cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproductive phenologies of phyllostomid bats in Costa Rica

Abstract Reproductive phenologies of populations are strongly molded by environmental variation because natural selection favors individuals that time energetically demanding portions of their life cycle to correspond with periods of high resource availability. To evaluate how seasonal variation in abiotic characteristics and resources affects reproductive strategies, comparison among reproductive phenologies of species that use different resources and across geographic locations is crucial. To facilitate comparisons, it is essential to employ a rigorous and consistent classification scheme. Yet, few studies on the reproductive phenologies of bats, important seed dispersal and pollination agents in the tropics, have employed a clear or consistent classification scheme. We employed concise criteria to classify reproductive phenologies of frugivorous (Artibeus jamaicensis, A. watsoni, Carollia castanea, C. perspicillata, and C. sowelli) and nectarivorous (Glossophaga soricina) bat species, as well as 3 feed...
Perioperative Efficacy of Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for Tumors Larger than 4 cm

Abstract Background Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is typically reserved for kidney tumors ≤4cm in size. The use of LPN in patients with larger tumors (>4cm) has not been systematically evaluated. Objective To examine technical feasibility and perioperative safety and efficacy of LPN for clinical stage pT1b–T2 tumors >4cm. Design, setting, and participants This is a retrospective review of data from an Institutional Review Board–approved, prospectively maintained database of 425 LPN procedures over a 6-yr period (September 1999 through December 2005). Patients were grouped according to tumor size: control group1: n =89; 21% of patients); control group 2: 2–4cm ( n =278; 65% of patients); and study group 3: >4cm ( n =58; 14% of patients). Intervention Retroperitoneal and transperitoneal LPN. Measurements Serum creatinine levels, estimated glomerular filtration rates. Results and limitations For groups 1, 2, and 3, mean tumor size was 1.5cm, 2.9cm, and 6cm in diameter, respectively ( p p p p =0.004), and heminephrectomy ( p p =0.007). Tumor size >4cm did not increase significant risk for positive tumor margins, intraoperative complications, or postoperative genitourinary complications. In each group preoperative stage ≥3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) was present in 31%, 35%, and 44% of patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively ( p =0.15); postoperatively, stage 3–5 CKD incidence increased to 52%, 52%, and 63% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively ( p =0.20). Patients with tumor size >4cm and preoperative stage 3–5 CKD had an 8-fold increase in risk for CKD stage progression. Limitations of the study include retrospective analysis and a relatively low number of patients in group 3. Conclusions Given laparoscopic expertise and appropriate patient selection, LPN is feasible and efficacious for kidney tumors >4cm. Indications for LPN should be expanded to include patients with amenable tumors >4cm in order to maximally preserve kidney function in these patients.
Diagnóstico y tratamiento de pacientes con linfomas primarios del sistema nervioso central (LPSN) y sindrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida (SIDA)

La incidencia del linfoma primario del sistema nervioso central (LPSNC) ha crecido rapidamente. El LPSNC as una complicacion letal en pacientes con SIDA. Objetivo: Nuestro objetivo fue estudiar la historia natural, metodos diagnosticos, al tratamiento y los factores pronosticospara la sobrevida de 75 pacientes con LPSNC y SIDA seguidos en el Jackson Memorial Hospital/Universidad de Miami. Resultados: La edad media fue de 37 anos. El 84% de los pacientes eran hombres y el 55% hispanos. Factores de riesgo mas comunes para SIDA fueron homosexualidad y multiples companeros sexuales. La cuenta promedio de CD4 fue de 15/ul y al promedio de LDH fue 1.5 veces al normal. La tomografia computarizada del cerebro mostraba lesiones multiples en el 44% de los pacientes. Gammagrafia computarizada de emision de fotones con talio-201 (SPECT) del cerebro se realizo en 2/3 de los pacientes. Las histologias mas comunes en las biopsias fueron: linfoma inmunoblastico y linfoma de celulas grandes. La radiacion craneana fue ineficiente en el 50% de los pacientes tratados. La sobrevida promedio del grupo fue de 2.2 meses. Analisis univariado y multivariado mostraron que la mayor sobrevida se asociaba con una buena capacidad funcional (ECOG=1-2 vs 3-4). La presencia previa de infecciones oportunistas, la presencia de factores de riesgo de SIDA, las cuentas de CD4, niveles de LDH y raza no mostraron influencia en la sobrevida. Conclusiones: LPSNC es una neoplasia con pronostico muy pobre y corta sobrevida aun con radioterapia del SNC. La capacidad funcional parece ser al factor de sobrevida mas importante. No se encontraron diferencias en la presentacion clinica ni el resultado entre pacientes hispanos y no hispanos.
Study of multi-agent based distributed control for distribution system with integration of distributed generations

