cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
a study of the temporal variability of atrazine in private well water. part ii: analysis of data

In 1988, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, along withthe University of Iowa, conducted the Statewide Rural WellWater Survey, commonly known as SWRL. A total of 686private rural drinking water wells was selected by use of aprobability sample and tested for pesticides and nitrate. A subsetof these wells, the 10% repeat wells, were additionally sampledin October, 1990 and June, 1991. Starting in November, 1991,the University of Iowa, with sponsorship from the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency, revisited the 10% repeat wellsto begin a study of the temporal variability of atrazine and nitratein wells. Other wells, which had originally tested positive foratrazine in SWRL but were not in the 10% population, wereadded to the study population. Temporal sampling for a year-long period began in February of 1992 and concluded in Januaryof 1993. All wells were sampled monthly, a subset was sampledweekly, and a second subset was sampled for 14 day consecutiveperiods. Of the 67 wells in the 10% population tested monthly,7 (10.4%) tested positive for atrazine at least once during theyear, and 3 (4%) were positive each of the 12 months. Theaverage concentration in the 7 wells was 0.10 µg/L. Fornitrate, 15 (22%) wells in the 10% repeat population monthlysampling were above the Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 mg/L at least once. This paper, the second of two papers on thisstudy, describes the analysis of data from the survey. The firstpaper (Lorber et al., 1997) reviews the study design, theanalytical methodologies, and development of the data base.
Vibrational mode shapes in Caribbean steelpans: Part II: cello and bass

Abstract Complementing earlier studies on tenor and double second steel pans, vibrational mode shapes have been studied in cello and bass pans by two well-known pan makers. Normal modes are determined from operating deflection shapes recorded by means of electronic TV holography. Vibrational modes of the various note areas are designated by the number of radial and circumferential nodal lines. Tuners generally tune one mode an octave above the fundamental and, if possible, a third mode is tuned either a 12th or two octaves above the fundamental. Modal shapes in the skirts correspond to standing bending waves propagating around the circumference of the pan. The contributions of skirt vibrations and air cavity resonances to the observed sound spectra are small.
Multi-targeted approach in the treatment of thyroid cancer

While accounting for only 1% of solid organ malignancies (9% in women), thyroid carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system. Although most patients have a favorable prognosis, over 1,500 people will die from thyroid carcinoma each year. The spectrum of disease types range from papillary thyroid cancer, which is a well-differentiated indolent tumor, to anaplastic carcinoma, a poorly differentiated fulminant cancer. With advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and clinical care of patients with thyroid carcinoma, the current management of thyroid cancer demands a multidisciplinary approach. The majority of patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma of follicular cell origin are cured with adequate surgical management; however, some thyroid malignancies such as medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas frequently metastasize, precluding patients from a curative resection. As such, novel palliative and therapeutic strategies are needed for this patient population. Here, we explore the current management of thyroid carcinoma, including surgical management of the primary tumor, lymph node disease, and locoregional recurrence. Likewise, we explore the application of current molecular techniques, reviewing nearly two decades of data that have begun to elucidate critical genetic pathways and therapeutic drug targets which may be important in specific thyroid tumor types.
Political Milestones: Three Romes, Three Reichs, Three Kingdoms, and a “Holy Roman Empire”

After a tranquil and prosperous reign [Emperor Constantine I] bequeathed to his family the inheritance of the Roman empire; a new capital, a new policy, and a new religion…. At the festival of the dedication [of the new capital], an edict, engraved on a column of marble, bestowed the title of SECOND or NEW ROME on the city of Constantine. But the name of Constantinople has prevailed over that honorable epithet, and after the revolution of fourteen centuries still perpetuates the fame of its author. —Edward Gibbon, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Effects of grafting on host plant resistance in ash (Fraxinus spp.) to emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire)

The invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a phloem‐boring pest from Asia that has killed hundreds of millions of North American ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). Propagation of trees resistant to EAB must be explored as a tool to maintain the North American ash resource. Interactions between the root and shoot of a tree may be critical to its ability to resist attack by insects and pathogens because many secondary metabolites critical to plant defence are synthesized in the roots. In the present study, we determined the extent to which grafting susceptible green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall) and resistant Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) affects EAB resistance in ash trees. We measured adult EAB survivorship, herbivory, fecundity and morphological tree characteristics on grafted and nongrafted green and Manchurian ash. Among grafted trees, beetles caged on grafted green ash lived four days longer and laid at least three times more eggs than beetles caged on trees with a Manchurian ash scion or rootstock. Herbivory was unaffected by graft combination. Our findings suggest that grafted trees with Manchurian ash rootstocks or scions will be more resistant to EAB than nongrafted green ash trees.
Preliminary outcomes of preemptive warfarin pharmacogenetic testing at a large rural healthcare center.

