cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preventive medicine and health promotion are overdue in the agricultural workplace.

Agriculture was one of the earliest industries in which occupational hazards were recognized, but it has been largely excluded from the mainstream of modern preventive medicine and occupational health efforts. This resulted from the heavy industry focus of occupational medicine, from the agrarian myth which stated that work in agriculture was a healthy employment, from the widely dispersed, often family-centered, nature of farming, and from neglect of migrant and seasonal farmworker populations. Since the middle of this century it has been recognized that agriculture is one of the most hazardous major industries, but whereas the injury and fatality rates in other hazardous industries (e.g. mining, construction) have fallen substantially, there has been no comparable decline in agriculture. In addition to occupational injuries and fatalities, there is a wide range of chronic diseases that result from agricultural exposures. These include musculoskeletal, respiratory, dermatologic and reproductive disorders. Hearing loss is increased among farmers, several cancers have been associated with farming or agricultural exposures, and increased suicides have been observed in some farming populations. Recommendations for disease prevention and health promotion must be sensitive to the unique nature of farming, including the demographically different farmer, farm family, and hired farmworker populations. Approaches discussed in the paper include engineering changes, education with evaluation of its effectiveness, and enforcement of appropriate laws.
Interpersonal differentiation, locus of control and cognitive style among alcoholics.

The present study investigated the relationship between Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (I-E) and 2 measures of cognitive style, the Group Embedded-figures Test and the Interpersonal Discrimination Test, for 50 alcoholics. The I-E scale did not correlate significantly with either the embedded-figures (r = .18) or the discrimination test (r = .13); the latter two scales correlated significantly (r = .30). It was concluded that perceived locus of control and cognitive style are independent constructs.
How Not To Do Science

Douglas Marshall's critique of Donald Black states the essential issues with Black's “theory.” This article is concerned with the philosophy of science background to the issues with Black's claims,...
Mutational activation of H-ras oncogene transformability by alkylnitrosourea-induced DNA damage.

Abstract To assess the role of DNA alkylation damage in oncogene activation, plasmid DNA containing H- ras proto-oncogene (p220-EC) and oncogene (p220-EJ) were treated with increasing concentrations of carcinogenic methylnitrosourea (MNU) and ethylnitrosourea (ENU). The modified plasmid DNA were analyzed by transfection-transformation of the NIH/3T3-recipient cells. Treatment with varying doses of MNU (0.1–5 mM) and ENU (1–15 mM) did not result in the inactivation of the plasmid containing target genes. A transformation efficiency of greater than 40% was observed upon treatment of H- ras oncogene with the highest doses of the alkylating agents. The morphologically transformed foci obtained with alkylated p220-EC ranged from 2.8 to 0.3/μg MNU alkylated and 1.6 to 0.6/μg ENU alkylated plasmid DNA. A significant proportion of the morphological transformants exhibited growth in soft agar. The Hpa II/ Msp I restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) at codon 12 of H- ras exon-1 was detected with 4 independently isolated clones obtained from MNU-alkylated p220-EC transfections. Allele-specific in situ gel hybridization with a battery of codon 12 and codon 61 oligonucleotide probes confirmed these RFLPs to be due to sequence changes at codon 12. No clone with sequence changes in the H- ras codon 61 could be detected. The data indicate that a high degree of in vitro alkylation damage of the target gene is necessary to elicit mutational activation of H- ras in transfection-transformation assay. Low frequency notwithstanding, the data demonstrate that DNA alkylation damage at critical target sites can initiate neoplastic cellular transformation.
Spontaneous Arteriosclerosis of the Mesenteric, Renal, and Peripheral Arteries of Repeatedly Bred Rats

Repeatedly bred male and female rats develop arteriosclerosis spontaneously. The arteriosclerosis appears to be accelerated by breeding because virgin rats of comparable age do not develop arterial disease. The arterial lesions begin in the abdominal aorta and consist of subendothelial swelling, mucopolysaccharide accumulation and eventual fibrosis. With continued, active breeding, the arterial lesions continue to increase in severity in the abdominal aorta, becoming grossly visible in the female breeder and of microscopic proportions in the male breeder. Concomitant with the increasing severity of arteriosclerosis in the abdominal aorta, the mesenteric arteries and the visceral branches also show increasing numbers of arterial lesions. The lesions in the mesenteric and visceral branches are of varied morphology. The main renal artery, for example, shows fibromuscular dysplasia, its hilar portion displays intimal basophilia and elastosis and the intrarenal branches develop intimal cushions. The male breeder develops severe, grossly visible lesions in the proximal portions of the iliac arteries, the lesions becoming less complex distally. The female breeder shows no grossly visible lesions in the iliac arteries but arteriosclerosis is severe throughout the length of the arteries to the extremities, the severity of these lesions being proportional to the arteriosclerosis in the abdominal aorta and its branches.
Evaporation of Langmuir–Blodgett Monolayers in Vacuum

