cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Pulmonary Angiography Be Limited to the Most Suspicious Side if the Contralateral Side Appears Normal on the Ventilation/Perfusion Lung Scan?: Data From PIOPED

Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to determine the frequency of pulmonary embolism (PE) in a single lung that showed a normal ventilation/perfusion ( V ˙ /Q ˙ ) lung scan when the V ˙ /Q ˙ scan on the contralateral side was interpreted as non-high-probability for PE. Methods Data are from the national collaborative study Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED). PE was diagnosed or excluded in all lungs by pulmonary angiography. Results Single lungs with no V ˙ /Q ˙ abnormalities, when the V ˙ /Q ˙ scan on the contralateral side was interpreted as non-high-probability for PE, showed PE in 2 of 19 (11%) (95% confidence interval [CI], 1 to 33%). If PE was excluded by angiography on the side of the abnormal V ˙ /Q ˙ scan, then PE on the side of the normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scan was shown in only 1 of 19 (5%) (95% CI, 0 to 26%). Conclusion A normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scan in a single lung, when the contralateral lung was interpreted as non-high-probability for PE, did not completely exclude PE on the apparently normal side. In such lungs, the probability of PE was in the range of low-probability interpretations. If the pulmonary angiogram showed no PE on the side of the abnormal V ˙ /Q ˙ scan, the probability of PE on the side of the normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scan satisfied the definition of very low probability for PE. This observation in patients undergoing pulmonary angiography may assist in determining whether the pulmonary angiogram should be bilateral.
A proof of Markov's theorem for polynomials on Banach spaces

Abstract Our object is to present an independent proof of the extension of V.A. Markov's theorem to Gâteaux derivatives of arbitrary order for continuous polynomials on any real normed linear space. The statement of this theorem differs little from the classical case for the real line except that absolute values are replaced by norms. Our proof depends only on elementary computations and explicit formulas and gives a new proof of the classical theorem as a special case. Our approach makes no use of the classical polynomial inequalities usually associated with Markov's theorem. Instead, the essential ingredients are a Lagrange interpolation formula for the Chebyshev nodes and a Christoffel–Darboux identity for the corresponding bivariate Lagrange polynomials. We use these tools to extend a single variable inequality of Rogosinski to the case of two real variables. The general Markov theorem is an easy consequence of this.
Corruption levels of countries and progress on ensuring environmental sustainability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships of selected measures of environmental sustainability and the level of corruption within countries. Design/methodology/approach – The design uses secondary data from Transparency International on perception of corruption within countries. The World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) environmental sustainability assessment is one measure of environmental sustainability used in the study. World Bank data on CPIA Policies and institutes for environmental sustainability that foster and protect sustainable use of natural resources and manage pollution and its data on the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of the percent of population with access to improved drinking water were two specific measures used to indicate environmental sustainability. A series of statistical tests were used to examine the relationships among perceptions of corruption and a country’s policies and reported improvements in environmental sustainability. Findings – The finding...
Use of a Self-Assembled Monolayer for the Preparation of Crystalline Organic Superconductor/High-Tc Superconductor Structures

Thin films of (BEDT−TTF)2I3 have been deposited by vapor-phase deposition onto high-temperature superconductor substrates. Results from X-ray powder diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scannin...
Weak mixing and unique ergodicity on homogeneous spaces

Under certain conditions the weak mixing of a translation onG/Γ implies that the action of an associated subgroup ofG onG/Γ is uniquely ergodic. This result generalizes earlier theorems of Furstenberg and Veech.
The problem of switching in conditional behavior

This article reviews studies of various authors on the phenomenon of “switching,” which is observed in both classical and instrumental conditioning and consists in elicitation of different responses to the same conditional stimulus (CS) when it is applied in an environment different than the original one. The different responses include a decrease or an absence of the previously trained conditional response (CR), elicitation of an appetitive response instead a defensive one, or vice versa, as well as elicitation of two different instrumental CRs in the same trial. The studies suggest that, due to the repeated occurrence of CS in the same environment (E), also called “situation” or “context,” associations are formed between CS and E. Consequently, the CR is elicited to a compound CS+E rather than to CS alone. When the CS is applied alone in a different E than the original one, the previously formed associations are inactive and the CR cannot be elicited; this leads to switching. Studies also suggest that E plays a dominant role in conditioning compared with that of CS alone, which often appears to be only a trigger for eliciting the response. However, CS tested in a different E may still produce some components of the previously acquired CR, such as a general fear behavior to an originally defensive CS or an approach behavior to an originally alimentary CS. The environmental stimuli can be considered the “determining” stimuli that determine the kind of reaction to be elicited, or “tonic” stimuli that increase the tonus in the brain but do not elicit the CR. The “determining” or “tonic” stimuli do not seem to be a special class of stimuli. Instead, they are stimuli that initially can produce the CR (e.g., intertrial CRs), but by being not reinforced they become partly inhibited; nevertheless, due to associations with the reinforcement, they still can produce some excitement related to it, thus facilitating the CR.
A Simple Stain for Myelin in Frozen Sections: A Modification of Mahon's Method