Purpose As a preliminary evaluation of the outcomes of implementing pharmacogenetic testing within a large rural healthcare system, patients who received pre-emptive pharmacogenetic testing and warfarin dosing were monitored until June 2017. Summary Over a 20-month period, 749 patients were genotyped for VKORC1 and CYP2C9 as part of the electronic Medical Records and Genomics Pharmacogenetics (eMERGE PGx) study. Of these, 27 were prescribed warfarin and received an alert for pharmacogenetic testing pertinent to warfarin; 20 patients achieved their target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0-3.0, and 65% of these patients achieved target dosing within the recommended pharmacogenetic alert dose (± 0.5 mg/day). Of these, 10 patients had never been on warfarin prior to the alert and were further evaluated with regard to time to first stable target INR, bleeds and thromboembolic events, hospitalizations, and mortality. There was a general trend of faster time to first stable target INR when the patient was initiated at a warfarin dose within the alert recommendation versus a dose outside of the alert recommendation with a mean (± SD) of 34 (± 28) days versus 129 (± 117) days, respectively. No trends regarding bleeds, thromboembolic events, hospitalization, or mortality were identified with respect to the pharmacogenetic alert. The pharmacogenetic alert provided pharmacogenetic dosing information to prescribing clinicians and appeared to deploy appropriately with the correct recommendation based upon patient genotype. Conclusion Implementing pharmacogenetic testing as a standard of care service in anticoagulation monitoring programs may improve dosage regimens for patients on anticoagulation therapy.
Secure Compression: Theory \& Practice.

Encryption and compression are frequently used together in both network and storage systems, for example in TLS. Despite often being used together, there has not been a formal framework for analyzing these combined systems; moreover, the systems are usually just a simple chaining of compression followed by encryption. In this work, we present the first formal framework for proving security in combined compression-encryption schemes and relate it to the traditional notion of semantic security. We call this entropy-restricted semantic security. Additionally, we present a new, efficient cipher, called the squeeze cipher, that combines compression and encryption into a single primitive and provably achieves our entropy-restricted security.
Benchmarking of a Commercially Available Stacked Dielectric Elastomer as an Alternative Actuator for Rehabilitation Robotic Exoskeletons

Recent commercial availability of a stacked dielectric elastomer actuator (SDEA) has opened up possibilities of their use as “artificial muscles” for rehabilitation robots and powered exoskeleton devices. Made by CTsystems, this actuator (CT_SDEA) is made from soft materials, and offers a lightweight and acoustically noiseless alternative to DC motor actuators used in conventional rehabilitation robotic systems. The purpose of the present work was to benchmark the electromechanical properties of CT-SDEAs to assess its capabilities and limitations for mechanizing rehabilitation robots. The CT-SDEAs tested in this study showed 21 ms electrometrical delay, and their calculated strain-rate was 660 %/s. They could generate 21.74 N of force and have a 426 W/kg power-to-mass ratio. Their longitudinal strain was measured at 3.3%. Additionally, their steady state current consumption was measured 39 $\mu$ A. CT-SDEAs’ fast response, short electromechanical delay and high strain-rate, make them highly suitable for closed-loop control. Additionally, their force generation capability, fast response, high power-to-mass ratio, and low steady state power consumption make them a strong candidates for exoskeleton applications. It’s longitudinal strain (3.3%) however, was less than that of skeletal muscle (20%). Depending on the application, their use may require the addition of mechanical linkages, for force to displacement conversion.
Correction to: Pre-clinical evaluation of Minnelide as a therapy for acute myeloid leukemia

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors found an error in Figure 3. The middle panel of Figure 3a was inadvertently duplicated.
Does it matter if you "believe" in climate change? Not for coastal home vulnerability.

Public attitudes toward climate change are the subject of considerable study. An essential and understudied question is whether these attitudes influence public behavior. We answer this question with respect to a particular behavior, action to protect coastal homes from the increasing risk of hurricanes and rising seas. Coastal homeowner behavior is critically important because homeowner risk reduction in most cases is not mandated by government regulations or insurance requirements and instead largely reflects individual voluntary decisions. Analyzing novel data from the 2017 Coastal Homeowner Survey of 662 respondents in one of the most frequently exposed US coastal communities, New Hanover County, North Carolina, we find that climate change knowledge and attitudes have no significant effect on the existing level of a home’s structural vulnerability nor on homeowner actions or stated intentions to reduce structural vulnerability in the future. We discuss the implications for efforts by governments, insurance companies, and other stakeholders advocating for coastal resiliency.
Antiferromagnetism, ferromagnetism, and magnetic phase separation in Bi 2 Sr 2 CoO 6+δ

