cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics Investigation of OH reaction with isoprene at 240-340 K and 1-3 torr using the relative rate/discharge flow/mass spectrometry technique.

The kinetics of the reaction of OH radical with isoprene has been investigated at a total pressure of 1−3 Torr over a temperature range of 240−340 K using the relative rate/discharge flow/mass spectrometry (RR/DF/MS) technique. The reaction of isoprene with OH was found to be independent of pressure over the pressure range of 1−3 Torr at 298 K, and the reaction had reached its high-pressure limit at 1 Torr. However, the rate constant of this reaction is found to positively depend on pressure at 1−3 Torr and 340 K. At 298 K, the rate constant of this reaction was determined to be k1 = (10.4 ± 1.9) × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which is in good agreement with literature values. The Arrhenius expression for this reaction was determined to be k1 = (2.33 ± 0.09) × 10-11 exp[(444 ± 27)/T] cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 240−340 K. The atmospheric lifetime of isoprene was estimated to be 2.9 h based on the rate constant of isoprene + OH determined at 277 K in the present work.
Engaging worksite bystanders to reduce risky driving

Many workplace fatalities in both the United States and Canada involve motor vehicles. In order to address these high percentages of fatalities, a growing trend of research addressing workplace efforts to reduce motor vehicle incidents has emerged. In this study, a survey of 399 workers from 19 worksites among six different organizations (three for-profit businesses, two private utilities, and two public agencies or forms of government) in Ontario, Canada revealed that most employees agreed they should try and prevent coworkers from engaging in six different risky driving behaviors: not wearing a seat belt, texting while driving, using a cell phone while driving, aggressive driving or speeding, fatigued driving, and driving after drinking alcohol. The Positive Community Norms framework (Linkenbach, Keller, Otto, Swinford, & Ward, 2012) was utilized to inform an intervention using the theory of planned behavior to predict bystander engagement by workers to prevent these six risky driving behaviors. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the beliefs most associated with intervening intentions and behaviors. The study revealed that an individual’s perception of the norm regarding intention to intervene was most predictive of the individual’s own self-reported intention to intervene. Recommendations for interventions and further research are presented.
Avoiding errors in reasoning: an introduction to logical fallacies.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this article is to provide all students of radiology, from novices to experts, a framework for understanding common errors in reasoning.CONCLUSION. By familiarizing ourselves with common fallacies, we can take steps to reduce the probability that we will commit such errors or fail to recognize and respond appropriately to them when they occur.
A simple and inexpensive method for assessing in vitro candidacidal activity of leukocytes.

Candidacidal activity of mouse neutrophils and macrophages was determined directly in microtiter plates. After a suitable period of interaction between phagocytic cells and C. albicans in the wells, the mouse cells were lysed with distilled water and corn meal agar was added to each well. Following incubation at 37°C, viability was assessed using an inverted microscope and counting the number of germ tubes or microcolonies which developed. This method does not use radioisotopes or vital stains and should be applicable to other genera of yeasts.
Comparison of bootstrap and prior-probability synthetic data balancing methods for SAR target recognition

This paper compares bootstrap techniques with prior probability synthetic data balancing to determine which method is more effective for SAR target recognition. A bootstrap method resamples from the original target data to present more target examples to the ATR for training. Prior probability synthetic data balancing prevents the double counting of information by just resampling the smaller set. However, prior probability synthetic data balancing necessitates equivalent distributions from data sets which reduces the data set to the size of the smaller set. A new type of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, based on varying the proportion of target data in the data set is presented to compare the two methods. The paper demonstrates the implementation of the data balancing of two targets from the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) data set using an entropy metric for target classification.
CLOSURE OF LARYNGECTOMY DEFECTS IN THE AGE OF CHEMORADIATION THERAPY

