cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Piracy in the 21st Century: A Proposed Model of International Governance

Piracy in international waters never went away, it continues to lead to the loss of goods transported on the high seas, the loss of lives, and jeopardizes the safety of international freight movement. The successful fight against Somali pirates did not prevent pirates from returning and attacking ships in other parts of the world, putting international commerce in jeopardy once again. There is a clear lack of leadership in dealing with this challenge. International forces such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) did not arrest pirates even when they had the opportunity to do so since political authorities were hesitant to make a firm decision concerning the legal and political basis for action in international waters. Several questions affected the motivation to combat piracy including ambiguity concerning the definition of pirates as civilians or illegal combatants, prosecution of the pirates, and which courts had jurisdiction. After describing the most significant legal challenges in the fight against piracy, the article suggests creating a mechanism that will make the fight against piracy an international consolidated effort rather than an action that is simply coordinated to one degree or another by multiple states. There is a need to establish an international legal council to deal continuously with the legal challenges connected to fighting piracy. The fast pace of military tactics used by pirates requires a more efficient mechanism than treaty law. A legal mechanism needs to include both a council that will define and legislate, and also oversee an international tribunal to fight piracy. An international force that will have a common command structure will ensure the effectiveness of an international fight against piracy.
Non-Markovian trajectories involving future in the semi-classical path integral expression

Semiclassical path integral expression for a quantum system coupled to a harmonic bath is derived based on the stationary phase condition. It is discovered that the system path is non-Markovian. Most strikingly, the system path not only couples to its past (as in the Langevin equation), but also to its future, i.e. the equation of motion for the system is an integro-differential equation that involves all times. Numerical tests are performed to confirm that the future-involved term is indeed necessary. Because of the future-non-Markovian nature of the equation, the numerical solution cannot be obtained by iterative methods. Instead, root search algorithms must be employed.
Going Beyond Just Watching: The Fan Adoption Process of Virtual Reality Spectatorship

This study examines how adoption factors are associated with an individual’s belief, attitude, and system adoption of virtual reality spectatorship (VRS). Based on 488 responses collected from adop...
Correction to: 2019 Neurocritical Care Survey: Physician Compensation, Unit Staffing and Structure.

The original article had a typo in Table 2, the “N” for males and females should be switched. The corrected table is shown below:
Predicting preventable hospital readmissions with causal machine learning.

Objective To assess both the feasibility and potential impact of predicting preventable hospital readmissions using causal machine learning applied to data from the implementation of a readmissions prevention intervention (the Transitions Program). Data sources Electronic health records maintained by Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC). Study design Retrospective causal forest analysis of postdischarge outcomes among KPNC inpatients. Using data from both before and after implementation, we apply causal forests to estimate individual-level treatment effects of the Transitions Program intervention on 30-day readmission. These estimates are used to characterize treatment effect heterogeneity and to assess the notional impacts of alternative targeting strategies in terms of the number of readmissions prevented. Data collection 1 539 285 index hospitalizations meeting the inclusion criteria and occurring between June 2010 and December 2018 at 21 KPNC hospitals. Principal findings There appears to be substantial heterogeneity in patients' responses to the intervention (omnibus test for heterogeneity p = 2.23 × 10-7 ), particularly across levels of predicted risk. Notably, predicted treatment effects become more positive as predicted risk increases; patients at somewhat lower risk appear to have the largest predicted effects. Moreover, these estimates appear to be well calibrated, yielding the same estimate of annual readmissions prevented in the actual treatment subgroup (1246, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1110-1381) as did a formal evaluation of the Transitions Program (1210, 95% CI 990-1430). Estimates of the impacts of alternative targeting strategies suggest that as many as 4458 (95% CI 3925-4990) readmissions could be prevented annually, while decreasing the number needed to treat from 33 to 23, by targeting patients with the largest predicted effects rather than those at highest risk. Conclusions Causal machine learning can be used to identify preventable hospital readmissions, if the requisite interventional data are available. Moreover, our results suggest a mismatch between risk and treatment effects.
Influences of grain and protein characteristics on in vitro protein digestibility of modern and ancient wheat species.

