cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solitons from sine waves: analytical and numerical methods for non-integrable solitary and cnoidal waves

Abstract The “FKDV” equation, u t + uu x − u xxxxx =0, is used as a testbed for a variety of analytical and numerical methods that can be applied to solitary waves and cnoidal waves of “non-integrable” differential equations, that is to say, to equations which cannot be solved by the inverse scattering transform. The basic tools are (i) Pade approximants formed from power series in the amplitude; (ii) a Newton-Kantorovich/pseudospectral Fourier/continuation numerical method; (iii) singular perturbation theory for two interacting solitons of almost identical phase speed; (iv) bifurcation and branch-switching methods; (v) the imbricate-soliton series. A number of new results for the FKDV equation are obtained including extensive numerical calculations of the spatially periodic solutions with one peak (“cnoidal wave”) and two peaks (“bicnoidal wave”) per period, an analytical expression for the double-peaked soliton (“bion”), calculation of both the limit and bifurcation points for the bicnoidal wave, and finally the computation of accurate analytical approximations to the cnoidal wave for all amplitudes. More important, all of these analytical and numerical tools are highly effective for this equation in spite of the fact that it cannot be solved by the inverse scattering transform. Work now in progress will apply these methods to non-integrable equations in two space dimensions.
Robustness of homogeneity of variance tests for randomized complete block data

Numerous statistics are available for testing homogeneity of variance using one-way data, and several studies have examined and compared robustness properties of these statistics. For randomized complete block data, only a few statistics are available for testing homogeneity of variance and no extensive comparative studies of robustness of these statistics have been carried out. This paper discusses eight such test statistics, and uses Monte Carlo simulation to investigate statistical properties of these statistics under the normal distribution and four non-normal distributions. They were also examined under a mild and a strong block effect. The Brindley-Bradley (1985) statistic is a valid and powerful statistic under normality, the Wilcox (1989) statistic emerged as a valid and powerful statistic under all kinds of non-normality if the block effect is mild, and a Levene-type statistic suggested by Yitnosumarto and O'Neill 1986 is recommended for symmetric non-normal distributions if the block effect is s...
Repeated use of ion-exchange resin membranes in calcareous soils

This study compared the consistency of nutrient extraction among repeated cycles of ion-exchange resin membrane use. Two sandy calcareous soils and different equilibration temperatures were tested. No single nutrient retained consistent values from cycle to cycle in all treatments, although both soil source and temperature conferred some influence. It was concluded that the most conservative use of resin membranes is single-use.
Fibers of RecA protein and complexes of RecA protein and single-stranded φX174 DNA as visualized by negative-stain electron microscopy☆

Monomers of purified RecA protein polymerize into helical fibers whose pitch is 7.2 nm to 7.5 nm and whose diameter is 11 nm. Either short (approximately 0.2 micron), single fibers, or bundles of aligned, longer fibers, can be formed preferentially, by varying the Mg2+ concentration. When RecA protein is bound to circular, single-stranded phi X174 DNA it forms helical fibers of different classes of contour lengths, ranging from 0.98 micron, depending upon the conditions of assembly. Two different helical pitches are found, one of 9.3 nm when the incubation buffer contains, besides the obligatory Mg2+, either ATP gamma S or ATP accompanied by single-strand binding protein, and one of 5.5 nm when the latter additives are omitted. Preformed fibers of the compact type can be converted to open ones of 9.3 nm pitch upon addition of ATP gamma S, even after the removal of unbound RecA. All signs of helicity are obliterated upon glutaraldehyde cross-linking except in those fibers whose assembly has been mediated by ATP gamma S. RecA protein and single-strand binding protein are competitively bound to single-stranded DNA. Composite complexes, however, are not encountered unless ATP gamma S is present. Otherwise, segments of DNA that are coated by one or the other protein are seen as separate regions. When the assembly of complexes of single-stranded DNA and RecA is mediated by single-strand binding protein and ATP, the axial separation between successive bases is 0 X 42 nm, somewhat greater than the axial distance between bases in one strand of duplex DNA in the B form. It is proposed that the bases of the single-stranded DNA in the complex are located near its inner surface, and that base-pairing with double-stranded DNA takes place following invasion of the central cavity of the complex.
THREAD PRODUCTION IN EARLY POSTCLASSIC COASTAL OAXACA, MEXICO: TECHNOLOGY, INTENSITY, AND GENDER

