cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time Will Tell! A Method with Occupation Time Statistics

In this chapter, an alternative method is introduced to assess the impact of corporate events such as mergers and acquisitions on the firms. The method differs from the conventional event study tests in that, instead of testing the parameter changes over time, the durability of the parameter changes and persistence of the impacts is idscussed. In other words, the method considers the intensitity of the impacts from announcements or events may last over time. In terms of properties of stochastic processes, this persistence over time can be represented by the so-called occupation time (or sojourn time) of the underlying stochastic processes constructed by the statistics of interest.
Equivalence of Differential and Integral Formulations

Integral forms of transport equations first appeared in radiative transfer theory at the beginning of this century. If one considers radiative transfer with isotropic scattering in a layer of finite optical thickness τ, the boundary value problem may be written (cf. Section IX.1)
Study of the Stability of Cl2O3 Using ab Initio Methods

The structure, vibrational frequencies, and rotational constants have been determined using ab initio methods of all stable conformers of Cl2O3. Contrary to previous studies, only four structures remained stable at higher levels of theory. The most stable structure, ClOCl(O)O, could be formed from the three-body reactions ClO + OClO + M → ClOCl(O)O + M and Cl + ClO3 + M → ClOCl(O)O + M. The heat of reaction for these processes was determined to be -10.9 and −37.7 kcal mol-1, respectively. The internal rotation barrier for this structure is found to be 2.4 kcal mol-1, with a shallow minimum in the Cl‘OClO‘ dihedral angle. The results are compared with experimental measurements and other theoretical calculations.
Psittacine skull radiography. Anatomy, radiographic technic, and patient application.

The psittacine skull is a complex anatomic structure, frequently traumatized but difficult to adequately image with standard radiographic procedures. Multiple views including a ventrodorsal, a lateral, and complementary oblique projections are necessary to fully evaluate potential skull fractures in the avian patient. Magnification radiography is a relatively easy procedure that aids the review of small osseous structures. Familiarity with psittacine skull anatomy greatly facilitates radiographic interpretation of cranial trauma.
Diversity and Employment Discrimination in Federal Employment: The Role of Ethical Leadership

This study investigates ethical leadership in the U.S. federal government as a moderator of the relationships between demographic diversity (i.e., gender and race) and employment discrimination (i....
Computational algorithm for assessing inter-neuronal connectivity to optimize optogenetic stimulation and neural circuit activity (Conference Presentation)

All-optical systems for stimulating and imaging neuronal activity have served as powerful tools for understanding the underlying circuitry of the brain. Experiments using these setups, however, tend to choose stimulation locations based solely on what brain regions are of interest, and take for granted that stimulation effects may vary even within localized brain regions. We thus have developed an algorithm for acquiring neuronal activity via calcium imaging data to assess network connectivity. These parameters include the signal rise time, decay time, inter-event intervals, and the timing and amplitude of signal peaks. These parameters are then compared between cell clusters for similarities, and used as a basis for establishing interconnectivity. Additionally, we have incorporated both temporal and spatial correlation functions to assess inter-neuronal connectivity based on these parameters. This data is then run through a genetic algorithm, applying weights to cells with similar parameters to learn which are interconnected in a given field-of-view. For this study, hippocampal neurons extracted from 2 day old transgenic mice (GCaMP6s, Jackson Labs), - cultured for 2 weeks and imaged under single and two-photon conditions. Single-photon imaging was performed under a commercial Zeiss microscope, whereas two-photon imaging was performed with an in-house imaging system. Results demonstrate a strong correlation between these parameters and cellular connectivity, making them noteworthy markers for targeted stimulation. This study demonstrates an efficient method of assessing network connectivity for various imaging techniques, and hence directed targeting for optogenetic stimulation.
Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Cardiogenic Shock.

Abstract Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has emerged as a viable treatment for patients in cardiogenic shock with biventricular failure and pulmonary dysfunction. Advances in pump and oxygenator technology, cannulation strategies, patient selection and management, and durable mechanical circulatory support have contributed to expanded utilization of this technology. However, challenges remain that require investigation to improve outcomes.
Food as art: poiēsis and the importance of soft impacts

Working towards a general philosophy of food production, this paper discusses food production as a dialectic between technology and art, understood within a loose Heideggerian framework. Technology in this context means the scalable and efficient production of a commodity, while art means the production of meaning and the unveiling of a world. Focusing our understanding of food production under the rubric of ‘poiēsis’ (or art) gives us a framework for understanding food and food technology within which the goodness of food and its production can be assessed in terms of its fittingness (convenientia) instead of its efficiency (mere convenience) alone. For, considering food as art, we are not exclusively concerned with its technological production, but with its creation and meaning. But no given thing can mean everything; every given thing limits the possible meanings that can be projected upon it. Thus not everything is fitting despite its technological possibility. We ought to seek fittingness, which is uncovered in such soft impacts as those of lifestyle, culture, religion, aesthetics, and human dignity, and summed up in the notion of food as an art disclosing these and unveiling a world.
Some Cases of Three-Dimensional Birational Resolution

For any ideal Q in any local ring R such that Q is primary for M(R),by e(Q) we denote the multiplicity of Q; also by e(R) we denote the multiplicity of R,i.e., (R) = e(M(R)); for definition see [28: page 294]; from the definition it follows that e(QR*) _ e(Q) ≥ e(R) = e(R*) where R* is the completion of R; note that by [28: Theorem 23 on page 296] we know that if R is regular then e(R) = 1.
Relationships among heat production, body weight, and age in Suffolk and Texel ewes.

