cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of various detection methods for periodontopathic bacteria: can culture be considered the primary reference standard?

The development of diagnostic tests for a periodontal infection raises the issue as to what the appropriate reference standard, or "gold standard," should be for the evaluation of a new test. The present research was initiated to compare the ability of several detection methods, i.e., a serial dilution anaerobic culture and/or microscopic procedure, a DNA probe procedure, and immunological reagents using both an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an indirect immunofluorescence assay to detect Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteroides forsythus, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in subgingival plaque samples taken from 204 periodontally diseased tooth sites. The prevalence of the four monitored species varied as a function of both the species and the detection method. Spirochetes were present in 99% of the plaques, whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected at the lowest frequency. The culture method yielded the lowest prevalence values for the three cultivable species. This raised the question as to which results, those obtained by culture or those obtained by the DNA probes and the immunological reagents, were the most reliable. This issue was addressed by looking at the prevalence profile of the monitored organisms, as determined by all the detection methods. If the species was detected by three or four of the detection methods, then it was considered present, whereas if it was absent by three or four of the detection methods, then it was considered absent. This approach showed the DNA probes and immunological reagents to be significantly superior (P less than 0.05) to the culture approach for the detection of P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and B. forsythus and to be comparable to the microscopic approach in the detection of T. denticola.
Growth and Plasma Triiodothyronine Concentrations Are Modified by Selenium Deficiency and Repletion in Second-Generation Selenium-Deficient Rats

Classical glutathione peroxidase (GPX) is a useful Se-dependent parameter for determining Se status, but loss of GPX activity alone cannot explain the full effects of Se deficiency. The recent identification of type I thyroxine 5'-deiodinase as a Se-dependent enzyme provides a new potentially critical role for Se. To develop a model of impaired growth due to Se deficiency, second generation deficient weanling rats were fed a Se-deficient amino acid diet with adequate vitamin E and methionine. Initial growth rates of deficient males and females were 53 and 63%, respectively, of rats fed 0.1 micrograms Se/g diet. In short-term experiments with deficient males, liver Se and GPX activity were reduced 99%, liver glutathione-s-transferase activity was increased 114%, plasma thyroxine concentrations were increased 67%, plasma triiodothyronine was decreased 23% and the plasma triiodothyronine:thyroxine ratio was decreased 55%, compared with rats fed 0.2 micrograms Se/g diet. When deficient rats were injected on d 14 with 0, 1, 5 or 10 micrograms Se/100 g, rats grew 4.45, 7.62, 7.17 and 9.05 g/d, respectively, over the next 7 d. Injection with 10 micrograms Se/100 g restored plasma thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations 7 d later. Rats injected with 1 microgram Se/100 g rat had significantly altered plasma thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations 1 but not 7 d after injection. Infusion of Se-deficient rats with 438 ng triiodothyronine/d for 7 d restored plasma triiodothyronine concentrations but did not increase growth rate compared with rats infused with saline. This model produced a significant growth depression that was significantly reversed by as little as 1 microgram Se/100 g rat, but not by triiodothyronine infusion, suggesting that other Se-dependent roles in addition to 5'-deiodinase and GPX are necessary for adequate growth.
Fears about breast cancer recurrence

Purpose: Prior research shows that the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer experience ongoing fears about recurrence. These studies primarily have used Likert scales to determine the extent to which women fear recurrence but have not presented details of women's experiences or addressed the nature of women's fears. This report describes a pilot study designed to capture women's diverse experiences related to the possibility of recurrence. Description of study: Sixteen women participated in semi-structured interviews about their thoughts and feelings regarding the possibility of breast cancer recurrence. Thematic content coding was used to categorize women's responses. Results: Although some women indicated strong fears about recurrence, the majority expressed more moderate fears. Fears revolved around the possibility of death, further treatment (particularly chemotherapy), emotional difficulties, pain, advancement of the disease, suffering of family members, and loss of the breast. Many women spoke about life circumstances that were more salient than the possibility of recurrence. Women also described events/situations that triggered fears and strategies used for coping with fears. Clinical implications: Results suggest that more systematic investigation of women's fears about breast cancer recurrence is warranted and that clinicians should address the multidimensional nature of women's fears as they relate to other psychological processes and events in women's lives. Moreover, women's life circumstances should be considered when attempting to determine whether a social support intervention might be beneficial or detrimental.
Fast, Accurate, and Reproducible Live-Wire Boundary Extraction

