cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Possible role of NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in growth promotion of Arabidopsis seedlings by low levels of selenium

We explored functional significance of selenium (Se) in Arabidopsis physiology. Se at very low concentrations in cultivation exerted a considerable positive effect on Arabidopsis growth with no indication of oxidative stress, whereas Se at higher concentrations significantly suppressed the growth and brought serious oxidative damage. Respiration, ATP levels, and the activity of NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (NAD-GAPDH) were enhanced in Arabidopsis grown in the medium containing 1.0 μM Se. Addition of an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis to the medium abolished both of the Se-dependent growth promotion and NAD-GAPDH up-regulation. Assay of NAD-GAPDH purified from seedlings subjected to Se interventions raised the possibility of a direct connection between the activity of this enzyme and Arabidopsis growth. These results reveal that trace amounts of Se accelerate Arabidopsis growth, and suggest that this pro-growth effect of Se arises enhancing mitochondrial performance in a ...
Temperature effects on lung mechanics in air- and liquid-filled rabbit lungs

Effects of temperature on lung pressure-volume (PV) curves and on the reversibility of changes were studied in the range of 4–52 degrees C. Air curves were obtained first at 21 degrees C, then afte...
Fordist Applied Research in the Era of the Five- Dollar Day

This article provides a description of the early attempts at applied social research and research driven policies and procedures used in the assessment of the employees and the consequent rewards a...
Auditory frequency discrimination in the white rat

Abstract Frequency discrimination was investigated in the albino rat using a modified go/no-go positive reinforcement procedure in which subjects reported frequency increments in an ongoing series of pure tone bursts. Weber ratios (frequency difference limen/frequency) were measured from 5 to 32 kHz at 50 dB sound pressure level. A signal detection analysis of the procedure enabled a direct comparison to be made with the rat's performance in a discrete trial go/no-go task. A mean Weber ratio of 3.06±0.44% was measured in the frequency range 5–32 kHz. This indicates that the rat has better frequency discrimination acuity than has previously been thought. The result is discussed in the context of factors affecting performance. Among the factors that were explored we found that long training times and the specific training paradigm played important roles. In comparison to discrete trial go/no-go paradigms, rats performed much better when detecting signals from a repeating background. Frequency discrimination performance decreased linearly for tones less than 50 ms in duration. For longer tone duration performance was unaffected. The means and variability of reaction times for threshold changes of frequency were greater in comparison with supra-threshold frequency changes.
Ambulatory infusion pumps: A practical view at an alternative approach

W ITH the movement in the health care system to decrease hospital costs, there has been a significant shift from hospital care to the home and ambulatory care setting. Alternative modes of delivery of chemotherapeutic agents have been developed that are readily adapted to the outpatient setting. The development of reliable microvolume infusion pumps and safe long-term intravenous (IV) access has led to the feasibility of continuous infusion of chemotherapeutic agents. Continuous infusion studies of bleomycin, cytosine arabinoside, and doxorubicin have demonstrated improvement in the therapeutic index. l The failure to cure most metastatic solid tumors is most commonly a result of intrinsic or acquired drug resistance.2,3 Ineffective drug dosing or scheduling may contribute substantially to ineffective therapy.4*5 Continuous infusion addresses these problems by allowing the escalation of drug dose to overcome apparent drug resistance,6 and improvement in the therapeutic drug index by altering the drug schedule.’ There are four means by which continuous infusions of chemotherapy can be potentially effective in cancer treatment. They are (1) the destruction of malignant cells by continuous drug exposure through all phases of the cell cycle, regardless of the length of the malignant cell cycle (which has been shown to vary from 55 to 88 hours in one study of seven patients with squamous cell cancers**9; (2) the increased effectiveness of drugs with short half-lives by ensuring exposure of malignant cells at the time of replication*O; (3) the increased length of drug exposure to the tumor cell membrane may also increase the effectiveness of the therapy; and (4) the incidence and severity of specific organ drug toxicities may be lessened.1’-14
A heuristic for multi-project scheduling with limited resources in the housing industry

A heuristic scheduling and control model is developed for the multi-project, resource constrained scheduling environment. The model is developed from actual firm data using the Kurtulus and Davis approach to select appropriate heuristic decision rules. Resource profiles, calculation of multi-project resource constrained slack and the schedule are outputs of the model. A routine to update current projects status is provided with this model for control purposes in an ongoing operational environment. While developed for the housing industry, the modelling approach has broad application in a number of multi-project environments.
Free electron laser-far infrared study of FeF2:Mn

Abstract The first use of a free electron laser (FEL) for condensed matter research was made on FeF2:Mn with the far infrared radiation from the UCSB FEL. The versatility of the FEL for linear and nonequilibrium spectroscopy is demonstrated in studies of the host and impurity modes.
POSTFLEDGING SURVIVORSHIP AND HABITAT SELECTION ACROSS A RURAL-TO-URBAN LANDSCAPE GRADIENT

