cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Homogeneous Organic Reactions in Molten Salts. Selected Topics

This chapter is an introduction to homogeneous organic reactions in molten salts other than chloroaluminates. The application of molten salts as reagent/solvents in organic synthesis is illustrated by the conversion of arylsulfonates to phenolates in molten KOH, by the dealkylation of alkyl aryl ethers and cyclization reactions in molten pyridinium chloride, and by the use of tet ra-n-butylammonium fluoride as a mild reagent for inserting F- by means of SNl and SN2 reactions. Physical organic studies of SNl and SN2 reactions are illustrated by an investigation of the reaction of halide ions with methyl p-toluene-sulfonate in a molten tetraalkylammonium tetraalkylboride and by an investigation of the reactions of alkyl p-hydroxybenzoates with acetate ions in a eutectic mixture of lithium, sodium and potassium acetates. A summary of the acid-base properties of molten SbCl3 is followed by a brief account of acid-catalyzed transalkylation reactions in this medium. Then a summary of the redox properties of SbCl3 leads into an outline of oxidation-driven condensation/protonation and catalytic hydrogen transfer reactions of arenes.
Brigands: Criminals or Patriots?

The author examines Southern activists’ claims that the brigands who engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Northern troops were patriots fighting for their beloved king. The author demonstrates that this attempt to elevate the brigands to “freedom fighters” ignores overwhelming factual evidence to the contrary. Actually most brigands were hardened criminals fleeing from justice, and others were lured by the promise of wages and plunder. DiMaria argues that they were instruments in the hands of Bourbon loyalists, who supported them with money and shelter. For their part, the brigands’ cause was not to restore the Bourbons, but to survive. To get by in the mountains, they extorted, killed, plundered, and, at times, laid waste entire communities. Hardly “patriots,” they were mostly felons who never abandoned their criminal trade.
Prognostic Significance of Tumor Deposits in Stage III Colon Cancer.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer includes extranodal tumor deposits in the tumor–node–metastasis classification of colon cancer. However, it is unclear how tumor deposits compare with lymph node metastases in prognostic significance. This study evaluated the survival impact of tumor deposits relative to lymph node metastases in stage III colon cancer. The US National Cancer Database (2010–2012) was reviewed for resectable stage III adenocarcinoma of the colon, and stratified by presence of tumor deposits and lymph node metastases. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed. Of 6424, 10.1% had both tumor deposits and lymph node metastases [5-year survival (5YS) 40.2%], 2.5% had tumor deposits alone (5YS 68.1%), and 87.4% had lymph node metastases alone (5YS 55.4%). Patients with lymph node metastases alone tended to have a greater number of lymph nodes retrieved (20.9 versus 18.8, p = 0.0126) and were more likely to receive adjuvant therapy (66.9 vs 58.0%, p = 0.003) than those with only tumor deposits. Patients with both had significantly worse survival at all T stages (p 0.8, all). After controlling for patient, disease, and treatment characteristics, patients with tumor deposits alone [hazard ratio (HR) 0.56, p = 0.001] or only lymph node metastases (HR 0.64, p < 0.001) were associated with improved survival relative to patients with both. Concomitant presence of tumor deposits and lymph node invasion carries poor prognostic significance. Tumor deposits alone appear to have prognostic implications similar to lymph node invasion alone.
Aflibercept Nanoformulation Inhibits VEGF Expression in Ocular In Vitro Model: A Preliminary Report

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States, affecting approximately 11 million patients. AMD is caused primarily by an upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In recent years, aflibercept injections have been used to combat VEGF. However, this treatment requires frequent intravitreal injections, leading to low patient compliance and several adverse side effects including scarring, increased intraocular pressure, and retinal detachment. Polymeric nanoparticles have demonstrated the ability to deliver a sustained release of drug, thereby reducing the necessary injection frequency. Aflibercept (AFL) was encapsulated in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) via double emulsion diffusion. Scanning electron microscopy showed the NPs were spherical and dynamic light scattering demonstrated that they were uniformly distributed (PDI < 1). The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were 75.76% and 7.76% respectively. In vitro release studies showed a sustained release of drug; 75% of drug was released by the NPs in seven days compared to the full payload released in 24 h by the AFL solution. Future ocular in vivo studies are needed to confirm the biological effects of the NPs. Preliminary studies of the proposed aflibercept NPs demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency, a sustained drug release profile, and ideal physical characteristics for AMD treatment. This drug delivery system is an excellent candidate for further characterization using an ocular neovascularization in vivo model.
Differential Activation of Hepatic Invariant NKT Cell Subsets Plays a Key Role in Progression of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Innate immune mechanisms play an important role in inflammatory chronic liver diseases. In this study, we investigated the role of type I or invariant NKT (iNKT) cell subsets in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We used α-galactosylceramide/CD1d tetramers and clonotypic mAb together with intracytoplasmic cytokine staining to analyze iNKT cells in choline-deficient l-amino acid-defined (CDAA)-induced murine NASH model and in human PBMCs, respectively. Cytokine secretion of hepatic iNKT cells in CDAA-fed C57BL/6 mice altered from predominantly IL-17+ to IFN-γ+ and IL-4+ during NASH progression along with the downmodulation of TCR and NK1.1 expression. Importantly, steatosis, steatohepatitis, and fibrosis were dependent upon the presence of iNKT cells. Hepatic stellate cell activation and infiltration of neutrophils, Kupffer cells, and CD8+ T cells as well as expression of key proinflammatory and fibrogenic genes were significantly blunted in Jα18-/- mice and in C57BL/6 mice treated with an iNKT-inhibitory RAR-γ agonist. Gut microbial diversity was significantly impacted in Jα18-/- and in CDAA diet-fed mice. An increased frequency of CXCR3+IFN-γ+T-bet+ and IL-17A+ iNKT cells was found in PBMC from NASH patients in comparison with nonalcoholic fatty liver patients or healthy controls. Consistent with their in vivo activation, iNKT cells from NASH patients remained hyporesponsive to ex-vivo stimulation with α-galactosylceramide. Accumulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in both mice and NASH patients suggest their role in activation of iNKT cells. In summary, our findings indicate that the differential activation of iNKT cells play a key role in mediating diet-induced hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in mice and its potential involvement in NASH progression in humans.
Large deviation for uniform graphs with given degrees

