cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of sulfate sequestration by BaSn composite material on Re retention in low-activity waste glass

Abstract Incorporating radioactive Tc-99 into glass during vitrification of low-activity waste (LAW) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site is a scientific challenge. Previous studies have suggested that the presence of sulfate salts in the melt hinder the incorporation of Re, a non-radioactive surrogate for Tc-99, into nuclear waste glass. In this study, we assessed the capability of a Ba Sn composite material to sequester sulfate during vitrification of AN-102 LAW feed and the resulting effects on Re retention in the glass. We also investigated a feed in which the initial soluble sulfate source in the simulated LAW (Na2SO4) was replaced with insoluble BaSO4. The Ba Sn composite-treated feed and BaSO4-substitute feed were compared to a control, AN-102 baseline. The feeds were prepared and then heated to temperatures ranging from 400 to 1000 °C at a 5 °C/min rate and then air-quenched to room temperature. The heated samples and dried feeds were leached in deionized water. The solutions from the leach test were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy to determine the amount of soluble sulfate as a function of temperature, and the resulting solids were analyzed for Re retention. Although the Ba Sn composite material successfully sequestered sulfate in the as-prepared LAW feed, heating to 400 °C resulted in most of the sulfate partitioning to a soluble salt phase. By 700 °C, sulfate partitioning in the composite-treated feed was identical to that of the baseline feed. Throughout the entire temperature range, the BaSO4-substitute feed behaved similarly to the composite-treated feed. The results of the study show that sequestering sulfate in a BaSO4 phase is not effective for Re retention as the sulfate salt behavior was nearly identical in the three feeds at ≥700 °C. The fraction of Re retained in the glass at 1000 °C varied from 39.4 to 46.6% for the three feeds, which is shown to be a statistically insignificant difference.
BENIGN LEFT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK: EXPLAINING THE LINKING PHENOMENON

Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB) has been described in literature due to various pathological causes. We discuss a rare benign etiology of LBBB due to the linking phenomenon. A 60 year-old female with no significant cardiac history underwent evaluation prior to elective hip surgery. She was
Relation of Patent Foramen Ovale to Acute Mountain Sickness

Over 50% of patients who rapidly ascend to extreme altitudes develop various symptoms known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), which rarely can be life threatening. It is unclear why some patients are more susceptible to AMS than others. Our objective was to determine whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a risk factor for AMS. Subjects who had hiked to altitudes above 10,000' (∼3,000 meters) on the John Muir Trail in California were recruited. Participants completed a questionnaire and 2-physician adjudication was performed in regard to AMS status. A transcranial Doppler with agitated saline contrast injection was performed to evaluate the presence or absence of PFO. The primary outcome was the development of AMS. From 2016 to 2018, 137 hikers were recruited into the study. There was a higher prevalence of PFO in hikers with AMS 15 of 24 (63%) compared with hikers without AMS 44 of 113 (39%); p = 0.034. In the multivariate model, the presence of a PFO significantly increased the risk for developing AMS: odds ratio 4.15, 95% confidence intervals 1.14 to 15.05; p = 0.030. In conclusion, hikers with a PFO had significantly higher risk of developing AMS relative to hikers without a PFO. Clinicians should consider PFO a risk factor in patients who plan to hike to high altitudes.
Overview of a compact power conditioning system for high power VHF and microwave sources

The University of Missouri-Columbia has investigated a compact power conditioning system to integrate with flux compression generators. The main elements of the power conditioning system are a non-magnetic core spiral-wound transformer, an exploding wire fuse, and a crowbar switch. The power conditioning system can drive two types of loads. The first type of load utilizes a compact high voltage capacitor to both store the energy from the power conditioning system at high voltage and form an oscillating circuit to produce a VHF output signal. The second load is a high power microwave (HPM) source, which is often modelled as a low resistance. This paper presents a brief overview of the power conditioning system with experimental and theoretical results of operation with the VHF and HPM sources, respectively. The pulse transformer and exploding wire fuse are described. The operation of the system with a VHF source is detailed, and experimental results are reviewed of the power conditioning system and VHF source driven by a simulator of a flux compression generator. The operation of the system with a HPM source is also described, and results from advanced simulations of the system with the dynamic resistance of the exploding wire fuse are provided. (4 pages)
The Mitochondrial Genome of Eleusine indica and Characterization of Gene Content within Poaceae

