cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H in characterizing the structure and function of glycoproteins

Abstract Endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H from Streptomyces plicatus can be useful in determining both the molecular weight of the protein moiety of glycoproteins and their inherent number of oligosaccharide chains. In the case of carboxypeptidase Y the molecular mass of the carbohydrate free protein was confirmed as 51,000 daltons. The native enzyme was shown to contain 4 oligosaccharide chains each averaging about 14 mannose residues. On treatment of mung bean nuclease I with the endoglycosidase, the molecular mass decreased from 39,000 to 31,000 daltons. The peptides produced on reduction of this enzyme with thiol were 18,700 and 12,500 daltons, indicating that carbohydrate had been present on both. Penicillium nuclease P1 was decreased in size from 40,000 to 30,000 daltons by the endoglycosidase. Although most of the carbohydrate was removed from each of the native enzymes by the endoglycosidase, denaturation of the glycoproteins was necessary to effect complete removal. Enzyme activitywas not affected by carbohydrate depletion of these glycoproteins, a result consistent with similar studies on other oligosaccharide-containing enzymes.
Generalizing the core design principles for the efficacy of groups

Abstract This article generalizes a set of core design principles for the efficacy of groups that was originally derived for groups attempting to manage common-pool resources (CPRs) such as irrigation systems, forests, and fisheries. The dominant way of thinking until recently was that commons situations invariably result in the tragedy of overuse, requiring either privatization (when possible) or top-down regulation. Based on a worldwide database of CPR groups, Ostrom proposed a set of principles that broadly captured the essential aspects of the institutional arrangements that succeeded, as contrasted to groups whose efforts failed. These principles can be generalized in two respects: first, by showing how they follow from foundational evolutionary principles; and second, by showing how they apply to a wider range of groups. The generality of the core design principles enables them to be used as a practical guide for improving the efficacy of many kinds of groups.
Pundits: The confidence trick: Better confident than right?

Media pundits are the supreme example of self-belief and confidence in their own opinions. Through TV, newspapers and blogs they tell us with sublime certainty what will happen. But are they right? And does it matter if they are wrong?Ben Smith and Jadrian Wooten ask what we demand from pundits – accuracy or confidence?
Viral Carcinogenesis: Factors Inducing DNA Damage and Virus Integration

Viruses are the causative agents of 10%-15% of human cancers worldwide. The most common outcome for virus-induced reprogramming is genomic instability, including accumulation of mutations, aberrations and DNA damage. Although each virus has its own specific mechanism for promoting carcinogenesis, the majority of DNA oncogenic viruses encode oncogenes that transform infected cells, frequently by targeting p53 and pRB. In addition, integration of viral DNA into the human genome can also play an important role in promoting tumor development for several viruses, including HBV and HPV. Because viral integration requires the breakage of both the viral and the host DNA, the integration rate is believed to be linked to the levels of DNA damage. DNA damage can be caused by both endogenous and exogenous factors, including inflammation induced by either the virus itself or by co-infections with other agents, environmental agents and other factors. Typically, cancer develops years to decades following the initial infection. A better understanding of virus-mediated carcinogenesis, the networking of pathways involved in transformation and the relevant risk factors, particularly in those cases where tumorigenesis proceeds by way of virus integration, will help to suggest prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to reduce the risk of virus-mediated cancer.
Exponentiation of soft photons in Monte Carlo event generators: The case of the Bonneau-Martin cross section

It is shown, explicitly, how to proceed in the Monte Carlo program in order to include multiple-soft-photon emission. The method is based on the rigorous method of summing infrared contributions to the respective cross section by Yennie, Frautschi, and Suura. Procedures are illustrated on the example of the initial-state bremsstrahlung. One photon is allowed to be hard and an arbitrary number of real soft additional photons are confined to the neighborhood of the infrared point.
Smooth Muscle Cell α2δ-1 Subunits Are Essential for Vasoregulation by CaV1.2 Channels

Rationale: Voltage-dependent L-type (CaV1.2) Ca2+ channels are a heteromeric complex formed from pore-forming α1 and auxiliary α2δ and β subunits. CaV1.2 channels are the principal Ca2+ influx pathway in arterial myocytes and regulate multiple physiological functions, including contraction. The macromolecular composition of arterial myocyte CaV1.2 channels remains poorly understood, with no studies having examined the molecular identity or physiological functions of α2δ subunits. Objective: We investigated the functional significance of α2δ subunits in myocytes of resistance-size (100 to 200 μm diameter) cerebral arteries. Methods and Results: α2δ-1 was the only α2δ isoform expressed in cerebral artery myocytes. Pregabalin, an α2δ-1/-2 ligand, and an α2δ-1 antibody, inhibited CaV1.2 currents in isolated myocytes. Acute pregabalin application reversibly dilated pressurized arteries. Using a novel application of surface biotinylation, data indicated that >95% of CaV1.2 α1 and α2δ-1 subunits were present in ...
Hydrogen production via urea electrolysis using a gel electrolyte

