cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commercial Propulsion Engines Emissions

The US aviation's landing-takeoff emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and fine particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) are 0.44, 0.66, 0.48, and 0.15, respectively, all expressed as percentages of the United States' total annual emissions rate. These numbers may be compared to the on road vehicles' emissions contributions of 26 %, 59 % and 36 %, respectively for CO, NOx, VOC, and 22 % from road dust. Propulsion engines emissions technology evolution since the middle to late 1970s is summarized and shows that both the low emission and rich-quench lean combustion (LEC/RQL) technologies produce similar levels of reduction. NOx emissions of LEC/RQL have been reduced by more than 50 % since the middle and late 1970s Gen-1 engines. The average emissions of these engines was 28 % below the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) CAEP-1 regulatory standard, whereas the LEC/RQL are only 12 % below the most recent CAEP-6 standard, indicating that the NOx stringencies have kept pace with the best available technology. Hydrocarbons (HC), CO, and smoke emissions have come down by factors of 30, 4, and 2, respectively from the Gen-1 engines. The propulsion engines' manufacturers continue to develop innovative technologies for further reducing NOx emissions by a factor of 2. Keywords: emissions; combustors; propulsion engines; gas turbine engines; aviation environmental impact; engine exhaust pollutants; smoke and gaseous emissions; local air quality standards
Impact of atrial fibrillation on outcomes in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as an alternative treatment for surgical high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on procedural outcomes. Data from 137 patients who underwent TAVR using Edwards SAPIEN valve were reviewed. The predictors of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) after the procedure were analyzed. In addition, the post-TAVR clinical outcomes and adverse events were compared according to the presence and absence of preprocedural and postprocedural AF. Previous AF was present in 49% of the patients who underwent TAVR. After the procedure, NOAF was detected in 21% of patients, and the cumulative incidence of post-TAVR AF was 60%. After TAVR, 50% of all the episodes of NOAF occurred in the initial 24 hours after the procedure. Transapical approach was observed to an important predictor of NOAF (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 5.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40 to 18.20, p = 0.013). The composite outcome of all-cause mortality, stroke, vascular complications, and repeat hospitalization in 1 month after TAVR was significantly higher in patients with previous AF (33 of 67 vs 19 of 70, adjusted OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.22 to 5.54, p = 0.013) compared with patients who did not have previous AF. The presence of post-TAVR AF led to a prolongation in the duration of intensive care unit stay by an average of 70 hours (95% CI 25 to 114.7 hours, p = 0.002). Similarly, post-TAVR AF also led to the prolongation in the hospital stay by an average of 6.7 days (95% CI 4.69 to 8.73 days, p
Changes in the Distribution of Fibronectin and Collagen during Development of the Neonatal Rat Heart

Specific antibodies to different types of collagen (I, III, IV and V) and fibronectin were used to investigate the formation of the collagenous connective tissue network in the neonatal rat heart. Immunofluorescence data showed that the staining pattern for fibronectin and Type III collagen was similar as were the patterns for Type I, IV and V collagens. These differences in the staining patterns correlated with previous studies on the development of the connective tissue network and indicated that Type III collagen was the major type of collagen associated with the myocytes. The results of this study showed that by 20 days post-partum the development of the connective tissue network was similar to the adult.
Selective extraction of phosphatidylcholine from lecithin by supercritical carbon dioxide/ethanol mixture

Selective extraction of phosphatidylcholine (PC) from deoiled soybean lecithin using supercritical fluid (SCF) mixtures of carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol was studied at moderate pressures. Temperature was varied between 60 and 80°C at pressures of 17.2 and 20.7 MPa. Ethanol was added as co-solvent to supercritical CO2 at the levels of 10 and 12.5 wt%. Constant rate of extraction of the individual phospholipids (PL) was observed for 150 min during which the extractions were carried out. Pressure and ethanol fraction had a positive effect on the selective extraction of PC, whereas temperature had a negative effect. Under all the conditions studied, the extracts were mainly composed of PC while the extraction of the other PL was very low. Extraction at 60°C and 20.7 MPa with 10 wt% ethanol/90 wt% CO2 SCF mixture resulted in 95% selectivity to PC.
Was Jesus Illegitimate? The Evidence of His Social Interactions

This article examines the social status of the historical Jesus in relation to recent studies that place Jesus into the social category of an illegitimate child. After surveying the evidence with respect to the situation of such individuals in first-century Mediterranean and Jewish society, we shall proceed to examine whether Jesus’ implied social status (as evidenced by accounts of his adult social interactions) coheres with what one would expect in the case of someone who bore the stigma of that status. Our study suggests that the scandal caused by Jesus’ association with the marginalized clearly implies that he did not himself fall into that category.
Characterization of Atrial Fibrillation in Man: Studies Following Open Heart Surgery*

