cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Options for low-global-warming-potential and natural refrigerants Part 2: Performance of refrigerants and systemic irreversibilities

Abstract There is growing interest in substituting existing refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, including naturally occurring fluids, to reduce the impact of human activities on climate change. In the Part I of the study, we examined 13 refrigerants from the perspective of the characteristic shape of their respective temperature–entropy (T–S) and the logarithm of the pressure versus inverse absolute temperature (log P vs. T−1) phase boundary. In Part 2, we are evaluating prospective low-GWP refrigerants in four distinct heat pump cycles using the First and Second Laws of thermodynamics. The essence of the study is to establish the performance of the low-GWP refrigerants when deployed in a heat pump system. Exergy analysis provides a true measure of lost work, or systemic inefficiencies, vividly quantifying areas of improvement and identifying the preferred cycle for a refrigerant. The combined knowledge of the properties of the phase boundary on either side of the critical point, and exergy analysis of prospective cycles is necessary for a better perspective on discriminating among refrigerants as hydrochlorofluorocarbons are phased out and replacement refrigerants must be found.
LMM24 Encodes Receptor-Like Cytoplasmic Kinase 109, Which Regulates Cell Death and Defense Responses in Rice

Lesion mimic mutants are excellent models for research on molecular mechanisms of cell death and defense responses in rice. We identified a new rice lesion mimic mutant lmm24 from a mutant pool of indica rice cultivar “ZhongHui8015”. The LMM24 gene was identified by MutMap, and LMM24 was confirmed as a receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase 109 by amino acid sequence analysis. The lmm24 mutant displayed dark brown lesions in leaves and growth retardation that were not observed in wild-type ZH8015. The results of histochemical staining and TUNEL assays showed enhanced ROS accumulation and cell death in lmm24. Chloroplast degradation was observed in lmm24 leaves, with decreased expression of photosynthesis-related genes and increased expression of the senescence-induced STAYGREEN (SGR) gene and other senescence-associated genes. Furthermore, lmm24 exhibited enhanced resistance to rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) and up-regulation of defense response genes. Our data demonstrate that LMM24 regulates cell death and defense responses in rice.
Minimally supervised written-to-spoken text normalization

Text normalization is the task of converting from a written representation into a representation of how the text is to be spoken. For most real-world speech applications, the text normalization engine is developed mostly by hand. For example, a hand-built grammar may be used to enumerate possible ways to say a given token in a given language, and a statistical model used to select the most appropriate verbalizations in context. We examine the tradeoffs associated with using more or less language-specific knowledge for text normalization. In the most data-rich scenario, we have access to a carefully constructed hand-built normalization grammar that for any given token will produce a lattice of all possible verbalizations for that token. We assume a parallel corpus of aligned written-spoken utterances. As a substitute for the hand-built grammar, we consider a language-universal normalization covering grammar, where the developer merely needs to provide a set of lexical items particular to the language. As a substitute for the aligned corpus, we consider a scenario where one only has the spoken side, and the corresponding written side is “hallucinated” by composing the spoken side with the inverted normalization grammar. We report performance of the above scenarios on experiments with English and Russian.
Head-Hunters, Cannibals and Pirates: Surveying in the 1960s

Although many maps and charts can now be constructed accurately on geocoded pixels, maps in the colonial period, especially at topographic scales, needed a framework of control on the ground. This chapter will build on personal experience in the immediate post-colonial period with the Directorate of Overseas Surveys in Sierra Leone and Sabah and surveying on active service in Sarawak during the ‘Confrontation’ war with Indonesia. The paper will outline the technical methods available at the time to control the air photography used to produce plots for the cartographers. These methods depended on theodolites and an increasing use of early electronic distance measurement systems. Reducing angle and distance measurements to coordinates required seven-figure log and trigonometrical tables and hand cranked calculating machines. The chapter will also describe the logistic challenges involved in surveys in remote areas which were usually far more demanding than the observation and computing. Access to mountain top trig points varied from strings of porters with head loads in Sierra Leone to winching into the tree tops from helicopters in Sarawak. Experiences including encounters with head hunters, pirates and cannibals. The maps produced from this work are still the basis for national series, but the adventures have been lost to GPS (Global Positioning Systems).
Frequency and Duration of Incarceration and Mortality Among US Veterans With and Without HIV.

