional incandescent rotating warning beacon in regard to the distance at which observers could detect that a vehicle had moved closer. Pairs of LED warning beacons provided closure detection distances that were equivalent to pairs of conventional rotating beacons. Although single LED warning light configurations were not tested, the pairs ...
Is Islam Bad for Business

In this beautifully crafted book, Timur Kuran provides a remarkably rich analysis of how Islamic law impeded economic progress in the Middle East and North Africa. Kuran's views are fresh and powerful, and they are subtle. He does not claim that Islamic law was generally bad for economic activity. He does not claim that prohibitions on interest denied credit to merchants or entrepreneurs. Nor does he claim that predation by absolutist states blocked capitalist accumulation or inhibited commerce.
Three-dimensional analysis of pharyngeal high-resolution manometry data.

Objectives/Hypothesis High-resolution manometry (HRM) represents a critical advance in the quantification of swallow-related pressure events in the pharynx. Previous analyses of the pressures measured by HRM, though, have been largely two-dimensional, focusing on a single sensor in a given region. We present a three-dimensional approach that combines information from adjacent sensors in a region. Two- and three-dimensional methods were compared for their ability to classify data correctly as normal or disordered. Study Design Case series evaluating new method of data analysis. Methods A total of 1,324 swallows from 16 normal subjects and 61 subjects with dysphagia were included. Two-dimensional single sensor integrals of the area under the curves created by rises in pressure in the velopharynx, tongue base, and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) were calculated. Three-dimensional multi-sensor integrals of the volume under all curves corresponding to the same regions were also computed. The two sets of measurements were compared for their ability to classify data correctly as normal or disordered using an artificial neural network (ANN). Results Three-dimensional parameters yielded a maximal classification accuracy of 86.71%±1.47%, while two-dimensional parameters achieved a maximum accuracy of 83.36%±1.42%. Combining two- and three-dimensional parameters with all other variables, including three-dimensional parameters, yielded a classification accuracy of 96.99%±0.51%. Including two-dimensional parameters yielded a classification accuracy of 96.32%±1.05%. Conclusion Three-dimensional analysis led to improved classification of swallows based on pharyngeal HRM. Artificial neural network performance with both two-dimensional and three-dimensional analyses was effective, classifying a large percentage of swallows correctly, thus demonstrating its potential clinical utility. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 2013
Starch graft polymers. I. Graft Co‐ and terpolymers of starch with 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methacryloyloxypropyl‐trimethylammonium chloride and acrylamide: Preparation and evaluation as silica depressants

The title monomers have been grafted onto wheat starch by γ-radiation-induced polymerization in water providing three graft polymers containing poly[2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (I)] and two graft polymers containing poly[I and acrylamide (II)]. Characterization is discussed together with their utility as silica depressants in flotation-beneficiation of siliceous ores. Results are provided to illustrate that a starch graft copolymer containing 15% poly(I) graft and a graft terpolymer containing 30% poly(I, II) in the ratio 1:2 are effective as selective depressants for silica in flotation-beneficiation of Florida pebble phosphate ore using special flotation conditions.
Mission from Below: Captive Women and Conversion on the East Roman Frontiers

The significance of captives in the history of empire has come to the fore in several recent books and articles. Linda Colley starts her intriguing study of this theme with the stories of two famous, if legendary, British captives—Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver—explaining how each represents a different conception of empire: the former a shipwrecked ex-slave turned conqueror and colonizer; the latter an overseas adventurer who is captured, humiliated, and terrorized but ultimately transformed by the values of his captors into a critic of his own society. Far from the heroes of Defoe and Swift, female captives featured in conversion accounts on the east Roman frontiers represent another response to captivity in a very different imperial world—that of the Roman and Iranian empires of late antiquity. These protagonists neither came to dominate the kingdoms in which they were held nor assimilated the culture of their captors but maintained their identity, their customs, and their religion in captivity. Indeed, these captives went further still, actually transforming the peoples and governments under which they were held from their very positions of subordination.
Scattering of light by bispheres with touching and separated components.

