cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient Load Flow Techniques Based on Holomorphic Embedding for Distribution Networks

The Holomorphic Embedding Load flow Method (HELM) employs complex analysis to solve the load flow problem. It guarantees finding the correct solution when it exists, and identifying when a solution does not exist. The method, however, is usually computationally less efficient than the traditional Newton-Raphson algorithm, which is generally considered to be a slow method in distribution networks. In this paper, we present two HELM modifications that exploit the radial and weakly meshed topology of distribution networks and significantly reduce computation time relative to the original HELM implementation. We also present comparisons with several popular load flow algorithms applied to various test distribution networks.
Effect of heterogeneous oxidative aging on light absorption by biomass burning organic aerosol

Light-absorbing organic aerosol (brown carbon, BrC) impacts the radiative balance of the earth’s atmosphere; however, the magnitude of this impact is poorly constrained due to uncertainties in BrC ...
Cottonseed protein-based wood adhesive reinforced with nanocellulose

Although protein-based adhesives are eco-friendly, sustainable, and biodegradable, continued improvement in their adhesive performance is desirable. In this work, the effect of adding nanocellulose...
Building a Cybersecurity Research and Experimentation Testbed

Cybersecurity is critically important to nations and societies. However, it has proven difficult for cybersecurity researchers to quantitatively and experimentally analyze, compare and validate the effectiveness of various offensive and defensive mechanisms. The Cyber Analysis, Simulation and Experimentation Environment (CASE-V) project is focused on developing a secure, highly available, feature rich and flexible framework and testbed. CASE-V includes two foundational platforms: OpenStack cloud and Hadoop big data. This paper presents the architectural design and implementation of the Version 1 CASE-V testbed which is initially operational with ongoing refinements and enhancements underway. It also describes an Automation and User Interface (UI) framework for the testbed to enhance usability and operational robustness, and its prototype implementation.
A neuroskeletal atlas of the mouse limb

ABSTRACT Nerves in bone play well-established roles in pain and vasoregulation and have been associated with progression of skeletal disorders including osteoporosis, fracture, arthritis and tumor metastasis. However, isolation of the region-specific mechanisms underlying these relationships is limited by our lack of comprehensive maps of skeletal innervation. To overcome this, we mapped sympathetic adrenergic and sensory peptidergic axons within the limb in two strains of mice (B6 and C3H). In the periosteum, these maps were related to the surrounding musculature, including entheses and myotendinous attachments to bone. Locally, three distinct patterns of innervation (Type I, II, III) were defined within established sites that are important for bone pain, bone repair, and skeletal homeostasis. In addition, we mapped the major nerve branches and areas of specialized mechanoreceptors. This work is intended to serve as a guide during the design, implementation, and interpretation of future neuroskeletal studies and was compiled as a resource for the field as part of the NIH SPARC consortium.
Lyophilized Kratom Tea as a Therapeutic Option for Opioid Dependence.

Abstract Background Made as a tea, the Thai traditional drug “kratom” reportedly possesses pharmacological actions that include both a coca-like stimulant effect and opium-like depressant effect. Kratom has been used as a substitute for opium in physically-dependent subjects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociception, somatic and physical dependence produced by kratom tea, and then assess if the tea ameliorated withdrawal in opioid physically-dependent subjects. Methods Lyophilized kratom tea (LKT) was evaluated in C57BL/6J and opioid receptor knockout mice after oral administration. Antinociceptive activity was measured in the 55 °C warm-water tail-withdrawal assay. Potential locomotor impairment, respiratory depression and locomotor hyperlocomotion, and place preference induced by oral LKT were assessed in the rotarod, Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System, and conditioned place preference assays, respectively. Naloxone-precipitated withdrawal was used to determine potential physical dependence in mice repeatedly treated with saline or escalating doses of morphine or LKT, and LKT amelioration of morphine withdrawal. Data were analyzed using one- and two-way ANOVA. Results Oral administration of LKT resulted in dose-dependent antinociception (≥1 g/kg, p.o.) absent in mice lacking the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and reduced in mice lacking the kappa-opioid receptor. These doses of LKT did not alter coordinated locomotion or induce conditioned place preference, and only briefly reduced respiration. Repeated administration of LKT did not produce physical dependence, but significantly decreased naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine dependent mice. Conclusions The present study confirms the MOR agonist activity and therapeutic effect of LKT for the treatment of pain and opioid physical dependence.
The Effect of Retaliation Costs on Employee Whistleblowing

We use large increases in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to study the effects of expected retaliation costs on employee whistleblowing. Increases in UI benefits reduce the costs that arise from a job loss, one of the costliest forms of retaliation. We find that increases in UI benefits increase the number of facility-level employee workplace safety complaints filed with the regulator. Furthermore, UI benefit increases also result in more violations and more penalties. The effects are concentrated in firms where retaliation is more likely as measured by weaker employee relations, internal controls, and monitoring. Our findings show the importance of reducing retaliation costs to tap into employees’ knowledge of misconduct.
Banach Framed, Decay in the Context of Localization

