cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cooperativity and coverage dependent molecular desorption in self-assembled monolayers: computational case study with coronene on Au(111) and HOPG.

One of the common practices in the literature of molecular desorption is the comparison of theoretically (mostly using DFT) calculated single molecule adsorption energies with experimental desorption energies from studies like temperature programmed desorption (TPD) etc. Comparisons like those do not consider that the experimental desorption energies are obtained via ensemble techniques while theoretical values are calculated at the single molecule level. Theoretical values are generally based upon desorption of a single molecule from a clean surface, or upon desorption of an entire monolayer. On the other hand, coverage dependent molecule–molecule interactions add to and modify molecule–substrate interactions that contribute to the experimentally determined desorption energies. In this work, we explore the suitability of an additive nearest neighbor model for determining general coverage dependent single molecule desorption energies in non-covalent self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). These coverage dependent values serve as essential input to any model attempting to reproduce coverage dependent desorption or for understanding the time dependent desorption from a partially covered surface. This method is tested using a case study of coronene adsorbed on Au(111) and HOPG substrates with periodic DFT calculations. Calculations show that coronene exhibits coverage and substrate dependence in molecular desorption. We found that intermolecular contact energies in the coronene monolayer are not strongly influenced by the HOPG substrate, while coronene desorption on Au(111) exhibits strong cooperativity where the additive model fails.
Generalization to Novel Objects using Prior Relational Knowledge.

To solve tasks in new environments involving objects unseen during training, agents must reason over prior information about those objects and their relations. We introduce the Prior Knowledge Graph network, an architecture for combining prior information, structured as a knowledge graph, with a symbolic parsing of the visual scene, and demonstrate that this approach is able to apply learned relations to novel objects whereas the baseline algorithms fail. Ablation experiments show that the agents ground the knowledge graph relations to semantically-relevant behaviors. In both a Sokoban game and the more complex Pacman environment, our network is also more sample efficient than the baselines, reaching the same performance in 5-10x fewer episodes. Once the agents are trained with our approach, we can manipulate agent behavior by modifying the knowledge graph in semantically meaningful ways. These results suggest that our network provides a framework for agents to reason over structured knowledge graphs while still leveraging gradient based learning approaches.
Role of zinc deficiency in carcinogenesis.

Zinc is a trace element required for the growth of normal and neoplastic tissues in a variety of species. Zinc deficiency is associated with alterations in the activity of zinc-dependent enzymes essential for cell replication. Dietary zinc deficiency also increases the incidence of certain tumors while decreasing the incidence of others. The mechanism by which zinc deficiency alters carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Among those tumors whose incidence is increased by dietary zinc deficiency are carcinomas induced by dialkylnitrosamines. This class of carcinogens requires microsomal cytochrome P-450 activation to be mutagenic. Zinc deficiency is known to increase the cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolism of methylbenzylnitrosamine (MBN)‚ an esophageal carcinogen of this class. Examination of the kinetics of this reaction reveals zinc to be a direct noncompetitive inhibitor of the microsomal metabolism of MBN. Thus the lower rate of MBN metabolism by zinc-adequate versus zinc-deficient microsomes may be due to normal tissue zinc acting as a noncompetitive inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 activity in vivo. This effect of zinc on carcinogen metabolism may explain the increased incidence of nitrosamine-induced carcinomas observed with dietary zinc deficiency.
Recent Advances in Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma: Diagnostic and Prognostic Considerations.

This review describes the latest advances in the diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma focusing on the most clinically useful features introduced since the publication of the World Health Organization revision in 2017. Clinical entities described include mycosis fungoides, Sezary syndrome, lymphomatoid papulosis, primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous gamma delta T-cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous acral CD8+ T-cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, and hydroa-vacciniforme-like lymphoproliferative disorder. Distinguishing histologic clues to diagnosis are discussed, and important molecular advances are described. Key prognostic indicators that may assist clinicians with timely and appropriate management options are presented.
The Impact of Teachers Unions on Teachers’ Well-Being Under Various Legal Institutions: Evidence From District–Teacher Matched Data:

This article examines how teachers unions affect teachers’ well-being under various legal institutions. Using a district–teacher matched data set, this study identifies the union effects by three a...
In-Planta Nitrate Detection Using Insertable Plant Microsensor

This paper reports a nutrient microsensor for in-situ detection of nitrate concentration inside plants. The sensor is inserted into the stalk of maize plant for continuous monitoring of dynamic nitrate uptake of the plant. The inserted part of the sensor consists of a nitrate sensing unit that works on the principle of chemical sensitive field effect transistor (chemFET), an integrated metallic thin-film thermorist, and a microscale reference electrode. The sensor enables measurement of nitrate concentration variations under different environmental conditions (e.g., light condition) and irrigation and fertigtation management. This device offers a new method to continuously detect and quantify nitrate levels inside the plants.
Multi-source Multi-frequency Bio-impedance Measurement Method for Localized Pulse Wave Monitoring

