cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sulfonyl chloride activation of hydroxylic materials.

Abstract We have discovered that chromophoric sulfonyl chlorides and affinity ligand-containing sulfonyl chlorides prepared based upon fluorinated carbon skeletons are excellent activating agents for agarose. The primary basis for development of such reagents has been pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride and tresyl chloride, both of which are excellent activating agents. Activation using the sulfonyl chlorides whose synthesis is described here has yielded matrices that are very reactive to nucleophilic displacement by amines and thiols and, thus, should be excellent agents for the immobilization of affinity ligands, enzymes, cells, etc. The resulting material is based on covalent coupling and, thus, is more stable than affinity ligands or enzymes immobilized by other methods.
Chaotic motions in the resonant separatrix band of a parametrically excited pendulum

Abstract The energy increment spectrum method is developed for the numerical prediction of the appearance and disappearance of a primary (2 M : 1)-librational or ( M : 1)-rotational resonant separatrix band in a parametrically excited pendulum. The analytical conditions for the presence of such separatrix bands are also obtained. Illustrations of the analytical and numerical results for the appearance and destruction of the resonant bands are given for a comparison.
Jet Formation And Characterization Of A Conical Shaped Charge

A Conical Shaped Charge (CSC) is an explosive assembly used as a single point penetrator in applications ranging from commercial to national defense. The formation, flight characteristics, and penetration effects of the CSC are of great importance to its users. Because of the extreme velocities of the shaped charge jet, high speed documentation was necessary to research CSC effects. By use of closure switches and initial velocity studies, framing and lighting information for the Cordin 114 Ultra High Speed camera was determined. After the initial data was gathered, it was determined that another source of documentation was necessary. A Hewlett Packard 150 kilovolt flash x-ray system was implemented, enabling more accurate velocity measurements and a better understanding of jet formation and the CSC during flight. Both techniques of documentation were invaluable in the characterization and research of the conical shaped charge.
Social media use, perceptions of decision-making power, and public relations roles

Public relations practitioners in this study who were more frequent users of social network sites and social media tools reported greater perceptions of their own structural, expert and prestige power. Forty of 115 members of a PRSA chapter responded to the survey request. In terms of day-to-day practice, the sample matched national samples of practitioners, with manager and technician questionnaire items loading on the exact same factors as in prior studies. However, those enacting predominantly manager roles did not differ significantly from those enacting predominately technician roles in social media use. This study points to the need for future research to examine more closely the use of social media in the daily roles of public relations practitioners.
CcmI Subunit of CcmFHI Heme Ligation Complex Functions as an Apocytochrome c Chaperone during c-Type Cytochrome Maturation

Cytochrome c maturation (Ccm) is a sophisticated post-translational process. It occurs after translocation of apocytochromes c to the p side of energy transducing membranes and forms stereo-specific thioether bonds between the vinyl groups of heme b (protoporphyrin IX-Fe) and the thiol groups of cysteines at their conserved heme binding sites. In many organisms this process involves up to 10 (CcmABCDEFGHI and CcdA) membrane proteins. One of these proteins is CcmI, which has an N-terminal membrane-embedded domain with two transmembrane helices and a large C-terminal periplasmic domain with protein-protein interaction motifs. Together with CcmF and CcmH, CcmI forms a multisubunit heme ligation complex. How the CcmFHI complex recognizes its apocytochrome c substrates remained unknown. In this study, using Rhodobacter capsulatus apocytochrome c2 as a Ccm substrate, we demonstrate for the first time that CcmI binds apocytochrome c2 but not holocytochrome c2. Mainly the C-terminal portions of both CcmI and apocytochrome c2 mediate this binding. Other physical interactions via the conserved structural elements in apocytochrome c2, like the heme ligating cysteines or heme iron axial ligands, are less crucial. Furthermore, we show that the N-terminal domain of CcmI can also weakly bind apocytochrome c2, but this interaction requires a free thiol group at apocytochrome c2 heme binding site. We conclude that the CcmI subunit of the CcmFHI complex functions as an apocytochrome c chaperone during the Ccm process used by proteobacteria, archaea, mitochondria of plants and red algae.
Corn fiber gum: A potential gum arabic replacer for beverage flavor emulsification ☆