ABSTRACT. Despite recent increases in the number of demographic studies of birds in urban environments, the postfledging period remains poorly understood. Because novel ecological factors, including changes in predator abundance and invasive exotic shrubs, are associated with urbanization, we asked (1) how does postfledging survivorship vary across a rural-to-urban landscape gradient and (2) to what extent does Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), an invasive exotic shrub, influence patterns of survivorship and habitat selection? During the 2008 and 2009 breeding seasons, we placed radiotransmitters on fledgling Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis; n = 45) and Acadian Flycatchers (Empidonax virescens; n = 31) that occupied riparian forest stands embedded within a rural-to-urban landscape gradient in central Ohio, USA. Predation was the primary cause of fledgling mortality for both species, but cumulative survivorship (± SE) for Acadian Flycatchers (0.720 ± 0.097; 22 days) was 1.6 × that of Northern ...
Observation of the incremental charging of Ag particles by single electrons.

We have studied electron tunneling in ultralow-capacitance silver particles sandwiched between artificial tunnel barriers. We have observed steps in the current-voltage characteristics of these systems with voltage widths of e/C (C being the capacitance of the particles), and associated current rises of e/RC. This represents the first observationof the so-called Coulomb staircase, expected for the charging of particles with extremely small capacitance by a discrete number of electrons.
Pharmacokinetics of oral O6-benzylguanine and evidence of interaction with oral ketoconazole in the rat.

Purpose: O6-Benzylguanine (BG) is a modulator of the DNA repair protein, O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). BG is converted in mice, rats and humans to an equally active, yet longer-lived metabolite, O6-benzyl-8-oxoguanine (8-oxo-BG) by CYP1A2, CYP3A4 and aldehyde oxidase. Since intravenous BG is expected to enter phase I development with orally administered anticancer agents such as temozolomide, procarbazine or SarCNU, we determined the bioavailability of orally administered BG, as well as the effect of ketoconazole, a potent intestinal and hepatic CYP3A4 inhibitor, on the disposition of BG. Methods: Following intravenous or oral administration of BG in PEG-400/saline (40:60) to Sprague-Dawley rats, the pharmacokinetics of BG and 8-oxo-BG were determined. To determine the effect of CYP3A inhibition on disposition, oral BG was coadministered with ketoconazole. Results: The peak plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (tmax), and bioavailability (F) of oral BG were: 2.3 ± 0.9 μg/ml, 2.3 ± 0.6 h, and 65.5% respectively. The AUCs of BG and 8-oxo-BG were 13.1 ± 4.6 μg · h/ml and 1.7 ± 0.4 μg · h/ml after oral administration of BG. Coadministration with ketoconazole resulted in an increase in mean absorption time from 2.0 ± 0.3 h to 6.0 ± 0.9 h, a shift in tmax to 5 ± 3.3 h, a decrease in Cmax to 0.96 ± 0.8 μg/ml, and a decrease in AUC0-inf ratio of 8-oxo-BG:BG from about 0.12 to 0.04 (P < 0.05). The bioavailability of BG was not changed (65.5% vs 56.9%, P=0.78). Conclusions: The oral bioavailability of BG is high, warranting consideration of an oral formulation for clinical development. Coadministration of ketoconazole and BG resulted in delayed oral absorption and inhibition of conversion of BG to 8-oxo-BG in the rat model.
Isolation of the ATP-binding human homolog of the arsA component of the bacterial arsenite transporter.

Arsenite resistance in bacteria is mediated by an efflux pump composed of thearsAandarsBgene products. We have isolated the human homolog of the bacterialarsA(hARSA-I), a member of the ATPase superfamily with no transmembrane domain. Southern and Northern analyses indicated the presence of two cross-hybridizing genes in the human genome and expression ofhARSA-Iin many tissues. A rabbit antiserum raised against a glutathione-S-transferase (GST)/hARSA-I fusion protein identified two cross-reacting proteins of 37 and 42 kDa by Western analysis in two different human cell lines. Overexpression ofhARSA-Iin the embryonal human kidney 293 cell line was accompanied by overproduction of the 37-kDa protein. Biochemical analysis using the GST/hARSA-I fusion protein indicated that hARSA-I is an ATPase analogous to the bacterial ArsA. Thus,hARSA-Iis a new eukaryotic member of a highly conserved ATP-binding superfamily of proteins.
The Boy with the Golden Tooth: A 1593 Case Report of the First Molded Gold Crown

The case of the Boy with the Golden Tooth, a “miracle” in a remote village in Silesia, in what is today southwestern Poland, was reported extensively in 1593. Here we report that the hoax, perpetrated by someone close to the family and with knowledge of goldsmith techniques, is the first documented case of the use of a molded gold crown. Using period instruments available to goldsmiths and a 0.001” copper sheet, we reproduced, on a plastic pediatric model, what the gold crown could have looked like.
Two unique features of the anterior cerebellum in the higher primates, including man.