The objective of this study was to test the null hypothesis that heat production (HP) was equivalent between Suffolk and Texel ewes at common fasted BW and at common ages. Open-circuit respiration calorimetry was used to estimate HP in 48 Suffolk and 48 Texel ewes at eight ages (10, 15, 20, and 28 wk of age and 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 yr of age). Sheep were individually penned in an environmentally controlled building 6 to 10 d before sample collection. Feed was removed 55 h before sample collection. Heat production measurements were made from 55 and 71 h of the feed restriction. Suffolk ewes had greater mature weights (P < .01) and reached maturity more rapidly than Texel ewes (P < .05). At a common weight, Texel ewes had a lower HP than Suffolk ewes. The ratio of HP:BW declined as ewes aged, as indicated by the fact that the slope of the log-transformed data was negative and less than 1 (P < .01). The models predict that Suffolk ewes had a lower HP:BW than Texel ewes at a common age, but when ewes were compared at common proportions of mature weight HP:BW did not differ between breeds. Breed differences in HP seem to be the result of differences between breeds in maturing rate.
Neural signatures of inhibitory control in bilingual spoken production.

Abstract Bilinguals activate both languages when they intend to speak even one language alone (e.g., Kroll, Bobb, & Wodniekca, 2006). At the same time, they are able to select the language they intend to speak and switch back and forth between languages rapidly, with few production errors. Previous research utilizing behavioral (Linck, Kroll, & Sunderman, 2009) and neuroimaging techniques (ERPs and fMRI; Guo, Liu, Misra, & Kroll, 2011; Misra, Guo, Bobb, & Kroll, 2012) suggest that successful bilingual speech production is enabled by active inhibition of the language not in use. Results showing an asymmetric switching cost for the L1 compared to the L2 (with a larger cost -reflected in longer naming latencies-when switching from the L2 to the L1) have been taken as evidence that the L1 (usually the dominant language for bilinguals who learned their second language later in life) may need to be inhibited when speaking in the L2. However, there is still little research on the scope of this inhibitory process. The goal of this event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study is to understand how the recruitment of neural areas implicated during bilingual language processing are shaped by the scope of language use. The results show that bilinguals engage a wide functional control network that is hierarchically engaged in local control for single lexical items, but extends further to the broader semantic level, and finally to the whole language. This functional network is modulated by proficiency in the L2.
Internal Resistive Barriers Related to Zinc Diffusion During the Growth of Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction Solar Cells

Majority carrier barriers at heterointerfaces are a common source of non-linear resistance that hinders concentrator solar cell performance. The source of a particular barrier is often unclear in a multijunction device with numerous heterointerfaces. We demonstrate Zn-dopant diffusion during inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) device growth to be one key cause of internal barrier formation. Using an inverted GaAs/GaAs tandem solar cell with a high temperature annealing layer grown in between each subcell, we simulate the annealing conditions of a multijunction growth in a simplified structure. Through analysis of the device by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and electrochemical capacitance–voltage profiling, we show that annealing causes Zn to diffuse out of the top cell Ga0.5In0.5P back surface field (BSF) and accumulate in the GaAs base. Through equilibrium band modeling, we show that the resultant doping profile forms an energetic barrier to hole flow in the valence band, which correlates with fill factor losses in the current–voltage curves measured under concentration. When we, instead, employ a C-doped Al0.2Ga0.8As BSF layer in the top cell, we do not observe evidence of a heterojunction barrier. We attribute this difference to the reduced diffusivity of carbon, confirmed by SIMS, as well as more favorable valence band offsets between GaAs and Al0.2Ga0.8As. Finally, we compare 5-junction IMM cells with Al0.2Ga0.8As:C and Ga0.5In0.5P:Zn BSF layers in the GaAs third junction, respectively, and show a significantly improved device performance under concentration when Al0.2Ga0.8As:C is employed. We demonstrate the importance of designing annealing tolerance into multijunction structures that are subjected to extended annealing during growth.
Multislice motion modeling for MRI‐guided radiotherapy gating

