cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PHARMACOKINETIC APPROACHES TO THE ACTION OF PYRETHROIDS IN INSECTS

Abstract The identification of molecular features conferring high intrinsic neurotoxicity is an important goal of insecticide mode of action studies. With the pyrethroids, intrinsic structure-activity relationships are not adequately defined using nerve preparations in vitro , so an indirect approach to defining the effects of structure on neurotoxicity is required. We have studied the relationships between applied dose and internal bioavailability in American cockroach adults using a group of related pyrethroids, all 3-phenoxybenzyl esters of the optical and geometrical isomers of 3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid. These studies have demonstrated the feasibility and value of the pharmacokinetic approach in insects and have provided experimental evidence for the stereospecificity of the site of pyrethroid action and for the influence of pharmacokinetic processes on observed structure-toxicity relationships.
Sumsets contained in sets of upper Banach density 1

Every set A of positive integers with upper Banach density 1 contains an infinite sequence of pairwise disjoint subsets \((B_i)_{i=1}^{\infty }\) such that \(B_i\) has upper Banach density 1 for all \(i \in \mathbf {N}\) and \(\sum _{i\in I} B_i \subseteq A\) for every nonempty finite set I of positive integers.
Growth and endocrine function in children with Dravet syndrome.

Abstract Purpose Dravet syndrome is an intractable childhood epilepsy syndrome most often associated with an SCN1A mutation. In our clinical practice, several patients with Dravet syndrome were noted to have short stature and endocrine dysfunction. This has not been reported in the literature. Our study aim was to describe growth measurements and endocrine abnormalities in children with Dravet syndrome. Method A retrospective chart review was performed at a single institution. Eligibility criteria included clinical and genetic ( SCN1A ) diagnosis of Dravet syndrome. Records were reviewed for height and weight measurements and serologic evidence of endocrine abnormality, as well as patient demographics, anti-seizure medication, and family history. Age and gender specific trend of height and weight measurements, using z-scores, were compared to CDC growth curves (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [1]). Results Sixty-eight children were identified, 46% male, age 1–21 years, taking an average of 2.9 anti-seizure medications per patient. Mean growth parameter measurements were significant for decrease in height z-score of 0.10 (p= Conclusions Comorbidities in children with Dravet syndrome may involve more systems than previously reported. We report a cohort of children with Dravet syndrome with reduced height and weight growth trend, as well as a subset with endocrine dysfunction evidenced by low IGF-1 and testosterone levels. Additional prospective research is needed to further define the significance of this relationship.
The effects of bite-size distributed practices for programming novices

Programming novices usually find acquiring the ability to write programs challenging at first, however, they overcome this obstacle as they encounter more opportunities in the learning process. Providing learners with distributed practices and the ability to self-assess their programming knowledge is key to measure their development and guide them towards programming proficiency. In this work, we introduced QuizIT, a programming learning tool designed for novices. We conducted a classroom study and collected a semester long data to measure the effectives of the tool to achieve the design objectives. We analyzed the study data and provided the preliminary results from statistical perspective, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the tool from learners' outcome. The data showed the positive effect of learners' usage of the tool on their course performance. We reported correlations exists in the data between effort (by actively benefiting and reflecting to the small learning opportunities) and the course outcome.
Inverse Propensity Score Weighting with a Latent Class Exposure: Estimating the Causal Effect of Reported Reasons for Alcohol Use on Problem Alcohol Use 16 Years Later

Latent class analysis (LCA) has proven to be a useful tool for identifying qualitatively different population subgroups who may be at varying levels of risk for negative outcomes. Recent methodological work has improved techniques for linking latent class membership to distal outcomes; however, these techniques do not adjust for potential confounding variables that may provide alternative explanations for observed relations. Inverse propensity score weighting provides a way to account for many confounders simultaneously, thereby strengthening causal inference of the effects of predictors on outcomes. Although propensity score weighting has been adapted to LCA with covariates, there has been limited work adapting it to LCA with distal outcomes. The current study proposes a step-by-step approach for using inverse propensity score weighting together with the "Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars" approach to LCA with distal outcomes (i.e., the BCH approach), in order to estimate the causal effects of reasons for alcohol use latent class membership during the year after high school (at age 19) on later problem alcohol use (at age 35) with data from the longitudinal sample in the Monitoring the Future study. A supplementary appendix provides evidence for the accuracy of the proposed approach via a small-scale simulation study, as well as sample programming code to conduct the step-by-step approach.
Calendering, Thermoforming, and Casting

This chapter summarizes other polymer-processing operations not previously considered. Included are calendering, thermoforming (or sheet forming), and casting.
Improvement of thermal stability of alumina by addition of zirconia

To maintain a large surface area at elevated temperatures, zirconia was added to transition alumina. The addition of a small amount of zirconia resulted in a marked suppression of phase transformation from θ- to α-alumina. After heating at 1200°C, ZrO2‐containing alumina exhibited a large surface area of 50 m2/g. UV‐VIS and XRD measurements indicated that zirconia existed in a high dispersion state after calcining at 800°C. XPS measurement also showed that zirconia existed as monolayer. Zirconia monolayers are concluded to cover the alumina surface and the interaction between them may be the cause for the suppression of phase transformation and also for the maintenance of the large surface area at elevated temperatures. The interaction remains up to 1200°C, therefore, θ phase remained at 1200°C.
(NHC)CuH-catalyzed entry to allenes via propargylic carbonate S(N)2'-reductions.

