cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary calcification: Achilles' heel in the assessment for coronary artery disease in patients with symptomatic angina?

Coronary calcium quantification has emerged as a reliable and independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Advances in multidetector scanning and imaging protocols have resulted in decreased contrast volumes, shorter scan times, and decreased radiation exposure, as well as improved spatial resolution and enhanced image quality. In subsets of patients with high calcium scores (particularly C400), however, the artifactual effects and scatter associated with radiodense calcium deposits have limited the specificity of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) in delineating the extent of clinically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study in the International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging, Meijs et al. [1] conduct a multicenter prospective analysis of the diagnostic performance of 64-CTCA to predict the incidence of CAD in 360 patients who had been referred for conventional invasive coronary angiography (ICA) on the basis of symptomatic angina (stable and unstable) regardless of coronary calcium score (CS) over a 2-year time interval. As expected, the incidence of significant CAD correlated with increased CS. In patients with a CS C 400, the prevalence of significant CAD was 87% as compared to 24% in those with a CS \ 10. The specificity of CTCA as well as the positive likelihood ratio for significant CAD decreased significantly, however, as the CS increased. In patients with a CS \ 10, the specificity was 89% (95%CI 76–96%) while in patients with CS [ 400, the specificity was only 20% (95%CI 5–49%) [1]. The findings of this study are not inconsistent with the current literature, though the dramatic decline in specificity with increasing CS demonstrates a significant degree of inter-study variability. Early studies comparing the diagnostic capabilities of CTCA with ICA often excluded patients with elevated baseline CS as a result of the negative impact of high CS on CTCA accuracy or the inability to assess the presence or absence of stenosis with increased calcification [2– 4]. Studies which did include arterial segments with high levels of calcification usually denoted a significant decline in the diagnostic capability of the test. For example, the multicenter ACCURACY (Assessment by Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography of Individuals Undergoing Invasive Coronary Angiography) trial which enrolled 230 patients regardless of CS, demonstrated a decline of specificity of CTCA for the 50% threshold CAD level from 86.3% in patients with CS B 400 to 52.6% in patients with CS [ 400 (P \ 0.0003) [5]. Studies of the implications of reduced specificity of CTCA have suggested that patients with very high calcium scores should forego multidetector coronary CT angiography in favor of ICA given the decreased Editorial comment on the article of Meijs et al. (doi:10.1007/s10554-009-9485-7).
On the Constitutive Equations for Nonisothermal Bulk Relaxation

The paper derives and discusses the constitutive equations for viscoelastic nonisothermal bulk relaxation. Methods of hidden variables and nonequilibrium thermodynamics employed enable us to establish sign definiteness of various material parameters. In the author's opinion, the results can clarify the heuristic arguments proposed in a recent publication.6
P021 Activation of interferon regulatory factor 5 in innate immune signaling by site specific phosphorylation

Introduction A protective cellular response to infection depends on accurate activation of transcription factors and induction of select innate immunity genes. Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), a risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus, is activated by pathogen recognition receptors and downstream signaling molecules TANK-binding kinase-1 (TBK-1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), or receptor interacting protein 2 (RIP2). Phosphorylation is key to the regulation of IRF5, but the precise phosphorylation sites in IRF5 remained to be identified. Methods We used mass spectrometry to identify for the first time authentic phosphorylated residues of IRF5 in response to TBK-1, TRAF6, and RIP2 that stimulate its ability to induce gene expression, accumulate in the nucleus, and promote apoptosis. To determine if the phosphorylated residues are required or sufficient for IRF5 activity, aspartic acid phosphomimetic substitutions or inactivating alanine substitutions were tested. Results RIP2, a kinase downstream of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2 (NOD2), was the most effective activator of IRF5. Phosphorylation of carboxyl serines 451 and 462 appear the primary trigger of IRF5 function in nuclear accumulation, transcription, and apoptosis. Results indicate polyubiquitination of IRF5 does not play a major role in its transcriptional activity, and that ubiquitination and phosphorylation are independent modifications. Conclusion Ligands that stimulate the NOD2 receptor are significant activators of IRF5. RIP2 kinase that is downstream of NOD2 can phosphorylate IRF5 on carboxyl serine residues to stimulate its ability to induce transcription of cytokines such as interferons and interleukin-12 p40.
A quantitative precipitation forecast experiment for Puerto Rico

A quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) experiment is conducted for the island of Puerto Rico. The experiment ranks the utility of six objective rainfall models and an operational forecast issued by the National Weather Service Forecast Office, San Juan. This is believed to be the first experiment to rank the utility of rainfall forecast schemes in the tropics. Using an analysis of variance tool called common factor analysis (CFA), the island of Puerto Rico is divided into convective rainfall regions. These regions are statistically independent and represent the forecast domains for the experiment. All forecasts and realizations are area-averaged over each convective region. The QPF experiment is conducted in real-time over three 6-week periods in 1998. The periods fall in three separate rainfall seasons. All seven forecast schemes are configured to produce an area-averaged 24 h rainfall forecast. Forecasts are realized through a network of 114 data rain gauges, whose 24 h values are also area-averaged within convective region. We conduct this experiment in a Bayesian framework. Users may determine the ex ante value of forecast products through the Bayesian correlation score (BCS). Over each of the three seasons, the climatology forecast held the highest ex ante utility for users. Although objective forecast utility scores for heavy rain events are low, they yield higher BCS values than operational forecasts. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Relation between premature ventricular contraction site of origin (defined by radionuclide phase analysis) and subsequent left ventricular function

