cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards a New Democratic Africa: The African Charter on Democracy, Elections andGovernance

The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (“ADC”) recently entered into force on February 15, 2012. The main goal of the ADC is the encouragement and promotion of democracy and human rights on the African continent. The ADC is the first binding regional instrument adopted by member states of the African Union (“AU”) that attempts to comprehensively address all of the elements necessary for the establishment of liberal democracies. The ADC also contains a number of expansive provisions regarding unconstitutional changes of government. For instance, the ADC is the first legal instrument adopted by member states of the AU that acknowledges that an unconstitutional change of government includes any amendments to the constitution or legal instruments of a member state that infringe on the principles of democratic change of government. Many African heads of state have amended the constitutions of their respective countries to retain power. Additionally, many Latin American and African countries continue to struggle to establish viable long-term liberal democracies. In 2007, the AU and the Organization of American States (“OAS”) participated in an inter-regional conference entitled the “OAS-AU Democracy Bridge,” aimed at promoting democracy and good governance in the Americas and Africa. Given the express commitment of the AU and the OAS to the promotion of liberal democracies, this Article critiques the ADC by providing a comparative analysis of both the Inter-American Democratic Charter (“ODC”) and the ADC and identifies areas in which the ADC may be strengthened. Despite the expansive provisions contained in the ADC and in light of the ineffectiveness of earlier instruments adopted by the AU to promote democracy, this Article contends that in order to take concrete steps toward achieving democracy in Africa, the AU must not only obtain widespread state ratification of the ADC — with the added challenge of using and enforcing its provisions in the face of entrenched practices to the contrary — but the AU must also heed the lessons learned from the OAS’ attempts to use the ODC to foster democracy in Latin America.
Multiple Sluicing, Scope, and Superiority: Consequences for Ellipsis Identity

This article defends a semantic identity account of ellipsis licensing. The argument comes from examples of multiple sluicing, especially from Russian. Concentrating on antecedents that contain two...
Urban geopolitics: rethinking planning in contested cities

Cities across Eurasia have undergone dramatic change over the past several decades, tied to a set of equally dramatic political and economic upheavals. To date, much of the academic research on the...
AD molecular: Molecular imaging of Alzheimer's disease: PET imaging of neurotransmitter systems

Current understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis relies on the observed accumulations of amyloid β and phosphorylated tau aggregates that are thought to play key roles in initiating or propagating disease. However, other processes including changes in synaptic proteins and neurotransmitter loss have been suggested as important etiologies or contributors. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging allows in vivo investigations of molecular changes associated with AD. PET imaging with multiple radiotracers can be used in combination with other modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and with assessments of cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms to investigate the molecular underpinnings of AD. Studies of synaptic protein changes may improve the understanding of disease mechanisms and provide valuable markers of disease progression and therapeutic efficacy. This chapter will illustrate the importance of in vivo molecular imaging in the study of AD with a specific emphasis on PET and radioligands for several non-amyloid targets.
Age at Menarche and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: Findings From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-Sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation.

Background Previous studies have reported an association between the timing of menarche and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, emerging studies have not examined the timing of menarche in relat...
The Political and Legislative History that Underlies the Farm Bill

First paragraph: In The Fault Lines of Farm Policy, Jonathan Coppess explores the evolution of the farm bill through the political and congressional interests representing the United States’ three main com­modity production regions: the South, the Mid­west, and the Great Plains. Coppess combines analysis of his direct involvement in the legislative and executive branches’ farm bills in 2008 and 2014 with exten­sive historical, contemporary political, and legisla­tive analyses in his current academic role. Coppess served in the U.S. Senate and at the U.S. Depart­ment of Agriculture (USDA) from 2006 to 2013. These rich descriptions explain the underpinnings of congressional efforts and identify the drivers of American farm policy development. . . .
The Association Between Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Child Obesity: Implications for US Policy

Abstract The US government has recently implemented four policies designed to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in children. These are: (1) the introduction of an excise tax on SSBs, (2) regulations of marketing of SSBs to children; (3) policies designed to reduce SSB availability in schools; and (4) enhanced nutrition labeling of SSBs. The goal of this chapter is to understand whether the potential effects of these policies on child obesity outweigh any ethical concerns with their implementation. In order to do this, we will first describe and evaluate the evidence that a reduction in SSB intake will reduce obesity risk in children. Second, we will describe, in turn, the rationale for each policy, including evidence that they will reduce either child SSB consumption or child obesity risk. In our concluding section, we will discuss the ethical and financial implications of government policies to reduce SSB consumption and use these in addition to the evidence already described to make recommendations regarding future policy.
Coherent structure-based approach to modeling wall turbulence