Background Exposure to incarceration is associated with increased risk of mortality, and HIV is cited as a leading cause of death. Yet, few studies have examined the association between incarceration and mortality among people with HIV (PWH), specifically whether and how increasing exposure to incarceration increases risk of mortality. We compared mortality by different incarceration exposures and HIV status. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of participants in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study from January 2011 to August 2017 (N = 5367). The primary exposure was incarceration by 3 measures: (1) any (ever/never); (2) frequency; and (3) cumulative duration. Stratifying by HIV status and controlling for age, race, and sex, we used Cox Proportional Hazard models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Incarceration was associated with increased risk of mortality compared with those never incarcerated for PWH (AHR 1.37; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.66) and those uninfected (AHR 1.24; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.54), but the association was only statistically significant among PWH. Increasing frequency of incarceration was associated with higher risk of mortality in both groups: for PWH, AHRs 1.13, 1.45, and 1.64 for 1, 2-5; 6+ times, respectively, for uninfected, AHRs 0.98, 1.35, and 1.70 for 1, 2-5, and 6+ times, respectively. Conclusions PWH were at increased risk of mortality after incarceration, and repeated exposure to incarceration was associated with mortality in both groups in a dose-response fashion. This increased risk of mortality may be mitigated by improving transitional health care, especially HIV care, and reducing incarceration.
Secondary Sarcomas: Biology, Presentation, and Clinical Care

Secondary sarcomas are a subset of sarcomas that occur in patients with prior cancer diagnoses and are associated with environmental or genetic factors. Although secondary sarcomas are rare in general, there are predisposing factors that can substantially increase this risk in certain populations. Herein, we review the environmental factors with the strongest association of sarcoma risk, including chemical exposure, certain viruses, cytotoxic and immunosuppressive agents, chronic edema, and radiation exposure. Additionally, the most common genetic disorders that carry a predisposition for sarcoma development will be discussed, including hereditary retinoblastoma (RB), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), and DICER1 syndrome. Although treatment does not generally differ for sporadic versus secondary sarcomas, awareness of the risk factors can alter therapeutic strategies to minimize risk, aid prompt diagnosis by increasing clinical suspicion, and allow for appropriate surveillance and genetic counseling for those patients with cancer predisposition syndromes.
Population dynamics in the triplet annihilation model with a mutating reproduction rate

Abstract I study a population model in which the reproduction rate λ is inherited with mutation, favoring fast reproducers in the short term, but conflicting with a process that eliminates agglomerations of individuals. The model is a variant of the triplet annihilation model introduced several decades ago Dickman (1989) in which organisms (“particles”) reproduce and diffuse on a lattice, subject to annihilation when (and only when) occupying three consecutive sites. For diffusion rates below a certain value, the population possesses two “survival strategies”: (i) rare reproduction ( 0 λ λ c , 1 ), in which a low density of diffusing particles renders triplets exceedingly rare, and (ii) frequent reproduction ( λ > λ c , 2 ). For λ between λ c , 1 and λ c , 2 there is no active steady state. In the rare-reproduction regime, a mutating λ leads to stochastic boom-and-bust cycles in which the reproduction rate fluctuates upward in certain regions, only to lead to extinction as the local value of λ becomes excessive. The global population can nevertheless survive due to the presence of other regions, with reproduction rates that have yet to drift upward.
Contribution of HCN1 variant to sinus bradycardia: A case report.

Background Missense mutations in the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-modulated (HCN) channel 4 (HCN4) are one of the genetic causes of cardiac sinus bradycardia. Objective To investigate possible HCN4 channel mutation in a young patient with profound sinus bradycardia. Methods Direct sequencing of HCN4 and whole-exome sequencing were performed on DNA samples from the indexed patient (P), the patient's son (PS), and a family unrelated healthy long-distance running volunteer (V). Resting heart rate was 31 bpm for P, 67 bpm for PS, and 50 bpm for V. Immunoblots, flow cytometry, and immunocytofluorescence confocal imaging were used to study cellular distribution of channel variants. Patch-clamp electrophysiology was used to investigate the properties of mutant HCN1 channels. Results In P no missense mutations were found in the HCN4 gene; instead, we found two heterozygous variants in the HCN1 gene: deletion of an N-terminal glycine triplet (72GGG74, "N-del") and a novel missense variant, P851A, in the C-terminal region. N-del variant was found before and shared by PS. These two variations were not found in V. Compared to wild type, N-del and P851A reduced cell surface expression and negatively shifted voltage-activation with slower activation kinetics. Conclusion Decreased channel activity HCN1 mutant channel makes it unable to contribute to early depolarization of sinus node action potential, thus likely a main cause of the profound sinus bradycardia in this patient.
Racial differences in outcomes and utilization after cardiac arrest in the USA: A longitudinal study comparing different geographical regions in the USA from 2006–2018

AIM Healthcare disparities can affect access and quality of care among many in the United States (US). In addition to race, we sought to assess if geography affected rates of cardiac arrest, and the subsequent outcomes. METHODS Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2006-2018, we assessed rates of cardiac arrest (out of hospital that survived to admission and in-hospital) and cardiac catheterization, and length of stay (LOS) in four regions: Northeast (NE), South (SO) West (W) and Midwest (MW). RESULTS Cardiac arrest increased from 27,611 (2006) to 43,333 (2018). The proportion of African American (AA) patients experiencing cardiac arrest significantly increased from 11.9% to 18.8%. The mortality decreased from 65.4% to 60.8% in all patients and 70.2% to 61.4% in AA. Mortality in AA remained higher than non-AA (OR, 1.09 [1.08-1.11], p < 0.001). When regions were compared for mortality, MW had a lower risk than NE 0.94[0.92-9.96]; SO 1.05[1.04-1.07] and W 1.11[1.09-1.13] were higher compared to NE. LOS decreased slightly from 9.0 days to 8.7 in all patients. LOS for AA was longer than non-AA (11.3 vs 8.6 days) with the NE having the longest LOS. AA were less likely to receive cardiac catheterization than non-AA (9.5% vs 15%) with the largest racial gap in the MW region. CONCLUSION The proportion of AA with cardiac arrests increased over the study period. Mortality and LOS improved significantly in AA from 2006 to 2018 but remain significantly higher than non-AA patients. Future research should identify contributors to these concerning trends.
The Threat of Corporate Debt