The US food industry would benefit from a domestically produced gum with a dependable supply and consistent quality that can be used for preparing oil-in-water (O-in-W) emulsions, such as citrus oil emulsions for beverages. Corn fiber gum (CFG) is an arabinoxylan (hemicellulose) extracted from the corn kernel pericarp and/or endosperm fiber fractions that can possibly fulfill this need. In this study two different types of CFG, CFG-1 and 2, were prepared from corn fiber collected from different wet or dry corn milling facilities by (a) sequential alkaline extraction and alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching and (b) an additional alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment of the alkali treated residue, respectively. CFG-1 might be linked to the cell wall matrix through ester linkages and CFG-2 by non-ester linkages and/or other strong interactions. The stabilization of O-in-W emulsions by corn fiber and acacia gums was investigated by preparing emulsions with a high pressure homogenizer and monitoring the emulsion breakage by turbidity measurements. All CFG samples were effective emulsifiers but CFG-2 extracted separately from three different corn fiber sources was determined to be a better emulsifier than the corresponding CFG-1. CFGs isolated from wet milled pericarp and endosperm fiber and wet milled pericarp fiber have a higher protein content than CFGs isolated from dry milled pericarp fiber and were determined to be better emulsifiers for the O-in-W emulsion system. The emulsifying properties of all CFGs including an industrial grade commercial CFG were determined to be better than native and modified acacia gums.
Potential Hydraulic Input Power Changes in the Left Pulmonary Arterial Circulation at Birth

We studied hydraulic input power and input impedance changes in the left pulmonary arterial circulation (LPAC) before and after birth because they account for the relative importance of pulsatile and steady power and provide insight into the physiologic mechanisms of accomodating to each. Pulsatile pressure and flow were measured by a Millar micromanometer and electromagnetic flowmeter in 5 near term fetal lambs. Instantaneous power (IP) was calculated as the product of pressure and flow with time. The apparent power was calculated as the root mean square (RMS) of IP after the steady power was subtracted. Input impedance analysis allowed partitioning of pulsatile apparent power into average and reactive (RMS) components. Power values were calculated from 4 epochs of 48 seconds before and after birth in each animal.
Aqueous electrodeposition of iron group–vanadium binary alloys

Abstract Electrodeposition of binary iron group (IG)–vanadium (V) alloys from aqueous citrate solutions was investigated. Addition of NH 3 (aq.) and increasing solution pH resulted in increased deposit V content, but non-metallic deposits were obtained at solution pH > 7. Increasing current density resulted in an almost linear decrease in V content and a sharp increase in hydrogen evolution (decreased current efficiency). In general, the amount of V deposited with the IG metal increased as follows: Ni
A Computational Analysis of an In Vitro Vessel Wall Injury Model

Implantation of vascular grafts or stents causes significant injury to the vessel wall. Activated coagulation factors, such as FXa are generated at the injury site. The size of the injury and the flow conditions influence the transport of these activated factors. A simulation model has been developed to evaluate surface bound coagulation inhibitors on medical devices. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is a potent inhibitor of FXa in vivo. This physiologically relevant in vitro model studies the mechanism by which immobilized rTFPI effectively inhibits TF initiated thrombosis. Computational fluid dynamics was used to develop the model and validated by experiments performed in a parallel plate flow chamber. The lower plate was divided into two zones. The first zone represents fibroblasts that catalyze FX to FXa by TF-FVIIa. The second represents passively absorbed surface bound rTFPI. The efficacy of rTFPI in inhibiting FXa from the injury site was studied under both venous and moderate arterial shear rates. This model extends a previous model to include a more physiologic model of vessel wall injury in which FXa generation by TF:VIIa occurs at the wall upstream of the TFPI coated surface. The previous model estimated a uniform inlet FXa concentration of 20 nM (20% conversion of the approximate physiologic concentration of 100 nM) to the parallel plate chamber.
On the Impossibility of Reconstructing Ancestral Data and Phylogenies

We prove that it is impossible to reconstruct ancestral data at the root of "deep" phylogenetic trees with high mutation rates. Moreover, we prove that it is impossible to reconstruct the topology of "deep" trees with high mutation rates from a number of characters smaller than a low-degree polynomial in the number of leaves. Our impossibility results hold for all reconstruction methods. The proofs apply tools from information theory and percolation theory.
Shifts in Postdiscrimination Gradients within a Stimulus Dimension Based on Bilateral Facial Symmetry

A shift in generalization gradients away from S+ and towards stimuli on the opposite end of the stimulus dimension from S- is a well established phenomenon in the laboratory, occurring with humans and nonhumans and with a wide range of stimuli. The phenomenon of gradient shifts has also been observed to have an analogous relationship to a variety of apparent biases in preference observed in the natural environment. One way to examine the validity of such analogies is by examining whether gradient shifts can be observed with complex and naturalistic stimuli. In the present experiment, undergraduates were trained to discriminate between faces that varied in terms of relative bilateral facial symmetry (a stimulus dimension correlated with health and attractiveness). Comparisons were made within subjects, using two sets of images. For both sets, the faces varied from naturally asymmetrical to symmetrical, and S+ was a face equidistant to the two extremes. With one set, S- was the naturally asymmetrical face, and with the other, S- was the symmetrical face. A peak shift was obtained in both conditions, although the effect was clearer in the aggregate than on the level of the individual. Overall, the results are consistent with the view that the processes responsible for gradient shifts in the lab are relevant to judgments made in the natural environment.
Multiple molecular forms of mouse liver arginase.

