cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The photoinactivation of thymidylate synthase by 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridylate

Abstract Thymidylate synthase was irreversibly inactivated when irradiated with ultraviolet light in the presence of 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridylate (IdUMP). The rate of inactivation was dependent on the concentration of IdUMP. The photochemical reaction appeared to take place at the active site of thymidylate synthase, since 5-iododeoxyuridine did not photoinactivate the enzyme while the substrate dUMP decreased the rate of inactivation. Photoinactivation with [6- 3 H]IdUMP resulted in the incorporation of tritium which could not be removed by denaturing the enzyme with urea. The amount of tritium incorporated indicated that one molecule of inhibitor was covalently bound to one enzyme molecule. The photochemical inactivation of thymidylate synthase by IdUMP resulted in the loss of approximately one titratable sulfhydryl group on the enzyme.
Direct kinetic evidence for the electronic effect of ruthenium in PtRu on the dissociative adsorption of methanol

Dissociative adsorption of methanol on platinum in a PtRu bimetallic electrocatalyst has been studied by an accelerated degradation test and normal pulse voltammetry. PtRu electrodes with a minimum number of potential cycles show the highest electrode rate constant values while the one with platinum-like surface characteristics show the lowest rate constant values, evidencing the promotional effect of Ru.
International Hungary!: György Galántai's Networking Strategies

This paper focuses on Gyorgy Galantai's networking strategies during the socialist period in Hungary. Beginning with the Balatonboglar Chapel Studio exhibitions (1970–1973) and ending with the discussion of Artpool, founded by Galantai and Julia Klaniczay in 1979, the paper considers the position of experimental art in Hungary in the 1970s and 1980s and Galantai's struggles with the authorities. In analyzing the ways in which samizdat publications and the mail art network offered modes of resistance and alternative spaces for artistic exchanges, I propose that those experimental forms of art expanded artists' communication by means of metonymy, conveying corporeal sovereignty among artists across geographical boundaries.
The crystal structure of manandonite-2H2

The crystal structure of manandonite-2H2, an AI-, Li-, B-rich analogue of amesite, has been refined in space group C1 to R = 5.7%. Tetrahedral Si, AI, and B are partly ordered to give two mean T-O bond lengths near 1.603(1) A and two near 1.667(1) A. B has a greater tendency to order than do Si and Al. There are one relatively Li-rich octahedron and two relatively Al-rich octahedra in each layer with mean M-O,OH bond lengths of 1.997(1), 1.960(1), and 1.955(1) A, respectively, in layer 1 and 2.014(1), 1.941(1), and 1.956(1)A, respectively, in layer 2. It is the partial ordering of the octahedral cations that decreases the ideal P63 symmetry to PI (or C1, as used for refinement). Tetrahedral rotations of 18.3° are required to match the larger lateral dimensions of the tetrahedral sheet with those of the octahedral sheet, coupled with basal 0 corrugations because ofthe different sizes of the octahedra. The H+ protons of the six surface OH molecules point directly toward their acceptor basal 0 atoms to give H bond contacts between 2.647 and 2.773 A.
Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in modular collagen–fibrin microtissues

The process of new blood vessel formation is critical in tissue development, remodeling and regeneration. Modular tissue engineering approaches have been developed to enable the bottom-up assembly of more complex tissues, including vascular networks. In this study, collagen–fibrin composite microbeads (100–300 μm in diameter) were fabricated using a water-in-oil emulsion technique. Human endothelial cells and human fibroblasts were embedded directly in the microbead matrix at the time of fabrication. Microbead populations were characterized and cultured for 14 days either as free-floating populations or embedded in a surrounding fibrin gel. The collagen–fibrin matrix efficiently entrapped cells and supported their viability and spreading. By 7 days in culture, endothelial cell networks were evident within microbeads, and these structures became more prominent by day 14. Fibroblasts co-localized with endothelial cells, suggesting a pericyte-like function, and laminin deposition indicated maturation of the vessel networks over time. Microbeads embedded in a fibrin gel immediately after fabrication showed the emergence of cells and the coalescence of vessel structures in the surrounding matrix by day 7. By day 14, inosculation of neighboring cords and prominent vessel structures were observed. Microbeads pre-cultured for 7 days prior to embedding in fibrin gave rise to vessel networks that emanated radially from the microbead by day 7, and developed into connected networks by day 14. Lumen formation in endothelial cell networks was confirmed using confocal sectioning. These data show that collagen–fibrin composite microbeads support vascular network formation. Microbeads embedded directly after fabrication emulated the process of vasculogenesis, while the branching and joining of vessels from pre-cultured microbeads resembled angiogenesis. This modular microtissue system has utility in studying the processes involved in new vessel formation, and may be developed into a therapy for the treatment of ischemic conditions.
Using radial basis functions to approximate a function and its error bounds

A novel network called the validity index network (VI net) is presented. The VI net, derived from radial basis function networks, fits functions and calculates confidence intervals for its predictions, indicating local regions of poor fit and extrapolation. >
Anastomotic false aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries

Abstract Anastomotic false aneurysm (AFA) of the aorta or iliac artery is a potentially lethal complication of prosthetic grafts. To study this complication, the records of 18 patients with 22 noninfected AFAs (15 aortic and seven iliac) were reviewed. Patients with an intact AFA had a pulsatile abdominal mass, abdominal pain, an occluded graft, peripheral emboli, or a femoral anastomotic false aneurysm. All patients with a ruptured AFA were in shock, but 67% (four of six) had symptoms before hemorrhage. For diagnosis, single-plane angiography was 69% accurate (11 of 16), computed tomography was 100% accurate (six of six), and ultrasound was used once and suggested an AFA. Three patients with an AFA less than 5 cm diameter were initially observed; however, all three aneurysms rapidly enlarged and one ruptured. The operative mortality rate was 8% (1 of 12) for patients with an intact aneurysm and 67% (four of six) for patients with a ruptured aneurysm. Treatment was resection of the AFA and replacement with a new graft. Retroperitoneal AFAs often appear years after the initial operation, and life-long follow-up is required for patients with an aortic or iliac graft. All retroperitoneal AFAs should be resected since the outcome of patients with a ruptured AFA is poor. (J VASC SURG 1988;8:268-73.)
Operational Definitions and Assessment of Higher-Order Cognitive Constructs

The educational psychology literature is replete with references to higher-order cognitive constructs, such as critical thinking and creativity. Presumably, these constructs represent the primary processes and outcomes that educators should promote in students. For these constructs to be maximally useful, they must be transformed into specific operational definitions that lead to reliable and valid assessment strategies. Minimizing overlap in the definitions and assessment of different concepts would contribute to an orderly accumulation of knowledge about the constructs in question. The ideal would be for each construct to have a definition that is distinct from the definitions of other cognitive constructs. Although higher-order cognitive constructs have much surface appeal, their utility is tied to the clarity and fidelity of their definitions and assessment procedures.
US Regional Income Convergence: A Spatial Econometric Perspective

REY S. J. and MONTOURI B. D. (1999) US regional income convergence: a spatial econometric perspective, Reg. Studies 33 , 143-156. This study reconsiders the question of US regional economic income convergence from a spatial econometric perspective. Recently developed methods of exploratory spatial data analysis provide new insights on the geographical dynamics of US regional income growth patterns over the 1929-94 period. Strong patterns of both global and local spatial autocorrelation are found throughout the study period, and the magnitude of global spatial autocorrelation is also found to exhibit strong temporal co-movement with regional income dispersion. A spatial econometric analysis of the familiar Baumol specification reveals strong evidence of misspecification due to ignored spatial error dependence. Because of this dependence, shocks originating in one state can spillover into surrounding states, potentially complicating the transitional dynamics of the convergence process. REY S. J. et MONTOURI...
Guaranteed properties for nonlinear gain scheduled control systems

An analysis is presented of two types of nonlinear gain-scheduled control systems: scheduling on a reference trajectory and scheduling on the plant output. Conditions are given which guarantee stability, robustness, and performance properties of the global gain-scheduled designs. These conditions confirm and formalize popular notions regarding gain-scheduled designs, e.g., that the scheduling variable should vary slowly and capture the plant's nonlinearities. These results extend previous work by the authors which addressed the case of linear plants whose dynamics depend on exogenous parameters. >
Biodegradation of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and other fuel oxygenates.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) has been added to gasoline in the U.S. for the last decade in order to meet the mandates of the 1990 Clean Air Act. This law decreed that gasoline sold in many locations must contain oxygenates to improve combustion and minimize air pollution. Unfortunately, this widespread use has led to the contamination of some soils and aquifers, and remediation is now required. Bioremediation has proven to be an environmentally responsible and cost-effective approach to remediating petroleum spills; this article reviews the potential that bioremediation may also be appropriate for remediating MTBE contamination. There is now good evidence that MTBE can be degraded by bacteria and fungi under aerobic conditions, and promising indications that the process also occurs under methanogenic and ferric iron-reducing conditions. Yet, apparently it is not a widespread phenomenon. The challenge is to find effective bioremediation strategies that maximize this biodegradation so that it can be used reliably in cleaning contaminated sites. Both simple biostimulation and more complex bioaugmentation protocols are being developed to meet this pressing need.
Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. isolated from US West Coast public marine beaches