Purpose On-board magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) greatly enhances real-time target tracking capability during radiotherapy treatments. However, multislice and volumetric MRI techniques are frame rate limited and introduce unacceptable latency between the target moving out of position and the beam being turned off. We present a technique to estimate continuous volumetric tissue motion using motion models built from a repeated acquisition of a stack of MR slices. Applications including multislice target visualization and out-of-slice motion estimation during MRI-guided radiotherapy are demonstrated. Methods Eight healthy volunteer studies were performed using a 0.35 T MRI-guided radiotherapy system. Images were acquired at three frames per second in an interleaved fashion across ten adjacent sagittal slice positions covering 4.5 cm using a balanced steady-state-free precession sequence. A previously published five-dimensional (5D) linear motion model used for MRI-guided radiotherapy gating was extended to include multiple slices. This model utilizes an external respiratory bellows signal recorded during imaging to simultaneously estimate motion across all imaged slices. For comparison to an image-based approach, the manifold learning technique local linear embedding (LLE) was used to derive a respiratory surrogate for motion modeling. Manifolds for every slice were aligned during LLE in a group-wise fashion, enabling motion estimation outside the current imaged slice using a motion model, a process which we denote as mSGA. Additionally, a method is developed to evaluate out-of-slice motion estimates. The multislice motion model was evaluated in a single slice with each newly acquired image using a leave-one-out approach. Model-generated gating decision accuracy and beam-on positive predictive value (PPV) are reported along with the median and 95th percentile distance between model and ground truth target centroids. Results The average model gating decision accuracy and PPV across all volunteer studies was 93.7% and 92.8% using the 5D model, and 96.8% and 96.1% using the mSGA model, respectively. The median and 95th percentile distance between model and ground truth target centroids was 0.91 and 2.90 mm, respectively, using the 5D model and 0.58 and 1.49 mm using the mSGA model, averaged over all eight subjects. The mSGA motion model provided a statistically significant improvement across all evaluation metrics compared to the external surrogate-based 5D model. Conclusion The proposed techniques for out-of-slice target motion estimation demonstrated accuracy likely sufficient for clinical use. Results indicate the mSGA model may provide higher accuracy, however, the external surrogate-based model allows for unbiased in vivo accuracy evaluation.
Narrative methods for assessing "quality of life" in hand transplantation: five case studies with bioethical commentary.

Despite having paved the way for face, womb and penis transplants, hand transplantation today remains a small hybrid of reconstructive microsurgery and transplant immunology. An exceptionally limited patient population internationally (N < 200) complicates medical researchers’ efforts to parse outcomes “objectively.” Presumed functional and psychosocial benefits of gaining a transplant hand must be weighed in both patient decisions and bioethical discussions against the difficulty of adhering to post-transplant medications, the physical demands of hand transplant recovery on the patient, and the serious long-term health risks of immunosuppressant drugs. This paper relates five narratives of hand transplantation drawn from an oral history project to show how narrative methods can and should inform ethical evaluations and the clinical process of hand transplantation. The interviews with patients and their partners analyzed here lead us to suggest that qualitative accounts of patient experiences should be used to complement clinical case studies reported in medical journals and to help develop instruments to assess outcomes more systematically.
Associations among Biomarkers of Congestion, Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Heart Failure, LVAD and Heart Transplant

Purpose Biomarkers of congestion, inflammation and oxidative stress are increased in HF, LVAD and heart transplant (HT) pts, and are associated with poor outcomes. However, the relation between biomarkers belonging to specific pathways remains understudied. We sought to investigate these relationships across a broad spectrum of HF stages and treatments. Methods Markers of congestion (proBNP), inflammation (sCD14, CRP, interleukin-6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), endothelin-1 (ET1), adiponectin (A) and TMAO) and oxidative stress (isoprostane (I)) were concurrently collected and measured in 4,997 blood samples among 669 pts (age = 57±13 y, 83% male, 192 HF, 232 LVAD and 245 HT). Biomarkers were normalized via log-transformation prior to analysis. Results Biomarker levels by disease category are shown in the table. In correlation analysis across all categories, we found a strong association between IL6 and CRP (overall r=0.77, HF r=0.76, LVAD r=0.79, HT r=0.72; all p Conclusion Markers of congestion, inflammation and oxidative stress are linked across a broad spectrum of HF progression and treatment stages suggesting a complex crosstalk between biological pathways. Futures longitudinal studies are necessary to determine temporality and mechanisms of these correlations.
Analysis of SRAM Enhancements Through Sense Amplifier Capacitive Offset Correction and Replica Self-Timing

An analysis of timing and input-referred offset of sense amplifiers (SA) is presented, and a new SA architecture with capacitive offset correction is proposed. Offset sources are first analyzed in a cross-coupled latch-based SA design, and the analysis is then extended to the proposed SA. The results show the proposed offset correction technique can reduce the total sensing time by up to 40%, while eliminating dynamic offset due to the difference in resolving inverters trip points. A self-timed SRAM with a new replica timing structure is designed to generate optimal SA enable timing with respect to the total input-referred offset. Calculations for timing delay and offset are compared with simulation results in both a conventional and a proposed SA design. The presented simulation results are based on a 10 Kb CMOS SRAM array in 130 nm BiCMOS SiGe technology operating at a 500 MHz clock and 1.5 V supply.
Impediments to the Advancement of Women in the Japanese Employment System: Theoretical Overview and the Purpose of This Book