Consider the random graph sampled uniformly from the set of all simple graphs with a given degree sequence. Under mild conditions on the degrees, we establish a Large Deviation Principle (LDP) for these random graphs, viewed as elements of the graphon space. As a corollary of our result, we obtain LDPs for functionals continuous with respect to the cut metric, and obtain an asymptotic enumeration formula for graphs with given degrees, subject to an additional constraint on the value of a continuous functional. Our assumptions on the degrees are identical to those of Chatterjee, Diaconis and Sly (2011), who derived the almost sure graphon limit for these random graphs.
The War on Terror, Homegrown Racism, and the White Knight

Chapter 8 pivots on the aftermath of the events of 9/11 and its reinvigoration of a white male rogue as embodied by Jack Bauer. He became the embodiment of the American response to the War on Terror, sparking intense political and cultural disputes over the show’s depiction of torture—the ends justifying almost any degree of brutality in its routine use of “ticking time bomb” plots. The chapter also profiles three productions that engage the LAPD’s Rampart scandal, including Training Day, Dark Blue, and the TV show, The Shield. Each finds closure for its rogue in telling ways, but only Washington’s Oscar-winning character is shown as unredeemable and in need of killing, suggesting that blackness as threat remains part of the equation.
Florida’s Mandated Recycling Law (1988): A Marketing Commentary

The problems and opportunities associated with recycling post-customer wastes will continue to be a major social and political issue during the remaining years of the Twentieth Century. State legislatures will react by passing mandated recycling laws designed to stem the tide of materials entering local landfills. Marketing can be a major factor in the long-term success of mandated recycling programs by focusing on the need to develop efficient-effective marketing systems for recycled materials.
Telemedicine for Psychiatry and Mental Health

Telepsychiatry, or provision of psychiatric services through telecommunications technology, is a burgeoning modality that will only become more important in the future as demand, technology, and acceptable models evolve. As psychiatric assessments are particularly adaptable to distance technology, the profession stands to also serve as a model for other specialties.
Approaches to motivate physicians and nurses in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review

Poor health worker motivation, and the resultant shortages and geographic imbalances of providers, impedes the provision of quality care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review summarizes the evidence on interventions used to motivate health workers in LMICs. A standardized keyword search strategy was employed across five databases from September 2007 -September 2017. Studies had to meet the following criteria: original study; doctors and/or nurses as target population for intervention(s); work motivation as study outcome; study design with clearly defined comparison group; categorized as either a supervision, compensation, systems support, or lifelong learning intervention; and conducted in a LMIC setting. Two independent reviewers screened 3845 titles and abstracts and, subsequently, reviewed 269 full articles. Seven studies were retained from China (n = 1), Ghana (n = 2), Iran (n = 1), Mozambique (n = 1), and Zambia (n = 2). Study data and risk of bias were extracted using a standardized form. Though work motivation was the primary study outcome, four studies did not provide an outcome definition and five studies did not describe use of a theoretical framework in the ascertainment. Four studies used a randomized trial—group design, one used a non-randomized trial—group design, one used a cross-sectional design, and one used a pretest–posttest design. All three studies that found a significant positive effect on motivational outcomes had a supervision component. Of the three studies that found no effects on motivation, two were primarily compensation interventions and the third was a systems support intervention. One study found a significant negative effect of a compensation intervention on health worker motivation. In conducting this systematic review, we found there is limited evidence on successful interventions to motivate health workers in LMICs. True effects on select categories of health workers may have been obscured given that studies included health workers with a wide range of social and professional characteristics. Robust studies that use validated and culturally appropriate tools to assess worker motivation are greatly needed in the Sustainable Development Goals era.
31.1 An 82mW ΔΣ - Based Filter-Less Class-D Headphone Amplifier with -93dB THD+N, 113dB SNR and 93% Efficiency