WHILE there is an extensive literature on the methods of depositing monomolecular films of fatty substances on solid surfaces by the Langmuir–Blodgett method1, there seems to be little information available on the stability of the films once prepared. Gregg and Widdowson2 studied the evaporation of built-up multilayers of fatty acids, but their results were restricted to layers many molecules thick. More recently, Karle3 and Menter and Tabor4 have obtained some evidence of the evaporation of fatty acid and soap molecules from monomolecular films in electron diffraction investigations.
Electroless Copper Deposition for Multilevel Metallization

Increases in cross-talk disturbance, signal delay and current density have a significant impact on the performance of integrated systems as the metal pitch continues to be scaled down. A metal, such as copper, which has high conductivity and high resistance to migration, will greatly alleviate these problems. A selective technique for the deposition of copper, such as electroless plating, is highly desirable because it circumvents the potential problem of dry etching copper and inherently planarizes the surface topography.
The nuclear strategy debate

Abstract Although Orbis's mission is to publish articles dedicated to furthering the American national interest, we believe that the following article by Konstantin Sorokin—which offers a Russian mew on the nuclear arsenals of former Soviet states—is sufficiently important to merit an exception. We invite comments.—The Editors
Incorporating logistics enterprise architecture: a diffusion of innovation perspective

Organisations use a variety of information technologies to support their logistics operations. Logistics enterprise architecture (LogEA) in an integrative framework that aligns information systems and logistics processes to better position organisations to achieve their logistics objectives. However, having a well-drafted LogEA on record is of little benefit to any organisation if the tenets set forth by the LogEA are not embodied by the organisation. In this study, we take a diffusion of innovation approach to identifying and examining factors that facilitate LogEA incorporation, which is the end-state of the organisational innovation diffusion process. We find that activities aimed towards providing regulatory guidance and emphasising depth, diversity, and breadth of use are the most salient means by which to bridge the gap between adoption and incorporation. Based on the results of a quantitative study and additional qualitative support, we present implications of our findings for research and practice.
Effects of tip-sample forces and humidity on the imaging of DNA with a scanning force microscope

We have investigated the effects of tip-sample forces and relative humidity when using a scanning force microscope (SFM) to image DNA molecules adsorbed on fresh mica. As the force between the tip and the sample increases, the apparent height of the DNA molecules decreases. After being imaged with high forces, the DNA molecules recover partially in their apparent height, indicating that a plastic deformation of the DNA has been induced by the scanning tip. At low humidities, DNA molecules can be imaged with a force up to 150 nN during the scanning without obvious damages. At higher humidities, however, the DNA molecules can be dissected or swept away by the tip even at a tip-sample force of 30 nN. The net force between the tip and the molecules is the vector sum of several forces, the dominant components of which are the elastic force due to the cantilever bending and the capillary force resulting from the water meniscus formed between the tip and the sample surface. When the relative humidity of the imaging environment is increased, the capillary force becomes stronger.
Stereotaxic breast biopsy

Stereotaxically guided core needle biopsy is an important procedure used to decrease the number of surgical breast biopsies, as well as to decrease the expense, inconvenience, and deformity that can result from surgical biopsies. Use of the technique also can decrease the expense of breast cancer screening programs. Stereotaxic core biopsy (SCB) should not be used to biopsy lesions that would otherwise not undergo biopsy. The radiologist who performs this procedure must understand the implications of the resultant histological diagnosis and be certain that the pathological and radiological findings are concordant. The performance of this procedure by a radiologist is important for accurate positioning and needle placement in the breast, allowing accurate diagnosis, and in minimizing the number of exposures required for the procedure, thereby keeping the radiation dose to the patient at a minimum. In addition to understanding the guidance system used in this procedure, the radiologist also should understand the needles and guns used and be able to select the most appropriate method for each patient. Patients undergoing SCB should be told that, in some instances, surgical biopsy may still be necessary. They should know that major complications are rare but possible. Before initiating an SCB program, the radiologist performing SCB should develop a mechanism for surgical referral of woman who have a complication or an SCB diagnosis requiring surgery. This article describes the accuracy, indications, patient selection, equipment, technique, histological preparation and interpretation, shortcomings, and complications of SCB. Special emphasis is placed on SCB procedures and findings at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Optimal Dialysate Sodium—What is the Evidence?

