cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analysis of radiomics features in lung lesions in covid-19

Radiomic features extracted from CT imaging can be used to quantitively assess COVID-19. The objective of this work was to extract and analyze radiomics features in RT-PRC confirmed COVID-19 cases to identify relevant characteristics for COVID-19 diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We measured 29 morphology and second-order statistical-based radiomics features from 310 lung lesions extracted from 48 chest CT cases. Features were evaluated according to their coefficient of variation (CV). We calculated the CV for each feature under two statistical conditions: one with all lesions weighted equally and one with all cases weighted equally. In analyzing the patient data, there were 6.46 lesions-per-case and for 81.25% of cases, the lesions presented with bilateral lung involvement. For all radiomic features examined except ‘energy’, the CV was higher in the lesion distribution than the case distribution. The CV for morphological features were larger than second-order in both distributions, 181% and 85% versus 50% and 42%, respectively. The most variable features were ‘surface area’, ‘ellipsoid volume’, ‘ellipsoid surface area’, ‘volume’, and ‘approximate volume’, which deviated from the mean 173-255% in the lesion distribution and 119-176% in the case distribution. The features with the lowest CV were ‘homogeneity’, ‘discrete compactness’, ‘texture entropy’, ‘sum average’, and ‘elongation’, which deviated less than 31% by case and less than 25% by lesion. Future work will investigate integrating this data with similar studies and other diagnostic and prognostic criterion enhancing the role of CT in detecting and managing COVID-19.
A Comparative Study of Free Self-Explanations and Socratic Tutoring Explanations for Source Code Comprehension

We present in this paper the results of a randomized control trial experiment that compared the effectiveness of two instructional strategies that scaffold learners' code comprehension processes: eliciting Free Self-Explanation and a Socratic Method. Code comprehension, i.e., understanding source code, is a critical skill for both learners and professionals. Improving learners' code comprehension skills should result in improved learning which in turn should help with retention in intro-to-programming courses which are notorious for suffering from very high attrition rates due to the complexity of programming topics. To this end, the reported experiment is meant to explore the effectiveness of various strategies to elicit self-explanation as a way to improve comprehension and learning during complex code comprehension and learning activities in intro-to-programming courses. The experiment showed pre-/post-test learning gains of 30% (M = 0.30, SD = 0.47) for the Free Self-Explanation condition and learning gains of 59% (M = 0.59,SD = 0.39) for the Socratic method. Furthermore, we investigated the behavior of the two strategies as a function of students' prior knowledge which was measured using learners' pretest score. For the Free Self-Explanation condition, there was no significant difference in mean learning gains for low vs. high knowledge students. The magnitude of the difference in performance (mean difference= 0.02,95% CI: -0.34 to 0.39) was very small (eta squared = 0.006). Likewise, the Socratic method showed no significant difference in mean learning gains between low vs. high performing students. The magnitude of the performance difference (mean difference =-0.24,95% CI: -0.534 to 0.03) was large (eta squared = 0.10). These findings suggest that eliciting self-explanations can be used as an effective strategy and that guided self-explanations as in the Socratic method condition is more effective at inducing learning gains.
Exploring provider perspectives on patients with atrial fibrillation who are not prescribed anticoagulation therapy

Abstract Background Evidence-based guidelines strongly recommend oral anticoagulants to prevent stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). However, many patients are not prescribed guideline recommended anticoagulant therapy. Objectives To explore themes underlying anticoagulant prescribing or discontinuation in patients with AF and compare and contrast prescribing preferences between cardiologists and general practitioners. Methods Providers at the University of Utah Health system were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. An interview guide directed the 15-minute interviews with focus on anticoagulant prescribing practices for patients with AF. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Two reviewers independently read transcripts and labeled passages of text corresponding with key concepts and themes. Results Of the eleven practitioners interviewed, seven practiced in cardiology, two in internal medicine and two in family medicine. The most prominent reasons cited for not prescribing anticoagulation for stroke prevention in AF patients were concerns about intracranial bleeding, followed by gastrointestinal bleeding. Other common reasons were increased age, thrombocytopenia, chemotherapy, previous or concerns of noncompliance, and comorbidities. Providers believed patient refusal of anticoagulants was related to fear of bleeding, medication burden, or warfarin’s negative reputation. All prescribers reported similar prescribing strategies, including using risk stratification, shared decision making, and utilizing specialized anticoagulation clinics and pharmacists as resources. Conclusion Fear of bleeding was a common theme underlying anticoagulant underutilization in patients with AF. Identifying major reasons directly from providers can be utilized to develop patient education addressing common fears and misconceptions, promote shared decision making, and provide provider education and resources to achieve appropriate anticoagulant prescribing.
Biomechanical analysis of an unpowered hip flexion orthosis on individuals with and without multiple sclerosis.