In this paper, a distributed control method for distribution system with integration of distributed generations is proposed based on multi-agent system technology. Considering the requirement of voltage control and power factor correction, the distribution system voltage/var control model is built under the multi-agent system framework. To realize distributed control, the voltage adjustment message is suggested to be forwarded to upstream bus agents while the reactive power adjustment message forwarded to downstream bus agents. A width-first communication mechanism is proposed for a bus agent to seek for assistance from the other bus agents. And the coordination control strategy and further the control process are designed for distributed control coordination. The proposed voltage/var control method relies only on the local sensing information and the exchanged information from the neighboring bus agents. Voltage control case and power factor correction case are both executed by a distribution system example. The case studies results show that the proposed method is effective in improving the voltage profile of the system and facilitating the development of the distributed generation.
The ancient regulatory-protein family of WD-repeat proteins

WD proteins are made up of highly conserved repeating units usually ending with Trp-Asp (WD). They are found in all eukaryotes but not in prokaryotes. They regulate cellular functions, such as cell division, cell-fate determination, gene transcription, transmembrane signalling, mRNA modification and vesicle fusion. Here we define the common features of the repeating units, and criteria for grouping such proteins into functional subfamilies.
Penetrative calcretes and their stratigraphic implications

Multiple calcrete horizons previously considered representative of true subaerial exposures may, in fact, be false penetrative calcretes related to only one subaerial exposure event. Individual subaerial exposure periods can produce a true surficial calcrete plus a series of penetrative calcretes. Although penetrative calcrete horizons are not laterally traceable over long distances, they are very similar to surficial calcretes, are commonly found at sequence and/or lithologic boundaries (permeability anomalies), and can be easily misinterpreted in core borings as representing individual exposure events. Recent penetrative calcretes are common on elevated limestone ridges of the Caicos Islands where roots penetrate downward, seeking ground-water moisture. In glacial times, penetrative calcretes may have been present throughout carbonate platforms, as ground-water levels were much lower. Penetrative and surficial calcretes can be differentiated by the lower concentrations of insoluble Al and Fe in penetrative calcretes.
Increased Cardiovascular Reactivity to Angiotensin Caused by Renin

After a short period of tachyphylaxis, there is a marked and sustained enhancement of pressor re sponses to renin and angiotensin during chronic administration of renin.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Aromatic Thiols and Disulfides on Gold Electrodes

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been used to characterize monolayers formed from benzenethiol (BT), benzenemethanethiol (BMT), p-cyanobenzenemethanethiol (CBMT), diphenyl disulfide (DPDS), and dibenzyl disulfide (DBDS) on roughened gold electrodes. All five species adsorb dissociatively as the corresponding thiolates. The charge transfer and electrostatic interactions between the adsorbates and the surface depend strongly on the applied potential. The aromatic ring in BT is tilted relative to the mean surface plane at all applied potentials. The rings in BMT and CBMT also are tilted, but stepping the potential to positive or negative extremes causes a reduction in surface coverage and permits the BMT and CBMT molecules to lie more flat on the surface. Full coverage can be restored by reimmersing the electrode in thiol solution. Monolayers formed from symmetric disulfides are exactly like those formed from the corresponding thiols. If the gold electrode is immersed for prolonged periods in d...
A Discrete Meshless Lagrangian Based Approach for Soft Impact Damage Modeling in Advanced Propulsion Systems

Soft impact on aircraft occurs in several forms, such as bird and hail strike. A discrete meshless Lagrangian based approach has been developed for modeling the fluidic behavior of soft objects during impact. This approach shows promise for developing an overall predictive methodology for accurately capturing and assessing dynamic damage in jet engines. This paper focuses on a part of this study aiming to develop a methodology capable of predicting full details of soft impact damage in turbofan engine forward sections. The initial scenario being simulated was a bird strike. Through modeling of the bird in a Lagrangian domain, the method’s suitability for simulating soft impact damage in fan section structures was evaluated. Three-dimensional explicit finite element analysis models were employed to simulate the highly nonlinear and transient response of the interactions between the non-Newtonian bird and the forward engine section resulting from impact and to capture the associated turbofan blade damage, fan assembly vibrations, and subsequent engine casing destruction. Critical features under investigation were the degradation and fracture of the turbofan blades and the engine casing. Results indicated that a meshless soft impactor model was able to produce the fluid-solid interactive behavior expected from a bird. The methodology further succeeded in effectively predicting the intricate subsequent fluid-fan assembly violent interactions. Several important considerations for crashworthiness analysis of forward sections were highlighted.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Reply by Authors to G. D. Stubley and G. Riopelle

S TUBLEY and Riopelle correctly point out that strong rotation can affect the turbulence dissipation rate, as suggested by the studies of Wigeland and Nagib, and Bardina et al. This effect could be important for flows in high speed turbomachinery, although the results of Launder et al. indicate that it is relatively small in some parameter ranges. The direct effect of rotation on dissipation rate or equivalently, on the turbulence macroscale, did not escape our attention and is discussed in a companion paper (Kantha et al.), where the correction term suggested by Bardina et al. is generalized and incorporated into the length scale equation. A reference to this
Mechanism of Inhibition of the Class C β-Lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99 by Cyclic Acyl Phosph(on)ates: Rescue by Return