The nature of localized atrial activation during atrial fibrillation was characterized in 34 patients following open heart surgery. Bipolar atrial electrograms (AEG) recorded in each patient with atrial fibrillation exhibited a myriad of sizes, shapes, polarities, amplitudes, and beat-to-beat intervals. On the basis of the AEG morphology and the nature of its baseline, we have classified the recordings into four Types. Type I was characterized by discrete AEG complexes separated by an isoelectric baseline free of perturbation, Type II by discrete AEG complexes but with perturbations of the baseline between complexes, Type III by AEGs which failed to demonstrate either discrete complexes or isoelectric intervals, and Type IV in which AEGs of Type III alternated with periods characteristic of Type I and/or Type II. In 22 patients, the AEGs were recorded a second time, and in 11 of these patients the type of atrial fibrillation changed between the first and second recording period. An atrial flutter-fibrillation pattern in the ECG was associated with a relatively ordered atrial activation pattern and a relatively slow atrial rate. Human atrial fibrillation is not an electrophysiologically homogeneous process when compared among different patients or ad seriatim in the same patient.
Dissociation between physical dependence and volitional ethanol consumption: role of multiple withdrawal episodes.

Abstract The experiment examined the effects of single and multiple episodes of forced administration of a liquid diet containing ethanol on subsequent volitional ethanol consumption. Rats were subjected to a series of 3 sequences of forced liquid diet consumption lasting 20, 50 and 50 days. One group (AD) received a liquid diet with 35–42% of the calories in the form of ethanol. Another group (SD) received identical diets except sucrose was isocalorically substituted for ethanol. Following each sequence a free-choice test was given in which the rats were allowed to choose between an alcohol diet, a sucrose diet and water. After 20 days of alcohol consumption, rats in the AD group rejected the alcohol diet, despite the occurrence of severe withdrawal symptoms including tail-stiffening, ataxia, tremors and hyperreactivity. During subsequent preference tests, a substantial, but transient, increase in alcohol self-selection was observed. It was concluded that rats may learn the association between alcohol and relief of withdrawal symptoms, but a number of withdrawal episodes are required.
Frisch and Tinbergen on economic planning

Abstract The Frisch-Tinbergen model of central economic planning represents the first important non-Soviet planning model. This constrained optimization model makes the central planner a staff adviser to the Premier. The central planner explores the Premier's preference ordering and recommends instruments that maximize the Premier's utility, given the constraints within an econometric model. This model assumes Premiers have no preference over instruments or models and that planning agencies have neither internal structure nor operating responsibilities. The paper explores the consequences of removing such limiting assumptions, utilizing the results of more recent contributions to the theory of.-economic systems.
Alternative biofuel policies: an economic comparison

This article provides an economic interpretation of some alternative policies that could replace or augment the expiring ethanol blender’s credit. Several alternatives have been proposed, which include eliminating the blender’s credit and maintaining the mandate, implementing a producer’s income or investment tax credit or creating a variable blender’s credit. Eliminating the blender’s credit only has market impacts when the mandate is not binding. An ethanol producer’s income tax credit has market impacts that are indistinguishable from the current blender’s credit. A producer’s investment tax credit has the potential to reduce the risk of entry for biofuel products. A variable ethanol blender’s tax credit can achieve significant cost savings over a fixed blender’s tax credit while achieving the same objectives. These cost savings can then be used to reduce program costs to taxpayers or be used to achieve additional objectives.
Impact of mothers' life style on adolescent gender-role socialization

The perceptions and attitudes of 365 eighth-grade girls were surveyed to examine the direct and indirect impact of mothers' life style on adolescents' gender-role development. Among the hypotheses investigated were the following: (1) mothers' activity outside the home enhances her status and increases the likelihood of diminished gender-role differentiation in the family and (2) status and parental role differentiation explain a greater proportion of the variance in the gender-role socialization variables than maternal life style. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to determine which combination of life style and intervening variables would best predict gender-role responses. Collectively, the results indicated only modest relationships between maternal characteristics and girls' gender-role socialization. The appropriateness of this model for future research is discussed.
Parametric Study of Radiative Heat Transfer in Arrays of Fixed Discrete Surfaces

The parameter space for study of radiative transfer in and through arrays of regular elements is extremely large. The present study has developed a number of correlations, based on MCLITE code results for simple geometric elements. These correlations can guide a designer of heat exchangers in optimizing performance. When the incident radiation is diffuse, these correlations are fairly accurate. When the incident radiation is collimated, and strikes the array at some arbitrary angle, the correlations are less accurate. For detailed analysis of heat exchanger performance there is no substitute for exercising a code such as MCLITE. 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.
Incompatibility of unitarity and gauge symmetry in the SL(2,C) Yang-Mills field theory

