cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Use of Performance Evaluations to Mitigate Agency Liability in Lawsuits Alleging Police Misconduct

Police administrators must take a proactive approach in preventing and defending vicarious liability lawsuits. Their ability to verify that adequate training and supervision has occurred is essential in this type of litigation. The proper use of performance evaluations is an excellent method of demonstrating that adequate training and supervision have occurred.
4-Acet­amidobenzene­sulfonyl azide

The title compound, C8H8N4O3S, is planar chiral in the solid state. It crystallizes with three independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, two of which have the same chirality and the third is the opposite enanti­omer. Partial inversion twinning is present in the crystal which was examined. All three mol­ecules are connected via hydrogen bonds between the amide groups, forming a helix around the b axis of the unit cell.
Cu2Te synthesis and in-vacuum thermal decomposition: Chemical-kinetics analysis and comparison to equilibrium vapor-pressure measurements

In this study, polycrystalline Cu-foil substrates are exposed to elemental Te vapor at substrate temperatures below 373 K. Auger electron spectroscopy measurements indicate that copper-telluride films are formed at the substrate surface that have a 2:1 Cu-to-Te ratio, as predicted by the Cu--Te phase diagram. When these films are annealed above about 700 K in vacuum, Te desorbs from the substrate with zero-order kinetics. An analysis of Te-desorption traces that assumes the reaction Cu{sub 2}Te(s) {yields} 2Cu(s) + {alpha}Te(?) + 1/2(1 - {alpha})Te2({nu}) finds a thermal-decomposition activation energy of 217 {+-} 3 kJ mol{sup -1}. These Te-desorption data are compared to the Te impingement rate calculated from Cu{sub 2}Te equilibrium vapor-pressure data from the literature and found to be in excellent agreement.
Dynamic Indentation Hardness and Rate Sensitivity in Metals

An experimental technique for determining the dynamic indentation hardness of materials is described. Unlike the traditional static hardness measurements, the dynamic hardness measurements can capture the inherent rate dependent material response that is germane to high strain rate processes such as high speed machining and impact. The dynamic Vickers hardness (DHV) of several commonly used engineering materials is found to be greater than the static Vickers hardness (HV). The relationship between the hardness and yield stress under static conditions, i.e., HV = 3σ y , is also found to be valid under dynamic conditions. It is suggested that this simpler technique can be used to assess the rate sensitive nature of engineering materials at moderate strain rates in the range of around 2000/s.
Community-Acquired Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure usually occurs during hospitalization, but may also be present on admission to the hospital. To define the causes and outcomes of community-acquired acute renal failure, we undertook a prospective study of patients admitted to the hospital with acute elevations in serum creatinine concentrations. Over a 17-month period, all admission serum creatinine determinations were screened for patients with values greater than 177 mumol/L (2 mg/dL). These values were compared with baseline creatinines to select patients with an acute elevation in serum creatinine occurring outside the hospital. One hundred patients were entered into the study, with an overall incidence of 1% of hospital admissions. Seventy percent of the patients had prerenal azotemia, 11% had intrinsic acute renal failure, 17% had obstruction, and 2% could not be classified. Mean peak serum creatinine (318 +/- 18 mumol/L [3.6 +/- 0.2 mg/dL]) and mortality (7%) was lowest in the group with prerenal azotemia. In this group, volume contraction due to vomiting, decreased fluid intake, diarrhea, fever, glucosuria, or diuretics was the most common underlying cause. The group with intrinsic acute renal failure had the most severe renal failure and the highest mortality (55%). Although ischemic acute tubular necrosis is the most common cause of hospital-acquired intrinsic acute renal failure, this etiology was seen in only one patient. Drug-induced nephrotoxicity and infection-related causes were the most common underlying etiologies of intrinsic acute renal failure. Obstructive renal failure had a mortality of 24% and was most commonly due to benign prostatic hypertrophy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
What limits primates

Recently ecological data on spider and howler monkeys at Tikal, Guatemala, have been used in an attempt to demonstrate that primate populations are not limited by food resources. Those data are shown here to be inadequate for testing hypotheses about population limitation, and the problem of discerning limiting factors is explored.
Targeting Peptides Transiently Block a Mitochondrial Channel

The effects of synthetic targeting peptides on the activity of the multiple conductance channel (MCC) of mouse and yeast mitochondria were investigated using patch-clamp techniques. Amino-terminal targeting peptides of two inner membrane proteins reversibly decreased the open probability and mean open time of MCC. One of these targeting peptides had no effect on two other voltage-dependent mitochondrial channels. Furthermore, the effects induced by the two targeting peptides on MCC were not elicited by two peptides of an outer membrane protein. The specific interactions of targeting peptides with MCC suggest that this channel may be involved in protein import across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
On the uniqueness of z-weak solutions of the three-dimensional primitive equations of the ocean