We use the T-matrix method as described by Mishchenko and Mackowski [Opt. Lett. 19, 1604 (1994)] to compute light scattering by bispheres in fixed and random orientations extensively. For all our computations the index of refraction is fixed at a value 1.5 + 0.005i, which is close to the refractive index of mineral tropospheric aerosols and was used in previous extensive studies of light scattering by spheroids and Chebyshev particles. For monodisperse bispheres with touching components in a fixed orientation, electromagnetic interactions between the constituent spheres result in a considerably more complicated interference structure in the scattering patterns than that for single monodisperse spheres. However, this increased structure is largely washed out by orientational averaging and results in scattering patterns for randomly oriented bispheres that are close to those for single spheres with size equal to the size of the bisphere components. Unlike other nonspherical particles such as cubes and spheroids, randomly oriented bispheres do not exhibit pronounced enhancement of side scattering and reduction of backscattering and positive polarization at side-scattering angles. Thus the dominant feature of light scattering by randomly oriented bispheres is the single scattering from the component spheres, whereas the effects of cooperative scattering and concavity of the bisphere shape play a minor role. The only distinct manifestations of nonsphericity and cooperative scattering effects for randomly oriented bispheres are the departure of the ratio F22/F11 of the elements of the scattering matrix from unity, the inequality of the ratios F33/F11 and F44/F11, and nonzero linear and circular backscattering depolarization ratios. Our computations for randomly oriented bispheres with separated wavelength-sized components show that the component spheres become essentially independent scatterers at as small a distance between their centers as 4 times their radii.
Pediatric ceftriaxone nephrolithiasis

Ceftriaxone administration has been associated with biliary pseudolithiasis in adult and pediatric patients, and rarely may cause renal and ureteral calculi. Most cases of ceftriaxone nephrolithiasis have occurred in association with higher doses (greater than 100 mg/kg daily) during extended treatment periods or in the presence of predisposing risk factors for urinary calculi.1 Few cases of ceftriaxone nephrolithiasis have been reported in children, and to our knowledge no case has been reported in a child receiving less than the maximum recommended dose of this antibiotic.
Agesilaus of Sparta and the Origins of the Ruler Cult

Plutarch, in his Apophthegmata Laconica (Ages. 25 = mor. 210d), records that the Thasians made an offer of divine honours to king Agesilaus, and that Agesilaus ostentatiously refused them. In the past, most scholars who have had occasion to comment on this anecdote have not doubted the veracity either of the report or of the language in which it is expressed. The situation, however, has now reversed itself. The current communis opinio is the contention of Chr. Habicht that the story is an invention of the Hellenistic or early imperial period and was intended to be a criticism of contemporary practices. The purpose of this note is threefold: to demonstrate that the anecdote derives from Theopompus' Hellenica, that it has a basis in historical fact, and that the incident thus narrated had far-reaching social and political consequences.
Increasing hip fracture incidence in California Hispanics, 1983 to 2000

Background: Hip fracture incidence in non-Hispanic whites (NHW) has decreased nationwide for the past 20 years. Little is known regarding hip fracture incidence among Hispanics, the largest, fastest growing minority in the United States. Objective: To assess the change in standardized hip fracture incidence from 1983 through 2000 in California Hispanics relative to other racial groups. Design: Hospitalizations for individuals older than 55 years with hip fracture requiring repair in acute care hospitals. Annual population estimates based on US Census Bureau estimates. Incidence standardized to national gender-age strata. Change in annual incidence calculated by weighted linear regression with robust variance estimates. Results: 372,078 hip fractures were identified. Age-adjusted annual incidence of hip fractures declined by 0.74% per year among women (655 to 568 per 100,000), but was unchanged among men (247 to 238 per 100,000). Among NHW women, the standardized annual incidence fell by 0.6% (4.0 fractures per 100,000) per year. Annual incidence among Hispanic women increased 4.9% (11.1 fractures per 100,000) per year. Annual incidence among Hispanic men increased by 4.2% (4.5 fractures per 100,000) per year and among NHW men by 0.5% (1.2 fractures per 100,000) per year. No significant change occurred among black or Asian women or men. Conclusions: Among California women, hip fracture incidence has doubled among Hispanics since 1983, while remaining unchanged or declining in other groups. Greater attention should be given to identification of individuals at risk for hip fracture and initiation of preventive measures in Hispanic populations.
Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study