The use of chemoradiation therapy in laryngeal cancer has resulted in significant reconstructive challenges. Although reconstruction of salvage laryngectomy defects remains controversial, current literature supports aggressive management of these defects with vascularized tissue, even when there is sufficient pharyngeal tissue present for primary closure. Significant advancement in reconstructive techniques has permitted improved outcomes in patients with advanced disease who require total laryngopharyngectomy or total laryngoglossectomy. Use of enteric and fasciocutaneous flaps result in good patient outcomes. Finally, wound complication rates after salvage surgery approach 60% depending on comorbid conditions such as cardiac insufficiency, hypothyroidism, or extent of previous treatment. Neck dehiscence, great vessel exposure, fistula formation, or cervical skin necrosis results in complex wounds that can often be treated initially with negative pressure dressings followed by definitive reconstruction. The timing of repair and approach to the vessel-depleted neck also present challenges in this patient population. Currently, there is significant institutional bias in the management of the patient with postchemoradiation salvage laryngectomy. Future prospective multi-institutional studies are certainly needed to more clearly define optimal treatment of these difficult patients.
Dietary intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Few studies have evaluated the potential association between consumption of fruit and vegetables and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by histologic subtype, and the results of these studies have been inconsistent. A detailed history of dietary practices and food preferences was collected using a food frequency questionnaire from 348 cases and 470 controls in a population-based, case–control study conducted in Nebraska during 1999–2002. Risk for the highest versus lowest quartile or tertile of intake was estimated by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs). A lower risk of overall NHL was associated with a high intake of green leafy vegetables (OR = 0.6; CI = 0.3–1.0) and cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.7; CI = 0.4–1.0). Analysis by subtype showed that green leafy vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of follicular lymphoma (OR = 0.5; CI = 0.3–0.8) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (OR = 0.5; CI = 0.3–0.9), while consumption of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a lower risk of DLBCL (OR = 0.4; CI = 0.2–0.8). No association was found with intake of total vegetables, carotene-rich vegetables, or all fruit. For nutrients, the risk of NHL overall was inversely associated with a higher intake of β-cryptoxanthin (OR = 0.6; CI = 0.4–0.9), magnesium (OR = 0.4; CI = 0.2–0.6), potassium (OR = 0.5; CI = 0.3–1.0), and fiber (OR = 0.6; CI = 0.3–1.0), but positively associated with a higher intake of retinol (OR = 1.7; CI = 1.1–2.8). Intakes of vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium were inversely associated with the risk of DLBCL. A higher intake of green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables is associated with a lower risk of NHL overall, particularly follicular lymphoma and DLBCL.
Design consideration for a high reliability photovoltaic solar energy converter

Abstract Solar radiation data have been examined to determine the storage requirements for a photovoltaic solar energy conversion system having a high reliability. It has been found that a low failure rate can be obtained with one and one-half days' storage if the demand power rate is set at about one-half the winter's average daily production rate.
Surface modification of poly(ether sulfone) ultrafiltration membranes by low-temperature plasma-induced graft polymerization

Low-temperature helium plasma treatment followed by grafting of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) onto poly(ether sulfone) (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes was used to modify commercial PES membranes. Helium plasma treatment alone and post-NVP grafting substantially increased the surface hydrophilicity compared with the unmodified virgin PES membranes. The degree of modification was adjusted by plasma treatment time and polymerization conditions (temperature, NVP concentration, and graft density). The NVP-grafted PES surfaces were characterized by Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Plasma treatment roughened the membrane as measured by atomic-force microscopy. Also, using a filtration protocol to simulate protein fouling and cleaning potential, the surface modified membranes were notably less susceptible to BSA fouling than the virgin PES membrane or a commercial low-protein binding PES membrane. In addition, the modified membranes were easier to clean and required little caustic to recover permeation flux. The absolute and relative permeation flux values were quite similar for the plasma-treated and NVP-grafted membranes and notably higher than the virgin membrane. The main difference being the expected long-term instability of the plasma treated as compared with the NVP-grafted membranes. These results provide a foundation for using low-temperature plasma-induced grafting on PES with a variety of other molecules, including other hydrophilic monomers besides NVP, charged or hydrophobic molecules, binding domains, and biologically active molecules such as enzymes and ribozymes. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 1699–1711, 1999
It's Not Just Being Popular, it's Knowing it, too: The Role of Self‐perceptions of Status in the Associations between Peer Status and Aggression

Moderators of the well‐established association between status and overt and relational aggression were tested in a four‐year longitudinal sample (N = 358) of high school students. Self‐perceptions of popularity were found to moderate the link between actual peer‐perceived popularity and aggression, with adolescents who were both popular and aware of their popular status, scoring highest on peer‐nominated aggression and showing the greatest increases in aggression over time. Self‐perceptions of liking moderated the associations between social preference and aggression as well. Adolescents who saw themselves as disliked were particularly likely to show increases in aggression over time. The moderating effect of self‐perceptions was further moderated by gender in several cases. Findings are discussed in light of Coie's theory of the development of peer status theory. The social‐cognitive elements of high peer status, particularly of perceived popularity, are also highlighted.
Cue-locus—A factor in the behavioral deficiency of the developing protein-malnourished monkey (Macaca mulatta)

Four groups of infant rhesus monkeys were separated from their mothers at 90 days of age, housed individually, and placed on purified diets which contained either 25 or 3.5% protein at 120 or 210 days of age. At approximately 1,375 days of age, brightness discrimination problems were presented in which the locus of the cues was either central or peripheral and the area of the different cues was varied. No significant differences were found for diet, cue area, or diet × area interaction for peripherally located cues on original learning, shift 1, or reversal conditions. A significant decline in performance levels was detected for all groups as the area of the cues decreased in the central locus condition. Subjects maintained on diets deficient in protein, which were reversed to central cues, exhibited a marked decrement in performance when compared to the high protein controls. Further, malnourished subjects were considerably inferior to high protein animals on the smallest cue areas in shift 1 and shift 2 leading to a significant diet × cue area interaction. Under reversal conditions for centrally located cues, low protein subjects were found to perform at significantly lower levels than the high protein controls. These results are consistent with both a visual sampling model of attention and a number of two-stage models of attention.
Effect of interconfigurational fluctuations on superconducting magnetic alloys