We present an interactive tool for efficient, accurate, and reproducible boundary extraction which requires minimal user input with a mouse. Optimal boundaries are computed and selected at interactive rates as the user moves the mouse starting from a user-selected seed point. When the mouse position comes in proximity to an object edge, a “live-wire” boundary snaps to, and wraps around the object of interest. Input of a new seed point “freezes” the selected boundary segment, and the process is repeated until the boundary is complete. Data-driven boundary cooling generates seed points automatically and further reduces user input. On-the-fly training adapts the dynamic boundary to edges of current interest.
Viewing Work Historically Through Art: Incorporating the Visual Arts into Organizational Studies

Purpose – To contemplate how the arts might inform organizational studies by investigating how historically based visual art images contribute to an understanding of workers' experiences during the Depression era (1930‐1941) in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – Inductively looked for patterns among collected visual art images pertaining to work during the Depression era to establish narratives about how workers experienced work.Findings – Two contrasting characterizations of workers are revealed, namely the “manly worker” and the “beholden worker.” The former shows workers as healthy, robust, and well‐muscled, in control of the machine, and optimistic about the future. In contrast, the “beholden worker” images illustrate workers as tired and dejected, in servitude to the machine, and uncertain about finding a healthy balance between technology and person. Closer scrutiny of the results reveals how visual art images aid organizational scholars by providing useful information and raising new questions a...
Uterine blood flow, oxygen consumption, and maternal plasma estradiol and progestins following fetal death

Abstract Fetuses of 42 near-term sheep were killed while they were in utero. Uterine blood flow, oxygen consumption, A-V O 2 , and maternal arterial plasma concentrations of estradiol and progestins were observed for the next 4 hours. There was an immediate (88 per cent) fall in oxygen consumption; blood flow decreased by 50 per cent within 30 minutes. Hormone concentrations changed, but only after 2 hours. Circulatory changes appeared to be related to local changes within the uterus, particularly to decomposition of the chorioallantoic membrane. This relationship was best seen in the experiments in which one of a set of twins was killed. The experiments are in accord with the theory that the rate of uterine blood flow is not directly related to acute changes in respiratory gases nor to plasma concentrations of certain hormones.
The Development of the Astronomy Digital Library

The Astronomy Digital Library provides access to astronomical literature and to on-line data. The Astrophysics Data System (ADS) is the literature search system and archive in this library. It is a NASAfunded project and access to all the ADS services is free to everybody world-wide. The ADS Abstract Service allows the searching of four databases with abstracts in Astronomy, Instrumentation, Physics/Geophysics, and the ArXiv Preprints with a total of over 2.9 million references. The system also provides access to reference and citation information, links to on-line data, electronic journal articles, and other on-line information. The ADS Article Service contains the full articles for most of the astronomical literature back to Volume 1. It contains the scanned pages of all the major journals (Astrophysical Journal, Astronomical Journal, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and Solar Physics), as well as most smaller journals back to Volume 1. There are now 10 mirror sites of the ADS available in different parts of the world to improve connectivity. The ADS can be accessed through any web browser without signup or login at: http://ads.harvard.edu/.
Investigations into the Use of a Protein Sensor Assay for Metabolite Analysis

Rapid and definitive classification of biological samples has application in industrial, agricultural, and clinical settings. Considerable effort has been given to analytical methods to address such applications over the past 50 years, with the majority of successful solutions focusing on a single molecular target. However, in many cases, a single or even a few features are insufficient for accurate characterization or classification. Serum albumin (SA) proteins are a class of cargo-carrying proteins in blood that have evolved to transport a wide variety of metabolites and peptides in mammals. These proteins have up to seven binding sites which communicate allosterically to orchestrate a complex pick-up and delivery system involving a large number of different molecules at any time. The ability of SA proteins to bind multiple molecular species in a sophisticated manner inspired the development of assays to differentiate complex biological solutions. The combination of SA and high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is showing exciting promise as a protein sensor assay (PSA) for classification of complex biological samples. In this study, the PSA has been applied to cells undergoing and recovering from mild oxidative stress. Analysis using traditional LC-MS-based metabolomics failed to differentiate samples into treatment or temporal groups, whereas samples first treated with the PSA were cleanly classified into both correct treatment and temporal groups. The success of the PSA could be attributed to selective binding of metabolites, leading to a reduction in sample complexity and a general reduction in chemical noise. Metabolites important to successful sample classification were often enriched by 100-fold or more yet displayed a wide range of affinities for SA. The end result of PSA treatment is better classification of samples with a reduction in the number of features seen overall. Together, these results demonstrate how the use of a protein-based assay before LC-MS analysis can greatly improve separation and lead to more accurate and successful tracking of the metabolic state in an organism, suggesting potential application in a wide range of fields.
Diversity of cellular receptors and functions for the lysophospholipid growth factors lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1-phosphate