External financing of corporations historically involved cyclical patterns. Corporations' debt to equity ratios generally deteriorated in recessions and improved in recoveries. As a recession approached its end, corporations typically restored their balance sheets, issued both debt and equity, and used the proceeds to repay short-term debt and to rebuild their liquid assets. This was the period where corporations tended to lengthen the maturity of their debt (i.e. fund their debt). In the latter.part of a recovery, by which time interest rates were usually high, corporations eschewed long-term debt and instead sought short-term debt financing. Recently, many corporations have deviated from this pattern and have fallen behind in restoring their balance sheets. In the post-Korean War period, the character of the corporate balance sheet has changed significantly. In 1960, manufacturing corporations had slightly more than $4 of equity per dollar of debt. The amount of equity per dollar of debt has since declined to $2.07 [1]. The ratio of debt to total funds employed and the ratio of short-term debt to total debt have both increased considerably. At the end of the fourth quarter of 1960, the ratio of short-term debt to total market debt was 29.5%. By the end of 1982, it had risen to 47.9% [2]. There also has been a tremendous increase in the burden of debt servicing. In the 1960-1982 period, the interest coverage ratio, defined as pretax profits plus interest payments divided by interest payments, fell from 14.4 to 2.7 [3]. This decline indicates that pretax corporate profits were barely sufficient to cover interest payments on debt. Not only is there a large debt on which to pay interest, but the interest rates at which the funds have been borrowed have risen markedly. In 1960, the average rate on long-term Treasury bonds was 4.01% [4]. For the same securities in 1982 the average rate was 12.76% [5].
Emergent Non-Consumptive Predator Effects Alter Habitat Colonization By Dipteran Prey

iv Introduction 1 Rationale 2 Objective 3 Methods 3 System 3 Design 4 Analysis 5 Results 6 Discussion 8 Literature Cited 12 Appendix 16 Tables 16 Figures 20 Vita 21
A phase I study of vitamin E, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin for advanced malignancies.

Six patients with incurable malignancies wereoriginally treated with vitamin E, 3200 IU/day for fourteendays, followed by the same dose of vitamin E daily plus LCV(20 mg/m2 iv bolus daily × 5) with 5FU (425mg/m2 iv bolus immediately following LCV). The sameschedule of LCV and 5FU was repeated 4 weeks later, then every5 weeks indefinitely. When 3 of the first 6 had grade 3/4toxicity, six more patients were treated on the identicaldrugs and schedule. Seven of twelve total patients had one ormore grade 3/4 toxicities. Neutropenia, abdominal pain, anddiarrhea were most common. No patient had a documentedresponse, though seven patients did have stable disease.Though the combination of vitamin E and chemotherapy wastoxic, this trial demonstrated maximal therapeutic doses ofvitamin E can be combined with standard 5FU and LCV, withoutsignificantly increasing the side effects of thechemotherapy itself.
Neutron capture cross sections in the kev region: Part I. Methods of measurement and analysis☆☆☆

Abstract The relative capture cross sections in the neutron energy range from three to two hundred kev for Au197, Pt198, and U238 have been measured with the beta activation technique. After normalization, the capture cross sections of Au197 and U238 were analyzed for the p-wave parameters, ( Γ γ D 0 ) p and Γ n (1) D . For Au197 it was found that the relation ( Γ γ D 0 ) p = ( Γ γ D 0 ) s was consistent with the experimental data. In the case of U238, ( Γ γ D 0 ) p = 2.6 ( Γ γ D 0 ) s . This relation can be explained qualitatively by considering parity effects in the shell model. The p-wave strength functions consistent with the experimental data were Γ n (1) D = 0.33 × 10 −4 and Γ n (1) D = 0.7 × 10 −4 for Au197 and U238, respectively. Techniques of measurement and analysis are described.
On the Distribution of Particulates in Cast Metal Matrix Composites

This paper is concerned with the reporting of the distribution of particulates in the casts prepared from bulk ingots of metal matrix composites. Based on the actual determination of the volume fraction of particles (VFPs) in two different casts (mold) geometry (L and J shaped), effect of sharp corners and curvatures and the boundaries of the mold on the distribution of particles in the cast has been studied. It is observed that the actual distribution of volume fraction of particles varies quite significantly from one location of the cast to the other, depending on the actual cast geometry. Microhardness values are also measured and found to follow the same pattern of variation as the volume fraction of particles (VFPs).
Archival description in OAI-ORE

This paper proposes using OAI-ORE as the basis for a new method to represent and manage the description of archival collections. This strategy adapts traditional archival description methods for the contemporary reality of digital collections and takes advantage of the power of OAI-ORE to allow for a multitude of non-linear relationships, providing richer and more powerful access and description. A schema for representing finding aids in OAI-ORE would facilitate more sophisticated methods for modeling archival collection descriptions.
Slow Spatial Recruitment of Neocortex during Secondarily Generalized Seizures and Its Relation to Surgical Outcome.