Abstract A theory which includes impurity-atom correlation and many electron structure at the outset and gives rise to interconfigurational excitation energy resonances close to the Fermi energy is applied to effects of Ce impurities on the superconducting transition temperature of La and La1−xThx, as functions of pressure and x respectively, and on the normal state resistivity of La as a function of pressure.
Valuation under imperfect information: Bayesian learning from the performance of the firm and the market

This paper develops a valuation model for a project or firm in the presence of uncertainty about the mean of the probability distribution of the cash flows generated by the project. Its major point is that in the presence of parameter uncertainty the value of the project is smaller than in the case where the mean cash flows is perfectly known. The second point is that when there is a known covariance between project cash flows and aggregate market cash flows investors can learn about the unknown mean cash flows by observing the market. This is referred to as ‘learning from the market’.
A critique of excitation models for partial saturation of transient absorbance

Abstract A method to measure excited state extinction coefficients and quantum yields of formation and to calibrate laser intensity, based on the partial saturation of, for example, transient absorbance, is analyzed. Previous discussion of this method has been based on a two-state model of the excitation process. For cases such as excited triplet-triplet absorption, the participation of a third state, the first excited singlet, can disrupt this simple picture. In the current work we develop a three-state model of the excitation-deactivation process which satisfactorily incorporates the effect of the intermediate level. Complications such as spatial inhomogeneity of the exciting pulse and hence of transient concentration are not dealt with and samples are assumed to be optically thin. From the more general model it can be seen that interpretation of the partial saturation method based on the two-state model will work properly only under restrictive conditions of relatively short singlet lifetime τS ⪡ kex−1 (the inverse of the excitation rate) and relatively long pulse lengths Γp ⪢ kisc−1 (the inverse of the intersystem crossing rate). Numerical simulations are performed on some typical systems to illustrate the limits of the methods. These simulations also indicate that even when it appears the method is working well, i.e. the saturation curve is well described, the derived parameters may not be related to the underlying photophysical properties of the system.
High resolution cloud feature tracking on Venus by Galileo

The Venus cloud deck was monitored in February 1990 for 16 hours at 400 nanometers wavelength by the Galileo imaging system, with a spatial resolution of about 15 km and with image time separations as small as 10 minutes. Velocities are deduced by following the motion of small cloud features. In spite of the high temporal frequence is capable of being detected, no dynamical phenomena are apparent in the velocity data except the already well-known solar tides, possibly altered by the slow 4-day wave and the Hadley circulation. There is no evidence, to a level of approximately 4 m/s, of eddy or wavelike activity. The dominant size of sub-global scale albedo features is 200-500 km, and their contrast is approximately 5%. At low altitudes there are patches of blotchy, cell-like structures but at most locations the markings are streaky. The patterns are similar to those discovered by Mariner 10 and Pioneer Venus (M. J. S. Belton et al., 1976, W. B. Rossow et al., 1980). Scaling arguments are presented to argue that the mesoscale blotchy cell-like cloud patterns are caused by local dynamics driven in a shallow layer by differential absorption of sunlight. It is also argued that mesoscale albedo features are either streaky or cell-like simply depending on whether the horizontal shear of the large scale flow exceeds a certain critical value.
A case-crossover study of risk factors for occupational eye injuries.

OBJECTIVE: : To study transient risk factors for occupational eye injuries. METHODS: : A case-crossover study was conducted among patients treated for occupational eye injuries in the emergency department at an eye hospital in Alabama. A questionnaire was administered to collect information regarding risk factors at the time of and prior to eye treatment. Incidence rate ratios were used to measure the relationship between each risk factor and injury occurrence. RESULTS: : Protective eyewear reduced the risk of occupational eye injury, while increased risk was observed for the following: being distracted, use of tools, tool malfunction, performing an unfamiliar task, being rushed, working overtime, and feeling fatigued. CONCLUSIONS: : Although use of protective eyewear can significantly reduce the risk of an eye injury, other factors are important contributors. Identification of potentially modifiable transient risk factors can be used to prevent occupational eye injuries. Language: en
One-Dimensional Analysis of the Hydrodynamic and Thermal Characteristics of Thin Film Flows Including the Hydraulic Jump and Rotation

The flow of a thin liquid film with a free surface along a horizontal plane that emanates from a pressurized vessel is examined numerically. In one g, a hydraulic jump was predicted in both plane and radial flow, which could be forced away from the inlet by increasing the inlet Froude number or Reynolds number. In zero g, the hydraulic jump was not predicted. The effect of solid-body rotation for radial flow in one g was to 'wash out' the hydraulic jump and to decrease the film height on the disk. The liquid film heights under one g and zero g were equal under solid-body rotation because the effect of centrifugal force was much greater than that of the gravitational force. The heat transfer to a film on a rotating disk was predicted to be greater than that of a stationary disk because the liquid film is extremely thin and is moving with a very high velocity.
Constitutive Activation and Endocytosis of the Complement Factor 5a Receptor: Evidence for Multiple Activated Conformations of a G Protein‐Coupled Receptor

