cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Who's at risk?: Commentary on an article by Timothy Leroux, MD, MEd, et al.: "The risk of knee arthroplasty following cruciate ligament reconstruction. A population-based matched cohort study".

The development of osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury reconstruction is a well-documented and vexing problem. Although much of the existing literature relies on the detection of radiographic signs of osteoarthritis to quantify osteoarthritis risk, the authors of the current study have utilized a different approach. Relying on billing data in a single-payer health-care system, they identified patients who had undergone cruciate ligament reconstruction and a matched control group. They then compared the risk of subsequent knee arthroplasty between these populations and attempted to identify additional risk factors for knee arthroplasty in the cruciate ligament reconstruction group. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the abundance of literature demonstrating rather high osteoarthritis risk after ACL injury and reconstruction, Leroux and colleagues noted an increased (sevenfold) cumulative incidence of knee arthroplasty among those who had undergone cruciate ligament reconstruction. Unfortunately, because of the limitations of their study design and data set, they had no data regarding other factors that may contribute to the risk of subsequent knee arthroplasty beyond those that were matched (age, sex, income, address, and comorbidities). Perhaps the most important …
The prevention and management of pressure ulcers

Pressure ulcers are a common problem for older persons. Complications associated with pressure ulcers include infection and even death for some patients. Pressure is the primary pathogenic factor, but shearing forces, friction, and moisture are also important. Immobility, nutritional status, and age-related factors seem to be significant risk factors. Preventive care includes use of assessment tools to identify high risk patients, frequent repositioning, air or foam mattresses that reduce pressure over bony prominences, as well as careful attention to optimizing the overall patient condition. When pressure ulcers do develop, the treatment plan should include adequate nutrition including protein, vitamin C, and zinc supplements as indicated; systemic antibiotics for sepsis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, or the prevention of bacterial endocarditis; and local wound care that eliminates necrotic tissue, decreases bacterial load, and provides a physiologic, pressure-free environment allowing the wound to heal. Specialized beds may be considered in some patients, particularly those with larger ulcers. Surgery is an option in older persons who are operative candidates. For some patients with pressure ulcers, appropriate treatment goals may focus on providing comfort rather than curing the ulcer.
Factors to be considered in the isolation and characterization of aquatic humic substances

A detailed procedure using XAD-8 resin is presented for the isolation of dissolved fulvic acids and humic acids from water. The procedure entails pressure filtration to remove suspended sediment, sorption of humic substances onto XAD-8 resin at pH 2, desorption of humic substances in base, fulvic/humic separation at pH 1, desalting on XAD-8 resin, hydrogen saturation on cation exchange resin, and freeze-drying. Careful attention must be given to thorough resin cleaning and many procedural details in order to obtain relatively ash-free humic isolates. The equipment required for the procedure is expensive and the method is time consuming, but no other isolation method is known to produce quantitative and unaltered humic isolates from water. The procedure can be used to isolate small quantities (less than 100 mg) of humic substances from water, or it can be scaled to produce large quantities (100 g or more) of humic substances from water. Humic substances may be characterized by several methods. The more useful traditional characterization methods include elemental analysis, ash content, functional group analysis by titration and infrared spectroscopy, and molecular weight analysis. The new characterization methods of 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, pyrolysis/mass spectroscopy, amino acid analysis, saccharide analysis, and carbon isotopic analysis (14C and δ 13C content) are usually more definitive than traditional characterizations.
Network sampling

Network data appears in various domains, including social, communication, and information sciences. Analysis of such data is crucial for making inferences and predictions about these networks, and moreover, for understanding the different processes that drive their evolution. However, a major bottleneck to perform such an analysis is the massive size of real-life networks, which makes modeling and analyzing these networks simply infeasible. Further, many networks, specifically those that belong to social and communication domains, are not visible to the public due to privacy concerns, and other networks, such as the Web, are only accessible via crawling. Therefore, to overcome the above challenges, researchers use network sampling overwhelmingly as a key statistical approach to select a sub-population of interest that can be studied thoroughly. In this tutorial, we aim to cover a diverse collection of methodologies and applications of network sampling. We will begin with a discussion of the problem setting in terms of objectives (such as, sampling a representative subgraph, sampling graphlets, etc.), population of interest (vertices, edges, motifs), and sampling methodologies (such as Metropolis-Hastings, random walk, and snowball sampling). We will then present a number of applications of these methods, and will outline both the resulting opportunities and possible biases of different methods in each application.
Data fusion approach for characterization of corrosion-induced stress change in prestressing strands using modulated higher-order guided ultrasonic waves

