cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improvements in the rapid refractometric method of determining the oil content of olives

A new standardization of the rapid refractometric method of determining oil in olives has been devised. A theoretical discussion of all the factors involved and the introduction of the use of the Waring blendor in making the treatment with Halowax oil have also been presented.
Variable stability of antibiotic-resistance markers in Bacillus cereus UW85 in the soybean rhizosphere in the field

We compared the stability of antibiotic-resistance markers in strains derived from Bacillus cereus UW85 in culture media and in the soybean rhizosphere in a growth chamber and in the field. We studied two independent, spontaneous mutants resistant to neomycin, three independent, spontaneous mutants resistant to streptomycin, and strains carrying plasmid pBC16, which encodes tetracycline resistance. Antibiotic-resistance markers were maintained in populations of all UW85 derivatives in culture and in the rhizosphere of soybeans grown in soil in a growth chamber. In two field experiments, antibiotic resistance was substantially lost in rhizosphere populations of B. cereus as early as 14 or as late as 116 days after planting. To distinguish between death of the inoculated strain and loss of its marker, we tested populations of B. cereus for other phenotypes (orange pigmentation, plasmid-borne resistance to tetracycline, and biocontrol activity) that are typical of UW85-derivatives used as inoculum, but atypical of the indigenous populations of B. cereus, and these phenotypes were maintained in populations from which the marker was lost. In general, neomycin-resistance markers were maintained at a higher frequency than streptomycin-resistance markers, and maintenance of antibiotic-resistance markers varied with position on the root and with the year of the experiment. In a semi-defined medium, the UW85 derivatives grew at the same rate as the wild type at 28 degrees C, but most grew more slowly than the wild type at 16 degrees C, demonstrating that antibiotic resistance can affect fitness under some conditions. The results suggest that the stability of antibiotic-resistance markers should be assessed in the ecosystems in which they will be studied.
A low-cost heading sensor for airborne applications

Determination of heading, the direction an aircraft's nose is pointing, is typically computed using global positioning system or inertial measurement unit data. These technologies, though quite accurate, can be cost prohibitive for recreational pilots or low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles. Here we investigate the implementation of a low-cost heading sensor by integrating data from a magnetometer and tilt sensor. We show that using the tilt sensor we are able to achieve a significant improvement over measurement using the magnetometer alone, providing a low-cost solution for determination of heading in turbulent aerial applications.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SALIVARY CORTISOL CONCENTRATIONS IN FROZEN VERSUS MAILED SAMPLES

Saliva, popular for the measurement of cortisol concentrations, can be easily and painlessly obtained, so that study participants or medical patients may collect their own samples. This raises the question of whether cortisol concentrations are stable if samples are mailed unfrozen. Seventeen adult subjects (five males, 12 females, mean age = 27.82, SD = 7.55) participated in this study. One saliva sample from each subject was split. Half were frozen within 1 h. The other was exposed to conditions that would mimic a postal trip, including wide variations in temperature and movement over 5 days. A statistically significant positive correlation between cortisol concentration in the frozen and nonfrozen saliva samples was found (R2 = 0.92, p < .001). A paired t-test revealed no significant difference between samples (t(16) = 1.56, n.s.). This indicates that cortisol concentrations are stable during extended periods without freezing when exposed to widely varying temperatures and movement.
The use of flexible arm muscle synergies to perform an isometric stabilization task

Objective To evaluate if functional synergies are comprised of flexible combinations of a small number of ensembles of upper limb muscles to stabilize a particular performance variable during a force production task.
Anatomic pathology workload and error.

The Institute of Medicine defined medical error as the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim.1 During the last 2 decades, the pathology patient safety literature mainly has focused on reporting the frequency of error, and this frequency depends on the detection method.2-6 Few anatomic pathology studies have focused on the performance of error root cause analysis or on redesigning pathology systems so that fewer errors occur. Determining the root cause of error is an important step in error prevention through system redesign.7 A problem in error reduction is that most errors are secondary to multiple causes and difficult to target with a single initiative. In other areas of medicine, excessive workload has been correlated with higher error frequencies, and these investigations have led to changes in how workforce is used. In this issue of the Journal, Renshaw and Gould8 report that pathologist workload was not a significant driver of pathology error. This editorial examines the findings of Renshaw and Gould8 in the perspective of the psychology of error and other studies examining workload and medical error.
Composition of amniotic fluid with experimental jejuno-ileal atresia