Plant mitochondrial (mt) genome assembly provides baseline data on size, structure, and gene content, but resolving the sequence of these large and complex organelle genomes remains challenging due to fragmentation, frequent recombination, and transfers of DNA from neighboring plastids. The mt genome for Eleusine indica (Poaceae: goosegrass) is comprehensibly analyzed here, providing key reference data for an economically significant invasive species that is also the maternal parent of the allotetraploid crop Finger millet (Eleusine coracana). The assembled E. indica genome contains 33 protein coding genes, 6 rRNA subunits, 24 tRNA, 8 large repetitive regions 15 kb of transposable elements across a total of 520,691 bp. Evidence of RNA editing and loss of rpl2, rpl5, rps14, rps11, sdh4, and sdh3 genes is evaluated in the context of an updated survey of mt genomic gene content across the grasses through an analysis of publicly available data. Hypothesized patterns of Poaceae mt gene loss are examined in a phylogenetic context to clarify timing, showing that rpl2 was transferred to the nucleus from the mitochondrion prior to the origin of the PACMAD clade.
Association between circulating neuregulin4 levels and diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Introduction Neuregulin 4 (Nrg4) was proven as a brown fat-enriched secreted factor that can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. However, the association between circulating Nrg4 levels and diabetes mellitus (DM) in human remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate association of circulating Nrg4 with DM. Methods Observational studies comparing circulating Nrg4 levels in diabetes patients and health controls were included. Circulating Nrg4, correlation coefficients of clinical indices and circulating Nrg4 were pooled by meta-analysis. Results Seven studies were included. The pooled results indicated there were no significant difference in the circulating Nrg4 between diabetes patients and controls (SMD = 0.18, 95%CI = -0.06 to 0.42, P = 0.143). However, diabetes patients had higher circulating Nrg4 than their controls in cross-sectional studies (SMD = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.36 to 0.73, P<0.001). None of the renal function and metabolic syndrome markers were correlated with circulating Nrg4, whereas the HbA1c and BMI were positively correlated (rs = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.03 to 0.16, P = 0.005; rs = 0.20, 95%CI = 0.07 to 0.34, P = 0.003; respectively). Conclusion Our findings suggested circulating Nrg4 may play a role in in the development of DM in cross-sectional studies and circulating Nrg4 might be associated with imbalance in glucose metabolism and obesity.
Muertes de autor. De los orígenes de la fotografía a la autoficción

Dentro del arte y literatura, la autobiografia y la fotografia se han rodeado tradicionalmente de un aura de autenticidad archivistica. La autoficcion, aqui entendida como autobiografia contemporanea que reivindica su caracter ficcional, rompe esta asuncion. La fotografia del yo tambien desestabilizo, desde sus inicios, el valor documental del medio. Este articulo parte de una reflexion acerca del primer autorretrato fotografico, Autorretrato de un ahogado (1840), donde el artista, Hippolyte Bayard, escenifica su propia muerte. A continuacion, mostramos como la representacion del yo se convierte en una cuestion recurrente en la autobiografia con la llegada de la autoficcion, desde la proclamacion de la “muerte del autor” por el pensamiento posestructuralista. Tras repensar los fundamentos de la autoficcion refiriendonos a obras de Roland Barthes, Jorge Semprun y Javier Marias, entre otros, sostenemos que este modo indeciso de narrativa de vida recuerda al proyecto original de Bayard. Las obras autoficcionales reescenifican, con variaciones, la muerte del autor. Aunque sugieran que la autorrepresentacion es solo posible como ficcion, en ultima instancia estas narrativas tambien reafirman la presencia de la figura autoral mediante el anuncio simbolico de su ausencia. Abstract: In literature and the visual arts, autobiography and photography have traditionally been vested with an aura of archival authenticity. As a category of contemporary autobiography that claims its own fictionality, autofiction breaks this assumption. Self- portrait photography, too, since its origins, has challenged its own documentary status. The point of departure for this article is the first self-portrait photograph, A Drowned Man (1840), whereby the artist, Hippolyte Bayard, stages his own imaginary death. Then, I show that self-representation has become a recurring concern in autobiography, and more precisely in autofiction, since the proclamation of the “death of the author” by poststructuralist thought. After rethinking the foundations of autofiction through works by Roland Barthes, Jorge Semprun and Javier Marias, among others, I contend that this indecisive mode of life narration reminds us of Bayard’s original project. Autofictional writings re-stage the death of the author with variations. I claim that, while these visual and textual narratives suggest that self-representation is only made possible through fictionalization, they also assert the presence of the author by symbolically illuminating his very absence.
Personalized Feedback Emails: A Case Study on Online Introductory Computer Science Courses

