cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Data-Informed Approach for Analysis, Validation, and Identification of COVID-19 Models

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an enormous amount of data, providing a unique opportunity for modeling and analysis. In this paper, we present a data-informed approach for building stochastic compartmental models that is grounded in the Markovian processes underlying these models. Our initial data analyses reveal that the SIRD model - susceptiple (S), infected (I), recovered (R), and death (D) - is not consistent with the data. In particular, the transition times expressed in the dataset do not obey exponential distributions, implying that there exist unmodeled (hidden) states. We make use of the available epidemiological data to inform the location of these hidden states, allowing us to develop an augmented compartmental model which includes states for hospitalization (H) and end of infectious viral shedding (V). Using the proposed model, we characterize delay distributions analytically and match model parameters to empirical quantities in the data to obtain a good model fit. Insights from an epidemiological perspective are presented, as well as their implications for mitigation and control strategies.
Short report: A quantitative methodological review of participant characteristics in the literature testing mental health interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder.

LAY ABSTRACT Previous research has highlighted the importance of mental health treatment for autistic youth. In that research base, most studies focus on demonstrating the efficacy of a particular intervention with a sample of autistic youth. However, understanding the characteristics of samples used within these studies (i.e. demographics) is an important avenue for expanding this research to a more diverse, representative sample of autistic youth in community settings. As such, the current review examined and characterized participants included within mental health treatment research. We coded studies for various demographics among the youth sample, caregivers, and providers participants. Results indicated that while efforts have been made to increase diversity in research, very few studies including transition-aged youth, those identifying as female, and/or those identifying as non-Caucasian. Clinically, a few studies included youth with lower cognitive abilities and/or those with specific mental health problems (e.g. trauma and depression) or more than one co-occurring mental health conditions. Overall, our results highlight several critical gaps in our current evidence base regarding mental health treatment for autistic youth, including the limited clinical representativeness of both provider and child participants.
Assistive technology, computers and Internet may decrease sense of isolation for homebound elderly and disabled persons

In an interesting twist to the initial fear that the access to internet would result in a more isolative community, the CHIPs program (Computers for Homebound and Isolated Persons) inspired an online community for individuals who were homebound. The subjects began to get to know one another through the Internet, thereby making virtual friends with others in similar circumstances. Elderly citizens, disabled individuals and caregivers found themselves with a new sense of camaraderie and friendship. A one-year follow up to a questionnaire indicates that the subjects’ level of satisfaction in the amount of contact with others increased significantly. These results suggest that the intervention may cause significant changes in the lives of isolated individuals, a change worthy of more formalized research.
Advanced Ovarian Cancer: Prediction of Surgical Outcomes Using Computed Tomography

The characterization of adnexal masses has been facilitated remarkably by the use of pelvic ultrasound during the last decade. Its ease of use, accessibility, relatively low cost, and the recent introduction of color and duplex scanning has made this modality invaluable. Please see other chapters in this volume for a discussion of the use of ultrasound for differentiating benign from malignant ovarian masses. For patients with advanced ovarian cancer and a known pelvic mass which can be palpated on bimanual exam, however, ultrasonography is rarely helpful other than to confirm the presence of ascites. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides precise information regarding the location of disease and invasion of tissue planes, such detailed anatomic relationships are generally not clinically relevant for treatment planning in patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma, particularly given the associated costs. This is in contradistinction to cervical cancer, in which MRI has been shown to be sensitive for the detection of parametrial involvement, a parameter which significantly alters the plan of treatment if present (Yu et al. 1998). 18F fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is highly sensitive for cancerous lesions and may ultimately prove useful for the detection of recurrences, but the cost/benefit ratio is poor for the preoperative evaluation of primary ovarian cancer. Computed tomo­graphy (CT) offers advantages over other techniques: relatively low cost, fast scan times, wide availability, and evaluation of the entire abdominal cavity. Furthermore, the use of intravenous and oral contrast improves visualization of retroperitoneal anatomy (Figure 8.1). For these reasons, CT has become a common diagnostic procedure to assess the extent of disease and plan surgical interventions in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. This chapter addresses the use of CT imaging in this cohort of patients and its potential to predict surgical outcome.
Mutations in the Caenorhabditis elegans let-23 EGFR-like gene define elements important for cell-type specificity and function.