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of brain activity is crucial for inferring the underlying synaptic and nonsynaptic mechanisms of brain dysfunction. Focal seizures with secondary generalization are traditionally considered to begin in a limited spatial region and spread to connected areas, which can include both pathological and normal brain tissue. The mechanisms underlying this spread are important to our understanding of seizures and to improve therapies for surgical intervention. Here we study the properties of seizure recruitment—how electrical brain activity transitions to large voltage fluctuations characteristic of spike-and-wave seizures. We do so using invasive subdural electrode arrays from a population of 16 patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. We find an average delay of ∼30 s for a broad area of cortex (8 × 8 cm) to be recruited into the seizure, at an estimated speed of ∼4 mm/s. The spatiotemporal characteristics of recruitment reveal two categories of patients: one in which seizure recruitment of neighboring cortical regions follows a spatially organized pattern consistent from seizure to seizure, and a second group without consistent spatial organization of activity during recruitment. The consistent, organized recruitment correlates with a more regular, compared with small-world, connectivity pattern in simulation and successful surgical treatment of epilepsy. We propose that an improved understanding of how the seizure recruits brain regions into large amplitude voltage fluctuations provides novel information to improve surgical treatment of epilepsy and highlights the slow spread of massive local activity across a vast extent of cortex during seizure.
Preliminary Benefit Analysis for Pedestrian Crash Imminent Braking Systems

In the US, the number of traffic fatalities has had a long term downward trend as a result of advances in the crash worthiness of vehicles. However, these improvements in crash worthiness do little to help protect non-motorists. Over the last few years, this has been reflected in the number of pedestrian fatalities increasing in both absolute and relative terms (up over 15% since 2009). In 2011 there were 4,432 pedestrians killed and an estimated 69,000 pedestrian injuries. This increased to 4,735 pedestrian fatalities in 2013 [1,2,3]. Recently, manufacturers have begun developing a second generation of crash avoidance systems that recognize and mitigate non-motorist collisions. This paper evaluates the performance of one implementation of this type of systems that is currently available for consumer purchase. System performance is assessed using a broad range of crash scenarios that were developed based on US crash data as found in GES and FARS for the harmonized years of 2010 and 2011. Test track simulations under these scenarios realistic settings based on the analysis of crash reports after eliminating pedestrian crash geometries that are not relevant for these "forward looking" systems. This generated a sample size 689 crash tests for one vehicle type where various measures of crash mitigation are constructed. Our analysis here focuses on the ability of these systems to prevent fatalities, serious injuries and prevent crashes altogether. We find that the evaluated system is about 30% effective in mitigating crashes, fatalities and social cost, those these mitigations occur for different types of crashes. For example, complete mitigation occurs for primarily low speed crashes which fatality prevention occurs for much higher speed crashes where impact occurs though at a lower speed. There are some crash geometries where no mitigation occurs, specifically those where the driver is in active control of the vehicle during turning maneuvers. Finally, we offer some suggestions about the appropriateness of future regulatory policy.
Disclosure Timeliness, Insider Trading Opportunities and Litigation Consequences

Prior work indicates that less timely disclosure of negative earnings news increases firms' litigation consequences. Yet, managers' negative news warnings occur relatively infrequently. In this paper, I investigate whether managers' disclosure delays relate to the opportunity to decrease their equity position in the firm and, if so, whether this trading behavior is associated with increased litigation consequences. I find that the managers who are less timely in their disclosure of negative news are more likely to have engaged in abnormal trade prior to the market's receipt of the negative news and that this trading behavior is associated with increased litigation consequences for the firm. Further analysis detects limited repercussions for the managers involved in the trading. Collectively, my findings suggest that research examining managers' disclosure behavior, particularly studies that consider managers' disclosure behavior in the litigation setting, should take into account the influence of managers' trading behavior on both their disclosure decisions and firms' litigation consequences.
A data focusing algorithm with monotone regression and positive semi-definite constraint features

This paper introduces the subject area of data focusing, a problem which arises when one wishes to estimate the central trend of a data set. The problem appears in specific contexts including estimation of the ideal point from biased groups, estimation of the statistical parent population center from partial or censored data, and elsewhere. An iterative algorithm is proposed and proven convergent for the case of quadratic iso-value curves. This algorithm requires both monotone regression and positive semi-definite constraint features to be accommodated.
Iterative algorithms for compressed sensing with partially known support