A restricted nonlinear representation of the flow as a streamwise constant large-scale interacting with dynamically restricted perturbations faithfully reproduces low order statistics, cross-stream structures and energy transport in turbulent channels, at vastly reduced computational costs.
U.S. States Hit the Hardest by COVID-19 Have Lower Unemployment Risks

States with relatively more COVID-19 cases tend to have a workforce less likely to face unemployment.
Identifying possible germline variants from tumor-only sequencing of hematological malignancies

Hereditary hematological malignancies are increasingly recognized. Indeed, myeloid neoplasm with germline predisposition was added as a new entity by the 2016 revision to the World Health Organizat...
Impacts of ammonia loading and biofilm age on the prevalence of nitrogen-cycling microorganisms in a full-scale submerged attached-growth reactor.

This study reports the impacts of seasonal ammonia load changes and biofilm age on the quantity of biomass and on the prevalence of ammonia- and nitrite-metabolizing organisms within a submerged attached-growth reactor (SAGR™) following lagoon treatment. Ammonia (NH3 ) loadings (0.12-3.17 kg/d) in the primary SAGR were measured over 223 days from May to December in 2017. Adjustment of the wastewater flow path on September 1 successfully increased NH3 loading to the primary SAGR, which subsequently caused reactor biomass to increase. The NH3 removal rate in October (0.5 kg/d) was greater than rates in June and July (0.3 and 0.2 kg/d) despite a water temperature decrease from >24 to 15.6°C. This elevated removal rate in October, and the sustained removal rate in December (0.4 kg/d, 5.3°C) were associated with a measured increase in microbial biomass. The relative abundance of the anammox organism C. Brocadia was 5 times greater in the mature biofilm after 686 days of growth, and the genus Pseudomonas increased sevenfold. The presence of Pseudomonas, which contains denitrifying species, and anammox suggests a high potential for removal of total nitrogen in SAGRs. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Pseudomonas prevalence and the presence of anammox suggest a high potential for total nitrogen removal in mature SAGR biofilms. The abundance of the anammox microorganism C. Brocadia was greater after 686 days of biofilm growth compared with 33 days. Simple operational changes can increase biomass in the SAGR to maintain, or even increase, NH3 transformation rates during cold weather.
Environmentally Friendly Chemical Time Delays Based on Interrupted Reaction of Reactive Nanolaminates

Chemical time delays, devices that burn over specific times from under a millisecond to several seconds, are widely used in mining as well as civilian and military pyrotechnics and generally are composed of environmentally hazardous materials. Reactive nanolaminates are energetic materials composed of two or more reactants organized in an alternating layered structure, which may be fabricated with environmentally friendly components. Many traits of reactive nanolaminates are desirable for time delay applications, including their long shelf life and their highly repeatable and finely tunable reaction velocities. However, their reaction velocities are generally too high to be broadly applicable in chemical time delays. In this work, we use polymer mesh substrates to produce a constrained network of reactive particles, which reduce the reaction velocity of Al/Ni multilayers approximately 100× from a range of 2.8 to 7 m s–¹ to a range of 7 to 90 mm s–¹. This is accomplished via an interrupted reaction mechanism wherein individual particles on the coated mesh react rapidly but exhibit a delay before igniting neighboring particles due to the required heat transfer at the particles’ interfaces. We present the macroscale reaction velocities as a function of substrate composition and size, as well as reactive coating thickness and bilayer spacing. We employ high-speed videography to probe the ignition delays and finite element analysis simulations to aid in explaining the observed trends. Through selection of substrate and coating properties, time delays spanning a large range of delay times can be packaged into standard form factors.
Walking mediates associations between the neighborhood environment and flourishing

Introduction Considerable attention has been directed toward the neighborhood as a critical context affecting health and wellbeing. The particular mechanisms that explain this relationship are still under investigation. The ability to flourish, or live life with purpose and value, is contingent upon engaging in meaningful activities. We investigate whether the amount and type of walking within the neighborhood mediates the relationship between perceptions of the physical and social neighborhood environment and flourishing. Materials and methods An online survey was administered to a representative sample of adults (n = 796) in Phoenix, Arizona (US). The survey included items from validated scales measuring perceptions of the built environment, neighborhood cohesion, and flourishing. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping was used to test the mediating effects of walking for 150+ minutes per week and walking for recreation on the relationship between perceptions of the neighborhood environment and flourishing. Results Walking for 150+ minutes per week mediated relationships between the built environment and flourishing (β = .020, 95%CI .001 .065) and neighboring behavior and flourishing (β = .027, 95%CI .005 .071). Walking for recreation was directly associated with both the built environment and neighboring but did not contribute to flourishing. Conclusions Walking for at least 150 minutes per week is one mechanism that may explain how the environment contributes to individual flourishing within the context of the neighborhood.
Using recurrent neural networks for localized weather prediction with combined use of public airport data and on-site measurements

