cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Perspectives of Parents and Siblings Toward Future Planning for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Parents often provide the bulk of caregiving supports for their adult offspring with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Given the longer lives of people with IDD, however, such caregiving roles may transition to siblings. Thus, it is critical to conduct future planning among family members (e.g., parents, siblings) to prepare for the transition of caregiving roles. To this end, we interviewed 10 parent-sibling dyads (N = 20) of people with IDD about long-term planning. Both parents and siblings reported family-related and systemic barriers to developing future plans. Siblings (unlike parents) reported wanting more communication among family members about planning. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Total synthesis of (+/-)-jamtine using a thionium/N-acyliminium ion cascade.

The first total synthesis of (±)-jamtine (4), a tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid reputed for its therapeutic properties, is described. The key step involves a tandem thionium/N-acyliminium ion cyclization from enamido sulfoxide 13. The cascade process takes place with high diastereoselectivity and in excellent yield.
Ab initio studies of

Ab initio calculations of the [1,5]-H shift in (3Z)-penta-1,3-diene and other substituted pentadienes and heteroanalogues using the hybrid density functional Becke3LYP with the 6-31G* basis set are presented. Electron-donating substituents, such as methoxy in (3Z)-3-methoxypenta-1,3-diene 1, or heteroatoms such as a nitrogen atom in (Z)-ethylidenevinylamine 2, (1Z)-buta-1,3-dienylamine 3, (2Z)-but-2-enylideneamine 4, (Z)-allylidenemethylamine 5, and methylene-(Z)-propenylamine 6 are introduced. The electron-withdrawing fluoride is substituted for the hydrogen atoms in (3Z)-3-fluoropenta-1,3-diene 7, (3Z)-2,4-difluoropenta-1,3-diene 8, (3Z)-1,1‘,2,3,4,5,5‘-heptafluoropenta-1,3-diene 10, (1E,3E)-1,3,5-trifluoropenta-1,3-diene 11, and (1Z,3E)-1,3,5-trifluoropenta-1,3-diene 13. A detailed analysis of the geometries, energies, and electronic characteristics of the sigmatropic transposition compared to those of the unsubstituted case provides insights into substituent effects of this prototype of pericyclic rea...
Analysis of Adhesive Disbond Occurrences in Rotor Blades of Mi-2 Helicopters

Polish Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is responsible for delivery service life extension program for the main rotor blades of multiple helicopters in the Polish Air Force (such as Mi-2, Mi-8/17, Mi-14, Mi-24). Due to the operational profile, certain number of blades got decommissioned when the calendar service life is reached, while the accumulated flight hour count is still below the hourly service limit. This is why a dedicated research program, as well as inquiry into the usage and technical condition of the blades is necessary. To maintain such a program, regular inspections of the blade structure are required.
A Heuristic Approach to Overcome Architectural Barriers Using a Robotic Wheelchair

The Mobility Enhancement roBotic (MEBot) wheelchair was developed to improve the safety and accessibility of wheelchair users when facing architectural barriers. MEBot uses pneumatic actuators attached to its frame and six wheels to provide curb ascending/descending for heights up to 20.3 cm. To improve MEBot’s application, this study used a heuristic approach with power wheelchair users to evaluate and improve the MEBot application at different curb heights. Wheelchair users were trained on MEBot’s features to operate its curb ascending/descending application. Three trials were carried out with wheelchair users ascending and descending three curbs of different height. Quantitative variables were analyzed to improve the sequential steps to ascend/descend curbs. Additionally, the application’s effectiveness and efficiency were measured by the number of completed tasks, change in seat angle, and task completion time. Results showed that participants completed each trial and applied alternative strategies to traverse different curb heights. Furthermore, results suggested the combination and/or re-arrangement of steps to reduce task completion time. MEBot demonstrated its effectiveness to ascend/descend different curb heights with a heterogeneous participant sample. Future work will incorporate participant’s most efficient strategies to improve the ascending/ascending process and the efficiency of the MEBot application.
Abstract 642: Single-Cell RNA-seq Unveils Unique Transcriptomic Signatures of Organ-Specific Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cells (ECs) display considerable functional heterogeneity depending on the vessel and tissue in which they are located. While these functional differences are presumably imprinted in th...
I Can Feel What You Feel: Emotion Exchanges in Twitter Conversations between Candidates and the Public

Twitter offers politicians a direct path of communication to the public, and by its very nature, encourages tweets that are often heavy on emotions. Given the rise of Twitter and emotional appeals ...
LITERARY READING: HÖLDERLIN THROUGH HEIDEGGER THROUGH DE MAN

This essay examines how the stakes of literary theory can be understood within the activity of reading. Through Paul de Man's reading of Martin Heidegger's reading of Friedrich Holderlin, this essay analyzes the way that Heidegger uses Holderlin's poetic language, examples, and etymology to elaborate his own thought — thought which ultimately demands to be read. By understanding de Man's response to Heidegger's thinking, we can see how readings must respond to thought precisely because language requires the reader to recover the moments language is always documenting as already lost.
Starting an Intercollegiate Moot Court Team: Tips and Advice for Faculty