Abstract Hepatic arginase ( l -arginine amidinohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.1) is an oligomer composed of three or four subunits. The present studies indicate heterogeneity in the size and charge of arginase subunits in mouse liver. Two types of arginase subunits with molecular weights of approximately 35,000 and 38,000 have been found. These two subunits are detected in liver cytosol or in purified preparations of arginase after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. Two dimensional SDS-PAGE revealed multiple ionic forms of arginase for both the 35,000 and 38,000 subunits; the subunits contain basic proteins (pI range 7.8–9.1) and acidic proteins (pI range 5.8–6.4). Limited proteolysis by trypsin eliminated the molecular weight differences between the subunits without substantially affecting either their isoelectric points or activity. Comparative peptide maps and amino acid analyses of the 35,000- and 38,000-Da subunits showed that they were very similar. The data indicate that a neutral peptide (approx 3000 Da) is responsible for the differences in subunit molecular weight and that the multiple sized and charged forms are variants of the Same protein.
Endoscopic resection of intracranial dermoid cysts.

Introduction: Nasal dermoid cysts are congenital lesions which are often diagnosed in infancy or childhood. However, a small number present in adulthood, and some extend intracranially. Traditional treatment for the intracranial portion of these cysts includes frontal craniotomy. Case reports: Two intracranial dermoid cysts were resected via a transnasal endoscopic approach, using 70° nasal endoscopy for complete visualisation and intracranial tumour removal. We describe our technique for the procedure itself and for reconstruction of the skull base defect. Discussion and conclusion: The endoscopic transnasal skull base approach is an excellent alternative to a traditional frontal craniotomy, to achieve complete resection of intracranial dermoid cysts.
5,6-Dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole inhibits a HeLa protein kinase that phosphorylates an RNA polymerase II-derived peptide☆

Abstract A protein kinase that phosphorylates Lys(Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser)4, a synthetic peptide homologous to the evolutionarily-conserved, tandemly-repeated heptapeptide sequence at the C-terminus of the large subunit of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, has been detected in HeLa cell extracts and chromatographic fractions therefrom. The enzyme, which phosphorylates serine principally, can be distinguished from previously described major protein kinases which phosphorylate the peptide poorly, if at all. It is inhibited by the nucleoside analog, 5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole. Results suggest that human placental RNA polymerase II is phosphorylated at the C-terminus of the large subunit by the partially-purified protein kinase and that the phosphorylation is also sensitive to the nucleoside analog.
EL TERRITORIO KALLAWAYA Y EL TALLER ALFARERO DE MILLIRAYA: EVALUACIÓN DE LA PRODUCCIÓN, DISTRIBUCIÓN E INTERCAMBIO INTERREGIONAL DE LA CERÁMICA INKA PROVINCIAL

Resumen es: En este manuscrito discutire los resultados de analisis composicional quimico del material ceramico de Kaata Pata, un importante centro Inka administrati...
Stem cell origins of intimal cells in graft arterial disease.

Long-term solid organ allografts develop diffuse arterial intimal lesions (graft arterial disease [GAD]), consisting of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), extracellular matrix, and admixed mononuclear leukocytes. Although the exact mechanisms are unknown, alloresponses likely induce inflammatory cells and/or dysfunctional vascular wall cells to secrete growth factors that promote SMC intimal recruitment, proliferation, and matrix synthesis. GAD eventually culminates in vascular stenosis and ischemic graft failure. Although prior work demonstrated that the endothelium and medial SMCs and the vast majority of endothelial cells (ECs) lining GAD lesions in cardiac allografts are derived from donors, the intimal SMC origin could not be determined. Recent reports suggest that intimal lesions in allograft vessels may also contain host-derived ECs and SMCs. In light of these findings, it is noteworthy that subpopulations of bone marrow and circulating cells have also been shown to differentiate into ECs and SMCs. Here we review recent developments in the understanding of vascular wall cell recruitment that are forcing a re-evaluation of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying GAD, as well as those occurring in more “conventional” atherosclerosis. The demonstration of the host origin of intimal SMCs in GAD lays the groundwork for future interventions where therapeutic genes or drugs may be targeted not to donor medial SMCs, but rather to recipient SM precursor cells.
Hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay, 1950–2001: Long-term change in relation to nutrient loading and river flow