Objectives: The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (MRCoNS) from marine water and intertidal beach sand from public beaches in Washington State, USA. Methods: Fifty-one staphylococci from Washington State beaches were characterized using antimicrobial susceptibility testing, carriage of acquired tetracycline and/or macrolide resistance genes, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, the BBL Crystal™ Gram-Positive ID System and/or 16S rRNA sequencing, coagulase test and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for MRSA. Results: Five multidrug-resistant MRSA SCCmec type I, of which three were MLST type ST45, one ST59 and one a new MLST type, ST1405, plus one susceptible non-typeable (NT) MRSA ST30 were characterized. Thirty-three MRCoNS isolates, representing 21 strains from 9 Staphylococcus spp., carried a range of SCCmec types [I (2), II (6), III (3), V (2), I/II (1) and NT (7)] and varied in their antibiotic susceptibility to other antibiotic classes and carriage of acquired tetracycline/macrolide resistance gene(s). MRSA and MRCoNS donors co-transferred tet(M) and erm(A) genes to an Enterococcus faecalis recipient at a frequency of 10 -8 . Conclusions: This is the first report of MRSA and MRCoNS isolated from marine water and intertidal beach sand. The MLST types and antibiotic carriage of five MRSA isolates were similar to hospital MRSA isolates rather than US community-acquired MRSA isolates. Our results suggest that public marine beaches may be a reservoir for transmission of MRSA to beach visitors as well as an ecosystem for exchange of antibiotic resistance genes among staphylococci and related genera.
Phase I and pharmacologic study of intermittently administered 9-nitrocamptothecin in patients with advanced solid tumors

Purpose: 9-Nitrocamptothecin (9NC) is an oral camptothecin analogue currently administered at 1.5 mg/m 2 /day × 5 days/week in Phase III studies for pancreatic carcinoma. In an effort to increase the dose administered per day and determine whether the daily dose or number of days of treatment influence toxicity, we performed a Phase I study of 9NC using intermittent schedules of administration. Experimental Design: On schedule A, 9NC was administered orally daily × 5 days for 2 weeks every 4 weeks (one cycle). On schedule B, 9NC was administered orally daily × 14 days every 4 weeks (one cycle). Dose levels were determined by adaptive dose finding. Serial blood samples were obtained on day 1 of each schedule for pharmacokinetic studies of 9NC and its 9-aminocamptothecin (9AC) metabolite, and lactone forms were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The recommended Phase II doses for schedules A and B were 2.43 and 1.70 mg/m 2 /day, respectively, each providing the same dose intensity ( i.e. , 24 mg/m 2 /cycle). The primary toxicities on schedules A and B were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea. On schedule A, two patients with gastric cancer and two patients with pancreatic cancer had stable disease for more than six cycles. On schedule B, one patient with pancreatic cancer had stable disease for more than six cycles, and a patient with pancreatic cancer had a partial response. There was significant interpatient variability in the disposition of 9NC and 9AC. Most of the drug remained in the 9NC form with a ratio of 9NC to 9AC of ∼4 to 1. Conclusions: These studies suggest that 9NC administered on an intermittent schedule is tolerable and may be an active regimen in patients with gastric or pancreatic cancers. Dosing 9NC on a mg/m 2 basis does not reduce pharmacokinetic variability.
Chainsaw: Using Binary Matching for Relative Instruction Mix Comparison

With advances in hardware, instruction set architectures are undergoing continual evolution. As a result, compilers are under constant pressure to adapt and take full advantage of available features. However, current techniques for evaluating relative compiler performance only compare profiles at the application level, ignoring relative performance differences at finer granularities. To ensure that new features are put to good use, a more rigorous approach is necessary. A fundamental step in tuning compiler performance is identifying the specific examples that can be improved. To solve this problem, we present a compiler-independent binary matching technique to compare executions of differently compiled programs and identify intervals where the behavior can be meaningfully compared. Matched intervals can be automatically analyzed to identify anomalous segments of execution where one version performs significantly differently versus another. We present case studies using Chainsaw to identify significant performance anomalies between differently compiled codes.
Changes in electrical impedance of skeletal muscle measured during hyperthermia.

The electrical impedance of rat skeletal muscle was measured from 100 Hz to 40 MHz during the application of typical hyperthermia heating regimens. Trials were performed employing freshly excised tissue heated to target temperatures from 39·5 to 50°C. Abrupt and rapid decreases in the low-frequency β-dispersion occurred very shortly after reaching hyperthermia temperatures. These rapid decreases continued at a rate and to an extent dependent upon the target temperature, and then, as heating continued, abruptly changed to a much slower rate which continued indefinitely. The initial rapid changes were associated with microscopically observed muscle fibre rounding and radial shrinkage, with accompanying increasing interstitial oedema. The subsequent slow changes were associated with a slow histolysis. The time-and temperature-dependence of the rapid resistivity changes evidenced similarities to typical hyperthermia endpoint responses. An Arrhenius analysis of the rate of the resistivity changes yielded a bre...
An open trial of octreotide long-acting release in the management of short bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the long-acting release (LAR) depot octreotide preparation Sandostatin LAR Depot on stool water and electrolyte losses, fecal fat excretion, and GI transit in patients with short bowel syndrome. METHODS: We performed a 15-wk, prospective, open-label study of intramuscular (i.m.) Sandostatin LAR Depot, 20 mg, at 0, 3, 7, and 11 wk. Balance studies were performed before and at the end of the 15-wk study. Baseline and posttreatment measurements of body weight, stool fat, sodium and potassium, and gastric and small bowel transit of a radiolabeled egg meal were compared by paired analysis. RESULTS: We studied eight patients with short bowel syndrome (five women and three men; mean age 52 yr, range 37–72 yr) who had been TPN dependent for a mean of 11.8 yr (range 1.5–22 yr). The underlying diagnoses were Crohn’s disease (n = 6), intestinal ischemia (n = 1), and resection for carcinoid tumor (n = 1). Treatment with Sandostatin LAR Depot significantly increased small bowel transit time (p = 0.03). Changes in body weight, urine volume, stool weight, fecal fat excretion, stool sodium and potassium excretion, or gastric emptying rate were highly variable, and no overall significance was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Sandostatin LAR Depot for 15 wk significantly prolonged small bowel transit time. Body weight and stool parameters in response to Sandostatin LAR Depot treatment needs to be assessed further in multicenter studies assessing dose, frequency of administration, and a larger sample size.
Nano Self-Assembled Nanoparticle Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors for Acetylcholine Biosensing