Continuous monitoring of cardiac parameters such as blood pressure (BP) and pulse transit time (PTT) from wearable devices can improve the diagnosis and management of the cardiovascular disease. Continuous monitoring of these parameters depends on monitoring arterial pulse wave based on the blood volume changes in the artery using non-invasive sensors such as bio-impedance (Bio-Z). PTT and BP monitoring require the measurement of multiple pulse signals along the artery through the placement of multiple sensors within a small distance. Conventionally, these Bio-Z sensors are excited by a single shared current source, which results in low directivity and distortion of pulse signal due to the interaction of the different sensors together. For a localized pulse sensing, each sensor should focus on a certain point on the artery to provide the most accurate arterial pulse wave, which improves PTT and BP readings. In this paper, we propose a multi-source multi-frequency method for multi-sensor Bio-Z measurement that relies on using separate current sources for each sensor with different frequencies to allow the separation of these signals in the frequency domain, which results in isolation in the spatial domain. The effectiveness of the new method was demonstrated by a reduction in the inter-beat-interval (IBI) root mean square error (RMSE) by 19% and an increase of average PTT by 15% compared to the conventional method.
Extended anharmonic collapse of phonon dispersions in SnS and SnSe.

The lattice dynamics and high-temperature structural transition in SnS and SnSe are investigated via inelastic neutron scattering, high-resolution Raman spectroscopy and anharmonic first-principles simulations. We uncover a spectacular, extreme softening and reconstruction of an entire manifold of low-energy acoustic and optic branches across a structural transition, reflecting strong directionality in bonding strength and anharmonicity. Further, our results solve a prior controversy by revealing the soft-mode mechanism of the phase transition that impacts thermal transport and thermoelectric efficiency. Our simulations of anharmonic phonon renormalization go beyond low-order perturbation theory and capture these striking effects, showing that the large phonon shifts directly affect the thermal conductivity by altering both the phonon scattering phase space and the group velocities. These results provide a detailed microscopic understanding of phase stability and thermal transport in technologically important materials, providing further insights on ways to control phonon propagation in thermoelectrics, photovoltaics, and other materials requiring thermal management. Thermoelectric efficiency of SnS and SnSe is reported to peak around the phase transition temperature around 800 K; however, the transition mechanism and origin of ultralow thermal conductivity remain unclear. Here, the authors reveal the soft-mode mechanism of the phase transition that impacts thermal transport and thermoelectric efficiency.
Total Neoadjuvant Treatment for Rectal Cancer: Preliminary Experience.

Introduction: Administration of chemotherapeutic regimens such as FOLFOX or CAPEOX with chemoradiation in the neoadjuvant setting, termed total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT), was introduced in recent...
Exergy Analysis for Energy Conversion Systems

Discover a straightforward and holistic look at energy conversion and conservation processes using the exergy concept with this thorough text. Explains the fundamental energy conversion processes in numerous diverse systems, ranging from jet engines and nuclear reactors to human bodies. Provides examples for applications to practical energy conversion processes and systems that use our naturally occurring energy resources, such as fossil fuels, solar energy, wind, geothermal, and nuclear fuels. With more than one-hundred diverse cases and solved examples, readers will be able to perform optimizations for a cleaner environment, a sustainable energy future, and affordable energy generation. An essential tool for practicing scientists and engineers who work or do research in the area of energy and exergy, as well as graduate students and faculty in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and physics.
Rolling Up the Sleeve: Equitable, Efficient, and Safe COVID-19 Mass Immunization for Academic Medical Center Employees.

Background Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine administration has faced distribution barriers across the United States. We sought to delineate our vaccine delivery experience in the first week of vaccine availability, and our effort to prioritize employees based on risk with a goal of providing an efficient infrastructure to optimize speed and efficiency of vaccine delivery while minimizing risk of infection during the immunization process. Objective This article aims to evaluate an employee prioritization/invitation/scheduling system, leveraging an integrated electronic health record patient portal framework for employee COVID-19 immunizations at an academic medical center. Methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study during January 2021 at a single urban academic center. All employees who met COVID-19 allocation vaccine criteria for phase 1a.1 to 1a.4 were included. We implemented a prioritization/invitation/scheduling framework and evaluated time from invitation to scheduling as a proxy for vaccine interest and arrival to vaccine administration to measure operational throughput. Results We allotted vaccines for 13,753 employees but only 10,662 employees with an active patient portal account received an invitation. Of those with an active account, 6,483 (61%) scheduled an appointment and 6,251 (59%) were immunized in the first 7 days. About 66% of invited providers were vaccinated in the first 7 days. In contrast, only 41% of invited facility/food service employees received the first dose of the vaccine in the first 7 days (p Conclusion We developed a system of early COVID-19 vaccine prioritization and administration in our health care system. We saw strong early acceptance in those with proximal exposure to COVID-19 but noticed significant difference in the willingness of different employee groups to receive the vaccine.
Brown’s Approximation Theorem

