cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ritual Sites and Religious Rivalries in Late Roman North Africa

In Ritual Sites and Religious Rivalries in Late Roman North Africa, Lander examines the rhetorical and physical battles for sacred space between practitioners of traditional Roman religion, Christians, and Jews of late Roman North Africa. By analyzing literary along with archaeological evidence, Lander provides a new understanding of ancient notions of ritual space. This regard for ritual sites above other locations rendered the act or mere suggestion of seizing and destroying them powerful weapons in inter-group religious conflicts. Lander demonstrates that the quantity and harshness of discursive and physical attacks on ritual spaces directly correlates to their symbolic value. This heightened valuation reached such a level that rivals were willing to violate conventional Roman norms of property rights to display spatial control. Moreover, Roman Imperial policy eventually appropriated spatial triumphalism as a strategy for negotiating religious conflicts, giving rise to a new form of spatial colonialism that was explicitly religious.
Numerical Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing Water Effects on Shale Gas Permeability Alteration

Hydraulic fracturing has been recognized as the necessary well completion technique to achieve economic production from shale gas formation. However, following the fracturing, fluid–wall interactions can form a damaged zone nearby the fracture characterized by strong capillarity and osmosis effects. Here, we present a new reservoir multi-phase flow model which includes these mechanisms to predict formation damage in the aftermath of the fracturing during shut-in and production periods. In the model, the shale matrix is treated as a multi-scale porosity medium including interconnected organic, inorganic slit-shaped, and clay porosity fields. Prior to the fracturing, the matrix holds gas in the organic and the inorganic slit-shaped pores, water with dissolved salt in the inorganic slit-shaped pores and the clay pores. During and after fracturing, imbibition causes water invasion into the matrix, and then, the injected water–clay interaction may lead to clay-swelling pressure development due to osmosis. The swelling pressure gives additional stress to slit-shaped pores and cause permeability reduction in the inorganic matrix. We develop a simulator describing a system of three pores, two phases (aqueous and gaseous phases), and three components ( $$\hbox {H}_{2}\hbox {O}, \hbox {CH}_{4}$$ , and salt), including osmosis and clay-swelling effect on the permeability. The simulation of aqueous-phase transport through clay shows that high swelling pressure can occur in clays as function of salt type, salt concentration difference, and clay-membrane efficiency. The new model is used to demonstrate the damage zone characteristics. The simulation of two-phase flow through the shale formation shows that, although fracturing is a rapid process, fluid–wall interactions continue to occur after the fracturing due to imbibition mechanism, which allows water to penetrate into the inorganic pore network and displace the gas in-place near the fracture. This water invasion leads to osmosis effect in the formation, which cause clay swelling and the subsequent permeability reduction. Continuing shale–water interactions during the production period can expand the damage zone further.
Follow-Up of Emergency Department MRI Scans Suggesting New Diagnosis of CNS Demyelination

OBJECTIVE. The literature has shown that new cases of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be missed in the emergency department (ED), causing unnecessary delays for patients. In 2012, an MRI scanner was introduced into the ED of our institution. This study examines the potential value of the radiologists' MRI reports for patients with previously undiagnosed MS who presented to the ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this retrospective study, electronic medical records were reviewed for patients without a prior diagnosis of a demyelinating disorder, who underwent imaging on the ED's MRI scanner between March 1, 2014, and March 1, 2016, and for whom the radiologist reported a possible demyelinating disorder. RESULTS. Patient encounters of 61 women and 31 men (mean age, 41.2 years) met the inclusion criteria. In 48 of 92 (52.2%) cases where the radiology report suggested a demyelinating diagnosis, the patient was also given such a diagnosis as the final outcome. Where a demyelinating disorder was placed as the only, first...
Reconfigurable high efficiency power amplifier with tunable coupling coefficient based transformer for 5G applications

A frequency reconfigurable high efficiency power amplifier (PA) is presented for 5G applications using on-chip switchable matching networks. To cope with increased gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) in deep submicron CMOS PA design at mm-Wave frequencies, a tunable coupling-coefficient based transformer is proposed. This technique dramatically improves the neutralization of Cgd in a common-source PA while maximizing output power and efficiency. To reconfigure the PA between 24 GHz and 28 GHz, a low-loss reconfigurable matching topology is adopted using a switched substrate-shield inductor. Using the proposed techniques, a single-stage reconfigurable class-AB PA is demonstrated in 65 nm CMOS, achieving 42.6% maximum power added efficiency (PAE max ), 14.7 dBm maximum output power (P o, max ) at 24 GHz and 40.1% PAE max , 14.4 dBm P o, max at 28 GHz. The PA occupies a core area of 0.11 mm2 only.
Protein Localization and Interaction Studies in Plants: Toward Defining Complete Proteomes by Visualization

Abstract Protein interaction and localization studies in plants are a fundamental component of achieving mechanistic understanding of virus:plant interactions at the systems level. Many such studies are conducted using transient expression assays in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana , the most widely used experimental plant host in virology, examined by laser-scanning confocal microscopy. This chapter provides a workflow for protein interaction and localization experiments, with particular attention to the many control and supporting assays that may also need to be performed. Basic principles of microscopy are introduced to aid researchers in the early stages of adding imaging techniques to their experimental repertoire. Three major types of imaging-based experiments are discussed in detail: (i) protein localization using autofluorescent proteins, (ii) colocalization studies, and (iii) bimolecular fluorescence complementation, with emphasis on judicious interpretation of the data obtained from these approaches. In addition to establishing a general framework for protein localization experiments in plants, the need for proteome-scale localization projects is discussed, with emphasis on nuclear-localized proteins.
Binge Alcohol Exposure Transiently Changes the Endocannabinoid System: A Potential Target to Prevent Alcohol-Induced Neurodegeneration.