A technology was demonstrated for the production of hydrogen and other valuable products (nitrogen and clean water) through the electrochemical oxidation of urea in alkaline media. In addition, this process remediates toxic nitrates and prevents gaseous ammonia emissions. Improvements to urea electrolysis were made through replacement of aqueous KOH electrolyte with a poly(acrylic acid) gel electrolyte. A small volume of poly(acrylic acid) gel electrolyte was used to accomplish the electrochemical oxidation of urea improving on the previous requirement for large amounts of aqueous potassium hydroxide. The effect of gel composition was investigated by varying polymer content and KOH concentrations within the polymer matrix in order to determine which is the most advantageous for the electrochemical oxidation of urea and production of hydrogen.
The effects of fuel type and stove design on emissions and efficiency of natural-draft semi-gasifier biomass cookstoves

Abstract To assess the effects of stove design and fuel type on efficiency and emissions, five configurations of natural-draft, top-lit up-draft (TLUD) semi-gasifier cookstoves were tested with two biomass fuels. An energy balance model was developed using measured temperature data to identify the major sources of efficiency loss. Emissions and efficiency varied substantially with stove design and fuel type, and transient increases in CO emission correlated with refueling. The highest measured thermal efficiency was 42%. The lowest CO and PM emissions were 0.6 g MJd− 1 and 48 g MJd− 1. These results fall within Tier 3 for high-power efficiency and emissions and suggest that development of a Tier 4 natural-draft semi-gasifier cookstove is possible. The energy balance illustrates that up to 60% of the energy input as fuel can remain as char once the fuel has gasified. This result suggests that both thermal and overall efficiencies should be calculated when evaluating TLUD cookstoves.
GROWTH SUBSTANCE CURVATURES OF AVENA IN LIGHT AND DARK.

An attempt has been made to analyze the base response, one of the light growth responses of Avena coleoptiles, by means of growth substance curvatures. The decrease in growth rate (first part of the base response) after exposure to light does not show if hetero-auxin is substituted for auxin-a (Sections 5, 6, and 10). This decreased growth after exposure very likely is due to an oxidative inactivation of auxin-a (Sections 8 and 9). Hetero-auxin can be inactivated too but in a much lesser degree than auxin-a (Section 9). The increase in growth rate following on the decreased growth (second part of the base response) is due to an increase in response of the plant to growth hormone which is independent of the type of hormone (Sections 1, 2, 7, 8, and 10). Under conditions of continuous exposure to light, however, the inactivation of the auxin-a under influence of the light is superimposed on this increased response to growth hormone. This inactivation can be eliminated from the light growth response by replacing the auxin-a by hetero-auxin. More detailed information on this subject can be found in Section 10. A review of the experiments and their results can be obtained from the scheme in Section 8. In Section 11 it is shown that light inhibits the formation of growth hormone in the decapitated coleoptile (regeneration). Very small amounts of light (25 m.c.s.) inhibit the regeneration markedly.
Electrospray Ionization of Polymers: Evaporation, Drop Fission, and Deposited Particle Morphology

The fundamental challenge of nanomanufacturing is to create, control, and assemble enormous quantities of nanoscale objects and distribute them over large surface areas. Electrospray ionization (ESI) has the potential to address this challenge due to its simplicity, applicability to a broad range of materials, and intrinsic scalability. ESI uses high voltages to electrically charge and disperse materials ranging in size from sub-nanometers to micrometers in diameter, which can then be guided and deposited on a substrate. However, the interactions between initial spray parameters and final deposited morphology are not well understood. In this study, we show that when electrospraying polymers, deposited particle size and morphology can be modified through the initial polymer concentration and nozzle-substrate distance. We report the results of electrospraying 0.1% and 0.5% concentrations of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) onto substrates with 1, 3, and 5 cm nozzle-substrate distances. Scanning electron microscopy showed that deposited particles ranged from less than 10 nm to nearly 200 nm in diameter with tight, multi-modal size distributions. Particle shape and spread on the substrate were also examined. We use physics-based models to show that the size distributions are a function of the evaporation and drop fission during the spray along with the effect of solute concentration gradients within an evaporating drop. This work validates our previously developed models and will lead to future process guidelines.© 2014 ASME
Para pensar el humorismo con la risa de Castelao

A traves de un analisis selectivo de la obra de Alfonso Rodriguez Castelao, este articulo indaga en el problema del humorismo. La produccion tanto grafica como literaria del humorista nos permite comprender –frente a la mas comun evocacion de los efectos positivos del humorismo en el arte y en la vida– que el humorismo es un asunto politico e ideologico. Por eso no basta con mirarlo de modo critico, sino que es necesario articular un humorismo distinto. El valor de la obra de Castelao reside precisamente en el hecho de auspiciar un arte del humor realmente alternativo, que serviria de aguijon para conocer mejor el mundo en que vivimos.
measurements and absolute neutron-polarization determination at 50 MeV