We carry out quantization and one-loop calculations of the SL(2,$C$) Yang-Mills field to show that unitarity and local gauge symmetry are incompatible. It appears that this incompatibility exists in any Yang-Mills field with noncompact gauge group.
Teaching of Anatomy of Genital Organs in the Large Animals

At the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, teaching the anatomy of genital organs in large (and in small) animals is clinically oriented. In the male horse, ox, and pig, the descriptive anatomy of the structures is taught in that order as they are listed in Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria. Clinical correlates are immediately mentioned in relation to each of the following structures. The testicle, epididymis, ductus deferens, spermatic cord, and tunics of spermatic cord and testis are correlated to the castration, criptorchidism, ectopic testicles, and inguinal herniae, as well as to the landmarks and approaches to different clinical techniques. The penis and male urethra are correlated to the prolapse of the prepuce, ulcerative posthitis, balanitis, penile deviation, penischisis, persistent penile frenulum, short retractor penis muscle, catheterization of the urethra, the contagious equine metritis (CEM), etc. In the female horse, ox and pig, following the similar order as in the male species, the ovary and the salpinx are correlated to the diagnosis of pregnancy by rectal exploration, ovarian hypoplasia, ectopic pregnancy, and ovariectomy. The uterus is correlated to the different aspects of metritis and endometritis, to the retained placenta, pyometra, uterine torsion, uterine prolapse and eversion, Caesarian section, diagnosis of pregnancy and different stages of oestrus by rectal exploration, double external ostium of the cervix, distocia, and the assessment of possible difficulties in the birth process. The vagina and vestibulum vaginae are correlated to the gaertneritis, vaginal and cervical prolapse, vaginitis, catheterization of the urinary bladder, and pelvimetry. The vulva and clitoris are correlated to vulvitis, balanitis, distocia, episiotomy, and transmissible genital diseases. Different kinds of udder diseases (mastitis) are based on the thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the udder including the blood and nerve supply and the lymphatic system. The two techniques of epidural anesthesia (Magda and Farquharson in ruminants) and subsacral anaesthesia (Popescu) for diagnosis and treatment purposes are explained in detail.
Fatigue-fracture behavior of 5083-0 aluminum-magnesium alloy for LNG applications

Abstract Low temperature mechanical properties (including fatigue) of 5083-0 Al alloy are reviewed. Based on the results in the literature, the life of notched components under fatigue loaded conditon at LNG temperature (−162°C) are predicted. Probable reasons for low fatigue crack propagation life at low temperature are discussed. A procedure to theoretically generate the strain vs life plot is indicated. An elasto-plastic model presented by El-Haddad et al. [Int. J. Fracture 16, 15–30 (1980)] is used to study the effect of low temperature on J- integral values.
Granulocyte-Stimulating Factor-Induced Bone Marrow Reconversion Simulating Neuroblastoma Metastases on MRI: Case Report and Literature Review

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), often used as an adjunct to chemotherapy, can pose a dilemma in differentiating the associated bone marrow changes from metastatic disease on magnetic resonance imaging. The phenomenon has been previously reported in children undergoing treatment for primary musculoskeletal malignancies [1, 2]. We present a case of GCSF-induced marrow reconversion simulating neuroblastoma metastases on MR imaging. An interesting observation in our case was intense abnormal signal in a pattern of metaphyseal bands, which, to our knowledge, was not previously reported in the English literature to be associated with GCSF-induced marrow reconversion.
APT, a common computer language

Publisher Summary This chapter describes APT. APT represents a considered compromise between the needs and desires of the programmer and the cost of compilation. It is possible to write an APT compiler that is single pass in the strict sense; compilation proceeds not only statement by statement but even character by character, so it is not necessary to read in a complete statement before beginning to translate it. APT is designed for computational problems—those consisting largely of arithmetic operations inside the machine. It is not well suited to problems that are primarily logical or involve the processing of large files of data. An APT program consists of a sequence of characters written from left to right. The permitted characters are the decimal digits and the capital letters excluding the letters Oand Q. Spaces and divisions into lines on a page are ignored by the compiler, and may be used as convenient. The language is conveniently described by listing first the permissible terms and then the permissible statement.
Connectionist AI, symbolic AI, and the brain

Connectionist AI systems are large networks of extremely simple numerical processors, massively interconnected and running in parallel. There has been great progress in the connectionist approach, and while it is still unclear whether the approach will succeed, it is also unclear exactly what the implications for cognitive science would be if it did succeed. In this paper I present a view of the connectionist approach that implies that the level of analysis at which uniform formal principles of cognition can be found is the subsymbolic level, intermediate between the neural and symbolic levels. Notions such as logical inference, sequential firing of production rules, spreading activation between conceptual units, mental categories, and frames or schemata turn out to provide approximate descriptions of the coarse-grained behaviour of connectionist systems. The implication is that symbol-level structures provide only approximate accounts of cognition, useful for description but not necessarily for constructing detailed formal models.
Interleukin 2 (IL-2) activity during tumor growth: IL-2 production kinetics, absorption of and responses to exogenous IL-2.

