cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chlorine in the Galactic Interstellar Medium: Revised f-Values with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph*

Cl I is the atomic species most directly coupled to molecular hydrogen due to its chemistry. Its weakest lines are thereby probably the best tracer of optically thick H2 components in diffuse clouds. We report on the empirical determination of the oscillator strengths for four Cl I absorption lines predicted to be weak and often detected toward moderately reddened sight lines observed with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). We compared our oscillator strength estimates with the oscillator strength calculations listed in Morton. We find that our empirical oscillator strength values for the Cl I 1004, 1079, 1090, and 1094 A lines differ from the theoretical predictions by factors of ~3.1, 1.2, 2.4, and 0.42, respectively. We briefly discuss the value of Cl I as tracer of molecular gas for our star sample.
F111 Crew Escape Module pilot parachute

A successfully deployment of a parachute system highly depends on the efficiency of the deployment device and/or method. There are several existing methods and devices that may be considered for a deployment system. For the F111 Crew Escape Module (CEM), the recovery parachute system deployment is initiated by the firing of a catapult that ejects the complete system from the CEM. At first motion of the pack, a drogue gun is fired, which deploys the pilot parachute system. The pilot parachute system then deploys the main parachute system, which consists of a cluster of three 49-ft diameter parachutes. The pilot parachute system which extracts the F111 Crew Escape Module recovery parachute system must provide reasonable bag strip velocities throughout the flight envelope (10 psf to 300 psf). The pilot parachute system must, therefore, have sufficient drag area at the lower dynamic pressures and a reduced drag area at the high end of the flight envelope. The final design that was developed was a dual parachute system which consists of a 5-ft diameter guide surface parachute tethered inside a 10-ft diameter flat circular parachute. The high drag area is sustained at the low dynamic pressures by keeping both parachutes intact. Themore » drag area is reduced at the higher extreme by allowing the 10-ft parachute attachment to fail. The discussions to follow describe in detail how the system was developed. 4 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.« less
THREE-DIMENSIONAL NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF PIPELAYING

The dynamic behaviour of pipelines in stinger and J-type pipelaying is studied by solving numerically a three-dimensional, nonlinear, large deformation model. The pipeline is modeled as a thin-walled, slender, locally stiff, extensible or inextensible, tubular beam-column, subject to nonlinear, three-dimensional, deformation dependent hydrodynamic loads, torsion, distributed moments, varying axial tension, internal and external fluid static forces, gravity, and seabed friction. Unilaterial contact constraints are imposed by the fixed seabed and the moving stinger. A time incremental, finite element algorithm is developed to solve the problem numerically by gradually applying the load. Nonpenetration and nonadhesion principles are used to impose the seabed and the time dependent stinger constraints. Constrained degress of freedom are identified and assembled in a condensed problem, which produces constraint reaction forces. In order to study the pipelaying dynamics, several applications are simulated numerically for two and three-dimensional, moderate and deep water, stinger and J -type pipelaying.
Measuring nuclear excitation energies and Q-values with a cyclotron-magnetic spectrograph system

Abstract Nuclear excitation energies and reaction Q -values have been measured with the M.S.U. cyclotron-magnetic spectrograph system with uncertainties on the order of 1 keV or less. The method involves a spectrograph calibration procedure which utilizes a combination of momentum-matching and kinematics techniques. The calibration lines used in the present work are independent of any previous spectrograph based on the 210 Po(α) energy scale. The present work is also largely independent of Ge(Li) gamma detector measurements, and provides independent consistency checks on previous measurements at the 1 keV uncertainty level. Sample results include checks on the excitation energies of the first excited state of 12 C and the third excited state of 24 Mg. The excitation energy of the first excited state of 11 C and the Q -values for the reactions 24 Mg(p,d) 23 Mg and 24 Mg(p,t) 22 Mg are also presented.
Sources of Trace Metal Contamination Artifacts during Collection, Handling, and Analysis of Freshwaters

Clean techniques are necessary for reliable measurement of trace metals in freshwaters at ambient, though not necessarily regulatory concentrations. Conventional sample handling methods were compared to clean techniques for 35 individual steps used in protocols for analysis of filtrate and filter-retained forms of Ag, Cd, Cu, and Pb. Approximately two-thirds of all steps contributed statistically significant amounts of contamination in the measurement of dissolved and particulate Cd, Cu, and Pb. Average contamination for a single contributing step was 300%, 141%, and 200% for the three metals, respectively (where 100% represents no added contamination). Relative Cu contamination tended to be lower, partly because real levels in water are higher for this metal. Contamination generally was not a problem for Ag, when it was present in water at higher than background levels. With that exception, it does not seem possible to abridge clean technique protocols, even when measuring trace metals in polluted freshw...
Higher-order stiffness matrices in nonlinear finite element analysis of plane truss structures