This chapter is devoted to an approximation theorem that allows certain adjustments of the bonding mappings in an inverse limit sequence without altering the topology of the inverse limit. We apply this fundamental result to show that if f is a mapping of an interval J onto itself that is the union of two monotone maps from nonoverlapping subintervals onto J, then the inverse limit using f as a single bonding map is the familiar BJK horseshoe.
Comparison of processing characteristics of Mayan and Wilmington heavy residues: 1. Acid-base-neutral fractionation and characterization

Abstract Wilmington 538 °C + and Mayan 496 °C + crude oil residues were hydrotreated at four temperature levels. The products from hydrotreating were gases and condensates in the overhead and heavy liquids and, at high temperatures, solids in the reactor. The condensates were analysed for elemental content; g.c. simulated distillation was used to determine their boiling range, and m.s. was used to determine compound types present. The heavy liquids were separated into acid-base-neutral (ABN) fractions by a unique nonaqueous ion exchange technique developed at NIPER. The compositional changes in heavy liquid products caused by hydrotreating were evaluated between crudes and also between chemical classes by comparing yields and elemental analyses (C, H, N, S) of ABN fractions. It was found that the Mayan residue was more inert to hydrotreating than the Wilmington. In both crudes, the strong acid fractions were the most resistant while the Mayan weak acid fraction was more resistant than the Wilmington weak acid fraction. The base fractions were converted to other types more easily than the acid fractions. The characterization of nickel and vanadium complexes in the feed, products and ABN fractions is addressed elsewhere 1 .
Meta-analysis of studies of a specific delivery mode for a modified-carbohydrate diet.

Background: Obesity is highly prevalent throughout the world. Although modified-carbohydrate diets (MCDs) comprise one popular approach, questions remain about their utility for weight loss. The objective of the present study was to conduct a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of a specific MCD compared with various control diets on weight loss. Methods: Data from four RCTs (three obtained from the sponsor and one indentified through literature searches) were included. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted using multiple imputation to handle missing data, where possible. Because inter-study heterogeneity was demonstrated with fixed-effects meta-analysis, a random-effects meta-analysis also was conducted. Results: When considered separately, all four studies showed greater reduction in body weight with the MCD compared to control diets at 12-week follow-up; the results at 24 weeks (available for three of the studies) were not as consistent. Results for body mass index (BMI) were similar. Greater reductions in waist circumference with the MCD were seen at either time point in only one study. When fixed-effects meta-analysis was applied, significantly greater reductions in weight, BMI and waist circumference with the MCD at both 12 weeks (1.66 kg, 0.53 kg m–2 and 1.02 cm, respectively) and 24 weeks (1.20 kg, 0.43 kg m–2 and 0.69 cm, respectively) were evident. Random-effects meta-analysis revealed similar results; however, the 24-week difference for a reduction in waist circumference was no longer statistically significant. Conclusions: Meta-analysis of individual RCT results demonstrated consistent benefits of this MCD compared to control diets on weight loss up to 24 weeks and waist circumference up to 12 weeks.
Utility of peripheral blood flow cytometry in differentiating low grade versus high grade myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and in the evaluation of cytopenias

The diagnostic utility of flow cytometry in the evaluation of cytopenias and in the differential diagnosis of low-grade versus high-grade myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is not widely appreciated. In this report, we measured granulocyte CD10/control fluorescence ratio in 29 patients with MDS & chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) using peripheral blood (PB) flow cytometry (FC). We found a lower ratio in high-grade MDS and CMML (mean ratio of 2.2 ± 0.7) vs. low-grade MDS (3.65 ± 0.9) and 16 cytopenic controls without MDS (3.67 ± 0.65; p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of CD10 ratio <3 for the group that included the high risk MDS and CMML patients were 87.5% and 100%, respectively. Our data suggests that FC of PB may be helpful in the work-up of patients with cytopenias and in the differential diagnosis of low-grade vs. high-grade MDS.
Measurements of Charm and Charmonium Production by PHENIX

The PHENIX Experiment at RHIC has measured charmonium production using dileptons and open heavy flavor production via semileptonic decays in p + p, d + Au, and Au + Au collisions at sNN = 200 GeV. A nuclear dependence affecting J/ψ production in d + Au collisions is observed. For electrons from heavy flavor decay in Au + Au collisions, the transverse momentum spectrum is observed to be strongly modified compared to scaled results from p + p collisions. An initial measurement of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter, v2, for such electrons is reported.
Structural characterization of the dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel alpha 2-subunit and the associated delta peptides.