Two morphological traits of the anterior cerebellar lobe unique to the higher anthropoid primates are described, and a search for their possible origins is made among representatives of the major subdivisions of the Anthropoidea. One trait involves the gradual reduction and migration of lobule II until it ultimately becomes located upon and fused with lobule I. Hence, in the higher anthropoids, the lingula actually consists of lobules I and II combined. This reduction and migration of lobule II from its normal position places lobule III adjacent to the lingula in the location occupied by lobule II among other mammals. The second distinctive feature concerns the inclusion of the anterior cerebellar peduncle on each side into the anterior medullary velum, so that they form a continuous morphological unit, separate and distinct from the remaining components on the ventral surface. This modification is found only in the members of the Hominoidea. In addition, several observations upon certain ontogenetic changes in lobular structure are reported.
Dynamic compressive behaviour of ceramics under lateral confinement

Une nouvelle technique experimentale est proposee pour le confinement lateral d'eprouvettes sollicitees dynamiquement en compression uniaxiale a vitesse de deformation elevee. Une breve description de cette technique ainsi que certains resultats preliminaires sont presentes. Ces derniers montrent que le confinement lateral augmente la resistance a l'impact des verres ceramiques fragiles comparativement aux resultats obtenus sans confinement. La propension de la ceramique a la fragmentation est egalement supprimee lors du test avec confinement. Enfin, la relation contrainte-deformation de ces ceramiques presente des caracteristiques inelastiques quand le materiau est confine lateralement
Where the Intelligent Therapist Fears to Tread: Commentary on Guyard et al.

Abstract The scope of the Guyard et al. paper is ambitious. There are strands of linguistics, aphasiology and artificial intelligence (AI). In spanning this range, one might expect at least some awareness of current theoretical assumptions in these fields; better still one might hope for a synthesis that throws new light on aphasia and computer-based therapy. In our view, the article falls short on all these accounts. In this commentary, we discuss some of these weaknesses, and argue for a rather different view of computers in aphasia therapy, which takes into account current psycholinguistic approaches and their place in the therapeutic relationship.
Vocalic underspecification in two Mandarin dialects: A case against Radical Underspecification

One central principle of Radical Underspecification is maximal underspecification in underlying representation. As a consequence, redundant features are not specified, only one value of a distinctive feature can be present, and the unmarked vowel is left unspecified. This study draws evidence from Jiyuan Mandarin zi and er suffixation and standard Mandarin epenthesis to argue against these tenets of Radical Underspecification. It is argued that the zi and er suffixes must be underlyingly [+back, +round], and [-back, +round], respectively, and that the unmarked vowel in standard Mandarin must be underlying specified with [-high]. The fact that both values of [back] are underlying present and that the unmarked vowel is not completely unspecified contradicts the minimization principle of Radical Underspecification. On the other hand, the Mandarin data are consistent with Restrictive Underspecification, which underspecifies only redundant features.
Reducing WWW latency and bandwidth requirements by real-time distillation

1. Low Bandwidth Surfing in a High Bandwidth World 2. How Distillation and Refinement Can Help 1. The Concept of Datatype-Specific Distillation 2. Refinement 3. Trading Cycles for Bandwidth 4. Using Refinement for Bandwidth Management 5. Optimizing for a Target Display 6. Optimizing for Rendering on Impoverished Devices 3. An Implemented HTTP Proxy Based on Real-Time Distillation 1. Statistical Models for Real-Time Distillation 2. Pythia’s User Interface 4. Implementation and Performance 1. URL Munging and HTML Modification 2. Exploiting URL-Level Parallelism 3. Refinement Cache 5. Implementation Status, Limitations, and Future Work 6. Conclusions 7. References
Pocket conversion made easy: a simple technique using alloderm to convert subglandular breast implants to the dual-plane position.

Background The advantages of dual-plane, partially submuscular breast implants are well documented. Standard conversion techniques to dual-plane positioning use marionette sutures and internal capsulorrhaphy sutures from the lower edge of the pectoralis major muscle to the anterior capsule or breast fascia within the subglandular plane. These techniques are limited by high rates of postoperative implant malposition and technical limitations that make combined mastopexy procedures difficult to perform. Objective We describe a simple technique familiar to most plastic surgeons accustomed to placing tissue expanders for use in breast reconstruction using Alloderm (LifeCell Corp., Branchburg, NJ) as a sling beneath the pectoralis major muscle to the chest wall. Methods We studied 25 women who underwent breast augmentation revision from the subglandular to the dual-plane position by performing a 9-year retrospective review from 1999 to 2007 of 2 surgeons' experience. We identified 10 women for whom Alloderm, sutured from the lower edge of the pectoralis major muscle to the chest wall, was used to create a composite pectoralis–Alloderm pocket for partial submuscular transfer of implants and 15 case controls who underwent pocket conversion using standard capsulorrhaphy and marionette suture techniques. Results The principal outcome variable of at least 1 complication was 73.3% without Alloderm, resulting in a 40% need for revision surgery, versus 0% with Alloderm (Fisher exact test; P Conclusions The standard techniques available for conversion of subglandular breast implants to the dual-plane position using capsulorrhaphy and marionette sutures are limited by a high complication rate for the reliable positioning into a stable dual-plane pocket during implant exchange. A commonly used technique in reconstructive breast surgery using Alloderm is shown to reliably convert subglandular implants to the dual-plane position.
Adaptive hyperspectral band selection

