cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A systems analysis of pasta filata process during Mozzarella cheese making

Pasta filata process during Mozzarella cheese manufacturing was studied. System variables (SME, specific mechanical energy; TE, exit temperature) were defined and their relationships to operating conditions were investigated. The compositional, rheological and functional properties of cheeses manufactured under different conditions were analyzed and relationships between system variables and cheese properties were established. The cheese moisture content decreased as SME increased. A quadratic relation was established between cheese moisture content and TE, FDM (fat-in-dry-matter) and SME and FDM and TE. These relationships suggested that optimization of the cheese yield is possible by adjusting the pasta filata process operating parameters. Evaluation of microstructural features of the cheese samples further supported these conclusions.
Random difference equations occuring in one-compartment models☆

Abstract For a single-compartment system, two models are studied with the object of finding the weakest assumptions under which one can draw the strongest possible conclusions about the limiting behavior to the random sequences involved. With constant pulsing and a random retention factor, Model I is given by Y 0 = 1 and Y n = 1 + X n Y n −1 , n = 1, 2,…, where Y n denotes the amount in the compartment at the n th interval of time and X n are independent identically distributed random variables. With random pulsing and a constant retention factor, Model II is given by Y 0 = 1 and Y n = W n + ϱY n −1, n = 1, 2,…, where Y n denotes the amount in the compartment at the n th interval of time and W n denotes the random amount of material that enters the system at the n th step. The W n are independent and identically distributed random variables and ϱ > 0.
Radar and Lightning Observations of Normal and Inverted Polarity Multicellular Storms from STEPS

Abstract This study discusses radar and lightning observations of two multicellular storms observed during the Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study. The Lightning Mapping Array data indicated that the charge structure of the 19 June 2000 storm was consistent with a normal polarity tripole, while the 22 June 2000 storm exhibited an overall inverted tripolar charge structure. The 19 June storm consisted of weaker convection and produced little to no hail and moderate total flash rates peaking between 80 and 120 min−1. The cells in the 22 June 2000 storm were much more vigorous, exhibited strong, broad updrafts, and produced large quantities of hail, as well as extraordinary total flash rates as high as 500 min−1. The National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) indicated that the 19 June storm produced mostly negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning, while the 22 June storm produced predominantly positive CG lightning, peaking at 10 min−1 just after two cells merged. However, the Los Al...
The carbon-13 NMR spectra of phenyl-substituted methanes, ethanes, and ethylenes

Abstract The 13 C chemical shifts for fifteen of the nineteen possible phenyl-substituted ] methanes, ethanes, and ethylenes are reported and discussed. In general, there are no specific trends established for the ortho, meta, and para aromatic carbons with increasing substitution, but the C-1 aromatic carbon shows a regular substitution effect and the aliphatic and olefinic carbons show excellent qualitative agreement with the extensive data compilations for the effects of alkyl substitution.
Transient moisture effects in materials

The paper reviews transient moisture effects in various materials with emphasis on their viscoelastic properties and durability. The first part of the review is dedicated to the phenomenological aspects of the effects in materials such as whole wood, plywood, particleboard, fibreboard, paper, natural and synthetic fibres and composite materials. Creep, creep recovery, dynamic response and failure as influenced by various transient moisture conditions are discussed in relation to the materials system, the extent and rate of moisture change, loading modes, temperature levels, specimen sizes, type of solvent and preventive measures. The second part is devoted to the discussion of mechanistic models. Explanations of the phenomenon from a molecular and materials standpoint are assessed, compared and discussed in depth so that one can gain deeper insight into the phenomenon as discussed in the first part. The main mechanisms discussed include: (i) hydrogen bonding, (ii) slip planes and (iii) crystallite slippage and rotation.
Sunscreens and insect repellents.

[]INTRODUCTIONRecent advances in sunscreen technology have led to better protection and improved tactile appeal. This review will detail these developments and compare several agents head-to-head for efficacy and safety in children. Insect repellent technology has also taken large strides in overall
The Shrine and Cult of Mu'in al-din Chishti of Ajmer

The great Sufi mystics of Islam drew their inspiration from direct, ecstatic communication with God, and were therefore seen to be gifted with divine, even miraculous powers of intercession and healing. Eventually, their graves or the places associated with them became important places of pilgrimage, attracting the people of many faiths. For the Muslim devotee, the saint often become a close substitute for the prophet Muhammad. The aim of this study is to provide students of religious and South Asian studies with a definition of the role of the Sufi mystics in Islam. The text places Mu'in al-Din in a historical context and attempts to disentangle the Mu'in of history from the legendary creation of later chronicles.
Challenges to Identifying and Treating Women with Depression in Rural Primary Care