Abstract Weather data is a crucial input for myriad applications in the built environment, including building energy modeling and daylight analysis. Building science practitioners and researchers have been able to select from a variety of weather files, such as Weather Year for Energy Calculation 2 (WYEC2) and the Typical Meteorological Year (TMY). However, commonly used weather files are typically synthesized to represent trends over a relatively longer periods of time, and are often unable to accurately depict climatic conditions that result from local contexts, such as the heat island effect, wind flow, even local temperature and relative humidity. This results in discrepancies in building performance simulations. This study proposes a methodology using recurrent neural networks to generate synthetic localized weather data that are significantly more accurate and representative of local conditions than standard weather files. The predictions were validated against actual on-site measurements, and achieved a low mean square error of 2.96 and over 185% improvement in validation accuracy. Overall, the performance of selected models has shown over 100% improvements in test accuracy compared with standard weather files and weather station data at the nearest airport. The proposed methodology can be used to morph generic weather files to accurately represent localized conditions, or generate localized data for a longer time span with only a subset of data available/collected. This is useful for downstream built environment applications, especially building energy modeling, since representative weather data capturing trends of temperature and other variables will result in enhanced accuracies of the building energy models. The method can also be used in urban analysis pipelines to enhance resilience against climate change.
Pediatric Palliative Care Programs in US Hospitals.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is integral to the care of children living with serious illnesses. Despite the growth in the number of established palliative care programs over the past decade, little is known about the current operational features of PPC programs across the country. METHODS The National Palliative Care Registry collects annualized data on palliative care programs’ structures, processes, and staffing. Using data from the 2018 registry survey, we report on the operational features of inpatient PPC programs across the United States. RESULTS Fifty-four inpatient PPC programs submitted data about their operations. Programs reported a median of 3.8 full-time equivalent staff per 10 000 hospital admissions (range 0.7–12.1) across the core interdisciplinary team, yet few (37%) met the minimum standards of practice for staffing. Programs provided more annual consults if they were longer-standing, had more interdisciplinary full-time equivalent staff, offered 24/7 availability for patients and families, or were at larger hospitals. The majority of programs reported concern for burnout (63%) and an inability to meet clinical demand with available staffing (60%). CONCLUSIONS There is considerable variability in PPC program operations and structure in hospitals. This study affirms the need for updated program standards and guidelines, as well as research that describes how different care delivery models impact outcomes for patients, families, staff, and health care systems. Future studies that further define the clinical demand, workload, and sustainability challenges of PPC programs are necessary to foster the provision of high-quality PPC and maintain a vital clinical workforce.
Frantz Fanon and the Challenge of Political Theory

This paper analyzes Frantz Fanon’s four books, Black Skin, White Masks, A Dying Colonialism, The Wretched of the Earth, and Toward the African Revolution, as ethical prescriptions for how colonized societies (especially Algeria) organize in a collective, democratic fashion throughout the process of decolonization. Scholars like Hussein M. Adam have argued that Fanon advocated a radical democratic approach to decolonization; however, I take this analysis a step further by focusing on the moral implications of Fanon’s writings in regards to decolonization. I argue that Fanon’s basic concern was not simply with defeating colonialism and uprooting its political-economic structures, but also with creating and renewing an ethical self through praxis, corresponding to an axiology that can be described as a de-centered social democracy. Another part of my argument is to bring out the tensions and challenges that theorists like Fanon contribute to the field of political theory. Fanon is part of what Cedric Robinson calls the “black radical tradition” which challenges the traditional canon of European political thought. Black radicalism is a transnational movement that has its roots in Western European capitalist expansion and slavery, which is part of the larger experience of the African Diaspora. Fanon’s writings are not simple appropriations of Marxist theory but rather reflections on lived experiences. Thus, like W.E.B. Du Bois Fanon is not merely a supplement to the Western canon of political theory but rather challenges our notion of what counts as political theory. Fanon demonstrates the political significance of Algerian (and African) resistance to French colonialism by showing that their actions were not merely a reaction to European oppression but a significant movement where they possessed agency as political actors. By resisting French colonialism they were simultaneously constructing a political system based on their own history and culture. This does not mean it would necessarily be one that is diametrically opposed to all European thought but one that does not have to always refer to Europe for their political existence.
A Review of “Assessing Teacher Quality: Understanding Teacher Effects on Instruction and Achievement“

Assessing teachers and teaching effectiveness has become an important issue for many stakeholders in educational practice in the current climate of accountability in the field of education, includi...
Large scale arrays of microdischarge devices fabricated in Si