As previously described (Pratt, R. F.; Hammar, N. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 3004.), 1-hydroxy-4,5-benzo-2,6-dioxaphosphorinone(3)-1-oxide (salicyloyl cyclic phosphate) inactivates the class C β-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99 in a covalent fashion. The inactivated enzyme slowly reverts to the active form. This paper shows that reactivation involves a recyclization reaction that regenerates salicyloyl cyclic phosphate rather than hydrolysis of the covalent intermediate. The inactivation, therefore, is a slowly reversible covalent modification of the active site. The thermodynamic dissociation constant of the inhibitor from the inactivated enzyme is 0.16 μM. Treatment of the inactivated enzyme with alkali does not produce salicylic acid but does, after subsequent acid hydrolysis, yield one molar equivalent of lysinoalanine. This result proves that salicyloyl cyclic phosphate inactivates the enzyme by (slowly reversible) phosphorylation of the active site serine residue. This result contrasts sha...
Sputtering and chemical attack of 304 stainless steel, aluminum, and gold by hydrogen ions of 100 eV energy

Samples of polished and oxidized 304 stainless steel, aluminum, and gold have been subjected to bombardment by hydrogen ions in order to simulate effects expected in tokamak fusion devices. This paper reports on the sputtering and chemical effects of bombardment with 100 and 200 eV ions to fluence levels of 2 x 10/sup 21/ ions/cm/sup 2/ and 4 x 10/sup 21/ ions/cm/sup 2/, respectively. Under these conditions gold is badly blistered and eroded, aluminum is slightly blistered at 100 eV and substantially eroded at 200 eV but few changes are seen in the polished stainless steel. The oxide film (produced by a /sup 1///sub 2/ hr exposure to air at 500/sup 0/C) on the polished sample was, however, removed and only a very thin layer of substoichiometric oxide remained on the surface after exposure to either 100 or 200 eV hydrogen plasmas. Sample temperatures during bombardment were about 50/sup 0/C for the 100 eV ions and 65/sup 0/C for the 200 eV ions.
A Critique of Experimental Lymphography

(1959). A Critique of Experimental Lymphography. Acta Radiologica: Vol. 52, No. 6, pp. 448-454.
Synthesis of chain end functionalized multiple hydrogen bonded polystyrenes and poly(alkyl acrylates) using controlled radical polymerization

Hydrogen bonding uracil functionalized polystyrenes and poly(alkyl acrylate)s were synthesized via stable free radical polymerization. Quantitative chain end functionalization was achieved using novel uracil containing TEMPO- and DEPN-based alkoxyamine unimolecular initiators. Polymerizations were conducted at 130 °C and yielded functionalized homopolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn ∼ 1.20) and predictable molecular weights. Polymerizations of both n-butyl acrylate and styrene using the DEPN- and TEMPO-based alkoxyamines resulted in molecular weight control over a wide range of conversions. Terminal functionalization of poly(alkyl acrylate)s with hydrogen bonding groups increased the melt viscosity at temperatures below 80 °C, which was defined as the dissociation temperature, and as expected, the viscosity approached that of the nonfunctional analogues above this temperature. The hydrogen bonding effect was also evident in thermal (DSC) analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopic investigati...
The Excess Mortality of Black Adults in the United States

To the Editor.— As a social scientist, I rejoiced when I read the study by Otten et al, 1 which suggested that socioeconomic status accounts for more than one third of the mortality differential between blacks and whites. From a social science perspective, however, their
Calculation by the Method of Finite Differences of the Temperature Distribution in Layered Tissues

A numerical approach to obtain the temperature distribution in layered tissues with thermal source and cooling inside the tissues is presented in this paper. This approach can be applied to problems with a distributed internal thermal source produced by external radiation such as microwave, ultrasound, and shortwave, or by internal increase of metabolic rate in live subjects. The exact mechanism of cooling is not discussed here, but it is assumed to be due to blood flow in vivo. The calculation of the temperature distribution in layered tissues is based on a linear model of the tissues that consists of several layers of different kinds of tissues separated by parallel boundaries. Some simple mathematical forms of the cooling functions are also assumed in this paper. The results obtained agree well with six available experiments.
Making Individualized Decisions in the Midst of Uncertainties: The Case of Prostate Cancer and Biochemical Recurrence