Abstract In this article, we study the primitive equations (PEs) of the ocean when the initial data belongs to L 6 ( M ) with its derivative in the vertical direction in L 2 ( M ) . We prove the existence and uniqueness, globally in time, of solutions which are weak in the horizontal direction and strong in the vertical direction.
‘Hike your own hike’: equipment and serious leisure along the Appalachian Trail

We use qualitative methods to extend the understanding of serious leisure among hikers, specifically by examining the processes of acquiring and adapting equipment during an Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike. By studying the process of preparing for and embarking on this 2000-mile long, 4–6 month hike, we examine how learning about equipment takes place in close physical and social proximity to other hikers. We find that as experience is gained, hikers use less equipment and adapt equipment they use to more closely meet their needs. Our results suggest that experienced thru-hikers use their knowledge and experience to substitute for equipment in a way that transcends their awareness of equipment.
Electrochemical synthesis of FexNi1−x nanostructures for environmental remediation

Abstract Fe x Ni 1− x nanostructures with different compositions (0 x x Ni 1− x nanostructures were systematically investigated. As the composition of Fe ( x ) in Fe x Ni 1− x nanostructures decreased from 1.0 to 0, the morphology changed from dendritic to nanoparticles and thin plates. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that the dominant crystal structures shifted from metallic body centered cubic (bcc) for iron-rich Fe x Ni 1− x to mixed bcc and faced center cubic (fcc) for near equiatomic FeNi to rhombohedral/hexagonal for nickel-rich FeNi. The magnetic saturation and isoelectric point were also strongly dependent on nanostructure composition. Specifically, the magnetic saturation decreased and the isoelectric point increased with decreasing Fe content. When Fe content in Fe x Ni 1− x nanostructures was greater than 0.5 ( x > 0.5), Fe x Ni 1− x nanostructures showed mainly metallic (zero-valent) Fe present as determined by XRD and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns. Accordingly, Fe 1.0 , Fe 0.71 Ni 0.29 and Fe 0.55 Ni 0.45 exhibited reactivity toward 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, with Fe 1.0 yielding the greatest rate of reductive dechlorination.
A Case Study in the Evolution of Digital Services for Science and Engineering Libraries

ABSTRACT Building on experiences from earlier digital initiatives and partnerships, the University of Virginia has developed new services and forged new collaborations between traditional information technology and library units in support of changing approaches to science and engineering research and education. Over the past 4 years, the library has evolved through numerous service models, changes in institutional vision, and budgetary shortfalls and has emerged with a new understanding of where to invest resources and energy for coming challenges.
Control systems of the NASA 70-meter antennas

The control systems of the NASA 70-m antennas include the antenna control system, the Master Equatorial control system, and their combinations (called nodes).
Bounds on low scale gravity from RICE data and cosmogenic neutrino flux models

Abstract We explore limits on low scale gravity models set by results from the Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment's (RICE) ongoing search for cosmic ray neutrinos in the cosmogenic, or GZK, energy range. The bound on M D , the fundamental scale of gravity, depends upon cosmogenic flux model, black hole formation and decay treatments, inclusion of graviton mediated elastic neutrino processes, and the number of large extra dimensions, d. Assuming proton-based cosmogenic flux models that cover a broad range of flux possibilities, we find bounds in the interval 0.9 TeV M D 10 TeV . Heavy nucleus-based models generally lead to smaller fluxes and correspondingly weaker bounds. Values d = 5 , 6 and 7, for which laboratory and astrophysical bounds on LSG models are less restrictive, lead to essentially the same limits on M D .
Facilitating Innovation in Diverse Science Teams Through Integrative Capacity

Knowledge integration in diverse teams depends on their integrative capacity—the social and cognitive processes, along with emergent states, that shape a team’s ability to combine diverse knowledge...
The impact of clinical data on interpretation of thallium scintigrams.

The availability of clinical information often influences the interpretation of diagnostic imaging information. In this study we examined the impact of such data on interpretation of exercise thallium scans and the differences in analysis of such information between radiologists and clinicians. Two hundred thirty-seven exercise tolerance test-thallium scans (122 in patients with suspected coronary disease and 115 in patients with documented coronary disease) were read prospectively, first without and then with the knowledge of clinical information. Test scores, the readers’ and clinicians’ interpretations of historic data, and any changes in readings or interpretation of scintigraphic data were recorded. We found that the addition of clinical information resulted in changes in interpretation of 63 test results (27%), 20 (8%) of them major. Furthermore, clinical data significantly affected final test scores in 26 patients (11%), potentially affecting clinical management in this group. The changes in test scores were triggered predominantly by differences in interpretation of perfusion abnormalities rather than thallium lung uptake or left ventricular dilation with exercise. The impact of clinical data on overall test scores was greater in patients with suspected than documented coronary disease (p<0.05). There was good agreement in assessment of clinical information between scan readers and a clinician in tests done in patients with suspected coronary artery disease but not in patients with known coronary disease. We conclude that clinical information has major influences on the interpretation of thallium scans, and interpretation of data can vary significantly between cardiologists and radiologists depending on the nature of the clinical data.
Effects on Deviance of Sensitization to Personal Ideals and Peer Solicitation