We present an inexpensive way to fabricate high-performance nanoparticle based ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) for the acetylcholine biosensing application. The fabrication is implemented with a low-cost layer-by-layer nano self-assembly and microfabrication techniques. Self-assembled silica nanoparticle thin film and indium oxide nanoparticle thin film work as the gate dielectric and semiconducting channel respectively. The ISFETs operate at a low-voltage range of less than 2 V, and has a high mobility of 43.10 cm2/Vs. Acetylcholine in a concentration as low as 100 nM could be detected with this sensor. The results presented herein suggest a route to inexpensive, high mobility ion-sensitive field-effect transistors for biosensing applications.
Fuzzy Logic Based Guidance to Graph Grammar Framework for Automated Analog Circuit Design

This paper introduces a fuzzy logic based guidance architecture to a graph grammar framework for automated design of analog circuits. The grammar generates circuit topologies through a derivation tree. To boost this tree based synthesis mechanism, smaller building blocks inthe form of subtrees have been used for the purpose. These blocks have been automatically generated and their appropriateness for the design is updated runtime through the fuzzy system. Fuzzy logic helps to provide a smoothgradation for the relative merit of each block with respect to the design synthesized. The tool has been used to design an operational amplifier and a voltage controlled oscillator.
Is There Educational Value in the Master's Thesis?.

Abstract This study examines the impact of four variables on student evaluations of the master's thesis requirement in social work education. The findings indicate that the thesis is considered more valuable by the more academically able students. Second, students' preference for a cognitive mode of making judgments was negatively associated with a positive evaluation of the thesis requirement. No significant relationships were found to hold between perceived value and tolerance for ambiguity or type of thesis.
Correlation of Visco-elastic Properties of Large Arteries with Microscopic Structure

The media of 14 regions of the aorta and 3 regions of the pulmonary artery of dogs were subjected to a step-function circumferential stretch taking 20 msec to complete. The tension rose synchronously with the increase in circumference, then dropped exponentially to a reasonably steady state within 2 sec. A mathematical model, developed consistent with this stress-relaxation curve, showed how to use the tension curves to measure a viscous, a serieselastic, and a parallel-elastic constant unique for a given curve. These constants were compared with the microscopic structure of the same or similar segments; collagen was determined as hydroxyproline in a water soluble fraction, elastin as hydroxyproline in the residue and from the width and number of elastic lamellae, and muscle from the nitrogen content of a nonfibrous fraction, from cell counts and from contractility. The constituents varied widely and independently enough to permit correlating viscous and elastic constants with microscopic structure. The viscous and series-elastic constants were higher where muscle content was high, and increased markedly when the muscle was tonically contracted. The parallel-elastic constant was high when elastin was high and in the presence of contracted muscle, but seemed independent of collagen content, at the moderate tensions tested.
Superconducting properties of V/Fe superlattices

Abstract We report measurements on the superconducting properties of V/Fe superlattices with various layer thicknesses. These samples were prepared with a novel UHV evaporator which can produce up to twenty different samples in the same run. The Fe layer, a strong pair breaker, suppresses the superconducting transition temperature in a systematic way. When the V layer thickness is on the order of the BCS coherence length and the Fe layer is only a few atomic planes thick, a 2D–3D crossover has been observed in the temperature dependence of the parallel upper critical field HC2∥. This implies the coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetismm. We observe three dimensional behavior for thinner Fe layers (∼1 atomic plane) and two dimensional behavior for thicker Fe layers (greater than 10 atomic planes).
Minimum energy trajectories of the swing ankle when stepping over obstacles of different heights