True Wireless Stereo/True Wireless Active-Noise-Canceling (ANC) headphones require low-latency digital-input headphone drivers that consume the lowest possible power to maximize battery life while providing high-fidelity audio playback. Typical headphone drivers use Class-A/AB topologies, and to improve power efficiency, Class-G/H drivers with a ground-center operation are used at the expense of using external components to decouple the required extra supply rails [1–3]. Closed-loop Class-D speaker drivers have become popular [4–6], and filter-less configurations are common in the 1-to-3W output range [6]. Some of the challenges associated with a Class-D driver for headphone applications are to maintain high linearity and SNR for low-voltage supply rails while reducing quiescent power. This paper describes a digital input, 93% efficient, filter-less Class-D amplifier achieving 113dB SNR and -93dB THD+N while operating from a single 1.8V supply.
TesseTrack: End-to-End Learnable Multi-Person Articulated 3D Pose Tracking

We consider the task of 3D pose estimation and tracking of multiple people seen in an arbitrary number of camera feeds. We propose TesseTrack1, a novel top-down approach that simultaneously reasons about multiple individuals’ 3D body joint reconstructions and associations in space and time in a single end-to-end learnable framework. At the core of our approach is a novel spatio-temporal formulation that operates in a common voxelized feature space aggregated from single- or multiple camera views. After a person detection step, a 4D CNN produces short-term person-specific representations which are then linked across time by a differentiable matcher. The linked descriptions are then merged and deconvolved into 3D poses. This joint spatio-temporal formulation contrasts with previous piecewise strategies that treat 2D pose estimation, 2D-to-3D lifting, and 3D pose tracking as independent sub-problems that are error-prone when solved in isolation. Furthermore, unlike previous methods, TesseTrack is robust to changes in the number of camera views and achieves very good results even if a single view is available at inference time. Quantitative evaluation of 3D pose reconstruction accuracy on standard benchmarks shows significant improvements over the state of the art. Evaluation of multi-person articulated 3D pose tracking in our novel evaluation framework demonstrates the superiority of TesseTrack over strong baselines.
Electronic structure of van der Waals ferromagnet CrI 3 from self-consistent vertex corrected G W approaches

The electronic structure of layered van der Waals ferromagnet ${\mathrm{CrI}}_{3}$ is studied with self-consistent diagrammatic approaches beyond GW approximation. Considerable improvement in the calculated band gap as compared to the non-self-consistent ${G}_{0}{W}_{0}$ results has been found. Certain spectral features in the valence bands discovered recently by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy are reproduced better when we use full frequency-dependent self-energy. Density-functional theory and quasiparticle self-consistent GW method which are based on frequency-independent self-energy are unable to resolve these features. Nonlocality effects in the diagrams beyond GW approximation are large for both polarizability and self-energy. This finding can potentially have an impact on the development of methods like GW$+$dynamical mean field theory.
Colonial afterlives of infrastructure: from phosphate to refugee processing in the republic of Nauru

Recent years have witnessed the outsourcing of immigration and border controls to economically struggling states. Infrastructural projects around controlling migration are transforming localities i...
Forschungsstand und Forschungsfragen

Schichtarbeitende in der Industrie mussen in ihrer alltaglichen Lebensfuhrung zwei grundsatzliche Herausforderungen meistern. Zum einen mussen sie mit korperlichen Belastungen, die sich aus der Lage der Arbeitszeiten ergeben, sowie mit Arbeitsbelastungen der (taktgebundenen) industriellen Fertigung umgehen. Zum anderen mussen die Schichtarbeitenden in ihrem Alltag mehr oder weniger widerspruchliche Zeitbindungen aus dem Arbeits- und Privatleben miteinander koordinieren. Dadurch unterscheiden sie sich deutlich von Nicht-Schichtarbeitenden. Im Rahmen des zweiten Kapitels wird eine Vielzahl von Variablen erlautert, die in diesem Spannungsfeld wirken (durften) und es werden zudem Veranderungsprozesse aufgezeigt, die den Schichtarbeitenden heute andere Rahmenbedingungen fur die Vereinbarkeit von Privatleben und Erwerbsarbeit setzen. Zu den entsprechenden Zusammenhangen werden verschiedene Hypothesen aufgestellt, beispielsweise auch zu den Effekten verschiedener Schichtmodelltypen.
Model-driven pose correction

Pose determination for robot navigation is discussed. The problem is to maintain the system's instantaneous precept of its position and orientation in space for performing various tasks. The authors describe a system in which models were used to guide the sensory interpretation and to correct expectations. In this system, simulated images were used to analyze the real images and to correct the pose parameters. The reported techniques have been implemented and experiments with real images in a real environment have been performed. >
Reconstruction of projection images from CCI holograms

