cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exome-Based Mapping and Variant Prioritization for Inherited Mendelian Disorders

Exome sequencing in families affected by rare genetic disorders has the potential to rapidly identify new disease genes (genes in which mutations cause disease), but the identification of a single causal mutation among thousands of variants remains a significant challenge. We developed a scoring algorithm to prioritize potential causal variants within a family according to segregation with the phenotype, population frequency, predicted effect, and gene expression in the tissue(s) of interest. To narrow the search space in families with multiple affected individuals, we also developed two complementary approaches to exome-based mapping of autosomal-dominant disorders. One approach identifies segments of maximum identity by descent among affected individuals; the other nominates regions on the basis of shared rare variants and the absence of homozygous differences between affected individuals. We showcase our methods by using exome sequence data from families affected by autosomal-dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), a rare disorder characterized by night blindness and progressive vision loss. We performed exome capture and sequencing on 91 samples representing 24 families affected by probable adRP but lacking common disease-causing mutations. Eight of 24 families (33%) were revealed to harbor high-scoring, most likely pathogenic (by clinical assessment) mutations affecting known RP genes. Analysis of the remaining 17 families identified candidate variants in a number of interesting genes, some of which have withstood further segregation testing in extended pedigrees. To empower the search for Mendelian-disease genes in family-based sequencing studies, we implemented them in a cross-platform-compatible software package, MendelScan, which is freely available to the research community.
Ketoacidosis during a low-carbohydrate diet.

To the Editor: It is believed that low-carbohydrate diets work best in reducing weight when producing ketosis.1 We report on a 51-year-old white woman who does not have diabetes but had ketoacidosis while consuming a “no-carbohydrate” diet. There was no family history of diabetes, and she was not currently taking any medications. While adhering to a regimen of carbohydrate restriction, she reached a stable weight of 59.1 kg, a decrease from 72.7 kg. After several months of stable weight, she was admitted to the hospital four times with vomiting but without abdominal pain. On each occasion, she reported no alcohol . . .
Studies of photoluminescence in GaAs1−xPx mixed crystals

Photoluminescence measurements on GaAs1−xPx single crystals were performed for the composition range 0.27 < x < 0.44 throughout the spectral region 0.6 < λ < 0.8 μm at temperatures between 5 and 125 °K. Four luminescence bands A, B, C, and D were found. The suggested identification is: B hand-to-band transitions, B and C conduction band-to-acceptor level transitions, and D distant donor-acceptor pair recombination. The deep donor level, introduced by S in this composition range, was found to follow the indirect gap variation with composition. Photolumineszenxmessungen an GaAs1−xPx Einkristallen wurden fur den Konzentrationsbereich 0,27 < x < 0,44 im Spektralgehiet 0,6 < λ < 0,8 μm bei Temperaturen zwischen 5 und 125 °K durchgefuhrt. Vier Lumineszenzbanden, A, B, C und D, wurden gefunden und folgende Identifizierung angenommen: A entspricht Bend-Band-Ubergangen, B und C Leitungsband-Akzeptorniveau-Ubergangen und D getrennte Donator-Akzeptor-Paarrekombination. Es wurde gefunden, das der tiefe Donatorzustand, der durch S in diesem Zusammensetzungsbereich eingefuhrt wird, der Anderung der indirekten Bandlucke mit der Zusammensetzung folgt.
The magnet measurement facility for the Advanced Photon Source

A magnet measurement facility has been developed to measure the prototype and production magnets for the Advance Photon Source. The measurement facility is semi-automatic in measurement control and data analysis. One dipole system and three rotating coil measurement systems for quadrupole and sextupole magnets and corresponding probe coils are described. >
Crystallization of Epitaxial Lanthanum Aluminate and Spinel Thin Films Derived from Nitrate Precursors

Both lanthanum aluminate (LaAIO 3) and spinel (MgAl2O 4) epitaxial thin films have been deposited on either planar and stepped (100) SrTiO3 single crystal substrates by pyrolysis of mixed nitrate precursors. The precursors pyrolyze initially into amorphous films. Nucleation of lanthanum aluminate and spinel occurs at the filnVsubstrate interface at higher temperature. Crystallization of LaAlO3 on SrTiO3 substrates occurs at approximately 650°C, whereas nucleation occurs at approximately 800’C without lattice-matched substrates. Similarly, latticematched substrates reduce the crystallization temperature of spinel to below 700°C. The epitaxial film grows at the expense of the amorphous film after the initial nucleation at the interface. The rapid growth and volume change due to the crystallization leave behind an epitaxial film with nanoporosity of 15 to 30 nm. Nevertheless, the surfaces of these films have roughness of only 6-9 A. Ba2Ycu3O7-x films derived from metalorganic deposition of metal trifluoroacetate precursors was deposited on these epitaxial LaAlO3 films on both planar and stepped SrTiO3 substrates. The resultant YBCO films on LaAlO3 film on planar SrTiO3 substrate have critical current densities of > 2 × 106 A/cm2 at 77K and zero field.
Endotoxin impairs biliary glutathione and HCO3- excretion and blocks the choleretic effect of nitric oxide in rat liver