Summary Two experiments assessed the role of personal and environmental factors that control the degree of antisocial deviance displayed in a deindividuating situation with a deviant model. Experiment 1 (N = 40) tested the hypothesis that raising people's consciousness of personal-social ideals before exposure to a deindividuating environment with a deviant model would inhibit deviance. Small groups of male undergraduates, after being made either ideals-aware or aware of momentary sensory experience, were instructed to finger-paint and were then left unattended in a children's autism laboratory with a confederate who behaved deviantly by shooting dart guns. Fewer ideals-aware Ss shot the guns than sensory-aware Ss (p = .07); those who shot took longer to begin (p < .01) and were less destructive (p = .16) when made ideals-aware. Several of Cattell's 16 PF personality factors were related to deviance in the sensory-aware condition. Experiment 2 (N = 24) tested the hypothesis that more persons would commit ...
The state of water in the isolated toad bladder in the presence and absence of vasopressin.

An attempt has been made to assess the validity of applying the frictional and viscous coefficients of bulk water to the movement of water and solutes through the urinary bladder of the toad. The temperature dependence of diffusion of THO, C14-urea, C14-thiourea, and net water transfer across the bladder was determined in the presence and absence of vasopressin. The activation energy for diffusion of THO was 9.8 kcal per mole in the absence of vasopressin and 4.1 kcal per mole with the hormone present. Activation energies simultaneously determined following vasopressin for diffusion and net transfers of water were similar, and in the same range as known activation energies for diffusion and viscous flow in water. Urea had activation energies for diffusion of 4.1 and 3.9 kcal per mole in the absence and presence of vasopressin, respectively. Thiourea had a high activation energy for diffusion of 6.3 kcal per mole, which was unchanged, 6.6 kcal per mole, following hormone. These findings suggest that in its rate-limiting permeability barrier, water is present in a structured state, offering a high resistance to penetration by water. Vasopressin enlarges the aqueous channels so that the core of water they contain possesses the physical properties of ordinary bulk water. Urea penetrates the tissue via these aqueous channels while thiourea is limited by some other permeability barrier.
Influence of Age of Apple Flowers on Growth of Erwinia amylovora and Biological Control Agents

ABSTRACT The influence of flower age on growth of Erwinia amylovora, the causal pathogen of fire blight of apples and pears, was investigated under humid and arid conditions in Hamilton, New Zealand (NZ), and Logan, UT, USA, respectively. ‘Royal Gala’ apple flowers ranging from 1 to 8 days old were atomized with E. amylovora. Pistils were dissected and washed separately from the remaining floral parts (flowers ex pistils) for estimation of bacterial numbers. Pistils, 1 to 3 days old (USA) and 1 to 4 days old (NZ), supported exponential growth of E. amylovora, but bacterial populations did not increase when older flowers were inoculated. Scanning electron microscopy showed round and turgid papillae on stigmas of 1-day-old flowers. Papillae on 4- to 6-day-old stigmas were completely collapsed and covered in mucilage. Populations of E. amy-lovora on the flowers ex pistils were characteristically lower than pistil populations. High populations of saprophytic bacteria were found on both floral parts of all age...
Insider trading during bankruptcy: Do insiders trade on private knowledge?

Because of several institutional features of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, management typically possesses private knowledge with regards to the allocation of firm value to the shareholders under a reorganization plan. The author examined the stock returns following insider trading during bankruptcy to determine if the officers and directors benefitted from this private knowledge. The author examined 202 firms which filed for bankruptcy from 1984-93 and continued to trade for at least one month after filing. No evidence was found that insiders financially benefitted from these trades. The stock price rose in the two months following sells more often than it declined. The number of insiders buying who lost money over the two months following their trades roughly equaled the number of those making money. Examining periods of heavy trading yielded similar results. For example, there were 15 instances of three or more insiders selling over a 30-day period. In none of these cases did the stock price drop more than 10 percent in the subsequent month. In several instances where insiders benefitted from trading, the evidence suggests these insiders sold on publicly available information. For example, 10 insiders at Ames sold in the month after the plan to eliminate shareholders was publicly announced.
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in Hydrilla plants with varying CO2 compensation points.

Incubation of the submersed aquatic macrophyte, Hydrilla verticillata Royle, for up to 4 weeks in growth chambers under winter-like or summer-like conditions produced high (130 to 150 μl CO2/1) and low (6 to 8 μl CO2/l) CO2 compensation points (Γ), respectively. The activities of both ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylases increased upon incubation but the major increase was in the activity of PEP carboxylase under the summer-like conditions. This reduced the ratio of RuBP/PEP carboxylases from 2.6 in high Γ plants to 0.2 in low Γ plants. These ratios resemble the values in terrestrial C3 and C4 species, respectively.
Fence probe measurement of flow reversal in separating turbulent boundary layers