Moot Court, or simulated appellate argument, is a common practice in law schools across the country. At the undergraduate level, moot court is less common, but is growing. This paper offers advice ...
3.16 – Fumaric Acid

Fumaric acid is an important specialty chemical with wide industrial applications ranging from its use as feedstock for the synthesis of polymeric resins to acidulant in foods and pharmaceuticals. Currently, fumaric acid is mainly produced by petroleum-based chemical synthesis. Limited petroleum resources, rising oil prices, and heightened environmental concern of chemical synthesis have prompted interest in the development of bio-based fumaric acid from renewable resources. Filamentous fungal fermentation with Rhizopus spp. can produce fumaric acid from glucose via a reductive tricarboxylic acid (TCA) pathway and was once used in the industry before the rising of the petrochemical industry. However, conventional fumaric acid fermentation is expensive because of its low product yield and productivity. Filamentous fungal fermentation is also difficult to operate because of its morphology. Methods to control cell growth in the pellet form and to immobilize the mycelia in biofilm have been developed to improve fermentation performance. In this article, we provide detailed discussions on fumaric acid producing microorganisms (mainly Rhizopus oryzae); the metabolic pathway; key enzymes involved in fumaric acid overproduction; fermentation process conditions including substrates, nutrients, and methods to control cell morphology, fermentation pH, and dissolved oxygen; and separation methods for fumaric acid recovery from the fermentation broth. We conclude that future research aiming at understanding the metabolic pathway and regulatory network associated with fumaric acid biosynthesis should pave the way leading to the development of novel strains for the economical production of fumaric acid from biomass.
Simple Procedure for Load Rating Reinforced Concrete Slab Bridges without Plans

AbstractIn New Mexico, bridges without plans are currently an issue as in other states in the US. Standard techniques cannot be used for load rating due to the lack of design plans that contain nec...
Application of the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index in Indoor Marijuana Grow Operations

OBJECTIVES Indoor marijuana grow operations (IMGOs) are increasing due to legalization of recreational and medicinal cannabis at the state level. However, the potential exposures of IMGO workers have not been well studied. Mold exposure has been identified as a major occupational health concern. Mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR) can provide quantitative exposure data for fungi at the species level. The purpose of this study was to characterize the airborne fungal burden using MSQPCR and to evaluate the applicability of an airborne Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) in IMGOs. METHODS Air and dust samples were collected inside and outside the IMGOs and then analyzed via MSQPCR. These data were then used to calculate IMGO-specific ERMI scores. Culturable air samples were collected on agar plates and analyzed via microscopy. Differences were evaluated between indoor and outdoor concentrations, as well as between air and dust samples. The agreement between MSQPCR and culture-based methods was also evaluated. RESULTS Based on the geometric means for non-zero values of each fungal species across all IMGOs, the total airborne concentration was approximately 9100 spore equivalent (SE) m-3 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 222 SE m-3. The indoor/outdoor ratio of geometric means across all 36 species per IMGO ranged from 0.4 to 6.2. Significantly higher indoor concentrations of fungal species, including Aspergillus spp., were observed. An average airborne ERMI score of 7 (IQR = 7.6) indicated a relatively high burden of mold across a majority of operations. The ERMI scores were driven by the high concentrations of Group 1 species with a mean of 15.8 and an IQR of 13. There were 63 additional species identified in the culturable air samples not included in the ERMI. CONCLUSIONS High concentrations of airborne fungi were identified in IMGOs. Our evaluation of the ERMI based on MSQPCR as a rapid diagnostic and risk assessment tool for industrial hygienists in the IMGO setting is equivocal. ERMI did not identify all relevant fungal species associated with this specific occupational environment. We identified several issues with using the ERMI calculation. At this time, the catalog of fungal species needs to optimized for the occupational setting to ensure adequate coverage, especially for those species expected to be found in this burgeoning industry. Further research is necessary to elucidate the link between the ERMI score of airborne samples, worker exposure and health effects in grows to generate an acceptable index score for use in occupational exposure assessments.
Learning the Truth by Weakly Connected Agents in Social Networks Using Multi-Armed Bandit

This article provides a study into the social network where influential personalities collaborate positively among themselves to learn an underlying truth over time, but may have misled their followers to believe a false information. Most existing work that study leader-follower relationships in a social network model the social network as a graph network, and apply non-Bayesian learning to train the weakly connected agents to learn the truth. Although this approach is popular, it has the limitation of assuming that the truth - otherwise called the true state - is time-invariant. This is not practical in social network, where streams of information are released and updated every second, making the true state arbitrarily time-varying. Thus, this article improves on existing work by introducing online reinforcement learning into the graph theoretic framework. Specifically, multi-armed bandit technique is applied. A multi-armed bandit algorithm is proposed and used to train the weakly connected agents to converge to the most stable state over time. The speed of convergence for these weakly connected agents trained with the proposed algorithm is slower by 66% on average, when compared to the speed of convergence for strongly connected agents trained with the state-of-the-art algorithm. This is because weakly connected agents are difficult to train. However, the speed of convergence of these weakly connected agents can be improved by approximately 50% on average, by fine-tuning the learning rate of the proposed algorithm. The sublinearity of the regret bound for the proposed algorithm is compared to the sublinearity of the regret bound for the state-of-the-art algorithm for strongly connected networks.
A synthesis of the Devonian wildfire record: Implications for paleogeography, fossil flora, and paleoclimate