Abstract The Caenorhabditis elegans let-23 gene is a genetically characterized member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase family. Mutations in let-23 can produce five phenotypes in the nematode. Alleles of let-23 include null alleles, reduction-of-function alleles and alleles that disrupt function in some cell types and not others. We have sequenced some of these mutations to identify sequences and regions important for overall let-23 function and for let-23 function in specific cell types. Our data indicate that in vivo, the receptor's C-terminus can be partitioned into at least three domains that each contribute to receptor function in different cell types. In particular, we find distinct domains that mediate hermaphrodite fertility and vulval induction. Our data also demonstrate for the first time that a single, conserved residue in the ligand binding domain is critical for function in vivo and that mutations in the extracellular cysteines characteristic of the EGFR family can lead to a partial or a complete reduction of receptor function.
High-energy noncollinear optical parametric amplifier producing 4 fs pulses in the visible seeded by a gas-phase filament

We report on the design and characterization of a short-pulse-pumped, single-stage noncollinear optical parametric amplifier (NOPA) that achieves high pulse energies in the few-cycle pulse regime. Optimal pulse-front tilting and temporal compression of the short (35 fs) pump pulse are achieved using a 4f grating compressor, while spatial chirp at the NOPA crystal is eliminated with proper imaging using a pair of reflective telescopes. Gas-phase filamentation in an open-ended argon-filled cell provides a bright, stable seed source with little residual chirp that is suitable for temporal overlap with the short pump pulse without dispersion precompensation. Two seeding geometries are explored, and pulses as short as 3.5 fs are obtained by seeding with the entire filament bandwidth. Fourier-transform-limited 4 fs pulses are obtained by filtering the IR portion of the spectrum.
Economic Feasibility of Concrete Recycling

The economics of using recycled concrete debris as aggregate for new concrete has been studied. The writers find that there is enough concrete debris generated in large metropolitan areas to support profitably the operation of at least one concrete recycling plant. The production cost of recycled concrete aggregate is about 38% lower than that of its competitor, natural aggregate. However, for equal performance with conventional concrete members, members that contain recycled concrete aggregate must be 20% larger in volume. Analysis of these findings suggest that, for equal delivery distance of the aggregate, conventional concrete is economically more attractive than concrete with recycled aggregate. This relation is, however, reversed in areas where there is a shortage of natural aggregate; specifically, for a difference in transportation distance of at least 15 miles (24 km) in favor of recycled concrete aggregate, concrete containing the latter is economically more attractive than conventional concrete.
Susan Carroll and Richard Fox, eds. Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics

The second edition of Susan Carroll and Richard Fox's book, Gender and Elections is an important contribution to both the fields of political science and gender studies, respectively, as a volume d...
Clinical and Neurologic Manifestation of Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy and Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Abstract Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) shows a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric manifestations. A combined effort with neuropsychological and psychometric evaluation has to be performed to recognize the syndrome, whereas minimal HE (MHE) is largely under-recognized. Subtle symptoms of MHE can only be diagnosed through specialized neuropsychiatric testing. Early diagnosis and treatment may drastically improve the quality of life for many cirrhotic patients. Further research to gain better insight into the pathophysiology and diagnostic accuracy of HE will help determine future management strategies.
River of Dark Dreams: Slavery and Empire in the Cotton Kingdom

River of Dark Dreams: Slavery and Empire in the Cotton Kingdom demonstrates the need for a nuanced understanding of capitalism in the Mississippi Valley during the antebellum era. Walter Johnson us...
Low voltage current-mode filters: high performance and limitations

CMOS current-mode-filters based on a simple integrator operating in the ohmic region are presented. The highlights of this approach are their reduced power consumption and silicon area, high speed, programmability and low voltage supply. As an example, a 10.7 MHz biquadratic filter with a tunable Q.
Response of an understory plant community to elevated [CO2] depends on differential responses of dominant invasive species and is mediated by soil water availability

Summary • Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations are likely to have direct effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we describe effects of elevated concentrations of CO2 on an understory plant community in terms of production and community composition. • In 2001 and 2002 total and species-specific above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) were estimated by harvesting above-ground biomass within an understory community receiving ambient [CO2] and elevated [CO2] at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) facility. • During a wet year, community composition differed between plots receiving ambient [CO2] and elevated [CO2], but total ANPP did not differ. By contrast, during a drier year, community composition did not differ, but total ANPP was greater in elevated than ambient [CO2] plots. These patterns were driven by the response of two codominant species, Lonicera japonica and Microstegium vimineum, both considered invasive species in the south-eastern United States. The ANPP of L. japonica was consistently greater under elevated [CO2], whereas the response of M. vimineum to CO2 enrichment differed between years and mediated total community response. • These data suggest that community and species responses to a future, CO2-enriched atmosphere may be mediated by other environmental factors and will depend on individual species responses.
An efficient DoF scheduling algorithm for multi-hop MIMO networks