It has been suggested that the effect of a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) on left ventricular (LV) function depends on the site of origin of the PVC, and that the subsequent impairment of LV performance during a PVC may be more pronounced if baseline LV dysfunction is present. To evaluate these concepts, radionuclide angiographic phase image analysis of spontaneous PVCs was performed after acquisition of images from PVCs alone by a new gating procedure. The sites of the PVCs were localized to 1 of 3 right ventricular (RV) or 5 left ventricular (LV) regions by this method. LV function during PVCs was assessed and compared with baseline by noting the LV ejection fraction (EF) during PVCs, the difference between sinus LVEF and PVC EF, and the normalized PVC EF (PVC EF/sinus EF). Twenty-four patients had LV PVC sites and 19 had RV sites. LV function during a PVC appeared to be independent of either the ventricle of origin of the PVC or a specific site of origin within the ventricles. The resultant PVC ventricular function also appeared independent of sinus LVEF and sinus wall motion abnormalities. In addition, no correlation between coupling interval and any of the variables measured was demonstrated (although extremely short coupling intervals were not evaluated). These data suggest that the effects of PVCs on ventricular performance seen during ventricular ectopy are independent of the site of origin of the PVC, baseline wall motion abnormalities or PVC coupling interval in the population studied.
Modelling in peptide design.

Powerful molecular modelling software can be used to visualize the tertiary structures of biologically significant proteins, with important implications for rational drug design.
Sulfonyl Fluoride Inhibitors of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase

Sulfonyl fluorides are known to inhibit esterases. Early work from our laboratory has identified hexadecyl sulfonylfluoride (AM374) as a potent in vitro and in vivo inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). We now report on later generation sulfonyl fluoride analogs that exhibit potent and selective inhibition of FAAH. Using recombinant rat and human FAAH, we show that 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentanesulfonyl fluoride (AM3506) has similar inhibitory activity for both the rat and the human enzyme, while rapid dilution assays and mass spectrometry analysis suggest that the compound is a covalent modifier for FAAH and inhibits its action in an irreversible manner. Our SAR results are highlighted by molecular docking of key analogs.
Differential effect of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) on aromatase activity in cultured canine prostatic epithelial cells

We have recently cloned the mRNA encoding KGF from canine prostate and produced recombinant canine KGF (rcKGF) which specifically acts on cultured canine prostatic epithelial cells (CCPECs) which possess KGF receptors (Canatan et al., 1996; DNA Cell Biol. 15:247). In the present study, the effect of rcKGF on aromatase activity in CCPECs from young (6-month-old) and mature (3-year-old) dogs was examined. Release of 3H2O from labeled substrate was used as the indicator of aromatase activity. CCPECs were pulsed with [1-B-3H]-androstenedione (1 μCi/ml, 6 hr). The amounts of 3H2O released into culture medium were measured (dpm) and total cellular proteins were determined. Aromatase activity was expressed as 3H2O dpm/mg cellular protein (mean ± SEM). The basal level of aromatase activity in CCPECs from mature dogs was approximately 4 times higher (p<0.05) than that in cells from young dogs. Aromatase activity in CCPECs from mature dogs increased in a dose-dependent manner upon treatment with rcKGF. Interestingl...
Experimental evidence for flexibility of a building foundation supported by concrete friction piles

Abstract This article explores the possibility to measure deformations of building foundations from measurements of ambient noise and strong motion recordings. The case under study is a seven-storey hotel building in Van Nuys, California. It has been instrumented by strong motion accelerographs, and has recorded several earthquakes, including the 1971 San Fernando (ML=6.6, R=22 km), 1987 Whittier–Narrows (ML=5.9, R=41 km), 1992 Landers (ML=7.5, R=186 km), 1992 Big Bear (ML=6.5, R=149 km), and 1994 Northridge (ML=6.4, R=1.5 km) earthquake and its aftershocks (20 March: ML=5.2, R=1.2 km; 6 December, 1994: ML=4.3, R=11 km). It suffered minor structural damage in 1971 earthquake and extensive damage in 1994. Two detailed ambient vibration tests were performed following the Northridge earthquake, one before and the other one after the 20 March aftershock. These included measurements at a grid of points on the ground floor and in the parking lot surrounding the building, presented and analyzed in this article. The analysis shows that the foundation system, consisting of grade beams on friction piles, does not act as a “rigid body” but deforms during the passage of microtremor and therefore earthquake waves. For this geometrically and by design essentially symmetric building, the center of stiffness of the foundation system appears to have large eccentricity (this is seen both from the microtremor measurements and from the earthquake recordings). This eccentricity may have contributed to strong coupling of transverse and torsional responses, and to larger than expected torsional response, contributing to damage during the 1994 Northridge, earthquake.
The adoption of tobacco dependence treatment by rehabilitation clinicians.

