cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient-reported outcome measures in total joint arthroplasty: defining the optimal collection window

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal window for collection of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Methods Our prospectively collected institutional joint registry was queried for patients who underwent primary, unilateral TJAs. The primary outcomes were the net changes in WOMAC, SF-12 MCS, SF-12 PCS, OHS, KSCRS, and UCLA activity rating system at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were data acquisition costs and follow-up attrition rates. Results Eight hundred sixty-six procedures (450 total hip arthroplasties, 416 TKAs) were analyzed. A consistent plateau in all PROMs was noted by 6 months postoperatively–except for SF-12 MCS which showed no significant changes at any time interval. For TKA, the percentage of overall improvement achieved by 6 months was 88.7%, 84.5%, 100%, and 90.5% for the WOMAC, SF-12 PCS, UCLA, and KSCRS, respectively. For total hip arthroplasty, these values were 92.7%, 83.5%, 88.0%, and 89.8% for WOMAC, SF-12 PCS, UCLA, and OHS, respectively. There were marginal improvements from 6 to 12 months and no improvement from 12 to 24 months. Follow-up rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 85%, 69%, and 40%, respectively. Our institutional costs for collecting a complete data set per patient were $128, $158, and $272 for 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Conclusions Most of the improvement in PROMs after primary TJA occurs within the first 6 months. In addition, limiting PROMs collection to 6 months appears to be cost-efficient owing to increased attrition rates beyond this time interval.
Estimating Demand with Constrained Data and Product Substitutions

The inventory and revenue management models most commonly taught in the operations management and industrial engineering disciplines typically assume that the demand for a product is easily estimated and is independent of competing products offered through the same channel. In this chapter, we show why this is rarely a good assumption and provide a review of the statistical techniques that have been developed to correct product demand distribution estimates that are biased due to truncated demand or product substitution effects. Failure to correct product demand estimates for these biases has been shown to result in significantly missed opportunities in meeting customers’ true demand due to incorrectly calculated optimal product stocking levels.
A Robotic Passive Vision System for Texture Analysis in Weld Beads

The use of robots is increasing in different industries, as in the case of large metal structures. The use of mobile robots meets the needs of these industries: it can be easily moved in the production line, with gains in repeatability and process efficiency, reducing rework costs. The poor configuration of the robotic and welding system generates problems in the internal structure and the surface of the weld, thus compromising the final quality of the piece. Visual inspections are common to identify problems that may have occurred during these processes. Inspections that use x-rays, ultrasound, or thermal cameras require additional equipment and highly trained inspectors to analyze the results and detect problems. This work presents a computer vision system based on a passive monocular camera for analysis of weld bead textures. Images of weld beads with and without discontinuities are captured and a dimensional reduction algorithm known as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied to select the main characteristics that describe each group. Afterward, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) supervised learning method is applied to recognize the patterns of image groups, making it possible to classify new images of weld beads as welds with or without discontinuities. The system makes use of the same camera coupled to the robot responsible for conducting the welding, without the need for additional sensors, and assists the welding inspector in the evaluation of the performed process.
Dead Load and Live Load

When drawing structural framing plans there is a hierarchy of line weight which helps communicate information clearly and rapidly.
A novel Romani microdeletion variant in the promoter sequence of ASS1 causes citrullinemia type I.

Abstract Background Citrullinemia type I (CTLN1, MIM # 215700 ) is an autosomal recessive urea cycle disorder caused by deficiency of argininosuccinate synthase (ASS). CTLN1 is characterized by life-threatening hyperammonemia and risk for resulting neurocognitive impairments. The diagnosis of CTLN1 is confirmed by the identification of biallelic pathogenic variants in the ASS1 gene. However, there are a small percentage of CTLN1 patients with a characteristic biochemical phenotype without identifiable variants in ASS1. We describe the molecular characterization of two related Romani children with biochemically diagnosed CTLN1, whose clinical genetic testing failed to detect any pathogenic variant in ASS1. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes collected from both patients. Sanger sequencing was performed after PCR amplifications of 5′- and 3′-untranslated regions of the ASS1 gene. A luciferase reporter assay was performed using the human malignant melanoma A2058 cell line and the human liver cancer cell line HepG2. Results We interrogated the non-coding regions of ASS1 by targeted PCR amplification and identified a homozygous 477-bp microdeletion in the promoter region of the ASS1 gene in both patients. Heterozygosity of the variant was confirmed in their parents. Sanger sequencing confirmed the microdeletion contained the entire sequence of the non-coding exon 1 of ASS1 that includes promoter elements of GC-box, E-box, AP2-binding site, and TATA-box. Luciferase reporter assay using an expression plasmid containing the wild-type or mutant ASS1 sequences showed robust reporter expression from the wild-type sequence and significantly reduced expression driven by the mutant insert (3.6% in A2058 cells and 3.3% in HepG2 cells). These findings were consistent with the hypothesis that the microdeletion identified in the patients disrupted an essential promoter element and resulted in deficiency of ASS1 mRNA expression. Conclusions This is the first report of CTLN1 patients caused by a Romani microdeletion variant affecting the non-coding upstream sequence of ASS1. Ablation of the promoter sequence can cause CTLN1 by the reduction of ASS1 expression. Currently available clinical sequencing methods usually do not cover the promoter sequence including the non-coding exon of ASS1, highlighting the importance of evaluating this region in genetic testing for CTLN1.
Anatomy of the human skin