As the opening to the book, this chapter reviews the current situation, marked by the very slow advancement of women’s participation in Japanese economic activities despite various types of legal support. The main factor attributed to this delay in promoting women’s participation is Japanese employment practices. To better understand the historical origins of these practices and of the significant delay in women’s participation, the author clarifies economic and cultural foundations of the so-called Japanese employment system. He addresses its problems referred to in this chapter as “rationality under specific premises,” the problem of “structural inertia” associated with the employment system constructed under the principle of “strategic rationality,” and the problem of the “traditional division of household labor between husband and wife” as imposed by society as a complement of the employment system. Based on those discussions, the aims of this book are explained. In addition, given the book’s focus on empirical analysis, this chapter also provides an explanation of the aims of, and the methodological background for, the analytical strategies employed in the book.
Has the Sociology of Data Journalism Reached its Zenith?; Apostles of Certainty – Data Journalism and the Politics of Doubt; Data Journalism and the Regeneration of News: Apostles of Certainty – Data Journalism and the Politics of Doubt, by C.W. Anderson, New York, Oxford University Press, 2018, 240 pp., £64 (hbk.), ISBN: 9780190492335; Alfred Hermida and Mary Lynn Young, London, Routledge, 2019, 118 pp., $70 (hbk.), ISBN 9781138058934

Data journalism, there is no doubt, presents a fascinating conceptual ambiguity. Those of us in the field who have faced the challenge of defining data journalism have had to deal with the issue of...
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the vagina in pregnancy.

A 28-year-old primigravida was evaluated for complaints of difficulty urinating and pelvic pain of 6-weeks duration. She denied fever, night sweats, weight loss or fatigue. Pelvic ultrasonography revealed a single fetal pole with cardiac activity and a 7 cm mass in the anterior vagina which encased the urethra. The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma germinal centre type was made on analysis of biopsied pelvic mass. Whole body MRI revealed the disease was limited to the vagina. The patient received six cycles of Rituximab-cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone with significant improvement in her symptoms. Serial ultrasounds over the subsequent months showed appropriate development of the fetus. Whole body MRI after treatment showed decreased size and decreased signal of the primary pelvic mass compatible with favourable treatment response. Challenges in the management of this rare presentation of lymphoma are discussed.
Fructosamine is a valuable marker for glycemic control and predicting adverse outcomes following total hip arthroplasty: a prospective multi-institutional investigation

Recently, fructosamine has shown promising results in predicting adverse outcomes following total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of fructosamine to predict adverse outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA). A prospective multi-center study involving four institutions was conducted. All primary THA were evaluated for glycemic control using fructosamine levels prior to surgery. Adverse outcomes were assessed at a minimum 1 year from surgery. Primary outcome of interest was periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) based on the International Consensus Meeting (ICM) criteria. Secondary outcomes assessed were superficial infections, readmissions and death. Based on previous studies on the subject, fructosamine levels above 293 µmol/L were used to define inadequate glycemic control. Overall 1212 patients were enrolled in the present study and were available for follow up at a minimum 1 year from surgery. Of those, 54 patients (4.5%) had elevated fructosamine levels (> 293 µmol/L) and these patients were 6.7 times more likely to develop PJI compared to patients with fructosamine levels below 293 µmol/L (p = 0.002). Patients with elevated fructosamine were also associated with more readmissions (16.7% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.007) and a higher mortality rate (3.7% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.057). These associations remained statistically significant in a multi-regression analysis after adjusting for age, comorbidities and length of stay; Adjusted odds ratio were 6.37 (95% confidence interval 1.98-20.49, p = 0.002) for PJI and 2.68 (95% confidence interval 1.14-6.29, p = 0.023) for readmissions. Fructosamine is a good predictor of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing THA and should be used routinely to mitigate morbidity and mortality risk.
Strategic Announcement Sequencing: Earnings and M&A Announcements

The authors examine whether acquiring companies strategically time their quarterly earnings and merger and acquisition announcements. Acquiring companies have the ability and incentive to alter the...
Obesity-Modified CD4+ T-Cells Promote an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotype in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. Evidence shows that chronic inflammation inhibits protective immunity mediated by CD4+ T cells. Additionally,...
Non-Governmental Organizations

Civic organizations such as churches, charities, and neighborhood associations – also known as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, or community-based organizations – are vital to de...
The Development of Community-Based GIS Applications

