cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing an indicator of nutrient enrichment in coastal estuaries and lagoons using tissue nitrogen content of the opportunistic alga, Enteromorpha intestinalis (L. Link)

Abstract We explored the use of an opportunistic green alga, Enteromorpha intestinalis (L. Link), as an indicator of N enrichment in a southern California salt marsh. In conjunction with N additions to cordgrass ( Spartina foliosa , Trin) in April, June and August 1995, mesh bags containing N-starved algal tissue were placed within cordgrass patches, at their edges along islands, and in adjacent channels. After 1 week in the field, recovered algal tissue was used to test detection of two levels of total N supply (one twice as high as the other), as well as no added N (control). Tissue N concentration, calculated as the percentage change in N, was the best of several algal measures at discerning differences in N availability in any month. In both April and June, tissue N declined from the marsh plain to the channels, reflecting declining N supply. Tissue N concentration also reflected differences in the total quantity of N added. Within the channels adjacent to fertilized areas, algal tissue N was similar to control areas, suggesting that N additions to cordgrass are not resulting in eutrophication of open waters. In August, the algae detected N additions on the marsh plain, but survivorship was poor; other algal species may be better indicators of enrichment in late-summer. With further investigation, the technique presented in this paper has the potential to be developed into a useful bioassay for detecting eutrophication of coastal salt marshes and lagoons.
A Field Experiment of Improved Steamdrive With In-Situ Foaming

L'influence de l'injection d'azote et d'agent de surface sur la recuperation assistee de petrole par injection de vapeur est etudiee dans la conception MacManus situee dans le champ Kern River
Getting Services Right for Those Sick Enough to Die

A model based on common trajectories of illness and associated care needs would improve the care of people with serious illness in the last phase of life, say Sydney Dy and Joanne Lynn
Experimental characterization of simultaneous gust alleviation and energy harvesting for multifunctional wing spars

This paper details experimental characterization of an autonomous gust alleviation system building upon recent advances in harvester, sensor and actuator technology that have resulted in the possibility of thin, ultra-light weight multilayered wing spars. This multifunctional spar considers an autonomous gust alleviation system for small UAV powered by the harvested energy from ambient vibration during their normal flight conditions. Experimental characterization is performed on cantilever wing spars with micro-fiber composite transducers controlled by reduced energy controllers. Energy harvesting abilities of monolithic and micro fiber composite transducers are also compared for the multifunctional wing spar. Normal flight vibration and wind gust signals are simulated using Simulink and Control desk and then generated for experimental validation analysis for gust alleviation. Considering an aluminum baseline multifunctional wing spar, a reduction of 11dB and 7dB is obtained respectively for the first and the second mode. Power evaluations associated with various electronic components are also presented. This work demonstrates the use of reduced energy control laws for solving gust alleviation problems in small UAV, provides the experimental verification details, and focuses on applications to autonomous light-weight aerospace systems.
RBS and Raman spectroscopy study of heat-treatment effect on phenolformaldehyde resin☆

Abstract Phenolformaldehyde resin, which is used to make items of glassy carbon hollow ware, contains residual alkaline catalyst and other impurities. Pyrolysis reduces the concentrations of hydrogen and oxygen during condensation and dehydrogenation reactions, which occur between 150 and 1000°C as the resin is converted to a polymeric glassy carbon. Molded samples heat-treated from 150 to 600°C and sprayed samples heat-treated to 1000 and 2500°C were studied using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the structural changes induced by heat treatment. Raman spectroscopy showed that most carbonization occurred at 500 to 600°C while the RBS data from resin samples at each temperature showed that oxygen and sodium concentrations were reduced at higher temperatures.
A Primer on Tax Evasion

Tax evasion is universal. It depends on the economic and tax structures, types of income, and social attitudes. The theory of tax evasion has limitations since it depends solely on the attitude toward risk with full information regarding the tax administration`s behavior. Methodologies for estimating tax evasion include predominantly estimating the underground economy, and comparing taxes declared with potential tax revenue calculated from national accounts. Actions in addressing tax evasion include use of withholding, presumptive and minimum taxes, selective auditing, penalties, and cross checks between taxes.
Microstructure characterization and stability of rapidly solidified NiAu and RhCu alloys

Abstract Alloys of NiAu and RhCu were analyzed to determine the degree of extended solid solubility of the rapidly solidified structures. The rapidly solidified alloy of Ni58Au42 forms a one-phase extended solid solution, existing as featureless grains. During isothermal aging at 600 °C, the rapidly solidified NiAu alloy transformed into a two-phase structure of nickel-rich and gold-rich phases. The NiAu rapidly solified alloy was stable up to 350 °C under continuous heating at 10 °C min−1. The rapidly solidified alloy of Rh58Cu42 did not form a complete extended solid solution, but the rapid solidification did increase the solubility limits beyond the equilibrium phase boundaries. The micro-structure appears as refined dendrites with less micro-segregation. During isothermal aging at 900 °C, the rapidly solidified RhCu alloy undergoes increased segregation to rhodium-rich and copper-rich phases. The rapidly solidified RhCu alloy was stable up to 375 °C under continuous heating at 10 °C min−1. X-ray and electron diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry techniques were utilized to determine the microstructure, crystal structure and phase stability.
Designing a wax phantom to simulate a flat tumor with diffuse edges.

