cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of γA/γ’ Fibrinogen Levels and Coronary Artery Disease

GammaA/gamma' fibrinogen is a fibrinogen isoform that constitutes about 15% of total plasma fibrinogen. This isoform contains an additional binding site for zymogen factor XIII and for active thrombin, and forms fibrin clots that are resistant to fibrinolysis in vitro. Little is known about the variability of gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels in human populations, whereas total fibrinogen levels are known to increase with age and are higher in women than in men. In this report, evidence is presented that, in contrast to total fibrinogen levels, gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels showed no significant association with age or gender in a population of normal blood donors. A study of gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels in patients undergoing coronary angiography also showed that gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels were higher on average in coronary artery disease patients than in patients without coronary artery disease, and that this association was independent of total fibrinogen levels.
Putting biomedical knowledge to use in the Third World.

The quality and quantity of biomedical research on diseases of the poor such as diarrhea and schistosomiasis is inferior to that of diseases of the rich such as cancer. For example few new and better vaccines exist on the market even though the scientific community is close to an effective rotavirus vaccine. Researchers have made biomedical breakthroughs in substantial health problems yet few health workers and caretakers apply them. Bridging the gap between knowledge and technologies and their application by those who would most benefit remain a great public health challenge. The Child Survival and Development Revolution (CSDR) is an attempt to meet this challenge. It uses low cost/high impact medical knowledge and technologies of mass applicability to improve childrens health in developing countries. These technologies include growth monitoring oral rehydration therapy immunization female education family planning and food supplementation. Colombia leads the CSDR since its top political leaders encourage everyone to work toward child survival. For example they mobilized the media the Catholic Church school teachers government ministries business leaders and nongovernmental organizations to immunize the children during a national campaign. They succeeded in immunizing over 75%. Campaign leaders designed it so that immunization activities would continue after the campaign and that it would serve to expand other primary health care programs. The CSDR demonstrates that with even a modest political will health workers and caretakers can achieve a 50% reduction of the 1980 child death rate by 2000. It has also contributed to increased support for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nevertheless much remains to be done so health scientists need to encourage a force just under the surface to emerge: social mobilization and empowerment to improve child health.
The Columbia River Treaty: the politics and possibilities for change

International watershed basins shared by two or more states cover nearly half the land surface of the earth and often present complex, interconnected management challenges. The Columbia River basin has long been considered a model case of international watershed management. The fiftieth anniversary of the Canada–United States treaty that governs the basin occurred in 2014, which was also the first year either country could give notice to terminate and request to renegotiate. Stakeholders and interested parties with values shut out of the original negotiations have long advocated for fundamental changes in how the river is managed and operated. Meanwhile, those interests who are the primary beneficiaries of the current system want to limit any changes in terms, operations, and distribution of benefits. This article explores the politics of potential treaty renegotiation and focuses on the institutional permanence of the existing system, demands for ecosystem functions in future system operations, and whether transformational change or incremental adaption is the politically likely outcome.
Water thin film-silica interaction on α-quartz (0001) surfaces

Interactions between thin water films and \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz (0001) surfaces are studied using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Layer-by-layer water deposition with up to five layers of water film on both bare and fully hydroxylated \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz (0001) surfaces is examined. Except for water monolayer adsorption, the interactions between water and bare quartz surfaces with Si-O-Si terminations are found to be relatively weak, with adsorption energies similar to the hydrogen bonding strength. However, the interactions between water and surfaces with hydroxyl terminations are much stronger, with a film-surface bonding energy an order of magnitude larger than on bare surfaces. A stable bilayer configuration is identified on all surfaces. In particular it shields the water-silica interaction effectively and makes a surface inert to water molecules. Examination of lateral translation of water thin films on bare surfaces supports the results of friction experiments.
Development of the Tachinid Parasite, Lixophaga diatraeae , on Various Developmental Stages of the Sugarcane Borer in the Laboratory

First stage maggots of Lixophaga diatraeae (Townsend) successfully entered 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, early 5th, and late 5th stage larvae and untanned and tanned pupae of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Percentage parasite maggots completing development to the pupal stage was reduced in 1st and late 5th stage host larvae and untanned pupae. No maggots completed development in tanned pupae. Maggots readily entered host larvae in all stages, but their ability to seek out younger host larvae in artificial diet contained in 30-ml cups was reduced. Host larvae parasitized during the 1st to early 5th larval stage underwent additional molts during parasite maggot development, but did not pupate. The duration of the parasite maggot period (male and female) decreased with advance in host larval stage parasitized up to the 4th stadium, and this decrease was associated with decreasing duration of the parasite maggot prefunnel period. Parasite puparia (male and female) from older host larvae generally weighed more.
Icthyosis uteri. A case report.