The lysophospholipid (LPL) mediators lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) are generated by enzymatic cleavage of stores of glycerophospholipids and sphingomyelin, respectively, in membranes of stimulated cells. LPLs are albumin bound, distributed widely in mammalian tissues, and increased in concentration by physiological activation of platelets and some other cells, tissue injury, inflammation, and neoplasia. The principal effects of LPA and S1P are growth related, including induction of cellular proliferation, alterations in differentiation and survival, and suppression of apoptosis. LPA and S1P also evoke cellular effector functions, which are dependent on cytoskeletal responses such as contraction, secretion, adhesion, and chemotaxis. The extracellular mediator activities of LPLs are transduced by subfamilies of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), of which the most completely characterized are those encoded by the endothelial differentiation genes (edgs). One homology cluster composed of Edg-1, -3, and -5 recognizes and responds to S1P, and the other cluster of Edg-2 and -4 is dedicated to LPA. Edg proteins are developmentally regulated and differ in tissue distribution, but couple similarly to multiple types of G-proteins to signal through ras and mitogen-activated protein kinase, rho, phospholipase C, and several protein tyrosine kinases. Numerous interactions between glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids are observed in their biosynthetic and signaling pathways. Many of the cellular effects of LPA and S1P are attributable to modifications in the content and/or activity of a major functional protein. Examples are increases in nuclear levels of transcription factors that regulate the serum response element, suppression of death caspase activities in apoptosis, and elevation of membrane content of heparin binding-epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, which serves as an autocrine and juxtacrine stimulus of proliferation. These ubiquitous LPL mediators of cellular growth, differentiation, and activities thus act directly through complex subfamilies of GPCRs and by regulating expression of biologically critical proteins.
Message‐Passing Software Systems

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Parallel Programming Model 3 Message Passing 4 Message Passing Research and Experimental Systems 5 The Message Passing Interface Standard - MPI 6 Lessons Learned Keywords: parallel computing; message passing libraries; MPI; PVM
A gene encoding a membrane protein exists upstream of the amoA/amoB genes in ammonia oxidizing bacteria: a third member of the amo operon?

The gene cluster encoding ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) in the chemolithotrophic soil bacterium Nitrosospira sp. NpAV was found to contain a third open reading frame, termed amoC, upstream of the genes amoA and amoB that encode the subunits of AMO. The amoC gene and its flanking regions were isolated and sequenced from a 4.4 kb EcoRI fragment that contains one of three copies of the ammonia monooxygenase gene cluster. The presence of this gene upstream of the other two amoA gene copies in Nitrosospira NpAV as well as upstream of amoA genes in the genomes of other ammonia oxidizing nitrifiers (strains in the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus and Nitrosovibrio) was confirmed using genomic DNA, oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers and the PCR. The amoC gene in Nitrosospira sp. NpAV encodes a 270 amino acid polypeptide of approximately 36 kDa. Topological analysis of the predicted primary structure revealed 6 membrane spanning domains. The amoC gene was expressed in recombinant Escherichia coli from its indigenous promoter.
Project SPHINX: The question of the use of gas in the planned invasion of Japan

(1989). Project SPHINX: The question of the use of gas in the planned invasion of Japan. Journal of Strategic Studies: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 303-323.
The Energy of Formation of Negative Ions in O 2

This paper reports the results of an attempt to evaluate the energy of attachment of elements to molecules in ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, by determining at what energy the electron is detached from the ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ ion in impact with molecules. A value of 0.34 volt is found. In this investigation the complicated phenomena reported by Cravath and Bradbury as a function of the potentials of the high frequency fields employed in the Loeb electron filter, are investigated and explained. At the proper frequencies and with uniform fields electrons can effectively be filtered out without material ion capture. At higher fields the negative ions break up leading to an increased capture of carriers. If many free electrons are present at about the first radiating potential in ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ (8 volts of energy) at high frequencies photoelectrons liberated at the wires and escaping capture may cause an increase in the current through the filter, especially at higher pressures ("hump effect" of Cravath). Finally at very high fields and especially at higher pressures the electrons ionize by impact producing an increase in current followed by a rapid decline due to capture. Shortly thereafter an arc breaks. At the highest pressures studied (20-60 mm) reattachment of electrons masks all the phenomena and a spark breaks very shortly after a rise of current is observed. The ions have been shown to break up in an $\frac{X}{p}$ (field strength in volts/cm, pressure in mm of Hg) of 90. This corresponds to an ion energy of between 0.136 and 0.68 volt with the higher value the more likely. Of this only about half is available for electron detachment so that one can set 0.34 volt as the probable upper limit of the attachment energy which might correspond to a wavelength of 36,000A.
Power allocation for Gaussian multiple access channel with noisy cooperative links