Abstract The Devonian is known for the earliest dispersal of extensive wildfires, but the spatiotemporal diversification pattern and process have not been studied in detail. We synthesize a total of 65 global wildfire occurrences based on fossil charcoals and geochemical (biomarker) evidence from 10 paleogeographic areas across 10 time bins (Lochkovian–late Famennian). Stratigraphically, the highest number of wildfire occurrences is found in the Late Devonian, especially the late Famennian. Paleogeographically, Devonian wildfire evidence is highly concentrated in the eastern Euramerican region that consists of the Appalachian Basin, Avalonia, and Baltica along the Acadian landmass. These data collectively define a unique diversification pattern, here coined as the ‘Famennian Wildfire Explosion’ (FWE). This possible global wildfire spread, based on our diversity analysis of the plant fossil record in eastern Euramerica, is tightly corresponding to the paleogeographic distribution of lignophytes, but not to other common groups of Late Devonian woody plants (e.g., lycopodiopsids, spermatophytes, pteridophytes-monilophytes). Those lignophyte trees and shrubs include 34 species of Aneurophytales, Archaeopteridales, and Spermatophytes in the eastern Euramerican area that represent the primary forest component as the major fuel source of the FWE. By comparing our wildfire and fossil plant diversity with available paleoclimate data (e.g., global atmospheric oxygen level, paleohumidity), we suggest that the FWE in eastern Euramerica is unique due to a combination of occurrences (i) in a relatively low paleolatitudinal zone and (ii) in arid and warm temperate climate zones, but it shows (iii) a relatively weak correlation with the rapidly increasing atmospheric oxygen level.
Data Center Hosting Services Governance Portal and Google Map-Based Collaborations

In the IT services business, a multi-year enterprise application hosting contract often carries a price tag that is an order of magnitude larger than that of the solution development. For hosting services providers to compete over the revenue stream, the ability to provide rapid application deployment is a critical consideration on top of the price differences. In fact, a data center is tested repeatedly in its responsiveness, as application hosting requires iterations of deployment adjustments due to business condition, IT optimization, security, and compliance reasons. In this paper, we report an enterprise application deployment governance portal, which coordinates service delivery roles, integrates system management tools, and above all keeps the clients involved or at least informed. In the data center operations such as: early engagement, requirement modeling, solution deployment designs, service delivery, steady state management, and close out; this paper illustrates how the Google Map technology can be used in representing both the target deployment architecture and delivery process. The Google map model can then be used in delivery process execution and collaborations. The resulting governance portal has been fully implemented and is in active use for the data center business transformation in IBM.
Assessing Effects of Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels on Ocean Ecosystems: Carbon Productivity Responses to Increased Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Concentrations in Surface Ocean: Exploring the Feasibility of an in Situ Mesoscale Carbon Addition Experiment; Palisades, New York, 23–24 March 2009

To assess the effects of future elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels on ocean biogeochemistry and ecosystems, it is desirable to mimic such an environment in nature. A workshop to explore an in situ open ocean mesoscale CO2 perturbation experiment that would simulate the oceanic conditions expected toward the end of this century was held at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University (LDEO). The objectives were to evaluate the current understanding of the potential effects on open ocean ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling resulting from carbon chemistry and pH changes in response to increased atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and to examine the scientific justification and logistical feasibility of an in situ open ocean mesoscale CO2/pH perturbation experiment. The 15 participants represented fields of modeling and physical, geochemical, and biological oceanography.
Labor Market Flexibility as a Determinant of FDI Inflows

This paper shows that labor market flexibility, measured by labor market standards and regulations, has two opposing effects on FDI inflows. Labor market regulations and standards decrease FDI inflows through the cost channel, but they increase FDI inflows through the productivity channel. Allowing for a non-linear relationship between different indicators of labor market flexibility and FDI inflows revealed that some degree of labor market standards and regulations may be attractive for foreign investors. Results strongly suggest that foreign investments to and from different countries and in different sectors are affected differently by different aspects of labor market standards and regulations.
Identification of follicular helper T cells as a novel cell population potentially involved in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (HUM3P.251)