In this paper, the design and performance of novel AC type silicon microdischarge devices and arrays. We have fabricated, by MEMS and VLSI fabrication processes, microdischarge devices having cavity widths in the 10 -100 /spl mu/m range and incorporating a metal/dielectrics/Si structure.
Will the polio niche remain vacant

C-Cluster enteroviruses (C-CEVs), consisting of Coxsackie A viruses (C-CAV1, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 24v) and polioviruses (PV1, 2, 3), have been grouped together in relation to their genomic sequences. On the basis of disease syndromes caused in humans, however, C-CAVs and PVs are vastly different: the former cause respiratory disease, just like the major receptor group rhinoviruses (magHRV), whereas PVs, on invasion of the CNS, can cause poliomyelitis. It is assumed that the difference in pathogenesis of C-CEVs is governed predominantly by cellular receptor specificity. C-CAVs use ICAM-1, just like magHRV, whereas PVs uniquely use CD155. Both ICAM-1 and CD155 are Ig-like molecules. Remarkably, based on a phylogenetic analysis of non-structural proteins, CAV 11, 13, 17 and 18 are interleaved with, rather than separated from, the three PV serotypes, e.g. PV1 is more closely related to CAV18 that to PV2. This observation suggests that PVs may have emerged from a pool of C-CAVs by evolving a unique receptor specificity. We have been studying virion structure, virion/receptor interactions, genetics, and the molecular biology of C-CEVs with the objective of identifying the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity of these viruses. Of particular interest is the prospect that C-CEVs can be genetically manipulated to switch their receptor affinity: from CD155 to ICAM-1 for PVs, or from ICAM-1 to CD155 for C-CAVs. We propose a hypothesis that in a world free of poliovirus and anti-polio-virus neutralizing antibodies C-CAVs would be given a greater chance to switch receptor specificity from ICAM-1 to CD155 and thus, to evolve gradually into a new polio-like virus.
Percolation condition for interference-limited cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we characterize the percolation condition for a continuum secondary cognitive radio network under the SINR model. We show that the well-established condition for continuum percolation does not hold true in the SINR regime. Thus, we find the condition under which a cognitive radio network percolates. We argue that due to the SINR requirements of the secondaries along with the interference tolerance of the primaries, not all the deployed secondary nodes necessarily contribute towards the percolation process- even though they might participate in the communication process. We model the invisibility of such nodes using the concept of Poisson thinning, both in the presence and absence of primaries. Invisibility occurs due to nodes that i) cannot decode transmissions except from their nearest neighbors, ii) are always interfered, and iii) belong to isolated components. We find the thinning probability in terms of primary and secondary densities, communication radii, and interference cancellation coefficient. Further, we show how the effective coverage radius shrinks which also adds to the thinning. Theoretical findings are validated through simulations.
Malpractice Immunity for Volunteer Physicians in Public Health Emergencies: Adding Insult to Injury

There is widespread concern among public health and emergency response officials that there could be a shortage of health care providers in a public health emergency. At least the following three factors could cause an inadequate supply of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers: (1) the severity of the emergency might greatly increase the demand for health services and outstrip the available supply; (2) health care providers might become unavailable because of their own high rates of illness, as was the case in the SARS epidemic; and (3) many health care providers might not report for duty for personal, family, or professional reasons.
Load Balancing and Closed Chain Multiple Arm Control

We give the general dynamical equations for several rigid link manipulators rigidly grasping a commonly held rigid object. It is shown that the number of lost arm configuration degrees of freedom due to imposing the closed loop kinematic constraints is the same as the number of degrees of freedom gained for controlling the internal forces of the closed chain system. This number is equal to the dimension of the kernel of the Jacobian operator which transforms contact forces to the net forces acting on the held object, and it is shown that this kernel can be identified with the subspace of controllable internal forces of the closed chain system. Control of these forces allows one to regulate the grasping forces imparted to the held object or to control the load taken by each arm. It is shown that the internal forces can be influenced without affecting the control of the configuration degrees of freedom, and that this fact is independent of control law choice and involves only kinematical information about each arm. Control laws of feedback linearization type are shown to be useful for controlling the location and attitude of a frame fixed with respect to the held object, while simultaneously controlling the internal forces of the closed chain system. Since the kernel describing the internal forces subspace depends only on the relative location of arm tip contact points, force feedback can be used to feedback linearize and control the system even when the held object has unknown mass properties.
Iron and aconitase activity

Aconitase activated with Fe2+, cysteine and ascorbate incorporates 1 g-atom of Fe2+/mol. Loss of this Fe2+ by transfer to ferrozine, a Fe2+ chelator, results in loss of activity. Ascorbate increases the rate of transfer of the essential Fe2+ whereas citrate retards the rate of transfer. Transfer of Fe2+ from inactive aconitase, 2 g-atoms of Fe/mol, can be accomplished in the presence of urea and ascorbate. The correlation of activity with the presence of an added g-atom of Fe2+/mol leads to the conclusion that active aconitase has only one active site per mol.
Maternal serum α-fetoprotein screening in North Carolina: Experience with more than twelve thousand pregnancies