Serpentine receptors relay hormonal or sensory stimuli to heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins). In most G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), binding of the agonist ligand elicits both stimulation of the G protein and endocytosis of the receptor. We have begun to address whether these responses reflect the same sets of conformational changes in the receptor using constitutively active mutants of the human complement factor 5a receptor (C5aR). Two different mutant receptors both constitutively activate G protein-mediated responses, but one (F251A) is endocytosed only in response to ligand stimulation, while the other (NQ) is constitutively internalized in the absence of ligand. Both the constitutive and ligand-dependent endocytosis are accompanied by recruitment of beta-arrestin to the receptor. An inactivating mutation (N296A) complements the NQ mutation, producing a receptor that is activated only upon exposure to agonist; this revertant receptor (NQ/N296A) is nevertheless constitutively endocytosed. Thus one mutant (F251A) requires agonist for triggering endocytosis but not for activation of the downstream G protein signal, while another (NQ/N296A) behaves in the opposite fashion. Dissociation of two responses normally dependent on agonist binding indicates that the corresponding functions of an activated GPCR reflect different sets of changes in the receptor's conformation.
Ketonic Defects in Ladder-type Poly(p-phenylene)s

We investigate the oxidative degradation process occurring in ladder-type poly(p-phenylene) (LPPP) by spectroscopic and quantum-chemical techniques. Annealing experiments carried out for two representatives of the class of LPPP's with different side chains relate the change in emissive behavior of the polymer to the presence of ketonic defects on the main chain. The geometry, excitation, and emission energies as well as vibrational modes are calculated for model LPPP oligomers bearing these defects. The optical properties of these molecules are significantly changed compared to the pristine model systems. In the excited-state geometry, ketone-containing oligomers possess emissive excited states in the energy region of the experimentally observed low-energy emission band. The calculated infrared (IR) absorption peaks associated with the defects can also be correlated with the experimental IR spectra.
Resistance of line 63 chickens to reticuloendotheliosis-virus-induced bursa-associated lymphomas

Chickens of lines 63 and 1515 × 71 were inoculated with the chick syncytial strain of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) or with the Rous-associated virus-1 of avian leukosis virus (ALV) at hatching. At 4, 10, 16, and 36 weeks post inoculation (PI), chickens were tested for REV-and ALV-induced viremia and antibody. The incidence of REV-or ALV-induced bursa-associated lymphomas in line 63 chickens was compared with that in line 1515 × 71 chickens. Inoculation of REV at hatching resulted in immunological tolerance to the virus in line 63 but not in line 1515 × 71 chickens. Between 70% and 100% of line 63 chickens remained viremic and lacked REV antibody throughout the experimental period of 36 weeks. In contrast, ALV-inoculated chickens of both lines had antibody by 16 weeks PI. The frequencies of REV-and ALV-induced bursa-associated lymphomas in line 63 chickens were significantly lower than in line 1515 × 71 chickens. Further, the incidence of bursa-associated lymphomas induced by REV in line 1515 × 71 chickens was significantly lower than that induced by ALV. These results suggest that: (1) the genetic constitution of the host may influence the immunological response to REV infection; (2) chickens resistant to ALV-induced bursa-associated lymphomas are equally resistant to such lymphomas induced by another unrelated avian retrovirus, REV; and (3) ALV is a more potent inducer of bursa-associated lymphomas than REV.
Brownian motion of the wormlike chain and segmental diffusion of DNA

The dynamics of the wormlike chain model for a polymer in solution is investigated in the case of free torsional and no longitudinal variations. A Langevin equation is derived and solved for circularly closed chains, neglecting hydrodynamic interactions. The local diffusion behavior of particular segments is described, and it is found that the mean-square displacements are proportional to t3/4 at short times. Also, the equilibrium correlation functions for the closed chain are derived from the dynamic model in both the discrete and wormlike cases.
Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence at High-Latitude Regions of the Milky Way

We performed statistical analysis on the high-latitude molecular cloud MBM16 with data collected from the Galactic Arecibo L-Band Feed Array HI (GALFA-HI) Survey. We developed a code to convolve a circular kernel across a spatial column density image to create maps of the 3rd and 4th statistical moments. With these higher-order moment maps, we utilized a relationship derived purely from the theoretical MHD simulations of Burkhart et al. (2010) to directly estimate the sonic Mach number (Ms). We then looked at an estimate for the slope of the spatial power of our region to check our range of calculated Mach numbers and verify the reliability of our results. We found that the translucent, non-star forming molecular cloud, MBM16, can be considered largely subsonic to transonic, which is consistent with the conception of stars being dominant drivers of interstellar turbulence.
The recovery of renal function in rats after release of unilateral ureteral obstruction: the effects of moderate isotonic saline loading.