This paper proposes a guided wave-based approach for monitoring stress redistribution in prestressing strands under corrosion. The stress dependence of wave velocity is leveraged for stress measurement, while targeting advantageous frequencies of higher-order wave modes to eliminate the geometric effects of corrosion. For practical longterm monitoring scenarios, where sensor reattachment/replacement may introduce artificial noise, a technique for eliminating such effects (called modal modulation) is also proposed. To demonstrate the approach, accelerated corrosion testing was carried out on a strand while actively generating and receiving higher-order modes. The strand was subjected to 29 cycles of accelerated corrosion (reaching 45% mass loss), with the 29th cycle terminated at the simultaneous fracture of three peripheral wires. The measurements from several higherorder modes were processed into a single estimate using a data fusion approach. The data fusion estimate showed good agreement with the measured stress values even under significant surface roughness (up to 20% mass loss), and especially under a large stress increase due to fracture. To evaluate the modal modulation technique, stress estimations obtained without applying the technique were also shown, which yielded incoherent results.
Endometriosis as a Comorbid Condition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): Secondary Analysis of Data From a CFS Case-Control Study

Background: Endometriosis (EM) is a recognized co-morbid condition in women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This analysis evaluates the impact of EM on the health of women with CFS by comparing selected health characteristics and laboratory parameters in women with CFS with and without EM (CFS+EM and CFS-only). Methods: This secondary analysis included all 36 women with CFS from a cross-sectional study of CFS in Wichita, KS, conducted between 2002 and 2003. The health characteristics and laboratory parameters of interest included functioning, fatigue, CFS-related symptoms, gynecologic history, routine laboratory parameters, inflammatory markers, cortisol levels, allostatic load, and sleep parameters (overnight polysomnography). We used parametric or non-parametric tests to compare group differences in the selected health characteristics and laboratory parameters. For examining the association between EM and variables of interest, logistic regression models were performed and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported for the magnitude of associations. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 (two-sided). Results: The mean age of this study sample was 50.9 years. Of women with CFS, 36.1% reported having EM. Age and body mass index (BMI) did not differ between CFS+EM and CFS-only groups. When examining the impact of EM, compared to women with CFS-only, women with both CFS and EM were more likely to report chronic pelvic pain [OR = 9.00 (95% CI, 1.47-55.25)] and hysterectomy [OR = 10.3 (1.82-58.39)], had more CFS symptoms (6.8 ± 0.3 vs. 5.5 ± 0.3, p = 0.02), younger mean age at menopause onset (36.4 ± 3.0 vs. 47.0 ± 2.7 years, p = 0.03), higher mean number of obstructive apnea episodes per hour (20.3 vs. 4.4, p = 0.05) and reported more negative life events (15.8 vs. 4.4, p = 0.05). Other parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: We found more than a third of women with CFS reported endometriosis as a comorbid condition. The endometriosis comorbidity was associated with chronic pelvic pain, earlier menopause, hysterectomy, and more CFS-related symptoms. However, endometriosis in women with CFS did not appear to further impact functioning, fatigue, inflammatory markers, or other laboratory parameters. Further investigations including younger women are warranted.
PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY AFTER EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE REMOVAL.

Purpose To describe a patient with newly developed paracentral acute middle maculopathy after uncomplicated epiretinal membrane removal. Methods Retrospective chart review. Results A 74-year-old white man underwent uncomplicated vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane removal in his left eye. One week later, the patient complained of a small paracentral visual field deficit and decreased visual acuity. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed a characteristic hyperreflective band-like lesion at the level of the inner nuclear layer, consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy. The patient was closely followed and endorsed subjective improvement of his paracentral visual deficit at 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion Paracentral acute middle maculopathy, although rare, may be encountered after epiretinal membrane removal.
'Born That Way' No More: The New Science of Sexual Orientation (with Unpublished Science Letter to the Editor)

A new study adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating that the dominant narrative about sexual orientation—that it is genetically determined—simply cannot be true. Instead, the science shows that a person’s sexual orientation and choice of partners depends heavily on the development and expression of personal autonomy regarding one’s own sexual possibilities. People with same-sex attractions should be legally and culturally free not to identify with or act on them. This Public Discourse op/ed was revised from a letter submitted to the editor of Science which was not published. This document contains1) the letter originally submitted to Science followed by 2) the draft submitted to Public Discourse and 3) the edited op/ed as published.
Why Automated Science Should Be Cautiously Welcomed

This paper assesses the positive and negative aspects of the use of automated methods in science. Four worries about the use of these methods are identified and discussed. A central example is the use of machine learning methods, especially with respect to image recognition. The concept of representational opacity is introduced as a supplement to the author’s previous account of epistemic opacity. Reasons are given for why some internal representations in machine learning may be permanently inaccessible to humans. Some parallels between the problem of scientific realism and the problems of internal representations in deep neural nets are given. The possibilities of using a reliabilist epistemology to address the worries are discussed and an epistemic version of the Precautionary Principle is given.
Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias From the Left Ventricular Apex in Patients Without Ischemic Heart Disease.