A simple and rapid method for demonstrating myelinated nerve fibers in frozen sections of the central and peripheral nervous system is described. Material fixed by perfusion with mixed aldehydes gives the best results but the method also works on specimens fixed by immersion in formaldehyde. Frozen sections varying in thickness from 15-50 micron are mounted on slides subbed with chrome alum-gelatin. After hydration (60-120 min), sections are mordanted (20-40 min) in 2.5% iron alum and rinsed briefly in three changes of distilled H2O (total 2 min). Staining is for 60-180 min in 20 cc freshly made 10% alcoholic hematoxylin diluted with 165 cc distilled H2O to which 15 cc saturated Li2CO3 is added. The sections are washed in distilled H2O (5-15 min) and dehydrated in graded alcohols without differentiation in mordant, and covered. Myelin stains a dark blue-purple against a light grey background. Fiber tracts, as well as individual myelinated fibers, are clearly demonstrated.
Effects of amygdaloid stimulation upon trigeminal sensory fields of the LIP that are established during hypothalamically-elicited quiet biting attack in the cat

An experiment was performed in order to determine the role of the amygdala and surrounding cortex in quiet biting attack elicited from electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus. Stimulation of basal, cortical, and anterior amygdala as well as pyriform cortex and parahippocampal gyrus resulted in a suppression of the attack response and in a constriction of trigeminal sensory fields that are established during hypothalamic stimulation. Stimulation of lateral and central amygdala resulted in a facilitation of the quiet biting attack response and an expansion of the trigeminal sensory fields, and a decreased latency for the occurrence of jaw opening when the sensory field was held constant. These studies suggest that the amygdala modulated quiet biting attack behavior generated by hypothalamic stimulation at least, in part, by virtue of its control over sensory fields.
The Problems and Potential of MySpace and Facebook Usage in Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT How are college students using and communicating with online social networking? How can these technologies be utilized by libraries and librarians? A review of the literature provides current context of social networking sites, the usage and viability of related technologies in academic libraries, and the role of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in facilitating student learning. Data from a survey and focus group provide insight into how students are using MySpace and Facebook, two widely adopted social networking sites. Findings are discussed to consider appropriate implementations of MySpace/Facebook in a university library setting, specifically on the pedagogical and practical feasibility of integrating social software in library instruction, reference, and outreach.
Heavy-flavor measurements with the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

Abstract The PHENIX experiment has measured the contribution of heavy-flavor decays to single-electron spectra in Au + Au collisions at √s NN = 130GeV and 200 GeV at RHIC, providing a first measure of the total charm yield and its dependence on collision centrality at the se energies. In addition, J/Ψ charmonium states were reconstructed by PHENIX in their dilepton decay channels in p+p and Au+Au collisions at √s NN = 200GeV .
Flow of Microsphere Solutions in Converging Microchannels

The interface between intersecting microfluidic multicomponent flow is investigated experimentally. The system studied has a main channel and an intersecting (at 90 degrees) daughter channel and the fluid is a water-microsphere mixture. Flow visualization is achieved using confocal fluorescence microscopy. Microsphere solutions of 2% and 4% spheres (by weight) are investigated and compared to each other as well as all water flows. A three-dimensional rendering of the location and shape of the interface at the junction for different flow ratios (daughter flow to total) is examined for a combined flow Reynolds number of approximately one. The interface downstream of the junction is reasonably planer (two-dimensional) and the presence of microspheres does not appear to strongly influence the location of the flow interface.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Results of a prospective randomized trial of continuous regional chemotherapy and hepatic resection as treatment of hepatic metastases from colorectal primaries

One hundred patients were entered on a randomized prospective protocol to evaluate the effectiveness of hepatic resection of single as well as multiple hepatic metastases from colorectal primaries in combination with continuous hepatic artery infusion (CHAI) of fluorodeoxyuridine (FUDR) via the implantable pump (Infusaid, Intermedics Infusaid Inc., Norwood, MA). The eight patients with single metastases were randomized to hepatic resection alone (three patients) or hepatic resection plus CHAI (five patients). The 22 patients with resectable multiple metastases were randomized between receiving CHAI only (12) or CHAI after resection of all metastases (10). Patients who had positive portal lymph nodes (14) were all treated with CHAI. Patients with unresectable metastases (31) were randomized between intravenous 5-fluorouracil or CHAI of FUDR. FUDR was alternately infused every 2 weeks at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/24 hour escalated to .3 mg/kg/24 hour with heparinized saline as the alternative infusate. The median follow-up of all patients was 20 months. All patients with multiple resectable metastases had at least a partial response (PR) to the CHAI (PR defined as greater than or equal to 50% decrease of the sum of the products of the diameters of the lesions measured on computerized axial tomography scans), and four patients given CHAI only had no metastases in the liver on relaparotomy. Patients with resection and CHAI had a better survival than patients with CHAI only; however, the difference was not significant. Patients with positive portal nodes and CHAI had a lower PR (36%) than patients with unresectable disease treated with CHAI (52%). Patients with positive portal nodes or metastatic disease outside of the liver did significantly worse than patients with unresectable disease treated with CHAI.
Pyruvate metabolism after in vivo exposure to oral arsenic