The decision about whether to pursue aggressive treatment is one of the most common decisions in all of oncology, and it always includes uncertainties, patient preferences, and priorities. Often patients and physicians must make this decisionwithout guidance from randomized trial data. Even when trials have been conducted and demonstrated an overall benefit from an aggressive treatment, patients and physicians still must decide whether a benefit is likely at an individual level based on a patient’s comorbid illnesses, life expectancy, and other medical or personal considerations. Consequently, the decision-making process for a prostate cancer (PCa) patient at the time of biochemical recurrence (BCR) is really no different than the decision-making process for primary PCa treatment and, in fact, is not that different from the process for any other cancer. In the current issue of European Urology, Punnen and colleagues performed a beautiful systematic review of the literature on the management options for BCR in PCa [1], a common clinical situation faced by hundreds of thousands of men worldwide each year. What the authors found were many predictive models aimed at distinguishing patients who have local versus distant recurrence—an important distinction because the former is curable with aggressive salvage therapy but the latter is not. Few published models, however, have been externally validated, and many have only modest accuracy. Other studies have reported on factors associated with clinical progression and death in patients who develop a BCR, factors associated with achieving a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response from salvage radiation therapy (RT) after prostatectomy, and efficacy and morbidity from salvage treatments in various
Study of a possible 3+ level in 30Si

Abstract Evidence is presented which indicates that a level in 30 Si at 5.22 MeV excitation energy has J π = 3 + .
The correlation of growth with incorporation of radioactive metabolites into nucleic acids in embryonic tissue culture.

Abstract A combination of insulin, cortisone, and growth hormone stimulated the synthesis of both ribose- and desoxyribosenucleic acids of chick heart cultures, when added to the embryonic extract nutrient medium. These hormones also increased the rates of uptake of C 14 -labeled adenine and thymidine into tissue nucleic acids. The incorporation of these compounds was correlated with the growth of the cultures: the C 14 -uptake was reduced with sub-optimal media, and abolished when the tissue was maintained in a Tyrode solution, in which no growth occurred.
Evaluation of internal contamination levels after a radiological dispersal device incident using portal monitors

Following a radioactive dispersal device (RDD) incident, it may be necessary to evaluate the internal contamination levels of a large number of potentially affected individuals to determine if immediate medical follow-up is necessary. Since the current laboratory capacity to screen for internal contamination is limited, rapid field screening methods can be useful in prioritising individuals. This study evaluated the suitability of a radiation portal monitor for such screening. A model of the portal monitor was created for use with models of six anthropomorphic phantoms in Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code Version 5 (MCNP) X-5 Monte Carlo Team (MCNP-A General Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code Version 5. LA-CP-03-0245. Vol. 2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2004.). The count rates of the portal monitor were simulated for inhalation and ingestion of likely radionuclides from an RDD for each of the phantoms. The time-dependant organ concentrations of the radionuclides were determined using Dose and Risk Calculation Software Eckerman, Leggett, Cristy, Nelson, Ryman, Sjoreen and Ward (Dose and Risk Calculation Software Ver. 8.4. ORNL/TM-2001/190. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2006.). Portal monitor count rates corresponding to a committed effective dose E(50) of 10 mSv are reported.
In-situ burning of oil in coastal marshes. 2. Oil spill cleanup efficiency as a function of oil type, marsh type, and water depth.

In-situ burning of spilled oil, which receives considerable attention in marine conditions, could be an effective way to cleanup wetland oil spills. An experimental in-situ burn was conducted to st...
Both cell surface and internalized β-adrenoceptors are reduced in the failing myocardium

To study myocardial beta-adrenoceptor internalization in heart failure, we measured beta-adrenoceptor density in the particulate, light vesicle and supernatant fractions of ventricular tissue of dogs with experimental right ventricular failure and sham-operated dogs. Tissue was fractionated by centrifugation, and beta-adrenoceptors were measured by [125I]iodocyanopindolol binding. Compared to sham-operated controls, beta-adrenoceptors were reduced in all fractions of right ventricular tissue from heart failure animals. Thus, the decreased surface (particulate fraction) receptors observed cannot be explained by internalization alone, and must be associated with altered receptor synthesis or degradation.
Identification of Cellular Recognition Sequence of Epimorphin and Critical Role of Cell/Epimorphin Interaction in Lung Branching Morphogenesis

A mesenchymal protein, epimorphin, is known to bind directly to the cell surface through its central portion and to act as a signaling molecule for epithelial morphogenesis. Utilizing several recombinant polypeptides and synthetic peptides, we identified the cellular recognition sequence of epimorphin in the central portion of this molecule (amino acids 105-123, NGNRTSVDLRIRRTQHSVL; termed NL-peptide sequence). Interestingly, although a model cell type bound to the NL-peptide as strong as to the full-length epimorphin, this peptide itself didn't induce the cellular functional responses so far tested. We found that the NL-peptide behaved as an antagonist for the endogenous epimorphin and severely perturbed lung branching morphogenesis in organ culture. These results not only revealed a part of the functional mechanism of epimorphin but also demonstrated that cell/ epimorphin interaction through the NL-peptide sequence is a critical step for lung epithelial morphogenesis.
General principles for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and a critique of a recent systematic review of long-acting β-agonists

