cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Total Reverse Construction Method in the Basement of Saige Plaza in Shenzhen

This article describes deep foundation pit supporting,earthwork excavation and basement structure construction of total reverse construction method in the basement of Saige Plaza in Shenzhen.Advantages are analyzed in the aspects of construction condition improvement,construction period shortening and supporting cost saving.
Simultaneous Retinal and Choroidal Metastases in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

A woman in her seventies with a history of epidermal growth factor receptor–positive lung adenocarcinoma, previously treated with chemotherapy and radiation, presented with a headache and decreased vision in the left eye. Snellen visual acuity was 20/30 in the left eye. Amsler grid testing results revealed metamorphopsia in the left central visual field. Ophthalmoscopy revealed 2 retinal lesions in the nasal macula and a choroidal mass in the temporal macula (Figure, A). Systemic workup revealed multifocal metastatic brain disease. A diagnosis of simultaneous retinal and choroidal metastases in a single eye owing to primary lung cancer was made.1,2 The patient underwent external beam radiation therapy to the brain and posterior globe of the left eye with complete regression of the retinal and choroidal lesions.
Normal Sinus Rhythm–Sinus Bradycardia is Common in Young Children Post-extracardiac Fontan

We hypothesized that normal sinus rhythm–sinus bradycardia is common in young children following extracardiac Fontan. After excluding patients with sinus pauses, junctional rhythm, tachy–brady syndrome, frequent ectopics, or ectopic atrial rhythm, we found an ambulatory 24-h Holter monitor average heart rate of 78 ± 12 beats per minute (bpm) in 33 post-extracardiac Fontan children with a median age of 6 years (5–10). A 24-h average heart rate of 78 ± 12 bpm is statistically significantly lower than a 24-h average heart rate value of 90 ± 10 bpm derived from a similarly aged control population (p < 0.01). We conclude that after excluding those with significant arrhythmias, normal sinus rhythm–sinus bradycardia is common in children post-extracardiac Fontan.
Biomimetic nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings on metallic implant materials

Metallic implant materials used in load-bearing applications are inert in nature in their native state. The surface properties of the material and its interaction with the surrounding physiological fluid determine the success of the biomedical implant. In this regard, bioactive nanostructured coatings are being recognised as potential approach to enhance the biological and corrosion properties of the conventional inert materials. In this review, recent advances in biomedical applications of nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings on stainless steel implant materials are highlighted with special focus on the electrochemical deposition of hydroxyapatite and their consequent biological activity. Furthermore, osteoblasts functions and cellular activity on the nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings processed by other techniques is also discussed. The potential application of such next generation materials as biomedical implants is also addressed.
Corrigendum: Characterization of T-bet and Eomes in Peripheral Human Immune Cells

The corrigendum regards data and text for the final figure of the manuscript, Figure ​Figure77:
Developing particle emission inventories using remote sensing (PEIRS).

ABSTRACTInformation regarding the magnitude and distribution of PM2.5 emissions is crucial in establishing effective PM regulations and assessing the associated risk to human health and the ecosystem. At present, emission data is obtained from measured or estimated emission factors of various source types. Collecting such information for every known source is costly and time-consuming. For this reason, emission inventories are reported periodically and unknown or smaller sources are often omitted or aggregated at large spatial scale. To address these limitations, we have developed and evaluated a novel method that uses remote sensing data to construct spatially resolved emission inventories for PM2.5. This approach enables us to account for all sources within a fixed area, which renders source classification unnecessary. We applied this method to predict emissions in the northeastern United States during the period 2002–2013 using high-resolution 1 km × 1 km aerosol optical depth (AOD). Emission estimates...
Variation in Private Payer Coverage of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs.

BACKGROUND: Payers in the United States issue coverage determinations to guide how their enrolled beneficiaries use prescription drugs. Because payers create their own coverage policies, how they cover drugs can vary, which in turn can affect access to care by beneficiaries. OBJECTIVE: To examine how the largest private payers based on membership cover drugs indicated for rheumatoid arthritis and to determine what evidence the payers reported reviewing when formulating their coverage policies. METHODS: Coverage policies issued by the 10 largest private payers that make their policies publicly available were identified for rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Each coverage determination was compared with the drug's corresponding FDA label and categorized according to the following: (a) consistent with the label, (b) more restrictive than the label, (c) less restrictive than the label, or (d) mixed (i.e., more restrictive than the label in one way but less restrictive in another). Each coverage determination was als...
Methods for producing alumina from clay—an evaluation

This paper summarizes and compares Bureau of Mines cost estimates for seven selected processes to produce metallurgical-grade alumina from clay. Processes discussed include acid-leaching, alum intermediate, and alkaline-sinter techniques. The effects of varying the principal operating-cost components—clay, reagents, electricity, fuel, and labor—are presented. Individual nomographs were prepared that permit easy assessment of several processes deemed most likely to be of commercial interest.
Mechanisms of the inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of waste pulp fibers by calcium carbonate and the influence of nonionic surfactant for mitigation