The copper hydride-catalyzed SN2′-reduction of propargylic carbonates provides an efficient route to functionalized allenes. The method takes advantage of the stabilizing effect of NHC ligands on CuH and combines high reactivity and stereoselectivity with excellent tolerance toward reactive functionalities.
Porous panels with fixed ends lose stability by divergence

Abstract The aeroelastic stability of one-dimensional porous panels with a Darcy boundary condition on its surface is examined theoretically. Analytical and numerical analyses demonstrate that a porous panel in a uniform, single-sided, incompressible flow becomes aeroelastically unstable via divergence. This primary route of instability is identical to the well-known mechanism for non-porous panels. However, the divergence speed of a porous panel is always greater than the non-porous limit and increases with a dimensionless porosity parameter formed by the aeroelastic system. Various chordwise porosity distributions along the panel are also investigated, where the uniformly-porous panel is shown to be the most stable configuration. The generality and robustness of the primary divergence instability for porous panels is established analytically using a simple but general flutter analysis approach based on the Routh–Hurwitz stability criterion.
Trends in the surgical management of malignant ovarian germcell tumors.

Abstract Objective To evaluate trends in the surgical management of young women and pediatric patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) and associated survival outcomes. Materials and methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database we identified patients under 40 years who underwent surgery between 1994 and 2014. The Joinpoint Regression Program was employed to investigate the presence of temporal trends and calculate average annual percent change (AAPC) rates. For analysis purposes two age groups were formed; pediatric/adolescent (≤21 yrs) and young adult (22–40 yrs). Histology was categorized into dysgerminoma, immature teratoma, yolk-sac tumor, mixed germ cell tumor and other histology. Cancer specific survival was compared using log-rank tests. Results A total of 2238 patients were identified, with median age 21 years. Only 12.4% underwent hysterectomy. One third underwent omentectomy, and one half underwent lymphadenectomy (LND). A decrease in the rate of omentectomy (AAPC: −2.15, 95% CI: −3.4, −0.9) and hysterectomy (AAPC: −3.31, 95% CI: −6.1, −0.4) was observed. There was no change in the rate of LND (AAPC: 0.17, 95% CI: −0.7, 1.1). Pediatric patients were less likely to undergo omentectomy (30.2% vs 35.5%, p 0.05). Conclusions Pediatric patients with MOGCTs undergo less extensive surgical staging. A trend towards less extensive surgical procedures for young women over time was observed, without an apparent detrimental effect on cancer specific survival.
Abstract PD8-07: A pro-metastatic alternative splicing program that drives breast cancer progression

Background: Breast cancer progression accompanies broad reprogramming of the alternative splicing landscape with functional implications for tumor growth and metastasis. However, the underlying regulatory pathways that are hijacked by cancer cells to drive pathological splicing programs remain largely unknown. Here, we have described a novel regulatory pathway, mediated by the splicing factor SNRPA1, that promotes breast cancer progression. Results: We used high-coverage RNA sequencing to compare alternative splicing patterns in highly metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-LM2) to their less metastatic parental line (MDA-231). We identified a novel structural splicing enhancer (SSE) element that is enriched among the exons up-regulated in highly metastatic cells and showed that it is bound by the RNA-binding protein SNRPA1, which in turn acts as a splicing factor. We used loss-of-function and gain-of-function both in vitro and in vivo xenograft mouse models to establish SNRPA1 as a promoter of breast cancer cell invasion (~2-fold change in two independent cell lines, P=0.002) and metastasis (~5-10 fold change in lung colonization in two independent cell lines, P Methods: We used a framework called ‘mixture of isoforms’ (MISO) to quantify changes in alternative splicing. We then applied iTEISER, a computational tool we have developed, to find cis-regulatory elements that drive alternative splicing patterns. We used bait RNA to co-precipitate and mass-spectrometry to identify the RNA-binding proteins that interact with SSEs. Lentiviral delivery of shRNAs (two independent hairpins) or transgenes to modulate SNRPA1 expression and RNA-seq was used to measure their regulatory consequences on splicing. For the resulting lines (both MDA-231 and HCC-1806 backgrounds), in vitro cancer cell invasion and in vivo lung colonization assays were also performed (n=5 mice in each arm). Log-rank test (univariate) and Cox Proportional Hazard Models (multivariate) were used to perform survival analyses in METABRIC and the kmplot aggregate dataset. Mann-Whitney or ANOVA was used to compare expression of SNRPA1 across samples stratified based on sub-type and tumor grade/stage in public datasets as well as our own measurements in clinical samples (n=96; 5 healthy, 23 stage I, 30 stage II, 29 stage III, and 9 stage IV). Conclusion: In sum, we have discovered a previously unknown regulatory pathway of RNA splicing that acts as a promoter of metastasis in breast, which may inform new therapeutic targets among the SNRPA1 regulon for adjuvant therapy. Citation Format: Hani Goodarzi, Lisa Fish, Bruce Culbertson. A pro-metastatic alternative splicing program that drives breast cancer progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-07.
Effects of a vitamin and mineral bolus on beef heifer feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and liver mineral concentrations