Background . RA is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovium, causing progressive joint destruction. The treatment for RA is largely based on the clinic manifestations, which are remote from the fundamental pathophysiologic defects. Identification of cellular subsets or biomarkers is a necessary first step toward more accurate prognosis and better therapeutic decisions. Here, we identified a novel T cell subset, follicular helper T cells (Tfh) in RA patients, and examined the hypothesis that Tfh cells may account for RA pathogenesis by providing a fostering environment for self-reactive B cells, resulting in autoantibody production. Methods . Peripheral blood was collected from 26 RA patients and healthy donors. Synovial fluid from actively inflamed joints of RA patients was also collected. Clinical disease activity (DAS-28) and serum laboratory results were obtained. Tfh cells were defined by their signature surface markers via flow cytometry. IL-21 expression and plasmablasts were measured by intracellular staining. Results. A novel T cell subset with Tfh cell signature molecule and cytokine was expanded in the peripheral blood of active RA patients. The percentage of Tfh cells correlated positively with the level of pathogenic auto-antibody (anti-CCP) and disease activity. Conclusions . Circulating Tfh cells may serve as a biomarker of pathogenesis in RA patients. Targeting RA-Tfh cells may provide earlier and precise treatment strategies.
China’s Nonperforming Loans: A $540 Billion Problem Unsolved

China’s banking industry has grown rapidly over the past three decades. As the major source of funding for Chinese enterprises (especially state-owned enterprises), the banking sector has helped finance the nation’s transformation from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented economy. In the meantime, large amounts of nonperforming loans have accumulated on the balance sheets of Chinese banks, partly due to the cost of reform, partly due to poor management and inadequate regulation. In 1999, four asset management corporations were established to resolve the nonperforming loan problem. As stated by the State Council, these asset management corporations would cease operation by the end of 2009. It is therefore of interest to examine the progress they have made in disposing of nonperforming loans. In this paper, the author attempts to draw a picture of how the nonperforming loan problem has developed since the mid-1990s, provide an estimate of the total nonperforming loans held by Chinese financial institutions, and assess to what extent these bad assets might pose a threat to the country’s financial stability.
DETECTION BIAS IN THE DIAGNOSTIC PURSUIT OF LUNG CANCER

Autopsy studies have shown that lung cancer is often not detected during life and that a correct antemortem diagnosis is made preferentially in patients with pulmonary symptoms, in smokers, and in men. The current research was done as a case-control study to determine whether the autopsy suggestions of detection bias in diagnostic pursuit of lung cancer were confirmed by the way that sputum Papanicolaou smears (Pap smears) were ordered in an inpatient setting. The cases were 385 hospitalized patients in whom sputum Pap tests had been newly performed from October 1977 to September 1980. Each case was matched by age, admission date, and admission diagnosis to a control patient who had not received a Pap test. Excluded from the study were patients in whom sputum Pap tests were obligatory (e.g., those with manifestations of hemoptysis) or unnecessary (e.g., those with a previous diagnosis of lung cancer or multiple previous sputum Pap tests). Demographic data, amount and duration of cigarette smoking, and details of clinical manifestations were extracted from the patients' medical records by research assistants blind to the study hypothesis. Compared with controls, the cases had distinctive elevations in odds ratios for chronic cough, recent cough, male sex, and cigarette smoking, which also showed a distinctive dose-response relation. In multivariate analyses, all four of these "risk factors" for selective ordering of a sputum Pap smear remained independently highly significant. In the extreme category, men who smoked and coughed were 22 times more likely to have a sputum Pap test ordered than were nonsmoking women who did not cough. Clinically, the results suggest that women and nonsmokers may be deprived of appropriate diagnosis and therapy unless a diagnostic workup for lung cancer is guided mainly by radiographic findings and presenting manifestations. Statistically, detection bias has probably led to an excessively elevated magnitude for the cigarette smoking-lung cancer association and to a falsely low estimate of incidence rates in women.
Major complications and mortality within 30 days of an electrophysiological procedure at an academic medical center: implications for developing national standards.

Major Complications Following EP ProceduresBackground Despite growing attention to performance and quality measures, national standards for reporting of outcomes after all electrophysiology (EP) procedures have not yet been developed. We sought to characterize the incidence and timing of adverse events up to 30 days after EP procedures at a tertiary academic medical center. Methods and Results We prospectively followed all patients undergoing EP procedures between January 2010 and September 2012. All were followed for 30 days postprocedure either in clinic or by telephone. Major complications were defined as events related to the procedure that led to prolongation of hospital stay or readmission, required additional procedural intervention, or resulted in death or significant injury. These were further categorized as intraprocedure, postprocedure, or postdischarge events. Seven EP physicians collectively adjudicated whether complications were directly related to the procedure. A total of 3,213 procedures were performed. Major complications occurred in 2.2% of patients; 49% of these events occurred after discharge. Death occurred in 0.6% of patients; 73% of these deaths were found to be secondary to worsening of the patient's underlying comorbid conditions and unrelated to the procedure. Conclusions When considering national standards for reporting outcomes of all EP procedures, continued follow-up after discharge is important. In our cohort, half of major complications occurring within 30 days occurred after discharge. In addition, three-quarters of deaths within 30 days were not directly related to the procedure and caution should be used in using all-cause mortality as an outcome measure for EP procedures.
Electron concentration measurements in combustion MHD flows by submillimeter laser interferometry