Abstract A case of marked squamous metaplasia of the uterus with pathologic changes of an unusual degree was presented.
Using IS2002 to Assess the Impact of a Proposed Curriculum Change

This paper describes how a process for mapping the curriculum of a four-year IS degree program (Daigle et al. 2004), using the IS2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems (Gorgone et al. 2002), is useful for analyzing the impact of a proposed curriculum change. An example, based on an actual use of IS2002 software tools, is used to illustrate the process. The example is based on an actual case of comparing two courses, Software Engineering Principles and Information Technology Project Management, to determine which was a more appropriate required course for IS majors. The example illustrates the value of IS2002 software tools for identifying areas of value-added breadth and depth, determining areas of overlap, and following the threads of how important concepts are developed over the course of the degree program.
Crop Respiration and Growth Efficiency

Respiration significantly influences the carbon balance of a crop since often about half the carbon assimilated during photosynthesis is eventually lost to respiration. The relationship between crop respiration (or photosynthesis) rate and crop yield is not always straightforward, however, since it is only a fraction of the plant that is of interest, i.e., the harvested portion. Changes in specific respiration rate during crop development, as well as differences in the rate of respiration among plant parts, are important considerations when evaluating the role of respiration in the carbon economy of a crop throughout a growing season. The first half of this chapter covers some important aspects of the respiration of crops, particularly under field conditions, and some relationships between respiration rate and productivity, including the growth efficiency of major crops.
Global Control of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Hepatitis C is among the most serious infectious diseases currently faced by human beings. With the discovery and identification of the causative agent, the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and extensive research on HCV virology, we have revealed the unique nature of HCV. Research findings were directly and promptly applied to medical and public health interventions. In particular, strict screening of blood transfusion drastically reduced the number of new hepatitis C cases worldwide. New and mechanistically diverse anti-HCV therapies has been developed one after another. HCV can be eradicated from individual patients, but hepatitis C cannot be eradicated globally. HCV is heterogeneous in nature. There are quasispecies of HCV in infected persons. The global distribution of genotypes continues to change and diversify. The persistence of HCV is closely related to the heterogeneity of human society. Notably, risk factors and epidemiological parameters are very dynamic. To control HCV infection globally, we must establish a robust international network capable of monitoring the real time epidemiology of HCV and accounting for its increasing disease burden.
Identification of proximal sites for unwound DNA substrate in Escherichia coli topoisomerase I with oxidative crosslinking.

Topoisomerases catalyze changes in DNA topology by directing the movement of DNA strands through consecutive cleavage-rejoining reactions of the DNA backbone. We describe the use of a phenylselenyl-modified thymidine incorporated into a specific position of a partially unwound DNA substrate in crosslinking studies of Escherichia coli topoisomerase I to gain new insights into its catalytic mechanism. Crosslinking of the phenylselenyl-modified thymidine to the topoisomerase protein was achieved by the addition of a mild oxidant. Following nuclease and trypsin digestion, lysine residues on topoisomerase I crosslinked to the modified thymidine were identified by mass spectrometry. The crosslinked sites may correspond to proximal sites for the unwound DNA strand as it interacts with enzyme in the different stages of the catalytic cycle. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Chemical Transformation of Colloidal Nanostructures with Morphological Preservation by Surface-Protection with Capping Ligands.

When nanocrystals are made to undergo chemical transformations, there are often accompanying large mechanical deformations and changes to overall particle morphology. These effects can constrain development of multistep synthetic methods through loss of well-defined particle morphology and functionality. Here, we demonstrate a surface protection strategy for solution phase chemical conversion of colloidal nanostructures that allows for preservation of overall particle morphology despite large volume changes. Specifically, via stabilization with strong coordinating capping ligands, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this method by transforming β-FeOOH nanorods into magnetic Fe3O4 nanorods, which are known to be difficult to produce directly. The surface-protected conversion strategy is believed to represent a general self-templating method for nanocrystal synthesis, as confirmed by applying it to the chemical conversion of nanostructures of other morphologies (spheres, rods, cubes, and plates) and composi...
Novel topological states in photonics

Certain novel, topologically non-trivial, photonic states will be presented. Their properties and potential applications will be discussed.
A History of the African American Novel: Out of Many One: The Beginnings of a Novelistic Tradition, 1850s– 1900s