Recycled paper mills produce large quantities of fibrous rejects and fines which are usually sent to landfills as solid waste. These cellulosic materials can be enzymatically hydrolyzed into sugars for the production of biofuels and biomaterials. Paper mill wastes also contain large amounts of calcium carbonate which inhibits cellulase activity. The calcium carbonate (30%, w/w) decreased 40–60% of sugar yield of unbleached softwood kraft pulp. The prime mechanisms for this are by pH variation, competitive and non-productive binding, and aggregation effect. Addition of acetic acid (pH adjustment) increased the sugar production from 19 to 22 g/L of paper mill waste fibers. Strong affinity of enzyme—calcium carbonate decreased free enzyme in solution and hindered sugar production. Electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions are mainly possible mechanism of enzyme—calcium carbonate adsorption. The application of the nonionic surfactant Tween 80 alleviated the non-productive binding of enzyme with the higher affinity on calcium carbonate. Dissociated calcium ion also inhibited the hydrolysis by aggregation of enzyme.
Abstract 212: Fractalkine Neutralization Improves Cardiac Function After Myocardial Infarction

Background: Circulating levels of the chemokine fractalkine (FKN) are increased in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and our studies show that aged mice lacking the prostaglandin E2 EP4 receptor subtype (EP4 KO) have increased cardiac FKN coupled with a phenotype of dilated cardiomyopathy. However, whether FKN is a causal factor for HF is not well established. Hypothesis: FKN contributes to the pathogenesis of HF post myocardial infarction (MI) and EP4 KO mice have a better response to anti-FKN treatment due to elevated FKN levels. Methods: Male EP4 KO mice and wild type (WT) littermates underwent surgery to induce MI. Mice were treated with an anti-FKN antibody (40μg/kg/day, ip) or IgG immediately after MI and echocardiography was performed 2 wks post MI. Hearts were excised for infarct size determination, myocyte cross-sectional area (MCSA) and interstitial collagen fraction (ICF) determined by morphometric analysis and macrophage infiltration using immunohistochemistry. Results: Anti-FKN treatment improved cardiac function and prevented remodeling (Table). In situ zymography revealed that gelatinase activity was markedly reduced by anti-FKN treatment in both strains. Moreover, anti-FKN treatment tended to improve survival in EP4 KO mice (p = 0.06, n=20). Conclusions: (1) FKN contributes to the pathogenesis of HF and anti-FKN treatment improves cardiac function and reduces cardiac remodeling. This may be related to reduced macrophage infiltration and decreased gelatinase activity.(2) Contrary to our hypothesis, EP4 KO mice do not have an enhanced response to anti-FKN treatment.
Complications associated with locking plate of proximal humerus fractures

Proximal humerus fractures constitute a significant percentage of fragility fractures. The growing use of locking plate has helped treat this problem, but at the same time has brought about complications. Past systematic reviews have documented these complications, however a large number of recent studies have been published since, reporting their own complication rates with different techniques. This study reviews the current complications associated with locking plate of proximal humerus fractures as well as methods to reduce them. A systematic review, following the PRISMA guidelines, was conducted in November 2013 and repeated in March 2015, using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases, to evaluate locking plate fixation (and complications) of traumatic proximal humerus fractures. Inclusion criteria included adults (>18 years), minimum of 12-month postoperative followup, articles within the last 5 years, and studies with >10 participants. Exclusion criteria included pathologic fractures, cadaveric studies, and nonhuman subjects. Eligible studies were graded using a quality scoring system. Articles with a minimum of 7/10 score were included and assessed regarding their level of evidence per the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine guidelines. The initial query identified 51,206 articles from multiple databases. These records were thoroughly screened and resulted in 57 articles, consisting of seven Level 1, three Level 2, 10 Level 3, and 37 Level 4 studies, totaling 3422 proximal humerus fractures treated with locking plates. Intraarticular screw penetration was the most reported complication (9.5%), followed by varus collapse (6.8%), subacromial impingement (5.0%), avascular necrosis (4.6%), adhesive capsulitis (4.0%), nonunion (1.5%), and deep infection (1.4%). Reoperation occurred at a rate of 13.8%. Collapse at the fracture site contributed to a majority of the implant-related complications, which in turn were the main reasons for reoperation. The authors of these studies discussed different techniques that could be used to address these issues. Expanding use of locking plate in the proximal humerus fractures leads to improvements and advancements in surgical technique. Further research is necessary to outline indications to decrease complications, further.
Working with jqTouch to Build Websites on Top of jQuery