Abstract Background The left ventricular apex (LVA) is a well-described source of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and history of apical infarction but is a rare source of VA in the absence of CAD. Objectives This study aimed to characterize the incidence, clinical characteristics, and electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic features of LVA VA in the absence of CAD and to describe the experience with catheter ablation (CA) in this group. Methods Patients referred for CA of VA at our institution were retrospectively reviewed, and those with LVA VA in the absence of CAD were identified. Results Of 3,710 consecutive patients undergoing VA ablation, CA of LVA VA was performed in 24 patients (20 with monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, 4 with premature ventricular contractions or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia; 18 men; mean age: 54 ± 15 years). These cases comprised 10 of 35 (29%) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 9 of 789 (1.2%) nonischemic cardiomyopathy, and 5 of 1,432 (0.4%) idiopathic VA ablation procedures. VA QRS morphology was predominantly right bundle with slurred upstroke and right superior frontal plane axis with precordial transition ≤V3. Epicardial ablation was performed in 14 of 24 (58%). After a median of 1 procedure (range 1 to 4) at this institution and median follow-up of 47 months (range 0–176), VA recurred in 1 patient (4%). Conclusions LVA VA in the absence of CAD is unusual and may occur in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or nonischemic cardiomyopathy or, rarely, in the absence of structural heart disease. It can be recognized by characteristic ECG features. CA of LVA VA is challenging; multiple procedures, including epicardial approaches, may be required to achieve VA control over long-term follow-up.
The impact of population agglomeration of an area on its neighbors: evidence from the USA

Regions with high population agglomeration have always been important centers of growth throughout history. However, little is known about the economic spillovers an agglomerated region produces on its neighboring areas. In this paper, I look at the effect of growth of an agglomerated county on its surrounding non-agglomerated counties, by using the methods outlined in Qu and Lee (J Econom 184(2):209–232, 2015) and Qu et al. (Econom J 19(3):261–290, 2016). I use the US county as the geographic unit of analysis. The results show that the impact of is inverted U-shaped—at low levels of per capita income of an agglomerated county, growth has a positive impact on the neighboring non-agglomerated counties, relative to non-agglomerated counties that do not have any agglomerated counties nearby. However, as the agglomerated county gets richer, its relationship with the neighboring non-agglomerated county becomes negative, relative to the growth rate of a non-agglomerated county that has no agglomerated county nearby.
Poison ivy hairy root cultures enable a stable transformation system suitable for detailed investigation of urushiol metabolism

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is best known for causing exasperating allergenic delayed-contact dermatitis symptoms that last for weeks on persons who have contacted the plant. Urushiols are alkylcatechols produced by poison ivy responsible for causing this dermatitis. While urushiol chemical structures are well known, the metabolic intermediates and genes responsible for their biosynthesis have not been experimentally validated. A molecular genetic characterization of urushiol biosynthesis in poison ivy will require stable genetic transformation and subsequent regeneration of organs that retain the capacity synthesize urushiol. To this end, Agrobacterium rhizogenes was used to generate hormone-independent poison ivy hairy root cultures. Optimal conditions for hairy root formation were skotomorphic poison ivy hypocotyls prick-inoculated with A. rhizogenes, and preferential propagation of cultures with an atypical clumpy hairy root growth habit. The origin of the poison ivy accession used for A. rhizogenes prick-inoculation did not affect the initial formation of calli/hairy root primordia, but rather significantly influenced the establishment of long-term hormone-independent hairy root growth. A. rhizogenes harboring a recombinant T-DNA binary plasmid with an intron-containing Firefly Luciferase gene produced stable transgenic hairy root lines expressing luciferase activity at high frequency. Poison ivy hairy root lines produced significantly lower steady-state urushiol levels relative to wild-type roots, but higher urushiol levels than a poison ivy undifferentiated callus line with undetectable urushiol levels, suggesting that urushiol biosynthesis requires intact poison ivy organs. The lower urushiol levels in poison ivy hairy root lines facilitated the first identification of anacardic acid metabolites initially in hairy roots, and subsequently in wild-type roots as well. This study establishes a transformation hairy root regeneration protocol for poison ivy that can serve as a platform for future reverse-genetic studies of urushiol biosynthesis in poison ivy hairy roots.
Perceived Institutional Barriers Among Clinical and Research Professionals: Minority Participation in Oncology Clinical Trials.