Background The resistance of proteins to gastrointestinal digestion contributes to their ability to act as allergens. Near-complete digestion of protein in wheat products is important with respect to avoiding the potential immunogenic effects of undigested peptides. Five modern US wheat classes (soft red winter, hard winter, hard red spring, club and durum) including 17 wheat varieties, as well as three ancient wheat classes (spelt, emmer and einkorn) including nine wheat varieties, were analyzed for kernel hardness (KH) and flour protein characteristics, in addition to in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of cooked flour, flour without albumins and globulins (FWOAG), gluten, albumins, and globulins, aiming to identify the factors influencing the protein digestibility of flour. Results IVPDs of flour, FWOAG, gluten and albumins of wheat varieties ranged from 86.5% to 92.3%, 85.8% to 90.3%, 90.6% to 94.6% and 74.8% to 85.1%, respectively. The IVPD of gluten was significantly higher than the IVPDs of flour and FWOAG, indicating that non-protein components substantially affect protein digestibility. Significant differences were observed in IVPDs of flour and albumins among eight wheat classes, but not in the IVPDs of FWOAG, gluten and globulins. There were apparent differences in undigested protein bands and intensities of wheat classes with low and high flour IVPDs. KH and albumin proportion exhibited negative and positive relationships, respectively, with flour IVPD. Conclusion The results of the present study demonstrate that KH, non-protein components and albumin proportion have a major influence on protein digestion and need to be considered when developing wheat cultivars with higher protein digestibility.
Preliminary Characterization of a Plastic Piezoelectric Motor Stator Using High-Speed Digital Holographic Interferometry

Precise surgical procedures such as deep brain tumor ablation may benefit from intra-operative image guidance using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the MRI’s strong magnetic fields and constrained space pose the need for robotic devices to assist the surgeon. Piezoelectric motors are often used to actuate these robots. The piezoelectric resonant motor (PRM) is a class of such motors that consist of a bonded piezoelectric ring stator and a frictionally coupled rotor. Steady-state excitation at certain frequencies leads to specific mode shapes on the stator with surface waves having both in-plane and out-of-plane displacement components that cause the coupled rotor to spin. High-speed digital holography (HDH) can be used to measure time variant displacements with nanometer and microsecond resolution. We present initial measurements acquired at 67 k frame per second (fps) of two custom-designed plastic stator components operating at drive frequencies of 6.788 kHz and 6.980 kHz, respectively. Circumferential motion of the traveling surface waves with out-of-plane peak-to-peak displacement of approximately 100 nm peak-to-peak amplitude and a settling time of 2.99 ms was observed. Results demonstrate that plastic stators may be a promising alternative to metallic stators for use in the MRI environment.
Search Optimization Applied to a Modular System Upgrade: A Preliminary Model

Search optimization techniques can be used to explore which new innovation or technology to implement in a modular system upgrade amid many options. Within the context of modular systems, a model is proposed that will examine how to choose new technologies or innovations so that system upgrades are optimized. Outcomes of the research should be insights on how to do modular upgrades better, which will be the basis of a decision-making tool that should enhance the systems engineering practice of modularity.
Proximal ascending aorta size is associated with the incidence of de novo aortic insufficiency with left ventricular assist device

We sought to assess the impact of the aortic root geometry on developing de novo aortic insufficiency (AI) in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD). In total, 114 patients underwent LVAD implantation between February 2016 and January 2020 were included in this study (HeartMate3 N = 68, HeartWare N = 46). Significant aortic insufficiency was defined as mild-to-moderate or greater in echocardiography. The cohort was divided into two groups; those who developed significant AI (Group AI: n = 13) and did not (Group non-AI: n = 101). The primary outcomes of interest included late survival and predictors for significant AI. The patients in Group AI were older than Group non-AI (62.6 ± 11.9 vs 51.3 ± 14.0 years, p < 0.01). The diameter of proximal ascending aorta in Group AI was larger than Group non-AI (31.0 ± 5.0 vs 27.4 ± 4.3 mm, p < 0.01). Aortic valve remained closed in 53.8% in Group AI and 36.6% in Group non-AI (p = 0.24). The late survival was not significantly different between the groups (67.1% vs 76.0% at 3 years, log rank = 0.97). The Cox hazard model showed that larger proximal ascending aortic diameter/BSA (HR 1.55, CI 1.19–2.04, p < 0.01) and not-opening aortic valve (HR 4.73, CI 1.43–16.9, p = 0.01) were independent risk factors for significant AI. The cutoff value of proximal ascending aortic diameter/BSA was 15.5 (area under curve: 0.770, sensitivity: 0.69, specificity: 0.79). Dilated proximal ascending aorta at the time of LVAD surgery and not-opening aortic valve during follow-up were associated with the incidence of de novo significant AI.
Emergency management of fever and neutropenia in children with cancer: A review

Abstract Introduction Care of pediatric cancer patients is increasingly being provided by physicians in community settings, including general emergency departments. Guidelines based on current evidence have standardized the care of children undergoing chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) presenting with fever and neutropenia (FN). Objective This narrative review evaluates the management of pediatric patients with cancer and neutropenic fever and provides comparison with the care of the adult with neutropenic fever in the emergency department. Discussion When children with cancer and FN first present for care, stratification of risk is based on a thorough history and physical examination, baseline laboratory and radiologic studies and the clinical condition of the patient, much like that for the adult patient. Prompt evaluation and initiation of intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics after cultures are drawn but before other studies are resulted is critically important and may represent a practice difference for some emergency physicians when compared with standardized adult care. Unlike adults, all high-risk and most low-risk children with FN undergoing chemotherapy require admission for parenteral antibiotics and monitoring. Oral antibiotic therapy with close, structured outpatient monitoring may be considered only for certain low-risk patients at pediatric centers equipped to pursue this treatment strategy. Conclusions Although there are many similarities between the emergency approach to FN in children and adults with cancer, there are differences that every emergency physician should know. This review provides strategies to optimize the care of FN in children with cancer in all emergency practice settings.
Mitochondrial regulation in sea urchins. III. Rapid degradation of mitochondrial RNA in association with a failure to form mitochondrial polyribosomes in eggs activated with ionophore A 23187.