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to neurodegeneration, which contributes to cognitive decline that is associated with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The endocannabinoid system has been implicated in the development of AUDs, but little is known about how the neurotoxic effects of alcohol impact the endocannabinoid system. Therefore, the current study investigated the effects of neurotoxic, binge-like alcohol exposure on components of the endocannabinoid system and related N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), and then evaluated the efficacy of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition on attenuating alcohol-induced neurodegeneration. Male rats were administered alcohol according to a binge model, which resulted in a transient decrease in [3H]-CP-55,940 binding in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus following two days, but not four days, of treatment. Furthermore, binge alcohol treatment did not change the tissue content of the three NAEs quantified, including the endocannabinoid and anandamide. In a separate study, the FAAH inhibitor, URB597 was administered to rats during alcohol treatment and neuroprotection was assessed by FluoroJade B (FJB) staining. The administration of URB597 during binge treatment did not significantly reduce FJB+ cells in the entorhinal cortex or hippocampus, however, a follow up “target engagement” study found that NAE augmentation by URB597 was impaired in alcohol intoxicated rats. Thus, potential alcohol induced alterations in URB597 pharmacodynamics may have contributed to the lack of neuroprotection by FAAH inhibition.
On the Generalized Thermal Conductance Characterizations of Mixed One-Dimensional–Two-Dimensional van der Waals Heterostructures and Their Implication for Pressure Sensors

The emergence of ever-growing two-dimensional (2D) materials has made revolutionary innovations on van der Waals (vdW) heterostructural designs by integrating them with other low-dimensional materials to achieve unprecedented and/or multiple functionalities that are beyond individual components. Guided by full-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we present a mixed-dimensional heterostructure by vertically stacking one-dimensional (1D) and 2D materials through noncovalent vdW interactions and demonstrate that the thermal conductance can be generalized into a unified model by incorporating their mechanical properties and geometric features. Simulation analyses further reveal the strong dependence of thermal conductance on the location and magnitude of an external pressure loading applied to the local vdW heterojunctions. The underlying thermal transport mechanism is uncovered through the elucidation of the mechanical deformation, curvature morphology, and density of atomic interactions at the heterojuncti...
Clinically Symptomatic Pericardial Effusions in Hospitalized Systemic Sclerosis Patients: Demographics and Management.

Background. Pericardial effusions in systemic sclerosis (SSc) may present as acute or chronic with or without clinical symptoms. Best treatment is unknown and whether patients receive medical therapy or a surgical procedure is clinician-dependent. Objective. To describe the clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients with SSc and clinically symptomatic pericardial effusions treated in the inpatient setting. Methods. We evaluated all SSc admissions over a 10-year period to a tertiary care hospital which has a dedicated SSc clinic. Patients who had a clinically symptomatic pericardial effusion were evaluated based on their demographics, disease pattern, and medical or surgical management. Results. From January 2005 till October 2015, there were 462 SSc admissions with 32 (6.9%) of them being for a clinically symptomatic pericardial effusion in 23 unique patients. Eleven (47%) of these patients had right heart failure, seventeen (74%) had pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and 4 (17%) had tamponade physiology. Five (22%) patients were treated by a surgical procedure, while eighteen (78%) patients had medical therapy. Patients who received medical therapy tended to be older, have a lower serum Cr level, and more likely have right heart failure. Conclusion. Clinically symptomatic pericardial effusion is a rare cause for hospital admissions in SSc, with a high percentage of these patients having PAH. Medical therapy tends to be reserved for older patients with right heart failure, while surgical therapy was more likely in patients with higher serum Cr levels.
Concept Analysis of Family-Centered Care of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

Abstract Aim The purpose of this concept analysis is to provide a background of family-centered care of the hospitalized pediatric patient, clarify its components, and validate its significance to nursing practice and research. Background The concept of family-centered care in the hospital environment has been discussed in the literature for over 60 years, yet its principles remain unclear and poorly implemented. Further analysis of this concept is warranted and has the potential to promote its integration into current nursing practice by increasing awareness and clarifying the essential attributes. Data sources A systematic review of the literature yielded thousands of resources which were narrowed to a comprehensive list of 37 sources rich in valuable and applicable content. Review methods This analysis utilized the 8-step methodology of concept analysis described by Walker and Avant. Findings The majority of research investigating the concept of family-centered care and the hospitalized pediatric patient found was focused on defining family-centered care and surveying both families and nurses on their understanding of the concept. Little research was found exploring the relationship of family-centered care with patient and family outcomes, or patient and family satisfaction. Conclusion Family-centered care of the pediatric patient in the hospital environment remains an abstract concept. It is recommended as a cornerstone of modern nursing practice, yet nurses report they lack sufficient education regarding its operationalization into practice. Elucidation of characteristics coupled with education regarding principles of the concept has the potential to augment further integration of family-centered care in the hospital environment.
Reaction characteristics of La0.84Sr0.16CrO3 formation