Abstract There are enormous number of steel truss bridges in the U.S. and around the world. Elementary theory of structural analysis or linear elastic small displacement finite element method is typically used for analysis and design of these bridges. However, steel bridges may face large deflections and inelastic displacements due to unexpected live loads and/or unfavorable environmental conditions. Therefore, there is a need for the second- or higher-order elastic and/or inelastic analysis of these bridges. This article presents a methodology for the elastic large displacement analysis of plane trusses that are novel in bridge engineering practice. Higher-order stiffness matrices are derived and implemented in conjunction with the finite element procedure and updated Lagrangian description for the nonlinear analysis of plane truss structures. A numerical method, a modified Riks–Wempner approach, is used for the solution of geometric nonlinear plane truss problems. Numerical examples and results are presented to check the accuracy of the software developed by comparing the results of numerical examples with theoretical results and examples published by other authors. In this research, the concept of Object-Oriented technology and C++ programming language are used for coding and software developed.
Visible light-promoted metal-free sp(3)-C-H fluorination.

Photoexcited acetophenone can catalyze the fluorination of unactivated C(sp3)–H groups. While acetophenone, a colorless oil, only has a trace amount of absorption in the visible light region, its photoexcitation can be achieved by irradiation with light generated by a household compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). This operational simple method provides improved substrate scope for the direct incorporation of a fluorine atom into simple organic molecules. CFL-irradiation can also be used to promote certain classic UV-promoted photoreactions of colorless monoarylketones and enones/enals.
Conversational displays of mediator neutrality in a court-based program

This study examines conversational interaction in order to describe the conversational features of mediator neutrality in a court-based community mediation program. Data for the study were video recordings of actual mediation sessions with participants who were volunteer mediators and disputants who filed small claims cases. Conversation methods for maintaining neutrality included self-labeling, unbiased paraphrasing, perspective display invitations, footing, and replies to disputant information seeking attempts. These conversational structures display neutrality in that they neither affiliate nor disaffiliate with either disputant. Through an examination of mediator neutrality, this work contributes in potentially important ways to the pragmatics literature and to theorizing about neutrality by examining neutrality as an interactive phenomenon.
How Latinos Are Transforming the United States: Research, Theory, and Policy

The United States is entering a new era, a period marked by some important demographic changes in the composition of the population, most especially significant increases in the Latino and Latino immigrant segments of society. These population shifts require corresponding interpersonal, organizational, and structural changes. The present issue bridges research and theory across disciplines and includes studies incorporating a variety of methodologies to examine these important areas. These articles begin to fill some of the voids where a systematic and robust corpus of knowledge is lacking. The contributions address topics ranging from issues of identity and interpersonal relations to pressing matters of educational significance to general approaches to navigating the cultural transitions that mark fluid transnational adaptations. Finally, each contribution delineates the policy implications resulting from the processes and literatures that are examined.
Passing a Central Axis Congruence Through Six Arbitrary Lines in Space

The design theory of a spatial 4C linkage to move a rigid body through four specified spatial positions determines a congruence of lines that may be used as fixed axes of the linkage, called the central axis congruence. In this paper, we locate a central axis congruence in space by identifying six arbitrary lines that it is to contain; we do not specify the positions of a rigid body or the associated relative displacement screws. We find that this yields at least one and as many as five different central axis congruences through a given set of six lines. Having defined the congruence without identifying any positions, we then show how to determine sets of four spatial positions that generate the given central axis congruence.
Normal and Abnormal Heme Biosynthesis. 6. Synthesis and Metabolism of a Series of Monovinylporphyrinogens Related to Harderoporphyrinogen. Further Insights into the Oxidative Decarboxylation of Porphyrinogen Substrates by Coproporphyrinogen Oxidase

A series of vinylporphyrinogens were prepared to probe the enzyme coproporphyrinogen oxidase (CPO). Six (2-chloroethyl)porphyrins were synthesized from a common dipyrrylmethane via a,c-biladiene intermediates in excellent yields. Subsequent dehydrohalogenation with DBU in refluxing DMF then gave the required vinylporphyrin methyl esters, including harderoporphyrin-I, harderoporphyrin-III, and isoharderoporphyrin. The corresponding porphyrinogen carboxylic acids were incubated with chicken red cell hemolysates, which contain the enzyme CPO, and the products analyzed. The 17-ethyl analogue of harderoporphyrinogen-III, but not its 13-ethyl isomer, was shown to be an excellent substrate for CPO in accord with a proposed model for the active site of this enzyme. In addition, harderoporphyrinogen-VII, the monovinyl intermediate in the metabolism of coproporphyrinogen-IV, was shown to be an equally good substrate for this enzyme. However, isoharderoporphyrinogen, which lacks the correct ordering of peripheral su...
Tidal Heating of Globular Clusters