In this paper, a new coding scheme for the multiple access channel (MAC) with noisy cooperative links is proposed. The cooperation cost is modelled by powers spent on exchanging common information at transmitters. The optimal power allocation policy is derived to explore the tradeoff between cooperation and transmission. For some important cases, optimal power allocation that maximizes weighted sum rate, is found analytically. The sufficient and necessary condition for which the sum and the individual rates are simultaneously maximized, is identified. Analytical and numerical results suggest that the transmitter, whose power budget is dominated by that of the other, acts purely as a relay. The cooperation gain becomes more significant when the difference between the power budgets is smaller.
Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes of Managers, Coworkers, and Employed Breastfeeding Mothers:

Employer attitudes and practices toward breastfeeding mothers are discouraging overall. Mothers who believe that breastfeeding while employed cannot be done without a considerable amount of additional work and stress may not even consider breastfeeding. Although it is known that lower income women tend not to breastfeed while employed, the relationship between type of employment and sustaining breastfeeding has not been clearly explained. Many women identify employment as a barrier to breastfeeding. Some elements of a workplace environment supportive of breastfeeding have been identified, including private space with a locking door (other than a bathroom stall), time to express milk at work, and adequate refrigeration. In relation to employers, monetary reasons (i.e., decreased productivity) are most frequently cited for not supporting breastfeeding. Only a small percentage of the research on employed breastfeeding mothers has focused on the workplace. Further research is needed to determine how breastfee...
Process studies in language conditioning—I: Counterconditioning of anxiety by “calm” words

Abstract In this study of the mechanisms underlying language conditioning the subjects were volunteers who had indicated anxiety concerning a variety of small animals. The CS was the verbal representation of the phobic object and was repeatedly paired with UCS words having one of four different connotative meanings: calm words, positive words, words sharing both qualities, and words neutral on both dimensions. The results of a variety of written and behavioral measures indicated that little or no change occured in the latter group or in a fifth group in which the CS word was unrelated to the phobia. In addition, there was some evidence to suggest that the calm words were superior to the other words, indicating a possible counterconditioning effect on the anxiety as a function of the UCS words' emotional relevance.
Teaching users to fish: hooks, lines and sinkers for reading computer documentat

Though indeed we are “Still Sailing,” the sea is not without troubled waters. As Documentation and Training Coordinator for Academic Computing at Carengie Mellon, I have observed that we “user advocates” spend a great deal of time writing and distributing computer documentation and answering users' questions — questions that are often already answered in the documents we provide. The inefficiency is apparent, rampant and expensive. Faced with limited resources and a continually expanding list of software and hardware for which we must provide support, the situation can only worsen unless we take direct action. I contend that besides proliferating documents, consultants and trainers, we ought to teach users how to read the documents that we provide, and we ought to raise their expectations of what “computer literacy” entails. This paper discusses an integrated training procedure designed to accomplish these goals.Two basic assumptions billow the sails of the discussion. They are both moral imperatives based on my ideological understanding of genuine “user advocacy.” The first is that we ought to provide not only documentation, consultants and trainers, but also a path through the quagmire that these present to novice users. The second is that we ought to define and implement “computer literacy” in such a way that it leads to the user's independence, not continued dependence on quick answers from easily accessible consultants. The adage “If you give a man [sic] a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life” serves our purposes well. The training procedure presented here attempts to meet these moral imperatives within the financial and academic context in which Carnegie Mellon users set sail.
The use of fungi as food and in food processing

Fungi have been used directly as food and in the processing of food for many years. However, their potential has been only partially explored, and in this day of widespread protein shortages they could be employed to make major contributions to the present world protein pool.
Climate, human palaeoecology and the use of fuel in Wadi Sana, Southern Yemen

This study integrates analysis of wood charcoal assemblages with climate proxies, palaeoenvironmental and archaeological data sets in hyper-arid Wadi Sana, Yemen, to address the availability and use of wood fuels by South Arabian hunter-herder groups from the Early Holocene (8000–7700 cal. b.p.) to Middle Holocene (6900–4800 cal. b.p.) periods. The Early Holocene environment, regulated by a stronger Southwest Asian monsoon, was moister than the present, providing a marshy winter grazing area for cattle herders, whose construction of hearths and food preparation strategies changed over time. This study provides an insight into long term stability of land cover and use as well as the dynamics of human contributions to landscape change. We suggest that complex environmental and cultural processes affect species availability, fuel choice and land use management. Despite environmental and economic changes in Wadi Sana, our dataset does not show changes in fuel choice from the Early to Middle Holocene.
Reciprocal influences between maternal discipline techniques and aggression in children and adolescents

