cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Chain Chirality on the Self-Assembly of Sickle Hemoglobin

We present simulation results on the self-assembly behavior of sickle hemoglobin (HbS). A coarse-grained HbS model, which contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles explicitly, is constructed to match the structural properties and physical description of HbS. The hydrophobic interactions are shown to be necessary with chirality being the main driver for the formation of HbS fibers. In the absence of chain chirality, only small self-assembled aggregates are observed whereas self-assembled elongated steplike bundle microstructures appear when we include chain chirality. We also investigate the effect of confinement on self-assembly, and find that elongated fibers—similar to open-space ones—can be obtained in hard confinement domains but cannot be formed within compliant red blood cell (RBC) domains under the same assumptions. We show, however, that by placing explicitly HbS fibers inside the RBCs and subjecting them to linear elongation and bending, we obtain different types of sickle-shaped RBCs as observed in sickle cell anemia.
VALIDITY OF PRIMARY CARE PATIENT SELF-REPORT OF ABNORMAL (BUT NOT CANCER) PROSTATE BIOPSY RESULTS

ABSTRACTPurpose: We assessed the validity of patient self-report of abnormal (but not cancer) prostate biopsy results, ie, atypical cells or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia.Materials and Methods: We compared survey responses and pathology records for 156 men from a multicenter, prospective cohort study, which was designed to evaluate the impact of a suspicious prostate cancer screening test followed by benign prostate biopsy.Results: Of the 156 subjects 45 (29%) reported having had atypical cells or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and 38 (24%) had a pathology report with atypia or prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. The sensitivity of the self-report was 87%, specificity was 90%, positive predictive value was 73% and negative predictive value was 95%. The κ statistic was 0.7.Conclusions: Men in this study reported this complex result accurately. However, it was concerning that 5 men (13%) appeared unaware of an abnormal prostate biopsy result, especially given the substantial residual risk of pros...
Primary immune responsiveness and other observations in mice given oral dimethyl sulfoxide.

Abstract Mice were allowed to drink 5% DMSO in their drinking water ad libitum for a period of six weeks, during which time a number of variables were compared with age-, weight-, and sex-matched control mice given ordinary tap water. The amount of DMSO consumed increased from a daily average of 27g/kg/mouse during the first week to 52g/kg/mouse by the end of the third week. Significant decreases were observed in the treated animals for total weight, percent spleen weight relative to total body weight, and serum volume, while serum immunoglobulin concentrations remained unchanged. Mice given 4.4g/kg DMSO intraperitoneally for 7 days, however, revealed significant losses in serum IgG and IgA, but not IgM. The effect of DMSO on the primary humoral response was assessed following immunization of mice with sheep red blood cells either 16 days or 8 weeks after the start of DMSO. Compared with similarly immunized controls, test animals demonstrated moderate, but significant, reductions in both spontaneous and facilitated plaque-forming cells, hemagglutination titres, and serum concentrations of IgG 1 . Based on a comparison of the two DMSO-treated groups, the degree of immune inhibition increased and the peak of the response was delayed relative to the length of time of DMSO ingestion prior to immunization.
Retinal counterion switch mechanism in vision evaluated by molecular simulations.

Photoisomerization of the retinylidene chromophore of rhodopsin is the starting point in the vision cascade. A counterion switch mechanism that stabilizes the retinal protonated Schiff base (PSB) h...
TOSCA Calculations and Measurements for the SLAC SLC Damping Ring Dipole Magnet

The SLAC damping ring dipole magnet was originally designed with removable nose pieces at the ends. Recently, a set of magnetic measurements was taken of the vertical component of induction along the center of the magnet for four different pole-end configurations and several current settings. The three dimensional computer code TOSCA, which is currently installed on the National Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Center's Cray X-MP, was used to compute field values for the four configurations at current settings near saturation. Comparisons were made for magnetic induction as well as effective magnetic lengths for the different configurations. 1 ref., 12 figs., 2 tabs.
AMS radiocarbon analyses from Lake Baikal, Siberia: Challanges of dating sediments from a large, oligotrophic lake

Abstract A suite of 146 new accelerator-mass spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon ages provides the first reliable chronology for late Quaternary sediments in Lake Baikal. In this large, highly oligotrophic lake, biogenic and authigenic carbonate are absent, and plant macrofossils are extremely rare. Total organic carbon is therefore the primary material available for dating. Several problems are associated with the TOC ages. One is the mixture of carbon sources in TOC, not all of which are syndepositional in age. This problem manifests itself in apparent ages for the sediment surface that are greater than zero. However, because most of the organic carbon in Lake Baikal sediments is algal (autochthonous) in origin, this effect is limited to about 1000±500 years, which can be corrected, at least for young deposits. The other major problem with dating Lake Baikal sediments is the very low carbon contents of glacial-age deposits, which makes them extremely susceptible to contamination with modern carbon. This problem can be minimized by careful sampling and handling procedures. The ages show almost an order of magnitude difference in sediment-accumulation rates among different sedimentary environments in Lake Baikal, from about 0.04 mm/year on isolated banks such as Academician Ridge, to nearly 0.3 mm/year in the turbidite depositional areas beneath the deep basin floors, such as the Central Basin. The new AMS ages clearly indicate that the dramatic increase in diatom productivity in the lake, as evidenced by increases in biogenic silica and organic carbon, began about 13 ka, in contrast to previous estimates of 7 ka for the age of this transition. Holocene net sedimentation rates may be less than, equal to, or greater than those in the late Pleistocene, depending on the site. This variability reflects the balance between variable terrigenous sedimentation and increased biogenic sedimentation during interglaciations. The ages reported here, and the temporal and spatial variation in sedimentation rates that they imply, provide opportunities for paleoenvironmental reconstructions at different time scales and resolutions.
Primate locomotion: Recent advances.