We present results of a study of the magnetism in Bi 2 Sr 2 CoO 6 + Φ , the Co analog of the high T c superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6 + Φ . This system evolves from an antiferromagnetic (AF) insulator to an unusual ferromagnetic(FM) insulator as δ is reduced from ∼0.5 to ∼0.25. When δ is close to 0.5, the Co ions have formal oxidation state 3+ and order antiferromagnetically at T N ∼250 K. The δ∼0.25 crystal has equal numbers of Co 2 + and Co 3 + and exhibits FM behavior with a moment ∼1.5μ b /Co at 5 T and a Curie temperature T c ∼100 K. Single crystal neutron scattering (both polarized and unpolarized), magnetization, and resistivity measurements have been used to characterize the evolution of the magnetic and transport properties between these two doping limits. For crystals with 0.25<δ<0.5, both FM and AF Bragg peaks are observed with neutrons, above a critical field H c . Field-dependent neutron diffraction measurements confirm that the FM peaks result from ferromagnetic domains, which coexist with antiferromagnetic domains, and have a net moment above the critical field. The suppression of Neel order and accompanying increase in the volume of the FM domains with decreasing δ is measured for samples with 0.25<δ<0.5. We discuss this behavior in the context of phase separation resulting in a hole rich, Co 3 + AF phase and a hole poor, Co 2 + -Co 3 + FM phase. In addition, the rich phenomenology of the interacting magnetic domains can be explained by mapping to a form of the random field Ising model.
A maximal multiple coverage and network restoration problem for disaster recovery

Abstract The recovery of physically damaged infrastructure after disasters is critical to efficiently deliver disaster relief supplies and emergency services. The physical damage to road infrastructure from disasters can result in decreased road link capacities and an inability to meet the community’s emergency demand. This paper provides an infrastructure restoration plan for delivering critical services after disasters. We present a maximal multiple coverage and network recovery problem for the recovery and restoration of infrastructure systems after disasters. In the model, recovery crews make damaged arcs available by repairing components over a time horizon in a disrupted network. The model relocates emergency responders using the available arcs in the network to maximize multiple coverage of emergency service demand over the time horizon. We present two heuristics for the model. The first uses the Lagrangian and the linear programming relaxation solutions of the problem, and the second uses an integer rounding procedure applied to the linear programming relaxation solution. We test the model using a real-world example representing the road infrastructure and emergency services of the Bronx Borough in New York, NY during Hurricane Sandy. The results demonstrate that the integer rounding heuristic is effective in identifying near-optimal solutions. Our computational study suggests that our model can aid emergency managers in achieving their goals by scheduling effective restoration activities for real-time disaster recovery and long-term recovery planning.
Profiling and prognostic implications of variants of unknown significance (VUS) in solid tumors.

e19012Background: While precision oncology is becoming increasingly integrated into standard of care for most incurable solid tumor malignancies, there is paucity of data regarding the clinical sig...
Determination of Package and Muscle-Type Influence on Proteolysis, Beef-Flavor-Contributing Free Amino Acids, Final Beef Flavor, and Tenderness

The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of package and muscle type on postmortem proteolysis and subsequent release of flavor-contributing free amino acids during storage. Beef strip loins and top sirloin butts (n = 20/subprimal) from USDA Low Choice carcasses were fabricated into 2.54-cm steaks (M. longissimus lumborum and M. gluteus medius) at 7 d postmortem. Steaks were randomly assigned to packaging treatments (carbon monoxide mother-bag [CO], high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaging [HIOX], polyvinyl overwrap [OW], or rollstock [ROLL]) and aged for an additional 14 d in dark storage. Steaks intended for OW were initially vacuum packaged during dark storage,then overwrapped just prior to display. Steaks were placed in coffin-style retail cases for 48 h under fluorescent lighting to simulate retail display. HIOX steaks exhibited the highest Warner-Bratzler shear force values (P < 0.05); the lowest desmin degradation rate (P < 0.05); the highest ratings for fishy, bitter, sour, and oxidized flavors; and the lowest overall tenderness scores (P < 0.05) and, in general, produced the lowest amount of free amino acids (P < 0.05) compared with all other treatments. Contrastingly, ROLL packaging produced the highest ratings for beef flavor identity, brown/roasted, bloody/serumy, and umami flavors (P < 0.05). Additionally, ROLL packaging exhibited (P < 0.05) greater desmin degradation in comparison with HIOX steaks. These data indicate that the optimum package for storage and aging is an anaerobic environment to maintain optimum flavor, tenderness, and postmortem proteolysis.
The Functional Characterization of TcMyoF Implicates a Family of Cytostome-Cytopharynx Targeted Myosins as Integral to the Endocytic Machinery of Trypanosoma cruzi