Oligo-anuric patients with end-stage kidney disease are dependent on hemodialysis to achieve and maintain the desired goal of euvolemia. The dialysis prescription, in addition to sodium and fluid restriction, is therefore a critically important factor in the care of hemodialysis patients. Various dialysate sodium concentrations have been favored throughout the history of dialysis, but the "optimal" concentration remains unclear. In this manuscript, we examine the historical context of changes to the dialysate sodium prescription, review the evidence of its associated effects, discuss 'individualization' of dialysate sodium, and highlight the need for definitive trials that are powered for important clinical outcomes.
Family therapy workshops in the United States: potential abuses in the production of therapy in an advanced capitalist society.

Abstract A market for family therapy workshops has mushroomed in recent years. Treatment of families by therapists conducting such workshops, however, can be dispassionate and dehumanizing. Using the distinction between curing and healing, I do not question the curative potential of family therapy, but I question whether this kind of doctor/patient interaction promotes healing. Also, by demonstrating how the systems model tends to objectify patients and alienate therapists from those they treat, this paper challenge claims that family therapy recognizes the social nature of illness. The dehumanizing treatment cannot be attributed solely to the therapists, but requires further interpretation by analyzing the biases of the therapy model, the commodified context of the workshops,and epistemological issues arising from the application of general systems theory to a social model of treatment. Family systems therapy shares epistemological features with biomedicine, and like the biomedical model, alienates therapists from patients. This alienation, ironically, can be even greater when the family systems model is used than in biomedical treatment. Finally, I suggest that family therapy workshops have grown in popularity because the mechanistic features of the treatment model, drawn largely from cybernetics, promote the production and reproduction of a form of therapy compatible with the emphasis on ‘functional health’ favored in an advanced capitalist society.
Haldane fractional statistics in the fractional quantum Hall effect.

We have tested Haldane's ``fractional-Pauli-principle'' description of excitations around the \ensuremath{\nu}=1/3 state in the fractional quantum Hall effect, using exact results for small systems of electrons. We find that Haldane's prediction \ensuremath{\beta}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1/m for quasiholes and quasiparticles, respectively, describes our results well with the modification ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\beta}}}_{\mathit{q}\mathit{p}}$=2-1/3 rather than -1/3. We also find that this approach enables us to better understand the energetics of the ``daughter'' states; in particular, we find good evidence, in terms of the effective interaction between quasiparticles, that the states \ensuremath{\nu}=4/11 and 4/13 should not be stable.
X-linked thrombocytopenia caused by a mutation in the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) gene that disrupts interaction with the WAS protein (WASP)-interacting protein (WIP)

Abstract Objective We studied two adult brothers with severe congenital thrombocytopenia in order to determine the genetic etiology of their inherited disorder. Despite the absence of eczema or immunodeficiency, a mutation of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) gene was suspected because of the presence of microthrombocytes. Materials and Methods Peripheral blood was obtained for characterization of hematopoietic cells and megakaryocyte progenitors. The coding region of the WAS gene was fully sequenced, and expression of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, WASP, was evaluated by immunoblotting. The ability of WASP to physically associate with the WASP-interacting protein, WIP, was tested by yeast and mammalian two-hybrid techniques. Results In addition to thrombocytopenia, our investigation revealed an increased frequency of peripheral megakaryocyte progenitors (CFU-Mk) and incomplete cytoplasmic maturation by electron microscopy. Sequencing the WAS gene revealed a single base mutation, resulting in substitution of proline for arginine 138 (i.e., Arg138Pro). Immunoblotting demonstrated reduced expression of the mutant WAS protein, and we showed that the Arg138Pro mutation significantly, but incompletely, disrupts WASP-WIP interaction. Conclusions In this pedigree, X-linked thrombocytopenia is caused by a rare mutation in the fourth exon of the WAS gene. WASP levels are reduced in lymphocyte cell lines derived from the affected individuals. Furthermore, the mutation significantly but incompletely disrupts WASP-WIP interaction, whereas substitution of alanine or glutamic acid residues at the same position does not. This raises the possibility that protein-protein interaction and WASP stability are related properties.
Maternal estimates of fetal weight in women with diabetes

Abstract Objective: To compare the accuracy of clinical, maternal, and sonographic estimates of fetal weight in diabetic women in labor at term. Methods: Patients underwent clinical, maternal, and ultrasonographic estimations of fetal weight. The mean absolute error, standardized error, and accuracy (the percentage of estimates within 10% of actual birth weight) were determined for the three methods. The effect of maternal weight, parity, and recent ultrasonography on the accuracy of estimated fetal weight was assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ 2 test, Student t test, and Pearson correlation; a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thirty-two women were enrolled. There was no significant difference in absolute error among clinical (268 g ± 261 g), maternal (305 g ± 294 g), and sonographic (270 g ± 177 g) estimates. Similarly, there was no difference in standardized error (clinical, 11%; maternal, 8.8%; and sonographic, 8.0%). Moreover, no significant difference was found between accuracy of predictions: 69% for clinical and maternal estimates and 75% for ultrasonographic estimates. This study had 80% power to detect a 35% difference in accuracy between methods. Maternal weight, parity, and recent ultrasonography did not affect the accuracy of any method. Conclusions: Intrapartum maternal prediction of fetal weight in women with diabetes at term is as accurate as clinical and sonographic estimates.
Mechanism for refunctionalizing heat‐denatured soy protein by alkaline hydrothermal cooking