We present a new technique for adaptive band selection from hyperspectral image cubes for detecting small targets using an anomaly detector. The proposed technique ensures the selection of lowest number of spectral bands using Mahalanobis distance, maximum affordable extra noise variance, and Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) anomaly detector threshold. Since the target is small, band selection based only on Mahalanobis distance is not adequate and the bands which can withstand extra noise should be chosen. In addition, thresholding must be considered to avoid misclassification of target. The proposed technique yields comparatively low false alarm rate even with a few bands. For real time applications, acousto-optic tunable filter based spectral imagers may be used for acquiring hyperspectral images and for selecting the bands.
SHORT NUCLEAR LIFETIME MEASUREMENTS VIA THE PULSE BEAM DELAYED-COINCIDENCE TECHNIQUE.

Abstract Lifetimes in the 10−10 sec range were determined by simultaneously observing the time as well as energy distributions of γ-rays detected by a large-volume coaxial Ge(Li) detector. This simultaneous observation was accomplished by the use of a two-parameter analyzer operated in the 512×32 channel mode. The fiducial time for the time distribution was provided by the pulsed beam initiating (p, poγ) and (p, nγ) reactions on enriched Cd targets. Observed time distributions of delayed γ-rays ranging from 300 to 700 keV were analyzed using three different methods: centroid shift, shape fitting and area analyses. Half-lives determined by these methods are mutually consistent. It is shown that the half-life corresponding to an observed shift as small as 1/140 of the prompt distribution width (fwhm) may be reliably determined from the data.
An Approximate Method for Multidimensional Problems of Radiative Energy Transfer in an Absorbing and Emitting Media

Radiant energy transfer in absorbing and emitting media, noting approximate equations reduced to correct optically thin and thick limits for multidimensional problems
Absorbability of plant sterols and their distribution in rabbit tissues

Rabbits were fed a low cholesterol diet containing 2% plant sterols for 10 weeks to determine the absorbability of these sterols and their deposition in the tissues. We found campesterol and beta-sitosterol in the blood and tissues. The plasma campesterol levels were 4.34--13.3 mg/100 ml, whereas, beta-sitosterol levels were 0.41--1 mg/100 ml. Stigmasterol was not detected. The total plasma plant sterol concentration was about 10% of the total plasma sterol. The mean terminal plasma cholesterol concentration averaged 60% higher (55 vs. 88 mg/100 ml, P less than 0.001) than the mean initial value. Campesterol was the preponderant sterol in all tissues studied, including the aorta. Sitosterol was found in small amounts in the tissues of the abdominal organs. Stigmasterol was not detected in any tissue studied. Esterified campesterol and sitosterol were detected in trace amounts in most tissues. Campesterol and sitosterol, particularly the former, accumulated in the tissues including the aorta.
Modeling furanose ring dynamics in DNA.

Determination of the conformational flexibility of the furanose ring is of vital importance in understanding the structure of DNA. In this work we have applied a model of furanose ring motion to the analysis of deuterium line shape data obtained from sugar rings in solid hydrated DNA. The model describes the angular trajectories of the atoms in the furanose ring in terms of pseudorotation puckering amplitude (q) and the pseudorotation puckering phase phi. Fixing q, the motion is thus treated as Brownian diffusion through an angular-dependent potential U(phi). We have simulated numerous line shapes varying the adjustable parameters, including the diffusion coefficient D, pseudorotation puckering amplitude q, and the form of the potential U(phi). We have used several forms of the potential, including equal double-well potentials, unequal double-well potentials, and a potential truncated to "second order" in the Fourier series. To date, we have obtained best simulations for both equilibrium and nonequilibrium (partially relaxed) solid-state deuterium NMR line shapes for the sample [2' '-2H]-2'-deoxycytidine at the position C3 (underlined) in the DNA sequence [d(CGCGAATTCGCG)]2, using a double-well potential with an equal barrier height of U(0) = 5.5k(B)T ( approximately 3.3 kcal/mol), a puckering amplitude of q = 0.4 A, and a diffusion coefficient characterizing the underlying stochastic jump rate D = 9.9 x 10(8) Hz. Then the rate of flux for the C-D bond over the barrier, i.e., the escape velocity or the overall rate of puckering between modes, was found to be 0.7 x 10(7) Hz.
EXPLORATIONS IN UNORTHODOX POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR: A SCALE TO MEASURE “PROTEST POTENTIAL”*