Methods for the determination of electron concentration are discussed as an alternative to, or a check on, measure of electrical conductivity and temperature for characterizing plasma properties in combustion MHD flows. In particular, the interferometric method of determining the free electron concentration is analyzed, and its potential assessed. A submillimeter laser Michelson interferometer is described and preliminary measures of electron concentration in the free jet of the Stanford M-8 combustor are reported. It appears that accurate measurements of the path integral of electron concentration can be made which give good agreement with values calculated from Saha equilibrium at temperatures measured by the line reversal technique. A measure of the electron mobility also may be obtained, and hence the electrical conductivity may be derived by a single nonintrusive measurement technique which is applicable to ash-laden flows.
The negative consequences of pay dispersion in family and non-family top management teams: an exploratory analysis of new venture, high-growth firms

Abstract Top management team (TMT) compensation, specifically pay dispersion, is an important organizational issue that may explain differences in family and non-family firms. Pay dispersion within the TMTs of family firms may be more detrimental to team dynamics than pay dispersion in the TMTs of non-family firms. Hypotheses are developed and empirically tested to examine the relationships of horizontal pay dispersion to cohesion, conflict, and group potency in the TMTs of family and non-family firms in high-growth new ventures.
Variability of Doppler flow velocity and cerebral perfusion pressure is reduced in the neonate by sedation and neuromuscular blockade.

Doppler flow velocity (DFV) in the anterior cerebral artery was recorded every 12 h and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) continuously in 21 sick, ventilated preterm neonates for 48 h from shortly after birth. Ten received a neuromuscular blocker, seven were sedated with morphine infusions and five received neither of these treatments. Variability of DFV and CPP was assessed by the coefficient of variation (CV) and the autocorrelation function (ACF). Variability of both signals was lowest in the group treated by neuromuscular blockade (DFV CV 3, s.d. = 0.8; CPP CV 9, s.d. = 2.2; CPP ACF 37, s.d. = 19.2), intermediate in the group receiving sedation by morphine infusion (DFV CV 3.4, s.d = 0.7; CPP CV 11, s.d. = 2.2; CPP ACF 31, s.d. = 21.6) and highest in the group receiving neither treatment (DFV CV 5, s.d. = 1.8; CPP CV 14, s.d. = 2.3; CPP ACF 27, s.d. = 16.7). Variability also increased with decreasing gestational age, suggesting that immature cerebrovascular regulatory mechanisms were present in the least mature neonates.
The 2006 Human Genome Variation Society scientific meeting.

The annual scientific meeting of the Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS) was held on the 9th of October, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year's annual meeting had two main themes, “Tools to Evaluate Pathogenicity” and “The Human Variome Project.” The ability to determine if a DNA variant affects the phenotype is important if we wish to understand the genetic contribution to disease. Genetic variants are continually being identified in research and molecular diagnostic laboratories, but functional tests are not always available. Attempts are now being made to create software that will help us determine if a variation will affect either the function of the protein, the expression of the gene, or the stability and processing of the mRNA. For the second theme, there is an interest in creating a database that brings together genetic variation with phenotypic variation in individuals. The Human Variome Project was created to begin this process. Now that the human genome sequence is all but completed, the next phase of the human genome era will be to associate genetic variation with its effect on the phenotype and differing disease states. At this scientific meeting there were also several papers focusing on the identification, classification, and functional effects of variation. These talks are representative of the questions, problems, and solutions that are being considered by researchers involved in the study of variation in the human genome. Hum Mutat 28(5), 517–521, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On The Decomposition And Inversion Of Convolution Operators

Inversion formulas for tridiagonal Toeplitz matrices are used to give exact inversion formulas for rank one convolution operators. These formulas are used to analyze the existence and behavior of the inverse in both the diagonally dominant and non-diagonally dominant cases.
The effects of cosolutes on protein dynamics: The reversal of denaturant-induced protein fluctuations by trimethylamine N-oxide

The protein stabilizing effects of the small molecule osmolyte, trimethylamine N-oxide, against chemical denaturant was investigated by NMR spin-relaxation measurements and model-free analysis. In the presence of 0.7 M guanidine hydrochloride increased picosecond-nanosecond dynamics are observed in the protein ribonuclease A. These increased fluctuations occur throughout the protein, but the most significant increases in flexibility occur at positions believed to be the first to unfold. Addition of 0.35 M trimethylamine N-oxide to this destabilized form of ribonuclease results in significant rigidification of the protein backbone as assessed by 1H-15N order parameters. Statistically, these order parameters are the same as those measured in native ribonuclease indicating that TMAO reduces the amplitude of backbone fluctuations in a destabilized protein. These data suggest that TMAO restricts the bond vector motions on the protein energy landscape to resemble those motions that occur in the native protein and points to a relation between stability and dynamics in this enzyme.
Sulphonation of eastern black spruce chips. II