Using extrusion heat-denatured soy protein isolate (SPI) as a model, the mechanism for refunctionalizing heat-denatured soy protein by hydrothermal cooking (HTC) with alkali was studied. Heating causes soluble protein to form insoluble protein aggregates. Treating heat-denatured soy protein with alkali dispersion without HTC increased solubility and viscosity by dissolution of a portion of the protein aggregates and swelling of the large protein particles. This suspension was more stable to solid separation than that of the original untreated heat-denatured protein, but it was less stable than the protein suspensions that were refunctionalized by water dispersion with HTC or alkali dispersion with HTC. Water dispersion with HTC disrupted the large aggregates into smaller aggregates. The viscosity and total number of particles in the system also increased dramatically. The most significant effect was achieved with alkali dispersion (0.6 mmol NaOH/g) with HTC. The solubility increased from 4 to about 80% at neutral pH, and viscosity (at zero shear rate) increased by more than 1,000 times compared with extrusion heat-denatured SPI. Alkali dispersion (0.6 mmol NaOH/g) with HTC dissolved most of the protein particles, decreasing the particle number by a factor of almost 100. The suspensions of heat-denatured soy protein became much more stable after HTC as shown by particle settling velocities. The most effective treatment was alkali dispersion (0.6 mmol NaOH/g) with HTC, followed by water dispersion with HTC. The soy protein slurry refunctionalized by alkali dispersion (0.6 mmol NaOH/g) with HTC formed soft, translucent gels.
Studying the Victorian Novel in Print: Professional Authorship and Idiosyncrasy

This article surveys recent scholarship about Victorian novels’ place in the nineteenth-century publishing system. With particular attention to criticism concerning the work of William Makepeace Thackeray, it examines how this scholarship, which reflects a renewed, discipline-wide interest in book history and media studies, adopts some of poststructuralist theory's ideas; it goes on to show the ways this adoption helps differentiate this new work from a previous generation of scholarship on Victorian book history. It contextualizes this new concern with publication, authorial professionalization, and structures of cultural prestige and legitimation in the Victorian period within the pervasive discourse about academic jobs and professionalization during the 1990s, many of the key words and concepts of which are shared by book-history criticism. Finally, it suggests directions for future study opened up by this new criticism, arguing that this criticism might help analyze the aesthetic particularity of authors’ works – a topic that has merited little attention, as the last several decades’ theoretical trends have focused on abstract linguistic, ideological, and now, publishing systems.
Matrix population model with density-dependent recruitment for assessment of age-structured wildlife populations

A logistic density-dependent matrix model is developed in which the matrices contain only parameters and recruitment is a function of adult population density. The model was applied to simulate introductions of white-tailed deer into an area; the fitted model predicted a carrying capacity of 215 deer, which was close to the observed carrying capacity of 220 deer. The rate of population increase depends on the dominant eigenvalue of the Leslie matrix, and the age structure of the simulated population approaches a stable age distribution at the carrying capacity, which was similar to that generated by the Leslie matrix. The logistic equation has been applied to study many phenomena, and the matrix model can be applied to these same processes. For example, random variation can be added to life history parameters, and population abundances generated with random effects on fecundity show both the affect of annual variation in fecundity and a longer-term pattern resulting from the age structure.
An efficient and cost-effective preparation of di-O-acetyl-D-rhamnal.

Abstract We have developed a synthetic route to the frequently utilized deoxysugar building block di-O-acetyl- d -rhamnal originating from the inexpensive starting material methyl α- d -glucopyranoside. Our approach proceeds in five steps with minimal column chromatography purification needed to afford the title compound in good overall yield.
Selecting high-temperature structural intermetallic compounds; The materials science approach

Some 300 intermetallic compounds with high melting temperatures are candidate materials for the high-temperature turbines and engines of the future. Before these applications can be realized, however, the limited ductility of intermetallic materials must be overcome. Using melting temperature and density as figures of merit, and considering the effects of composition and crystal structure, the most likely candidates for these high-performance applications may be identified.
Secreting glandular trichomes: more than just hairs