Degree-of-Freedom (DoF)-based model is a simple yet powerful tool to analyze MIMO's spatial multiplexing (SM) and interference cancellation (IC) capabilities in a multi-hop network. Recently, a new DoF model was proposed and was shown to achieve the same rate region as the matrix-based model (under SM and IC). The essence of this new DoF model is a novel node ordering concept, which eliminates potential duplication of DoF allocation for IC. In this paper, we investigate DoF scheduling for a multi-hop MIMO network based on this new DoF model. Specifically, we study how to perform DoF allocation among the nodes for SM and IC so as to maximize the minimum rate among a set of sessions. We formulate this problem as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) and develop an efficient DoF scheduling algorithm to solve it. We show that our algorithm is amenable to local implementation and has polynomial time complexity. More importantly, it guarantees the feasibility of final solution (upon algorithm termination), despite that node ordering establishment and adjustment are performed locally. Simulation results show that our algorithm can offer a result that is close to an upper bound found by CPLEX solver, thus showing that the result found by our algorithm is highly competitive.
Genetic lineage and environmental conditions as drivers of chromatosome variation in the anchialine shrimp Halocaridina rubra Holthuis, 1963 (Caridea: Atyidae)

Color variation among and within crustacean species is primarily due to morphological and physiological differences in specialized cells called chromatophores. Within Atyidae, individuals of Halocaridina rubra Holthuis, 1963, which is endemic to anchialine habitats (coastal ponds of mixohaline water under marine and terrestrial influences) of the Hawaiian Islands, range from bright red to nearly translucent in color. While H. rubra encompasses (at least) eight genetically diverged lineages based on analyses of mitochondrial genes, whether this phenotypic variation in coloration correlates to genetic background or if it statistically differs between lineages is unknown. Furthermore, if such properties in H. rubra exhibit plasticity under the environmental extremes that can be encountered in anchialine habitats has not been determined. Using previously published protocols for another atyid species, chromatosomal morphology and chromatic properties were quantified and statistically analyzed from 240 individuals of H. rubra, representing seven of the eight genetic lineages as well as one naturally mixed population (n=30 per group), maintained under standardized laboratory conditions for >6 years. Analogous analyses were also conducted on animals before and after exposure to environmental extremes, including anoxia, desiccation, decreased salinity and high and low temperatures. Overall, the genetic lineages of H. rubra statistically differed from one another in varying numbers of chromatosomal properties while exposure to environmental extremes also elicited significant changes. Furthermore, these properties statistically differed among body parts of H. rubra in a manner inconsistent with previous studies. Notably, data on chromosomal properties generated via a streamlined protocol were well correlated with those from the previously published approach utilized here, suggesting such analyses for H. rubra (or other crustacean/atyid species) might be successfully conducted under field settings.
The U.S. Congressional Record as a technology of representation: Toward a materialist theory of institutional argumentation

Focusing on the historical controversies surrounding the development of the print records of the U.S. congressional debates, this essay explores how human, technological, and discursive agencies come together to constitute institutional argumentative practice. Examining the U.S. Congressional Record through the lens of Bruno Latour’s concept of dingpolitik reveals that as a technology of representation print records work less as mediators and more as agents of institutional contextualization. Print records do more than translate arguments from oral to written form or transfer arguments from the public sphere to the state. Rather, they assemble the disparate elements that constitute the terrains of governance, the character of political issues, and the norms of congressional deliberation. Hence, the material dynamics of congressional deliberation prompt not only a reconsideration of what and who is being represented by Congress, but also a methodological reorientation from normative to constitutive perspectives on institutional argumentation.
CHROMATOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF THE RHEUMATOID FACTOR

Serum and serum fractions from patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been subjected to anion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The rheumatoid factor activity was clearly separated from the bulk of the gamma globulin by virtue of the anomalous behavior of macroglobulins on this column. Purification of rheumatoid factor by precipitation with fraction II, resolution in 4 M urea, and two successive fractionations on an anion exchanger yielded a highly active preparation consisting of approximately 95 per cent 19S gamma globulin with no detectable amount of 7S contaminant. Evidence was obtained for the existence of two factors by cation exchange chromatography (carboxymethyl cellulose) of rheumatoid serum and of macroglobulin previously separated by anion exchange chromatography. One factor (factor I) agglutinated sensitized sheep cells and latex particles and also precipitated with human fraction II. The second (factor II) agglutinated latex partides and precipitated with fraction II but did not agglutinate sensitized sheep cells. A substance with the properties of factor II was demonstrated in two of four normal sera by cation exchange chromatography. It was suggested that the agglutination of latex particles and precipitation with human fraction II, observed in the case of certain abnormal sera, may be due to elevated concentrations of factor II.
The quantum mechanics of ion-enhanced field emission and how it influences microscale gas breakdown