A method of measuring attitudes towards examples of unorthodox behaviour is developed, found to be reliable and to possess considerable population and construct validity when deployed among a target-group sample of students, young workers, older workers, and older middle-class groups. The structure of attitudes towards unorthodox political behaviour is examined in detail and is found to be characterised by a powerful unidimensional factor of “positive-to-negative affect” traversed by strongly related dimensions like approval, justification, behavioural intentions, and even evaluative dimensions like “effectiveness”. A model (akin to Fishbein's formulation) for combining these dimensions into a single measure of “Protest Potential” is derived from regression analysis. The relationships between this new measure and more familiar socio-political attitudes are examined and some substantive conclusions are indicated, in particular, the role of politicised personal dissatisfaction.
Multiple-encounter shock-drift acceleration in nearly perpendicular shocks

A model in which low-energy ions are accelerated by a nearly perpendicular MHD shock without upstream turbulence is presented. In the present scheme, vigorous particle cross-field scattering by downstream turbulence competes with the convection downstream, sending particles back to the shock front for acceleration. Some fraction of the low-energy ions are accelerated up to maximal energy prior to escaping upstream to possibly undergo diffusion shock acceleration. The model can explain particle injection of the diffusive shock acceleration along with ion acceleration during solar flares.
Functional specificity of MutL homologs in yeast: Evidence for three Mlh1-based heterocomplexes with distinct roles during meiosis in recombination and mismatch correction

The yeast genome encodes four proteins (Pms1 and Mlh1–3) homologous to the bacterial mismatch repair component, MutL. Using two hybrid-interaction and coimmunoprecipitation studies, we show that these proteins can form only three types of complexes in vivo. Mlh1 is the common component of all three complexes, interacting with Pms1, Mlh2, and Mlh3, presumptively as heterodimers. The phenotypes of single deletion mutants reveal distinct functions for the three heterodimers during meiosis: in a pms1 mutant, frequent postmeiotic segregation indicates a defect in the correction of heteroduplex DNA, whereas the frequency of crossing-over is normal. Conversely, crossing-over in the mlh3 mutant is reduced to ≈70% of wild-type levels but correction of heteroduplex is normal. In a mlh2 mutant, crossing-over is normal and postmeiotic segregation is not observed but non-Mendelian segregation is elevated and altered with respect to parity. Finally, to a first approximation, the mlh1 mutant represents the combined single mutant phenotypes. Taken together, these data imply modulation of a basic Mlh1 function via combination with the three other MutL homologs and suggest specifically that Mlh1 combines with Mlh3 to promote meiotic crossing-over.
Interferometric lithography with an amplitude division interferometer and a desktop extreme ultraviolet laser

We demonstrate a compact interferometric lithography nanopatterning tool based on an amplitude division interferometer (ADI) and a 46.9 nm wavelength desktop size capillary discharge laser. The system is designed to print arrays of lines, holes, and dots with sizes below 100 nm on high resolution photoresists for the fabrication of arrays of nanostructures with physical and biological applications. The future combination of this ADI with high repetition rate tabletop lasers operating at shorter wavelengths should allow the printing of arrays of sub-10 nm size features with a tabletop setup.
Ultrasound-guided thermocouple placement for cryosurgery

BACKGROUND. Although cryosurgical methods have high cure rates, imprecise estimates of both skin lesion depth and destructive temperature front location result in subjective technique in skin malignancy treatments. OBJECTIVE. We evaluated the possibility of newer ultrasound equipment to assist in the precise placement of thermocouples in human skin. METHODS. DermaScan C ver. 3 ultrasonographic equipment fitted with a sharp focus probe with a frequency of 20 MHz and a scan length of 12.1 mm was used to locate thermocouples with 27- and 30-gauge needles. RESULTS. We successfully and reproducibly located thermocouples and thin needles, and accurately measured their distance from the skin surface. CONCLUSION. Ultrasound is a useful method for the accurate placement of thermocouples, and needles as thin as 30 gauge for monitoring in cryosurgery.
IV. Joint erosion in rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis, destruction of the collagenous structures that comprise the joint is associated with proliferation of synovial lining cells. Erosion of cartilage, bone, and soft connective tissue occurs predominantly in areas adjacent to these cells and the collagen of these tissues is susceptible to degradation at neutral pH by collagenase from the proliferating cells. The collagen fragments thus solubilized are further broken down by other proteases. Cartilage collagen is attacked more slowly by synovial collagenase than are soft tissue collagens, presumably due to its particular primary structure and post-translational modifications of this primary structure. Proteoglycans are degraded probably by proteolytic attack on the protein backbone. The inorganic mineral phase of bone prevents collagenolytic attack on bone matrix; mechanisms of mineral dissolution may include a local decrease in pH and release of substances such as prostaglandins from the inflammatory cells. The degradation of each structural component results in specific alterations in form and function of the joint.
Using Newton-GMRES for viscoelastic flow time-steppers