ABSTRACT Of the pathogenic trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma cruzi alone retains an ancient feeding apparatus known as the cytostome-cytopharynx complex (SPC) that it uses as its primary mode of endocytosis in a manner akin to its free-living kinetoplastid relatives who capture and eat bacterial prey via this endocytic organelle. In a recent report, we began the process of dissecting how this organelle functions by identifying the first SPC-specific proteins in T. cruzi. Here, we continued these studies and report on the identification of the first enzymatic component of the SPC, a previously identified orphan myosin motor (MyoF) specifically targeted to the SPC. We overexpressed MyoF as a dominant-negative mutant, resulting in parasites that, although viable, were completely deficient in measurable endocytosis in vitro. To our surprise, however, a full deletion of MyoF demonstrated only a decrease in the overall rate of endocytosis, potentially indicative of redundant myosin motors at work. Thereupon, we identified three additional orphan myosin motors, two of which (MyoB and MyoE) were targeted to the preoral ridge region adjacent to the cytostome entrance and another (MyoC) which was targeted to the cytopharynx tubular structure similar to that of MyoF. Additionally, we show that the C-terminal tails of each myosin are sufficient for targeting a fluorescent reporter to SPC subregions. This work highlights a potential mechanism used by the SPC to drive the inward flow of material for digestion and unveils a new level of overlapping complexity in this system with four distinct myosin isoforms targeted to this feeding structure. IMPORTANCE The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease and chronically infects upwards of 7 million people in the Americas. Current diagnostics and treatments remain grossly inadequate due, in part, to our general lack of understanding of this parasite’s basic biology. One aspect that has resisted detailed scrutiny is the mechanism employed by this parasite to extract nutrient resources from the radically different environments that it encounters as it transitions between its invertebrate and mammalian hosts. These parasites engulf food via a tubular invagination of its membrane, a strategy used by many protozoan species, but how this structure is formed or functions mechanistically remains a complete mystery. The significance of our research is in the identification of the mechanistic underpinnings of this feeding organelle that may bring to light new potential therapeutic targets to impede parasite feeding and thus halt the spread of this deadly human pathogen.
Deslizamientos andino-amazónicos mágicos entre Los zorros y Las tres mitades de Ino Moxo

Through the analysis of the role of shamanic practices in Jose Maria Arguedas’ \textit{El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo} and Cesar Calvo’s \textit{Las tres mitades de Ino Moxo}, this essay explores a possible alternative way of producing mestizo identities that is neither part of nor a result of the Western intellectual tradition but is instead supported by an indigenous knowledge system. Fueled by the fluidity Shamanism offers to its practitioners (a potential to become another being/entity, and to be located in a liminal space where one may dwell in a foreign epistemological horizon without leaving his own) as well as by the Andean and Amazonian indigenous belief that the spirit is common to human and non-human, the mestizo identity-making machines in these novels show the stealth ways that indigenous people produce a mestizaje that works as a tool of cultural resistance. For instance, in Arguedas’s work, the characters Loco Moncada and the Peace Corps member Maxwell are affected by shamanic practices that create cracks in the Western intellectual tradition and foster dialogue across different cultural realms. In turn, these characters acknowledge that there is a logic behind statements considered irrational within Western cultural epistemology. In Calvo’s work we see similar shamanic movements. Ino Moxo and the jibaros, while making their shrunken heads, reveal Amazonian Indigenous ways of negotiating with otherness, even if that Other is a Western subject driven by violence that aims to suppress and transform everything that is different from him. Keywords: shamanism; human/non-human; upside down mestizaje; cultural resistance
A Middle-Aged Woman With Hematochezia, Hypotension, and Leg Cramps.

Case Presentation A 57-year-old woman with a history of mantle cell lymphoma presented to the ED with complaints of vomiting, bleeding per rectum, and leg cramps, that started 6 h prior to her arrival. She had received chemotherapy a week prior. Her leg cramps were not associated with pain or swelling of the legs; she also denied any trauma to the legs. She did complain of mild lower abdominal pain at presentation. Review of systems was negative for fever, chills, diarrhea, chest pain, and dizziness. She denied using alcohol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The patient was tachycardic with a systolic BP (SBP) of 85 mm Hg and was administered 1-L normal saline, with improvement in her SBP to 90 mm Hg. The hematocrit level was 24%, the WBC count was 0.3 × 109/L, and the platelet count was 6 × 109/L in the ED. On arrival in the ICU, she was noted to have an SBP of 70 mm Hg. Resuscitation with IV fluids was initiated, followed by transfusion of packed RBCs and platelets, based on the blood counts. Despite aggressive fluid resuscitation and improvement in her hemoglobin, the patient remained persistently hypotensive. The diagnosis of underlying septic shock because of neutropenia was considered; the patient was started on vasopressors and empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics, with improvement in her BP. After this, the patient was sent to radiology for a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast to evaluate for mesenteric infarction, enteric or colonic bleeding, and the need for arterial embolization.
Case Specific Sociological Inference: Metanorms for Expert Opinions