The influence of tidal heating on the evolution of globular clusters (GC’s) in circular orbits about the Galactic center is studied. Giant Molecular Clouds (GMC’s) stretch a globular cluster in a direction transverse to its orbit through the disk. The variation in acceleration with height in the disk compresses the cluster in a longititudinal direction. Numerical and analytic calculations of heating and mass loss for GC’s, represented by King models, show that disk heating dominates. We apply the results to calculate GC evolution prior to core collapse or tidal disruption using a three parameter (energy, mass, and tidal radius) sequence of King models. The changes in the parameters are calculated for tidal perturbations, relaxation and evaporation. Clusters close to the Galactic center (less than 3 kpc) undergo core collapse in a Hubble time. The effect of tidal perturbations on energy and mass loss of the cluster is strongest between 3 and 5 kpc where it can substantially effect the evolution of the cluster. Here, depending upon their initial concentration, clusters are either tidally heated and dissolved, or forced towards a gravothermal catastrophe in times that are a fraction of a Hubble time. These inner regions of the Galaxy should be fertile territory for the search for post-collapsed clusters.
Neural crest and cardiovascular development: A 20-year perspective

Background Twenty years ago this year was the first publication describing a region of neural crest cells necessary for normal cardiovascular development. Ablation of this region in chick resulted in persistent truncus arteriosus, mispatterning of the great vessels, outflow malalignments, and hypoplasia or aplasia of the pharyngeal glands. Methods We begin with a historical perspective and then review the progress that has been made in the ensuing 20 years in determining the direct and indirect contributions of the neural crest cells, now termed cardiac neural crest cells, in cardiovascular and pharyngeal arch development. Many of the molecular pathways that are now known to influence the specification, migration, patterning and final targeting of the cardiac neural crest cells are also reviewed. Results Although much knowledge has been gained by using many genetic manipulations to understand the cardiac neural crest cells' role in cardiovascular development, most models fail to explain the phenotypes seen in syndromic and non-syndromic human congenital heart defects, such as the DiGeorge syndrome. Conclusions We propose that the cardiac neural crest exists as part of a larger cardiocraniofacial morphogenetic field and describe several human syndromes that result from abnormal development of this field. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 69:2–13, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Function of Bilateral Kinship Patterns in a New England Industry

The social organization of industrial systems has been a topic of major interest among social scientists for two decades. While anthropologists have been concerned with the consequences of industrial growth in underdeveloped areas of the world, by and large the locus of sociological research on industrial organization has been the United States. However, sociologists have given particular attention to the large bureaucratized industrial systems, rather than small or loosely organized industries.1 Anthropologists, as well as sociologists, have often assumed that modern industrial systems, to the extent that they strive for efficiency, are based on a rational allocation of tasks and functions in terms of the technical organization of productive means. In line with this assumption, it has been maintained that kinship plays a rather insignificant role in the patterning of modern industrial relations, particularly in Western societies.
MicroRNAs in kidney function and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are short, noncoding RNA sequences that regulate gene expression by blocking protein translation or inducing messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation. miRNA is found in various tissues with variable expression, and changes in expression are related to various disease processes. Evidence suggests that changes in miRNA expression are critical for the normal development of kidney tissue. Alternatively, in diseases such as diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease, and lupus nephritis, specific miRNAs may enhance disease manifestations in a myriad of ways, ranging from activation of fibrotic pathways to anatomic changes that abet proteinuria. The variable expression of miRNA in kidney tissue, whether in the context of normal development or disease processes, makes miRNAs a valuable new tool for understanding, diagnosing, and discovering therapeutic options for pathologic processes that affect the kidney.
Covalent crosslinking of neurofilament proteins by oxidized catechols as a potential mechanism of lewy body formation

Brainstem Lewy bodies (LB) are neuronal inclusions that are closely related to Parkinson's disease (PD). The filamentous component of LB from patients with PD contains biochemically altered neurofilaments (NF). Herein we have tested the hypothesis that the oxidized products of catechols may covalently crosslink NF. Neurofilaments were incubated in the presence of oxidized L-dopa, dopamine, or dop-ac and then analyzed by SDS-PAGE and protein staining or immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies specific for neurolfilament subunit proteins. Oxidized catechols yielded the same pattern of NF protein crosslinking as known covalent crosslinking agents. Coincubation of NF and catechols with N ω -acetyl-L-lysine (NAL) produced strong reactivity on immunoblots probed with a polyclonal antiserum specific for NAL crosslinked to protein (antiserum 1400/3). Crosslinking of NAL to model proteins by oxidized dopac was followed by antibody capture assays using antiserum 1400/3. Increasing immunoreactivity was observed for 0.01 to 1.0 mM dopac and was augmented by Cu 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Mn 2+ , or Mn 3+ up to 0.1 mM. These results show that the products of catechol oxidation can covalently crosslink neurofilaments, that the crosslinking mechanism can involve lysine, and that copper, iron, and manganese ions can accelerate catechol-mediated protein crosslinking
Poor outcome following aborted orthotopic liver transplantation due to severe porto-pulmonary hypertension