Purpose: Individuals with disabilities tend to smoke at rates that surpass those of the general population. The Public Health Service Guideline on the treatment of tobacco dependence suggests that all smokers be screened at every health care visit and counselled regarding how best to quit smoking. We review the literature on the adoption of tobacco dependence treatment by rehabilitation clinicians working with disabled individuals. Despite the deleterious health effects of smoking on individuals with disabilities, the limited data suggests that rehabilitation clinicians rarely encourage their clients who smoke to quit.Method: Studies were collected using various computerized databases from 1980 to the present. Because of the paucity of literature on tobacco dependence treatment utilization among rehabilitation clinicians, we also examine research on the use of tobacco dependence treatment by health care providers in the general population and in substance abuse treatment settings.Results: Despite the effi...
Role of DDL processes during electrolytic reduction of Cu(II) in a low oxygen environment

Abstract Heavy metals typically accumulate in reduced bottom sediments after being discharged into waterways by industrial and municipal processes. A laboratory experiment was conducted in order to determine if abundance of clay in the bottom sediments of a Cu-contaminated aqueous ecosystem could enhance electrolytic reduction of the heavy metal. Cu(NO3)2·2.5H2O was added to simulate a moderately contaminated system with 650 μg Cu/ml kaolinite clay-water slurry. A constant electrical potential of 1.0 V/cm was applied across platinum wire electrodes inserted into the continuously stirred system for four days while the system ORP2 was monitored and periodic sub-samples were taken for analysis. The electrical as well as the chemical results indicate that the quantity of Cu(II) being reduced to Cu(I), especially within the aqueous phase, is increased within the first 48 h of experimentation by the presence of kaolinite clay up to 0.05 mg clay/l slurry.
Relation of plasma lipoprotein(a) to infarct artery patency in survivors of myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND In the minutes to days after myocardial infarction, endogenous lysis of an occlusive coronary arterial thrombus occurs in most subjects. Compared with those in whom thrombolysis does not occur, those with antegrade flow in the infarct artery have improved left ventricular performance, less left ventricular dilatation, and improved survival. This study was performed to assess intrinsic hemostasis and fibrinolysis in survivors of myocardial infarction with or without antegrade perfusion of the infarct artery. METHODS AND RESULTS In 105 survivors of infarction (75 men, 30 women; age, 30 to 80 years) not given thrombolytic therapy, coronary angiography revealed a patent (group 1, n = 52) or occluded (group 2, n = 53) infarct artery. Plasma concentrations of plasminogen, fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator activity, infarct artery. Plasma concentrations of plasminogen, fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor activity, cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoproteins, including lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]), were measured in blood procured 23 +/- 13 (mean +/- SD) months after infarction. Groups 1 and 2 were similar in age, sex, race, cardioactive medications, infarct artery, extent of coronary artery disease, and left ventricular performance. Of the plasma constituents assayed, the groups were similar except that Lp(a) averaged 18.5 +/- 21.7 mg/dL in group 1 and 49.1 +/- 44.8 mg/dL in group 2 (P CONCLUSIONS Survivors of myocardial infarction who failed to recanalize the infarct artery have higher plasma Lp(a) concentrations than those with a patent infarct artery. Lp(a) may inhibit intrinsic fibrinolysis.
Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Vascular Surgery Patients is Common and Associated with Increased Mortality.

Introduction. Vascular surgery patients have multiple risk factors for renal dysfunction, but acute kidney injury (AKI) is poorly studied in this group. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of AKI in high risk vascular patients. Methods. Critically ill vascular surgery patients admitted during January – December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed with 1-year follow-up. The endpoint was AKI by established RIFLE creatinine criteria. The primary analysis was between patients with or without AKI, with secondary analysis of postoperative AKI. Outcomes were inpatient and 1-year mortality, inpatient lengths of stay, and discharge renal function. Results. 136 vascular surgery patients were included, representing 27% of all vascular surgery admissions during the study period. 65 (48%) developed AKI. Independent global risk factors for AKI were diabetes, increasing critical illness severity, and sepsis. While intraoperative blood loss and hypotension were associated with subsequent renal dysfunction, postoperative AKI rates were similar for patients undergoing aortic, carotid, endovascular, or peripheral vascular procedures, All RIFLE grades of AKI were associated with worse outcomes. Overall, patients with AKI had significantly increased short and long-term mortality, longer inpatient lengths of stay, and worse discharge renal function. Conclusions. AKI is common among critically ill vascular surgery patients. Importantly, the type of surgical procedure appears to be less important than intra- and perioperative management in determining renal dysfunction. Regardless of its severity, AKI is a clinically significant complication that is associated with substantially worse patient outcomes.
H-plane multimode waveguide transition sections with large flare angles: radial and rectangular modal analyses

Waveguide transition sections that connect standard single-propagating-mode waveguides to multimode waveguides are designed using a quasioptical approach, as well as fullwave techniques based on both radial and rectangular modal analyses. The three different approaches to the problem result in the derivation of the coupled wave equations for the wave amplitudes, which are solved numerically using an iterative method as well as the Runge-Kutta method. These numerical solutions are compared with experimental results. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are discussed in detail. The quasioptical approach is found to be very suitable for transition sections with small flare angles. For transition sections with large flare angles, the fullwave solutions must be used. It is shown that the radial modal analysis is here more efficient.
Hard X-rays QEXAFS instrumentation with scan range 20 to 4000 eV