Recent works in modified compressed sensing (CS) show that reconstruction of sparse or compressible signals with partially known support yields better results than traditional CS. In this paper, we extend the ideas of these works to modify three iterative algorithms to incorporate the known support in the recovery process. The performance and effect of the prior information are studied through simulations. Results show that the modification of iterative algorithms improves their performance, needing fewer samples to yield an approximate reconstruction.
Three-Dimensional Nonequilibrium Viscous Shock-Layer Flows over Complex Geometries

RESULTS of numerical analyses of three-dimensi onal, nonequilibrium, viscous shock-layer flows over complex geometries are presented in this paper.1 The viscous shocklayer code (VSLNEQ)2 for analyzing nonequilibrium, multicomponent, ionizing airflow over sphere-cones has been extended to analyze multiconic geometries. The geometries considered for the analysis include straight and bent biconics and a sphere-cone-cy linder-flare with a moderate flare angle. This code is capable of analyzing shock-slip or no-shock-slip boundary conditions and fully catalytic or noncatalytic wall boundary conditions. The results from the nonequilibrium code have been compared with perfect gas and equilibrium air results. In general, the surface pressure distributions are in good agreement, whereas the nonequilibrium heat transfer is about 15% higher than the perfect-gas results. The aerodynamic forces and moments at the base of the bent biconic for various flow conditions are presented and they agree reasonably well with each other.
Dislocation Energies in NaCl

The energies for both screw and edge dislocations in rock salt have been investigated. The effect of elastic anisotropy has been incorporated into the contribution from the region outside the core. Detailed calculations have been carried out for the energies of the cores themselves as a function of radius, and joined smoothly to the curves of the elastic theory. The core calculations are based on the Born-Mayer model and employ the formulas of Madelung for the potentials of rows of uniformly spaced charges.For dislocations in the observed plane of slip (110), the constant term associated with the core energy is 1.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ ev/cm more for the edge than for the screw. Approximate calculations show this term to be appreciably larger for the edge dislocation in the (100) plane. Also, there appears to be large lattice potential barrier for dislocation motion in this plane arising from anion closed shell repulsion. This result may explain why these planes, though close packed, are generally not active in glide for alkali halides. The stability of dislocations with Burger vector longer than the minimum lattice translation is investigated. The possibility of hollow dislocations is also considered.
Engineered Migration and the Use of Refugees as Political Weapons: A Case Study of the 1994 Cuban Balseros Crisis

This paper presents a case study of the August 1994 Cuban balseros crisis, during which more than 35,000 fled the island and headed toward Florida in the span of a few weeks. It argues that Castro launched the crisis in an attempt to manipulate US fears of another Mariel, and in order to compel a shift in US policy, both on immigration and on a wider variety of issues. The paper further contends that from Castro’s perspective, this exercise in coercion proved a qualified success – his third such successful use of the Cuban people as an asymmetric political weapon against the US. In addition, the paper argues that Castro’s success was predicated on his ability to internationalize his own domestic crisis and transform it into an American domestic political and foreign policy crisis. Finally, it offers a novel explanation of how, why, and under what conditions, states and/or non–state actors may attempt to use refugees as coercive political weapons. Although dwarfed in size by the larger 1980 Mariel boatlift, the 1994 crisis is important for several reasons. First, despite its brevity, it had far reaching consequences for US–Cuban relations. Without warning or preamble, it catalyzed a shift in US policy vis–a–vis Cuban immigration that represented a radical departure from what it had been for the previous three decades. Second, it influenced US domestic politics on the national level, by expanding the scope and salience of the issue, and mobilizing not only Floridians, but also the larger public concerned about illegal immigration. Third, the crisis illustrated the potential potency of engineered migration as an asymmetric weapon of the weak. Finally, the brief, but significant, interactions of international and domestic actors in this case warrant examination because, although the 1994 crisis was limited, in its dynamics it resembles myriad other international refugee crises, large and small. Thus the case offers valuable lessons that may aid in dealing with future (real or threatened) crises.
US Counterpoint to Chapter 13

Patients who elect to get a penile implant today are sildenafil nonresponders, those who are physically unable to use, do not desire to use, or are nonresponders to intraurethral alprostadil, injection therapy, and/or a vacuum erection device.
Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry of microbial organic nutrient acquisition in soil and sediment

Biota can be described in terms of elemental composition, expressed as an atomic ratio of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (refs 1-3). The elemental stoichiometry of microoorganisms is fundamental for understanding the production dynamics and biogeochemical cycles of ecosystems because microbial biomass is the trophic base of detrital food webs. Here we show that heterotrophic microbial communities of diverse composition from terrestrial soils and freshwater sediments share a common functional stoichiometry in relation to organic nutrient acquisition. The activities of four enzymes that catalyse the hydrolysis of assimilable products from the principal environmental sources of C, N and P show similar scaling relationships over several orders of magnitude, with a mean ratio for C:N:P activities near 1:1:1 in all habitats. We suggest that these ecoenzymatic ratios reflect the equilibria between the elemental composition of microbial biomass and detrital organic matter and the efficiencies of microbial nutrient assimilation and growth. Because ecoenzymatic activities intersect the stoichiometric and metabolic theories of ecology, they provide a functional measure of the threshold at which control of community metabolism shifts from nutrient to energy flow.
Electron Shadow-Micrographs of Hæmocyanin Molecules