Background Gait impairment is a common complication of multiple sclerosis (MS). Gait limitations such as limited hip flexion, foot drop, and knee hyperextension often require external devices like crutches, canes, and orthoses. The effects of mobility-assistive technologies (MATs) prescribed to people with MS are not well understood, and current devices do not cater to the specific needs of these individuals. To address this, a passive unilateral hip flexion-assisting orthosis (HFO) was developed that uses resistance bands spanning the hip joint to redirect energy in the gait cycle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of the HFO on gait mechanics and muscle activation for people with and without MS. We hypothesized that (1) hip flexion would increase in the limb wearing the device, and (2) that muscle activity would increase in hip extensors, and decrease in hip flexors and plantar flexors. Methods Five healthy subjects and five subjects with MS walked for minute-long sessions with the device using three different levels of band stiffness. We analyzed peak hip flexion and extension angles, lower limb joint work, and muscle activity in eight muscles on the lower limbs and trunk. Single-subjects analysis was used due to inter-subject variability. Results For subjects with MS, the HFO caused an increase in peak hip flexion angle and a decrease in peak hip extension angle, confirming our first hypothesis. Healthy subjects showed less pronounced kinematic changes when using the device. Power generated at the hip was increased in most subjects while using the HFO. The second hypothesis was not confirmed, as muscle activity showed inconsistent results, however several subjects demonstrated increased hip extensor and trunk muscle activity with the HFO. Conclusions This exploratory study showed that the HFO was well-tolerated by healthy subjects and subjects with MS, and that it promoted more normative kinematics at the hip for those with MS. Future studies with longer exposure to the HFO and personalized assistance parameters are needed to understand the efficacy of the HFO for mobility assistance and rehabilitation for people with MS.
Ameloblastic odontoma; report of a case.

Abstract 1. 1. A case of an ameloblastic odontoma in an 11-year-old boy is presented. 2. 2. The case is typical in that it consisted of a complex arrangement of developing and mature ectodermal and mesodermal odontogenic tissue. 3. 3. One unusual clinical feature was the recurrence of both ectodermal and mesodermal elements including considerable amounts of mature calcified dental tissue.
Germplasm cryopreservation of macroalgae for aquaculture breeding and natural resource conservation: A review

Abstract The expansion of the global macroalgal aquaculture and climate change creates the need for germplasm preservation of valuable aquaculture strains and maintenance of natural biodiversity. Compared to the large number of studies in fish and shellfish species, relative few studies have been conducted on the macroalgal germplasm cryopreservation. The first cryopreservation of macroalgae to −75 °C was reported on Neopyropia tenera (formerly called Porphyra tenera) in 1964. To date, a total of 34 studies reported germplasm cryopreservation in 33 species, including Chlorophyta (7 species), Ochrophyta (14 species), and Rhodophyta (12 species). The goal of this review was to summarize the published studies on macroalgal germplasm cryopreservation, compare the reported protocols for the cryopreservation process, and identify the factors affecting post-thaw viability. Overall, macroalgal germplasm cryopreservation included haploid or diploid thalli, spores, and gametes. Cryotubes (1.5-ml or 2-ml) have been widely used to package germplasm samples for cooling and storage in most studies, and the 0.5-ml straws and 5-ml cryotubes have been used in several studies. Two approaches (programmable controlled cooling and vitrification) were employed for macroalgal germplasm cryopreservation. A two-step programmable controlled cooling (e.g., from initial culture temperature to a frozen temperature, such as −40 °C, and then directly plunging into liquid nitrogen at −196 °C) was determined to be an effective cooling strategy. Vitrification, a super rapid cooling for a sample to form non-crystalline amorphous solid, was applied on macroalgal germplasm cryopreservation with sample encapsulation and dehydration. Survival of post-thaw samples varied significantly in different studies. Based on research updates, recommendations are made for future research. It is expected that this review can serve as a foundation for future germplasm banking of macroalgae for aquaculture and biodiversity preservation.
Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients: An Observational, Prospective Cohort Study Interim Analysis

ObjectivesImmunocompromised patients were excluded from COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. The objectives of the study were to measure antibody responses, levels, and neutralization capability after COVID-19 vaccination among immunocompromised patients and compare these variables to those of immunocompetent healthcare workers. MethodsThis is an interim analysis of an ongoing observational, prospective cohort study which launched on April 14, 2021 across Western Pennsylvania. Participants were healthy healthcare workers (HCW) and immunocompromised patients who had completed their COVID-19 vaccination series. Individuals with a history of COVID-19 were not eligible. Serum was collected to measure for the presence of IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein using a semi-quantitative assay; antibody levels were available for comparisons. A quasi-random subset of patients was selected for pseudovirus neutralization assays. Seropositivity with 95% Clopper-Pearson exact confidence intervals and distribution of antibody levels were measured. To identify risk factors for seronegativity, clinical characteristics were univariately compared between antibody reactive and non-reactive individuals within the immunocompromised group. Results107 HCW and 489 immunocompromised patients were enrolled. Compared to HCWs, seropositivity was significantly lower (p<.001) among immunocompromised patients with Solid organ transplant (SOT), autoimmune, hematological malignancies, and solid tumors (HCW=98.1%; SOT=37.2%; autoimmune=83.8%; hematological malignancies=54.7%; and solid tumor=82.4%, p < 0.05). Over 94% of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus were seropositive. Among seropositive patients, antibody levels were much lower among SOT (4.5 [2.1,13.1], p=.020). Neutralization titers tightly correlated with antibody levels (Spearman r = 0.91, p < 0.0001). ConclusionOur findings demonstrate the heterogeneity of the humoral immune response to COVID-19 vaccines based on underlying immunosuppressive condition and highlight an urgent need to optimize and individualize COVID-19 prevention in these patients. These findings also have implications on public health guidance, particularly given revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations permitting vaccinated individuals to abandon masking and social distancing in most settings. Future studies are warranted to determine assessment of cellular immunity, longitudinal measurement of immune responses, and the safety and efficacy of revaccination.
Counseling Asian American men who demonstrate suicidal behavior.

