cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angular, energy, and population distributions of neutral atoms desorbed by keV ion beam bombardment of Ni{001}

Abstract Multi-photon resonance ionization, time-of-flight mass spectrometry and imaging techniques have been employed to measure the polar-angle, kinetic energy, and population distributions of Ni atoms desorbed from 5 keV Ar ion bombarded Ni{001}. The measured angle- and energy-resolved intensity maps of the sputtering yield provide a set of data that can be used to examine the detailed interactions between the particles of the solid surface during the sputtering event. The results show a considerable degree of anisotropy associated with both the ejection angle as well as the crystallographic direction. In order to have an understanding of the interactions of the desorbed particles with the surface, molecular dynamics simulations of the ion-induced sputtering event are performed. The agreement between experimental and computer simulation results is excellent. Measurements performed on excited states of sputtered Ni show that the valence electron shell structure is an important factor in determining the angle-integrated kinetic energy distribution while the magnitude of the excitation energy is of secondary importance. Population distribution among different electronic states is obtained through two sets of measurements performed on different instruments. Both measurements employ the same resonant ionization schemes and laser fluences. The results show that the a 3 D 3 and a 3 D 2 states are more heavily populated than is predicted by a Boltzmann-type distribution.
A comparison of the gas, solution, and solid state coordination environments for the Ni(II) complexes of a series of linear penta- and hexadentate aminopyridine ligands with accessible Ni(III) oxidation states

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of the nickel(II) complexes of a series of pentadentate and hexadentate aminopyridine ligands that contain ethylenediamine and/or propylenediamine groups are described. The ligands include: 1,12-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,5,8,11-tetraazadodecane, TRIEN-pyr; 1,13-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,5,9,12-tetraazatridecane, DIEN-PN-pyr; 1,14-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,6,9,13-tetraazatetradecane, DIPN-EN-pyr; 1,15-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,6,10,14-tetraazapentadecane, TRIPN-pyr; 1,9-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,5,8-triazanonane, DIEN-pyr; and 1,11-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,6,10-triazaundecane, DIPN-pyr. The following methods were used to determine the binding geometries of the nickel(II) complexes in the solid, solution, and gas phases: magnetic susceptibility measurements, absorption spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. All of the ligands form 6-coordinate compounds in the solid, liquid, and gas states, with the exception of the TRIEN-pyr, DIEN-PN-pyr(partially), DIPN-pyr, and DIEN-pyr ligands which form 5-coordinate species in the gas state. All of the complexes could be oxidized to Ni(III) species electrochemically, although the Ni(III) complexes of TRIPN-pyr and DIPN-pyr were much less stable than the other four ligands. EPR spectra of the frozen solutions showed the low spin d7 Ni(III) complexes of TRIEN-pyr and DIPN-EN-pyr to be similar to those that have been found for poly-aza macrocyclic compounds.
The Social Responsibilities of Health Professionals: Lessons From Their Role in Nazi Germany

The actions of health professionals in Nazi Germany are being extensively discussed during this 50th anniversary year of the Doctors Trial at Nuremberg. Much of the discussion has centered on medical experimentation on prisoners in the Nazi death camps. The Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and other codes that in part arose from the trial have assumed major importance in the design of research on humans, the selection of subjects and the assurance of their free and informed consent, and reporting the results of the research. 1 German health professionals participated in or passively accepted the rise of Nazi Germany. 2-9 As described elsewhere in this issue by Barondess, 10 and based on the work of Lifton 4 and Proctor, 5,6 efforts to achieve "racial hygiene" in Germany included the sterilization of an estimated 200000 to 400000 Germans 4-6 and the practice of "euthanasia" to exterminate "life unworthy of
Average reflected power from a one-dimensional slab of discrete scatterers

Reflection from a one-dimensional random medium of discrete scatterers is considered. The discrete scattering medium is modeled by a Poisson impulse process with concentration lambda. By employing the Markov property of the Poisson impulse process, an exact functional integro-differential equation of the Kolmogorov-Feller type is found for the average reflected power. Approximate solutions to this equation are obtained by regular perturbation and two variable expansion techniques in the limit of small lambda. The regular perturbation results is valid for small slab thicknesses, while the two-variable result is uniformly valid for any thickness. The two-variable result shows that as the slab size becomes infinite all of the incident power is reflected on the average.
Origins and consequences of child neglect in substance abuse families