A suitable wax phantom was designed for evaluating various film techniques used in subtraction radiography. Holes are drilled in a slab of wax and filled with various concentrations of iodinated wax, producing disk‐shaped regions with diffuse borders. The technical details of construction and a representative application are described.
Public Health Significance of Amines in Cheese

Abstract Research designed to identify factors which may contribute to elevated biogenic amines (e.g., histamine, tryptamine, tyramine) in cheese is described. Free tyrosine and histidine in market cheese ranged from 6 to 29 and 1.5 to 12 mg/100g. These concentrations of substrate would provide nontoxic quantities of corresponding amines, indicating that cheese proteolysis is important when toxic amounts occur. Pyridoxal phosphate concentration in 15 cheeses ranged from 42 to 215 μ g/100g, which appears to be sufficient to saturate amino acid decarboxylases required for amine production. Commercial preparations and cheese isolates of Propronibacterium species were tested for carbon dioxide production from histidine, tryptophan, and tyrosine in the presence and absence of pyriodoxal-5-phosphate. In the presence of cofactor, maximums were 10.9, 2.9, and 12.7 μ l of carbon dioxide per h/mg cell dry weight. Over 150 isolates from 15 cheeses were tested for amine producing potential by measuring carbon dioxide production from histidine, tryptophan, and tyrosine; isolates were most active on tyrosine, producing as much as 26 μ l of carbon dioxide per h/mg cell dry weight. Cheese slurries also were tested for carbon dioxide production from carboxyl carbon-14 labeled amino acids. Cheese isolates producing amines were tentatively identified as strains of Streptococcus faecium, Streptococcus mitis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum , and streptococci of the viridans group.
A digital voltage encoder

A two-channel voltage encoder having a sampling rate of 40 numbers/second in each channel has been designed for use in a data reduction system. The data are recorded on single-channel magnetic tape in the form of 10-digit binary numbers with an accuracy of ± 0.1 per cent. The range of input voltage is 0 to 1 volt and may be lowered to 0 to 10 mv through the use of chopper amplifiers. This lower range of input voltage covers the voltages generated by analog transducers commonly employed to measure temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and thrusts.
The fractal character of photos of slabbed cores

Core photos have been analyzed statistically and found to be fractional Gaussian noise (fGn) in both horizontal and vertical directions. This fractal character, fGn, is the same as that previously found to describe vertical and horizontal well logs. An equation for the two-dimensional spectral density of core photos is presented that generates computer photos very similar to “real” core photos.
Waves in random media

Abstract A Dyson equation is used for comparisons of different approximations for the calculation of the wave number of the ensemble averaged linear harmonic response of a discrete random medium. The Lax quasicrystalline approximation and its several “self-consistent” generalizations are compared. Formal arguments for the order of the errors incurred in these approximate multiple-scattering theories are constructed. Monte Carlo numerical results on a one-dimensional medium are used to test these error estimates. Questions of incoherent energy transport in such media are illustrated with further numerical examples. The phenomenon of localization of normal modes and the absence of diffusion is demonstrated numerically in a one-dimensional medium.
Of truth and consequences

Wernher von Braun: Crusader for Space. Vol. 1: A Biographical Memoir. Vol. 2: An Illustrated Memoir. By Ernest Stuhlinger and Frederick I. Ordway III. Krieger: 1994. Pp. 375/147 $42.50/$29.50.
Tracheotomy in the First Year of Life: Outcomes in Term Infants, the Vanderbilt Experience

Objective In an era emphasizing critical care of preterm infants, we characterize the indications and outcomes of tracheotomies performed in the first year of life in term infants compared to preterm infants. Methods Retrospective study of 127 tracheotomies performed in the first year of life at a tertiary-care children’s hospital between 1988-2004. Results Mean gestational ages of the term and preterm groups were 38.97 and 29.71 weeks, respectively (P Conclusion Compared to preterm infants, the term decannulation rate was favorable, as chronic lung disease was uncommon. However, non-tracheotomy-related mortalities remained high. Significance Tracheotomies are often performed for relief of upper airway obstruction, and congenital and acquired comorbidities not related to tracheotomy are associated with adverse outcomes in term infants. EBM rating: C-4
Response of the Tropical Atmosphere to Local, Steady Forcing