Abstract The reaction 3H(d, n )4He is used to produce 50 MeV polarized neutrons, which at Θn = 29.7° lab are analyzed in the inverse reaction 4He( n , d)3H. At Θd)(deut) = 25° lab the two reactions are time reversed (or more specifically, reciprocal), corresponding to the same center-of-mass angles and energies, so that the neutron polarization, P, and the (inverse reaction) neutron-4He analyzing power, A, are equal. Thus the measured asymmetry e = P2 and the absolute neutron polarization at 50 MeV is determined as P = 0.480±0.016. A(Θd) and σd(Θd) are also measured.
Fabrication and Characterization of Two-Photon Polymerized Features in Colloidal Crystals

The fabrication and characterization of two-photon polymerized features written within and outside of colloidal crystals is presented. Two-photon polymerization (TPP) response diagrams are introduced and developed to map the polymerization and damage thresholds for features written via modulated beam rastering. The use of tris[4-(7-benzothiazol-2-yl-9,9-diethylfluoren-2-yl)phenyl]amine (AF-350) as an initiator for TPP is demonstrated for the first time and TPP response diagrams illustrate the polymerization window. These diagrams also demonstrate that the polymerization behavior within and outside of colloidal crystals is similar and electron microscopy reveals nearly identical resolution. Fluorescence confocal microscopy further enables visualization of non-self-supporting, three-dimensional TPP features within self-assembled photonic crystals. Finally, microspot spectroscopy is collected from a two-photon feature written within a colloidal crystal and this is compared with simulation.
Static flexural response of members pretensioned with multiple layered aramid fiber tendons

Abstract This paper presents the results from an experimental investigation to study the feasibility of using aramid fiber tendons as prestressing strands in concrete girders. The work reported in this paper is part of a large test program to evaluate the flexural, shear and fatigue behavior of a prestressed 10.0m (33 ft) long, 1:2 scale concrete bridge model. The bridge model consisted of three precast double-tee concrete girders prestressed with aramid tendons and post-tensioned together in the transverse direction to form the bridge model. One model double-tee beam was tested to failure prior to the construction of the 1:2 scale model bridge. This paper presents the results of the flexural tests on this girder. The prestressed double-tee girder was tested to failure under four-point static loading. The test results indicate satisfactory bond behavior of ARAmid PREstressing Element (ARAPREE) tendons up to failure. Linear and non-linear analyses of the beam were performed and compared to the experimental results. Analytical results correlated well with those observed in the experiment. The important aspects of evaluating the structural performance, such as pretensioning technique, prestress losses, and transfer length of ARAPREE tendons, flexural responses and ductility, are discussed.
ClosedFlow: openflow-like control over proprietary devices

Software Defined Networking (SDN) offers unprecedented control to network administrators. With datacenters, because of the rapid build-out (new equipment installed) and the pervasiveness of virtualization (software switches are widely used), SDN is rapidly gaining traction. The reality for enterprises is that there is already an existing (legacy) network and, for the most part, companies don't have the excess capital to throw away their current investment and replace all of their network equipment with SDN capable devices. This means that uptake of SDN in enterprises is understandably slow. What is needed is a way for companies to gradually transition to SDN. In this paper, we present ClosedFlow, a system which incorporates techniques for exercising SDN control over existing proprietary hardware which closely mimics the fine grain control available in OpenFlow. This allows enterprises to control the network through a centralized controller, taking advantage of SDN's benefits today with no new investment, and gradually transition the hardware to SDN enabled hardware (e.g., OpenFlow) over time as part of their typical equipment replacement lifecycle.
Carbothermic reduction of domestic chromites

Maximizing minerals recovery from domestic resources and minimizing the energy requirements of mineral processing constitute two goals of the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, the Bureau has determined that coal char is generally the preferred reductant among commercially available carbonaceous materials in laboratory scale reduction experiments in argon between 1100 and 1500°C on a domestic metallurgical grade chromite with respect to the degree of reduction and metallization. For a domestic high iron chromite, coal char is preferred between 1100 and 1300°C, whereas metallurgical coke is the reductant of choice at 1400 and 1500°C. Both domestic chromites display generally similar reduction characteristics. The degrees of reduction and metallization are proportional to the time and/or temperature used and generally the rate of reduction is greatest during the first 15 min. The high iron chromite is more easily reduced, especially at the higher temperatures. Relatively simple kinetic equations cannot adequately describe the reduction mechanism for both chromites. The reduction may be nucleation controlled, especially under conditions of interest to commercial operations. The results could be used as a guideline for prereducing domestic chromites for subsequent smelting operations.
Sliding mode control based on an inverse compensator design for hysteretic smart systems