This study investigated altered pyruvate metabolism after prolonged oral arsenic exposure. Male rats were given access to deionized drinking water containing 0, 40 or 85 ppm sodium arsenate (As5+) for 3 weeks. Respiration studies with mitochondria isolated from treated animals indicated decreased state 3 respiration (with ADP) and decreased respiratory control ratios (RCR) for pyruvate/malate-mediated respiration, but not for succinate-mediated respiration, as compared to control respiration values. In addition, pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was measured, in both liver and intestine, before and after Mg-activation in vitro. After 3 weeks, the effects of arsenic at the highest dose level were pronounced on the basal pyruvate dehydrogenase activity (before activation) as well as the total pyruvate dehydrogenase (after activation). The inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity both before and after Mg-activation suggests an arsenic effect on mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism which, in part, involves inhibition of pyruvate decarboxylase. Evidence is also presented which may indicate an arsenic effect on the kinase and/or phosphatase which regulate pyruvate dehydrogenase activity.
Simultaneous mobilization of the maxilla and mandible: surgical technique and results.

Simultaneous mobilization of the entire maxilla and mandible is occasionally needed to correct dentofacial deformities. Careful presurgical planning and accurate surgical detailing are necessary for good results. A surgical technique and a report of 34 experiences with the procedure follow.
Baseline Si electrode fabrication and performance for the battery for Advanced Transportation Technologies Program

Abstract Baseline Si electrodes were developed and characterized based on Si nanomaterials. Silicon (Si) with a designed nanostructure has attracted much attention as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to its high gravimetric specific capacity. Because of a resulted poor tap density of Si from the electrode while using nano-sized Si and also from including other additives like conductive carbon and binder, it is difficult to maintain a high loading of active materials at the anode side in lithium-ion batteries. In this report, we aim to investigate how the thickness of Si-based electrode influences the cycling performance, rate performance and impedance. We also discuss the variation of gravimetric, area and volumetric capacity along with increasing of electrode thickness. It is found that with a thinner electrode of 7 μm the volumetric capacity could reach up to 920 mAh cm −3 but a poor area capacity of 0.7 mAh cm −2 , while a thicker one of 33 μm enables to provide a high area capacity up to 1.5 mAh cm −2 and gives a volumetric capacity less than 500 mAh cm −3 . A cell operated under 0 °C shows a gravimetric capacity of 2000 mAh g −1 after 60 cycles.
Some essentially self-adjoint Dirac type operators i (formulation and an extension of the rellich-kato theorem)

It has been shown by Rellich, Weidman, and Gustafson-Rejto that the one-electron Dirac operator is essentially self-adjoint on the domain of infinitely differentiable functions with compact support, for atomic numbers less than or equal to 118. We state a double perturbation theorem which shows that the one-electron Dirac operator can admit another perturbation in addition to the Coulomb potential, which satisfies a mild Stummel type bound. In addition, the domain of the closure of the perturbed operator is the same as the domain of the closure of the unperturbed operator.
Stabilization of metal-organic frameworks with high surface areas by the incorporation of mesocavities with microwindows.

Reactions between two novel hexatopic carboxylate ligands and copper salts give rise to two isostructural metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) with a (3,24)-connected network topology containing both micro- and mesocavities with sizes of up to 3 nm. Both frameworks retain their porosity after guest-molecule removal, leading to high surface areas. Constructing MOFs containing mesocavities with microwindows may serve as a general approach toward stable MOFs with high surface areas.
Pyromorphite Formation from Goethite Adsorbed Lead