This study was performed to test the hypothesis that the motion of the lower extremities when stepping over obstacles is governed by the criterion of minimum mechanical energy. The trajectories of the swing ankle during level walking and when stepping over obstacles of 51, 102, 153, and 204 mm heights were predicted and measured for eight healthy young adults. The predictions were made with a planar, seven-link linkage model based on the criterion of minimum mechanical energy using the method of dynamic programming. When stepping over obstacles, the predicted trajectories of the swing ankle were just high enough for the swing toe to clear the obstacles. The clearances measured between the obstacle and toe were significantly larger than those predicted. When stepping over obstacles the levels of work required to generate the measured trajectories were significantly larger (p < or = 0.002) than those required to produce the predicted trajectories. The amount of work necessary to generate the measured or predicted trajectories increased linearly (significant at p < or = 0.022) with obstacle height and, except when predicting the trajectory for the lowest obstacle, was significantly greater than that required when walking on level ground (p < 0.02). Thus, conservation of energy was found to become a less dominant criterion for governing the motion of the body when crossing obstacles than when walking on level ground.
Confidence weighted answer technique in a group of pediatric residents.

Physicians who are excessively underconfident or overconfident about their knowledge may have impaired clinical judgement. Confidence weighting of multiple choice examinations asks test-takers to state how confident they are that the answers they selected are correct. This previously described method allows the examinee to receive ‘overconfidence’ and ‘underconfidence’ scores. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that these scores would correlate with faculty assessment of pediatric residents' confidence level as observed in the clinical setting. Thirty-three pediatric residents took an examination of general pediatric knowledge using confidence weighting method. Percentage of questions answered correctly ranged from 40 to 81%. There was an association between increasing overconfidence and lower examination scores (r = 0.58; p = 0.001). Increasing overconfidence was also associated with decreasing underconfidence (r = 0.38; p = 0.04). Five faculty members, the program director and the chief resi...
Behavior-based modeling and its application to Email analysis

The Email Mining Toolkit (EMT) is a data mining system that computes behavior profiles or models of user email accounts. These models may be used for a multitude of tasks including forensic analyses and detection tasks of value to law enforcement and intelligence agencies, as well for as other typical tasks such as virus and spam detection. To demonstrate the power of the methods, we focus on the application of these models to detect the early onset of a viral propagation without “content-base ” (or signature-based) analysis in common use in virus scanners. We present several experiments using real email from 15 users with injected simulated viral emails and describe how the combination of different behavior models improves overall detection rates. The performance results vary depending upon parameter settings, approaching 99 p true positive (TP) (percentage of viral emails caught) in general cases and with 0.38 p false positive (FP) (percentage of emails with attachments that are mislabeled as viral). The models used for this study are based upon volume and velocity statistics of a user's email rate and an analysis of the user's (social) cliques revealed in the person's email behavior. We show by way of simulation that virus propagations are detectable since viruses may emit emails at rates different than human behavior suggests is normal, and email is directed to groups of recipients in ways that violate the users' typical communications with their social groups.
Dust interannual variability and trend in Central Asia from 2000 to 2014 and their climatic linkages

We present a comprehensive analysis of the interannual variability and trend of dust aerosol in Central Asia (37°–55°N, 50°–80°E) from 2000 to 2014, based on a set of dust emission simulations using the WRF-Chem-DuMo modeling system, observations of dust frequency derived from surface station synoptic weather records, and dust optical depth (DOD) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) aerosol optical depth (AOD) products. Model simulations reveal that the soil grain size distribution has little impact on the interannual variability of dust fluxes but strongly affects their magnitude. The two physically based dust schemes based on Marticorena and Bergametti (1995) (MB) and Shao et al. (1996) (Shao) produce large differences in the dust flux magnitude and spatiotemporal distributions, largely due to different sensitivities of the threshold friction velocity to vegetation-induced surface roughness. By using a fixed threshold velocity, the dust scheme of Tegen and Fung (1995) (TF) relies on the dynamic dust source function to capture the dust variability associated with vegetation changes. Through a correlation analysis, the simulated dust fluxes show good consistency with the observed dust frequency, whereas only the Shao and TF dust fluxes are consistent with the MODIS Collection 5.1 and SeaWiFS DOD. The dust fluxes, dust frequency, and DOD (except MODIS Collection 6) are highly correlated with the frequency of strong surface winds but show different sensitivities to drought and soil erodibility factors (i.e., precipitation, soil moisture, and vegetation) which are influenced by El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In general, La Nina years are associated with reduced precipitation, drier soils, less vegetation, and, consequently, more severe drought and enhanced dust activity in Central Asia. The averaged dust flux of the MB and Shao experiments shows a significant negative trend of −2.00 ± 0.59 × 10−3 g m−2 yr−1 from 2000 to 2014, which is consistent with the trends in the TF dust flux (−1.74 ± 0.34 × 10−3 g m−2 yr−1), dust frequency (−0.63 ± 0.21 × 10−3 yr−1), and SeaWiFS AOD (−3.3 ± 1.3 × 10−3 AOD yr−1), as well as the decreasing tendency in the MODIS AOD after the ENSO effect is removed. The negative dust trend is driven by a decline in the surface winds, which is likely due to changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation rather than the local effect of vegetation-induced surface roughness.
How does practice with a reversed mouse influence subsequent speeded aiming performance? A test of global inhibition