Abstract A total of 12,084 patients participated in a maternal serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) screening program in central North Carolina between July 1, 1978, and June 30, 1982. Fifteen open neural tube defects were detected and three others were missed, resulting in a detection rate of 83%. With a cutoff of 2.5 times the normal median, 3.7% of patients screened had a single maternal serum AFP elevation, 2.1% had two successive elevations, and 1.2% became candidates for amniocentesis. Of those patients offered amniocentesis, one in 10 was found to have a fetus with a neural tube defect. No normal fetuses have been aborted. Patients with maternal serum AFP elevations were shown to have a substantially increased risk of fetal loss. Low maternal serum AFP levels were also a significant finding and led to recognition of less advanced gestational age, fetal death, or molar pregnancy in a number of cases.
El estudio científico del estrés crónico en neurociencias y psicooncología

Presentamos un analisis de las limitaciones metodologicas del estudio del estres y del concepto de homeostasis. Tambien, se describe un nuevo modelo acerca del estres cronico, allostasis y carga allostatica, que explica las interacciones entre el cerebro y los sistemas nervioso, endocrino e inmune en las causas de enfermedades fisicas y mentales. Ilustramos empiricamente, con base en nuestras investigaciones, como este nuevo marco metodologico de investigacion cientifica permite la integracion multidisciplinaria de las ciencias biomedicas y las ciencias del comportamiento, reflejando el gran avance cientifico actual observado en el campo de las neurociencias y de la psicooncologia. Se examina el impacto negativo del estres cronico en la salud del individuo, poniendo enfasis en el rol central que cumple el concepto del distres emocional percibido. Presentamos la terapia cognitiva centrada en mindfulness como una respuesta de tratamiento multidisciplinario en las areas de la neurociencia y la psicooncologia.
Agency's Role in Dehumanization: Non-human Metaphors of Out-groups

Dehumanization, the psychological process by which individuals or groups of individuals are denied human qualities or are believed to be less than human, has important negative consequences for intergroup relations: dehumanization reduces intergroup helping and excuses aggression towards members of other groups. Current models of dehumanization are unable to explain the variety of dehumanization that occurs in metaphorical thought. For example, they cannot account for the labeling of comatose individuals as “vegetables,” nor do they adequately distinguish between of humans as predators vs. metaphors of humans as prey. We argue that this results from the paucity of attention devoted to the role of agency in the dehumanization process. The ABC model of dehumanization proposed in this paper broadens the scope of dehumanization theory by describing three unique components of agency: affective, behavioral, and cognitive. This article then delineates how the differential attribution of agency components impacts emotional responses toward out-groups in addition to the metaphors used to describe them. By incorporating both traditional types of dehumanization (extreme and overt negative evaluations) and ambivalent types of dehumanization (mixed positive and negative evaluations) into our model, we provide a more nuanced view of the dehumanization process that accounts for the variance in dehumanization by analogy.
Psyllium husk fiber supplementation to the diets rich in soybean or coconut oil: hypocholesterolemic effect in healthy humans

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of psyllium husk fiber supplementation to the diets of soybean and coconut oil on serum lipids in normolipidemic humans. A 28-day study was divided into four 7-day experimental periods. Dietary periods were soybean oil (SO), soybean oil plus psyllium fiber (SO + PF), coconut oil (CO) and coconut oil plus psyllium fiber (CO + PF), and were arranged to a randomized cross over design. Ten subjects consumed controlled diet containing 30% fat calories (20% from test oils and 10% from controlled diet) and 20 g per day of psyllium during fiber supplementation periods. SO + PF diet significantly reduced serum cholesterol compared with SO diet (P < 0.001). CO + PF diet significantly reduced serum cholesterol compared with CO diet (P < 0.014). Hypocholesterolemic response was greater with SO + PF compared with CO + PF (0.36mmol−1 vs 0.31mmoll−1). Reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) B were parallel to reductions of...
Interaction of a vortex and a premixed flame

The interaction of a vortex structure and a premixed flame is studied. The presence of pressure gradients in the vortex and density gradients in the flame result in a complicated interaction. This interaction has been examined when the flame and vortex are fully coupled and in two special cases where they are decoupled: a frozen flame case and a frozen vortex case. In the frozen flame case the main effect of the flame on the vortex is through the barocline torque term. This has been modeled for high Damkoehler numbers. In the frozen vortex case the main effect, at moderate Damkoehler numbers, is to convect the flame around the vortex. At low Damkoehler numbers, depending on the length scales, pockets of unburned gas can form or the flame structure can be significantly changed. The two frozen cases provide a basis for understanding the full interaction.
Persistence of U.S. Seasonal Temperatures up to One Year