We introduce a new definition of localization for frames which eliminates the dependence on the indexing of the frames. Two main results of Grochenig are extended to this definition, namely that the dual of a localized frame is also localized, and a frame localized with respect to another frame is a Banach frame for the associated family of Banach spaces. These results parallel the results of a more recent paper by Fornasier and Grochenig.
A partial knowledge of friends of friends speeds social search

Milgram empirically showed that people knowing only connections to their friends could locate any person in the U.S. in a few steps. Later research showed that social network topology enables a node aware of its full routing to find an arbitrary target in even fewer steps. Yet, the success of people in forwarding efficiently knowing only personal connections is still not fully explained. To study this problem, we emulate it on a real location-based social network, Gowalla. It provides explicit information about friends and temporal locations of each user useful for studies of human mobility. Here, we use it to conduct a massive computational experiment to establish new necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving social search efficiency. The results demonstrate that only the distribution of friendship edges and the partial knowledge of friends of friends are essential and sufficient for the efficiency of social search. Surprisingly, the efficiency of the search using the original distribution of friendship edges is not dependent on how the nodes are distributed into space. Moreover, the effect of using a limited knowledge that each node possesses about friends of its friends is strongly nonlinear. We show that gains of such use grow statistically significantly only when this knowledge is limited to a small fraction of friends of friends.
Environmental Distribution of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) on Michigan Dairy Farms

Johne's disease (JD) is an important infectious disease of cattle caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). It is estimated that over 50% of US dairy herds are infected with MAP. Environmental contamination with MAP is considered the major reservoir of infection for susceptible cattle. While MAP does not multiply in the environment, it can persist for months in manure, lagoons, manure packs--areas that are found in abundance on most dairy farms--even in below-freezing temperatures. Very little information is published on distribution of MAP on dairy farms. The objectives of this study were to: 1) perform serial environmental culturing on six Michigan dairy herds, enrolled in a JD control program over several years; 2) characterize the distribution of MAP contamination on dairy farms; and 3) determine if and how that distribution changes as herd fecal culture prevalence changes.
Comparison of Various Approaches to Translate Non-Linear Pharmacokinetics of Monoclonal Antibodies from Cynomolgus Monkey to Human

The prediction of pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) exhibiting non-linear pharmacokinetics in preclinical species to human is challenging, and very limited scientific work has been published in this field of research. Therefore, we have conducted an elaborate comparative assessment to determine the most reliable preclinical to clinical scaling strategy for mAbs with non-linear pharmacokinetics. We have compared three different scaling approaches to predict human pharmacokinetics from cynomolgus monkey. In the first approach, cynomolgus monkey pharmacokinetic parameters estimated using a two-compartment model with parallel linear and non-linear elimination were allometrically scaled to simulate human pharmacokinetics. In the second approach, allometric exponents were integrated with a minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetic (mPBPK) model to translate human pharmacokinetics. In the third approach, we have employed a species time-invariant method, wherein a two-compartment model with parallel linear and non-linear elimination was used as a framework model for simulation of the human profile. Human exposure parameters projected by an integrated allometric method were only within two fold for approximately 45–70% of predictions at different doses of five mAbs evaluated, while approximately 70–80% of Cmax and AUC predictions by integrated mPBPK modelling as well as the species time-invariant method were within two-fold error. The average fold error for clearance predictions by the integrated mPBPK method was 1.10–1.45 fold, whilst for the species time-variant and integrated allometric methods, the average fold error was between 1.04 and 1.37 fold and 1.24 and 2.13 fold, respectively. Our findings suggest that the species time-variant method and mPBPK proposed by us can be employed to reliably translate non-linear pharmacokinetics of mAbs from cynomolgus monkey to human.
A novel human endometrial epithelial cell line for modeling gynecological diseases and for drug screening.