Conversion of labile soil Pb species into stable Pb minerals is a crucial process in the development of an in situ soil Pb remediation strategy. A complete understanding of the reaction with specific soil Pb species is therefore of fundamental importance. A synthetic goethite, α-Fe(OH)3, with surfaces saturated with Pb2+ was used to represent adsorbed Pb, one of the primary soil Pb species. Hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH) and NaH2PO4 were the source of solid and soluble phosphate, respectively. When stoichiometric concentrations of soluble phosphate were added directly to the suspension of Pb-adsorbed goethite, the thermodynamically stable lead phosphate mineral chloropyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl) was rapidly precipitated. By contrast, when the same goethite suspension was reacted in a dialysis system in the presence of hydroxyapatite, the formation of chloropyromorphite is slow and appears to be controlled by the rate of dissolution of the hydroxyapatite. Chloropyromorphite minerals produced in these experimen...
Lupus erythematosus-like features in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Background The development of lupus erythematosus-like (LE-like) features in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) has not been reported previously in the literature. Both diseases, however, have been etiologically linked to retroviruses. Objective Our purpose was to report four cases of patients with CTCL who developed LE-like features during the course of their disease, and to evaluate for evidence of antibodies to retroviruses in the sera of these patients. Patients Four patients with biopsy-proven CTCL with clinical or histologic features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were evaluated for clinical and laboratory criteria for SLE. Only one patient demonstrated four American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria sufficient for the diagnosis of SLE. The remaining three patients demonstrated one or two criteria for SLE. In addition, the sera of these patients were examined by Western blot analysis for evidence of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I), human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I), or human intracisternal A-type particle type I (HIAP-I) retroviral proteins. Each patient demonstrated antibodies to some of the retroviral proteins examined. The sera of two patients reacted to proteins for HIAP-I, and the sera of two patients reacted to p24 gag proteins of HIV-I. No patient reacted to HTLV-I proteins. Conclusions Our report identifies four patients with CTCL who developed LE-like features during the course of their disease. Although the etiology of CTCL and SLE has not been well established, each has been linked to retroviruses. Evidence of antibodies to retroviral proteins was identified in each of our patients by Western blot analysis. Although the clinical and laboratory findings in these cases do not resolve the etiologic role of retroviruses in CTCL or SLE, they suggest that retroviruses may have a role in the pathogenesis of the clinical phenomenon reported in these four patients.
Imaging obscured subsurface inhomogeneity using laser speckle

We have developed a laser speckle imaging method to reveal obscured subsurface inhomogeneities that cannot be seen under incoherent illumination. Speckle images of a scattering object were generated under coherent illumination using a laser. A sequence of speckle images was acquired with fixed exposure time and acquisition interval. The temporal statistics of each pixel in the image sequence was calculated and formed a new image. We demonstrate that such temporal speckle contrast images can reveal obscured subsurface objects. More importantly, by controlling image acquisition parameters, surface inhomogeneity can be eliminated in order to better bring to view the subsurface objects.
A pilot study into the effects of X-ray and computed tomography exposure on the amplification of DNA from bone

This research investigates the intersection of radiography and aDNA, two commonly used methods in bioarchaeology. The goal of this project was to investigate the effects of radiation on the ability to amplify DNA from bone. Bones (n = 124) from domestic pig (Sus scrofa) feet were randomly sorted into a control group and four treatment groups: (1) single exposure X-ray; (2) single exposure CT; (3) multiple exposures X-ray; and (4) multiple exposures CT. Number of PCR cycles required to amplify DNA in 100 bp, 200 bp and 400 bp segments were used as a proxy for the amount of available DNA. In the 200 bp CT sample, distal phalanges required significantly more amplification cycles than did the other bones and were removed from analysis. Results suggest that in general radiation exposure fragments DNA thereby decreasing the amount that is amplifiable. While these results are suggestive, further research is required to elucidate the degree to which radiation fragments DNA in archaeological specimens.
Health Communication, Genetic Determinism, and Perceived Control: The Roles of Beliefs About Susceptibility and Severity Versus Disease Essentialism

This research examined the lay public's beliefs about genes and health that might be labeled deterministic. The goals of this research were to sort through the divergent and contested meanings of genetic determinism in an effort to suggest directions for public health genomic communication. A survey conducted in community-based settings of 717 participants included 267 who self-reported race as African American and 450 who self-reported race as Caucasian American. The survey results revealed that the structure of genetic determinism included 2 belief sets. One set aligned with perceived threat, encompassing susceptibility and severity beliefs linked to genes and health. The other set represents beliefs about biological essentialism linked to the role of genes for health. These concepts were found to be modestly positively related. Threat beliefs predicted perceived control over genes. Public health efforts to communicate about genes and health should consider effects of these messages for (a) perceived th...
Age and Initial Helium Abundance of Stars in the Globular Cluster M15

This article describes estimates of the ages and initial helium abundances of stars in M15, which are among the oldest objects in the galaxy as well as representing the galaxy's most abundant stellar component.
Blastomyces dermatitidis with large yeast forms.