Abstract Eastern black spruce, Picea mariana, chips have been treated to high yields, at temperatures from 120° to 150°C, with sodium bisulphite solutions of pH 4 and total SO2 concentrations from 0.23 to 1.92 mol L−1. The rate of sulphonation depends on the concentration of sites available for sulphonation and total SO2 concentration to the power of 0.4; it increases by approximately 70 percent for each 10°C temperature rise. It is postulated that sulphonation at pH 4 occurs by two mechanisms, one which is dependent on total SO2 concentration and involves a quinonemethide intermediate and one which is independent of total SO2 concentration and involves a carbonium ion intermediate. The rates of yield loss and lignin loss are dependent only on temperature and approximately double for each 10°C temperature increase. High total SO2 concentrations are necessary for efficient production of high strength ultra-high yield pulps from black spruce chips when treated with sodium bisulphite solutions.
Internally Composite Uniform Colloidal Cadmium Sulfide Spheres

Monodispersed spherical polycrystalline cadmium sulfide particles were synthesized by precipitation in acidic aqueous solutions during the thermally controlled reaction between cadmium nitrate and ...
The Use of Prostate-Specific Antigen in Staging Patients With Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer

Objective. —To assess the need for obtaining radionuclide bone scans in the staging evaluation of patients with newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer. This determination was made on the basis of presenting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Design. —Retrospective review. Participants. —The medical records of 2064 consecutive patients with prostate cancer who were evaluated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, from January 1989 through December 1990 were reviewed. Eight hundred fifty-two patients with newly diagnosed, untreated disease and a serum PSA concentration less than 20.0 μg/L at presentation comprised the study population. Main Outcome Measure. —The rate of false-negative results associated with using the serum PSA concentration to predict bone scan findings. Results. —Five hundred sixty-one patients had a serum PSA concentration of 10.0 μg/L or less; only three had an abnormal bone scan result, and one had an indeterminate scan result. Of the 467 men whose PSA value was 8.0 μg/L or less (two times the upper limit of the reference range), none had bone scan results that were either abnormal or indeterminate. The rate of false-negative results for an abnormal bone scan result was 0% with a serum PSA value of 8.0 μg/L or less and 0.5% with a cutoff level of 10.0 μg/L. The 95% upper confidence limit for the rate of false-negative results for all PSA cutoff levels less than 20.0 μg/L was less than 2%. Conclusions. —For patients with newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer, a serum PSA concentration of 10.0 μg/L or less, and no skeletal symptoms, a staging radionuclide bone scan does not appear to be necessary. This clinical situation applies to 39% of all patients presenting with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Since more than 130 000 new cases are diagnosed each year, approximately 50 000 patients are affected annually. If the $600 staging bone scan were eliminated for these patients, a significant economic savings to the health care system in this country would be effected. ( JAMA . 1993;269:57-60)
Effect of elevated temperature on osmotic and ionic regulation in a salt-tolerant caddisfly from Death Valley, California

Abstract The effects of temperature (8–10 or 20°C) on regulation of haemolymph osmotic and ionic concentrations were investigated over a range of salinities (0–25‰) in fifth-instar larvae of the Death Valley caddisfly Limnephilus assimilis. At low temperatures, levels of chloride and sodium in the haemolymph are regulated over a wide range of salinities corresponding to the salinities at which larvae occur in nature and at which they can complete development into adults. In contrast, haemolymph osmolality is constant at low salinities (
Surface roughness characterization of Nicalon™ and HI-Nicalon™ ceramic fibers by atomic force microscopy

The behavior of ceramic composites is governed by the nature of the fiber/matrix interface. Fiber surface roughness is a key parameter in the behavior at the fiber/matrix interface (e.g., debonding, interfacial sliding) and the overall behavior of a composite. Using an atomic force microscope (AFM), quantitative surface roughness values of ceramic fibers can be obtained, with an uncertainty of 1nm. The AFM technique was used to obtain surface roughness profiles and analysis on Si-C-O and Si-C fibers (Nicalon, and a new, virtually oxygen-free Si-C fiber, HI-Nicalon). The latter fiber had a slightly higher roughness amplitude, which may be caused by differences in processing. Although the differences in roughness between the fibers were small, the calculated radial strain and radial normal stress in composites reinforced with HI-Nicalon were higher than in those reinforced with Nicalon. This result indicates that small changes in the roughness of a fiber can significantly affect the debonding and sliding properties between the fiber and matrix.
Protein extraction optimisation, characterisation, and functionalities of protein isolate from bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seed