The empirical literature pertaining to the prevalence, origins, and consequences of neglectful parenting as it relates to substance abuse is critically reviewed. Available evidence indicates that children who experience parental neglect, with or without parental alcohol or drug abuse, are at high risk for substance use disorder (SUD). The effects of parental substance abuse on substance abuse outcome of their children appear to be partly mediated by their neglectful parenting. The discussion concludes with presentation of a developmental multifactorial model in which neglect, in conjunction with other individual and environmental factors, can be integratively investigated to quantify the child's overall liability across successive stages of development as well as to map the trajectory toward good and poor outcomes.
Distinctive features of the differentiated phenotype and infiltration of tumor-reactive lymphocytes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is considered an immunogenic tumor, but it has been difficult to identify tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) that show in vitro tumor recognition. We compared the characteristics of fresh RCC TIL to peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) or melanoma TIL. Our results showed that RCC TIL contained fewer CD27(+) T cells, and fewer naive and central memory (CM) T cells, but more effector memory (EM) T cells than melanoma TIL or renal PBL. We hypothesized that factors in the RCC microenvironment were skewing TIL phenotype toward EM. One possibility was the expression of CD70 on nearly all human RCCs, but not melanomas. Differentiation of naive T cells to EM cells only occurred from CD70 costimulation in concert with T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation (signal one), suggesting that EM TIL responding to CD70 would be enriched for T cells reactive with local antigens, including those associated with RCC. Clonotypic analysis of TCRs in fresh RCCs showed that EM T cells were more clonally expanded than CM or naive T cells, and the clonal expansion occurred at the tumor site as oligoclonal TCRs were distinct from PBL TCRs from the same patient. In addition, we found that 2 TCRs from the highly represented EM TIL clones, when reexpressed in fresh PBL, recognized an MHC-class II or MHC-class I-restricted antigens shared by multiple RCC lines. Our results suggest that RCC-reactive TIL do exist in situ, but may be difficult to recover and study because of proliferative exhaustion, driven by tumor-expressed CD70.
Scanning electron microscopy cathodoluminescence of quartz: Principles, techniques and applications in ore geology

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) of quartz has been a prevalent research technique in porphyry and epithermal systems for the past two decades. Quartz from specific geological environments reveals unique textures in SEM-CL, which can be used to constrain the evolution of these ore-bearing systems when complemented by fluid inclusion, hyperspectral mapping, and trace element studies. We review SEM-CL principles and instrumentation, sample preparation and handling, and experimental conditions of quartz SEM-CL imaging that result in the high quality CL images. The effects of sample polishing, accelerating voltage, beam spot size, working distance, vacuum conditions, image acquisition, and post-processing were examined through experimental trial. For the XL 30 ESEM and the attached Gatan PanaCL detector used, the optimum experimental conditions to obtain high quality panochromatic SEM-CL images of quartz at high vacuum mode for carbon-coated conductive samples are as follows: 15 kV accelerating voltage, relative beam spot size 6 (approximately 500 nm in diameter), HT − 570 V to − 580 V photomultiplier tube (PMT) voltage. Low vacuum mode (with chamber H 2 O vapor pressure from 0.1 to 1.0 Torr) working conditions are similar to the conditions at high vacuum mode except the PMT voltage should be reduced to − 550 V to − 560 V. Working distances vary based on the position of user's retractable CL detector. The sample surface should be as close as possible to the CL detector, but a 1 mm clearance between the detector and the sample surface is recommended to prevent detector from possible damage by the sample. Several minutes of beam exposure prior to image acquisition at 320 second scan speeds at 50×–1500× magnifications is recommended to generate the greatest CL emission. Monochromatic CL imaging requires three scans over the same area using red, green, and blue optical filters that can be merged to produce a “true color” image. The red and green filters require stronger PMT voltages to produce sufficient CL emissions by an increase of − 200 V to − 300 V and − 150 V to − 200 V, respectively, from the PMT voltage used for panochromatic imaging. Special attention is given to the challenges associated with imaging hydrothermal quartz veining in ore deposits and the value of CL data as a foundation for geochemical studies. SEM-CL imaging of vein quartz is explored through case studies of the Red Hills Porphyry Cu –Mo Deposit, Texas, USA, and the Ertsberg–Grasberg Cu–Au District, Papua, Indonesia to aid in vein paragenesis. The most common application of quartz SEM-CL in ore geology is to reveal the relative timing of mineral precipitation, mineral dissolution, and inherited structural features. Understanding of temporal relations among these events makes it possible to select specific generations of quartz within a vein for further studies such as the TitaniQ thermometry and fluid inclusion microthermometry in order to establish T–P–X fluctuations throughout the development of a hydrothermal system.
Property Crime Victimizations in Childhood: A Retrospective Study

Property crime victimization in childhood, while apparently widespread, has been little studied. This article provides an exploratory analysis of data regarding the property victimization of children, with a focus on identifying both the common and unique features of such victimization and examining the long- and short-term impact of such experiences. Using a retrospective survey, college students reported on their property crime victimizations during three separate periods of childhood—elementary school, middle school, and high school. Data indicate that childhood property victimization is substantial (nearly universal in fact) and that the effects of such victimization are not insignificant.
Improving the quality of substance dependency treatment with pharmacotherapy.