Cholestasis in patients with sepsis has been attributed to the effects of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharides, LPS) and LPS-induced cytokines, which are also potent stimulators of systemic and hepatic nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. NO donors stimulate bile acid-independent bile flow in normal rat liver, but the effects of LPS-induced NO on bile formation remain unclear. To address this question we examined the effects of NO and its mediator guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) on bile flow and biliary HCO3- and glutathione excretion in isolated perfused rat livers (IPRL) from LPS-treated rats. Portal and systemic NO2- + NO3- plasma levels were increased 47-fold in LPS-treated rats and were also elevated in perfusate (6-fold) and bile (9-fold) after isolating and perfusing livers from these animals. Bile flow, HCO3-, and glutathione output were decreased by 33%, 25%, and 81% in these IPRL, respectively. Stimulation of NO synthesis with L-arginine or inhibition of inducible NO synthesis with aminoguanidine did not change bile flow, although pretreatment with aminoguanidine inhibited NO production by 85%. Moreover, the choleretic effects of infusions of the NO donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and S-nitroso-acetyl-penicillamine were markedly reduced in endotoxemic IPRL compared with normal controls, and SNP-induced HCO3- and glutathione excretion were reduced by 61% and 86%, respectively. SNP-induced cyclic GMP production was 2.3-fold lower than in normals, but the choleretic effect of dibutyryl cGMP was only slightly reduced in endotoxemic livers. These findings indicate that LPS reduces bile acid-independent bile flow primarily by inhibiting biliary excretion of glutathione and to a lesser extent HCO3-, whereas LPS-induced NO does not modulate bile formation in endotoxemia. Thus, impairment of the major determinants of bile acid-independent bile flow by LPS may contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of the cholestasis of sepsis.
Theory of an efficient N*N passive optical star coupler

A method for configuring an efficient N*N optical passive star coupler is introduced. It makes the construction of a one-piece coupler possible and thus eliminates the excess loss problem associated with cascade couplers and reduces the structural complexity. The authors show that a 100% efficiency figure can be achieved through the entire array by using a properly designed space-varying refractive-index slab. The authors give a mathematical analysis of the space-varying refractive-index slab and examine spatial frequencies of the required refractive-index pattern. The authors demonstrate how the wave-mixing method can be utilized as one possible method of configuring such a slab, using a constant temporal optical frequency involving nonlinear media such as photorefractive crystals. >
Field observations of oviposition by a specialist herbivore on plant parts and plant species unsuitable as larval food.

ABSTRACT Where a female places her eggs can have a major impact on the fitness of her offspring, especially for insects in which the winged adults are far more mobile than the neonates. Larvae of Heliothis subfiexa (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a specialist moth phylogenetically nested within a generalist clade, feed only on fruit of some Physalis species. Field observations of the oviposition behavior of H. subfiexa revealed that 1) females laid most of their eggs on leaves of the Physalis plant, despite the larvae's frugivorous diet, and 2) females laid nearly 20% of the eggs on nonhost plant species. Most eggs oviposited on nonhosts were placed close to the host plant—88% were within 15 cm of the Physalis plant. However, in a study of neonate movement, we found that a distance of 2 cm from the hatch site to the host plant significantly decreased the ability of neonates to establish on the host plant. The estimated fitness cost, quantified as reduced neonate survival, for females ovipositing on non...
Fibroblast Growth Factor Homologous Factor 13 Regulates Na + Channels and Conduction Velocity in Murine Hearts

Rationale: Fibroblast growth factor homologous factors (FHFs), a subfamily of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) that are incapable of functioning as growth factors, are intracellular modulators of Na + channels and have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Although certain FHFs have been found in embryonic heart, they have not been reported in adult heart, and they have not been shown to regulate endogenous cardiac Na + channels or to participate in cardiac pathophysiology. Objective: We tested whether FHFs regulate Na + channels in murine heart. Methods and Results: We demonstrated that isoforms of FGF13 are the predominant FHFs in adult mouse ventricular myocytes. FGF13 binds directly to, and colocalizes with, the Na V 1.5 Na + channel in the sarcolemma of adult mouse ventricular myocytes. Knockdown of FGF13 in adult mouse ventricular myocytes revealed a loss of function of Na V 1.5-reduced Na + current density, decreased Na + channel availability, and slowed Na V 1.5-reduced Na + current recovery from inactivation. Cell surface biotinylation experiments showed ≈45% reduction in Na V 1.5 protein at the sarcolemma after FGF13 knockdown, whereas no changes in whole-cell Na V 1.5 protein or in mRNA level were observed. Optical imaging in neonatal rat ventricular myocyte monolayers demonstrated slowed conduction velocity and a reduced maximum capture rate after FGF13 knockdown. Conclusion: These findings show that FHFs are potent regulators of Na + channels in adult ventricular myocytes and suggest that loss-of-function mutations in FHFs may underlie a similar set of cardiac arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies that result from Na V 1.5 loss-of-function mutations.
Cytodifferentiation of the rat Paneth cell: an immunocytochemical investigation in suckling and weanling animals.