Abstract A theoretical analysis is made of the large-scale, stationary, zonally asymmetric motions that result from heating and the orographic effect in the tropical atmosphere. The release of latent heat dominates the sensible and radiational heating and the latter two effects are ignored. The first linear model is a continuous stratified atmosphere in solid westward rotation with no dissipation. Of all the modes, only the rotationally trapped Kelvin wave exhibits a significant response. Because the Kelvin wave response does not compare well with the observed flow, we concluded that the neighboring westerlies in the real atmosphere are important even if the forcing is in low latitudes. The second linear model is a two-layer numerical model including parameterized dissipation and realistic basic currents. Realistic forcing is considered, following an analysis of the response to especially simple forms of heating and orographic forcing. Dissipative effects close to the Equator are very important in this mo...
Biologic Scaffolds for Regenerative Medicine: Mechanisms of In vivo Remodeling

Successful regenerative medicine strategies for functional tissue reconstruction include the in situ placement of acellular materials composed of the extracellular matrix (ECM) or individual components of the ECM. The composition and ultrastructure of these materials vary depending on multiple factors including the tissue source and species from which the materials are harvested, the methods of manufacture, the efficiency of decellularization, post-processing modifications such as chemical cross-linking or solubilization, and the methods of terminal sterilization. Appropriately configured materials have the ability to modulate different stages of the healing response by inducing a shift from a process of inflammation and scar tissue formation to one of constructive remodeling and functional tissue restoration. The events that facilitate such a dramatic change during the biomaterial-host interaction are complex and necessarily involve both the immune system and mechanisms of stem cell recruitment, growth, and differentiation. The present manuscript reviews the composition of biologic scaffolds, the methods and recommendations for manufacture, the mechanisms of the biomaterial–host interaction, and the clinical application of this regenerative medicine approach.
Realtime hand detection system using convex shape detector in sequential depth images

In this paper, a real-time hand detection and tracking system is proposed. A calibrated stereo vision system is used to obtain disparity images and real world coordinates are available by geometry transformation. Unlike other pixel-based shape detector that edge information is necessary, the proposed convex shape detector, which is based on real world coordinates, is applied directly in depth images to detect hands regardless of distance. Around waving gesture recognition and simple hand tracking are also implemented in this work. The acceptable accuracy of the proposed system is examined in verification process. Experimental results of hand detection and tracking prove the robustness and the feasibility of the proposed method.
Advanced Light Source linac subharmonic buncher cavities

The two lower subharmonic bunchers for the Advanced Light Source linac are described; one operates at 124.914 MHz while the other operates at 499.654 MHz. Each electron bunch exiting the electron gun and entering the 124.914-MHz subharmonic buncher has a pulse width of 2.5 ns. This first buncher compresses the 2.5-ns bunch to a width of 800 ps. The 499.654-MHz subharmonic buncher further compresses the electron bunch to a width of approximately 200 ps. After going through the seventh gap of the 3-GHz buncher, the electron bunch attains a width of 20 ps. Prototypes were constructed and various measurements have been made to confirm the calculated parameters. However, tests under high vacuum have not been made because the models were not made to operate under high-vacuum conditions. With the tests performed so far the design parameters and the actual performance are in good agreement. Approximately 35-kV spark down voltage has been achieved in air across the 2-cm gap spacing in both buncher cavities. >
A pulmonary hypertension model induced by continuous pulmonary air embolization.

Background Our goal was to create a clinically relevant large animal model of pulmonary hypertension to serve as a platform allowing preclinical risk/benefit assessment of innovative therapies including artificial lung prototypes. Methods Small amounts of filtered air were continuously infused into the pulmonary circulation of sheep (n = 4) for 8 wk. Hemodynamics and blood gases were measured daily. After termination of air embolization, the sheep were observed for 1 additional wk to assess the constancy of the pulmonary artery pressure changes. At the end of wk 9, all sheep were sacrificed and necropsy was performed. Results All animals survived the study and developed pulmonary hypertension by wk 5. Mean pulmonary artery pressures were elevated from 14 ± 1 at baseline to 35 ± 1 mmHg at wk 8 (P Conclusions We conclude that our 8-wk model of continuous air embolization produces reliable, chronic pulmonary hypertension in sheep with sustained hemodynamic changes, significant pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right ventricle hypertrophy.
A method for correlating natural aging data and its application to insulation aging in nuclear power plants

A mathematical model has been developed to compare the aging of polymers in a nuclear reactor environment with that under accelerated laboratory conditions typical of those used in qualification. The aging stresses under consideration include temperature and gamma-radiation intensity. The proposed method is based on the hypothesis that several measurable properties of a polymer are continuous functions of time, with time shifted in a fixed manner according to the imposed stresses. A major feature of the model is that other than smoothness, no attributes of the functions connecting properties with aging time have to be assumed. While available data from naturally aged specimens are spotty, preliminary results indicate that the method does work. >
The impact of pre- and post-natal smoke exposure on future asthma and bronchial hyper-responsiveness.