Many women seeking help from rural primary care providers are experiencing major or other types of depression. Women typically do not discuss their depression with their primary care providers although those who did reported finding it very helpful. Feeling understood and advice were particularly viewed as helpful. Major barriers to discussing depression with primary care providers include stigma about depression, lack of time, and perceptions that the primary care providers were not interested in these concerns. Depressed women tend to seek help for certain somatic problems, especially headaches, backaches, muscle pains, sleep problems, feeling tired, and abdominal pains.
Effect of primaquine on experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

ConclusionsPrimaquine showed a strong suppressive action during the early stages of experimental T. cruzi infection in mice. Most treated animals survived infection with a virulent strain and all showed a disappearance or marked decrease in the number of parasites present in the blood. The activity of the drug seems to be stronger than other drugs so far known to be effective against T. cruzi infections.
Looking East: Africa’s Newest Investment Partners

Asian investment and economic engagement in Africa is a prominent feature of this decade. This newly prominent engagement raises many issues for the emerging and frontier economies of Africa. What ...
The Teacher's Corner: An Extension of the Birthday Problem

(1968). The Teacher's Corner: An Extension of the Birthday Problem. The American Statistician: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 27-29.
New upgridding method to capture the dynamic performance of the fine scale heterogeneous reservoir

Abstract Many tight gas reservoirs are characterized by large gross interval with significant presence of shale and interspersed sand. The geo-cellular models of these reservoirs, which honor the resolution of log data, contain large number of layers. Without significant upgridding of vertical layers, flow simulation of such reservoirs is very difficult. Ideally, the upgridding process should be conducted such that the dynamic performance of geo-cellular model is preserved in the upgridded model. One way to ensure efficient upgridding is to preserve fine scale pressure profile in the coarse scale model. In this study we observed that, in heterogeneous reservoirs, the vertical communication across layers has a big impact on the flow behavior in a fine scale model. In the presence of vertical communication, fine scale heterogeneities are homogenized. That is, layers with different permeabilities have similar pressure profiles during the depletion phase. Hence by combining these layers into a single layer would still predict a similar dynamic performance. In contrast, when crossflow across layers does not exist, combining those layers would result in much different dynamic behavior than fine scale behavior. It was observed that upgridding performance is not only influenced by the extent of sand connectivity across the layers (which tells us about vertical communication) but also how areally dispersed the connections are present. In the case of existence of dispersed shale within reservoir it was found that the vertical flow is more helped by smaller sized vertical connections between layers, which are areally dispersed, than large sized connections concentrated within a certain region. Analytical solution is provided to quantitatively prove the effect of size as well as dispersed nature of connection across the layers. Using the underpinnings of analytical solution, a new methodology is developed which combines layers based on sand connectivity (vertical permeability) across adjacent layers as well as their respective petrophysical properties (horizontal permeability). Our approach is analytical. However, it was shown that the analytical upgridding error we estimate closely mirrors the simulation error which represents the difference in the dynamic performance of fine versus coarse layers. We validate our method by applying it to both synthetic as well as field cases. Through these examples, we demonstrate that newly proposed method is superior to proportional as well as variance and flux based upgridding methods.
A combination of levobunolol and dipivefrin for the treatment of glaucoma.

• This double-masked prospective study compared the ocular hypotensive efficacy and the safety of 0.5% and 1% levobunolol hydrochloride with 0.5% timolol maleate when each was administered topically twice daily in combination with 0.1% dipivefrin hydrochloride. Forty-three patients whose intraocular pressure was previously controlled by concomitant treatment with timolol and dipivefrin were randomly assigned to receive 0.5% or 1% levobunolol and 0.1% dipivefrin, or to continue to receive 0.5% timolol and 0.1% dipivefrin for three months. In the groups receiving levobunolol and dipivefrin concurrently, continued intraocular pressure control was achieved equal to that attained with timolol and dipivefrin before study entry. We concluded that concomitant treatment with levobunolol and dipivefrin is equal in both efficacy and safety to concomitant treatment with timolol and dipivefrin.
Downward migration of trichlorfon insecticide in turfgrass soils

Abstract The downward migration of the insecticide, trichlorfon (o,o-dimethyl-2,2,2-trichloro-l-hydroxyethylphosphonate) was studied in a fine sandy loam, a silt loam and a sand each prepared in lysimeter plots and seeded with creeping bentgrass. The extent of insecticide leaching was determined as a function of interval after trichlorfon application under two irrigation regimes simulating above or below average precipitation. Trichlorfon moved downward quite rapidly with traces still detectable in leachates 23 days following application. The percentages of total applied insecticide recovered in the leachates were in the range of 1 and 4 percent at the lower and higher rates of irrigation, respectively. Factors affecting the various modes of dissipation of trichlorfon are discussed.
Seasonal distribution of the sorghum midge and its hymenopterous parasites, 1975-77.