Abstract The Quick Extended Absorption Fine Structure (QEXAFS) spectroscopy was developed at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) to learn on seconds and sub-seconds time scale of the structural changes in the material. The initial system was developed at beamline X18B [1] , however, two drawbacks with this original system were (1) problems with scan frequencies
Development and validation of educational materials for food allergy

Objective To develop and validate a food allergy educational program. Study design Materials developed through focus groups and parental and expert review were submitted to 60 parents of newly referred children with a prior food allergy diagnosis and an epinephrine autoinjector. The main outcome was correct demonstration of an autoinjector. Results The correct number of autoinjector activation steps increased from 3.4 to 5.95 (of 6) after training (P Conclusions This food allergy educational curriculum for parents, now available online at no cost, showed high levels of satisfaction and efficacy.
Scientific communication, competition, and collaboration

已逝的著名分子生物学家冈瑟·斯坦(Gunther Stent)曾问：“如果有人给了你追求自己科学兴趣所需的所有资源，但不让你与任何其他科学家交流，你还愿意做科研吗？”许多科学家都会给出否定回答。科学是一种群体的事业。科研的快乐多来自同其他科学家交流——他们对你的工作的赞赏，以各种形式对你的帮助。交流也会导致合作，最终取得非一己之力所能获得的成果。然而，如今许多领域激烈的竞争已对科学交流造成负面影响。我们的科研机构过分强调科研工作的独立性，并以此为评断一位科学家成就的主要标准，这一切已极大地损害了科学界的合作精神。 科学交流的最重要的一面就是讨论未公开发表的成果。通过同行之间的讨论，尚不成熟的想法能得到巩固或被抛弃，具有决定性却被忽视的实验可以变得显而易见，新的想法也会出现。三十年来，作为戈登会议的常客，我发现会议的主要目标——保证“积极地讨论、介绍未公开发表的科研成果”——已逐渐被搁置。越来越少的科学家肯报告未发表或未被期刊接受的成果。原因十分明显，在竞争激烈的领域里，要抢先做出成果的愿望和怕被别人抢先的恐惧，盖过了讨论新想法或分享未发表成果的需要。虽然大部分科学家都有不公平地被抢先的故事，但这类故事常被过分夸大，对科学群体的合作精神造成了不良影响。年轻的科学家越来越以自我为中心，讨论未发表的成果时总显出不必要的多疑，因而完全错失了冈瑟·斯坦所提到的，与同行交流的快乐。他认为交流才是科学生活最吸引人之处。 同他人交流初步设想、初步发现，是找到潜在互利合作伙伴的最有效方法。真正的合作要求参与者为了共同目标而努力，贡献相应的专长。不过，对不同作者贡献分配（credit allocation）的争论，也可能让合作以散伙收场。我曾有过不少与人合作的经验，其中一些当时也不全是十分愉快的，但是这些合作丰富了我的科学生涯，也提升了我的科学成就。在合作或发表文章的每个阶段，是很难准确地决定参与者所贡献的份量，以做出令所有参与者都满意的成果分配。然而如果能暂且将不满和纠纷搁置一边而持续合作，最终将能实现共赢的局面。事先协定合作的原则会有利于消除未来的争执，但是是否真正能持续合作常取决于参与者能将共同目标置于个人利益之上。上世纪中国生物化学家成功地人工合成有生物活性的牛胰岛素以及酵母丙氨酸转运核糖核酸的工作，就是最好的合作范例。 如今我们科研机构评估科学家的方式，已成为科学合作的主要绊脚石。一个科学家的成就常常因为发表的成果是与他人合作完成的而被低估。一些机构甚至以在文章作者中的位置定量地判定贡献的份量。没有贡献而挂名的作者在目前论文发表中当然也是个问题，但是如果评审者在评估一个科学家对论文的贡献时能更加尽职，这个问题是可以妥善解决的。 在目前的大科学时代，合作已成为大势所趋，从寻找宇宙中的暗物质到阐明大脑中的神经环路，都需要多学科甚至多国家的专家与资源的整合。为了攻克困难问题，较小的项目也需要不同实验室协力合作。为了促进合作精神更好发展，我们的机构——特别是基金资助机构和职称评审委员会——都迫切需要制定新的评估办法，特别是要对通过合作获得的成果赋予更高的评价。只有在合作中所付出的努力得到科研机构的认可，文章发表数量、作者排名或工作的独立性不再是主要的评估标准，更多的科学家才会自由地交流与合作。
An adaptive memory algorithm for the split delivery vehicle routing problem

The split delivery vehicle routing problem (SDVRP) relaxes routing restrictions forcing unique deliveries to customers and allows multiple vehicles to satisfy customer demand. Split deliveries are used to reduce total fleet cost to meet those customer demands. We provide a detailed survey of the SDVRP literature and define a new constructive algorithm for the SDVRP based on a novel concept called the route angle control measure. We extend this constructive approach to an iterative approach using adaptive memory concepts, and then add a variable neighborhood descent process. These three new approaches are compared to exact and heuristic approaches by solving the available SDVRP benchmark problem sets. Our approaches are found to compare favorably with existing approaches and we find 16 new best solutions for a recent 21 problem benchmark set.
Effects of Hierarchical Roost Removal on Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) Maternity Colonies