A small fence probe was evaluated for measurements in the time-dependent flow reversal region of the transition from boundary layer to separated flow. For moderate and high Reynolds numbers, the fence probe is demonstrated to be a usable tool for the measurement of the reverse flow associated with separation. Although the present probe pressure transducer system was limited to approximately 200 Hz, pulses of positive and negative shear stress were readily detected. At or near the location of zero surface shear stress, the measurements were limited by the signal-to-noise ratio. For the separated flow investigated, a marked reduction in the pressure gradient occurred when the fence probe indicated approximately 20 % reversal for the higher Reynolds numbers. The reversal increased to 24 % for the lower Reynolds numbers. The measurements indicate that flow reversal alone may not be adequate to identify the degree of separation. Upstream of turbulent boundary layer (intermittent) separation, the duration of the reversed shear stress was found to be very short (0.002–0.007 s), suggesting a local, small-scale, impulse-type separation. At and beyond the location of intermittent separation, the shear stress reversal duration was an order of magnitude longer. Estimates of the maximum and minimum surface shear stress in the separation region were also obtained with the fence probe.
Hooking Mortality and Physiological Responses of Striped Bass Angled in Freshwater and Held in Live-Release Tubes

Abstract Mortality and physiological responses of adult striped bass Morone saxatilis angled from Lake Murray, South Carolina, and held in live-release tubes were evaluated during the spring and summer of 2003. To estimate mortality, we attached external ultrasonic transmitters to 59 striped bass (mean total length (TL) = 585 mm). Striped bass were caught with angling gear, tagged, and immediately released or held in live-release tubes for 2, 4, or 6 h prior to release. No mortality of striped bass was observed during spring. Overall mortality during summer was 83%. Mortality of summer-caught striped bass was not related to tube residence time, fish TL, depth of capture, or surface water temperature. To characterize physiological stress, we measured the plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, and osmolality levels of 62 additional striped bass (mean TL = 563 mm) that were angled and immediately released or angled and held in live-release tubes. Plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, and osmolality were positively ...
A self-learning scheme for residential energy system control and management

In this paper, we apply intelligent optimization method to the challenge of intelligent price-responsive management of residential energy use, with an emphasis on home battery use connected to the power grid. For this purpose, a self-learning scheme that can learn from the user demand and the environment is developed for the residential energy system control and management. The idea is built upon a self-learning architecture with only a single critic neural network instead of the action-critic dual network architecture of typical adaptive dynamic programming. The single critic design eliminates the iterative training loops between the action and the critic networks and greatly simplifies the training process. The advantage of the proposed control scheme is its ability to effectively improve the performance as it learns and gains more experience in real-time operations under uncertain changes of the environment. Therefore, the scheme has the adaptability to obtain the optimal control strategy for different users based on the demand and system configuration. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can financially benefit the residential customers with the minimum electricity cost.
The use of a decision‐based forgiveness intervention within intergenerational family therapy

The intervention presented here links intergenerational theory and therapy with a step-by-step forgiveness strategy. Forgiveness is defined from a cognitive perspective so that it can be applied within a family-of-origin session. In practice, the forgiveness strategy has been effective in breaking dysfunctional patterns from the past that have been carried into the new family. Long-term effects of forgiveness are analysed through a case study that includes a six-year follow-up of a family-of-origin forgiveness intervention.
Catecholamines and related o-diphenols in cockroach hemolymph and cuticle during sclerotization and melanization: comparative studies on the order Dictyoptera

Catecholamines and related o-diphenols extracted from the cuticle and hemolymph of adult cockroaches during sclerotization and pigmentation of the cuticle were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC with electrochemical detection. At ecdysis, dopamine (DA) oconjugates predominated in the hemolymph of Periplaneta americana, P. australasiae, P. fuliginosa, P. brunnea, and Blatta orientalis (Blattidae); Blattella germanica (Blattellidae); and Gromphadorhina portentosa and Blaberus craniifer (Blaberidae). n-Acetyldopamine (NADA) conjugates were second in abundance in these species, but were major in the hemolymph of the other blaberoid species, Leucophaea maderae and Nauphoeta cinerea. After ecdysis NADA became the major hemolymph catecholamine in all species as DA decreased rapidly. n-β-Alanyldopamine (NBAD) concentrations in the hemolymph remained low in all species, although NBAD and its metabolite, n-β-alanylnorepinephrine (NBANE), were generally the major catecholamines in tanning cuticle. Catechol (1,2-dihydroxybenzene) occurred mainly as a conjugate(s) at high levels in the hemolymph of nymphs and adults of all blattid species. Only trace amounts were detected in B. germanica and Cryptocercus punctulatus (Cryptocercidae), and none was found in any of the blaberoid species. High concentrations of NBANE and NBAD accumulated in tanning cuticle of B. germanica, G. portentosa, and all blattid species, whereas NADA and DA predominated in cuticle from the other blaberoid species, particularly L. maderae and N. cinerea. However, cockroaches as a group appear to utilize both the n-acetyl and n-β-alanyl catecholamines for stabilization of the exoskeleton. The Blattidae differed most from the other families in having considerably higher concentrations of catecholamines in hemolymph and cuticle, as well as the large amounts of catechol conjugates in the hemolymph.
Postnatal Development of Renal Function in Very Low Birth weight Infants