PURPOSE:In general, participation rates in cancer clinical trials are very low. However, participation rates are especially low among the socially disadvantaged and racial and ethnic minority group...
Prevention of Steroid-Induced Neuropsychiatric Complications With Neuroleptic Drugs: A Review:

Corticosteroids are used for a multitude of indications in palliative patients. In this narrative review, we aim to review literature on the treatment and prevention of neuropsychiatric complications of steroids. For prevention, only lamotrigine had a positive effect in a small number of studies. For treatment, olanzapine appears to be nearly universally effective at low doses, but randomized trial evidence is lacking. Further randomized clinical trials are necessary to elucidate data-driven guidelines for prevention and treatment of corticosteroid-induced neuropsychiatric symptoms. Until further data are available, it is reasonable to consider low dose olanzapine for any patient taking 40 mg of prednisone or its equivalent, especially those with a history of depression or neuropsychiatric symptoms.
“MISS RONA IS REALLY CLAPPING THE WHITE SUPREMACISTS”: BLACK TWITTER'S POLITICAL HUMOR IN COVID-19 TIMES

As has been widely reported, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately sickened and killed Black Americans. At the same time, however, there is a significant body of conversation on Black Twitter that jokes about the pandemic. This includes tweets that nickname the pandemic as "Miss Rona,” as in “god i need a drink so bad, miss rona i promise i will be good.” Through an analysis of tweets using the “Miss Rona” nickname, we examine how Black Twitter humor serves as a site of political critique of both public policy failures and the Trump administration more broadly, with users leveraging practices like Signifyin’, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and wordplay to resist legibility by outsiders as they orient toward their own community. Black humor is political commentary that resonates with the Black community because the tweets address or refer to Black trauma during the pandemic: dealing with continued racial violence, white supremacist ideology, and medical disparities based on race. The tweets are also expressions of Black Twitter catharsis (joy despite pain) through witty one-sided Twitter banters that skillfully and playfully engage with several facets of the social and political climate. We consider how these conversations go beyond laughing to keep from crying to coded political statements and cultural alliance, and argue that Black Twitter’s jokes about the collective trauma of COVID-19 is a resource for online camaraderie, cultural critique, and community affiliation.
Heritable Nongenetic Information in the Form of the DNA-Autonomous Tissue Spatial Code that Governs Organismal Development, Tissue Regeneration, and Tumor Architecture

Numerous studies of the tumor microenvironment, interspecies xenografting, and limb regeneration suggest the existence of a tissue spatial code [TSC] that controls tissue structure in a quasi "epigenetic" fashion. Epigenetic is an inadequate label, because this information does not act directly upon DNA molecules like methylation. A broader term is needed to capture the diversity of three-dimensional spatial codes in biology. One such term is Heritable Nongenetic Information [HNI], which encompasses the TSC. The term heritable is appropriate because this information is passed onto offspring, otherwise it would have disappeared during evolution. Another reason for the heritability of HNI is that the spatial information observed in tissues is not reducible to the laws of physics, meaning structures like epithelial tubes or neural circuits do not spontaneously form in an aqueous solution. Pre-existing physiological information in the microenvironment is necessary.
A Review of Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror

I have never met Hazel Thornton, although in the past few months, I have spoken to her on the phone a couple of times. We share the same last name, and apparently, the same great great grandfather. But until very recently, we were oblivious to each other's existence.
Optimal self-adjusting trees for dynamic string data in secondary storage

We present a self-adjusting layout scheme for suffix trees in secondary storage that provides optimal number of disk accesses for a sequence of string or substring queries. This has been an open problem since Sleator and Tarjan presented their splaying technique to create self-adjusting binary search trees in 1985. In addition to resolving this open problem, our scheme provides two additional advantages: 1) The partitions are slowly readjusted, requiring fewer disk accesses than splaying methods, and 2) the initial state of the layout is balanced, making it useful even when the sequence of queries is not highly skewed. Our method is also applicable to PATRICIA trees, and potentially to other data structures.
Retrograde Lacrimal Duct Airflow During Nasal Positive Pressure Ventilation

Noninvasive ventilation is widely used for chronic respiratory failure in children with neuromuscular disorders, thus avoiding the need for tracheostomy. However, the pressures required to support ventilation in these children may be considerably higher than those necessary to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The complications of nasal positive airway pressure are numerous, including skin breakdown, conjunctivitis, nasal congestion, airway dryness, pneumothorax, and bowel obstruction. Ophthalmologic complaints are particularly common, largely attributed to an air leak in the mask. In the present case, we demonstrate, through two modalities—video and CT scan—retrograde airflow through the nasolacrimal duct causing sleep disruption and eye irritation in a profoundly hypotonic 14-month-old boy with chronic respiratory failure on bilevel ventilation during sleep. Citation: Zandieh S; Katz ES. Retrograde lacrimal duct airflow during nasal positive pressure ventilation. J Clin Sleep Med 2010;6(6):603-604.
Prenylation of proteins by the intact lens.