The diagnosis of porto-pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in patients with end-stage liver disease at the time of surgery is not an uncommon occurrence. The decision to proceed with orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with severe PPHN is associated with high perioperative mortality. We sought to determine the progression of PPHN and patient outcome following aborted OLT. A retrospective analysis of 2150 OLT cases was performed. The analysis revealed that six cases (0.3%) were cancelled due to severe PPHN at the time of surgery. The progression to severe PPHN occurred on median over a period of 82 days (range 10–229 days). Following aborted OLT, three patients (50%) expired shortly after. Cancellation of OLT due to severe pulmonary hypertension was also associated with high mortality. Moreover, this preliminary study reveals that once diagnosed, PPHN can progress to a more severe form over a short period of time. Therefore, we recommend more frequent monitoring of PPHN in this population of patients.
Partial identification of amenity demand functions

This paper presents a new hedonic framework for reduced form estimation of the demand for spatially delineated nonmarket amenities. We begin from a conventional model of market equilibrium where an amenity is conveyed to homeowners by virtue of their residential location choices. Different housing markets may have different hedonic price functions due to variation across markets in the joint distribution of preferences, income, regulations, and technology. In this setting, taste-based sorting within and across markets confounds point identification of reduced form descriptions for amenity demand curves. However, we demonstrate that basic knowledge of the sorting process is sufficient to construct instruments that identify bounds on demand curves. Bounds on demand curves can be translated into ranges of welfare measures for non-marginal changes in amenities. We find these ranges to be potentially informative in a demonstrative application to evaluating the benefits of improved lake water clarity in the Northeast.
Effect of processing time delay on the dose response of Kodak EDR2 film

Kodak EDR2 film is a widely used two-dimensional dosimeter for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) measurements. Our clinical use of EDR2 film for IMRT verifications revealed variations and uncertainties in dose response that were larger than expected, given that we perform film calibrations for every experimental measurement. We found that the length of time between film exposure and processing can affect the absolute dose response of EDR2 film by as much as 4%-6%. EDR2 films were exposed to 300 cGy using 6 and 18 MV 10 x 10 cm2 fields and then processed after time delays ranging from 2 min to 24 h. An ion chamber measured the relative dose for these film exposures. The ratio of optical density (OD) to dose stabilized after 3 h. Compared to its stable value, the film response was 4%-6% lower at 2 min and 1% lower at 1 h. The results of the 4 min and 1 h processing time delays were verified with a total of four different EDR2 film batches. The OD/dose response for XV2 films was consistent for time periods of 4 min and 1 h between exposure and processing. To investigate possible interactions of the processing time delay effect with dose, single EDR2 films were irradiated to eight different dose levels between 45 and 330 cGy using smaller 3 x 3 cm2 areas. These films were processed after time delays of 1, 3, and 6 h, using 6 and 18 MV photon qualities. The results at all dose levels were consistent, indicating that there is no change in the processing time delay effect for different doses. The difference in the time delay effect between the 6 and 18 MV measurements was negligible for all experiments. To rule out bias in selecting film regions for OD measurement, we compared the use of a specialized algorithm that systematically determines regions of interest inside the 10 x 10 cm2 exposure areas to manually selected regions of interest. There was a maximum difference of only 0.07% between the manually and automatically selected regions, indicating that the use of a systematic algorithm to determine regions of interest in large and fairly uniform areas is not necessary. Based on these results, we recommend a minimum time of 1 h between exposure and processing for all EDR2 film measurements.
Dyslipidemia and ischemic heart disease mortality among men and women with diabetes.

BACKGROUNDWe investigated whether the greater increased risk of ischemic heart disease mortality associated with diabetes among women compared with men could be explained by their more pronounced l...
The chronic depressive in the community: unrecognized and poorly treated.