Browser technologies are allowing you to bring rich applications into your Web Browser. You can use the Open Source jqTouch Library to extend the functionality built into jQuery to build websites that run on your iOS and Android phones but look and interact as if they are native apps.jqTouch lets you create custom interfaces, perform screen flipping, and set themes. You can also add pages, lists, and animation. The goal of jqTouch is to allow you to create an iPhone-specific website easily, with only a little HTML, CSS, and JavaScript knowledge.
Bandwidth and pebbling

The main results of this paper establish relationships between the bandwidth of a graphG — which is the minimum over all layouts ofG in a line of the maximum distance between images of adjacent vertices ofG — and the ease of playing various pebble games onG. Three pebble games on graphs are considered: the well-known computational pebble game, the “progressive” (i.e., no recomputation allowed) version of the computational pebble game, both of which are played on directed acyclic graphs, and the quite different “breadth-first” pebble game, that is played on undirected graphs. We consider two costs of a play of a pebble game: the minimum number of pebbles needed to play the game on the graphG, and the maximumlifetime of any pebble in the game, i.e., the maximum number of moves that any pebble spends on the graph. The first set of results of the paper prove that the minimum lifetime cost of a play of either of the second two pebble games on a graphG is precisely the bandwidth ofG. The second set of results establish bounds on the pebble demand of all three pebble games in terms of the bandwidth of the graph being pebbled; for instance, the number of pebbles needed to pebble a graphG of bandwidthk is at most min (2k2+k+1, 2k log2|G|); and, in addition, there are bandwidth-k graphs that require 3k−1 pebbles. The third set of results relate the difficulty of deciding the cost of playing a pebble game on a given input graphG to the bandwidth ofG; for instance, the Pebble Demand problem forn-vertex graphs of bandwidthf(n) is in the class NSPACE (f(n) log2n); and the Optimal Lifetime Problem for either of the second two pebble games is NP-complete.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be: Beyond cost in energy efficiency decision-making among office buildings in the United States

Abstract Even when the benefits seem to outweigh the costs, many building owners do not invest in energy efficiency. Here a framework is presented for understanding energy efficiency investment decisions drawing on methods from behavioral decision research. The approach begins with a normative analysis that characterizes how building owners should behave, compares this to interview and survey data from decision-makers, then concludes with policy recommendations suggesting how to bridge that gap. The framework is demonstrated with a sample of class B and C office building owners in Pittsburgh, a population believed to under-invest in energy efficiency. Interviews (n = 16) and a survey (n = 132) found that while uncertainty and a lack of information about costs and energy savings play a critical role in decision-making, a significant proportion of the respondents also express aversion to debt and a lack of sensitivity to split incentives. Based on the results, providing owners of class B and C offices cost–benefit information and resolving energy savings uncertainty through guarantees, trial periods, or grants that fully subsidize energy efficiency for a small part of a building may be a way to enhance investment. The approach can be applied to other energy efficiency decision-making contexts by anyone with training in behavioral research.
Comments Upon the Taxonomy and Typification of Amaranthus torreyi, A. Fimbriatus, and A. Venulosus (Amaranthaceae)

Abstract: Amaranthus torreyi and A. fimbriatus are partially sympatric, seemingly weedy species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. A taxonomic account of each is provided, along with maps showing their distribution. Lectotypification of A. venulosus is provided; the taxon is treated as a form of A. fimbriatus.
Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Influences Physical Health Related Quality of Life and Urinary Incontinence.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and urinary function within patients diagnosed with NMIBC as compared to the general population. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Health Outcome Survey (SEER-MHOS) database (1998-2013), 325 patients diagnosed with NMIBC with baseline and postdiagnosis MHOS surveys were propensity-matched 1:5 to noncancer controls (NCC). Multivariate linear regression analysis compared NMIBC patients with matched NCC in terms of physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and health domain scales. Changes in urinary function were assessed using χ2 testing. Results Patients diagnosed with NMIBC experienced significant decline in PCS vs NCC (−3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI –4.1, –2.0] vs −1.5, 95%CI [−2.0, −1.0], P = .01), while the observed decline in MCS was not significantly different (P = .09) between groups. On sub-analysis, the significant decline in PCS was confined to patients with high-risk NMIBC (P = .01). NMIBC patients had significantly greater decline in role physical (P = .04), general health (P = .04) and role emotional (P Conclusion NMIBC diagnosis was associated with significant decreases in physical HRQOL and urinary function compared with NCC. Further study focused on NMIBC patients, and the inherent HRQOL factors to this diagnosis is needed to assess where improvements can be made in treating this patient population.
Permissible Puffery versus Actionable Warranty in Advertising and Salestalk: An Empirical Investigation:

The authors analyze the concept of permissible puffery in advertising, salestalk, and other promotions by examining the communication content of sellers’ claims and the circumstances underlying buy...
Tilting at windmills: The flawed U.S. policy toward the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war