ELECTRON micrographs of bacteria1 and of virus particles2 covered with an obliquely deposited metallic film have a three-dimensional appearance that brings out clearly the shapes of these objects. The visibility of small objects appearing in these preparations has been so greatly enhanced by the shadowing technique3 that we have been led to apply it to the photography of the elementary particles, or molecules, of a number of proteins and high polymeric substances. The present communication describes such experiments carried out on a haemocyanin.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF GENDER AND ETHNICITY TO SELF‐SILENCING AND DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

This study expands on the initial work with the Silencing the Self Scale (STSS; Jack, 1991) by presenting data using a more diverse, nonclinical sample. Included were both men and women (n = 604) w...
A description of U.S. post-graduation nurse residency programs.

Abstract Background Concern regarding newly licensed registered nurses' abilities to cope with the increasing complexity of care has led to the development of a variety of nurse residency program (NRP) initiatives. The unknowns are the extent to which and how various program elements are implemented across NRPs. Without understanding the extent to which NRPs deliver the same program, determination of their impact on care is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe U.S. NRPs and thereby identify the extent of treatment fidelity across programs. Methods Program attributes were measured using a 24-item survey based on the outcomes production conceptual framework. The survey was sent to known NRP directors or chief nursing officers at the 1,011 U.S. hospitals having 250 or more inpatient beds; 203 surveys (a 20% response rate) were returned. Results Almost half (48%) of hospitals reported operating an NRP. NRP models included University HealthSystems Consortium (22%), facility based (54%), and “other” (24%). Significant ( p Conclusions The extent of differences within and across program types indicates a lack of treatment fidelity needed to detect objectively the impact of the NRP as a discrete intervention on patient outcomes. NRP expansion may be limited by the number of hospitals of a size most likely able to support such programs.
Satellite Observations of the Influence of Bottom Topography on the Seaward Deflection of the Gulf Stream off Charleston, South Carolina

Abstract High-resolution thermal infrared data from the NOAA polar orbiting satellites are studied for the Gulf Stream between Florida and Cape Hatteras from the fall of 1974 to the spring of 1977. The sea surface temperature boundaries of the current are detectable in infrared images from fall to spring of each year. Seasonal changes in air-sea temperatures appear to limit the detection of the surface temperature gradients during the warmer months. A persistent seaward deflection of the western boundary is found southeastward of Charleston, South Carolina, in the vicinity of a bulge in the continental slope. The maximum deflection angle is time dependent and varies from 60° to 120° from true north. Downstream from the initial deflection, the western boundary is often wave-like. Several distinct and repeatable wave patterns are described. The separation between adjacent wave crests (wavelength) averages 150 km and the waves appear to move northward at an average phase speed of 40 km day−1. Monthly frequen...
MACKINDER AND THE COMMUNIST ORBIT

ReSUMe L'etablissement du regime communiste en Chine en 1949 a marque le debut d'une ere nouvelle qui allait avoir des repercussions mondiales et creer un nouvel ensemble de rapports internationaux d'ordre politique et geographique. De tous les Etats communistes d'Eurasie, l'U.R.S.S. est sans contredit l'unite politique, culturelle, economique et militaire la plus importante. Neanmoins, la Chine voudra jouer un role marquant dans l'orientation de toute revolution future. Malgre certaines divergences d'opinion, la Russie et la Chine sont d'accord quant aux objectifs a long terme. Pour le moment, la Chine n'a pas economiquement ou militairement parlant, la puissance necessaire pour tenir tete a l'U.R.S.S. ou pour s'en declarer independante. Le geographe britannique Mackinder, dans ses ecrits de la periode 1904–1943, exprimait sa crainte qu'un etat puissant ou qu'une alliance d'etats puissants, en accaparant le controle de l'Eurasie, puissent en arriver a dominer le monde. La Russie sovietique et la Chine communiste possedent actuellement les elements de puissance que Mackinder considerait comme propices a la domination du monde. Le Professeur Jackson souligne cependant maints obstacles qui s'opposeraient au controle global par le communisme. Certains de ces obstacles n'avaient pas ete prevus par Mackinder.
A System of Names for Binary Numbers

A nomenclature is proposed for the binary number system to permit expression of binary numbers in words and to encourage visualization of magnitudes expressed in binary notation without recourse to decimal translation.
Exploring factors associated with a teacher’s self-efficacy in HIV-prevention education in Lusaka, Zambia