A 52-yr record of dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay (1950–2001) and a record of nitrate (NO3−) loading by the Susquehanna River spanning a longer period (1903, 1945–2001) were assembled to describe the long-term pattern of hypoxia and anoxia in Chesapeake Bay and its relationship to NO3− loading. The effect of freshwater inflow on NO3− loading and hypoxia was also examined to characterize its effect at internannual and longer time scales. Year to year variability in river flow accounted for some of the observed changes in hypoxic volume, but the long-term increase was not due to increased river flow. From 1950–2001, the volume of hypoxic water in mid summer increased substantially and at an accelerating rate. Predicted anoxic volume (DO<0.2 mg I−1) at average river flow increased from zero in 1950 to 3.6×109 m3 in 2001. Severe hypoxia (DO<1.0 mg I−1) increased from 1.6×109 to 6.5×109 m3 over the same period, while mild hypoxia (DO<2.0 mg I−1) increased from 3.4×109 to 9.2×109 m3. NO3− concentrations in the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, increased up to 3-fold from 1945 to a 1989 maximum and declined through 2001. On a decadal average basis, the superposition of changes in river flow on the long-term increase in NO3− resulted in a 2-fold increase in NO3− loading from the Susquehanna River during the 1960s to 1970s. Decadal average loads were subsequently stable through the 1990s. Hypoxia was positively correlated with NO3− loading, but more extensive hypoxia was observed in recent years than would be expected from the observed relationship. The results suggested that the Bay may have become more susceptible to NO3− loading. To eliminate or greatly reduce anoxia will require reducing average annual total nitrogen loading to the Maryland mainstem Bay to 50×106 kg yr−1, a reduction of 40% from recent levels.
Emergency Evaluation for Pulmonary Embolism, Part 1: Clinical Factors that Increase Risk

Abstract Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) can be fatal, but profligate testing for PE can harm patients. Objectives With consideration of potential medicolegal implications, this two-part review provides current evidence about the care of patients with suspected and diagnosed PE in the emergency department (ED) setting. Discussion In part 1, we review published evidence to describe the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical presentation of PE in the ED setting. Older age, surgery requiring endotracheal intubation within the past 30 days, new use of oral contraceptives, and prior unprovoked venous thromboembolism in nonanticoagulated patients are clear risk factors for PE in ED patients. Recent history of unexplained dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, and hemoptysis increase probability, but the effect of syncope is less clear. Treated and inactive cancer, smoking, obesity, and pregnancy have not been found to increase the probability of PE in symptomatic ED patients. Unexplained dyspnea, tachycardia, and a low pulse oximetry reading increase probability of PE. Finding of wheezing on lung auscultation reduces the probability of PE, and findings that suggest deep venous thrombosis increase the probability of PE. Conclusions Understanding of risk factors, historical data, and physical findings that have been found to increase or decrease the probability of PE in symptomatic ED patients can help create rational guidelines for the diagnostic approach to PE.
Effects of cocaine on fetal and postnatal development in mice

Abstract The goal of the current investigation was to study the effect of in utero exposure of cocaine on fetal and postnatal development. 48 adult female NIH Swiss mice were used as experimental animal models. Each of the 24 mice were injected intraperitoneally with cocaine HCl at a daily dose level of 45 mg/kg (body weight). Each of the 24 control animals were daily injected with saline. One week after the treatment started, one male was introduced into each female cage. The day the vaginal plug was found was recorded as day one of pregnancy. Both cocaine treated and saline treated animals were subdivided into three subgroups each with 8 animals in each subgroup. Subgroup one was used to obtain midgestational (11 day) fetuses, subgroup two was used to obtain full term fetuses (18 day) and subgroup three was used to obtain pups. Individual fetal weights were taken and each fetus was examined for developmental anomalies. Midgestational fetuses exposed to cocaine had lower body weights than those of the controls. The full term fetuses, however, had similar weight in both experimental and control groups. The pups were weighed every 2 days from day 2 to day 16. The pups showed a slightly wider range of weights in the cocaine treated group as they matured to 16 days. All fetuses and pups revealed no soft tissue anomaly which, along with the weight data, supported our earlier findings.
Lattice QCD and nuclear physics

Abstract Recent developments in lattice QCD relevant to nuclear physics are reviewed. Quenched calculations of hadron masses, radii and magnetic moments are shown to be converging to results in reasonable agreement with experiment. Calculations of hadron wave functions, hadron quark correlation functions, vacuum correlation functions of hadron currents, and studies of the role of instantons are presented to provide insight into hadron structure and hadronic models. Recent unquenched calculations of QCD at finite temperature provide evidence that there is a smooth crossover between hadronic matter and the quark-gluon plasma rather than a first- or second-order phase transition. Recent calculations of screening masses and spatial correlation functions at finite temperature are explained in terms of dimensional reduction.
Crystal Structures of TbCatB and rhodesain, potential chemotherapeutic targets and major cysteine proteases of Trypanosoma brucei.