Upon disulfide bond reduction, the alpha 2-subunit of the dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca2+ channel undergoes a characteristic mobility shift on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis with the concurrent appearance of the three delta peptides delta 1 (25,000 Da), delta 2 (22,000 Da), and delta 3 (17,000 Da). Densitometric scanning of Coomassie Blue-stained gels shows a stoichiometric ration of 1.0:0.31.47:0.08 for the alpha 2-subunit and the delta peptides 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Characterization of the delta peptides using antibodies, photoincorporation of a hydrophobic probe, and lectin staining shows tham to be antigenically similar hydrophobic glycoproteins. Amino-terminal sequence analysis of the delta peptides reveals three identical sequences that match the predicted amino acid sequence of the alpha 2-subunit starting at Ala935. Enzymatic deglycosylation of the reduced alpha 2.delta complex produces individual core peptides of 105,000 and 17,000 Da, respectively. Treatment of skeletal muscle membranes with high pH in the presence of reducing agents is able to extract the larger amino-terminal peptide but not the smaller carboxyl (delta) peptide, consistent with a single transmembrane domain in the carboxyl (delta) region. The data support a model of the alpha 2-subunit in which the propeptide is processed into two chains that remain attached through disulfide linkages.
Mandalas as a Therapeutic Technique for HIV-Infected Children and Adolescents

Abstract HIV positive children need a safe outlet to express their feelings about living with the virus. Creative therapeutic techniques such as the creation of mandalas (circle drawings) can facilitate the development of an emotional outlet. Carl G. Jung used mandalas in his work and believed that they are the paths to our center, the voice of our unconscious. The content of 32 mandalas created by children and adolescents living with HIV during clinical sessions with their social worker was analyzed for the themes expressed and colors utilized. The most prominent themes within the artwork concerned the concrete aspects of living with HIV. However, negative themes were balanced by themes concerning happiness, optimism, social relationships, and the normalcy of everyday life. The artwork illustrates that HIV plays a prominent role in the lives of the participants. Their resiliency is evidenced by the fact that nearly half of the themes expressed were positive and life affirming.
Concise thermal to electrical parameters extraction of thermoelectric generator for spice modeling

This paper presents a comprehensive method of extracting thermal to electrical parameters that appear in a thermoelectric module (TEM). A step-by-step procedure was developed and followed to succinctly extract the parameters needed to model the TEM. These parameters include the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal resistance, and thermal conductivity from a datasheet. Data extracted from the manufacturer datasheet, material properties, and geometries were successfully utilized to compute the thermal capacities and resistances necessary to perform the thermal to electrical conversion steps required for simulation accuracy. In addition, temperature variations of the intrinsic internal parameters were accounted for in this process. The aforementioned extracted parameters are compatible with the LTspice circuit simulator and other related software. The steps that it takes to simulate any thermo-electrical system with the LTspice simulator are not only found to be of two kinds, but are also thoroughly explained in this paper.
Directed geographical traceback

In this paper, a new mechanism for IP traceback based on the geographic information rather than the traditional IP address information is proposed. The proposed solution possesses several desirable features such as fast convergence (the attack source can be identified with a single packet), lightweight (imposing little computational overhead on routers), and improved robustness. In addition, a service provider can implement this scheme without revealing its internal network topology. Furthermore, the new marking scheme allows the victim to defend against DDoS attacks without counting on its ISP, which is an important improvement.
Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Adenovirus Type 12 Defective in Viral DNA Synthesis

Ten temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of adenovirus type 12 which produce plaques at 31 but not at 38.5 C have been isolated after mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine or nitrous acid. The mutants have been classified into six separate complementation groups. DNA-DNA hybridizations have shown that at 38.5 C the ts 401 and 406 mutants of groups B and E, respectively, synthesized less than 10% of the normal level of viral DNA. The two mutants were also defective in the production of late proteins at the nonpermissive temperature, as shown by fluorescent-antibody tests and analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Genetic recombination between the ts viruses 401 and 406 has been demonstrated; the recombination frequency for the wild-type virus production was 17.7%. Both mutants induced an increase in thymidine kinase activity at 38.5 C. Moreover, the two viral DNA-defective mutants shut off host DNA synthesis at the restrictive temperature. It is striking that at 38.5 C ts virus 401 transformed two to eight times more hamster cells than the wild-type virus, whereas ts virus 406 transformed at a frequency similar to the wild-type virus.
Family history of breast cancer. Impact on the disease experience.