Writing and the Making of “African Americans” When Michael Gomez observes that the “development of an initial capture account that points the finger exclusively at the European and excludes any mention of his African counterpart … marks an important stage in the emergence of the African American aggregate identity” (207), he might well be characterizing the basis of the written saga that would lay the groundwork for the African American novel. The repetition of a particular history – a taking of Africans by Europeans, the exactitude of servitude in America on plantations owned by whites, and the often self-engineered redemption from this servitude – would, in large part, cement many peoples of different African origins into a race. This narrative of shared enslavement became the foundational element of a consciousness of kind that would produce a body of literature engaging this history throughout its development. One of the earliest forms within this body was the slave narrative, and scholars have convincingly demonstrated its influence on traditions of black writing. Indeed, early African American novels mirror the arc of an enslaved black subject undergoing religious and liberatory redemption. But other influences might also have been at work in shaping their content. Though we may never know the many worldviews, rituals, and expressive forms that eventually found expression in the novel, as Frances Smith Foster suggests in her essay on the origins of African American print culture, it is time to ask what other elements informed African American literature. Ayuba Suleiman Diallo (1701–1773) was an African Muslim who, in his memoir, recalled an odyssey from old world to new. Might the memory of his prominence in Senegambia before he was enslaved have influenced nineteenth-century imaginings of an African past? How well known were the ethnographically detailed letters of Philip Quaque, the first African ordained as a minister of the Church of England, describing what it was like to live as a free missionary within British slavery in eighteenth-century Cape Coast? To what extent did the exegesis in The Diary of Ben Ali written by Bilali Mohammed, a slave from Sapelo Island, Georgia, inform the growing interest in Islamic culture, evident in early black print culture?
Evaluation of telomere length in human cardiac tissues using cardiac quantitative FISH

Telomere length has been correlated with various diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. The use of currently available telomere-length measurement techniques is often restricted by the requirement of a large amount of cells (Southern-based techniques) or the lack of information on individual cells or telomeres (PCR-based methods). Although several methods have been used to measure telomere length in tissues as a whole, the assessment of cell-type-specific telomere length provides valuable information on individual cell types. The development of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technologies enables the quantification of telomeres in individual chromosomes, but the use of these methods is dependent on the availability of isolated cells, which prevents their use with fixed archival samples. Here we describe an optimized quantitative FISH (Q-FISH) protocol for measuring telomere length that bypasses the previous limitations by avoiding contributions from undesired cell types. We have used this protocol on small paraffin-embedded cardiac-tissue samples. This protocol describes step-by-step procedures for tissue preparation, permeabilization, cardiac-tissue pretreatment and hybridization with a Cy3-labeled telomeric repeat complementing (CCCTAA)3 peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe coupled with cardiac-specific antibody staining. We also describe how to quantify telomere length by means of the fluorescence intensity and area of each telomere within individual nuclei. This protocol provides comparative cell-type-specific telomere-length measurements in relatively small human cardiac samples and offers an attractive technique to test hypotheses implicating telomere length in various cardiac pathologies. The current protocol (from tissue collection to image procurement) takes ∼28 h along with three overnight incubations. We anticipate that the protocol could be easily adapted for use on different tissue types.
Analysing baryon acoustic oscillations in sparse spectroscopic samples via cross-correlation with dense photometry

NASA Einstein Fellowship program [PF6-170157]; Simons Foundation; U.S. Department of Energy [DE-SC0013718]; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; National Science Foundation; U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science; University of Arizona; Brazilian Participation Group; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Carnegie Mellon University; University of Florida; Harvard University; Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; Michigan State/Notre Dame/JINA Participation Group; Johns Hopkins University; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics; Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics; New Mexico State University; New York University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; University of Portsmouth; Princeton University; University of Tokyo; University of Utah; Vanderbilt University; University of Virginia; University of Washington; Yale University
Rethinking compilers in the rise of machine learning and AI (keynote)

Recent years have witnessed some influential progresses in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The progresses may lead to some significant changes to future programming. Many programs, for instance, may be not code written in some specially designed programming languages, but high-level user intentions expressed in natural languages. Deep Learning-based software, despite the difficulties in interpreting their results, may continue its rapid growth in the software market and its influence in people's everyday life. This talk will first examine the implications of these changes to compiler research, and then discuss the potential opportunities that ML and AI could bring to possibly transform the field of compiler research. Specifically, the talk will focus on the possibilities for ML and AI to help reveal the high-level semantics and attributes of software components that traditional compiler technology cannot do, and hence, open important opportunities for high-level large-scoped code reasoning and optimizations---a direction that has some tremendous potential but has been beyond the reach of traditional compiler technology. The talk will discuss how ML and AI may help break the "abstraction wall"---barriers formed by layers of abstractions in modern software---for program analysis and optimizations, and how ML and AI may transform the way in which high-level user intentions get translated into low-level code implementations. The talk will conclude with a list of grand challenges and possible research directions for future compiler constructions.
Energy-Release Rates in Dynamic Fracture: Path-Invariant Integrals, and Some Computational Studies

In this paper, the subject of path-invariant contour integrals that quantify the rate of energy release at a crack-tip, propagating under mixed-mode, unsteady conditions, with a non-constant velocity, is critically examined. Such an integral, over a space-fixed contour is newly introduced, and its utility in computing mixed-mode stress-intensity factors for propagating cracks, using finite element methods, is demonstrated.
La maladie post-operatoire: Is there order in variety? The six stimulus-response sequences.