The possibility that the composition of amniotic fluid is significantly altered with fetal intestinal obstruction was examined in 15 normal, 15 sham operated and 15 ewes in which jejuno-ileal atresia was created by devascularizing a 15 cm intestinal segment in the fetus at 90--100 days gestation. Samples of amniotic fluid for osmolality, urea N, creatinine, electrolytes, amylase, lipase, bilirubin, and proteins were obtained at 100 days gestation and at C-section performed 5 days prior to the anticipated date of delivery. One sham operated and four operated fetuses aborted prior to term for an 83% overall fetal survival rate. All surviving operated animals had total intestinal obstruction with the classical appearance of jejuno-ileal atresia. The volume of amniotic fluid at term varied from gelatinous material to as much as 1.0 liter of clear yellow to dark orange fluid. Amniotic fluid composition in term animals was not significantly different from those at 100 days gestation when the creatinine was below 15 mg%. However, sodium and chloride were significantly elevated in all groups at term when the creatinine was above 15 mg%. The osmolality and urea N in the latter group was not significantly different from animals at 100 days gestation. The amylase, lipase, total proteins, albumin, total and direct, and bilirubin in control animals at term was not significantly different from sham operated and experimental subjects. This study suggests that routine amniocentesis in the "high risk" patient would not be diagnostic of fetal intestinal obstruction.
Electronic Structure Investigation of Surface−Adsorbate and Adsorbate−Adsorbate Interactions in Multilayers of CH4 on MgO(100)

The adsorption of methane on MgO(100) is examined using extensive first-principles DFT methods combined with inelastic neutron scattering. The results provide evidence that the structure of the first adsorbed methane layer is dominated by surface-adsorbate interactions, although adsorbate-adsorbate interactions still play a role. More specifically, the former selects for a structure wherein partially positive hydrogen atoms are oriented towards lattice oxygen sites, whereas the latter effect dictates that each methane molecule is rotated by 90 with respect to its neighbor. The structure of a second added layer is consistent with that predicted solely based on interadsorbate repulsion, although, as this structure is also favored by the electrostatic character of the surface, the roles of each effect can not be entirely evaluated independently. At the third layer, and presumably all higher layers, methane is structures so that the number of close H-H contacts is minimized. Quantum molecular dynamics simulations lend further support to the highly influential role of repulsive interadsorbate interactions in determining structure. Methane rotation at each layer is also studied.
Synergistic Inhibition of HIV-1 Envelope-Mediated Membrane Fusion by Inhibitors Targeting the N- and C-Terminal Heptad Repeats of gp41

The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) proteins that mediate membrane fusion represent a major target for the development of new AIDS therapies. Three classes of Env-mediated membrane fusion inhibitors have been described that specifically target the pre-hairpin intermediate conformation of gp41. Class 2 inhibitors bind to the C-terminal heptad repeat (C-HR) of gp41. The single example of a class 3 inhibitor targets the trimeric N-terminal heptad repeat (N-HR) of gp41 and has been postulated to sequestrate the N-HR of the pre-hairpin intermediate through the formation of fusion incompetent heterotrimers. Here, we show that N(CCG)-gp41, a class 2 inhibitor, and N36(Mut(e,g)), a class 3 inhibitor, synergistically inhibit Env-mediated membrane fusion for several representative HIV-1 strains (X4 and R5) in both a cell fusion assay (with membrane-bound CD4) and an Env-pseudo-typed virus neutralization assay. The mechanistic, as well as potential therapeutic, implications of these observations for HIV-Env-mediated membrane fusion are discussed.
Impedance and temperature monitoring improve the safety of closed-loop irrigated-tip radiofrequency ablation.

Introduction Irrigated-tip catheter ablation allows larger ablation lesions to be created, but also decreases catheter temperature monitoring accuracy. It is unclear which parameters should be monitored to optimize efficacy and safety during irrigated-tip ablation. Methods and results Freshly excised hearts from eight male pigs were perfused and superfused using oxygenated swine blood in an ex vivo model. Ablations were performed for 1 minute using one of five different ablation protocols: (1) Temperature Control (42 degrees C 40 W), (2) Fixed Power 20 W, (3) Fixed Power 30 W, (4) Impedance Control (target 10 ohm impedance drop), and (5) Impedance Control (target 20 ohm drop). All ablations were performed with a perpendicular orientation of the catheter to the endocardial surface. Ablation lesions depth was significantly lower in the temperature control group (5.0 +/- 1.7 mm) compared with the fixed power ablation groups (6.5 +/- 1.0 mm for Power 20 W, 6.6 +/- 1.2 mm for Power 30 W). Impedance-controlled ablation created lesions intermediate in depth between fixed power and temperature controlled (6.0 +/- 1.6 for Impedance 10 ohms and 6.2 +/- 1.4 mm for Impedance 20 ohms groups). There was a significantly greater incidence of pops and thrombus formation in the Power 20 W (9/14), Power 30 W (10/14), and Impedance 20 ohms (10/16) groups than the Temperature Control (1/16) and Impedance control 10 ohms (2/16) groups. Conclusion Temperature control improved the safety profile during irrigated-tip ablation in comparison with fixed-power ablations, but resulted in significantly smaller lesions. Impedance-controlled ablation lesions (target 10 ohm drop) created lesions of comparable size to fixed-power ablations with a significantly better safety profile.
Molecular Heterosis: A Review