The presence of a positive gas ion can enhance cold electron field emission by deforming the potential barrier and increasing the tunneling probability of electrons—a process known as ion-enhanced field emission. In microscale gas discharges, ion-enhanced field emission produces additional emission from the cathode and effectively reduces the voltage required to breakdown a gaseous medium at the microscale (<10 μm). In this work, we enhance classic field emission theory by determining the impact of a gaseous ion on electron tunneling and compute the effect of ion-enhanced field emission on the breakdown voltage. We reveal that the current density for ion-enhanced field emission retains the same scaling as vacuum cold field emission and that this leads to deviations from traditional breakdown theory at microscale dimensions.
Equation for model intracranial aneurysm with consideration of small dissipation term

Abstract An electric circuit model of a ‘model intracranial aneurysm’ has been developed from previous experimental work showing a non linear pressure-volume relationship. This leads to a revised formulation of the following non linear differential equation which simulates the response of the model aneurysm to a pulsatile driving function V +ϵ υ +ζmυ+ξnυ 2 =F cos(ωt + B) , where V = velocity of flow within the aneurysm. Solution of this equation using the principle of harmonic balance shows that discontinuous jumps in amplitude of velocity of flow leading to turbulence or increased turbulence can occur with an increase in pulse rate or pulse pressure. It is postulated that turbulence is dangerous due to both the large increase in velocity of flow and also due to the possible stasis effect on large molecules and platelets from eddy formation.
Evidence that opiate receptors mediate suppression of hypertonic saline-induced drinking in the mouse by narcotic antagonists.

Abstract The effects of naloxone, its dextro -stereisomer, and five other narcotic antagonists were determined on water intake induced by intracellular dehydration in the mouse. The intraperitoneal administration of a 2M sodium chloride solution served as the model for intracellular dehydration. 1 -Naloxone (0.01-10 mg/kg) reduced drinking in a dose-dependent fashion with an ED50 of 0.55 mg/kg. In contrast, d -naloxone failed to suppress water consumption at doses up to 10 mg/kg. The other narcotic antagonists tested --- naltrexone, diprenorphine, levallorphan, oxilorphan, and nalorphine --- also produced dose-dependent decreases in water consumption. The order of potency of these narcotic antagonists in suppressing water intake was highly correlated with their orders of potency in other procedures involving the opiate receptor. The stereoselectivity and order of potency suggest that the suppressant effects of the narcotic antagonists on drinking induced by hypertonic saline administration in the mouse are mediated through an opiate receptor-dependent mechanism.
The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism: How Institutional Investors Can Make Corporate America More Democratic

The article reviews the book “The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism: How Institutional Investors Can Make Corporate America More Democratic,” by James P. Hawley and Andrew T. Williams.
Shock wave propagation and dispersion in glow discharge plasmas

Spark-generated shock waves were studied in glow discharges in argon and argon–nitrogen mixtures. Ultraviolet filtered Rayleigh scattering was used to measure radial profiles of gas temperature, and the laser schlieren method was used to measure shock arrival times and axial density gradients. Time accurate, inviscid, axisymmetric fluid dynamics computations were run and results compared with the experiments. Our simulation show that changes in shock structure and velocity in weakly ionized gases are explained by classical gas dynamics, with the critical role of thermal and multi-dimensional effects (transverse gradients, shock curvature, etc.). A direct proof of the thermal mechanism was obtained by pulsing the discharge. With a sub-millisecond delay between starting the discharge and shock launch, plasma parameters reach their steady-state values, but the temperature is still low, laser schlieren signals are virtually identical to those without the discharge, differing dramatically from the signals in discharges with fully established temperature profiles.
Polarized Development and Urban Change in New York's Chinatown

The economy of Chinatown, New York, is polarized into two circuits of development. This is comparable with patterns found in Third World cities, as well as in New York's recent emergence as a world city. The lower circuit is an avenue of immigrant labor and petty capitalist incorporation into the city. The upper circuit is a route for the reinvestment of transnational surplus and flight capital in finance and property development. Conflicts and negotiations between the two circuits in the context of Chinatown land-use planning provide some instructive experiences for city managers and urban planners.
Chemical generation of excited IF(B3Π0

Abstract The interhalogen IF was excited to its B 3 Π o+ state by collisions with chemically produced N 2 (A 3 Σ + u ) metastables. The exci nitrogen metastables were generated by the reaction of N( 4 S) atoms with N 3 radicals. The reaction system was operated both as a continuous flame in a discharge-flow system and as a pulse initiated by photolysis of the reaction medium at 10.6 μm. The data suggest the possibility of an IF B 3 Π 0+ → X 1 Σ + laser pumped by this chemical system.
Hydrologic models for altered landscapes

