cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stored-Product Insect Populations in Boxcars Delivering Flour and Rice to Gulf Coast Ports

Stored-product insect infestations in boxcars delivering cargoes to Gulf Coast ports were studied during 1969–71. Twenty-nine species of insects were found associated with boxcars at these ports. Sacks of flour were inspected as they were unloaded from boxcars, and insects were found crawling on sacks from 85 to 90% of the boxcars during the summer months. The most abundant species were red flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst); lesser grain borers, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.); hairy fungus beetles, Typhaea stercorea (L.); and flat or rusty grain beetles, Cryptolestes spp. Examination of boxcars that delivered cargoes to Gulf ports revealed that 74% contained enough farinaceous debris from previous loads to support insect populations. To determine the actual insect content, debris samples from 175 boxcars were examined, and 81% of the cars were found infested by one or more species of stored-product insects. The most abundant insects resident in the cars were red flour beetles; dermestids ( Trogoderma spp.); Cryptolestes spp.; almond moths, Cadra cautella (Walker); and lesser grain borers. Almond moths were found in 25% of the cars sampled. This fact is significant. as the almond moth causes severe problems in United States export cargoes during transit. yet it is seldom detected by visual inspections before shipment.
Systematic Study of Simple Titania‐Bearing Porcelain Enamels

An extensive composition study of titania enamels and their properties is described. The compositions investigated contained only six constituents, namely, Na2O, K2O, SiO2, B2O3, TiO2, and F2. Systematically and over a wide range, the contents of SiO2, B2O3, TiO2, and alkali were varied. One hundred enamels in all were made and the resulting properties were determined. Properties noted included flow, expansion, color, percentage of anatase, gloss, reflectance, and acid resistance at various firing temperatures. Enamel Y12, representing a small area in this large composition field, exhibited the properties requisite for a good hollow–ware white cover–coat enamel. Compared with previously studied titania enamels, this enamel is “softer”; i.e., it fires at lower temperatures, has the desired higher flow and expansion, yet still possesses the required properties of color stability, reflectance, gloss, acid resistance, and workability.
Long-chain acyl-coenzyme A thioesters and renal hypothermic ischemic injury: effects of glycine flush.

Abstract The effects of hypothermic ischemia utilizing Euro-Collins flush on renal tissue long-chain activated fatty acid content was studied in dogs. Also, the ability of the simple amino acid glycine to complex these acyl thioesters was also investigated. Renal inner cortex was found to contain (in increasing amounts) myristoyl-, palmitoleoyl-, palmitoyl-, arachidonyl-, and oleoyl-coenzyme A throughout the 3 days of cold ischemia. Although the amounts of individual long-chain acyl-CoA compounds varied considerably, the concentrations were not found to differ significantly with increasing ischemia times. The presence of 5 mM of glycine in the flush also did not influence the amount or species of long-chain acyl-CoA esters in renal tissue during cold ischemia. Ischemic renal tissue content of most long-chain acyl-CoA compounds was reduced by about 50% when the tissue underwent in vitro reperfusion with 37°C O2-saturated media. Glycine included in the flush storage solution did not alter acyl-CoA levels in tissue undergoing hypothermic ischemia and short-term in vitro reperfusion with O2-saturated buffer. In conclusion, long-chain acyl-CoA thioesters are present during hypothermic renal ischemia and the levels of most of these species are reduced during in vitro reperfusion after ischemia. The quality and production mass of these metabolites appears to be unaltered by progressive hypothermic ischemia times. Finally, the protective effects of glycine in this model of renal organ preservation injury are not associated with reductions of renal tissue long-chain activated fatty acids.
Stochastic Water Quality Control by Simulation

ABSTRACT: In order to handle the probabilistic nature of treated waste effluent characteristics, the reliability associated with a basin-wide quality management goal has been included in the modeling process. Meanwhile, the quantitative and qualitative variations of the irrigation return flows and the urban runoff also exhibit a probabilistic nature in terms of both temporal and spatial measurements. Computer simulation has been utilized in analyzing the reliability and sensitivity of a river basin quality management. In this paper, a simulation-optimization scheme for the determination of policies in regional water quality management was developed subject to specific water quality standards. Stochastic quadratic programming techniques have been used in the optimization analysis. A series of simulation models describing the statistical water quality control phenomena was developed. Meanwhile, a simulation analysis for the description of probabilistic nature of the stream quality was developed for the control strategies of the return flows in the regional management system. As an illustration of the applicability of this water quality control approach, the major wastewater treatment facilities in the San Antonio River Basin were analyzed. The sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the most satisfying strategies for a regional water quality management system subject to probabilistic standards.
Excision of 5-hydroxymethyluracil and 5-carboxylcytosine by the thymine DNA glycosylase domain: its structural basis and implications for active DNA demethylation