The author introduces chrono-coherent imaging (CCI), a technique for noninvasive imaging of hidden structures at optical wavelengths, and discusses various aspects of CCI image formation from a signal processing perspective. Particular attention is given to the development of a mathematical model of the process, leading to image reconstruction and restoration algorithms. The author also considers the effects of process parameters on image resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. >
Dicyanoanthracene sensitized photo-oxygenation of olefins : Electron transfer and singlet oxygen mechanisms

Abstract Cyanoaromatic sensitizers, in particular 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA), sensitize the photo-oxygenation of olefins by two distinct mechanisms. In the case of aryl substituted olefins (OL), which react extremely slowly (if at all) with singlet oxygen, the reaction proceeds by way of electron transfer to produce discrete radical ions (DCA - and OL + ). In the presence of oxygen, this ionic process results, ultimately, in the cleavage of the olefin to carbonyl compounds along with production of some epoxide and other minor by-products. Aromatic ethers can interfere with this process by reducing the radical cation by electron transfer, resulting in net quenching of the reaction. With simple alkenes the DCA-sensitized reaction takes a different course, producing hydroperoxide products with distributions which are very similar to those obtained with the singlet oxygen ene reaction. Careful study has shown that this reaction does, indeed, proceed by way of singlet oxygen, which is produced by at least two mechanisms : (1) enhanced intersystem crossing, in which 1 DCA is quenched by interaction with the olefin, leading to a low yield of 3 DCA, which subsequently reacts with oxygen to produce singlet oxygen; and (2) direct reaction of 1 DCA with oxygen. At limiting high oxygen concentration, this process produces 2 mol of singlet oxygen for each mol of 1 DCA quenched; the mechanism involves energy transfer to produce 3 DCA and 1 mol of singlet oxygen ; the 3 DCA reacts again with oxygen to produce a second mol of singlet oxygen. The complex kinetic behaviour of simple olefins in the presence of DCA can be satisfactorily rationalized by these mechanisms.
Almost Everything I Need to Know About the New Economy, I Learned Playing . . . Monopoly

In this note, the authors use the familiar game of Monopoly to illustrate the new economy phenomena of network effects, increasing returns, positive feedback, and bifurcation points in complex systems. They argue that the "new economy" is not really so new if it shares so many characteristics with an "old economy" game. In any case, it will be easier to understand the important characteristics of a "winner-take-all" economy in the context of this family game that is surprisingly complex. The note makes an effort to differentiate between increasing returns and positive feedback, two concepts that are often confused and sometimes treated as if they were equivalent to each.
Myxococcus xanthus Mutants with Temperature-Sensitive, Stage-Specific Defects: Evidence for Independent Pathways in Development

Abstract Fruiting-body formation in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus consists of a temporal sequence of cellular aggregation and sporulation. To examine the developmental stages more closely, we established synchronous and reproducible conditions for fruiting-body formation. Mutants that are temperature sensitive for fruiting-body formation were isolated and analyzed under these conditions. The terminal morphologies of the mutant strains at the nonpermissive temperature were found to resemble intermediate stages of fruiting-body formation and therefore were grouped in the following phenotypic classes: (i) rough mutants, which show no aggregation; (ii) swirl mutants, which show defective aggregation; (iii) flat-mound mutants and translucent-mound mutants, mutants which aggregate but show very low levels of sporulation. The mutants were characterized by temperature-shift experiments and found to exhibit discrete and reproducible temperature-sensitive periods. The ends of the temperature-sensitive periods in the various mutants covered a broad range of the developmental cycle. No correlation was found between the terminal morphologies at the restrictive temperature and the timing of the temperature-sensitive periods. However, the terminal morphologies correlated well with sporulation. The rough and swirl mutants produced normal numbers of myxospores at 34°C even though they failed to aggregate. In contrast, the flat-mound and translucent-mound mutants, which aggregate normally, produced very few spores. The translucent-mound mutants were also temperature sensitive for induction of glycerol spores. The results indicate that both aggregation and sporulation are initiated early in the developmental cycle and that these processes are largely independent of each other.
Writing better computer user documentation: from paper to hypertext (version 2.0)

From the Publisher: Designed to help processing professionals and technical writers write clear, accurate computer user documentation. Presents a systematic approach to writing paper and online documentation. Version 2 retains much essential material from the first edition, while offering new information on desktop publishing, CASE tools and the ``software factory'' programming technologies. Also covers new techniques such as team writing, hypertext, mass storage and more.
Tryptophan and Threonine Requirements of Fingerling Channel Catfish