We studied the kinetics of La0.84Sr0.16CrO3 formation from a precursor consisting of La and Sr chromium oxides and carbonates made by spray roasting. Pure LaCrO3 becomes cubic at temperatures exceeding 1900 °C. Strontium doping lowers the transition temperature, for example, that of La0.84Sr0.16CrO3 is 1700 °C. This transition is gradual and occurs over a 700 °C range upon heating and cooling. Low temperature (LT) air calcination (450 °C) of the precursor yields a mixture of LaCrO4 and SrCrO4, which following 20 h of heating at 1440 °C produces a homogeneous powder. Secondary electron images of this precursor reveal dense spheres with 95% of the theoretical density of La0.84Sr0.16CrO3. High temperature (HT) calcination (800 °C) yields a mixture of LaCrO3 and SrCrO4, which following 40 h of heating at 1500 °C produces a uniform product. The LT and HT calcination causes oxygen loss.
The determinants of remittances among second-generation Mexican- and Filipino-Americans

This article analyses the factors that influence the decision to remit among second-generation Mexican- and Filipino-Americans, two groups in which approximately one-third remit. Using logistic reg...
Context-Specific Genomic Selection Strategies Outperform Phenotypic Selection for Soybean Quantitative Traits in the Progeny Row Stage

Evaluating different breeding selection strategies for relative utility is necessary to choose those that maximize efficiency. Soybean [ (L.) Merr.] seed yield and fatty acid, protein, and oil contents are all commercially important traits that display complex quantitative inheritance. A soybean population consisting of 860 F–derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs), genotyped with 4867 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) was used to compare phenotypic and context specific genomic selection (GS) strategies. To simulate progeny rows, each RIL was grown in a single plot in 2010 in Knoxville, TN, and phenotype was recorded. A subset of 276 RILs with similar maturity was then grown in multilocation, replicated field trials in 2013 to compare the performance of each selection method in field conditions. Notably, the preferred method for each trait was GS. Of the GS approaches evaluated, Epistacy performed best for yield, and BayesB and/or genomic best linear unbiased prediction (G-BLUP) were preferred for each of the other traits. Yield was the only trait for which the predictions had a large change when the number of SNPs and the number of RILs were randomly reduced for the G-BLUP model, with the best predictions occurring when RILs with different maturity that were not grown in 2013 were removed from the training set. These findings provide important information on how soybean breeders can maximize selections from the progeny row stage for yield and fatty acid, protein, and oil contents by using appropriate selection strategies.
Mechanisms of sleep and circadian ontogeny through the lens of neurodevelopmental disorders

Sleep is a mysterious, developmentally regulated behavior fundamental for cognition in both adults and developing animals. A large number of studies offer a substantive body of evidence that demonstrates that the ontogeny of sleep architecture parallels brain development. Sleep deprivation impairs the consolidation of learned tasks into long-term memories and likely links sleep to the neural mechanisms underlying memory and its physiological roots in brain plasticity. Consistent with this notion is the alarming frequency of sleep and circadian rhythm dysfunction in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). While the mechanisms underlying sleep dysfunction in most NDDs still remains poorly understood, here we will review several sentinel examples of monogenetic NDDs with both well-established connections to synaptic dysfunction and evidence of sleep or circadian dysfunction: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Fragile X Syndrome, and Angelman Syndrome. We suggest that the coincident maturation of sleep with synaptic physiology is one of the core reasons for the commonplace disruption of sleep in NDDs and argue that disorders with well-defined molecular genetics can provide a unique lens for understanding and unraveling the molecular correlates that link the development of sleep and circadian rhythms to health and disease.
Neurointerventional Radiology for the Aspiring Radiology Resident: Current State of the Field and Future Directions.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to document recent trends in stroke intervention at a tertiary-care facility with a comprehensive stroke center and to analyze current procedure volumes a...
Positional disappearance of motor evoked potentials is much more likely to occur in non-idiopathic scoliosis.