Edited by Elizabeth Strasser, John Fleagle, Alfred Rosenberger, and Henry McHenry. New York: Plenum Press. 1998. 482 pp. ISBN 0–306–46022-X. $110.00 (cloth).
Ti:sapphire amplifier producing millijoule-level, 21-fs pulses at 1 kHz

We have developed a Ti:sapphire amplifier system capable of producing pulses of 1 mJ, with 20–22-fs pulse duration, at a 1-kHz repetition rate. The amplifier has a unique design consisting of a three-mirror multipass ring configuration with a highly doped Ti:sapphire crystal as the gain medium. Pulses of 15-fs duration from a Ti:sapphire oscillator are temporally stretched and injected into the amplifier, which is an eight-pass system with a total gain of 106. The amplifier is more than 10% efficient, and the shot-to-shot energy fluctuation of the output is less than 2%. The output beam focuses to 1.8 times the diffraction limit.
Towards augmented reality navigation using affordable technology

Augmented reality (AR) navigation systems are likely to improve the driving experience compared to today's personal navigation devices on the dashboard, as they don't require glances away from the road ahead. As technology is not yet capable to deliver an affordable and seamless HUD AR solution, we explore an inexpensive version of augmentation, which would have a similar benefit of reduced distraction. We propose using an LED (light emitting diode) matrix in the periphery of the driver's vision to indicate turns on the road. We find that such a system produces better results in visual attention, driving performance and in subjective measures compared to standard navigation devices.
Dissociation Among Inhibitory Control Mechanisms in Two Cases With Frontal vs. Non-frontal Damage.

Although theoretical accounts of inhibition have generally assumed that it is a single construct, data from individual differences (Friedman & Miyake, 2004), neuroimaging (Nee, Jonides, & Berman, 2007; Nee, Wager, & Jonides, 2007), and aging (Allen & Martin, in preparation) have provided evidence of dissociations between different types of inhibitory control mechanisms. For example, there is evidence that response-distractor inhibition, which involves resolving interference from dominant responses or distractors in the external environment, is different from resistance to proactive interference (PI), which involves overcoming interference from previously relevant representations in memory. However, previous work on patients with aphasia has provided little evidence of dissociations between these two inhibition mechanisms (Hamilton & Martin, 2005), though this may be due to the small number of tasks used to assess patient performance. The present study extended previous work by investigating the inhibitory control abilities of two patients with aphasia: patient EV, whose lesion included left frontal regions hypothesized to play a critical role in interference resolution, and patient MB whose lesion was restricted to posterior regions. The first question we addressed was whether more extensive testing would reveal dissociations among tasks tapping the two types of inhibition and the second was whether interference resolution would be related to left frontal (but not posterior) brain lesions, consistent with neuroimaging results.
The role of college students' use of protective behavioral strategies in the relation between binge drinking and alcohol-related problems.

Previous research has examined protective behavioral strategies (PBS), or cognitive-behavioral strategies that may be employed when using alcohol to reduce consumption and related problems, as an important predictor of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. More recently, studies have explored the mediating and moderating role of PBS on the relationships between key alcohol-related risk factors (i.e., drinking motives, depressive symptoms, binge drinking) and alcohol problems; however, current research examining PBS as a moderator of the relationship between alcohol use and related problems has methodological limitations. The purpose of the present study was to extend previous literature to examine the moderating effect of PBS on the relationship between binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Data were collected and analyzed from 4,154 students at 13 midwestern universities. Findings indicated that PBS moderated the binge drinking-alcohol problems relationship for each of the four measures of binge drinking. However, effects were strongest when binge drinking was measured dichotomously versus continuously. Implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
An analysis of cytokinesis in cultured newt cells.