Tim Nguyen is a 25-year-old, heterosexual Vietnamese American man who lives in a large Midwestern city. Tim and his 20-year-old sister, Terri, were born and raised in the United States; their parents were immigrants from Vietnam. Tim’s father passed away soon after Terri’s birth; both Tim and Terri were raised by their mother. Terri is a college student who lives on campus in the same city as Tim does. Tim lives with his mother and grandmother and works as a cashier in a supermarket.
DO-GPU: Domain Optimizable Soft GPUs

”Soft” GPUs are overlays that implement GPGPU-like data parallel processor architectures in FPGA logic to make FPGAs as software-programmable as ”hard” GPGPUs. Unlike hard GPUs, soft GPU architectures can be specialized to further improve efficiency by leveraging FPGA’s flexibility. Prior work has shown the software programmability potential for soft GPUs but only studied general-purpose soft GPUs with minor specializations (e.g., FPGU, FlexGrip, MIAOW, and SCRATCH) or only domain-optimized for a particular application domain (e.g., PDL-FGPU for the persistent deep learning domain.) This paper proposes a soft GPU development framework to automate the creation of soft GPU instances with aggressive application-domain optimizations (i.e., domain-optimized GPUs, or DOGPUs) that consists of a baseline general soft GPU architecture ”template” with an improved architecture over prior general purpose soft GPUs, along with a customizable partition that enables a custom datapath (macro unit) to be inserted to optimize for a target application domain. Unlike the prior PDL-FGPU which targets the persistent deep learning domain, the proposed framework can be used to target optimization for any application domain. Our evaluation on a set of data parallel workloads shows that (i) the proposed general soft GPU architecture offers average speedup of 1.8x versus the best prior soft GPUs we know of (i.e., FGPU, PDL-FGPU), (ii) DO-GPUs with domain-optimizations provide an average of 218x speedup over general soft GPUs, (iii) the proposed framework enabled building six new domain-optimized soft GPU instances in a matter of days, and (iv) enables quick GPU-like development effort (hours), where code is concise (low 100s of lines) and can be compiled in seconds without FPGA EDA tools in the loop, assuming an appropriate soft DO-GPU bitstream for the application domain is already built.
Conceptualization and implementation of an interdisciplinary clinic for children with drug-resistant epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Objective To describe the rapid conceptualization and implementation of an interdisciplinary epilepsy clinic for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) during the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods Focusing on care design and care coordination for children with DRE, multiple stakeholder groups decided to implement a clinic after the systematic rating of constructs present in a theoretical meta-analytic framework. Based on the projected success, the new interdisciplinary clinic (composed of an epileptologist, a neurosurgeon, and a neuropsychologist and coordinated by a full-time nurse) was established. Clinic operations were further refined through discussions with patients, families, and care providers. We collected data retrospectively (August 2020 to June 2021) to determine referral patterns, clinic scheduling metrics, patient characteristics, clinical recommendations, and epilepsy quality metrics. Results Of the 32 Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs assessed, 24 were positively rated to predict a high probability of successful implementation of the clinic. For approximately 100 patient visits, appearance and usage rates were >75%, yielding a clinic utilization rate of approximately 60%. Among 76 unique patients (average age of 12 years, 60% focal epilepsy), 39 patients (51.3%) were deemed eligible for epilepsy surgery evaluation. The majority of the patients (53.9%) were advised for additional diagnostic testing, and 31.6% of patients were scheduled for vagus nerve stimulation. More patients (33%) had changes in their existing anti-seizure medication (ASM) regimen rather than an addition of a new ASM (7.9%). Standardized epilepsy quality measures showed >80% to 90% adherence in 3 (reproductive counseling, depression and anxiety screening, documentation of seizure frequency) out of 4 metrics. Significance This is the first study to show that an interdisciplinary clinic can be a valuable attribute of care models in high-need children with DRE by enabling comprehensive one-stop service for diagnostic evaluation, surgical consideration, and brief assessment of psychiatric comorbidities without compromising consensus-based best practices.
Study of high-g effects in animals.