Kinetic theory models exhibit dynamics that depend on a few low-order moments of the underlying conformational distribution function. This dependence is exhibited in a compact spectrum of eigenvalues for the Jacobian matrix associated with the dynamical system. We take advantage of this spectrum of eigenvalues through Newton-GMRES iterations to enable dynamic viscoelastic simulators (time-steppers) to obtain stationary states and perform stability/bifurcation analysis. Results are presented for three example problems: (1) the equilibrium behavior of the Doi model with the Onsager excluded volume potential, (2) pressure-driven flow of non-interacting rigid dumbbells in a planar channel, and (3) pressure-driven flow of non-interacting rigid dumbbells through a planar channel with a linear array of equally spaced cylinders.
The solubility of binary mixed gases by the fluctuation theory

This paper is devoted to the solubility of mixed gases in a liquid, the goal being to predict their solubilities from binary data. Only sparingly soluble and weakly interacting gases are considered. On the basis of the Kirkwood-Buff theory of solution, two transcendental equations are derived that allow one to predict the solubility of binary mixed gases from the solubilities of pure individual gases. The suggested method was tested for the solubilities of methane-ethane, methane-n-butane, and methane-carbon dioxide gas mixtures in water at high pressures. Good agreement between experiment and predictions was found.
Design Features That Affect the Maneuverability of Wheelchairs and Scooters

Abstract Koontz AM, Brindle ED, Kankipati P, Feathers D, Cooper RA. Design features that affect the maneuverability of wheelchairs and scooters. Objective To determine the minimum space required for wheeled mobility device users to perform 4 maneuverability tasks and to investigate the impact of selected design attributes on space. Design Case series. Setting University laboratory, Veterans Affairs research facility, vocational training center, and a national wheelchair sport event. Participants The sample of convenience included manual wheelchair (MWC; n=109), power wheelchair (PWC; n=100), and scooter users (n=14). Intervention A mock environment was constructed to create passageways to form an L-turn, 360°-turn in place, and a U-turn with and without a barrier. Passageway openings were increased in 5-cm increments until the user could successfully perform each task without hitting the walls. Structural dimensions of the device and user were collected using an electromechanical probe. Mobility devices were grouped into categories based on design features and compared using 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc pairwise Bonferroni-corrected tests. Main Outcome Measure Minimum passageway widths for the 4 maneuverability tasks. Results Ultralight MWCs with rear axles posterior to the shoulder had the shortest lengths and required the least amount of space compared with all other types of MWCs ( P P Conclusions Between 10% and 100% of users would not be able to maneuver in spaces that meet current Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities specifications. This study provides data that can be used to support wheelchair prescription and home modifications and to update standards to improve the accessibility of public areas.
Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is safe in the high-risk patient: a NSQIP risk-adjusted analysis.

Background Laparoscopic colectomy was considered initially to be contraindicated in patients at high risk for operative morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that this procedure is safe to perform in high-risk patients, stratifying this risk using National VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) algorithms. Methods A case-matched, comparative study was performed for high-risk veteran patients who underwent colectomy during the period October 2002–September 2004. Consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy were matched to patients who underwent open colectomy during the same period for age, body mass index (BMI), procedure, and NSQIP-predicted risk. The groups were compared for risk-stratified, 30-day morbidity/mortality, length of stay (LOS), and operating time. Results Forty-five patients (23 laparoscopic and 22 open cases) were defined as at high risk for complications (predicted complication >0.15). The rate of major complications was significantly less in the laparoscopic group. There were 4 (18%) cases of postoperative respiratory failure in the open group and none in the laparoscopic group. There was no surgically related mortality in the laparoscopic group, compared with 2 deaths in the open group (P = .5). Median LOS was less in the laparoscopic group (5 days) compared with open (8 days) (P = .001). There were no significant differences in operating time or the number of minor complications. Conclusions Our results suggest that the laparoscopic approach to colorectal diseases is safe in the population of patients at high risk for operative morbidity and mortality. Rather, this approach may represent a safer alternative to open access.
Queerly Conversing With the Dead: Re-Membering Mom

Researchers of bereavement have made great progress in their efforts to show the complexities of the grieving process. At the same time, psychologists have constructed multiple diagnostic categories of grief, commonly accepted prescriptions that further sustain a limiting way of understanding grief and loss. The bereaved either move on and find emotional closure from a loss, or they remained fixated in the emotional trauma of a loss. In this autoethnography, I challenge the assumed static boundaries between these categories by constructing a conversation with my deceased mother to show some of the power of continuing a relationship with the deceased through “re-membering” and the complexities inherent to the lived experience of grief. Through this evocative account, I also suggest possible connections researchers may explore between autoethnography, grief and loss scholarship, and queer theory.
Acute Sinusitis in Children

Acute rhinosinusitis is a common illness in children. Viral upper respiratory tract infection is the most common presentation of rhinosinusitis. Most children resolve the infection spontaneously and only a small proportion develops a secondary bacterial infection. The proper choice of antibiotic therapy depends on the likely infecting pathogens, bacterial antibiotic resistance, and pharmacologic profiles of antibiotics. Amoxicillin-clavulanate is currently recommended as the empiric treatment in those requiring antimicrobial therapy. Isolation of the causative agents should be considered in those who failed the initial treatment. In addition to antibiotics, adjuvant therapies and surgery may be used in the management of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis.
Comparative Study of the Extraction and Measurement of Cottonseed Free Fatty Acids