The absence of face-to-face interaction between instructors and students in online courses has been the focus of discussion in many research papers. To compensate for this defect, the concept of Personalized Feedback Email (PFE) was introduced in two undergraduate online courses at the University of Georgia. A distinct component of PFE is a grade forecast for each individual student projected visually in graphs. The quantitative and qualitative data collected from students made it possible to claim that PFE contributes to students' engagement in online courses and encourages the majority of them to do better in class. Given that the rate of contribution of each student in course activities is correlated with student's performance, we were able to show that students who find PFE motivating make higher contributions in class activities. PFE is especially capable of targeting students who stand in the middle of the grade-range and improves their contribution and performance. In this respect, PFE also has a considerable short-term effect. The extensive applications of this effect should be limited by the optimization of the number of PFEs. All this machinery is expected to enable the complex of decision-makers associated with students to adopt the most effective learning strategies. This study shows a drastic and positive change in the performance of students who alter their learning strategy after being exposed to their forecasted grades, which enhances the potential of supervised improvement. The accuracy of forecasting model will be crucial when forecast grades are expected early in the semester to identify at-risk students. Applying machine learning methods, particularly the Greedy Linear Regression, satisfies this expectation and increases the correlation coefficient of the forecasts to 0.98.
Abstract PR21: IL-35+ B cells establish immunosuppressive network in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Despite advances in our understanding of the mutational landscape in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), this devastating disease is now the third-leading cause of U.S. cancer-related deaths. While recent successes of cancer immunotherapy have generated considerable excitement, this form of treatment has been largely ineffective in patients with pancreatic cancer. A major barrier for immunotherapeutic approaches is marked immunosuppression within the PDAC milieu. We have previously identified a novel role for IL-35-producing B cells in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. However, little is known about the mechanisms behind IL-35 activity in cancer. Here, we set out to elucidate molecular and cellular mechanisms by which IL-35 facilitates the emergence of pancreatic cancer. Our results demonstrate that IL-35, but not IL-10, potentiates PDAC growth. This correlates with induction of regulatory T cells and suppression of effector T-cell activity, suggesting that IL-35 controls endogenous antitumor immune responses in PDAC. Furthermore, while IL-35 is expressed by several immune cell types in PDAC, we show that its expression specifically in B cells is essential for suppression of antitumor T-cell responses. Importantly, while PDAC is typically resistant to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, we demonstrate robust synergistic reduction in tumor growth when IL-35 deficiency is combined with anti-PD-1 treatment. Insights gleaned from these and further mechanistic studies of IL-35 in PDAC may be expeditiously translated into IL-35 targeted combination immunotherapy. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A28. Citation Format: Bhalchandra Mirlekar, Yuliya Pylayeva-Gupta. IL-35+ B cells establish immunosuppressive network in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PR21.
Nonlinear Regression Modeling

Not all models are linear. The truth is that there are more nonlinear models than linear models that exist in real-life applications. Although different from the standard linear regression that we have known, nonlinear regression can and should be used to model nonlinear relationships present in the real data. There are many different types of nonlinear models as discussed in Bates and Watts (Nonlinear regression analysis and its applications. Wiley, Hoboken, 1998). An example to model the nonlinear relationship between the proportion of available chlorine in chlorine solution and the length of time in weeks from a chlorine data using SAS/R/Stata/SPSS to illustrate the model fitting can be found in Chapter 10 of Wilson and Chen (Fundamental statistical analytics for health data: using R/SAS/STATA/SPSS, vol. 1. Springer, New York, 2021).
Responding to a “Negro Uprising”

In the response stage of riots, officials make several decisions that are critical to the communities seeking to recover. First, officials make decisions about maintaining order and returning to the status quo. Second, they decide how they will publicly present, or frame the events. Broader perceptions of the riot will be heavily influenced by the official narratives that have been crafted for public consumption. Third, authorities must make a determination regarding resources. What, if any, will be made available? How will they be distributed? To whom will economic support be allotted? Finally, officials must take the future into consideration. What, if any, measures can be taken to rectify the conditions that led to the riot? What can be done for the people who had their property destroyed or lost family members? This chapter will examine the response stage of the Tulsa Massacre. While the massacre itself was devastating to Greenwood residents, government and agency responses to the violence were themselves crippling, and often amounted to a re-victimization of those already harmed.
The chemical defenses of millipedes (diplopoda): Biochemistry, physiology and ecology

Abstract Millipedes are some of the earliest examples of terrestrial animals, and fossils from the early Carboniferous Period indicate they were also some of the earliest prey. These fossils record ozopores, the openings of chemical defense glands, occurring along the length of the body. The secretions of these glands may consist of topical irritants, repellents, antifeedants, or, in the case of the large and widespread Order Polydesmida, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) gas that can be fatal to other arthropods or even small vertebrates in a confined environment. Mullerian mimicry rings may develop in which unrelated species of millipedes that co-occur closely resemble one another, while participating in a completely differently patterned ring in another part of their geographic range. Chemistry is not the only defense of millipedes. Polyxenids carry tufts of entangling setae, many species rely on crypsis and the ability to roll into a smooth, resistant sphere or coil, and still others have spikey projections that may deter soft-mouthed predators. Nevertheless, chemical defense has been of significance in helminthomorph millipedes at least since the Lower Carboniferous. The distribution of classes of chemical defense compounds follows major phylogenetic groupings. Evidence suggests that the defensive glands of Glomerida arose independently of those of the Helminthomorpha.
Crossing the Appositive/At-issue Meaning Boundary