Abstract Purpose This study evaluates intraoperative disappearance of motor waveforms related to patient positioning in neurologically asymptomatic patients with spinal deformity. Methods This is a...
Advances in geochemistry and cosmochemistry: Trace element microdistributions with the synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microprobe

Geochemistry studies rely heavily on knowledge of elemental partitioning behavior under given physio-chemical conditions such as temperature, pressure and bulk system composition. An important aspect of this research is the ability to determine microdistributions for elements of differing geochemical character among minute, coexisting phases in natural rocks and synthetic, laboratory run-products. The high energy x-ray fluorescence microprobe (XRM) at the National Synchrotron Light Source (beamline X26-C), Brookhaven National Laboratory, is giving geoscientists a powerful new tool in these endeavors offering ppm sensitivity with 20 micrometer spatial resolution.
Evaluation of Aminolevulinic Acid-Derived Tumor Fluorescence Yields Disparate Results in Murine and Spontaneous Large Animal Models of Lung Cancer

Fluorescence guided surgery is an emerging technology that may improve accuracy of pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein we explore optical imaging for NSCLC surgery using the well-studied protoporphyrin IX (PPIX)/5-aminiolevulinic acid (5-ALA) system. More specifically, we evaluate fluorescent patterns observed when using (1) commonly utilized in vitro and murine NSCLC models and with (2) spontaneous canine NSCLCs, which closely mimic human disease. Using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy, we confirmed that NSCLC models fluoresce after exposure to 5-ALA in vitro. High levels of fluorescence were similarly observed in murine tumors within 2 hours of systemic 5-ALA delivery. When evaluating this approach in spontaneous canine NSCLC, tumor fluorescence was observed in 6 of 7 canines. Tumor fluorescence, however, was heterogenous owing to intratumoral variations in cellularity and necrosis. Margin and lymph node detection was inaccurate. These data demonstrate the importance of incorporating reliable cancer models into preclinical evaluations of optical agents. Utilization of spontaneous large animal models of cancer may further provide an important intermediate in the path to human translation of optical contrast agents.
Fire and the joint production of ecosystem services: A spatial-dynamic optimization approach

Abstract We develop a spatial-dynamic optimization model of landscape scale, jointly produced ecosystem services on a forest at-risk of catastrophic wildfire. We show optimal fuel management strategies vary over time in response to biomass growth dynamics, how biomass contributes to ecosystem services, the implied tradeoffs and complementarities between ecosystem service values, and the spatial dynamics of fire spread. Fuel reduction strategies increase expected ecosystem service values in the future by lowering the probability ecosystem services will be lost to catastrophic fire. However, fuel management also differentially impacts current ecosystem service values through the reduction in biomass. Ecosystem service values that are immediately enhanced by fuel reductions such as forage for grazing serve as an indirect benefit of fuel management. In contrast, ecosystem service values that are immediately harmed by fuel management such as recreational values serve as indirect costs of fuel management. Spatial spillovers, in the form of high wind, tend to lower tradeoffs between ecosystem services, and increase complementarities.
Investigation of Integrated Effects of Hydroxyapatite and VEGF on Capillary Morphogenesis of Endothelial Cells

Major drawbacks of using autografts and allografts for repairing large bone defects/injuries are the shortage of available tissues and potential disease transmission. Bone tissue engineering is believed to be a promising alternative to bone grafts. The concomitant formation of vascular networks within the tissue engineered constructs for successful bone regeneration still remains a challenge. The physicochemical properties of a tissue microenvironment are known to regulate vascular network formation. However, our understanding of the mechanism, by which endothelial cells integrate these physicochemical signals emanating from the microenvironment to undergo capillary morphogenesis, is limited. In this study, the integrated effects of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pro-angiogenic molecule, and hydroxyapatite (HA), widely used as an additive and a scaffold in bone reconstructive surgery, on capillary formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were investigated. Toward this, ...
Does Engaging in Acute Exercise Prior to Memory Encoding and During Memory Consolidation have an Additive Effect on Long-Term Memory Function?

Previous work has demonstrated that acute exercise prior to memory encoding may enhance long-term memory. Similarly, other work demonstrates that acute exercise during the memory consolidation period may also enhance long-term memory function. However, no study has evaluated whether long-term memory is enhanced when an acute bout of exercise occurs during both of these time periods, when compared to just prior to memory encoding. A within-subject randomized controlled intervention was employed. On separate laboratory visits, participants completed two main protocols, including (1) exercise before memory encoding and (2) exercise before and after memory encoding. Long-term memory was assessed, via a word-list task, from a 20-min delay period and a 24-h delay period. We observed a significant main effect for time, F(8, 176) = 529.5, P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.96, but no significant main effect for condition, F(1, 22) = 0.08, P = 0.77, ηp2 = 0.004, or time by condition interaction, F(8, 176) = 0.19, P = 0.99, ηp2 = 0.009. In conclusion, there was no difference in long-term memory function when comparing acute exercise only prior to memory encoding vs. acute exercise both before and immediately after memory encoding.
Unmappable Variables: GIS and the Complicated Historical Geography of Water in the Rio Grande Project