Abstract Bitter melon seeds are a rich source of protein. Optimum conditions for protein extraction from the seeds, determined using a response surface design, were at a pH 9.0 and 1.3 M NaCl. Soy protein isolate (SPI) was included for comparison. Surface hydrophobicity of bitter melon seed protein isolate (BMSPI) (690) was significantly higher than that of SPI (399). Electrophoretograms of BMSPI showed bands at 40 and 55 kDa, and at 22, 25, and 35 kDa in non-reducing and reducing buffers, respectively. BMSPI had most of the essential amino acids and hence could be considered as a high quality protein. BMSPI had a single denaturation temperature (113.1 °C) while SPI had two denaturation temperatures (78.0 and 94.8 °C). The proteins exhibited U-shaped curves with solubilities ranging from 62.0% to 67.5% for BMSPI and 86.7% to 90.1% for SPI at pH ⩾ 7.0. BMSPI had lower emulsifying activity (0.36 vs. 0.73), foaming capacity (39.6 vs. 61.0 ml), and foaming stability (21.5 vs. 25.5 min) than had SPI.
Modeling the Localized-to-Itinerant Electronic Transition in the Heavy Fermion System CeIrIn5

We address the fundamental question of crossover from the localized to the itinerant state of a paradigmatic heavy fermion material: CeIrIn5. The temperature evolution of the one-electron spectra and the optical conductivity are predicted from first-principles calculation. The buildup of coherence in the form of a dispersive many-body feature is followed in detail, and its effects on the conduction electrons of the material are revealed. We find multiple hybridization gaps and link them to the crystal structure of the material. Our theoretical approach explains the multiple peak structures observed in optical experiments and the sensitivity of CeIrIn5 to substitutions of the transition metal element and may provide a microscopic basis for the more phenomenological descriptions currently used to interpret experiments in heavy fermion systems.
Discontinuous movement and conformational change during pausing and termination by T7 RNA polymerase

Time‐resolved characterization of T7 RNA polymerase pausing and terminating at a class II termination site has been carried out using site‐specifically tethered chemical nucleases. The data indicate that T7RNAP normally moves uniformly down the template as a rigid body. However, at the class II site this movement is interrupted, and the leading edge of the polymerase moves further along the DNA than the trailing edge. This discontinuous movement may persist until it can no longer be accommodated by conformational changes in the elongation complex, at which point the polymerase can either pause or terminate. Termination, but not pausing, is abrogated by introduction of a disulfide bond between the polymerase fingers and thumb subdomains. The introduced cysteines disrupt a thumb–fingers salt‐bridge and, under reducing conditions, this mutant enzyme shows reduced processivity coincident with extension of the RNA to 5 nt. These observations suggest that termination requires that the thumb and fingers subdomains move apart, in a reversal of a conformational change important for initially forming a stable transcription complex.
ACCESSIBILITY CHANGES ACROSS THE MOUSE IGH-V LOCUS DURING B CELL DEVELOPMENT

During their development, B and T lymphocytes are thought to undergo several cycles of chromatin remodeling at their antigen receptor loci that serve to regulate access of a common V(D)J recombinase to particular gene segments. We used germ-line transcription and susceptibility to DNasel as markers to examine tissue and stage-specific changes in chromatin structure surrounding genes of the VHJ558, VH10, and VHS107 families, whose members are located at discreet subregions of the locus. Germ-line VH transcripts from all three families were detectable at pro- and pre-B cell stages. Transcripts from the VH10 and VHS107 families, but not VHJ558, remained detectable at the immature and mature B cell stages. Unexpectedly, none of the germ-line VH loci examined were markedly nuclease sensitive, regardless of cell type or transcriptional activity. A modest degree of nuclease sensitivity was noted at the VHJ558 loci of pro-B and pre-B cells, however. Our data suggest that the entire Igh-V locus becomes accessible at early B cell stages, and returns thereafter to an inaccessible state. However, the timing of these accessibility changes does not occur uniformly across the VH array. These results imply that multiple long-range elements are involved in targeting VH genes for rearrangement.
Interrelationships between Conformational Dynamics and the Redox Chemistry of S-Nitrosothiols

An increasing number of biological roles are ascribed to S-nitrosothiol compounds. Their inherent instability in multicomponent solutions is recognized as forming the basis for their physiological effects, such as the release of nitric oxide or the posttranslational modification of protein cysteine residues. This reactivity also contributes to the lack of fundamental physical and spectroscopic data that have been reported. We have addressed this issue through characterization of the physical and spectroscopic properties of a group of commonly used S-nitrosothiols. The S-nitrosothiol Ph3CSNO, which is readily prepared by the biphasic nitrosation of Ph3CSH, is characterized by X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and spectroelectrochemistry. Its behavior is contrasted with that of known S-nitrosothiols derived from glutathione and N-acetyl-d,l-penicillamine, which also are demonstrated to undergo facile electrochemical and chemical denitrosylation. The structure and vibrational dat...
Aging and loss of fertility in male and female Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera)