Excavations at the site of Rio Viejo in coastal Oaxaca, Mexico, yielded evidence of intensive cotton thread production during the Early Postclassic (a.d. 975–1220). Spindle whorls were recovered in relatively large quantities in and around houses at Rio Viejo, indicating that thread production was interspersed with other household activities and residents likely produced enough thread for local use and for export. Measurements of coastal spindle whorls show that the Rio Viejo thread was unique compared to other coastal and highland sites in Oaxaca and Mesoamerica beyond. I argue that this uniqueness may in part stem from the particular variety of cotton that they were spinning, but also might reflect an interregional demand for their thread. The whorl data are presented in multiple ways to compare to other sites where intensive thread production has been proposed. Here, I discuss the problems inherent in whorl calculations and make a call for more standardized recording, ideally with volumetric density measures. In the final section of the paper, I use mortuary data and other lines of evidence to re-evaluate the ethnohistorically-documented relationship between women and textile production. In coastal Oaxaca, the evidence suggests that thread production was not linked to specific gender identities in a way that is marked archaeologically. Instead, adult members of households in coastal Oaxaca materially emphasized a shared group identity over any specific gender-based identities. The production of thread was a broadly shared household-level practice that involved multiple producers, which both created and reinforced social bonds between residents and provided Early Postclassic residents with secure and comfortable access to highland goods, paving the way for the more developed thread production industry in the Late Postclassic period.
Contrast harmonic color Doppler left ventriculography: machine-interpreted left ventricular ejection fraction compared with equilibrium-gated radionuclide ventriculography.

Abstract Background: Multi-gated acquisition (equilibrium-gated radionuclide ventriculography) (MUGA) is considered the gold standard for measuring left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) because it is accurate, machine interpreted, and reproducible. Echocardiographic LVEF measurements are subject to variability in image acquisition and interpretation and to the limitations of 2-dimensional (2D) versus 3-dimensional imaging. Goal: The shortcomings of traditional echocardiography may be addressed by combining multiplane 2D harmonic imaging, echocardiographic contrast, color Doppler ultrasonography, and digital image processing to create a new imaging modality: contrast harmonic color Doppler left ventriculography. Methods: We compared the accuracy of a new method for measuring LVEF that allows for machine interpretation and uses contrast-enhanced intermittent harmonic color Doppler ultrasonography (CHCD). Quantitative LVEF measurements by hand-traced harmonic 2D echocardiography, contrast-enhanced harmonic 2D echocardiography, CHCD, and machine-interpreted CHCD were compared with MUGA in 35 patients. Results: Contrast-enhanced intermittent harmonic color Doppler provided images with vivid endocardial definition in all patients, but hand-traced harmonic 2D echocardiography and contrast-enhanced harmonic 2D echocardiography had inadequate images in 9% of patients. The MUGA LVEF range was 0.09 to 0.70. All echocardiographic methods showed excellent correlation with the MUGA LVEF ( R 2 > 0.96), but the CHCD method had the best limits of agreement. Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced intermittent harmonic color Doppler LVEF correlates with MUGA at least as well as traditional noncontrasted echocardiography, but it provides diagnostic images in a greater proportion of patients. The CHCD images have vivid endocardial delineation and can be machine interpreted. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2000;13:368-78.)
ESTROGEN RECEPTOR TRANSFORMATION IN MCF-7 BREAST CANCER CELLS: CHARACTERIZATION BY IMMUNOCHEMICAL AND SEDIMENTATION ANALYSES

We have examined the sedimentation properties of MCF-7 cell cytosol estrogen receptors (ERc) and salt-extracted nuclear estrogen receptors (ERn), and the interaction of these receptors with a monoclonal antibody, as assessed on 0.4 M KC1 sucrose gradients prepared in different buffers. ERc labeled with [3H]estradiol (E2) sediments as a 4 S species in all gradient buffers tested, whereas ERn extracted from cells incubated with [3H]E2 sediments as a 4 S species in sucrose gradients prepared in phosphate-thioglycerol-glycerol buffer, but as a 5.4 S species in Tris-EDTA buffered gradients. Interaction of ERc with antibody D547Sp gamma results in formation of a 7.2 S complex, whereas the antibody reacts with ERn to form complexes that are 8.5 S in sucrose gradients prepared in either buffer. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that estrogen receptors from MCF-7 cells undergo a 4 S to 5.4 S transformation during nuclear interaction, but that the 5.4 S ERn is converted to a 4 S form during centrifugation in phosphate-buffered gradients. Antibody interaction blocks conversion of receptor to the 4 S form, since only 8.5 S complexes are observed, regardless of the gradient buffer composition. These results highlight that the pattern of receptor transformation by E2 in these cancer cells need not differ from that seen in normal estrogen target tissues such as uterus.
A pilot study of the effects of environmental and physiological stress on the conjunctival bacteria of college student contact wearers