Molecular heterosis occurs when subjects heterozygous for a specific genetic polymorphism show a significantly greater effect (positive heterosis) or lesser effect (negative heterosis) for a quantitative or dichotomous trait than subjects homozygous for either allele. At a molecular level heterosis appears counterintuitive to the expectation that if the 1 allele of a two-allele polymorphism is associated with a decrease in gene expression, those carrying the 11 genotype should show the greatest effect, 12 heterozygotes should be intermediate, and 22 homozygotes should show the least effect. We review the accumulating evidence that molecular heterosis is common in humans and may occur in up to 50% of all gene associations. A number of examples are reviewed, including those for the following genes: ADRA2C, C3 complement, DRD1, DRD2, DRD3, DRD4, ESR1, HP, HBB, HLA-DR DQ, HTR2A, properdin B, SLC6A4, PNMT, and secretor. Several examples are given in which the heterosis is gender-specific. Three explanations for molecular heterosis are proposed. The first is based on an inverted U-shaped response curve in which either to little or too much gene expression is deleterious, with optimal gene expression occurring in 12 heterozygotes. The second proposes an independent third factor causing a hidden stratification of the sample such that for in one set of subjects 11 homozygosity is associated with the highest phenotype score, while in the other set, 22 homozygosity is associated with the highest phenotype score. The third explanation suggests greater fitness in 12 heterozygotes because they show a broader range of gene expression than 11 or 22 homozygotes. Allele-based linkage techniques usually miss heterotic associations. Because up to 50% of association studies show a heterosis effect, this can significantly diminish the power of family-based linkage and association studies.
Nanostructuring and functionalizing polymers with cyclodextrins

Abstract We summarize our recent studies employing the cyclic starches called cyclodextrins (CDs) to both nanostructure and functionalize polymers. Two important structural characteristics of CDs are taken as advantages to achieve these goals. First the ability of CDs to form non-covalent inclusion complexes (ICs) with a variety of guest molecules, including many polymers, by threading and inclusion into their relatively hydrophobic interior cavities, which are roughly cylindrical with diameters of ∼0.5 to 1.0 nm for α-, β-, and γ-CD containing 6, 7, and 8 α-1,4-linked glucose units, respectively. When guest polymers are coalesced from the CD-ICs by removing their host CDs, they are observed to solidify with structures, morphologies, and even conformations that are distinct from bulk samples made from their solutions and melts. Molecularly mixed, intimate blends of two or more polymers that are normally immiscible can be obtained from their common CD-ICs, and the phase segregation of incompatible blocks can be controlled (suppressed or increased) in CD-IC coalesced block copolymers. In addition, additives may be more effectively delivered to polymers in the form of their soluble or crystalline CD-ICs or rotaxanes. Secondly, many –OH groups attached to the exterior rims of CDs, in addition to conferring water solubility, provide an opportunity to covalently bond them to polymers either during their syntheses or via post-polymerization reactions. Polymers containing CDs in their backbones or attached to their side chains are observed to more readily accept and retain additives, such as dyes, fragrances, etc. They may also be further reacted or treated through their CDs to cross-link and form networks or to form blends with other polymers having a propensity to thread through their attached CD cavities.
Fluorescence‐detected circular dichroism of dinucleoside phosphates. A study of solution conformations and the two‐state model

Three fluorescent dinucleoside phosphates containing 1,N6-ethenoadenosine (eA), eApeA, eApeC, and eApU were studied using fluorescence-detected circular dichroism (FDCD), circular dichroism (CD), and absorption measurements. The FDCD data indicate that eApeC and eApU can be described as two-state systems consisting of a fluorescent species and a stacked, nonfluorescent species. Thermodynamic stacking parameters are calculated for these molecules using the van't Hoff equation. eApeA is found to be a more complicated system with a fluorescent CD which is different in shape, but comparable in magnitude, to the conventional CD of the dimer. This molecule, unlike the other two dinucleoside phosphates, cannot be characterized as a two-state system; it is described as consisting of at least three states at temperatures above 35°C. The CD data were subjected to a linear analysis in order to determine the minimum number of states present. In agreement with the FDCD data, eApeC and eApU are found to consist of a minimum of two states, while eApeA is indicated to have at least three. The more complicated behavior of the latter dimer is also indicated by the values of the unstacked CD obtained in the van't Hoff analysis.
Sulfide product inhibition of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in batch and continuous cultures

Sulfide product inhibition kinetics for growth and activity of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was investigated in batch and continuous cultures at pH = 7.0. A non-competitive inhibition model adequately described sulfide product inhibition kinetics. Inhibition coefficient (Ki) for maximum specific growth rate (μinhmax) was 251 mg l−1 S in a batch experiment. Cell yield determined in a chemostat was reduced in half by a sulfide concentration of about 250 mg l−1 S, which was very close to the Ki value for the batch growth. Maximum specific growth rate (μinhmax) and cell yield (YcLac) were strongly inhibited by high levels of sulfide concentrations, whereas specific lactate utilization rate increased with increasing sulfide concentrations. The results indicated an increase in the relative energy needed for maintenance to overcome sulfide inhibition and uncoupling growth from energy production. However, D. desulfuricans to some extent could recover from the shock of high sulfide concentrations. Stoichiometry for catabolic reactions (energy producing) did not change at high sulfide concentrations, while anabolic reactions (cellular synthesis) were strongly inhibited by high sulfide concentrations. These results suggested that separation of sulfide product inhibition into growth (cell yield) and activity (substrate utilization rate) was important to incorporate the sulfide product inhibition kinetics in a variety of applications.
Heterogeneity of phosphoglucomutase.