Endometrium-related malignancies including uterine endometrioid carcinoma, ovarian clear cell carcinoma and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma are major types of gynecologic cancer, claiming more than 13,000 women’s lives annually in the United States. In vitro cell models that recapitulate “normal” endometrial epithelial cells and their malignant counterparts are critically needed to facilitate the studies of pathogenesis in endometrium-related carcinomas. To achieve this objective, we have established a human endometrial epithelial cell line, hEM3, through immortalization and clonal selection from a primary human endometrium culture. hEM3 exhibits stable growth in vitro without senescence. hEM3 expresses protein markers characteristic of the endometrial epithelium, and they include PAX8, EpCAM, cytokeratin 7/8, and ER. hEM3 does not harbor pathogenic germline mutations in genes involving DNA mismatch repair (MMR) or homologous repair (HR) pathways. Despite its unlimited capacity of in vitro proliferation, hEM3 cells are not transformed, as they are not tumorigenic in immunocompromised mice. The cell line is amenable for gene editing, and we have established several gene-specific knockout clones targeting ARID1A, a tumor suppressor gene involved in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling. Drug screening demonstrates that both HDAC inhibitor and PARP inhibitor are effective in targeting cells with ARID1A deletion. Together, our data support the potential of hEM3 as a cell line model for studying the pathobiology of endometrium-related diseases and for developing effective precision therapies. This study describes the characterization of a human endometrial epithelial cell line, hEM3. hEM3 is not transformed, can grow organoids, and does not harbor pathogenic mutations in genes involving DNA mismatch repair (MMR). hEM3 with ARID1A knockout has been generated for drug screening in an ARID1A-deficient and MMR-proficient context. In conclusion, hEM3 can be a model for studying endometrial pathogenesis.
Benchmarking EU e‐government at the crossroads: A framework for e‐government benchmark design and improvement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer insights and suggestions for the design of existing and future e‐government benchmarks.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents several frameworks to structure the discussion of e‐government benchmark design based on a review of existing research and practice. Second, it provides an overview of relevant benchmarking activities including new insights on the European Union's (EU's) benchmarking activities. Finally, suggestions for the future design of the EU's benchmarking are made.Findings – The scope of prominent e‐government benchmarks is mostly on the supply/output side and a development stage model of a selection of government (online) services. Benchmarks follow underlying cause‐and‐effect frameworks. Capturing government transformation also remains a core challenge. To discuss the design of e‐government benchmarks, a three‐tier structure is proposed: guiding principles, benchmark methodology, and reporting and learning. Overall, governments arou...
Succinate-Induced Morphology of Rhizobium trifolii 0403 Resembles That of Bacteroids in Clover Nodules.

Abstract Morphological changes which accompany nutrient enrichment of Rhizobium trifolii 0403 were studied. Assays of cell number and size coupled with scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy showed that succinate induces cells to stop dividing in vitro and to swell either in the cell center or at one cell pole. The extent and frequency of in vitro cell swelling were in direct relation to the concentration of succinate added to the enrichment medium. The in vitro swelling of cells in 16.6 mM succinate plus Casamino Acids, glucose, and yeast extract closely resembled that of bacteroids of R. trifolii 0403 in nitrogen-fixing nodules of white clover. We hypothesize that succinate may be involved in the transformation of vegetative bacteria into the bacteroid morphology found in nitrogen-fixing nodules.
Recovering from the Recovery Narrative: On Glocalism, Green Jobs and Cyborg Civilization

Climate change has fundamentally disrupted the traditional stories and narrative structures that underlie modern environmental law in the United States. This Essay, one in a series of pieces adopting a Law & Literature approach to environmental law, identifies emerging storylines that have begun to predominate in environmental law discourse and that will prove influential in the coming years. The Essay elaborates on 1) how new perceptions of scale are re-defining human beings’ attachments to a sense of “place” or “dwelling,” and are shaping new attitudes about what constitutes the local, posing potential problems for existing federalism schemes; 2) how America’s long history of nationalizing nature manifests in the discourse surrounding energy security, energy independence, and the “green economy,” a discourse which has quickly come into conflict with existing place-based preservationist storylines; and 3) how climate change impacts and the demand for adaptation can produce a reimagining of nature and culture as a kind of cyborg. The Essay concludes by noting commonalities and distinctions between new and old environmental stories, and reflecting on how more radical transformations may lay ahead.
Una población relicta de Acer saccharum subsp. skutchii (Aceroideae) en el estado de Guerrero, México

Structure, composition, diversity, environmental relationships, and conservation status of a cloud forest with Acer saccharum subsp. skutchii (sugar maple) are described in a recently found locality at Coahuayutla de Jose Maria Izazaga municipality, state of Guerrero, Mexico. Woody individuals ≥1 cm dbh in 10 m/radius circular plots and seedlings and saplings heights of sugar maple in 5.6 m/radius circular plots were recorded. The relative ecological importance of each species was expressed in an importance value. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination technique was used to explore the species correlations with edaphic, geographic coordinates, elevation, and canopy gaps variables. 43 woody species in 0.126 ha were recorded. The families with most species were Asteraceae and Fagaceae. The diametric distribution of woody species showed an inverted “J” shape, indicating successful regeneration. Sugar maple is co-dominant with Carpinus caroliniana and Quercus uxoris. Most correlations between presence-absence of trees, including Acer saccharum subsp. skutchii, were with soil characteristics in the population of Guerrero and all maple localities in Mexico and Guatemala. 30% of the reported species are included in some risk category. The fire regime in the zone is a major threat for the persistence of the studied species.
Reductive Coupling of Carbonyls to Alkenes: Adamantylideneadamantane