Our goal is to provide systematic evidence from anaphora, presupposition and ellipsis that appositive meaning and at-issue meaning, e.g. as contributed by the relative appositive and the main clause in John, who nearly killed a woman with his car, visited HER in the hospital, have to be integrated into a single, incrementally evolving semantic representation. While previous literature has provided partial arguments to this effect (Nouwen 2007 for anaphora, Amaral et al 2007 and Potts 2009 for both anaphora and presupposition), the systematic nature of this evidence – in particular, the evidence from ellipsis we will introduce – has been previously unnoticed. We propose an analysis of these phenomena that integrates the dynamic account of anaphora and ellipsis as discourse reference to individuals and properties (respectively) with an account of at-issue meaning as a proposed update of the input Context Set (CS) that is to be negotiated and of appositive meaning as an actual / imposed update of the CS that is not up for negotiation.
The Role of Social Support on Health Throughout the Lifecycle

The role of social supports throughout the lifecycle has dynamic implications on health and psychosocial wellness. Establishment of a stable supportive family early in life seems to be a consistent support drawn upon throughout the lifecycle. Other social support predictors which may affect health include high-quality supports from friends, total network size, age, gender, marital status, income, and threatening life events. Implications of social supports throughout the lifecycle should encourage health educators of all types to promote quality social supports within the family, schools, and community.
Self-Interaction Effects in One-Dimensional Wave Propagation: Solitons in Optical Fibers and in Periodic Structures

In Chap. 6, we discussed phenomena which, in the language introduced at the end of Chap. 3, fall into the regime of strong nonlinearities. The electronic structure of the physical system exposed to the electromagnetic field is perturbed far from equilibrium in the course of its evolution. In the soliton pulses encountered in the theory of self-induced transparency, for example, the resonant atoms are moved from their ground state, to the first excited state, at the midpoint of the pulse. We now return to the regime of weak nonlinearities, where the nonlinear polarization P(NL) may be expanded in powers of the electric field.
Active Exchange-Traded Funds: Are We There Yet?

Investors anxiously anticipated the debut of actively managed ETFs in 2008, expecting them to succeed as well as their counterparts in the mutual fund industry. In the end, the reality didn’t match the expectations, as actively managed funds are still languishing in the basement of the ETF industry. The first goal of this study is to identify the factors responsible for this state of affairs, particularly an issue around transparency that remains the focus of contention between the Securities and Exchange Commission and fund sponsors pursuing approval of new active ETFs. This study will also investigate whether this sector, which seven years into its existence still presents the characteristics of a cottage industry, is capable of turning the tide and turning into a compelling investment premise. For this purpose, a series of statistical metrics commonly used in the market were applied to all of the current active ETFs, which are split in this chapter into broad asset categories for the sake of convenience. The results show fixed-income ETFs as the only type capable of bringing some value to an overall investment portfolio by enhancing its returns while at the same time reducing its variability. No wonder that they represent by far the largest share of the U.S. active ETF market, although it remains trivial as a whole in terms of net assets.
Catalytic performance of Al2O3/SiO2/TiO2 loaded with V2O5 for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with ammonia

Abstract In this work, various Al2O3/SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites prepared from organic precursors through a sol–gel method and loaded with vanadium were studied for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with ammonia as a reductant. The coexistence of Al and Si as heteroatoms in the titania matrix resulted in lower levels of activity than titania catalysts due to the low crystallinity of titania in the polyoxide supports. Catalytic experiments indicate that the level of NOx conversion and N2 selectivity for the Al-rich or Si-rich catalysts are comparable under identical operating conditions. However, the NOx conversion over the SiO2-rich polyoxides passes through a maximum for composites with atomic composition Ti:Si:Al=30:5:1. This behavior is strongly related with the BET surface area of each catalyst. The NOx conversion and N2 selectivity over the Al-rich catalysts follows very closely their BET surface area as well. The Bronsted acidity of the support, which is introduced by the addition of Si and the Al dopants, seems to play a secondary role in the catalyst performance. The addition of Si and Al as heteroatoms decreases the temperature window for optimum performance in comparison with earlier studies for SCR reactions. FT-IR, XRD, BET and TEM were used for the characterization of our catalysts.
Sharp estimates for finite element approximations to elliptic problems with Neumann boundary data of low regularity

Consider a homogeneous parabolic problem on a smooth bounded domain in ℝN but with initial data and Neumann boundary data of low regularity. Sharp interior maximum norm error estimates are given for a semidiscrete C0 finite element approximation to this problem. These estimates are obtained by first establishing a new localized L∞ estimate for semidiscrete finite element approximations on interior subdomains. Numerical examples illustrate the findings.
The utility of the traditional medical genetics diagnostic evaluation in the context of next-generation sequencing for undiagnosed genetic disorders