. Following 24 h of ureteral obstruction in the rat, renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate are markedly depressed. The effect of saline loading on post-obstructive glomerular filtration (GFR) was studied in 15 female Sprague-Dawley rats in the awake state, 4 h following the release of 24 h of unilateral ureteral obstruction. Group I (n= 8) received 39 μl min -1of 0.9% saline only for 1 h prior to study and Group II (n= 7) received 78 μl min-1of 0.9% saline for the whole 4 h prior to study. The Cin and CPAH of the post-obstructed kidney were significantly reduced over control values in both groups. Saline loading (Group II) resulted in an improvement in Cin in the post-obstructed kidney compared with group I (3.22 ± 0.14 vs.219 ± 0.14 ml/min/kg BW, P < 0.001). This was independent of any change in CPAH. In two further groups of rats the saline loading protocol was shown to cause a rise in the excretion of urinary cGMP in the post-obstructed kidney, but not the contralateral control kidney. In addition, administration of exogenous atriopeptin (1–24) to non-saline loaded animals resulted in a qualitatively similar alteration in renal function to saline loading, namely a rise in Cin and an increase in excretion of cGMP by the post-obstructed kidney, and no change in CPAH. The results show that the decrease in GFR following release of unilateral ureteral obstruction may be improved by moderate saline loading possibly by enhancing the release of endogenous atrial peptide, and that the decline in GFR after release of ureteral obstruction is at least in part independent of renal plasma flow.
Induced characters which are multiples of irreducibles

Our statement of Theorem A assumes slightly less than that G is solvable, but we pay a price for that extra generality: we must appeal to the classification of simple groups. Actually, the extra work required in this paper for the sake of not quite assuming that G is solvable is negligible. We merely quote the theorem [2] that groups of central type are solvable. All of the actual use of the list of simple groups and their properties occurs in the proof of that result. It would be nice if no solvability assumption at all were needed in
Studies on vaccines against cholera. Synthesis of neoglycoconjugates from the hexasaccharide determinant of Vibriocholerae O:1, serotype Ogawa, by single-point attachment or by attachment of the hapten in the form of clusters

Abstract The terminal hexasaccharide of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholerae O:1, serotype Ogawa, has been synthesized in the form of a glycoside whose aglycon (linker) allows conjugation to carrier proteins by reductive amination. The conjugate obtained from direct, single-point attachment of the linker-equipped hapten to chicken serum albumin (CSA) contained seven hapten residues/CSA. A neoglycoconjugate containing the carbohydrate antigen in the form of clusters was obtained using, as a hapten subcarrier, an oligopeptide containing 16 amino groups. It was treated with a limited amount of hapten, to give a hapten-carrying subcarrier (HCS). Subsequent conjugation of HCS to CSA, using squaric acid diethyl ester as a conjugation reagent, gave a cross-linked, glycocluster conjugate containing 51% (w/w) of the carbohydrate.
Combining Algebraic and Numerical Techniques for Computing Matrix Determinant

Computing the sign of the determinant or the value of the determinant of an n × n matrix A is a classical well-know problem and it is a challenge for both numerical and algebraic methods. In this paper, we review, modify and combine various techniques of numerical linear algebra and rational algebraic computations (with no error) to achieve our main goal of decreasing the bit-precision for computing detA or its sign and enable us to obtain the solution with few arithmetic operations. In particular, we improved the precision bits of the p-adic lifting algorithm (H = 2h for a natural number h), which may exceed the computer precision β (see Section 5.2), to at most bits (see Section 6). The computational cost of the p-adic lifting can be performed in O(hn4). We reduced this cost to O(n3) by employing the faster p-adic lifting technique (see Section 5.3).
Integrated optical biochemical sensor fabricated using rapid-prototyping techniques

This paper details the design and fabrication of an integrated optical biochemical sensor using a select oxygen-sensitive fluorescent dye, tris(2,2’-bipyridyl) dichlororuthenium(II) hexahydrate, combined with polymeric waveguides that are fabricated on a glass substrate. The sensor uses evanescent interaction of light confined within the waveguide with the dye that is immobilized on the waveguide surface. Adhesion of the dye to the integrated waveguide surface is accomplished using a unique process of spin-coating/electrostatic layer-by-layer formation. Exposure of the dye molecules to the analyte and subsequent chemical interaction is achieved by directly coupling the fluid channel to the integrated waveguide. A unique fabrication aspect of this sensor is the inherent simplicity of the design, and the resulting rapidity of fabrication, while maintaining a high degree of functionality and flexibility.
Conformational Studies of Dodecanolactone by Dynamic NMR Spectroscopy and Computational Methods

Low-temperature carbon NMR spectra of dodecanolactone (1), the parent 13-membered lactone, showed the presence of two conformations, with populations of 55.5 and 44.5 % at –164.2 °C. Populations were estimated at the coalescence temperature of –151.9 °C for the carbonyl carbon atoms, and rate constants of 172.1 and 141.1 s–1 were obtained by lineshape matching. The corresponding free-energy barriers were 5.63 and 5.68 kcal/mol. A search of conformational space was made with Allinger's MM4 program, and the conformations found were numbered 1a–m in order of increasing steric energies. Ab initio calculations (HF/6-311G* level) of chemical shifts and of free energies at –150 °C predict that the major conformation is 1b and the minor conformation is 1a.
Permeation of Aromatic Hydrocarbon Vapors through Silicalite−Zeolite Membranes