Most studies assessing the link between parental discipline and child aggression have focused primarily on discipline as a cause and aggression as an outcome. In addition to the pathway from discipline to aggression, however, aggressive behavior on the part of the child may lead to future use of discipline by the parent. In this study, structural equation modeling was used to assess reciprocal influences over time between a mothers' use of discipline and aggression in children. Data were drawn from the Springfield Child Development Project, a longitudinal study of middle childhood and adolescence, focusing on antecedents of aggression. The original sample consisted of 440 mother-child dyads living in the city of Springfield, MA. Children in the sample were between 7 and 14 years of age at the first data collection period and between 12 and 19 years of age at the final data collection period. Four hypotheses were tested: (1) a mother's use of aggressive discipline predicts an increase in later child aggression, (2) child aggression predicts an increase in later use of aggressive discipline, (3) the use of reasoning predicts a decrease in later child aggression, and (4) child aggression predicts an increase in later use of reasoning. All hypotheses except number 3 were supported to some degree. Results suggest that children's early aggressive behavior leads to an increase in their mothers' use of both reasoning and aggressive discipline; in turn, increased use of aggressive discipline leads to an increase in aggression during both childhood and adolescence.
Mechanical stability of ultrahigh strength steels

Abstract Four ultrahigh strength steels, 250 maraging, D6AC, HP9-4-20 and HY-180, have been tested at room temperature to determine both monotonic and cyclic stress-strain curves. The incremental step test was used to develop the cyclic stress-strain curves. Values for the work hardening exponent are presented for each steel in several heat treatment conditions. For the tempered or aged condition, all four steels had work hardening exponents less than 0.10 and showed cyclic softening. In no case did the 0.2% offset yield stress drop by more than 18% after cycling. The microstructures of these steels contain martensite with a high density of transformation dislocations and a distribution of fine carbide or intermetallic precipitates. The complex nature of these microstructures prevents the unambiguous identification of cyclic softening mechanisms. Monotonic and cyclic strength differntial effects were observed, with the cyclic effect generally being smaller than the monotonic effect.
Pregnancy in a Drug-Abusing Population

Substance abuse in pregnancy places both mother and infant at extremely high risk. There is little information, however, about the impact of changing patterns of drug use and improvements in medical technology on pregnancy outcome. The Family Center Program utilizes a team approach to provide counseling, support, and education as well as complete medical care for substance-abusing pregnant women. We reviewed the records of women seen in the Family Center Program from 1981 to 1983 to evaluate the effect of intervention on pregnancy outcome. Complications, including prematurity, growth retardation, intrauterine fetal demise, and neonatal abstinence, were common, although early prenatal care and frequent visits appear to reduce the risk of low birth weight infants. Uncorrected perinatal mortality was 11/163 (67/1,000). Compared to earlier experience in this program, few women delivered with no prenatal care. Thus a program designed specifically for the needs of these women is successful in increasing the num...
Pelvic computed tomography scans for surveillance in patients with primary melanoma in the head and neck

Although pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans are frequently performed as a part of routine surveillance, the evidence for or against the routine use of these scans in patients with primary melanoma in the head and neck is weak. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the value of pelvic CT
Separation of glycogen formation and aminotransferase activity induced by cortisol in fetal rat liver.

Fetal rat liver in organ culture formed glycogen and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in response to 2 X 10–6M cortisol. Introduction of decaborane suppressed the increase in TAT, but did not prevent glycogen formation from glucose. When glucose was omitted, explants made TAT but not glycogen in response to cortisol. Fetal liver explants incorporated label from L—alanine—U–14C into glucose and glycogen to a small extent and thus showed gluconeogenic capability. This process was not affected by decaborane or cortisol. Cortisol diverted the products of gluconeogenesis to glycogen and away from glucose. The steroid caused a rise in aspartate aminotransferase that was prevented by decaborane. Alanine aminotransferase levels were unaffected by either steroid or decaborane. It is concluded that cortisol stimulated glycogen synthesis by a mechanism which did not involve gluconeogenesis or an effect on aminotransferases. (Endocrinology 91: 257, 1972)
Media Propaganda and Spectacle in the War on Iraq: a Critique of U.S. Broadcasting Networks:

The author shows how, during the 2003 Iraq war, the U.S. broadcasting network provided a conduit for Bush administration and Pentagon propaganda. Whereas the explicit war aims were to shut down Ira...
Brief Relational Psychoanalytic Treatment