Cells from the kidneys of the newt Diemictylus (Triturus) viridescens were cultured and used in experiments designed to yield information on cytokinesis. Observations and experiments were restricted to cells that were spread and flattened on the substratum. Flattened cells were capable of initiating and completing division without rounding up or disrupting their marginal attachments to the substratum. They can initiate division from a variety of geometric forms. At interphase and during division, flattened cells are under appreciable self-induced tensile stress. Division continues when the cell is stretched between needles shortly after furrow establishment. Movement of needles between the cell and the substratum disturbed cells only when the tips of a marginal process were detached. No other connections between cell and substratum could be demonstrated. Objects stuck to the furrow surface and the stretching of attached marginal processes revealed that new surface in the furrow area is created by the stretching of pre-existing surface. Massive cytoplasmic flow induced by micromanipulation immediately after the beginning of division and maintained throughout the process did not hamper furrowing. Division does not appear to depend upon any specific subsurface cytoplasmic arrangement in the equatorial plane and is unaffected by redistribution of the cytoplasm after the furrow is established.
Supply-voltage and current variations produced by a 60-ton 3-phase electric arc furnace

The use of electric arc furnaces for the production of high-grade steels is becoming increasingly common. At the same time the size of the new furnaces is being increased to permit the melting of larger quantities of metal at a time. An arc furnace does, however, present a number of difficulties to the supply engineer on account of the rapid variations of load which it produces. The first 60-ton arc furnace in this country was installed at the end of 1954, and it was felt desirable to determine what effect it had on the supply network. The electric power for the furnace was obtained from a temporary connection to the 66-kV system through a 66/11-kV 15-MVA transformer, pending the provision of a permanent supply direct from a 132/66-kV supply point. During tests on the 11kV line, voltage fluctuations from about 75 to nearly 150% of normal voltage were recorded. These can be shown to be due to unstable arcing conditions in the furnace and to the impedance of the supply network. Calculations indicate that about 17% of these voltage variations were produced on the 66-kV network. During the initial period of a melt, arcing conditions are very unstable owing to the conditions in the furnace. Initially the metal is cold and forms a poor arcing electrode. Also, since the charge is composed of scrap material it is liable to collapse from time to time, short-circuiting an arc. Alternatively, owing to a previous over-current surge the electrode control-gear may withdraw the electrode too far, causing the arc to be extinguished. These initial fluctuations may take place several times a minute with an amplitude of several hundred amperes. As the charge begins to melt the power input is increased, and records show that unbalanced currents of about 1500 amp may occur on the 11-kV system. Measurements indicate that the actual voltage drop across the arcs between the electrodes and the charge may vary between about 110 and 400 volts, depending on the furnace conditions. Since the various voltages in the circuit are all magnetically coupled they are uniformly distributed through the various windings, and no special reinforcement of the transformer end-turn insulation is required, as in the case of lightning surges.
Electronic murmurs from the desk of an ink-stained wretch

Cet article traite de l'etablissement au GPO (Government Printing Office) d'un acces electronique pour le public a des informations federales aux Etats-Unis par une loi : le GPO Electronic Information Enhancement Act de 1993. Apres une etude generale du fonctionnement du GPO, les differents services qu'il propose pour faciliter l'acces a cette information par le biais de l'edition electronique sont decrits et etudies
An elevated maternal serum α-fetoprotein leading to the diagnosis of an immature teratoma

Abstract A case report is presented of a woman with a maternal serum α-fetoprotein 17.46 multiples of the median (MOM), who was found to have an ovarian immature teratoma. It is suggested that patients who present with a maternal serum α-fetoprotein value greater than 9 multiples of the median receive a more comprehensive evaluation remembering that the α-fetoprotein in the adult can be a tumor marker.
Enhanced anaerobic biotransformation of carbon tetrachloride with precursors of vitamin B12 biosynthesis

Relatively low concentrations of Vitamin B(12) are known to accelerate the anaerobic biotransformation of carbon tetrachloride (CT) and chloroform (CF). However, the addition of vitamin B(12) for field-scale bioremediation is expected to be costly. The present study considered a strategy to generate vitamin B(12) by addition of biosynthetic precursors. One of the precursors, porphobilinogen (PB) involved in the formation of the corrin ring, significantly increased the CT biotransformation rates by 2.7-, 8.8- and 10.9-fold when supplemented at 160, 500 and 900 microM, respectively. A positive control with 10 microM of vitamin B(12) resulted in a 5.9-fold increase in the CT-bioconversion rate. PB additions provided high molar yields of inorganic chloride (57% of CT organochlorine), comparable to that obtained with vitamin B(12) supplemented cultures. The primary substrate, methanol, known to induce vitamin B(12) production in methanogens and acetogens, was required for PB to have a significant impact on CT conversion. The observation suggests that PB's role was due to stimulating vitamin B(12) biosynthesis. The present study therefore provides insights on how to achieve vitamin B(12) enhanced rates of CT bioremediation through the use of less complex compounds that are precursors of vitamin B(12). Although PB is a costly chemical, its large impact points to corrin ring formation as the rate-limiting step.
A proposed new approach to the expansion of mathematical functions