The mammalian thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) is implicated in active DNA demethylation via the base excision repair pathway. TDG excises the mismatched base from G:X mismatches, where X is uracil, thymine or 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU). These are, respectively, the deamination products of cytosine, 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). In addition, TDG excises the Tet protein products 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) but not 5hmC and 5mC, when paired with a guanine. Here we present a post-reactive complex structure of the human TDG domain with a 28-base pair DNA containing a G:5hmU mismatch. TDG flips the target nucleotide from the double-stranded DNA, cleaves the N-glycosidic bond and leaves the C1′ hydrolyzed abasic sugar in the flipped state. The cleaved 5hmU base remains in a binding pocket of the enzyme. TDG allows hydrogen-bonding interactions to both T/U-based (5hmU) and C-based (5caC) modifications, thus enabling its activity on a wider range of substrates. We further show that the TDG catalytic domain has higher activity for 5caC at a lower pH (5.5) as compared to the activities at higher pH (7.5 and 8.0) and that the structurally related Escherichia coli mismatch uracil glycosylase can excise 5caC as well. We discuss several possible mechanisms, including the amino-imino tautomerization of the substrate base that may explain how TDG discriminates against 5hmC and 5mC.
Age-related effects on the incorporation of acetate into rat liver histones

Incorporation of sodium [3H]acetate into histones of rats was examined as a function of age. Incorporation was observed to decline with age up to 24 months, at which time a levelling occurred. Controls indicated that this decrease in histone acetylation could not be attributed to variability in isotope delivery to the liver or to alterations in intracellular 'pools' available for acetylation. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis established that, in all cases, acetate was incorporated primarily into histone fractions H3 and H4 and the pattern of incorporation exhibited age-dependent phenomena. H4 was predominantly labelled in 2 months animals, while in 12, 16, and 24 months animals H3 was more highly labelled; at 27 months the two fractions were labelled equally. Assessment of histone acetylase and deacetylase activities indicates that deacetylase activity increased with age.
Mebendazole and insulin secretion from isolated rat islets

Abstract In a preliminary communication we reported that mebendazole, a vermicide, decreased plasma glucose and free fatty acid concentrations and increased plasma C peptide concentrations in both type I and type II diabetic patients. Therefore, we suggested that mebendazole was an insulin secretagogue. However, these were uncontrolled studies, and improved metabolic control in these patients due to spontaneous remission rather than drug-induced insulin secretion was a possibility. To investigate the direct effect of mebendazole on insulin secretion we used intact islets isolated from normal rat pancreata. Mebendazole in concentrations as low as 10 to 20 μmol/L caused a twofold to threefold increase in acute-phase insulin release from isolated perifused rat islets. This heightened insulin release occurred in the presence of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
All wired up and no place to go: The search for public space in U.S. cable development

This article describes cable systems in the United States and the ongoing processes of commercialization and concentration, as well as accompanying critical trends in technological development. Cur...
Quantitative Posturography: Use in Multiple Sclerosis

Average displacement of anterior-posterior sway over a 10 s epoch in the quietly standing human was determined for both the eyes open and eyes closed conditions. Average difference of displacement between these two conditions was calculated. From the control measures (n = 139) normative values were defined for three age ranges. Sway characteristics of 113 patients with multiple sclerosis were also obtained. Each patient was also assigned a numerical score indicative of overall neurologic findings. In comparison to the control measures, few of the minimally impaired patients showed an abnormality in sway; however, all of the most severely impaired patients exhibited an abnormal displacement of sway with the eyes closed.
The Twentieth-Century Reversal: How Did the Republican States Switch to the Democrats and Vice Versa?

In the past few elections, rich states have gone for the Democrats and poor states have voted Republican, but 30 years ago there was no such pattern, and 100 years ago things looked completely different. The twentieth century reversal is not a simple story of voters standing still and parties moving. Examining patterns within states reveals that the reversal has happened at the state level but is more complicated locally, with urban/rural divides associated with many of the largest changes. Economic issues have been and remain most important in any particular election, but it is plausible that social issues can be the determining factor that can, over a century, reverse the electoral map.
Spectral optimization studies and schemes to enhance target detection and display for a three-band staring LWIR sensor