Ferroelectric (e.g., PZT), ferromagnetic (e.g., Terfenol-D) and ferroelastic (e.g., shape memory alloy (SMA)) materials offer unique design and control capabilities for a range of present and emerging control applications. However, all of these materials exhibit creep, rate-dependent hysteresis, and constitutive nonlinearities that must be incorporated in model-based control designs to achieve stringent tracking requirements. In this paper, we employ a recently-developed extension of the homogenized energy model (HEM) to characterize rate-dependent hysteresis behavior and construct an approximate model inverse for sliding mode control design. We illustrate this in the context of an actuator employing the ferroelectric material PZT but note that the general framework is also applicable to magnetic and shape memory alloy transducers. Through numerical examples, we illustrate the effectiveness of the HEM inverse-based sliding mode design for tracking a reference trajectory in the presence of modeling and inversion errors.
Therapeutic approaches to mucus hypersecretion.

Mucolytic and related agents have been in use since prehistoric times. Although widely prescribed and used extensively in over-the-counter preparations, their efficacy and mechanisms of action remain in doubt. These agents belong to several distinct chemical classes. Mucolytic agents such as N-acetyl-cysteine are thiols with a free-sulfhydryl group. They are assumed to break disulfide bonds between gelforming mucins and thus reduce mucus viscosity. Mucokinetic agents are thiols with a blocked sulfhydryl group. Expectorants such as guaifenesin increase mucus secretion. They may act as irritants to gastric vagal receptors, and recruit efferent parasympathetic reflexes that cause glandular exocytosis of a less viscous mucus mixture. Cough may be provoked. This combination may flush tenacious, congealed mucopurulent material from obstructed small airways and lead to a temporary improvement in dyspnea or the work of breathing. The roles of anticholinergic agents, DNase, and other drugs are also discussed with regard to their roles in reducing mucus production in rhinitis and other airway diseases.
Signatures of natural selection in the human genome

During their dispersal from Africa, our ancestors were exposed to new environments and diseases. Those who were better adapted to local conditions passed on their genes, including those conferring these benefits, with greater frequency. This process of natural selection left signatures in our genome that can be used to identify genes that might underlie variation in disease resistance or drug metabolism. These signatures are, however, confounded by population history and by variation in local recombination rates. Although this complexity makes finding adaptive polymorphisms a challenge, recent discoveries are instructing us how and where to look for the signatures of selection.
PACS for GU radiology

The authors have developed a PACS module for genito-urinary radiology. This module is based on image acquisition subsystem, database and storage server/cluster controllers, communication networks, display workstation and local database, and dedicated digitizer and printer. The design guideline for this system is generality and flexibility. As such this module serves as a prototype for future PACS module designs.
Combined heat and mass transfer in natural convection along a vertical cylinder

Abstract An analytical study is performed to examine the heat- and mass-transfer characteristics of natural convection flow along a vertical cylinder under the combined buoyancy force effects of thermal and species diffusion. The analysis is restricted to processes in which the diffusion-thermo and thermo-diffusion effects as well as the interfacial velocities arising from species diffusion are negligible. The surface of the cylinder is either maintained at a uniform temperature/concentration or subjected to a uniform heat/mass flux. Among the major parameters of the problem are curvature of cylinder, Prandtl and Schmidt numbers, thermal and concentration Grashof numbers, and the relative buoyancy force effect between species and thermal diffusion. Numerical results are obtained and presented for species diffusion of interest in air and water. For both heating/diffusing conditions, the local wall shear stress, the local Nusselt number, and the local Sherwood number increase with increasing curvature of the cylinder. In addition, the first two quantities are found to increase and decrease as the buoyancy force from species diffusion assists and opposes, respectively, the thermal buoyancy force. The mass-transfer parameter or the local Sherwood number is enhanced as the thermal buoyancy force increases. Finally, the combined buoyancy force from thermal and species diffusion provides larger Nusselt and Sherwood numbers for uniform surface heat/mass flux than for uniform wall temperature/concentration.
Supporting Our Junior Faculty: Assessing the Concerns and Needs of Early Career Psychologists

The American Psychological Association and its divisions have developed various resources aimed at aiding early career psychologists (ECPs); yet, very little research has been conducted to assess t...
Critical friction factor modeling of horizontal annular base film thickness

Abstract Measurements of liquid base film thickness distribution have been obtained for 206 horizontal annular two-phase (air–water) flow conditions in 8.8 mm, 15.1 mm, and 26.3 mm ID tubes. It is found that the trends in base film thickness measurement do not match trends in the literature for average film thickness, which considers waves and base film together. An iterative critical friction factor model is used to model circumferentially-averaged base film thickness; an explicit, empirical correlation is also provided. Asymmetry is well-correlated by a modified Froude number based on the correlated base film thickness and the gas mass flux. The iterative model is also extended to estimate the critical film flow rate.
Moments under conjugate distributions in bioassay