At the turn of the twentieth century, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Rio Grande Project radically changed irrigation practices and the legal structure of water deliveries along the entire reach of the Rio Grande. The construction of Elephant Butte Dam and other modern water infrastructure in the Lower Rio Grande Basin of New Mexico set the stage for a complicated relationship between water governance, agricultural landscapes, and water users. Geospatial technologies are uniquely poised to quantify the observable effects of spatial change, but are limited in their ability to explain the human causes or repercussions of such phenomena. Using a sequential exploratory research design, pairing GIScience analysis of contemporary agrarian change and models of observed landscape transformation with historical-critical physical geography, we explore how water governance has precipitated ecological change and the loss of cultural knowledge, political change and the exacerbation of inequalities, and legal conflict leading to political battles downstream of the dam. We conclude with a discussion of the limits of geospatial models to capture the complexity and nuance of agrarian patterns and demonstrate the value of a mixed-methods approach for analyzing the formative and lasting ramifications of water governance in the Lower Rio Grande Basin.
Predicting cognitive abilities across individuals using sparse EEG connectivity

The mangrove forests of Southeast Asia are highly biodiverse and provide multiple ecosystem services upon which millions of people depend. Mangroves enhance fisheries and coastal protection, and store among the highest densities of carbon of any ecosystem globally. Mangrove forests have experienced extensive deforestation owing to global demand for commodities, and previous studies have identified the expansion of aquaculture as largely responsible. The proportional conversion of mangroves to different land use types has not been systematically quantified across Southeast Asia, however, particularly in recent years. In this study we apply a combined geographic information system and remote sensing method to quantify the key proximate drivers (i.e., replacement land uses) of mangrove deforestation in Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2012. Mangrove forests were lost at an average rate of 0.18% per year, which is lower than previously published estimates. In total, more than 100,000 ha of mangroves were removed during the study period, with aquaculture accounting for 30% of this total forest change. The rapid expansion of rice agriculture in Myanmar, and the sustained conversion of mangroves to oil palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia, are identified as additional increasing and under-recognized threats to mangrove ecosystems. Our study highlights frontiers of mangrove deforestation in the border states of Myanmar, on Borneo, and in Indonesian Papua. To implement policies that conserve mangrove forests across Southeast Asia, it is essential to consider the national and subnational variation in the land uses that follow deforestation.
Omega-3 fatty acids from algae produced biodiesel

Abstract As the effects of global warming continue to escalate, alternatives to traditional fossil fuels are sought. Biodiesel (FAME – fatty-acid methyl ester) is a promising carbon-neutral fuel produced from photosynthetic organisms such as algae. A novel process by Yadav et al. (2020) for algal oil extraction uses sonic waves and carbon dioxide microbubbles. Although unique, it struggles to compete economically with other processes for biodiesel production. However, a small portion of the FAMEs can be further processed into omega-3 fatty acids, which are nutraceuticals and food supplements, sold at significantly higher prices than biodiesel. Herein, the new algae-to-biodiesel process is augmented to recover valuable FAMEs from biodiesel to produce raw omega-3 fatty-acids. The process utilizes liquid-liquid extraction to remove eicosapentaenoic acid methyl ester (methyl-EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid methyl ester (methyl-DHA) from biodiesel, and uses base-catalyzed, ester hydrolysis to convert the long-chain methyl esters into marketable carboxylic acids. The proposed plant produces 547,830 US-ton of biodiesel per year, satisfying 10% of the current biodiesel market and 12,000 US-ton of omega-3 fatty acids per year. This production level is estimated to be 30% of the U.S. omega-3 fatty-acid market in 2024. Financial analysis of this plant over a 20-year period shows improved profitability depending on the selling price of the omega-3 products and the growth of their market.
Atonement impasse: The perennial problem of communicating Christ’s atonement to Muslims:

For 1400 years, Muslims and Christians in interfaith dialogue have encountered a perennial impasse surrounding the historical account of Jesus’ death. For most Muslims who hold a traditional interp...
MRI determination of cardiac dimensions

The determination of cardiac dimensions is an important part of the evaluation of most cardiac patients. Measurements form the basis for evaluation of cardiac contractile function. The measurement of wall thickness is important for evaluation of conditions associated with cardiac hypertrophy. In patients with coronary artery disease, the determination of the extent of myocardial scar or of ischemic muscle provides important information in assessing prognosis and guiding management.
Optimization of an anti-HIV hairpin ribozyme by in vitro selection.

We have applied in vitro selection methods to achieve a large increase in the catalytic activity of a hairpin ribozyme targeted against a highly conserved 14-nucleotide sequence within HIV-1 pol RNA. The substrate specificity was changed by mutating 8 bases within the substrate-binding domain of the parental (-)sTRSV ribozyme. The resulting enzyme cleaved the HIV substrate specifically but with a 20-fold reduction in catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM). Following random mutagenesis, ribozymes with increased activity against the target sequence were selected through 10 rounds of in vitro selection. Selective pressure was increased by decreasing MgCl2 and spermidine concentrations, and reducing reaction time. Variant ribozymes with base substitutions A11—>G and U39—>C were selected in the population. These mutations were introduced singly and in combination into the trans-acting anti-HIV ribozyme. Each of the single-base substitutions significantly increased ribozyme activity, while the activity of double mutant was increased to nearly the level of the parental ribozyme. These findings demonstrate that in vitro selection is a powerful and efficient method to optimize ribozymes for the catalytic inactivation of targeted RNA molecules.
A gigabit ethernet link source card.