The numeric integration of a wide variety of functions with the trapezoid method has been investigated by procedures adapted from experimental physics. For each function investigated, the error of the trapezoid approximation was found to approach zero with a composite rate that can be resolved into a group of discrete, pure geometric progressions, each progression characterized by its common ratio. For a given function these common ratios themselves from an ordered set, each member differing from the next, in a characteristic way, such as a factor of two or four. The analytic summation of each of these progressions accelerates the convergence of the value for the definite integral. As an example, for a quadrant of a circle, the common ratios are found to be 232, 252, 272, … . When the corresponding errors are extrapolated to zero, within the limit of the computer word, the error in the value of the definite integral is found to be smaller by a factor of about 108 than the error of the Gauss-Legendre quadrature for the same number of evaluations of the function. It is shown that each of these geometric progressions (or the Jth component of the trapezoid error) suggests the exponent of a term (or the Jth component of the function) in a natural expansion, with each expansion exponent being equal to the corresponding common-ratio exponent minus one. The analytic integration of this expansion is found to lead to an error that is less than that of the extrapolated value (described above) by a factor of about 107. The error of this analytic integration with respect to the number of terms is found also to consist of a series of discrete geometric progressions. When these values are extrapolated, the resulting error is less than that of the analytic integration of the expansion, by a factor of about 107. Functions without irregularities exhibit analogous behavior, but lead to integer common ratios (even-integer powers of 2), which in turn suggest integer exponents for the expansion, resulting in ordinary power series or polynomials. Some functions exhibit both types of behavior.
Novel, Ultraslow Inactivating Sodium Current in Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

Background—Alterations in K+ channel expression and gating are thought to be the major cause of action potential remodeling in heart failure (HF). We previously reported the existence of a late Na+ current (INaL) in cardiomyocytes of dogs with chronic HF, which suggested the importance of the Na+ channel in this remodeling process. The present study examined whether this INaL exists in cardiomyocytes isolated from normal and failing human hearts. Methods and Results—A whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to measure ion currents in cardiomyocytes isolated from the left ventricle of explanted hearts from 10 patients with end-stage HF and from 3 normal hearts. We found INaL was activated at a membrane potential of −60 mV with maximum density (0.34±0.05 pA/pF) at −30 mV in cardiomyocytes of both normal and failing hearts. The steady-state availability was sigmoidal, with an averaged midpoint potential of −94±2 mV and a slope factor of 6.9±0.1 mV. The current was reversibly blocked by the Na+ channel bloc...
Bulimia, Dietary Restraint, and Concern for Dieting

The concept of dietary restraint has recently been used to explain binge-eating in dieters. It has been proposed that the violation of various restraint rules typically leads to hinging in individuals exhibiting high dietary restraint. This study examined the role of dietary restraint in a clinical sample of bulimics. After eating a preload to break dietary restraint, bulimic binge-eaters (those who binge but do not purge) were found to eat significantly more than bulimics who binged and purged (bulimia nervosa) and significantly more than normals. In addition, purging bulimics were found to have more concern about dieting than binge-eaters, while normals were found to have less concern about dieting and less anxiety about eating than both bulimic groups. These data suggest that the psychopathology of bulimia nervosa and bulimia (binge-eating) may be substantially different. It was proposed that the most distinguishing characteristic may be the preoccupation with dieting, weight, and body size, which is more extreme in bulimia nervosa.
A NEW SPECIES AND A NEW COMBINATION IN THE GENUS EUCROSIA (AMARYLLIDACEAE)

Eucrosia dodsonii is described from Ecuador andLeperiza eucrosioides Baker is combined withEucrosia asE. brachyandra.
Report of the Working Group on Integrated Translational Research in DNA Repair.

Abstract On September 28–29, 2006, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences led a team from the National Institutes of Health in hosting a Working Group on Integrated Translational Research in DNA Repair, in Berkeley, CA. In recognition of the far-reaching goals for this area of investigation, the Working Group was charged with conceiving a vision to facilitate projects that would apply the lessons of DNA Repair research to clinical application and public health. The participants included basic and physician scientists working in the various areas of DNA Repair and genome stability, as well as agency representatives of the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. In constructing this vision of practical research recommendations, the Working Group was asked to identify roadblocks to progress, suggest enabling technologies, and to consider areas that are ripe for translation. This report summarizes the rationale for this initiative and the recommendations that emerged.
ROLE OF LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER INCOMPETENCE IN RECURRENT PNEUMONIA AFTER REPAIR OF ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA

The cause of recurrent aspiration pneumonia after repair of esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF) is obscure. In order to explain this occurence we performed esophageal manometry and examined barium esophagrams in eight patients, ages 11 weeks to 20 years, who had undergone repair of EA and TEF. Two patients with repeated aspiration pneumonia, a history of severe regurgitation, and free gastro-esophageal reflux of barium were found to have subnormal lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone. One of these children's LES pressure was zero mm Hg while the other, who had previously had a Nissen proceedure, was 11 mm Hg with no relaxation after deglutition. Bethanechol, 0.075 mg/kg IM markedly augmented the LES pressure. Ten minutes after drug administration the LES pressure was 35 mm Hg in both patients. Sphincteric relaxation with deglutition was normal. Chronic bethanechol administration has proven effective in the long term therapy of one child. In contrast, six patients with no history of regurgitation and no gastro-esophageal reflux were found to have normal LES function (mean pressure=26.5 mm Hg; range=20-35 mm Hg). We feel that LES incompetence is one of the variably expressed parts of the syndrome EA and TEF that may have an adverse effect on long term prognosis.
Thermodynamic and transport properties of a cesium plasma