Background Africa remains the epicenter of the global prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) [1]. Evidence indicates school-based HIV-prevention programming is an effective step in protecting the general population from further HIV infection. Since HIV/AIDS is a major public health, social, economic and development challenge [2] the education sector is uniquely positioned within the community to support appropriate and sustainable change. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of teachers as agents of change for HIV prevention, and to investigate key individual and social predictors of schoolteachers’ self-efficacy as HIV-prevention educators in school settings in Lusaka, Zambia.
Using the Standards to Evaluate the Redesign of the U.S. Naturalization Tests: Lessons for the Measurement Community

In 2001, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began the process of redesigning the U.S. naturalization tests due to concerns that the current testing procedure may not be sufficiently uniform, and that the test content may not be appropriate. A National Research Council committee issued recommendations, based largely on the Standards, to ensure that the redesigned tests would be scientifically and politically defensible; however, USCIS chose not to follow much of the committee's advice. This article summarizes some lessons for the measurement community and possible strategies for getting policymakers to pay more attention to the Standards.
Human ecology: persistence and change.

The major current issues in theory and research concerning urban phenomena are considered before dealing with the general problems occupying ecologists at this tiem. Attention is directed to the urban community (spatial pattern population density the gravity model dominance and the urban hierarchy hierarchy and the division of labor dominance and power) system-environment interaction (population ecology evolution and organizational ecology expansion and the spatial pattern expansion and population distribution expansion and technology the world system) and ecology and institutional convergence. The revival of interest in the urban spatial pattern has resulted in a resurrection of the concept of the "natural area" but under the rubric "segregation." The index of dissimilarity of distribution and changes of distribution over census tracts has been applied to both race and ethnicity. The distribution of population in the urban place may be treated more abstractly as density or number of people per unit of area. Voluminous research literature has accumulated around the issue of the meaning of density for a community. From an ecological perspective the important issue is the effect of density for the functioning of the communal system. The marked convergence of the 2 macro-level approaches in sociology -- ecological and institutional -- is apparent and most visible in the similarity of phenomena selected for study. These include the structure of organization and of interorganizational relations; urbanization and its relation to societal properties; and hierarchy in roles organizations and cities.
New stigmatic, coma-free, concave-grating spectrograph.

Tandem use of two classical concave gratings makes it possible to design a double-dispersion spectrograph that is essentially free of astigmatism and coma over a large wavelength range near normal incidence. The first grating is used as a Wadsworth collimator. Light of different wavelengths is dispersed by the Wadsworth collimator so that it illuminates different portions of the second grating. The second grating is placed so that it acts as a Wadsworth camera, in which the light bundle of a certain wavelength illuminating a particular section of the second grating is diffracted along the local normal of that section. In this way, the Wadsworth condition for stigmatic and coma-free imaging is almost fulfilled for all wavelengths. Only two reflecting surfaces are needed. The instrument is a double-dispersion spectrograph with additive dispersion. It does not use an intermediate slit, but has the stray-light-suppression characteristics of such a mount. A comparison of its imaging capabilities with other stigmatic concave-grating spectrographs is presented.
First total synthesis of the macrophage derived anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediator Maresin 2

Abstract The first total synthesis of the potent anti-inflammatory lipid mediator Maresin 2 derived from docosahexaenoic acid, has been achieved. The chiral hydroxy-groups at C13 and C14 were obtained via a chiral pool strategy from 3,4- O -isopropylidene-2-deoxy- d -ribose. Wittig reactions and acetonide cleavage followed by mild ester hydrolysis afforded Maresin 2.
Mid-infrared backscattering measurements of building materials using a quantum cascade laser

Open-path quantum cascade laser (QCL) systems are being developed for remote environmental monitoring applications for detection of small levels of toxins or pollutant gases in ambient air. In monostatic systems that rely on topographic backscatter, the surface reflection of the target becomes important. To address the feasibility of natural targets in an open-path geometry, we present the backscattering measurements of common urban building materials (aluminum, natural stones, ceramic wall tiles and concrete block) using a distributed feedback (DFB) pulsed QCL. Real surface roughness in the materials was taken into account. In particular, oblique scattering cases which are often unavoidable in field measurements were also investigated. The QCL measurements were evaluated with a FTIR system in which wide frequency range (2.8μm - 25μm) measurements were possible. These results were applied to a total link model to define the potential and range of an open path QCL chemical sensor system.
Automatic clutter-free volume rendering for MR angiography using fuzzy connectedness

In MR and CT angiography, clutter due to artifacts or nearby high-intensity structures, such as other uninteresting vessels and bone (in CT), prevents clear visualization of the vessel under investigation. In this paper, we offer an alternative to the manual editing that is commonly used to remove clutter. The method is automatic and requires the user to point at structures on a 3D MIP display. The method utilizes recently developed fuzzy connected object delineation algorithms to extract the vessels of interest. Since the resulting definition is nonbinary, it can be displayed via MIP or more sophisticated volume rendering.
Optimal enteral feeding in children with gastric dysfunction: surgical jejunostomy vs image-guided gastrojejunal tube placement