Growth studies, utilizing a 24% crude protein diet containing an amino acid pattern similar to whole egg protein, indicate that the tryptophan requirement for fingerling channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is about 0.12% of the diet (dry weight basis) or 0.5% of the dietary protein. Similar studies indicate that the threonine requirement for the same fish is about 0.53% of the diet (dry weight basis) or 2.21% of the dietary protein. The dietary requirement of threonine was confirmed by serum free threonine analysis. A marked increase in serum free threonine occurred at a dietary threonine level of approximately 0.5% of the diet. None of the gross pathological changes previously reported for tryptophan deficiency in sockeye salmon and rainbow trout were observed in channel catfish.
Integrators in pulse width modulation [switching circuits]

Many control methods for power convertor switching circuits employ an integrator to realize PWM. Depending how the integrator is used, the dynamic performance differs greatly. This paper presents a systematic evaluation of the function of integrators in some representative integrator related PWM methods, such as ASDTIC control, delta/delta-sigma modulation, modulated integral control and one-cycle control. In general, zero steady-state error is granted for all methods. Further, the variable frequency control methods are able to achieve one-cycle dynamic response. In the constant frequency category, however, only the one-cycle control method achieves one-cycle dynamic response, i.e., it realizes zero dynamic tracking error in the cycle average sense. In this paper, performance enhancement rules were explored for variable frequency control method in order to reduce the frequency variation. For the one-cycle control method, a pulse position modulation effect is identified which deteriorates the perturbation rejection ability of the single-side modulated one-cycle control method in the high frequency range. As a result, a double-side modulation is proposed that effectively reduces this effect. In addition, a fast reset mechanism is suggested that improves the switching error correction. This paper also provides a general approach to use integrators in PWM to realize arbitrary function.
Treating rheumatological diseases and co-morbidities with interleukin-1 blocking therapies

The inflammatory cytokines IL-1α and IL-1β orchestrate local and systemic inflammatory responses underlying a broad spectrum of diseases. Three agents for reducing IL-1 activities are currently available. Anakinra is a recombinant form of the naturally occurring IL-1 receptor antagonist. Anakinra binds to the IL-1 receptor and prevents the activity of IL-1α and IL-1β. The soluble decoy receptor rilonacept and the neutralizing mAb canakinumab block IL-1β. A mAb directed against the IL-1 receptor and a neutralizing anti-human IL-1α are in clinical trials. The availability of therapies specifically targeting IL-1 unveiled the pathological role of IL-1-mediated inflammation in a broadening list of diseases. Conditions effectively treated with agents blocking IL-1 range from classic rheumatic diseases, such as RA and gout, to autoinflammatory syndromes, such as systemic JIA and FMF. However, IL-1 antagonism is also effective against highly prevalent inflammatory diseases, namely cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, conditions that are frequently encountered as co-morbidities in patients with rheumatic diseases. Thereby, IL-1 inhibition has the potential to lift the burden of disease for patients with rheumatic conditions, but also to provide clinical benefits beyond the efficacy on osteoarticular manifestations.
Application of Mathematical Modeling for Simulation and Analysis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) in Pre- and Postsurgery Conditions

This paper is concerned with the mathematical modeling of a severe and common congenital defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Surgical approaches are utilized for palliating this heart condition; however, a brain white matter injury called periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) occurs with high prevalence at or around the time of surgery, the exact cause of which is not known presently. Our main goal in this paper is to study the hemodynamic conditions under which HLHS physiology may lead to the occurrence of PVL. A lumped parameter model of the HLHS circulation has been developed integrating diffusion modeling of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in order to study hemodynamic variables such as pressure, flow, and blood gas concentration. Results presented include calculations of blood pressures and flow rates in different parts of the circulation. Simulations also show changes in the ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow rates when the sizes of the patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal defect are varied. These changes lead to unbalanced blood circulations and, when combined with low oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in arteries, result in poor oxygen delivery to the brain. We stipulate that PVL occurs as a consequence.
Effects of a concurrent task on fixed-interval responding in humans.

Subjects pressed a telegraph key to illuminate a meter dial on which pointer deflections appeared at fixed intervals. Upon detecting a deflection they were required to press another key to reset the pointer to zero. This detecting and resetting operation reinforced the behavior of pressing the light-flashing key (i.e., the observing responses). The usual pattern of responding on the light-flashing key was a long pause following the reinforcement and an abrupt transition to a steady response rate toward the end of the interval. When the subjects were required to perform a concurrent subtraction task, the pattern of responding changed in varying degrees, ranging from complete loss of typical fixed-interval behavior to a slight shortening of the post-reinforcement pause. These effects were attributed to the disruption of the self-produced verbal chains (counting or reciting) that ordinarily govern human behavior on this schedule.
Dietary fiber content influences soluble carbohydrate levels in ruminal fluids.