Abstract Very little information is available regarding the properties of a cesium plasma. In this report, thermodynamic and transport properties of partially ionized cesium vapor, or plasma, are determined from theory (supplemented by available experimental results). Such information is essential in predicting efficiencies of the cesium plasma diode converter. Emphasis is placed upon the transport properties of electrons and the effects of neutral atoms on the thermodynamic and transport properties. Cesium vapor, in the region of small fractional ionization, is considered as a non-ideal gas obeying the virial equation of state.
Spatio-temporal and -spectral coupling of shaped laser pulses in a focusing geometry

The spatio-temporal coupling of shaped laser pulses is measured using scanning SEA TADPOLE as a function of propagation distance through the focal region of a plano-convex lens. A double pulse sequence is measured to have a gradually changing spectral phase across the beam front as a function of propagation distance. When a sinusoidal spectral phase is applied to the shaper a saw-tooth spectral amplitude is measured across the beam front before and after the focal plane of the lens. The measured spatio-spectral phase and amplitude for these two common pulse shapes are consistent with the predictions of a theoretical model.
Serine hydrolase-phosphyl ester interactions: Molecular modeling

Abstract Energies of interactions for trypsin adducts phosphorylated at the active-site Ser-195, seryl 2-propylphosphate anion, with and without a proton on His-57 at the active-site, and seryl diisopropylphosphate with the protonated His-57 were calculated with the molecular mechanics program YETI. The total energy of stabilization is similar for the adducts with protonated His-57, 20–60 kcal mol–1 lower than for the unprotonated adduct, and dependent on the choice of the dielectric parameter. In all three adducts, two H-bonding interactions were calculated in the oxyanion hole to give –3.5 to −4.5 kcal mol−1 mostly dependent on the dielectric parameter. Additional stabilizing interactions between the protonated His-57 and the phosphate anion are −2 kcal mol−1 due to H-bonding and at least −5 kcal mol−1 due to electrostatic forces. For this adduct, the energies of interactions at the active-site total to
Extension of Planck's law of thermal radiation to systems with a steady heat flux

Planck's law of thermal radiation is limited to equilibrium systems that have a definite temperature and do not carry any heat flux. Here we extend it to steady-state systems with a constant heat flux. The obtained formulas explicitly describe the spectrum of thermal radiation in every direction and provide a sound basis for the self-consistent analysis of radiative heat transport across interfaces, gaps, layered and other important structures.
Juvenile myasthenia gravis: an unusual presentation

Myasthenia gravis is a disease characterized by muscular weakness and fatigability which afflicts 2-10 patients per 100,000 with 20% of cases presenting in childhood. Muscles innervated by cranial nerves are frequently involved with ptosis and diplopia being the most frequent presenting complaints. We review the literature and report a case of a 20-month-old infant presenting with inspiratory stridor and cyanosis, resembling foreign body aspiration.
Pilot-Testing a Student-Designed Team Exam in an Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Management Course

Team-based learning environments have the ability to create educational settings where the students enter into a partnership with other students and the professor to produce a living, breathing, learning environment where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. To that end, this article details how the authors experimented with a classroom environment where student teams planned, implemented, evaluated, and acted on a student-designed team exam. The experiment was a success at two levels. First, the students were actively involved in developing and accomplishing learning objectives that were then tied to the course. Assuming transfer validity, learning how to successfully design and implement a method by which to evaluate student performance in the classroom will enable them to evaluate employee performance later in the workplace.
Constraints on Off‐Axis X‐Ray Emission from Beamed Gamma‐Ray Bursts

We calculate the prompt X-ray emission as a function of the viewing angle for beamed gamma-ray burst (GRB) sources. Prompt X-rays are inevitable owing to the less highly blueshifted photons emitted at angles 1/γ relative to the beam symmetry axis, where γ is the expansion Lorentz factor. The observed flux depends on the combinations γΔθ and γθv, where Δθ is the beaming angle and θv is the viewing angle. We use the observed source counts of γ-ray-selected GRBs to predict the minimum detection rate of prompt X-ray bursts as a function of limiting sensitivity. We compare our predictions with the results from the Ariel 5 catalog of fast X-ray transients and find that Ariel's sensitivity is not great enough to place significant constraints on γ and Δθ. We estimate that a detector with fluence limit ~10-7 ergs cm-2 in the 2-10 keV channel will be necessary in order to distinguish between geometries. Because the X-ray emission is simultaneous with the GRB emission, our predicted constraints do not involve any model assumptions about the emission physics but simply follow from special relativistic considerations.
COPD prevalence in southeastern Kentucky: the burden of lung disease study.