Abstract Most of the biochemical changes which have been examined in eggs of sea urchins, following activation with ionophore A-23187, parallel those events which have been observed to occur after fertilization. However, the results reported here indicate that mitochondrial polyribosomes fail to form after ionophore activation of either nucleate or anucleate fragments of eggs of the sea urchin. The results also demonstrate that ionophore activation does not impair the ability of eggs to generate ATP within the subsequent 2.5 h and thus the absence of mitochondrial protein synthesis appears not to be responsible for the failure of ionophore activated eggs to divide. Studies of the rates of uptake and incorporation of [3H]uridine into nucleic acid within ionophore activated anucleate fragments suggest that the rates of synthesis and degradation for both messenger and ribosomal “like” RNAs reach equilibrium within 5 min after the addition of isotope to the cultures, demonstrating that the half-lives of newly synthesized mitochondrial RNAs may be relatively brief in the absence of polyribosome formation. These results support and extend the conclusion of Lambowitz et al. [42] which suggests that ribosomal proteins may be important for stabilization of at least one of the mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs.
Performance of LMS

This chapter contains sections titled: Variance Relation Small Step-Sizes Separation Principle White Gaussian Input Statement of Results Simulation Results
A Controlled Dose Comparison of Haloperidol in Newly Admitted Schizophrenic Patients

• Eighty newly admitted or readmitted men with DSM-III schizophrenia were assigned to receive 5, 10, or 20 mg/d of haloperidol for 4 weeks. Staff were not "blind" to dose. By Clinical Global Impression Scale ratings, the 20-mg dose appeared to be superior to both the 5- and 10-mg doses for the first 2 weeks of treatment but not thereafter. On the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Schizophrenia factor, the 20-mg dose was superior to the 5-mg dose throughout the trial and tended to be marginally superior to the 10-mg dose after the first 2 weeks of treatment. By the second week of treatment, however, the group receiving the 20-mg dose deteriorated significantly with regard to Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ratings of Withdrawal-Retardation (blunted affect, motor retardation, and emotional withdrawal) as well as akinesia and akathisia ratings. Furthermore, 35% of patients given 20 mg/d of haloperidol insisted on leaving the hospital against medical advice vs only 4% of those given 5 or 10 mg/d of haloperidol. A 20-mg/d dose of haloperidol, therefore, may have substantial "psychotoxic" effects by the second week of treatment.
Capitalism in China: A Centrally Managed Capitalism (CMC) and Its Future

While China continues to develop capitalistic capacities, the party-state has increasingly tightened control of the economy and synchronized political and economic stratification – a tendency towards a centrally managed capitalism. Under centrally managed capitalism, the party-state commands the economy by controlling personnel, organizations, and capital in both political and economic arenas. At the same time, it delegates fiscal and administrative authorities to multiple and diversely formed corporations to compete in the marketplace. I further speculate on future ideological alternatives: a western-style democracy, a mature-stage socialism, or an enlightened authoritarianism – Xiaokang (小康 moderate prosperity or well-off society). After eliminating or casting doubt on the former two, I argue that a two-step transformation towards Xiaokang is under way. In the first step, the party-state leadership gradually decouples its position from Marxist ideology of communism and socialism, and moves towards the maintenance of economic growth and social order. The second step then allows the legitimacy of party rule to be based on indigenous Confucian ideology that emphasizes enlightened leaders, moral institutions, and social relations (i.e., Xiaokang). Finally, I explore the feasibility and paths towards an indigenous ideology of democracy (Datong: 大同 – universal harmony).
Parsing syllables: modeling OT computationally

In this paper, I propose to implement syllabification in OT as a parser. I propose several innovations that result in a finite and small candidate set. The candidate set problem is handled with several moves: i) MAX and DEP violations are not hypothesized by the parser, ii) candidates are encoded locally, and iii) EVAL is applied constraint by constraint. The parser I propose is implemented in Prolog. It has a number of desirable consequences. First, it runs and thus provides an existence proof that syllabification can be implemented in OT. There are a number of other desirable consequences as well. First, constraints are implemented as finite-state transducers. Second, the parser makes several interesting claims about the phonological properties of so-called nonrecoverable insertions and deletions. Third, the implementation suggests some particular reformulations of some of the benchmark constraints in the OT arsenal, e.g. *COMPLEX, PARSE, ONSET, and NOCODA.
Abstract 1113: Novel recurrent glycosylation-associated gene mutations in colon cancer

Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of many human cancers including colon cancer and has been proposed to affect cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, transformation and metastasis. However, the molecular basis for aberrant glycosylation remains largely unknown. We previously reported the finding of somatic and germline inactivating mutations in the gene encoding for GALNT12 transferase, a key enzyme involved in the initiating step of mucin type O-glycosylation, in individuals with colon cancer (PNAS 106(31):12921-25). This study provided the first evidence for the presence of genetic defects in the glycosylation pathway that contribute to the pathogenesis of colon cancer, and is consistent with the hypothesis that multiple rare germline gene variants may account for many of the cases of colon neoplasia that arise in the population. Given that aberrant glycosylation is a recurrent alteration in colon cancers, it is highly likely that additional genes (other than GALNT12) within the glycosylation pathway may be targeted for somatic mutations and contribute to colon tumor development. Accordingly, we performed massively parallel targeted re-sequencing of 430 glycosylation pathway genes in 31 microsatellite stable colon cancer cell lines. We identified a total of 41 somatic mutations in 36 unique genes. Using the statistical method detailed in our prior study, we found 12 of the genes to be significantly mutated above the background rate (P≤0.01, FDR Citation Format: Srividya Venkitachalam, Leslie Revoredo, Lakshmeswari Ravi, James Lutterbaugh, Sanford Markowitz, Thomas Gerken, Kishore Guda. Novel recurrent glycosylation-associated gene mutations in colon cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1113. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1113
Large Deformations with Small Strains

The solution of a problem of finite deformation may require knowledge of material properties not embodied in the linear stress-relaxation moduli. Then again, it may not. In some problems of finite deformation, no material element is distorted very much even though displacements and rotations are large. In such cases we need to know only those material properties that entered into the description of response in infinitesimal deformations. However, if there are large geometry changes, it is necessary to take these into account in the kinematics.
A left-hand beta-helix revealed by the crystal structure of a carbonic anhydrase from the archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila.

A carbonic anhydrase from the thermophilic archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila that exhibits no significant sequence similarity to known carbonic anhydrases has recently been characterized. Here we present the structure of this enzyme, which adopts a left-handed parallel β-helix fold. This fold is of particular interest since it contains only left-handed crossover connections between the parallel β-strands, which so far have been observed very infrequently. The active form of the enzyme is a trimer with three zinc-containing active sites, each located at the interface between two monomers. While the arrangement of active site groups differs between this enzyme and the carbonic anhydrases from higher vertebrates, there are structural similarities in the zinc coordination environment, suggestive of convergent evolution dictated by the chemical requirements for catalysis of the same reaction. Based on sequence similarities, the structure of this enzyme is the prototype of a new class of carbonic anhydrases with representatives in all three phylogenetic domains of life.
2000 Update of Recommendations for the Use of Tumor Markers in Breast and Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology*

OBJECTIVE: To update the 1997 clinical practice guidelines for the use of tumor marker tests in the prevention, screening, treatment, and surveillance of breast and colorectal cancers. These guidelines are intended for use in the care of patients outside of clinical trials. OPTIONS: Six tumor markers for colorectal cancer and eight for breast cancer were considered. They could be recommended or not for routine use or for special circumstances. In addition to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 15-3, CA 27.29 was also considered among the serum tumor markers for breast cancer. OUTCOMES: In general, the significant health outcomes identified for use in making clinical practice guidelines (overall survival, disease-free survival, quality of life, lesser toxicity, and cost-effectiveness) were used. EVIDENCE: A computerized literature search from 1994 to March 1999 was performed. VALUES: The same values for use, utility, and levels of evidence were used by the committee. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: The same ...
The Premedical Student: Training and Practice Expectations.

Occupational burnout is a substantial and growing problem among current medical practitioners. Many practicing physicians lament the encroachment of managed care, infringement of physician autonomy by insurers, decreasing salaries, and decreasing prestige. In light of this unfavorable review of the profession, why are thousands of undergraduates all over the country still on the premedical track? Do these young men and women really know what kind of work environment awaits them at the end of their arduous training program? What motivates them to become physicians? In this case study, we explore the reasons for pursuing a career in medicine among a sample of premedical students at a liberal arts college on the East Coast. College administrators agree that the pre-medical curriculum is one of the most demanding and arduous study programs. What do these pre-medical students see as the ultimate goal? As a result of various volunteer, training, and shadowing experiences in the medical field, many of these students have a realistic perception of the current environment of medical practice. Although they recognize the challenges that await them, they are driven to become doctors by a deep vocational calling to serve. However, not all of the students expressed this calling. Results from this study suggest that eventual career satisfaction may be correlated with baseline career motivations. Students who are becoming doctors to fulfill parents’ aspirations, for upward mobility, and/or for prestige and high salaries may be disenchanted once they complete their training program. Keywords: medical education, premedical student.
Rapid fabrication of molds by mechanical micromilling: process development