A Link Source Card (LSC) has been developed which employs Gigabit Ethernet as the physical medium. The LSC is implemented as a mezzanine card compliant with the S-Link specifications, and is intended for use in development of the Region of Interest Building (ROIB) in the Level 2 Trigger of ATLAS. The LSC will be used to bring Region of Internet Fragments from Level 1 Trigger elements to the ROIB, and to transfer compiled Region of Interest Records to Supervisor Processors. The card uses the LSI 8101/8104 Media Access Controller (MAC) [1] and the Agilent HDMP-1636 Transceiver. An Altera 10K50A FPGA [2] is configured to provide several state machines which perform all the tasks on the card, such as formulating the Ethernet header, read/write registers in the MAC, etc. An on-card static RAM provides storage for 512K S-Link words, and a FIFO provides 4K buffering of input S-Link words. The LSC has been tested in a setup where it transfers data to a NIC in the PCI bus of a PC.
Trapping Properties of Very Thin Nitride/Oxide Gate Insulators

The trapping properties of very thin nitride/oxide (10-14nm equivalent SiO 2 ) composite gate insulators and their dependences on gate materials and process conditions are reported. Electron trapping and flatband voltage turn-around effects are more pronounced in these films than in thermal SiO 2 . They both appear to be dominated by water-related species in the bottom oxide layer when the top nitride layer is thin, similar to the case of thermal SiO 2 only. For VLSI CMOS applications, trapping and instabilities in the nitride/oxide gate insulator can be minimized by (i) reducing the thickness of the top nitride layer, (ii) using polysilicon gates with proper work functions, and (iii) using appropriate high-temperature dehydration steps after polysilicon gate deposition.
Fluoreszenzstudien über Excitonen in Polyvinylcarbazol

Polyvinylcarbazol (PVCA) zeigt im festen Zustand Excimerfluoreszenz. Diese Fluoreszenz wird durch geringe Mengen Perylen, Hexachlor-p-xylol (HCX) und Trinitrofluorenon (TNF) geloscht. Die Messung der Fluoreszenzquantenausbeute des PVCA als Funktion der Loscherkonzentration zeigt, das die Energieubertragung durch Excitonendiffusion zustande kommt. Ubertragung nach dem Forsterschen Mechanismus kann ausgeschlossen werden, da sich HCX, dessen Absorptionsspektrum keine Uberlappung mit dem Fluoreszenzspektrum des Polymeren zeigt, als gleich guter Fluoreszenzloscher erwies wie Perylen und TNF, die diese Uberlappung aufweisen. Die Excimerfluoreszenz, die in der monomeren Vergleichssubstanz N-Isopropylcarbazol nicht auftritt, deutet auf die Existenz von Paaren von Carbazolseitengruppen im amorphen Polymeren, die eine zur Excimerbildung gunstige Lage aufweisen. Diese Paare und die zugesetzten Loschermolekule wirken als Fallen fur die delokalisierten „Monomer”-Excitonen. Polyvinyl carbazole (PVCA) shows excimer fluorescence in the solid state. This fluorescence is quenched by small amounts of perylene, hexachloro-p-xylene (HCX), and trinitro fluorenone (TNF). Measurements of fluorescence quantum efficiency of PVCA as a function of guest concentration show that energy transfer is caused by exciton diffusion. Long-range transfer according to Forster's mechanism may be excluded, because HCX was found to be as good quenching substance as perylene and TNF, although its absorption spectrum does not overlap with the fluorescence spectrum of the polymer. The excimer fluorescence, which is not present in the monomeric test substance N-isopropyl carbazole, indicates pairs of carbazole side-groups in the amorphous polymer which act as ”excimer forming sites”. These sites and the added quenching molecules act as traps for delocalised ”monomeric” excitons.
Some Advantages of Methane in an Aircraft Gas Turbine

Liquid methane, which can be manufactured from any of the hydrocarbon sources such as coal, shale biomass, and organic waste considered as a petroleum replacement for aircraft fuels. A simple cycle analysis is carried out for a turboprop engine flying a Mach 0.8 and 10, 688 meters (35,000 ft.) altitude. Cycle performance comparisions are rendered for four cases in which the turbine cooling air is cooled or not cooled by the methane fuel. The advantages and disadvantages of involving the fuel in the turbine cooling system are discussed. Methane combustion characteristics are appreciably different from Jet A and will require different combustor designs. Although a number of similar difficult technical problems exist, a highly fuel efficient turboprop engine burning methane appear to be feasible.
Stieltjes-Tchebycheff Moment-Theory Approach to Photoeffect Studies in Hilbert Space

Hilbert space provides an appropriate mathematical framework for theoretical studies of quantum phenomena [1]. In spite of this, it is customary to employ so called improper vectors that satisfy asymptotic boundary conditions in solutions of scattering problems [2,3]. It has proved difficult to construct such scattering functions for Schroedinger problems in which noncentral and nonlocal forces are present, and in which the incident and target particles satisfy permutation symmetry. Since Ritz variational techniques employing L2 trial functions are particularly well-suited for bound-state calculations in such cases [4], there is considerable motivation to devise related Hilbert-space methods for studies of scattering in the presence of complicated forces.
Resolution of inferior vena cava syndrome after embolization of a hepatic adenoma