Objective: There is increasing evidence to suggest that diet, one of the most important modifiable environmental factors, may play a role in preventing or delaying cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study examines the relationship between dietary nutrients and brain biomarkers of AD in cognitively normal individuals (NL) with and without AD risk factors. Design: As part of an ongoing brain imaging study, participants received clinical and laboratory examinations, a neurocognitive test battery, positron emission tomography (PET) with 11 C-Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB; a measure of amyloid-β (Aβ) load) and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG; a proxy of neuronal activity), and completed semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. Setting: Research centre affiliated with the Alzheimer’s disease Core Center at New York University School of Medicine.
Communication in international business-to-business marketing channels: Does culture matter?

Abstract As business-to-business marketing channels become more international in scope, communication in channels occurs among a more diverse set of channel participants from different national cultures. Do such cultural variations influence channel communications and if so, how? This study examines these questions in international business-to-business marketing channels comprised of channel members representing different cultural contexts. The findings show that there is a relationship between culture and channel communication in international channels. This influence stemming from “cultural distance” may have significant implications as business moves into the E-commerce era of Internet-based B2B international channels of distribution.
Scaffold network generator: a tool for mining molecular structures

Summary: Scaffold network generator (SNG) is an open-source command-line utility that computes the hierarchical network of scaffolds that define a large set of input molecules. Scaffold networks are useful for visualizing, analysing and understanding the chemical data that is increasingly available through large public repositories like PubChem. For example, some groups have used scaffold networks to identify missed-actives in high-throughput screens of small molecules with bioassays. Substantially improving on existing software, SNG is robust enough to work on millions of molecules at a time with a simple command-line interface. Availability and implementation: SNG is accessible at http://swami.
Inhibition of Angiogenesis in Cancer Management by Antioxidants: Ascorbate and P. leucotomos

Abstract The hallmarks of cancer include cell growth and metastasis, facilitated by angiogenesis and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor (TGF-β) and matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs), which are the predominant factors. These factors are secreted by tumors or the stromal cells in the tumor niche. Oxidative stress and inflammation are the primary causes of the pro-angiogenic factors, including VEGF, MMPs, TGF-β, and IL-8 that collectively activate several signal transduction pathways such as MAP kinase and NF-kB to accentuate ECM remodeling, angiogenesis and cancer metastasis. Ascorbate (Vitamin C) is a major regulator of the ECM and regulates cancer biology. It inhibits the invasiveness of several cancers such as gastric, oral, pulmonary, fibrosarcoma and melanoma. We have reported ascorbate’s dose-dependent inverse effects on cancer cell growth and the expression MMPs and TGF-β. An extract from P. leucotomos (a fern) in combination with ascorbate simultaneously reduces cancer cell growth as well as the expression of MMP-1 and TGF-β. Further, ascorbate and P. leucotomos, independently and in combination, inhibit the expression of VEGF in a dose dependent manner. A combination of ascorbate and P. leucotomos would benefit as preventive measure; and well as a supplemental regimen for cancer patients.
Adding a new dimension to the teaching of audience analysis: cultural awareness

The rationale behind teaching native English speakers to be sensitive to the cultural differences they will find when they communicate with nonnative speakers in the classroom and in the professional marketplace is considered. A teaching strategy that technical writing instructors can use in their classrooms to foster cultural awareness is described in detail. It is concluded that such an educational strategy is important for a future in which interaction with multicultural colleagues becomes inevitable and essential for business success. >
A STUDY OF WINTER FLOUNDER MOVEMENTS1

Some aspects of the movements of the winter flounder Psezcdopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum) were studied by means of tag-recovery data. No gear selectivity by sex was demonstrated for recaptured fish nor was any association found between the size of the individual ancl distance of rccapturc from the release site. An analysis of the movements of tagged inclividuals away from the breeding area indicates some movement to the east of the release point but this may be due to unequal fishing effort. An attempt is made to explain the return of winter flounder to the coast by means of ranclom search postulating the presence of a reflecting barrier.
Tattoos, Body Experience, and Body Image Boundary among Violent Male Offenders