Abstract An attempt is made to physically explain the distribution of lag correlations (with long-period trend removed) from one to four seasons based on 40 years of data at about 200 stations in the conterminous United States. These data are analysed with the help of histograms (and medians) for climatologically homogeneous areas and a series of isopleth charts. The results indicate that seasonal persistence is most pronounced 1) when summer is antecedent, 2) in most seasons along the West and East Coasts and near the Great Lakes, and 3) in areas and times where and when variability of snow cover or antecedent precipitation is large. Negative persistence occurs mainly between successive Springs and at certain seasons over the Western Plateau. Physical concepts involving heat storage and teleconnections from large-scale coupled air-sea systems over the North Pacific are suggested as causes. Unfortunately, the correlations are for the most part too small to be used as a sole guide for making long-range for...
Purification and Characterization of Glutathione S-Transferase of Murine Ovary and Testis

Abstract Recent studies have indicated that sex hormones may regulate expression of murine glutathione 5-transferase (GST) isozymes. Therefore, we have purified and compared GST isozymes of murine ovary and testis, two tissues with markedly different hormonal milieu. Isoelectric profiles of the GST isozymes of both these tissues were found to be closely similar. Both expressed one α-class GST (pI 9.8), one π-class GST (pI 8.9), and three μ-class GSTs (pI 8.5, 7.9, and 6.7). In addition, an isozyme (pI 5.8) corresponding to the rat GST 8-8 was also expressed in both these tissues. Total GST protein/g tissue was about 1.7-fold more abundant in testis. The specific activities of the cationic isozymes of testis were 1.2- to 2.4-fold higher as compared to those of ovaries. On the other hand, the specific activities of the anionic testicular isozymes were 6.4- to 10-fold higher compared to the corresponding ovarian isozymes. Structural properties including the N-terminal sequences of the testicular isozymes were indistinguishable from those of their ovarian counterparts. The N-terminal sequence of the π-class GST of both tissues was similar to that of mouse liver GST π. The three μ-class GSTs of testis and ovary arise from the dimeric combinations of two subunits whose N-terminal sequences determined up to 24 residues were similar to those of mouse liver GST subunits μ1 and μ2. Although testicular and ovarian isozymes were structurally similar, Kcat values of some of the testicular isozymes were up to 10-fold higher than those of the corresponding ovarian isozymes. The substrate specificities were also significantly different for the corresponding isozymes of testis and ovary.
A simple, low‐cost device for processing and embedding tissues at sub‐zero temperatures

A simple apparatus to maintain tissues samples at sub-zero temperatures during dehydration, infiltration, and polymerization is described. The device uses a conventional siphon-type carbon dioxide gas cylinder to maintain an aluminum block at temperatures as low as −35°C for over 15 hours/cylinder. Microsc. Res. Tech. 62:262–266, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On the use of the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient in models of ocean floor topography

Pollack, H.N., 1980. On the use of the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient in models of ocean floor topography. Tectonophysics, 64: T45-T47. The use of the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient, instead of the linear coefficient, in successful models of ocean floor topography implies that the elastic rigidity of the lithosphere relaxes, enabling isostasy to be achieved. However, the presence of a thin elastic lid in the lithosphere, inferred from gravity investigations, implies some rigidity at the top of the lithospheric column and suggests that the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient derived from rheologically uniform models of the topography is about 15% too small. In their excellent book PIate Tectonics, Le Pichon et al. (1976) review the basic theory that relates the evolution of ocean floor topography to the thermal evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. As they note, many authors have explained the systematic increase in ocean depth away from the ridge crest by thermal contraction of the lithosphere as it moves away from the spreading axis. The theory that relates the topography to the thermal history is an isostatic theory, with mass balance between lithospheric columns achieved through a temperature dependent density, introduced via the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient p(T) = ~~(l+q,T). However, Le Pichon et al. also note (p. 162) that the isostatic theory assumes that all the expansion of the lithosphere upon heating will be in the vertical direction and that lateral expansion is insignificant. They then point out the dilemma that expansion in only one direction should properly be characterized by the linear thermal expansion coefficient q, while it is the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient cv, some three times greater than al, that successfully predicts the evolution of oceanic topography. Approaching the problem of the topography not isostatically but directly through thermoelasticity theory seemingly confirms the dilemma, but in the end resolves it. Let us consider the semi-infinite region z>O with a temperature distribution T(z) in the depth range OGz<h and zero
Summer Foods of the Cyprinid Fish Semotilus atromaculatus