This chapter provides an overview of PGIS development. Given the need for geospatial data to aid in official decision-making, early developments in GIS technology occurred in private businesses and state institutions in North America and Europe. As GIS adoptions spread into communities and organizations with no prior experience with mapping, concerns for unintended impacts of the technology sparked a debate on the social implications of GIS usage. The PGIS movement was formed to address imbalances in access to GIS technology. Several factors contributed to PGIS development. They include the GIS debate, the development of cheap and easy to learn GIS software, and computer technology that was getting cheaper yet more powerful and user-friendly. Intellectual contributions from the literature of feminist GIS, critical GIS, and counter-mapping and methodological contributions from participatory mapping approaches were equally significant. The differences between PGIS and PPGIS are explained, and the theoretical and methodological differences between conventional GIS applications and PGIS practice are sorted out. The chapter then makes a case for technology transfer into indigenous and local communities in developing countries.
Comparison of [18F] fluorocholine (FCH) uptake and perfusion in 9L glioma tumor model

1600 Objectives The oncologic radiotracer, FCH, exhibits rapid blood clearance, suggesting uptake in tissues may be highly dependent on perfusion. In this study, intratumoral FCH uptake and perfusion were studied. Methods 9L glioma cells were implanted subcutaneously in Fisher rats (n=4) and tumors grown to ~20 mm diameter. Regional FCH deposition and tumor perfusion were compared at submillimeter spatial resolution by 2-D autoradiography of 18F/14C following administration of FCH and the perfusion marker, [14C]iodoantipyrine (IAP). Tumors were excised, frozen and sliced at 5 min and 20 min after IV bolus administration of FCH. Intravenous infusion of IAP began 1 min prior to termination of experiment. Quantitative maps of regional perfusion were obtained. Results Both perfusion and FCH uptake were seen primarily at the periphery of the tumor with FCH distribution showing slightly greater penetration into the tumor. At 5 min, FWHM of FCH distributions at the periphery was 7.6 ± 1.6 mm, where as FWHM of perfusion was 3.1 ± 2.2 mm. Peak perfusion in the tumor periphery ranged from 0.11-0.17 ml/g/min. There was a 50% reduction in peak FCH retention from 5 min to 20 min post-injection, however the intratumoral distributions remained equivalent. Conclusions FCH uptake pattern followed closely the intratumoral distribution of perfusion. Washout of FCH from 5 min to 20 min may reflect clearance of non-phosphorylated tracer in presence of hypoxia. The study suggests that the heterogeneity of tumor uptake of choline analogs depends largely on the heterogeneity of perfusion and should be carefully considered in interpreting the results in implanted tumor models.
Sialolithiasis with sialoadenitis of a minor salivary gland. Report of a case.

Abstract A case of minor salivary gland sialolithiasis in a 49-year-old man has been presented. A few generalizations based upon the eight reported cases have been presented.
Opiniones de alumnos de un programa bilingüe andaluz sobre su programa y sobre el bilingüismo

The Regional Ministry of Education of the Autonomous Government of Andalusia, an autonomous community in the South of Spain, has established several bilingual programs to improve language proficiency of its student population. The programs, which undertake second languages as vehicular languages at the classroom, encourage student’s bilingualism, academic development and positive attitudes toward other groups. The following paper examines opinions given by a group of students enrolled in an Andalusian bilingual program about those matters. Students had different positive opinions on bilingualism as well as the program in general; however, they had some doubts over the intellectual and cognitive benefits of learning languages.
Transcriptional Analysis of the hmw Gene Cluster of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Mycoplasma pneumoniae adherence to host cells is a multifactorial process that requires the cytadhesin P1 and additional accessory proteins. The hmw gene cluster consists of the genes p30, hmw3, and hmw1, the products of which are known to be essential for cytadherence, the rpsD gene, and six open reading frames of unknown function. Putative transcriptional terminators flank this locus, raising the possibility that these genes are expressed as a single transcriptional unit. However, S1 nuclease protection and primer extension experiments identified probable transcriptional start sites upstream of the p32, p21, p50, and rpsD genes. Each was preceded at the appropriate spacing by the −10-like sequence TTAAAATT, but the −35 regions were not conserved. Analysis of the M. pneumoniae genome sequence indicated that this promoter-like sequence is found upstream of only a limited number of open reading frames, including the genes for P65 and P200, which are structurally related to HMW1 and HMW3. Promoter deletion studies demonstrated that the promoter-like region upstream of p21 was necessary for the expression of p30 and an hmw3-cat fusion in M. pneumoniae, while deletion of the promoter-like region upstream of p32 had no apparent effect. Analysis by reverse transcription-PCR confirmed transcriptional linkage of all the open reading frames in the hmw gene cluster. Taken together, these findings suggest that the genes of this locus constitute an operon expressed from overlapping transcripts.
The evolution of a festival: Creole Christmas in New Orleans

Abstract Creole Christmas is a month-long festival created in 1986 to boost the fortunes of the tourism industry in New Orleans during the lowest point in the season. This is a case study about the development of the festival and the economic impact it has had on the tourism community in the city. An evaluation of the festival shows that it has turned out to be a success in economic terms but the social and cultural benefits have not yet been proven. The success of the festival can be traced to the cooperation between the major constituents of the tourism industry such as the city government, the hospitality industry and the merchants and residents of New Orleans.
Engineered metal binding sites map the heterogeneous folding landscape of a coiled coil.