Understanding the hydrology of soils that have been drained is necessary for wetland restoration and in determining whether redoximorphic features are relicts of a former hydrologic regime. This study shows how two kinds of hydrologic models can be used to estimate the quantities of ground water entering a site, as well as compute long-term (40 years) records of water table fluctuations. A water budget was computed for a Carolina Bay wetland that had been drained for agriculture but was being restored to a wetland. Precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, surface outflow, and water stored in the soil were evaluated for a 13-min period to determine the amount of ground water entering the bay. A water table simulation model (DRAINMOD) was used at an additional site in NC to compute 40-year records of hourly water table fluctuations along a soil toposequence. The data were then related to percentages of redox depletions having chromas of 2 or less. The water budget showed that ground water comprised 35% of the total water input into the bay, indicating the site was functioning as a discharge area. Water table hydrographs were used to confirm the ground water inflow estimates as well as the estimate of potential evapotranspiration. The 40-year record of water table data obtained from DRAINMOD was summarized as the average number of times the soils at a given depth was saturated for 21 continuous days or longer. Historic rainfall data were selected from an area having the same rainfall distribution as found at the experimental site. The relationship between number of saturation events and percentage of redoximorphic features showed that some features were forming in soil horizons that saturated only four times within a 10-year period. These were not considered to be relict features because they formed during infrequent saturation events.
Denense media radiative transfer theory for passive remote sensing and application to SWE Retrieval

Active and passive microwave remote sensing of snow have been studied with the same physical model of the Quasi-crystalline Approximation and the Dense Media Radiative Transfer (QCA-DMRT) Equation. The salient features of the model include a weaker frequency dependence and a stronger forward scattering than Rayleigh phase matrix for the same grain size. In this paper, we develop retrieval algorithms for snow water equivalent (SWE) based on the least square optimal estimate between the remote sensing data and the DMRT model. The retrieval algorithm is applied to passive satellite data from AMSR-E. The forest canopy is considered for mixed pixels. The passive retrieval algorithm makes use of the brightness temperatures of 18.7GHz and 36.5GHz. The snow grain size and snow depth are the two variables in the cost function. The retrieval algorithm has been applied to Alaska and to the Northwest regions of the United States. The results of retrieval algorithm are validated with SNOTEL ground measurement data from Natural Resources Conservation Service. The algorithm is shown to have better performance than the SSMI/AMSRE heritage algorithms. Retrieval algorithms of DMRT for active data from X- and Ku-band are also discussed.
A New Dehydrogeranylgeraniol Antioxidant from Saururus cernuus that Inhibits Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Catalyzed Oxidation within HL-60 Cells

A new triene, 12,13-dehydrogeranylgeraniol (1), was isolated from the aquatic plant Saururus cernuus and its structure determined spectroscopically. Compound 1 inhibits PMA-induced peroxide-catalyzed oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein dye (DCFH) by reactive oxygen species (ROS) within human promyelocyctic HL-60 cells.
Defining the requirements for immunological control of mycobacterial infections

Abstract Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem throughout the world. Research into the immunological basis of the host–pathogen relationship has recently benefited from the fascinating convergence of genetic data from mouse models and from humans. Latency – the seemingly quiescent phase of bacterial persistence – is the central problem in controlling tuberculosis and will be the next frontier of research.
Is long-term sonographic followup necessary after uncomplicated ureteral reimplantation in children?

ABSTRACTPurpose: We examined the necessity of postoperative ultrasound following surgical correction of vesicoureteral reflux beyond initial postoperative assessment. The followup among children who have undergone correction of vesicoureteral reflux has varied, and currently there are no standards to document how long postoperative monitoring for hydronephrosis, renal scarring or renal growth should continue.Materials and Methods: The study population included 128 children who underwent surgical correction of primary vesicoureteral reflux between 1992 and 2002. Data were collected as part of a retrospective chart review and included age at surgery, preoperative grade of reflux, indications for surgery, type of surgical correction, postoperative voiding cystourethrogram and ultrasound results, and postoperative course relative to urinary tract infections, incontinence and other symptoms.Results: Of 128 patients 4 had postoperative reflux on voiding cystourethrogram. In each of these cases reflux either res...
The exotic other: Latinos and the remaking of community identity in Perry, Iowa

Latino immigration, often resulting from the restructuring of the meatpacking industry, is reshaping the cultural identity of rural small town America. We explore how local institutions in Perry, Iowa, deal with the emerging cultural diversity in their town. The key findings of the research support the proposition that Perry's adopted cultural pluralism in fact is a case of Eurocentric values reconstructed to accommodate an appreciation of cultural diversity and of recent immigrants' contributions to local growth and town revitalization. The town's civic organizations' formal focus on myth making and multiculturalism leaves class, race, gender, privilege, and local power relations essentially unchallenged. We argue that the new multicultural praxis emerging in Perry reconstructs a model of local culture which maintains, and potentially reinforces, societal power disparities and leaves the town and its residents still grappling with questions and challenges of ethnic diversification. Assimilation through e...
Sequence, biochemical characterization, and developmental expression of a new member of the TGF-β superfamily in Drosophila melanogaster