Forest roosting bats use a variety of ephemeral roosts such as snags and declining live trees. Although conservation of summer maternity habitat is considered critical for forest-roosting bats, bat response to roost loss still is poorly understood. To address this, we monitored 3 northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies on Fort Knox Military Reservation, Kentucky, USA, before and after targeted roost removal during the dormant season when bats were hibernating in caves. We used 2 treatments: removal of a single highly used (primary) roost and removal of 24% of less used (secondary) roosts, and an un-manipulated control. Neither treatment altered the number of roosts used by individual bats, but secondary roost removal doubled the distances moved between sequentially used roosts. However, overall space use by and location of colonies was similar pre- and post-treatment. Patterns of roost use before and after removal treatments also were similar but bats maintained closer social connections after our treatments. Roost height, diameter at breast height, percent canopy openness, and roost species composition were similar pre- and post-treatment. We detected differences in the distribution of roosts among decay stages and crown classes pre- and post-roost removal, but this may have been a result of temperature differences between treatment years. Our results suggest that loss of a primary roost or ≤ 20% of secondary roosts in the dormant season may not cause northern long-eared bats to abandon roosting areas or substantially alter some roosting behaviors in the following active season when tree-roosts are used. Critically, tolerance limits to roost loss may be dependent upon local forest conditions, and continued research on this topic will be necessary for conservation of the northern long-eared bat across its range.
Prevalence of American Indian adolescent tobacco use: 1993-2004

Tobacco use rates for American Indian adolescents are examined and compared to rates for non-Indian youth. The data are taken from an ongoing surveillance project of substance use among Indian youth and the Monitoring the Future Project for the years 1993 to 2004. Sample sizes are in the range of 14,000 to 17,000 for non-Indian youth and 600 to 2400 for Indian youth. Tobacco use is considerably higher for Indian youth; however, these rates are following the national trends of significant reductions over the past three years. Indian youth manifested a lower perception of harm from regular tobacco use, which may, in part, account for their higher levels of use. Indian females have had slightly higher rates of lifetime and daily smoking rates than males in the past but recent trends indicate a narrowing of this gap.
Biochemical characterization and biologic activities of 82-and 86-kDa tumor antigens isolated from a methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma, CII-7

Two tumor-specific antigens, with molecular weights of approximately 82 and 86 kDa, have been isolated and purified to apparent homogeneity from the methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma, CII-7. The method of purification used was essentially that previously employed for the isolation of the 82- and 86-kDa antigens from the Meth A sarcoma and the 86-kDa antigen from mKSA sarcoma. Cytosolic fractions were subjected to hexylamine agarose chromatography, Sepharose S-300 filtration and hydroxylapatite chromatography. A final step, HPLC-DEAE chromatography, was necessary for the purification of the 82-kDa protein. Both isolated antigens retained their specific immunogenicity for CII-7 as determined by in vivo tumor rejection assays, and failed to influence the growth of other syngeneic sarcomas, CI-4, CII-10 and mKSA, which have their own unique TATA. The 82- and 86-kDa antigens appear to be distinct proteins that are well conserved in nature and may represent members of distinct families of TATA.
Ultra-high performance concrete and fiber reinforced concrete: achieving strength and ductility without heat curing

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHP-FRC) were introduced in the mid 1990s. Special treatment, such as heat curing, pressure and/or extensive vibration, is often required in order to achieve compressive strengths in excess of 150 MPa (22 ksi). This study focuses on the development of UHP-FRCs without any special treatment and utilizing materials that are commercially available on the US market. Enhanced performance was accomplished by optimizing the packing density of the cementitious matrix, using very high strength steel fibers, tailoring the geometry of the fibers and optimizing the matrix-fiber interface properties. It is shown that addition of 1.5% deformed fibers by volume results in a direct tensile strength of 13 MPa, which is 60% higher than comparable UHP-FRC with smooth steel fibers, and a tensile strain at peak stress of 0.6%, which is about three times that for UHP-FRC with smooth fibers. Compressive strength up to 292 MPa (42 ksi), tensile strength up to 37 MPa (5.4 ksi) and strain at peak stress up to 1.1% were also attained 28 days after casting by using up to 8% volume fraction of high strength steel fibers and infiltrating them with the UHPC matrix.
Individual Perceptions of Distributional Fairness in China

In the wake of China’s enormous success transitioning to a market economy there is a widely held belief among researchers and policymakers that the country’s income distribution has become excessively unfair. Previous authors have argued ‘the perception of inequality is one of the key elements of the attitudes toward reforms’. We hypothesize that reform ‘winners’ (educated, high income, higher ranking Party officials) will express less dissatisfaction with the current income distribution and reform ‘losers’ (less educated, lower income, lower ranking Party members) will express greater dissatisfaction with the current income distribution. To test this hypothesis we use two unique data sets, the 2002 Chinese Household Income Project and the World Values Survey. We find that the perception of unfairness is highly correlated with actual or perceived income, current prospects, attitude toward corruption, and status of Party membership.
Phorbol ester-mediated induction of HIV-1 from a chronically infected promonocyte clone: blockade by protein kinase inhibitors and relationship to tat-directed trans-activation.