Vapor permeances of pure aromatics through silicalite zeolite membranes follow the relative order m-xylene > p-xylene > benzene ≈ toluene > ethylbenzene ≈ o-xylene near 380 K with permeance ratios as high as 20. This trend does not follow the size order of the kinetic diameters, and therefore the kinetic diameter is not the determining factor for the permeation. Activation energies for the aromatics varied from 13 to 57 kJ/mol. In binary and ternary mixtures, the faster permeating compounds were slowed to rates similar to slower permeating molecules, and thus no separation was obtained for any mixture. These findings are consistent with single file transport, where all molecules have equal chances of entering the pores, but they cannot pass each other in the narrow channels and the slowest species determines the permeation rates.
The Spectrographic Analysis of Zircaloys

Tin, iron, chromium and nickel can be determined as alloying constituents in Zircaloys by the point-to-plane spark method of spectrographic analysis. Under appropriate conditions this method can be applied to the analysis of rolled sheet and thin-walled tubing as well as to the analysis of massive blocks Coefficients of variation are four per cent for tin, chromium and nickel, and six per cent for iron.
Charge-distributions in YuPr1−uBa2Cu3Ox

Abstract The charge-distributions of Y u Pr 1−u Ba 2 Cu 3 O x with x ≈ 7 are determined from the Rietveld-refined neutron scattering data of Neumeier et al . using the bond-valence-sum method. Differences between these charge distributions and those proposed by the Charge-Transfer hypothesis and the Fehrenbacher-Rice model are pointed out.
IFI16 protein mediates the anti-inflammatory actions of the type-I interferons through suppression of activation of caspase-1 by inflammasomes.

Background: Type-I interferons (IFNs) are used to treat certain inflammatory diseases. Moreover, activation of type-I IFNsignaling in immune cells inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines and activation of inflammasomes. However, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Upon sensing cytosolic double-stranded DNA, the AIM2 protein forms the AIM2-ASC inflammasome, resulting in activation of caspase-1. Given that the IFI16 and AIM2 proteins are IFN-inducible and can heterodimerize with each other, we investigated the regulation of IFI16, AIM2, and inflammasome proteins by typeI and type-II IFNs and explored whether the IFI16 protein could negatively regulate the activation of the AIM2 (or other) inflammasome. Methodology/ Principal Findings: We found that basal levels of the IFI16 and AIM2 proteins were relatively low in peripheral blood monocytes (CD14 + ) and in the THP-1 monocytic cell line. However, treatment of THP-1 cells with type-I (IFN-a or b) or type-II (IFN-c) IFN induced the expression levels of IFI16, AIM2, ASC and CASP1 proteins. The induced levels of IFI16 and AIM2 proteins were detected primarily in the cytoplasm. Accordingly, relatively more IFI16 protein bound with the AIM2 protein in the cytoplasmic fraction. Notably, increased expression of IFI16 protein in transfected HEK-293 cells inhibited activation of caspase-1 by the AIM2-ASC inflammasome. Moreover, the constitutive knockdown of the IFI16 expression in THP-1 cells increased the basal and induced [induced by poly(dA:dT) or alum] activation of the caspase-1 by the AIM2 and NLRP3 inflammasomes. Conclusions/Significance: Our observations revealed that the type-I and type-II IFNs induce the expression of IFI16, AIM2, and inflammasome proteins to various extents in THP-1 cells and the expression of IFI16 protein in THP-1 cells suppresses the activation of caspase-1 by the AIM2 and NLRP3 inflammasomes. Thus, our observations identify the IFI16 protein as a mediator of the anti-inflammatory actions of the type-I IFNs.
The Interactive Effects of Politics Perceptions and Trait Cynicism on Work Outcomes

The current study examined the interactive relationship of politics perceptions and trait cynicism on two work outcomes: job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors. Trait cynicism is characterized as a personality trait that is stable across settings. Using a diverse sample of 311 full-time employees drawn from a variety of organizations, trait cynicism moderated the relationship between politics perceptions and both outcomes. Specifically, for those possessing higher levels of trait cynicism, politics perceptions were associated with lower job satisfaction scores and less participation in citizenship behaviors. Implications of these findings, strengths and limitations, and avenues for additional research are provided.
Growth of normal hemopoietic cells in cultures of bone marrow from leukemic mice

Bone marrow from mice with spontaneous leukemia was studied in long-term culture in the presence of 10(-7) M hydrocortisone. These conditions resulted in a complete loss of leukemia cells from marrows which initially showed 95% or greater replacement with lymphoblasts. The culture conditions were also found to favor the growth of hemopoietic stem cells and the surviving cultured cells produced sufficient numbers of these cells to protect lethally irradiated (950 rads) syngeneic mice. The irradiated recipients of the cultured marrow did not develop leukemia during the 180 days of observation post-irradiation, indicating the absence of leukemia cells in the inocula. A loss of leukemia cells in vitro occurred in cultures with and without the addition of hydrocortisone to the medium. Hydrocortisone was shown to have a stimulating effect on maintenance of hemopoietic stem cells, granulocyte progenitors and granulopoiesis in these cultures.
Helping factors in a peer-developed support group for persons with head injury, Part 2: Survivor interview perspective.