To achieve enhanced target discrimination, prototype three- band long wave infrared (LWIR) focal plane arrays (FPA) for missile defense applications have recently been constructed. The cutoff wavelengths, widths, and spectral overlap of the bands are critical parameters for the multicolor sensor design. Previous calculations for sensor design did not account for target and clutter spectral features in determining the optimal band characteristics. The considerable spectral overlap and correlation between the bands and attendant reduction in color contrast is another unexamined issue. To optimize and simulate the projected behavior of three-band sensors, this report examined a hyperspectral LWIR image cube. Our study starts with 30 bands of the LWIR spectra of three man-made targets and natural backgrounds that were binned to 3 bands using weighted band binning. This work achieves optimal binning by using a genetic algorithm approach and the target-to-clutter-ratio (TCR) as the optimization criterion. Another approach applies a genetic algorithm to maximize discrimination among the spectral reflectivities in the Non-conventional Exploitation Factors Data System (NEFDS) library. Each candidate band was weighted using a Fermi function to represent four interacting band edges for three- bands. It is found that choice of target can significantly influence the optimal choice of bands as expressed through the TCR and the Receiver Operator Characteristic curve. This study shows that whitening the image data prominently displays targets relative to backgrounds by increasing color contrast and also maintains color constancy. Three-color images are displayed by assigning red, green, blue colors directly to the whitened data set. Achieving constant colors of targets and backgrounds over time can greatly aid human viewers in the interpretation of the images and discriminate targets.
Cortical Responses to Speech Sounds in 3- and 6-Month-Old Infants Fed Breast Milk, Milk Formula, or Soy Formula

Controversy exists about the safety of soy formula, with the main concern relating to potential estrogenic effects of soy protein. Since estrogens influence early brain development, we compared behavioral development and cortical responses (event-related potentials; ERPs) to speech sounds in infants fed either breast milk or formula (milk- or soy-based). Across-groups ERP measures were generally similar and behavioral measures were within normal ranges, suggesting no important influences of soy formula on behavioral development and brain function during the study period. Analyses relating ERP and behavioral measures revealed diet- and gender-specific emphases that may reflect differences in developmental trajectories of brain-behavior relationships.
The Patronage Power of Early Modern French Noblewomen

It has been suggested that the political and economic power of Renaissance noblewomen declined significantlyfrom what it had been during the heyday of feudalism, and that this decline was caused by the expansion of royalpower and the growth of national monarchies, the development of centralization and the bureaucratization of government – in other words the creation of formal, male-dominated institutions to which women could not belong. Joann McNamara and Suzanne Wemple have written, ‘However, with the growth of a more structured society, where church and state aimed at centralized control, women of the high and late middle ages (1100–1500) found their rights and role increasingly curtailed and their ambitions frustrated. Women who held the most influential positions were the first to suffer from these restrictions.’
Active memory chips: A brief survey and case study

Conventional random access memories are capable only of writing data into and reading data from the storage location corresponding to a given address. The availability of VLSI circuits containing hundreds of thousands of switching devices, however, has recently made practical the implementation of “active” memory chips capable of performing a range of complex operations on their stored data. Such designs are characterized by the extensive intermingling of processing and memory resources within a single chip to achieve the rapid and cost-effective parallel execution of operations relevant to such tasks as image processing, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, and database management.
What kind of science is simulation

Is simulation some new kind of science? We argue that instead simulation fits smoothly into existing scientific practice, but does so in several importantly different ways. Simulations in general, and computer simulations in particular, ought to be understood as techniques which, like many scientific techniques, can be employed in the service of various and diverse epistemic goals. We focus our attentions on the way in which simulations can function as (i) explanatory and (ii) predictive tools. We argue that a wide variety of simulations, both computational and physical, are best conceived in terms of a set of common features: initial or input conditions, a mechanism or set of rules, and a set of results or output conditions. Studying simulations in these terms yields a new understanding of their character as well as a body of normative recommendations for the care and feeding of scientific simulations.
Side-emitting illuminators using LED sources

This study investigates illuminators composed of light emitting diode (LED) array sources and side-emitting light guides to provide efficient general illumination. Specifically, new geometries are explored to increase the efficiency of current systems while maintaining desired light distribution. LED technology is already successfully applied in many illumination applications, such as traffic signals and liquid crystal display (LCD) backlighting. It provides energy-efficient, small-package, long-life, and color-adjustable illumination. However, the use of LEDs in general illumination is still in its early stages. Current side-emitting systems typically use a light guide with light sources at one end, an end-cap surface at the other end, and light releasing sidewalls. This geometry introduces efficiency loss that can be as high as 40%. The illuminators analyzed in this study use LED array sources along the longitude of a light guide to increase the system efficiency. These new geometries also provide the freedom of elongating the system without sacrificing system efficiency. In addition, alternative geometries can be used to create white light with monochromatic LED sources. As concluded by this study, the side-emitting illuminators using LED sources gives the possibility of an efficient, distribution-controllable linear lighting system.
Myocardial Infarction After Carotid Stenting and Endarterectomy Results From the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial

Background—The Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial (CREST) found a higher risk of stroke after carotid artery stenting and a higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) after carotid endarterectomy. Methods and Results—Cardiac biomarkers and ECGs were performed before and 6 to 8 hours after either procedure and if there was clinical evidence of ischemia. In CREST, MI was defined as biomarker elevation plus either chest pain or ECG evidence of ischemia. An additional category of biomarker elevation with neither chest pain nor ECG abnormality was prespecified (biomarker+ only). Crude mortality and risk-adjusted mortality for MI and biomarker+ only were assessed during follow-up. Among 2502 patients, 14 MIs occurred in carotid artery stenting and 28 MIs in carotid endarterectomy (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.94; P=0.032) with a median biomarker ratio of 40 times the upper limit of normal. An additional 8 carotid artery stenting and 12 carotid endarterectomy ...
Determinants of the Quality of Life of Rural Families

: Drawing from human ecology theory, the purpose of this study was to examine socioeconomic-demographic determinants of the quality of life of rural families. In the study, computer-aided telephone interviewing via random digit dialing procedures were used to collect data in the spring of 1996. The participants included 510 rural (both farm and nonfarm) respondents. Quality of life was measured by five subscales: finances; home, family, and friends; household; community; and environment. The results of the regression analyses indicated that the independent variables—gender, race, marital status, employment status, residence, age, family income, and household size, differentially affected the quality of life sub-scales. Among the independent variables, household size—not a commonly used determinant in quality of life studies—was the most important predictor of subjective Well-being. The findings of this study lend support for the dimensional, rather than global, measurement of subjective well-being.
A kinetic approach to a study of the induction of rat liver microsomal hydroxylase after pretreatment with 3,4-benzpyrene and aflatoxin B1

Abstract The administration of 3,4-benzpyrene (BP) increases rat liver microsomal hydroxylase activity either by promoting the synthesis of additional enzyme protein or by activation of existing enzyme as measured by alterations in the apparent maximal velocity ( V max ) or apparent Michaelis Constant ( K m ) respectively. The values of the kinetic constants of the induced enzyme are dependent on the amount of inducer given, and by comparing the dosage-dependent trends with the parameters for the uninduced control enzyme, it is possible to demonstrate interaction between the inducer and the enzyme. Ethionine given at the same time as benzpyrene prevents an increase in the V max but permits a reduction of the K m to 10 per cent of the original control level, allowing a calculation of the extent of BP binding to the existing enzyme. In the absence of ethionine, after BP administration, more enzyme is synthesized, thereby decreasing the proportion of BP-bound enzyme. When a second dose of BP is given 24 hr after an initial dose, the K m is reduced from the 24-hr enzyme preparation, whereas the V max is maintained at an equivalent level, which indicates additional interaction between the inducer and the enzyme synthesized from 0 to 24 hr. This suggests that the binding of BP is to a site other than the active site of the enzyme. Aflatoxin B 1 (AB 1 ) also possesses similar abilities to stimulate hydroxylase synthesis and activation (decrease in K m ), but the effects are considerably compromised by its inhibitory effects on protein synthesis.
ABET Program Criteria: Review and Assessment for a Civil Engineering Program

Recently, the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) sponsored programs to recommend changes for the engineering curriculum. In addition, various other studies, such as that conducted by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), investigated methods to strengthen undergraduate education. The present investigation is based on a study of Lamar University civil engineering undergraduate and graduate students as well as practicing alumni. The findings suggest that all three groups, practicing engineers as well as undergraduate and graduate students, perceive that some subject areas are more important than others. For example, greater than 40% of each group identified four subject areas that presently receive or should receive a high level of coverage in the civil engineering curriculum. They include: mathematics through calculus and differential equations; structural and geotechnical engineering; and major design experience or course. In addition, more than 40% of the undergraduates and practicing engineers also perceive that hydraulics/hydrology/water resources presently receive or should receive a high level of coverage. In contrast, graduate students and practitioners also believe that construction management/surveying, and structural/materials and hydraulics laboratories receive or should receive a high level of coverage. These results suggest strong support for the traditional technical aspect of engineering. In addition, they may be interpreted as positive reinforcement for the Engineering Criteria 2000 program requirements. Nevertheless, all three groups rate professional practice issues at a relatively lower percentage. The foregoing are among the various subjects that have been included in the Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria that have been adopted by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as criteria that must be considered in order to satisfy the requirements of an accredited civil engineering degree.
Highly efficient incremental estimation of gaussian mixture models for online data stream clustering

We present a probability-density-based data stream clustering approach which requires only the newly arrived data, not the entire historical data, to be saved in memory. This approach incrementally updates the density estimate taking only the newly arrived data and the previously estimated density. The idea roots on a theorem of estimator updating and it works naturally with Gaussian mixture models. We implement it through the expectation maximization algorithm and a cluster merging strategy by multivariate statistical tests for equality of covariance and mean. Our approach is highly efficient in clustering voluminous online data streams when compared to the standard EM algorithm. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithm on clustering a simulated Gaussian mixture data stream and clustering real noisy spike signals extracted from neuronal recordings.
Calculating decay heat removal rates via natural circulation along variable heat flux reactor fuel plates