Abstract The human skin constitutes a major obstacle to transdermal drug delivery. This chapter examines the anatomy of the skin. The human skin is divided into three layers: the epidermis, dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is a terminally differentiated and layered squamous epithelium, the main cell type of which is the keratinocyte. Keratinocytes from the stratum basale (SB) typically differentiate to form the stratum spinosum (SS), stratum granulosum (SG), and stratum corneum (SC). The SC (the outermost layer of the skin) is the major barrier against drug transport into the body. The SC comprises fully keratinized corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix. The viable epidermis is subdivided into SG, SS, SB, and stratum lucidum. The dermis is the load-handling portion of the human skin, and it is formed from collagen (about 70% of the dry weight of skin) and elastin (about 2%–4% of the dry weight of skin) fibers. Morphologically, the dermis is made up of two parts: (1) the upper or papillary dermis with a loose connective tissue and high cell density and (2) the reticular dermis in the deeper layers, which is densely packed with collagens and other connective tissue proteins but possesses a low cell density. The subcutis (subcutaneous layer) is the adipose-rich skin layer that provides insulation for the conservation of internal body heat. It is also an energy and fluid reserve that protects deeper tissues and organs and supports the dermis and epidermis. The human skin also possesses numerous appendages—sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and hair follicles.
Transcriptome analysis of contrasting resistance to herbivory by Empoasca fabae in two shrub willow species and their hybrid progeny

Short rotation woody biomass cultivars developed from fast-growing shrub species of willow (Salix spp.) have superior properties as perennial energy crops for the Northeast and Midwest US. However, the insect pest potato leafhopper (PLH) Empoasca fabae (Harris) can cause serious damage and reduce yield of susceptible genotypes. Currently, the willow cultivars in use display varying levels of susceptibility under PLH infestation. However, genes and markers for resistance to PLH are not yet available for marker-assisted selection in breeding. In this study, transcriptome differences between a resistant genotype 94006 (S. purpurea) and a susceptible cultivar 'Jorr' (S. viminalis), and their hybrid progeny were determined. Over 600 million RNA-Seq reads were generated and mapped to the Salix purpurea reference transcriptome. Gene expression analyses revealed the unique defense mechanism in resistant genotype 94006 that involves PLH-induced secondary cell wall modification. In the susceptible genotypes, genes involved in programed cell death were highly expressed, explaining the necrosis symptoms after PLH feeding. Overall, the discovery of resistance genes and defense mechanisms provides new resources for shrub willow breeding and research in the future.
Differential Expression of Blood Group Precursor Antigen in Human Breast Cancer Tissue

There is a pressing need for biomarkers for targeted immunotherapy against breast cancer (BCA), the leading cause of cancer death in women. Previously, a blood group precursor O-core epitope gpC1 was found to be highly expressed in breast circulating tumor cells (BCTCs) and BCA cell lines with cancer stem cell (BCSC) features. In this pilot study, the breast tissue distribution of gpC1 was examined using tissue microarrays (TMAs). Notably, gpC1 positive cells were detected in the major histological types of neoplastic breast tissues. Conversely, none of the breast tissues derived from subjects without BCA were gpC1 positive. Thus, gpC1 expression seems to be tumor-specific but not histological type-dependent, reflecting perhaps its characteristics as a conserved epitope of oncofetal blood group precursor antigens.
Interaction of Acoustic and Electromagnetic Waves in Nondestructive Evaluation and Medical Applications