The utility of the traditional medical genetics diagnostic evaluation in the context of next-generation sequencing for undiagnosed genetic disorders
Polyploid and maternal effects on Rhizoctonia root rot resistance in sugarbeet

Three sugarbeet breeding lines partially resistant to the root-rotting fungus, Rhizoctonia solani, were converted to the tetraploid condition without selection. These three diploid and tetraploid lines were crossed with three diploid male-sterile lines to produce equivalent diploid and triploid hybrids. The triploid hybrids were significantly more resistant to Rhizoctonia than were the diploid hybrids. However, the tetraploid resistant limes were no different than their diploid equivalent lines. Reciprocal crosses provided no evidence of maternal effect on resistance. Cytoplasm that included the male-sterility factor had no influence on resistance. Triploid hybrids, where the resistant parent is tetraploid, should be advantageous in the breeding of rhizoctonia-resistant hybrid varieties.
Fabrication and Assembly of Miniature Imaging Systems Using Lithographically Patterned Micro-optics and Silicon Microstructures

A miniature imaging system is constructed by precision assembly of lithographically patterned hybrid-glass micro-optics on a micro-machined silicon substrate or Micro Optical Table (MOT).
CT angiography of the visceral vessels

CT angiography (CTA) is a promising new technique for vascular imaging. This review focuses first on the technique necessary for successful scanning of the visceral vessels. As in many new modalities, there are different protocols for scanning and rendering of images. The relative strengths and weaknesses of these different approaches are discussed. A discussion of the applications of CTA to depict normal and abnormal anatomy of the visceral vessels follows. These applications include celiac stenosis, splenic artery aneurysms, evaluation for hepatic arterial anatomy before liver transplantation, visceral arterial anatomy in pancreaticoduodenal surgery, the superior mesenteric artery in intestinal ischemia, vascular encasement in patients with pancreatic neoplasms, and, finally, the hepatic vessels before hepatic tumor resection.
Influence of environmental stresses on stability of oil-in-water emulsions containing droplets stabilized by β-lactoglobulin–ι-carrageenan membranes

Abstract An oil-in-water emulsion (5 wt% corn oil, 0.5 wt% β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), 0.1 wt% ι-carrageenan, 5 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.0) containing anionic droplets stabilized by interfacial membranes comprising of β-lactoglobulin and ι-carrageenan was produced using a two-stage process. A primary emulsion containing anionic β-Lg coated droplets was prepared by homogenizing oil and emulsifier solution together using a high-pressure valve homogenizer. A secondary emulsion containing β-Lg–ι-carrageenan coated droplets was formed by mixing the primary emulsion with an aqueous ι-carrageenan solution. The stability of primary and secondary emulsions to sodium chloride (0–500 mM), calcium chloride (0–12 mM), and thermal processing (30–90 °C) were analyzed using ζ-potential, particle size and creaming stability measurements. The secondary emulsion had better stability to droplet aggregation than the primary emulsion at NaCl ⩽ 500 mM, CaCl2 ⩽ 2 mM, and holding temperatures ⩽60 °C for 20 min. The interfacial engineering technology used in the study could therefore lead to the creation of food emulsions with improved stability to environmental stresses.
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Augments Experimental Colitis Through an MIF-Dependent Inflammatory Signaling Cascade

Background & Aims: Colon epithelial cells are critical for barrier function and contain a highly developed immune response. A previous study has shown hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) as a critical regulator of barrier protection during colon epithelial injury. However, the role of HIF signaling in colon mucosal immunity is not known. Methods: With the use of cre/loxP technology, intestinal-specific disruption of von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor protein (Vhl), hypoxia-inducible factor (Hif)-1α, and aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (Arnt) was generated. Colon inflammation was induced using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model, and the mice were analyzed by histologic analysis, Western blot analysis, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: In mice, colonic epithelium disruption of Vhl resulted in constitutive expression of HIF, which initiated an increase in inflammatory infiltrates and edema in the colon. These effects were ameliorated in mice by disruption of both Vhl and Arnt/Hif1β (which inactivates HIF). In a DSS-induced colitis model, increased HIF expression correlated with more severe clinical symptoms and an increase in histologic damage, while disruption of both Vhl and Arnt in the colon epithelium inhibited these effects. Furthermore, colons with constitutive activation of HIF displayed increased expression of proinflammatory mediators that were synergistically potentiated following DSS administration and reduced by inhibition of the proinflammatory and direct HIF target gene macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Conclusions: The present study shows that a chronic increase in HIF signaling in the colon epithelial cells initiates a hyperinflammatory reaction that may have important implications in developing therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel disease.
Spherical Designs and Generalized Sum-Free Sets in AbelianGroups