Aim: To analyse the impact of pre- and post-natal smoke exposure on asthma presence, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, airway function and active smoking in early adulthood. Methods: We have prospectively studied 101 children hospitalized due to wheezing before the age of 2 years. The cohort was re-investigated at age 17–20 years and tested for airway function and bronchial hyper-responsiveness. Data on maternal smoking during pregnancy were obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Register. Results: There was a significant, independent correlation between both pre- and post-natal smoke exposure and asthma at age 17–20 years, OR 3.5 (1.1–11.3) and 3.4 (1.2–10.1), respectively. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for current bronchial hyper-responsiveness, OR 6.6 (1.2–35.5). Pre-natal smoke exposure seemed to negatively affect small airway function in early adulthood due to structural changes. Post-natal smoke exposure was independently associated with an increased risk of current smoking, OR 7.4 (1.6–35.2). Conclusion: In subjects hospitalized due to early wheezing, pre- and post-natal smoke exposure increase the risk of asthma in early adulthood. The connection between pre-natal smoke exposure and asthma appears to be mediated via the development of bronchial hyper-responsiveness. Smoke exposure in infancy is associated with an increased risk of active smoking in early adult age, which is in turn linked to current asthma.
Progress in Adaptive Immunotherapy for Cancer in Companion Animals: Success on the Path to a Cure

Harnessing the ability of the immune system to eradicate cancer has been a long-held goal of oncology. Work from the last two decades has finally brought immunotherapy into the forefront for cancer treatment, with demonstrable clinical success for aggressive tumors where other therapies had failed. In this review, we will discuss a range of therapies that are in different stages of clinical or preclinical development for companion animals with cancer, and which share the common objective of eliciting adaptive, anti-tumor immune responses. Even though challenges remain, manipulating the immune system holds significant promise to create durable responses and improve outcomes in companion animals with cancer. Furthermore, what we learn from this process will inform and accelerate development of comparable therapies for human cancer patients.
TEMPORAL VARIABILITY MATTERS: EFFECTS OF CONSTANT VS. VARYING MOISTURE AND SALINITY ON GERMINATION

Most ecological experiments test constant environmental conditions instead of the temporally varying conditions that are typical of most ecological systems. This study experimentally evaluated the effects of temporal variations of soil salinity and moisture on the germination of an 11-species annual plant assemblage. In soil-based microcosms with common seed banks, constant conditions were compared to different amplitudes, durations, and seasonal timing of low salinity or high moisture that simulate conditions in the upper intertidal marsh of southern California during periods of germination. The percentage germination of seeds of eight species decreased when low salinity or high moisture lasted for 1 wk before changing to high salinity and low moisture for 3 wk (varying conditions) compared to 4 wk of low salinity or high moisture (constant conditions). The seed germination speed of two species differed (both faster and slower) between the varying and constant treatments. Species responses to varying vs....
Congruence-Incongruence Patterns in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Couples' Genetic Determinist Beliefs and Perceived Control over Genes: Implications for Clinical and Public Health Genomic Communication.

Genomics makes possible the isolation of multiple genes as co-factors that increase, but do not determine, risk for many adult-onset medical conditions, including alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). Those diagnosed with an adult-onset medical condition, such as AATD, are often married and make decisions about testing and care as a couple. We examined genetic essentialist and threat beliefs, focusing on beliefs about the genetic contribution to disease susceptibility and severity, as well as perceptions of control related to genes and health for married couples (N =59), in which one spouse has been tested for genetic mutations associated with AATD. The intraclass correlation for spouses’ beliefs about genetic essentialism was strong and statistically significant, but the associations for their other beliefs were not. Incongruence between AATD participants and their spouses regarding genes’ influence on disease severity directly related to incongruent perceptions of control and genetic contribution to disease susceptibility. Results revealed an inverse relationship to AATD participants’ perceptions of behavioral control and a direct relationship to their beliefs about genes’ influence on disease severity. This suggests a pattern of incongruence in which AATD participants have low levels of perceived control over genes’ influence on health and high levels of perceived genetic influence on disease severity compared to spouses. With public health communication efforts lagging behind the science of genomics, insights regarding the congruence or incongruence associated with married couples’ beliefs about genes’ influence on disease afford pathways to guide clinical and public health communication about genomics.
Role of Phosphatidylinositol(4,5)bisphosphate Organization in Membrane Transport by the Unc104 Kinesin Motor