Populations of the sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola (Coquillett), and associated hymenopteran parasites, Aprostocetus diplosidis Crawford, Tetrastichus venustus Gahan, and Eupelmus popa Girault, were monitored throughout the 1975, 1976, and 1977 growing seasons at Tifton, Georgia. Population ratios ranged from 2:1 to 11:1 for 1975, from 3:1 to 83:1 in 1976, and from 2:1 to 987:1 in 1977 in favor of the sorghum midge. Percentage of parasitization was 26% in 1975, 13% in 1976, and 11% in 1977. Over 95% of the total sorghum midge parasites collected during the 3-yr study were A. diplosidis .
Retinoschisin Gene Therapy and Natural History in the Rs1h-KO Mouse: Long-term Rescue from Retinal Degeneration

PURPOSE: The authors characterized the natural history of a retinoschisin gene knockout (Rs1h-KO) mouse model and evaluated the long-term effects of retinal rescue after AAV(2/2)-CMV-Rs1h gene delivery.METHODS: Full-field scotopic electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded from 44 male hemizygous Rs1h-KO and 44 male wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J mice at six ages between 1 and 16 months. Retinal morphometry included outer segment layer (OSL) width, photoreceptor cell count, and grading of schisis cavity severity. One eye each of seven Rs1h-KO mice at age 14 days was injected with AAV(2/2)-CMV-Rs1h, and retinal histology and ERG findings at 14 months were analyzed.RESULTS: The outer nuclear layer (ONL) of 1-month-old Rs1h-KO mice was disorganized but had nearly normal cell counts. The OSL was thinned, rod outer segments were misaligned, and abundant schisis cavities spanned the inner nuclear and outer plexiform layers in all retinas. ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes at this age were reduced by 33% and 50%, respectively. ERG and ONL cell numbers decreased further between 1 and 16 months, with unequal changes in the a- and b-waves with age. The a-wave reduction correlated well with the steady decline in ONL cell number, whereas a rapid decline in the b-wave and a (b/a-wave) ratio less than in WT were associated with increasing severity of schisis cavities at young ages. At 4 months, the cavities were maximal, but they coalesced and disappeared at older ages. The (b/a-wave) ratio was inversely correlated with cavity severity across all ages (r = -0.74; P < 0.0001; n = 22). Considerable heterogeneity was observed at each age in the ERG amplitudes and retinal morphology. Mice injected with AAV-Rs1h at 14 days showed considerable structural and functional rescue at age 14 months, including improved rod outer and inner segment integrity, less photoreceptor cell loss, and larger ERG amplitudes compared with untreated fellow eyes.CONCLUSIONS: The ERG of the Rs1h-KO mouse at early ages reflects disruption of photoreceptor and second-order neuron function. In mid to late ages, the ERG decline reflects primarily photoreceptor degeneration. The Rs1h-KO mouse is consistent with human clinical X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) in showing schisis cavities, which affect primarily the b-wave, the regression of schisis cavities at older ages, and a considerable range in phenotypic severity across individuals. This mouse model also indicates the critical roll of RS-protein in photoreceptor survival consistent with decreased a-waves in some patients with XLRS. Long-term rescue of retinal morphology and function by AAV-Rs1h gene transfer may provide a basis for considering intervention in the homologous human XLRS condition. (Less)
Autoimmunity in immunodeficiency

Primary immunodeficiencies (PID) comprise a diverse group of clinical disorders with varied genetic defects. Paradoxically, a substantial proportion of PID patients develop autoimmune phenomena in addition to having increased susceptibility to infections from their impaired immunity. Although much of our understanding comes from data gathered through experimental models, there are several well-characterized PID that have improved our knowledge of the pathways that drive autoimmunity. The goals of this review will be to discuss these immunodeficiencies and to review the literature with respect to the proposed mechanisms for autoimmunity within each put forth to date.
Eye Tracking Disorder in Schizophrenia Is Characterized by Specific Ocular Motor Defects and Is Associated with the Deficit Syndrome

The objective was to determine the relationships between eye tracking disorder (ETD) in schizophrenia, specific ocular motor measures, and the deficit syndrome. Twenty-five normal comparison subjects and 53 schizophrenic patients had eye movements tested with infrared oculography using a sinusoidal target. Patients were assessed with the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome. For the patients, the distribution of position root mean square error (a global measure of pursuit) was best fit by a mixture of two normal distributions. This information was used to divide the patients into two subgroups, those with and those without ETD. ETD was almost completely accounted for by several specific ocular motor measures and was significantly associated with the deficit syndrome. The finding that ETD was almost completely accounted for by specific measures bridges a gap of interpretation in this field. ETD and the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia may share a common pathophysiology of cerebral cortical-subcortical circuits.
Maize stripe tenuivirus RNA2 transcripts in plant and insect hosts and analysis of pvc2, a protein similar to the Phlebovirus virion membrane glycoproteins