Abstract. The influence of environmental and physiological stress on conjunctival bacteria of the eye during soft contact lens wear is incompletely understood. A five week case control study was conducted during the second half of the Fall 2011 semester on the campus of the University of West Alabama to assess the impact of environmental and physiological stress on the conjunctival bacteria of contact lens wearers. Weekly stress survey scores and bacterial colonies from conjunctival swab samples were recovered from eight undergraduate students representing males, females, contact wearers, and non-contact wearers. The most common bacteria recovered were Ornithinibacillus bavariensis, Staphylococcus equorum, and Micrococcus luteus. No positive correlations were observed between stress scores and bacterial counts in the subjects. Changes in bacterial counts correlated with seasonal changes in air temperature and precipitation, suggesting that conjunctival bacteria respond strongly to environmental changes.
Effect of Peripheral Arterial Disease and Race on Survival After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Background Although peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is more prevalent among blacks, the effect of race on long-term survival after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has not been examined in this population. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of CABG patients between 1992 and 2011. Long-term survival was compared in patients with and without PAD and stratified by race. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals were computed using a Cox regression model. Results Of 13,053 patients who underwent CABG, 1,501 (11%) had PAD, comprising 311 blacks and 1,190 whites. Median follow-up was 8.3 years. Long-term survival differed by race (no PAD: HR, 1.0; white PAD: adjusted HR, 1.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 1.6; black PAD: adjusted HR, 2.1, 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 2.5; p Conclusions Risk of death after CABG was comparatively higher among black PAD patients. This finding provides useful outcome information for surgeons and their patients.
Pre-avalanche Ultraviolet Photoconduction Properties of Transitional-Metal-Doped ZnO Nanowires

The ultraviolet (UV) photoelectric characteristics of transitional metal (Cu) doped ZnO nanowires produced by the self-catalytic vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method were investigated by performing a series of photoconduction and time-resolved measurements. The photocurrent voltage characteristics obtained on the nanowires configured as two-terminal metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors exhibited a nonmonotonic behavior attributed to the interplay of several limiting mechanisms: Schottky contacts and trapping/detrapping effects that take place at low and intermediate (pre-avalanche) bias regimes, respectively. In the intermediate biases, the photocurrent was power-law dependent, i.e., changed with voltage as \( I \propto V^{3.3}\hbox{,} \)\( I \propto V^{3.0}\hbox{,} \) and \( I \propto V^{2.8} \) for excitation wavelengths of 365 nm, 302 nm, and 254 nm, respectively. The dependence of the exponent on the wavelength of the light is analyzed and explained based on the detailed consideration of the contribution of different deep-defect Cu levels formed within the band gap of ZnO. The study will be important to those working in the area of ZnO-based nanophotodetectors, optical switches, and sensors.
Theory of KnLv multiple vacancy production by heavy ions

Abstract Observation of intensities of K α X-ray or Auger satellites and hypersatellites together with fluorescence yields provides knowledge of KL v and K 2 L v vacancy distributions produced by ion-atom collisions. The traditional theory used since about 1972 employs a single-particle model and a weak-coupling ionization approximation. We review our recent extensions of the theory to include Pauli correlations in the independent-Fermi-particle model, a unitary collision theory in the first Magnus and coupled-channels approximations, electron transfer to the projectile, and contributions from shake-off which interfere with the collision-induced amplitudes.
Further support for Townsend’s Reynolds number similarity hypothesis in high Reynolds number rough-wall pipe flow

Measurements of turbulence behavior in high Reynolds number fully developed rough-wall pipe flow are presented. The data are acquired with single-component conventional hot-wire anemometry in the Princeton/ONR Superpipe fitted with a honed rough pipe. Streamwise turbulence intensities, higher-order moments, and spectra are compared with the corresponding results from a previous smooth-wall pipe flow study in the same facility. Accepting the experimental challenges of conducting hot-wire anemometry studies in such a facility, the rough-wall data agree well with the smooth-wall data in the outer region of the flow, strongly supporting Townsend’s Reynolds number similarity hypothesis.
Human vascular smooth muscle cells of diabetic origin exhibit increased proliferation, adhesion, and migration.