There is such variety in convalescent patterns that students of this subject are compelled to look more closely at the nature of the stimulus-response patterns and bring sharply into focus those recurring phenomena whose mixture together determines the final clinical result.
Medical History as Fine Art in American Mural Painting of the 1930s

To illuminate popular notions of medical progress during the inter-war era, this article examines four large mural projects depicting medical history. Aside from portraits of individual medical heroes, such as Pasteur and Lister, artists also created imagery strongly contrasting traditional and modern medicine in general. This analysis features the works of four stylistically distinct artists (Bernard Zakheim, Charles Alston, William C. Palmer, and Victor Arnautoff), whose 1930s murals may be viewed today in San Francisco, New York City (Harlem and Queens), and Palo Alto, California. These murals are significant works of art in themselves, and they form an unusual group of special interest to historians because they took on an uncommon subject for the fine arts - the history of medicine - rather than what had long been the far more common portrayal of medicine by artists, namely contemporary medical scenes from their own era.
Classification and Evaluation of Diaphragmatic Hernias

Diaphragmatic hernias can be intimidating diagnoses for physicians who are unfamiliar with their workup and treatment. Often these hernias are incidental findings from diagnostic evaluations for reflux or ulcer disease, but they can also present in dire need of urgent surgery. Understanding the basics of evaluation and determining the urgency of treatment are essential in caring for this patient population. The large majority of these cases are not emergencies, and it is imperative for these patients to get a complete workup prior to surgical intervention. Through a discussion of the anatomy of the diaphragm and the esophageal hiatus, the pathophysiology of these hernias is more easily understood. In addition, the classification of these hernias and the appropriate diagnostic evaluation will be discussed. Our goal is to provide a fundamental guide for their classification and evaluation.
Relationships between experimental signatures and processing history for a variety of PuO2 materials

Abstract The primary oxide of plutonium, PuO2, is a complex material due to ongoing change in lattice structure resulting from radioactive alpha decay. In addition, the element plutonium is complex, existing in various allotropes, which can influence formation of oxides due to different nucleation and growth mechanisms. The juxtaposition of these unique properties, along with formation conditions of the initial oxide, makes for PuO2 materials with a wide variety of local and bulk experimental signatures. This work measures these signatures with X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy from five different oxide materials, and relates these signatures to specific PuO2 production and aging routes. This information is of potential use in nuclear fuels processing and production, nuclear non-proliferation, forensics analyses, and interplanetary power sources.
Transcriptome signatures of treatment responses in a preoperative window of opportunity trial of nivolumab and tadalafil in resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Abstract Background Immunotherapy with nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 blocking antibody, is clinically approved for the management of recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) but it benefits only a minority of patients. The phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor tadalafil was found to lower intratumoral myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells in SCCHN patients. Here we describe exploratory analyses of immune-related gene expression correlates of nivolumab with or without concurrent administration of tadalafil administered for 4 weeks before planned surgical resection in the context of a completed randomized, window-of-opportunity trial. Methods RNA-seq was performed on pre- and post-treatment tumor tissues from 28 patients receiving either nivolumab alone (n = 12) or nivolumab and tadalafil (n = 16). RNA was sequenced (NextSeq 500) using 75bp paired-end chemistry at a depth of ∼50 million reads. Results Consistent with previous work, pretreatment biopsies of HPV(+) SCCHN (n = 19) were more strongly immune infiltrated when compared to HPV(-) (n = 9) cancers. Preliminary principal component analysis of pretreatment gene expression suggests that select transcripts related to T cells and inflammation were predicitve of clinical outcomes in HPV(+) SCCHN. Nivolumab treatment enhanced expression of a broad range of immune-related genes in both HPV(+) and HPV(-) SCCHNs and this signature was amplified by tadalafil. Whereas transcript patterns consistent with enhanced myeloid cell infiltration after treatment were observed in both, HPV(+) and HPV(-) HNSCCs, T cell gene expression signatures were more pronounced in HPV(+) cancers. Conclusions These results point to diverse intratumoral immune states triggered by nivolumab/tadalafil in HPV(+) when compared to HPV(-) SCCHNs. They challenge the notion that increased presence of intratumoral T lymphocytes alone is associated with favorable therapeutic responses to PD1 inhibition in SCCHN. Yet, select pretreatment transcripts associated with innate and/or adaptive immune responses may have prognostic relevance. Clinical trial identification NCT 03238365. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Bristol-Myers Squibb. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
An Analysis of the Aig Case - Understanding Systemic Risk and its Relation to Insurance