Abstract A recently developed integral technique is applied to natural convection cooling along test reactor fuel plates. The technique is demonstrated for water and air flow. In the case of air flow, the process is characterized by a large temperature rise along the fuel channel, thereby rendering the commonly applied Boussinesq approximation invalid. This case is a heat transfer problem of particular interest in accident analyses such as determining the level of decay heat dissipation possible, without exceeding the melting temperature of the fuel, subsequent to a hypothetical loss of primary coolant.
Social, Institutional, and Psychological Factors Affecting Wildfire Incident Decision Making

Managing wildland fire incidents can be fraught with complexity and uncertainty. Myriad human factors can exert significant influence on incident decision making, and can contribute additional uncertainty regarding programmatic evaluations of wildfire management and attainment of policy goals. This article develops a framework within which human sources of uncertainty in wildfire management can be classified and managed, specifically identifying social, institutional, and psychological factors that can affect wildland fire incident decision making. These factors are reviewed in the context of wildland fire incident management and the literature regarding fire manager decision making. I then provide specific recommendations for addressing these issues, with a focus on improving incident decision processes. Extending this framework to consider a broader set of human factors and to consider how human factors affect the broader wildfire management spectrum could lead to improved fire management outcomes.
Identification of covalent adducts to protein sulfur nucleophiles by alkaline permethylation

Abstract We recently reported on the identification of metabolites of the hepatotoxin bromobenzene covalently bound to rat liver protein sulfur nucleophiles (D. E. Slaughter and R. P. Hanzlik, Chem. Res. Toxicol. 4, 349-359 (1991). Central to that study was our development of a method called alkaline permethylation which converts protein-S adducts of xenobiotic electrophiles to stable extractable thioanisole derivatives. We report here on substantial improvements to our original alkaline permethylation method which should greatly expand its potential utility. Specifically, we have developed significantly milder reaction conditions, eliminated side reactions, improved the amount and consistency of thioanisole yields from various mercapturic acid model compounds, and increased the overall sensitivity of the method at least 50-fold. Using the procedure described herein it is routinely possible to generate, detect, and identify by GC/MS as little as 2 pmol of a thioanisole derivative. This method is potentially quite general and should prove useful for studies in the toxicology of reactive metabolites, for industrial hygiene and biomonitoring, and for agrichemical residue analysis.
Inhaled Corticosteroids in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: How Significant is the Risk of Pneumonia and Should It Impact Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids?

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at an increased risk of infections such as pneumonia. Pneumonia among patients with COPD carries a higher risk of mortality. Inhaled corticosteroids are among the most widely used agents in patients with COPD. They are usually indicated in patients with severe COPD in combination with a long-acting β-agonist to reduce the frequency of exacerbations. Apart from their local effects in the lungs, inhaled corticosteroids may be systemically absorbed and have immunosuppressive effects. Although, the strength of the association between inhaled corticosteroids and pneumonia is modest (≈ 60% increased relative risk), this effect is consistent across clinical trials, meta-analyses of clinical trials, and observational studies. Observational studies also confirm a dose–response effect. Whether this increased risk of pneumonia translates into an increased risk of mortality is unknown. Although all the links in the causal chain have yet to be elucidated, converging lines of evidence suggest that clinicians should carefully balance the risk of pneumonia associated with inhaled corticosteroids, along with their benefits on exacerbations, in determining the optimal choice of therapy for patients with COPD.
Controversies in renal anemia management

Anemia plays a key role in generating excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Among patients with end-stage renal disease, low hemoglobin levels contribute to an increased rate of hospitalization and shortened survival. Several issues in the pathogenesis and management of renal anemia, including the use of recombinant erythropoietin, are controversial and unresolved. In addition, the management of anemia has major economic implications. Clarifying these issues ultimately could enhance patient outcomes while lessening the need for erythropoietin and intravenous iron, which could potentially save millions of dollars.
Inactivation of Cg10062, a cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase homologue in Corynebacterium glutamicum, by (R)- and (S)-oxirane-2-carboxylate: analysis and implications.