Purpose: Family history is the most prominent risk factor, besides advanced age, for the incidence of breast cancer among women. This study investigates differences in the experiences of women in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of early-stage disease. The purpose of this research is to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of family history on the overall illness experience. Description of study: Self-report retrospective data obtained from in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 179 women who had recently received a diagnosis of nonrecurrent stage 0 to IIIA breast cancer are used to compare the experiences of women with and without a family history of breast cancer (FHOBC). The authors examine differences in screening behavior, method of detection, diagnostic processes, treatment decision making, and therapy receipt, and they report the results of bivariate analyses. Results: The results suggest that women with FHOBC have a different disease experience than those without an affected relative. Women with FHOBC were more likely than their counterparts to comply with screening guidelines, to seek more timely care, to consult with specialists, to be influenced by the experiences of others, to feel comfortable with treatment decisions, and to receive adjuvant therapy. Clinical implications: Healthcare providers should be aware that compliance with mammography and therapy guidelines may vary with FHOBC. Because the better health-related behavior reported by women with affected relatives suggests that they may have higher perceived risk, physicians should be sensitive to potentially elevated levels of anxiety, provide accurate information about relative risk, put patient concerns in the proper perspective, and include family members in treatment discussions. Alternatively, women without an FHOBC appear to have less favorable screening, detection, diagnosis, and treatment decision-making behavior. Because family doctors play an important role in the care of these patients, they may need to provide special education and counseling regarding the importance of adherence to screening guidelines, recognition of relevant symptoms, initiation of timely examinations, consultation with cancer specialists, and compliance with treatment recommendations.
Source apportionment of indoor residential fine particulate matter using land use regression and constrained factor analysis.

UNLABELLED Source contributions to urban fine particulate matter (PM(2.5) ) have been modelled using land use regression (LUR) and factor analysis (FA). However, people spend more time indoors, where these methods are less explored. We collected 3-4- day samples of nitrogen dioxide and PM(2.5) inside and outside of 43 homes in summer and winter, 2003-2005, in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Particle filters were analysed for black carbon and trace element concentrations using reflectometry, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and high-resolution inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We regressed indoor against outdoor concentrations modified by ventilation, isolating the indoor-attributable fraction, and then applied constrained FA to identify source factors in indoor concentrations and residuals. Finally, we developed LUR predictive models using GIS-based outdoor source indicators and questionnaire data on indoor sources. FA using concentrations and residuals reasonably separated outdoor (long-range transport/meteorology, fuel oil/diesel, road dust) from indoor sources (combustion, smoking, cleaning). Multivariate LUR regression models for factors from concentrations and indoor residuals showed limited predictive power, but corroborated some indoor and outdoor factor interpretations. Our approach to validating source interpretations using LUR methods provides direction for studies characterizing indoor and outdoor source contributions to indoor cocentrations. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS By merging indoor-outdoor modeling, factor analysis, and LUR-style predictive regression modeling, we have added to previous source apportionment studies by attempting to corroborate factor interpretations. Our methods and results support the possibility that indoor exposures may be modeled for epidemiologic studies, provided adequate sample size and variability to identify indoor and outdoor source contributions. Using these techniques, epidemiologic studies can more clearly examine exposures to indoor sources and indoor penetration of source-specific components, reduce exposure misclassification, and improve the characterization of the relationship between particle constituents and health effects.
Single-loop system reliability-based topology optimization considering statistical dependence between limit-states