A systematic review attempts to summarize the scientific evidence related to treatment, causation, diagnosis, or prognosis of a specific disease. Meta-analysis refers to that portion of the systematic review that involves the statistical analysis. This perspective describes the appropriate steps in a systematic review and meta-analysis and critiques the recent systematic review on the effect of long-acting β-agonists on severe asthma exacerbations and asthma-related deaths. The authors of this systematic review identified 19 relevant studies and applied most of the methodological steps appropriately, although there is some concern about publication bias. The authors uncovered statistically significantly increased risk for long-acting β-agonists compared with placebo with respect to severe asthma exacerbations, life-threatening asthma exacerbations, and asthma-related deaths. Out of the 19 studies included in the systematic review, the Salmeterol Multicenter Asthma Research Trial provided 80% of the data and dominated the meta-analysis component, especially with respect to asthma-related deaths.
A characterization of the kernels associated with the multiple integral representation of some functional of the Wiener process

In this paper we present a characterization of those Wiener functionals that are the likelihood ratio for a ‘signal plus independent noise’ model. The characterization is expressed in terms of the representation of such functionals in a series of multiple Wiener integrals.
Looking Back at Obama’s Campaign in 2008: “True Blue Populist” and Social Production of Empty Signifiers in Political Reporting

This paper is about populism as a discursive political practice and the news media. Building on Ernesto Laclau’s (2005) argument of why empty signifiers are important to understand the politics of populism, this paper shows why empty signifiers matter to political reporting. I argue that the emptiness is a valuable social artifact of articulation to understand populist discourse and its manifestation in political reporting. I show how empty signifiers such as change, hope, we and Barack Obama’s identity were fostered in the discourse in the American print media.
POTENTIATION OF RADIATION EFFECT ON FEET OF MICE AFTER PROLONGED APPLICATION OF A TOURNIQUET.

(1967). Potentiation of Radiation Effect on Feet of Mice After Prolonged Application of a Tourniquet. Acta Radiologica: Diagnosis: Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 378-384.
SU‐GG‐T‐610: Skin Dose during Radiotherapy: A Summary and General Estimation Technique

Purpose: The skindose associated with radiotherapy is often of interest for clinical evaluation or examining the risk of late effects. Because the skindose is difficult to measure, it is of interest to have a general dosimetry system for estimating the skindose based on treatment parameters. Our objectives were to review the literature, conduct measurements to supplement the literature, and develop a general dosimetry system suitable for estimating the skindose for clinical situations or epidemiologic evaluation. Methods: The literature was supplemented with measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, the impact of a block tray on skindoses from a cobaltbeam was evaluated with TLD measurements. The skindose outside of the treatment field for MV beams as a function of field size and distance from the edge of the treatment field was examined with Monte Carlo. Using the entirety of available data, a general dosimetry system was developed in the form of a series of equations to evaluate the skindose based on treatment parameters including the Dmaxdose,treatment modality, and field size.Results: While there was little difference in skindose between MV beam energies, cobalt,electron beams, and orthovoltage produced substantially different skindoses. Within the treatment field, it was found that the skindose increased with field size, the presence of a block tray, and the obliquity of the incident beam to the patient's surface. Outside the treatment field, the skindose was highly elevated relative to the dose at depth, increasing with increasing field size and distance from the field edge to as much as a factor of 7. Conclusions: On the basis of the literature and the findings of this study we developed a set of general rules and equations that estimate the skindose for patients receiving radiotherapy.
Home and Community Environmental Features, Activity Performance, and Community Participation among Older Adults with Functional Limitations

This paper describes relationships among home and community environmental features, activity performance in the home, and community participation potential to support aging in place. A subset of data on older adults with functional limitations (N = 122), sixty three (63) with mobility and 59 with other limitations, were utilized in this study from a larger project's subject pool. Results showed significant and positive correlations between environmental barriers, activity dependence and difficulty at home, and less community participation in the mobility limitation group. While kitchen and bathroom features were most limiting to home performance, bathtub or shower was the only home feature, and destination social environment was the only community feature, that explained community participation. Compared to environmental features, home performance explained much more community participation. Study results provide detailed information about environmental features as well as types of home activities that can be prioritized as interventions for aging in place.
Superhydrophobic Functionalized Graphene Aerogels

Carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene are excellent candidates for superhydrophobic surfaces because of their intrinsically high surface area and nonpolar carbon structure. This paper demonstrates that graphene aerogels with a silane surface modification can provide superhydrophobicity. Graphene aerogels of various concentrations were synthesized and the receding contact angle of a water droplet was measured. It is shown that graphene aerogels are hydrophobic and become superhydrophobic following the application of a fluorinated surfactant. The aerogels produced for this experiment outperform previous carbon nanomaterials in creating superhydrophobic surfaces and offer a more scalable synthetic procedure for production.
Applications of Chitosan for Improvement of Quality and Shelf Life of Foods: A Review