The complete sequence of the maize stripe tenuivirus (MstV) RNA2 was determined (3337 nucleotides). RNA2 contains two large open reading frames (ORFs) arranged in an ambisense orientation and specific RNAs of ca. 700 and 2600 nucleotides corresponding to the ORFs were detected in MStV-infected plants and planthoppers. The deduced amino acid sequence of the 23,500 MW protein (pv2) encoded by viral RNA2 (vRNA2) was similar to proteins encoded by the rice stripe (RStV) and rice hoja blanca tenuiviruses vRNA2. Sequence analysis suggested that pv2 is membrane associated. The 93,900 MW protein (pvc2) encoded by viral complementary MStV RNA2 (vcRNA2) was similar to the 94,000 MW protein of RStV RNA2 and to the virion membrane glycoproteins for Phlebovirus members of the Bunyaviridae. The phlebovirus glycoprotein cleavage sitewas similar to a region in the MStV and RStV proteins suggesting that the tenuivirus pvc2 may be processed analogous to the phlebovirus glycoproteins.
Automatic defect classification of printed wiring board solder joints

An automatic windowing algorithm is developed for use in automatic printed wiring board solder joint inspection. The method uses Hough curve detection to locate the solder joint within the image. Eleven good features selected by C.-C. Lee (1987) for use in the solder joint inspection task are studied in detail for purposes of optimizing the inspection process. This is done with the aid of a minimum distance classification algorithm that allows for classification of the solder joint based on user selected features. Automatic windowing, feature selection, and classification algorithms are compiled into a complete solder joint inspection system. >
Thermally induced gallium removal from plutonium dioxide for MOX fuel production

A process for the separation of gallium oxide from plutonium dioxide using a ''dry'' process has been developed. The process uses a reducing gas to generate a volatile gallium specie which is collected downstream. The effects of temperature, duration, flow rate, and sample size have been examined. Results indicate that temperature plays a strong role in the efficacy of gallium removal. Other variables have a much smaller effect on gallium removal efficiency. Gallium removal to approximately 1 ppm (atomic) has been observed. Gallium removal to sub-ppm levels appears feasible based on results-to-date.
Psychopathology and violence: a review of literature.

Abstract The role of psychopathology in the occurence of violence is reviewed. Diagnosis, course of illness and various symptom clusters are important variables which help predict the incidence of violence in psychiatric populations. The violent act varies greatly in terms of such characteristics as intentionality, planning, and severity, depending on the psychopathology present.
Plasma and Brain Glutamine Concentrations Unsuitable as Clinical Indicators of Ammonia Toxicosis in Channel Catfish

Abstract Plasma and brain glutamine levels in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus showed inconsistent changes resulting from exposure to un-ionized ammonia, unlike results from studies of other teleosts. The results of this study strongly suggest that plasma and brain glutamine levels are unsuitable as clinical indicators of ammonia toxicosis in channel catfish.
FLOW IN PITS OF FLUID-DYNAMIC ORIGIN

A was made some years ago of the evidence of the nature of air flow over the surfaces of meteorites during their flight through air when they entered the earth's atmosphere. That evidence is left on the surface in the form of flow lines due to streaming of molten rock or iron oxide, just before the bodies in question were decelerated enough for ablation to cease. In that study the suggestion was made, as based on the observations, that the shallow pits that have often been observed on meteorites, particularly iron ones, might have been caused by peculiarities of the air flow over the meteorite surface rather than by inhomogeneities of the meteorite material. In particular, it seemed likely that a pit would form in a surface if the flow that causes ablation can exist in the form of a "bound vortex/ that is, a vortex with axis having a horseshoe shape which is held in one place on the ablating surface by the pressure gradients of the fluid flow. The pit would be formed at the apex of the horseshoe; the ends of the vortex would trail off to infinity in the wake. The horseshoe shape was concluded to be essential for the purpose of satisfying the continuity relation for the reversed flow implicit in any assumed vortex. As a rather direct method for demonstrating that vortices of the type proposed actually exist over the surface of an ablating body and that, when they do, pits will be formed, tests were made by use of steady water flow over the surface of large salt blocks such as are fed to cattle. The relation between bound vortices and surface pits was verified in that pits were formed where bound vortices were predicted to exist, and not where they were absent. Figure 1 shows one of the pitted blocks. The evidence of the horseshoe shape of the bound vortex, presumed to have carved the pit, is clear in the shape of the lower one. The question was posed how the ablation rate beneath a vortex could possibly be as great as that where no vortex exists; presumably, ablation rate depends on flow speed, which, in a vortex and especially inside a pit, certainly is less than it would be outside. An answer might be obtained if the flow about the pitted shape were studied in air flowing with the same Reynolds number as the water that shaped the block, under conditions of dynamic similarity, t For measurement of the air flow inside the pit, a special velocity probe was made. It consisted of two lengths of 0.046-in. capillary tubing, each length closed at one end and pierced with a small hole in a side as near to the closed end as possible. The two tubes were soldered together with the
Light sources and their role in laser therapy