Abstract Purpose: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) experience progressive macrovascular atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplastic restenosis with increased frequency as compared with nondiabetic patients. These observations suggest that vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) behave in a phenotypically different and more aggressive manner in diabetic patients. In this study, we compared the in vitro rates of proliferation, adhesion, and migration of human VSMCs obtained from diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Methods: Human VSMC cultures were isolated from 23 diabetic patients (9 artery, 14 vein) and 15 nondiabetic patients (9 artery, 6 vein) with extensive lower extremity atherosclerosis. All patients were between 61 and 78 years of age (average: 68.4 years [diabetic]; 67.3 years [nondiabetic]). All diabetic patients had type 2 DM. Vascular specimens were obtained at the time of amputation from infragenicular arteries and during arterial revascularization from saphenous veins. Cells from passages 2 and 3 were assayed for their proliferative capacity with total DNA fluorescence photometry and for adhesion and migration with a modified Boyden chamber. Results: The average duration of diabetes was 11.6 ± 4.1 years. The average number of diabetic complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, coronary artery disease) was 2.8 ± 0.7 per patient. Diabetic VSMCs exhibited abnormal morphology in cell culture with loss of the normal hill and valley configuration. Proliferation was significantly increased in VSMCs of diabetic origin (156 ± 57 absorption units) as compared with those of nondiabetic origin (116 ± 42 absorption units) ( P P =.002) and migration (397 ± 151 per low-power field vs 121 ± 99 per low-power field; P =.001) rates. Conclusions: Diabetic VSMCs exhibit significantly increased rates of proliferation, adhesion, and migration as well as abnormal cell culture morphology suggestive of abnormal contact inhibition. These observations of human VSMCs in culture are consistent with the increased rate of infragenicular atherosclerosis and the increased rates of restenosis observed clinically in diabetic patients. The atherosclerosis- and intimal hyperplasia–promoting behavior exhibited appears to be intrinsic to the DM-VSMC phenotype and must be considered when designing methods to limit atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia in diabetic patients. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:601-7.)
Soybean and rice bran oil extraction in a continuous microwave system: From laboratory- to pilot-scale

Abstract The performance of a custom-designed, multimode 2450 MHz laboratory-scale, batch type-converted to continuous microwave-assisted extraction (CMAE) system was investigated and the optimization results obtained were used to develop and test a pilot-scale 5 kW, 915 MHz focused cavity CMAE system. Oil was extracted from soy flour and rice bran at various time–temperature combinations with an ethanol: feedstock ratio of 3:1. Both processes were optimized to minimize extraction time while maximizing the quantity of oil extracted. Extraction yields were compared to conventional (CE) and Soxhlet extraction. Yields in the laboratory-scale system for soybean oil were highest at the highest temperature (73 °C) and longest exposure time (21 min), while for rice bran oil, the highest yields were obtained at 73 °C and 17 min. Using the pilot-scale extraction system, greater than 93.0% of total recoverable oil was extracted from both feedstock at all tested flow rates and extraction times, more than the oil recovered by the laboratory-scale unit. Time of extraction and flow rate did not have a significant influence on extraction yield at tested temperatures for the pilot-scale process for soybeans. For rice bran, extraction yield decreased slightly with increasing flow rate (from 0.6 to 1.0 l/min) and extraction time also influenced oil yields. Analysis of oil quality indices (IV, AV, FFA content, wax and phospholipids) extracted by both CMAE processes indicate that the oil meets prescribed biodiesel feedstock quality standards, further justifying use of microwaves as a rapid tool for oil extraction.
Anthropogenic Moisture Effects on WRF Summertime Surface Temperature and Mixing Ratio Forecast Skill In Southern California

Abstract Mesoscale forecasts for the Los Angeles basin made with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) exhibited a moderate to substantial warm temperature bias for extended periods in the summer months. A similar bias also was thought to exist in forecasts made using version 2.2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF v2.2). To address these biases, two sources of anthropogenic moisture were analyzed: commercial irrigation and outdoor domestic water use. These represent substantial amounts of equivalent precipitation that are not accounted for in normal WRF execution. This is especially true for the summer months when little or no precipitation occurs in the area. A method for estimating the temporal and spatial distributions of these two sources was developed and the resulting database was applied to model runs. The addition of these anthropogenic moisture sources is an important source of enthalpy, which results in s...
Organizational Barriers To the Administration of Correctional Education: an Analysis of a Correc Tional School District

A case study of the correctional school district for New Jersey prisons identified a number of organizational barriers to the administration of educational programs in correctional institu tions. The location of the correctional school district within the state departmental structure, the nature of the relationship between the correctional school district and the correctional institu tion, and the effect of this relationship on the functioning of the correctional school district were examined.The findings suggest that the major organizational barriers to the administration of educa tional programs in correctional institutions are: (1) the correctional institution's prioritization of containment and control over the care and treatment function; (2) the low status of correctional education within the correctional institution; (3) the low decision making autonomy of the cor rectional school district in areas of staff hiring and firing, program implementation and student participation; and (4) the overall mar...
Transport Capacity for Eroded Silts in Irrigation Furrows

An aspect of surface-irrigation performance is the erosion and transport of soil from which furrows are formed. The current single representative-particle-size approach in the erosion component of the U.S. Water Conservation Laboratory surface irrigation-simulation software, is being extended to track individual size fractions of the sediment mix. This requires the adaptation of existing empirical transport-capacity formulas to the small silt particle sizes in the mix. A modification of Laursen’s 1958 formula based on recognition of a laminar sublayer in the turbulent flow near the furrow boundary is proposed to eliminate computed negative transport of very small particles. The assumption that the formula is sufficiently well grounded theoretically to warrant some application to sediment sizes smaller than those in its empirical database leads to plausible results. Ultimate justification will be based on comparisons of simulated sediment-load hydrographs with field measurements.
The Myth of the Coming Charitable Estate Windfall

Media accounts, fund-raising periodicals, and some academic research have pointed to a coming windfall of charitable estate transfers driven by the graying of the population. Nonprofit managers and...
Update on plant ionomics.