This paper presents a single-loop algorithm for system reliability-based topology optimization (SRBTO) that can account for statistical dependence between multiple limit-states, and its applications to computationally demanding topology optimization (TO) problems. A single-loop reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) algorithm replaces the inner-loop iterations to evaluate probabilistic constraints by a non-iterative approximation. The proposed single-loop SRBTO algorithm accounts for the statistical dependence between the limit-states by using the matrix-based system reliability (MSR) method to compute the system failure probability and its parameter sensitivities. The SRBTO/MSR approach is applicable to general system events including series, parallel, cut-set and link-set systems and provides the gradients of the system failure probability to facilitate gradient-based optimization. In most RBTO applications, probabilistic constraints are evaluated by use of the first-order reliability method for efficiency. In order to improve the accuracy of the reliability calculations for RBDO or RBTO problems with high nonlinearity, we introduce a new single-loop RBDO scheme utilizing the second-order reliability method and implement it to the proposed SRBTO algorithm. Moreover, in order to overcome challenges in applying the proposed algorithm to computationally demanding topology optimization problems, we utilize the multiresolution topology optimization (MTOP) method, which achieves computational efficiency in topology optimization by assigning different levels of resolutions to three meshes representing finite element analysis, design variables and material density distribution respectively. The paper provides numerical examples of two- and three-dimensional topology optimization problems to demonstrate the proposed SRBTO algorithm and its applications. The optimal topologies from deterministic, component and system RBTOs are compared with one another to investigate the impact of optimization schemes on final topologies. Monte Carlo simulations are also performed to verify the accuracy of the failure probabilities computed by the proposed approach.
Larval dispersal and cannibalism in a natural population of Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract A natural population, of the tenebrionid beetle Zophobas atratus was studied in an attic in El Zamorano, Honduras. Larvae were living in bat guano and were, densest in the deepest part of the guano. No pupae or pharate pupae were found in the guano: they were always located a small distance away from the guano pile. Adults occurred on the guano surface and the beams and tiles of the roof. When larvae of three different ages and weights were marked and released in the guano, only the older, larger larvae were recaptured away from the guano, indicating a correlation between larval dispersal and increased weight and/or age. When 50 pharate pupae were exposed to a natural population of active larvae, only 4 (8%) survived after 5 days. This intense cannibalism of pharate pupae is consistent with the hypothesis that inhibition of pupation by crowding and the associated pre-pupal dispersal evolved, at least partly, in response to cannibalism.
Central US earthquake catalog for hazard maps of Memphis, Tennessee

An updated version of the catalog that was used for the current national probabilistic seismic-hazard maps would suffice for production of large-scale hazard maps of the Memphis urban area. Deaggregation maps provide guidance as to the area that a catalog for calculating Memphis hazard should cover. For the future, the Nuttli and local network catalogs could be examined for earthquakes not presently included in the catalog. Additional work on aftershock removal might reduce hazard uncertainty. Graphs of decadal and annual earthquake rates suggest completeness at and above magnitude 3 for the last three or four decades. Any additional work on completeness should consider the effects of rapid, local population changes during the Nation's westward expansion.
Quantum-well p-channel AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs heterostructure insulated-gate field-effect transistors

The authors report experimental and theoretical results for self-aligned gate quantum-well p-channel pseudomorphic GaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure insulated-gate field-effect transistors (HIGFETs). High transconductances and transconductance parameters, 113 mS/mm and 305 mS/mm/V at room temperature for 0.8- mu m gate length, are reported. The authors discuss the effects of built-in strain on the valence bands, analyze the device data on the gate length dependence of the device parameters, and discuss the subthreshold characteristics and evidence for implant straggle. They also show the importance of the gate current for the device characteristics and propose to reduce the gate current and thus to increase the voltage swing by fabricating p-channel devices with p-doped InGaAs channels and n/sup +/ AlGaAs gates on the insulating AlGaAs layer. >
Analysis of radionuclide migration through a 200-m Vadose zone following a 16-year infiltration event

Abstract Atomic weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site has introduced many tracers for quantifying subsurface hydrologic transport processes in arid climates. In 1975, groundwater adjacent to the C ambric test, conducted beneath Frenchman Flat 10 years earlier, was pumped steadily for 16 years to elicit information on the migration of residual radioactivity through the saturated zone. Radionuclides in the pumping well effluent, including tritium, 14C, 36Cl, and 85Kr, were extensively monitored prior to its discharge in an unlined ditch, where approximately a third of the flow infiltrated over a distance of 1 km. Radionuclide infiltration through a 220-m thick vadose zone created a second, and rather unique long-term field experiment. Effluent data have been utilized in conjunction with geologic data, new radionuclide measurements, isotopic age-dating estimates, and vadose zone flow and transport models to better understand the movement of radionuclides between the ditch, the water table and a nearby groundwater monitoring well. Detection of tritium in the monitoring well occurred approximately 16 years after its initial discharge into the ditch. Modeling and tritium age dating have suggested 3–5 years of this 16-year transit time occurred solely in the vadose zone. They also suggest considerable recirculation of the pumping well discharge back into the original pumping well. Notably, there have been no observations of 14C or 85Kr in the monitoring well, suggesting their preferential retention or volatilization during transit to the water table.
Landsat multispectral sharpening using a sensor system model and panchromatic image