Chitosan is a modified, natural biopolymer derived by deacetylation of chitin, a major component of the shells of crustacean. Recently, chitosan has received increased attention for its commercial applications in the biomedical, food, and chemical industries. Use of chitosan in food industry is readily seen due to its several distinctive biological activities and functional properties. The antimicrobial activity and film-forming property of chitosan make it a potential source of food preservative or coating material of natural origin. This review focuses on the applications of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of various foods from agriculture, poultry, and seafood origin.
Geology and major and trace element chemistry of late Archean weathering profiles in the Fortescue Group, Western Australia: implications for atmospheric PO2

Abstract We have identified two thick weathering profiles between flows of the Mt. Roe Basalt unit of the Fortescue Group, in the Pilbara area of Western Australia. The age of weathering is constrained by UPb zircon dating to lie between 2765 and 2715 Ma. The profiles, herein referred to as the Mt. Roe #1 and #2 paleosols, were mapped in detail for 1500 m and 760 m along strike, respectively. Samples were collected along traverses across both profiles where they were well-developed and well-exposed. The profiles, which may be structurally offset parts of the same weathering horizon, have well-developed upper sericite zones (1–15 m thick); these grade downward into chlorite-rich zones which are chemically and physically heterogeneous. The chlorite zones grade downward into unweathered basalts. The Mt. Roe #1 profile is overlain by 2–6 m of bedded, probably lacustrine sediments; these in turn are covered by succeeding lava flows. Evidence of a surficial origin for the paleosols includes mud cracks, ripple marks, and rip-ups of the paleosol material in the post-paleosol sediments. Soft-sediment deformation and probable dewatering structures are present along the paleosol-sediment contact. The Mt. Roe #2 profile is overlain directly by the succeeding lava flow with little or no intervening sediments. Some brecciation and pillowing is observed along the base of the overlying basalt flow in both cases, probably due to emplacement of lava into a shallow lake or onto wet soil. In the sericite zones of both profiles nearly all of the Fe, Mn, Mg and Zn and a substantial fraction of the Ca, Pb, Na, Ni and Si have been leached. The chlorite zones have elevated Fe, Pb, Ni and Zn contents and appear to be repositories of elements lost from the sericite zone. Al, Ti, Zr and Th were immobile in the Mt. Roe # 1 paleosol, and are concentrated by factors of 2.5–2.6 over the unweathered basalt. V, U and Cr were also nearly immobile. Major element and trace element data indicate that weathering took place under conditions of low atmospheric oxygen. K is strongly enriched toward the upper contact of the sericite zone, and was introduced during post-weathering metasomatism together with Rb and Sr. Na and Ca are also enriched near the top of each profile, and small amounts of each may have been introduced during regional, low-grade metamorphism of the Hamersley Basin at 2168 ± 10 Ma.
Multi-fractal detrended texture feature for brain tumor classification

We propose a novel non-invasive brain tumor type classification using Multi-fractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA) [1] in structural magnetic resonance (MR) images. This preliminary work investigates the efficacy of the MFDFA features along with our novel texture feature known as multifractional Brownian motion (mBm) [2] in classifying (grading) brain tumors as High Grade (HG) and Low Grade (LG). Based on prior performance, Random Forest (RF) [3] is employed for tumor grading using two different datasets such as BRATS-2013 [4] and BRATS-2014 [5]. Quantitative scores such as precision, recall, accuracy are obtained using the confusion matrix. On an average 90% precision and 85% recall from the inter-dataset cross-validation confirm the efficacy of the proposed method.
Fast protein loop sampling and structure prediction using distance-guided sequential chain-growth Monte Carlo method.

Loops in proteins are flexible regions connecting regular secondary structures. They are often involved in protein functions through interacting with other molecules. The irregularity and flexibility of loops make their structures difficult to determine experimentally and challenging to model computationally. Conformation sampling and energy evaluation are the two key components in loop modeling. We have developed a new method for loop conformation sampling and prediction based on a chain growth sequential Monte Carlo sampling strategy, called Distance-guided Sequential chain-Growth Monte Carlo (DiSGro). With an energy function designed specifically for loops, our method can efficiently generate high quality loop conformations with low energy that are enriched with near-native loop structures. The average minimum global backbone RMSD for 1,000 conformations of 12-residue loops is A, with a lowest energy RMSD of A, and an average ensemble RMSD of A. A novel geometric criterion is applied to speed up calculations. The computational cost of generating 1,000 conformations for each of the x loops in a benchmark dataset is only about cpu minutes for 12-residue loops, compared to ca cpu minutes using the FALCm method. Test results on benchmark datasets show that DiSGro performs comparably or better than previous successful methods, while requiring far less computing time. DiSGro is especially effective in modeling longer loops (– residues).
Literacy Research That Makes a Difference

Which studies have changed how we teach literacy? What are the fundamental characteristics of studies that make a difference? The authors offer a conversation on these topics, and propose a list of 13 studies that have influenced instructional practice. [This article is reprinted in Preparing Reading Professionals. www.reading.orgpublicationsbbvbooksbk564]
Enzymatic conversion of the stereoisomers of isoleucine to the corresponding alpha-keto-acids.