Reductive coupling of carbonyls to alkenes: adamantylideneadamantane solvent: petroleum ether product: adamantylideneadamantane Keywords: deoxygenation; reduction, miscellaneous; 1,2-dimethoxyethane, purification of; petroleum ether; hydrogen chloride
Novel pipelining of MSB-first add-compare select unit structure for Viterbi decoders

The convolutional codes are widely used in many communication systems due to their excellent error control performance. High speed Viterbi decoders for convolutional codes are of great interest for high data rate applications. In this paper, an improved most-significant-bit (MSB)-first bit-level pipelined add-compare select (ACS) unit structure is proposed. The ACS unit is the main bottleneck on the decoding speed of a Viterbi decoder. By balancing the settling time of different paths in the ACS unit, the length of the critical path is reduced as close as possible to the iteration bound in the ACS unit. With the proposed retimed structure, it is possible to decrease the critical path of the ACS unit by 12 to 15% compared with the conventional MSB-first structures. This reduction in critical path can reduce the level of parallelism (and area) required for a very highspeed (such as 10 Gbps) Viterbi decoder by about 25%.
Film Boiling to a Plate Facing Downward

An experimental study was conducted to verify an analytical model developed to predict the film boiling heat transfer coefficient from a circular plate facing downward in liquid nitrogen. The film boiling coefficients were measured using a transient technique, in which the entire boiling curve was generated in a single experimental run. The analytical solution was of the form, Nu = f(Ra) Ra1/5, where Ra is the film boiling Rayleigh number, and the function f(Ra) involved the effect of the finite thickness of the vapor layer at the edge of the plate. The agreement between the analytical model and the experimental results was good for the range of Rayleigh number between 1010 and 5 × 1012 for plate diameters ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm and temperature differences between 50 K and 210 K.
Modelocked semiconductor laser comb stabilization using the pound-drever-hall scheme

We report optical frequency comb drift stabilization of an external cavity semiconductor laser modelocked at 10 GHz using the Pound-Drever-Hall scheme. The peak-to-peak 2.4 GHz frequency drift was reduced to a RMS fluctuation of 30 MHz.
Amygdala astrocyte reduction in subjects with major depressive disorder but not bipolar disorder.

Altshuler LL, Abulseoud OA, Foland-Ross L, Bartzokis G, Chang S, Mintz J, Hellemann G, Vinters HV. Amygdala astrocyte reduction in subjects with major depressive disorder but not bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2010: 12: 541–549. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives: Several magnetic resonance imaging studies have found changes in amygdala volumes in adults with mood disorders. The cellular basis for these changes has not been explored in detail. Specifically, it is not known whether differences in the density and/or volume of neurons or glial cells contribute to tissue volume changes seen on magnetic resonance images. Methods: Postmortem amygdala samples were obtained from the Stanley Foundation Neuropathology Consortium from subjects diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n = 10), major depressive disorder (n = 11), and schizophrenia (n = 9), and from normal controls (n = 14). Samples were first stained with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and counter-stained with hematoxylin to ascertain neuron and glia (astrocyte) densities. Results: No significant differences in neuronal densities were found between groups. However, a reduction in the density of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes was observed in the amygdala of subjects with major depressive disorder compared to the bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and normal control postmortem samples. Conclusions: A decrease in density of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes in the amygdala of depressed subjects is consistent with prior histologic reports and might contribute to amygdala volume reductions reported in several in vivo neuroimaging studies.
SiO2 deposition as a byproduct of SF6 plasma in an electron cyclotron resonance reactor

Abstract Electron cyclotron resonance has been used for a variety of plasma processes. The technique requires a dielectric window through which microwave power is delivered to the discharge. The choice of dielectric material is critical because it can impact the plasma characteristics and process results. In a reactor with a quartz microwave window, an SF6 plasma can etch the quartz window and redeposit SiO2 on the substrate. This deposition has been characterized by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and the plasma stream analyzed to determine the deposition mechanism. It was found that the quartz etch product SiF4 reacts with residual water in the vacuum system to produce the SiO2 deposition. This deposition and its passivating effect can be prevented by replacing the quartz window with alumina.
The Role of Maternal Verbal, Affective, and Behavioral Support in Preschool Children's Independent and Collaborative Autobiographical Memory Reports

The authors investigated the individual and relative contributions of different aspects of maternal support (i.e., verbal, affective, and behavioral) in relation to children's collaborative and independent reminiscing. Four-year-old children discussed personal past experiences with their mothers and with a researcher. In collaborative recall with their mothers, children's narrative behavior was regulated best by maternal use of specific elaborative components, such as affirmations. In contrast, in children's independent recall, affective and behavioral qualities of maternal support were related to children's memory performance. Specifically, during free-recall, the dimensions of quality of instruction and respect for autonomy were significant predictors of children's narratives. In the context of prompted recall (supported by wh-questions), respect for autonomy was the only significant predictor of children's involvement in the conversations and of the amount of unique content they provided. The findings suggest that different aspects of maternal behavior facilitate different components of children's reminiscing skills, which children might apply depending on demands of the autobiographical memory conversation.
Broadcasting in random graphs