Abstract Aquatic larvae and pupae, fishes, and molluscs together contributed 95% of the stomach contents of creek chubs from headwaters of the Mississippi River, Clearwater County, Minnesota, during the summer of 1965. As fish grew the changes in food items were from ephemeropteran nymphs and smaller dipterans to larger caddisfly and dipteran larvae, and then fishes. Chubs feed generally in proportion to availability of food organisms. Fishes fed most intensively during early evening and least in the morning. As summer progressed, a reduction in feeding intensity occurred.
Neuroprotective effects of statins: evidence from preclinical and clinical studies

The benefits of statins for both primary and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke are clearly established. Evidence is accumulating that statin withdrawal after ischemic stroke may lead to worse outcome and that initiation of statins after ischemic stroke may reduce mortality and improve outcome. Current treatment guidelines recommend starting statins before discharge in patients with stroke related to atherosclerosis or who have elevated cholesterol. The primary treatment question then is not if to start statins in most ischemic stroke patients, but when. Our recommendation would be start a statin as soon as the patient passes a dysphagia screen and can safely take oral medication. Based on the results of the Heart Protection Study and the SPARCL trial, either simvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 80 mg are appropriate alternatives. Clinical trials are needed to demonstrate unequivocal efficacy of improved outcome and to determine if lower doses may have this effect. Additionally, improved outcome needs to be established in cardioembolic stroke patients before routine use of statins in this stroke subtype can be recommended.
Observations on the carbohydrate moiety of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease A.

The carbohydrate side chain of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease A, which is attached to asparagine residue 18, contains two residues of N-acetylglucosamine proximal to the peptide chain followed by a variable number of mannose residues (4–10). The oligosaccharide structure bears a similarity to that in bovine pancreatic ribonuclease B. The present sequence studies have made use of α-mannosidase chromatographically purified from jack bean meal.
Intrinsic local constituents of molecular electronic wave functions. II. Electronic structure analyses in terms of intrinsic oriented quasi-atomic molecular orbitals for the molecules FOOH, H2BH2BH2, H2CO and the isomerization HNO → NOH

The electronic bonding structures of the molecules FOOH, H2CO, H2BH2BH2 and the isomerization HNO → NOH are analyzed in terms of the intrinsic, oriented quasi-atomic molecular orbitals that are extracted from the optimized full-valence multi-configuration self-consistent-field wavefunctions by the unbiased, basis-set-independent procedure described in the preceding paper. In all cases, the method brings to light the essentials of the bonding interactions. Detailed insights are furnished regarding the hyper-conjugation between lone pairs and nearby antibonding orbitals in FOOH and H2CO, regarding the three-center bonding in diborane, and regarding the transition state structure in HNO. The versatility of the use of the quasi-atomic orbitals is exemplified.
Examining cost effectiveness of mobile source emission control measures

Abstract The cost-effectiveness of emission control measures, usually calculated in dollars per ton of emissions reduced, is often used to determine which control measures should be implemented to meet overall emission reduction requirements. This seemingly simple cost effectiveness methodology requires making careful choices, such as whether to employ (1) user costs or societal costs, (2) manufacturer- or consumer-level costs, (3) emission reductions in non-attainment areas only or in both non-attainment and attainment areas, and (4) annual or pollution-season emission reductions. Researchers must also carefully consider how to determine baseline emissions, whether to use multiple-pollutant emission reductions, and whether to apply emission discounting. Because there are various ways to address these issues and because different studies employ different assumptions regarding costs and emission reductions, the results of cost effectiveness studies can be significantly different and can sometimes contradict one another. This paper summarizes and adjusts the cost effectiveness results from completed studies, allowing determination of the relative cost effectiveness of key mobile source emission control measures. The paper also summarizes the cost effectiveness of stationary control measures, permitting a comparison of mobile and stationary control measures. The results of this study indicate that, except for alternative-fuel vehicles (and considering a range of uncertainties), the emission control cost of many mobile source control measures is below $10,000 per ton of emissions reduced.
Characterizing the microstructure of interfaces in Y-123 thin films

Highly oriented thin films of high-critical-temperature superconductors contain specific sets of grain boundaries and other interfaces and can serve as model systems in studying the transport behavior of these boundaries. Thin films also provide mechanisms for synthesizing individual grain boundaries and studying their properties. Microstructural characterization of these interfaces and other crystallographic defects is essential to understanding the macroscopic property measurements since both the nanoscale structure and the distribution of the boundaries varies for a given film orientation and set of synthesis parameter.
Accuracy of MR imaging for detecting epiphyseal extension of osteosarcoma.