This study describes the AIG model of operations prior to the conglomerate failure up to the point when the liquidity crisis triggered the massive bailout by the US government. It is a study designed to provide understanding of the key factors in the demise of AIG in relationship to systemic risks in insurance. The main contribution of this report is the delineation of the key internal factors from the external macro market and regulatory factors that contributed to the failure. We regard the latter as macro factors underpinning the foundation that propelled the activities of AIG Financial Products Unit (AIGFP). The study shows that if it were not for the “non-insurance” activities of the AIGFP under the AIG Holding Company, the averted collapse (with the bailout), in all likelihood, would have been avoided. The main key takeaways are: AIGFP was not an insurance company; AIGFP was not regulated by insurance regulations; AIGFP’s credit default swaps were the key factor to the AIG collapse. As global regulators look into indicators for Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs), the macro factors should be integrated into any newly created regulatory framework: 1. Use credit ratings with care and avoid exploitation of high ratings, 2. Be aware of banks’ capital being replaced by new opaque financial products, 3. Remove gaps in regulations and require transparency, 4. Forbid companies to select their own regulatory bodies, 5. Understand insurance vs. non-insurance or quasi-banking activities and products, and 6. Create clarity to delineate between the banking and insurance models. In brief, the key lesson is that when non-insurance or quasi-banking operations enter the insurance arena, expert insurance supervision is needed to close gaps in regulation.
Postoperative Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Spinal Metastasis and Predictors of Local Control.

Background Spine surgery is indicated for select patients with mechanical instability, pain, and/or malignant epidural spinal cord compression, with or without neurological compromise. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an option for durable local control (LC) for metastatic spine disease. Objective To determine factors associated with LC and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving postoperative stereotactic spine radiosurgery. Methods We analyzed consecutive patients from 2013 to 2019 treated with surgical intervention followed by SBRT. Surgical interventions included laminectomy and vertebrectomy. SBRT included patients treated with 1 to 5 fractions of radiosurgery. We analyzed LC, PFS, overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results A total of 63 patients were treated with a median follow-up of 12.5 mo. Approximately 75% of patients underwent vertebrectomy and 25% underwent laminectomy. One-year cumulative incidence of local failure was 19%. LC was significantly improved for patients receiving radiosurgery ≤40 d from surgery compared to that for patients receiving radiosurgery ≥40 d from surgery, 94% vs 75%, respectively, at 1 yr (P = .03). Patients who received preoperative embolization had improved LC with 1-yr LC of 88% vs 76% for those who did not receive preoperative embolization (P = .037). Significant predictors for LC on multivariate analysis were time from surgery to radiosurgery, higher radiotherapy dose, and preoperative embolization. The 1-yr PFS and OS was 56% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion Postoperative radiosurgery has excellent and durable LC for spine metastasis. An important consideration when planning postoperative radiosurgery is minimizing delay from surgery to radiosurgery. Preoperative embolization and higher radiotherapy dose were associated with improved LC warranting further study.
Optimal Resource Allocation and Throughput Maximization in Wireless Powered Cooperative Cognitive Radio Network

In this paper the Random Access – Cooperative Cognitive Radio Network (RA-CCRN) is integrated along with the Wireless Powered Communication Network (WPCN) in which both the primary users and the secondary users are powered by a Hybrid Access Point (HAP). In this the primary users (user of mobile operator) lease their spectrum to the secondary users (private Wi-Fi network) in exchange of secondary users as cooperative relay to maximize their throughput and a Hybrid Access Point (HAP) is used to supply energy for both the Primary Users (PU) and the Secondary Users (SU) and receive the information from both the PU and SU. The spectrum leasing in Cooperative Cognitive Radio Network maximizes the throughput of the primary user and doubles the capacity of the secondary users. The integration of the RA-CCRN along with the WPCN with the help of Hybrid Access Point (HAP) improves the throughput efficiency and energy efficiency for both the primary user and the secondary user. The contention window size of the default 802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) is modified in-order to solve the resource allocation problem in the newly created cooperative network. The cooperation is considered as two – player bargaining game in which the players are the primary user (users of the mobile operator) and the secondary user (user of AP before spectrum leasing). Both the players bargain for the throughput and channel access share which is solved by the Nash – Solution.
Biomarkers show value of studying dementia in Down syndrome.