In this article I describe an approach to brief psychoanalytic treatment that is consistent with many of the key principles of the relational tradition. In this approach the treatment process is conceptualized as an ongoing cycle of therapeutic enactment, disembedding, and understanding, enactment and disembedding. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of countertransference disclosure for purposes of facilitating the collaborative exploration of relational scenarios that are being unwittingly enacted between patient and therapist. The influence of the brief time frame on the treatment process is explored and differences between the current approach and other approaches to brief psychoanalytic treatment are examined. A case is presented to illustrate the approach, and a number of questions are explored regarding the nature of change in short-versus long-term treatments.
A Bayesian methodology for simultaneously detecting and estimating regime change points and variable selection in multiple regression models for marketing research

We present a Bayesian change point multiple regression methodology which simultaneously estimates the location of change points/regimes, the corresponding subset of independent variables per regime, as well as the associated regimes’ regression parameters. Unlike existing switching multiple regression models, our method does not require the presence of all independent variables in each regime to detect change points. This allows us to relax the minimum size constraint on each regime as fewer observations are needed to estimate the unknown regression coefficients. Thus our method provides a means to search for small regimes where only a few independent variables are significant. Note that accuracy of change points can drastically affect the identified models within each regime. As the number of change points in the data is typically unknown, we have provided a probability based model selection heuristic to determine its value. Both synthetic and real data sets are utilized to demonstrate that our procedure can yield better fitted models over aggregate OLS regression models and traditional MLE based regime switching models. Furthermore, an actual prescription drug data application involving a promotion response model is used to gainfully illustrate the methodology.
Improvements in the numerical analysis of thermodynamic data from biomolecular complexes.

Abstract In this work, recent improvements in the capability of the numerical solver-based binding data global analysis program, BIOEQS, are presented. These improvements represent an expansion of the types of physical models which can be considered. The first realm of improvement concerns the modeling of systems which include several species of the same stoichiometry and differing chemical potentials, or site isomers. Such an option is generally used in the analysis of binding of multiple ligands to multiple protein sites. In addition to classical ligand binding problems, such a capability is useful in considering the binding of protein to different sites on the same DNA molecule and the effects of ligation upon these equilibria. It can also be employed for consideration of the equilibrium unfolding of oligomeric proteins with folded monomeric intermediates. The effect of dilution of the protein and ligation by up to two different types of ligands at multiple binding sites upon the dissociation and unfolding properties of the oligomers is now possible. The second advance which has been incorporated into the modeling capabilities of the BIOEQS program is the option of considering perturbations to the multiple binding or folding equilibria by chemical denaturants, temperature, or high hydrostatic pressure. Additional improvements to the BIOEQS program include direct mapping of individual species or sums of species to the numerical physical experimental observable. The values of the observable corresponding to particular species or to 0 and 100% completion of a titration can be either fixed or floating parameters in the fit. These changes taken together considerably broaden the applications of the program, allowing modeling of virtually any combination of species resulting from the interactions between three types of biomolecules, exploration along virtually any thermodynamic experimental axis, and mapping to virtually any experimental observable.
Absorption spectra of F-aggregate centers in KCl crystals

We measured the absorption spectra of $F$-aggregate centers in KCl under high resolution at 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, using an apparatus which was very sensitive to small zero-phonon lines. The $M$, $R$, and $N$ bands were carefully examined for zero-phonon lines hitherto undetected, but only one new line was found, in the ${M}_{4}$ band of the ${F}_{2}$ center. This line is unusually broad (22 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$). The absence of a zero-phonon line in the ${M}_{1}$ band of the ${F}_{2}$ center represents a striking disagreement with the predictions of simple linear coupling theory. Four new zero-phonon lines were discovered which could be assigned to the perturbation of ${F}_{3}$ centers by impurities; for two of these lines the impurity was identified as sodium. A large number (64) of other zero-phonon lines were assigned to perturbation of $F$-aggregate centers by unknown impurities. The appearance of these lines is strongly dependent on very small amounts of impurity in the original KCl crystals; reasons for this strong dependence are discussed.
Comparison of sensitivity for single-source and dual-interfering-source configurations in optical diffusion imaging

A numerical study of single-source and dual-interfering-source modalities for optical imaging through biological media with a view to practical implications is given. Our comparisons are based on multigrid finite-difference frequency-domain solutions of the diffusion equation, for example, inhomogeneous imaging problems. Detector noise levels, the influence of boundaries, and ease of measurement are considered. This investigation indicates that a dual source, or dual-source data synthesized from single-source measurements, offers significant imaging opportunities when compared with single-source data.
Shale-to-well energy use and air pollutant emissions of shale gas production in China