Abstract A temporal study assessed the relationship between fibrosarcoma growth and immunologic encumberance due to the inability of BALB/c mouse splenocytes to elaborate the lymphokine Interleukin 2 (IL-2). Nylon-wool fractionation and antiserum treatments suggested the existence of a mildly nylon-wool-adherent, anti-Lyt 2-sensitive tumor-induced suppressor T (T s ,) cell which significantly decreased IL-2 activity. Absorption investigations indicated that ligand-activated tumor-bearing host (TBH) spleen cells were less receptive to IL-2 than their normal counterparts. When splenocytes were antiserum treated before absorption, removal of Lyt 2 + (suppressor T) cells resulted in greater IL-2 absorption by the remaining cells. Purified IL-2 only partially restored suppressed TBH spleen cell mitogen- or alloantigen-induced blastogenesis; whereas, normal host reactivity was significantly augmented. The collective data suggest that TBH spleen cells were capable of producing IL-2 and of responding to the IL-2 amplification signal when tumor-induced T s cells were depleted.
Triglyceride biosynthesis from monoglycerides in isolated segments of intestinal mucosa. Utilization of an ether analogue of 2-monostearin.

Abstract 1. 1. Triglyceride synthesis from monoglycerides was investigated during uptake by everted segments of rat small intestine. 2. 2. 1-Monoglycerides are converted into triglycerides via a 1,3-diglyceride intermediate. 1,2-Diglycerides are also formed during this conversion in varying amounts depending on the experimental conditions. This indicates the existence of an equilibrium between the 1,2- and 1,3-diglyceride isomers. It could not be ascertained whether 1,3-diglycerides are directly acylated to form triglycerides or are first isomerized to a 1,2-diglyceride. 3. 3. 2-Monoglycerides are converted to triglycerides via a 1,2-diglyceride intermediate. Indirect proof of this was achieved by using the ether analogue of 2-monostearin which was also taken up by the mucosa and esterified.
Racial Differences in Treatment Modalities Among Female Residents of Florida Diagnosed with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine whether there were racial differences in patterns of care between Non-Hispanic White (NHW) and African-American (AA) women diagnosed with regional and distant epithelial ovarian cancer living in Florida. Design: This epidemiologic cross-sectional study utilized data on incident cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed between 1981 and 2000 among Florida residents reported to the statewide Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS). Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 13,858 AA and NHW women diagnosed with regional or distant epithelial ovarian cancer between 1981 and 2000 identified from using FCDS data. The variables of interest included: race/ethnicity, marital status, tobacco use, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, no treatment, other therapy, and a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to determine the receipt of treatment by st...
Preterm birth in pregnancies complicated by major congenital malformations: a population-based study

Objective The objective of the study was to estimate and compare the relative risk of preterm birth (PTB) in pregnancies complicated by 1 or more of 8 major congenital malformations (MCMs). Study Design This was a population-based cohort study of the birth database of the Missouri Department of Health (1989-1997) including 678,693 singleton live births. Outcomes included a binary composite variable of any MCM and the following 8 individual malformations: spina bifida, diaphragmatic hernia, renal agenesis, other urogenital anomaly, tracheoesophageal fistula/esophageal atresia, omphalocele/gastroschisis, cardiac defect, and cleft lip/palate. Chromosomal anomalies were excluded. Logistic regression analyses assessed the association between malformations and PTB. Results The risk of PTB increased significantly and to varying degrees for each malformation. In pregnancies with any MCM, there was an increased prevalence (11.5%) and relative risk (adjusted odds ratio [ adj OR] 3.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9 to 3.6]) of PTB at less than 35 weeks' gestation. The magnitude of risk increase was greatest at the earliest gestational ages: adj OR 4.8 (95% CI, 4.0 to 5.7) at less than 28 weeks. Pregnancies with multiple malformations were at highest risk for PTB: adj OR 8.0 [95% CI, 4.6 to 14.1]. Conclusion MCMs significantly increase PTB risk. The risk varies by malformation type and is higher with multiple malformations.
New directions for Rayleigh-Taylor mixing

We study the RayleighTaylor (RT) mixing layer, presenting simulations in agreement with experimental data. This problem is an idealized subproblem of important scientific and engineering problems, ...
Ontogeny of eyeblink conditioning using a visual conditional stimulus