THE optical isomers of α-keto-(β-methylvaleric acid have been prepared by enzymatic oxidation of the corresponding D-amino-acids1. The keto-acid isomers (and their 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones) prepared by enzymatic oxidation of D-isoleucine and D-alloisoleucine exhibited optical rotations which were equal in magnitude and opposite in direction1,2. Furthermore, from microbiological studies (to be reported in detail elsewhere), a purity of at least 98 per cent may be assigned to the laevorotatory isomer of α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid prepared by enzymatic oxidation of D-isoleucine. These findings indicate that the configuration about the β-carbon atom is not measurably altered by enzymatic oxidation of the D-amino-acids or during isolation of the keto-acid.
Quantum theory of the free-electron laser: Large gain, saturation, and photon statistics.

Starting from the general QED Hamiltonian for the free-electron laser (FEL), a quantum-mechanical, many-particle theory of the FEL in the laboratory frame is presented. When suitable variables are introduced, the Hamiltonian is seen to a good approximation to be formally identical to the nonrelativistic Hamiltonian in the resonant (Bambini-Renieri) frame used in other treatments. The derivation is given for a general multimode laser field, although only the simpler case of single-mode operation is discussed in detail. It is shown how the large-gain evolution equations for the field, in the small-signal regime, may be obtained from the quantum theory. Then, from fourth-order perturbation theory, the change in the first two moments of the photon-number distribution in a single pass through the FEL is computed. Large-gain and saturation terms are obtained, for arbitrary values of the quantum recoil (i.e., both the classical and quantum-mechanical regimes are included). The evolution of the photon statistics over many cavity round trips is discussed. In the small-signal regime, the variance of the photon-number distribution is shown to correspond, to a good approximation, to that of thermal, or ''chaotic,'' radiation. At saturation, a significant reduction of the fluctuations is expected, but no conclusions can be drawn frommore » the perturbation-theory approach. A numerical calculation of the buildup of the field from vacuum (through spontaneous emission) is presented. For simplicity, a uniform, circularly polarized, static wiggler is assumed in the text; however, the theory may be generalized (along lines shown) to deal with nonuniform, linearly polarized and/or traveling electromagnetic-wave wigglers.« less
Reduced thermal conductivity of isotope substituted carbon nanomaterials: Nanotube versus graphene nanoribbon

Abstract Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of isotopically impure carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) of varying lengths reveal that the relative decrease in thermal conductivity (k) in both the nanostructures are similar for constant isotope substitution. We find that the delocalized transverse modes in CNTs and the out-of-plane flexural modes in GNRs exert a substantial contribution to the thermal transport whereas the influence of isotope substitution on the phonon density of states (DOS) is similar in all directions. The vibrational spectra for different length scales consistently show that the energy modes shift to lower wave numbers reflecting the strong influence of mass disorder that reduces the energy transport through these nanomaterials, consequently lowering k.
Gate delay modeling for pre- and post-silicon timing related tasks for ultra-low power CMOS circuits

Power is increasingly the primary design constraint for chip designers and one of the main techniques for addressing this concern is aggressive voltage scaling. Device variability increases with voltage scaling and significantly affects gate delays at low voltages. Although existing delay models for near- and sub-threshold circuits capture the effects of variability on gate delays, they do not capture advanced delay phenomenon such as multiple input switching (MIS; also known as near-simultaneous transitions) at inputs of a gate. As a result, most of these gate delay models often grossly underestimate worst case delays, leading to selection of non-critical paths and generation of delay-inferior vectors for post-silicon timing related tasks. In this paper we present extensive experimental results to demonstrate that MIS has significant impact (around 30-40%) on delays of near-and sub-threshold nominal gates. We develop our model which guarantees that the minimum and maximum delay values it computes are guaranteed to bound the corresponding delay values in silicon. We show that our model has practical run-time complexity and works equally well for super-, near- and sub-threshold circuits. In particular, via extensive experimentations we show that our model never underestimates the delay and tightly bounds the actual delays. We also illustrate trade-offs between tightness of such bounds, their impact on validation cost, and runtime complexity.
A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL ANALYSIS OF COMPETENCE IN CHILDREN AT RISK FOR MENTAL DISORDER

Factors influencing the stability of child competence from 30 months to 48 months of age are investigated using structural equation model techniques in a population at presumed risk for mental disorder because their mothers have a diagnosed psychiatric disturbance. This method allows for the simultaneous analysis of many variables in testing hypotheses about causalify in longitudinal investigations. Child competence was defmed in terms of cognitive and social variables. Background environmental variables included were social class, race, and maternal psychopathology. Threc models were examined in this study. The first model posited direct effects of child factors as well as effects of background envimnmental facton in the stability of child competence. The second model posited only effects of background variables, with no direct child effects. The third model posited child effects and a subset of the background effects in the first model. The second model, one that did not include direct child effects, wa...
Hamster tumor cells doubly transformed by SV40 and polyoma viruses.