We extend the concepts of sum-free sets and Sidon-sets of combinatorial number theory with the aim to provide explicit constructions for spherical designs. We call a subset S of the (additive) abelian group G t-free if for all non-negative integers k and l with k+l \leq t, the sum of k (not necessarily distinct) elements of S does not equal the sum of l (not necessarily distinct) elements of S unless k=l and the two sums contain the same terms. Here we shall give asymptotic bounds for the size of a largest t-free set in \small{{ Z}}_n, and for t \leq 3 discuss how t-free sets in \small{{ Z}}_n can be used to construct spherical t-designs.
Degradation of the Pesticide Fenitrothion as Mediated by Cationic Surfactants and α-Nucleophilic Reagents

The reaction of fenitrothion with a series of α-nucleophile oximates having pKa values in the range of 7.7−11.8 was studied both in the absence and presence of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) surfactants. Reaction with CTA−oximates was found to proceed through two pathways: SN2(P) and SN2(C); an SNAr pathway was not observed. Accordingly, the observed rate constants were dissected into the two corresponding SN2(P) and SN2(C) pathways. Use of the pseudophase ion exchange (PPIE) model for micellar catalysis in the CTA+ system allowed evaluation of micellar second-order rate constant (k2m) parameters and binding constants, (KS). KS values for CTA−oximates were found to vary with the counterion, and the rate enhancement depended on a combination of KS and k2m values. k2m/k2w values ranged from 0.0025 to 0.64, suggesting that a concentration effect is mainly responsible for the rate enhancement. In the absence of surfactant, an α-effect (i.e., kα/knormal) varying from 8 to 450 was observed for the oximate react...
Effects of African Trypanosomiasis on Brain Levels of Dopamine, Serotonin, 5‐Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid, and Homovanillic Acid in the Rabbit

: Serotonin (5-HT) levels fell by 21% in the mid-brain-thalamus-hypothalamus (MTH) region of the rabbit brain after chronic infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. 5-HT did not decrease significantly in the caudate/putamen (CP) or the pons/medulla (PM) region. 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were unchanged in the MTH and caudate/putamen (CP) but increased by 17% in the pons/medulla (PM) after infection. Dopamine (DA) levels rose by 19% and homovanillic acid (HVA) by 33% in the PM during infection. DA and HVA tended to be lower in the CP of infected rabbits, but the apparent decreases were not statistically significant. DA and HVA levels in the MTH were also unchanged by infection. These neurochemical changes may be involved in the behavioral symptoms that frequently accompany this disease in man and cattle.
Stanley C. Hollander and the Conferences on Historical Analysis & Research in Marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the history of the Conferences on Historical Analysis & Research in Marketing (CHARM) from their inception in 1983 through 2007 focusing on the influence of Stanley C. Hollander, who co‐founded the CHARM conference and whose drive and determination fueled its growth for the first 20 years.Design/methodology/approach – This study uses traditional historical narrative based on personal interviews, archival research, and content analysis of CHARM Proceedings.Findings – The history of CHARM is described and Hollander's role in developing the conference is highlighted.Originality/value – There is no written history of CHARM. This story is a major part of Hollander's legacy.
Continuous-time analysis of the response of the pseudomedian and related filters to periodic signals

A continuous time method is introduced to analyze the response of median, pseudomedian, average (mean), and midrange filters to certain periodic signals. The filter definitions are generalized to continuous time, and these definitions are applied to periodic signals such as triangle, square, and sinusoidal waves of varying frequencies. These operations yield 'amplitude response' measures which are analytic functions of the frequency of the input signal. In addition, a 'correlation' measure is defined to indicate the level of distortion introduced by each filter. Examples of this analysis for the median, pseudomedian, average, and midrange filters show similarities and differences among them. Although these theoretical measures do not perfectly demonstrate the performance of the discrete time filters, continuous time analysis does provide valuable insights into the filter behavior. The response of the continuous time median filter shows its susceptibility to high frequency periodic noise and proves, again, the existence of infinite-length bi-valued fast-fluctuating roots of this filter. The pseudomedian filter, in contrast, completely attenuates amplitude-symmetric periodic signals above a certain frequency, and has no infinite-length fast-fluctuating roots. Continuous time filter analogues are therefore an important theoretical tool for understanding the behavior of both linear and nonlinear filters.
The Hsp Organizer Protein Hop Enhances the Rate of but Is Not Essential for Glucocorticoid Receptor Folding by the Multiprotein Hsp90-based Chaperone System