Nonlinear acoustic nondestructive evaluation (NA NDE) methods have a higher sensitivity for defect detection than standard methods. These methods use various kinds of acoustic wave interactions. In this paper, we suggest augmenting the acoustic framework and use the interaction between acoustic and electromagnetic waves. A brief review of NA NDE and medical nonlinear acoustic imaging methods is presented. Medical methods based on electromagnetic wave modulation by an acoustic radiation force are discussed where improvements using ultrasound contrast agents are suggested. The estimation of the modulation of a radar signal by a crack vibration were made based on standard static measurements. The effects of modulation of an acoustic wave by an electromagnetic field are briefly considered for the method of crack detection in metal materials. The effects considered in this paper may be used in the new methods of NDE and medical diagnostics.
Artemisia annua L. extracts prevent in vitro replication of SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) globally has infected and killed millions of people. Besides remdesivir, there are no approved small molecule-based therapeutics. Here we show that extracts of the medicinal plant, Artemisia annua L., which produces the antimalarial drug artemisinin, prevents SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. We measured antiviral activity of dried leaf extracts of seven cultivars of A. annua sourced from four continents. Hot-water leaf extracts based on artemisinin, total flavonoids, or dry leaf mass showed antiviral activity with IC50 values of 0.1-8.7 μM, 0.01-0.14 μg, and 23.4-57.4 μg, respectively. One sample was >12 years old, but still active. While all hot water extracts were effective, concentrations of artemisinin and total flavonoids varied by nearly 100-fold in the extracts and antiviral efficacy was inversely correlated to artemisinin and total flavonoid contents. Artemisinin alone showed an estimated IC50 of about 70 μM, and antimalarial artemisinin derivatives artesunate, artemether, and dihydroartemisinin were ineffective or cytotoxic at elevated micromolar concentrations. In contrast, the antimalarial drug amodiaquine had an IC50 = 5.8 μM. The extracts had minimal effects on infection of Vero E6 or Calu-3 cells by a reporter virus pseudotyped by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. There was no cytotoxicity within an order of magnitude of the antiviral IC90 values. Results suggest the active component in the extracts is likely something besides artemisinin or is a combination of components acting synergistically to block post-entry viral infection. Further studies will determine in vivo efficacy to assess whether A. annua might provide a cost-effective therapeutic to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Effect of ammonia removal and biochar detoxification on anaerobic digestion of aqueous phase from municipal sludge hydrothermal liquefaction.

Abstract Hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising method to convert municipal sludge into an energy-dense fuel. The inevitable by-product aqueous phase is rich in complex organics, which has the potential for energy and nutrient recovery and can be treated by anaerobic digestion to produce methane. However, toxic compounds such as ammonia and phenolics present would inhibit the function of micro-organisms. This study investigated the influence of ammonia and phenolics removal on anaerobic digestion. The results showed that the treated aqueous phase resulted in up to 225 ml CH4/g COD. The highest methane production was obtained in the culture with both ammonia and phenolics removal at pH 7.0, which was about 90% higher than only ammonia removal and seven times higher than only phenolics removal. The microbial community analysis results showed that these two treatments could increase microbial diversity and upregulate the relative abundance of methanogens.
Cognitive problems and their clinical assessment in SLE: contrasting patient and provider views.

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex chronic disease associated with reduced cognitive functioning. Patients with SLE report cognitive symptoms, but cognitive assessment is not routine and little is known about day-to-day cognitive problems and their effect on disease management. As part of a pilot exploring the use of a cognitive functioning report prototype for shared decision making in clinical encounters (Approaches to Positive Patient-Centered Experiences of Aging in Lupus study-APPEAL), we investigated the relevance of cognitive assessments performed using the NIH Toolbox among patients with SLE. Methods We conducted four focus groups, two with SLE patients (n=18) and two with lupus providers (physicians and nurses; n=9) addressing cognitive issues and interest in communicating about cognition. We compared how NIH Toolbox cognitive domains (episodic memory; working memory; processing speed; attention and inhibitory control; cognitive flexibility) matched with patient- and provider-identified cognitive problems and needs. Results Patients identified all NIH domains with rich experiential examples; providers identified fewer domains and offered less detail. An unanticipated additional domain was prospective memory, i.e., problems in remembering future actions. Use of technological aids (e.g., smart phone alerts) was mentioned by some patients, but not providers, and represent a potential opportunity for medical care. All participants expressed interest in discussing cognition in clinic. Conclusion Cognitive assessment using the NIH Cognitive Toolbox is relevant to this population, with the possible addition of a prospective memory assessment. Cognitive problems and indications of communication gaps suggest the appropriateness of more clinical communication about cognition in this population.
Supermajorities: A Proposal for the Judiciary Evaluated

In a 1984 article in the Journal of Legal Studies, Gordon Tullock and I.J. Good proposed a reform to the American judiciary that would have raised the threshold number of appellate jurists needed for a decision to become binding on lower courts, increased the number of cases that the Supreme Court hears, and prolonged the wait time for “good,” highly durable precedent. Recognizing the trade-off between timeliness and best results, Tullock and Good proposed still longer delays in exchange for even better results. This paper looks to the record of appellate decision making since that time to determine the proposal’s projected impact on precedent creation and costs to the legal system. Further arguments for and against the proposal are weighed in light of these findings.
Abstract #1573: Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of MAPK signaling predisposes tumor to chemotherapy