In a speeded aiming task, participants were trained to move a cursor with a mouse from a start position to target locations when the mouse–cursor relationships were either normal or reversed (vertically, horizontally, or both vertically and horizontally). Testing, which occurred after a 5-min delay, involved either the same or a different reversal condition. Response times improved across training, but no transfer occurred when reversal conditions were changed between training and testing. Specificity of training effects extended even to performance with the highly familiar normal mouse. Normal mouse use was slowed by a factor of two to three with training on a reversed mouse although the effect was transient in that case. To contend with a reversed mouse, participants apparently adopt a global inhibition strategy, suppressing all normal movements (and replacing them with sensorimotor remapped movements) but disinhibiting movements along any nonreversed dimension (selectively disengaging the sensorimotor ...
Geometric Origins of Surfactant Effectiveness in Mixed Solvent Systems

The surface activity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its hydrocarbon analog octanoic acid (OA) in ethanol–water solutions is studied with a combined experimental and molecular dynamics simulation approach. Experiments show that PFOA is more effective at reducing surface tension in ethanol–water solvents than OA. The surface tension at the CMC is lower with PFOA than with OA, and PFOA is effective at lowering the surface tension in solutions with high ethanol content (up to 60%) while OA is not. We use molecular dynamics simulations to determine the underlying basis for these differences. The tendency of PFOA and OA molecules to partition to the surface at infinite dilution is evaluated using free energy profiles. Features of these free energy profiles at infinite dilution are shown to correlate with the experimental surface tension results. PFOA’s superior surfactant properties are attributed to PFOA having a larger girth than OA, which is largely a consequence of the C–F bond being longer than the C...
Faculty Attitudes for Changing a University's Core and Structure

America’s universities and colleges are examining additional ways to raise student enrollment following government reductions in educational funding. Faculty were surveyed regarding their opinions of an administrative proposal to change the status of their commuter university, a school without any on-campus student housing, from teaching traditional semester length courses to predominately online and compressed courses. Results indicated that although younger faculty were willing to teach lower level courses online, most faculty members were resistant to teaching upper level online and compressed courses. Moreover, associate professors agreed teaching compressed courses would make it more difficult both to recruit new faculty and pursue promotion.
Role of OH-initiated oxidation of isoprene in aging of combustion soot.

We have investigated the contribution of OH-initiated oxidation of isoprene to the atmospheric aging of combustion soot. The experiments were conducted in a fluoropolymer chamber on size-classified soot aerosols in the presence of isoprene, photolytically generated OH, and nitrogen oxides. The evolution in the mixing state of soot was monitored from simultaneous measurements of the particle size and mass, which were used to calculate the particle effective density, dynamic shape factor, mass fractal dimension, and coating thickness. When soot particles age, the increase in mass is accompanied by a decrease in particle mobility diameter and an increase in effective density. Coating material not only fills in void spaces, but also causes partial restructuring of fractal soot aggregates. For thinly coated aggregates, the single scattering albedo increases weakly because of the decreased light absorption and practically unchanged scattering. Upon humidification, coated particles absorb water, leading to an ad...
Creep of Hardened Cement Paste—The Role of Interfacial Phenomena

Real-time changes in the microstructure of hardened cement paste subjected to a sustained load were followed through the coupling of an a.c. impedance frequency analyzer with a miniature loading system. A rationale for the time dependent effects of the sustained load on the characteristics of the impedance spectra is provided. The analysis suggests that the sustained load can influence the conductivity of the solid-liquid interface, the thickness of the Stern layer and pore structure parameters in a manner that would result in a time dependent increase in the diameter of the high frequency arc. This was demonstrated experimentally. The impedance analysis included an assessment of the relevance of the high frequency arc depression angle to creep behavior of cement paste. A possible explanation of the changes to the depression angle with time under load in terms of interfacial phenomena at the nanoscale is given.
The effect of pH on cathepsin activities in mouse liver heterolysosomes

1. Mouse liver heterolysosomes containing 125I-labelled albumin were incubated at 35°C in 0.25m-sucrose–0.05m-mercaptoethanol, and various concentrations of buffers at pH4, 5, 7 or 8, and the degradation of intraparticulate protein was measured. 2. Buffers at pH4, 7 or 8 inhibited proteolytic activity and the inhibitions were greater with increasing concentrations of buffers. Tris–acetate buffer, pH8, was a more effective inhibitor. Tris–acetate buffer, pH5, neither inhibited nor stimulated proteolytic activity at concentrations up to 0.1m. 3. Inhibition by pH8 buffers could be accounted for by increased breakage rates of heterolysosomes. 4. Preincubation of heterolysosomes in 0.2m-sodium bicarbonate inhibited proteolytic activity when the particles were washed free of bicarbonate, but the inhibition was reversed if these particles were incubated in media containing pH5 buffer. The inhibition was shown not to be due to an increased breakage of heterolysosomes. 5. It was concluded that the pH within heterolysosomes is about 5, and it is possible to alter reversibly the pH within these particles. The possibility for the existence of an intralysosomal buffering system which maintains the pH at about 5 in heterolysosomes is discussed. This buffering system may be related to the presence of large quantities of acidic lipoproteins in lysosomes observed by other investigators.
Introduction to telomeres and telomerase.