Abstract A system consisting of five purified proteins: Hsp90, Hsp70, Hop, Hsp40, and p23, acts as a machinery for assembly of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)·Hsp90 heterocomplexes. Hop binds independently to Hsp90 and to Hsp70 to form a Hsp90·Hop·Hsp70·Hsp40 complex that is sufficient to convert the GR to its steroid binding form, and this four-protein complex will form stable GR·Hsp90 heterocomplexes if p23 is added to the system (Dittmar, K. D., Banach, M., Galigniana, M. D., and Pratt, W. B. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 7358–7366). Hop has been considered essential for the formation of receptor·Hsp90 heterocomplexes and GR folding. Here we use Hsp90 and Hsp70 purified free of all traces of Hop and Hsp40 to show that Hop is not required for GR·Hsp90 heterocomplex assembly and activation of steroid binding activity. Rather, Hop enhances the rate of the process. We also show that Hsp40 is not essential for GR folding by the five-protein system but enhances a process that occurs less effectively when it is not present. By carrying out assembly in the presence of radiolabeled steroid to bind to the GR as soon as it is converted to the steroid binding state, we show that the folding change is brought about by only two essential components, Hsp90 and Hsp70, and that Hop, Hsp40, and p23 act as nonessential co-chaperones.
Reply to P.A. Beatty et al

In their correspondence, Beatty and Laking recognized the statistically significant added survival benefit of preoperative chemoradiotherapy compared with strict surgical resection makes it the treatment of choice in patients who are suitable candidates for surgery, as reported in the Chemoradiotherapy for Oesophageal Cancer Followed by Surgery Study (CROSS). The study did not aim to analyze cost-effectiveness, nor did it include economic end points, and therefore the claim to deny CROSS its landmark findings because of the cost of radiation therapy is irrelevant. This study did not address a third arm of preoperative chemotherapy alone; therefore, drawing conclusions across other clinical trials is to be absolutely avoided. Previously, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study 85-01 demonstrated that definitive chemoradiotherapy was superior to radiation therapy alone with improved median and overall survival. For medically fit patients, with tumors invading at least the submucosa or with involved lymph nodes, the most common approach, which until now remained investigational, is multimodality preoperative chemoradiotherapy. The prospective CROSS trial, the largest in its class, demonstratedalmostdoublingofmediansurvivalwhenchemoradiotherapywas delivered before surgery. We do recognize that, on the basis of patients’ morbidityandavailablehealthresources,othermodalitiesmaybeacceptable. Future identification of molecular predictors might shed more light on identifying patients who are suitable for each modality.
Discussing race-related limitations of genomic testing for colon cancer risk: Implications for education and counseling

This study examines communication about limitations of genomic results interpretation for colon cancer risk during education and counseling of minority participants. As part of a larger study conducted from 2010 to 2012, participants recruited from a large primary care clinic were offered testing for a research panel of 3 genomic markers (single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) for colorectal cancer risk. Genetic counselors conducted pre- and post-test sessions which included discussion of limitations of result interpretation due to the lack of racial/ethnic diversity in research populations from which risk data are derived. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed. Many participants did not respond directly to this limitation. Among the participants that responded directly to this race-related limitation, many responses were negative. However, a few participants connected the limited minority information about SNPs with the importance of their current research participation. Genetic counselor discussions of this limitation were biomedically focused with limited explanations for the lacking data. The communication process themes identified included: low immediacy (infrequent use of language directly involving a participant), verbal dominance (greater speaking ratio of the counselor to the patient) and wide variation in the degree of interactivity (or the amount of turn-taking during the discussion). Placed within the larger literature on patient-provider communication, these present results provide insight into the dynamics surrounding race-related educational content for genomic testing and other emerging technologies. Clinicians may be better able to engage patients in the use of new genomic technology by increasing their awareness of specific communication processes and patterns during education or counseling sessions.
Structure and conformation of low molecular weight pathogenic RNA from exocortis disease.

Abstract The electrophoretic mobility of the low molecular weight pathogenic RNA from exocortis disease of citrus (CEV) is markedly affected by polyacrylamide gel concentrations. Molecular weight estimates of 100,000 or 50,000 are derived from relative electrophoretic migration in gels either less than 10% or greater than 10%, respectively. The target size of the biologically active unit is estimated at 110,000 daltons from inactivation by ionizing radiation. On the basis of bouyant density distribution as well as thermal and dimethyl sulfoxide denaturation, molecular structures of the pathogenic RNA are presented, and possible functional significance is discussed.
Geometric characterization of planar regression

The geometric characterization of linear regression in terms of the ‘concentration ellipse’ by Galton [Galton, F., 1886, Family likeness in stature (with Appendix by Dickson, J.D.H.). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 40, 42–73.] and Pearson [Pearson, K., 1901, On lines and planes of closest fit to systems of points in space. Philosophical Magazine, 2, 559–572.] was extended to the case of unequal variances of the presumably uncorrelated errors in the experimental data [McCartin, B.J., 2003, A geometric characterization of linear regression. Statistics, 37(2), 101–117.]. In this paper, this geometric characterization is further extended to planar (and also linear) regression in three dimensions where a beautiful interpretation in terms of the concentration ellipsoid is developed.
Continuous Wave Diode Laser Induced Two-Photon Fluorescence Excitation of Three Calcium Indicators