The cytodifferentiation of the intestinal Paneth cell was investigated in 2- to 50-day-old rats by evaluating the phenotypic expression of bacteriolytic lysozyme. Samples of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were exposed to anti-lysozyme antiserum and treated by the periodic-acid Schiff (PAS) technique for the demonstration of carbohydrate moieties. The distribution of the Paneth cell population was then assessed. At days 3-6, Paneth cells were present in ≤ 1% of intestinal crypts and exhibited (a) location in the bases of crypts, (b) apical granules positive for lysozyme, and (c) a slender truncated shape extending to the crypt lumen. By days 6-8, Paneth cells had acquired their typical broad, truncated shape and prominent secretory apparatus. Between 1 and 7 weeks postpartum, the frequency of Paneth cellcontaining crypts in duodenum rose from 9% to 79%; in jejunum and ileum the frequency increased through the third week of life and stabilized at 77%–93% thereafter. At all ages, a rostro-caudal gradient of crypts containing Paneth cells was observed, and greater numbers of paneth cells per crypt were seen caudally. In both suckling and weanling animals, two intermediate cell types were encountered. The first predominated at crypt bases through the fourth week of life and contained lysozyme-positive supranuclear granules, concomitant with an apical aggregation of PAS-positive material. The second type, identical to goblet cells in size and shape, predominated along the walls of intestinal crypts and at the bases of villi, and manifested both lysozyme-positive granules and PAS-positive mucigen droplets in the apical cytoplasm. This cell type appeared by day 12 and persisted through day 50. The results of this study provide further evidence that Paneth cells differentiate from a subpopulation of multipotent stem cells residing at crypt bases. The observation of Paneth cell-goblet cell transitional forms supports the view that these two cell types share a common lineage.
University Science Students as Curriculum Planners, Teachers, and Role Models in Elementary School Classrooms

Project SEARCH (Science Education and Research for CHildren) is an outreach program designed to teach science and to foster positive attitudes toward science. Through the project, university science students bring activity-based learning, plus materials and content expertise, to local classrooms and after-school programs. Using observations, surveys, and interviews, we examined the experiences of these students as curriculum planners, teachers, and role models for the children. We found that teachers value the enthusiasm and the resources provided by the SEARCH students. Children were engaged in the activities and looked forward to the students’ visits. They also see them as positive and diverse models for the role of scientist. But there were often problems in the areas of preparation, scheduling, and communication, and the classroom activities often replicated traditional didactic lessons. The SEARCH experience highlights both the value of providing diverse and challenging experiences for children, and the need for dialogue and reflection on those experiences. Despite several concerns, the SEARCH model is one that deserves expansion and further study as it is extended into new settings.
Drug Delivery: Wavelength‐Selective Light‐Induced Release from Plasmon Resonant Liposomes (Adv. Funct. Mater. 6/2011)

Biodegradable, spectrally tunable plasmon resonant nanocapsules are created via the deposition of gold onto the surface of 100 nm diameter thermosensitive liposomes. These nanocapsules exhibit selective release of encapsulated contents upon illumination with light of a wavelength matching their distinct resonance bands. In this study, 760 and 1210 nm laser illumination elicits complete release from gold-coated liposomes with a corresponding resonance, while causing minimal release from liposomes with an unmatching resonance. Spectrally selective release is accomplished through the use of multiple, low-intensity laser pulses delivered over a period of minutes, ensuring that illumination affects the gold-coated liposomes without heating the surrounding media. The use of pulsed illumination to achieve spectral selectivity is validated experimentally and through modeling of the heat equation. The result of this illumination scheme for selective release using multiple wavelengths of light is a biologically safe mechanism for realizing drug delivery, microfluidic, and sensor applications.
Latitudinal gradients in benthic community composition in Western Atlantic estuaries

Summary AimThe community composition of benthic macroinvertebrates from 295 estuarine sites was examined in order to either confirm or challenge established boundaries of zoogeographical provinces. We also investigated the postulate that, while local distributions were determined by natural habitat characteristics such as salinity, sediment type and depth, distributions on a large geographical scale would be correlated with temperature. LocationThe Atlantic coast of the United States (on a latitudinal gradient from 42° to 25°N). MethodsUsing the descriptive techniques of cluster analysis and nonmetric multi-dimensional scaling, we determined the similarities in benthic community composition between sites within 1° latitudinal bands and compared the biotic ordinations to natural habitat characteristics such as salinity, sediment type and depth. We then evaluated the overall community composition within each 1° latitudinal band and established whether or not similarities existed between adjacent 1° latitudinal bands. In this manner, we were able to confirm that a latitudinal gradient existed in estuarine benthic community composition along the western Atlantic coast. This latitudinal gradient was demarcated by biogeographical boundaries at (1) Biscayne Bay, Florida, (2) the southern end of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, (3) St John's River, Florida, (4) Cape Island, South Carolina, (5) the mouth of the Cape Fear River, North Carolina and (6) Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with a subprovince boundary just north of Cape May at Wildwood, New Jersey. ResultsThe major divisions approximated widely recognized biogeographical boundaries. Average summer water temperatures correlated better than sediment type, depth, or salinity with the latitudinal groupings of sites determined by cluster analysis. ConclusionsBased on this relationship, we speculate on the potential impacts of current global climate change scenarios on the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates along the western Atlantic coast.
Evaluation and treatment of accidental autoinjection of epinephrine