ABSTRACT. The postnatal development of renal function was compared in infants with a gestational age of 25–30 weeks, mean 27.8 weeks (GA 28), and in infants with a gestational age of 31–34 weeks, mean 32.5 weeks (GA 32). The infants were comparable with regard to postnatal course, fluid, caloric and salt intake. Observations were made during the 1st, 2nd and 4th-7th (mean 5th) postnatal weeks. From the 1st to the 5th postnatal week the creatinine clearance (CCr ml/min/1.73 m2), increased from 11 to 20 in GA 28 and from 15 to 30 in GA 32. At 2 weeks of age CCr was significantly lower in GA 28 than in GA 32. During the first week of life diuresis was lower in GA 28 than in GA 32 but thereafter was the same in both groups. We interpret this as a sign of dehydration in GA 28. Serum arginine vasopressin (S-AVP) concentrations were high in both groups at all ages. Mean urine osmolality was low (<300) regardless of postnatal age and S-AVP. Urinary sodium excretion was high at 1 week of age in both groups and decreased with increasing postnatal age. Na excretion was slightly higher in GA 28 than in GA 32 at 1 but not at 2 and 5 weeks. UK/UNa was below 1 in both groups during the first week of life and increased with postnatal age. Urinary aldosterone excretion was high in both GA 28 and GA 32 at all ages. Serum sodium levels were lower in GA 28 than in GA 32 at all ages. Hyponatremia was observed in 13/32 infants in GA 28 and in 1/45 infants in GA 32. We conclude that the postnatal development of renal function is retarded in all preterm infants and is slightly slower in infants with a GA below 31 weeks than in infants with a GA of 31–34 weeks. Extrarenal factors must contribute to the low serum Na values in infants with GA <31 weeks.
Aircraft sortie effectiveness model

A mathematical model describing the sortie of a single aircraft under enemy threats, attacking a single passive target, is developed. Emphasis is placed on the determination of the probabilities associated with the various events in the sortie. These probabilities are then used to derive appropriate measures of effectiveness. The optimum sortie time is analyzed.
State-Variable Synthesis for Insensitive Integrated Circuit Transfer Functions

Using state-variable flow graphs and simple operational configurations suitable for integration, a theory for insensitive transfer function realization in terms of integrated circuits is discussed. The theory emphasizes the decomposition into second-order systems that are developed, following state-space concepts, with special reference to their sensitivity which is shown to be very low for high operational amplifier gains.
Raman studies of methane-ethane hydrate metastability.

The interconversion of methane−ethane hydrate from metastable to stable structures was studied using Raman spectroscopy. sI and sII hydrates were synthesized from methane−ethane gas mixtures of 65% or 93% methane in ethane and water, both with and without the kinetic hydrate inhibitor, poly(N-vinylcaprolactam). The observed faster structural conversion rate in the higher methane concentration atmosphere can be explained in terms of the differences in driving force (difference in chemical potential of water in sI and sII hydrates) and kinetics (mass transfer of gas and water rearrangement). The kinetic hydrate inhibitor increased the conversion rate at 65% methane in ethane (sI is thermodynamically stable) but retards the rate at 93% methane in ethane (sII is thermodynamically stable), implying there is a complex interaction between the polymer, water, and hydrate guests at crystal surfaces.
Political video mashups as allegories of citizen empowerment

When the viral video “Vote Different” broke into the mainstream media in March 2007, the political video mashup became a notable media phenomenon. User-generated mashups threatened to cut through the US news clutter that typically shapes election discourse. In this paper, political video mashups are examined as allegories of citizen empowerment during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Political video mashups can act as tools of political advocacy, forms of political protest, and modes of political commentary. Finally, though they are already being co-opted by mainstream political campaigns, the paper addresses the potential of mashups to re-interpret political messages in ways that may encourage the active re-framing of political issues among 21st century citizens.
Sliding-mode observer for urea-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) mid-catalyst ammonia concentration estimation

This paper presents an observer design for SCR mid-catalyst ammonia concentration estimation using tailpipe NOx and ammonia sensors. Urea-SCR has been popularly used by Diesel engine powered vehicles to reduce NOx emissions in recent years. It utilizes ammonia, converted from urea injected at upstream of the catalyst, as the reductant to catalytically convert NOx emissions to nitrogen. To simultaneously achieve high SCR NOx conversion efficiency and low tailpipe ammonia slip, it is desirable to control the ammonia storage distribution along the SCR catalyst. Such a control method, however, requires a mid-catalyst ammonia sensor. The observer developed in this paper can replace such a mid-catalyst ammonia sensor and be used for SCR catalyst ammonia distribution control as well as serves for fault diagnosis purpose of the mid-catalyst ammonia sensor. The stability of the observer was shown based on the sliding mode approach and analyzed by simulations. Experimental validation of the observer was also conducted based on a medium-duty Diesel engine two-catalyst SCR system setup with emission sensors.
Finiteness theorems for the shifted Witt and higher Grothendieck–Witt groups of arithmetic schemes