Abstract Yeast forms of Blastomyces dermatitidis typically range from 8 to 20 μm in largest diameter. We report a rare case of primary pulmonary blastomycosis with an unusual morphology, in which we found significant numbers of large yeast forms ranging from 30 to 35 μm in diameter. To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of giant forms of B dermatitidis. We also review the literature and discuss the possible association of this unusual morphology with immunosuppression in general and glucocorticoid use in particular.
Production planning for flexible flow systems with limited machine flexibility

A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is highly capital-intensive and FMS users are concerned with achieving high system utilization. The production planning function for setting up an FMS prior to production should be developed in order to make the most of the potential benefits of FMSs. We consider two production planning problems of grouping and loading a flexible flow system, which is an important subset of FMSs where the routing of parts is unidirectional. We show that considering this routing restriction as well as limited machine flexibility strongly affects both the solution techniques and the quality of the solutions. Because of the complexity of the problem, we present a heuristic approach that decomposes the original problem into three interrelated subproblems. We show that the proposed approach usually finds a near-optimum solution and is superior to an approach that exists in the literature of FMS production planning. We also introduce effective heuristic methods for two new subproblems that arise because of the unidirectional flow precedence and flexibility constraints. Computational results are reported and future research issues are discussed.
Monolithic RF active mixer design

An overview of monolithic radio-frequency (RF) active mixer design is presented. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part discusses the performance parameters that are relevant to the design of downconversion mixers, and how they affect the system performance. The second part presents three common kinds of mixer topologies, namely, unbalanced, single-balanced, and double-balanced designs. This paper concentrates on active mixers only, The advantages and disadvantages, as well as the design and optimization techniques for the three kinds of mixers, are discussed.
Expression of five proteins from the Sendai virus P/C mRNA in infected cells.

Abstract The polycistronic P/C mRNA of Sendai virus is translated under cell-free conditions into five proteins (P, C', C, Y1, and Y2) from overlapping reading frames. In this study, we showed that in addition to the P, C', and C proteins, Y1 and Y2 were expressed by six different Sendai virus strains in infected cells. The Y proteins exhibited strain-specific variation in their gel mobility which corresponds to the variation seen in the cognate C proteins. While the relative levels of the P, C', and C proteins were consistent among various cell lines, the levels of Y1 and Y2 proteins varied among the cell lines used for viral infection.
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes to An Unmutated Tumor Rejection Antigen P1A: Normal Development but Restrained Effector Function In Vivo

Unmutated tumor antigens are chosen as primary candidates for tumor vaccine because of their expression on multiple lineages of tumors. A critical issue is whether unmutated tumor antigens are expressed in normal cells, and if so, whether such expression imposes special restrictions on cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. In this study, we use a transgenic approach to study the development and effector function of T cells specific for P1A, a prototypical unmutated tumor antigen. We report here that although P1A is expressed at low levels in normal tissues, including lymphoid tissues, the P1A-specific transgenic T cells develop normally and remain highly responsive to the P1A antigen. The fact that transgenic expression of P1A antigen in the thymus induces T cell clonal deletion demonstrates that normal hematopoietic cells can process and present the P1A antigen and that P1A-specific T cells are susceptible to clonal deletion. By inference, P1A-specific T cells must have escaped clonal deletion due to low expression of P1A in the thymus. Interestingly, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of T cells in the T cell receptor for antigen (TCR)–transgenic mice are specific for P1A, these mice are no more resistant to a P1A-expressing plasmocytoma than nontransgenic littermates. Moreover, when the same TCR-transgenic mice were challenged simultaneously with B7-1+ and B7-1− tumors, only B7-1+ tumors were rejected. Therefore, even though P1A can be a tumor rejection antigen, the effector function of P1A-specific CTL is restrained in vivo. These results have important implications for the strategy of tumor immunotherapy.
Broadcast reliability evaluation of multistage interconnection networks

The authors propose a simple and efficient algorithm for the reliability evaluation of a shuffle exchange network with extra stage (SENE) by a two-step method, called the sum of disjoint products method. Reliability expressions are derived for cases in which all outputs are to be reached (broadcast reliability) and in which only a subset of outputs of size s is to be reached (s-terminal reliability). Once the broadcast tree terms are obtained, a sum of disjoint products is generated for the reliability expression by a relatively small number of calculations. >
Theory of multidither adaptive optical systems operating with zonal control of deformable mirrors

A theory is developed for multidither adaptive optical systems that employ N discrete actuators driving a deformable control and dither mirror with the same shape of influence function. The major emphasis is on mirrors with a Gaussian influence function. It is shown, as a special case, that single-actuator displacements or errors of such systems yield error signals that can be described in closed form, via sine integral functions of the actuator displacement. Closed-form expressions for both the first- and second-harmonic content in the dither signal outputs are developed. Expressions for servo cross coupling (from adjacent actuator deformations) are developed and it is shown how the coupling is typically larger than the mechanical (actuator center) coupling. Effective modulation index comparisons are established between Gaussian and piston mirrors, for piston and Gaussian phasing error components. It is shown how a potential secondary maxima lock-up condition (the 2nπ problem) can occur when operating hill-climbing adaptive optical systems with deformable mirrors. In some cases a major loss in system Strehl ratio may result.
Activated carbon produced from an Illinois Basin coal