Crude oil was extracted from cottonseed by three different methods to study the influence of extraction technique on the free fatty acid (FFA) concentration. Extraction procedures that recovered more oil had higher levels of FFA. In addition, the highest concentration of FFA was found in oil recovered by Soxhlet reextraction of a meal initially defatted by a room-temperature extraction process. The FFA concentrations of oils recovered by Soxhlet extraction were highly correlated with the FFA concentration of oils recovered by the other extraction methods studied (R 2>0.96). Titration of oil and gas chromatography of silylated oil were compared as methods to determine FFA concentration. The methods compared well (R 2=0.998) with the titration method, giving ∼5% higher values for FFA than the chromatography method. Half of this difference appeared to be due to the oleic acid approximation used in the titration approach. The other half of the difference is likely due to the detection of other acidic components in crude oil.
Hardness and Modulus Studies on Dielectric Thin Films

We report hardness and Young's modulus measurements on various dielectric thin films. Hardness and modulus information was derived from indentation experiments with a Berkovich triangular-based diamond indenter in an ultra micro-indentation instrument (UMIS). We studied the effect of moisture content and phosphorous doping on hardness and Young's modulus of low temperature Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Si-oxides and found that dehydration and densification tend to harden samples, whereas increased P-doping results in a lower hardness. Hardness values of silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, sputtered oxide, spin-on-glass and APCVD Si-oxides are compared. We also discuss how deposition conditions and chemical compositions correlate to dielectric properties such as stress as well as moisture uptake, thermal expansion coefficients and hardness and modulus values. Using these results, thermal stresses in encapsulated Al lines have been calculated and the calculated stress in Al is higher when encapsulated with dielectric films with higher moduli.
The Time Dimension in Marxian Social Theory

This article considers praxis, labor, and history as aspects of time that are constitutive of Marxian theory. The transition from ‘praxis’ to the critical analysis of capitalism in the labor theory of surplus value is discussed. The main part of the article suggests steps for analyzing the historical dimension of capitalist globalization. First, the forms of capital and their trajectories, e.g. commercial, productive, and financial capital, are distinguished. Second, transnational capitalist expansion is described and explained, using the movement of finance capital as the main criterion of historical periodization. Third, the article shows the importance of a unique moment of historical time, namely the major part of the 20th century, for making Marxian theorizing amenable to certain standards of explanatory social theory.
Effect of Peptide Fragment Size on the Propensity of Cyclization in Collision-Induced Dissociation: Oligoglycine b2−b8

The chemistry of peptide fragmentation by collision-induced dissociation (CID) is currently being reviewed, as a result of observations that the amino acid sequence of peptide fragments can change upon activation. This rearrangement mechanism is thought to be due to a head-to-tail cyclization reaction, where the N-terminal and C-terminal part of the fragment are fused into a macrocycle (= cyclic peptide) structure, thus "losing" the memory of the original sequence. We present a comprehensive study for a series of b fragment ions, from b(2) to b(8), based on the simplest amino acid residue glycine, to investigate the effect of peptide chain length on the appearance of macrocycle fragment structures. The CID product ions are structurally characterized with a range of gas-phase techniques, including isotope labeling, infrared photodissociation spectroscopy, gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (using CH(3)OD), and computational structure approaches. The combined insights from these results yield compelling evidence that smaller b(n) fragments (n = 2, 3) exclusively adopt oxazolone-type structures, whereas a mixture of oxazolone and macrocycle b fragment structures are formed for midsized b(n) fragments, where n = 4-7. As each of these chemical structures exchanges at different rates, it is possible to approximate the relative abundances using kinetic fits to the H/D exchange data. Under the conditions used here, the "slow"-exchanging macrocycle structure represents approximately 30% of the b ion population for b(6)-b(7), while the "fast"-exchanging oxazolone structure represents the remainder (70%). Intriguingly, for b(8) only the macrocycle structure is identified, which is also consistent with the "slow" kinetic rate in the HDX results. In a control experiment, a protonated cyclic peptide with 6 amino acid residues, cyclo(Gln-Trp-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met), is confirmed not to adopt an oxazolone structure, even upon collisional activation. These results demonstrate that in some cases larger macrocycle structures are surprisingly stable. While more studies are required to establish the general propensity for cyclization in b fragments, the implications from this study are troubling in terms of faulty sequence identification.
Absolute radiometric calibration of detectors between 200-600 A

Radiometric transfer standards consisting of windowless diodes with cathodes made of anodized aluminum oxide on aluminum are now available from the National Bureau of Standards with calibrations in the 200-600-A wavelength range. This extends the previously existing range of calibration for these diodes (600-1200 A). For wavelengths shorter than 600 A, synchrotron radiation at NBS-SURF is used as the source of radiant energy. A noble gas double ionization chamber is used to calibrate a secondary standard diode that is then intercompared with the transfer standards. Monitors take into account variations in the intensity of synchrotron radiation and in beam position. Methods of accounting for the effects of second-order radiation in the incident flux and secondary ionization in the double ionization chamber are discussed. Calibration uncertainties are about 10%.
Foot pressures during level walking are strongly associated with pressures during other ambulatory activities in subjects with diabetic neuropathy.