The developmental emergence of associative learning in rodents is determined by interactions among sensory, motor, and associative systems that are engaged in a particular experimental preparation (Carter & Stanton, 1996; Hunt & Campbell, 1997; Rudy, 1992). In fear conditioning, chemosensory, auditory, and visual cues emerge successively as effective conditional stimuli (CS) during postnatal ontogeny. In the present study, we begin to examine the generality of this principle of sensory system development for eyeblink conditioning, a form of associative learning that develops substantially later than conditioned fear (Carter & Stanton, 1996). We asked whether the developmental emergence of eyeblink conditioning to a visual CS occurs at an age that is the same or different from conditioning to an auditory CS. In Experiment 1, rat pups were trained on postnatal Day 17 or 24 with experimental parameters (and design) that were identical to our previous studies of eyeblink conditioning except that presentation of a light rather than a tone served as the CS. The outcome was also identical: no eyeblink conditioning on Day 17 and strong conditioning on Day 24. In Experiment 2, conditioning to tone versus light was directly compared by means of a discrimination learning design on postnatal Days 19, 21, 23, and 31. There was no evidence for differential development of auditory versus visual eyeblink conditioning. The difference between this outcome and previous ones involving conditioned fear (Hunt & Campbell, 1997; Rudy, 1992) suggests that principles concerning sensory maturation and learning may be different for early- versus late-developing associative systems.
A thermodynamical constitutive model for shape memory materials. Part II. The SMA composite material

Abstract The phenomenological SMA equations developed in Part I are used in this second paper to derive the free energy and dissipation of a SMA composite material. The derivation consists of solving a boundary value problem formulated over a mesoscale representative volume element, followed by an averaging procedure to obtain the macroscopic composite constitutive equations. Explicit equations are derived for the transformation tensors that relate the composite transformation strain rate to the phase transformation rate in the fiber and matrix. Some key findings for the two-way SME in a SMA fiber/elastomer matrix composite are that processing-induced residual stresses alter the composite austenite start and martensite start temperatures, as well as the amount of composite strain recovered during a complete cycle of temperature and fiber martensite volume fraction. Relative to the two-way SME response of stiff-matrix composites, it was found that compliant-matrix composites: (1) complete the phase transformation over a narrower temperature range; (2) exhibit greater transformation strain during the reverse transformation; and (3) undergo an incomplete strain cycle during a complete cycle of temperature and fiber martensite volume fraction. Due to the interaction of the fiber and matrix during transformation, macroscopic proportional stressing of the composite results in non-proportional fiber stressing, which in turn causes a small amount of martensitic reorientation to occur simultaneously with the transformation.
UTE-T2∗ mapping detects sub-clinical meniscus injury after anterior cruciate ligament tear

Summary Objective Meniscus tear is a known risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). Quantitative assessment of meniscus degeneration, prior to surface break-down, is important to identification of early disease potentially amenable to therapeutic interventions. This work examines the diagnostic potential of ultrashort echo time-enhanced T2∗ (UTE-T2∗) mapping to detect human meniscus degeneration in vitro and in vivo in subjects at risk of developing OA. Design UTE-T2∗ maps of 16 human cadaver menisci were compared to histological evaluations of meniscal structural integrity and clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment by a musculoskeletal radiologist. In vivo UTE-T2∗ maps were compared in 10 asymptomatic subjects and 25 ACL-injured patients with and without concomitant meniscal tear. Results In vitro , UTE-T2∗ values tended to be lower in histologically and clinically normal meniscus tissue and higher in torn or degenerate tissue. UTE-T2∗ map heterogeneity reflected collagen disorganization. In vivo , asymptomatic meniscus UTE-T2∗ values were repeatable within 9% (root-mean-square average coefficient of variation). Posteromedial meniscus UTE-T2∗ values in ACL-injured subjects with clinically diagnosed medial meniscus tear ( n =10) were 87% higher than asymptomatics ( n =10, P without concomitant medial meniscal tear ( n =15) were 33% higher than asymptomatics ( P =0.001). Posterolateral menisci UTE-T2∗ values also varied significantly with degree of joint pathology ( P =0.001). Conclusion Significant elevations of UTE-T2∗ values in the menisci of ACL-injured subjects without clinical evidence of subsurface meniscal abnormality suggest that UTE-T2∗ mapping is sensitive to sub-clinical meniscus degeneration. Further study is needed to determine whether elevated subsurface meniscus UTE-T2∗ values predict progression of meniscal degeneration and development of OA.
A two dimensional sub-sample estimator based on zero phase crossing in ultrasound

Displacement estimation in ultrasound is a common yet important task for various applications, including tissue/blood motion estimation, elastography imaging, temperature estimation, etc. Accuracy of displacement estimation in the lateral direction is primarily limited by the coarse image resolution in this direction. Therefore, large lateral interpolation factors are needed to achieve fine sub-sample displacement estimation. In this paper, a zero phase crossing method is presented based on two dimensional complex normalized cross correlations (NCCs). Due to the fact that there is no analytic signal in the lateral direction, the phase of complex cross correlation is not necessarily linear. However, the subsample of maximum magnitude of complex correlation still lies on the zero phase line. Therefore, 2D displacement can be estimated by the intersection point of two zero phase lines, one from Hilbert transformation in the axial direction and the other one from Hilbert transformation in the lateral direction. We present 2D displacement estimation results, both simulations and experimental, to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method over existing estimators.
Muteins of human interleukin‐1 that show enhanced bioactivities