Abstract For smooth varieties over finite fields, we prove that the shifted ( aka derived) Witt groups of surfaces are finite and the higher Grothendieck–Witt groups ( aka Hermitian K -theory) of curves are finitely generated. For more general arithmetic schemes, we give conditional results, for example, finite generation of the motivic cohomology groups implies finite generation of the Grothendieck–Witt groups.
Induction of cathelicidin in normal and CF bronchial epithelial cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3

Background Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as cathelicidins contribute to initial defense of the airway against inhaled pathogens. Recent studies have shown that the hormonally active form of vitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) up-regulates AMP gene expression in several established cell lines. Furthermore, serum levels of vitamin D are often deficient in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
PCB Levels at 26 New York City and New Jersey WPCPs That Discharge to the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary

The New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary contains environmentally significant amounts of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). It is well-known that sources in the upper Hudson River have contributed much of this contamination, but little is known about the direct inputs from water pollution control plant (WPCP) and combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges to the Estuary. Therefore, a detailed PCB characterization was performed by determining concentrations of 71 individual PCB congeners in the waste streams at the 26 New York City and New Jersey WPCPs that discharge to the Estuary. Individual congener concentrations were typically well below 1 ng/L in the effluent and the total PCB concentration ranged from 10 to 55 ng/L, and averaged 25 ng/L, in the effluent at the 26 WPCPs. The total PCB concentration in the WPCP influent stream during normal flow conditions ranged from 31 to 625 ng/L, with an average of 110 ng/L for the 26 plants; the influent PCB levels became slightly elevated at most plants during storms. ...
Dynamics of a spin-exchange model

Abstract We study a model on the non-negative half line Z +0, {0, 1, 2, …} in which particles created at the origin at rate 1 jump to the right at rate 1. If a particle jumps onto an already occupied site the two particles annihilate each other. In addition, whenever a particle jumps its closest neighbor to the right jumps along with it. We find that the spatial decay rate of the particle density in the stationary state is of order 1 √x at distance x from the origin. This model provides an approximation to the dynamics of an anchored Toom interface which can be represented as a spin-exchange model.
Four Waves of Hepatocyte Proliferation Linked with Three Waves of Hepatic Fat Accumulation during Partial Hepatectomy-Induced Liver Regeneration

Partial hepatectomy (PH) triggers hepatocyte proliferation–mediated liver repair and is widely used to study the mechanisms governing liver regeneration in mice. However, the dynamics of the hepatocyte proliferative response to PH remain unclear. We found that PH-induced mouse liver regrowth was driven by four consecutive waves of hepatocyte replication. The first wave exhibited the highest magnitude followed by two moderate waves and one minor wave. Underlying this continuous hepatocyte replication was persistent activation of cell cycle components throughout the period of liver regeneration. Hepatocyte mitotic activity in the first three proliferative cycles showed a circadian rhythm manifested by three corresponding mitosis peaks, which were always observed at Zeitgeber time 0. The Bmal1-Clock/Wee1/Cdc2 pathway has been proposed by others to govern the circadian rhythm of hepatocyte mitosis during liver regeneration. However, we did not observe the correlations in the expression or phosphorylation of these proteins in regenerating livers. Notably, Bmal1 protein displayed frequent changes in hepatic distribution and cellular localization as the liver regrowth progressed. Further, three waves of hepatic fat accumulation occurred during hepatic regeneration. The first started before and lasted through the first round of hepatocyte proliferation, whereas the second and third occurred concomitantly with the second and third mitotic peaks, respectively. Conclusion PH-induced liver regeneration consists of four continuous waves of hepatocyte proliferation coupled with three waves of hepatic fat accumulation. Bmal1, Wee1, and Cdc2 may not form a pathway regulating the circadian rhythm of hepatocyte mitosis during liver regeneration.
Early versus delayed carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients

Background Delayed carotid endarterectomy (CEA) after a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is associated with risks of recurrent neurologic symptoms. In an effort to preserve cerebral function, urgent early CEA has been recommended in many circumstances. We analyzed outcomes of different time intervals in early CEA in comparison with delayed treatment. Study Design Retrospective chart review from a single university hospital tertiary care center between April 1999 and November 2010 revealed 312 patients who underwent CEA following stroke or TIA. Of these 312 patients, 69 received their CEA within 30 days of symptom onset and 243 received their CEA after 30 days from symptom onset. The early CEA cohort was further stratified according to the timing of surgery: group A (27 patients), within 7 days; group B (17), between 8 and 14 days; group C (12), between 15 and 21 days; and group D (12), between 22 and 30 days. Demographic data as well as 30-day (mortality, stroke, TIA, and myocardial infarction) and long-term (all-cause mortality and stroke) adverse outcome rates were analyzed for each group. These were also analyzed for the entire early CEA cohort and compared against the delayed CEA group. Results Demographics and comorbid conditions were similar between groups. For 30-day outcomes, there were no deaths, 1 stroke (1.4%), 0 TIAs, and 0 myocardial infarctions in the early CEA cohort; in the delayed CEA cohort, there were 4 (1.6%), 4 (1.6%), 2 (0.8%), and 2 (0.8%) patients with these outcomes, respectively ( P > .05 for all comparisons). Over the long term, the early group had one ipsilateral stroke at 17 months and the delayed group had two ipsilateral strokes at 3 and 12 months. For long-term outcomes, there were 16 deaths in the early CEA cohort (21%) and 74 deaths in the delayed CEA cohort (30%, P > .05). Mean follow-up times were 4.5 years in the early CEA cohort and 5.8 years in the delayed CEA cohort. Conclusions There were no differences in 30-day and long-term adverse outcome rates between the early and delayed CEA cohorts. In symptomatic carotid stenosis patients without evidence of intracerebral hemorrhage, carotid occlusion, or permanent neurologic deficits early carotid endarterectomy can be safely performed and is preferred over delaying operative treatment.
Use of stabilization matrices in non‐linear analysis

The numerical quadrature of the stiffness matrices and force vectors is a major factor in the accuracy and efficiency of the finite element methods. Even in the analysis of linear problems, the use of too many quadrature points results in a phenomenon called locking whereas the use of insufficient quadrature points results in a phenomenon called spurious singular mode. Therefore, efficient numerical quadrature schemes for structural dynamics are developed. It is expected that these improved finite elements can be used more reliably in many structural applications. The proposed developed quadrature schemes for the continuum and shell elements are straightforward and are modularized so that many existing finite element computer codes can be easily modified to accommodate the proposed capabilities. This should prove of great benefit to many computer codes which are currently used in structural engineering applications.
Panic and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Implications for Culture, Risk, and Treatment

The articles in this special series reflect productive cross‐fertilization between the fields of panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. The purpose of this commentary is to elucidate the implications of this research for the broader themes of culture, risk factors, and treatment.
Postdictions of 20-year predictions about the state of computer technology in psychology (and one or two other matters)

I make three general points. First, I argue that the conjunction of two important characteristics prevents computer technology from becoming tedious and boring. Second, I discuss the fate of several “postdictions” of what we would have predicted about 1990 computer technology 20 years ago. Third, I discuss the degree to which computer technology drives research rather than the other way around.
Interfacial properties of a driven diffusive system

A study is made of the low-temperature interfacial properties of a driven system with a single conserved density whose bulk properties were first analyzed, using computer simulations, by Katz, Lebowitz, and Spohn in 1983. The system corresponds to a nearest neighbor interacting lattice gas of charged particles (henceconserved order parameter), which are acted upon by a uniform, constant external electric fieldE. Starting from a bulk kinetic equation, an integral equation for the interface is derived. Nonlocal coupling between different parts of the interface arises from local particle conservation. The interface at any angle is shown to be stable against small deformations ofall wavelengths that are large compared to the interfacial width. However, the relaxation rateω(k) for the interface exhibits a strongorientational dependence, which can be understood in terms of the modification of nonlocality byE. The wandering of the interface is considered. Also, the possible stabilizing effect of periodic boundary conditions on the orientation toward the direction ofE is discussed.
Effect of Antioxidants Alone and in Combination With Monounsaturated Fatty Acid–Enriched Diets on Lipoprotein Oxidation

Previous studies have demonstrated that compared with more buoyant LDL, dense LDL (D-LDL) is more susceptible to oxidation and less readily protected from oxidation by antioxidant enrichment. However, diets enriched in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) appear particularly effective in protecting D-LDL from oxidation. We therefore evaluated in 12 non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus subjects the effects of supplementation with α-tocopherol (1600 IU/d) and probucol (1 g/d) alone and in combination with an MUFA-enriched diet on LDL and LDL subfraction susceptibility to oxidation and monocyte release of superoxide anion. Subjects received either α-tocopherol or probucol for 4 months, and during the fourth month both groups also received an MUFA-enriched diet. α-Tocopherol levels were significantly increased in LDL and LDL subfractions (P<.05) after 3 months of supplementation. MUFA-enriched diets led to further increases in α-tocopherol in LDL fractions in the α-tocopherol group as well as in those recei...
The structures of type I polyketide synthases

Covering: up to 2012 With the recent structural characterization of each of the component enzymes of type I polyketide synthases, scientists are coming tantalizingly close to elucidating the overall architectures and mechanisms of these enormous molecular factories. This review highlights not only what has been revealed about the structures and activities of each of the domains but also the mysteries that remain to be solved.
Four factors of transformational leadership behavior