This article examines decision-making mistakes made by U.S. President Nixon and national security advisor Kissinger during the 1971 India-Pakistan crisis and war. It shows that Nixon and Kissinger ...
Abstract TP211: Outcomes and Predictors of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Introduction: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery and is especially hazardous in elderly patients and those with left ventricular ...
Brainstem atrophy in focal epilepsy destabilizes brainstem-brain interactions: Preliminary findings

Abstract Background MR Imaging has shown atrophy in brainstem regions that were linked to autonomic dysfunction in epilepsy patients. The brainstem projects to and modulates the activation state of several wide-spread cortical/subcortical regions. The goal was to investigate 1. Impact of brainstem atrophy on gray matter connectivity of cortical/subcortical structures and autonomic control. 2. Impact on the modulation of cortical/subcortical functional connectivity. Methods 11 controls and 18 patients with non-lesional focal epilepsy (FE) underwent heart rate variability (HRV) measurements and a 3 T MRI (T1 in all subjects, task-free fMRI in 7 controls/ 12 FE). The brainstem was extracted, and atrophy assessed using deformation-based-morphometry. The age-corrected z-scores of the mean Jacobian determinants were extracted from 71 5x5x5 mm grids placed in brainstem regions associated with autonomic function. Cortical and non-brainstem subcortical gray matter atrophy was assessed with voxel-based-morphometry and mean age corrected z-scores of the modulated gray matter volumes extracted from 380 cortical/subcortical rois. The profile similarity index was used to characterize the impact of brainstem atrophy on gray matter connectivity. The fMRI was preprocessed in SPM12/Conn17 and the BOLD signal extracted from 398 ROIs (16 brainstem). A dynamic task-free analysis approach was used to identify activation states. Connectivity HRV relationship were assessed with Spearman rank correlations. Results HRV was negatively correlated with reduced brainstem right hippocampus/parahippocampus gray matter connectivity in controls (p Conclusion The findings of this small pilot study suggest that impaired brainstem-cortex gray matter connectivity in FE negatively affects the brainstem's ability to control cortical activation.
Protoplasts as vehicles for plant propagation and improvement.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes protoplasts as vehicles for plant propagation and improvement. To the extent that the multicellular organism may be viewed as a community of interacting individual cells, the behavior of cells in isolation has much to tell about the nature of the organism. The ability of a plant protoplast to synthesize a cell wall, initiate division, and regenerate a complete plant depends on many factors, including its genetic nature, the conditions of growth of the plant used as a protoplast source, the methods of isolation, and conditions used in the culture of the protoplasts themselves. The commercial availability of a number of potent cell wall digesting enzyme preparations has spurred the use of enzymes for protoplast isolation. Callus and suspension cultures, showing rapid growth under controlled aseptic conditions, offer important advantages as a source of protoplasts.
Development of Vision Tools for Welding Applications

In order to adequately support our weld modeling work, new ways of acquiring and analyzing data were required. This involved not only instrumentation of the welding process with a variety of vision tools to provide the data required, but also developing image analysis tools for reducing the data and delivering the data to the modeler in a timely and accurate manner. Temperature and displacement diagnostics have been used most frequently and will be discussed in this paper. The availability and increased speed of workstations have enabled us to extend these tools from use for modeling to weld process control.
Preventing The Abuse Of Residents With Dementia Or Alzheimer’s Disease In The Long-Term Care Setting: A Systematic Review

Purpose The main objective of this study was to investigate abuse of residents with either dementia or Alzheimer's disease in long-term care settings, to identify facilitators and barriers surrounding implementation of systems to prevent such occurrences, and to draw conclusions on combating the issue of abuse. Patients and methods A systematic review was conducted using the Medline, CINAHL, and Academic Search Ultimate databases. With the use of key terms via Boolean search, 30 articles were obtained which were determined to be germane to research objectives. The review was conducted and structured based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Residents with dementia or Alzheimer's disease are at greater risk of abuse. The growing population could increase this problem exponentially. The most common facilitators were the introduction of policies/programs in the facility, education, and working conditions. The most cited barriers were poor training, lack of research, and working conditions in the long-term care setting. Conclusion The examples given would be useful in minimizing the potential for abuse in the long-term care setting. Leadership can take an active role in the prevention of abuse of the elderly through their actions, education of employees, and changes in the work environment.
Processes and Operating Systems

Multiple processes may be executed on a single computer processing unit (CPU) to save hardware and, to some extent, to save energy; however, it is important to be careful to share the CPU so as to meet all the real-time deadlines. A large body of literature has been written on real-time scheduling, taking into account various conditions on execution and assumptions. Real-time operating systems must be designed to efficiently implement basic operations such as scheduling, interrupt handling, and interprocess communication. Several scheduling protocols can be used to guarantee basic real-time behavior. However, it may not be possible to use 100% of the CPU if it has to be guaranteed that all the deadlines will be met. Scheduling for dynamic voltage scaling tries to stretch the execution time of processes just to meet their deadline to take advantage of the lower operating voltages allowed by slower execution. Context switching and interrupt overhead may be important in heavily utilized systems. File systems implemented in flash memory must use specialized techniques to avoid wearing out the flash memory. Concurrent system verification builds and searches state machine models to determine whether desired properties are satisfied.
Faculty satisfaction with online teaching: a comprehensive study with American faculty