One of the recent advances in cancer chemotherapy is the use of nanotechnology to improve the efficacy of cytotoxic agents. However, with the increased molecular understanding of cancer progression, there is an increasing shift towards targeted therapy. For example, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, a key intracellular signaling pathway, is deregulated in most human tumors, and is a key therapeutic target. RAS mutations are found in 30% of all cancer, and are in particular common in pancreatic cancer (90%), colon cancer (50%) and were overexpressed in 25% of breast cancer cell lines, while RAF mutations are prevalent in melanomas (63%), ovarian cancer (36%). The aim of the study is nanoparticle-mediated targeting of this pathway can optimize cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we integrated a PLGA-based nanoparticle with an extensively characterized inhibitor of PD98059, to perturb the MAPK signaling pathway. A limitation of PLGA as a carrier is the linear aspect of the polymer, which results in a 1:1 molar loading ratio with the drug, resulting in low loading efficiency. To overcome this limitation we developed a hexadentate-variant of PLGA by chemical synthesis, and engineered nanoparticles by emulsion-solvent evaporation with a 20-fold increase in drug loading. Electron microscopy revealed the size (80-140 nm diameter) and morphology of the nanoparticles. The physicochemical release kinetics of PD98059 from the nanoparticles in different hypoxic cell lysates showed a sustained release of PD98059. We evaluated the anticancer effects of the PD98059-nanoparticle as compared with free PD98059 in a series of in vitro cytotoxicity assays using MTS assays. We used three different cancer cell lines for this study, the B16/F10 melanoma cells, the MDA231 breast cancer cells and Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Study indicated that MDA231 was resistant to PD98059-nanparticle, while B16/F10 was most susceptible. We also developed fluorescently labelled nanoparticles to study the uptake mechanism. The fluorescent nanoparticles were taken up by cancer cells through endocytosis. The Western analysis showed that PD98059 loaded nanoparticles inhibited the phosphorylation of downstream extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). We demonstrate that nanoparticle-targeted MAPK inhibition blocks proliferation of B16/F10 melanoma, and Lewis Lung carcinoma cells and induces apoptosis in vitro by FACS analysis. Administration of the PD98059-loaded nanoparticles in B16/F10 melanoma-bearing mouse inhibited tumor growth in vivo as compared with free PD98059. Furthermore, when combined with cisplatin, nanoparticle-PD98059 exerted a dramatically improved synergistic anticancer activity in vivo. Our study, for the first time, shows the targeting of signal transduction pathways using nanoparticles can result in improved anticancer effect. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 1573.
Surviving Data Breaches: A Multiple Case Study Analysis

This study examines how organizations could potentially overcome the fallout of data breaches and achieve competitive advantage, by enhancing key firm capabilities through the process of sensing threats, seizing opportunities, and transforming/reconfiguring their existing resource base. We use the dynamic capabilities framework as the theoretical basis for this study. A multiple case study approach is applied to this study, using secondary data from the case studies of Target, Anthem, and Yahoo data breaches. Our findings indicate that utilizing the dynamic capability framework and its orchestration processes of sensing, seizing, and transforming/reconfiguring the resource base worked favorably in the case of Target and Anthem. However, for Yahoo, failure to utilize the aforementioned framework and orchestration processes had negative impacts on the firm. Our findings have implications for organizations regarding how they could restructure their internal practices and contain the fallout after a data breach.
Stress rupture

A micromechanical model is presented for fracture during uniaxial creep under a constant applied load. Failure is assumed to occur by the growth of cavities in boundaries that are aligned approximately normal to the tensile axis. In the model, groups of cavities contained in one grain facet grow by diffusion, while the increase in volume due to cavity growth is accommodated by power-law creep in the surrounding grains, following the concept of constrained growth suggested by Dyson. The theory gives a satisfactory explanation for the Monkman Grant equation, and agrees well with experimental data. Expressions for Monkman Grant ductility approach limiting values at high strain rate and at low strain rate, the limits being a function only of the power-law stress exponent, n. The ductility in the transition strain rate region depends on cavity spacing and the relative kinetics of cavity growth and power-law creep.
Non-Invasive SRS Ablation for Cardiac Arrhythmias in the Era of Value-Based Healthcare Delivery