Telomeres are ends of chromosomes that play an important part in the biology of eukaryotic cells. Continued optimization and development of technologies have enabled researchers to probe the mechanisms of telomere maintenance in ever expanding areas. A combination of molecular, genetic, proteomic, and biochemical approaches has revealed the complex and coordinated action of telomerase and telomere-associated proteins. The length and integrity of telomeres are maintained to prevent telomere dysfunction, which has been linked to senescence, aging, disease, and cancer. The tools and assays used to study telomeres today have helped assemble a more detailed, high-resolution picture of the various players and pathways at work at the telomeres.
Mitogenic factors in prostatic tissue and expressed prostatic secretion.

AbstractExpressed prostatic secretions and extracts of benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue contain a polypeptide growth factor(s) that stimulates the uptake of tritium-labeled thymidine by cultured 3T3 fibroblasts. Mitogenic activity was present in expressed prostatic secretions and extracts of benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue. The apparent molecular weights of the mitogenic fractions were estimated to be 300,000, 150,000 and 60,000 daltons for prostatic tissue extracts, and 30,000 daltons for expressed prostatic secretions. Bioassays yielded a mean of 27 units of mitogenic activity per mg. protein in expressed prostatic secretions obtained from men with normal and enlarged prostate glands. There was no difference in bioassayable mitogenic activity in the expressed prostatic secretions from normal and benign prostatic hyperplasia samples but gel filtration studies revealed a high molecular weight component present only in samples from men with prostatic enlargement. A dialyzable low molecular weight in...
Super-Sizing America: Geography, Income, Fast Food, and Whole Food:

The rate of obesity in the United States has increased to an alarming degree. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides data on the state-by-state and nationwide obesity rates. O...
Combined Experimental and Molecular Simulation Investigation of the Individual Effects of Corexit Surfactants on the Aerosolization of Oil Spill Matter

We report laboratory aerosolization experiments and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, with the objective of investigating the individual effects of the two Corexit surfactants Span 80 (nonionic) and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS, ionic), on the aerosolization of oil spill matter to the atmosphere. Our simulation results show that Span 80, DOSS, and the oil alkanes n-pentadecane (C15) and n-triacontane (C30) exhibit deep free energy minima at the air/seawater interface. C15 and C30 exhibit deeper free energy minima at the interface when Span 80 is present, as compared to the situation when DOSS or no surfactants are at the interface. These results suggest that Span 80 makes these oil hydrocarbons more likely to be adsorbed at the surface of seawater droplets and carried out to the atmosphere, relative to DOSS or to the situation where no surfactants are present. These simulation trends are in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations in a bubble-column setup, where larger ...
International Law and Domestic Law Project – Country Report: Islamic Republic of Iran

This report was prepared for a study on international law in domestic systems at the University of Virginia School of Law. It provides a detailed overview of the approach of Iran's legal system to two of the sources of international law- treaties and custom.
Regulation of Genomic Technologies

Abstract The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests as medical devices. Genomic technology-based IVD tests are thus regulated under the various requirements of the medical device regulations. Underlying this regulation are three essential principles: risk classification based on intended use, assurance that the device accurately and reliably measures the analytes it is intended to measure, and assurance that the test result has an appropriately strong correlation to the disease or condition in question. Multiplex genomic tests pose new challenges for both the demonstration and review of their analytical and clinical performance. FDA has begun to craft a streamlined regulatory approach that takes into account the variety of system configurations and types of tests that could be created and used. FDA’s regulatory approach for genomic technologies will continue to evolve to accommodate technological and scientific advances.
Chronic and Refractory Pain: A Systematic Review of Pharmacologic Management in Oncology .