The purpose of this research is to combine and extend the literature to determine which and to what extent various job-related factors influence faculty satisfaction with online teaching. A prelimi...
Abstract 14053: Problematic Feeding is Common and Related to Gastroesophageal Reflux in the First 6 Months After Neonatal Cardiac Surgery

Introduction: Feeding problems are often reported in infants after cardiac surgery. To date, no studies have followed the development of feeding after cardiac surgery using valid and reliable measu...
A meta-analysis of hotel revenue management

This meta-analysis scrutinized 76 peer-reviewed articles regarding hotel revenue management published from 2013 to 2019. The main topics explored were pricing strategy, demand modeling and forecasting, business analysis, performance analysis and evaluation, inventory and price optimization, setting booking controls, and distribution channel management. Furthermore, articles were investigated based on their use of theory, methodology, as well as location. In the end, a comprehensive analysis of gaps in the literature and avenues for future research were provided.
Projected Metabolic Consequences of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and the Aging Population

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects a large percentage of older adults. Prevalence of OA in younger adults is growing due to traumatic joint injuries occurring through sport participation. The purpose of this review is to summarize the recent literature linking lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), summarize the biomechanical and movement strategy consequences of these injuries, and link these consequences with known metabolic risk factors associated with general OA specifically in the aging population. Approximately 30% of younger adults have radiographic OA within one year after traumatic knee injury. An estimated 50% of individuals with chronic ankle instability will suffer from PTOA. Injuries to lower limb joints can lead to alterations in movement patterns, which may result in detrimental joint loading. This may be contributing to this accelerated development of PTOA. Older age, independent of OA, is also associated with gait alterations as well as greater metabolic cost of movement and greater fatigability. It is hypothesized that individuals suffering from PTOA as younger adults may be at a greater risk for these metabolic consequences due to the accelerated timeframe of OA onset and associated functional declines of older age. The potential consequences of PTOA in lower limb joints paired with advancing age may include gait abnormalities, greater metabolic cost of movement, greater fatigability, and reduced physical activity. Collectively, these factors may contribute to greater cardiometabolic risk and weight gain, and reduced quality of life with older age. Strategies to alleviate and/or delay the progression of OA in younger and middle-aged adults are necessary to help reduce this risk.
It takes communities to save forests

For decades research has found evidence that community forest management provides both income for local communities and conservation of forests. A recent article suggests some of the design principles that can make it work.
Queer geoscientists need more than visibility

Visibility is important, but to be truly inclusive, we need to create strong, resilient, and intersectional geoscience communities that confront the violence from both within and outside of academia, argues Rob Ulrich.
Sadie Hawkins in American Life, 1937-1957:

In 1937, Al Capp introduced Sadie Hawkins Day in his Li’l Abner comic strip. In its first year, Americans embraced the day with girl-chase-boy races and girl-ask-boy fall dances. Cream of Wheat use...
Untangling the Relationship Between AMOC Variability and North Atlantic Upper-Ocean Temperature and Salinity

Author(s): Chiang, JCH; Cheng, W; Kim, WM; Kim, S | Abstract: The relationship between Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) variability and high-latitude North Atlantic buoyancy changes is complicated by the latter both driving, and responding to, AMOC changes. A maximum covariance analysis applied to a 1,201-year preindustrial control simulation reveals two leading modes that separate these two distinct roles of North Atlantic temperature and salinity as related to AMOC variability. A linear combination of the two modes accounts for most of the variation of a widely used AMOC index. The same analysis applied to another control simulation known to possess two distinct regimes of AMOC variability—oscillatory and red-noise—suggests that the North Atlantic buoyancy-forced AMOC variability is present in both regimes but is weaker in the latter, and moreover there is pronounced multidecadal/centennial AMOC behavior in the latter regime that is unrelated to North Atlantic buoyancy forcing.
Dauer Development Modulates Olfactory Behavior.