At the macroscale, the milling process is very versatile and capable of creating 3D features and structures. Adaptation of this process at the microscale could lead to the rapid and direct fabrication of micromolds and masks to aid in the development of microcomponents. This task has been undertaken and results of the process indicate it can become an increasingly useful method. The micromilling process is currently characterized by milling tools with a diameter as small as 22 micrometers. The micromilling process can create trench-like features with vertical sidewalls and good smoothness. External corners are sharp and stepped features can be machined simply by programming those shapes. The process is direct and therefore dimensional errors do not accumulate as can occur with serial fabrication processes.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An allylic/acyclic adenosine nucleoside triphosphate for termination of DNA synthesis by DNA template-dependent polymerases

An allylic adenosine triphosphate analog (AATP) was tested as a substrate for commercially available DNA polymerases. All but one of the enzymes assayed incorporated AATP opposite thymidine (T) with concomitant termination of the elongation reaction. A concentration of only 1 microM was sufficient for complete termination of the polymerization reaction for a short template mediated by Ampli Taq DNA polymerase FS (Taq FS). This result suggests that AATP could be used as a 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine-5'-triphosphate (ddA) surrogate. Kinetics of incorporation revealed that AATP was 48 times less efficiently incorporated than ddA. Furthermore, AATP was used in dye-primer sequencing as a substitute for ddA.
Households as units of analysis in history and anthropology

Netting, Robert McC., Richard R. Wilk, and Eric J. Arnould, eds. Households: Comparative and Historical Studies of the Domestic Group. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984. xxxviii + 480 pp. including list of contributors, individual chapter references, index. $34.95 cloth, $14.95 paper.
Technical note: Changes to herd cutoff date in conception rate evaluations.

Abstract Service-sire conception rate (SCR) evaluations were implemented for the United States in August 2008. Only inseminations from the most recent 4yr of breeding records are used for SCR evaluations, and all inseminations must have occurred ≥70d before the data submission deadline for an evaluation. In April 2012, edits for SCR were modified so that all inseminations must have occurred ≥70d before the last herd test date rather than the constant date of 70d before the data submission deadline. This edit more precisely measures the days of opportunity for a cow to be diagnosed as pregnant or not pregnant following insemination, and is herd specific. The number of inseminations before the edit change was 16,906,385 compared with 16,492,331 after the edit change. Correlations of SCR before and after the edit change were 0.96 for Holsteins and slightly lower for other breeds, with little change in mean or standard deviation. Weekly mean conception rates after the edit change were more stable for the most recent inseminations. The conception rate was 60% at wk 10 before the constant cutoff date (before edit change) compared with 42% at 10wk before the last herd test date (after the edit change). Similar edits to SCR are applied to heifer conception rate (HCR) and cow conception rate data (CCR), and were changed in August 2012 to use herd-specific cutoff dates. The HCR and CCR correlations before and after the edit change were 0.99 or higher for all breeds, with little change in mean or standard deviation. The new edits improve accuracy of SCR, HCR, and CCR evaluations by accounting for differing opportunity to confirm pregnancy caused by discontinued testing or differences in herd testing schedules.
Utilization of upper limb joint replacements during 1972-90: the Mayo Clinic experience.

Increasing application of expensive medical technologies, including joint replacement, is of concern in the current economic climate. Successful upper limb joint replacements (ULJRs) are being performed, but few detailed data about their utilization are available. To explore the resource implications of such surgery, the utilization of total shoulder replacement (TSR), total elbow replacement (TER) and total wrist replacement (TWR) were examined from the time these procedures first became available at the Mayo Clinic up to 1990. The age- and sex-adjusted utilization rate for TSR among Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents was 1.8 per 100000 person-years (p-y), 0.8 per 100000 p-y for TER and 1.1 per 100000 p-y for TWR. Overall utilization of primary ULJR among Olmsted County residents during the 19-year study period was 3.8 per 100000 p-y. The commonest indication for TSR was osteoarthritis (46 per cent) and for TER and TWR was rheumatoid arthritis (50 and 81 per cent respectively). There was no consistent ...
Permanent and plastic epigenesis in neuroendocrine systems

Abstract The emerging area of neuroepigenetics has been linked to numerous mental health illnesses. Importantly, a large portion of what we know about early gene × environment interactions comes from examining epigenetic modifications of neuroendocrine systems. This review will highlight how neuroepigenetic mechanisms during brain development program lasting differences in neuroendocrine systems and how other neuroepigenetic processes remain plastic, even within the adult brain. As epigenetic mechanisms can either be stable or plastic, elucidating the mechanisms involved in reversing these processes could aid in understanding how to reverse pathological epigenetic programming.
Anti-porcine antibodies in xenografted burned patients.