The soluble carbohydrate concentration of ruminal fluid, as affected by dietary forage content (DFC) and/or ruminally undegradable intake protein content (UIPC), was determined. Four ruminally cannulated steers, in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, were offered diets containing high (75 % of DM) or low (25 % of DM) DFC and high (6 % of DM) or low (5 % of DM) UIPC, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Zinc-treated SBM was the primary UIP source. Soluble hexose concentration (145.1 μM) in ruminal fluid (RF) of steers fed low DFC diets exhibited a higher trend (P = 0.08) than that (124.5 μM) of steers fed high DFC diets. UIPC did not modulate (P = 0.54) ruminal soluble hexose concentrations. Regardless of diet, soluble hexose concentration declined immediately after feeding and did not rise until 3 h after feeding (P < 0.0001). Cellobiose (≈90 %) and glucose (≈10 %) were the major soluble hexoses present in RF. Maltose was not detected. Soluble glucose concentration (13.0 μM) was not modified by either UIPC (P = 0.4...
A high-performance digital phase comparator

A digital phase comparator has been developed that is especially well suited to making precision phase measurements at high frequency. The circuit consists of two standard phase comparators that are interconnected so that their outputs are averaged to give the desired phase measurement. A clipping circuit consisting of back-to-back Schottky diodes is used to square up the output pulses, which improves the linearity. A variable-modulus digital prescaler is used to change the range from ±1 fringe to ±32 fringes. Instruments using this circuitry are being used to measure transient phase signals from a microwave interferometer that measures the plasma line density on the magnetic-fusion tandem mirror experiment. The resolution is less than 0.1 degree at a carrier frequency of 40 MHz with a maximum nonlinearity of ~0.5%.
Solvation effects on the relative basicity of propylamines

Slight structural moiecular variations are known to affect different properties of compounds. In solution, different solute-solvent interactions are known also to alter the properties of numerous compounds. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) are used regularly to analyze and predict the variations of different properties of compounds that are caused by structural variations and significant solute-solvent interactions. The relative basicities of n-propylamine, dipro;ylamine and tripropylamine were determined in nine different solvents from potentiometric titrations. QSAR that were developed from these experimental basicity values were used to evaluate the type and significance of the solute-solvent interactions. The important interactions that influence basicity variations for the propylamines studied are dipolarity-polarizability interaction between the solute and the solvent and hydrogen bonds from the propylammonium ions to basic solvents. The role of hydrogen bonds from the propylamines to acidic solvents is minor.
Initial and follow-up psychological testing on a group of patients with multiple personality disorder.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) were administered to the host personality of 18 patients with multiple personality prior to therapy. The MMPI was readministered a mean of 39 mo. later. The MMPI appears to be a valuable aid in diagnosing multiple personality. Characteristic MMPI protocols include (1) high F and Sc scales, (2) technically invalid profiles, (3) numerous critical items, (4) critical items indicating dissociation, (5) a poly-symptomatic picture, (6) wide discrepancy between obvious and subtle scores, (7) lack of blatant psychosis, (8) and infrequently elevated Hs scales. Individuals with borderline to superior IQs may have multiple personality.
Bulk FePt-based nanocomposite magnets with enhanced exchange coupling

Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington. NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology.
The morphology and life history of Characiosiphon rivularis Iyengar (Chlorophyta: Characiosiphonaceae): a light and electron-microscopic study

Summary Light and electron-microscopic studies of Characiosiphon rivularis Iyengar reveal its structure to be a sac-like coenocyte, with a large central vacuole and a thin peripheral layer of cytoplasm. Scattered through the cytoplasm are large, reticulately arranged, disc-shaped chloroplasts, each with a large pyrenoid surrounded by starch plates. Immediately internal to each plastid is a nucleus. Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and ribosomes are dispersed through the cytoplasm in the area of the chloroplast, as are conspicuous contractile vacuoles. The thallus wall, which is fibrillar in nature and which, upon analysis, is shown to consist only partly of cellulose, increases in thickness as the thallus grows. At maturity the sacs undergo zoosporogenesis, which usually takes place in young cultures, or gametogenesis, which occurs mainly in older cultures. Discrete protoplasts, formed by invagination of the plasma membrane around each chloroplast and its associated organelles, cleave to form four to eight motile cells each. During this process a cytoplasmic layer between the motile cells and the central vacuole persists until broken by the activity of the motile cells. Unreleased zoospores function as aplanospores. The organism is heterothallic and isogamous, gametic union resulting in a thick-walled, quiescent zygote. Meiosis occurs upon germination of the zygote into zoospores or aplanospores. Observations of meiotic and mitotic figures indicate the chromosome number to be between 10 and 12. The morphology, life history, and pigment, composition of the alga, as revealed by this investigation, confirm its earlier assignment by (Iyengar 1936, 1954) to a new family, Characiosiphonaceae, of the Chlorococcales.
Crime and arrests: an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) approach