Abstract Purpose Long-term feeding access in children who fail initial gastrostomy is a management quandary. Although image-guided gastrojejunal feeding tube placement (IGJ) is becoming the access of choice in many centers, few studies have compared long-term results with surgical jejunostomy (SJ). The authors compare outcomes with these 2 techniques. Method A retrospective review of 20 children requiring jejunal feeding access after failing initial gastrostomy was done. Procedures were performed at a tertiary referral center by interventional radiologists (IGJ) or board-certified pediatric surgeons (SJ). Results Initially, patients underwent IGJ (n = 14) or SJ (n = 6). Image-guided gastrojejunal feeding tube placement patients required gastrostomy at an average age of 23.8 months, with conversion to IGJ an average of 17.2 months later. SJ patients required gastrostomy at average age of 16.2 months, with conversion to SJ 30.7 months later. Of 14 patients undergoing IGJ, 7 (50%) eventually required SJ because of recurring tube management issues. Thus, 13 patients ultimately had SJ, with 11 (85%) Roux-en-Y jejunostomies. Mean operating time for SJ was 158 minutes, with an average of 5.1 days to initiation of feeds, 11 days to full feeds, and 19.9 days to discharge (range, 3-66 days). Image-guided gastrojejunal feeding tube placement patients averaged 4.6 tube adjustments per year requiring fluoroscopic guidance. Surgical jejunostomy averaged 1.5 tube adjustments per year requiring outpatient hospital visits. Image-guided gastrojejunal feeding tube placement patients averaged 3.9 hospital d/y secondary to feeding tube management issues, whereas SJ patients averaged 1.4 hospital days per year. Conclusion In this group of children with long-term jejunal feeding access, half of those with IGJ eventually required SJ. Surgical jejunostomy required fewer adjustments and hospitalizations per year. Although initially more invasive than IGJ, SJ may provide more stable feeding access with fewer complications. This represents the first published report comparing long-term outcomes between IGJ and SJ.
Ribosome-Catalyzed Polyester Formation

Polyester formation by Escherichia coli ribosome catalyzed alpha-hydroxy acid incorporation into polymer chain
The effects of dietary gossypol on animals.

The pathological effects of gossypol in animals and the effects of protein quality and quantity on its toxicity are described. The method used for the isolation of gossypol from the liver of gossypol-intoxicated pigs and its identification are presented. Wide distribution of gossypol in swine is shown by determining the free and bound gossypol in the various organs. The levels of iron necessary to overcome toxicity and to lower its accumulation in pigs were investigated. Effects of copper, zinc, manganese and iron, alone and in combination, on the gains and the accumulation of gossypol in the liver of rats were studied. Iron was definitely the most effective detoxifying agent.
Olefin separation using silver impregnated ion-exchange membranes and silver salt/polymer blend membranes

Abstract Olefin separations through silver containing carrier membranes were investigated. A AgBF4/Nafion blend membrane and Nafion 117 membrane exchanged with Ag+ were used. A dry AgBF4/Nafion blend membrane showed butene selectivity over n-butane with dry feed butene pressures below the dissociation pressure. This result is evidence that there was some hydration of the Ag+ so the complexation was a gas-liquid type reaction. Moreover, the selectivity decreased with time, and after eight days of operation, the butene flux approached the n-butane flux even though the butene feed pressure was above the dissociation pressure. The AgBF4/Nafion blend membrane showed a high facilitation effect for C4 separation with low humidity in comparison to Nafion ion-exchange membranes which require high humidity. A 1-butene flux of 8 × 10−8 mol/cm2 s and 1-butene selectivity of 50 over n-butane was measured with the AgBF4/Nafion blend membrane from a 1-butene n- butane 80 20 % feed mixture at 86 kPa total presure with only 20% relative humidity at 50°C. The membrane showed a 1,3-butadiene selectivity of 2 over 1-butene, and the total flux was greatly reduced by the presence of 1,3-butadiene. C6 unsaturated hydrocarbon transport through these membranes was also investigated. Both AgBF4/Nafion blend membranes and Nafion ion-exchange membranes showed selectivity for 1,5-hexadiene over 1-hexene. The Nafion ion-exchange membrane showed better performance for the C6 separation. Heat treated Nafion 117 containing silver ions produced a higher separation factor and flux than obtained with a normal silver form Nafion 117 membrane.
Enzyme Induction of Organic Nitrates I: Nitroglycerin In Vivo Experiments

Upon oral administration of nitroglycerin-proxy-phylline tablets with timed release to humans, it was observed that the nitroglycerin blood levels declined after the 5th day. Experiments in rabbits and mice were performed to clarify whether this phenomenon is caused by enzyme induction. Oral administration of 0.1 and 0.2 mg./kg. nitroglycerin to rabbits caused a decrease in the peripheral maximal temperature rise. The decline in pharmacological action depends on dosage and apparently follows first-order kinetics. Pretreatment of mice with either nitroglycerin or pentobarbital caused a similar decrease in pentobarbital sleeping time, indicative of enzyme induction. However, in contrast to the hepatic response elicited by barbiturate pretreatment in which the liver weights increased, nitroglycerin caused a significant decrease, thereby suggesting a different mechanism of action for the vasodilator.