PURPOSE To describe and identify proteins prenylated by the intact rat lens. METHODS Lenses from young rats were incubated for 24 hours in TC199 medium containing 22 microM lovastatin and 110 microCi/ml [3H]mevalonolactone. Proteins of the epithelium and fiber cells were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis, and the 3H label was detected by fluorography. Treatment of labeled proteins with methyl iodide released isoprenes that were identified by HPLC analysis. The identity of the prenylated proteins was probed by N-terminal sequence analysis and matrix-assisted, laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). RESULTS The pattern of protein prenylation by epithelial and fiber cells was similar. Most of the labeled proteins were water insoluble and were assumed to be membrane associated. A group of 21-kDa to 29-kDa proteins were most intensely labeled and were modified mainly with geranylgeranyl. A highly labeled, approximately 80-kDa insoluble protein and a lesser labeled, 64-kDa soluble protein were the only other significant prenylated proteins. Both were farnesylated. MALDI-MS analysis suggested that the 80-kDa protein is a cytokeratin. N-terminal sequence analysis indicated that the 64-kDa soluble protein is beta-tubulin. CONCLUSIONS A limited set of proteins are prenylated by the young rat lens. The 21-kDa to 29-kDa proteins were modified mainly by geranylgeranyl and are likely members of the numerous small GTP binding proteins. The authors express caution about accepting the identities of the 64-kDa and 80-kDa proteins as beta-tubulin and cytokeratin-1, respectively--proteins in these families do not contain the required CAAX motif. The 80-kDa farnesylated protein could be novel and unique to the lens, because no farnesylated protein of this size has been previously reported.
Acute median nerve compression neuropathy from a foreign body in the forearm.

Acute compression of the median nerve in the forearm usually occurs from compartment syndrome. A case of acute compression neuropathy of the median nerve from a foreign body, where there was no evidence of compartment syndrome, is reported. The diagnosis was made from the patient’s symptoms and radiographs. Early recognition and decompression of the forearm with removal of the foreign body led to full recovery.
Body dissatisfaction in California adolescents.

Purpose: Factors that contribute to body dissatisfaction among adolescents from ethnically diverse California were examined to determine if the factors vary with gender and race. Data sources: Data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey were used; 1807 White, Latino, and Asian American adolescents from 12 to 17 years old were included. Conclusions: Ordinal multiple logistic regression with gender and ethnicity controlled for revealed two major factors (high body mass index and poor/fair general health status) contribute to body dissatisfaction across gender and ethnicity in California adolescents. Other factors related to body dissatisfaction varied with ethnicity and gender. Implications for practice: Gender- and ethnicity-specific interventions to improve body image in adolescents must be developed.
Phytoremediation by Constructed Wetlands

A constructed wetland is a wastewater treatment facility that duplicates the processes in natural wetlands. Constructed wetlands are complex, integrated systems in which water, plants, animals, microorganisms, and the environment interact to improve water quality. Phytoremediation, defined as cleansing of the environment using vegetation, is the primary water treatment process in constructed wetlands. The advantages of phytoremediation using constructed wetlands are that it is environmentally friendly, a sustainable technology, and cost-effective; the primary disadvantages are potentially incomplete removal of pollutants and pest attraction. Successful implementation of phytoremediation technology in constructed wetlands is a function of a number of interrelated biophysicochemical factors, including the types and fate of toxicants, characteristics of soil and sediment, plant species and plant uptake, hydrology and water flow, and microbial population. Hence, phytoremediation by constructed wetlands generally reflects an integrated multidisciplinary effort that combines plant biology, microbiology, surface chemistry, hydrology, and environmental engineering. The initial construction of wetlands, taking into account all these factors to design the most appropriate and effective method for removing target pollutants is labor-intensive and expensive, but low maintenance and operating costs make constructed wetlands a much more economically viable alternative to conventional physical and chemical treatments. Above all, the use of plants in environmental cleanup may guarantee a greener and cleaner planet for us and for future generations. Keywords: water pollution; wastewater treatment; water quality; wetlands; environmental remediation
A possible cause of joint destruction in septic arthritis.

Received: 2 August 1999 Accepted: 31 August 1999 Published: 9 September 1999 © Current Science Ltd Important note about how to cite this article This article is also available online in the Arthritis Research website. To avoid confusion, please ensure that only the online version of the article is cited in any reference, as follows: Krieg AM: A possible cause of joint destruction in septic arthritis [commentary]. http://arthritis-research.com/09sep99/ar0101c01 http://arthritis-research.com/09sep99/ar0101c01
β-Aspartylglucosylamine Amido Hydrolase of Rat Liver and Kidney