Abstract Members of the conjugate family of distributions arising in bioassay experiments do not have moments. In particular the posterior mean of the ED50 fails to exist under a conjugate prior.
SEMI-TERMINAL CONTINUA IN KELLEY SPACES

A continuum K in a space X is said to be semi-terminal if at least one out of every two disjoint continua in X intersecting K is contained in K. Based on this concept, new structural results on Kelley continua are obtained. In particular, two decomposition theorems for Kelley continua are presented. One of these theorems is an improved version of the aposyndetic decomposition theorem for Kelley continua.
Optimal Allocation with Network Limitation for Autonomous Space Power System

A new approach is presented to congestion analysis and optimal load shedding for aerospace power systems. Optimal powere ow,ananalytichierarchicalprocess,and theEverett optimization method (Everett,H., Operations Research, Vol. 11, 1963, pp. 399 ‐417) are employed for implementing this approach. Several system performance indices are developed to evaluate the degree of system congestion for different operation time stages. These performance indices include a circuit overload index and a system voltage problem index obtained through the optimal powere owcalculation.Thecongestedsystemisalleviatedby theavailablecontrolsuchasloadshedding.Therefore, themathematicalmodelofloadshedding,inwhichtheobjectiveisapayofffunction,isdevised.Thesolutionmethod of the model is the Everett method, generalized Lagrange multipliers. Detailed results are given in the paper.
Enhanced vertical mixing within mesoscale eddies due to high frequency winds in the South China Sea

Abstract The South China Sea is a marginal basin with a complex circulation influenced by the East Asian Monsoon, river discharge and intricate bathymetry. As a result, both the mesoscale eddy field and the near-inertial energy distribution display large spatial variability and they strongly influence the oceanic transport and mixing. With an ensemble of numerical integrations using a regional ocean model, this work investigates how the temporal resolution of the atmospheric forcing fields modifies the horizontal and vertical velocity patterns and impacts the transport properties in the basin. The response of the mesoscale circulation in the South China Sea is investigated under three different forcing conditions: monthly, daily and 6-hourly momentum and heat fluxes. While the horizontal circulation does not display significant differences, the representation of the vertical velocity field displays high sensitivity to the frequency of the wind forcing. If the wind field contains energy at the inertial frequency or higher (daily and 6-hourly cases), then submesoscale fronts, vortex Rossby waves and near inertial waves are excited as ageostrophic expression of the vigorous eddy field. Those quasi- and near-inertial waves dominate the vertical velocity field in the mixed layer (vortex Rossby waves) and below the first hundred meters (near inertial waves) and they are responsible for the differences in the vertical transport properties under the various forcing fields as quantified by frequency spectra, vertical velocity profiles and vertical dispersion of Lagrangian tracers.
Four Decades On: Vietnam, the United States, and the Legacies of the Second Indochina War Scott Laderman and Edwin A. Martini, Editors. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2013.

Four Decades On: Vietnam, the United States, and the Legacies of the Second Indochina War Scott Laderman and Edwin A. Martini, Editors. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2013.The anthology Four Decades On, as editors Scott Laderman and Edwin A. Martini explain in their introduction, attempts to internationalize the Vietnam War and to break out of the nation-state frame of mind by offering a transnational narrative. The collection deals with a range of legacies pertaining to the war, but the essays are less than seamless. Often transnational translates as anti-American. The contributors use the official name of "Viet Nam" rather than "Vietnam"; the publisher apparently did not get the memo, hence the subtitle refers to "Vietnam." What to call the Vietnam War is more problematic; the editors think the proper name is the Second Indochina War, but the conflict has also been called the American War, the VietnameseAmerican War, and the American War in Vietnam. If there is no agreement on the name of the war, then one can imagine the challenge of a retrospective interpretation of the conflict itself.The chapters are as follows: "Legacies Foretold: Excavating the Roots of Postwar Viet Nam" by Ngo Vinh Long; "Viet Nam and 'Vietnam' in American History and Memory" by Walter L. Hixson; "'The Mainspring in This Country Has Been Broken': America's Battered Sense of Self and the Emergence of the Vietnam Syndrome" by Alexander Bloom; "Cold War in a Vietnamese Community" by Heonik Kwon; "The Ambivalence of Reconciliation in Contemporary Vietnamese Memoryscapes" by Christina Schwenkel; "Remembering War, Dreaming Peace: On Cosmopolitanism, Compassion, and Literature" by Viet Thanh Nguyen; "Viet Nam's Growing Pains: Postsocialist Cinema Development and Transnational Politics" by Mariam B. Lam; "A Fishy Affair: Vietnamese Seafood and the Confrontation with US Neoliberalism" by Scott Laderman; "Agent Orange: Coming to Terms with a Transnational Legacy" by Diane Niblack Fox; "Refuge to Refuse: Seeking Balance in the Vietnamese Environmental Imagination" by Charles Waugh; and "Missing in Action in the Twenty-First Century" by H. Bruce Franklin.Kwon's complex essay is the one that mostly addresses historiography, arguing to "decenter the history [of the war] from a geopolitical to a social history so we can include in the history the enduring locally specific legacies of the global conflict" (99). Some essays attempt to integrate Vietnamese and American perspectives. …
SU-E-QI-11: Measurement of Renal Pyruvate-To-Lactate Exchange with Hyperpolarized 13C MRI