Abstract Several previous studies have reported that a significant minority of patients (approximately 15%) remain chronic or in partial remission following an acute depressive episode. In 1969 Robins and Guze reviewed 20 follow-up studies of affective disorders and concluded a chronic course occurred in from 1% to 28%, with an average of 12%–15% of the patients. 1 Other recent studies have published figures in the same range (Table 1). 2–4 Chronically depressed patients can pose diagnostic and treatment challenges. Since they are high users of medical services, their persistent somatic complaints often lead to costly laboratory and X-ray procedures. If these diagnostic studies are negetive, such patients are considered troublesome and are labeled neurotic or "crocks." Lipsitt and others working in general medical settings have proposed that many hypochondriac patients are unrecognized and poorly treated depressives. 5,6 This paper reports data from a 20 month follow-up of 150 female acute depressives who had responded initially to a tricyclic antidepressant with reduction in symptoms and then had entered a maintenance trial in which they were randomly assigned to drugs and/or psychotherapy or to a no-further-treatment control group. Among these 150 patients, we identified a group who remained chronically depressed during the year after maintenance therapy had ended. These patients had persisting depressive symptoms, continuing impairment in their daily lives, and were high users of medical and psychiatric services. We have four purposes in presenting these data: to describe the clinical and other characteristics of these chronic depressives; to identify factors predictive of chronic course after acute depression; to draw attention to the diagnostic implications of unrecognized chronic depressions; and to recommend treatment interventions which may reduce the frequency and intensity of chronic depression.
Anomalous cold water detected along Mid‐Atlantic Coast

In July 2003, anomalous cold water along the mid-Atlantic coast affected local tourism and fishing. The cold water interfered with tuna fishing, and for 2 to 3 weeks, rockfish generally found during the fall were present in the area [Kelly, 2003]. Satellite data, buoy observations, and weather maps were analyzed to investigate the cause of this cold water event. The results show that the increasing westerly and southerly winds that resulted from approaching cold fronts may have induced upwelling away from and along the mid-Atlantic coast. This, combined with the southward advection of cold sea water from the North Atlantic Ocean, might have caused the anomalous cold water along the coast.
Determination of Composite Slab Strength Using a New Elemental Test Method

Composite slabs utilizing cold-formed profiled steel decks are commonly used for floor systems in steel framed buildings. The behavior and strength of composite slabs are normally controlled by the horizontal shear bond between the steel deck and the concrete. The strength of the horizontal shear bond depends on many factors and it is not possible to provide representative design values that can be applied to all slab conditions a priori. Thus, present design standards require that the design parameters be obtained from full-size bending tests, which are typically one or two deck panels wide and a single span. However, because these full-size tests can be expensive and time consuming, smaller size specimens, referred to as elemental tests, are desirable and have been the subject of a great deal of research. Details for a new elemental test method for composite slab specimens under bending are presented. Test results consisting of maximum applied load, end slips, and failure modes are presented and compared with the results of full-size specimens with similar end details, spans, etc. It is shown that the performance of the elemental test developed in this study is in good agreement with the performance of the full-size specimens. Application of test data to current design specifications is also presented.
Qualitative Research in Family Therapy: A Substantive and Methodological Review

Over the last decade, marriage and family therapy (MFT) researchers have developed a growing interest in qualitative research. In this article, we review substantive and methodological trends in the published qualitative studies within the MFT field. The research is compared and contrasted in the following areas: General topic, epistemological theory, methodological theory, sampling and sample, data collection, data analysis procedure, and approach to reliability and validity. We also provide recommendations for future research.
Measuring characteristics of frankfurters extended with sorghum flour

Inclusion of 2, 3.5 or 5% sorghum flour in frankfurters had no significant influence on pH, viscosity or thermal stability of batters. Water-holding capacity was lower for batter containing 5% sorghum flour. The level of sorghum flour had no effect on proximate composition, mechanical, sensory or shelf-life measurements. Leucine and isoleucine levels and saturation index decreased with the incorporation of 5% sorghum flour. Storage period at 6 +/- 1C also had no effect on sensory measures of frankfurters. However, water activity and TBA values of frankfurters increased after 15 days of storage; no further increases were found after 30 days. Microbial colony forming units could be detected only after 30 days and did not increase further. Total volatile nitrogen did not increase until day 40 of storage. No interactions were found between level of sorghum flour and day of storage for any of the parameters tested. Up to 5% sorghum flour can be used in frankfurters without adverse effects.
The effects of dietary levels of chloride and bicarbonate on egg production and shell quality

AbstractGroups of individually caged Single Comb White Leghorn layers in their seventh month of lay (Trial 1) and pullets entering their first production cycle (Trial 2) were fed a corn-soy diet with four levels of NaCl and four levels of NaHCO3 to maintain a constant level of added sodium of 0.11% and levels of added chloride varying from 0.02 and 0.18%. Analyses for total chloride in the various diets showed a range from 0.08 to 0.23. No significant differences due to treatment were observed in egg shell deformation or shell thickness. In Trial 2, hen-day egg production of the groups fed the lowest level of chloride (0.08%) was significantly lower than production at any of the higher chloride levels. It appears that 0.08% chloride was not adequate for egg production but 0.14% was adequate.
Liver Transplantation from a Donor with Multiple Biliary Hamartomata