A survey of the isoenzyme patterns of phosphoglucomutase (PGM) as demonstrated by starch gel electrophoresis has been undertaken in different species. Seven mammals, two birds, one reptile, two amphibians, four fish, and four invertebrates were studied, and in some cases several tissues were examined. In all cases the predominant enzyme present was a group of electrophoretically related enzymes which are believed to all represent expression of the PGM1 allele. In some species, examples of other groups of isoenzymes were encountered, presumably representing other genetic loci, corresponding to PGM2 and PGM3. These were always less in amount. The PGM from the chicken was unique in the survey in that its mobility changed with storage. A somewhat similar although not identical change could be produced by addition of PCMB to the partially purified enzyme. Both altered enzymes, i.e., that resulting from storage and that produced by addition of PCMB, were more heat labile.
Impulsive motion of non-holonomic deformable multibody systems Part II: Impact analysis

Abstract In this paper, the kinematic and dynamic equations that govern the intermittent motion of the spatial non-holonomic multibody systems are developed in terms of coupled sets of reference and elastic co-ordinates. The intermittent motion behavior of the non-holonomic multibody system due to a finite number of impacts is predicted by using the generalized impulse-momentum equations that involve the coefficients of restitution and the constraint Jacobian matrices of the holonomic and non-holonomic constraints. The solution of these equations defines the generalized impulses associated with the impact as well as the jump discontinuities in the system velocity vector and the jumps in the holonomic and non-holonomic reaction forces. The dynamic formulation presented in this paper is exemplified by using planar and spatial non-holonomic multibody systems.
Cumulative Family Risk Predicts Increases in Adjustment Difficulties across Early Adolescence

Family is an important socialization context for youth as they move through early adolescence. A significant feature of this complex socialization context is the accumulation of potential family risk factors that may compromise youth adjustment. This study examined cumulative family risk and adolescents’ adjustment difficulties in 416 two-parent families using four waves of annual longitudinal data (51 % female youth). Risk factors in four family domains were examined: socioeconomic, parents’ psychological realm, marital, and parenting. Cumulative family risk experienced while in 6th grade was associated concurrently with daughters’ higher internalizing problems and with increased internalizing problems during early adolescence. Cumulative family risk was associated concurrently with sons’ higher externalizing problems and with daughters’ increased externalizing problems over time. Cumulative family risk was associated concurrently with lower grades and with declining grades over time for both daughters and sons. The number of risk domains also was associated with youths’ adjustment difficulties during early adolescence, providing evidence that risk in two-parent families involves more than ineffective parenting. These findings suggest a critical need to provide strong support for families in reducing a variety of stressors across multiple family domains as their children traverse early adolescence.
A Revision of the Augochlorine Bee Genus Chlerogas Vachal (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Abstract The augochlorine bee genus Chlerogas Vachal is revised and the female is described for the first time. The genus is newly diagnosed and new characters discussed for its separation from other augochlorine genera. Seven new species are recognized— Chlerogas araguaensis , C. boliviensis , C. colombiensis , C. cyaneus , C. nephos , C. tiara , and C. townesi —in addition to two previously described species C. chlerogas (Vachal) and C. hirsutipennis Cockerell. The group was previously only recorded from Peru, but is now known in Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. A key is provided for the identification of all species.
Neuropeptide Y and dynorphin-immunoreactive large dense-core vesicles are strategically localized for presynaptic modulation in the hippocampal formation and substantia nigra

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and dynorphin elicit regionally selective presynaptic modulation in the hippocampal formation and the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra, respectively. We examined potential anatomical substrates for their presynaptic modulation by determining the distribution and size of large (80-120 nm) dense-core vesicles (DCVs), organelles previously shown to be immunoreactive for each peptide. Throughout the hippocampal formation, NPY-immunoreactive DCVs were located primarily in axon terminals and were more sparingly distributed in dendrites. In comparison with other portions of the hippocampal formation, NPY-labeled DCVs were most abundant in axons and terminals of the CA1 region. The DCVs in the CA1 region of the hippocampus also more frequently had larger mean cross-sectional diameters when located along portions of the terminal in contact with unlabeled axons. In both the CA1 region of the hippocampus and the dentate gyrus, NPY-labeled DCVs in contact with portions of the axonal membrane apposed to astrocytes also were larger than those located more centrally in the axon terminal. Dynorphin-immunoreactive DCVs in axon terminals of the substantia nigra were significantly larger when found near portions of the axonal membrane in contact not only with other axons and astrocytic processes, but also occasionally with postsynaptic dendrites. The parallels between diameters of DCVs and known selectivity of NPY for presynaptic modulation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus suggest a direct correlation between the size and distribution of immunoreactive DCVs and their sites of exocytotic release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Administration and 1H MRS detection of histidine in human brain: Application to in vivo pH measurement