Unc104 (KIF1A) kinesin transports membrane vesicles along microtubules in lower and higher eukaryotes. Using an in vitro motility assay, we show that Unc104 uses a lipid binding pleckstrin homology (PH) domain to dock onto membrane cargo. Through its PH domain, Unc104 can transport phosphatidylinositol(4,5)bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2)-containing liposomes with similar properties to native vesicles. Interestingly, liposome movement by monomeric Unc104 motors shows a very steep dependence on PtdIns(4,5)P2 concentration (Hill coefficient of approximately 20), even though liposome binding is noncooperative. This switch-like transition for movement can be shifted to lower PtdIns(4,5)P2 concentrations by the addition of cholesterol/sphingomyelin or GM1 ganglioside/cholera toxin, conditions that produce raft-like behavior of Unc104 bound to lipid bilayers. These studies suggest that clustering of Unc104 in PtdIns(4,5)P2-containing rafts provides a trigger for membrane transport.
Intersection bodies that are not polar zonoids: A flat top condition in dimensions four and six

Abstract We find general geometric conditions on a convex body of revolution K , in dimensions four and six, so that its intersection body I K is not a polar zonoid. We exhibit several examples of intersection bodies which are not polar zonoids.
Accurate ab initio quartic force fields for borane and BeH2

The quartic force fields of BH3 and BeH2 have been computed ab initio using an augmented coupled cluster (CCSD(T)) method and basis sets of spdf and spdfg quality. For BH3, the computed spectroscopic constants are in very good agreement with recent experimental data, and definitively confirm misassignments in some older work, in agreement with recent ab initio studies. Using the computed spectroscopic constants, the rovibrational partition function for both molecules has been constructed using a modified direct numerical summation algorithm, and JANAF-style thermochemical tables are presented.
Minarets after Marx: Islam, Communist Nostalgia, and the Common Good in Postsocialist Bulgaria

This article examines the interplay between communist nostalgia and new forms of universalist Islam among Slavic Muslims (Pomaks) in Bulgaria. Many Bulgarians are looking back to the totalitarian era with increasing fondness given the ubiquitous crime and corruption that has characterized the postsocialist era. This nostalgia also informs the changing nature of Islam in Bulgaria after 1989 and the unique ways that Bulgarians understand religious identity in relation to ethnic affiliation. The author argues that the appeal of “orthodox” Islam in this postsocialist context is at least partially rooted in its discursive emphasis on social justice and the promotion of the common good. This discourse is particularly appealing to the Pomaks in the author’s field site because of their unique experiences of both communism and capitalism. Before 1989, they saw a dramatic rise in their living standards, but this was coupled with severe religious oppression. After 1989, they gained unbridled religious freedoms but s...
Space Structures at Princeton University

Space structures at Princeton University are taught to undergraduate engineering, architecture and liberal arts students in a course called Structures and the Urban Environment. The course takes numerical, historical and aesthetic approaches to studying structures. It examines the relationship between form and forces through examples of modern structures like thin shell concrete roofs and space frames. Because the course is so popular, several teaching assistants help the lecturer. Many of these graduate students are also taking the course for the first time, thus acting as student and teacher, as well as researcher because graduate projects and theses become reference material for the course.
Alfalfa and Reed Canarygrass Response to Midsummer Manure Application

Perennial forages like alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or various perennial grasses, which are cut several times during the growing season, could provide an alternative land base and time management strategy for manure applications. Our objectives were to evaluate the response of two forage species to increasing rates of swine manure slurry applied in midsummer and to compare commercially available alfalfa cultivars for tolerance to swine manure applied during the growing season. The first experiment, hereafter referred to as the rate experiment, included four entries, two N 2 -fixing (UMN 3097 and 'Agate') and one non-N 2 -fixing (Ineffective Agate) alfalfa and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), grown at two locations in Minnesota. Liquid swine manure was applied at five rates (0, 23.4, 32.7, 42.1, and 93.6 kL ha -1 ) within 4 d after the second forage harvest in July 1998 and 1999. In the second experiment, hereafter referred to as the cultivar study, six alfalfa cultivars, Magnagraze, 5312, Rushmore, Wintergreen, Winterstar, and WL 325 HQ, were evaluated for response to manures applied at three rates (0,37.4, and 93.6 kL ha -1 as described above. Manure slurry containing less than about 3300 kg ha -1 organic solids applied 4 d after cutting in July improved reed canarygrass yields and had no effect or slightly improved yields of normal N 2 -fixing alfalfa. Ineffective Agate yields improved with increasing manure rates, but insufficient N was applied to keep this entry productive. Alfalfa cultivars did not differ in yield response to manure applications. Organic solids in the manure slurries at one of the locations compromised forage yields and stand scores at the highest application rate by completely coating and smothering the plants. Results emphasized the importance of manure testing to reduce adverse effects on alfalfa and reed canarygrass yields.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Black Movements

In 2013 George Zimmerman was acquitted for the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. In the wake of this decision, three black activists (Alicia Garza, Patrice Cullors and Opal Tometi) developed th...
Circulation and Dynamics of the Western North Atlantic. Part I: Multiscale Feature Models