Secreting glandular plant trichome types which accumulate large quantities of metabolic products in the space between their gland cell walls and cuticle permit the plant to amass secretions in a compartment that is virtually outside the plant body. These structures not only accumulate and store what are often phytotoxic oils but they position these compounds as an apparent first line of defense at the surface of the plant. Recent advances in methods for isolation and study of trichome glands have allowed more precise analysis of gland cell metabolism and enzymology. Isolation of mutants with altered trichome phenotypes provides new systems for probing the genetic basis of trichome development. These advances and their continuation can pave the way for future attempts at modification of trichome secretion. The biochemical capability of glandular secreting trichomes and the potential for its future manipulation to exploit this external storage compartment is the focus of this review.
ADP-ribosylation Factor Functions Synergistically with a 50-kDa Cytosolic Factor in Cell-free Activation of Human Neutrophil Phospholipase D

Proteins in both the cytosol and plasma membrane are needed to reconstitute cell-free phospholipase D activity from phagocytes (Olson, S., Bowman, E. P., and Lambeth, J. D. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 17236-17242); membrane factors include a small GTP-binding protein in the Rho family (Bowman, E., Uhlinger, D. J., and Lambeth, J. D. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 21509-21512). ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) was recently implicated as the cytosolic factor, as it activates phospholipase D in HL-60 membranes. Herein, we show that ion exchange chromatography separates ARF from the major phospholipase D-stimulating cytosolic factor. Both bovine brain ARF and recombinant human ARF-1 stimulated a small amount of phospholipase D activity in the absence of cytosol (about 10% of the response seen with cytosol). With a high concentration of ARF-depleted cytosol, ARF did not further activate. However, at low cytosol, ARF caused marked activation. Thus, ARF synergizes with the cytosolic factor in phospholipase D activation.
Leukemia stem cells and constitutive activation of NF-kappaB.

It has been clear for many years that leukemic cells from most patients with AML are organized into a hierarchy reminiscent of normal hematopoiesis. The disease is thought to originate in leukemic stem cells, characterized by an immature phenotype and possessing self-renewal capacity. This hierarchy
All-nanoparticle thin-film coatings.

All-nanoparticle thin-film coatings that exhibit antireflection, antifogging (superhydrophilicity), and self-cleaning properties have been prepared via layer-by-layer deposition of TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles. The porosity and chemical composition of the coatings were determined using a simple method that is based on ellipsometry and does not require any assumptions about the refractive indices of the constituent nanoparticles. The presence of nanopores in the TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticle coatings results in superhydrophilicity as well as antireflection properties. The superhydrophilicity of contaminated coatings could also be readily recovered and retained after ultraviolet irradiation.
Behavioral correlates of activity in identified hypocretin/orexin neurons

Micropipette recording with juxtacellular Neurobiotin ejection, linked micropipette-microwire recording, and antidromic and orthodromic activation from the ventral tegmental area and locus coeruleus were used to identify hypocretin (Hcrt) cells in anesthetized rats and develop criteria for identification of these cells in unanesthetized, unrestrained animals. We found that Hcrt cells have broad action potentials with elongated later positive deflections that distinguish them from adjacent antidromically identified cells. They are relatively inactive in quiet waking but are transiently activated during sensory stimulation. Hcrt cells are silent in slow wave sleep and tonic periods of REM sleep, with occasional burst discharge in phasic REM. Hcrt cells discharge in active waking and have moderate and approximately equal levels of activity during grooming and eating and maximal activity during exploratory behavior. Our findings suggest that these cells are activated during emotional and sensorimotor conditions similar to those that trigger cataplexy in narcoleptic animals.
Response of Plasma Histaminase Activity to Small Doses of Heparin in Normal Subjects and Patients with Hyperlipoproteinemia

The release of histaminase activity in plasma after small intravenous of heparin was studied in 85 normal subjects and patients. In normal subjects, plasma histaminase activity (basal level, 1.7+/-0.1 U/ml, mean +/-SEM) increased 1.6+/-0.2 U/ml after 10 U of heparin/kg, 8.5+/-2.4 U/ml after 20 U/kg, and 33+/-4.9 U/ml after 75 U/kg. The extent of the increase varied widely among individuals but in a particular individual the response was constant and dose-dependent. Histaminase activity rose to peak levels within 7-15 min and then declined exponentially with a half-life of 40-120 min. This pattern of response was also observed in two patients with the histaminase-producing tumor, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. A significantly reduced response was observed, however, in 14 patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia, a disorder in which high plasma triglyceride levels are associated with low postheparin plasma lipolytic activity. After 10 U heparin/kg, plasma histamine activity increased 0.5+/-0.2 U/ml, and after 75 U heparin/kg, 10.9+/-5.6 U/ml. In contrast, in 27 patients with other types of hyperlipoproteinemia in whom postheparin lipolytic activity was normal, the increase (2.4+/-0.6 U/ml) in plasma histaminase activity after 10 U heparin/kg was not significantly different from that of normal subjects. The reduced response of the plasma histaminase activity to heparin in patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia did not appear to be due to the presence of lipemia or to an inhibitor of the enzyme in plasma. These findings suggest that many patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia may have deficient release of both lipolytic and histaminase activities into plasma after heparin administration.
Environmental Impacts and Sustainability of Degraded Water Reuse