Abstract Potent inhibitors of protein kinases C and A, including 1-(5 isoquinolinyl sulfonyl) 2-methyl piperazine (H7), staurosporine, and 2-aminopurine, depressed phorbol ester-induced HIV-1 virion production and HIV-specific transcripts by >90% in chronically infected promonocytic cells. Suppression was dose-dependent and occurred at concentrations that had little effect on cell growth. These effects appeared to be specific to activation of the PKC-diacylglycerol system. They did not alter IUdR-mediated induction of HIV. In addition, PMA enhancement of an HIV-LTR driven reporter gene was not blocked by H7 in the presence or absence of exogenous tat , at concentrations capable of inhibiting upregulation of virus at the cellular level. Insight into the biochemical mechanisms of these processes is critical to understanding interactions of HIV with the immune system, and may eventually uncover new therapeutic strategies.
Crystallinity of Waxy Maize Starch as Influenced by Ambient Temperature Absorption and Desorption, Sucrose Content and Water Activity

Crystallinity of waxy maize starch was determined by X-ray diffraction. Absorption and desorption over the range 0.33-0.84 aw, were applied to raw, partially gelatinized, and completely gelatinized starches mixed with0–50% sucrose. Increasing aw and moisture content in-creased crystallinity in case of all three starch treatments. A critical moisture content was required for recrystallization of starch. Gelatinized starch showed the greatest crystallinity hysteresis which was much greater than water sorption hysteresis. Sucrose had no effect on starch crystallinity with absorption. With desorption of completely gelatinized starch-sucrose mixtures, the sucrose caused a sharp decrease in crystallinity at0–10% sucrose while, at higher sucrose content, the crystallinity increased.
Autoinduction of bacterial bioluminescence in a carbon limited chemostat

Several strains of four species of luminous marine bacteria were maintained in a chemostat at a constant dilution rate and a variety of steady state densities by carbon (glycerol) limitation in order to study the relationship between culture density and bioluminescence activity. In general, luminescence per cell was constant at high culture density, and decreased dramatically at low culture density. For Vibrio fischeri, luminescence decreased to nondectable levels when the culture was maintained at low density; such dark cells were stimulated to synthesize luciferase and became luminous within minutes when purified autoinducer was added to the chemostat. Two strains, Photobacterium phosphoreum NZ11D and Photobacterium leiognathi S1, did not show the decrease in light intensity at low culture density that was characteristic of all other strains tested; they appeared to be constitutive for bioluminescence.
Dawn: A mission in development for exploration of main belt asteroids Vesta and Ceres

Dawn is in development for a mission to explore main belt asteroids in order to yield insights into important questions about the formation and evolution of the solar system. Its objective is to acquire data from orbit around two complementary bodies, (4) Vesta and (1) Ceres, the two most massive asteroids. The project relies on extensive heritage from other deep-space and Earth-orbiting missions, thus permitting the ambitious objectives to be accomplished with an affordable budget.
Numerical solution of singular poisson problems via the Sinc-Galerkin method

The Galerkin method is used with sinc functions for the basis elements to approximate the solution of the Poisson problem. Particular attention is paid to singular problems (a first or higher order partial derivative of the solution is undefined on the boundary). The linear system is derived and a spectral decomposition technique of solution is used. Explicit parameter selections that enhance the performance of the method are given. The method is thoroughly tested with the numerical results presented.
Exercise Capacity The Prognostic Variable That Doesn’t Get Enough Respect

Clinicians have long been aware that patients capable of high levels of physical exertion have a better prognosis than those with limited exercise capacity. Although the initial clinical encounter usually suffices to gain a qualitative appreciation of functional capacity, more precision can be obtained from formal graded exercise testing. In both asymptomatic subjects and patients with clinical coronary artery disease (CAD), exercise-based measures of functional capacity repeatedly have been shown to provide powerful independent prognostic information.1,2 Yet when decisions are made about the role and value of exercise testing in clinical cardiology, the focus is inevitably on measures believed to reflect the state of the coronary arterial circulation and the potential need for angiography and revascularization. The widespread tendency to ignore exercise capacity in clinical management seems to be a function of a general uncertainty about its therapeutic implications. Stress-induced ischemia may be less important prognostically, but its message seems clear: Fix the plumbing. See p 1554 In symptomatic CAD patients, exercise capacity typically is used to provide the context in which ischemic responses are interpreted.3 Thus, ischemia in the setting of poor exercise capacity means high risk, whereas in the setting of good exercise capacity, ischemia (even when measured with nuclear perfusion techniques) has little prognostic impact.4 In asymptomatic subjects, in whom evidence of ischemia is quite infrequent, the utility of exercise capacity has been more of a puzzle. In the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Exercise Testing Guidelines,5 exercise testing for routine screening of asymptomatic men and women was rated a Class III indication (ie, not useful). The use of exercise testing in asymptomatic persons with multiple risk factors as a guide to risk reduction therapy was rated a Class IIb indication (ie, usefulness not well established).6 These recommendations reflect concerns about …
Do neutrinos interact strongly

Abstract In some composite models of quarks and leptons, neutrinos contain colored subconstituents; hence, at energies above the compositeness scale, they can interact strongly with quarks. Such strong neutrino interactions may explain the underground muon bursts and the anomalous properties of air showers associated with X-ray binary stars.
Aromatic and benzylic C-H bond activation in the system bis(dicarbonylrhodium(I))- porphyrinate--hydrocarbon solvent.