OBJECTIVES: A follow-up study of the support group discussed in Schwartzberg's 1994 study was conducted to determine participants' perceptions of helping factors in the group. METHOD: Subjects were given a semistructured interview; follow-up interviews were held to ensure accuracy. RESULTS: Eleven helping factors were spontaneously generated from group members' data. These factors were socializing; finding out other people's perspectives and attitudes; expressing thoughts and feelings; receiving support; feeling something in common with other group members; gaining understanding, empathy, and acceptance through listening and sharing; getting perspective by learning about other people's limitations and strengths; helping others; getting help with problem solving; feeling hope, and learning information about brain injury. Members ranked expressing thoughts and feelings as the most helpful factor and finding out other people's perspectives and attitudes as the least helpful. CONCLUSIONS: These results support Schwartzberg's earlier findings, with some exceptions. The factor titles in this study have a broader scope than those in Schwartzberg's study, and not all of the factors determined in this study are completely comparable to Schwartzberg's factors. These findings may indicate that some differences in perspective exist between the participant observer and the survivors in the group studied. Language: en
Secondary electron spectroscopy for microanalysis and defect review

Secondary electron spectra have been obtained from a variety of materials under vacuum conditions similar to those encountered in a conventional scanning electron microscope. Although secondary emission is restricted to the near surface region of a sample, and so would be expected to be affected by the presence of a film of contamination, it is shown that the modifications to the secondary electron spectrum are generally minor in nature and do not make it impossible to associate the spectrum with the underlying material. Secondary electron spectroscopy may provide a method to add a materials classification category to defect review.
INTEGRATING MULTIMEDIA SEMANTIC CONTENT ANALYSIS OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS WITH HURRICANE WIND ANALYSIS FOR PUBLIC SITUATION AWARENESS AND OUTREACH

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, have had an enormous social and economical impact on society in the United State and around the world for many years. With the goal of preventing, diverting, or weakening the destructive forces of tropical cyclones, the preparedness of the public plays a major role in the magnitude of inflicted damage due to these storms. Acknowledging the captivating power of social networking and Web 2.0 over society, we present a prototype system which integrates meteorological data along with user generated content with the aim of improving public response by increasing their situational awareness due to such natural threats. The proposed system aggregates storm track and wind analysis data from the existing H*Wind system along with videos taken from YouTube and presents it to the user in Google Earth. A content-based concept detection mechanism is used to evaluate the relevance of the extracted YouTube videos to the storm of interest. The proposed system demonstrates the potential public benefit resulting from the integration of the areas of multimedia content analysis, Web 2.0, and meteorology.
Isolation of microarray-quality RNA from primary human cells after intracellular immunostaining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting.

Microarrays have made it possible to perform high-throughput, genome-wide analyses of RNA expression from an extremely wide range of sources. This technology relies on the ability to obtain RNA of sufficient quantity and quality for this type of application. While there are means to circumvent limitations in the former, recovery of RNA suitable for microarray analysis still represents a major issue when working with some biological samples, particularly those treated with and preserved in nucleic acid-modifying organic reagents. In the present report we describe a procedure for the isolation of RNA suitable for microarray analysis from cells purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting after fixation, permeabilization and intracellular staining with fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies. We show that – although the RNA isolated from these samples presented some degradation – it performed remarkably well in microarray analysis. The method we describe here makes it available to genome-wide expression profiling a variety of biological samples that so far were confined to single-gene analysis.
Demulsification of Asphaltene-Stabilized Emulsions—Correlations of Demulsifier Performance with Crude Oil Composition

Model asphaltene-stabilized emulsions are used to study the impact of oil composition on the efficiency of demulsification. Varying ratios of toluene and heptane, mixed with asphaltene extracted from a Gulf of Mexico crude oil, were mixed with water to produce emulsions that exhibited characteristic coalescence (water drop) rates. Commercial demulsifiers of varying types and chemistries were added to these emulsions, and resultant rates of water drop measured and compared. Emulsion stability and demulsifier effectiveness are shown to be highly dependent on overall aromaticity of the crude as measured by hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio. Correlations of observed behavior with actual crude emulsions and demulsifier performance were observed and are reported.
Merci Retriever in acute stroke treatment.