Measurement of histidine in vivo offers the potential for tissue pH measurement using routinely performed (1)H MR spectroscopy. In the brain, however, histidine concentrations are generally too low for reliable measurement. By using oral loading of histidine, this study demonstrates that brain concentrations can be significantly increased, enabling detection of histidine by localized (1)H MR measurements and making in vivo pH measurement possible. In studies carried out on healthy human subjects at 1.5 T, a consistent spectral quality downfield from water was achieved using a PRESS sequence at short echo times. Measurements at different TE values helped to characterize the downfield spectral region. Histidine loading of 400 mg/kg of body weight increased brain histidine levels by approximately 0.8 mM, with maximum histidine concentration reached 4 to 7 hr after consumption. The pH calculated from histidine resonances was 6.96, and a hyperventilation study demonstrated the potential for measuring altered pH.
Modularity of stress response evolution

Responses to extracellular stress directly confer survival fitness by means of complex regulatory networks. Despite their complexity, the networks must be evolvable because of changing ecological and environmental pressures. Although the regulatory networks underlying stress responses are characterized extensively, their mechanism of evolution remains poorly understood. Here, we examine the evolution of three candidate stress response networks (chemotaxis, competence for DNA uptake, and endospore formation) by analyzing their phylogenetic distribution across several hundred diverse bacterial and archaeal lineages. We report that genes in the chemotaxis and sporulation networks group into well defined evolutionary modules with distinct functions, phenotypes, and substitution rates as compared with control sets of randomly chosen genes. The evolutionary modules vary in both number and cohesiveness among the three pathways. Chemotaxis has five coherent modules whose distribution among species shows a clear pattern of interdependence and rewiring. Sporulation, by contrast, is nearly monolithic and seems to be inherited vertically, with three weak modules constituting early and late stages of the pathway. Competence does not seem to exhibit well defined modules either at or below the pathway level. Many of the detected modules are better understood in engineering terms than in protein functional terms, as we demonstrate using a control-based ontology that classifies gene function according to roles such as “sensor,” “regulator,” and “actuator.” Moreover, we show that combinations of the modules predict phenotype, yet surprisingly do not necessarily correlate with phylogenetic inheritance. The architectures of these three pathways are therefore emblematic of different modes and constraints on evolution.
Computer Science Research Community: The Death Spiral?

Two disturbing trends are arising within the computer science research community: increasing occurrences of double submissions by authors and irresponsible attitudes among professional service volunteers with regard to their service assignments. Here, the author suggests that one of the relevant professional societies&#x2014;such as IEEE&#x2014;take leadership in addressing this issue by creating a committee that would track and publicize such behaviors to create backpressure against them and reverse these negative trends. Moreover, an existing mechanism within IEEE that handles plagiarism complaints could provide the foundation for the broader misconduct committee proposed here.
Requirement of hydrocortisone and insulin for extended proliferation and passage of rat keratinocytes

A procedure for the preparation and cultivation of rat epidermal basal cells from full thickness skin resulted in greater than 99% viability and 90% plating efficiency. However, attempts to subculture monolayers of these epithelial cells grown in medium with serum as the only supplement were totally unsuccessful. When hydrocortisone and insulin were added to the medium, subcultivation of primary growth was obtained. It was demonstrated that hydrocortisone at concentrations as low as 0.1 micrograms/ml was necessary for at least the initial attachment of the cells to the substrate - an essential step in subcultivation. Increasing concentrations of insulin (0.1 to 50 micrograms/ml) caused the rate of proliferation and the cell density to increase, but insulin alone did not support subcultivation.
General Theory of Three‐Dimensional Consolidation

The settlement of soils under load is caused by a phenomenon called consolidation, whose mechanism is known to be in many cases identical with the process of squeezing water out of an elasticporous medium. The mathematical physical consequences of this viewpoint are established in the present paper. The number of physical constants necessary to determine the properties of the soil is derived along with the general equations for the prediction of settlements and stresses in three‐dimensional problems. Simple applications are treated as examples. The operational calculus is shown to be a powerful method of solution of consolidation problems.
Bilateral Art: Integrating Art Therapy, Family Therapy, and Neuroscience

This paper describes the systemic use of a neurologically-based art therapy modality—bilateral art—that engages both dominant and non-dominant hands in the process of creating images in response to opposing cognitions or feelings. It describes both neuroscience and family therapy perspectives that argue for the use of bilateral art. A specific protocol for bilateral art therapy is provided along with a case study demonstrating integration of the protocol into the systemic treatment of a young family.
Making peace in gestational conflicts.