This article provides an overview of current pharmacological treatments for alcohol, opioid, cocaine, and nicotine use disorders. Guidelines for a “patient-treatment” matching framework to physicians working with various “substance-abusing” patients are presented, as well as recommendations regarding when to initiate and discontinue pharmacotherapy. Standard and newer pharmacological treatments for substance dependence are reviewed, as well as therapies that may be especially useful when treating the patient with comorbid substance dependency and psychiatric disorders. To maximize the therapeutic benefits of substance dependency treatment, patients should be individually assessed and provided adjunctive medications as clinically indicated. Specific areas for future laboratory and/or clinical research are recommended.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia: Molecular diagnostic considerations

Abstract Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is associated in 95% of cases with the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph 1 ) by cytogenetic analysis. This acquired karyotypic abnormality is the product of a balanced translocation between the c-abl oncogene on chromosome 9 and the break-point cluster region (BCR) gene on chromosome 22. The resulting BCRc-abl hybrid gene is actively transcribed and is considered essential in the pathogenesis of this disease. Southern blot- and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests for the detection of this rearrangement have been introduced over the last decade. These molecular tests are useful adjuncts to cytogenetic analysis in CML and may provide useful clinical information in certain instances.
Unsteady turbomachinery flow simulations on massively parallel architectures

The accurate numerical simulation of unsteady, three-dimensional viscous flow in turbomachines is computationally very intensive, requiring prohibitively large amounts of computer time on current vector supercomputers. In recent years, computer systems based on massively parallel architectures have been developed that offer the promise of meeting the computational power requirements of such large-scale simulations. However, a rethinking of existing algorithms and methodology is required in order to fully harness the computational power of such architectures. In this paper the capabilities of the Connection Machine (CM-2) in predicting unsteady flows in turbomachines are evaluated. The implementation on the CM-2 of an implicit, time-accurate, zonal algorithm for the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is described. Programming issues and modifications made to the original algorithm (developed for vector, pipelined supercomputers) in order to improve performance on the CM-2 are outlined. Algorithm performance is evaluated and compared with a functionally equivalent code for the CRAY-YMP.
Quantification of emission factor uncertainty

Emissions factors are important for estimating and characterizing emissions from sources of air pollution. There is no quantitative indication of uncertainty for these emission factors, most factors do not have an adequate data set to compute uncertainty, and it is very difficult to locate the data for those that do. The objectives are to compare the current emission factors of Electric Generating Unit NOx sources with currently available continuous emission monitoring data, develop quantitative uncertainty indicators for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data quality rated emission factors, and determine the possible ranges of uncertainty associated with EPA's data quality rating of emission factors. EPA's data letter rating represents a general indication of the robustness of the emission factor and is assigned based on the estimated reliability of the tests used to develop the factor and on the quantity and representativeness of the data. Different sources and pollutants that have the same robustness in the measured emission factor and in the representativeness of the measured values are assumed to have a similar quantifiable uncertainty. For the purposes of comparison, we assume that the emission factor estimates from source categories with the same letter rating have enough robustness and consistency that we can quantify the uncertainty of these common emission factors based on the qualitative indication of data quality which is known for almost all factors. The results showed that EPA's current emission factor values for NOx emissions from combustion sources were found to be reasonably representative for some sources; however AP-42 values should be updated for over half of the sources to reflect current data. The quantified uncertainty ranges were found to be 25-62% for A rated emission factors, 45-75% for B rated emission factors, 60-82% for C rated emission factors, and 69-86% for D rated emission factors, and 82-92% for E rated emission factors.
The rise of 'recruitmentology': clinical research, racial knowledge, and the politics of inclusion and difference.

Recent debates concerning the biomedical meaning and significance of race have paid relatively little attention to the practical implications of new policies in the US mandating the inclusion of racial and ethnic minorities (along with other ‘underrepresented groups’) as research subjects in clinical studies. I argue that pressures to enroll underrepresented groups have stimulated the development in the US of an auxiliary science I term ‘recruitmentology’: an empirical body of studies scientifically evaluating the efficacy of various social, cultural, psychological, technological, and economic means of convincing people (especially members of ‘hard-to-recruit populations’) that they want to become, and remain, human subjects. Via the filtering of social scientific frameworks into the clinical research domain, recruitmentology has promoted hybrid ways of thinking about race – awkward encounters in which depictions of race as a bounded, quasi-biological medical and administrative category sit uneasily alongside an interest in understanding racial identities and communities as sociocultural phenomena. I analyze how recruitmentologists, in addressing the mandate to recruit racially diverse subject populations, conceptualize race while simultaneously grappling with problems of trust, collective memory, and participation. I also examine how the increasingly transnational character of biomedical research is intensifying the exploitative dimensions of recruitment while further transforming the racialized character of human experimentation. This analysis
Representing the Past and Reflecting the Present: Museums, Memorials, and the Secondary History Classroom