Background The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) initiative provides a standardized way of measuring the prevalence of COPD. Methods We used the BOLD survey to estimate the prevalence of COPD in adults aged ≥ 40 years in a target population of 325,000 in Southeastern Kentucky. Testing was done at survey centers and homes and included questionnaires on respiratory symptoms, risk factors for COPD, and health status. Postbronchodilator spirometry was used to classify subjects. We determined the prevalence of COPD along with the relation of COPD and comorbid disease and physical and mental quality of life measures. Results The final study population was 508, with a participation response rate of 25.2%. Overall, 19.6% of subjects met criteria for Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage 1 or higher COPD, and an additional 17.6% met criteria for restriction. Diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension were significantly increased in subjects with restriction. Physical quality of life was significantly decreased in all respiratory impairment categories, compared to normal subjects, whereas mental quality of life measures were not affected. Conclusions In this population, respiratory impairment is highly prevalent and associated with comorbid disease and physical, but not mental, dysfunction.
Line search algorithms with guaranteed sufficient decrease

The development of software for minimization problems is often based on a line search method. We consider line search methods that satisfy sufficient decrease and curvature conditions, and formulate the problem of determining a point that satisfies these two conditions in terms of finding a point in a set T(m). We describe a search algorithm for this problem that produces a sequence of iterates that converge to a point in T(m) and that, except for pathological cases, terminates in a finite number of steps. Numerical results for an implementation of the search algorithm on a set of test functions show that the algorithm terminates within a small number of iterations.
Sodium partitioning in a pulverzed coal combustion environment

Sodium transformation mechanisms during pulverized coal combustion were investigated as functions of combustion temperature and of the modes in which sodium occurred in the parent coal. The combustion experiments took place in a 17-kW laboratory downflow combustor which was designed to form a link between bench-scale reactor studies and commercial-scale combustors. Three different coals were burned under excess air conditions, and size-segregated fly-ash samples were extracted far from the combustion zone. Atomic absorption on each ash sample yielded bulk composition data. Computer-controlled scanning electron spectroscopy (CCSEM) yielded composition data of individual ash particles and allowed inference of mechanisms governing the formation of these individual particles. It was demonstrated that partitioning of sodium in the vapor, and the subsequent fraction of sodium in the submicron fume, is greatly reduced by the presence of silicates and high temperatures. This was attributed to reaction, of sodium in the vapor with solid silicates. The CCSEM analysed showed that reaction to form sodium aluminum silicates was preferred over reactions forming sodium silicates, alone, although both are formed. Some physical condensation also occurs. Both included and excluded alumino-silicates are effective in reactively scavenging sodium. The maximum amount of sodium scavenged in any one particle was consistent with formation of Na 2 O·Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 . It was demonstrated that sodium from coal reacted with kaolinite additives mixed with the coal, suggesting that this is a strategy to reactively scavenge vaporized sodium. Additional bench-scale experiments and equilibrium calculations suggest that the mechanism of sodium reaction with alumino-silicates involves sodium as sodium hydroxide.
Cyclopentadienylmanganese thiocarbonyl nitrosyl complexes

Abstract The air-stable yellow-orange complexes of cyclopentadienylmanganese carbonyl thiocarbonyl nitrosyl cations [RC5H4Mn(CO)(CS)NO]+X− (R = H, CH3; X = SbF6, PF6) were prepared by the reaction of RC5H4Mn(CO)2CS (R = H, CH3) with either NO+SbF−6 or NO+2PF−6. These complexes undergo facile monocarbonyl substitution reactions with various Lewis bases (L) to afford products of the type [RC5H4Mn(CS)(NO)L]+SbF-6 (L = Ph3P, Ph3As and Ph3Sb).
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients Receiving Prolonged Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

The levels of early spliced mRNA and genomic RNA of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 14 patients who were receiving highly active combination antiretroviral therapy for 116 weeks were determined. The level of viral genomic RNA was below the level of detection in the plasma of these patients (!50 copies/mL), but cell-associated viral tat, rev, and nef mRNA were detected in 86% (12 of 14) of the patients. Cell-associated viral genomic RNA was detected in 57% (8 of 14) of the patients. Early viral spliced mRNA was detected in the PBMC of all patients who had positive results of testing for HIV-1 genomic RNA, and the level of viral genomic RNA in these patients was 34‐2214 copies per 10 6 cells. Combination therapy involving drugs that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease decreases the virus load in patients’ plasma and increases the survival of patients with AIDS [1‐3]. Although viral RNA levels in plasma are suppressed below the limit of detection (!50 copies/mL) for a prolonged period of time, replication-competent HIV-1 can still be grown after activation of resting CD4 lymphocytes [4, 5]. Detection of cell-associated viral RNA has been used in other studies [6, 7] and provides a measure of the effectiveness of combination therapy in controlling viral replication in different viral reservoirs in vivo. Transcription of viral spliced mRNA occurs early in HIV-1
Determination of Mechanical Properties of Differently Oriented ß-Tin Crystals in Small Solder Joints and Small Tensile Specimens using EBSD and Nano Hardness Measurements