To address whether proteins fold along multiple pathways, i,i+4 bi-histidine metal binding sites are introduced into dimeric and crosslinked versions of the leucine zipper region of the growth control transcription factor, GCN4. Divalent metal ion binding enhances both the equilibrium and folding activation free energies for GCN4. The enhancement of folding rates quantifies the fraction of molecules that have the binding site in a helical geometry in the transition state. Hence, this new method, termed Ψ-analysis, identifies the degree of pathway heterogeneity for a protein that folds in a two-state manner, a capability that is generally unavailable even with single molecule methods. Adjusting metal ion concentration continuously varies the stability of the bi-histidine region without additional structural perturbation to the protein. For dimeric and crosslinked versions, the accompanying changes in kinetic barrier heights at each metal ion concentration maps the folding landscape as well as establishes the importance of connectivity in pathway selection. Furthermore, this method can be generalized to other biophysical studies, where the ability to continuously tune the stability of a particular region with no extraneous structural perturbation is advantageous.
The Telescience Support Center at NASA Ames Research Center

NASA is developing a Telescience Support Center (TSC) at the Ames Research Center. The TSC will be part of the infrastructure needed to conduct Research in the Space Station and has been tailored to satisfy the requirements of Non-Human Life Sciences.
100 kHz distributed power system for aircraft engine modular control

A distributed power system based on a 100-kHz trapezoidal bus voltage has been designed, constructed, and operated. Lower current harmonics result from using a trapezoidal source rather than a sine wave source. The overall system efficiency is 70-72%. High frequency AC distributed power systems should be considered for low power systems having cable lengths of up to tens of meters. >
Electrospinning of Soy Protein Fibers and their Compatibility with Synthetic Polymers

This paper critically reviews previous work in the field of electrospinning of biopolymers and antimicrobial polymeric materials, and investigates the potential of Soy Protein fibers in electrospinning. Biomaterials have since long been the popular choice for fabricating medical textiles or scaffolding materials owing to their biocompatibility, intrinsic anti-microbial activity and low immunogenicity. Even among biopolymers, plant-based protein fibers are more preferred than carbohydrates. Electrospinning of such biopolymers into nanofibers provides one with advantages of properties such as relatively very high porosity, pore interconnectivity, drug-carrying capacity and close similarity to the extra-cellular matrix in the body. Soy protein fibers are envisioned to be an excellent component in fiber spinning mixtures. Mixing of Soy protein with other spinnable polymers such as cellulose, PEO, PVA and chitosan is proposed. Wound-healing is an important application for these materials. The emphasis needs to be on the functionality of such materials, more than mechanical strength which is not a vital necessity for class II medical devices such as wound dressings. A comparatively uninvestigated area is the potential of soy protein fibers for such uses. Keywords: Soy protein; Electrospinning; Biopolymers; Antimicrobial; Nanofibers
Fissidens in the Neotropics

The land areas of the Western Hemisphere south of the United States support over 276 species of Fissidens (Wijk et al. 1962, 1969). This number is approximately 30% of the total number of species known. Progress made on a monograph of the family in the neotropics and the adjacent areas is summarized; approximately 50% of the species have been studied. Commonality among the neotropical, African and Asian species of Fissidens is discussed. Changes to be made in the classification of the family are indicated. New characters used in distinguishing species and the classification of the family are enumerated.
Workshop on resiliency in high performance computing (resilience) in clusters, clouds, and grids

Clusters, Clouds, and Grids are three different computational paradigms with the intent or potential to support High Performance Computing (HPC). Currently, they consist of hardware, management, and usage models particular to different computational regimes, e.g., high performance cluster systems designed to support tightly coupled scientific simulation codes typically utilize high-speed interconnects and commercial cloud systems designed to support software as a service (SAS) do not. However, in order to support HPC, all must at least utilize large numbers of resources and hence effective HPC in any of these paradigms must address the issue of resiliency at large-scale.
Implications of Screen Design upon Learning

Research pertaining to the effects of Screen Design upon learning is scarce. Many recommendations point out the need for “using blank space,” “being consistent” in the presentation, “preventing clutter,” and “avoiding scroll,” which are subject to interpretation. This article deals with practical recommendations applicable to all CM lessons. They are the use of external structure of knowledge, capital versus lower case, screen page as a unit, and margins. Figures are provided for each recommendation.
Introgression of a Strawbreaker Foot Rot Resistance Gene from Winter Wheat into Jointed Goatgrass