More than 20 members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of growth and differentiation factors have been implicated in development. One member of the TGF-beta family has been previously reported from Drosophila, the decapentaplegic (dpp) gene which is involved in embryonic dorsal/ventral polarity, embryonic gut formation, and imaginal disk development. Using PCR methods, we have identified a second Drosophila gene in the TGF-beta family. It encodes a protein product that is more similar to the TGF-beta-related human bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) 5, 6, and 7 than it is to the Drosophila dpp gene product. Because of its localization on the polytene chromosome map, we refer to this gene as 60A. Expression of a 60A cDNA in Drosophila S2 cells was used to determine that 60A encodes a preproprotein that is processed to yield secreted amino- and carboxy-terminal polypeptides. The carboxy-terminal peptides are recovered as disulfide-linked homodimers. The 60A transcripts and protein are first detected at the onset of gastrulation, primarily in the mesoderm of the extending germ band. As the germ band retracts, and throughout later stages of embryonic development, the 60A transcript and protein are most readily detected in cells of the developing foregut and hindgut.
Chemisorption of alkanes and alkenes on carbon active sites

Abstract Chemisorption of C1-C4 hydrocarbons on a graphitized carbon black has been studied volumetrically at 573 K. Isotherms were of the Langmuir type with saturation reached at
Formulation and characterisation of Bordetella pertussis fimbriae as novel carrier proteins for Hib conjugate vaccines

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) capsular polysaccharide (polyribosylribitol phosphate, PRP) is the active component of conjugate vaccines that have proven successful in preventing invasive Hib disease. Conjugation of PRP to a protein carrier greatly improves its immunogenicity providing protection in infants and subsequent antibody maturation upon boosting. In this study, fimbriae isolated from Bordetella pertussis have been assessed as novel carrier proteins. These proteins are components of some acellular pertussis vaccines and clinical trials have indicated that fimbriae could be important protective antigens against whooping cough. Fimbriae (Fim2 and Fim3) purified from B. pertussis were dissociated in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride, pH 10.5, to produce proteins of defined size and to facilitate the production and characterisation of the conjugates. Both carbodiimide-mediated coupling and reductive amination were used to conjugate PRP to dissociated fimbriae. Efficiency of conjugation was determined by size exclusion chromatography followed by protein and polysaccharide analysis of fractionated components. Immunisation of rabbits with dissociated fimbriae-PRP conjugates (D.fim-PRP) produced high anti-fimbrial and anti-PRP IgG titres. Use of a D.fim-PRP conjugate could protect against Hib disease and may also augment protection against B. pertussis.
Drilling to investigate extreme environmental changes

Marginal basins are effective amplifiers and sensitive recorders of paleo-environmental events of global significance. All ocean basins go through a marginal basin phase as part of their evolution, and there are a number of marginal basins in the modern world ocean. In response to sea level changes, the link between a marginal basin and the ocean can be episodically restricted or even severed. The Black Sea is a present-day example of a marginal basin where the connection changes dramatically with sea level. Extreme changes in environmental conditions are typical of this kind of threshold-regulated behavior; most of these changes occur abruptly and responses have dramatic consequences on the basin's hydrologic, sedimentary, geochemical, and ecological systems. For example, temporal variations in water column density structure related to changes in circulation could influence the oxygenation of a marginal basin, drastically affecting the geochemistry of the water column and sediments.
Abscissa Error Detection and Correction in Raman Spectroscopy

Attempts to use the linear behavior of Raman spectroscopic measurements in operations such as spectral subtraction may be vitiated by abscissa errors which are smaller than one sampling interval. This paper describes methods, based upon least-squares fitting and Fourier-domain phase shifting, which can be used to locate the positions of peak maxima within 0.05 cm−1. A procedure is described to allow use of these determinations to shift the position of data sets along the X-axis my amounts less than one sampling interval. The effectiveness of this detection and correction procedure is demonstrated by measuring adjusted peak positions. Factor analysis is also used as a probe to examine the operation.
'Stumped' by the newborn umbilical cord.