Crossbred beef heifers (n = 23; initial body weight [BW] = 370 ± 12 kg) housed at the North Dakota State University Beef Cattle Research Complex in Fargo, ND, were used to evaluate the effects of a 250-d slow-release vitamin and mineral bolus on feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and liver mineral concentrations. Heifers were assigned to one of two treatments: 1) received no supplemental mineral or vitamin (CON, n = 12) or 2) received two boluses on day 0 (minimum of 3,740 mg Ca, 16,456 mg Mg, 112 mg Na, 11,220 mg Cu, 2,995 mg I, 2,805 mg Mn, 505 mg Se, 48,620 mg Zn, 468 mg Co, 824,296 IU vitamin A, 173,102 IU vitamin D3, and 4,121 IU vitamin E bases on company analysis; Reloader 250 Mineral Bolus, Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, MN; MIN, n = 11). Heifers were fed a total mixed ration containing corn silage, grass hay, dried distillers grains with solubles, and dry-rolled corn (16.05% crude protein, 1.44 Mcal/kg NEg) with no added vitamin or mineral supplement. Feed intake and number and time of visits were recorded for each heifer using the Insentec feeding system (Hokofarm Group B.V., the Netherlands) during the feeding period. Liver biopsies were collected from heifers on days 0, 69, and 134 of the feeding period for analysis of mineral concentrations and analyzed as repeated measures. Heifers were slaughtered after 150 or 169 d on feed, and carcass characteristics were determined. Final BW, average daily gain, dry matter index, gain:feed, and carcass characteristics were not influenced (P > 0.19) by treatment. Control heifers visited feeders more but spent less time per visit and ate less per visit compared with MIN heifers (P 0.06) in liver mineral concentrations were observed between treatments, and concentrations of Se, Cu, Mo, Mn, and Co decreased (P < 0.05) over the feeding period. In this experiment, the slow-release vitamin and mineral bolus evaluated failed to increase liver mineral concentrations during the finishing period or influence heifer performance and carcass characteristics.
Infrared Microscopy As A Failure Analysis Tool In The Thermal Inkjet Cartridge Industry

Four major components comprise an inkjet cartridge (Fig.lA): (1) the pen body which contains the ink and positions the cartridge in the printer; (2) an ink delivery system which supplies ink at the correct backpressure and flow rate; (3) a flex circuit which provides the electrical interconnect to the printer; and (4) the printhead which generates and directs the drops. Because of its complexity and small critical dimensions, the printhead poses the greatest analytical challenge for many failure analysis problems. Each printhead may contain as many as 300 firing chambers (Fig. IB). Each chamber consists of a resistor surrounded by a polymer-based barrier material which forms a cavity into which ink flows from the ink delivery system. The chamber is capped by a metal or polymer orifice-containing plate. Printing occurs when the resistor is heated to form an ink vapor bubble which subsequently ejects a droplet of ink though the orifice onto the paper.
A longitudinal study to investigate the effects of a 12-week comprehensive lifestyle weight management program on body weight and quality of life.

Summary Background & aims The majority of Americans now have overweight or obesity. With limited resources to treat all patients, group programs are emerging as an efficient method for dissemination of evidence-based lifestyle information. The objective of this study was to evaluate change in body weight, biochemical parameters, and quality of life among individuals after completion of a 12-week comprehensive group weight management program at an obesity medicine clinic. Methods 204 patients were recruited for the study after enrolling in the Healthy Habits for Life program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center in Boston and Danvers, MA. Prior to the program, patients met individually with a dietitian and baseline data was collected. Primary outcome measures collected were weight and BMI change over the course of the program. Secondary measures collected included biochemical parameters and quality of life. Weekly group visits consisted of primary outcome collection and 1.5 h of instruction on various lifestyle- and nutrition-related topics. Secondary outcome measures were reassessed at an individual visit with the dietitian after the program concluded. Results 142 participants were adherent to the protocol (attended 9 out of 12 classes). On average, patients lost 6.4 kg (14.1 lbs.), representing a percent total body weight loss of over 5%. Average BMI decrease was significant at 5.35 ± 4.61%. Improvements were seen in physical function, self-esteem, and sexual life; total QOL scores also improved by a significant 5.79% on average. There were also significant improvements in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HbA1c. Conclusions The Healthy Habits for Life group program was an effective treatment for obesity and related health concerns, including overall quality of life. Group programs of this style may be a more efficient was to disseminate evidence-based lifestyle information and affect change for patients with overweight or obesity.
A method to calculate acoustic radiation modes based on spheroidal wave functions