Strawbreaker foot rot (SFR) [Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (Fron) Deighton] is a disease of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in many wheat growing regions in the world. Resistance to SFR can be conferred by a single dominant gene (Pch1) from Aegilops ventricosa Tausch that was transferred onto chromosome 7D of wheat 'Madsen', a hexaploid winter bread wheat, carries Pch1 and is highly resistant to SFR. Jointed goatgrass (Ae. cylindrica Host.) is a winter annual grass weed. Wheat and jointed goatgrass have the D genome in common and have been found to hybridize and backcross under field conditions. Since SFR resistance in winter wheat is controlled by Pch1 on the D genome, it is theoretically possible for resistance to be transferred to jointed goatgrass via backcrossing. A SFR resistant jointed goatgrass population would potentially have an ecological advintage in the presence of the disease. To evaluate the likelihood of gene introgression, Madsen, 'Stephens' (a SFR susceptible winter wheat), three jointed goatgrass accessions, and 15 artificially produced backcross progenies (BC 2 S 2 ) were inoculated with SFR. The percentage of infection in Stephens, the joined goatgrass accessions, and the backcross progenies was 80% or greater except for one BC 2 S 2 progeny that had only 20% infection. Madsen had 0% infection. The presence of Pch1 in the BC 2 S 2 progeny was confirmed using a biochemical marker linked to the resistance gene. These results show that a SFR resistance gene from winter wheat can be transferred to jointed goatgrass.
Formation of sulfines in the peroxyacid oxidation of neopentyl neopentanethiolsulfinate

Abstract Low temperature 1H NMR and 13C NMR, and IR suggest that the m -chloroperbenzoic acid (MCPBA) oxidation of neopentyl neopentanethiolsulfinate leads to the formation of (E)- and (Z)-2,2-dimethylpropanethial S-oxide, neopentyl neopentanethiolsulfonate, and other products.
Self-scaling fast rotations for stiff and equality-constrained linear least squares problems

Abstract We present algorithms which apply self-scaling fast plane rotations to the QR decomposition for stiff least squares problems. We show that both fast and standard Givens rotation-based algorithms produce accurate results, regardless of row sorting and even with extremely large weights, when equality-constrained least squares problems are solved by the weighting method. Numerical test results show that the Householder QR decomposition algorithm is sensitive to row sorting and produces less accurate results when the weights are large, and that the modified Gram-Schmidt algorithm is less sensitive to row sorting. This makes the fast plane rotation a method of choice for the QR decomposition of stiff matrices, since it is also competitive in computational complexity. Based on the above results, an efficient algorithm is also derived for the application where the least squares solutions are required for various constrained matrices for each fixed data matrix.
Predicting the Physical and Chemical Ignition Delays in a Military Diesel Engine Running n-Hexadecane Fuel

There are currently numerous efforts to create renewable fuels that have similar properties to conventional diesel fuels. One major future challenge is evaluating how these new fuels will function in older legacy diesel engines. It is desired to have physically based modeling tools that will predict new fuel performance without extensive full scale engine testing. This study evaluates two modeling tools that are used together to predict ignition delay in a military diesel engine running n-hexadecane as a fuel across the engine’s speed-load range. AVL-FIRE® is used to predict the physical delay of the fuel from the start of injection until the formation of a combustible mixture. Then a detailed LLNL chemical kinetic mechanism is used to predict the chemical ignition delay. This total model predicted ignition delay is then compared to the experimental engine data. The combined model predicted results show good agreement to that of the experimental data across the engine operating range with the chemical delay being a larger fraction of the total ignition delay. This study shows that predictive tools have the potential to evaluate new fuel combustion performance.
The effect of depression symptom severity on OCD treatment outcome in an adolescent residential sample

Abstract Studies examining the impact of depressive symptoms on OCD treatment outcome among adults have led to suggestions that perhaps only severe depressive symptoms negatively impact OCD treatment outcome. The present study sought to examine the impact of level of depression severity on OCD severity at admission and discharge among 126 adolescents ( M age=15.47, 52.4% female, 89.7% Caucasian) who received residential treatment for OCD. Participants were grouped by level of depressive symptoms and several analyses of variance were conducted to determine the impact of level of depressive symptoms on OCD severity at admission and discharge. Further, a hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to determine whether change in depression severity predicted discharge OCD severity controlling for admission OCD severity. Results indicated that level of depression severity at admission significantly related to admission OCD severity but did not have a significant effect on OCD severity at discharge, controlling for admission OCD severity. Further, level of depression severity at admission did not impact treatment duration. Controlling for admission OCD severity, greater change in depression severity significantly predicted lower OCD severity at discharge. It is possible that the intensive treatment setting may reduce the negative impact of depressive symptoms on OCD treatment outcome.
Herman Haupt Tunneling the Hoosac…Edward R. Ardery