Purpose/objective(s) Cardiac arrhythmias present an increasing burden to the modern healthcare systems (USA: about 55k direct and 250k indirect/underlined cause of death in 2018) with about 32 million new diagnoses worldwide. Surgery and catheter-based Radiofrequency (RF) ablation are two established treatment modalities along with pharmacotherapy; non-invasive SBRT radio-ablation is a new technique, which shows promising early outcomes. Up-to-date, commodity, imaged-guided radiotherapy kit is capable in delivering the required SBRT ablative treatment, when deployed within a close coordinated electrophysiologist-radiation oncologist team, allowing for a blue-sky expansion of modern radiotherapy to another non-neoplastic indication. Materials/methods The process of single-fraction SBRT ablation for a specific form of cardiac arrhythmia, Ventricular Tachycardia (VT), is examined within the framework of Value-Based Healthcare Delivery (VBHCD), a la Michael Porter, HBS. As the relevant standard outcomes set, we use the recently published ICHOM Atrial Fibrillation data collection and reference guide. Especial emphasis is paid to a granular, realistic cost-accounting for the complete train of care, using the Time-Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC) model, a la Robert Kaplan, HBS. Value to the patient is defined within VBHCD as the quotient of Standard Outcomes over the Costs to achieve them. We measured these" costs-to-deliver-care" for these three modalities. Results We tracked TDABC to costs to deliver care following the ICHOM Standardized Outcomes, to patients presented with VT and who were treated with (a) surgery, or (b) catheter-based RT-ablation, or (c) non-invasive single-fraction SBRT. Cost-to-Deliver care for SBRT was 73% as compared to RT-ablation and 58% as compared to surgical ablation/excision. Conclusion Longer follow-up is required to confirm these early results favoring non-invasive SBRT for the treatment of VT (including the costs to provide care for any lingering sequela). However, these encouraging results support for the use of commodity, modern radiotherapy kit while supporting this newfound collaboration between medical specialties (cardiac electrophysiologist, radiation oncologists) to allow for a novel, blue-sky, application of radiotherapy for the cost-effective care of this increasingly burdensome non-neoplastic indication of cardiac arrhythmias.
Nuclear Isovector Electroweak Interactions in a Relativistic Model

The results of a study of isovector electroweak interactions in a relativistic model are discussed. Adopting the random-phase approximation (RPA) in a relativistic linear response theory, Dirac-Hartree orbitals, residual interactions taken from Quantum Hadrodynamics and the full relativistic form for electroweak transition operators, we have studied electron scattering, muon capture, and beta-decay on the mass 16 system. The results are compared with previous nonrelativistic results. The most dramatic differences are found for 0+ ↔ 0− low-lying partial transitions associated with muon-capture and beta-decay. These results are enhanced or reduced compared to a nonrelativistic calculation depending on whether pseudo-vector or pseudo-scalar coupling for the πNN vertex is utilized in the residual interaction and in the determination of the weak axial current.
Symmetry and the order of events in time. A proposed identity of negative mass with antimatter

In another paper in this series, we developed a symmetrical theory of mass which describes how systems of positive mass and negative mass will respond to an input of thermal energy. A system composed of positive mass or negative mass will respond to an input of thermal energy in opposite ways. For example, if a system composed of positive mass expands in response to radiation from a hot body, a system composed of negative mass will contract. Likewise, if the system composed of positive mass contracts when brought in communication with a cold body, a system composed of negative mass will expand. In addition, when a system of positive or negative mass is brought into contact with radiation from a thermal reservoir either hotter or colder than the system, thermal processes are induced such that the sign of the change of entropy of a system composed of positive mass is opposite of that of a system composed of negative mass. That is, in response to thermal energy, a system of negative mass behaves as if it is a system of positive mass going backwards in time. This is reminiscent of Feynman’s definition of antimatter as matter going backwards in time. Negative mass is consistent with the negative energy solutions to the equations of the Special Theory of Relativity when combined with quantum mechanics. Formally, the total energy of a particle can be either positive or negative, which means that the mass of that particle can be either positive or negative. Dirac eliminated the negative mass solution by giving certain complex properties to the vacuum. Pauli used only the positive mass solutions to build the theory of spin and statistics. On the other hand, we interpret both the positive and negative energy solutions to be real solutions that represent substances with positive mass and negative mass, respectively. Thermal energy is only one part of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. It is well known that matter and antimatter respond to electromagnetic radiation in opposite ways. For example, if an electron moves one way in an electromagnetic field, a positron will move in the opposite way. We apply our theory of positive and negative mass to matter and antimatter and suggest that it productive to consider matter as having a positive mass and antimatter as having a negative mass. The equations presented here, which treat matter as having a positive mass and antimatter as having a negative mass, can account for the experimental observations of matter and antimatter in electromagnetic fields. Our treatment allows the symmetry between matter and antimatter to be treated in a more causal manner.
Aquinas on the Eternality and Necessity of the World

AbstractIn this note, we present a new observation of relevance to Aquinas’s third way. Scholars have noted that Aquinas recognizes the existence of a multiplicity of necessary beings, but it has not been recognized that Aquinas’s views concerning the eternality of the world commit him to the epistemic possibility that the world itself is a necessary being. We explain how Aquinas is committed to this possibility and explore its bearing on the success or failure of the third way as a demonstration of God’s existence.
Effects of binding of S-peptide and 2′-cytidine monophosphate on hydrogen exchange from the S-protein component of ribonuclease S: The amide protons of serine 123 and valine 124☆