Museums, historic sites, and memorials offer opportunities to enhance and build on the history taught in secondary history classrooms. The artifacts they display, narratives they tell, and re-creations of the past they exhibit potentially engage students with content in ways unavailable in a classroom setting or by reading a textbook. The author builds on the notion of museums and other historical sites as institutions that preserve, interpret, and memorialize the past and suggests pedagogical strategies for visits to museums with secondary students that support the development of students' understanding of history. Modeling what teachers can do with students, he examines museums through the lens of three dilemmas: (1) the museum as an educational facility or business enterprise, (2) the museum as a traditional museum or memorial, and (3) the museum as a participant in and reflection of the larger context of local, regional, and national political and social debates.
Prolonged Nightly Fasting and Breast Cancer Risk: Findings from NHANES (2009–2010)

Background: A novel line of research has emerged, suggesting that daily feeding–fasting schedules that are synchronized with sleep-wake cycles have metabolic implications that are highly relevant to breast cancer. We examined associations of nighttime fasting duration with biomarkers of breast cancer risk among women in the 2009–2010 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: Dietary, anthropometric, and HbA1c data were available for 2,212 women, and 2-hour postprandial glucose concentrations were available for 1,066 women. Nighttime fasting duration was calculated using 24-hour food records. Separate linear regression models examined associations of nighttime fasting with HbA1c and 2-hour glucose concentrations. Logistic regression modeled associations of nighttime fasting with elevated HbA1c (HbA1c ≥ 39 mmol/mol or 5.7%) and elevated 2-hour glucose (glucose ≥ 140 mg/dL). All models adjusted for age, education, race/ethnicity, body mass index, total kcal intake, evening kcal intake, and the number of eating episodes per day. Results: Each 3-hour increase in nighttime fasting (roughly 1 SD) was associated with a 4% lower 2-hour glucose measurement [β, 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93–1.00; P < 0.05], and a nonstatistically significant decrease in HbA1c. Logistic regression models indicate that each 3-hour increase in nighttime fasting duration was associated with roughly a 20% reduced odds of elevated HbA1c (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.97; P < 0.05) and nonsignificantly reduced odds of elevated 2-hour glucose. Conclusions: A longer nighttime duration was significantly associated with improved glycemic regulation. Impact: Randomized trials are needed to confirm whether prolonged nighttime fasting could improve biomarkers of glucose control, thereby reducing breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 1–7. ©2015 AACR.
Map-Matching Technique For Synthetic Aperture Radar Images

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images obtained in real time on a moving vehicle can provide a means for obtaining fix data for the vehicle navigation system. Reference features are located in the SAR images through the use of map matching techniques, with each match providing a measurement of range and range rate to a known reference point. Three matches or fixes made in different directions can provide data for a complete position and velocity determination. A map matching technique has been developed for use with SAR images that utilizes a reference tem-plate that encodes only the shape (and not the difficult-to-predict image intensity levels) of the selected reference feature. Through an adaptive and localized normalization of the sensed image pixel amplitudes a matching metric is computed that is a strong function of the degree of shape match of the sensed image and the reference template but is only weakly dependent on the image intensity and contrast. This results in the reference feature being acquired and located with high probability even in the presence of competing features with possibly higher contrast. The map matching algorithm is described and results of theoretical analysis of its performance charac-teristics are presented with specific attention given to the effects of scene scintillation or speckle in the sensed imagery. The algorithm has been used on a large data base of SAR imagery with good success. Several examples are included to indicate typical performance for both urban and rural environments.
IQ and Achievement: 1930s to 1980s.

One hundred thirty-eight fifth-grade students from three upstate New York school districts were administered a 1930s version of the Pintner General Ability Tests: Verbal Series. Scores from this test were compared and correlated with scores from current IQ and achievement tests. The Pintner means were similar to those of the current IQ tests; the correlations of the Pintner with the other tests were of the same order as those typically reported among contemporary measures; and item difficulty, as indicated by rank order, appeared similar for the current sample and the 1930s norm groups. The findings are discussed with reference to research that has shown sharp increases in IQs of Americans since the 1930s and questions concerning changes in mental ability measures.
Generating a learning stance through perspective-taking in a virtual environment

Emerging media technologies such as virtual environments present a unique opportunity to examine the effects of perspective-taking on processes of human learning. In these environments it is possible for learners to immerse themselves in a unique visual perspective-such as that of a competent actor-and experience the ways they allocate their attention as they perform critical tasks in a domain. This study investigates whether the opportunity to experience a first-person perspective of actions in a virtual world simulation benefits learning compared to a third-person, disembodied perspective of those same events. Measures of performance within the simulation and post-assessment activities including a diagramming task indicate significant advantages for participants who received the first-person perspective. These participants had a better memory for the important tasks and task-related elements of the simulation; they committed fewer errors and exhibited less help-seeking behavior than participants with a third-person perspective. Results are described in terms of a virtual environment's ability to generate a learning stance through person-centered perspective-taking, and potential implications for the design of instructional computer technologies are discussed.
In-vitro CCD measurements of light distributions from diffusing optical fiber tips used in photodynamic therapy