Reproductive adults and developmentally arrested larvae often occupy different ecological niches and thus are expected to respond differently to environmental stimuli. To understand the genes that coordinate dauer development and olfactory behavior, we examined adult and dauer C. elegans in wild-type and dauer constitutive mutants (Daf-c). We found all dauers showed decreased attraction to all three odorants tested compared to adults, with daf-7 dauer larva (DL) exhibiting a concentration-dependent preference shift towards isoamyl alcohol, suggesting that the TGF-s pathway is involved in both dauer regulation and dauer-specific odortaxis.
An empirical test of shell tempering as an alkaline agent in the nixtamalization process

It has been argued that the transition to maize based diets across much of the Eastern Woodlands of North America ca. A.D. 1000 was the primary catalyst for the population increases, technological innovations, and fundamental shifts in social and cultural organization characteristic of Late Woodland, Mississippian, Upper Mississippian, and Iroquoian societies. However, raw or uncooked maize kernels alone are known to be a nutritionally inadequate subsistence staple. Nixtamalization, or the alkaline processing of dried raw maize to produce hominy, yields a more readily digestible and therefore healthier food resource. Such processing is ubiquitous amongst maize-based societies in the Americas. The timing of the transition to maize agriculture was also closely associated with the adoption of shell-tempered ceramics. As a result, an hypothesis has been offered by multiple authors that burned and crushed mollusc shell aplastic may act as an alkaline agent in the nixtamalization process. The research reported here provides a formal empirical test of this hypothesis. Findings indicate that no substantial structural or chemical changes to maize kernels result from the leaching of shell tempering alkaline products from the fabric of a ceramic vessel. Two constraints are noted in this process: the reduction in adherence of wet paste due to the addition of mussel shell derived calcium oxide (lime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) as a tempering agent, and the necessity to avoid the decomposition of calcium carbonate to lime or slaked lime in order for the successful firing of shell-tempered vessels.
Social democratic parties and EC integration

. This paper presents evidence of initial steps taken since 1989 towards the enhancement of social democratic transnational party co-operation, manifesting itself on both a programmatic and an organizational level. To explain this development, a thesis based on the neo-functionalist logic of political spillover together with a theory of party change is presented. An emerging European-level presence is explained by increased EC policymaking since the adoption of the Single European Act, interacting with the internal preconditions for organizational innovation present in many social democratic parties. Evidence of such trends is then submitted, focusing on the French Socialist, German Social-Democratic and British Labour Parties; the European Parliament Socialist Group; and the Socialist transnational party federation.
Shaping the response: the role of FcεRI and SyK expression levels in mast cell signalling

Many receptor systems initiate cell signaling through ligand-induced receptor aggregation. For bivalent ligands binding to mono- or bivalent receptors, a plot of the equilibrium concentration of receptors in aggregates against the log of the free ligand concentration, the cross-linking curve, is symmetric and bell shaped. However, steady state cellular responses initiated through receptor cross-linking may have a different dependence on ligand concentration than the aggregated receptors that initiate and maintain these responses. The authors illustrate by considering the activation of the protein kinase Syk that rapidly occurs after high affinity receptors for IgE, FceRI, are aggregated on the surface of mast cells and basophils. Using a mathematical model of Syk activation the authors investigate two effects, one straightforward and one less so, that result in Syk activation not qualitatively following the cross-linking curve. Model predictions show that if the mechanism by which Syk is fully activated involves the transphosphorylation of Syk by Syk, then Syk activation curves can be either bell shaped or double humped, depending on the cellular concentrations of Syk and FceRI. The model also predicts that the Syk activation curve can be non-symmetric with respect to the ligand concentration. The cell can exhibit differential Syk activation at two different ligand concentrations that produce identical distributions of receptor aggregates that form and dissociate at the same rates. The authors discuss how, even though it is only receptor aggregates that trigger responses, differences in total ligand concentration can lead to subtle kinetic effects that yield qualitative differences in the levels of Syk activation.
Prospective validation of a quantitative method for differentiating ischemic versus nonischemic cardiomyopathy by technetium-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography.

Background: Myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) permits assessment of stress perfusion and resting left ventricular (LV) function. Quantitative analysis of perfusion patterns among patients with LV dysfunction offers an opportunity for developing criteria to differentiate ischemic from nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Hypothesis: Quantitative assessment of SPECT may allow differentiation between ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: We evaluated 144 patients with LV ejection fraction ≤40%, divided into 63 patients with nonischemic and 81 with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Mean relative myocardial counts were obtained for regions drawn over defect and normal zones on rest and stress polar perfusion maps. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis of significant univariate SPECT predictors of ischemic cardiomyopathy revealed that the stress defect severity ratio (SDSR) was the best predictor of ischemic cardiomyopathy (p < 0.0001). By receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, an SDSR of ≤ 45% optimized prediction of ischemic cardiomyopathy (sensitivity 81%, specificity 96%). An SDSR of ≤ 45% occurred in 65 of 81 (80%) patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, but in only 3 of the 63 (4%) patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (p < 0.0001). Applying the ≤45% SDSR threshold to a prospective group of 89 patients yielded a somewhat lower sensitivity (60%), but retained high specificity (91%) for identifying ischemic cardiomyopathy (p = NS vs. retrospective group). Conclusions: Presence of a severe and extensive stress perfusion defect is a hallmark of ischemic cardiomyopathy. By contrast, a mild stress perfusion defect (SDSR of > 45%) is commonly present among patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. An SDSR of ≤45% is a reproducible specific marker for identifying the presence of ischemic cardiomyopathy.
A primer for disaster recovery planning in an IT environment