Purpose A case of accidental autoinjection of epinephrine is described. Summary A 47-year-old man arrived at the emergency department after accidental injection of epinephrine with an autoinjector into his left thumb. His vital signs were stable at admission. The patient was allergic to nuts and thought he may have eaten something containing a pine nut. The patient reported feeling itching in his throat but had no shortness of breath or swollen tongue. He tried to self-administer an epinephrine injection, but it did not inject. While he was checking the device, it accidently injected into his left thumb pad. A review of systems revealed throat discomfort, a tingling sensation of the tongue, and a left-thumb puncture with pain. Physical examination of the left thumb pad revealed a pale, cool thumb with diminished capillary refill and punctuate black discoloration at the site of injection. Topical nitroglycerin paste was applied but had no effect, so terbutaline was ordered. The terbutaline injection was prepared as a 1:1 preparation of terbutaline sulfate 1 mg/mL and 0.9% sodium chloride injection. The immediate effects were the return of color from pale white to red and observable perfusion to the area within seconds. After 20 minutes, the red color remained, with observable perfusion and warmth, in addition to complete neurosensory function. Sixty minutes after terbutaline administration, the patient was discharged home. Conclusion A 47-year-old man who accidentally injected himself in the thumb with an epinephrine autoinjector was successfully treated with subcutaneous terbutaline. The treatment had an immediate effect, including revascularization and resolution of pain.
Structure and self‐energy of the electron

The region very close to an electron (r r0 = e 2 /mc 2 ≈ 2.8 × 10 −13 cm) is, according to quantum electrodynamics, a seething maelstrom of virtual electron-positron pairs flashing in and out of existence. To take account of this well-established physical reality, a phenomenological representation for vacuum polarization is introduced into the framework of classical electrodynamics. Such a model enables a consistent picture of classical point charges with finite electromagnetic self-energy. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 90: 144-147, 2002
THE STATE OF THE LOAN SUB-PARTICIPATION

The common practice of selling sub-participations in commercial bank loans has received attention in tie light of recent domestic bank failures and the many sovereign debt renegotiations currently in progress. Under regulatory pressure to improve capital ratios, or in an effort to adjust loan portfolios to achieve other goals, commercial banks are increasingly resorting to the sub-participation market notwithstanding the troublesome legal questions posed by these transactions. Moreover, many of the more important legal questions raised by the sale of a sub-participation do not have definitive answers. This article explores the nature of these legal risks from the perspective of both the seller and the buyer of the loan sub-participation. The article also discusses how the traditional legal analysis of these instruments has changed, and is changing in light of heightened regulatory scrutiny and the altered nature of the sub-participation market itself
Enhancement of Solar Water Pasteurization with Reflectors

A simple and reliable method that could be used in developing countries to pasteurize milk and water with solar energy is described. A cardboard reflector directs sunshine onto a black jar, heating water to pasteurizing temperatures in several hours. A reusable water pasteurization indicator verifies that pasteurization temperatures have been reached.
Parental compliance with home cardiorespiratory monitoring.

Aims—To evaluate parental compliance with home cardiorespiratory monitoring of premature infants with apnoea, siblings of infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and infants with an apparent life threatening event (ALTE), during the first month of use. Methods—A retrospective review of the first month’s recordings was conducted on 39 premature infants with apnoea, 13 siblings of SIDS, and 16 infants with ALTE. All infants were singletons. Recommendations during the study period (1992‐1994) were for daily use for 23 hours per day. Measurements were average daily hours of use and consistency of use (daily or variable). Gestational age, maternal age, and socioeconomic status as measured by receipt of public assistance were also recorded. Results—Siblings of SIDS were monitored for fewer hours than were premature or ALTE infants.Only 54% of sibings of SIDS were monitored daily, compared to 87% of premature infants and 93% of ALTEs. Within each diagnostic category socioeconomic status did not aVect average hours of monitoring. Consistency of use was more evident in those with private insurance, although the trend did not reach significance. Conclusions—Parents of infants with apnoea of prematurity or ALTE are highly compliant with cardiorespiratory monitoring recommendations in the first month of monitor usage. Siblings of SIDS are monitored for fewer hours and are less likely to be monitored on a daily basis. (Arch Dis Child 2001;84:270‐272)
The role of chromatin accessibility in directing the widespread, overlapping patterns of Drosophila transcription factor binding.