SINCE SONG [13] AND BROMBERG [ 131 REINTRODUCED the use of porcine xenografts as a covering for burned patients there ha-s been considerable question whether the xenografts cause an immune reaction. Several observations [ 121 suggest that the xenograft does not cause an immune reaction: (a) The xenograft is not vascularized; (b) subcellular porcine skin extracts injected intradermally into human patients before and after porcine xenografting do not elicit delayed hypersensitivity; (c) and, this porcine skin extract, injected intravenously into rabbits, fails to produce precipitin antibodies against the extract. It is the purpose of this study to illustrate that by suitable assay procedures, the act of xenografting with porcine skin in burned patients elicits an immune reaction.
Altered nucleotide cofactor-dependent properties of the mutant [S240K]RecA protein.

Abstract Two mutant Escherichia coli RecA proteins were prepared in which the ATP active site residue, Ser240, was replaced with asparagine and lysine (these amino acids are found in the corresponding positions in other bacterial RecA proteins). The S240N mutation had no discernible effect on the ATP-dependent activities of the RecA protein, indicating that serine and asparagine are functionally interchangeable at position 240. The S240K mutation, in contrast, essentially eliminated the ability of the RecA protein to utilize ATP as a nucleotide cofactor. The [S240K]RecA protein was able to catalyze the hydrolysis of dATP, however, suggesting that the absence of the 2′-hydroxyl group reduced an inhibitory interaction with the Lys240 side chain. Interestingly, the [S240K]RecA protein was able to promote an efficient LexA cleavage reaction but exhibited no strand exchange activity when dATP was provided as the nucleotide cofactor. This apparent separation of function may be attributable to the elevated S0.5 value for dATP for the [S240K]RecA protein (490 μM, compared to 20–30 μM for the wild type and [S240N]RecA proteins), and may reflect a differential dependence of the LexA co-protease and DNA strand exchange activities on the nucleotide cofactor-mediated stabilization of the functionally-active state of the RecA–ssDNA complex.
Plasma oscillations in oxide free Al clusters

Abstract Plasma oscillations in oxide free Al clusters with radii of the order 10 A are excited by 50 keV electrons. Only surface plasma oscillations are observed. Results are in excellent agreement with the hydrodynamic theory put forward by Fujimoto and Komaki. This theory is for the first time quantitatively confirmed.
Mean Fields Induced by Local Gravity-Wave Forcing in the Middle Atmosphere

The role of geostrophic adjustment in the middle atmosphere for given wave packet forcing by a three-dimensional hydrostatic model is examined. It is shown that the induced fields consist of two different kinds of modes. One, produced by forcing vorticity only, is steady quasi-geostrophic flow; this is restricted to the forcing region. The other, produced by both forcing vorticity and forcing divergence, is oscillatory, and is in the form of gravity waves propagating out of the forcing region plus inertial oscillations in the forcing region. The scales and amplitudes of the induced gravity waves are determined by the forcing. For a typical example, a 200 km x 200 km gravity wave packet of momentum flux 0.5 N/sq m absorbed in a layer of 5 km thickness centered near 18 km altitude, the gravity waves spread to a larger region about 1000 km x 1000 km at a level 7 km above the forcing region. At that level, the horizontal and vertical wavelengths of the induced waves are about 300 km and 7 km respectively, and the momentum flux is substantially reduced to 0.0004 N/sq m. The results suggest that geostrophic adjustment processes may play an important role in specifying the gravity wave spectrum in the middle atmosphere.
Immunochemical identification of renin in rat brain and distinction from acid proteases.

THE direct action of angiotensin II on the central nervous system is well recognised1–4. There is evidence for the presence in the brain of angiotensinogen5, angiotensins6–9, and angiotensin I converting enzyme10–12. These findings strongly suggest the presence of a brain renin–angiotensin system which may function independently from the somatic system. Renin-like activity in the brain has also been reported8,13,14. However, the acid pH optimum of the angiotensin I-generating activity in the brain13,14 led to the suggestion that this renin-like activity might be due to a nonspecific action of acid proteases released during homogenisation and that intrinsic brain renin might not exist14. Since this view has a profound implication on the origin and control of brain renin activity, we have sought to obtain an unequivocal answer as to whether the observed renin-like activity is indeed due to renin intrinsic to the brain. Using an affinity column capable of separating renin from general acid proteases, and by making use of specific antibodies to renin elicited by pure pig renin15. We demonstrate here the presence in rat brain of renin which is clearly distinct from acid protease.
Flow boiling CHF in microgravity