The author compared a measure of body image boundary and medically significant bodily experiences between 21 tattooed and 24 nontattooed men incarcerated for violent crimes. Although the tattooed and nontattooed subjects had no significant differences in their body boundary concepts or most other bodily experiences, the tattooed men were found to have a different distribution of scars on their bodies. Upon more detailed examination, it seemed that these different distributions could be explained by the observation that the tattooed subjects were the only ones with self-inflicted cuts. This finding further supports the notion that tattoos, despite their ostensibly decorative quality, may be a form of self-mutilation.
Temporal transformation of signals from the otolith organs by the central nervous system of the cat.

The otolith organs in the cat, which respond to linear accelerations of the head, can carry information about the position of the cat's head in space (with respect to gravity). During sinusoidal tilt, afferents continue to carry mainly head-position information, with gain flat or slowly increasing with frequency, and phase in the range 0°–30°. However, the dynamics of otolith reflexes in the forelimbs of decerebrate, canal-plugged cats show larger gain increases and phase lags of up to 180° at 1 Hz. Both afferent-like and reflex-like dynamic responses can be observed in second-order vestibular neurons. One mechanism to produce the response dynamics characteristic of the reflex in these neurons involves a parallel pathway from the eighth nerve to the vestibular nuclei; one branch would be a direct relay of afferent information, the other would amplify and filter the signal, and provide an inhibitory drive to the vestibular nuclei. Producing midline cerebellar lesions largely eliminates the observation of muscle-like responses in the vestibular nuclei, suggesting that the cerebellum may be involved in the inhibitory branch of this pathway.
The Research On Low Power and High Accuracy Ultrasonic Water Level Meter

Base on 32-bit ultro-low-power Microcontroller,by high speed the water level meter gets the distance from the probe to the water level.It accomplishes the research in theory,the design in hardware and software,the system debugging.It accomplishes to precisely measure the water lever.It communicates by RS485 protocol with other device or PC.
Tenderness classification of beef : II. Design and analysis of a system to measure beef longissimus shear force under commercial processing conditions

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of a system for classifying beef for tenderness based on a rapid, simple method of measuring cooked longissimus shear force. Longissimus steaks (2.54 cm thick) were trimmed free of s.c. fat and bone and rapidly cooked using a belt grill. A 1-cm-thick, 5-cm-long slice was removed from the cooked longissimus parallel with the muscle fibers for measurement of shear force. Slices were sheared with a flat, blunt-end blade using an electronic testing machine. The entire process was completed in less than 10 min. Therefore, in commercial application, this process could be completed during the 10- to 15-min period that carcasses are normally held to allow the ribeye to bloom for quality grading. In Exp. 1, the repeatability of slice shear force (SSF), as determined by evaluation of duplicate samples from 204 A-maturity carcasses, was .89. In Exp. 2, A-maturity carcasses (n = 483) were classified into three groups based on SSF ( 40 kg) at 3 d postmortem that differed (P < .001) in mean trained sensory panel tenderness ratings (7.3 +/- .04, 6.4 +/- .06, and 4.4 +/- .20) and the percentages (100, 91, and 28%) of samples rated "Slightly Tender" or higher at 14 d postmortem. Therefore, this tenderness classification system could be used to accurately segregate beef carcasses into expected tenderness groups. Further research is needed to test the feasibility and accuracy of this system under a variety of commercial processing conditions.
Immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation.

Standard immunosuppressive therapy currently in use is discussed with emphasis upon the mode and site of action. Immunosuppressive therapy is accompanied by many complications, and often it is necessary to modify the dosage for reasons other than rejection. The manner in which this is done at the Cleveland Clinic is described.
Procalcitonin is a strong predictor of urine culture results in patients with obstructing ureteral stones: A prospective, pilot study