Background In Drosophila embryos, many biochemically and functionally unrelated transcription factors bind quantitatively to highly overlapping sets of genomic regions, with much of the lowest levels of binding being incidental, non-functional interactions on DNA. The primary biochemical mechanisms that drive these genome-wide occupancy patterns have yet to be established.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Human Trabeculin-α, a Giant Protein Defining a New Family of Actin-binding Proteins

We describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a novel giant human cytoplasmic protein, trabeculin-alpha (M(r) = 614,000). Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence reveals homologies with several putative functional domains, including a pair of alpha-actinin-like actin binding domains; regions of homology to plakins at either end of the giant polypeptide; 29 copies of a spectrin-like motif in the central region of the protein; two potential Ca(2+)-binding EF-hand motifs; and a Ser-rich region containing a repeated GSRX motif. With similarities to both plakins and spectrins, trabeculin-alpha appears to have evolved as a hybrid of these two families of proteins. The functionality of the actin binding domains located near the N terminus was confirmed with an F-actin binding assay using glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins comprising amino acids 9-486 of the deduced peptide. Northern and Western blotting and immunofluorescence studies suggest that trabeculin is ubiquitously expressed and is distributed throughout the cytoplasm, though the protein was found to be greatly up-regulated upon differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes. Finally, the presence of cDNAs similar to, yet distinct from, trabeculin-alpha in both human and mouse suggests that trabeculins may form a new subfamily of giant actin-binding/cytoskeletal cross-linking proteins.
Mapping the physiography of Michigan with GIS

Abstract We present a new physiographic map of Michigan, that is also available interactively, online. Only four, small-scale physiographic maps of Michigan had been previously published. Our mapping project made use of a wide variety of spatial data, in a GIS environment, to visualize and delineate the physical landscape in more detail than has been done previously. We also examined many of the unit boundaries in the field, using a GIS running on a GPS-enabled laptop. Unlike previous physiographic maps, the online version of the map enables users to query the criteria used to define each of the 224 boundaries of its 10 major and 91 minor physiographic units. The interactive nature of the online version of the map is a unique enhancement to physiographic maps and mapping. Our study also provides data on the number and types of criteria used to define each of the 224 unit boundaries within the map. Most of our unit boundaries are based on data derived from 10-m raster elevation data and NRCS soils data, e....
The Effect of the AFL-CIO's "Voter Education" Campaigns on the 1996 House Elections

Analysis of the effects of the AFL-CIO's "voter education" campaigns aimed at House Republicans in 1996 indicates that they were highly effective against targeted freshmen but not against more senior Republicans. Indeed, labor can plausibly claim responsibility for defeating a majority of the first-term losers. Thus, money spent outside the regular campaigns on "voter education" can have a major effect on election results, especially if it is spent against incumbents. Labor's efforts did not succeed in delivering the House to the Democrats, however, because too many of the Democratic candidates and campaigns fell too far short on their own for labor's help to put them over the top.
On dynamical methods of heat integration design

Perturbation theory is utilized in order to examine the change in stability characteristics due to heat integration between process units. Dynamical rules of design are obtained in order to select the unit integrations with the most desirable stability characteristics. The integration of nonisothermal CSTR's with endothermic and exothermic reactions is examined in detail. It is shown that heat integration can make the endothermic reactor more stable if it increases the slope of the heat removal line for this reactor. On the other hand, the stability of exothermic reactors tends to increase when heat integration moves the slope of the heat removal line for this reactor closer to a characteristic value. Approximate values are also calculated for the critical amount of heat integration which makes the system unstable.
Fire Resistivity and Toxicity Studies of Candidate Aircraft Passenger Seat Materials

Fire resistivity studies were conducted on a wide range of candidate nonmetallic materials being considered for the construction of improved fire resistant aircraft passenger seats. These materials were evaluated on the basis of FAA airworthiness burn and smoke generation tests, colorfastness, limiting oxygen index, and animal toxicity tests. Physical, mechanical, and aesthetic properties were also assessed. Candidate seat materials that have significantly improved thermal response to various thermal loads corresponding to reasonable fire threats as they relate to in-flight fire situations, are identified.
Stabilization technology development for the liquid-liquid extraction process in a bioplant

Abstract In liquid–liquid extraction processes of bioplants, separation problems due to undesirable emulsifications between aqueous and organic layers are often observed. In this study, surfactants were applied to such a process to avoid separation problems and achieve stable liquid–liquid extraction operations. Homogenized yeast culture broth including a lipophilic physiological active substance was used as the aqueous phase and hexane was used as the extraction solvent. The results of lab-scale extraction tests indicated that adding a small amount of surfactant made of polyoxyethylene–polyoxypropylene block copolymers actualizes extractions with both of high yields and high separation stabilities. Liquid–liquid extraction processes with surfactants required higher power consumptions in order to require high power inputs to diminish droplets to sizes small enough to guarantee high mass transfer. The surfactant was also effective for continuous countercurrent extraction processes, in which it prolonged stable operations. In conclusion, application of a specific surfactant to liquid–liquid extraction processes was confirmed to be effective to achieve high stabilities and high extraction yields of two-layer separations in settlers which would lead to productivity increases and solvent recovery load reductions.
How art assuages history: nostalgia in Judeo-Tunisian literature