Abstract Activated carbons were produced from an Illinois Basin bituminous coal (IBC-106) by a three-step process: oxidation of the coal in air at 150–250 °C for 2–40 hours, devolatilization of these oxidized coals in nitrogen at 500–730 °C for 1 hour and activation (gasification) of the chars in 45% steam, 4% oxygen in nitrogen at 730–880 °C for 3.5–96 hours. Products were characterized in terms of CO 2 single-point BET surface area, helium and bulk densities, pore volume and toluene adsorption capacity. Seven of the nine carbons produced had surface areas exceeding 1000 m 2 g −1 (dry). It was confirmed that the application of oxidation pretreatment eliminates the caking of IBC-106, preserves the coal's microstructure, and leads to high carbon surface areas. In comparison with Darco coconut charcoal, a commercial activated carbon (Fisher Scientific) whose surface area was 547 m 2 g −1 (dry), the largest toluene adsorption capacity of activated carbons was 1.57 g g −1 , four times more than that of Darco. Production costing analysis on a laboratory scale suggested that, in a single production run, the most cost-effective final product is not the activated carbon with maximum surface area but the carbon produced at the lowest cost for each square meter of pore surface area.
High voltage testing of capacitors

Summary form only given, as follows. Compact pulsed power systems are intended to operate once, for a brief period of time. The systems may produce several tens of high-energy pulses over a few seconds. In this mode the devices "burn up". An understanding of limitations of electronic components can make an impact to design of compact pulsed power devices. It can make such devices smaller and lighter. In this work we performed high voltage testing of ceramic and thin film capacitors of different brands having nominal voltages 0.6-3 kV. Testing was carried out in the three second time mode. Experiments have shown that the breakdown voltage is about ten times more than the nominal voltage of the capacitors. Data are given for the limiting high voltage and limiting energy for each kind of capacitors. Experiments have shown that the mechanisms for the destruction of each type of capacitors have specific features. The mechanisms of failure and destruction of capacitors under the action of high voltage are discussed.
Resource Allocation and Perceived Advantage are Affected by Relative Power and Egocentrism in Ultimatum Games

Results of two experimental studies demonstrate that resource allocation decisions and perceived advantage are affected by relative power and egocentrism. Relative power was operationalized as relative favorability of best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA). In study 1, 63 MBA students were asked to decide how to distribute lottery tickets between themselves and another player using the ultimatum game paradigm. Results indicated their offers were affected by the magnitude of the BATNA such that possession of a favorable BATNA induced participants to keep a larger share of the lottery tickets and possession of an unfavorable BATNA induced participants to keep a much smaller share of the lottery tickets. However, this effect was attenuated by the absolute magnitude of the number of tickets available to distribute. That is, participants with higher absolute magnitude of lottery tickets kept more for themselves compared with participants with lower absolute magnitude of lottery tickets. We argue that this attenuation was due to egocentrism, that is, the tendency to pay more attention to one's own outcomes than others' outcomes. In study 2, we tested this assertion more directly by focusing only on unfavorable BATNA situations. Results indicated that, as occurred in study 1, high absolute magnitude of lottery tickets led participants to claim a relatively larger share of tickets when compared with low absolute magnitude lottery tickets, but only when participants were explicitly focused on themselves. Implications for future conflict resolution research and practice are discussed.
Transposable elements and the dynamic somatic genome

Although alterations in the genomes of somatic cells cannot be passed on to future generations, they can have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host organism, depending on the context in which they occur. This review outlines the ways in which transposable elements have important consequences for somatic cell genomes.
THE MEAN WAITING TIME FOR A PATTERN