An electronic optical imaging system consisting of a computer-controlled CCD array with 576 x 384 detection elements and 14 bits of digitization is presented. The system is used to obtain internal and external light intensity distributions for diffusing optical fiber tips used with photodynamic therapy and laser angioplasty. Significant intensity distribution variations were observed between fiber tips from 5 different sources. The effect of launch numerical aperture on the measured light distributions is also presented.
Purification and partial characterization of two lectins from Momordica charantia.

2 different lectins have been purified from the seeds ofMomordica charantia by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. These 2 lectins appear to be composed of 2 subunits of 26,000 daltons. Protein fraction I, but not II, showed agglutinating activity toward human type-O red blood cells. The amino acid compositions and amino-terminal sequences of these two homologous proteins are quite different.
Knapp-Wallach Szegö integrals and generalized principal series representations: The parabolic rank one case

Abstract To each discrete series representation of a connected semisimple Lie group G with finite center, a G-equivariant embedding into a generalized principal series representation is given. This representation is induced from specified parameters on a maximal parabolic subgroup of G and the mapping is defined by an integral formula, analogous to the Szego integral introduced by Knapp and Wallach for a minimal parabolic subgroup. In a limiting case, embeddings of limits of discrete series representations are obtained and used to exhibit a reducibility theorem.
Response probabilities for individual stimuli in learning tasks

Four squirrel monkeys were tested on a series of five learning problems. The first three problems involved the discrimination of two stimuli while each of the last two problems consisted of 10 stimuli divided into two response classes. Analysis of the proportion of correct responses to individual stimuli within a problem set revealed strong position-habit errors and suggested that S does not learn the correct response to all stimuli of the same problem set with equal facility. This differential level of responding was more pronounced for the 10-stimulus problems than for the 2-stimulus problems.
The Gulf Coast: a new American underbelly of tropical diseases and poverty.

The recent finding that dengue fever has emerged in Houston, Texas—the first major United States city in modern times with autochthonous dengue—adds to previous evidence indicating that the Gulf Coast of the Southern US is under increasing threat from diseases thought previously to affect only developing countries.
Polarization sensitive three-dimensional nanoscopy with a double-helix microscope

We demonstrate polarization sensitive detection with 3-D super-localization of single-molecules and unveil 3-D polarization specific characteristics of single-molecules within the intracellular structure of PtK1 cells expressing photoactivatable green fluorescent protein.
Adaptive interferometry of protein on a BioCD

Adaptive spinning-disk interferometry is capable of measuring surface profiles of a thin biolayer with subnanometer longitudinal resolution. High-speed phase modulation in the signal beam arises from the moving surface height profile on the spinning disk and is detected as a homodyne signal via dynamic two-wave mixing. A photorefractive quantum-well device performs as an adaptive mixer that compensates disk wobble and vibration while it phase-locks the signal and reference waves in the phase quadrature condition (2 relative phase between the signal and local oscillator). We performed biosensing of immobilized monolayers of antibodies on the disk in both transmission and reflection detection modes. Single- and dual-analyte adaptive spinning-disk immunoassays were demonstrated with good specificity and without observable cross-reactivity. Reflection-mode detection enhances the biosensing sensitivity to one-twentieth of a protein monolayer, creates a topographic map of the protein layer, and can differentiate monolayers of different species by their effective optical thicknesses. © 2007 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 170.3890, 160.5320, 120.3180.
Business-centric monitoring of service composites

Monitoring enterprise applications that consist of multiple heterogeneous components executing in different runtimes is a challenging problem particularly from a business centric perspective. We propose a business centric monitoring approach that involves using business information fields (invariants) to relate service activity to business composite execution. In this paper we provide an overview of the functionality of the 'Global Monitoring Context' feature in IBM's Business Monitor v7.5 product which embodies our business-centric monitoring approach.
Using radii-of-curvature for the reconstruction of extinct South African carnivoran masticatory behavior

Abstract Paleoanthropologists have hypothesized that, during the evolution of increased carnivory in our lineage, hominins transitioned through a scavenging niche created by certain carnivoran taxa (especially sabertooths) that may have lacked the morphology necessary to utilize all parts of carcasses, thus leaving an open niche of high-quality scavengable remains. In this article, we examine the postcanine dentition of modern and fossil carnivorans using quantifications of occlusal radii-of-curvature (ROC) and correlate this morphology with feeding behavior to deduce the carcass-processing capabilities of the Plio-Pleistocene carnivores of South Africa. ROC data do a good job of separating taxa by dietary category, revealing possible differences in the carcass-processing abilities of fossil and modern members of some extant species, and confirming that Chasmaporthetes was probably a hypercarnivore and not a durophage like the modern hyenas. Contrary to previous hypotheses, sabertooth felids do not appear to have been more hypercarnivorous than modern felids based on these data.
Noncanonical amino acids in the interrogation of cellular protein synthesis.