Author(s): Kerr, Iain D; Wu, Peng; Marion-Tsukamaki, Rachael; Mackey, Zachary B; Brinen, Linda S | Abstract: BackgroundTrypanosoma brucei is the etiological agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis, an endemic parasitic disease of sub-Saharan Africa. TbCatB and rhodesain are the sole Clan CA papain-like cysteine proteases produced by the parasite during infection of the mammalian host and are implicated in the progression of disease. Of considerable interest is the exploration of these two enzymes as targets for cysteine protease inhibitors that are effective against T. brucei.Methods and findingsWe have determined, by X-ray crystallography, the first reported structure of TbCatB in complex with the cathepsin B selective inhibitor CA074. In addition we report the structure of rhodesain in complex with the vinyl-sulfone K11002.ConclusionsThe mature domain of our TbCat*CA074 structure contains unique features for a cathepsin B-like enzyme including an elongated N-terminus extending 16 residues past the predicted maturation cleavage site. N-terminal Edman sequencing reveals an even longer extension than is observed amongst the ordered portions of the crystal structure. The TbCat*CA074 structure confirms that the occluding loop, which is an essential part of the substrate-binding site, creates a larger prime side pocket in the active site cleft than is found in mammalian cathepsin B-small molecule structures. Our data further highlight enhanced flexibility in the occluding loop main chain and structural deviations from mammalian cathepsin B enzymes that may affect activity and inhibitor design. Comparisons with the rhodesain*K11002 structure highlight key differences that may impact the design of cysteine protease inhibitors as anti-trypanosomal drugs.
Decision-making Analysis on the Choice of Distribution Channel Strategy under E-commerce Circumstance

With the rapid development of e-commerce and network, many manufacturers redesign their distribution channel through adding e-market based on traditional channel. This paper develops the aggregate demand function under hybrid dual channel based on consumer utility theory, analyzes the pricing strategy and profit under different channel by using game theory. The result shows that when the purchase cost from e-market is relative low, manufacture's optimal channel strategy is dual channnel; when the cost is relative high, the optimal channel strategy is single traditional channel. Finally the conclusion is demonstrated through numerical illustration.
Experimental mild renal insufficiency mediates early cardiac apoptosis, fibrosis, and diastolic dysfunction: a kidney-heart connection

Impaired renal function with loss of nephron number in chronic renal disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the structural and functional cardiac response to early and mild reduction in renal mass is poorly defined. We hypothesized that mild renal impairment produced by unilateral nephrectomy (UNX) would result in early cardiac fibrosis and impaired diastolic function, which would progress to a more global left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Cardiorenal function and structure were assessed in rats at 4 and 16 wk following UNX or sham operation (Sham); (n = 10 per group). At 4 wk, blood pressure (BP), aldosterone, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), proteinuria, and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were not altered by UNX, representing a model of mild early CKD. However, UNX was associated with significantly greater LV myocardial fibrosis compared with Sham. Importantly, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining revealed increased apoptosis in the LV myocardium. Further, diastolic dysfunction, assessed by strain echocardiography, but with preserved LVEF, was observed. Changes in genes related to the TGF-β and apoptosis pathways in the LV myocardium were also observed. At 16 wk post-UNX, we observed persistent LV fibrosis and impairment in LV diastolic function. In addition, LV mass significantly increased, as did LVEDd, while there was a reduction in LVEF. Aldosterone, BNP, and proteinuria were increased, while GFR was decreased. The myocardial, structural, and functional alterations were associated with persistent changes in the TGF-β pathway and even more widespread changes in the LV apoptotic pathway. These studies demonstrate that mild renal insufficiency in the rat results in early cardiac fibrosis and impaired diastolic function, which progresses to more global LV remodeling and dysfunction. Thus, these studies importantly advance the concept of a kidney-heart connection in the control of myocardial structure and function.
Coral bleaching threatens oceans, life

People around the world depend on the resources provided by the ocean to support life. But global-scale damage to the coral reefs, a large and integral part of the ocean environment that supports a variety of sea life, is a frightening prospect that may unfold in the coming years. Recently, a phenomenon called coral bleaching has raised concerns about the deteriorating conditions in the world's oceans and the implications for life on our planet. Coral bleaching occurs as coral tissue expels zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae that resides in the structure of the coral and is essential to its survival. The widespread nature of the bleaching threatens the state of the environment.
Imaging of Renal Transplant: Utility and Spectrum of Diagnostic Findings

Several noninvasive imaging techniques have been developed and improved over recent years that facilitate detection of both vascular and nonvascular postoperative complications as well as diagnosis of diseases related to the transplanted organ itself. In this article, we present a multi-modality review of the spectrum of pathology related to renal transplantation.
Education policy implications from the Expert Panel on Electronic Media and Youth Violence.