Further research in laser therapy has resulted in the introduction of sources such as LEDs, and filtered and unfiltered broadband thermal sources. While well-controlled studies and comparisons of these devices have not yet been done, such studies should include the same well-documented description of the sources and other parameters of the studies.
Safety, efficacy and extended duration of action of mixed amphetamine salts extended-release capsules for the treatment of ADHD

Stimulant medications have proven to be effective in reducing the core symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention and are considered the first line of therapy for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mixed amphetamine salts extended-release capsules (MAS XR; Adderall XR, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group) include immediate-release pellets of mixed amphetamine salts that release the first half of the dose upon ingestion and delayed-release pellets that begin to release active drug approximately 4 h later. The MAS XR capsule contains the same 3:1 ratio of dextroamphetamine to levoamphetamine as do mixed amphetamine salts immediate-release tablets (MAS IR; Adderall), Shire Pharmaceuticals Group), and the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles of MAS XR 20 mg are comparable to those with MAS IR 10 mg b.i.d. MAS XR has a rapid onset of action--within 1.5 h--and provides 12 h coverage. The efficacy, safety and extended duration of action of MAS XR have been established through clinical studies in school-age children, adolescents and adults.
Extending matchings in graphs: a survey

Gallai and Edmonds independently obtained a canonical decomposition of graphs in terms of their maximum matchings. Unfortunately, one of the degenerate cases for their theory occurs when the graph in question has a perfect matching (also known as a 1-factor). Kotzig, Lovasz and others subsequently developed a further decomposition of such graphs. Among the `atoms? of this decomposition is the family of bicritical graphs. (A graph G is bicritical if G - u - v has a perfect matching for every choice of two points u, v in G.) So far graphs have resisted further decomposition procedures.Motivated by these mysterious graphs, we introduced the following definition. Let p and n be positive integers with n </ (p ? 2)/2. Graph G is n-extendable if G has a matching of size n and every such matching extends to (i.e. is a subset of) a perfect matching in G. It is clear that if a graph is bicritical, it is 1-extendable. A more interesting result is that if a graph is 2-extendable, it is either bipartite or bicritical. It is also true that if a graph is n-extendable, it is also (n ? 1)-extendable. Hence, for nonbipartite graphs we have a nested sequence of families of bicritical graphs to study.In this paper, we survey a variety of results obtained over the past few years concerning n-extendable graphs. In particular, we describe how the property of n-extendability interacts with such other graph parameters as genus, toughness, claw-freedom and degree sums and generalized neighborhood conditions. We will also investigate the behavior of matching extendability under the operation of Cartesian product. The study of n-extendability for planar graphs has been, and continues to be, of particular interest.
Management of pararenal aneurysms of the abdominal aorta

Abstract The operative treatment of 77 patients with atherosclerotic aneurysms of the pararenal aorta (54 juxtarenal and 23 suprarenal) is analyzed. Repair of these complex lesions is formidable because of (1) difficult exposure, (2) renal ischemia and myocardial strain as a result of proximal aortic occlusion, and (3) associated renal atherosclerosis with secondary renal functional impairment. Nineteen (25%) patients were normotensive with normal renal function. Sixteen patients (21%) had hypertension alone and 42 (54%) were hypertensive with abnormal renal function. There were multiple renal arteries in 22% of patients. Aortic reconstruction involved infrarenal graft in 27 patients (35%), infrarenal graft plus pararenal aortic endarterectomy (TEA) in 26 (34%), and infra- and pararenal aortic graft in 24 (31%). Twenty-two patients (30%) had normal renal arteries and therefore no renal reconstruction. Of the 55 patients who required combined aortic and renal artery repair, 24 required renal artery repair because of involvement of the renal arteries by the aneurysm and 31 because of atherosclerotic renal artery disease. TEA was the most common technique of renal artery repair (54 of 93 arteries, 58%), followed by reimplantation (18 arteries) and prosthetic graft (13). The perioperative mortality rate was 1.3%. The perioperative morbidity rate was 28% and consisted principally of renal insufficiency (23%). This was usually transient (44%) and (89%) mild. Renal morbidity was adversely affected by renal ischemia status, severity of renal artery disease and extent of renal revascularization. Following reconstruction, hypertension was cured or improved in 77% of patients and abnormal renal function was cured or improved in 46% and stabilized in an additional 39% of patients. These results show that combined aortic aneurysm repair and renal artery reconstruction can be performed with minimal mortality and an acceptable morbidity. Aggressive intraoperative monitoring is necessary to minimize myocardial complications. Careful attention must be paid to the technical details of the reconstruction, especially in minimizing renal ischemia, to reduce the subsequent incidence of renal function deterioration. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:84-93.)
Effects of d-amphetamine, methaqualone, and phencyclidine on the reaction time of pigeons