General aspects of animal centrifugation are examined. It is shown that once a covariance is established and the nature of the kinetics is determined it is possible to calculate a regression of the biological change (with suitable numerical transforms of the data) upon field strength. This should yield a rather simple equation containing two arbitrary constants: a, the zero intercept (a mathematical prediction of the magnitude of the parameter y, when G = 0); and b, the proportionality coefficient, the change in the parameter y per unit change in G: Y = a + bG.
Assessing Danger: What Judges Need To Know

Every day, judges are faced with decisions regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) victims' requests for protection orders, custody arrangements, and visitation schedules. To make informed decisions, judges must understand victims' risk for future violence. This mixed method study explores the extent to which protection order petitions (n=169) communicate victims' current danger and future risk of violence. Methods included interviews coupled with an archival review of court petitions. Findings suggest judges are inadequately prepared to render decisions to improve victim safety in the absence of standardized risk assessments. The Danger Assessment provides an evidence-based solution to routinize intake interviews with victims petitioning the court. Language: en
Similitude considerations in laminar flow of modified power law fluids in circular ducts

A numerical solution is presented for the friction factorReynolds number relation for a fluid which is Newtonian at low shear rates, power law at high shear rates with a transition region at intermediate shear rates. The solution makes possible the conservation of similitude when designing duct systems for such fluids since both Reynolds numbers and shear rates are considered.
Transport Phenomena in Czochralski Crystal Growth Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the transport phenomena associated with Czochralski (Cz) growth of semiconductor materials. Transport phenomena in crystal growth processes are quite complex due to melt and gas flows that may be oscillatory, or turbulent, or both; coupled convection and radiation; impurities and dopant distributions; unsteady kinetics of the growth process; melt-crystal interface dynamics; free surface and meniscus; stoichiometry in the case of compound materials, and so on. Most of the discussions are restricted to the growth of Si, gallium arsenide (GaAs), and indium phosphide (InP) crystals. The growth of these material spans a pressure range of few millitorrs to about 4 MPa, and thereby reveals a high level of complexity in transport phenomena. These processes form a class of most challenging problems for theoretical, experimental, and industrial research. The chapter presents a description of the theoretical model and the numerical techniques used to solve them. A brief analysis of the melt flow mechanisms is discussed in the chapter. The chapter focuses on low pressure Cz growth of Si crystals and describes the research on high-pressure growth of III-V compounds. The chapter focuses on fluid flow and heat transfer, although their effects on impurity and dopant transport and stresses in the grown crystals have been discussed in some details.
Practical Aspects of Dynamic Simulation in Plant Engineering

Abstract This paper illustrates the increasing trend to integrate dynamic simulation into the workflow of a plant engineering and contracting company. While methods and tools for dynamic simulation are well-established in academia, the industrial world still faces a lot of challenges when it comes to their practical application. These challenges are discussed by example of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology: an oxyfuel power plant. Dynamic simulation is first applied to the individual plant components such as the Gas Processing Unit (GPU) and the Air Separation Unit (ASU), where the early integration into the plant engineering workflow plays a major role. In order to study the dynamic behavior of the complete oxyfuel power plant in a second step, the models which are implemented in different simulation tools are reduced for integration into a common simulation platform.
Orbit to surface beamed power for Mars bases expansion

A scenario is presented wherein the interplanetary supply vehicles for the expansion of the Mars bases are nuclear powered and electrically propelled. For the initial buildup phase, supply vehicles need not return to Earth but could be utilized as a one-way transport to a Mars synchronous orbit. Upon arriving at Mars, they would land their cargos with one-way descent vehicles. Base personnel would arrive at Mars in separate, faster vehicles. Once the vehicles are in Mars synchronous orbits, the nuclear power system would no longer be needed for propulsion and could be used as an orbital power station beaming its megawatts of power to locations on the surface of the planet. Placing a number of such power systems at strategically located synchronous orbit positions would permit coverage of the major portion of the Martian surface. >
Relation between AC impedance data and degradation of coated steel

Abstract The effects of surface roughness and inorganic chloride contamination on the corrosion behavior of steel coated with thin, amine-cured epoxy films have been investigated using AC impedance spectroscopy. The results were analyzed using the equivalent circuit models to identify the different steps in the corrosion of coated steel. Two types of corrosion were observed depending on the surface treatment: point-attack corrosion for uncontaminated and blistered corrosion for contaminated surfaces. Both types of corrosion can be discerned by AC impedance spectroscopy and modeled by the equivalent circuits. Coating-deficient areas at the peaks of sandblasted substrate have been calculated accurately from the AC impedance data and verified by scanning electron microscopy.
Opaque Financial Reports, R-Square, and Crash Risk

We investigate the relation between the transparency of financial statements and the distribution of stock returns. Using earnings management as a measure of opacity, we find that opacity is associated with higher R2s, indicating less revelation of firm-specific information. Moreover, opaque firms are more prone to stock price crashes, consistent with the prediction of the Jin and Myers (2006) model. However, these relations seem to have dissipated since the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, suggesting that earnings management has decreased or that firms can hide less information in the new regulatory environment.
Test environment for a novel medium voltage impedance measurement unit