Abstract One of the major problems that have arisen in communication networks is that of broadcasting, namely the dissemination of a message possessed initially by a given vertex to all the vertices of a network. It is assumed that at any time step a given vertex can transmit to or receive from some other vertex exactly one message. We are interested in the minimum time needed to broadcast a message from one vertex to all the vertices of Gn,p random graphs. We are also interested in the broadcast number of such graphs. The problem of broadcasting in random graphs was studied by Scheinerman and Wierman in (1989), where they proved that it was possible to perform, with high probability, near-optimal broadcast in Gn,p random graphs for p=ω n log n n with ωn→∞ as n→∞. They also proved that, for a given algorithm, it was possible, with probability, to optimally broadcast a message from any given vertex to all the vertices of Gn,p random graphs with edge probability p=c log 2 n n , for a properly chosen constant c, in exactly ⌈lgn⌉ time steps. We prove here results related to two conjectures posed by them regarding the optimality of the edge probabilities they used in their paper.
[3,3] Sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic alcohols with ethyl β,β-diethoxyacrylate: Regiospecific synthesis of substituted allylmalonates

Abstract [3,3] Sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic alcohols with ethyl β,β-dietboxyacrylate provides a convenient method for the regiospecific synthesis of substituted allylmalonates 3.
IN SITU GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ULTRAHARD THIN FILMS

Results concerning the operation of a new ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) ion-beam assisted deposition system for in situ investigation of ultrahard thin films are reported. A molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) chamber attached to a surface science system (SPEAR) has been redesigned for deposition of cubic-boron nitride thin films. In situ thin film processing capability of the overall system is demonstrated in preliminary studies on deposition of boron nitride films on clean Si (001) substrates, combining thin film growth with electron microscopy and surface characterization, all in situ. Microsc. Res. Tech. 42:295–301, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Origins and Development of Knowledge Management

Though it had earlier antecedents, the concept of Knowledge Management (KM), as we now know it, evolved as a concept in the late 1980s. The term originated in the consulting community. It arose from the merger of two factors: the recognition of the importance to an organisation of its information and knowledge assets, and from the emergence of the Internet and the almost immediate recognition of the utility of the Internet as an information and knowledge sharing tool, particularly for geographically dispersed organisations. KM has gone through four stages: (1) An emphasis upon the new technology and upon the development of "best practices" or "lessons learned". (2) An increased recognition of human and cultural factors, and upon the development of "communities of practice" to facilitate the sharing of information. (3) An increased recognition of the importance of designing the systems for retrievability, and the importance of data design and structure, including taxonomy development and utilisation. (4) An emphasis upon extending KM systems beyond the parent organisation to include, for example, vendors and suppliers, customers, users, alumni, etc. KM has exhibited remarkable staying power and growth in a fashion that is dramatically different from all other business enthusiasms of the late 20th century.
Long‐time records of ground‐water levels on Long Island, New York

As early at 1851 the need for information as to the position of the water-table was recognized by workers on Long Island. In that year water-level measurements were made in about 32 domestic wells in the southern part of Kings and Queens counties, New York (W. J. McAlpine, Report made to the water committee of the common council of the City of Brooklyn on supplying the City with water, p. 113, Brooklyn, I. Van Anden, 1852). Although specific water-level data are given in this report, it has not been possible to determine the exact locations of the old wells that were measured, or the months during which measurements were made.
A resolution for standard modules of Borcherds Lie algebras

Abstract In this paper we construct a Bernstein–Gelfand–Gelfand-type resolution of a standard (irreducible) module for a Borcherds Lie algebra g . The resolution involves generalized Verma modules; the “reductive part” of the “parabolic subalgebra” of g may be a Borcherds algebra. This resolution, which generalizes that of Garland and Lepowsky for Kac–Moody algebras, is constructed here in sufficient generality to include the cases of the monster and fake monster Lie algebras. These algebras are of particular interest because of their connection to vertex algebras and conformal field theory. The monster Lie algebra is of importance because it is constructed from the moonshine module vertex algebra, appearing in the study of “monstrous moonshine” relating to the Fischer–Griess Monster simple group. The resolution constructed in this paper is used to obtain Kostant's homology formula for Borcherds algebras, and the character formula for a standard module.
Inflation in SU(5) GUT models coupled to gravity

Abstract We have examined the SU(5) GUT phase transition in (nearly) Coleman-Weinberg type models coupled to gravity and have found three different modes through which the transition may proceed, depending upon the choice of (zero temperature) parameters. For each of these modes, we have determined numerically whether there is sufficient inflation to explain some long standing cosmological puzzles, and we find that this is the case only in a very restricted region of parameter space.
Extending the Technology Acceptance Model to assess automation