Living systems are supported and sustained by the genome through the action of the transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, and ionome, the four basic biochemical pillars of functional genomics. These pillars represent the sum of all the expressed genes, proteins, metabolites, and elements within an
Non-Profit Hospitals, Tax Exemptions and Access for the Uninsured

These comments approach the topic of tax exemption for non-profit hospitals from the perspective of the 46 plus million Americans who have no health insurance and the significant additional number who are underinsured. In essence, persons who are underinsured have some form of health coverage but they remain at serious risk for significant out-of-pocket expenditures when they become sick. From this perspective, the key question is what role, if any, do the non-profit health care sector and, more particularly, non-profit hospitals have to play in addressing the vexing problems posed by the large number of uninsured and underinsured. These problems tend to be discussed primarily, although not exclusively, as problems of access. To put the question in specific terms: Is tax exemption for non-profit hospitals a tool that could be used effectively to address, or at least to help to address, these problems? Should we try to fashion tax exemption standards for non-profit hospitals into a tool for responding to some of the challenges posed by the growing number of uninsured in our society?
Effect of Bubbles on Liquid Nitrogen Breakdown in Plane-Plane Electrode Geometry From 100–250 kPa

Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is used as the cryogen and dielectric for many high temperature superconducting, high voltage applications. When a quench in the superconductor occurs, bubbles are generated which can affect the dielectric breakdown properties of the LN2. Experiments were performed using plane-plane electrode geometry where bubbles were introduced into the gap through a pinhole in the ground electrode. Bubbles were generated using one or more kapton heaters producing heater powers up to 30 W. Pressure was varied from 100-250 kPa. Breakdown strength was found to be relatively constant up to a given heater power and pressure at which the breakdown strength drops to a low value depending on the pressure. After the drop the breakdown strength continues to drop gradually at higher heater power. This is particularly illustrated at 100 kPa. After the drop in breakdown strength the breakdown is believed to be due to the formation of a vapor bridge. Also the heater power at which the breakdown strength changes from that of LN2 to that of gaseous nitrogen increases with increasing pressure. The data can provide design constraints for high temperature superconducting fault current limiters (FCLs) so that the formation of a vapor bridge can be suppressed or avoided.
Financial disclosure and performance of microfinance institutions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between financial disclosure and the financial performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs). Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilizes ordinary least squares method to analyze the impact of disclosure on financial performance, an ordered probit model to investigate the possible effect of financial performance on disclosure and utilizes a three-stage least squares method to delineate the endogenous relationship between disclosure and financial performance of MFIs. Findings – The paper finds that better disclosure has a statistically significant positive impact on operational performance of MFIs; second, it also shows that improved financial performance results in better financial disclosure. Keeping the endogenous nature of the relationship between disclosure and performance, the paper uses a three-stage least squares method to show that disclosure and financial performance positively affect each other simultaneously. Research lim...
Comparison of monochromatic and polychromatic modeling of sparse-aperture image quality

Optical sparse-aperture (SA) telescopes are a promising new technology to increase the effective diameter of a telescope while reducing its weight and possibly decreasing its stowable size. An SA system is constituted of an array of sub-apertures that are phased to synthesize a telescope with a larger effective diameter than any of the constituent sub-apertures. SAs were first proposed in 1970 and have been under study ever since. This paper introduces a model to simulate the performance of a sparse-aperture system including the spectral effects introduced by the differential spectral scene content and differential phase distortion at spectral sub intervals within the overall spectral bandpass of the sensor. The results indicate that when the root mean-square optical path difference from the prescription is small (i.e. < 0.10/mum) more traditional quasi monochromatic approximation introduce relatively small errors. However, when the larger, perhaps more realistic, error levels are simulated the spectral model and the quasi monochromatic or gray-world models deviate significantly pointing to the value of the spectral approach described here
The Carnot Cycle and Area-Specific Work Equivalence on a Skew T–logp Diagram

Abstract Attempts to calculate the area to specific work equivalence on a skew T–logp diagram for a Carnot cycle can lead to large errors if the pressures of the nodes of the cycle are estimated from the diagram. The cause is the extreme sensitivity of the calculation to the pressures of the nodes. To keep errors within 10%, the pressures of the nodes must be known to within 0.1 hPa, a precision that is not practical by direct reading from the diagram. To avoid these errors the pressures of the nodes should be calculated directly from Poisson’s equation, which relates temperature, potential temperature, and pressure.
A recursive forward simulation method for solving nonlinear rational expectations models