The effects of acute administrations of d-amphetamine (0.56, 1.0, 1.78, 3.2, and 5.6 mg/kg), methaqualone (5.6, 10, 18, 32, and 56 mg/kg), and phencyclidine (0.3, 0.56, 1.0, and 1.78 mg/kg) on the reaction time of pigeons were examined. In the reaction time assay, birds were trained to depress and hold a foot treadle until a stimulus change occurred. Releases within 2 s of the stimulus change were reinforced with food; premature releases or releases occurring after the 2-s limited hold were not reinforced. At relatively high doses, each of the drugs decreased the percentage of responses that were reinforced. Methaqualone and phencyclidine usually increased median reaction times at these doses, whereas the effects of d-amphetamine on reaction time were less clear.
Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of the decadeoxyoligonucleotide d(CpGpTpApCpGpTpApCpG)

Abstract Crystals of the self-complementary decadeoxyoligonucleotide d(CpGpTpApCpGpTpApCpG) have been grown from a solution containing [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 and spermine. The ambercolored crystals are hexagonal and belong to the space group P65 (or P61) with unit cell parameters a = 17.93 A , c = 43.41 A . Precession photography and molecular packing considerations indicate that the unit cell consists of a 12 nucleotide duplex. The asymmetric unit, therefore, is a disordered duplex dimer in which each pyrimidine-purine base-pair is occupied 60% of the time by a C · G pair and 40% of the time by a T · A pair. The above considerations and preliminary structure analysis reveal that this alternating pyrimidinepurine oligomer assumes a Z-DNA conformation.
Integrating patient-reported outcomes into orthopaedic clinical practice: proof of concept from FORCE-TJR.

Good orthopaedic care requires a knowledge of the patient’s history of musculoskeletal pain and associated limitations in daily function. Standardized measures of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can provide this information. Integrating PROs into routine orthopaedic patient visits can provide key information to monitor changes in symptom severity over time, support shared clinical care decisions, and assess treatment effectiveness for quality initiatives and value-based reimbursement. Although standardized, validated PRO surveys are routinely used in clinical and comparative effectiveness research, they are not consistently or efficiently collected in clinical practice. Ideally, PROs need to be collected directly from patients before their surgeon visit so the data are readily available to the surgeon and patient at the time of the office visit. In addition, PROs should be integrated in the electronic health record to monitor patient status over time. PRO integration in clinical practice requires minor modifications to the office flow, some additional staff to facilitate collection, and the technical infrastructure to score, process, and store the responses. We document successful office procedures for collecting PROs in one busy orthopaedic clinic and some suggested methods to extend this model to the Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement (FORCE-TJR) consortium of 121 surgeons where the process is centralized and staff obtained consent to send the PRO directly to the patient’s home. Both methods are options for the broader adoption of office-based PROs.
QoS-sensitive transport of real-time MPEG video using adaptive redundancy control

This paper presents an adaptive end-to-end protocol for quality of service (QoS)-sensitive transport of real-time MPEG video using packet-level forward error correction in dynamic networks. The objective is to facilitate a user-specified QoS end-to-end - i.e. without special network support - for real-time MPEG video whose timing constraints rule out the use of retransmission-based congestion control and QoS provisioning schemes. The degree of redundancy - overcode in forward error correction - injected into the network is adjusted as a function of network state, decreasing when the network is well-behaved to minimize unnecessary network resource consumption, and increasing when it is not to compensate for adverse network effects so as to maintain an invariant level of end-to-end QoS. We describe an adaptive packet-level forward error correction protocol called AFEC and analyze its properties with respect to optimality and stability. The optimal control problem is nontrivial due to the fact that increased redundancy, beyond a certain point, can backfire resulting in self-induced congestion which impedes the timely recovery of information - MPEG video frames - at the receiver. We experimentally evaluate the efficacy of our end-to-end QoS control by implementing and customizing AFEC to the transport of real-time MPEG video. We realize the system as a transport/application layer protocol running on UNIX workstations, and measure its performance over controlled network environments. We show that AFEC is able to effectively hide potentially adverse network effects such as packet drops and delays stemming from traffic burstiness and nonstationary structural changes using adaptive redundancy control, exporting a constant QoS service commensurate with user-specified QoS.
Implications of Perceived Interpersonal and Structural Racism for Asian Americans' Self-Esteem

This research considers the relationship between perceived racism and self-esteem among Asian Americans. In theory, perceiving racism protects racial minorities' self-esteem because disparate treatment is externally attributed to a racist system rather than internally attributed to a personal or racial group deficit. However, previous empirical research has not generally supported this perspective, particularly for Asian Americans. Correlational analyses with 257 Asian American college students indicated that the effects of perceiving racism depends on the type of racism that is perceived; while interpersonal racism was related to lower personal self-esteem, structural racism was related to higher collective self-esteem.
Effect of a Lake on Distribution of Permafrost in the Mackenzie River Delta