Definition of a Disaster Identify Disaster as a Possibility Need for a Disaster Recovery Plan Secure Top Management Support and Resources Organize Plan Development Team Appoint Disaster Recovery Coordinator Conduct Risk and Business Impact Analyses Identify Data Storage and Recovery Sites Formulate Strategies for System Recovery Evaluate Alternatives for Disaster Recovery Plan Development Define Assumptions and Limitations of the Plan Write the Plan Develop Primary Procedures for Emergency Response Write Emergency Management Plan Designate Disaster Recovery Teams Develop a Notification Directory Establish Emergency Operations Centre Train Employees Test the Plan Maintain the Plan Invoke the Plan Manage the Media Other Resources for Disaster Recovery Information.
Synthetic symmetrization in the crystallization and structure determination of CelA from Thermotoga maritima.

Protein crystallization continues to be a major bottleneck in X-ray crystallography. Previous studies suggest that symmetric proteins, such as homodimers, might crystallize more readily than monomeric proteins or asymmetric complexes. Proteins that are naturally monomeric can be made homodimeric artificially. Our approach is to create homodimeric proteins by introducing single cysteines into the protein of interest, which are then oxidized to form a disulfide bond between the two monomers. By introducing the single cysteine at different sequence positions, one can produce a variety of synthetically dimerized versions of a protein, with each construct expected to exhibit its own crystallization behavior. In earlier work, we demonstrated the potential utility of the approach using T4 lysozyme as a model system. Here we report the successful application of the method to Thermotoga maritima CelA, a thermophilic endoglucanase enzyme with low sequence identity to proteins with structures previously reported in the Protein Data Bank. This protein had resisted crystallization in its natural monomeric form, despite a broad survey of crystallization conditions. The synthetic dimerization of the CelA mutant D188C yielded well-diffracting crystals with molecules in a packing arrangement that would not have occurred with native, monomeric CelA. A 2.4 A crystal structure was determined by single anomalous dispersion using a seleno-methionine derivatized protein. The results support the notion that synthetic symmetrization can be a useful approach for enlarging the search space for crystallizing monomeric proteins or asymmetric complexes.
Association Between Serum Ferritin Level and Perihematoma Edema Volume in Patients With Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Preclinical evidence indicates that iron plays a key role in mediating neuronal injury and edema formation after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the clinical role of iron in patients with ICH has not been well studied. We undertook this exploratory study to investigate the association of serum ferritin, as an indicator of body iron load, with perihematoma edema after ICH. Methods— We retrospectively reviewed prospectively-collected clinical and laboratory data from 23 consecutive patients with acute spontaneous ICH who had a CT scan and serum ferritin checked on admission, and a follow-up CT scan 3 to 4 days afterward. We measured hematoma and edema volumes on admission and follow-up scans, and calculated the relative edema volume to correct for hematoma volume. We used Spearman correlation coefficient to determine the association of various variables with relative perihematoma edema volume. Results— Whereas the median hematoma volume increased by approximately 28% from ba...
Interaction of polypeptide chain elongation factors with rat liver ribosomal subunits.

Abstract Subunits of rat liver ribosomes have been prepared. Polyphenylalanine is synthesized when both subunits are incubated with [ 14 C]phenylalanyl-tRNA, GTP and transferases I (aminoacyl-tRNA-binding factor) and II (translocation factor); individually, the subunits are inactive in polypeptide biosynthesis. When the small subunit is incubated with transferase I, the particle sedimented from the reaction mixture contains bound transfer factor, and can carry out protein synthesis from [ 14 C]phenylalanyl-tRNA in the absence of transferase I, when supplemented with the large subunit, GTP, and transferase II. The transferase I-small subunit interaction requires aminoacyl-tRNA and polyuridylate, but not GTP; the large subunit does not interact with transferase I and it inhibits partly the reaction with the small subunit. Similar experiments with transferase II reveal that binding of this transfer factor occurs only when both subunits are present. This interaction requires GTP and is stimulated by polyuridylate.
New procedures to enhance survival of third-instar Hypoderma lineatum (Villers) (Diptera: Oestridae) in artificial media.