Purpose: Previous work [1] modeling the metabolic flux between hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate and [1-13C]lactate in magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) experiments failed to account for vascular signal artifacts. Here, we investigate a method to minimize the vascular signal and its impact on the fidelity of metabolic modeling. Methods: MRSI was simulated for renal metabolism in MATLAB both with and without bipolar gradients. The resulting data were fit to a two-site exchange model [1], and the effects of vascular partial volume artifacts on kinetic modeling were assessed. Bipolar gradients were then incorporated into a gradient echo sequence to validate the simulations experimentally. The degree of diffusion weighting (b = 32 s/mm2) was determined empirically from 1H imaging of murine renal vascular signal. The method was then tested in vivo using MRSI with bipolar gradients following injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate (∼80 mM at 20% polarization). Results: In simulations, vascular signal contaminated the renal metabolic signal at resolutions as high as 2 × 2 mm2 due to partial volume effects. The apparent exchange rate from pyruvate to lactate (kp) was underestimated in the presence of these artifacts due to contaminating pyruvate signal. Incorporation of bipolar gradients suppressed vascular signal and improved the accuracy of kp estimation. Experimentally, the in vivo results supported the ability of bipolar gradients to suppress vascular signal. The in vivo exchange rate increased, as predicted in simulations, from kp = 0.012 s-1 to kp = 0.020-1 after vascular signal suppression. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the limited accuracy of the two-site exchange model in the presence of vascular partial volume artifacts. The addition of bipolar gradients suppressed vascular signal and improved model accuracy in simulations. Bipolar gradients largely affected kp estimation in vivo. Currently, slow-flowing spins in small vessels and capillaries are only partially suppressed, so further improvement is possible. Funding support: Seed Grant from the Radiological Society of North America, GE Healthcare, University of Wisconsin Graduate School
Studies of shock-layer radiation of bodies entering planetary atmospheres.

Spectral and total radiation studies of bodies traveling at hypersonic speed in simulated Martian and Venusian atmospheres
Discipline Policies in Early Childhood Care and Education Programs: Building an Infrastructure for Social and Academic Success.

Research Findings: Preventing challenging behavior in young children is a national priority. The number of young children with behavioral problems is on the rise. Discipline policies can help early childhood programs build an infrastructure that promotes social and academic success. This study sought to document the extent to which existing early childhood program discipline policies implement the essential features for developing high-quality, system-wide (viz., program- and school-wide) discipline policies. Using the Early Childhood Discipline Policy Essentials Checklist, investigators assessed the quality of 65 discipline policies from state-licensed early childhood care and education programs. Practice or Policy: Results revealed that early childhood program discipline policies, for the most part, fail to sufficiently address those essential features known to contribute to reducing challenging behavior and promoting prosocial behavior in young children.
How skewed are psychological data? A standardized index of effect size

In this article the author discusses the lack of attention given to the concept of skewness in research reported in the general psychological literature. Although the report of descriptive statistics, such as means and standard deviations, is standard practice, skewness is rarely reported. Significance tests are available for determining departure from symmetry and normality, but do not indicate the magnitude of skew. Indexes for standardizing skew have been offered in specialized areas of research, such as structural equation modeling but no standardized index of effect size exists on a unit (0-1) scale for the pragmatic interpretation of the meaning of a given skewness value. Therefore, in this article the author proposes an index that standardizes the raw skewness value relative to its maximum possible value, enabling an interpretation of the mystical raw score value in 0-1 terms. The author discusses utility of the index for general psychological research, and suggestions for future research to provide an empirical basis for establishing effect-size benchmarks of low, medium, and high skewness.
Who Should Apologize When an Employee Transgresses? Source Effects on Apology Effectiveness

This paper examines the interactive effects of apology source (i.e., whether an apology is given by a chief executive officer or employee) and apology components (i.e., acknowledgment, remorse, and compensation) on forgiveness. Results revealed a significant source by component interaction. A remorseful employee apology was more successful than a remorseful CEO apology because consumers felt more empathy for the employee. Furthermore, a compensatory CEO apology was more effective than a compensatory employee apology because CEOs could significantly affect consumer perceptions of justice. No significant differences were found between apology source and the apology component of acknowledging violated rules and norms.
A linear time algorithm for finding all farthest neighbors in a convex polygon