The thematic mapper (TM) sensor aboard Landsats 4, 5 and enhanced TM plus (ETM+) on Landsat 7 collect imagery at 30-m sample distance in six spectral bands. New with ETM+ is a 15-m panchromatic (P) band. With image sharpening techniques, this higher resolution P data, or as an alternative, the 10-m (or 5-m) P data of the SPOT satellite, can increase the spatial resolution of the multispectral (MS) data. Sharpening requires that the lower resolution MS image be coregistered and resampled to the P data before high spatial frequency information is transferred to the MS data. For visual interpretation and machine classification tasks, it is important that the sharpened data preserve the spectral characteristics of the original low resolution data. A technique was developed for sharpening (in this case, 3:1 spatial resolution enhancement) visible spectral band data, based on a model of the sensor system point spread function (PSF) in order to maintain spectral fidelity. It combines high-pass (HP) filter sharpening methods with iterative image restoration to reduce degradations caused by sensor-system-induced blurring and resembling. Also there is a spectral fidelity requirement: sharpened MS when filtered by the modeled degradations should reproduce the low resolution source MS. Quantitative evaluation of sharpening performance was made by using simulated low resolution data generated from digital color-IR aerial photography. In comparison to the HP-filter-based sharpening method, results for the technique in this paper with simulated data show improved spectral fidelity. Preliminary results with TM 30-m visible band data sharpened with simulated 10-m panchromatic data are promising but require further study.
An Analytical Model for Predicting Contact Stress and Sliding Wear of a Three-Dimensional Textured Surface

In this paper, an analytical model for predicting the contact stress and wear distribution between a textured surface and a compliant flat is presented. The modeling formulation is based upon a two-dimensional stress analysis of the flat, and it allows the contact stress distribution to be found from the distribution of the sample deflection into the flat surface. The wear evolution was calculated from the contact stress.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Fresh fruit, broken bodies: Migrant farmworkers in the United States

Migrant farm labourers in the USA continue to work and suffer in silence and obscurity, despite occasional attention from the media. They occupy the margins of society, living and surviving without...
Functional information and the emergence of biocomplexity

Complex emergent systems of many interacting components, including complex biological systems, have the potential to perform quantifiable functions. Accordingly, we define “functional information,” I(Ex), as a measure of system complexity. For a given system and function, x (e.g., a folded RNA sequence that binds to GTP), and degree of function, Ex (e.g., the RNA–GTP binding energy), I(Ex) = −log2[F(Ex)], where F(Ex) is the fraction of all possible configurations of the system that possess a degree of function ≥ Ex. Functional information, which we illustrate with letter sequences, artificial life, and biopolymers, thus represents the probability that an arbitrary configuration of a system will achieve a specific function to a specified degree. In each case we observe evidence for several distinct solutions with different maximum degrees of function, features that lead to steps in plots of information versus degree of function.
Standing crop of algae in the sea ice of the Weddell Sea region

Abstract Physical and biological measurements were made of sea ice cores taken fron 68° to 78° S in the Weddell Sea. Fluorescence measurements indicated an algal community that was strongly associated with salinity maxima within the ice. Maximum concentrations of chlorophyll a ranged from 0.31 to 4.54 mg m −3 . Comparisons with standing crops in the water column indicate that the standing crop within the ice can represent a minor but significant fraction of the total standing crop for the region. The sea ice algal community is apparently distinct from others that have been described for land-fast ice in McMurdo Sound, sea ice in the Arctic, and pack ice off East Antarctica. The highest concentrations of biological material are found in the bottom or top samples from those regions, whereas the Weddell Sea maxima are concentrated at intermediate depths (0.65 to 2.15 m) within the ice. A qualitative model indicating the relationship between thermally induced brine migration and subsequent algal growth is presented. The model indicates that the distribution of algae within the ice depends on the thermal and physical setting for Weddell Sea pack ice where brine drainage is initiated by spring and summer warming but is not carried through so completely as in other regions. It is concluded that the ecological significance of the release of ice algae is greater for the community in the Weddell Sea than elsewhere.
The Circulation of Men and Credit: The Role of the Commenda and the Family Firm in Julfan Society

This essay explores the role of a partnership arrangement known as the commenda in Julfan trade during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by situating it within the context of the "family firm," the basic organizational unit of Julfan commerce. It studies the legal and commercial role of the commenda in Julfan trade and argues that, in the Julfan context as in the context of medieval European and Near Eastern trade, the commenda provided the ideal means for the circulation of merchants, goods, and credit across vast distances. Cette contribution examine le role du contrat dit commenda dans les activites menees par les negociants armeniens de Joulfa au cours des dix-septieme et dix-huitieme siecles en le replacant dans le cadre de la 'firme familiale' qui fut a la base de l'unite organisationnelle de ce commerce. Le role legal et commercial du commenda dans ces activites sera etudie, en soutenant que dans le contexte de Joulfa, tout comme dans celui de l'Europe medievale et du Proche-Orient, le commenda representait le moyen ideal facilitant la circulation des commercants, des biens et du credit sur de vastes distances.
SELF-ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH STATUS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF SELECTED ELDERLY SUBJECTS.