In modern electronics solder joints are mostly composed of a lead-free solder alloy and interfaces of tin, nickel/gold or copper at the component and the circuit board side. Mostly SAC (SnAgCu) - alloys will be used in electronic products with high tin content. In the course of design and development the volume of these solder joints decreases rapidly. With this the solder joint exists only of some - one to four - single tin crystals with eutectic parts, and the percentage of the intermediate compounds that grow at the interface of the component/circuit board and solder increases rapidly. The orientation of the anisotropic tin crystal and the intermetallic phases plays an important role concerning the reliability of a solder joint. However, very few information about their physical and mechanical properties is known in literature depending on their orientation. The orientation of the tin crystals was determined by EBSD measurements in cross sections of solder joints and tensile specimens. Micro/Nano hardness measurements and tensile tests of differently oriented beta-tin crystals in solder joints and small tensile test specimens were made to get information whether the grain orientation influences the mechanical behaviour as hardness, Yield strength and tensile strength. The nano hardness was determined by Vickers indentation. For example, the Vickers hardness of different oriented tin crystals - between [320] and [001] orientation - ranges between 16 and 28 VHN (0.16-0.28 GPa). The [001] oriented crystals show the highest hardness. A correlation to the other material parameters as Yield strength and tensile strength will be discussed using stress-strain diagrams of different SAC alloys.
Die Entwicklung von Substrattopographien im Mikro- und Nanobereich zur Steuerung von Zellfunktionen

Die Wechselwirkung von Saugerzellen mit der nanoskaligen Topographie einer Unterlage hat sich als wichtiges Signalelement zur Steuerung der Zellfunktion herausgestellt. Naturliche nanotopographische Strukturen in der extrazellularen Matrix prasentieren den umgebenden Zellen mechanotransduktive Signale, die die lokale Migration, die Zellpolarisation und andere Funktionen beeinflussen. Auch eine synthetische Nanotopographie kann sich auf Zellmorphologie, Ausrichtung, Adhasion, Migration, Proliferation und Organisation des Cytoskeletts auswirken. Im Folgenden stellen wir dar, wie sich der Kontakt zwischen Zellen und Substraten mit synthetischer Nanotopographie nutzen lasst, um komplexe zellulare Prozesse wie Stammzelldifferenzierung und Gewebeorganisation in vitro zu steuern. Weitere Herausforderungen an der Schnittstelle zwischen Zelle und nanotopographischen Oberflachen werden diskutiert, darunter die Aufklarung von Mechanismen und Anwendungen im Tissue-Engineering.
Endeavors: a process system infrastructure

As software projects evolve, possibly differing in size, complexity, scope, and purpose, the development processes that support the project must evolve to reflect these changes. The Endeavors system is an open, distributed process modeling and execution infrastructure that addresses communication, coordination, and control issues. Endeavors’ solution architecture applies five key design strategies: (1) maintaining multiple object model layers, (2) implementing the architecture as a set of highly componentized, lightweight, transportable, concurrent elements, (3) providing customization capabilities for each layer of the object model, (4) using a reflexive object model to support dynamic change, and (5) allowing dynamic loading and changing of objects.
The Effect of Variable Success and Failure Situations on the Intensity of Need for Achievement

(1959). The Effect of Variable Success and Failure Situations on the Intensity of Need for Achievement. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 267-273.
Acoustical characteristics of leak signals in plastic water distribution pipes

Abstract Acoustical characteristics of leak signals in plastic pipes were investigated in this study for several types of leaks simulated under controlled conditions at an experimental site. The investigation included the characterization of frequency content of sound or vibration signals as a function of leak type, flow rate, pipe pressure and season, the determination of the attenuation rate, and the variation of propagation velocity with frequency. The information presented in this paper for the acoustic characteristics of leak signals will help leak detection professionals in the selection of appropriate instrumentation, the design of appropriate measurement procedures, and in the case of propagation velocity, in accurately locating leaks using the cross-correlation method.
Do the sick retire early? Chronic illness, asset accumulation and early retirement

Our objective is to determine how chronic illness affects asset accumulation and retirement. Previous studies have found that poor health leads to early retirement, but those studies failed to look at the indirect impact of chronic illness on retirement. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we define an illness as chronic if the individual reports having asthma, cancer, heart disease, stroke or diabetes for four or more years. We first estimate how a chronic illness influences asset accumulation. We then estimate how asset accumulation and current poor health influence retirement. We observe that the vast majority of the chronically ill population do not report their general health to be poor nor do they report functional limitations in activities of daily living. Nevertheless, our results indicate that chronic illness leads these people to accumulate fewer assets during their working years and consequently retire later. Neither researchers nor policy-makers discussing the many critical issues...
Biogeography-based optimization combined with evolutionary strategy and immigration refusal