Tapping its large reserves of unconventional gas, China has launched shale gas exploration and started drilling wells in trial development zones. To better understand the potential energy and air pollution implications of shale gas production in China, this study developed a hybrid life cycle inventory (LCI) model that combines process and input–output (IO) based LCI methods for estimating “shale-to-well” energy use, resource use, and emissions of air pollutants. The model’s structure and inputs are based on data from the first shale gas horizontal well in China. The IO model was constructed using the 2007 benchmark IO table for China. Results suggest shale-to-well energy use of 59 TJ and shale-to-well greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 5500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). Shale-to-well energy use and air emissions were dominated by the production and use of diesel fuel for oil-based drilling fluids and for on-site combustion, and by fugitive emissions and flaring from well completion. The results shed light on some potential energy and air pollutant emission impacts of a shift from coal to shale gas in China, and highlight opportunities for reducing these impacts moving forward.
The genetic epidemiology of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating immunological and neurodegenerative disorder. Epidemiological studies have provided overwhelming evidence of complex genetic susceptibility to MS. However, with the exception of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus, genetic studies have failed to consistently identify significant linkage or association with genes that modulate MS disease expression. Numerous functional candidate gene studies, linkage genomic screens, and locational candidate gene studies have been performed in an attempt to identify additional loci. However, these methods have demonstrated insufficient power to consistently identify genes or epigenetic factors for MS. More current approaches integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g. consistent linkage data, gene expression profiling, and functional characterization studies) and utilize high throughput methods (e.g. genotyping high density markers, utilizing pooling schemes and performing new statistical analyses) in an attempt to overcome power issues. The following article presents a review of MS genetics research and a brief overview of methods that are currently being developed and utilized for fine localization of MS loci, such as the method employed in the Genetic Analysis of Multiple sclerosis in EuropeanS (GAMES) study that is presented elsewhere in this journal. It is the hope of researchers that these methods will lead to the identification of susceptibility genes for MS that aid in elucidating pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for this debilitating disease.
Orbital debris characterization: ETS staring survey

As part of Air Force Phillips Laboratory's Space Debris Program, MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test System has conducted three separate types of surveys to detect small uncatalogued debris. In addition, follow-up metric and photometric observations have also been made. The goal of these observations is to characterize the low earth space debris environment down to sizes of 1 cm. The dual telescope staring survey, conducted in 1990, employed stereo (parallactic) viewing to enable estimates of the target altitudes to be determined. We will described the stereo survey techniques, a pipeline image processor to reduce the video tapes, and our plans for data analyses. We will also present a brief overview of the program results to date, emphasizing extensive observations of two small optically detected debris.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Newborn minor physical anomalies predict short attention span, peer aggression, and impulsivity at age 3

From a 5-to 10-minute newborn examination, behaviors of males at age 3 could be predicted. The number of minor physical anomalies, assessed soon after birth, was significantly related to a cluster of behaviors that are frequently labeled hyperactivity.
Degradation as a Loss Mechanism in the Fate of α-Hexachlorocyclohexane in Arctic Watersheds

Water extracts of samples collected from Amituk Lake in July--August, 1994 and samples collected at Char and Meretta Lakes in July 1997 were analyzed for enantiomers and concentrations of {alpha}-HCH to estimate the extent of biodegradation in watersheds in the Canadian High Arctic. (+)/({minus})-{alpha}-HCH enantiomer ratios (ERs) in three streams entering Amituk Lake ranged from racemic values of 1.01 in snow to 0.36 in meltwater. Lower ERs were promoted by warmer temperatures and increased contact with stream substrates during low streamflows, especially biologically productive substrates. Most {alpha}-HCH degradation occurred during peak runoff when ERs were 0.95--0.80, rather than later in summer when ERs reached their minimum. Approximately 7% of {alpha}-HCH in the Amituk Lake basin was enantioselectively degraded prior to entering the lake. ERs within Amituk Lake are controlled by meltwater inputs rather than within lake degradation and clearly illustrate the riverine-like nature of high arctic lakes. Differences in lake {alpha}-HCH inventory from end of summer 1993 to spring 1994 indicate that from 33 to 61% of {alpha}-HCH within the lake may have been lost via nonenantioselective microbial degradation at a rate ranging from 0.48 to 1.13 y{sup {minus}1}.
Coulomb excitation of 182, 184, 186W and 166Er with 4He and 16O ions