Greater urban demand for finite water resources to meet domestic, agricultural, industrial, and recreational needs; increased frequency of drought resulting from erratic weather; and continued degradation of available water resources from point and nonpoint sources of pollution have focused attention on the reuse of degraded waters as a potential water source. However, short- and long-term detrimental environmental impacts and sustainability of degraded water reuse are not well known or understood. These concerns led to the organization of the 2007 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Symposium entitled Environmental Impacts and Sustainability of Degraded Water Reuse. Out of this symposium came a special collection of 4 review papers and 12 technical research papers focusing on various issues associated with the reuse of agricultural drainage water, well water generated in the production of natural gas from coalbeds, municipal wastewater and biosolids, wastewater from confined animal operations, urban runoff, and food-processing wastewater. Overviews of the papers, gaps in knowledge, and future research directions are presented. The future prognosis of degraded water reuse is promising, provided close attention is paid to managing constituents that pose short- and long-term threats to the environment and the health of humankind.
Calibration of tuning parameters in the FRAPCON model

Abstract This paper uses methodology developed for Bayesian computer model calibration to constrain uncertainties in four tuning parameters in FRAPCON-3 ( Geelhood et al., 2011a ), a computational model that calculates steady-state fuel behavior at high burnup in light water reactors. The statistical methodology, described in Higdon et al. (2008) , combines fission gas release measurements from 42 different experiments to constrain the uncertainties in four tuning parameters, as well as in additional statistical parameters describing measurement uncertainty, as well as discrepancy between model and reality. This demonstration provides a proof of principle for this methodology, suggesting its utility for more difficult parameter estimation problems, involving larger numbers of experiments and tuning parameters.
Impact of arginase II on CBF in experimental cortical impact injury in mice using MRI

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) and low levels of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) may be involved. Arginase II negatively regulates NO production through competition for the substrate L-arginine. We determined whether arginase II-deficient (ArgII(-/-)) mice would show improved CBF after TBI through arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The ArgII(-/-) mice exhibit a significantly improved CBF recovery after trauma in the perilesional brain (P=0.0015) and in various other brain regions. In conclusion, arginase II deficiency leads to a better CBF recovery after TBI and implicates arginase II in hemodynamic processes.
Some competitive reactions involving polyhaloaryl-metallic reagents

Abstract The competition between chlorotrimethylsilane and benzophenone for a polyhaloaryl-metallic (Li or MgX) reagent demonstrates a reactivity preference and the effect of solvent on this preference.
The auditory cortex mediates the perceptual effects of acoustic temporal expectation

When events occur at predictable instants, anticipation improves performance. Knowledge of event timing modulates motor circuits and thereby improves response speed. By contrast, the neuronal mechanisms that underlie changes in sensory perception resulting from expectation are not well understood. We developed a behavioral procedure for rats in which we manipulated expectations about sound timing. Valid expectations improved both the speed and the accuracy of the subjects' performance, indicating not only improved motor preparedness but also enhanced perception. Single-neuron recordings in primary auditory cortex showed enhanced representation of sounds during periods of heightened expectation. Furthermore, we found that activity in auditory cortex was causally linked to the performance of the task and that changes in the neuronal representation of sounds predicted performance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our results indicate that changes in neuronal representation as early as primary sensory cortex mediate the perceptual advantage conferred by temporal expectation.
Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics Calculation of the Shear Viscosity of Carbon Dioxide/Ethane Mixtures

Abstract Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of the shear viscosity of mixtures of carbon dioxide and ethane at a fixed total density (20 mole-dm3) and at five compositions ranging from pure carbon dioxide to pure ethane are reported. In this study, two-site Lennard-Jones potential models are used for all the inter-molecular interactions. The cross parameters of ethane/carbon dioxide potential have been fitted to the azeotrope of the mixture. Results from the simulations are in good agreement with experimental data. In particular, a plateau region in the experimental data as a function of composition is reproduced by the simulations but is not predicted by extended corresponding states correlations.
Substrate assistance in the mechanism of family 18 chitinases: theoretical studies of potential intermediates and inhibitors.