Biliary hamartomata are rare benign lesions. Herein, we report on a 48-year-old man with a history of end-stage liver disease secondary to alcoholic liver disease. The patient received an orthotropic liver transplant from a brain-death woman. At the time of recovery, there were multiple lesions in the transplanted liver measuring 7–10 mm. Pathology revealed multiple biliary hamartomata. The postoperative course of the recipient was uncomplicated and he was discharged home 10 days after the transplantation.
Medical uses of monochromatic X-rays

If we take advantage of time of flight imaging, phase imaging, energy discriminant information, inherent absorption differences of tissues, fast gated digital detectors, computer enhancements and reconstruction of data, and new chemoradiotherapeutic agents, monochromatic X-rays will have a shining future in medicine.
Throughput and energy efficiency of sensor networks with multiuser receivers and spatial diversity

Linear multiuser detectors and receive antenna arrays enhance the received signal-to-noise ratio, thereby improving both the throughput and the energy efficiency of sensor networks. We assume Rayleigh flat-fading and no uplink channel state information, and derive analytically the throughput of large sensor networks with linear multiuser detectors and spatial diversity, for both deterministic scheduling and slotted ALOHA multiple access. We introduce the notion of effective energy, and show that it can be minimized by judiciously choosing the number of simultaneous transmissions and the transmission power.
Human germline and pan-cancer variomes and their distinct functional profiles

Identification of non-synonymous single nucleotide variations (nsSNVs) has exponentially increased due to advances in Next-Generation Sequencing technologies. The functional impacts of these variations have been difficult to ascertain because the corresponding knowledge about sequence functional sites is quite fragmented. It is clear that mapping of variations to sequence functional features can help us better understand the pathophysiological role of variations. In this study, we investigated the effect of nsSNVs on more than 17 common types of post-translational modification (PTM) sites, active sites and binding sites. Out of 1 705 285 distinct nsSNVs on 259 216 functional sites we identified 38 549 variations that significantly affect 10 major functional sites. Furthermore, we found distinct patterns of site disruptions due to germline and somatic nsSNVs. Pan-cancer analysis across 12 different cancer types led to the identification of 51 genes with 106 nsSNV affected functional sites found in 3 or more cancer types. 13 of the 51 genes overlap with previously identified Significantly Mutated Genes (Nature. 2013 Oct 17;502(7471)). 62 mutations in these 13 genes affecting functional sites such as DNA, ATP binding and various PTM sites occur across several cancers and can be prioritized for additional validation and investigations.
ED Evaluation of Transient Global Amnesia

Transient global amnesia is an unusual syndrome involving a transient memory loss and inability to form new memories, without affecting other cognitive functions. Although the patient often lacks insight into the problem, the syndrome is very frightening for family members, who frequently present to the ED. The evaluation of the syndrome is the subject of some controversy. This review presents current understanding about the causes of transient global amnesia and an approach to the ED evaluation of the syndrome.
On the Symmetry Analysis of Surface Induced Effects

The changes in the components of a wide variety of tensor physical properties, including piezomagnetic, piezomagnetic, magnetoelectric properties and toroidic properties, on traversing from the bulk to the surface of a crystalline material are explicitly tabulated.
Some Studies on the Solarization of Glass

This work covers the visible light transmission changes due to solar and high-pressure mercury-arc radiation for a soda-lime glass when 0.15% of As2O3, CeO2, MnO2, and Sb2O3 are added. Each oxidizing agent exhibits characteristic color change after irradiation and Sb2O3 shows least color change. Effects of ultraviolet radiation on transmission in the infrared and ultraviolet are given. Differences in the depth of penetration of the color change for solar and arc radiation are pointed out. Replacement of Na2O or K2O by Li2O causes radical reduction in color change from mercury-arc radiation. A Li2O -BeO-SiO2 glass exhibits no color change when subjected to mercury-arc radiation.
Forecasting Requirements for Physical Therapists

In response to the existing undersupply of physical therapists and the projected changes of the health care reform era, it is prudent for the profession to consider implementing a training strategy that would bring the supply of physical therapists in line with requirements. Before such a training strategy could be developed, however, the physical therapy community would need to produce a requirements forecast. This article compares the uses and limitations of the two major methods for generating health professions requirements—the “need-based” and “demand-based” approaches—and recommends a pragmatic, tailored approach to determining physical therapist requirements that uses easily obtainable data on staffing patterns of managed care plans. The proposed method draws from both need-based and demand-based models to produce complementary data on which to base policy formation.
RSV Immunoprophylaxis: Does the Benefit Justify the Cost?