Mary Anne Warren's claim that “there is room for only one person with full and equal rights inside a single human skin” ([1], p. 63) calls attention to the vast range of moral conflict engendered by assigning full basic moral rights to fetuses. Thereby, it serves as a goad to thinking about conflicts between pregnant women and their fetuses in a way that emphasizes relationships rather than rights. I sketch out what a ‘care orientation’ might suggest about resolving gestational conflicts. I also argue that the care orientation, with its commitment to the significance of the partial and the particular, cannot be absorbed within standard, impartialist moral theory.
A preliminary investigation of using prior information for potentially improving image reconstruction in few-view CT

There exists a strong need to reconstruct computed tomographic (CT) images with practically useful quality from a small number of projections in image-guided radiation therapy: for lowering radiation dose delivered to the subject, for shortening the imaging time, and for reducing the imaging-configuration complexity. We have recently developed an iterative image reconstruction algorithm based on total-variation (TV) minimization from incomplete projection data in CT. In numerical studies with a variety of incomplete projection-data sets including truncated data, reduced scan range, and sparse sampling, the developed algorithm seems to yield reasonable reconstruction, as compared to some of the existing algorithms, such as algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and expectation minimization (EM). The TV-based algorithm begins in general with a uniform image as an initial guess, and goes through iteration steps to minimize the image TV subject to satisfying the given incomplete projection data. In image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), a patient usually undergoes CT scanning for treatment planning, which can provide the reference image for image guidance. Therefore, we propose a TV-based algorithm with a priori information in few-view CT for IGRT, in an attempt to further reduce the number of projections needed for image reconstruction from what the TV-based algorithm uses when no a priori information is included. In this work, we report the initial results of a preliminary numerical study that we have conducted to demonstrate this approach.
Teaching of lens design

Lens design is both the art and the science involved in the application of basic optical principles to the creation of a set of parameters describing a lens for an optical instrument employing refracting or reflecting components. The techniques involved in lens design incorporate the setup of a system using basic optical principles, the iteration of that initial description using geometrical optical principles and the analysis of the system in terms of its ability to convey information or energy to a detector.
Neural Control of Heart Rate: a Comparison between Puppies and Adult Animals

The heart rate responses to stimulation of the right and left cardiac autonomic nerves were evaluated in 20 puppies and 17 adult dogs. In every puppy and adult dog, the changes in heart rate were much greater with right- than with left-sided stimulation of the vagal or sympathetic nerves. At maximal stimulation frequencies, the % changes in heart rate (mean +/- S.E.M.) were: right stellate, adults +50.0 (+/- 5.1) and puppies +23.6 (+/- 2.8); left stellate, adults +20.0 (+/- 2.4) and puppies +5.6 (+/- 2.3); right vagus, adults -74.0 (+/- 5.2) and puppies -43.6 (+/- 3.3); and left vagus, adults -44.1 (+/- 2.0) and puppies -24.9 (+/- 2.3). At any given stimulation frequency, the heart rate responses were significantly greater in adult dogs than in puppies, with either stellate or vagal stimulation. In 47% of the puppies and in 11% of the adult dogs, left stellate stimulation had no detectable effect on heart rate, although there was evidence of an increase in blood pressure in each of these animals. In these animals, fibers from the left stellate ganglion did not innervate the sinoatrial node.
Anisotropy Searches with the High-Resolution Fly's Eye

We present here the results of new searches for anisotropy within the HiRes data set, including both monocular and stereo events with energies exceeding 1 EeV. We include the results of searches for pointlike excesses, including correlations with BL-Lacertae objects, as well as extended sources and dipole moments in the full-sky survey.
Autotransplantation in solid tumors

Studies are described of high-dose therapy in metastatic breast cancer, early stage breast cancer, stage IV neuroblastoma, recurrent or bulky disease testicular cancer and Ewing's sarcoma. The outcome in these subgroups with conventional therapy is described for comparison. The results of these studies suggest that high-dose therapy with autologous marrow support increases the proportion of patients with long-term survival without evidence of disease. Newer supportive care and recurrent high-dose therapy cycles of non-cross resistant regimens may improve outcome further in these diseases and increase the application to more resistant tumors.
Effect of process conditions on co-liquefaction kinetics of waste tire and coal