Various theoretical perspectives suggest that marginal changes in the quantity of crime and arrests are related to one another. Unfortunately, they provide little guidance as to the amount of time that is required for these effects to be realized. In this paper, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time-series modeling techniques, which necessitate making minima! assumptions concerning the lag structure one expects to find, are utilized to examine the crime-arrest relationship. The bivariate ARIMA analyses of monthly crime and arrest data for Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, for robbery, burglary, larceny, and auto theft reveal little evidence of a lagged crime-arrest relationship.
The Impact of Religiosity on Health Behaviors and Obesity among African Americans

Religion has been associated with good physical health and may represent a protective factor against overweight and obesity. This study explored dimensions of religiosity associated with health behaviors—eating habits and physical activity—and obesity in the African American population. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed for 3,620 African American adults ages 28 to 34. A structural equation model (path model) revealed that high levels of church attendance combined with religious practice encouraged healthy eating habits. However, increasing time spent in prayer while making religion more important in life was associated with poor eating habits. More frequent church attendance and prayer were implicated in heightened levels of obesity, suggesting that various dimensions of religiosity were constructed differently with health behaviors and obesity.
Disclosure of Information Theft: The ChoicePoint Security Breach

Abstract In recent months, the media have reported several major security breaches. Hackers have stolen the personal information of thousands of individuals from leading banks, credit bureaus, and insurance companies. In other cases, computers and disks with highly confidential data have simply vanished at the airport security counter or from vehicles parked in the company lot. Stolen data may include such sensitive information as Social Security and driver's license numbers, financial history, and bank account numbers and balances.
Further evaluation of local intranasal immunotherapy with aqueous and allergoid grass extracts

In a double-blind study, 45 grass-allergic patients received local nasal immunotherapy (LNIT) with either aqueous mixed-grass extract, formaldehyde-treated, mixed-grass extract (allergoid), or histamine placebo. Twenty-four patients received LNIT for a second successive year, and 21 patients received LNIT for the first year. The aqueous extract-treated patients had significantly lower symptom-medication scores than either allergoid- or placebo-treated subjects. There was no difference in symptom-medication scores in patients receiving allergoid and placebo treatment or in patients receiving 1 and 2 yr of LNIT. The aqueous extract stimulated a rise in serum grass-specific IgE. There was no serum or local antibody response after allergoid-extract treatment. Postseasonal rises in serum-IgE titers were observed in all three groups. These data suggest that LNIT with aqueous mixed-grass extract significantly reduces the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. The allergoid grass extract was ineffective in the second year of treatment. No cumulative effect of LNIT could be demonstrated in successive years of therapy.
A spectral approach for analyzing the rill structure over hillslopes. Part 2. Application

Abstract This paper deals with examining the bandwidth of the spectral density functions of rill profiles from transect measurements at three cross-slope locations over decomposed granite hillslopes in Northern California. Parameter estimation for the probabilistic description of rill heights under the narrow-banded spectrum assumption was then considered. The theoretical predictions of the rill structure agree fairly well with the corresponding observed results. Estimation of extreme-valued rills and significant rill heights is addressed to quantify the severity of the rilled hillslope surface. It is concluded that the spectral approach is a valid method for quantifying the rill structure for use in physical models of water flow and sediment transport over rilled hillslope surfaces.
Effect of TRIF on permeability and apoptosis in bovine microvascular endothelial cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide.

Abstract Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) can be caused by several Gram negative bacteria. Lung endothelial cells may be damaged by the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from these organisms. Toll-like receptor (TLR-4) signaling pathways include the myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) and the Toll/interleukin (IL)-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF) pathways. The aim of this study was to determine which of these pathways is responsible for permeability changes, apoptosis and cytokine production in bovine lung microvascular cells exposed to LPS. Bovine lung endothelial cells were treated with a peptide to inhibit MyD88 signaling or small interfering RNA (siRNA) to inhibit TRIF signaling. Effects were measured using trans-well endothelial electrical resistance to determine cell monolayer permeability, annexin staining to estimate apoptosis and real-time PCR to measure levels of expression of IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α mRNA. Inhibition of TRIF signaling reduced permeability changes and apoptosis in endothelial cells exposed to LPS. In contrast, MyD88 inhibition reduced expression of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA in LPS treated cells, but had no effect on permeability. It was concluded that TRIF signaling in LPS-stimulated lung endothelial cells results in permeability changes and apoptosis.
A convention unmasked

The Biodiversity Convention: A Negotiating History by Fiona McConnell. International Environmental Law & Policy Series, Kluwer Law International, 1996, pp. 223, $114.00, £77.00, (hbk).
INVESTIGATION OF PROTRIPTYLINE PHOTOPRODUCTS WHICH CAUSE CELL MEMBRANE DISRUPTION