Abstract The hydrogen exchange rates of amide protons from many chain segments in S-protein, previously shown to be dramatically affected on association with S-peptide, are essentially unchanged, over a period of 150 hours at least, on binding the inhibitor 2′CMP to RNAase S. An exception was the C-terminal tetrapeptide (121–124), which is close to, but not in actual contact with, substrates or inhibitors bound at the active site of the enzyme. Due to the effect of the intrinsic exchange rates within the fragment during analysis only two protons are observed, those of serine 123 and valine 124. The intrinsic rates of these two sites are also sufficiently different that their rates of exchange in the intact protein can be separately monitored. Both rates decrease on binding S-peptide and decrease by an additional factor of ten on binding 2′CMP. The amide of Vall24 is hydrogen bonded as part of a β-sheet region in the native structure. The amide of Ser123 is not hydrogen-bonded, is directed towards the solvent, but is not accessible to it in the time average structure of the intact enzyme. The main-chain motion required to permit exchange is such that both amides are affected in the same way in spite of their different environments.
What's in a Definition? The Implications of Being Defined and Strategies for Change

Definitions of literacy for adults range from school-based models to functional skills models to a social constructivist approach to literacy. The definition of literacy is especially important because assessment practices reflect an assumed definition of literacy. The author advocates that practitioners adopt a social constructivist worldview of literacy and offers challenges for reconciling the current emphasis on a skills-based model for accountability with this model of literacy. Resume Les definitions de l'alphabetisation pour les adultes varient et elles vont du modele de base de l'ecole jusqu'aux modeles d'habiletes fonctionnelles, allant meme jusqu'a une approche constructiviste. La definition de l'alphabetisation prend beaucoup d'importance car les pratiques d'evaluation refletent la definition a laquelle on adhere. L'auteur soutient id que les praticiens adoptent une vision sociale constructiviste de l'alphabetisation et il leur offre des defis pour reconcilier l'emphase presentement mise sur le modele fonde sur les habiletes avec son propre modele de l'alphabetisation.
A ZFC example (of minimum weight) of a Lindelöf space and a completely metrizable space with a nonnormal product

We give an example as indicated in the title where the weight (i.e., the minimum cardinality of a base for the topology) of the product is the smallest uncountable cardinal. 0. INTRODUCTION AND THE MAIN THEOREM History. Throughout this paper the term "space" abbreviates "Hausdorff regular topological space". Is there a normal space and a metric space with a nonnormal product? The answer is yes in ZFC and is due to E. A. Michael ([6], 1963). (ZFC denotes the standard set of axioms for set theory.) Let IP and R denote respectively the irrationals and the reals with their usual topologies; and let M denote the Michael line which is the refinement of R obtained by isolating each irrational point. In Michael's example, M is the normal space (and moreover hereditarily paracompact) and P is the metric space. Note that the weight of M, and therefore the product, is c (c denotes the cardinality of the continuum of real numbers). Is there a ZFC example of a normal space with weight RI (the smallest uncountable cardinal) whose product with IP is nonnormal? (This question is due to Ronnie Levy.) It is not possible in ZFC to construct a Lindelbf space with both R, weight and a nonnormal product with IP (Lawrence, [5], 1990). Define a Michael space to be a Lindeldf space whose product with IP is nonnormal. The existence of a Michael space follows from both the Continuum Hypothesis (Michael, [7], 1971; first mentioned in a footnote of [6]) and Martin's Axiom (K. Alster, [1], 1990). Is there a Michael space in LZFC? This is Michael's problem and is equivalent to the existence in ZFC of a Lindeldf space and a separable completely metrizable space with a nonnormal product (see [5]). Suppose we drop the requirement for completeness on the metrizable factor. In the 1963 paper, Michael also gave a ZFC example of a Lindeldf space and a separable metric space with a nonnormal product. The Lindel6f space is the refinement of R obtained by isolating each point in a Bernstein set, and the metric space is the Bernstein set as a subspace of R. A subset of R is Bernstein if both it and its Received by the editors November 24, 1992 and, in revised form, March 14, 1994. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 54B10; Secondary 54D20, 54E50.
Beyond gender responsivity: Considering differences among community dwelling women involved in the criminal justice system and those involved in treatment

Abstract As the debate regarding gender responsive strategies continues, there is little attention to differences that exist within gender. Attention to within gender differences is of particular importance in community contexts where many women involved in the criminal justice (CJ) system are located and receiving treatment with non-CJ involved women. Using a national data set we found 43.6% of the CJ women had 4 or more areas of need compared with 16.5% of non-CJ women currently in treatment. Implications for training of treatment professionals and supervising agents, as well as the need for service expansion that prevents probation/parole failures are discussed.
Extensible transaction management in Papyrus

The authors describe the extensible transaction management architecture of Papyrus and its motivation. In Papyrus, persistent data are encapsulated in data servers, which provide a collection of methods that clients may use to access and update the data. The Papyrus architecture allows data servers to specify their own concurrency-control algorithms. A data server can present its clients with a choice of concurrency-control algorithms. Upon beginning a transaction, the client specifies a particular concurrency-control algorithm for each data server it will access. Using serialization rules supplied by each data server, the Papyrus lock manager serializes transactions over all data servers. >
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES WITH DESAMIDOGASTRIN

The carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide amide of the gastrin molecule has been shown to be physiologically inactive when deprived of its terminal amide group. In this study, the physiological activity of nonamidated human gastrin I (desamidogastrin) was examined. Desamidogastrin, in doses of 0.1, 1.0, and 10 μg per kg per hr, was administered by constant intravenous infusion to dogs prepared with Heidenhain pouches. In contrast to human gastrin I, desamidogastrin was found without measurable effect in stimulating acid output from the Heidenhain pouches. In addition, the immunological reactivity of desamidogastrin with antibodies to human gastrin I was assessed. Antibodies to human gastri n I utilized were those produced by repeated immunization of rabbits with human gastrin I, residues 2 to 17, covalently conjugated to bovine serum albumin. In addition to the absence of demonstrable physiological effect in stimulating acid secretion, when the gastrin carboxyl-terminal amide group was removed, greater than 99% of the immunological reactivity of human gastrin I molecules with these antibodies to gastrin was lost.
Dispensing errors and counseling quality in 100 pharmacies.

Objective To evaluate the dispensing accuracy and counseling provided in community chain pharmacies. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Community chain pharmacies in large metropolitan areas of Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and New York. Participants Community chain pharmacies and trained shoppers. Interventions Trained shoppers presented a new prescription order for one of five study drugs to each randomly selected pharmacy, and all encounters with pharmacy staff were recorded on video by ABC News 20/20 staff using hidden cameras. Main outcome measures Dispensing errors on prescriptions for selected medications were the indicator of prescription dispensing accuracy. Frequency of verbal counseling and information categories discussed or included in written information were used to assess the quality of counseling. Results Of 100 prescriptions dispensed, 22 had one or more deviation from the physician's written order, for a 22% dispensing error rate. Three of the errors were judged to be potentially harmful when dispensed to a typical patient requiring these therapies. A total of 43 shoppers (43%) received verbal counseling, including16 cases in which the shopper prompted counseling. All shoppers received written information with their prescription, covering an average of 90% of the required topics. Some 68% of the warfarin shoppers purchased aspirin without the pharmacist verbally warning about taking the drugs simultaneously. Conclusion The dispensing error rate of more than one in five prescriptions is similar to the rate found in a similar study conducted 14 years ago, but counseling frequency has decreased significantly during the period.
The Effects of Noise and Manipulation on the Accuracy of Collective Decision Rules

How do noise and manipulation affect the accuracy of collective decision rules? This paper presents simulation results that measure the accuracy of ten well known collective decision rules under noise and manipulation. When noise is low these rules can be divided into accurate ("good") and inaccurate ("bad") groups. The bad rules' accuracy improves, sometimes significantly, when noise increases while the good rules' performance steadily worsens with noise. Also, when noise increases the accuracy of the good rules deteriorates at different rates. Manipulation delays the effects of noise: accuracy improvement and deterioration due to noise emerge only at higher noise levels with manipulation than without it. In some cases at high noise levels there is only a negligible difference between the accuracy of good and bad collective decision rules.
Exploring Faculty Insights into Why Undergraduate College Students Leave STEM Fields of Study- A Three-Part Organizational Self-Study.

An institutional self-study at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) explored factors thought to impact students’ decisions to persist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields of study. This self-study is presented as a model first step for Institutions of Higher Education interested in launching efforts to improve STEM education and STEM student success and persistence. A methodology combining qualitative and quantitative analysis approaches was used to examine different aspects of the overarching research question, “Why do undergraduate students leave college STEM fields of study?” A quantitative review of institutional data was used to identify four particular gaps in student persistence and success in STEM fields of study at Texas State University. An online survey and a focus group guide were developed based on existing but more broadly focused instruments and used to collect faculty insights regarding faculty and student experiences and possible reasons for student attrition in STEM. A review of retention theories was undertaken to better inform the process of generating remedies to the STEM persistence issue. Data were collected and analyzed separately for each component to produce two sets of findings. Findings indicated that there were retention issues in regard to STEM majors in general and underrepresented student groups in particular. Underrepresented students do not pursue STEM degrees percentage wise in comparison to other degrees. The self-study and retention theories suggest the following remedial measures: supporting faculty to transform their teaching, providing supplemental instruction in math and science and including discipline specific introductory courses and early internship experiences.
Hemoglobin D Los Angeles in Two Caucasian Families: Hemoglobin SD Disease and Hemoglobin D Thalassemia

Data are presented on two Caucasian families with hemoglobin D Los Angeles, (α2β2121 gln) In one family, the mother, of Spanish origin, has sickle cell trait and the father, of Mexican origin, has hemoglobin D trait. One child has sickle cell hemoglobin D disease and suffers from a moderately severe hemolytic anemia. In the other family, of English, Scotch, and Irish ancestry, one member has the hemoglobin DAF pattern of hemoglobin D β-thalassemia disease and suffers from moderate hemolytic disease.
Adaptive modulation and coding for fading channels