Abstract Thermal and catalytic liquefactions of waste (recycled) tire and coal were studied both separately and using mixtures with different tire/coal ratios. Runs were made in a batch tubing bomb reactor at 350–425°C. The effect of hydrogen pressure on the product slate was also studied. Mixtures of tire components and coal were used in order to understand the role of the tire as a solvent in co-liquefaction. In the catalytic runs, a ferric-sulfide-based catalyst impregnated in situ in the coal was used. Both the tire components and the entire tire exhibit a synergistic effect on coal conversion. The extent of synergism depends on temperature, H 2 pressure and the tire/coal ratio. Experiments with coal and tire components show that the synergistic effect of tire is due to the rubber portion of the tire and not the carbon black. The synergism mainly leads to an increase in the yields of asphaltenes, which are nearly double those in the coal-only runs at 400°C. The conversion of coal increases dramatically using the catalyst, but the catalytic effect is attenuated somewhat in the presence of tire, especially at high tire/coal ratios. The data were analyzed using a consecutive reaction scheme for the liquefaction of coal to asphaltenes and thence to oil+gas, both reactions being of second order; a second-order conversion of tire to oil+gas; and an additional synergism reaction when both coal and tire are present, first-order in both coal and tire. Parallel schemes were assumed for thermal (uncatalyzed) and catalyzed reactions. The uncatalyzed liquefaction of coal has a low apparent activation energy, 36 kJ/mol, compared to those for the synergism reaction (84 kJ/mol) and the catalytic coal liquefaction (158 kJ/mol). The conversion of asphaltenes to oil+gas is relatively independent of temperature and of the presence of the catalyst. The catalyst appears to play a significant role in the conversion of coal to asphaltenes, but a negligible role in the synergism reaction.
Geochemistry of East African Rift basalts: An overview

Mafic lavas erupted along the East African Rift System from the Afar triangle in northern Ethiopia to the Rungwe province in southern Tanzania display a wide range of geochemical and isotopic compositions that reflect heterogeneity in both source and process. In areas with the lowest degree of crustal extension (the Western and Southern Kenya Rifts) primitive lavas record the greatest extent of lithospheric melting, manifest in elevated abundances of incompatible elements and highly radiogenic Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions. Where prolonged extension has removed most or all of the mantle lithosphere (the Turkana and Northern Kenya Rifts), a larger role for sub-lithospheric processes is indicated. At intermediate degrees of extension (the Main Ethiopian Rift) both lithospheric and sub-lithospheric contributions are observed, and crustal assimilation occurs in some cases. Despite the wide compositional range of African Rift basalts, a restricted number of source domains contribute to magmatism throughout the area. These individual domains are: (1) the subcontinental mantle lithosphere; (2) a plume source with high-μ Sr–Nd–Pb–He isotopic affinities, present in all areas within and south of the Turkana Depression; and (3) a plume source with isotopic signatures analogous to those observed in some ocean islands, including high 3He/4He values, present throughout the Ethiopian Rift and the Afar region. The two plume sources may both be derived from the South African Superplume, which is likely to be a compositionally heterogeneous feature of the lower mantle.
Structuring constraints on perceptions of upward influence and supervisory relationships

This research examined the effects of centralization of authority on employees’ perceptions of the likelihood of attempting upward influence and their perceptions of supervisory trust and leader‐member exchange. Three hundred and sixty‐two employees from five different organizations responded to a questionnaire that assessed perceptions of centralization, attitudes toward upward influence, leader‐member exchange and supervisory trust. Consistent with earlier formulations, centralization was operationalized as perceptions of participation in decision making and job autonomy (Hage, 1980; Hage & Aiken, 1967). Results revealed that both job autonomy and participation in decision making significantly affect subordinates’ attitudes toward attempting upward influence and the levels of trust and leader‐member exchange they report concerning their supervisory relationship. The results are used to support the argument that centralization of authority acts as a structuring process in organizations to the extent that...
Amino acid activation of a dual-specificity tRNA synthetase is independent of tRNA

Transfer RNA can play a role in amino acid activation by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. For the prolyl-tRNA synthetase (ProRS) of Methanococcus jannaschii, which activates both proline and cysteine, the role of tRNA in amino acid selection and activation is of interest in the effort to understand the mechanism of the dual-specificity. While activation of proline does not require tRNA, whether or not tRNA is required in the activation of cysteine has been a matter of debate. Here, investigation of a series of buffer conditions shows that activation of cysteine occurs without tRNA in a wide-range of buffers. However, the extent of cysteine activation is strongly buffer-dependent, varying over a 180-fold range. In contrast, the extent of proline activation is much less sensitive to buffer conditions, varying over only a 36-fold range. We also find that addition of tRNA has a small threefold stimulatory effect on cysteine activation. The lack of a major role of tRNA in activation of cysteine suggests that the dual-specificity enzyme must distinguish cysteine from proline directly, without the assistance of each cognate tRNA, to achieve the necessary specificity required for protein synthesis.
Seasonal rhythms of human nutrient intake and meal pattern

Seasonal variations in the nutrient intakes and the meal patterns of humans were investigated by paying 315 adult humans to maintain a 7-day diary of everything they ate, when they ate it, and their subjective state of hunger. A marked seasonal rhythm of nutrient intake was observed with increased total caloric intake, especially of carbohydrate, in the fall, associated with an increase in meal size and a greater rate of eating. The subjects rated themselves hungrier at the end of the meal in the fall even though the larger meals resulted in a greater estimated amount of food in the stomach. In the winter and spring there was a strong negative relationship between the amount eaten in the meal and self-rated hunger at the end of the meal. This correlation was absent during the fall. The results suggest that even with modern heating and lighting seasonal rhythmicity of food intake persists in humans and is a major influence on eating that may act by suppressing satiety mechanisms.
Multishot 3D slice-select tailored RF pulses for MRI