More than 90% of people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer disease but receive little or no treatment for their dementia. Novel biomarkers of ageing and dementia bring new hope to this medically vulnerable population and can also help researchers understand dementia in other populations.
GT Journey: The Importance of Accessible Rich Data Sources to Enable Innovation

GT Journey (gtjourney.gatech.edu) is an initiative, which empowers members of the Georgia Tech community to develop and deploy applications and services through access to resources (tools, data, services, space) and mentors with technical and domain expertise. The genesis for this initiative comes from a long history of facilitating application and service development for students by students in classroom and entrepreneurial settings. This paper reveals many of the lessons learned from this participatory design, build, and deploy initiative, which may be applicable to a variety of activities in educational, civic, and industry innovation settings.
ADPase activity of recombinantly expressed thermotolerant ATPases may be caused by copurification of adenylate kinase of Escherichia coli

Except for apyrases, ATPases generally target only the gamma-phosphate of a nucleotide. Some non-apyrase ATPases from thermophilic microorganisms are reported to hydrolyze ADP as well as ATP, which has been described as a novel property of the ATPases from extreme thermophiles. Here, we describe an apparent ADP hydrolysis by highly purified preparations of the AAA+ ATPase NtrC1 from an extremely thermophilic bacterium, Aquifex aeolicus. This activity is actually a combination of the activities of the ATPase and contaminating adenylate kinase (AK) from Escherichia coli, which is present at 1/10,000 of the level of the ATPase. AK catalyzes conversion of two molecules of ADP into AMP and ATP, the latter being a substrate for the ATPase. We raise concern that the observed thermotolerance of E. coli AK and its copurification with thermostable proteins by commonly used methods may confound studies of enzymes that specifically catalyze hydrolysis of nucleoside diphosphates or triphosphates. For example, contamination with E. coli AK may be responsible for reported ADPase activities of the ATPase chaperonins from Pyrococcus furiosus, Pyrococcus horikoshii, Methanococcus jannaschii and Thermoplasma acidophilum; the ATP/ADP-dependent DNA ligases from Aeropyrum pernix K1 and Staphylothermus marinus; or the reported ATP-dependent activities of ADP-dependent phosphofructokinase of P. furiosus. Purification methods developed to separate NtrC1 ATPase from AK also revealed two distinct forms of the ATPase. One is tightly bound to ADP or GDP and able to bind to Q but not S ion exchange matrixes. The other is nucleotide-free and binds to both Q and S ion exchange matrixes.
Aboriginal Title in the Canadian Legal System: The Story of Delgamuukw v. British Columbia

Canada is grappling with legal issues surrounding indigenous property rights on a scale not seen in the United States since the mid-nineteenth century. Fundamental questions of fairness and justice related to indigenous peoples’ property rights are in flux in the province of British Columbia (B.C.) – an area the size of the states of California, Oregon, and Washington combined. The recognition of aboriginal rights in the Canadian Constitution in 1982 and recent judicial developments made it clear to the provincial government that nearly the entire province may be subject to aboriginal title claims. Consequently, the aboriginal nations and B.C. government have embarked on a treaty process to resolve conflicting interests, but not in the fashion utilized in the United States. In the U.S., treaties and agreements with Indian tribes generally resulted in the extinguishment of all indigenous property rights in sweeping terms. In addition, payment of compensation pursuant to the Indian Claims Commission process extinguished legal claims to lands taken previously without payment of compensation. To be sure, most of the roughly 300 tribes in the contiguous forty-eight states reserved homelands, or were moved to other areas set aside for their use and occupancy, and some retained extensive rights to access off-reservation wildlife resources. In British Columbia, however, no earlier treaties ceded aboriginal lands, and the provincial government has recognized that the “extinguishment” of aboriginal title is unacceptable to aboriginal nations. There are over sixty aboriginal nations engaged in forty-nine sets of negotiations with a stated goal of reconciling aboriginal rights and title with the fact the non-aboriginal people and governments are in Canada to stay. This chapter explores the foundation beneath the current negotiations.
Determinants of Cardiorespiratory Endurance in College Women

Abstract The relationship between cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance performance and various physiological and anthropometric measures was determined in 33 college women. Bivariate and multiple regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which the independent variables, individually and collectively, accounted for the variance in the 2-km run. Independent variables included maximal [Vdot]O2, [Vdot]E, R, and HR; submaximal HR; response to a standard workload of steps during a l-min steptest; percent body fat predicted from skinfolds; body circumferences; height; and weight. [Vdot]O2 max in ml/kg of body weight accounted for the greatest amount of variance in run time (39%). The steptest added 5.9%, the other physiological measures collectively added 9.7%, while the anthropometric measures collectively added only 2.1% to the explained variance for a total of 56.7%. Although anthropometric factors play a role in CR endurance performance, their influence is small in this population when physiologica...
THE EVALUATION OF RETROFIT DEVICES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF FUEL ECONOMY AND EMISSIONS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated and reported on the effectiveness of fuel economy retrofit devices for many years. Originally, such products were marketed as emission improvers but with pressures of the oil embargo in the early 1970's most devices began to be promoted to benefit fuel economy. For the most part, such devices are not effective and do not measure up to the claims made by their advertisers. Of over ninety devices evaluated by EPA, only five have improved fuel economy without increasing emission levels.
Approaches to modeling self-rated health in longitudinal studies : best practices and recommendations for multilevel models