Small signal stability of converter-based power distribution systems can be evaluated with the help of impedance characterization, which provides a means to predict the effect of interactions. These techniques have great Navy relevance as future ships may be based on medium voltage distribution networks of interconnected feedback-controlled switching power converters. These networks will be subject to converter interactions and potential instability. This paper summarizes work done to prepare full scale testing of the first medium voltage, MW scale impedance measurement unit which was recently developed using SiC technology.
Peritoneal cerebrospinal fluid shunt insertion: a technique for protection of the abdominal catheter: Technical note

A minor modification of the technique of peritoneal cerebrospinal fluid shunt insertion allows more anatomical closure of the abdominal wound and may protect the shunt from contamination by superficial abdominal would infection.
Identification and Isolation of Dimorphic Spores from Nosema furnacalis (Microspora: Nosematidae)

Abstract Spore morphology of Nosema furnacalis and infectivity for a clone of the Helicoverpa zea cell line were examined by both light and electron microscopy. Dimorphic spores were found in cultured cells infected with N. furnacalis . One type having a few coils of the polar filament (FC spore) germinated spontaneously inside or outside the cell after formation. The other type had many coils of the polar filament (MC spore). The FC spores possessed four coils of the polar filament and MC spores had nine coils on the average. This spore dimorphism was demonstrated to be a characteristic not limited to N. bombycis . With continued passage, the proportion of FC spores in cultured cells sharply increased. Spores isolated after passage 85 to 90 were used to infect cultured cells without prior priming at an alkaline pH. In cultures inoculated at a rate of 10 spores/cell, the prevalence of infected cells was 45% 24 hr postinoculation and 98% by 96 hr postinoculation.
Optimization of a femtosecond ellipsometer for gold photoreflectance studies

I develop a quantitative optimization procedure for femtosecond reflectance ellipsometer measurements. The femtosecond ellipsometer eliminates the need for separate thin-film reflectance and transmittance measurements and allows self-consistent determination of dielectric index changes of optically thick films on arbitrary substrates. I verify the optimization procedure and use the femtosecond ellipsometric measurements to investigate the photoreflectance of an optically thick gold film. A comparison of the extracted real and imaginary dielectric function components reveals evidence of thermalized and nonthermalized hot-electron populations.
On the characterization of fluxes in nonlinear irreversible thermodynamics

Abstract The linear Onsager theory of irreversible thermodynamics is extended to include nonlinear phenomenological relations by means of Onsager fluxes. Such fluxes satisfy a full system of reciprocity relations, vanish in thermodynamic equilibrium, and give a non-negative production of entropy. A complete characterization of Onsager fluxes is obtained in terms of non-negative scalar valued functions which vanish in thermodynamic equilibrium. These same functions are also shown to characterize all C 2 fluxes which satisfy the second law of thermodynamics. Each system of Onsager fluxes is shown to derive from a dissipation function which attains its absolute minimum in thermodynamic equilibrium. The reaction rates given by reaction kinetics are shown to be Onsager fluxes and their dissipation functions are explicitly calculated.
Photoelectrochemical Properties of Heterojunction CdTe/TiO2 Electrodes Constructed Using Highly Ordered TiO2 Nanotube Arrays

A heterojunction CdTe/TiO2 photoelectrode was prepared by electrochemically filling the tubes and tube-to-tube voids of a TiO2 nanotube array with CdTe. The TiO2 nanotube arrays used in this study were prepared by anodizing titanium films, which resulted in closely packed n-type TiO2 tubes with an average inner pore diameter of 50 nm, wall thickness of approximately 13 nm, and length of 250−300 nm. CdTe was cathodically deposited using TiO2 nanotubes as the working electrode at E = −0.4 V vs Ag/AgCl at 85 °C (3H+ + Cd2+ + HTeO2+ + 6e− → CdTe + 2H2O). The resulting electrodes contained three-dimensionally organized CdTe/TiO2 junction structures with significantly enhanced junction areas. Formation of the CdTe/TiO2 junction improved the photocurrent generation and photostability of the CdTe layer when compared with a two-dimensional CdTe layer deposited directly on a conducting substrate (i.e., fluorine-doped tin oxide). A more intimate and conformal CdTe/TiO2 junction was formed via a new deposition techni...
Individual Liability in War: A Response to Fabre, Leveringhaus and Tadros

This article is a response to commentaries on my book, Killing in War, by Cecile Fabre, Alex Leveringhaus and Victor Tadros. It discusses the implications of the approach I have defended for the morality of war for such issues as internecine killing in war, humanitarian intervention and the bases of individual liability to attack in war.
Oligomerization reactions of ribonucleotides - The reaction of the 5'-phosphorimidazolide of adenosine with diadenosine pyrophosphate on montmorillonite and other minerals

The overall regiospecificity of the 3',5'-phosphodiester bond formation is shown to be increased from 64 to 83 percent when a 9:1 ratio of ImpA to A5'ppA instead of ImpA alone is reacted in the presence of Na(+)-montmorillonite. The major factor in the regiospecificity increase is the formation of 3',5'-linked A5'ppA3'pA and A5'pp-A3'pA3'pA. The results obtained show that ImpA reacts more readily with A5'ppA than it does with another ImpA molecule and that A5'ppA plays a central role in directing the formation of 3',5'-phosphodiester bonds.
Greenhouse Rearing of Citrus Thrips Scirtothrips citri for Experimental Testing

Successful propagation of California sumac shrubs, Rhus laurina (Nutt.), in an environmentally controlled greenhouse regimen, provided an excellent factitious host for large scale rearing of the citrus thrips, Scirtothrips citri (Moulton). Peak population levels for immature and adult life stages per shrub were ca. 2500 and 515, respectively, during a 4 week infestation cycle.
The motion of the left ventricle. I.