The postnatal management for the newborn umbilical cord is surprisingly controversial. Numerous investigators have explored the optimal approach to cord care, whether it is performed during the first 24 hours of life, or in the first weeks of life until the cord spontaneously separates from the body.
Atmospheric moisture content associated with surface air temperatures over northern Eurasia

This study uses both historical station records and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) satellite instrument products to examine the relationship between atmospheric moisture content and surface air temperature over northern Eurasia, with a special emphasis on the summer season. We find that the rate of atmospheric water vapor content change with temperature varies by season and generally decreases with increasing air temperature. The average rate of water vapor pressure increase with air temperature is 7.57%/ °C in winter, 4.78%/ °C in spring, 3.06%/ °C in summer, and 4.39%/ °C in fall based on 80 weather station records over a 55-year period. The average rate of atmospheric total precipitable water increases is about 3.02%/ °C based on AIRS data from the most recent four summers over northern Eurasia. Except for the winter season, these rates are considerably lower than the 7%/ °C rate that the Clausius–Clapeyron relationship and constant relative humidity would suggest. During summer season, we also found decreasing water vapor partial pressure and decreasing total water vapor with increasing air temperature at southern and southwestern study regions where higher mean temperatures are found. The large regional and seasonal variations in water vapor–temperature relationship over Eurasia imply that potential amplified water vapor feedback is most likely to be found in cold regions during the cold season while it may not be as significant as expected during the warm season. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Genetic and molecular analyses of lymphocyte-defined HLA-D region specificities.

Abstract Determinants encoded in the HLA-D regin have been studied with both cellular (PLT) and molecular (SDS-IEF) methods. When the PLT response against a lymphoblastoid cell line was analyzed by limiting dilution culture and determination of the reactivity of individual cultures against a panel of loss mutants of the initial stimulating LCL, a large fraction of the cultures showed the same pattern, apparently recognizing a determinant associated with DR. In two-dimensional gel analysis of several DR4-positive HLA-D region homozygous cells, the IEF pattern of the DR beta chain correlated with the Dw specificity expressed by the cell. These two pieces of evidence suggest that, although many determinants may contribute to reactivity in mixed leucocyte culture or PLT, an immunodominant determinant associated with the DR beta chain may be the most important single factor in the assignment of Dw specificity.
Efficient protein renaturation using tunable hemifluorinated anionic surfactants as additives

We show that hemifluorinated anionic surfactants are effective as renaturing additives for bovine carbonic anhydrase (CAB) below their critical micelle concentration (CMC) providing high refolding yields for thermally and chemically denatured protein.
Patterns of reproduction in the deep-sea benthic crustaceans: a re-evaluation

Abstract The reproductive condition of three species of deep-sea peracarid crustaceans, two isopods (Eurycope californiensis and Ilyarachna profunda), and one amphipod (Harpiniopsis excavata), was ascertained from a series of sequential seasonal samples obtained at 13-week intervals at 1240m from the same station off San Diego, California, U.S.A. In all three species some females of the population sampled were in brooding condition throughout the year and the data give no reason to suspect seasonal peaks of reproduction. Conclusions from the data are in contrast to previous ones in the literature that seemingly supported cyclic reproduction in deep-sea isopod crustaceans.
Wilczekra, a New Genus of Celastraceae for a Disjunct Lineage of Euonymus

Abstract Disjunct distributions in poorly defined taxa can serve as indicators that the members of the isolated ranges are polyphyletic, as has been previously demonstrated in many plant families. Such taxa should be prioritized for inclusion in phylogenetic analyses so that at least one member from each isolated range should be sampled together with other closely related taxa. We describe a new monotypic genus (Wilczekra) for Euonymus congolensis, which is the only species of Euonymus reported in mainland Africa other than one other species (E. latifolius) whose range extends from Europe into northern Africa. We infer that Wilczekra congolensis is the sole African member of an early-derived lineage of Celastraceae that is most diverse in the Austral-Pacific but also includes Crossopetalum from the West Indies and tropical America.
SIRTF: Capabilities for planetary science

Major research areas of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) are discussed which include Kuiper-belt comets, IR spectroscopy of comets, and circumstellar planetary debris disks. SIRTF instrumentation will include the infrared array camera (IRAC) and multiband imaging photometer (MIP). The IRAC uses large area, 2D infrared array detectors to provide wide-field (7 arcmin) and diffraction-limited imaging over the spectral region from 2 to 30 microns. The MIP will provide background-limited imaging and photometry over the wavelength range from 30 to 200 microns, wide-field, high resolution imaging from 50 to 120 microns, and broad band photometry and mapping from 200 to 700 microns.
The goodpasture autoantigen. Identification of multiple cryptic epitopes on the NC1 domain of the alpha3(IV) collagen chain.