Abstract Two of three elderly subjects ( n = 176) displayed a reality orientation in their subjective evaluations of health status. Among the one subject in three who disagreed with the physician's assessment of his health, a pattern of social and attitudinal factors was found to distinguish between subjects with incongruous subjective assessments who were predisposed to be optimistic and those predisposed to be pessimistic. The relationship between these predispositions and the inappropriate rejection of the sick role remains to be investigated. A related issue for investigation is the implications of incongruity between medical and subjective assessment of health status for medical management.
Cerebral blood flow in the diabetic patient

Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Coronary revascularization utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is frequently required for the diabetic patient. Nondiabetic individual...
Planning for International Tourism in Less Developed Countries: Toward Sustainability?

Despite the rising global importance of tourism as an economic growth tool for national, regional, and local economies, most planning academics in the United States have kept oddly silent regarding...
Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem worldwide. Roughly 1 in 10 adult Americans has CKD. These patients are at significant risk for excessive morbidity and mortality during the perioperative period. Given the health and cost burden of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), preventing or avoiding progression of CKD to ESRD is critical. Therefore, identifying risk factors and implementing risk mitigation strategies to prevent further deterioration of renal function during the perioperative period is of paramount importance. This article reviews patient risk stratification, preoperative evaluation and management, and perioperative interventions for renal protection.
Embryonic mouse lung epithelial progenitor cells co-express immunohistochemical markers of diverse mature cell lineages.

Developmental expression of marker genes representative of different mature cell types can be used to study differentiation of cell lineages. We used immunohistochemistry to study expression in developing mouse lung of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), Clara cell 10-KD protein (CC10), and surfactant protein-A (SP-A), markers that are differentially expressed in neuroendocrine cells, Clara cells, and Type II alveolar cells. Two distinct developmental phases were revealed. The earlier phase (embryonic days 13-15; E13-E15) was characterized by CGRP, CC10, and SP-A immunostaining in all epithelial cells of the distal airways, with the three patterns being virtually identical in adjacent sections. The later phase (E16-E18) was characterized by emergence of staining of the differentiated cell types. These expression patterns were recapitulated in serumless organ culture, demonstrating that information necessary to generate both phases of gene expression is present within the lung analage by E11. We conclu...
Physician compliance with updated practice parameters for influenza vaccination in individuals with egg allergies.

Background Significant recent changes to the recommendations in providing trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine (TIV) to individuals with egg allergy were made, but their implementation has not been studied. Objectives To investigate allergist-reported compliance with updated TIV administration guidelines for individuals with egg allergy. Methods A 22-question electronic survey was distributed via e-mail to American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology members (allergists), which queried practice styles and attitudes that pertain to TIV administration to individuals with egg allergy. Results Only 1% of 895 respondents believed that TIV should be contraindicated for individuals with egg allergy, 3.8% reported not administering TIV to individuals with egg allergy, and 17% reported only administering TIV to individuals with mild egg allergy; 13.2% reported that risk-mitigating precautions (eg, vaccine skin testing, graded-dose challenges) were necessary. Postimplementation change compared with preimplementation change included less intradermal testing (30.6% vs 64.9%), less multistep desensitization (34.7% vs 65.3%), observing more patients for >30 minutes after vaccination (79.1% vs 20.9%), administering TIV despite positive TIV skin tests (65.4% vs 34.6%) (all P P = .028), academic practice ( P P Conclusion There were significant shifts in practice style over time concurrent with newly established guidelines, except for vaccine skin testing. Physician opinions are also concurrent with guideline changes. Although TIV administration guideline recommendations are being successfully implemented, greater adherence should be promoted.
Novel cofactors via post-translational modifications of enzyme active sites

Recent crystallographic and biochemical studies have revealed the existence of numerous novel post-translational modifications within enzyme active sites. These modifications create structural and functional diversity. Although the function and biosynthesis of some of these modifications are well understood, others need further investigation.
Community identity and language change in North American Anabaptist communities

Patterns of language maintenance and shift among historical German-speaking North American Amish and Mennonite communities reveal ways in which these groups have utilized language to encode and mediate group identity. The Old Order Amish and the Old Order Mennonites have maintained German to resist secular authority, to remain separate from the dominant society, to preserve the traditions of their forefathers and, above all, to mark themselves as Old Order. More liberal groups have shifted to English to demonstrate a commitment to evangelism and a rejection of Old Order practice. This paper supports the view that individual communities may actively direct language change. Guided by an ideology that invests particular patterns of language use with religious significance, each Amish and Mennonite community determines its own linguistic fate.
Immobilization of-galactosidase inside hybrid silica nanocomposites containing polysaccharides

α-Galactosidase was encapsulated into sol-gel derived hybrid polysaccharide-silica nanocomposites. The main properties of the immobilized enzyme were studied.