Abstract A variety of rat tissues have the ability to hydrolyze 1-l-β-aspartamido[-2-acetamido]-1,2-dideoxy-β-d-glucose. In rat liver and kidney the enzyme is present in lysosomes. The lysosomal nature of the enzyme was established by the amount of enzyme sedimentable with mitochondrial and light mitochondrial particles, by the purification of lysosomes, and by the isolation of Triton WR 1339-filled liver lysosomes. Freezing and thawing, osmotic shock, and treatment with Triton X-100 resulted in the release of the enzyme from lysosomes. The kidney lysosomal enzyme was purified 430-fold by Sephadex gel filtration and the liver enzyme 650-fold by chromatography on carboxymethyl cellulose. In both instances the enzyme was well separated from β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. The pH optimum of the enzyme was 7.6. The Km was 5.9 x 10-4 m. The enzyme was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate, and by copper and nickel ions. Other divalent metal ions did not have any effect. The enzyme was quite stable in dilute solutions for prolonged periods of time. The purified enzyme had no asparaginase activity, but liberated aspartic acid from the substrate. It is concluded that the enzyme is an amidase. It is suggested that the amidase is involved in the intracellular digestion of glycoproteins.
Estimation of hospital emergency room data using otc pharmaceutical sales and least mean square filters

Surveillance of Over-the-Counter pharmaceutical (OTC) sales as a potential early indicator of developing public health conditions, in particular in cases of interest to Bioterrorism, has been suggested in the literature. The data streams of interest are quite non-stationary and we address this problem from the viewpoint of linear adaptive filter theory: the clinical data is the primary channel which is to be estimated from the OTC data that form the reference channels. The OTC data are grouped into a few categories and we estimate the clinical data using each individual category, as well as using a multichannel filter that encompasses all the OTC categories. The estimation (in the least mean square sense) is performed using an FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter and the normalized LMS algorithm. We show all estimation results and present a table of effectiveness of each OTC category, as well as the effectiveness of the combined filtering operation. Individual group results clearly show the effectiveness of each particular group in estimating the clinical hospital data and serve as a guide as to which groups have sustained correlations with the clinical data. Our results indicate that Multichannle adaptive FIR least squares filtering is a viable means of estimating public health conditions from OTC sales, and provide quantitative measures of time dependent correlations between the clinical data and the OTC data channels.
Role of vitamin B 6 biosynthetic rate in the study of vitamin B 6 synthesis in Escherichia coli.

Nutritional auxotrophs of Escherichia coli synthesize vitamin B6 compounds at a rate of 1 × 10−10 to 2 × 10−10 moles per hr per mg (dry weight) of cells when they are suspended in minimal medium lacking their required nutrients. A few auxotrophs have been found to stop or reduce vitamin B6 synthesis during such an experiment. These include thiamineless, citrate synthaseless, and pyridoxineless mutants as well as mutants which require four carbon compounds for growth. Glycolaldehyde was found to restore vitamin B6 synthesis in the last named of these mutants without restoring normal growth. A class of pyridoxineless mutants which responded with normal growth to 0.4 mm glycolaldehyde or 0.15 × 10−3 mm pyridoxol was also found. The results suggest that a thiamine pyrophosphate-requiring step as well as glycolaldehyde may be involved in pyridoxal phosphate biosynthesis.
Polyethylene glycol and solutions of polyethylene glycol as green reaction media

In this review, we examine the concept that aqueous biphasic reactive extraction (ABRE) can successfully integrate the solvent properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and its phase-transfer characteristics into a single efficient system which can additionally be manipulated to facilitate the separation of reactants and/or catalysts from products. We also suggest that the properties of these systems may recommend them as being relatively environmentally benign in comparison to the current use of organic solvents in extraction and in reactive extraction. In developing this concept, we review a number of the physical and chemical properties of PEG and aqueous solutions of PEG in the context of recent applications to chemical reaction engineering. Thus, we cover the interesting physical properties of PEG solutions in water, their unique solvent properties, and finally the metal cation coordination ability of PEG solutions. These properties are important in the application of low molecular weight liquid PEG as a solvent in chemical reactions; in the use of PEG as an alternative phase-transfer catalyst (PTC); and in the application of ABRE in the development of alternative pulping processes, catalytic chemistry, and enzymatic catalysis.
Numerical simulation of Richtmyer–Meshkov instabilities in shocked gas curtains

We report implicit large-eddy simulations of (Mach 1.2) shocked SF6 gas curtain (GC) experiments addressing the impact of initial conditions (ICs) on material mixing and transition to turbulence. Initial GCs with realistic three-dimensional characteristics are generated with separate Navier–Stokes–Boussinesq simulations of a mixture of SF6 and air falling through the shock-tube test section. SF6 concentration fluctuations present in the laboratory experiments are emulated to address their potential effects. The predicted evolution of shocked GC widths is fairly robust and insensitive to ICs and grid resolution before reshock and in good agreement with laboratory experiments. After reshock, predicted results are sensitive to IC spectral content and its consequences on the morphology of the thicker more-complex mixing layers at reshock time. The presence of small-scale material-concentration fluctuations in ICs can promote late-time features traditionally associated with transition to turbulence, i.e., fast...
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of tahitian jouissance