Abstract The research from the Expert Panel on Electronic Media and Youth Violence makes a compelling case for why educators and education policymakers should care about the effects of media on youth behavior, and the growing phenomenon of Internet bullying and harassment. The ability of the U.S. education system to respond is limited not only by competing instructional priorities but also by the governance structure of the education system itself. The federal role is limited to a proportionally small amount of funding for states and schools, to raising public awareness, and to providing research and data. States can set priorities, make requirements, and direct funding. Districts and schools ultimately have the most control over prevention program selection and setting social and behavioral norms. Key implications of the panel’s research for educators and education policymakers include: • Internet bullying is correlated with school behavior problems. • Internet bullying behavior may peak in middle school. • Internet bullying shares common predictors with verbal and, to some extent, physical bullying. • Media literacy programs may mitigate the negative effects of electronic media on youth. Specific recommendations based on these conclusions are discussed, and research priorities for the prevention and education fields are identified.
Mapping Aspect Ratios in the Age of High-Definition Television

Although high-definition television (HDTV) has led to more film and television content being presented in a widescreen aspect ratio, problems with formatting moving images in nontheatrical environments persist. Because of the different venues and delivery systems available for accessing televisual and cinematic content, the variety of high definition and standard definition television channels across cable and satellite providers, as well as the different aspect ratios filmmakers can choose to photograph their works, nontheatrical exhibition of the moving image continues to be a source of contention in the age of high definition. Drawing upon a number of comments from online home media forums, this study concludes that the variant quality of widescreen images for HDTV is not solely grounded on a subculture of home theatre enthusiasts, but rather how networks and studios negotiate new television technologies for the aesthetic preferences of both film and home theatre buffs and the general viewing audience.
Excitation spectra of disordered systems. II. Two-and three-dimensional disordered systems†

The approximate theory developed earlier for calculating the ensemble average of the Green's function for disordered systems is applied to the dynamics of a disordered square lattice and a disordered cubic lattice. Good agreement with numerical calculations is demonstrated. Eine fruher entwickelte Naherung fur die Berechnung des Phasenmittelwerts der Greenschen Funktion fur ungeordnete Systeme wird auf die Dynamik eines ungeordneten quadratischen Gitters und eines ungeordneten kubischen Gitters angewandt. Es wird gute Ubereinstimmung mit numerischen Berechnungen gefunden.
Prevalence of Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica Strains in Pigs in the United States

Yersinia enterocolitica is considered an important food-borne pathogen impacting the pork production and processing industry in the United States. Since this bacterium is a commensal of swine, the primary goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in pigs in the United Sates using feces as the sample source. A total of 2,793 fecal samples were tested for its presence in swine. Fecal samples were collected from late finisher pigs from 77 production sites in the 15 eastern and midwestern pork-producing states over a period of 27 weeks (6 September 2000 to 20 March 2001). The prevalence of ail-positive Y. enterocolitica was determined in samples using both a fluorogenic 5 nuclease PCR assay and a culture method. The mean prevalence was 13.10% (366 of 2,793 fecal samples tested) when both PCR- and culture-positive results were combined. Forty-one of 77 premises (53.25%) contained at least one fecal sample positive for the ail sequence. The PCR assay indicated a contamination rate of 12.35% (345/2,793) compared to 4.08% (114/2,793) by the culture method. Of the 345 PCR-positive samples, 252 were culture negative, while of the 114 culture-positive samples, 21 were PCR negative. Among 77 premises, the PCR assay revealed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher percentage (46.75%, n 36 sites) of samples positive for the pathogen (ail sequence) than the culture method (22.08%, n 17 sites). Thus, higher sensitivity, with respect to number of samples and sites identified as positive for the PCR method compared with the culture method for detecting pathogenic Y. enterocolitica, was demonstrated in this study. The results support the hypothesis that swine are a reservoir for Y. enterocolitica strains potentially pathogenic for humans.
Lower Heart Rate Variability Is Associated With the Development of Coronary Heart Disease in Individuals With Diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

The objective of this study was to test prospectively in a population sample whether individuals with impaired heart rate variability (HRV) are at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) and of non-CHD mortality and to test whether this relationship is more pronounced among individuals with diabetes. We examined the association between HRV and incident CHD and non-CHD mortality in a cohort of 11,654 men and women aged 45-64 years at intake, from the biracial, population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Supine, resting, 2-min beat-to-beat heart rate data were collected at the baseline examination. High frequency (HF; 0.15-0.40 Hz) and low frequency (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) spectral powers, LF/HF ratio, normalized HF and LF, the standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals (SDNN), and the mean of the sum of the squared differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals (MSSD) were used as the conventional indexes of HRV to measure cardiac autonomic control. From this cohort, 635 cases of incident CHD (including 346 cases of incident myocardial infarction [MI] and 82 cases of fatal CHD), and 623 non-CHD deaths were identified and validated after an average of 8 years of follow-up. Among individuals with diabetes, the multivariable adjusted proportional hazards ratios (95% CI) were 2.03 (1.28-3.23), 1.60 (1.12-2.27), 1.50 (0.65-3.42), and 1.27 (0.84-1.91) for incident MI, incident CHD, fatal CHD, and non-CHD deaths, respectively, comparing the lowest quartile to the upper most three quartiles of HF. A similar pattern of associations was found for LF, SDNN, and MSSD. By contrast, there was no consistent pattern of associations among individuals without diabetes. At the population level, a lower HRV (reflective of impaired cardiac autonomic control) is statistically significantly related to the development of CHD among individuals with diabetes, independent of markers of the duration/severity of the glucose metabolism impairment. These data suggest a contribution of an impaired cardiac autonomic control to the risk of CHD among individuals with diabetes.
Syntactically cued text facilitates oral reading fluency in developing readers