Abstract The Coulomb excitation reaction induced by 4He ions selectively excites 2+ and 3− states by direct E2 and E3 Coulomb excitation. In this paper, we present new results from γ-ray spectroscopy with 15 MeV 4He ions on a natural abundance target of W. In particular, a 3− state in each isotope, 182, 184, 196W, was observed by direct E3 excitation. In addition to obtaining B(Eλ, 0 → J = λ) for excitation of each state, information on the reduced transition probabilities for the different decay modes of these states is given. The Coulomb excitation probabilities of the 2'+ states at 786 keV in 166Er and at 737 keV in 186W were measured with 16O and 4He ions by the backscattered particle-gamma coincidence method in order to determine the static electric quadrupole moment Q2'. We obtain for 166Er Q2' = 2.11 ± 0.37 e· b which is in agreement with (Q2')rot and for 186W Q2' = 1.17 ± 0.30 e · b which is in agreement with Kumar-Baranger model calculations and is significantly smaller than (Q2')rot. This deviation of the measured Q2' from (Q2'rot implies in the framework of the Kumar-Baranger calculations a strong coupling between β- and γ-vibrational bands. On the other hand, our observed upper limit for B(E2,2″ → 2′) does not confirm this implication.
The carbonyl epoxide rearrangement. A chiral synthesis of the mus musculus pheromone

Abstract The carbonyl-epoxide rearrangement in conjunction with the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation procedure has been applied to an efficient synthesis of both enantiomers corresponding to the Mus musculus pheromone.
Morphological and electromechanical characterization of ionic liquid/Nafion polymer composites

Ionic liquids have shown promise as replacements for water in ionic polymer transducers. Ionic liquids are non-volatile and have a larger electrochemical stability window than water. Therefore, transducers employing ionic liquids can be operated for long periods of time in air and can be actuated with higher voltages. Furthermore, transducers based on ionic liquids do not exhibit the characteristic back relaxation that is common with water-swollen materials. However, the physics of transduction in the ionic liquid-swollen materials is not well understood. In this paper, the morphology of Nafion/ionic liquid composites is characterized using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The electromechanical transduction behavior of the composites is also investigated. For this testing, five different counterions and two ionic liquids are used. The results reveal that both the morphology and transduction performance of the composites is affected by the identity of the ionic liquid, the cation, and the swelling level of ionic liquid within the membrane. Specifically, speed of response is found to be lower for the membranes that were exchanged with the smaller lithium and potassium ions. The response speed is also found to increase with increased content of ionic liquid. Furthermore, for the two ionic liquids studied, the actuators swollen with the less viscous ionic liquid exhibited a slower response. The slower speed of response corresponds to less contrast between the ionically conductive phase and the inert phase of the polymer. This suggests that disruption of the clustered morphology in the ionic liquid-swollen membranes as compared to water-swollen membranes attenuates ion mobility within the polymer. This attenuation is attributed to swelling of the non-conductive phase by the ionic liquids.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Direct numerical simulation of auto-ignition of a hydrogen vortex ring reacting with hot air

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is used to study chemically reacting, laminar vortex rings. A novel, all-Mach number algorithm developed by Doom et al. [J. Doom, Y. Hou, K. Mahesh, J. Comput. Phys. 226 (2007) 1136-1151] is used. The chemical mechanism is a nine species, nineteen reaction mechanism for H{sub 2}/air combustion proposed by Mueller et al. [M.A. Mueller, T.J. Kim, R.A. Yetter, F.L. Dryer, Int. J. Chem. Kinet. 31 (1999) 113-125]. Diluted H{sub 2} at ambient temperature (300 K) is injected into hot air. The simulations study the effect of fuel/air ratios, oxidizer temperature, Lewis number and stroke ratio (ratio of piston stroke length to diameter). Results show that auto-ignition occurs in fuel lean, high temperature regions with low scalar dissipation at a 'most reactive' mixture fraction, {zeta}{sub MR} (Mastorakos et al. [E. Mastorakos, T.A. Baritaud, T.J. Poinsot, Combust. Flame 109 (1997) 198-223]). Subsequent evolution of the flame is not predicted by {zeta}{sub MR}; a most reactive temperature T{sub MR} is defined and shown to predict both the initial auto-ignition as well as subsequent evolution. For stroke ratios less than the formation number, ignition in general occurs behind the vortex ring and propagates into the core. At higher oxidizer temperatures,more » ignition is almost instantaneous and occurs along the entire interface between fuel and oxidizer. For stroke ratios greater than the formation number, ignition initially occurs behind the leading vortex ring, then occurs along the length of the trailing column and propagates toward the ring. Lewis number is seen to affect both the initial ignition as well as subsequent flame evolution significantly. Non-uniform Lewis number simulations provide faster ignition and burnout time but a lower maximum temperature. The fuel rich reacting vortex ring provides the highest maximum temperature and the higher oxidizer temperature provides the fastest ignition time. The fuel lean reacting vortex ring has little effect on the flow and behaves similar to a non-reacting vortex ring. (author)« less