Purpose: The appropriate management of infected obstructing ureteral calculi is prompt genitourinary decompression. Urine cultures are the gold standard for confirming infection but often take 24–48 h to result. Although white blood cell (WBC) count is an important diagnostic laboratory test, it is a nonspecific inflammatory marker. Similarly, urinalysis (UA) can be misleading in the setting of a contaminated sample, bladder colonization, or in cases of a completely obstructed the upper urinary tract. Procalcitonin (PCT) has shown promise in predicting the presence and degree of bacterial infections. In this proof-of-concept study, we explore whether PCT is effective at predicting concomitant infections in the setting of obstructing ureteral stones. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, single-institution observational pilot study examining adult patients who presented to the emergency room with acute obstructing ureterolithiasis. In total, 22 patients were enrolled. At the time of presentation, data obtained were vital signs, WBC count, PCT, UA, urine, and blood cultures. Fisher-exact two-tailed t-tests and receiver operating characteristic statistics with area under the curve (AUC) calculations were used to determine the correlation between urine culture results and PCT, WBC count, nitrite-positive UA, heart rate, and fever. Results: In total, 5/22 patients had bacteria-positive urine cultures. PCT (P = 0.020) and nitrite-positive UA (0.024) were the only statistically significant predictors of urine culture results. In comparing the AUC, PCT (0.812) was strongly correlated with eventual urine culture results. Conclusions: This proof-of-concept pilot study gives encouraging results, in that PCT was a good predictor of positive cultures (P = 0.02, AUC 0.812). Given, the small sample size, one cannot directly compare PCT to other markers of infection. However, PCT shows promise in this arena and warrants future investigation.
Transfer semantics in an operating system consultant: the formalization of actions involving object transfer

It is a characteristic of computer operating systems that they contain actions or commands which transfer objects such as files and directories from one state to another. In formalizing the domain of operating systems we should build representations of actions which circumscribe the transfer of objects in the system. Transfer Semantics is a knowledge scheme that embodies such representations. Knowledge structures called object frames are used to represent numerous objects. Action frames describe the effects of actions in terms of preconditions, postconditions, actions and actors. Preconditions denote possible or preferred sets of objects that an action will affect. Postconditions relate the state of object sets after an action has occurred. Actions include the particular actions that cause transfer. An actor is the person (or user) who performs some action. The power of Transfer Semantics lies in the inference rules that manipulate action frames. It is applied to the UNIX and TOPS-20 operating systems in a program called OS Consultant OS Consultant will be used by new users to learn operating system concepts.
The Transfer Laws of the Air-Sea Interface

Introduction Hurricane Edouard had just passed by Cape Cod when I wrote these lines, after giving us a good scare, and keeping meteorologists of local TV stations out of bed all night. Approaching on a track along the East Coast, Edouard remained a category 3 hurricane, with 180 km/h winds, from the tropics to latitude 38°N. This is where it left the warm waters of the Gulf Stream behind, quickly to lose its punch over the much cooler Mid Atlantic Bight, and to be degraded to category 1, with 130 km/h winds, still enough to uproot a few trees on the Cape. Edouard's fury came from water vapor, as it ascends the “eye-walls” (Figure 1.1) that surround a hurricane's core, condensing and releasing its latent heat of evaporation. The heat makes the moist air buoyant, turning the eyewalls into a giant chimney with an incredibly strong draft. The draft sucks in sea-level air, causing it to spiral toward the core in destructive winds and to drive waters against nearby coasts in storm surges. The fast air flow over warm water also ensures intense heat and vapor transfer to the air, sustaining the hurricane's strength. Over colder water, where not enough water evaporates, the hurricane dies: The lifeblood of a hurricane is intense sea to air transfer of heat and water vapor. On the other hand, as hurricane winds whip the waters along, they transfer some of their momentum downward.
Associations between TV viewing at family meals and the emotional atmosphere of the meal, meal healthfulness, child dietary intake, and child weight status.