THE thawing effect of water in contact with permafrost is of considerable importance to engineers engaged on construction work that may involve flooding areas of perennially frozen ground. There is little information at present available, however, to indicate the magnitude of the effect which might be expected. An investigation of the present level of permafrost under natural bodies of water in the north, such as lakes and streams, is one means of improving our knowledge of this effect and of providing some guidance to engineers. During April 1961 a drilling programme was carried out by the Division of Building Research of the Canadian National Research Council to determine the distribution of permafrost under a lake in the Mackenzie River Delta (68° 18′ N., 133° 50′ W.) at the new town-site of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, near the arctic coast.
A Quantum Chemistry Based Force Field for Poly(dimethylsiloxane)

A classical force field for poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and its oligomers has been derived on the basis of intermolecular binding energies, molecular geometries, molecular electrostatic potentials, and conformational energies obtained from quantum chemistry calculations on model compounds. The force field accurately reproduces the molecular properties of the model compounds obtained from quantum chemistry, including the Si−O−Si bond linearization energy. Molecular dynamics simulations performed on PDMS of various molecular weights between 310 and 1571 using the quantum chemistry based force field yielded good agreement with experiment for their densities, enthalpies of vaporization, and X-ray structure factors. The characteristic ratio of PDMS was also found to be in good agreement with experimental values. Molecular dynamics as represented by the melt self-diffusion coefficient and viscosity at 298 K as a function of molecular weight were also found to be in reasonable agreement with experimental value...
The design and application of fluorophore–gold nanoparticle activatable probes

Fluorescence-based assays and detection techniques are among the most highly sensitive and popular biological tests for researchers. To match the needs of research and the clinic, detection limits and specificities need to improve, however. One mechanism is to decrease non-specific background signals, which is most efficiently done by increasing fluorescence quenching abilities. Reports in the literature of theoretical and experimental work have shown that metallic gold surfaces and nanoparticles are ultra-efficient fluorescence quenchers. Based on these findings, subsequent reports have described gold nanoparticle fluorescence-based activatable probes that were designed to increase fluorescence intensity based on a range of stimuli. In this way, these probes can detect and signify assorted biomarkers and changes in environmental conditions. In this review, we explore the various factors and theoretical models that affect gold nanoparticle fluorescence quenching, explore current uses of activatable probes, and propose an engineering approach for future development of fluorescence based gold nanoparticle activatable probes.
Development and validation of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method for quantification of levothyroxine in dissolution studies

A simple, sensitive and reproducible inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for the direct determination of levothyroxine (T4), based on the analysis of iodide content, in aqueous media was developed. The sample preparation consisted of addition of antimony, as the internal standard, and dilution with a 0.5% ammonia solution. The analytes were quantified at m/z 126.90 and 120.90 for iodide and antimony, respectively. The assay was linear in the concentration range of 0.1-50 ng/mL for iodide and 0.3-100 ng/mL for T4. The method was precise and accurate with lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) of 0.1 ng/mL for iodide and 0.3 ng/mL for T4. The inter-day accuracy was >94% for both analytes and the coefficient of variation (%CV) was less than 5%. The method has successfully been used for dissolution studies of T4 formulations and holds immense promise as a simple, precise and sensitive analytical technique for T4 concentration determination in in vitro studies.
Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a palace of endocrine treasures.

Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) and Hospital were founded in 1921 by the China Medical Board of the Rockefeller Foundation on the site of the former palace of Prince Yii in Beijing (1, 2). Simon Flexner and William A. Welch were involved in the planning of an institution designed to provide the best medical school and postgraduate training for medical academicians and as a center for medical research. In its early years many educators and scientists from the United States and elsewhere served as faculty members including Francis W. Peabody, Donald Van Slyke, E. C. Faust, Franklin C. McLean, A. Baird Hastings, Oswald H. Robertson, Hans Zinser, David L. Edsall, Hobart A. Reimann, Chester S. Keefer, L. Emmett Holt, Nicholas J. Eastman, and Isidore Snapper. However, within a short period Chinese medical scientists, including talented graduates who had been sent away for postgraduate training, were recruited to the faculty and assumed control of both school and hospital. The institution had a first rate research program. The balance ward was the first established outside the Rockefeller Institute, and the laboratory facilities were extensive. By way of illustration of the work done there, Van Slyke performed his studies on the Donnan equilibrium, Lim Khoseag studied the relation between the plasma and gastric acid secretion, ephedrine was purified and introduced to western medicine by Chen Ko-kuei and Carl F. Schmidt, major advances were made in infectious and parasitic diseases, and ricin toxicity was characterized (3, 4). Indeed, within a few years Peking Union was widely acknowledged as one of the outstanding medical schools in the world (4). The school was closed during the Japanese occupation, reopened in 1948, nationalized in 1951 and made a branch of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, closed again with great suffering during the cultural revolution, and reopened between 1972 and 1979. The original name was reassumed in 1985. The Peking Medical College Hospital houses the clinical faculty and is headed by an endocrinologist, Professor Lu Zhao-lin. Remarkably, the original physical plant, one of the most beautiful anywhere, is still intact. A large outpatient facility
A Multimodel and Computer Oriented Methodology for Synthesis of Sequential Discrete Systems