Our article critical of the American Sociological Association’s (ASA) amicus brief in Wal-Mart v. Dukes (Mitchell, Monahan, and Walker 2011 [pp. 60520, this issue]) sought to engage sociologists and other social scientists on the methods and norms that should guide a social scientist who testifies as an expert witness and offers opinions that are directly linked to the specific parties in a case. Some reactions to our article proceed from mistaken assumptions and beliefs that distract from a clear discussion of how experts should arrive at case-specific opinions. In this brief essay, we note our agreement with much of what Sorensen and Sharkey (2011 [pp. 635-45, this issue]) say, note our disagreement with much but not all of what Tomaskovic-Devey (2011 [pp. 621-34, this issue]) says, identify some points of agreement and dispute with Nielsen, Myrick, and Weinberg (2011 [pp. 646-67, this issue]), and provide a straightforward answer to the prescriptive question of how scientifically reliable case-specific opinions should be presented to courts.
Is it the time to expect long term outcome data in addition to follow-up data for sleep apnea interventions?

Citation: Hunasikatti M. Is it the time to expect long-term outcome data in addition to follow-up data for sleep apnea interventions? J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(8):1519–1520.
Mechanisms Underlying the Neuronal Response to Ischemic Injury. Ccalcium-Activated Proteolysis of Neurofilaments

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the calcium-activated proteolysis of neurofilament (NF) by describing the substrate and its relationship to the neuronal cytoskeleton, by describing the reaction whereby NF are degraded by calcium, and by characterizing the enzyme that mediates the reaction. NF represents a major component of the neuronal cytoskeleton, thereby serving to establish and maintain the asymmetrical shape of the neuron. The synthesis and transport of NF tend to stabilize the axon, because NF comprises the structural foundation of the axon. Much of the turnover of NF proteins appears to occur at the distal end of the axon, mediated by a calciumactivated neutral protease (CANP) that can be isolated from neural and non-neural tissues. Activation of CANP at nerve endings may well be coupled to calcium influxes associated with neurotransmission. The enzyme, however, is not limited to synaptic endings but is also present throughout the neuronal cytoplasm.
Cigarettes and alcohol: The influence of nicotine on operant alcohol self-administration and the mesolimbic dopamine system

Studies in human populations consistently demonstrate an interaction between nicotine and ethanol use, each drug influencing the use of the other. Here we present data and review evidence from animal studies that nicotine influences operant self-administration of ethanol. The operant reinforcement paradigm has proven to be a behaviorally relevant and quantitative model for studying ethanol-seeking behavior. Exposure to nicotine can modify the reinforcing properties of ethanol during different phases of ethanol self-administration, including acquisition, maintenance, and reinstatement. Our data suggest that non-daily intermittent nicotine exposure can trigger a long-lasting increase in ethanol self-administration. The biological basis for interactions between nicotine and ethanol is not well understood but may involve the stress hormone systems and adaptations in the mesolimbic dopamine system. Future studies that combine operant self-administration with techniques for monitoring or manipulating in vivo neurophysiology may provide new insights into the neuronal mechanisms that link nicotine and alcohol use.
Characterization of a xenoantiserum produced against three molar KCL-solubilized antigens obtained from a non-T, non-B (pre-B) acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line

Antisera were produced in rabbits to 3 M KCl solubilized antigens of a recently established leukemia cell line. The cell line (NALM-6-M1) was established from an individual with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and has the characteristics of a pre-B cell, i.e., it is cytoplasmic IgM + , surface immunoglobulin - , anti-thymocyte serum - (CIgM + , SIg - , ATS - ). One unabsorbed antiserum did not react with T cells, and after a single absorption with a B lymphoblastoid cell line (positive for p23,30, an Ia-like antigen), the antiserum reacted with cells from eight of 10 patients with non-T, non-B ALL and cells from two of two patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in lymphoid blast crisis (CML-LBC). The absorbed antiserum did not react with surface immunoglobulin + chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SIg + CLL) cells; acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells; anti-thymocyte serum + , E rosette + , acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ATS + , E + ALL) cells; cells from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in myeloid blast crisis (CML-MBC); normal peripheral blood T cells; PHA-induced blasts; leukemia T cell lines; or B lymphoblastoid cell lines. The specificity of the absorbed antiserum suggests that it was detecting antigens of non-T, non-B ALL and CML-LBC, and may be recognizing a “common” ALL antigen. We conclude that 3 M KCl solubilization of membrane antigens from the NALM-6-M1 leukemia cell line provides an effective immunogen for producing antisera reactive with non-T, non-B ALL and CML-LBC. This offers an approach to the biochemical characterization of the antigen(s) common to these two leukemias and allows further evaluation of the relationship between the common ALL antigen and antigens of normal and malignant cells of the pre-B phenotype.
Hungarian Rhapsody, on John Cunningham's Hungarian Cinema: From Coffee House to Multiplex

John Cunningham _Hungarian Cinema: From Coffee House to Multiplex_ London and New York: Wallflower Press, 2004 ISBN 1-903364-79-5 xiii + 258pp.
A study of fragmentation of protonated amides of some acylated amino acids by tandem mass spectrometry: observation of an unusual nitrilium ion.