The Merci® Retriever is a device used for mechanical clot extraction in cerebral arteries. It obtained US FDA clearance in August 2004 for recanalization of cerebral arteries in acute stroke. Previously, intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator administered within 3 h from symptom onset was the only other FDA-approved treatment in acute stroke. Stroke from large brain artery occlusion, which has the highest morbidity and mortality rate, is inefficiently treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and has a high likelihood of hemorrhagic complication. In the multicenter prospective Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia trial that led to FDA clearance, the Merci Retriever achieved 48% vessel recanalization when used within 8 h of stroke onset, and resulted in lower morbidity and mortality in revascularized patients. Clinical efficacy trials are needed to determine the place of this device in the treatment of stroke patients.
Copolymers of 2‐vinylpyridine, methyl acrylate, and dichlorostyrene: Polymerization and properties in solution

Copolymerization studies have been made on the three two-component systems formed by the monomers methyl acrylate, 2-vinylpyridine, and dichlorostyrene, and values of the monomer reactivity ratios were determined. Terpolymers were prepared from mixtures of these same monomers, and their compositions were compared with those predicted from the kinetic data for the copolymerizations. Measurements of dissymmetry of scattered light, molecular weight, and viscosity were made on solutions in acetic acid and in methyl ethyl ketone of a terpolymer containing 37 mole per cent methyl acrylate, 47 mole per cent 2-vinylpyridine, and 16 mole per cent dichlorostyrene. The molecular weight of the terpolymer is essentially the same in the two solvents but the polymer chain is more extended in acetic acid than in methyl ethyl ketone. In nitromethane solutions of the terpolymer the ηsp/c values increase sharply with decreasing concentration. This increase is eliminated if the solutions also contain 0.01 mole per liter of a substituted quaternary ammonium iodide. These facts indicate that the polymer behaves as a polyelectrolyte in nitromethane, presumably because of reaction between the aci-form of the solvent and the vinylpyridine groups.
Placental Endocrine Disruption Induced by Cadmium: Effects on P450 Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage and 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Enzymes in Cultured Human Trophoblasts

We previously suggested that cadmium (Cd), an environmental toxicant and constituent of tobacco smoke, inhibits progesterone secretion in cultured human placental trophoblasts by inhibiting low-density lipoprotein receptor mRNA expression. In the current study, we investigated whether Cd also disrupts progesterone synthesis via P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage (P450scc) and 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3b-HSD), enzymes that play important roles in placental steroidogenesis. Human cytotrophoblasts were purified by density gradient centrifugation and incubated in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium 1 10% fetal bovine serum with 0, 5, 10, or 20 mM CdCl2 for 96 h. Cells progressed to syncytiotrophoblastic maturity regardless of treatment. No differences (P . 0.05) in cell protein and lactate dehydrogenase activity were observed between untreated trophoblasts and those treated with CdCl2. However, P450scc and 3b-HSD mRNA transcript levels declined in a dose-dependent manner (P ,0.05) in trophoblasts cocultured with 5, 10, or 20 mM CdCl2. P450scc activity was similarly inhibited (P , 0.05) by CdCl2 treatment, although 3b-HSD activity was not significantly affected. Coculture with 8-bromo-cAMP enhanced progesterone secretion in untreated cultures but did not reverse the decline in progesterone secretion induced by CdCl2 treatment. CdCl2 failed to influence cAMP content in cultured cells. Collectively, results suggest that P450scc enzyme is another site at which Cd interferes with placental progesterone production. However, it is unlikely that an inhibition of cAMP is involved with the inhibition of progesterone biosynthesis by Cd in human trophoblasts. environment, placenta, progesterone, toxicology, trophoblast
Making the Grade in Memphis

Catholic schools achieved the greatest social transformation in American history, pulling impoverished Irish immigrants out of the underclass and into the working and middle classes, writes Patrick McCloskey, author of The Street Stops Here —an account of a year in the life of a Catholic school in Harlem. These schools now provide a lifeline for disadvantaged, non-Catholic minorities in urban America, boosting graduation and college acceptance rates, and outperforming many equivalent public schools. But they are also disappearing from the very neighborhoods that need them most. McCloskey reports on how one diocese has bucked the trend, what it means to one family, and what it could mean for America.
Reaction rate modeling in noncatalytic gas‐solid systems: Species transport and mechanical stress

A detailed model to describe the overall reaction rate of the oxidation of titanium is developed. The mathematical model consists of two facets, the first of which involves a detailed description of species transport that accounts for the formation of charged species. This is augmented by a description of the occurrence of mechanical stress due to a Pilling - Bedworth ratio that differs significantly from I as well as differences between precursor and product thermal expansion coefficients. A self imposed electric field is formed across the oxide layer due to different mobilities of the species considered. This field opposes the transport of electrons and enhances the transport of anion vacancies, thus increasing the overall reaction rate compared to a pure diffusion process, while also ensuring that electrical charge is conserved. Large growth stresses result from the unmatched precursor and product volumes, significantly affecting the overall process. These results show that the incorporation of a consistent treatment of mechanical stress forms a necessay part of any accurate description of the overall behavior of a reacting particle.