Goodpasture (GP) disease is an autoimmune disorder in which autoantibodies against the α3(IV) chain of type IV collagen bind to the glomerular and alveolar basement membranes, causing progressive glomerulonephritis and pulmonary hemorrhage. Two major conformational epitope regions have been identified on the noncollagenous domain of type IV collagen (NC1 domain) of the α3(IV) chain as residues 17–31 (EA) and 127–141 (EB) (Netzer, K.-O. et al. (1999)J. Biol. Chem. 274, 11267–11274). To determine whether these regions are two distinct epitopes or form a single epitope, three GP sera were fractionated by affinity chromatography on immobilized NC1 chimeras containing the EA and/or the EB region. Four subpopulations of GP antibodies with distinct epitope specificity for the α3(IV)NC1 domain were thus separated and characterized. They were designated GPA, GPB, GPAB, and GPX, to reflect their reactivity with EA only, EB only, both regions, and neither, respectively. Hence, regions EA and EB encompass critical amino acids that constitute three distinct epitopes for GPA, GPB, and GPAB antibodies, respectively, whereas the epitope for GPX antibodies is located in a different unknown region. The GPA antibodies were consistently immunodominant, accounting for 60–65% of the total immunoreactivity to α3(IV)NC1; thus, they probably play a major role in pathogenesis. Regions EA and EB are held in close proximity because they jointly form the epitope for Mab3, a monoclonal antibody that competes for binding with GP autoantibodies. All GP epitopes are sequestered in the hexamer configuration of the NC1 domain found in tissues and are inaccessible for antibody binding unless dissociation of the hexamer occurs, suggesting a possible mechanism for etiology of GP disease. GP antibodies have the capacity to extract α3(IV)NC1 monomers, but not dimers, from native human glomerular basement membrane hexamers, a property that may be of fundamental importance for the pathogenesis of the disease.
Immunoaffinity chromatography of clinical products

Abstract The high specificity of antibodies for antigens has long attracted the interest of scientists in the field of protein purification. The rapidly increasing availability of pure monoclonal antibodies has stimulated their use in the immunoaffinity chromatography of therapeutic proteins and the interests of licensing authorities.
Third person pronoun errors by children with and without language impairment.

Research findings have been mixed about pronoun case problems in the language-learning profile of children with specific language impairment (SLI). This study (N=36) extended previous findings and located a number of error patterns using detailed error analyses. Results indicated that the children with expressive SLI produced more errors with third person singular (3Psg) pronouns than did their age-level peers, but they did not make more errors than their MLU-matched peers. Error patterns were similar in the children with SLI and their language-level peers. The most frequent type of error was the substitution of the objective case for the nominative case. More errors were made on the feminine pronoun, she, than on the masculine pronoun, he. Implications for theories and clinical practice were explored. Educational objectives: As a result of this activity, the reader will (1) learn how children with SLI compare to their peers in producing third person pronouns, (2) learn the most common types of pronoun errors made by the children matched for mean length of utterance (MLU), and (3) evaluate how the findings relate to two current theories: one from typical language development and one from the area of SLI.
Design and Testing of Low-Speed Wind Turbine Blade

There is a need for clean, cheap, and efficient energy. One potential candidate for a source of this energy is a wind energy. In order to maximize the amount of energy captured, a new, low airspeed wind turbines must be designed. A wind turbine was created using the NACA 4412 foil shape and a decreasing chord length with increasing distance from the center of the turbine. The angle of attack was also varied. The airfoil was analyzed in CFD and tested via wind tunnel model. The turbine was connected to a motor which was connected to a resistor and current and voltage meters. Using the voltage and current data at a prescribed rate of rotation, the power generated was calculated. Despite the shortcomings of the model, decent power output was generated. Since the wind tunnel could only perform up to 5 ft/s (or 3.4 mph), this shows that the turbine is acceptable for low wind speeds. For practical use the turbine would need to be scaled to a greater size and a PID controller that can generate higher resistance would need to be employed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Dislocation junctions and jogs in a free-standing FCC thin film

Dislocation junctions and jogs in a free-standing FCC thin film have been studied using three-dimensional dislocation dynamics simulations. Due to the unconstrained motion of surface nodes and dislocation annihilation at the free surface, junctions and jogs are unstable except for some uncommon conditions. If the film is thin enough for a significant portion of the dislocation network to be terminated at the free surface, junctions and jogs can exist for only a finite time during deformation. Thus, the creation of junction/jog-related dislocation sources and their performance are more limited as the film thickness decreases. This effect could lead to insufficient dislocation multiplication to balance dislocation annihilation at the free surface.
The Mechanics Of Micromachining

The current state of machining theory is examined for relevance to micromachining. Of particular interest are those features of the theory which are important to optical surface finishes and surface characteristics. The relation of transverse strain or side flow to the nature of the machining marks is one example of interest. Correlation with measurements of machining parameters and surface finishes is given.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.