A tandem mass spectrometric study of a series of secondary amides of acetylglycine and hippuric acid utilizing electrospray ionization (ESI) was conducted. Among the fragment ions observed was an unusual one, which we have determined to be a nitrilium ion having the structure CH3-C≡N⊕-Ph or Ph-C≡N⊕-Ph by loss of the full mass of glycine as a neutral fragment. A mechanism that we propose involves an initial protonation of the oxygen atom at the N-terminus, followed by cyclization to a five-membered imidazolium ring, and its subsequent collapse to the nitrilium ion. This mechanism is supported by extensive isotopic labels and considerable variation of substituents. A similar study of the amides of acyl β-alanine and acyl γ-aminobutyric acid revealed that the former furnishes the same nitrilium ion, but not the latter. Thus, a six-membered intermediate is also possible and capable of losing the full mass of β-alanine as a neutral fragment. When the size of the ring is forced to be seven-membered, this pathway is blocked. When this study was expanded to include a variety of N-acylproline amides, the nitrilium ion was observed in 100% abundance only when the acyl group was acetyl. Thus a proline effect (involvement of a strained bicyclic [3.3.0] structure) is being observed.
Line edge roughness characterization using nanotubed-AFM and SEM

We report the results of line edge roughness (LER) characterization using atomic force microscopy with carbon nanotube (AFM-CNT) and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM). UV-6 has been exposed using next generation lithography (NGL) tools such as extreme ultra-violet (EUVL), electron beam (EBL), and X-ray (XRL). Then the LER behaviors were compared using AFM-CNT and SEM as metrology tools and we conclude that metrology tools should be selected more carefully for specific applications.
HUman Dignity and Children : Operationalizing a Human Rights Concept

This is an exploratory study of perceptions of human dignity in childhood as recalled by young adults. Our goal is to discover the range of dimensions, sources and experiences, both those that supported and violated, of the concept of human dignity. This research, drawing on responses from over two hundred university students, may help to develop a language with which to explore the concept of human dignity in a broader, more systematic way. The approach taken here permits us to move beyond the ‘legal’ frame that often confines us to discussions of the extremes of child abuse and neglect, to a frame that frees us to explore the meaning and real life experiences with human dignity in childhood and the impacts on later life. Violating and not supporting human dignity in childhood helps produce a world populated by adults who, having been harmed as children, go on to harm and violate others as adults. If our goal is to have a world populated by children who were nurtured to flourish into child-centered adult...
Perceptions about internet commerce: a student survey

Abstract Internet commerce is growing at a rapid rate. However, consumer participation may not be growing as rapidly as company participation. This study attempts to measure consumer participation and willingness to participate in various types of Internet commerce. Respondents were asked how willing they were to participate in various types of transactions using Internet commerce. This initial research indicated unwillingness on the part of most respondents to participate in Internet commerce. In addition, demographic variables were considered in an attempt to determine why the rate of participation in Internet commerce is not higher. Additional research is needed to determine why consumers are hesitant to become involved in financial transactions and whether this attitude is changing or static.
TWIN ZYGOSITY AND PLACENTAL FORM IN RELATION TO THE OUTCOME OF PREGNANCY.

Abstract The zygosity of 80 per cent of 293 pairs of twins was established with certainty at birth; a placenta with a single chorion identified 22.8 per cent as monozygotic, differences in sex identified 30.2 per cent as dizygotic, and differences in blood groups of those of the same sex identified an additional 27.0 per cent as dizygotic. The remaining 20 per cent are probably although not positively monozygotic. The data corroborate Weinberg's rule which indicates the total number of dizygotic twins in any population should be twice the number of different sex and that this subtracted from the total should give the number who are monozygotic. Twins have a high mortality which in large measure is due to the high frequency of premature termination of pregnancy. Total neonatal mortality was seven times as great and fetal mortality three times as great for twins as for single infants. Neonatal deaths due primarily to premature delivery accounted for a mortality of 42.5 per 1,000 twin births and only 0.9 per 1,000 total births. However, among infants weighing 1,000 to 2,500 grams the perinatal mortality for twins was 10.5 per cent, for total infants it was 17.5 per cent. Twins known to be monozygous on the basis of monochorionic placentas, identical sex and blood groups had an increased frequency of premature delivery and consequently a greater mortality. Mortality was slightly higher for males (11.7 per cent) than females (9.4 per cent), for twins of like sex (12.2 per cent) than unlike sex (7.3 per cent), for second born (11.8 per cent) than first born (9.3 per cent), and for twins with monochorionic placentas (13.2 per cent) than dichorionic placentas (9.6 per cent). The only conditions that could be considered directly related to the fact of second birth were pneumonia and hyaline membrane disease. These were found in 5 first born and 13 second born. The difference in frequency of these 2 conditions made the only real difference in mortality of first and second twins as delivered at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital.
Families Support Their Children's Success in Science Learning by Influencing Interest and Self-efficacy.