Proteins in living cells can be made receptive to bioorthogonal chemistries through metabolic labeling with appropriately designed noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). In the simplest approach to metabolic labeling, an amino acid analog replaces one of the natural amino acids specified by the protein’s gene (or genes) of interest. Through manipulation of experimental conditions, the extent of the replacement can be adjusted. This approach, often termed residue-specific incorporation, allows the ncAA to be incorporated in controlled proportions into positions normally occupied by the natural amino acid residue. For a protein to be labeled in this way with an ncAA, it must fulfill just two requirements: (i) the corresponding natural amino acid must be encoded within the sequence of the protein at the genetic level, and (ii) the protein must be expressed while the ncAA is in the cell.Because this approach permits labeling of proteins throughout the cell, it has enabled us to develop strategies to track cellular...
Farmers’ coping response to the low flows in the lower Yellow River: A case study of temporal dimensions of vulnerability

Abstract Water scarcity in northern China has been a topic of concern in China for many years, but the increased frequency and duration of “no-flow” events in the Yellow River in the 1990s created a flurry of recent activity in the academic and policy arenas. These low-flow events severely disrupted the supply of irrigation water for agriculture in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and posed a substantial threat to farmers’ livelihoods. Within a broader effort to assess farmers’ vulnerability to water shortages, this qualitative research focuses on the coping mechanisms and adaptive strategies adopted by farming households in three villages in Shandong Province (Ma, Ding, and Xing). With increasing water stress and other stresses from land degradation and lack of market access, farmers’ coping mechanisms have evolved, expanding from one-time adjustments to long-term adaptations, and switching focus from securing reliable water sources to improving irrigation efficiency and diversifying both on-farm and off-farm production. The three villages have different vulnerability profiles and adopted different patterns of adaptive processes that reveal the key roles played by community leaders and the early innovators. The research presented here contributes a temporal and dynamic dimension to the study of vulnerability which is largely missing from the current literature, and provides practical insights about how to improve farmers’ adaptive capacities in the face of water shortages in northern China.
Maxvachonia ingens sp. nov. (Nematoda, Cosmocercidae) in Litoria darlingtoni (Anura, Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea

Maxvachonia ingens sp. nov. from the intestines of Litoria darlingtoni (Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea is described and illustrated. Maxvachonia ingens sp. nov. represents the 7th species assigned to the genus and the 5th from the Australo-Papuan Region. The new species differs from other species assigned to Maxvachonia by the position of the vulva in the female (the only species with a post-oesophageal position) and the spicule/gubernaculum ratio of the male (the only species with ratio greater than 1). Females of the new species are most similar to M. dimorpha and M. ewersi in that the posterior ends of these three species are rounded. These species are easily separated: M. ewersi possesses lateral alae, the other 2 do not; the posterior end of M. dimorpha terminates in a mucro, M. ingens sp. nov. lacks terminal ornamentation.
Beyond parenting practices: Extended kinship support and the academic adjustment of African-American and European-American teens

This study examined adolescents' perceptions of parenting practices and extended kinship support in relation to academic adjustment for 104 African American and 60 European American 9th and 10th graders (14 and 15 year olds). For African-American teens, parental acceptance was associated with school values, teacher bonding, and work orientation. Higher levels of behavioral control and lower levels of psychological control were associated with a stronger work orientation. After accounting for the demographic variables and the three parenting practices, higher levels of extended kinship support related to stronger school values, higher teacher bonding, and a stronger work orientation. For European-American teens, parental acceptance related to academic adjustment, including stronger school values, higher teacher bonding, and a stronger work orientation. European-American adolescents with stronger extended kinship networks reported higher teacher bonding and a stronger work orientation. Results indicate the importance of extended kinship support for both African-American and European-American adolescents.
Differential impacts of information technology on cost and revenue driver relationships in banking

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to utilize a cost and revenue driver model for commercial banking to examine the differential effects of the drivers within and between banking functions, and to examine the role of information technology (IT) in moderating the relationship between costs and cost drivers and revenue and revenue drivers.Design/methodology/approach – The model is estimated on a cross‐sectional sample of 121 banks from the functional cost and profit analysis data set collected by the Federal Reserve Banks. Multivariate regression analysis with interaction terms is utilized to examine the differential impact of IT in two contrasting banking functions.Findings – The results document the role of transactional IT on the cost driver relationships in the labor cost models in both the demand deposit and commercial loan functions. The role of strategic IT in the revenue driver models is documented for the demand deposit function but not for the commercial loan function.Research limitations/impl...
Hypertonic saline resuscitation prevents hydrostatically induced intestinal edema and ileus.