Abstract Poor understanding of flow boiling in microgravity has recently emerged as a key obstacle to the development of many types of power generation and life support systems intended for space exploration. This study examines flow boiling CHF in microgravity that was achieved in parabolic flight experiments with FC-72 onboard NASA’s KC-135 turbojet. At high heat fluxes, bubbles quickly coalesced into fairly large vapor patches along the heated wall. As CHF was approached, these patches grew in length and formed a wavy vapor layer that propagated along the wall, permitting liquid access only in the wave troughs. CHF was triggered by separation of the liquid–vapor interface from the wall due to intense vapor effusion in the troughs. This behavior is consistent with, and accurately predicted by the Interfacial Lift-off CHF Model. It is shown that at low velocities CHF in microgravity is significantly smaller than in horizontal flow on earth. CHF differences between the two environments decreased with increasing velocity, culminating in virtual convergence at about 1.5 m/s. This proves it is possible to design inertia-dominated systems by maintaining flow velocities above the convergence limit. Such systems allow data, correlations, and/or models developed on earth to be safely implemented in space systems.
A promising new alternative for the rapid reversal of warfarin coagulopathy in traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Abstract Background Internationally, Factor IX complex (FIX complex) has been used to correct warfarin-induced coagulopathy. We present our experience with 28 patients using FIX complex. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted between November 2002 and July 2006 on patients with warfarin-induced coagulopathy. We recorded the dose and timing of FIX complex, serial international normalized ratios (INRs), early adverse events, and patient outcome. Results Twenty-eight patients met criteria. The mean INR on admission was 5.1, and after FIX complex infusion was reduced significantly to 1.9 (P = .008). Eleven patients had a repeat INR drawn within 30 minutes after FIX complex infusion. The mean time to correction was 13.5 minutes. There were no early thrombotic events or allergic reactions. Conclusions FIX complex results in an immediate reversal of coagulopathy within 15 minutes after administration. Its use should be considered as an alternative treatment to fresh-frozen plasma and recombinant Factor VIIa. Prospective randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.
WIGNER DISTRIBUTIONS Local properties of dispersive pulses

We give expressions for local characteristics, such as the instantaneous frequency and instantaneous bandwidth, of a pulse propagating with dispersion. We apply the results to the case of an initial Gaussian pulse propagating in a two-plate waveguide.
Incidence and distribution of opportunistic lung infections in aids patients related to intravenous drug use: A study of bronchoalveolar lavage cytology by the diff‐quik stain

The present study was undertaken in order to determine the incidence and distribution of opportunistic lung infections in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome related to intravenous drug use. One hundred ninety seven patients of both sexes were investigated. Based on bronchoalveolar lavage cytology, a total of 156 (79%) patients were found to harbor opportunistic lung infections by the Diff-Quik staining procedure. Seventy-nine percent of the males and 80% of the females were positive. Pneumocystis carinii was the most common of the opportunistic infections accounting for 83% of the positive cases. Cryptococcus, Candida sp., and Aspergillus sp. were also identified in a small number of patients. Cytomegalovirus was not detected in any of the cases under study. There were no sex-related differences in the distribution of the various infectious agents, males and females being equally affected.
A multiprocess model of adaptable complexity for impervious surface detection

Accurately estimating impervious surfaces is of considerable importance towards understanding human impacts on the environment. In this article, a sequential multiprocess model is presented to estimate the distribution of impervious surfaces using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) satellite imagery. Unlike typical single-thread classification processes, the multiprocess model consists of a series of classification steps. By separating the classification task into several subtasks of variable difficulty, multiple classifiers are integrated while adapting to different levels of complexity. The results show statistically significant improvements for the proposed model. An interesting finding is the uneven distribution of simple classifiers in either highly rural or suburban/urban areas, suggesting that the classification difficulty is concentrated in rural areas. The proposed methodology also supports spatially explicit accuracy metrics, facilitating incorporation of the results obtained in interd...
Performance characteristics of a mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser as a function of erbium ion concentration

The generation of ultrastable picosecond pulses in the 1550 nm range is required for numerous applications including photonic analog-to-digital converter systems and high-bit rate optical communication systems. Mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring lasers are typically used to generate pulses at this wavelength. In addition to stability and output power, the physical size of the laser cavity is of primary importance. The length of the erbium-doped fiber used as the gain medium may be on the order of meters or even tens of meters which makes packing of the laser rather difficult. However the length of the gain medium can often be reduced if the erbium ion concentration within the fiber is increased. This paper will investigate the performance of an erbium-doped fiber ring laser as a function of ion concentration within the gain medium. Results will be presented for mode-locked lasers consisting of Lucent HE980 , HG980 and HC erbium-doped fibers. The parameters that will be compared between the lasers include the output power as a function of length and concentration, optical pulse width and spectral bandwidth. Phase noise measurements of the laser output will also be presented.
Scalable and Practical Nonblocking Switching Networks (Extended Abstract)