Abstract This is the first part of a three-part study on the circulation, dynamics, and mesoscale forecasting of the western North Atlantic. The overall objective of this series of studies is threefold: 1) to present a methodology for deriving a dynamically balanced regional climatology that maintains the synoptic structure of the permanent fronts embedded in a mean background circulation, 2) to present a methodology for using such a regional climatology for calibrating and validating dynamical models, and 3) to use similarly derived synoptic realizations as initialization and assimilation fields for mesoscale nowcasting and forecasting. In this paper, a data-based, kinematically balanced circulation model for the western North Atlantic is developed and described. The various multiscale synoptic and general circulation structures in this region are represented by analytical and analytical/empirical functions based on dynamical considerations and using observational datasets. These include the jet-scale cu...
Reply to Coffino et al.: slippery substrates impair ATP-dependent protease function by slowing unfolding.

This is a response to a letter by Coffino et al. (1). I appreciate the thoughtful comments made by Coffino et al. (1) in response to my reanalysis of their data (2). Although the authors welcome the revised values of the rate constants for partitioning of a kinetically stalled substrate and the finding that a slippery sequence inhibits unfolding rather than accelerating substrate release, they object to my using the terms slippery substrate and low complexity sequence more-or-less interchangeably. Coffino et al. indicate that there are two models for what makes a sequence slippery, low sequence complexity (3) versus side chains of simple shape and small size (4). I would argue that these two models are not mutually exclusive. In Too et al. (4), it was shown that in a short otherwise polyalanine sequence, individual amino acids at the central position had different tendencies to promote fragment release or inhibit domain unfolding, with smaller amino acids (Ala, Gly) leading to the largest amount of fragment formation (4). Nonetheless, all of the sequences studied remained low complexity, and all led to substantial fragment formation. Although the details of a particular sequence clearly matter in determining the extent of processing by ATP-dependent proteases, it has also been shown that low complexity sequences containing larger and more complex side chains such as Asn and Gln are slippery (3, 5), indicating that small size or simple shape is unlikely to be a complete description of the slipperiness of a sequence stretch. We have more work ahead to fully understand how these slippery sequences work.
Influence of Fluorination on the Thermodynamics of Protein Folding

The introduction of highly fluorinated analogues of hydrophobic amino acid residues into proteins has proved an effective and general strategy for increasing protein stability toward both chemical denaturants and heat. However, the thermodynamic basis for this stabilizing effect, whether enthalpic or entropic in nature, has not been extensively investigated. Here we describe studies in which the values of ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔCp° have been determined for the unfolding of a series of 12 small, de novo-designed proteins in which the hydrophobic core is packed with various combinations of fluorinated and non-fluorinated amino acid residues. The increase in the free energy of unfolding with increasing fluorine content is associated with increasingly unfavorable entropies of unfolding and correlates well with calculated changes in apolar solvent-accessible surface area. ΔCp° for unfolding is positive for all the proteins and, similarly, correlates with changes in apolar solvent-accessible surface area. ΔH° for unfol...
Post-heparin lipolytic and monoglyceridase activities in fasted man.

SummaryProlonged fasting in man causes a significant decrease in post-heparin lipolytic and monoglyceridase activities. Activity is restored after refeeding. Plasma triglycerides declined in the face of diminished clearing factor lipase.
Influence of higher valent ions on flexible polyelectrolyte stiffness and counter-ion distribution

We investigate the influence of counter-ion valency on the flexibility of highly charged flexible polymer chains using molecular dynamics simulations that include both salt and an explicit solvent. As observed experimentally, we find that divalent counter-ions greatly reduce the chain persistence length, lp, in comparison with monovalent counter-ions. On the other hand, polyelectrolyte chains having trivalent counter-ions adopt a much more compact conformation than polyelectrolytes having monovalent and divalent counter-ions. We demonstrate that the tendency of polyelectrolyte chains to become deformed by proximal high valence counter-ions is due to chain “coiling” around the counter-ions. In particular, we find that the number of contacts that the proximal counter-ions have with the polyelectrolyte dictates the extent of chain coiling. This ion-binding induced coiling mechanism influences not only the conformational properties of the polyelectrolyte, but also the counter-ion distribution around the chain. Specifically, we find that higher valent counter-ions lead both to a counter-ion enrichment in close proximity to the polyelectrolyte and to a significant reduction in the spatial extent of the diffuse counter-ion cloud around the polyelectrolyte.
Controlling of Fault Transport System and its Combination to the Formation and Distribution of Oil or Gas Reservoirs

Fault transport system is the main passage of oil or gas migrating in the vertical direction. It is composed of fracture or fracture - pore network. It owns two characteristics of vertical migration of oil or gas in long - distance and through different strata and periodicity. The combination of fault transport system and connected sandbody, surface of unconformity transport systems form the compound transport systems of fault - connected sand body, fault -surface of unconformity and fault - connected sandbody - surface of unconformity. They control the migration and accumulation models of oil or gas. The extend horizon of fault transport system controls the horizon of oil or gas accumulation and distribution.
Spherical Harmonics Reveal Standing EEG Waves and Long-Range Neural Synchronization during Non-REM Sleep.