Abstract A 77-year-old man presented with severe pruritis and massive lower body edema. Computerized axial tomography of the abdomen showed a large hepatic mass compressing the inferior vena cava, and a liver biopsy specimen showed hepatic adenoma. Embolization of vessels feeding the hepatic tumor resulted in complete resolution of pruritis and ascites, and clinical remission has persisted for 1 year following partial obliteration of tumor vasculature. Angiographic ablation of tumor blood supply represents a nonoperative means for inducing clinical remission in patients with symptomatic hepatic adenoma who are at high surgical risk.
Konza City and the Kenyan software services strategy: the great leap backward?

In January 2013 President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya launched a $14.5 billion project to create Africa's first world-class technology city: Konza City. Amidst media fanfare, the president announced that ...
Abnormal circulatory development in medaka caused by the insecticides carbaryl, malathion and parathion.

Three insecticides, carbaryl, malathion and parathion were tested for teratogenic effects in developing medaka eggs. The concentrations of insecticides ranged from 0.5 to 40.0 parts per million (ppm). The insecticides, dissolved in acetone, were added to dishes containing 10 newly fertilized eggs and 10 ml of embryo rearing solution. Circulatory anomalies which resulted in-cluded defects in heart morphology, pericardial edema, irregular heart beat, blood clots and oscillating blood in the heart. The ED50 (effective dose) for cabaryl was 2.5 ppm; malathion, 10.0 ppm and parathion, 2.0 ppm. Limited exposure experiments were undertaken to determine possible sensitivity periods during development. These experiments, using 10 ppm carbaryl were initiated on days 0–7. Exposure lasted 24 to 96 hours. No periods of sensitivity were observed in these experiments. In a slightly varied experiment, eggs developed normally for 0–5 days, but were not removed from the insecticide once exposed. These results showed that carbaryl could cause circulatory abnormalities in 92% of the embryos which had completed cardiac morphogenesis before exposure. Combinations of malathion and carbaryl were administered to determine possible interactions. Twenty-five different combinations ranging from 0.0 to 25.0 ppm were employed. At low concentrations, combinations had slightly greater than additive effects. At higher concentrations additive and antagonistic effects were observed. The above experiments show that (a) these insecticides are teratogenic, (b) carbaryl at 10 ppm does not disrupt developmental events but rather affects-cell physiology and (c) combinations of some insecticides have an additive effect.
The Application of Value Stream Mapping to Lean Engineering

For the past few years, almost every manufacturing or service industry has been trying to get “lean.” The tools that enable waste elimination in engineering processes are equally important and little has been done to map the application of lean tools from manufacturing to the engineering process. Value stream mapping for manufacturing is a basic, graphical tool used to describe production processes and highlight sources of waste. In its current form, value stream mapping cannot be implemented in engineering processes due to fundamental differences between manufacturing and engineering processes. This paper identifies these differences as well as similarities between the manufacturing and engineering. We then use them to create analogies that enable the adaptation of value stream mapping for use in engineering. The application of this tool to engineering processes is validated by an industry application to manufacturing engineering processes, specifically the equipment installation process. With this map of the equipment installation process, our industrial team was able to identify wastes and sources of wastes, and design a future state where the lead-time of the installation process was reduced by over 90% with a much better first time quality.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Maḥazor Ha-Ḥayyim: Life-Cycle Celebration in the Song of the Ashkenazic Synagogue

Joyous life-cycle events celebrated by American Ashkenazic Jews, especially those belonging to the more liberal denominations, invariably conclude with the singing of the words siman tov u-mazal tov, yehei lanu u-lekhol yisra'eil (May it bring good luck to us and to all Israel). Whether after the long anxious minutes of the berit milah, the struggle of the youngster through the Hebrew text and trope of the haftarah, the calling up of the bridegroom (and the bride as well in most non-Orthodox synagogues) at an aufruf, or the breaking of the glass at a wedding, the spontaneous singing serves as a catharsis to relieve the built-up tensions of the communal ritual event as well as to express an outpouring of joy.
How to perform automated curve fitting toin vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopic data

A procedure is presented for the computerized automated curve fitting ofin vivo31P NMR data. This procedure was implemented in the form of three C shell scripts (Appendix) which automatically execute commands from the commercial software program, NMR1™. The accuracy and limitations of curve fitting was tested using simulated data designed to representin vivo31P NMR spectra obtained from brain. For isolated peaks, the predicted areas for 140 test spectra were in good agreement with the noise free or ‘true’ values, with variations on the order of that expected for the calculated S/N of the simulated peaks. However, when the S/N was less than 2:1, predicted areas were systemically overestimated; this error was traced to a bias for linewidth overestimates. For peaks that overlap, a second systematic error was noted in predicted areas for adjacent peaks, where one peak area was overestimated and the other was underestimated. Furthermore, these systematic errors show partial inverse co-linearity with each other, increasing in proportion to the extent of peak overlap. The curve fitting procedure and tests described here provide guidelines and cautions to investigators who endeavour to use computerized procedures for the analysis ofin vivo NMR spectroscopic data using NMR1 or other software programs.
Granular Activated Carbon: The Variation of Surface Properties with the Adsorption of Humic Substances