Metalation of C6H6 has been known for a long time as a side reaction occurring in refluxing benzene solutions of Rh2(CO)4(TPP) (TTP = tetraphenylporphyrin). Rather than representing the intrinsic reactivity of this complex, such hydrocarbon activation proceeds via RhII(por) and RhIII(por) derivatives resulting from oxidation of Rh2(CO)4(TPP) with adventitious H2O and/or O2. This reaction can be extended to other aromatic substrates and represents an efficient synthetic route to certain organometallic RhIII(TPP) derivatives.
A Method to Solve Group Decision-Making Problem with Multi-granularity Linguistic Assessment Information

The purpose of this paper is to study group decision-making problem with multi-granularity linguistic assessment information. Presently, decision-making methods based on linguistic assessment information are massed in single-granularity linguistic assessment information. Owing to the different cultural and educational backgrounds of experts, multi-granularity linguistic assessment information is provided by different experts, methods for group decision-making with single-granularity linguistic assessment information are inadequate in real-life situation. In this paper the rating of each alternative and the weight of each criterion are described by multi-granularity linguistic assessment information which can expressed in triangular fuzzy numbers. According to the distance of two triangular fuzzy number matrixes, a closeness coefficient is defined to determine the ranking orders of all alternatives by calculating the distances to both the positive-ideal matrix and the negative-ideal matrix simultaneously. Finally, an example is shown to highlight the procedure of the proposed method at the end of this paper.
A Real-Time Method for Determining the Composition and Heating Value of Opportunity Fuel Blends

Engine manufacturers and researchers in the United States are finding growing interest among customers in the use of opportunity fuels such as syngas from the gasification and pyrolysis of biomass and biogas from anaerobic digestion of biomass. Once adequately cleaned, the most challenging issue in utilizing these opportunity fuels in engines is that their compositions can vary from site to site and with time depending on feedstock and process parameters. At present, there are no identified methods that can measure the composition and heating value in real-time. Key fuel properties of interest to the engine designer/researcher such as heating value, laminar flame speed, stoichiometric air to fuel ratio and Methane Number can then be determined. This paper reports on research aimed at developing a real-time method for determining the composition of a variety of opportunity fuels and blends with natural gas. Interfering signals from multiple measurement sources are processed collectively using multivariate regression methods, such as, the principal components regression and partial least squares regression to predict the composition and energy content of the fuel blends. The accuracy of the method is comparable to gas chromatography.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Gray Level Dynamic Range In Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The gray level dynamic range of clinical MR transaxial head images from four manufacturers were studied by examination of image bit planes for the presence of spatial information or noise. Both calculated and measured voxel signal-to-noise ratios were determined. Also, the power spectrum of image bit planes were produced to demonstrate that the noise of lower bit planes is spectrally white and contain no information. These observations point to a six and at most seven bit gray level dynamic range for the images studied.
Secondary circulations in the bottom boundary layer over sedimentary furrows

Secondary circulation is known to be an important feature of many atmospheric and laboratory boundary layers. The presence of streamwise, helical, counterrotating vortices is documented here for the first time in the bottom boundary layer of a large natural body of water. Simultaneous vertical profiles of velocity and temperature were recorded on either side of a sedimentary furrow on the floor of Lake Superior (depth = 100 m) in November 1985. Flow roughness length zo was estimated to be 0.3 cm. Friction velocity u* and turbulent boundary layer thickness LW were estimated for each profile allowing for stratification effects. Typically, LW ≈ 10 m. Thermal stratification near the lake bed was an important constraint to boundary layer development; bottom mixed layers were absent in most cases. Mean flow toward the furrow at lower levels within the boundary layer (z/LW<0.37) and mean flow away from the furrow at higher levels (0.37 < z/LW < 1.65) were observed for near-bottom speeds greater than 6 cm/s when mean flow direction was within 25° of the furrow direction. This implies helical vortex pair circulations with upward motion over the furrow, consistent with earlier hypotheses. Cross-stream (secondary) flows were typically 5% of the free stream (primary flow) speed. Streamwise vorticity in the range 1.5 m ≤ z ≤ 5 m was estimated to be 2.1×10−3 s−1.
Review of Richard III: An Arab Tragedy (directed by Sulayman Al-Bassam for the Sabab/Sulayman Al-Bassam Theatre) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, 9–12 June 2009