This article traces the peculiar conjunction of property and sexuality that precipitates the fall from a prior, undifferentiated state of nature into a civilized state of enforced renunciation and social constraint in eighteenth-century representations of Tahiti. Juxtaposing the navigation journals from Bougainville's voyage around the world, Rousseau's account of the state of nature in the Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inegalite, and Diderot's riff on the island in his Supplement au voyage de Bougainville, the article examines the ways property claims in persons—both in women and in the children they bear—organize the very nature of sexual desire. At the heart of the nexus of sexuality and property in these accounts lies the double sense that the word jouissance, like its English counterpart "enjoyment," possesses: as both right of property use and sexual pleasure.
A Distributed System Adaptive Control Strategy

One attitude control device being studied for large spacecraft consists of two counter-rotating rings, each designated as an annular momentum control device (AMCD), that are attached to a spacecraft using several magnetic bearings distributed along the circumference of the rings. For large spacecraft large rings are desirable. Unfortunately, for large rings flexibility is appreciable and it becomes necessary to account for the distributed nature of the rings in the design of the magnetic bearing controllers. Also ring behavior is unpredictably sensitive to ring termperature, spin rate, manufacturing imperfections, and other variables. For that reason a distributed adaptive microcomputer-based control system is being sought for ring stabilization and maneuvering. An original adaptive-control methodology for distributed-parameter systems is detailed and application to spinning ring, i. e., AMCD, stabilization is used as an illustration. The proposed methodology, presented as a step-by-step procedure, combines a lumped-parameter expansion description of distributed parameter systems with a fundamental simultaneous identification and control strategy. Simulations are presented providing preliminary evidence of the capabilities of the proposed procedure.
Joint optimization of pavement design, resurfacing and maintenance strategies with history-dependent deterioration models

The subject of this paper is the joint optimization of pavement design, maintenance and resurfacing (M&R) strategies. This problem is solved for continuous pavement state, continuous time, infinite planning horizon and non-Markovian (history-dependent) pavement deterioration model. This paper presents a mathematical formulation of the joint optimization problem to minimize the total discounted lifecycle costs, using a combination of analytical and numerical tools. The lifecycle costs include both user costs and agency (construction, resurfacing and maintenance) costs. This paper shows that resurfacing schedule converges to a steady state after a few resurfacing cycles. The research results should be of use to developing countries in the process of expanding their highway networks facing multiple constraints.
Reconfigurable antennas in cognitive radio that can think for themselves

This paper discusses the use of reconfigurable antennas in cognitive radio. Most of the emphasis on cognitive radio so far has been in the area of spectral estimation and signal classification. In this paper we show that once a cognitive device manages to learn the RF environment (cognition part), from past observations and decisions using machine learning techniques, we can use the collected data to train reconfigurable antennas to adapt to any change in the RF environment.
Tailoring polarization state of spoof surface plasmons with chiral metal surfaces

Spoof surface modes with engineered polarization state are predicted to exist at structured conducting surfaces with planar chirality. We confirm experimentally that excitation of these modes by incident light results in polarization rotation.
It's 10 a.m.: Do You Know Where Your Children Are? The Persisting Issue of School Truancy.

Truancy is not a new problem, but schools are in need of new solutions (Gullat & Lemoine, 1997). Truancy is a known predictor of students leaving school prior to graduation (Garry, 1996). In this article, the author defines truancy and addresses the views of educators and community members on the topic. The discussion will also include effective interventions and discuss a proposed intervention developed by the author and two colleagues to address truancy.
Cell-surface receptor for ecotropic murine retroviruses is a basic amino-acid transporter

The complementary DNA sequence encoding the cell-surface receptor for ecotropic host-range murine retroviruses (ecoR) shows that it contains 622 amino acids and 14 hydrophobic potentially membrane-spanning sequences. Because this receptor occurs on many or all murine cells and is probably essential for viability of cultured fibroblasts, its normal function might be to transport an essential metabolite. We expressed ecoR in Xenopus laevis oocytes by injecting RNA transcribed from the cloned cDNA. These oocytes specifically bound the gp70 envelope glycoprotein from an ecotropic murine leukaemia virus. An inward current was recorded electrophysiologically when a mixture of amino-acids was applied: this resulted from a stereoselective, saturable uptake of lysine, arginine and ornithine; it was independent of sodium and not substantially altered by gp70. Cysteine and homoserine were also taken up, but sodium was necessary for their transport. These properties of ecoR correspond to those of the y+ amino-acid transporter. Our results demonstrate the subversion of a ubiquitous cell membrane protein, in this case a basic amino acid transporter, for use as a retroviral receptor.
A Feminist Avant-Garde: Martha Edelheit's “Erotic Art” in the 1960s