Abstract Background Research on family meals has demonstrated that family meals are protective for many aspects of child and adolescent health. It is unclear whether distractions at family meals, such as watching TV, are associated with child weight and weight-related behaviors, the emotional atmosphere at the meal, or family meal healthfulness. Methods Direct observational and objective data were collected on primarily low-income and minority families (n = 120) with 6–12 year old children. Data were collected during home visits and included 24-hr dietary recalls, anthropometry, and video-recorded family meals. Video-recorded family meals were coded to assess the presence of TV, whether the family was paying attention to the TV, family group enjoyment and the dietary healthfulness of the foods served at family meals. Results The presence of TV was negatively associated with the dietary healthfulness and emotional atmosphere of the meal and the child's overall dietary quality. It was positively associated with serving fast food for family meals. Those families who were paying attention to the TV had significantly worse meal dietary healthfulness and were more likely to have fast food at family meals compared to those who were not paying attention. No significant findings were found between the presence of TV at family meals and child overweight status. Conclusions Study results show that TV is frequently present at family meals. Even if families are not paying attention to the TV, it appears that simply having the TV on as background noise is associated with deleterious outcomes. In addition to increasing family meals, families should be given guidance on turning off the TV and making the family meal a time to connect with one another.
Evaluation of Shoulder-Stabilizing Braces: Can We Prevent Shoulder Labrum Injury in Collegiate Offensive Linemen?

Background:Shoulder injuries remain one of the most common injuries among collegiate football athletes. Offensive linemen in particular are prone to posterior labral pathology.Purpose:To evaluate t...
The Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane and Its Sources

It has been almost 20 years since major studies of atmospheric methane, including isotopic measurements, were undertaken. The NATO conference in 1991 summarized these efforts with the publication of the book “Atmospheric Methane: Sources, Sinks, and Role in Global Change.”
Light-matter interaction in 2D material heterostructures (Conference Presentation)

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) heterostructures provide a unique platform for strong light-matter interaction in a wide wavelength range. Here, we report the formation of high-quality TMDC heterostructures through a dry transfer method along with the study of the detailed physical properties of heterostructures formed between MoS2 and MoSe2 (especially, simultaneous quenching of photoluminescence of both materials in the overlapping region, red shift and broadening of the MoSe2 photoluminescence) will be reported. We also report the formation of a thin tunable diode by depositing metal contacts on TMDCs and the back-gate.
Millimeter wave for 5G mobile fronthaul and backhaul

The paper aims to provide a high-level view of 5G fronthaul and backhaul wireless transport over millimeter wave (mmWave). In particular, an overview of data rate and latency requirements for three emerging fronthaul interfaces (functional split options) in addition to the backhaul will be given first. Then, the suitability of mmWave technology for transport of these fronthaul and backhaul traffics are examined, where the scope is focused on a multi-tier architecture with multiple levels of aggregation. The characteristics of mmWave spectrum under consideration for the mobile fronthaul and backhaul, including V, E, W and D bands, will also be discussed. This is prospective that mmWave transport network will roll-out with two sequential phases, namely below and above 100 GHz.
Phenomenology of neutron-antineutron conversion

We consider the possibility of neutron-antineutron ($n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$) conversion, in which the change of a neutron into an antineutron is mediated by an external source, as can occur in a scattering process. We develop the connections between $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ conversion and $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ oscillation, in which a neutron spontaneously transforms into an antineutron, noting that if $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ oscillation occurs in a theory with baryon number minus lepton number (B-L) violation, then $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ conversion can occur also. We show how an experimental limit on $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ conversion could connect concretely to a limit on $n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$ oscillation, and vice versa, using effective field theory techniques and baryon matrix elements computed in the MIT bag model.
Barbarism or Socialism: 1917–2017–2050 (?):

Two decades after the end of the Soviet Union, the global capitalist economy narrowly escaped total collapse in the ‘Great Recession’ of 2008–2009. The world in the twenty-first century has entered into a new era of crisis, which is economic, political and environmental. What will happen between now and the mid-twenty-first century that may shape and largely determine the future of humanity for centuries to come. On the occasion of the centennial anniversary of the October Revolution, this article re-evaluates the trajectory of the twentieth century socialism and identifies its legacies. It also considers the unique character of contemporary contradictions and argues that the formation of new industrial working classes may fatally undermine the system’s political legitimacy and raise again the ‘spectre of communism’ that Marx and Engels predicted, this time not only in Europe but also in the entire globe.
How the Different Estimators Are Related