BACKGROUND:Chronic and refractory cancer pain are significant issues and can increase patient suffering and compromise quality of life. A variety of evidence-based pharmacologic strategies can be used routinely to control cancer pain.OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic re
Disease Management and Prevention

I begin this chapter on disease management and prevention by reminding readers - venerated senior physicians and neophyte clinicians alike - that we all should strive to employ wise practice methods in the examination room and hospital. A seminal study in sensible clinical practice was conducted by Viennese obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865), who observed that obstetrical patients attended by medical students had a higher incidence of “childbed fever” than patients of midwifery students. The difference seemed to be that medical students came directly from the autopsy room to the delivery room without washing their hands, while the midwifery students had no such autopsy exposure. Semmelweis first had the medical students and midwifery students exchange wards; the higher infection rate followed the medical students. Then, in 1847, he had both groups wash their hands with chlorinated water prior to deliveries, and the rates of infection plummeted in both wards. Semmelweis’ elegant experiment set the stage for today’s sensible practice rules.
Teachers, Folklore, and the Crafting of Serrano Cultural Identity in Peru

This article examines two cases of folklorization led by teachers in Peru between 1939 and 1971, and characterized by the participation of the indigenous and mestizo subjects whose local cultures were transformed into folklore. These cases show teachers as active agents of cultural change in Andean schools, who were responding to de-Indianization by promoting a serrano (pertaining to the Sierra) regional identity among their students. In this fashion, teachers were reinventing “local traditions” to produce a new popular identity based on a common regional bond, through which indigenous and mestizo populations could negotiate new waves of cultural interaction with modernity and national society. The first case analyzes the projects of Jose Maria Arguedas and Emilio Barrantes to bring local folklore to the school curriculum and to promote an Andean popular culture. The second case explores school folklore competitions organized autonomously by provincial teachers, in which traditional dances were folklorized and turned into a popular spectacle. While framing both folklorization cases within the study of teachers as local intellectuals, the article also highlights the importance of a magisterial culture in Peru that, drawing from the progressive education movement, viewed teachers as agents of sociocultural change and nationalism. Resumen Este articulo estudia dos casos de folklorizacion realizados por maestros peruanos entre 1939 y 1971, y caracterizados por la participacion de los individuos indigenas y mestizos cuyas culturas estaban siendo transformadas en folklor. Estos casos muestran a los maestros como agentes activos de cambio cultural en las escuelas andinas, respondiendo a la desindianizacion al promover una identidad regional serrana entre los estudiantes. De tal manera, los maestros estaban reinventando las tradiciones locales con el fin de producir una nueva identidad popular basada en un vinculo regional comun, y a traves de la cual las poblaciones indigenas y mestizas pudieran negociar nuevas maneras de interaccion cultural con la modernidad y la sociedad nacional. El primer caso analiza los proyectos de Jose Maria Arguedas y Emilio Barrantes para integrar el folklor local en el curriculo escolar. El segundo explora los concursos folkloricos escolares organizados por maestros provinciales, en los cuales las danzas tradicionales eran folklorizadas y convertidas en espectaculo popular. Aunque ambos casos de folklorizacion se enmarcan en el estudio de los maestros como intelectuales locales, este articulo tambien subraya la importancia de una cultura magisterial en el Peru que, influenciada por el movimiento de la Escuela Nueva, concibio a los maestros como agentes de cambio sociocultural y de nacionalismo.
Provider variability in intensity modulated radiation therapy utilization among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States

Abstract Background In this study, we sought to examine the variation in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) use among radiation oncology providers. Methods and materials The Medicare Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File was queried for radiation oncologists practicing during 2014. Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System code 77301 was designated as IMRT planning with metrics including number of total IMRT plans, rate of IMRT utilization, and number of IMRT plans per distinct beneficiary. Results Of 2759 radiation oncologists, the median number of total IMRT plans was 26 (mean, 33.4; standard deviation, 26.2; range, 11-321) with a median IMRT utilization rate of 36% (mean, 43%; standard deviation, 25%; range, 4% to 100%) and a median number of IMRT plans per beneficiary of 1.02 (mean, 1.07; range, 1.00-3.73). On multivariable analysis, increased IMRT utilization was associated with male sex, academic practice, technical fee billing, freestanding practice, practice in a county with 21 or more radiation oncologists, and practice in the southern United States (P Conclusions Technical fee billing, freestanding practice, male sex, and location in the South were associated with increased IMRT use. A small group of outliers shared several common demographic and practice-based characteristics.
Immunoglobulin G-Degrading Enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes (IdeS), Desensitization, and the Kidney Allocation System: Complementary Approaches to Increase Transplantation in Highly HLA Sensitized Patients.

In a recent Perspectives article in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , Formica and Kulkarni ([1][1]) contextualize the use of the IgG-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes (IgG endopeptidase) for desensitization to the era of the new kidney allocation system (KAS).
Perspective: Ab initio force field methods derived from quantum mechanics

It is often desirable to accurately and efficiently model the behavior of large molecular systems in the condensed phase (thousands to tens of thousands of atoms) over long time scales (from nanoseconds to milliseconds). In these cases, ab initio methods are difficult due to the increasing computational cost with the number of electrons. A more computationally attractive alternative is to perform the simulations at the atomic level using a parameterized function to model the electronic energy. Many empirical force fields have been developed for this purpose. However, the functions that are used to model interatomic and intermolecular interactions contain many fitted parameters obtained from selected model systems, and such classical force fields cannot properly simulate important electronic effects. Furthermore, while such force fields are computationally affordable, they are not reliable when applied to systems that differ significantly from those used in their parameterization. They also cannot provide ...