Switching networks are widely used as core components in network switches and routers, and communication subsyetems in parallel computing systems. Most switching networks are multistage interconnection networks built with small-size switching elements. Nonblocking switching networks have been favored because of their capability of setting up any one-to-one I/O connections. There are three types of nonblocking networks: strictly nonblocking (SNB), wide-sense nonblocking(WSNB) and rearrangeable nonblocking (RNB). In both SNB and WSNB networks, a connection can be established from any idle input to any idle output without disturbing existing connections. In SNB networks any of available conflict-free paths for a connection can be chosen and inWSNB networks, however, a rulemust be followed to choose one. The high degree of connection capability in SNB and WSNB networks is at a high hardware cost. RNB networks, usually constructed with lower hardware cost, can establish a conflict-free path for the connection from any idle input to any idle output if the rearrangement of existing connections is allowed. Large-scale SNB and WSNB switching networks, which are suitable for circuit switching, are usually infeasible in practice due to their high cost. In contrast, rearrangeable networks are more scalable because of their much lower cost. However, rearrangeable networks are not suitable for circuit switching. Over the years, a rich theory of nonblocking switching networks has been developed. Unfortunately, no explicitly constructable optimal-cost SNB and WSNB network has been discovered. Known powerful nonblocking networks are either costly and unscalable, or very inefficient in routing connections. In this talk, we introduce the the notion of virtual nonblockingness and almost nonblockingness, and the concepts of virtual nonblocking (VNB) networks and almost nonblocking (ANB) networks.
Sustainably framing product advertising

American consumers are ahead of the sustainable-behavior curve in regards to product advertising. They are reducing and reusing at historic rates as is evident in the Municipal Solid Waste trends over the last decade. This change in consumer behavior is due to the changes in household economics invoked by the Great Recession and indicates that not only have consumers switched to cheaper brands as confirmed by market research, it also confirms that consumption overall has declined. It is very likely that these changes in consumer behavior will be long term as was evident in Japan in the decade following the Asian Financial Crisis. In opposition to the more sustainable consumer behavior, many green and non-green products continue to be advertised for their convenience attributes, which typically indicate they are single-use, disposable products. This paper will postulate why it may be timely and relevant to frame product advertising with a sustainability discourse based on present day society and on the philosophy of the Three R's hierarchy (reduce, reuse, and recycle). This framing would replace the current discourse that tends to choose to either reduce, reuse, or recycle and places the future environment at the center instead of the conversation. The goal of the reframing is to counter unethical product advertising and strengthen the new consumer behaviors brought about by the financial crises for the long-term benefits of society and the environment.
Fabrication and performance of Constellation-X hard x-ray telescope prototype optics using segmented glass

We report on the fabrication and performance of prototype optics for the Constellation-X hard X-ray telescope (HXT). The prototypes utilize segmented-glass optics. Multiple glass segments are combined to produce telescope shells. The shells are separated by and epoxied to graphite rods, and each layer of rods is precisely machined to match the required optical geometry of the corresponding glass shell. This error-compensating, monolithic assembly and alignment (EMAAL) procedure is novel. Two prototypes are described. The first used 10cm long thermally-slumped glass pieces produced by slumping into a concave mandrel with no subsequent replication. This prototype obtained 45" (2-bounce HPD). The second prototype was the first attempt to mount epoxy-replicated, thermally-slumped glass optics using EMAAL. The latter prototype demonstrated our ability to produce and mount glass shells whose figure and performance are faithful representations of the original replication mandrel. The average performance was 45", with the best replicated segment providing 33" (2-bounce HPD) performance, consistent with the ~30" measured with laser reflectometry and interferometry prior to mounting. Both these prototypes substantially exceeded the HXT requirement of 60".
Carbon-13 hyperfine interactions and structure of the complex ion [Co(CN)6]4−☆

Abstract An ESR study of the species [Co(CN)6]4− in irradiated single crystals of K3Co-(CN)6 and in irradiated NaCl and KCl doped with [Co(CN)6]3−, has been made, and the ESR parameters are reported. In addition, the ESR spectra of the same materials enriched to 40 atom % in 13C have been measured and it is shown that there is a large superhyperfine splitting from the carbon atoms of the two axial cyanide ligands; in the KCl lattice A | ( 13 C ) = 30.21 G , A ⊥ ( 13 C ) = 26.65 G , A iso ( 13 C ) = 27.84 G and A aniso ( 13 C ) = 1.19 G . The isotropic 13C interaction is considerably larger than has been observed in other transition metal cyanide complexes and indicates direct overlap of the odd electron dz2 orbital with an sp σ orbital of carbon. This indicates that the axial cyanide ligands are not turned around to form a diisocyanide, [Co(CN)4(NC)2]4−, as has been commonly supposed. The 13C splittings and the small 14N interaction for the two axial ligands ( A | ( 14 N ) = 3.72 G , A ⊥ ( 14 N ) = 2.54 G in KCl) are consistent with an ion [Co(CN)6]4− in which the axial cyanides are twisted moderately to give nonlinear CoCN bonding.