Self-rated health (SRH) is a key measure in the study of population health with proven external validity in predicting mortality. Nevertheless, failing to address the measure’s ordinal scale in statistical analyses poses a potential threat to internal validity. Despite the advent of rich panel data, sociologists have generally been slow in adopting longitudinal methods for ordinal outcomes, and many discard valuable information in favor of simpler methods. This paper reviews and contrasts several approaches to modeling SRH in longitudinal studies under the generalized linear mixed model framework. Model performance is compared (e.g., linear versus nonlinear, conditional versus marginal) using simulation and data from the Health and Retirement Study. Findings suggest that conditional cumulative-logit models provide more statistical power than their linear counterparts, but result in similar substantive conclusions. By contrast, dichotomizing SRH significantly reduces power and is ill-advised. The paper concludes with recommendations for modeling ordinal outcomes in longitudinal studies.
Hybrid electro-refraction and electro-absorption modulators on silicon

We demonstrate high speed electro-refraction and electro-absorption modulators on the hybrid silicon platform. These modulators use distributed electrodes and have good performance for bit rates up to 40 Gb/s or more.
Spatial and other social engagement cues in a child-robot interaction: effects of a sidekick

In this study, we explored the impact of a co-located sidekick on child-robot interaction. We examined child behaviors while interacting with an expressive furniture robot and his robot lamp sidekick. The results showed that the presence of a sidekick did not alter child proximity, but did increase attention to spoken elements of the interaction. This suggests the addition of a co-located sidekick has potential to increase engagement but may not alter subtle physical interactions associated with personal space and group spatial arrangements. The findings also reinforce existing research by the community on proxemics and anthropomorphism.
Advanced disposal systems for transuranic waste: Preliminary disposal criteria for plutonium-239 at hanford

Abstract An evaluation of the feasibility and potential application of advanced disposal systems is being conducted for defense transuranic (TRU) wastes at the Hanford site. The advanced waste disposal options include those developed to provide “greater confinement” than provided by shallow-land burial. An example systems analysis is discussed with assumed performance objectives and various Hanford-specific disposal conditions, waste forms, site characteristics, and engineered barriers. Preliminary waste disposal criteria for 239Pu are determined by applying the allowable residual contamination level (ARCL) method. This method is based on compliance with a radiation dose rate limit through a site-specific analysis of the potential for radiation exposure to individuals. A 10,000-year environmental performance period is assumed, and the dose rate limit for human intrusion is assumed to be 500 mrem/yr to any exposed individual. Preliminary waste disposal criteria derived by this method for 239Pu in soils at the Hanford Site are 0.5 nCi/g in soils between the surface and a depth of 1 m, 2200 nCi/g of soil at a depth of 5 m, and 10,000 nCi/g of soil at depths 10 m and below. These waste disposal criteria are based on exposure scenarios that reflect the dependence of exposure versus burial depth.
Intrinsic Ca2+ affinities of peptides: application of the kinetic method to analogs of calcium-binding site III of rabbit skeletal troponin C.

We extended the kinetic method to determine the intrinsic affinities of nonvolatile organic molecules with divalent metal ions and then applied the amended method to determine the calcium affinities of peptide analogs of the calcium-binding site III of rabbit skeletal troponin C. Metal-bis(peptide) complexes of the composition ([H2Pi + H2Pii] − H + Ca)+, where H2P is a neutral peptide, were introduced into the gas phase by fast atom bombardment. The extended kinetic method recognizes that the dissociation characteristics of a singly charged, bis(peptide) complexes of divalent metal ions are determined by not only the metal—ion affinity but also the proton affinities of the neutral and deprotonated peptides. The modified method requires one to measure the relative abundances of [H2P − H + Ca]+, [H2P + H]+, and [H2P − H]− ions that form upon collisional activation of mixed peptide/metal complexes, proton-bound peptide dimers, and deprotonated peptide dimers, respectively. We found, by using the modified method, that the set of peptides has a different affinity order than that in solution. Peptides with one aspartic acid have a higher intrinsic Ca2+ affinity than those with two aspartates. The location of the aspartic acid (Asp) residues at various positions also affects the Ca2+ affinity. Those peptides with one Asp in the middle of the chain have higher Ca2+ affinities than those with Asp on the end because the former peptides offer greater polarizability to stabilize the charge. Peptides with two Asp’s located in close proximity have higher intrinsic calcium affinities than those with aspartates positioned further apart.
Preparation of rabbit anti-IgE for use in radioimmunoassays of total IgE and specific IgE antibodies