The complex arrangement of the muscle fibers in the ventricular wall and the nonsymmetric contraction and expansion of the ventricle preclude the writing of a differential equation of motion for the ventricle as a whole. We can, however, describe the motion of the ventricle by describing the motion of the dimensional parameters length and diameter; the radius, circumference, cross-sectional area, and volume following naturally from these. The ventricle is assumed to be an ellipsoid of revolution and the dimensional parameters to be periodic functions of time. Each of the parameters is expressed as a Fourier series.
Performance of Density Functional Theory on the Potential-Energy Surface of the H + OCS System

The H + OCS potential-energy surface (PES) was used to evaluate the performance of density functional theory by comparing the results to ab initio calculations at the QCISD(T)//UMP2 and UMP2 levels using the aug-cc-pVTZ and 6-311+G(2df, 2p) basis sets. The two major reaction paths on this PES involve formation of OH(2Π) + CS(1Σ) (reaction I) and SH(2Π) + CO(1Σ) (reaction II). Experimental and QCISD(T)//UMP2/aug-cc-pVTZ activation barriers for (II) and reaction enthalpies for (I) and (II) were compared to values calculated by several density functionals (BLYP, B3LYP, B3PW91, BPW91, BP86, and B3P86) using the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. All DFT/aug-cc-pVTZ predictions, except for the B3LYP prediction of the enthalpy of reaction I, were outside the range of experimental uncertainty. B3LYP predictions were in closest agreement with the experimental values and QCISD(T) predictions. B3LYP, BPW91, and B3PW91 predictions of the rate-limiting barrier to reaction II are within 3.5 kcal/mol of the QCISD(T) prediction, an...
Reformers, politicians, and the courts: a preliminary look at US redistricting in the 1980s

Abstract This paper reviews a variety of criteria which have been proposed for legislative and congressional redistricting in the US and discusses the political and legal factors which have shaped 1980s redistricting. Particular attention is paid to the conflicts of interest between incumbents (seeking re-election), party organizations (seeking aggregate partisan advantage), minority interests (seeking proportional minority representation or at least enhanced minority influence), liberal reformers (seeking to take the ‘politics’ out of the redistricting process), and courts (seeking largely to implement ‘one person, one vote’ guidelines by minimizing deviation from population equality across districts but also concerned with avoiding dilutions of minority voting strength). It calls attention to three phenomena which have made redistricting in the 1980s different from that of earlier decades: (1) the striking role of the Justice Department in using the pre-clearance provision of the Voting Rights Act to assure greater minority voting strength and to eliminate discriminatory use of multi-member districting schemes; (2) the increased political and legal sophistication of minority groups; and (3) the role of the computer in making available a plethora of districting plans, all of which satisfy court equipopulation guidelines but which differ dramatically from each other in their substantive implications for the representation of political, racial, linguistic, and socio-economic groupings, and in their implications for the likely political fate of incumbent politicians and their potential challengers.
Pressurized rapid cardioplegia versus administration of exogenous substrate and topical hypothermia.

Abstract Five hundred fifty-nine patients undergoing aortocoronary operation were analyzed retrospectively according to the type of myocardial protection implemented during the period of ischemia. In Group 1 (253 patients), a rapid method of hypothermic cardioplegia alone was utilized. In Group 2 (306 patients), slower infusion of the same solution with topical hypothermia was implemented. Cardiac isoenzymes (CPK-MB, LDH 1 , LDH 2 , serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) and myocardial infarct index (MII) were measured postoperatively for 48 hours. Immediately after operation, a significant difference was found between Groups 1 and 2 in the CPK-MB isoenzyme mean value levels—12.1 versus 18.6 IU, p p 1 , LDH 2 , total lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and SGOT: Group 2 levels were significantly higher than in Group 1. There were ten intraoperative infarctions in Group 2 and none in Group 1. In 45% of the patients in Group 2, inotropic agents were necessary in the postoperative period versus none in Group 1. Spontaneous cardiac rhythm following ischemia occurred in 89.7% of the patients in Group 1 versus 29% in Group 2. A method of pressurized high-flow rapid cardioplegia with intermittent reperfusions alone, seems to provide adequate protection of the myocardium during ischemia over a slower low-flow method of infusion combined with topical hypothermia.
Differential regulation of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in the adult ovariectomized mouse uterus by progesterone and estrogen

Expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) was studied in the adult ovariectomized mouse uterus in response to progesterone (P4) and/or 17 beta-estradiol (E2) using Northern blotting, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. A 2.5-kilobase transcript of HB-EGF messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected in total uterine RNA samples. Although low levels of this mRNA were detected in uterine samples of oil-treated ovariectomized mice (control), an injection of E2 promptly up-regulated the levels. The mRNA levels peaked at 2 h and returned to basal levels after 12 h. Injection of P4 alone did not influence the basal levels; however, coinjection of E2 with P4 caused a rapid, but transient, up-regulation of the mRNA. The levels peaked between 2-4 h and declined 6 h after the hormone injections. Coinjection of E2 with P4 after 1 day of P4 priming also resulted in peak levels of HB-EGF mRNA at 2 h; however, the levels were not sustained thereafter. Because P4 and E2 differentially regulate heterogeneous uterine cell types, in situ hybridization was performed to determine cell-specific expression of HB-EGF mRNA in the ovariectomized uterus before and after steroid treatments. In the oil-treated uterine sections, very low levels of autoradiographic signals were observed in the luminal epithelium. In contrast, an injection of E2 resulted in a marked accumulation of HB-EGF mRNA primarily in uterine epithelial cells within 2 h. Although specific hybridization signals could not be detected in any uterine cell types after P4 treatment, combined treatment with P4 and E2 resulted in an accumulation of HB-EGF mRNA in stromal cells. To determine whether uterine HB-EGF mRNA was translated, cellular distribution of HB-EGF protein was investigated by immunohistochemistry. In oil-treated uterine sections, an overall weak immunostaining was noted, whereas no staining could be detected in uterine sections after P4 treatment. In contrast, positive immunostaining was noted in epithelial cells after E2 treatment. Coinjection of P4 with E2 caused immunostaining in the stroma. These results are consistent with those of in situ hybridization. The present investigation establishes that in the adult ovariectomized mouse uterus, E2 regulates HB-EGF expression in the epithelium, whereas expression of HB-EGF in the stroma is regulated by P4 and E2.
Wind energy conversion with a variable-ratio gearbox: design and analysis

Variable-speed wind turbines are able to adapt to low wind speeds and therefore have greater efficiency than fixed-speed turbines during partial-load operation. Unfortunately, the high cost and low reliability of the electronics that enable variation in speed have discouraged this mode of operation for distributed wind turbines. Alternatively, a Variable-Ratio Gearbox (VRG) can be integrated into the fixed-speed wind turbine to facilitate operation with a discrete set of variable speeds that boost efficiency. The VRG concept is based upon mature technology taken from the automotive industry and is characterized by low cost and high reliability. In this paper, a model-based design methodology is introduced to study the performance gain of integrating a VRG into a fixed-speed stall-regulated wind turbine system. The results demonstrate how this device can improve the efficiency of the fixed-speed turbine in the partial-load region and the potential to use the VRG to limit power in the full-load region where pitch control is often used.
The perceived credibility of personal Web page information as influenced by the sex of the source

This field experiment examined the effects of the sex of Web site authors and Web site visitors on perceptions of the credibility of personal Web pages. Participants viewed male and female Web pages created for this study, patterned after personal pages on the Web, and assessed sponsor, message, and Web site credibility. Results revealed that men rated both message credibility and site credibility significantly higher than did women and that there was a significant interaction effect whereby opposite-sex credibility evaluations were higher than same-sex credibility evaluations. Overall, this study reveals that sex differences are meaningful in cyberspace but that the reduced cues environment challenges researchers to locate precisely what factors underlie these differences. Potential explanations include the vestiges of a sex-imbalanced Internet culture, sex similarity, sex and message congruence, and social desirability.
The priority of ontology in reductionist models: A response to Robinson☆

Abstract Robinson's treatment of the logic of reduction makes extremely important analyses of the common strategies of reduction and the contemporary models of psychology which pursue them. The power of the argument is that even within the ontology that informs the contemporary models the reductionist project is not well understood, ill advised, and ultimately unnecessary. This response to Robinson's essay suggests that some sort of reduction is inevitable because it inheres in language, that on ontology always precedes and underlies all reductions or attempts at reduction, and that it may be argued that all such reductions have metaphysical consequences.
Selenocompounds Can Serve as Oxidoreductants with the Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase Enzymes

In a recent study on the reducing requirement for the methionine sulfoxide reductases (Msr) (Sagher, D., Brunell, D., Hejtmancik, J. F., Kantorow, M., Brot, N. & Weissbach, H. (2006) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 103, 8656-8661), we have shown that thioredoxin, although an excellent reducing system for Escherichia coli MsrA and MsrB and bovine MsrA, is not an efficient reducing agent for either human MsrB2 (hMsrB2) or human MsrB3 (hMsrB3). In a search for another reducing agent for hMsrB2 and hMsrB3, it was recently found that thionein, the reduced, metal-free form of metallothionein, could function as a reducing system for hMsrB3, with weaker activity using hMsrB2. In the present study, we provide evidence that some selenium compounds are potent reducing agents for both hMsrB2 and hMsrB3.
Integral Inequalities and Equalities for the Rearrangement of Hardy and Littlewood