Objective: We have shown that acute edema induced by mesenteric venous hypertension (MV-HTN) impairs intestinal transit and reduces the standardized engineering measures of intestinal stiffness (elastic modulus) and residual stress (opening angle). We hypothesized that hypertonic saline (7.5%) would reverse these detrimental effects of acute edema. Design: Laboratory study. Setting: University laboratory. Subjects: Male Sprague Dawley rats (270-330 g). Interventions: Rats were randomized to five groups: sham, MV-HTN alone, MV-HTN with 4 mL/kg normal saline resuscitation (equal volume), MV-HTN with 33 mL/kg normal saline resuscitation (equal salt), and MV-HTN with 4 mL/kg hypertonic saline. Intestinal edema was measured by wet to dry tissue weight ratio. A duodenal catheter was placed and, 30 mins before death, fluorescein isothiocyanate Dextran was injected. At death, dye concentrations were measured to determine intestinal transit. Segments of distal ileum were hung to a fixed point in a tissue bath and to a force displacement transducer and stretched in increments of 1 mm; we recorded the new length and the corresponding force from the force displacement transducer to determine elastic modulus. Next, two transverse cuts were made yielding a 1- to 2-mm thick ring-shaped segment of tissue which was then cut radially to open the ring. Then the opening angle was measured. Measurements and Main Results: MV-HTN, MV-HTN with 4 mL/kg normal saline, and MV-HTN with 33 mL/kg normal saline caused a significant increase in tissue edema and a significant decrease in intestinal transit, stiffness, and residual stress compared with sham. Hypertonic saline significantly lessened the effect of edema on intestinal transit and prevented the changes in stiffness and residual stress. Conclusions: Hypertonic saline prevented intestinal tissue edema. In addition, hypertonic saline improved intestinal transit, possibly through more efficient transmission of muscle force through stiffer intestinal tissue.
Joint inference of soft biometric features

Biometric and soft biometric features can be used to identify people in disaster situations, but the use of biometric features or pictures of victims may lead to privacy issues. Using text-based descriptors to describe disaster victim images would help in making person data public and also in searching for a particular person in a large database. In this paper, work on combining soft biometric features using a Markov network is presented. The proposed structure exploits the relationships between different soft biometric features and results into a robust text descriptor to help in identification of a person from a patient triage image. We show how interaction between individual feature detectors can lead to increased accuracy in the resulting text descriptor.
Use of polymers for cement-based structural materials

Cement-based materials are widely used in the civil infrastructure. Polymers as admixtures can improve the properties, particularly in relation to water absorption reduction, toughness enhancement, vibration damping and increase of the bond strength of cement to reinforcements. Polymeric admixtures include particles, short fibers and organic liquids. Latex in the form of an aqueous particle dispersion is most common. Other than being used as admixtures, polymers are used as partial replacement of fine aggregate, for coating, sealing and repairing concrete and for coating steel reinforcing bars for corrosion protection.
Selective Management of Patients with Acute Biliary Pancreatitis

Detection of common bile duct (CBD) stones in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) proves challenging. We hypothesized that grouping clinically significant predictors would increase reliability of detection. A retrospective review was performed of 144 consecutive patients who presented to a single tertiary care institution from 2002 to 2007 with ABP. Of the 144 patients, 32 had a persistent CBD stone. Following multivariate analysis, admission CBD size on ultrasound, gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), total bilirubin (TB), and direct bilirubin (DB) significantly correlated with persistent CBD stone. Receiver operator curve analysis and linear regression were applied to obtain optimal and equitable predictive values, and variables combined. Optimal values were: CBD ≥ 9 mm; AP ≥ 250 U/l; GGT ≥ 350 U/l; TB ≥ 3 mg/dl; and DB ≥ 2 mg/dl. Presence of five variables had an associated odds ratio (OR) of 53.1 (p < 0.001) and four variables an OR of 8.97 (p = 0.004) for presence of persistent CBD stone. Zero variables conferred a significantly decreased probability of CBD stone, OR 0.15 (p < 0.001). Presence of one to three variables did not predict presence of CBD stone. Presence of four or five variables significantly correlated with persistent CBD stone. Biliary evaluation by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is suggested, as initial magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) may only increase cost and delay time to intervention. In the absence of any variable, biliary evaluation by intraoperative cholangiogram may be sufficient. Decisions regarding patients with one to three variables should occur on a case-to-case basis. Initial biliary evaluation by MRCP is likely preferable, however, as no increased probability of CBD stone was identified, thus not warranting risks associated with intervention.
Blattes de Byzance in India: Mollusk Opercula and the History of Perfumery