Can fluency in oral reading be facilitated by formatting text to preserve major syntactic boundaries? Seven-, 8-, and 9-year-old children read aloud passages under two text format conditions. In the structure-preserving condition, the ends of lines coincided with ends of clauses; in the phrase-disrupting condition, line breaks always interrupted a phrasal unit. Experiment 1 showed that oral reading fluency, as indexed by skill in phrasal reading, was rated higher when children were reading in the structure-preserving condition. In addition, the structure-preserving condition resulted in significantly fewer false starts at the beginning of lines following a return sweep. The results of Experiment 2, in which texts of varying levels of difficulty were read by slightly older readers, confirmed both findings. Measures of fluency were correlated with other language and reading measures; however, no effects of format were obtained on oral reading rate (words correct per minute). Taken as a whole, these findings indicate a benefit of keeping clausal units intact in promoting fluent reading by facilitating the transition from one line to the next.
Lossless Compression Using Efficient Encoding of Bitmasks

Lossless compression is widely used to improve both memory requirement and communication bandwidth in embedded systems. Dictionary based compression techniques are very popular because of their good compression efficiency and fast decompression mechanism. Bitmask based compression improves the effectiveness of the dictionary based approaches by recording minor differences using bitmasks. This paper proposes an efficient encoding of bitmasks used in bitmask-based compression. We prove that a n-bit bitmask (records n differences) can be encoded using only n-1 bits. This encoding improves compression efficiency while reduces decompression hardware overhead. We have applied our approach in a wide a variety of domains including code compression, FPGA bitstream compression as well as control word compression. Our experimental results using a wide variety of benchmarks demonstrate that our approach improves the compression efficiency by 3 to 10% without adding any additional decompression overhead.
Electrostatics of Nucleic Acid Folding under Conformational Constraint

RNA folding is enabled by interactions between the nucleic acid and its ion atmosphere, the mobile sheath of aqueous ions that surrounds and stabilizes it. Understanding the ion atmosphere requires the interplay of experiment and theory. However, even an apparently simple experiment to probe the ion atmosphere, measuring the dependence of DNA duplex stability upon ion concentration and identity, suffers from substantial complexity, because the unfolded ensemble contains many conformational states that are difficult to treat accurately with theory. To minimize this limitation, we measured the unfolding equilibrium of a DNA hairpin using a single-molecule optical trapping assay, in which the unfolded state is constrained to a limited set of elongated conformations. The unfolding free energy increased linearly with the logarithm of monovalent cation concentration for several cations, such that smaller cations tended to favor the folded state. Mg2+ stabilized the hairpin much more effectively at low concentra...
Calibration of CFD Methods for High Mach Number Aeroengine Flowfields

The design and analysis of scramjet engines relies heavily on the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods due to the lack of experimental facilities and engineering analysis techniques for high Mach number, high-temperature flows. This emphasis on CFD requires that the methods be calibrated through comparison with existing experimental data to determine their level of capability and range of applicability. At General Dynamics’ Fort Worth Division a level of confidence has been established in the use of CFD methods for scramjet flowfields. These methods include a Beam-Warming-based Unsteady Navier-Stokes (UNS) solver, a Beam-Warming-based Parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) solver, and a MacCormack-based PNS solver. Specifically, comparisons between CFD flowfields and experimental data for a blunt cone at Mach 10.6, an inlet at Mach 7.4, a combustor at Mach 2.4, and an axisymmetric plug nozzle at Mach 3.2 have been made. These calibrations show good overall agreement for wall pressures, integrated forces, and pressure, Mach number, and chemical species profiles. Examination of the disparities between the CFD and experimental results focuses concern on the treatment of boundary layer turbulence and finite rate chemistry. As a result, further developmental tasks are suggested, which, when complete, will further enhance the applicability of the subject CFD methods.
Capacity Planning for Web Services

Almost every business today, large or small, realizes the benefits of taking part or all of their business to the Internet. The success of this endeavor is dependent on many factors, such as advertising, marketing, and the trends of the consumer. Success is usually measured in the amount of goods or services sold as well as pages viewed and registered users. As this success grows, the challenge is to provide a system that is not overengineered but at the same time is robust enough to provide the required services at an acceptable level of performance. In this sense, the development of a Web-based system is an exercise in optimization that balances cost versus performance and benefit to the end customer or consumer. This optimization exercise is referred to as capacity planning. This chapter explores the discipline of capacity planning and describe some of the key components, tools, and processes used to perform effective capacity planning. Keywords: capacity planning; client/server; Markov model; performance management; software performance engineering; unified modeling language (UML)
Lethal control of African lions (Panthera leo): local and regional population impacts