Acoustic radiation modes (ARMs) have been widely used in noise control engineering. For an arbitrarily shaped radiator, ARMs are usually obtained by using the boundary element method (BEM). For high frequencies and large structures, the BEM calculation is usually time consuming. An alternative method was recently developed in which the ARMs are obtained by using generalized singular value decomposition and spherical harmonic functions. In this paper, spheroidal harmonic functions are used instead of spherical harmonic functions. The proposed method is potentially more efficient for ARM calculations for structures with one dimension significantly larger than the other two.
A systematic review: The effects of frenotomy on breastfeeding and speech in children with ankyloglossia.

Purpose: The primary objective of this systematic review was to determine if frenotomy for ankyloglossia improves breastfeeding or speech outcomes in infants and children ages birth to 12.Method: L...
Enhancing single-species stock assessments with diverse ecosystem perspectives: a case study for Gulf of Mexico red grouper (Epinephelus morio) and red tides

Impacts of Karenia brevis red tide blooms have been an increasing cause of concern for fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The 2019 Gulf red grouper (Epinephelus morio) stock assessm...
An Experimental Evaluation of Workload Driven DVFS

Modern processors support dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) that can be leveraged by BIOS or OS drivers to regulate energy consumed in run-time. In this paper, we describe the results of a study that explores the effectiveness of the existing DVFS governors by measuring performance, energy efficiency, and the product of performance and energy efficiency (PxEE), when running both the speed and throughput SPEC CPU2017 benchmark suites. We find that the processor operates at the highest clock frequency even when ~90% of all active CPU cycles are stalled, resulting in poor energy-efficiency, especially in the case of memory-intensive benchmarks. To remedy this problem, we introduce two new workload-driven DVFS techniques that utilize hardware events, (i) the percentage of all stalls (FS-Total Stalls) and (ii) the percentage of memory-related stalls (FS-Memory Stalls), linearly mapping them into available clock frequencies every 10 ms. Our experimental evaluation finds that the proposed techniques considerably improve PxEE relative to the case when the processor is running at a fixed, nominal frequency. FS-Total Stalls improves PxEE by ~26% when all benchmarks are considered and ~67% when only memory-intensive benchmarks are considered, whereas FS-Memory Stalls improves PxEE by ~15% and ~41%, respectively. The proposed techniques thus outperform a prior proposal that utilizes cycles per instruction to control clock frequencies (FS-CPI) that improves PxEE by 4% and 9%, respectively.
Hybrid perfusion SPECT-CT can be a good alternative fortraditional V/Q scan

155 Objectives: 1. To recognize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to imaging in Nuclear Medicine. 2. To understand the importance of the V/Q study during a pandemic and how to modify the study for the safety of patients and technologists while still providing quality images. 3. Understanding the benefits of perfusion SPECT/CT studies compared to a traditional V/Q study. 4. To provide examples of both positive and negative studies for pulmonary embolism with SPECT/CT. Pulmonary embolism (PE) has been and continues to be a challenging diagnosis especially in the new era of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Challenges of COVID-19 in Nuclear Medicine include contamination, spread of disease, availability of radiotracer, the long exam duration, reliance on patient cooperation, radiation exposure to patients/technologists and diagnostic certainty. In our institution, we followed the SNMMI guidelines of foregoing the ventilation component of a V/Q scan and relying on perfusion only imaging for PE diagnosis. Due to the caution of aerosol spread and difficult system contamination clearance, using Hybrid perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging for PE is a comparable alternative to the traditional V/Q scan with multiple benefits. This can provide a possible solution to many of the challenges of the current pandemic. SPECT/CT has demonstrated better certainty of identifying perfusion defects compared to planar imaging alone. This essay will retrospectively compare a traditional V/Q scan with perfusion SPECT/CT imaging and evaluate radiation exposure, exam duration and COVID-19 exposure. The total radiation exposure from the traditional V/Q scan is 2.575 mSv compared to 2.63 mSv from the SPECT/CT study. However, other aspects of the study had significantly improved with the SPECT/CT study including total exam duration, technologist exposure time, reliance on patient cooperation, the need for a repeat ventilation and improved accuracy. The benefits of additional anatomical localization of perfusion defects, parenchymal disease and incidental findings are also an advantage that should not be overlooked. Illustrative cases will show both positive and negative perfusion studies for pulmonary emboli. We continue to accrue patients for further analysis.
HyperRecon: Regularization-Agnostic CS-MRI Reconstruction with Hypernetworks

Reconstructing under-sampled k-space measurements in Compressed Sensing MRI (CS-MRI) is classically solved by minimizing a regularized least-squares cost function. In the absence of fully-sampled training data, this optimization approach can still be amortized via a neural network that minimizes the cost function over a dataset of under-sampled measurements. Here, a crucial design choice is the regularization function(s) and corresponding weight(s). In this paper, we introduce HyperRecon – a novel strategy of using a hypernetwork to generate the parameters of a main reconstruction network as a function of the regularization weight(s), resulting in a regularization-agnostic reconstruction model. At test time, for a given under-sampled image, our model can rapidly compute reconstructions with different amounts of regularization. We propose and empirically demonstrate an efficient and data-driven way of maximizing reconstruction performance given limited hypernetwork capacity. Our code will be made publicly available upon acceptance.
Atypia predicting prognosis for intracranial extraventricular neurocytomas.