How is a child's successful participation in science learning shaped by their family's support? We focus on the critical time period of early adolescents, testing (i) whether the child's perception of family support is important for both choice preferences to participate in optional learning experiences and engagement during science learning, and (ii) whether the effects on choice preferences and engagement are mediated through effects on child interest and self-efficacy in science. Structural equation modeling is applied to data from two different contexts, one examining engagement during a science and technology center visit and the other examining engagement and learning during classroom instruction. Models from both datasets suggest that early adolescents' perceived family support for learning is associated with their choices for and engagement in science learning, and that these effects are mediated by effects on child interest and self-efficacy in science. Further, children's family physical resources (e.g., available learning spaces and materials) predicts their perceived family support, but is not separately connected to either interest or self-efficacy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach
Force field approximation using artificial neural networks

Protein structure prediction has been previously addressed using various computer modelling methods. For example, Chemistry at Harvard Molecular Mechanics (CHARMm) version 22 has been used at the Air Force Institute of Technology to model protein potential energy when searching for good protein structures. Applying CHARMm is computationally expensive; therefore, an alternative to CHARMm is needed to expedite search results. In this study we report results of modelling CHARMm with a multilayered perceptron neural network. Under an over training of the neural network using test data is a concern. In this study, special attention has been paid to the training of the neural network. Finally, the accuracy with which a neural network can mimic CHARMm and the time savings realized when using a neural network in place of CHARMm (effectiveness and efficiency) are investigated.
Software-defined radio basics [book review]

The article reviews the book, 'Software Defined Radio: Architectures, Systems and Functions' by Markus Dillinger, Kambiz Madani, and Nancy Alonistioti, published by John Wiley & Sons, 2003. The book thoroughly discusses various aspects of SDR technologies, particularly Europe's extensive Information Society Technologies research programs. The first six chapters give background information on wireless and SDR concepts. Markus Dillinger, Kambiz Madani, and Nancy Alonistioti address service handoff with quality-of-service considerations for heterogeneous wireless networks. They also discuss requirements for networks that can support device reconfiguration, such as mode detection, monitoring, and filtering; handoff decision making; and software downloads. Handoffs can be disruptive; when an SDR device changes modes, the channel and service quality also change. Furthermore, in the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, mode negotiation is underdeveloped and handoff management is restricted to the base station. Chapter 7 explores open APIs for flexible service provisioning and reconfiguration management. The next few chapters describe communication profiles for reconfiguration systems and radio resource management and present a framework for charging and billing for reconfigurable service. Chapter 11, which covers spectrum-sharing methods, including additional spectrum pool sharing. The reviewer considers that the book's broad scope, clear writing, and effective organization make it an invaluable reference for researchers and graduate students, as well as wireless manufacturers and operators.
Signum 1971 nonacademic numerical mathematics survey: a brief summary of responses

During the months of July and August 1971 a questionnaire was sent by SIGNUM to 447 nonacademic institutions in North America. (Of these, 16 were in Canada, 4 in Mexico.) These institutions were selected as known employers of mathematicians or users of large-scale scientific computers. According to the cover letter, the purpose of this survey was "to determine where numerical mathematicians are employed in the nonacademic world, how many there are, and what they are doing." This report is a brief summary of the responses to that survey. Complete details are given in reference [1].
Effect of electrode fabrication method and substrate material on performance of alkaline fuel cells

Abstract Performance of an electrode is influenced by electrode fabrication method and electrode substrate. In this study, different anodes were prepared by either electron beam physical vapor deposition or ink paste method, using Ni foam or carbon paper as electrode substrate. These electrodes were tested in an alkaline fuel cell using borohydride as the fuel. A nanoscale palladium thin film anode prepared by physical vapor deposition delivered power performance close to that of an ink pasted electrode with a much higher catalyst loading. Ni foam as electrode substrate demonstrated a higher power performance and yet a lower efficiency than carbon paper. Ni foam alone was used as anode and achieved a peak power density of 174 m Wcm− 2 at 60 °C. Thus, nickel foam had both positive effect (e.g. electrooxidation of NaBH4) and negative effect (e.g. hydrolysis) on the fuel cell performance.
Single Fiber Strength Variations of Developing Cotton Fibers: Among Ovule Locations and Along the Fiber Length