Using recombinant DNA techniques, we have made a series of amino-terminal muteins of human interleukin-1 (IL-1). Two of the muteins demonstrated 4-7-fold increase in bioactivity as compared to that of the native IL-1. The enhanced biological potency coincides with an increase in both receptor binding affinity and in vivo tumor inhibitory activity. By site specific mutagenesis, we have shown that the arginine at the fourth position of IL-1 is one of the key residues in the function of IL-1. Circular dichroism studies of the amino-terminus analogs showed little structural rearrangement. The change in bioactivity might be due to a change in the stability of the muteins, in the side chain interactions with receptors or in the minor change in folding near the receptor binding site.
Implementation of IOC and its application in distribution system operation and maintenance management

As smart grid is giving rise to the continuing growth of concern and research interest, it is expected to be able to provide a more intelligent way to operate the facilities in transmission and distribution systems and better benefit the utility companies. Meanwhile, development and application of new technologies enable managers of the utility company to monitor, supervise and optimize distribution network in a more comprehensively manner. On the other hand, distribution systems face new challenges in such a new environment that it requires for further development and implementation of the features while smart consumption of electricity is needed for both the utility companies and end users. This paper introduces IBM Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) which includes incident management, integrated mapping and collaboration capabilities. In order to meet challenges in distribution network operation and maintenance(O&M) management, IOC is adapted to achieve centralized management of distribution system O&M. It integrates much functionality like measurement, monitoring and subsystems into a new platform and provides necessary information in a more effective way that enhances O&M management efficiency and contributes to coordination, cooperation and decision-making especially in emergency scenarios. The IOC deployment consists of GIS/SVG based global surveillance, event based cockpit and Key Performance Indices based cockpit. Finally, an application in HengQin power system proves the feasibility and validity of the IBM IOC in distribution system O&M management.
Chemical approaches to deciphering the glycosaminoglycan code

Glycosaminoglycans are sulfated biopolymers with rich chemical diversity and complex functions in vivo, contributing to processes ranging from cell growth and neuronal development to viral invasion and neurodegenerative disease. Recent studies suggest that glycosaminoglycans may encode information in the form of a ‘sulfation code,’ whereby discrete modifications to the polysaccharide backbone may direct the location or activities of proteins.
THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF MIXTURES OF THERMAL AND COHERENT RADIATION

Some of the statistical properties of a mode of propagation for an electromagnetic field which is a super-position of thermal and coherent radiation are derived. It is found that the electric field and the magnetic field have Gaussian probability densities. The variance of the mixed field is the same as the variance of the thermal part of the field alone, while the average of the mixed field is the same as the average of the coherent field alone. It is pointed out that this result differs from the classical theory in that the zero-point field appears only once in the variance for the mixed field while it appears once in the variance of each of the constituent fields. This result is extended to a more general class of fields, and for that class it is shown that except for the zero-point field, the quantum properties of superposition are the same as the classical properties of superposition of noisy fields. The probability distribution for the number of photons in a mode of mixed radiation is also derived. The results shows that there are fluctuations in the number of photons that arise, because of interference effects.
Watershed Management and Organizational Dynamics: Nationwide Findings and Regional Variation

Recent attention has focused on resource management initiatives at the watershed scale with emphasis on collaborative, locally driven, and decentralized institutional arrangements. Existing literature on limited selections of well-established watershed-based organizations has provided valuable insights. The current research extends this focus by including a broad survey of watershed organizations from across the United States as a means to estimate a national portrait. Organizational characteristics include year of formation, membership size and composition, budget, guiding principles, and mechanisms of decision-making. These characteristics and the issue concerns of organizations are expected to vary with respect to location. Because this research focuses on organizations that are place based and stakeholder driven, the forces driving them are expected to differ across regions of the country. On this basis of location, we suggest basic elements for a regional assessment of watershed organizations to channel future research and to better approximate the organizational dynamics, issue concerns, and information needs unique to organizations across the country. At the broadest level, the identification of regional patterns or organizational similarities may facilitate the linkage among organizations to coordinate their actions at the much broader river basin or ecosystem scale.
Child behavior toward the parent: a factor analysis of mothers' reports of disabled children