Abstract Naturally occurring organic matter, such as humic and fulvic acids, is present in most surface water used for drinking water production. Such material interferes with the flocculation and chlorination steps of water treatment and is known to affect the efficiency and bed life of activated carbon filters. This study investigates the effect of known, small quantities of humic material adsorbed on the granular activated carbon (GAC) surface. It is found that the charge on the carbon surface, as determined by titration, is decreased by as little as 3.5-mg dissolved organic carbon adsorbed per gram of GAC. Higher surface concentrations decrease the charge further, although the concentration of negative charges at the surface leads to an overall decrease in the degree of ionization of the humic material, compared to bulk solution. Electrophoretic mobility measurements do not suggest any significant difference between new carbon and carbon with a small amount of adsorbed organic material. This is interpreted in terms of the sensitivity of the two techniques and their ability to examine different parts of a porous substance such as GAC.
High-temperature creep and kinetic decomposition of Ni2SiO4

To investigate high-temperature creep and kinetic decomposition of nickel orthosilicate (Ni2SiO4), aggregates containing ∼3 vol% amorphous SiO2 have been deformed in uniaxial compression at a total pressure of one atomsphere. Twenty-three samples with grain sizes (d) from 9 to 30 μm were deformed at temperatures (T) from 1573 to 1813 K, differential stresses (σ) from 3 to 20 MPa, and oxygen fugacities (f o 2) from 10-1 to 105 Pa. At temperatures up to 1773 K, the steady-state creep rate (ɛ) can be described by the flow law $$\dot \varepsilon = 4.0{\text{ x }}10^8 \frac{{\sigma ^{1.1} }}{{d^{2.7} }}f_{O2}^0 {\text{ exp }}\left( {\frac{{ - 410kJ/mol}}{{RT}}} \right)\left[ {s^{ - 1} } \right]$$ Under these conditions, the dominant deformation mechanism is Coble creep, rate-limited by grain boundary diffusion of silicon. At temperatures between 1803 and 1813 K, the samples of Ni2SiO4 plus amorphous SiO2 exhibit enhanced creep rates and increased ductility. This behavior is associated with fast diffusion through a thin intergranular film produced by kinetic decomposition of Ni2SiO4 under the imposed stress gradient.
The influence of the cyber-social environment on fear of victimization: Cyberbullying and school

Using a nationally representative sample of over 3500 students aged 12–18 years, the present study examines the relationship between cyberbullying and fear of victimization through a five-stage analysis. The analyses conducted address two primary research questions. First, whether or not cyberbullying victimization has a direct relationship to fear of victimization, net of the effects of traditionally important controls. Second, in further exploration of the cyberbullying – fear relationship – what other factors still have a direct relationship to fear of victimization among those students experiencing cyberbullying. Logistic regression modeling of the relationship finds that cyberbullying victimization does produce a positive and significant linkage to fear of victimization net of the effects of other past victimization experiences, and a disorderly school environment. Further analysis suggests that among those who report experiencing cyberbullying little else correlates to fear of victimization.
Evidence for translation of rabbit globin mRNA after liposome-mediated insertion into a human cell line.

THE ability to insert messenger RNA selectively into large numbers of differentiated eukaryotic cells and thereby alter the expression of the eukaryotic genome would provide a new and direct approach to the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in protein synthesis. Several procedures have been used to facilitate the cellular incorporation of administered RNA, including microinjection of RNA into Xenopus oocytes1–6 and into fully differentiated eukaryotic cells7,8, direct co-cultivation of cells with naked RNA (refs 9–12), and encapsulation of mRNA within erythrocyte ghosts followed by Sendai virus induced fusion of the ghosts to recipient cells in culture13. We describe here the use of liposomes for the selective insertion of functional mRNA into differentiated eukaryotic cells in vitro. We provide evidence which indicates that cultured human epithelial carcinoma cells (HEp-2) treated with liposomally encapsulated rabbit globin mRNA are stimulated to produce a globin-like protein.
Supply Chain Integration: Cluster Analysis of the Impact of Span of Integration

Purpose – This paper aims to explore whether firms that integrate only with partners adjacent to them in the supply chain exhibit different patterns of supply chain practice and performance than those that also integrate with partners more distant in the supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – Cluster analysis of survey data is used to partition firms based on the span of the supply chain involved in their integration efforts.Findings – Firms with a broad span of integration have a greater focus on alignment with suppliers and customers, and have more of a supply chain focus than those with a narrow span. They also demonstrate higher levels of performance attributable to supply chain relationships.Practical implications – Results highlight the importance to supply chain professionals of taking a broad view of the supply chain rather than focusing only on first tier suppliers and customers. They also suggest the importance of exploring opportunities to facilitate broader participation in supply chain in...