Object The literature, at present, provides limited information about extraventricular neurocytomas (EVNs) and is almost exclusively composed of case reports or small case series. Treatment for EVNs has largely been guided by results from central neurocytoma outcome studies. The authors present an analysis of all reported intracranial EVN cases to establish if tumor histopathological features can substratify EVN into groups with differing prognosis and help guide treatment decisions. Methods The authors identified studies reporting histology, treatment modality, and outcomes for patients with intracranial EVN. The rates of recurrence and survival for patients were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Atypical tumors, defined by MIB-1 labeling index exceeding 3% or atypical histological features, were compared with typical tumors, and patients 50 years of age or older were compared with those younger than 50 years of age. Results Eighty-five patients met the inclusion criteria, and 27% of them had an atyp...
Cortical stimulation mapping and Wada results demonstrate a normal variant of right hemisphere language organization

Purpose Exclusive right hemisphere language lateralization is rarely observed in the Wada angiography results of epilepsy surgery patients. Cortical stimulation mapping (CSM) is infrequently performed with such patients, as most undergo non-dominant left hemisphere resections, which are presumed not to pose any risk to language. Early language reorganization is typically assumed in such individuals, taking left hemisphere epileptiform activity as confirmation of change resulting from a pathological process. We present data from CSM and Wada studies demonstrating that right hemisphere language occurs in the absence of left hemisphere pathology, suggesting it can exist as a normal, but rare variant, in some individuals. Further, these data confirm the Wada test findings of atypical dominance.
An architecture for active networking

Active networking offers a change in the usual network paradigm: from passive carrier of bits to a more general computation engine. The implementation of such a change is likely to enable radical new applications that cannot be foreseen today. Large-scale deployment, however, involves significant challenges in interoperability, security, and scalability. In this paper we define an active networking architecture in which users control the invocation of pre-defined, network-based functions through control information in packet headers.
Procedural Politics: Issues, Influence, and Institutional Choice in the European Union

List of figures List of tables Preface and acknowledgments List of acronyms used in the text 1. Introduction: choice, constraint, and European Union institutions 2. Theorizing procedural politics: issues, interests, and institutional choice 3. The EU as a procedural system: rules, preferences, and strategic interaction 4. Patterns: determinants and effects of EU procedural politics 5. Greening the market? Procedural politics and EU environmental policy 6. Mad cows and Englishmen: procedural politics and EU agricultural policy 7. Conclusion: procedural politics and rule governance in the EU and beyond Bibliography Index.
Titanium: Inorganic & Coordination Chemistry

This article describes the chemistry of titanium, with special focus on its inorganic coordination chemistry. This field has a rich history and has flourished in the years since the first industrial processes for isolation of titanium were introduced. Covered are the discovery of the metal, some of the physical properties of titanium and its complexes, and the unique coordination chemistry of titanium in its various oxidation states. The metal is commonly found in the +4 oxidation state, in which it behaves as a hard Lewis acid. Titanium complexes with formal oxidation states +3, and, much less commonly, +2, 0, and −1 are also known. The oxides, sulfides, halides, and complex halides are discussed. Complexes with carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, and arsenic donor ligands are described. Structures and spectroscopic data are given for selected compounds. Interest in the coordination chemistry of titanium has been driven by important applications in materials chemistry and in catalysis. Keywords: titanium; coordination chemistry; review; titanium dioxide; titanate; ilmenite; rutile; halide; Ziegler–Natta; budotitane
Instruction Level Distributed Processing: Adapting to Future Technology

For the past two decades, the emphasis in processor microarchitecture has been on instruction level parallelism (ILP) — or in increasing performance by increasing the number of “instructions per cycle”. In striving for higher ILP, there has been an ongoing evolution from pipelining to superscalar, with researchers pushing toward increasingly wide superscalar. Emphasis has been placed on wider instruction fetch, higher instruction issue rates, larger instruction windows, and increasing use of prediction and speculation. This trend has led led to very complex, hardware-intensive processors.
Constitutional Peace, Political Order, or Good Government? Organizing and Assessing Scholarly Views on the 2008 Prorogation