The current study evaluated the generalizability of a parent-child rearing inventory designed for normal children and parents to a group of parents of disabled children. A total of 101 mothers of multihandicapped children completed a questionnaire (Parent Report of Child Behavior) reporting their child's behavior toward them in five areas: Positive Relationship, Detachment, Obedience, Independence, and Control Problems. Factor analysis of these mothers' responses revealed a qualitatively different set of underlying factors as contrasted to the original normative group. For mothers in this study, a positive relationship with their disabled child was contingent upon a combination of compliant behaviors (obeying rules, doing things independently, actively trying to please), all of which are likely associated with general child competence. The disabled child's age, intellectual level, degree of physical impairment, and number of nonhandicapped sibs influenced maternal report of child behavior.
The structure and measures of service quality perceptions for multiple-encounter services: A study of hospitals in Bangladesh

This paper examines a complex multiple-encounter service environment – hospitals in a developing country – and suggests that service quality measures ought to be tied to key actors’ performance metrics. Based on face-to-face surveys of 400 hospital patients in Bangladesh and using structural equations modeling, our findings show that for multiple-encounter services, the three dimensions of service quality that emerged reflect key actors’ performance. We also corroborate, as a validation of our model, that there is a positive link between service quality and satisfaction, as well as between satisfaction and loyalty, reflecting a mediating role of patient satisfaction.
Tyrosine glucoside hydrolase activity in tissues of Manduca sexta (L.): Effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone

Abstract When 20-hydroxyecdysone was injected into ligated abdomens from wandering larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), the titres of tyrosine glucoside and tyrosine in the haemolymph decreased and increased, respectively as a result of increased tyrosine glucoside hydrolase activity. Apolysis also occurred and the underlying pupal cuticle became tanned, while in control abdomens none of these events occurred. Tyrosine glucoside hydrolase is found primarily in the fat body and in highest activity in animals undergoing pupal ecdysis. The results support the hypothesis that 20-hydroxyecdysone regulates the build up of free tyrosine by inducing or activating tyrosine glucoside hydroxylase in the fat body. Tyrosine is then released back into the haemolymph for subsequent utilization in pupal cuticle tanning.
Molecular cloning and characterization of the human transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase homologue, phogrin, an autoantigen of type 1 diabetes.

Abstract A 4.7 kb cDNA of tyrosine phosphatase-like protein, phogrin, was isolated from a human islet cDNA library. Sequencing of the resulting clone identified a 3,045 residue open-reading frame encoding a 1,015 amino acid polypeptide with predicted molecular mass of 111,303 daltons. Phogrin's amino acid sequence has a single transmembrane region and one putative tyrosine phosphatase catalytic domain. Phogrin is 74 % identical to the ICA512/ IA-2 autoantigen of type 1 diabetes in the cytoplasmic domain, but only 29 % in the luminal domain. It showed >90 % identity to rat phogrin and mouse IA-2β. Autoantibody radioassays utilizing full-length and the cytoplasmic domain of phogrin were compared. With positivity defined above the 99th percentile of 105 normal control subjects, 37 (48 %) and 47 (61 %) of sera from 77 new-onset patients with type 1 diabetes were positive for autoantibodies to full-length and the cytoplasmic domain of phogrin, respectively. The assay utilizing cytoplasmic human phogrin gave higher sensitivity with identical specificity to the assay utilizing the full-length molecule primarily due to lower “background” binding. Phogrin is an additional major autoantigen for type 1 diabetes and the isolation of the cDNA of this molecule from human islets will aid in studies of the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.
Cutaneous smears: a diagnostic aid in certain malignant lesions of the skin.

Microscopic examination of conventionally cut and stained sections of excised cutaneous tumors usually permits details of the larger tissue cells to be seen clearly enough to allow one to make an accurate diagnosis except in certain instances. However, in leukemic infiltrations into the skin, when the specific diagnosis rests on the identification of smaller cells that have arisen within or infiltrated into the skin, the most carefully cut and stained sections of skin do not show these small cells with sufficient clarity to permit their identification. This difficulty arises from two factors: (1) the cells in the block of tissue are shrunken and distorted due to the action of fixatives and solvents used in the preparation of the tissue for examination and (2) the cells to be identified lie compressed in different planes in the interstices of the tissue spaces.
Chitin enhances obese inflammation ex vivo

Infection has been implicated as a co-risk factor for obesity, but the mechanism remains uncertain. Elevated levels of plasma chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) are found in obese individuals. Since CHI3L1 is produced by activated immune cells including macrophages and recognizes microbial N-acetylglucosamine polymer (chitin), we asked whether the plasma CHI3L1 protein change in obese individuals might alter their innate immune response to chitin. Thirty-six subjects (15 obese and 21 non-obese), ages 18-30 years, were recruited. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with chitin microparticles (CMP; 1-10 μm) for 24h; tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and CHI3L1 in the culture supernatants were measured. We chose CMP, since neither large chitin beads (40-100 μm), chitosan microparticles (1-10 μm), nor soluble chitin induced the cytokine/CHI3L1 production by PBMCs isolated from non-obese PBMCs ex vivo. We found that the quantity of IL-6, but not TNF-α or CHI3L1, induced by CMP was significantly correlated with plasma IL-6, BMI, waist/hip circumferences, fasting plasma insulin, and insulin resistance. These findings suggest that chitin, a substrate of CHI3L1, further promotes obese inflammation in a size- and chemical composition- dependent manner.
Update on therapy for heart failure