Biogeography-based optimization (BBO) is a recently developed heuristic algorithm which has shown impressive performance on many well known benchmarks. In order to improve BBO, this paper incorporates distinctive features from other successful heuristic algorithms into BBO. In this paper, features from evolutionary strategy (ES) are used for BBO modification. Also, a new immigration refusal approach is added to BBO. After the modification of BBO, F-tests and T-tests are used to demonstrate the differences between different implementations of BBOs.
Physiological fluctuation of 99mtc-sestamibi uptake in normal mammary glands: a systematic investigation in female rats

Background: Scintimammography is an imaging tool for the diagnosis and management of primary breast tumors. There remains a significant knowledge gap regarding the physiological fluctuations in the basal level of 99mTc-sestamibi uptake in normal mammary tissues with respect to the female reproductive cycle.Purpose: To systematically characterize 99mTc-sestamibi uptake in normal mammary tissues in female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats in different estrous phases.Material and Methods: The exact phase of the reproductive cycle was determined in 18 female SD rats. Each rat was sacrificed at 20 min after 99mTc-sestamibi injection (14.8 MBq/kg). The mammary glands were dissected, and the radioactivity uptake was measured by gamma counting.Results: Tc-99m-sestamibi uptake oscillates by about twofold and reaches a maximum at the proestrous phase of the rat reproductive cycle.Conclusion: Tc-99m-sestamibi uptake fluctuates significantly in normal mammary tissues in synchrony with the female reproductive cycle, and peaks ...
Ethnic culture and corporate culture: Using black styles in organizations

The purpose of this examination is to consider the positive impact black organizational members can make in the work place using their unique interpersonal style. The authors pursue this end by reviewing the literature addressing cultural differences between black and white interpersonal communicators. Throughout the discussion the authors extrapolate from the literature in order to consider how differing interpersonal styles can add to the organizational environment. Cross‐cultural difficulties are also addressed.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction and Single-Crystal Data for the Isomorphous Series (Fe,Al)3(K,NH4, H3O)H14(PO4)8 ·4H2O

X-ray powder diffraction and single-crystal data are reported for a series of isomorphous compounds with the general chemical composition (Fe,Al) 3 (K,NH 4 ,H 3 O)H 14 (PO 4 ) 8 ·4H 2 O. The compounds are monoclinic with space group C2/c. Unit-cell parameters were determined on the mixed salt (Fe 0.84 ,Al 0.16 ) 3 KH 14 (PO 4 ) 8 ·4H 2 O, as obtained from sludge precipitated in commercial shipping-grade wet-process phosphoric acid. Single-crystal studies and refined powder diffraction data provided unit-cell parameters of a = 16.908(9) A, b = 9.588(2) A, c = 17.539(5) A, and β = 91.06(4)°.
Enhancing Divergent Search through Extinction Events

A challenge in evolutionary computation is to create representations as evolvable as those in natural evolution. This paper hypothesizes that extinction events, i.e. mass extinctions, can significantly increase evolvability, but only when combined with a divergent search algorithm, i.e. a search driven towards diversity (instead of optimality). Extinctions amplify diversity-generation by creating unpredictable evolutionary bottlenecks. Persisting through multiple such bottlenecks is more likely for lineages that diversify across many niches, resulting in indirect selection pressure for the capacity to evolve. This hypothesis is tested through experiments in two evolutionary robotics domains. The results show that combining extinction events with divergent search increases evolvability, while combining them with convergent search offers no similar benefit. The conclusion is that extinction events may provide a simple and effective mechanism to enhance performance of divergent search algorithms.
Performance of open loop digital frequency estimation techniques for burst‐mode transmission

This paper presents the variance analysis, and performance comparison, of the least-squares frequency estimator (LSFE). and a specific version of the nonlinear frequency estimator (NFE). The results are obtained for the case where the received signal contains both phase and frequency errors (Δθ and Δf irrespectively). It is shown that under rather restrictive conditions, the LSFE is a low signal-to-noise ratio approximation to the ML estimate of Δf. Also considered are the effects on the moments of this estimate, if any of these conditions are violated. The latter part of the paper deals with the various versions of the NFE. The problem of phase ambiguity associated with these nonlinear estimators is investigated, and a resolution technique is proposed.
Women in a Divided Church: Liberal and Conservative Catholic Women Negotiate Changing Gender Roles

The Catholic Church in America is deeply divided, and gender issues (especially reproductive choice and women's ordination) have become a symptom of this division. This paper examines the language used by liberal and conservative Catholic women to talk about gender. It is argued that although similar divisions over gender exist within Protestantism and Judaism, Catholic women are in a unique position to confront them. Unlike conservative Protestants and Jews who have separated themselves from their more liberal counterparts by forming independent Evangelical and Orthodox denominations, conservative Catholics co-exist with liberals in the same church. The paper shows that being forced to confront those divisions has resulted in a tendency towards polarization on the one hand, and towards moderation on the other, both of which have important implications for the future of the Catholic Church.