In this paper, I report the views of 25 constitutional scholars on the 2008 prorogation. Using a mixed methods approach, support within the sample for propositions published between 2008 and 2012 is presented. A large majority agree that the governor general had discretion in 2008 to refuse the prime minister. Most hold the 2008 prorogation harmed principles of responsible government, and a majority favour the development of a cabinet manual to outline roles and responsibilities to avoid future crises. Based on the survey data, I propose 4 unique schools of thought on this event, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and consider how the method I model can be used in future research.
Preparation of deuterated aromatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom-containing aromatics, and polychlorinated biphenyls as internal standards for GC/MS analysis

Deuterated alkyl benzenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and N-, S-, O-, and Cl-containing aromatics were prepared using a single reagent containing D2O, DCl, and chromium. The method requires little specialized equipment or synthesis expertise, and results in the exchange of all aromatic protons for deuterium. The isotopic purities of the deuterated products were controlled by the amount of reagent added, and in most cases, isotopic purities of 95% were achieved. Under appropriate conditions of temperature and time, no significant chemical degradation of the aromatic compounds occurred. The method also works well with complex mixtures and large (30 g) quantities of aromatic compounds as demonstrated by the deuteration of a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) and a coal-derived anthracene oil.
Evaluation Strategies of Metal Pollution in Oceans

The ecological significance of metal inputs into the ocean from different sources are evaluated with six parameters in addition to the conventional analysis of total concentration and mass emission rate from a waste stream. The parametric approaches include: (1) The association of heavy metals with settleable solids — partition between solid and solution phase; (2) settling characteristics of solids in waste streams and their effects on the subsequent distribution of metal species; (3) correlation of metal contents in different size fractions of particles with metals enrichment in the proximity of the discharge area; (4) chemical elutriation in relation to bioavailability; (5) effects of mixing, dispersion, and settling of suspended particulates on the release of trace metals; and (6) bioassay and chemical analysis to determine the toxicities and food chain enrichment potentials of particulate waste stream or elutriates or specific solid chemical species. Data from analysis of wastewater, surface runoff, dredged sediments, and ocean sediments affected by sewage discharge are presented to illustrate each section.
Identification of alcA, a Bordetella bronchiseptica gene necessary for alcaligin production

The alcA gene, essential for the production of the dihydroxamate siderophore, alcaligin, by Bordetella bronchiseptica, was cloned and sequenced. The alcA gene was identified on a 4.7-kb EcoRI genomic fragment adjacent to a Tn5lac transposon insertion that inactivated alcaligin production in strain MBORD846. Analysis of the alcA nucleotide sequence revealed a putative Fur-binding site, suggesting that expression of this gene is repressed by iron. The deduced amino-acid sequence of this open reading frame had significant homology with the Escherichia coli iucD gene product, an enzyme required for biosynthesis of the dihydroxamate siderophore aerobactin.
Liberalism, morality and the future

(1977). Liberalism, morality and the future. The Philosophy Forum: Vol. 15, No. 1-2, pp. 91-110.
PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF 2‐MERCAPTOPYRIDINES. PART 3. EPR STUDY OF PHOTOPRODUCTION OF HYDROXYL RADICALS BY N‐HYDROXYPYRIDINE‐2‐THIONE USING 5,5‐DIMETHYL‐1‐PYRROLINE N‐OXIDE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS*

—N-Hydroxypyridine-2-thione, 2-S-PyrNOH, a potent antimicrobial, antifungal and anticancer agent, is photochemically active and upon UV irradiation generates free radicals. We have employed EPR and the spin-trap 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline TV-oxide (DMPO) to investigate the photochemistry in aqueous solutions of 2-S-PyrNOH (used here in the form of a sodium salt, 2-S-PyrNONa). We found that upon photoactivation 2-S-PyrNONa can follow two different pathways: it can produce hydroxyl radicals and/or it can act as a photoreducing agent. The capacity of 2-S-PyrNONa to produce “OH” radicals has been demonstrated by: (1) EPR detection of the DMPO/OH adduct in UV-irradiated samples; (2) inhibition of the DMPO/OH formation by OH scavengers such as methyl alcohol, formate and DMSO and (3) by detection of EPR signals of DMPO adducts with radicals derived from reaction of OH with these inhibitors. The photoreductive capacity of 2-S-PyrNONa was deduced from the observation that the amplitude of the EPR signal of the spin adduct DMPO/OH decreased on UV irradiation in air-free pH 7.0 buffers and that the signal recovered in the dark and after aeration. The ability to generate free radicals upon UV irradiation suggests that 2-S-PyrNONa can be regarded as a potential photocytotoxic agent. This feature may be relevant to the biological action of this compound. Our findings also emphasize that caution should be used when 2-S-PyrNOH is employed as a source of OH radicals in biological or chemical systems.
An unidentified chloramine decomposition product-II. A proposed formation mechanism