A multi-shot three-dimensional slice-select tailored RF pulse method is presented for the excitation of slice profiles with arbitrary resolution. This method is derived from the linearity of the small tip angle approximation, allowing for the decomposition of small tip angle tailored RF pulses into separate excitations. The final image is created by complex summation of the images acquired from the individual excitations. This technique overcomes the limitation of requiring long pulse to excite thin slices with adequate resolution. This has implications in applications including T2*-weighted functional MRI in brain regions corrupted by intravoxel dephasing artifacts due to susceptibility variations. Simulations, phantom experiments, and human brain images are presented. It is demonstrated that at most four shots of 40 ms pulse length are needed to excite a 5 mm thick slice in the brain with reduced susceptibility artifacts at 3T.
A new silica-supported platinum-amine catalyst for the reaction of silanes with alcohols

Abstract A supported platinum catalyst has been prepared and evaluated for the reactions of HSiR3 (R = Et, OEt) and Me3SiOSi(H)(Me)OSiMe3 with alcohols ROH (R = Me, Et, n-Pr, i-Pr, t-Bu). The supporting surface was prepared by a condensation reaction of (EtO)4Si with the ligand (RO)3SiCH2CH2CH2NH2 in the presence of water. The catalyst partially retains its activity on recovery after three different reaction times. Moreover, the catalytic activity is highly reproducible within the same batch, and among different prepared batches. Variation of the types of silanes and of the alcohols affects the rate of the reaction. The reaction is first order with respect to the catalyst and the silane. A first-order reaction with respect to alcohol is observed at low concentrations, whereas at higher concentrations the rate is independent of the alcohol concentration. There is no evidence of a reaction between the supported amine ligand and the silane. The effects of temperature, solvent polarity and added ligands are also reported.
High throughput protein nanocrystal fractionation in a microfluidic sorter

Protein crystallography is transitioning into a new generation with the introduction of the X-ray free electron laser, which can be used to solve the structures of complex proteins via serial femtosecond crystallography. Sample characteristics play a critical role in successful implementation of this new technology, whereby a small, narrow protein crystal size distribution is desired to provide high quality diffraction data. To provide such a sample, we developed a microfluidic device that facilitates dielectrophoretic sorting of heterogeneous particle mixtures into various size fractions. The first generation device demonstrated great potential and success toward this endeavor; thus, in this work, we present a comprehensive optimization study to improve throughput and control over sorting outcomes. First, device geometry was designed considering a variety of criteria, and applied potentials were modeled to determine the scheme achieving the largest sorting efficiency for isolating nanoparticles from microparticles. Further, to investigate sorting efficiency within the nanoparticle regime, critical geometrical dimensions and input parameters were optimized to achieve high sorting efficiencies. Experiments revealed fractionation of nanobeads from microbeads in the optimized device with high sorting efficiencies, and protein crystals were sorted into submicrometer size fractions as desired for future serial femtosecond crystallography experiments.
Triangular truncation of k-Fibonacci and k-Lucas circulant matrices

Abstract We prove a general theorem that gives tight bounds on the spectral norms of triangularly truncated k-Fibonacci and k-Lucas circulant matrices. The bounds are good enough to enable the calculation of the limit ‖ C ‖ ‖ τ ( C ) ‖ , as the dimension n approaches infinity, where τ ( C ) denotes the triangular truncation of C, and C is any n × n circulant matrix built using a sequence ( s i ) satisfying s i = k s i − 1 + s i − 2 . In particular, we have that this limit is equal to the golden ratio, if C is built using either the ordinary Fibonacci or Lucas sequence.
Some properties of the throughput function of closed networks of queues

The throughput function of a closed network of queues is shown to be Schur concave and arrangement increasing. As a consequence of these properties, loading and server-assignment policies can be compared based on the majorization and the arrangement orderings. Implications of the results are discussed.
Enhancement of heat removal using concave liquid metal targets for high-power accelerators

The need is increasing for development of high-power targets and beam dump areas for the production of intense beams of secondary particles. The severe constraints arising from a megawatt beam deposited on targets and absorbers call for nontrivial procedures to dilute the beam. This study describes the development of targets and absorbers and the advantages of using flowing liquid metal in concave channels first proposed by IFMIF to raise the liquid metal boiling point by increasing the pressure in liquid supported by a centrifugal force. Such flow with a back-wall is subject to Taylor-Couette instability. The instability can play a positive role of increasing the heat transfer from the hottest region in the target/absorber to the back-wall cooled by water. Results of theoretical analysis and numerical modeling of both targets and dump areas for the IFMIF, ILC, and RIA facilities are presented.