When a turbaned Richard III neared his fatal end in Kuwaiti director Sulayman Al-Bassam’s innovative Richard III: An Arab Tragedy, he sat astride a weary saddle mounted precariously on a metal pole. Behind him, the glass panels through which or projectedonwhich the audience had seen far toomuchof thebehind-the-scenesworkof politics (the coercions, the slayings, the cynical ploys) hadgonedark.Richardmotioned for the horse, to replace which he would trade the kingdom he’s stolen, to move. Nothing happened; his feet dangled uselessly, as if hewere a child too short to reach the stirrups. It’s nowonder that the king could go nowhere after a solid two hours!without intermission!of vicious, uninterrupted andat timesquite comical scheming.Of course, the bare situation we already know from Shakespeare’s Richard III. But Al-Bassam’s cannygeopolitical translationofRichard III tookadvantageof the extreme adaptability of Shakespeare to examine the vicious plasticity of power, which grafts itself onto any cultural formation to the ruin of all. If at first one might wonder if Shakespearean intrigue could bear the complexity of contemporary Middle Eastern politics (or if the specificity of Richard III’s Tudor mythologizing might resist recalibration to contemporary needs), any doubt quickly dissipated under Al Bassam’s spell. Richard III is of course no stranger to adaptation, and its own particular political intrigues have been located in various histories of power, though quite often associated with fascism. And Al-Bassam, we should note, is no stranger to Shakespeare; his company has tackled Hamlet in a work called Al-Hamlet Summit. In a post-performance onstage interview, he expressed interest in future work with Measure for Measure or perhaps Twelfth Night. This production, commissioned by the RSC and premiered in Stratford, toured France, Greece, The Netherlands, Kuwait and Jordan before debuting in America at the Arab Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and then joining the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s new series Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas. In this Arabic language adaptation, Richard’s Machiavellian manipulations took up the world of oil-rich Persian Gulf monarchies whose ties to Western powers ! American, French, British and Italian ! linger sinisterly. Richmond was played as none other than the American ambassador who will make an uneasy alliance with the kingdom’s powers at the end, as represented by Edward’s widow (not his daughter) Elizabeth. As the boys were escorted to the tower, one of them asked if the tower was built not by Caesar but by the British. Richard’s
E/O Tunable Second-Harmonic-Generation Gratings in Ion-Exfoliated Thin Films of Periodically Poled LiNbO 3

We demonstrate for the first time that thin, single-crystal films fabricated by ion- exfoliation of a bulk PPLN crystal will reduce tuning voltage for electro-optically tunable harmonic generation in PPLN devices.
Correction of Fe-55 activity measurements due to interference of other low energy photon emitters

Measurement of 55Fe in reactor waste samples by chemical separation of Fe is subject to interference by ‘*Co and 54Mn because these nuclides are produced in copious quantities in reactors, they emit K x-rays of essentially the same energy as 55Fe x-rays, and chemical separations of Fe are not pure enough to assure their absence. Fortunately 58Co and 54Mn also emit high energy gamma rays that can be used to detect and quantitate their presence in separated samples. x-Ray fluorescence yields of 5*Co, “Mn and 55Fe can be used to correct count rates and provide corrected measurements of 55Fe. This technique has been used successfully to correct measurements of “Fe in reactor wastes, especially spent ion-exchange resins though most corrections have been only a few percent.
Institutions and organizational change: reforming New York City’s public school system

This paper reviews New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s education reform agenda, ‘Children first’, in the light of organizational theory. I argue that this reform agenda reflects both coercive and mimetic isomorphism, as Bloomberg uses mayoral control to apply business concepts and practices to New York City’s public school system. Through participant observation in a New York City classroom and the use of secondary data, I highlight those elements of school life that thwart the standardization so essential to the mayor’s reform effort, specifically the dominant myths and fictions held by teachers.
Skeletal reduction of boundary value problems

Boundary value problems posed over thin solids are amenable to a dimensional reduction in that one or more spatial variables may be eliminated from the governing equation, resulting in significant computational gains with minimal loss in accuracy. Extant dimensional reduction techniques rely on representing the solid as a hypothetical mid-surface plus a possibly varying thickness. Such techniques are however hard to automate since the mid-surface is often ill-defined and ambiguous. We propose here a skeletal representation based dimensional reduction of boundary value problems. The proposed technique has the computational advantages of mid-surface reduction, but can be easily automated. A systematic methodology is presented for reducing boundary value problems to lower-dimensional problems over the skeleton of a solid. The theoretical properties of the proposed method are derived, and supported by representative numerical experiments.
Propagation of action potential activity in a predefined microtunnel neural network

A polydimethylsiloxane microtunnel device with two wells is aligned and attached on top of a multi-electrode array. Neurons are grown first in one well and allow the propagation of axons through the tunnels into a second well. After 10 days, cells are plated in the second well, with much lower likelihood of extending axons back to the first well, with the intent of creating unidirectional connectivity between populations of neurons in the two wells. Here we report electrophysiological evidence that supports the hypothesis that the dominant information flow is in the desired direction. This was done by measuring the propagation speed and direction of individual action potentials, with the result that 84% of the spikes propagated in the desired direction. Further, we recorded globally synchronized burst activity on each of the electrodes, identified the timing of the first spike on each electrode, recorded locally synchronized burst activity which is found only in the second well and does not propagate back to the first well and concluded that this measure of burst propagation supports the hypothesis of a unidirectionally connected network. Two hypotheses are discussed for the mechanism underlying the activity pattern of the particular neural networks.
Psychodynamic and structured interviewing: issues of validity.

Abstract Researchers studying psychosocial problems have largely been divided between those focusing on behavioral and attitudinal dimensions, and those looking primarily at the motvations underlying the behavior. In the attempt to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of such problems, the authors have utilized a data collection strategy involving both psychodynamic and structured interviewing in order to uncover both behavioral and motivational dimensions. Drawing on material obtained in a study of chronic marijuana smoking among adults, the authors illustrate how the combined use of psychodynamic and structured interviews enhances the accuracy of the meanings and interpretations placed on the information which respondents provide to researchers, thereby leading to more valid conclusions about the topic under study.