Abstract This study proposed an empirical rate expression for the formation of an unidentified product generated in chloramine decomposition; the rate expression was incorporated into an existing model describing the fate and speciation in the chlorine-ammonia system. Specific rate constants were estimated based on experimental data and trial-and-errors computing technique. A simple mechanism was proposed for formation of the unidentified product. This mechanism hypothesized that an intermediate species was formed in the reactions of chloramine decomposition. The intermediate species was assumed reacting with nitrite to form the unidentified product, it also might react with HOCl to form other end-product(s). Concentration of the intermediate species and nitrite formed were estimated by pseudo steady-state assumption in the chlorine-ammonia system.
Professional association membership of nurses: Factors affecting membership and the decision to join an association

In this article factors such as education, employment characteristics, and association benefits which are associated with nurses joining and remaining in professional nursing associations are identified. The impact of these factors on association membership was determined through a survey of 225 nurses in one midwestern state. On the basis of these empirical results recommendations are made which should be useful to professional associations seeking to attract new members and keep their present ones.
A mathematical framework for sequential passenger and baggage screening to enhance aviation security

To enhance security at both national and global levels, airport security screening systems must be designed with high efficiency and effectiveness, which are affected by both screening technologies and operational procedures for utilizing those technologies. The operational efficiency and aviation security can be enhanced if an effective passenger prescreening system is integrated into the baggage screening system. In this paper, passenger information is incorporated into a two-level checked-baggage screening system to determine the screening strategy for different subsets of passengers. By deploying a passenger prescreening system, this paper considers selectively applying baggage screening procedures for 100% screening. Since new image-based screening technologies differ widely in cost and accuracy, a comprehensive mathematical framework is developed in this paper for selecting technology or combination of technologies for efficient 100% baggage screening. The objective is to determine the optimal combination of technologies and the setting of threshold values for these screening technologies as well. Probability and optimization techniques are used to quantify and evaluate the risk and cost-effectiveness of various device deployment configurations, which are captured by using a system life-cycle cost model. Numerical analysis for all possible system arrangements is demonstrated.
IRREDUCIBLE UNITARY REPRESENTATIONS OF SUp,q II: THE CONTINUOUS SERIES

A class of irreducible unitary representations belonging to the continuous series of SUp,q is explicitly determined in a space composed of the Kronecker product of three spaces of square integrable functions. The continuous series corresponds to a Cartan subgroup whose vector part has maximal dimension. These representations are distinguished by a parameter r = 1, 2, …, p for p ≤ q in SUp,q. For r = 0, one obtains the representations in the discrete series as in [5], and all representations in the continuous series, for r ≠ 0, are obtained explicitly.
Effects of Individualized and Group Criteria for Reinforcement on Math Performance

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of setting individualized performance criteria was compared to a standardized group criterion and a non‐treatment control condition on the math performance of 55 elementary school students. For the individualized condition, each student's baseline average was used as his/her criterion. The criterion for each standard‐ized‐criterion subject was the group's baseline mean. During the ten treatment sessions the amount of reinforcement each subject earned was determined by the degree by which they exceeded their criterion. Although visually the individualized group outperformed the standardized condition during treatment, the difference between them was not statistically significant. The reinforcement groups together, significantly outperformed the control group (P<0.05). There was however, a significant difference between the two higher performing reinforced subgroups (P<0.05), whereas the two lower performing reinforced subgroups performed essentially equally during treatment. Addi...
The enactment of management control systems: A critique of Simons

Abstract Simon proposes a contingency relationship between a firm's strategy and its management control systems. However, his model underspecifies the relationship between strategic uncertainties and management controls, underplays the recursive impact of management controls on strategy formulation, and ignores the potential influence of managerial characteristics on control system design.
Overview of hybrid and composite systems for seismic design in the United States

An overview of the use of composite structural systems for seismic design in the United States. Provides a brief summary of the types of buildings constructed from different composite systems including normal composite slabs, concrete filled tubes, encased steel sections, and connections between concrete walls and steel framing. The present understanding of the behavior of these systems is described. It will be shown that the construction practice has frequently gone beyond the research and theoretical understanding of the behavior of these complex elements. Present ongoing research efforts are, therefore, briefly noted.
The use of graphical models in model validation

The use of graphical models for model specification and in modelling is increasing rapidly. This paper discusses the use of these graphical models in model validation.
Erratum to “The effect of particle size on the erosion of a ductile material at the low particle size limit” [Wear 233–235 (1999) 727–736]☆

Abstract The intrinsic particle size dependence of erosion rate was investigated in the absence of aerodynamic effects. An apparatus was designed to impact small particles on metallic substrates at normal incidence in vacuum. Two types of target materials, Cu–30% Zn and pure Ti, were impacted with SiO 2 particles with average diameters of 2, 5 and 25 μm. The velocity of impact was 12 m/s. Damage processes induced by single particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This latter technique allowed for the measurement of impact profiles, both of the cut surfaces and the associated displaced material pile-ups. The impacts produced were, in many cases, asymmetrical, and the asymmetries appeared to be related to the orientation of the impacted surface. The appearance of the damage was essentially the same for all three sizes of the erodent, and for two different substrate materials having different crystal structures.
Recent Advances in Air—Sea Interaction Studies Applied to Overwater Air Quality Modeling: A Review

Air quality modeling in the marine environment requires a better understanding of air–sea interaction. The behavior of the sea is different from that of the land, particularly with respect to the aerodynamic roughness parameter which changes temporally and spatially as a function of wind-generated wave characteristics. Recent improved understanding in air–sea interaction as applied to topics in air quality modeling are discussed. They include stability characteristics, variation of the wind speed with height, mixing height, standard deviation of crosswind and vertical wind, and the eddy diffusion. These topics are synthesized for scientists and engineers who need to improve the air quality modeling for overwater applications.
Inhibition of monocyte adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption on glow discharge plasma deposited tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether.