Summary The decline with age of mictic female susceptibility to fertilization and male capacity for fertilization is characterized for the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. All mictic females were susceptible to fertilization until age 4 hr. Susceptibility then declined non-linearly according to the quadratic equation Y = 140.6—14.3X + 0.36X 2. By age 24 hr, sexual females no longer could be fertilized. Only 83% of newborn males were capable of fertilization. This level of fertility held until age 8 hr, then declined linearly. The age when 50% of individuals were no longer fertile was termed the length of fertilizability 50(LF50) and is 7.9 hr (16.7% of lifespan) and 18.8 hr (26.1% of lifespan) for females and males, respectively. Newborn males had an average of 30.1 ± 1.40 motile sperm. Males transferred a mean of 2.3 motile sperm into the pseudocoelom of females on each insemination. Sperm inseminated per copulation closely corresponds to the mean number of resting cysts produced by fertilized females. It ...
Real-space renormalization of bond-disordered conductance lattices

We propose a new real-space renormalization approach for the conductivity of bond-disordered conductance lattices, and investigate two-dimensional square and three-dimensional simple cubic lattices with a binary distribution of conductances, $\ensuremath{\rho}(\ensuremath{\sigma})=p\ensuremath{\delta}(\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1})+(1\ensuremath{-}p)\ensuremath{\delta}(\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2})$. It is shown that our transformations not only give a good description of the percolation conductivity near the critical point, but lead to an approximation for the lattice conductivity $\overline{\ensuremath{\sigma}}(p)$ which is superior to the effective-medium approximation for all values of $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}}$ and $p$. In particular, the slopes of $\overline{\ensuremath{\sigma}}(p)$ at $p=0$ and $p=1$ are reproduced exactly, and in two dimensions the transformations satisfy the selfdual symmetry of the square lattice. For percolation conduction problems ($\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}}=0$) we determine the conductivity exponents $t$ and $s$, and compare our results with alternative estimates. We also present a simple approximate solution to the renormalization relations which is very accurate for all values of $p$ and produces reasonable rough estimates of $t$ and $s$.
Children's self-reported coping strategies: the role of defensiveness and repressive adaptation.

Abstract This study examined differences in self-reported coping strategies across children classified according to Weinberger et al.'s (1979) adaptive style paradigm. Consistent with the larger literature, it was hypothesized that repressors (i.e. characterized by high self-reported defensiveness and low self-reported distress) would endorse fewer behaviorally and cognitively avoidant coping strategies than other adaptive style groups. Participants included 134 children, ranging in age from 10 to 13 (M=11.26, sd=.59), who completed measures of defensiveness, trait anxiety, and coping. Consistent with the hypotheses, results indicated significantly lower endorsement of avoidant coping strategies, and significantly higher endorsement of approach-oriented strategies among repressors, but no significant differences across adaptive style groups for other forms of coping. Results indicate that, consistent with other indicators of psychological functioning, the measurement of coping strategies is subject to the...
Navigation of the Mariner Tempel 2 mission - Orbit phase and penetrator deployment

The navigation of the Mariner Mark II spacecraft about the comet Tempel 2 in the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission is described. This mission is the first of a series using the Mariner Mark II spacecraft planned for the 1990's and thereafter. The primary purpose of the mission is to orbit the nucleus of the periodic comet Tempel 2 and study it at close range. A secondary purpose is to fly by and observe one or two asteroids enroute to the comet. During the orbital phase of the mission, a penetrator will be deployed from the spacecraft to impact the surface of the comet and measure the composition and other properties of the nucleus. Navigation accuracies are given in this paper for spacecraft and penetrator trajectory prediction and control. The orbit determination performance in support of science observations while in orbit about the nucleus is also described.
Development of a Practical Soot Modeling Approach and Its Application to Low-Temperature Diesel Combustion

The author's developed a practical soot model and implemented in the multidimensional computational fluid dynamics code, KIVA-3vr2 for use in low temperature diesel combustion simulations. The model framework is based on four fundamental steps: soot inception through a four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon species, surface growth through acetylene, soot coagulation, and oxygen- and OH-induced soot oxidation. Diesel combustion was simulated by using a reduced n-heptane chemistry mechanism. A reduced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon chemistry mechanism was formulated from the literature and coupled with the n-heptane mechanism. Improvements were made in the chemistry mechanism for better predictions of ignition delay, liftoff length and soot precursor concentrations. The CHEMKIN-II code was used to solve the combustion chemistry. However, in order to reduce the computational time of the coupled soot and chemistry calculations, a semi-implicit solver was also implemented and used for the soot precursor sp...
Equilibrium in Walras's and Marx's Theories of Capital Accumulation

As these essays are in honor of Professor Anghel Rugina, I begin with a quote from his recent essay on Walras (1982, p. 4):
How young men and women assess parents of a child suicide victim

Research in the area of attitudes toward child suicide may aid professionals in helping grieving friends and families and help pinpoint areas where more education may be needed. This study examined the differences between young men and women in their blaming of parents for a child's suicide. A total of 124 people read one of three scenarios and answered the Youth Suicide Scale (YSS). Results revealed men to be more blaming of parents of a child suicide than were women. There was no main effect for the age of the victim in the scenarios when using the total YSS score, but when using only question four, replicating past use of the YSS, subjects blamed the parents of the 10 year old more than the other two age groups.