Often joint human–automation performance depends on the factors influencing the operator’s tendency to rely on and comply with automation. Although cognitive engineering (CE) researchers have studied automation acceptance as related to task–technology compatibility and human–technology coagency, information system (IS) researchers have evaluated user acceptance of technology, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The parallels between the two views suggest that the user acceptance perspective from the IS community can complement the human–automation interaction perspective from the CE community. TAM defines constructs that govern acceptance and provides a framework for evaluating a broad range of factors influencing technology acceptance and reliance. TAM is extensively used by IS researchers in various applications and it can be applied to assess the effect of trust and other factors on automation acceptance. Likewise, extensions to the TAM framework use the constructs of task–technology compatibility and past experience to extend its description of the role of human–automation interaction in automation adoption. We propose the Automation Acceptance Model (AAM) to draw upon the IS and CE perspectives and take into account the dynamic and multi-level nature of automation use, highlighting the influence of use on attitudes that complements the more common view that attitudes influence use.
Connexin-Occludin Chimeras Containing the Zo-Binding Domain of Occludin Localize at Mdck Tight Junctions and Nrk Cell Contacts

Occludin is a transmembrane protein of the tight junction that functions in creating both an intercellular permeability barrier and an intramembrane diffusion barrier. Creation of the barrier requires the precise localization of occludin, and a distinct family of transmembrane proteins called claudins, into continuous linear fibrils visible by freeze-fracture microscopy. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the relative importance of the transmembrane and extracellular versus the cytoplasmic domains in localizing occludin in fibrils. To specifically address whether occludin's COOH-terminal cytoplasmic domain is sufficient to target it into tight junction fibrils, we created chimeras with the transmembrane portions of connexin 32. Despite the gap junction targeting information present in their transmembrane and extracellular domains, these connexin-occludin chimeras localized within fibrils when expressed in MDCK cells, as assessed by immunofluorescence and immunogold freeze-fracture imaging. Localization of chimeras at tight junctions depends on the COOH-terminal ZO-binding domain and not on the membrane proximal domain of occludin. Furthermore, neither endogenous occludin nor claudin is required for targeting to ZO-1–containing cell–cell contacts, since in normal rat kidney fibroblasts targeting of chimeras again required only the ZO-binding domain. These results suggest an important role for cytoplasmic proteins, presumably ZO-1, ZO-2, and ZO-3, in localizing occludin in tight junction fibrils. Such a scaffolding and cytoskeletal coupling function for ZO MAGUKs is analogous to that of other members of the MAGUK family.
A High-Level Disinfection Standard for Land-Applied Sewage Sludges (Biosolids)

Complaints associated with land-applied sewage sludges primarily involve irritation of the skin, mucous membranes, and the respiratory tract accompanied by opportunistic infections. Volatile emissions and organic dusts appear to be the main source of irritation. Occasionally, chronic gastrointestinal problems are reported by affected residents who have private wells. To prevent acute health effects, we recommend that the current system of classifying sludges based on indicator pathogen levels (Class A and Class B) be replaced with a single high-level disinfection standard and that methods used to treat sludges be improved to reduce levels of irritant chemicals, especially endotoxins. A national opinion survey of individuals impacted by or concerned about the safety of land-application practices indicated that most did not consider the practice inherently unsafe but that they lacked confidence in research supported by federal and state agencies.
Flow characteristics of horizontally moving stable aqueous foams

An empirical study was made of the flow characteristics of a stable aqueous foam (based on dilute solutions of saponin) moving horizontally inside a duct. Characteristic foam data have been determined experimentally, namely, drainage, interfacial areas, and related dimensions such as lamella thickness and foam cell size, fractional liquid holdups, foam velocities, and extent of gas channeling through the foam. Simple correlatability of drainage, interfacial area, and fractional liquid holdup in terms of basic parameters such as the liquid flow rate entering the apparatus, and the longitudinal position in the duct has been demonstrated. The sometimes simple dependence on the geometry of the perforated gas-liquid contactor and on the physical properties of the foaming solutions (surface tension and bulk viscosity) has also been described.
Phospholipid binding of antiphospholipid antibodies and placental anticoagulant protein.