Abstract Detailed methodology for preparing and testing isolated rabbit anti-human IgE suitable for radioimmunoassays of total IgE and specific IgE antibodies is presented in a single article for the first time. A method for obtaining a product free of anti-idiotype antibodies is also described. IgE was isolated from E-myeloma serum (PS) by 40 and 50% saturated ammonium sulfate fractional precipitation, followed by DEAE Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography. The purified product was digested with papain, and the Fc fragments were separated from the Fab fragments by G-150 gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Rabbits were immunized with IgE (Fc), and the antisera with the highest precipitin titers were pooled. A globulin fraction was prepared from the pooled antiserum by 50% saturated ammonium sulfate precipitation and the fraction was absorbed using an immunosorbent prepared from whole human serum having a very low IgE level and with immunosorbents prepared from D-myeloma protein and from IgE (Fab). Following absorption, the antibodies were demonstrated by micro-Ouchterlony technique to have no cross-reaction with IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD or any serum protein other than IgE. More than 200 mg of isolated anti-IgE (Fc) was prepared from antiserum globulin by consecutive affinity chromatography on columns of insolubilized IgE. Elution peaks appeared following the application of 0.1 M glycine—HCl, 1.0 M NaCl buffer, pH 2.5, as well as following a subsequent flush with 0.1 M phosphate, 1.0 M NaCl buffer, pH 7.4. The eluates were tested, pooled, radiolabelled with iodine-125 and demonstrated to be effective in RAST analyses. Antibodies to idiotypic determinants of the IgE molecule were eliminated by preparing the affinity chromatography column from a second E-myeloma protein (HL) rather than the E-myeloma protein (PS) used for immunization of the rabbits. Anti-IgE preparations which were free of anti-idiotype antibodies displayed less non-specific binding to IgD and IgG coated discs than preparations containing such antibodies.
On the energy of a thomas—fermi system

The energy relation in the quasi-classical statistical theory of electronic energies (Thomas-Fermi theory) is examined with a view to explaining the fact that these energies appear often to violate the Rayleigh-Ritz variation principle.
Metal-organic chemical vapour deposition growth of InAs/GaSb type-II superlattice photodiodes

Presented for the first time is the realisation of InAs/GaSb type-II superlattice photodiodes grown by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition. The photovoltaic detectors have a cutoff wavelength (50% power responsivity) of ~8 μm at 78 K. The active region was grown on a p-type GaSb substrate and consists of an InAs(5.1 nm)/ GaSb(2.1 nm) superlattice. The R 0 4 product is typically around 0.03 Ω-cm 2 at 78 K. The responsivity is typically around 0.6 A/W and the detectivity is 1.6 × 109 at 78 K.
Remarks on the modeling of fluidized systems

In the equations governing the flow of fluidized systems, one often comes across a modulus G(e), referred to as the modulus of elasticity. We address the issue that values used for G(e) are orders of magnitude apart and point out that such a modulus, derived and used in the manner of Ettehadieh et al. (1984) and Gidaspow (1986), need to be central to the theory of fluidization
Theory of the self-energy and its single-site approximations for disordered alloys

We introduce a projection operator to denote the configuration average for an arbitrarily disordered system. This allows us to derive a formal, exact expression for the self-energy of the average propagator in terms of the disordered part of the Hamiltonian of the system. We use this expression to give a new formulation of the single-site approximations for the equilibrium properties of compositionally disordered alloys. Appropriate choices of the periodic reference medium yield the standard average $t$-matrix (ATA) and coherent potential approximations (CPA). The general expression for the self-energy is shown to satisfy a relation similar to the optical theorem for the $t$ matrix. This relation is used to prove directly that the macroscopic density of states is non-negative. This method is used to show easily and generally that both ATA and CPA yield non-negative density of states.
Structure of Bis(trifluoromethyl)cuprate and Its Role in Trifluoromethylation Reactions

An equilibrium between [(SIMes)Cu-CF3] (1, SIMes = 1,3-dimesitylimidazolin-2-ylidene) and the cuprate salt [(SIMes)2Cu][(CF3)2Cu] (2) was observed. Synthetic methods to prepare and isolate 2 are reported. Trifluoromethylations using equilibrium mixtures of 1 and 2 occur readily for aryl iodides and even occur for aryl bromides at 90 °C. Kinetic data suggest the cuprate form does not play a significant role in trifluoromethylations using N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of copper.