New techniques for the maturation of late third instars of the common cattle grub, Hypoderma lineatum (Villers), in artificial media are described. Larvae were held in either 24-well culture plates with media plus penicillin, streptomycin sulfate, nystatin, and chloramphenicol or in small salve jars on Perlite and media plus the same antibiotics. Chloramphenicol was not always necessary in the jars. Survival to pupariation of young third instars increased from 5% without nystatin and chloramphenicol to 73% when the two antibiotics were present in the culture plates. The survival of mature third instars to pupariation increased from ≍53 to 80% after addition of nystatin and chloramphenicol to the culture plates. Survival to pupariation of more mature grubs was similar in the jar and culture plate techniques. The former was more convenient, but the young grubs did not survive well in the jars.
Disadvantage and an American society of equals

In this article I review Jonathan Wolff and Avner de‐Shalit’s recent book Disadvantage (2007), highlighting its many contributions to egalitarian theory and practice. These contributions build to t...
Geochemical signatures of possible deep-seated ore deposits in Tertiary volcanic centers, Arizona and New Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract A reconnaissance geochemical survey of stream drainages within 21,000 km2 of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico shows broad zones of low-level to moderate contrast anomalies, many associated with mid-Tertiary eruptive centers and Tertiary fault zones. Of these eruptive centers, few are known to contain metallic deposits, and most of those known are minor. This, however, may be more a function of shallow erosion level than an indication of the absence of mineralization, since hydrothermal alteration and Fe-Mn-oxide staining are widespread, and geochemical anomalies are pervasive over a larger part of the region than outcrop observations would predict. Accordingly, interpretations of the geochemical data use considerations of relative erosion levels, and inferred element zonalities, to focus on possible undiscovered deposits in the subsurface of base-, precious-, and rare-metal deposits of plutonic-volcanic association. In order to enhance the identification of specific deep targets, we use the empirically determined ratio: Ag+Mn+Pb+Zn+Ba Au+Mo+Cu+Bi+W This ratio is based on reported metal contents of nonmagnetic heavy-mineral samples from the drainage sediment, determined by emission spectrographic analysis. Before the ratio was computed for each sample site, the data were normalized to a previously estimated regional threshold value. A regional isopleth map was then prepared, using a cell-averaging computer routine, with contours drawn at the 25th, 50th, 75th, 80th, 90th, 95th and 99th percentiles of the computed data.
Pediatric low-grade gliomas: prognosis with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the correlation between the low-grade glioma (LGG) metabolic profile and tumor progression. Using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, we specifically asked whether and which metabolic features are associated with tumor regrowth or recurrence. METHODS: Eleven pediatric patients with histologically proven partially resected ( 25%) during the follow-up period. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was performed using a PRESS-CSI sequence on a General Electric 1.5-tesla scanner (General Electric Medical System, Waukesha, WI). The signal intensities of N-acetylaspartate, choline (CHO), and creatine from the tumor and the normal brain were used to calculate normalized metabolite intensities and metabolite ratios. RESULTS: Tumors that progressed during a 2-year period displayed higher normalized CHO than those that remained stable (Mann-Whitney test, P < 0.03). The majority (five of six) of the rapidly growing LGG showed values of normalized CHO of at least 1, whereas the nonprogressors had a normalized CHO value of less than 1. CONCLUSION: In association with pediatric LGG, high normalized CHO values seem to herald the potential for rapid tumor growth. These observations may be valuable for defining subsets of patients with LGG who may benefit from early therapeutic interventions.
Modeling of gravity-induced shape distortions during sintering of cylindrical specimens

Abstract A finite element approach for modeling the gravity-affected sintering process is presented. The constitutive equations are based on the continuum theory of sintering in the framework of a linear viscous material behavior. The model describes the gravity influence on porosity evolution and shrinkage inhomogeneity. Simulations of densification, shape distortion, and porosity gradients are presented. The results are compared with a previously developed analytical model of sintering under the influence of gravity. First time a direct assessment of the impact of the densification inhomogeneity on the gravity-induced shape distortion during sintering is provided in a generic form similar to the master sintering curve approach.
Effect of the identification of key machines in the cell formation problem of cellular manufacturing system

Abstract Cellular manufacturing as been viewed as an important manufacturing philosophy that has helped both small and medium sized parts manufacturers increase their manufacturing productivity. In the analysis of a cellular manufacturing problem, identifying the key machines representing the manufacturing cells is an important step in the determination of final part-machine clusters. Three different methods have been proposed in this paper for performing this identification, and a more complete model taking into consideration the sequence of operations exhibited by parts have been developed for minimizing total moves. The total movefs contributed by all parts have been evaluated as a weighted sum of both inter- and intracell moves. A heuristic solution algorithm developed for the model has been operationalized by implementing the associated computer program on an IBM PC compatible microcomputer. The sensitivity of each of the three proposed methods with regard to identifying the key machines and their impact on the selection of final part-machine clusters has been analyzed by solving an example problem. The results obtained show that method 2 outperforms the other two (methods 1 and 3) in determining the best part-machine clusters in cellular manufacturing, thus making it a better decision tool to be used by both small and medium sized parts manufacturers in production planning.