Abstract Based on first principles and molecular mechanics calculations, we conclude that the mechanism of hevamine (a family 18 chitinase) involves an oxazoline ion intermediate stabilized by the neighboring C2′ acetamido group. In this intermediate, the acetamido carbonyl oxygen atom forms a covalent bond to C1′ of N-acetyl-glucosamine and has a transferred positive charge from the pyranose ring onto the acetamido nitrogen atom, leading to an anchimeric stabilization of 38.1 kcal/mol when docked with hevamine. This double displacement mechanism involving an oxazoline intermediate distinguishes the family 18 chitinase (which have one acidic residue near the active site) from family 19 chitinase and from hen egg-white lysozyme, which have two acidic residues near the active site. The structural and electronic properties of the oxazoline intermediate are similar to the known chitinase inhibitor allosamidin, suggesting that allosamidins act as transition state analogs of an oxazoline intermediate. Structural and electronic features of the oxazoline ion likely to be important in the design of new chitinase inhibitors are discussed.
Heterogeneity and dynamicity of clouds at scale: Google trace analysis

To better understand the challenges in developing effective cloud-based resource schedulers, we analyze the first publicly available trace data from a sizable multi-purpose cluster. The most notable workload characteristic is heterogeneity: in resource types (e.g., cores:RAM per machine) and their usage (e.g., duration and resources needed). Such heterogeneity reduces the effectiveness of traditional slot- and core-based scheduling. Furthermore, some tasks are constrained as to the kind of machine types they can use, increasing the complexity of resource assignment and complicating task migration. The workload is also highly dynamic, varying over time and most workload features, and is driven by many short jobs that demand quick scheduling decisions. While few simplifying assumptions apply, we find that many longer-running jobs have relatively stable resource utilizations, which can help adaptive resource schedulers.
Keratin, a dual role in herpes simplex virus pathogenesis

Keratin is a strong, fibrous protein that coats the skin, male genitalia and some tissues in the mouth and female genitalia. Keratin protects the host by providing a barrier against primary herpes simplex virus infection. We postulate that keratin may also hinder the host by protecting the virus from effective immune responses such as those present on mucosal surfaces, enabling recurrent lesions to preferentially develop within keratinized tissues at mucocutaneous junctions. The natural history of infection supports the importance of preventing infection in keratinized tissues for developing an effective herpes simplex virus vaccine, since potent immunity on mucosal surfaces may be inadequate to protect keratinized tissues.
The state of the art in electronic payment systems

The exchange of goods conducted face-to-face between two parties dates back to before the beginning of recorded history. Traditional means of payment have always had security problems, but now electronic payments retain the same drawbacks and add some risks. Unlike paper, digital "documents" can be copied perfectly and arbitrarily often, digital signatures can be produced by anybody who knows the secret cryptographic key, and a buyer's name can be associated with every payment, eliminating the anonymity of cash. Without new security measures, widespread electronic commerce is not viable. On the other hand, properly designed electronic payment systems can actually provide better security than traditional means of payments, in addition to flexibility. This article provides an overview of electronic payment systems, focusing on issues related to security.
Regularity of daily activities buffers the negative impact of low perceived control on affect

The main objective of the present study was to examine the potential buffering effect of regularity of the duration of time spent on daily activities in the association between perceived control and affect in community-dwelling adults. The sample for the current study was derived from the Midlife in the United States longitudinal follow-up study, MIDUS-II. Findings corroborated the association between a general sense of perceived control and positive and negative affect. Further, daily regularity was found to moderate the relationships of perceived control and both positive and negative affect. In each case, the findings suggest that individuals who scored lower on perceived control measures were more likely to have better affective outcomes when they demonstrated greater regularity in daily activities. The findings imply the relevance of regularity to affective experiences.
An implementation-friendly binary LDPC decoding algorithm

We introduce an implementation-friendly binary message-passing decoding method for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that does not require the degree information of variable nodes or degree dependent parameters. For hard decision decoding, given its low-complexity, the implementation cost for variable node degree information is an important consideration. We develop an estimation method for the extrinsic error probability (EEP) as well as its analysis. The proposed method offers similar performance as the existing methods for time-invariant decoding in most cases, while it facilitates efficient circuit implementations of the LDPC decoder.
Physiological and Pathological Functions of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels

Rapid sensation of mechanical stimuli is often mediated by mechanosensitve ion channels. Their opening results from conformational changes induced by mechanical forces. It leads to membrane permeation of selected ions and thereby to electrical signaling. Newly identified mechanosensitive ion channels are emerging at an astonishing rate, including some that are traditionally assigned for completely different functions. In this review, we first provide a brief overview of ion channels that are known to play a role in mechanosensation. Next, we focus on three representative ones, including the transient receptor potential channel V4 (TRPV4), Kv1.1 voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel, and Piezo channels. Their structures, biophysical properties, expression and targeting patterns, and physiological functions are highlighted. The potential role of their mechanosensation in related diseases is further discussed. In sum, mechanosensation appears to be achieved in a variety of ways by different proteins and plays a fundamental role in the function of various organs under normal and abnormal conditions.
Delivering antioxidants by zip code.