The synthesis of sequential discrete systems involves two major steps: 1) the abstract synthesis that yields a state-transition diagram, and 2) the structure synthesis that yields a realization. The structure synthesis, where the minimum state-transition diagram is assumed to be given, is discussed. Classically, two different models are in use to perform the structure synthesis: the finite-state model with memory span k=1, and the finitememory model. These classical models (the finite-state model extended for k?1), are considered and other models are introduced that may be used for the structure synthesis. The latter, combined models with memory span k (k?1), sometimes yield a better realization (according to specific engineering requirements) than the classical models. Structure synthesis based on the combined models and a rough evaluation of all the considered models from the standpoint of their realization is included in this paper together with an outline of a FORTRAN IV program being developed to automate the complete structure synthesis.
Growing lattice animals and Monte-Carlo methods

Abstract We consider the search problems which arise in Monte-Carlo studies involving growing lattice animals. A new periodic hashing scheme (based on a periodic cell) especially suited to these problems is presented which takes advantage both of the connected geometric structure of the animals and the traversal-oriented nature of the search. The scheme is motivated by a physical analogy and tested numerically on compact and on ramified animals. In both cases the performance is found to be more efficient than random hashing, and to a degree depending on the compactness of the animals
Assessment of occupational eye injury risk and severity: an analysis of Rhode Island workers' compensation data 1998-2002.

BACKGROUND: Occupational eye injuries have been recognized as a serious health risk to workers and are in need of further investigation to develop effective interventions. METHODS: Rhode Island workers' compensation claims of ocular injury between 1998 through 2002 (n = 8,877) were examined. The Current Population Survey was used to estimate occupational employment levels as a baseline for rate calculations. RESULTS: The estimated ocular injury claim rate was 32.9 per 10,000 workers (95% CI = 32.3-33.6), with the cost of claims totaling $1,514,666 and averaging $171 per claim. The highest estimated claim rate of all occupations was found for construction laborers of 373.7 per 10,000 workers (95% CI = 267.1-480.3). Relative to the durable manufacturing industry, the highest risk of injury resulting in disability indemnification was the wholesale trade industry (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.19-4.01, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Many of the eye injuries reported were likely preventable. Greater diligence, training, and safety precautions are needed to reduce the risk of eye injury to employees.
Euler Solutions for the Flow Around a Hovering Helicopter Rotor

A method for computing the flow around a hovering helicopter rotor is presented. The solution procedure is divided into two parts. The first part is a finite volume solution of the Euler equations for the near field flow around a rotor blade. The second part is a free wake approach for determining the wake geometry and induced velocities. These two parts are solved in a coupled fashion. The rolled-up vortex wake of the rotor is included in the Euler computational domain through a nonlinear perturbation technique. This eliminates the numerical diffusion of the wake vorticity due to truncation error and artificial viscosity without the need for excessive grid resolution near the vortex core. The method is used to compute both hovering rotor and wing/vortex interaction flows, and the results are compared to experiment.
Precise half-life measurements for the superallowed beta+ emitters Ar-34 and Cl-34

To contribute meaningfully to any test of the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix, the measured ft value of a superallowed 0{sup +}{yields}0{sup +} {beta}{sup +} transition must be obtained to a precision of 0.1% or better. We have determined the half-life of the superallowed emitter {sup 34}Ar to be 843.8(4)ms; the quoted precision, 0.05%, is a factor of five improvement on the best previous measurement and meets this demanding requirement. Our measurement employed a high-efficiency gas counter, which was sensitive to positrons from both {sup 34}Ar and its daughter {sup 34}Cl. We achieved the required precision on {sup 34}Ar by analyzing the parent-daughter composite decay with a new fitting technique. We also obtained an improved half-life for {sup 34}Cl of 1.5268(5) s, which has 0.03% precision and is a factor of two improvement on previous results. As a by-product of these measurements, we determined the half-life of {sup 35}Ar to be 1.7754(11) s.
Schizophrenia and Violence: Accepting and Forsaking

Violence remains highly problematic for women. Women diagnosed with schizophrenia are at particularly high risk for numerous types of violence. Many of these women receive services in the community through mental health case managers. These case managers have developed ongoing and close relationships with women, and are often the front-line service providers to assist them in negotiating with physical, mental, and social service agencies. This interpretive phenomenological study examined the perspective of mental health case managers to better understand how they cope with the intersection of violence with a diagnosis of schizophrenia among their clientele. Accepting and forsaking was a theme developed to describe how case managers gradually accepted violence in the lives of women with schizophrenia, and how this acceptance was eventually coupled with forsaking hope for a reduction or elimination of violence in women's lives.