Consider a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables along with a specified set of k-vectors. We present an expression for E [T], the mean time until the last k observed random variables fall within this set. Not only can this expression often be used to obtain bounds on E[T], it also gives rise to an efficient way of approximating E[T] by a simulation. Specific lower and upper bounds for E[T] are also derived. These latter bounds are given in terms of a parameter, and a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to approximate this parameter by a simulation is indicated. The results of this paper are illustrated by considering the problem of determining the mean time until a sequence of k-valued random variables has a run of size k that encompasses each value.
Hydrothermal and tectonic activity in northern Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is the site of one of the world9s largest calderas. The abundance of geothermal and tectonic activity in and around the caldera, including historic uplift and subsidence, makes it necessary to understand active geologic processes and their associated hazards. To that end, we here use an extensive grid of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles (∼450 km) to document hydrothermal and tectonic features and deposits in northern Yellowstone Lake. Sublacustrine geothermal features in northern Yellowstone Lake include two of the largest known hydrothermal explosion craters, Mary Bay and Elliott9s. Mary Bay explosion breccia is distributed uniformly around the crater, whereas Elliott9s crater breccia has an asymmetric distribution and forms a distinctive, ∼2-km-long, hummocky lobe on the lake floor. Hydrothermal vents and low-relief domes are abundant on the lake floor; their greatest abundance is in and near explosion craters and along linear fissures. Domed areas on the lake floor that are relatively unbreached (by vents) are considered the most likely sites of future large hydrothermal explosions. Four submerged shoreline terraces along the margins of northern Yellowstone Lake add to the Holocene record of postglacial lake-level fluctuations attributed to “heavy breathing” of the Yellowstone magma reservoir and associated geothermal system. The Lake Hotel fault cuts through northwestern Yellowstone Lake and represents part of a 25-km-long distributed extensional deformation zone. Three postglacial ruptures indicate a slip rate of ∼0.27 to 0.34 mm/yr. The largest (3.0 m slip) and most recent event occurred in the past ∼2100 yr. Although high heat flow in the crust limits the rupture area of this fault zone, future earthquakes of magnitude ∼5.3 to 6.5 are possible. Earthquakes and hydrothermal explosions have probably triggered landslides, common features around the lake margins. Few high-resolution seismic reflection surveys have been conducted in lakes in active volcanic areas. Our data reveal active geothermal features with unprecedented resolution and provide important analogues for recognition of comparable features and potential hazards in other subaqueous geothermal environments.
METABOLIC EFFECTS OF HORMONE THERAPY IN TRANSGENDER PATIENTS.

ABSTRACT Objective: Transgender patients may seek hormone therapy to induce physical changes to simulate their expressed or experienced gender. However, many providers are uncomfortable prescribing transgender hormones due to fears over safety. The goal of this study was to determine if transgender hormone therapy with estrogen and spironolactone for male-to-female (MtF) patients or with testosterone for female-to-male (FtM) patients had adverse anthropomorphic or metabolic effects. Methods: This retrospective chart review study analyzed changes over time for 33 MtF and 19 FtM endocrine clinic patients at an academic endocrine practice with follow-up for up to 18 months after hormone initiation. Results: Compared to baseline labs obtained prior to the initiation of hormone therapy, significant changes for the MtF cohort included an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decrease in creatinine; however, triglycerides did not show a statistically significant change. In the FtM cohort, there were sig...
Development of mesoporous magnesium oxide–alumina composites for CO2 capture

Abstract Mesoporous magnesium oxide–alumina composites were synthesized by evaporation induced self assembly (EISA) in the presence of triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 in absolute ethanol solution. These mesostructures were prepared using Al(NO3)3∙9H2O and Mg(NO3)2·6H2O as alumina and MgO precursors, respectively. Block copolymer was completely removed by thermal treatment of as-synthesized samples at 350 °C in flowing nitrogen. Thermally treated composites displayed relatively high specific surface area and large pore volume. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was used to investigate the active sites available on the surface of the aforementioned samples for CO2 sorption at 120 °C. Magnesium oxide-alumina composite samples showed an enhanced CO2 uptake under flue gas conditions (100–150 °C). The sample synthesized from Al(NO3)3∙9H2O) only showed adsorption capacity of about 1.30 mmol/g. Incorporation of 10 molar% of MgO did not significantly increase the CO2 uptake of the alumina-based composite; however, incorporation of 30 molar% of MgO increased CO2 uptake up to 2.08 mmol/g. An increase of the MgO content in the composite caused a gradual enhancement in the CO2 uptake; namely, the composite with 70% of MgO loading showed 2.87 mmol/g CO2 uptake. High thermal and mechanical stability of the composites studied as well as their low cost, good resistance to the corrosion and oxidizing environment make these materials, especially MgO-rich composites, attractive candidates for CO2 capture at flue gas conditions.
Dancing through Life: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Network-Centric Modeling of Allosteric Mechanisms in Hsp70 and Hsp110 Chaperone Proteins