Abstract The success of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure has led to investigations of other inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Although ACE inhibitors remain first-line drugs in the treatment of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, clinical evidence suggests that a newer class of agents—angiotensin II receptor blockers—may provide additional benefit by blocking the adverse effects of angiotensin II more completely. An improved adverse-effect profile also makes angiotensin II receptor blockers appropriate in patients who cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors. Clinical trials have demonstrated the beneficial effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers on the combined endpoints of morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Aldosterone antagonism with spironolactone has additive benefits in patients receiving an ACE inhibitor. The most recent treatment guidelines for heart failure recommend the use of angiotensin II receptor blockers and spironolactone in selected patients.
Boundary film for structural ceramic materials

Abstract Structural ceramic materials, like metals, will require lubrication if they are to be used extensively for tribological applications. The use of thin soft metallic coatings (specifically Ag) as a boundary film during mineral oil lubrication of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) and zirconia (ZrO 2 ) ceramic materials was investigated in this study. With a pin-on-flat contact configuration in reciprocating sliding, the steady friction coefficient was reduced by a factor of two (0.14–0.16 vs . 0.06–0.07) when the flats were coated with Ag. Also, with Ag coatings, the wear of pins was reduced to an unmeasurable level, whereas, in the absence of Ag coatings specific wear rates of about 2×10 −9 -4×10 −8 mm 3 N −1 m −1 and about 7×10 −8 -2×10 −7 mm 3 N −1 m −1 were measured for Si 3 N 4 and ZrO 2 pins respectively. In addition to preventing direct contact between pins and flats, thereby reducing wear, the Ag coatings also act as a solid lubricant, help dissipate flash heating, and accelerate modification of the λ ratio.
Assessment and shoes – it’s all about fit: a case study of a multi‐method, multi‐level approach

A case‐study approach is used to illustrate the development and implementation of an assessment protocol used in a criminal justice bachelor degree program. Various means to measure student learning outcomes are discussed including a pre/post comprehensive test as well as a course embedded strategy. Information is also provided about the implementation of satisfaction surveys administered to seniors, alumni, and employers. The study illustrates the applicability of using a multi‐method, multi‐level approach in programmatic planning.
A density function and the structure of singularities of the mean curvature flow

We study singularity formation in the mean curvature flow of smooth, compact, embedded hypersurfaces of non-negative mean curvature in ℝ n+1, primarily in the boundaryless setting. We concentrate on the so-called “Type I” case, studied by Huisken in [Hu 90], and extend and refine his results. In particular, we show that a certain restriction on the singular points covered by his analysis may be removed, and also establish results relating to the uniqueness of limit rescalings about singular points, and to the existence of “slow-forming singularities” of the flow. The main new ingredient introduced, to address these issues, is a certain “density function”, analogous to the usual density function in the study of harmonic maps in the stationary setting. The definition of this function is based on Huisken's important monotonicity formula for mean curvature flow.
Fingerprinting Lithium-Sulfur Battery Reaction Products by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Author(s): Wujcik, KH; Juan, VV; Wu, CH; Pascal, T; Teran, AA; Marcus, MA; Cabana, J; Guo, J; Prendergast, D; Salmeron, M; Balsara, NP | Abstract: Lithium-sulfur batteries have a theoretical specific energy that is a factor of five greater than that of current lithium-ion batteries, but suffer from consequences of the solubility of lithium polysulfide reaction intermediates that form as the batteries are charged and discharged. These species can react with each other and diffuse out of the cathode, causing battery capacity to fade and ultimately, cell failure. In spite of work that has spanned four decades, fingerprints of polysulfides have not yet been established, precluding a systematic study of lithium-sulfur chemistry. Herein we demonstrate the use of principal component analysis of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to obtain fingerprints of lithium polysulfides. This approach enables interpretation of spectral data without any assumptions regarding the origin of the observed spectral features or knowledge of the stability of the polysulfide species of interest.We show that in poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid electrolytes containing polysulfides made by chemically reacting Li2S and elemental sulfur, Li2S2 and Li2S6 spontaneously disproportionate to give binary Li2S/Li2S4 and Li2S4/Li 2S8 mixtures, respectively, while Li2S 4 and Li2S8 exist as single molecular species. XAS fingerprints of Li2S4 and Li2S8 are thus presented. © 2014 The Electrochemical Society.