Continuous wave (CW) diode laser induced two-photon fluorescence spectra have been measured for calcium indicators of Indo-1, Oregon-green, and Fluo-3. The near 2.0 log-log power-dependence of fluorescence intensity versus incident laser power indicates that the fluorescence from these three calcium indicators was excited by two-photon absorption process of 809-nm laser light. Calcium-dependent emission spectra of Indo-1 and Oregon-green for two-photon excitation under wavelength of 809-nm have also been measured.
A gross and microscopic study of the respiratory anatomy of the antarctic weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddelli

Four species of Phocidae, or true seals, inhabit the waters surrounding the Antarctic continent. These animals are thought to have different diving capabilities. The Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddelli, is known to be capable of attaining depths up to 600 meters. The respiratiory system of the Weddell seal shows the usual adaptations to an aquatic environment characteristic of other marine. These include lungs that undergo compression acollapse at depths greater than 70 meters; hyaline cartilage in the tracheo-bronchial tree as far as the terminal bronchioles; and large amounts of smooth muscle surrounding the distal-most bronchioles. The collapsible lungs provide a mechanism by which air is forced from the alveoli adjacent to the pulmonary capillary beds thereby preventing the absorption of nitrogen gas into the bloodsteam. The presence of hyaline cartilage throughout most of the tracheo-bronchial tree increases the effective dead air space that accommodates most of the air forced from the collapsed lungs. The smooth muscle surrounding the respiratory bronchioles prevents their collapse while under the pressures of a deep dive. Collapse of the respiratory bronchioles not supported by cartilage would trap air in the lung alveoli during a dive. In addition, large- sac-like "diverticulae" are found in the submucosa throughout the tracheo-bronchial tree. These diverticulae, which open directly into the lumen of the tree, appear to be modified glands whose cells, in most cases, do not appear to be specialized for secretory function. They are most numerous in the more distal bronchi and terminal bronchioles where they are situated on both the luminal and adventitial sides of the hyaline cartilage supporting the walls of the air passages. Diverticulae are not found in the respiratory bronchioles or in the respiratory portion of the lungs.
Pinpointing Extragalactic Neutrino Sources in Light of Recent IceCube Observations

The IceCube Collaboration has recently reported the observation of a flux of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. The angular distribution of events is consistent with an isotropic arrival direction of neutrinos which is expected for an extragalactic origin. We estimate the prospects of detecting individual neutrino sources from a quasidiffuse superposition of many extragalactic sources at the level of the IceCube observation. Unlike previous analyses, we take into account ensemble variations of the source distribution as well as the event statistics of individual sources. We show that IceCube in its present configuration is sensitive to rare $\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}\text{ }{\mathrm{yr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ transient source classes within five years of operation via the observation of event clusters. Identification of time-independent sources is more challenging due to larger backgrounds. We estimate that during the same period IceCube is sensitive to sparse sources with densities of $\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ via association of events with the closest 100 sources of an ensemble. We show that a next-generation neutrino observatory with 5 times the effective area of IceCube and otherwise similar detector performance would increase the sensitivity to source densities and rates by about 2 orders of magnitude.
Characterization of lepidopteran prenyltransferase in Manduca sexta corpora allata

An in vitro assay has been developed for determining prenyltransferase activity in larval corpora allata homogenates of the lepidopteran Manduca sexta. Optimal activity was obtained by the addition of glycerol and bovine serum albumin. The prenyltransferase required either Mg2+ or Mn2+ for activity and was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, and higher concentrations of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Because of the prenyltransferase's low sensitivity to phosphate, the addition of 100 mM phosphate could be used to selectively inhibit IPP isomerase, which otherwise remained active under our standard assay conditions. Efficient coupling of geranyl pyrophosphate with IPP to yield farnesyl pyrophosphate required the presence of a nonionic detergent, such as Triton X-100. Although the addition of up to 3% detergent resulted in significant activity enhancement, the protein is not membrane-bound, as determined by enzyme localization studies. Preliminary studies using homologous substrates suggest that the lepidopteran enzyme has different substrate specificity than other known prenyltransferases. Competition studies using homodimethylallyl pyrophosphate (HDMAPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) indicated a 1.8:1 preference for the ethyl-substituted substrate. Further examination of DMAPP and HDMAPP coupling patterns showed that this specificity is the result of higher discrimination in the first condensation step. These results suggest that lepidopteran prenyltransferase may regulate the proportions of the various juvenile hormone homologues that are biosynthesized within the corpora allata. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.