Background. Too few patients are receiving epiphyseal-sparing limb salvage procedures for osteosarcoma. Objective. To determine how magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can best predict the epiphyseal extension of osteosarcoma. Materials and methods. Forty children underwent complete pretreatment static and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DEMRI). Static MR images [T1-weighted and short tau inversion recovery (STIR)] of the epiphyses were read in three ways: (1) for suspicion of any abnormality (tumor or edema), (2) for suspicion of tumor, excluding suspected edema, and (3) validating the second method by using a scale to rate the likelihood of tumor. Presentation imaging was compared to histopathologic findings after chemotherapy and resection. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method was used to analyze the scaled ratings of static MR and DEMRI values. Results. At delayed resection, 20 of 40 children with osteosarcoma had confirmed epiphyseal tumor; however, 32 epiphyses were abnormal on STIR and 28 abnormal on T1. Differentiating suspected tumor from edema increased the accuracy to an Az (area under the ROC curve) of 0.94 for both T1-weighted and STIR static sequences. T1-weighted MR had better specificity and STIR better sensitivity at any given rating. DEMRI was slightly less accurate (Az = 0.90). Conclusion. Static MR imaging most accurately detected epiphyseal extension of osteosarcoma when readers distinguished suspected tumor from edematous or normal tissue.
Diamond deposition by chemical vapor transport with hydrogen in a closed system

Abstract The carbon-hydrogen chemical vapor transport system was examined in accordance with a four-stage transport model. A result of this examination is that graphite co-deposition could be avoided when diamond is deposited from gas solutions undersaturated with regard to diamond. Actual deposition experiments showed that this unusual requirement can be fulfilled but only for the condition that the transport distance between the carbon source and the substrate surface is short. In such a case diamond can be deposited equally from supersaturated as well as from undersaturated gas solutions. On the basis of thermodynamic considerations, a possible explanation of this unusual phenomenon is given. It is shown that there is a possibility of deposition of diamond from both supersaturated and undersaturated gas solutions but only on the condition that they are in a non-equilibrium state generally called the activated state. A model of the diamond deposition process consisting of two steps is proposed. In the first step diamond and graphite are deposited simultaneously. The most important carbon deposition reaction is C2H2(g)+2H(g) = C(diamond+graphite) +CH4(g). The amount of co-deposited graphite is not a direct function of the saturation state of the gas phase. In the second step graphite is etched according to the most probable reaction C(graphite)+4H(g) = CH4(g). Atomic hydrogen in a concentration exceeding equilibrium is necessary not only to etch graphite, but also to precipitate diamond and graphite.
Night Calligraphic Digital Visual System

The LinkNVS tm(Link Night Visual System) is a compact, low-cost flight simulator attachment which generates visual scenes. The visual images are computed at 30 frames per second by digital computational implementation. The visual scenes are displayed by means of a color CRT operating in the stroke writing (calligraphic) mode. The computed display changes dynamically in concert with the real-time progress of the simulated aircraft through its flight plan. The NVS can be configured to provide up to eight independent view channels by means of subsystem modules. Each of the eight windows will display up to 2,000 light points computed for the dynamic airport display scene.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Modeling of weld residual stresses in core shroud structures

This paper presents a computational model to predict residual stresses in a girth weld (H4) of a BWR core shroud. The H4 weld is a multi-pass submerged-arc weld that joins two type 304 austenitic stainless steel cylinders. An axisymmetric solid element model was used to characterize the detailed evolution of residual stresses in the H4 weld. In the analysis, a series of advanced weld modeling techniques were used to address some specific welding-related issues, such as material melting/re-melting and history annihilation. In addition, a 3-D shell element analysis was performed to quantify specimen removal effects on residual stress measurements based on a sub-structural specimen from a core shroud. The predicted residual stresses in the H4 weld were used as the crack driving force for the subsequent analysis of stress corrosion cracking in the H4 weld. The crack growth behavior was investigated using an advanced finite element alternating method (FEAM). Stress intensity factors were calculated for both axisymmetric circumferential (360°) and circumferential surface cracks. The analysis results obtained from these studies shed light on the residual stress characteristics in core shroud weldments and the effects of residual stresses on stress corrosion cracking behavior.
Atherosclerosis : A physical-thermodynamic hypothesis for its genesis

Abstract A hypothesis is advanced that atherosclerosis is a result of fundamental changes in the physics of the circulatory system with physiological changes being consequences. Major emphasis is placed on two possible conditions. One is that of aberration of surface tension as expressed in the Gibb's Adsorption isotherm. The other postulates the existence of a natural plasticizer substance and its deficiency in atherosclerotic disease.
Central integration of visual half-fields in split-brain monkeys

Visual half field central integration and monocular performance in split-brain monkeys after transection of chiasm, anterior commissure and corpus callosum