We evaluated the interaction of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) with placental anticoagulant protein I (PAP I), a calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein which may act as a natural anticoagulant. Clotting assays showed additive prolongation of clotting times with aPL and PAP I. ELISA and vesicle phospholipid binding studies showed PAP I inhibition of aPL binding to phospholipid but no inhibition of PAP I-phospholipid binding by aPL. aPL and PAP I interact additively in anticoagulant activity inin vitro clotting systems and compete for phospholipid in ELISA system. These data support the hypotheses that aPL and PAP I may recognize similar phospholipid epitopes and thatin vivo interaction may occur.
Biopsychosocial predictors of fatigue in chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of biopsychosocial variables to fatigue in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with the goal of identifying areas of possible intervention. Method Ninety-four patients with CHC not on antiviral therapy completed a demographic questionnaire and measures of fatigue, health-related quality of life, and depression. Fibrosis stage and relevant medical information were obtained from medical records. Results A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most significant predictor of fatigue was poor social functioning, followed by poor physical functioning, greater depression, and female gender. Together, these variables accounted for 68% of the total variance in fatigue. Discussion Study findings suggest that treatment strategies for fatigue in patients with CHC should focus on increasing social functioning in addition to improving physical functioning and decreasing depressive symptoms. Research investigating the effectiveness of interventions targeting social functioning, such as support groups and supportive counseling, is recommended.
2-Mercaptoethanol as a substrate for liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Abstract An activity was identified in a phosphate buffer extract of calf liver acetone powder which utilized 2-mercaptoethanol and NAD + as substrates and formed NADH as one product. The activity responsible for catalyzing this reaction is associated with calf liver alcohol dehydrogenase based on copurification, similarity in pH optima, and similarity in response to chelating agents and other inactivating agents. Crystalline horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase also catalyzes the formation of NADH from NAD + using 2-mercaptoethanol as the substrate. Although the K m for mercaptoethanol is much lower than that for ethanol, 30 μ m as compared to 0.625 m m , the maximum velocity with mercaptoethanol as the substrate is only 7% of that when ethanol is the substrate. Because of this difference in maximum velocity, 2-mercaptoethanol is an apparent competitive inhibitor with respect to ethanol with crystalline horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase, consistent with ethanol and 2-mercaptoethanol binding at the same site. The apparent K i for 2-mercaptoethanol is 14 μ m . 2-Butanethiol is a competitive inhibitor with respect to both 2-mercaptoethanol and ethanol with horse and beef liver alcohol dehydrogenases.
Exploring the Impact of Birth Country Travel on Korean Adoptees

ABSTRACT Organized birth country travel for Korean adoptees within the context of post-adoptive services has been prevalent since the 1970s. It is estimated that approximately a dozen different heritage tours have escorted groups of more than 1,000 people, comprised of international adoptees and their families, within the past few years (Gubernick, 2002). However, little is known about the impact of such travel on adoptees and their families or how to support them. These emotionally charged sojourns are much more than just a summer vacation for adoptees and their families: They sometimes result in reunification with biological family and may constitute the first contact adoptees have with their birth country since placement. There have been approximately 150,000 foreign adoptions of Korean children since 1958 with more than 100,000 of the placements in the United States (The Evan B. Donald Adoption Institute, n.d.). The scope of post-adoptive services has widened over the past 45 years to encompass birth ...
The effect of cromolyn sodium powder as a treatment for ragweed pollinosis

The effect of treating ragweed pollinosis with intranasal cromolyn sodium powder was evaluated in 26 patients in a double-blind clinical study. Thirteen matched patient pairs were treated by either nasal insufflation of cromolyn sodium powder, 20 mg three times daily, or by a placebo powder. Patients were monitored for severity of symptoms by means of daily symptom diaries collected weekly throughout the pollen season. Serum samples were obtained in July prior to the ragweed season and following the ragweed season during the first and fourth weeks of October for the determination of ragweed-specific IgE antibody levels by the radioallergosorbent test. A significant reduction in symptom severity was observed in the treated patients with high preseasonal levels of IgE antibody to ragweed. Initially the levels of IgE antibody to ragweed did not differ between the two groups. IgE antibody levels increased in both groups after pollen exposure, but the treated group showed a significantly greater rise in IgE antibody levels. The results suggest that treatment with cromolyn sodium enhanced IgE antibody response to pollen exposure and significantly reduced the severity of hay fever symptoms in patients with high preseasonal levels of IgE antibody to ragweed.
The effect of surface cooling on blood flow distribution in infant pigs with mature left to right shunts