The Bayes, generalized ridge mixed, and minimax estimators have similar mathematical forms. This chapter describes the conditions for these estimators to be equivalent. C.R. Rao obtained different forms of the Bayes estimator when X and F have full rank. These forms are useful for various reasons: (1) ridge type estimators may be derived as special cases of Bayes estimators, (2) the relationship between the mixed estimator and the Bayes estimator can be studied, (3) the relative weight of sample and prior information can be considered, and (4) James–Stein type estimators can be derived as special cases of empirical Bayes estimators. The chapter highlights the conditions when the generalized ridge regression estimator is equivalent to the Bayes estimator . It discusses the conditions for sample and prior information to be exchangeable. The chapter presents a generalization of the Gauss–Markov theorem. It also presents an extension of the Gauss–Markov theorem.
EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS OF THE KINETIC EVOLUTION OF CLUSTER SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE FRACTAL STRUCTURE OF ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY CLUSTERS

Publisher Summary In a study described in the chapter, a Nanopar resistive pulse analyzer was used to determine the temporal evolution of the distribution of clusters formed by antigen coated latex microspheres cross linked by the complementary antibody. This antigen–antibody system is conceptually isomorphic to an organic polymer reaction involving RA f units (latex microspheres with f active antigens) cross linked by B2 units (complementary antibody) with only A-B bonding allowed. The form of the cluster size distribution was studied as a function of the time, concentration of RAf units, and concentration of B2 units. The experimental results were interpreted theoretically in terms of solutions of the unidirectional Smoluchowski equations. Computer solutions of the Smoluchowski equations have been obtained. These solutions permit the investigation of the effects of a much broader class of forms for the cluster reaction factor upon the distribution of cluster sizes.
Distribution of glucose in the spiny dogfish (S. acanthias) and the brier skate (R. eglanteria).

Abstract The distribution of glucose between blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has previously been studied in mammals (1–4). It has been observed that CSF and blood glucose concentrations correspond closely when fairly steady blood glucose levels are maintained. However, when these are altered, the corresponding changes in CSF glucose concentrations have been shown to log behind (2,3). It has thus been assumed that an active transport mechanism is concerned with regulating CSF glucose concentration (3). There have not been any observations as to the distribution of glucose between CSF and blood in the elasmobranch fishes. We therefore, wish to report studies of glucose distribution between plasma, CSF (here called ventricular fluid), extradural fluid (EDF) and pericardial fluid (PCF) in the spiny dogfish ( Squalus acanthias ) during normal and elevated blood glucose levels. Ventricular fluid (VF) and plasma glucose concentrations were also measured in the brier skate ( Raja eglanteria ).
Habituation in the human infant.

Publisher Summary Habituation is not readily obtained in the neonate. A possible exception to that statement is the case of olfactory stimulation, but perhaps habituation is common to any situation involving observations of arousal from sleep rather than the more specific components of orienting behavior. By 2 or 3 months of age, however, habituation of orienting behavior is clearly observable in a variety of modalities. Several factors might underlie the general failure to obtain clear evidence for habituation in very young infants. Investigations of habituation to auditory stimulation have typically measured heart rate. Developmental changes in the nature of the heart rate response may account, in part at least, for the discrepancies in findings of response habituation at different ages. Before approximately 2 months of age, the usual heart rate response to a novel auditory stimulus is acceleration, while beyond 2 months it is deceleration.
A New Combination Rule Based on the Average Belief Function

An important tool in modelling and reasoning under uncertainty is the Dempster Shafer theory (DST) of evidence. Its widespread application can be attributed to its capability to handle uncertainty due to randomness and non-specificity. The Dempster Shafer (DS) rule of combination offers opportunity to fuse pieces of evidence from different independent sources. However, the DS rule of combination is often prone to counterintuitive results when pieces of evidence are highly conflicting. To overcome this issue, several methods have been proposed. In this work, we propose a new rule of combination based on the average belief function. The performance of the proposed method was compared with some existing approaches using numerical examples.
Identity disclosure by intimate partner violence victims: When do they tell someone at work?

Employees can go to great lengths to manage how they are perceived at work. Most employees want coworkers to believe that they are competent and in control. When employees possess stigmatized ident...