At the time Haupt invested in Serrell’s Hoosac Tunnel contract he thought that his association with the work would be limited to acting as a consulting engineer. Haupt and Lane, because of Haupt’s recommendation, were convinced that the $100,000 the five partners were supposedly investing in the company would allow Serrell to complete 7 mi of railroad and 1,000 ft of tunnel. If that amount of work could be accomplished, the partners would collect the first $100,000 in bond scrip from the state of Massachusetts. They would be on their way to making the guaranteed profits and to achieving renown for tunneling the mighty Hoosac Mountain. It did not turn out that way. Less than a week after investing his money Haupt began to discover the true circumstances of the project and his partners. The first revelation was that Serrell could not meet his monetary obligation to the partnership, and then as the month of January wore on, Haupt slowly learned more and more details of Serrell’s financial condition. Serrell and his company were in dire financial straights and struggling under a debt that exceeded $100,000. He and Galbraith had not been looking for management men as stated in the letter to Lane but were on the verge of bankruptcy and looking for someone to bail them out. That situation was not something new or recent, it had existed for sometime before Galbraith approached Lane. As they learned more details of Serrell’s financial situation, Lane and Haupt demanded a revised partnership agreement that would protect them from the man’s previous debts. Consequently, two and a half weeks after the Serrell, Haupt, and Company partnership was formed, a supplemental agreement was made with Serrell and Galbraith. That new agreement, which was dated January 24, 1856, contained language to shield Lane and Haupt from legal liability for Serrell’s previous debts. After the January revelations, Haupt, who wanted only to be involved as an engineer directing the excavation of the countries longest tunnel, became fully engaged in trying to untangle the partnership’s financial mess. He soon learned that not withstanding the new partnership agreement no one was going to work for or supply the company with needed materials when it was common knowledge that Serrell and company did not faithfully pay its debts. So, while Haupt and Lane might not be legally responsible for Serrell’s earlier debts, the new company was not going to be viable until money was found to pay the old bills. The company’s image of financial strength was more important to the project than who was technically responsibility for the debts. Serrell’s financial health was not the only money problem, in February Haupt learned that neither Lane, Galbraith, nor Brown had the cash to fulfill their pledged $20,000 payment into the partnership. Haupt was the solitary member of the group not bur-
Strengths of Character and Happiness: Introduction to Special Issue

This special issue examines strengths of moral character and their relationship to happiness. Six papers are included that address this topic using a variety of samples and methods. The value of positive psychology in encouraging the juxtaposition of typically separate lines of research is underscored.
Studies on the effect of the copper and zinc content in a silica by-product material when used in mortar

Mortars were prepared with an industrial incinerator waste material similar to silica fume as an additive to or a partial replacement for cement to investigate whether the copper and zinc contents present in the waste material had an adverse effect on the compressive strength. When used as a cement replacement, high copper contents (0.69, 0.96, 1.38% by weight of pozzolanic material) were detrimental to the early strength development. Lower copper contents (0.24 and 0.48% by weight of pozzolanic material) did not affect the strength development. When used as an additive to cement in mortar, the copper content of the material did not affect the strength development. Higher compressive strength compared to a control resulted when the material was used as a 10, 15, or 20% additive to cement (based on the percent weight of cement). Conclusions regarding the effect of the zinc content could not be drawn due to the significant copper concentration relative to the concentration of zinc in the waste material.
Argon Laser Treatment of von Hippel-Lindau Retinal Angiomas

Twelve angiomas in two patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease were photocoagulated with the argon laser. At the levels of energy employed, this instrument was capable of occluding small and medium-sized feeder arterioles, but not vessels of large caliber. The laser also appeared capable of obliterating small angiomas (
Continuity and Change in Home Literacy Practices of Hispanic Families with Preschool Children

The aim of this qualitative study was to examine how Latino immigrant families incorporate school‐based interactive literacy activities into their existing home literacy practices. Findings revealed that Hispanic parents appropriate school‐related literacy activities into their existing repertoire when they believed it would best help their children to succeed academically. At the same time, parents modified school‐related literacy activities to reflect their existing cultural beliefs and practices. These complex patterns of adapting school literacy practices into home literacy interactions revealed that Hispanic parents: (a) emphasise pleasure and interactivity in literacy activities; (b) merge supportive and direct instruction scaffolding strategies into home literacy instruction; (c) impart moral messages while engaging in interactive literacy activities with their children; and (d) activate linguistic resources by creating opportunities for bilingual literacy events to occur during school‐designed int...
Ultrasonic characterizations of slurries in a bubble column reactor

An indirect method (ultrasonic) and a direct technique were used to measure solid holdup in a bubble-column reactor. Nitrogen, water, and fine glass beads were used as the gas, liquid, and solid phases, respectively. The solid particle concentration in the slurry was varied from 5 to 30 wt %, and the gas superficial velocity was increased from 0.5 to 12 cm/s. The solid holdup measurements by the ultrasonic technique compared reasonably well with results obtained by the direct sampling technique.