Surface cooling as an adjunct to cardiopulmonary bypass, core cooling, and circulatory arrest has been effectively used to produce more homogeneous cooling and better tissue preservation. A previous study, using pigs with newly created aortopulmonary shunts, revealed a redistribution of blood flow away from the kidneys and viscera during surface cooling that did not occur in normal pigs. The present study tests the hypothesis that pigs with mature aortopulmonary shunts behave in a similar manner. Group I (N = 7, unshunted pigs) and Group II (N = 7, shunted pigs) underwent surface cooling and blood flow distribution measurements by microspheres at 37, 32, 28, and 25 °C. Both Groups I and II experienced a decrease in cardiac output with hypothermia. Group II had decreased absolute tissue flow to the viscera, kidneys, muscle, and skin at 37 °C compared with Group I, even before the onset of hypothermia. During hypothermia. Group I experienced a decrease in all tissue flows, but Group II had a decrease only in visceral and renal flows at 25 °C. Blood flow distribution, as a percentage of cardiac output, showed little change (decrease only in skin) in Group I with hypothermia. In Group II, however, a maldistribution of cardiac output developed resulting in decreased percentage of cardiac output to the kidneys and viscera and an increased percentage of cardiac output to the lungs that was confirmed by an increase in the QpQs ratio. Surface cooling in immature pigs with mature left-to-right shunts causes a maldistribution of cardiac output resulting in a decreased percentage of cardiac output to the viscera and kidneys and an increased percentage of cardiac output to the lungs. Systemic vascular resistance seems to rise to a greater degree than pulmonary vascular resistance during hypothermia and results in an increased left-to-right shunt (when present) and a maldistribution of blood flow.
VARA attenuates hyperoxia-induced impaired alveolar development and lung function in newborn mice

We have recently shown that a combination of vitamin A (VA) and retinoic acid (RA) in a 10:1 molar ratio (VARA) synergistically increases lung retinoid content in newborn rodents, more than either VA or RA alone in equimolar amounts. We hypothesized that the increase in lung retinoids would reduce oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in attenuation of alveolar simplification and abnormal lung function in hyperoxia-exposed newborn mice. Newborn C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 85% O2 (hyperoxia) or air (normoxia) for 7 or 14 days from birth and given vehicle or VARA every other day. Lung retinol content was measured by HPLC, function was assessed by flexiVent, and development was evaluated by radial alveolar counts, mean linear intercept, and secondary septal crest density. Mediators of oxidative stress, inflammation, and alveolar development were evaluated in lung homogenates. We observed that VARA increased lung retinol stores and attenuated hyperoxia-induced alveolar simplification while increasing lung compliance and lowering resistance. VARA attenuated hyperoxia-induced increases in DNA damage and protein oxidation accompanied with a reduction in nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 protein but did not alter malondialdehyde adducts, nitrotyrosine, or myeloperoxidase concentrations. Interferon-γ and macrophage inflammatory protein-2α mRNA and protein increased with hyperoxia, and this increase was attenuated by VARA. Our study suggests that the VARA combination may be a potential therapeutic strategy in conditions characterized by VA deficiency and hyperoxia-induced lung injury during lung development, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants.
Developing genetic reagents to facilitate recovery, analysis, and maintenance of mouse mutations

Because the mouse has become the pre-eminent model system for functional genomics and analysis of complex-systems/pathways in mammals, there has been an escalation of interest in the generation and analysis of mouse mutations to use as tools in these analyses. I argue here for a parallel investment in continuing the development of appropriately marked chromosomal rearrangements to use as genetic reagents in mutation recovery, analysis, and maintenance crosses. Specifically, visibly marked interstitial chromosomal deletions can be valuable for regional mutagenesis screens for recessives based on hemizygosity, and they can also be used to simplify genetic fine-mapping as a prelude to gene identification based on positional cloning/candidacy strategies. Dominantly marked chromosomal inversions that also manifest some kind of recessive phenotype can be exploited in more extensive regional mutagenesis screens based on homozygosity, and are invaluable for simplified, low-cost and error-reduced mutant-stock maintenance. Also discussed are several issues concerning genetic background, particularly from the point of view of genetic-reagent resource development.
Direct Analysis of Textile Fabrics and Dyes Using Infrared Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The forensic analysis of textile fibers uses a variety of techniques from microscopy to spectroscopy. One such technique that is often used to identify the dye(s) within the fiber is mass spectrometry (MS). In the traditional MS method, the dye must be extracted from the fabric and the dye components are separated by chromatography prior to mass spectrometric analysis. Direct analysis of the dye from the fabric allows the omission of the lengthy sample preparation involved in extraction, thereby significantly reducing the overall analysis time. Herein, a direct analysis of dyed textile fabric was performed using the infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) source for MS. In MALDESI, an IR laser with wavelength tuned to 2.94 μm is used to desorb the dye from the fabric sample with the aid of water as the matrix. The desorbed dye molecules are then postionized by electrospray ionization (ESI). A variety of dye classes were analyzed from various fabrics with little to no...
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy: defining a disorder

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), abbreviated as TA-TMA, was described by Batts and Lazarus1 in a recent issue of Bone Marrow Transplantation as an infrequent but frustrating complication of HSCT. However, other clinicians caring for patients undergoing HSCT, including Marks and Bird in their correspondence in this issue, describe TA-TMA as more common and more critical than implied by Batts and Lazarus.1 These comments emphasize the importance of TA-TMA. The importance is documented not only by the experience of clinicians but also by extensive clinical investigation1 and efforts to develop consensus diagnostic criteria.2, 3 Despite these efforts, the syndrome of TA-TMA has resisted clear definition, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.