(R)- and (S)-oxirane-2-carboxylate were determined to be active site-directed irreversible inhibitors of the cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase (cis-CaaD) homologue Cg10062 found in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Kinetic analysis indicates that the (R) enantiomer binds more tightly and is the more potent inhibitor, likely reflecting more favorable interactions with active site residues. Pro-1 is the sole site of covalent modification by the (R) and (S) enantiomers. Pro-1, Arg-70, Arg-73, and Glu-114, previously identified as catalytic residues in Cg10062, have also been implicated in the inactivation mechanism. Pro-1, Arg-70, and Arg-73 are essential residues for the process as indicated by the observation that the enzymes with the corresponding alanine mutations are not covalently modified by either enantiomer. The E114Q mutant slows covalent modification of Cg10062 but does not prevent it. The results are comparable to those found for the irreversible inactivation of cis-CaaD by (R)-oxirane-2-carboxylate with two important distinctions: the alkylation of cis-CaaD is stereospecific, and Glu-114 does not take part in the cis-CaaD inactivation mechanism. Cg10062 exhibits low-level cis-CaaD and trans-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase (CaaD) activities, with the cis-CaaD activity predominating. Hence, the preference of Cg10062 for the cis isomer correlates with the observation that the (R) enantiomer is the more potent inactivator. Moreover, the factors responsible for the relaxed substrate specificity of Cg10062 may account for the stereoselective inactivation by the enantiomeric epoxides. Delineation of these factors would provide a more complete picture of the substrate specificity determinants for cis-CaaD. This study represents an important step toward this goal by setting the stage for a crystallographic analysis of inactivated Cg10062.
Fire Extinguishing Agents for Protection of Occupied Spaces in Military Ground Vehicles

Historically the US Army used Halon 1301 (bromotrifluoromethane), a chemical with high ozone depletion potential (ODP), to protect the crews of armored vehicles from the effects of peacetime and combat fires. Since the phase-out of Halon production the US Army has directed that zero ODP materials be used wherever possible. Subsequently, major new vehicle platforms have been deployed with automatic fire extinguishing systems (AFES) that rely on HFC-227BC, a zero-ODP-agent blend of HFC-227ea (heptafluoropropane) and sodium-bicarbonate-based dry chemical. Unfortunately, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) generally have high global warming potential (GWP)—thousands of times that of carbon dioxide on a weight basis. Hence, as part of a larger effort to reduce its carbon footprint, US Army Program Managers have asked that fire extinguishing agents that are more environmentally friendly be evaluated as part of ongoing vehicle modernization efforts. Several agents were investigated, including FK-5-1-12, water with additives, and dry chemicals. This report describes the findings of more than 150 live-fire tests using nine agents and four extinguisher technologies. The basic conclusion is that no alternate agent can yet be considered to be a practical replacement for Halon 1301 or HFC-227BC for this application. However, a blend of Halon 1301 and dry chemical has been found to be about twice as effective as Halon 1301 alone. Thus, pending confirmation tests on vehicles, it may be feasible to use less Halon in legacy systems without compromising fire protection performance.
The Relationship Between Neuropsychological/Perceptual Performance and Socioeconomic Status in Children with Learning Disabilities

A battery of 10 neuropsychological/perceptual tests was administered to a sample of 57 reading disabled children, aged 6 through 11 years. These test scores were associated, at mild to moderate levels, with measures of academic achievement. Data pertaining to socioeconomic status (SES) were also obtained. Whereas SES related significantly to achievement and intelligence, it was clearly uncorrelated with performance on the neuropsychological tests. This lack of association is discussed; the potential confounding variable of a restricted range of neuropsychological performance does not apply. Results are addressed in light of the significant association between SES and neuropsychological/perceptual performance in non-learning-disabled children.
Fatal Couplings of Power and Difference: Notes on Racism and Geography