Large carnivores have declined worldwide, largely through conflict with people. Here, we quantify the impact of lethal control, associated with livestock depredation, on a population of African lions (Panthera leo) living outside protected areas. Farmers shot lions only in response to livestock attacks. Nevertheless, adult mortality was high and a simple model predicted that the population was marginally stable or slowly declining. Mortality was four times higher among lions radio-collared in association with attacks on livestock, than among lions with no known history of stock killing, suggesting that some animals were habitual stock killers. Known stock killers also experienced lower reproductive success; hence there was strong artificial selection against stock-killing behaviour. In addition, mortality was higher among lions whose home ranges overlapped a property where non-traditional livestock husbandry was associated with chronic depredation by lions. This 180 km2 ranch acted as a sink that directly affected lions over more than 2000 km2 and may have undermined the viability of the study population. Our results suggest that sustainable coexistence of lions and people demands livestock husbandry that effectively deters predators from acquiring stock-killing behaviour, but that lethal control may play an important role in avoiding the spread of such behaviours through the population.
Theory Framework for Applied Disciplines: Boundaries, Contributing, Core, Useful, Novel, and Irrelevant Components

Most applied disciplines are attempting to make significant advancements in articulating the theoretical foundation of their fields of study. The theory discussions and theory research in most applied disciplines are not held together in a manner that allows interpretation and integration. This article presents a holistic theory framework for applied disciplines to help scholars and practitioners create and critique the theory of an applied discipline as well as the contributing, core, useful, novel, and irrelevant theory components within it. Each of the six components in the framework are described and illustrated through relevant theory examples. The role that each component plays in advancing the theory and practice in an applied discipline is also examined.
Software quality: a market perspective

The author investigates software quality in a market setting. He points out that imperfections in reputation place downward pressure on a product's price and lower the average quality of the delivered software. Testing, verification, and validation improve quality only when reputation is important to end users, when demand satiation is low, and when the marginal cost of improving quality is low in comparison with the improvement in quality. As firms improve total quality control, testing, verification, and validation become less relevant, until they may actually become counterproductive. Where complex products are produced, high quality may lower marginal costs of software, and this is shown to provide an accelerator effect that enhances other competitive strategies. Warranties can ameliorate the underprovision of quality by improving software reputation. But even with warranties, the authors shows that software developers will tend to underprovide quality. >
Earthquake Hazards in Sensitive Clays along the Central Wasatch Front, Utah

The central Wasatch Front, the major population center in Utah, is underlain by as much as 300 m of sediments of Great Salt Lake and its predecessor, Lake Bonneville. Much of this sediment, which is the foundation for major construction in the valley, consists of silicate clays that were deposited in saline water. Fresh ground water from the adjacent Wasatch Mountains has leached the saline clay, producing sensitive and extra sensitive clays in sediments of the central Wasatch Front. These clays contain montmorillonite and vermiculite and low-salinity pore water. Their extensive distribution in an area of known seismicity indicates that earthquake hazards are extreme.
Rebuilding an Immune-Mediated Central Nervous System Disease: Weighing the Pathogenicity of Antigen-Specific versus Bystander T Cells

Although both self- and pathogen-specific T cells can participate in tissue destruction, recent studies have proposed that after viral infection, bystander T cells of an irrelevant specificity can bypass peptide-MHC restriction and contribute to undesired immunopathological consequences. To evaluate the importance of this mechanism of immunopathogenesis, we determined the relative contributions of Ag-specific and bystander CD8 + T cells to the development of CNS disease. Using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) as a stimulus for T cell recruitment into the CNS, we demonstrate that bystander CD8 + T cells with an activated surface phenotype can indeed be recruited into the CNS over a chronic time window. These cells become anatomically positioned in the CNS parenchyma, and a fraction aberrantly acquires the capacity to produce the effector cytokine, IFN-γ. However, when directly compared with their virus-specific counterparts, the contribution of bystander T cells to CNS damage was insignificant in nature (even when specifically activated). Although bystander T cells alone failed to cause tissue injury, transferring as few as 1000 naive LCMV-specific CD8 + T cells into a restricted repertoire containing only bystander T cells was sufficient to induce immune-mediated pathology and reconstitute a fatal CNS disease. These studies underscore the importance of specific T cells in the development of immunopathology and subsequent disease. Because of highly restrictive constraints imposed by the host, it is more likely that specific, rather than nonspecific, bystander T cells are the active participants in T cell-mediated diseases that afflict humans.
Design of nonlinear networks with a prescribed small-signal behavior

The design of nonlinear networks whose small-signal equivalent networks realize a prescribed linear time-varying network is considered. The design problem is formulated as an optimization problem and a new theorem upon which the optimization procedure is based is developed. A first-order example is worked out to illustrate the design procedure and the effectiveness of the optimization technique.