Abstract Maluf KS, Morley RE, Richter EJ, Klaesner JW, Mueller MJ. Foot pressures during level walking are strongly associated with pressures during other ambulatory activities in subjects with diabetic neuropathy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:253–60. Objective To assess the relationship between foot pressures measured during level walking and other types of ambulatory activity in subjects with diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy (PN). Design Descriptive survey with repeated measures. Setting University medical center. Participants Convenience sample of 16 ambulatory subjects with DM and PN. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Peak pressure and pressure-time integral (PTI) at the heel, great toe, first metatarsal head (MT1), and third metatarsal head (MT3) during level walking, ramp climbing, stair climbing, and turning at a self-selected speed. Results Peak pressure and PTI during level walking correlated highly with pressures during ramp climbing ( r range, .85–.97) and turning ( r range, .75–.96) at all regions examined and with pressures during stair climbing at MT1 and MT3 ( r range, .84–.91). Correlations between pressures during level walking and stair climbing were moderate at the great toe ( r range, .46–.57) and poor at the heel ( r range, –.12 to –.06). With few exceptions, pressures during ramp climbing, stair climbing, and turning were less than ( P Conclusions Results support the clinical evaluation of peak pressure during level walking as an efficient method to screen for maximum levels of stress on the foot as patients with DM and PN perform their daily activities.
The influence of language context on lexical retrieval in the discourse of bilingual speakers with aphasia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of conversational language demands on lexical retrieval in the discourse of bilingual speakers with aphasia. Specifically, we explored how...
Validation of SPEC6 TM CFP95 traces for accurate performance evaluation of computer systems

Abstract Performance evaluation of computer systems and processors is necessary during design, procurement, and capacity planning. The increasing complexity of realistic benchmarks combined with the relatively sluggish rate of detailed performance analysis has resulted in an ever-increasing gap between the size of the workload/traces and the speed of analysis. In this paper, we present a methodology for generating and validating representative traces from SPEC™95 benchmark suite using R-metric and K-metric. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed technique over the ubiquitous profile-driven methodology and the uniform sampling approach.
Studies on dehydrogenase activities during amphibian metamorphosis.

Abstract The levels of activity of glutamic acid, lactic acid, glucose 6-phosphate, and malic acid dehydrogenases in prematamorphic tadpole liver and adult frog liver were determined. The level of glutamic acid dehydrogenase activity is six times higher in adult frog liver than in tadpole liver. Adult frog liver has slightly higher malic acid dehydrogenase, but lower glucose 6-phosphate and lactic acid dehydrogenase activities than tadpole liver. During thyroxine-induced metamorphosis (immersion of tadpoles in 2.6 · 10 −8 M thyroxine), the glutamic acid dehydrogenase activity of tadpole liver increased 150% after 20 days; lactic acid dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities decreased to 50–60% and to 75–80%, respectively, of the premetamorphic values. Tadpole and frog liver glutamic acid dehydrogenase is active with both DPN with the H 2 O 2 -generating system and 10 −6 M KI, for 2 or more minutes prior to addition of 131 I, iodinating activity was destroyed (Table II). KI (10 −5 M ) and tyrosine (10 −3 M ) present during the incubation protected the enzyme (Table III).
ERK signaling couples nutrient status to antiviral defense in the insect gut

A unique facet of arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) infection is that the pathogens are orally acquired by an insect vector during the taking of a blood meal, which directly links nutrient acquisition and pathogen challenge. We show that the nutrient responsive ERK pathway is both induced by and restricts disparate arboviruses in Drosophila intestines, providing insight into the molecular determinants of the antiviral “midgut barrier.” Wild-type flies are refractory to oral infection by arboviruses, including Sindbis virus and vesicular stomatitis virus, but this innate restriction can be overcome chemically by oral administration of an ERK pathway inhibitor or genetically via the specific loss of ERK in Drosophila intestinal epithelial cells. In addition, we found that vertebrate insulin, which activates ERK in the mosquito gut during a blood meal, restricts viral infection in Drosophila cells and against viral invasion of the insect gut epithelium. We find that ERK’s antiviral signaling activity is likely conserved in Aedes mosquitoes, because genetic or pharmacologic manipulation of the ERK pathway affects viral infection of mosquito cells. These studies demonstrate that ERK signaling has a broadly antiviral role in insects and suggest that insects take advantage of cross-species signals in the meal to trigger antiviral immunity.