* Abbreviations: RSV — : respiratory syncytial virus Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is among the last viruses to cause major, predictable worldwide outbreaks of disease and for which no vaccine or broadly effective antiviral drug is available. Annually in the United States, RSV accounts for ∼125 000 hospitalizations, 2.1 million outpatient visits to a pediatrician’s office or an emergency department, and 250 deaths among children in the first years of life.1 In addition to the burden of acute disease caused by RSV, severe lower respiratory tract infection early in life is associated with recurrent wheezing during the first decade of life.2,3 The unresolved issue of the association between severe viral respiratory illness early in life and subsequent wheezing remains one of the more perplexing issues in pediatrics. Numerous studies have documented that infants hospitalized with viral lower airway disease (especially after rhinovirus or RSV infection) are more likely to experience recurrent wheezing in contrast to infants who do not experience severe bronchiolitis.3–5 Association of a susceptibility locus on chromosome 17q21, rhinovirus infection in early childhood, and wheezing indicates the existence of a complex interaction between a genetic predisposition and environmental factors.4 The unresolved question is whether a severe viral respiratory infection early in life alters normal lung development in a way that predisposes to subsequent wheezing or whether certain infants have a preexisting aberration of the immune response or of airway function that predisposes to both severe bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing.6 If viral lower respiratory tract infections have a causal association with recurrent wheezing, prevention of infection should reduce the incidence of wheezing. If severe bronchiolitis simply identifies an infant who is predisposed to recurrent wheezing from a number of causes, prevention of RSV infection will have little or no impact on subsequent wheezing. An industry-sponsored report by Yoshihara et … Address correspondence to H. Cody Meissner, MD, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111. E-mail: cmeissner{at}tuftsmedicalcenter.org
Corticosteroids in Myositis and Scleroderma

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) involve inflammation of the muscles and are classified by the patterns of presentation and immunohistopathologic features on skin and muscle biopsy into 4 categories: dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Systemic corticosteroid (CS) treatment is the standard of care for IIM with muscle and organ involvement. The extracutaneous features of systemic sclerosis are frequently treated with CS; however, high doses have been associated with scleroderma renal crisis in high-risk patients. Although CS can be effective first-line agents, their significant side effect profile encourages concomitant treatment with other immunosuppressive medications to enable timely tapering.
When does an argument use a generic example

We offer criteria that an observer can use to determine whether an argument that uses an example to argue for a general claim appeals to that example generically. We review existing literature on generic example and note the strengths of each contribution, as well as inconsistencies among uses of the term. We offer several examples from the literature and our own data to develop and illustrate criteria for assessing whether an example is used generically.
Stated Preference for Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review of the Literature, 1990–2013

Introduction Stated-preference methods provide a systematic approach to quantitatively assess the relative preferences for features of cancer screening tests. We reviewed stated-preference studies for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening to identify the types of attributes included, the use of questions to assess uptake, and whether gaps exist in these areas. The goal of our review is to inform research on the design and promotion of public health programs to increase cancer screening. Methods Using the PubMed and EconLit databases, we identified studies published in English from January 1990 through July 2013 that measured preferences for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening test attributes using conjoint analysis or a discrete-choice experiment. We extracted data on study characteristics and results. We categorized studies by whether attributes evaluated included screening test, health care delivery characteristics, or both. Results Twenty-two studies met the search criteria. Colorectal cancer was the most commonly studied cancer of the 3. Fifteen studies examined only screening test attributes (efficacy, process, test characteristics, and cost). Two studies included only health care delivery attributes (information provided, staff characteristics, waiting time, and distance to facility). Five studies examined both screening test and health care delivery attributes. Overall, cancer screening test attributes had a significant effect on a patient's selection of a cancer screening test, and health care delivery attributes had mixed effects on choice. Conclusion A growing number of studies examine preferences for cancer screening tests. These studies consistently find that screening test attributes, such as efficacy, process, and cost, are significant determinants of choice. Fewer studies have examined the effect of health care delivery attributes on choice, and the results from these studies are mixed. There is a need for additional studies on the barriers to cancer screening uptake, including health care delivery attributes, and the effect of education materials on preferences.
Technologies and Methods in Primary Ablation with Focal Therapy

Based on the current available data, focal therapy appears to offer consistent if not superior cancer control results, compared with whole gland ablation, or even other whole gland treatments such as robotic radical prostatectomy and radiation. This is particularly evident in medium- and high-risk patients. It accomplishes this with extremely low morbidity, far lower than RP or IMRT. The long-term results that are just being reported with focal therapy can give some degree of comfort that patient outcomes are not compromised by this approach. Many technologies are being investigated for focal therapy and time will tell the utility of each. The most exciting future possibility associated with focal therapy is the harnessing of a specific tumor immune response to improve results in the high-risk patients.
Wealth Inequality Among Immigrants: Consistent Racial/Ethnic Inequality in the United States