Hsp70 and Hsp110 chaperones play an important role in regulating cellular processes that involve protein folding and stabilization, which are essential for the integrity of signaling networks. Although many aspects of allosteric regulatory mechanisms in Hsp70 and Hsp110 chaperones have been extensively studied and significantly advanced in recent experimental studies, the atomistic picture of signal propagation and energetics of dynamics-based communication still remain unresolved. In this work, we have combined molecular dynamics simulations and protein stability analysis of the chaperone structures with the network modeling of residue interaction networks to characterize molecular determinants of allosteric mechanisms. We have shown that allosteric mechanisms of Hsp70 and Hsp110 chaperones may be primarily determined by nucleotide-induced redistribution of local conformational ensembles in the inter-domain regions and the substrate binding domain. Conformational dynamics and energetics of the peptide substrate binding with the Hsp70 structures has been analyzed using free energy calculations, revealing allosteric hotspots that control negative cooperativity between regulatory sites. The results have indicated that cooperative interactions may promote a population-shift mechanism in Hsp70, in which functional residues are organized in a broad and robust allosteric network that can link the nucleotide-binding site and the substrate-binding regions. A smaller allosteric network in Hsp110 structures may elicit an entropy-driven allostery that occurs in the absence of global structural changes. We have found that global mediating residues with high network centrality may be organized in stable local communities that are indispensable for structural stability and efficient allosteric communications. The network-centric analysis of allosteric interactions has also established that centrality of functional residues could correlate with their sensitivity to mutations across diverse chaperone functions. This study reconciles a wide spectrum of structural and functional experiments by demonstrating how integration of molecular simulations and network-centric modeling may explain thermodynamic and mechanistic aspects of allosteric regulation in chaperones.
Creating and Maintaining Instructor/Student Connection between Class Meetings: The Use of Eyejot--A Video Messaging Technology.

Eyejot, a free video email service, makes it possible to create, send, and receive video messages over the Internet. By adding the warmth of face-to-face interaction to the traditional email message, Eyejot creates a more interactive form of communication that engages today’s techsavvy students. This paper shares our experience using Eyejot to strengthen rapport and engagement between instructor and student outside the traditional classroom setting. We describe how Eyejot works and offer tips for incorporating Eyejot into course design. Student feedback offers anecdotal evidence indicating a high level of satisfaction that Eyejot brings to the teachinglearning experience.
Interactive Computer Simulation and Animation (CSA) to Improve Student Learning of Projectile Motion in an Undergraduate Engineering Dynamics Course

Computer simulation and animation (CSA) has been receiving growing attention and application in recent years in the international engineering education community. In the present study, an innovative set of CSA learning modules was developed to improve student learning of projectile motion in engineering dynamics, an important yet difficult undergraduate engineering course. The new CSA learning modules integrate visualization with mathematical modeling to help students directly connect engineering dynamics with mathematics. Quasi-experimental research involving an intervention group and a comparison group was performed to investigate the extent to which the new CSA learning modules improved student learning of projectile motion. The results show that as compared to the comparison group, students in the intervention group increased their learning gains by 30.3% to 43.6% on average, depending on the specific CSA learning modules. The difference in learning gains between the two groups is found to be statistically significant. From the present study, it is concluded that properly-designed computer simulation and animation not only provides students with a visualization tool for them to better understand engineering phenomena, but can also improve their procedural skills for finally solving problems in engineering dynamics.
Neuromuscular respiratory failure: what the nurse knows may make the difference.

The incidence of pulmonary compromise in neuromuscular disease is a well-established phenomenon. Classic symptoms of impending respiratory failure may be absent or nebulous however, in the neuromuscular patient. It is for this reason, that the neuroscience nurse should develop expertise in both the neuro and pulmonary sciences. The focus of this article will be on two neuromuscular patient populations at high risk of respiratory failure--myasthenics and those with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Computer-Assisted Learning Based on Universal Design, Multimodal Presentation and Textual Linkage

Refining city services is gradually being placed in the hands of the citizens, or, as in the case of IBM’s initiative, “let’s build a planet of smarter cities” ( https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/35573.wss ), at their fingertips. By reducing cost and gaining control in building smart transportation management systems, IBM provided a grant to the city of Chicago to reinvigorate Chicago’s K-12 schools and city college. Similarly, Catherine Bracy ( https://www.codeforamerica.org/people/catherine-bracy/ ) and her team at Code for America are using technology to “build governments for the people and by the people in the twenty-first century.” It is evident that smart cities should accommodate every citizen, most especially those who may struggle with accessing information through conventional mediums. Specifically, smart cities must ensure that full participation is available to those citizens with communication and learning disabilities and new immigrant populations who experience difficulties understanding the language of their new home county. The biggest challenge for these citizens is using the Internet for learning because of the need to read, view, or listen to content published online. Disabled students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses at colleges and universities are at a particular disadvantage since the use of empirical observation is critical in scientific learning and research. In this paper, we propose an intervention using a new software product and workflow for video captioning—a Universal Video Captioning platform (UVC). This platform provides a semi-automatic approach to synchronize the captioning into accessible STEM-related videos. It has the potential to transform learning and teaching for students with disabilities and those whose native language is not English by integrating synchronized captioned educational videos into undergraduate and graduate STEM disciplines. While accessing scientific content can pose unique challenges for disabled students and those who have just started learning a new language, the UVC platform has the potential to provide students with disabilities and recent immigrants the ability to pursue new and deeper learning opportunities.