ABSTRACTOne of the most prevalent themes within the body of postcolonial Judeo-Tunisian literature is that of nostalgia, created by displacement and exile. Nostalgia plays a prominent role in Michel Valensi's L'Empreinte and Claude Kayat's La Synagogue de Sfax, two Judeo-Tunisian novels that examine the effects of the Jewish migration from Tunisia decades after it occurred, calling into question the history surrounding this migration. Nostalgia marks each of these works with regret for a homeland and a way of life lost, as well as for a vanished social and cultural richness that could not exist anywhere else in the world, and that post-independence Tunisia could never reconstruct. Each work presents its nostalgia in a different framework, with Kayat's novel detailing the pain of watching a culture fall apart, while Valensi's characters face yet another diaspora and reminisce about Tunisia. Both works are marked by characters who cling stubbornly to the life they left behind, and whose sentimental ties to ...
Reach-scale characterization of large woody debris in a low-gradient, Midwestern U.S.A. river system

Abstract Addition of large woody debris (LWD) to rivers has increasingly become a popular stream restoration strategy, particularly in river systems of the Midwestern United States. However, our knowledge of LWD dynamics is mostly limited to high gradient montane river systems, or coastal river systems. The LWD-related management of low-gradient, Midwestern river systems is thus largely based on higher gradient analogs of LWD dynamics. This research characterizes fluvial wood loads and investigates the relationships between fluvial wood, channel morphology, and sediment deposition in a relatively low-gradient, semiconfined, alluvial river. The LWD and channel morphology were surveyed at nine reaches along the Big River in southeastern Missouri to investigate those relationships in comparison to other regions. Wood loads in the Big River are low (3–114 m 3 /100 m) relative to those of higher gradient river systems of the Pacific Northwest, but high relative to lower-gradient river systems of the Eastern United States. Wood characteristics such as size and orientation suggest that the dominant LWD recruitment mechanism in the Big River is bank erosion. Also, ratios of wood geometry to channel geometry show that the Big River maintains a relatively high wood transport capacity for most of its length. Although LWD creates sites for sediment storage, the overall impact on reach-scale sediment storage in the Big River is low (
Public Issues Education Projects: Meeting the Evaluation Challenges

Evaluating and monitoring routine Extension projects is hard enough. Programs that feature concepts like public issues education (PIE), public dialogue, or civic engagement are even more challenging. Familiar "rules and regs" of good evaluation still apply, but hints, warnings, and new resources can help. After 10 years of Extension PIE initiatives, there are also examples of evaluations of PIE that can guide planning.
Corrosion Performance Projection of Yucca Mountain Waste Packages

The proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain relies heavily on the corrosion resistance of waste packages (WP) emplaced in tunnels bored through tuffaceous rock for adequate performance during the anticipated 10,000 years regulatory period. Present WP design uses a ∼20-mm-thick outer shell of Alloy 22 as the main corrosion-resistant barrier. The operating conditions may include an initial high-temperature (>96 °C) pulse that will last approximately several hundred to a thousand years. Ti-alloy shields are envisioned to prevent water from directly dripping on the WP. However, recent findings suggest that deliquescent salts and other contaminants on the WP surfaces may cause liquid water to form there, even at high temperatures. Current performance projections predict that during the anticipated regulatory period localized corrosion modes will be unlikely and that the Alloy 22 barrier will degrade primarily by very slow uniform dissolution, essentially under passive surface conditions. A review is presented of the assumptions and experimental findings leading to those projections, as well as a discussion of findings of a recent Workshop on the challenges involved in extrapolating limited information on corrosion behavior over an extremely long service period that extends beyond the time frame of common engineering experience. Potential mechanisms for deterioration of the passive regime that may be encountered under those circumstances are discussed.
Analytical Derivation: An Epistemic Game for Solving Mathematically Based Physics Problems.

Introductory physics students favor algebraic solution procedures over graphical procedures, even when the former is not sufficient to solve the problem.
Chemical fallout: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, radioactive fallout and the environmental movement.