Abstract Aggarwal et al. [A. Aggarwal, M.M. Klawe, S. Moran, P. Shor and R. Wilber, Geometric applications of a matrix-searching algorithm, Algorithmica 2 (1987) 209–233] showed how to compute in O(n) time one farthest neighbor for every vertex of a convex n-gon. In this note we extend this result to obtain a linear time algorithm for finding all farthest neighbors for every vertex of a convex polygon. Our algorithm yields a linear time solution to the symmetric all-farthest neighbors problem for simple polygons, thereby settling an open question raised by Toussaint in 1983 [G.T. Toussaint, The symmetric all-farthest neighbor problem, Comp. Math. Appl. 9 (6) (1983) 747–753.]
Exact solution for 2D polygonal inclusion problem in anisotropic magnetoelectroelastic full-, half-, and bimaterial-planes

Abstract General inclusion problems of anisotropic and fully coupled magnetoelectroelastic solids are studied analytically in this paper. We first derive the two-dimensional Green's function in terms of the Stroh formalism in an exact closed form for magnetoelectroelastic full-, half-, and bimaterial-planes with general anisotropy. In virtue of the simple Green's function solution and the equivalent body-force concept, the elastic, electric, and magnetic fields induced by an arbitrarily shaped polygon with a uniform eigenfield inside are evaluated analytically. The solution is then applied to the nanostructures where the typical T- and V-shaped quantum wires are treated as inclusions embedded in the semiconductor substrate. While numerical results for the reduced elastic and piezoelectric cases are in consistence with previous ones, certain interesting new features on the elastic, electric, and magnetic fields are observed for the fully coupled magnetoelectroelastic solid, which could be of interest in the composite repair, and fabrication and design of novel magnetoelectroelastic semiconductor devices.
Two-Level Weld-Material Homogenization for Efficient Computational Analysis of Welded Structure Blast-Survivability

The introduction of newer joining technologies like the so-called friction-stir welding (FSW) into automotive engineering entails the knowledge of the joint-material microstructure and properties. Since, the development of vehicles (including military vehicles capable of surviving blast and ballistic impacts) nowadays involves extensive use of the computational engineering analyses (CEA), robust high-fidelity material models are needed for the FSW joints. A two-level material-homogenization procedure is proposed and utilized in this study to help manage computational cost and computer storage requirements for such CEAs. The method utilizes experimental (microstructure, microhardness, tensile testing, and x-ray diffraction) data to construct: (a) the material model for each weld zone and (b) the material model for the entire weld. The procedure is validated by comparing its predictions with the predictions of more detailed but more costly computational analyses.
Effect of Ischemia–Reperfusion on the Incidence of Acute Cellular Rejection and Timing of Histologic Hepatitis C Virus Recurrence After Liver Transplantation

Abstract Background Because of a critical shortage of deceased donor (DD) livers, more extended criteria allografts are being utilized; these allografts are at increased risk for ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). We assessed whether, in a large cohort of patients transplanted for hepatitis C virus (HCV) either via a DD or live donor (LD), there was a relationship between the degree of IRI and the frequency and timing of acute cellular rejection (ACR) and histologic HCV recurrence. Methods During an 8-year study, patients were separated into four groups based on peak alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and three groups based on severity of IRI on postreperfusion liver biopsy. Results The mean follow-up time of 433 DD and 44 LD recipients was 1212 days. We noted a strong correlation in DD between peak ALT and the histologic degree of IRI (P = .01). There was no difference in the incidence or grade of ACR among the four groups. There was no correlation between the severity of IRI and the incidence or time to histologic recurrence of HCV. Conclusions The magnitude of peak ALT correlated with the severity of IRI on postreperfusion liver biopsy. Among this large HCV cohort, there was no correlation between the severity of IRI and the incidence or timing of histologic HCV recurrence or incidence of ACR.
Novel Cost-Effective Approaches to the Treatment of Community-Acquired Infections

OBJECTIVETo review approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with community-acquired infections.INTRODUCTION:Dramatic changes in the antibiotic susceptibility of pathogens commonly associated with community-acquired infections have occurred during the past decade.DISCUSSION:Changes in the antibiotic sensitivity profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis that have occurred over the past several years have required modifications in empiric antibiotic selections for infections due to these pathogens. The most profound changes have occurred with S. pneumoniae, which has shown significant resistance to β-lactams by means of alteration of one or more of the five important penicillin-binding proteins. Many of these organisms have become resistant to other classes of antibiotics; some are sensitive only to vancomycin. H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis have developed resistance primarily by production of β-lactamase.CONCLUSIONSThe antibiotic selection process ...
Treatment of Mice with Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Enhances Resolution of an Induced Escherichia coli Urinary Tract Infection and Stimulates Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a superantigen that causes mass proliferation of murine Vbeta8+ T cells via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and leads to their apoptosis or anergy. SEB also stimulates other MHC class II-bearing cells to proliferate and secrete cytokines, some of which might enhance early host defenses against urinary tract infections (UTIs). We investigated the effect of SEB administration on the course of an induced Escherichia coli UTI in mice. Treatment with SEB 3 or 7 days before the infection had no effect on UTI resolution. However, when SEB was administered at the time of infection, bacterial colonization in the bladders was reduced at time points between 6 h and 3 days. This reduction was not due to a physiological effect, such as increased urinary glycosaminoglycans, or altered pH, nor was SEB bactericidal for the inoculum. Cytokine production in the spleens and bladders of SEB-treated and/or infected mice was evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR. SEB treatment resulted in increased levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 mRNAs in the spleen and IL-1alpha, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha transcripts in the bladder. Also, liver cells from SEB-treated mice expressed IL-6 mRNA, which induces the production of acute-phase proteins. These data indicate that SEB treatment in vivo leads to enhanced UTI resolution through a mechanism that may include direct stimulation of effector cells in the bladder, the action of cytokines induced in the spleen, or cytokine-mediated induction of acute-phase proteins.
On “Does acetic acid iontophoresis accelerate the resorption of calcium deposits in calcific tendinitis of the shoulder?”