In the spring of 1966, an exhibition of Martha Nilsson Edelheit's (b. 1931) work at Byron Gallery in New York prompted Allan Kaprow to write an article for the Village Voice addressing the signific...
En las manos de Dios [In God’s hands]: religious and other forms of coping among Latinos with arthritis

This study tested a theoretical model concerning religious, passive, and active coping; pain; and psychological adjustment among a sample of 200 Latinos with arthritis. Respondents reported using high levels of religious coping. A path analysis indicated that religious coping was correlated with active but not with passive coping. Religious coping was directly related to psychological well-being. Passive coping was associated with greater pain and worse adjustment. The effects of active coping on pain, depression, and psychological well-being were entirely indirect, mediated by acceptance of illness and self-efficacy. These findings warrant more research on the mechanisms that mediate the relationship between coping and health. This study contributes to a growing literature on religious coping among people with chronic illness, as well as contributing to a historically under-studied ethnic group.
Effects of obesity on aerobic fitness in adolescent females.

• Obesity impairs performance in most athletic events, but the influence of increased body fat on cardiopulmonary function has not been clearly delineated. An understanding of the fatness-fitness relationship is important in the optimal design of exercise programs for obese subjects. In this study, 27 adolescent females with body fat levels ranging from normal to gross obesity were evaluated to determine the impact of adiposity on physiologic factors during maximal and submaximal treadmill walking. Increased skinfold measures correlated significantly with absolute maximal oxygen uptake throughout the range of body fat levels (r=.72), and oxygen consumption per kilogram of body weight and treadmill endurance time both declined as fatness increased (r= −.49 and −.42, respectively). Obesity did not affect submaximal walking economy. These findings indicate that increased fat levels are associated with increased cardiopulmonary exercise capacity, but that functional fitness declines because of the inert load created by excess body fat. Therefore, therapeutic exercise programs for obese adolescents are best designed to increase caloric expenditure and decrease body fat rather than to improve aerobic fitness. (AJDC. 1991;145:764-768)
Synthetic LISA: Simulating time delay interferometry in a model LISA

We report on three numerical experiments on the implementation of Time-Delay Interferometry (TDI) for LISA, performed with Synthetic LISA, a C++/Python package that we developed to simulate the LISA science process at the level of scientific and technical requirements. Specifically, we study the laser-noise residuals left by first-generation TDI when the LISA armlengths have a realistic time dependence; we characterize the armlength-measurement accuracies that are needed to have effective laser-noise cancellation in both first- and second-generation TDI; and we estimate the quantization and telemetry bitdepth needed for the phase measurements. Synthetic LISA generates synthetic time series of the LISA fundamental noises, as filtered through all the TDI observables; it also provides a streamlined module to compute the TDI responses to gravitational waves according to a full model of TDI, including the motion of the LISA array and the temporal and directional dependence of the armlengths. We discuss the theoretical model that underlies the simulation, its implementation, and its use in future investigations on system-characterization and data-analysis prototyping for LISA.
Chromosome replication and the division cycle of Escherichia coli B/r

It is suggested that the replication of the bacterial genome during the division cycle of Escherichia coli Br growing with doubling times between approximately 20 and 60 minutes can be described by two constants: C, the time for a replication point to traverse the genome, and D, the time between the end of a round of replication and cell division. Direct measurements of C, D and C + D agree with the model. The predictions of the model are consistent with autoradiographic and biochemical data, and with the finding of “gaps” in DNA synthesis during slow growth and multiple replication forks during rapid growth. Measurements of the DNA content of cells with predicted chromosome configurations led to an estimate of the molecular weight of the bacterial genome (non-replicating) of 2.6 × 109 daltons, in good agreement with other, independent measurements.
Prehospital blind nasotracheal intubation by paramedics

Blind nasotracheal intubation attempts by paramedics in the field were prospectively reviewed. In particular, we analyzed the frequency, success rate, complication rate, frequency of performance by each paramedic, indications, and patient outcome. Blind nasotracheal intubation was attempted in 324 patients and successful in 231. The average success rate for medical patients was 72.2% (195 of 270 attempts) and for trauma patients was 66.7% (36 of 54 attempts). This difference was not significant ( P > .05). Even with 59.8% of the 82 participating paramedics attempting blind nasotracheal incubation less than four times over the 19-month study period, the average success rate was 71.3%. There was a significant increase in success when blind nasotracheal intubation was attempted more than three times during the study period ( P P > .05). Blind nasotracheal intubation is a safe initial field airway approach in spontaneously breathing patients in whom there are no contraindications. Even with a low frequency of performance, success and complication rates are acceptable.