Monocytes and macrophages play important roles in host responses to implanted biomedical devices. Monocyte and macrophage interactions with biomaterial surfaces are thought to be mediated by adsorbed adhesive proteins such as fibrinogen and fibronectin. Non-fouling surfaces that minimize protein adsorption may therefore minimize monocyte adhesion, activation, and the foreign body response. Radio-frequency glow discharge plasma deposition (RF-GDPD) of tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme) was used to produce polyethylene oxide (PEO)-like coatings on a fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP) surface. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and static time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) were used to characterize the surface chemistry of tetraglyme coating. Fibrinogen adsorption to the tetraglyme surface was measured with 125I-labeled fibrinogen and ToF-SIMS. Adsorption of fibrinogen to plasma deposited tetraglyme was less than 10 ng cm-2, a 20-fold decrease compared t...
RhoA and Rac1 GTPases play major and differential roles in stromal cell-derived factor-1-induced cell adhesion and chemotaxis in multiple myeloma.

The interaction of multiple myeloma (MM) cells with the bone marrow (BM) milieu plays a crucial role in MM pathogenesis. Stromal cell–derived factor-1 (SDF1) regulates homing of MM cells to the BM. In this study, we examined the role of RhoA and Rac1 GTPases in SDF1-induced adhesion and chemotaxis of MM. We found that both RhoA and Rac1 play key roles in SDF1-induced adhesion of MM cells to BM stromal cells, whereas RhoA was involved in chemotaxis and motility. Furthermore, both ROCK and Rac1 inhibitors reduced SDF1-induced polymerization of actin and activation of LIMK, SRC, FAK, and cofilin. Moreover, RhoA and Rac1 reduced homing of MM cells to BM niches. In conclusion, we characterized the role of RhoA and Rac1 GTPases in SDF1-induced adhesion, chemotaxis, and homing of MM cells to the BM, providing the framework for targeting RhoA and Rac1 GTPases as novel MM therapy.
Minimal computing: minimizing technology to maximize work/life balance

I have been in Higher Ed IT for almost 20 years. I believe in the "KISS" principle. Keep it Simple, Stupid has been my mantra for some time. It is easy in our modern world to throw money at a technology to do that one thing that helps us in our work. The problem is that those "one things" tend to accumulate over time to become an unwieldy mess.Over the last few years I have noticed that I use less and less individual software, tools and techniques than I have in the past and have honed my computing to a minimal level to get more and more completed. I have pruned my work life down to the bare essentials. In doing so, I have gained control of my workday. I now have the opportunity to pursue other skills and duties that I would not have otherwise had time to attempt Whether it is via laptop, tablet or phone, I find myself using the tools and skills that allow me to get what I need done with minimal effort and then focus on other duties.I find that other aspects of my work life have adapted as well. This paper or discussion will expand on my mantra of minimal computing to maximize work/life balance.
Digital polarized light dermoscopy of clinically nonpigmented dermal nevi.

BACKGROUND Hand-held dermoscopy improves the malignant/benign excision ratio for melanocytic lesions. Much has been described about its use in pigmented lesions; however, the use of dermoscopy in clinically nonpigmented lesions is less well studied. Existing studies have used a combination of traditional immersion dermoscopy and polarized light dermoscopy. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to strictly use digital polarized light dermoscopy for the evaluation of clinically nonpigmented, biopsy-proven dermal nevi. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to describe the dermoscopic features of clinically nonpigmented, biopsy-proven dermal nevi using digital polarized light images. METHODS AND MATERIALS The dermoscopic features of 32 histopathologically confirmed, clinically nonpigmented, dermal nevi were evaluated. Images were obtained with a digital camera equipped with an epiluminescence microscopy attachment (polarized light); no liquid interface was used. RESULTS The most frequent dermoscopic feature of 32 clinically nonpigmented, biopsy-proven dermal nevi was brown pigment (78%) followed by white areas (53%), comma-shaped vessels (50%), hair (47%), hairpin vessels (22%), comedolike openings (22%), and dotted vessels, respectively (19%). CONCLUSIONS The most common dermoscopic features (using polarized light) of clinically nonpigmented, biopsy-proven dermal nevi are brown pigment, white areas, comma-shaped vessels, and hair.