Previous work from our lab has demonstrated how the connectivity of brain circuits constrains the repertoire of activity patterns that those circuits can display. Specifically, we have shown that the principal components of spontaneous neural activity are uniquely determined by the underlying circuit connections, and that although the principal components do not uniquely resolve the circuit structure, they do reveal important features about it. Expanding upon this framework on a larger scale of neural dynamics, we have analyzed EEG data recorded with the standard 10-20 electrode system from 41 neurologically normal children and adolescents during stage 2, non-REM sleep. We show that the principal components of EEG spindles, or sigma waves (10-16 Hz), reveal non-propagating, standing waves in the form of spherical harmonics. We mathematically demonstrate that standing EEG waves exist when the spatial covariance and the Laplacian operator on the head’s surface commute. This in turn implies that the covariance between two EEG channels decreases with the inverse of their relative distance; a relationship that we corroborate with empirical data. Using volume conduction theory, we then demonstrate that superficial current sources are more synchronized at larger distances, and determine the characteristic length of large-scale neural synchronization as 1.31 times the head radius, on average. Moreover, consistent with the hypothesis that EEG spindles are driven by thalamo-cortical rather than cortico-cortical loops, we also show that eight additional patients with hypoplasia or complete agenesis of the corpus callosum, i.e., with deficient or no connectivity between cortical hemispheres, similarly exhibit standing EEG waves in the form of spherical harmonics. We conclude that spherical harmonics are a hallmark of spontaneous, large-scale synchronization of neural activity in the brain, which are associated with unconscious, light sleep. The analogy with spherical harmonics in quantum mechanics suggests that the variances (eigenvalues) of the principal components follow a Boltzmann distribution, or equivalently, that standing waves are in a sort of “thermodynamic” equilibrium during non-REM sleep. By extension, we speculate that consciousness emerges as the brain dynamics deviate from such equilibrium.
Alternative Nuclear Weapons Technologies

In Chapter 10, we explored the possibility that strategic innovation might, as it has in the past, compensate for the impending collapse of extended deterrence. In this chapter, we will study new technologies to determine whether they might enable the US to maintain its extended commitments in light of the strategic developments discussed in Chapter 7 and the operation of the ‘theorem’ introduced in Chapter 8.
Prevention of Meningococcal Infection in the United States: Current Recommendations and Future Considerations

Neisseria meningitidis is a common cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia that can lead to permanent sequelae or death. N meningitidis is classified into serogroups based on the composition of the capsular polysaccharide, with serogroups A, B, C, W, X, and Y recognized as the major disease-causing organisms. The unpredictability of infection coupled with the poor prognosis for some patients suggests immunization as an effective preventive strategy. Importantly, four of the six disease-causing serogroups (A, C, Y, and W) may be prevented with available quadrivalent capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines; these vaccines have been successfully implemented into immunization programs in the United States. Unfortunately, quadrivalent conjugate vaccines are not effective against serogroup B, now the most common cause of invasive meningococcal disease. Two recombinant protein vaccines recently were licensed for prevention of serogroup B disease. Recommendations for use of these serogroup B vaccines in the United States have been made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This article will discuss all available meningococcal vaccines, current recommendations for use, lessons learned from previous experiences, and future considerations, with the hope of further understanding how use of these vaccines may help reduce incidence of meningococcal disease in the United States.
Geography and Shelter

Abstract Intended as an emergency response to the problem of “homelessness,” shelters have become a common service, outliving the “temporary” label. Typically, the provision of refuge has placed shelters in the position of intermediary between “homeless” people, local communities, and local governments. Investigating how shelters may restrict and regulate people within communities and shelter facilities can clarify the influence of the “commonsense” intervention of shelter on the lives of the people served. A survey of Ohio sheltering programs examines the extent to which shelter location, structure and operations restrict and/or influence the connections homeless people have to their communities and support networks. Implications for social work practice with people experiencing homelessness are discussed.
The representation of migrant and refugee interests by European umbrella organisations: evidence of strain?