This paper, the first in a series on variations in single fiber properties of developing and mature cotton, focuses on single fiber tensile property variations of greenhouse-grown developing G. hirsutum (Maxxa variety). Variations along single fibers and among locations on ovules are examined on developing and mature cotton fibers sampled from ovules located in the middle of the locules of the first-position bolls. The breaking force and elongation of the midsection of the fibers from the medial portion of these ovules, in either hydrated or dried state fibers, show the most significant increases during the fourth week of development. As fibers develop beyond 30 dpa, the single fiber breaking forces, linear densities, and tenacities become scattered. The forces required to break the mid- sections of the single fibers are highest, while the breaking forces for fiber sections closer to the basal or tips are similarly lower at all stages of development. Fibers from the medial sections of the ovules have the ...
Information sampling and linking: Reality Hunger and the digital knowledge commons

This article weaves together insights from the social sciences and humanities to explore the link between Web 2.0 technology, information diffusion, and what we describe as a ‘hunger for reality’. Using David Shield's book Reality Hunger as both a critical muse and analytic lens, we explore linkages between form and meaning in the digital age. We suggest that Shields' central argument in Reality Hunger accurately reflects the way new information technologies have altered information production, distribution, and meaning. As a result of opportunities created by Web 2.0 technology, information today is increasingly ‘sampled’, rather than digested in whole. Information consumption comes in bits and bytes, fragmented and disconnected from original sources; it is repurposed in ways that increasingly valorise creativity over content, social networks over corporations, and collective knowledge over private intellectual property. In this article, we explore the social consequences of this new reality. In particul...
Managing the evolution of herbicide resistance.

BACKGROUND Understanding and managing the evolutionary responses of pests and pathogens to control efforts is essential to human health and survival. Herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds undermine agricultural sustainability, productivity and profitability, yet the epidemiology of resistance evolution – particularly at landscape scales – is poorly understood. We studied glyphosate resistance in a major agricultural weed, Amaranthus tuberculatus (common waterhemp), using landscape, weed and management data from 105 central Illinois grain farms, including over 500 site-years of herbicide application records. RESULTS Glyphosate-resistant (GR) A. tuberculatus occurrence was greatest in fields with frequent glyphosate applications, high annual rates of herbicide mechanism of action (MOA) turnover and few MOAs field−1 year−1. Combining herbicide MOAs at the time of application by herbicide mixing reduced the likelihood of GR A. tuberculatus. CONCLUSIONS These findings illustrate the importance of examining large-scale evolutionary processes at relevant spatial scales. Although measures such as herbicide mixing may delay GR or other HR weed traits, they are unlikely to prevent them. Long-term weed management will require truly diversified management practices that minimize selection for herbicide resistance traits. © 2015 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Cancer cachexia: Its correlations and causes

Cancer cachexia involves the loss of weight, mainly in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, that is not caused simply by anorexia. The syndrome includes anemia and immunosuppression along with a number of biochemical changes indicating systemic effects of the cancer. It is a major factor in morbidity and mortality from cancer. For 30 years beginning in 1948, a large number of studies reported isolation from many tumors of a heterogeneous group of small peptides, generally labeled toxohormone, that caused various correlates of cachexia shortly after injection into mice. Interest in toxohormone-like peptides then fell off for diverse reasons that had little to do with their clinical significance and was shifted to cytokines, ILs, and ectopic hormones with catabolic consequences that were sporadically found in tumors. At the same time, evidence was accumulating for an important role of pericellular proteases in driving progressive stages of neoplastic development. A central part of that evidence was the inhibition of transformation-related changes by protease inhibitors, particularly the combination present in fetal bovine serum, which fully suppressed the expression of the transformed phenotype in discrete foci of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected by Rous sarcoma virus against a confluent background of uninfected CEF. In contrast, CEF cultures heavily infected with Rous sarcoma virus in the same medium underwent pervasive transformation, which was correlated with the release of low molecular weight cytotoxic substances. Reevaluation of all of the evidence supports a central role for proteolytically generated peptides derived from tumors in producing cancer cachexia.
Parental knowledge, attitudes, and demand regarding a vaccine to prevent varicella

Abstract Background: Maintenance of high immunization rates is challenged by frequent changes to the recommended immunization schedule. This study assessed parent-reported knowledge of, attitudes about, and demand for a new vaccine against varicella. Methods: Six months following licensure of the varicella vaccine, a cross-sectional study was conducted by mailed survey among a sample of parents of 23- to 35-month-old children. Effective response rate was 65%. Results: Three quarters of parents had heard about the vaccine to prevent varicella. The lay media was the most frequently mentioned source of information. Thirteen percent of parents had already obtained the vaccine for their child, another quarter planned to get it, and one half were undecided. The most frequently cited factor influencing parents who had obtained or intended to obtain the vaccine was their doctor’s recommendation. For those undecided or not inclined to get the vaccine, insufficient information about the vaccine was the most frequently listed factor. Conclusion: Publicizing a new vaccine through the media may be effective in raising public awareness, but detailed information about the vaccine and the recommendation of providers is still important in a parent’s decision about the vaccine for their child.