Abstract This paper describes a recursive forward simulation method to solve dynamic stochastic optimization problems. The proposed simulation method uses a combination of nonlinear Euler equations and linearized decision rules to obtain numerical solution paths for the endogenous variables of the model. Diagnostic tests from 1000 repetitions for each of the ten parameter configurations of a one-sector stochastic growth model indicate that forward simulation and standard simulation are about equally successful in generating a martingale Euler equation shock when the shock variance is small, but that forward simulation outperforms standard simulation when the shock variance is large.
The Problem of the Absorption and Transportation of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Publisher Summary The absorption and transportation of the fat-soluble vitamins is related to the absorption and transportation of vitamins that are insoluble in water, which is the basic solvent of the body. Thus, for both absorption and transportation, the fat-soluble vitamins are converted to water-soluble forms by means of derivatives or dispersing agents. This problem is not encountered for water-soluble vitamins. It is not surprising, therefore, that deficiencies of the fat-soluble vitamins on adequate intake manifest themselves frequently because of poor absorption or transportation in the body. Some evidence indicates that vitamin A serves as a good model for the absorption and transportation of the other fat-soluble vitamins. From the lack of solubility of the fat-soluble vitamins in water, a breakdown of the system responsible for absorption and transportation can often occur and frank or subacute symptoms of vitamin deficiencies manifest themselves.
A historical perspective on the utilization of phase diagrams for precipitation hardening

The suggestion in 1919 that precipitation would harden alloys had an immediate impact on the development of new alloys and led to a period of extremely active interest in careful phase diagram determinations. It also sparked a lively debate that had a lasting impact on physical metallurgy and led to a forerunner of dislocation theory.
Act for affordable data care

Data breaches, e.g. malware, network intrusions, or physical theft, that lead to the compromise of users' personal data, happen often. The impacted companies lose reputation and have to spend millions of dollars providing affected users with identity and credit monitoring services. Users can suffer from fraudulent transactions and identity theft. At present, there are no mechanisms that both cover the risk from accidental data breaches and incentivise best practices that would prevent such breaches. This paper proposes a data breach insurance mechanism and the associated risk assessment technology to meet these goals. In so doing, we break from (failed) past approaches that seek to solve the problem solely through technology.
In your pocket: smartcards

The worldwide boom in smartcard deployment is accelerating their evolution. What can be found in a typical wallet?, In all likelihood, bills and coins, a variety of credit cards, a driver's license, a transit pass, a voter registration card, a library card, a video rental card, insurance cards, frequent flyer and car rental cards, a telephone charge card. By the end of the century, all of these documents might be replaced by just two or three smartcards. Because they can store and protect relatively large amounts of data, smartcards are being used in a number of ways around the world, replacing a wallet's contents bit by bit. Stored value cards were in place last year (1996) in Atlanta, Ga., at Olympic venues, standing in for coins and bills. A health card identifying the holder's insurance provider and account number has been issued to every citizen of Germany, and plans are in place to add such medical information as the name of the holder's doctor, blood type, allergic reactions, medications, next of kin, and instructions in case of emergency. Smart social security cards in Spain interface with a kiosk system that can provide updated information on benefits and eligibility, as well as pertinent job opportunities. Today, most smartcards handle a single application, but will realize their true value when a single card can address multiple applications.
Dynamic finite element analysis of nonaxisymmetric structures

Abstract A dynamic finite element method of analysis is developed for structural configurations which are derived from axisymmetric geometries but contain definite nonaxisymmetric features in the circumferential direction. The purpose of the analysis is to develop a method which will take into consideration the fact that the stress and strain conditions in these geometries will be related to the corresponding axisymmetrie solution. This analysis is an extension of previously published work in which a similar approach was developed for static structural problems. The analysis is developed in terms of a cylindrical coordinate system r, θ and z. As the first step of the analysis, the geometry is divided into several segments in the r-θ plane. Each segment is then divided into a set of quadrilateral elements in the r-z plane. The axisymmetric displacements are obtained for each segment by solving a related axisymmetric configuration. A perturbation analysis is then performed to match the solutions at certain points between the segments, and obtain the perturbation displacements for the total structure. The total displacement is then the axisymmetric displacement plus the perturbation displacement. The analysis allows for elastic-plastic materials with orthotropic yield criterion based on Hill's yield function and kinematic strain hardening. The finite element dynamic equations are solved by finite differences by dividing the time domain into incremental steps. The solution has been programmed on a computer and applied to a number of examples.
eComment. The impact of blood conservation on outcomes in adult cardiac surgery