A clonal line of SV40 virus-induced hamster tumor cells was exposed to polyoma virus in an attempt to obtain “doubly transformed” cells containing the complement-fixing (CF) tumor antigens (T antigens) specific for both viruses. Polyoma virus was found to persist indefinitely in the SV40 tumor cells in a “carrier state.” Cells freed of virus by antibody treatment were shown to possess the T antigens induced by both viruses. Thirty-six clonal isolates from the SV40-polyoma (SV-Py) doubly transformed cells were tested, and all contained both types of antigens. Antigens made from tumors produced by SV-Py cells were also positive for SV40 and polyoma T antigens, and tumor-bearing animals developed the corresponding antibodies. In transplantation-resistance tests, approximately 100 times greater cell concentration was required to produce tumors in hamsters previously immunized with polyoma, SV40, or a mixture of both viruses; these results indicate that the doubly transformed cells contained the transplantation as well as CF tumor antigens induced by both viruses.
An ordering policy for deteriorating items with allowable shortage and permissible delay in payment

In many inventory situations, the purchaser is allowed a permissible period to pay back the cost of goods bought without paying any interest. Depending on the length of that payment period, the purchaser can earn interest on the sales of the inventory. This paper develops a model to determine an optimal ordering policy for deteriorating items under permissible delay of payment and allowable shortage. Different facets of the permissible delays in payment are discussed, and this generalized model exhibits a set of solutions that reduces to an existing model. Results are discussed and demonstrated with an illustrative example.
Diminished lives and malpractice: courts stalled in transition.

Medicine is still largely a pre-Darwin, pre-Newton enterprise…. We do not yet understand the underlying mechanisms of the major illnesses which plague humanity, and therefore much of what is done in the treatment of illness must still be empirical, trial and error therapy. We are compelled by our limitations to resort to shoring things up, applying halfway technology, trying to fix things after the fact.1
Pre-employment honesty testing: Fakability, reactions of test takers, and company image.

Two common employer concerns about pre-employment honesty testing were addressed: fakability and the test taker's reaction to such tests. Students, 84% with work experience in industries where honesty tests are common, took an honesty test under one of three instructional sets: respond honestly, fake good, and respond as if applying for a job. While subjects instructed to fake good could easily do so, the scores of subjects responding as job applicants more closely resembled those of subjects instructed to respond honestly. Strong negative reactions to honesty tests were not found; rather, most subjects felt that such tests were appropriate. The use of pre-employment honesty tests was not found to have a large impact on test taker perceptions of employers using such tests.
Hepatocyte growth factor and its actions in growth plate chondrocytes

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been implicated as a paracrine regulator of organogenesis and repair in many tissues. Here we have studied the expression and actions of HGF in intact rachitic rat growth plate and derived cultures of proliferative zone chondrocytes. In vivo and in vitro chondrocytes express HGF mRNA; 1,25(OH)2 has a three-fold maximal stimulatory effect, which can be blocked by H-7, an inhibitor of protein kinase C. Although HGF elaboration and action generally follow a paracrine model, chondrocytes appear capable of both expressing and responding to HGF. mRNA encoding the HGF receptor (c-met) was detected in both growth cartilage and derived chondrocyte cultures. HGF addition to chondrocyte cultures increased collagen II mRNA and alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity to degrees comparable to that observed for active vitamin D metabolites. Combining HGF and 1,25-D evoked a synergistic response (ninefold) of alkaline phosphatase activity. To assess whether a similar stimulatory effect might be seen with bioactive peptides and HGF, we investigated the effect of HGF pretreatment on acute responses of chondrocytes to synthetic human calcitonin, an anabolic chondrocyte regulator whose skeletal action are mediated principally by cAMP elevation and subsequent protein kinase A activation. CT's maximal activation of protein kinase A was increased by prior HGF treatment from 56% to 78%. In concert, our findings indicate that in addition to HGF's classical paracrine role during skeletal growth, this growth factor may modulate hormonal sensitivity of the chondrocyte during proliferation, differentiation, and/or apoptosis.
A brain for all seasons: cyclical anatomical changes in song control nuclei of the canary brain

Male canaries that have reached sexual maturity can, in subsequent years, learn new song repertoires. Two telencephalic song control nuclei, the hyperstriatum ventrale, pars caudale, and nucleus robustus archistriatalis are, respectively, 99 and 76 percent larger in the spring, when male canaries are producing stable adult song, than in the fall, at the end of the molt and after several months of not singing. It is hypothesized that such fluctuations reflect an increase and then reduction in numbers of synapses and are related to the yearly ability to acquire new motor coordinations.