AbstractThis paper assesses how well supranational umbrella organisations represent the interests of their constituencies in European Union (EU) policy-making. I examine two prominent European umbrella organisations – The European Council on Refugees and Exiles and The European Network Against Racism – and their national member organisations. I hypothesise that, due to the notoriously diverse set of actors and issue priorities that comprise migrant inclusion, not all interests are represented equally well at the supranational level, leading to some degree of ‘representational strain’. I first analyse the dimensions on which issue priorities are structured at both the umbrella and constituency levels, and secondly, the degree of congruence between the interests of national members and European umbrella organisations. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, the results show that these EU umbrella organisations do well overall, but experience some difficulty representing the full range o...
Teaching Moral Development with Theaetetus

The character Theaetetus argues that knowledge is how things appear to the individual, “knowledge is perception.” Socrates asks Theaetetus, “Is perception the same for a person who is dreaming compared with someone who is awake?” Theaetetus responds with the same answer. Socrates asks, “How about the perception of a madman?” An interesting discussion ensues in which we debate the notion that knowledge is “relative” to the individual. Students also read the section from the introductory text dealing with moral reasoning and its development. They engage in role-play activities in which they conduct an imaginary dialogue between Socrates and Kohlberg, and between Socrates and Gilligan.
Predictors of inferior clinical outcome in patients with standard-risk multiple myeloma.

Introduction Outcome of patients with standard-risk (SR) multiple myeloma (MM) has improved; however, subsets of patients do worse than expected. We sought to identify the factors associated with inferior outcome. Methods We evaluated 51 patients with SR MM that received upfront autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) after induction and had a progression-free survival (PFS) of ≤18 months. Results The median age of patients was 61 yr. Forty-one (80%) patients received induction with immunomodulatory drugs, proteosome inhibitors, or combination of both. The overall response rate (ORR) after auto-HCT was 96% (stringent complete response 23%, complete response 10%, very good partial response 22%, and partial response 39%). The median PFS was 7.8, and median overall survival (OS) was 56.3 months. On univariate analysis, concurrent light-chain amyloidosis (AL) was associated with inferior PFS [hematological response (HR); 2.51, 95% CI; 0.64–10.58, P = 0.03] and occurrence of soft tissue plasmacytoma was associated with a significantly shorter OS (HR: 3.05, 95% CI: 0.57–16.29, P = 0.02). Conclusion Our analysis suggests that concurrent AL and soft tissue plasmacytoma were associated with shorter PFS and OS, respectively. Heterogeneity in clinical outcome of SR MM merits better tools for prognostication, such as gene expression profiling and minimal residual disease assessment to identify high-risk patients.
Reconstructing the Temporal Progression of Biological Data Using Cluster Spanning Trees

Identifying the temporal progression of a set of biological samples is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of the underlying molecular interactions. It is often also a basic step in data denoising and synchronization. Finally, identifying the progression order is crucial for problems like cell lineage identification, disease progression, tumor classification, and epidemiology and thus impacts the spectrum of disciplines spanning basic biology, drug discovery, and public health. Current methods that attempt solving this problem, face difficulty when it is necessary to factor-in complex relationships within the data, such as grouping, partial ordering or bifurcating or multifurcating progressions. We propose the notion of cluster spanning trees (CST) that can model both linear as well as the aforementioned complex progression relationships in temporally evolving data. Through a number of experimental investigations involving synthetic data sets as well as data sets from the cell cycle, cellular differentiation, phenotypic screening, and genetic variation, we show that the proposed CST approach outperforms existing methods in reconstructing the temporal progression of the data.
Nanostructuring and its influence on the thermoelectric properties of the AgSbTe2-SnTe quaternary system

The structural and thermoelectric properties of the AgSbTe2-SnTe quaternary system were studied. Powder averaged x-ray diffraction of Ag0.85SnSb1.15Te3 indicates a cubic NaCl-type structure in contrast with the single crystal refinements, which point towards tetragonal symmetry. Furthermore, high-resolution electron microscopy imaging revealed the system to be a nano-composite formed by thermodynamically driven compositional fluctuations rather than a solid solution as it was viewed in the past. The lattice thermal conductivity attains very low values, which is in accord with recent theories on thermal transport in heterogeneous systems. The charge transport properties of the system exhibit a rich physical behavior highlighted in the coexistence of an almost metallic carrier concentration (∼5×1021 cm−3) with a large thermoelectric power response of ∼160 μV/K at 650 K. This is attributed to a heavy hole effective mass that is almost six times that of the electron rest mass.
Effects on Mixed-Mode I/III Loading on Environment-Induced Cracking

Many materials that exhibit ductile, tough behavior during conventional Mode I testing exhibit reduced toughness when loaded with combinations of Mode I and Mode III. A minimum in the energy for crack initiation and stable crack growth was demonstrated for ductile metals with mixed-mode loading with crack planes at angles between 40° to 60°, relative to Mode I loading. Internal hydrogen further reduced these energies in aferritic/martensitic steel with the effect being relatively equal in pure Mode I and mixed-mode loading conditions. Hydrogen effects rationalized a number of observations concerning Mode I crack growth rates being faster than Mode III rates for environment-induced cracking. Where hydrogen was not a factor, cracks loaded in Mode I and mixed-Mode I/III grew at similar rates.
Medial Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Patients With Medial Knee Instability: A Systematic Review.

Background:The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is the most frequently injured ligament of the knee, but it infrequently requires surgical treatment. Current literature on MCL reconstructions is sp...