Aromatics derived from animals have played a very important role in the history of perfumery. The most well-known of these materials are musk from the preputial glands of the musk deer, ambergris produced in the stomach of the sperm whale, and civet from the anal glands of the civet cat. Two other notable materials are castoreum from the beaver, and hyraceum from the solidified urine of the African hyrax. The material that I will call ‘sweet hoof’ in this article, also called blattes de Byzance and unguis odoratus , is another fragrant material derived from an animal, consisting of the opercula of certain marine snails. With its marine origins ‘sweet hoof’ is intrinsically linked to the ocean and to trade, and it has also long been of importance all the way from the Mediterranean to China and Japan. Indeed, it is probably the most ancient animal derived aromatic to have an extensive global use, being mentioned in ancient Babylonian incense recipes. Yet, quite probably owing to its very low profile in more commonly studied genres of Sanskrit texts, the South Asian chapter of the history of ‘sweet hoof’ has yet to be written.
Phase I clinical trial of topotecan and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of combination topotecan and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) administered in 4- or 3-week cycles in patients with advanced or refractory solid tumors. Patients and Methods: Patients were treated with intravenous topotecan (0.75–1.25 mg/m2) for 3 days followed by PLD (25–40 mg/m2) on Day 4. The following dose combinations (topotecan/PLD, mg/m2) were explored: 0.75/40, 1.0/40, and 1.25/40 every 28 days; and 1.0/25 and 1.0/30 every 21 days. Results: Thirty-two patients were enrolled, and all had received prior chemotherapy. Most (84 percent) patients had ovarian cancer. A total of 157 cycles (median, 4 cycles; range, 1–19 cycles) of chemotherapy were administered. Dose-limiting toxicities were Grade 4 neutropenia and death at dose level 3 (1.25/40 mg/m2 every 28 days), and neutropenic fever, Grade 3 stomatitis, and Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy (all in one patient) at dose level 5 (1/30 mg/m2 every...
Long-Term Outcome of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Impact and Predictors of Very Late Recurrence

Long-Term Outcome of AF Ablation. Introduction: Ablation eliminates atrial fibrillation (AF) in studies with 1 year follow-up, but very late recurrences may compromise long-term efficacy. In a large cohort, we sought to describe the determinants of delayed recurrence after AF ablation. Methods and Results: Seven hundred and seventy-four patients with AF (428 paroxysmal [PAF, 55%] and 346 persistent or longstanding persistent [PersAF, 45%]) underwent wide area circumferential ablation (WACA, 62%) or pulmonary vein isolation (38%). Over 3.0 ± 1.9 years, there were 135 recurrences in PAF patients and 142 in PersAF patients. AF elimination was achieved in 61% of patients with PersAF at 2 years after last ablation and in 71% of patients with PAF (P = 0.04). This finding was related to a higher initial rate of very late recurrence in PersAF. From 1.0 to 2.5 years, the recurrence increased by 20% (from 37% to 57%) in PersAF patients versus only 12% (from 27% to 39%) in PAF patients. Independent predictors of overall recurrence included diabetes (HR 1.9 [1.3–2.9], P = 0.002) and PersAF (HR 1.6 [1.2–2.0], P 45 mm was identified as an AF-type specific predictor (HR 2.4 [1.3–4.7], P = 0.009), whereas in PersAF patients, no unique predictors were identified. Conclusion: Late recurrences reduced the long-term efficacy of AF ablation, particularly in patients with PersAF and underlying cardiovascular diseases. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 1071-1078)
Structural Configuration and Building Energy Performance

The civilengineering andarchitecturalcommunities arehighlyfocusedthesedays ondesigningbuildingsthatmaximizeutilization ofenergyavailablefromnaturalresourcesthroughmeanssuchaspassivesolarheatingandpassiveventilationandminimizingtheconsumption ofenergyproducedexternaltothebuildingitself.Indeed,so-callednet-zero-energybuildings,whichwouldrequirenonetenergyinputfortheir operation, have been identified as an aspirational goal for architects and engineers. It has been suggested that for each of the four major climate zones there exists an optimal building morphology,consisting offloor plan geometry and placement of the primary structural system for lateral loads, the structural core or wall, which contains major mechanical services and vertical transportation conduits. This paper presents a quanti- tative study of the effect of building morphology on energy performance in each of the four climate zones. The energy analysis is performed using Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2011. Four building morphologies are investigated, each representing a high-rise commercial building with equivalent area, height, and material use. For comparison, results are presented in terms of annual sensible heating and cooling loads. A three- dimensional rendering of how the different building types might respond under wind loads is presented to indicate how the environmental and structural performances become coupled when the building is designed onlywith environmental performance in mind.DOI:10.1061/(ASCE) AE.1943-5568.0000103. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Sustainable development; Energy efficiency; Building design; Solar power. Author keywords: Efficiency; Comfort; Passive solar; Skyscraper; Morphology; Sustainable.