We discuss some recent results on adaptive modulation and coding for fading channels. The connection between these results and the corresponding Shannon capacity limits and optimal transmission strategies are also explored. We first describe our work on adaptive trellis and turbo-coded MQAM, for flat-fading channels, including the impact of channel estimation error and feedback delay. Next we consider frequency-selective fading channels. We show that multicarrier modulation with adaptive loading is optimal for finite block lengths. However, as the blocklength grows to infinity Shannon theory indicates that a forward/backward coding strategy is required. We discuss various methods to implement such an adaptive strategy and how the performance of these methods might differ from that of adaptive multicarrier modulation. Next we examine adaptive modulation techniques for simultaneous voice and data transmission. Specifically, we propose a simple transmission strategy that simultaneously meets the delay and BER requirements of voice while maximizing the data throughput. The connection between these results and previous results on outage (delay-limited) capacity are outlined, along with extensions of this technique to more general multimedia systems with different data rate, BER, and delay requirements. Finally, we discuss adaptive CDMA strategies for voice and data users in multiaccess fading channels.
Can Consumers Forgo the Need to Touch Products? An Investigation of Nonhaptic Situational Factors in an Online Context

Touch is an important source of information for consumers, and there is much to learn about its role in an online purchase decision context where the ability to touch products is not (at least currently) possible. The present investigation examines three nonhaptic situation-specific factors that moderate the relationship between haptic motivation and consumer responses. The results indicate that positive mood, price promotions, and level of situation-specific product expertise are influential, yielding greater purchase intentions and product judgment confidence when touch is not available. Additionally, the findings of the investigation suggest that imagining a Web site is comparable to actually viewing a Web site. Several implications for consumer behavior research and online marketers are discussed. C � 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen and ketoprofen glucuronide in end-stage renal disease: evidence for a 'futile cycle' of elimination.

Aims To assess if futile cycling of ketoprofen occurs in patients with decreased renal function. Methods Ketoprofen was administered to six haemodialysis-dependent patients with end-stage renal disease as single (50 mg) or multiple doses (50 mg three times daily, for 7 days). Plasma and dialysate concentrations of the unconjugated and glucuronidated R- and S-enantiomers of ketoprofen were determined using h.p.l.c. following the single and multiple dosing. Results The oral clearance was decreased and terminal elimination half-lives of R- and S-ketoprofen and the corresponding acyl glucuronides were increased in functionally anephric patients compared with healthy subjects. In contrast with the R-isomers, S-ketoprofen and S-ketoprofen glucuronide exhibited an unexpected accumulation (2.7–3.8 fold) after repeated dosing achieving S:R ratios of 3.3±1.7 and 11.2±5.3, respectively. The plasma dialysis clearances for R- and S-ketoprofen glucuronides were 49.4±19.8 and 39.0±15.9 ml min−1, respectively, and 10.8±17.6 and 13.3±23.5 ml min−1 for unconjugated R- and S-ketoprofen. Conclusions The selective accumulation of S-ketoprofen and its acyl glucuronide are consistent with amplification of chiral inversion subsequent to futile cycling between R-ketoprofen and R-ketoprofen glucuronide. Severe renal insufficiency, and possibly more modest decrements, results in a disproportionate increase in systemic exposure to the S-enantiomer which inhibits both pathologic and homeostatic prostaglandin synthesis.
Photochemistry of Nitro-Naphthadehyde based 3D Memory Materials

Abstract We describe the characteristics of novel optical memory materials which we have developed for computer storage applications. Their optical and spew scopic properties are briefly presented and the utilization of these materials in 3D optical storage devices, by means of two-photon absorption, is demonstrated.
Expansion problems in the linear stability of boundary layer flows

Several problems in the linearized stability of boundary layers are examined. They are all treated as perturbations of constant coefficient differential operators. Spectral theory and spectral expansions are developed. Possible anomalies, which might arise for nonparallel boundary layer flows with nonzero transverse component at infinity are also handled.
Bulk stresses due to deformation of the electrical double layer around a charged sphere

A charged particle suspended in an electrolyte solution attracts ions of opposite charge and repels those of like charge. The surface charge and the resulting distributed charge in the fluid comprise an electrical double layer. When a shear flow deforms the diffuse part of the double layer from equilibrium, stresses are generated which make the effective viscosity of the suspension greater than it would be if there were no charges present. In this paper these stresses are calculated for a dilute dispersion of spheres which have small surface charges and which are surrounded by thin double layers. The viscosity is predicted to be Newtonian in extensional flow but shear-thinning with non-zero normal-stress differences in shear flow. For more complex flows a constitutive equation couples the bulk stress directly to the micro-structural deformation responsible for non-Newtonian effects.
Testosterone Treatment in Delayed Puberty: Protein Turnover, Leptin& Body Composition. † 369

Testosterone Treatment in Delayed Puberty: Protein Turnover, Leptin& Body Composition. † 369