To study the complexities of race and geography, research and analysis should center on the fatally dynamic coupling of power and difference signified by racism. The author considers briefly the theoretical and methodological implications of key frameworks geographers used during the past century to account for racialized power differentials. To illustrate the political, economic, and cultural capacities that historical materialist geographical inquiry ought to consider, the author outlines the background for a new project—a case study of the U.S. during a period of unusually intense state-building in the mid-twentieth century. The article concludes that the political geography of race consists of space, place, and location as shaped simultaneously by gender, class, and scale.
Collision energy dependence of viscous hydrodynamic flow in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Using a (2+1)-dimensional viscous hydrodynamical model, we study the dependence of flow observables on the collision energy ranging from $\sqrt{s}=7.7A$ GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to $\sqrt{s}=2760A$ GeV at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). With a realistic equation of state, Glauber model initial conditions, and a small specific shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}/s=0.08$, the differential charged hadron elliptic flow ${v}_{2}^{\mathrm{ch}}({p}_{T},\sqrt{s})$ is found to exhibit a very broad maximum as a function of $\sqrt{s}$ around top RHIC energy, rendering it almost independent of collision energy for $39\ensuremath{\leqslant}\sqrt{s}\ensuremath{\leqslant}2760A$ GeV. Compared to ideal fluid dynamical simulations, this ``saturation'' of elliptic flow is shifted to higher collision energies by shear viscous effects. For color-glass-motivated Monte Carlo--Kharzeev-Levin-Nardi initial conditions, which require a larger shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}/s=0.2$ to reproduce the measured elliptic flow, a similar saturation is not observed up to LHC energies, except for very low ${p}_{T}$. We emphasize that this saturation of the elliptic flow is not associated with the QCD phase transition, but arises from the interplay between radial and elliptic flow, which shifts with $\sqrt{s}$ depending on the fluid's viscosity and leads to a subtle cancellation between increasing contributions from light particles and decreasing contributions from heavy particles to ${v}_{2}$ in the $\sqrt{s}$ range, where ${v}_{2}^{\mathrm{ch}}({p}_{T},\sqrt{s})$ at fixed ${p}_{T}$ is maximal. By generalizing the definition of spatial eccentricity ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{x}$ to isothermal hypersurfaces, we calculate ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{x}$ on the kinetic freeze-out surface at different collision energies. Up to top RHIC energy, $\sqrt{s}=200A$ GeV, the fireball is still out-of-plane deformed at freeze-out, while at LHC energy the final spatial eccentricity is predicted to approach zero.
Collateral Vessels on CT Angiography Predict Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Despite the abundance of emerging multimodal imaging techniques in the field of stroke, there is a paucity of data demonstrating a strong correlation between imaging findings and clinical outcome. This study explored how proximal arterial occlusions alter flow in collateral vessels and whether occlusion or extent of collaterals correlates with prehospital symptoms of fluctuation and worsening since onset or predict in-hospital worsening. Methods— Among 741 patients enrolled in a prospective cohort study involving CT angiographic imaging in acute stroke, 134 cases with proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion and 235 control subjects with no occlusions were identified. CT angiography was used to identify occlusions and grade the extent of collateral vessels in the sylvian fissure and leptomeningeal convexity. History of symptom fluctuation or progressive worsening was obtained on admission. Results— Prehospital symptoms were unrelated to occlusion or collateral status. In cases, 37...
Transgenes in the Analysis of Life Span and Fitness

abstract: Drosophila P element–mediated transformation can be used to determine whether and how a specific gene contributes to demographic components of fitness. Motivated by the problem of senescence, researchers have applied this approach to genes thought to affect survival through processes of somatic maintenance. Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase and catalase reduce the flux of reactive oxygen molecules that are thought to be a central cause of aging. EF1α is a component of the protein synthesis machine; deterioration of this housekeeping function is a potential contributor to senescence. Molecular chaperones such as the heat shock protein hsp70 are multifunctional molecules that affect a cell's response to acute stress. In some models, senescence results from the cumulative effects of stress, and heat shock proteins may regulate the progress of this deterioration. Transformations with the candidate genes of these proteins were used in independent studies to measure the effect of overexpression on longevity;...
Timing of mite injury affects the bloom and fruit development of apple

The time when injury by the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), occurs on an apple tree was studied to determine if yield components and vegetative growth were affected. Apple trees were subjected to about 1,000 cumulative mite days at three different times: early season (early May to mid-June), midseason (mid-June to 1 August), and late season (1 August to mid-October). Midseason injury resulted in the greatest reduction in mean fruit weight at harvest as well as return bloom and fruit load the following season. Late-season injury resulted in a reduction of return bloom. Early-season injury did not result in significant differences from the control for any of the response variables measured. On defruited trees, return bloom, percentage of set, and fruit load were not affected by early-season mite injury of the previous year. Percentage of set was not related to early-season injury occurring the same year.
The d2-M(NR)2 Fragment, High Valent and Low Valent Organometallic Equivalents, and an Unusual Mode of Ethylene Complexation

We report approximate molecular orbital calculations on models of the ethylene complex W(NMes)2(PMe3)2(η2-C2H4) 1. The ethylene unit in 1 is oriented perpendicular to the equatorial plane – an unusual orientation for trigonal bipyramidal L4M-(η2-C2H4) complexes. In order to understand the bonding in 1, the tungsten fragment W(NR)2L2 is discussed in some detail and we compare the “high valent” ethylene complex 1 and the “low valent” olefin complex Fe(CO)4(η2-C2H4). An analysis of π-bonding shows that the metal nitrogen bond in the cis,-[M(NR)2] unit is less than a triple bond, and the d2-[M(NR)L2] fragment is more like a 16 than an 18 valence electron fragment. The nature of the occupied d-orbital explains the opening of the angle E–M–E in trigonal bipyramidal complexes d2-cis-M(E)2L3. Both C2v fragments d2-W(NR)2L2 and d8-Fe(CO)4 have characteristic frontier orbitals, qualitatively similar to the frontier orbitals of CH2. These orbitals guide the ethylene ligand into or out of the equatorial plane. The general analysis leads to the conclusion that dn (n > O) “high valent” complex fragments are actually better back-bonding donors for π-acidic ligands. For 1, we detect also another mininum on the energy surface – the olefin ligand is now oriented parallel to the equatorial plane. This raises the fascinating possibilities of the existence of multiple conformational minima for some transition metal ethylene complexes.
Legal Concerns in Psychosomatic Medicine