To the Editor: I looked forward to reading the “Evidence in Practice” article by Charles D Ciccone, which asked the question “Does acetic acid iontophoresis accelerate the resorption of calcium deposits in calcific tendinitis of the shoulder?”1 This article describes a physical therapy intervention that I have not used yet; but I have heard, from several colleagues whom I respect, that this intervention had good results when other interventions had failed. I was disappointed to find out that there was scant evidence to support this intervention. I was more disappointed, however, that the article misapplied the principles of evidence-based practice and misinterpreted what little evidence there was. From his search Dr Ciccone was only able to find 2 articles that he felt might provide evidence on the question. The first article, by Perron and Malouin,2 discussed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 22 adults with calcifying tendinitis in the shoulder. Half the group was treated with acetic acid iontophoresis and ultrasound, and half the group received no treatment. Perron and Malouin reported that there was a reduction in the area and density of the calcium deposit in both groups. The authors were unable to find any difference between groups for any of the variables measured. They therefore concluded that the reduction in the area and density of the calcium deposit was likely a result of a natural process, rather than the intervention. It should be noted that this is a conclusion based on speculation rather than on evidence. The second article, by Rioja Toro et al,3 was a cohort study rather than an RCT. It looked at 34 patients who were treated with acetic acid iontophoresis and ultrasound and found that, in all those patients, the calcification size was modified and pain was reduced. With no control …
Two senior surgeons' view: prevention of surgical site infection associated with colorectal operations

Preventing surgical site infection is perhaps the most direct method of decreasing medical expenses. The following is an attempt at comprehensive ways of decreasing surgical site infection as well as decreasing patient discomfort.
New optical detector concepts for space applications

At the Space Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, we are investigating detector concepts of use in Space Situational Awareness scenarios. For such applications, the object of interest is usually far away and often very dim. Our challenge becomes trying to identify such dim/distant space objects. To that end, we are investigating two optical signal amplification schemes and a wavelength-tunable detector scheme. One of the amplification schemes involves quantum interference in quantum dots in photonic crystal cavities, and one of the schemes involves near-field enhancements due to plasmonic interactions on patterned metal surfaces. The tunable detector scheme involves burying semiconductor quantum dots in one quantum well of a double-quantum-well structure, and then biasing the structure laterally.
Stakeholder Future Vision Process for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

In 2009, the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) asked the University of Kentucky-affiliated Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and the Environment (KRCEE) to develop a community-based end state vision, encompassing the range of community perspectives and preferences for future land use at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in west Kentucky. This paper provides an overview of the four-step methodology developed and implemented in this process, as well as lessons learned in interfacing with a diverse set of stakeholders.
Metabolic Properties of Early and Late Vaccinia Virus Messenger Ribonucleic Acid

In vaccinia-infected cells, 60% of the viral messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was associated with polyribosomes, and the remainder sedimented in a broad peak in the 30 to 74S region. The quantity of mRNA in polyribosomes was sharply reduced late in the infectious cycle [9 hr postinfection (PI)] to less than 30% of the 2-hr value. However, protein synthesis proceeded at a nearly constant rate from 2 to 13 hr PI. This ability of small quantities of late mRNA to support as much protein synthesis as do the much larger quantities of early mRNA was not due to an increase in stability, since late mRNA decays with a half-life of 13 min, whereas early mRNA has a half-life of 120 min. A similar decrease in viral mRNA synthesis without an accompanying decrease in viral protein synthesis was observed when deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis is inhibited. In contrast to the rapid decay of the late mRNA which was present in polyribosomes, the mRNA which sedimented in the 30 to 74S region remained unchanged even after a 2-hr period of exposure to actinomycin. The rate at which infected cells lose the capacity to synthesize specific viral proteins after exposure to actinomycin D was consistent with the half-life values of early and late mRNA that were observed.