The landmark book Silent Spring played a vitally important role in stimulating the contemporary environmental movement. Never before or since has a book been so successful in alerting the public to a major environmental pollutant, rooting the alert in a deeply ecological perception of the issues, and promoting major public, private and governmental initiatives to correct the problem. It was exceptional in its ability to combine a grim warning about pesticide poisoning with a text that celebrated the living world. Silent Spring has been compared in its social impact to Uncle Tom's Cabin; John Kenneth Galbraith described it as one of the most important books of Western literature and Robert Downs listed it as one of the "books that changed America."' Rachel Carson's case against the indiscriminate use of pesticides prevailed in the face of powerful, well-financed opposition by the agricultural and chemical industries. Despite this opposition she prompted national action to regulate pesticides by mobilizing a concerned public. The book established a broad constituency for addressing the problem broader, perhaps, than that enjoyed by any previous environmental issue. Never before had so diverse a body of people, from bird watchers, to wildlife managers and public health professionals, to suburban homeowners, been joined together to deal with a common national and international environment threat. Her success in the face of what might have been overwhelming opposition suggests there was something significantly different between the response to Silent Spring in 1962 and the pesticide control efforts of the first half of the century. The issue of pesticide pollution was not new. Since the introduction of Paris green around 1867 highly toxic compounds of lead and arsenic were widely used in agriculture despite the significant health hazards they presented. As one example, 75 million lbs. of lead arsenate were applied within the U.S. in 1944; 8 million lbs. were even used in the 1961-62 crop 211
Localization of the Site of Production of the Sex Pheromone “Seducin” of the Male Nauphoeta cinerea by Bioassay

Males of Nauphoeta cinerea produce a sex pheromone called “seducin.” We made extensive bioassays of different age groups to study the distribution and localization of the site of production of pheromone in the insect. The highest activity was first found to be from the 5th through the last abdominal sternites in males one day after adult emergence. The pheromone activity was less localized in older males, and seems to have spread also to the 1st 4 abdominal sternites in 3- to 5-day-old males. The abdominal tergites of older males are also quite active. Bioassay combined with preliminary histological observation indicate that pheromone production is initiated in the integument of the posterior few sternites and eventually spreads to other parts of the integument.
Medical Therapy of Hepatobiliary Diseases Associated with Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with a spectrum of hepatobiliary diseases which can be classified into 3 groups: (1) hepatobiliary diseases with association to UC or possibly shared pathogenesis with UC, (2) hepatobiliary disease with association to UC therapy, and (3) hepatobiliary diseases encountered in UC, which may relate to physiological changes from UC. Among these abnormalities, the most common condition is primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). A diagnosis of PSC is based on a constellation of clinical, biochemical, and typical cholangiographic features. The response to a variety of medical therapies for PSC has varied. UDCA has been widely utilized for PSC, but recent data noted that high-dose UDCA may be harmful. Other common associated hepatobiliary conditions include fatty liver, gallstones, and drug-induced liver injury, as well as potential reactivation of chronic hepatitis B from immunosuppressive therapy.
Enhanced surface exchange activity and electrode performance of (La 2−2x Sr 2x )(Ni 1−x Mn x )O 4+δ cathode for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract Surface exchange kinetics of Ruddlesden-Popper (R-P) phase lanthanum nickelates upon Mn doping as an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) cathode is investigated for the first time in this communication. To promote the exchange rate in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on nickelates, Mn is partially substituted for Ni. The oxygen exchange resistance is accurately measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with dense thin layer cathode. It is found that Mn substantially promotes the surface kinetics; a surface exchange coefficient (k) of 1.57 × 10−6 cm/s is obtained at 700 °C for La1.8Sr0.2Ni0.9Mn0.1O4+δ (Sr20Mn10), ∼80% higher than that of the undoped La2NiO4+δ (LNO). To our best knowledge, such coefficient is the highest values among the currently available R-P phase IT-SOFC cathodes. The corresponding polarization resistances (Rp) are evaluated on porous electrodes. Rp for LNO is 0.74 Ωcm2 at 750 °C, but decreases significantly to 0.42 Ωcm2 for Sr20Mn10 which is remarkably improved compared to the reported values in the literature for La2MO4+δ materials (M = transition metal). Those promising results demonstrate that Mn-doped LNO is a new excellent cathode material for IT-SOFC.
An ovarian cholelithiasis.

45-year-old woman had a history of abnormal uterine bleeding for 2 years. She was admitted to the hospital and underwent a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The specimen was received in pathology and consisted of a 280-g uterus with attached bilateral fallopian tubes and ovaries. Adherent to the right ovary was an encapsulated, multifaceted, black calculus (Figure 1). Closer examination revealed an apparent gallstone connected to the ovary by dense fibrous tissue (Figure 2). The patient had undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy 2 years prior to the hysterectomy. The gallbladder contained multiple hard, black, multifaceted gallstones, which were identical to the calculus adherent to the ovary. Gallstones implanting in the ovary are an unusual finding. Spillage and loss of gallstones into the peritoneal cavity
RF technology for human MRI at 10.5T

The objective of this work is to develop and apply the world's highest field strength, whole-body MRI system for biomedical research of the human body in health, disease, and therapeutic intervention. Due to the better than linear proportion of signal-to-noise to field strength, this system has the inherent potential of being the most power instrument yet, for noninvasive investigation, In-vivo. However, because the 450 MHz Larmor wavelength of the energy stimulating and receiving the nuclear magnetic signal response in high water content human tissues is on the order of 7cm, conventional MRI technology and methods used at lower field strengths and frequencies will not realize the full potential of this system. RF field non-uniformities and losses associated with current approaches will compromise both the success and the safety of 10.5T studies. New solutions to these short-wave problems must be found to realize the full benefit of this MRI at this unprecedented field strength. These new solutions for RF technology for MRI at 10.5T is the topic of this work.
The selection of an efficient electrical machine

The user must select the appropriate machine for his requirements and then decide whether improvements in efficiency can be justified in terms of cost effectiveness. Incurring possible additional costs by ensuring an off-loaded start may allow the motor manufacturer to offer a more efficient machine. A complete analysis of the system as a whole including other operating costs is advisable before considering the benefits of improved motor efficiency in isolation. An ability to calculate all losses including stray with improved accuracy is essential to the motor manufacturer if he wants to offer the most suitable machine for the application.
Effect of left ventricular ejection fraction on postoperative outcome in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing aortic valve replacement.