In the practice of psychosomatic medicine, the psychiatric consultant is likely to be confronted with questions at the interface of psychiatry and law. These issues generally emerge around questions of confidentiality and exceptions to confidentiality, assessments of a patient's ability to consent to and refuse treatment, and concerns about malpractice liability. Overall, psychiatrists should approach the care of patients clinically, while understanding the applicable laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which they practice. In addition, clinicians should be aware of the legal and risk management resources available to them should a complex situation arise. Finally, the psychiatric consultant should make use of consultation when complex issues emerge at the interface of psychiatry and law.
On the validity of geosocial mobility traces

Mobile networking researchers have long searched for large-scale, fine-grained traces of human movement, which have remained elusive for both privacy and logistical reasons. Recently, researchers have begun to focus on geosocial mobility traces, e.g. Foursquare checkin traces, because of their availability and scale. But are we conceding correctness in our zeal for data? In this paper, we take initial steps towards quantifying the value of geosocial datasets using a large ground truth dataset gathered from a user study. By comparing GPS traces against Foursquare checkins, we find that a large portion of visited locations is missing from checkins, and most checkin events are either forged or superfluous events. We characterize extraneous checkins, describe possible techniques for their detection, and show that both extraneous and missing checkins introduce significant errors into applications driven by these traces.
Witnessing Charles Chesnutt: The Contexts of "The Dumb Witness"

When Henry B. Wonham writes that Charles W. Chesnutt’s dialect tales possess a “complicated engagement with contemporary issues” (“Plenty” 131), he addresses turn-of-the-century contentions such as racism and disfranchisement—that is, issues of 1900. As is often pointed out, Chesnutt’s work does bear witness to its time. However, others have added to this commentary by observing that Chesnutt also addresses our turn of the century. In both instances, the focus falls upon vested interests of author and reader, upon context and broadly political concerns. More intriguing is the fact that Chesnutt’s very telling of these tales is telling, that their narrative technique is their content. Critics point out that the framing of the stories communicates ideas about black voice and exploitation—whether, for example, Uncle Julius uses or is used by white characters such as John. Yet after more than a century of history and critical theory, our readings of Chesnutt cannot be altogether naive—which is another way of saying that we prefer our own naivete. The past is always a trope of the present. Our present, our experience, allows us to consider Chesnutt’s narrative technique not only as an instance of African American expression but also as a parable about the nature of African American studies. One of Chesnutt’s dialect stories in particular opens out endlessly and suggestively from past to present, white to black and black to white, from its art to how we study its art. The frame of “The Dumb Witness” (c. 1897) extends far beyond the borders of its pages and implicates us all. Although the tale employs dialect, it was not one of the original conjure tales: the conjure woman does not appear, and the story was not included in the 1899 volume The Conjure Woman. However, Richard H. Brodhead considers the work a later though related tale and includes it in his edition of Chesnutt’s conjure stories, The Conjure Woman and Other Conjure Tales (1993). It is “thematically of a whole with all of the conjure tales” (Carmean 101). The lurid, Southern gothic plot touches upon mystery and deception, violence and revenge, and miscegenation and retribution. The young, first-person narrator, John (white and enterprising, a Northern entrepreneur), arrives at the old, run-down
Role of Metal–Semiconductor Contact in Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors

In this paper, we present a systematic study of the role of metal/semiconductor nanowire (NW) contact in back-gated Ge and Si NW Schottky-barrier (SB) FETs. Our results show that the performance of such devices is largely dominated by the carrier injection efficiency at the source contact, which, in turn, is controlled by metal contact depth and gate bias. Using low-temperature annealing of back-gated Ge and Si NW SB FETs with nickel (Ni) contacts as source and drain, we monitor the evolution of the device current as the contact metal progressively diffuses into the NWs. The drain current, which is measured at a given gate and drain bias, first increases as the contact metal diffuses into the NW, reaches a maximum, and subsequently decreases. These results can be explained by the interplay between carrier injection efficiency through the metal/NW SB, which increases with the metal contact depth, and the number of available states in the NW between contact and the bottom oxide, which decreases with the metal contact depth.
Studies on antigenic competition. Efforts to identify the cellular basis of competition using a cell transfer system.

Antigenic competition was studied in a cell transfer system. The effect of reconstituting lethally irradiated mice with various numbers of thymus or bone marrow cells on the extent of antigenic competition was evaluated. Brucella or burro erythrocytes both caused inhibition of the immune response (Plaque-forming cell) to sheep erythrocytes when given two days prior to the test antigen. Varying the dose of thymus cells, or of bone marrow cells did not alter the degree of competition. Competition was observed even when the competing antigen was injected with bone marrow cells alone two days before the test antigen and thymus cells. The results suggest that mechanisms other than T-cell activation alone must be considered as operative in some models of antigenic competition.