Wealth is a strong indicator of immigrant integration in U.S. society. Drawing on new assimilation theory, we highlight the importance of racial/ethnic group boundaries and propose different paths of wealth integration among U.S. immigrants. Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation and quantile regression, we show that race/ethnicity shapes immigrant wealth inequality across the entire distribution of net worth, along with immigrants’ U.S. experience, such as immigrant status, U.S. education, English language proficiency, and time spent in the United States. Our results document consistent racial/ethnic inequality among immigrants, also evidenced among the U.S. born, revealing that even when accounting for key aspects of U.S. experience, wealth inequality with whites for Latino and black immigrants is strong.
Supreme Court Preview: Is the Government Required to Satisfy a Heightened Statutory Burden Because It Failed to Object to an Erroneous Jury Instruction?

Petitioner Michael Musacchio was convicted pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1030(a)(2)(c), which makes it unlawful for individuals to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, or to intentionally exceed authorized access. The Court granted certiorari to consider whether the law-of-the-case doctrine requires the government to satisfy a heightened burden of proof because the district court, without objection, erroneously instructed the jury that it must find Petitioner guilty of unauthorized access and exceeding authorized access. Petitioner asserts that an acquittal is consistent with the interests of justice because “the Government was incapable of proving the conjunctive crime it alleged, the conjunctive crime it tried, and the conjunctive crime as instructed to the jury without objection.” The likely problem with this argument is that the conduct for which Petitioner was convicted satisfied one of the disjunctive statutory requirements. Thus, absent the erroneous jury instruction, the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction. Moreover, and as stated above, even though the evidence was “aimed at both forms of access,” Petitioner does not claim that the evidence was insufficient to convict him on the “unauthorized access” element. For these reasons, this argument appears to place form over substance, and the Court is likely to find it unpersuasive.
A 3D Micromechanics Model for Strain Rate Dependent Inelastic Polymer Matrix Composites

A 3D incremental sectional micromechanics model is developed for strain rate dependent inelastic polymer matrix composite materials. A repeating unit cell is identified within the material system, which is then divided into several subcells. Uniform stress and uniform strain assumptions are applied in each subcell. Appropriate stress and strain continuity assumptions are made between subcells. A two-level approach is developed for solving the system of equations of the micromechanics model in order to improve the computational efficiency. The developed micromechanics model is implemented into a commercial finite element analysis package. The results show that the current 3D micromechanics model can address the rate dependent inelastic behavior of polymer composite materials accurately and efficiently. Numerical results are also presented to demonstrate the applicability of the micromechanics theory in modeling high velocity impact of composite laminates. Good correlation is observed with experimental observation.
Picosecond Optical Determination of Carrier Lifetime in Polysilicon Films

The lifetime of optically injected carriers is determined in polySi/SiO2/Si structures grown by LPCVD at 625 °C. These samples are as-grown, have undergone H diffusion or have been implanted by phosphorous ions, followed by various annealing schedules. The lifetime measurement is done in an all-optical, contactless fashion, using the tools of picosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. We find that the lifetime due to recombination at the grain boundaries (trapping time) increases after implantation only if subsequent annealing increases the grain size. The trapping time also increases after hydrogen diffusion. After trapping in relatively shallow grain boundary states, thermalization into deeper lying states is slow on a subnanosecond time scale.
Lifting-Line Estimation for the Contribution of a Conventional Tail to Aircraft Lateral Stability Derivatives

* Currently Research Engineer, Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control Orlando. Senior Member AIAA. † Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. Member AIAA. Abstract The low-speed lateral stability derivatives for a conventional airplane are significantly affected by the vortex interaction between the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. A numerical solution to Prandtl’s liftingline theory can be used to account for this interaction. The accuracy of this lifting-line solution is evaluated by comparison to wind tunnel measurements. Section and total force coefficients were obtained by integrating surface pressure measurements on an empennage model over a range of sideslip angles for two vertical stabilizer aspect ratios. All surfaces had rectangular planforms, NACA 0015 airfoil sections, and were tested at a chord Reynolds number of 4.4x10. The measured coefficients were compared with numerical lifting-line predictions for the same geometry. Results are presented that show good agreement between the numerical predictions and the measured values. The effects of aspect ratio and sideslip angle on the section force, total force, and rolling moment coefficients are accurately predicted. The rolling moment generated on the horizontal stabilizer, which results only from its interaction with the vertical stabilizer, is presented. The numerical method is also shown to be accurate in predicting wind tunnel wall effects by utilizing the method of images.
Is Time to Flap Coverage of Open Tibial Fractures an Independent Predictor of Flap-Related Complications?

Objectives:The importance of the timing of flap coverage of open tibial shaft fractures remains controversial. Many studies have shown increased complications and infection rates associated with delay in coverage but have not controlled for risk factors that might be associated with both delay in co