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to prove the following result about the Hardy-Littlewood decreasing rearrangement ƒ* of a function ƒ. If ƒ(x) is a.e. differentiable on [0, 1], Φ is a nonnegative Borel function on R , and Ψ: [0, ∞) → R is increasing then ∫10Φ (ƒ*) Ψ(|ƒ*)′|) ≤ ∫10Φ(ƒ) Ψ(|ƒ′|). Furthermore, if Φ is strictly positive, Ψ is strictly increasing, ƒ is absolutely continuous, and there is equality above with both integrals being finite then ƒ must be monotone.
Prioritizing removal of dams for passage of diadromous fishes on a major river system

Native diadromous fishes have been extirpated from much of the Susquehanna River system for nearly a century. Recent restoration efforts have focused on removal of dams, but there are hundreds of dams and presently there is no biologically based system to assist in prioritizing their removal. We present a new method that uses existing habitat suitability index models (HSI) for American shad Alosa sapidissima, alewife A. pseudoharengus, blueback herring A. aestivalis, and American eel Anguilla rostrata to prioritize the removal of non-hydropower dams within the Susquehanna River system. We ranked HSI scores for each of the four species, association between a landscape-scale factor and HSIs, length of river opened by removing a dam, and distance from the mouth at Chesapeake Bay for each dam and then calculated a mean rank prioritization for dam removal by averaging the ranks for the seven criteria. This prioritization method is resistant to outliers, is not strongly affected by somewhat arbitrary decisions on metrics included in the analysis, and provides a biologically based prioritization for dam removal that can be easily amended to include other metrics or adapted to other river systems and that complements other social and economic considerations that must be included in decisions to remove dams. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spontaneous methylation of hemoglobin by S-adenosyl-methionine by a specific and saturable mechanism.

The methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) is transferred into hemoglobin without any evident involvement of an enzyme. There are multiple sites for incorporation of the methyl group into hemoglobin, since bothα andβ chains are methylated. The methyl linkages formed in hemoglobin are stable at both alkaline and acidicpH, and the reaction occurs optimally at slightly below neutralpH. Only a small fraction (∼2%) of hemoglobin tetramers are methylated under the conditions tested. Acid hydrolysis of [3H-methyl]-labeled hemoglobin and determination of phenylisothiocynate derivatives yields Ne-methyl lysine, which accounts for about one-half of the incorporated [3H-methyl] radioactivity. Other amino acids are methylated as well, with much of the remaining radioactivity being distributed among one or more of the side chains of histidine, cysteine, and arginine. Methyl group transfer to hemoglobin from AdoMet is slow and inefficient (k cat/K m∼5×10−2), but the reaction velocity tends toward a plateau with increasing AdoMet concentration in a manner suggesting that saturable binding of AdoMet onto hemoglobin is involved in methyl transfer. The velocity of hemoglobin methylation is inhibited by S-adenosylhomocysteine, the known end-product inhibitor of methyltransferases, a further indication that methyl group transfer involves binding and catalysis by a specific site (or sites) in the hemoglobin molecule. These observations may help to explain the known existence of methylated hemoglobins in erythrocyte.
Philip S. Magee: a life in QSAR

A brief account of the career of Philip S. Magee, a distinguished member of the QSAR community.
Training rail accident investigators in UK

In the UK a number of high severity rail accidents, combined with structural change in the rail industry led to the need for revised accident investigation procedures. The revised procedure addressed identified issues with accident investigation, but to ensure maximum benefit in terms of identification of underlying causes of accidents and the production of good recommendations, training for rail industry accident investigators was required. The development of training followed the development of the revised procedure, with key decisions including the scope of the training and the delivery method that promotes the highest degree of information transfer and individual learning. The training has been delivered to the rail industry with considerable success but has, and continues, to face challenges as the industry structure continues to evolve.
A Pharmacokinetic Model for Quantifying the Effect of Vascular Permeability on the Choice of Drug Carrier: A Framework for Personalized Nanomedicine

Drug carriers in the ∼ 100 nm size range are of considerable interest in the field of cancer therapy because of their ability to passively accumulate in tumors. Tailoring the physicochemical properties of these carriers to individual patient requirements will help exploit their full therapeutic potential. Here, we present a pharmacokinetic model to explain how vascular physiology could be used to guide the optimal choice of specific formulation parameters. We find that in order to maximize the benefit-to-risk ratio, nanosystems should be confined to a specific particle size range. The optimal particle size range is dictated by the vascular pore size of not only the tumor tissue but also of the normal organs. Additionally, the duration of drug release is a key variable that can be used to maximize the therapeutic benefit of nanomedicine. Our model further suggests that the enhanced permeability and retention effect is not necessarily a universal outcome for every nanocarrier in every tumor model but will only be observed for nanoparticles of a specific size range. This optimal size range, in turn, is governed by the vascular physiology of the tumor and of non-target organs.