We read with great interest the study by Vandewiele and associates [1]. Many studies have shown the benefits of retrograde autologous priming (RAP) on preserving the patient's haematocrit to levels that do not require transfusion. Only a study by Murphy et al. failed to reproduce similar results in a large cohort of 545 patients [2]. Since our publication in 1998 on retrograde autologous priming [3], we have developed further strategies for blood conservation that have resulted in improved outcomes. Our strategy is three-fold: retrograde autologous priming, low prime volume in the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit, and autologous blood donation immediately in the operating room immediately after incision is made. Our preliminary data in the first 300 patients showed a dramatic reduction in the post-operative blood transfusion requirement, with 70% of our patients requiring no blood transfusion at all. In the same time period, our 30-day mortality for all open heart procedures had decreased in an all-time low of 1.38%, and the respiratory complications had dropped from 7% in 2007, to 3% in the end of 2012. This proves that the above three techniques of blood conservation are safe and desirable, leading to reduced morbidity and hospital cost. Conflict of interest: none declared.
Treating hepatitis C in methadone maintenance patients: an interim analysis.

Abstract Objective: This study evaluates the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of interferon/ribavirin combination therapy in methadone maintenance (MM) patients with active hepatitis C (HCV). End-of-treatment results are presented as an interim analysis of efficacy. Methods: Fifty eligible MM patients with active HCV and concomitant liver fibrosis were treated with interferon/ribavirin combination therapy using standard dosing regimens. Patients with active drug or alcohol use at the start of treatment, severe or untreated psychiatric illness, and/or decompensated liver disease were excluded. Results: Treated MM patients were older, had a longer history of HCV infection, a high prevalence of psychiatric illness, and had substantially more liver fibrosis than in previous studies of HCV treatment in non-opioid-dependent populations. Seventy-eight percent completed the 6–12 month course of treatment. The end-of-treatment virologic response rate was 64% in patients completing treatment and 54% on an intent-to-treat basis. Conclusion: Methadone maintenance patients exhibit a number of factors that make HCV treatment more difficult: they are older, have a higher prevalence of psychiatric illness, and show evidence of more advanced liver disease. Despite this, their end-of-treatment response rate to interferon/ribavirin combination therapy is similar to that of patients without a history of IDU. Further analysis of the sustained virologic response (SVR) rate is planned at the study's completion. These preliminary results show that MM patients are in need of timely HCV diagnosis, and should be considered good candidates for referral and HCV treatment.
Combining an Internal Pilot with an Interim Analysis for Single Degree of Freedom Tests

An internal pilot with interim analysis (IPIA) design combines interim power analysis (an internal pilot) with interim data analysis (two-stage group sequential). We provide IPIA methods for single df hypotheses within the Gaussian general linear model, including one and two group t tests. The design allows early stopping for efficacy and futility while also re-estimating sample size based on an interim variance estimate. Study planning in small samples requires the exact and computable forms reported here. The formulation gives fast and accurate calculations of power, Type I error rate, and expected sample size.
Capillary gas chromatographic analysis of trichlorfon in dosed feed formulations.

A method was developed for the analysis of trichlorfon as the intact molecule from feed formulations of the chemical. The method involved isolation of trichlorfon by a simple extraction procedure. Subsequent detection and quantitation of the trichlorfon was by gas chromatography with a DB-1 fused-silica wide-bore capillary column and flame photometric detection. Automated on-column injections were performed. The method was linear in the range 5-75 ng injected on-column and had an average recovery of 86%. The limit of detection for trichlorfon in feed was 1 ppm. The applicability of the method was tested by determining the stability of trichlorfon over a 21-day period in a feed blend of trichlorfon at the 50-ppm concentration level. Mass spectrometric analyses were performed to confirm that trichlorfon could be quantitated as the intact molecule. tation of trichlorfon for long-term, routine concentration verification in feed was needed. Specific methods for the determination of trichlorfon in feed formulations have not been reported. A method for the analysis of trichlorfon in blood has been published, but it involves complex derivatization procedures and mass-labeled compounds (6). Reported methods for the analysis of trichlorfon as the intact molecule include GC systems with narrow-bore capillary columns (7-8), which are not easily automated, and an experimental column support material that is not commercially available (9). A simple extraction scheme for feed was developed. Subsequent analysis of the prepared samples was done with an automated GC system that detected trichlorfon as the intact molecule. Mass spectrometric (MS) analyses were performed to verify that trichlorfon does not decompose under similar GC conditions. This paper describes the method by which the feed samples were prepared and presents the results of the GC and MS analyses.
An ADD-based algorithm for shortest path back-tracing of large graphs