Background— In asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis, guidelines recommend left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of Methods and Results— We retrospectively identified 2017 patients with severe aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 2 , mean gradient≥40 mm Hg, or indexed aortic valve area 2 /m 2 ) who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement from January 1995 to June 2009. Patients were divided into 4 groups depending on preoperative LVEF ( P P P P =0.006). Correcting for risk factors, LV mass index, aortic valve area, and stroke volume index, LVEF was independently predictive of mortality (HR, 0.88 per 10%; P P =0.009). Conclusions— LVEF is a powerful predictor of outcome in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing aortic valve replacement, independent of the presence of valve-related symptoms.
Fault geometry of 2015, Mw7.2 Murghab, Tajikistan earthquake controls rupture propagation: Insights from InSAR and seismological data

Abstract Combining space-based geodetic and array seismology observations can provide detailed information about earthquake ruptures in remote regions. Here we use Landsat-8 imagery and ALOS-2 and Sentinel-1 radar interferometry data combined with data from the European seismology network to describe the source of the December 7, 2015, Mw7.2 Murghab (Tajikistan) earthquake. The earthquake reactivated a ∼79 km-long section of the Sarez–Karakul Fault, a NE oriented sinistral, trans-tensional fault in northern Pamir. Pixel offset data delineate the geometry of the surface break and line of sight ground shifts from two descending and three ascending interferograms constrain the fault dip and slip solution. Two right-stepping, NE-striking segments connected by a more easterly oriented segment, sub-vertical or steeply dipping to the west were involved. The solution shows two main patches of slip with up to 3.5 m of left lateral slip on the southern and central fault segments. The northern segment has a left-lateral and normal oblique slip of up to a meter. Back-projection of high-frequency seismic waves recorded by the European network, processed using the Multitaper-MUSIC approach, focuses sharply along the surface break. The time progression of the high-frequency radiators shows that, after a 10 second initiation phase at slow speed, the rupture progresses in 2 phases at super-shear velocity (∼4.3–5 km/s) separated by a 3 second interval of slower propagation corresponding to the passage through the restraining bend. The intensity of the high-frequency radiation reaches maxima during the initial and middle phases of slow propagation and is reduced by ∼50% during the super-shear phases of the propagation. These findings are consistent with studies of other strike-slip earthquakes in continental domain, showing the importance of fault geometric complexities in controlling the speed of fault propagation and related spatiotemporal pattern of the high-frequency radiation.
Detecting Diligence with Online Behaviors on Intelligent Tutoring Systems

The current study introduces a model for measuring student diligence using online behaviors during intelligent tutoring system use. This model is validated using a full academic year dataset to test its predictive validity against long-term academic outcomes including end-of-year grades and total work completed by the end of the year. The model is additionally validated for robustness to time-sample length as well as data sampling frequency. While the model is shown to be predictive and robust to time-sample length, the results are inconclusive for robustness in data sampling frequency. Implications for research on interventions, and understanding the influence of self-control, motivation, metacognition, and cognition are discussed.
Silicone rubber aging in electrolyzed aqueous salt environments

Abstract In this work we suggest an entirely new and highly transformative model of silicone rubber aging caused by the presence of electrolyzed aqueous salt, leading to the formation of hypochlorous acid in-service on energized High Voltage (HV) transmission lines in coastal environments. The model was subsequently verified by aging one-component Room Temperature Vulcanized (RTV-1) rubbers in commercially produced hypochlorous acid and an electrolyzed aqueous salt environment at room temperature. Molecular dynamics models of the rubbers with silica fillers were conducted to offer at least partial explanations of the types and extents of aging observed in the RTV-1 samples tested in the aqueous salt solutions. We have shown that the above environments are highly damaging to the silicone rubber polymer network and significantly more destructive than non-electrolyzed standard aqueous salt solutions at higher temperatures. The main observations of this research should greatly contribute to a better understanding of complex degradation mechanisms of modern HV silicone rubber compounds, which are utilized in some of the most critical lines and substations all over the world.
Maternal Colonialism: White Women and Indigenous Child Removal in the American West and Australia, 1880–1940

This study of white women's involvement in the removal of indigenous children in a comparative, international context offers an opportunity for recasting the history of women and gender in the American West as part of a larger story of gender and settler colonialism around the globe.