— Protriptyline (PTL; N-methyl-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cycloheptene-5-propylamine) hydrochloride is a skin photosensitizing agent in humans. The fluorescence and photochemical behavior of PTL varies with the solvent. In water, 40% ethanol and ethanol in the hydrochloride salt of PTL has a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.81. The fluorescence quantum yield of PTL free base in selected organic solvents is between 0.41 and 0.17; in ethanol it remains at 0.81. Photolysis of PTL in acidic aqueous solution yields at least five photoproducts which were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Three of these photoproducts lysed red blood cells. One of the photoproducts has been identified as a cyclobutyl photodimer of PTL based on its mass spectrum and UV absorption and its ability to undergo photore-versal with 254 nm irradiation. The others were not cyclobutyl dimers. The yield of lytic products decreased as the ethanol content was increased and were not formed from PTL free base in any solvent.
Efficient top-k closeness centrality search

Many of today's applications can benefit from the discovery of the most central entities in real-world networks. This paper presents a new technique that efficiently finds the k most central entities in terms of closeness centrality. Instead of computing the centrality of each entity independently, our technique shares intermediate results between centrality computations. Since the cost of each centrality computation may vary substantially depending on the choice of the previous computation, our technique schedules centrality computations in a manner that minimizes the estimated completion time. This technique also updates, with negligible overhead, an upper bound on the centrality of every entity. Using this information, our technique proactively skips entities that cannot belong to the final answer. This paper presents evaluation results for actual networks to demonstrate the benefits of our technique.
Kinetic parameters for dimeric and tetrameric forms of bovine dopamine β-monooxygenase and their relationship to non-Michaelis-Menten behavior

Abstract Bovine dopamine β-monooxygenase has been assayed over a 10 000-fold range in protein concentration, to approximate conditions where the enzyme was shown to be a dimer or tetramer. Michaelis-Menten kinetics are observed with k cat and k cat / K m for dissociated enzyme reduced 30% and 200–300% relative to tetramer. Addition of chloride ions to very dilute enzyme or the use of intermediate enzyme concentrations causes non-Michaelis-Menten behavior, attributed to an equilibration between dimer and tetramer. This is not expected to contribute to activity within the chromaffin vesicle, where enzyme and chloride ions are at high levels.
Intensive Outpatient Behavioral Treatment of Primary Urinary Incontinence of Children With Autism.

Three children With autism Who Were previously nonresponsive to loW-intensity toilet training interventions Were toilet trained using a modified Azrin and Foxx (1971) intensive toilet training procedure. Effects Were demonstrated using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants. The training Was conducted across home and school settings by parents and school staff. Each child achieved continence, and 2 children eventually initiated the majority of toileting events. Implications for future research and clinical practice and dissemination are discussed.
Can stress participate in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system reacts to self tissue as if the self tissue were a foreign antigen. To prevent this occurrence during maturation of T and B lymphocytes, those lymphocytes that are capable of reacting against antigens present in an individual are usually eliminated. The autoreactive T lymphocytes are eliminated in the thymus gland and the autoreactive B lymphocytes are eliminated in the bone marrow. If the process of elimination of all self-reactive lymphocytes were highly efficient, there should be no autoimmune disease. That there is suggests that the process does not eliminate all autoreactive lymphocytes. In considering the possibility that stress may be associated with the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, we first need to establish an association between an individual experiencing a high level of life stress and an association with the clinical course of an autoimmune disease. Then a mechanism whereby stress may alter the function of the immune system to increase the likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease will be hypothesized. An Example of an Autoimmune Disease Influenced by Stress
[18F]FDG-Positron Emission Tomography Coregistration With Computed Tomography Scans for Radiation Treatment Planning of Lymphoma and Hematologic Malignancies

Purpose Positron emission-tomography (PET) using 2-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) increases sensitivity and specificity of disease detection in lymphoma and thus is standard in lymphoma management. This study examines the effects of coregistering FDG-PET and computed tomography (CT) (PET/CT) scans on treatment planning for lymphoma patients. Methods and Materials Twenty-nine patients (30 positive PET scans) underwent PET/CT treatment planning from July 2004 to February 2007 and were retrospectively studied. For each patient, gross tumor volume was blindly contoured on the CT-only and PET/CT studies by a radiation oncologist. Treatment plans were generated for both the CT-only and PET/CT planning target volumes (PTVs) for all patients. Normal tissue doses and PTV coverage were evaluated using dose--volume histograms for all sites. Results Thirty-two treatment sites were evaluated. Twenty-one patients had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 5 patients had Hodgkin lymphoma, and 3 patients had plasma cell neoplasms. Previously undetected FDG-avid sites were identified in 3 patients during PET/CT simulation, resulting in one additional treatment field. Due to unexpected PET/CT simulation findings, 2 patients did not proceed with radiation treatment. The addition of PET changed the volume of 23 sites (72%). The PTV was increased in 15 sites (47%) by a median of 11% (range, 6-40%) and reduced in 8 sites (25%) by a median of 20% (range, 6%-75%). In six (19%) replanned sites, the CT-based treatment plan would not have adequately covered the PTV defined by PET/CT. Conclusions Incorporation of FDG-PET into CT-based treatment planning for lymphoma patients resulted in considerable changes in management, volume definition, and normal tissue dosimetry for a significant number of patients.