Symbolic computation techniques play a fundamental role in logic synthesis and formal hardware verification algorithms. Recently, Algebraic Decision Diagrams, i.e., BDDs with a set of constant values different to the set /spl lcub/0,1/spl rcub/, have been used to solve general purpose problems, such as matrix multiplication, shortest path calculation, and solution of linear systems, as well as logic synthesis and formal verification problems, such as timing analysis, probabilistic analysis of finite state machines, and state space decomposition for approximate finite state machine traversal. ADD-based procedures for single-source and all-pairs shortest path weight calculation have appeared to be very effective for the manipulation of large graphs (over 10/sup 27/ vertices and 10/sup 36/ edges). However, for those procedures to be applicable to real problems, for example flow network problems, computing only shortest path weights is not enough; what it is needed is an algorithm that, given the weight of a shortest path between two vertices of a graph, actually determines the sequence of vertices belonging to the shortest path. This paper proposes a symbolic algorithm to execute shortest path back-tracing which exploits the compactness of the ADD data structure to handle large graphs. >
Density functional methods applied to metalloenzymes

Abstract Density functional calculations for structures, spin states, redox energetics and reaction pathways are presented for some selected metalloenzymes. The specific enzymes examined are: (1) Fe and Mn superoxide dismutase for redox energetics and the role of second shell residues; (2) galactose oxidase (Cu enzyme) and (3) glyoxalase I (Zn enzyme) for reaction pathways, mechanisms, intermediates, and transition states (reaction barriers); (4) iron-oxo dimer enzymes methane monooxygenase and ribonucleotide reductase for characterizing the oxidized and reduced forms in terms of structures and protonation states, and for a proposed structure for the high-valent intermediate Q in MMO. The interaction of the active site with the surrounding protein environment is also explored in a number of cases either by using expanded quantum mechanically treated clusters, or by using electrostatic/dielectric representations of the protein–solvent environment.
Sleep-Disordered Breathing in a Population-Based Cohort: Behavioral Outcomes at 4 and 7 Years

OBJECTIVES: Examine statistical effects of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptom trajectories from 6 months to 7 years on subsequent behavior.
Of Radicals and DREAMers: Harnessing Exceptionality to Challenge Immigration Control

This article contributes to the literature on undocumented youth activism and citizenship by assessing undocumented youth’s challenges to a growing regime of migration control in the US. It uses Doug McAdam’s tactical interaction as an analytical lens to explore two consecutive high-risk campaigns, ICE infiltrations and expulsion/re-entry. In this subset of activism, undocumented youth have directly taken on technologies of migration control by forcing the state to adjudicate their status through direct action protest; they have exposed state abuses of law by infiltrating detention centers and have subverted deportation by seeking humanitarian aid and re-entry. Undocumented youth use their liminal legal status and their valorized social status to access and launch their challenges from these invisible spaces of migration control. In doing so, I argue, they are challenging the contours of citizenship and destabilizing the state’s power to police and criminalize the unauthorized. Assessing these challenges is especially timely given that political movements are expanding their tactics to challenge punitive enforcement measures that states are implementing to control these “illegal” and “expelled” populations.
Gender stereotypes and vote choice

second body of research argues that voters employ gender stereotypes when they evaluate candidates. These studies are usually based on experiments which manipulate candi? date gender. This study seeks to unite these literatures by incorporating gender stereotypes and hypothetical vote questions involving two candidates in one model. I argue that many voters have a baseline gender preference to vote for male over female candidates, or female over male candidates.
Optimum Utilization of Turkey in Summer Sausages

Abstract Summer sausages were formulated with different proportions of hand deboned turkey meat (HDTM), mechanically deboned turkey meat (MDTM), texturized MDTM (heat denatured strands), and turkey hearts. Various nonturkey ingredients such as structured soy protein fiber (SPF), beef fat, and a natural red beet color were also included in some of the formulations. Objective and subjective techniques were used to analyze the summer sausages. The results indicated that a sausage formulation with approximately one-third MDTM combined with two-thirds HDTM (equal portions of dark turkey bits and turkey hearts) provided a very acceptable product texture. The addition of a small amount of beef fat or red beet color further improved the appearance of the sausages. Close adherence to proper grinding and mixing temperatures resulted in good particle definition. The optimum combination of ingredients provided a turkey product as acceptable as the traditional beef summer sausage, which was used as a comparison treatment for the chemical, physical, and sensory evaluations. Meat ingredient costs for the turkey summer sausages manufactured in these experiments were substantially lower than the costs for a similar product made with beef.
Hand-foot-mouth disease in China:epidemiology and strategy for the control and prevention

Epidemics of hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD)in China was first reported in 1981.The major causative agents are coxsackie virus A16(CoxA16)and enterovirus 71(EV71).However,some infrequent pathogens causing HFMD outbreaks were reported increasingly in the past few years,indicating the trend changes of HFMD epidemic trend.The current prevalent CoxA16 and EV71 stains will be substituted potentially by other serotypes or genotypes of human enteroviruses(HEVs),or will co-circulate with other strains in the future.In this review,we summarize recent findings in the epidemiology of HFMD including the immune deficiency of young children,development of vaccines,the changing pathogen spectrum and the influencing factors of HFMD transmission.We also discuss strategies for the prevention and control of HFMD in China.