primary lung disease, the associated inflammatory response, and treatment with supplemental oxygen all result in the generation of increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause significant damage to the lung. The susceptibility of the lung to oxidative injury depends largely on
Evidence for Technology Interventions to Promote ART Adherence in Adult Populations: a Review of the Literature 2012–2015

Leveraging technology to enhance antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and factors associated with it, has tremendous appeal as a low-cost, generalizable strategy to offer high-quality adherence support given an increasingly limited workforce. As the numbers of individuals living with HIV entering care and initiating ART are expected to increase substantially worldwide in the next decade, capacity to support ART adherence is needed and use of computers, internet, and mobile phones has the potential to offer those efficiencies-provided they are effective. This review summarizes recent advances in the evidence base for technology-driven, technology-delivered, or technology-enhanced ART adherence intervention approaches. A PubMed search limited to January 2013 through July 2015 identified 13 qualifying studies evaluating computer-delivered interventions, internet approaches, mobile phone technologies, and electronic dose monitoring with triggered messaging and data-informed counseling. Considerable support for each area has emerged, with the majority of studies reviewed demonstrating significant effects on ART adherence and clinical outcomes. Gaps are identified and recommendations offered.
The Influence of Materiality and Voluntary Incentives on Companies’ Decisions to Announce Accounting Restatements Through 8-K And/Or Amended Filings

Many companies fail to announce restatements in 8-K reports and/or in amended financial statement filings (10-K/As). This lack of disclosure leads some to question whether companies are intentionally attempting to hide restatements from shareholders or whether, given the conservative nature of auditors and regulators, the lack of disclosure is due to the immaterial nature of some restatements. This study examines the relative importance of quantitative and qualitative materiality factors and voluntary incentive factors in explaining companies’ decisions to file 8-K and/or amended reports for restatements. We find that the decision to file an 8-K report is primarily driven by materiality factors, although voluntary incentives provide incremental explanatory power even after controlling for the materiality of the restatement. In addition, in 2004 the SEC clarified that restatements are required to be announced via 8-K reports. Our findings suggest that this rule change appears to have decreased the importance of voluntary incentive factors in the 8-K filing decision. In contrast, we document that materiality factors explain much less and voluntary incentives explain much more of the amended filing decision than the 8-K decision. After the SEC’s 8-K rule change, we find a decrease in the importance of both the materiality and voluntary incentive factors in the amended report decision and a decrease in amended filings. This might suggest that the SEC’s clarification of the requirements for filing 8-K reports left companies unclear as to the requirements for filing amended reports.
A Little Metatheory: Thought on What aTheory of Computational Humor Should Look Like

This exercise in metatheory presents what any theory consists of and what properties it should have. It, then, adjust the general recipe to a theory of humor and computational humor. In this light, it reviews the state of the art in computational humor and suggests the main lines of development.
Forgiveness in Islamic Jurisprudence and its Role in Intercommunal Relations

Some commentators characterize the relationship between Islam and other religions as a clash of cultures. Deep seated senses of harm, whether arising from the Crusades or 9/11, make the process of intercommunal engagement particularly challenging. However, some contemporary Muslim scholars propose a new paradigm for constructive interaction with non-Muslim communities that is authentically rooted in Islamic jurisprudential and textual traditions. The paper explores a number of potential starting points for intercommunal toleration, forgiveness, and reconciliation within Islamic tradition. Islamic jurisprudence contains deep commitments to forgiveness and reconciliation in its textual traditions (the Quran and Sunna), in its classical jurisprudence (particularly in criminal and international law), and in its modern intellectual engagement (e.g., the dialogue work of the Gulen movement).
The OAS Versus Alba: The Clash Over Democracy and the Rule of Law in the Americas

The passage by the Organization of American States (OAS) of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001 was a significant milestone in the creation and advancement of an international regime to defend democracy in the Americas. In the past decade, however, observers have questioned both the consistency and effectiveness of the OAS’s democracy promotion efforts. One particular challenge, typified by the member states of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), has been the rise of elected leaders that enact policies that threaten liberal democracy at home and dispute the legitimacy of the concept of representative democracy itself. This essay examines how the rise of this new breed of “Bolivarian” leaders challenges the inter-American defense of democracy regime and examines why the OAS has been ineffective in defending democracy in these cases.
Electronic Business Perspective within the Organizational Information Policy

Emerging trends increase the role of security in modern business life. Thus, the role of security policy has become more significant. An information security policy defines the firm’s security requirements also minimizes security risks. This objective is simply realized by good collaboration between the security policy and the existing cryptographic technologies. This paper includes a descriptive and analytical understanding of the role of information security services for developing security policy; in addition, the study also explains some details of possible effects an electronic document related to this concept. Security policy developers are the main beneficiaries of this work.