Leadership behaviors, as described by several authors, were factor analyzed. This resulted in four different types of behaviors demonstrated by leaders who were rated by their “followers”. The four types of behaviors are reviewed and discussed in light of the factor analysis study. Importantly, the four factors seem to bear only little relationship to previous studies. It is suggested that previous works focused on factors related to managing and not leading, while the factors under discussion here are more related to the dynamic of leading. Additionally, the lack of correspondence may be due, in part, to definition problems and a lack of clarity of terms. An attempt is made to sort out the confusion.
Quadratic optimization to identify highly heritable quantitative traits from complex phenotypic features

Identifying genetic variation underlying a complex disease is important. Many complex diseases have heterogeneous phenotypes and are products of a variety of genetic and environmental factors acting in concert. Deriving highly heritable quantitative traits of a complex disease can improve the identification of genetic risk of the disease. The most sophisticated methods so far perform unsupervised cluster analysis on phenotypic features; and then a quantitative trait is derived based on each resultant cluster. Heritability is estimated to assess the validity of the derived quantitative traits. However, none of these methods explicitly maximize the heritability of the derived traits. We propose a quadratic optimization approach that directly utilizes heritability as an objective during the derivation of quantitative traits of a disease. This method maximizes an objective function that is formulated by decomposing the traditional maximum likelihood method for estimating heritability of a quantitative trait. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on both synthetic data and real-world problems. We apply our algorithm to identify highly heritable traits of complex human-behavior disorders including opioid and cocaine use disorders, and highly heritable traits of dairy cattle that are economically important. Our approach outperforms standard cluster analysis and several previous methods.
Toll-Like Receptors and Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that results in the progressive loss of insulin producing cells. Studies performed in humans with T1D and animal models of the disease over the past two decades have suggested a key role for the adaptive immune system in disease mechanisms. The role of the innate immune system in triggering T1D was shown only recently. Research in this area was greatly facilitated by the discovery of toll-like receptors (TLRs) that were found to be a key component of the innate immune system that detect microbial infections and initiate antimicrobial host defense responses. New data indicate that in some situations, the innate immune system is associated with mechanisms triggering autoimmune diabetes. In fact, studies preformed in the BioBreeding Diabetes Resistant (BBDR) and LEW1.WR1 rat models of T1D demonstrate that virus infection leads to islet destruction via mechanisms that may involve TLR9-induced innate immune system activation. Data from these studies also show that TLR upregulation can synergize with virus infection to dramatically increase disease penetrance. Reports from murine models of T1D implicate both MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent pathways in the course of disease. The new knowledge about the role of innate immune pathways in triggering islet destruction could lead to the discovery of new molecules that may be targeted for disease prevention.
Improved chromatic dispersion tolerance for optical duobinary transmission using coherent detection

The impact of chromatic dispersion on the complex electric field of an optical phase-coded duobinary signal is investigated through numerical simulation. Dispersion causes distortion and rotation of the optical constellation with increasing transmission distance, leading to eye closure of the received signal. When direct detection is employed, rapid eye closure starts after approximately 213 km. Employing coherent detection increases this dispersion limit by 70 km
ClusterTree: integration of cluster representation and nearest-neighbor search for large data sets with high dimensions

We introduce the ClusterTree, a new indexing approach for representing clusters generated by any existing clustering approach. A cluster is decomposed into several subclusters and represented as the union of the subclusters. The subclusters can be further decomposed, which isolates the most related groups within the clusters. A ClusterTree is a hierarchy of clusters and subclusters which incorporates the cluster representation into the index structure to achieve effective and efficient retrieval. Our cluster representation is highly adaptive to any kind of cluster. It is well accepted that most existing indexing techniques degrade rapidly as the dimensions increase. The ClusterTree provides a practical solution to index clustered data sets and supports the retrieval of the nearest-neighbors effectively without having to linearly scan the high-dimensional data set. We also discuss an approach to dynamically reconstruct the ClusterTree when new data is added. We present the detailed analysis of this approach and justify it extensively with experiments.
Re: Severe Leptospirosis- a case series and review

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/slja.v20i1.3382 Sri Lankan Journal of Anaesthesiology 20(1): 62-63 (2012)
Degradation Characteristics of Two Tetrahydroisoquinolines at Room and Body Temperatures: HPLC Determination with Electrochemical Detection

Abstract Reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was utilized to determine the stability of tetrahydropapaveroline (THP) and salsolinol at two ambient temperatures and over varying time intervals of up to 27 hr. Although ascorbate, an antioxidant, was shown to retard the temporally contingent degradation of THP at both 22°C and 37°C, the breakdown of the tetrahydrosoquinoline product was more pronounced at 37°C. Salsolinol was virtually stable under all conditions. The formation of detectable by-products of THP was demonstrated by the presence of secondary peaks in the THP-water assay which were strikingly absent in the THP-ascorbate aliquots. Finally, the HPLC profiles of five THP samples obtained from four different sources revealed the presence of similar secondary peaks which varied considerably in shape and peak height from one sample to another. The implications of this lack of uniformity of THP for pharmacological studies of addictive processes is discussed.