cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lazy electrons in graphene

Within a tight-binding approximation, we numerically determine the time evolution of graphene electronic states in the presence of classically vibrating nuclei. There is no reliance on the Born–Oppenheimer approximation within the p-orbital tight-binding basis, although our approximation is “atomically adiabatic”: the basis p-orbitals are taken to follow nuclear positions. Our calculations show that the strict adiabatic Born–Oppenheimer approximation fails badly. We find that a diabatic (lazy electrons responding weakly to nuclear distortions) Born–Oppenheimer model provides a much more accurate picture and suggests a generalized many-body Bloch orbital-nuclear basis set for describing electron–phonon interactions in graphene.
Anterior acetabular retractors and the femoral neurovascular bundle in anterior total hip arthroplasty: a cadaveric study.

The direct anterior approach for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become increasingly popular in recent years. Nerve compression or traction with a retractor is a common cause of nerve injury in this approach. The purpose of this cadaveric study was to evaluate the anatomic relationship of the femoral neurovascular bundle to the anterior acetabular retractor during direct anterior approach THA. Eleven fresh-frozen cadavers underwent a standard direct anterior THA, with placement of an anterior acetabular retractor in the usual fashion between the iliopsoas and acetabulum for visualization during acetabular preparation. Careful dissection of the femoral triangle was performed, and the distances from the anterior retractor tip to the femoral nerve, artery, and vein were recorded and analyzed as mean distance ± standard deviation. In all 11 cadavers, the retractor tip was medial to the femoral nerve. The mean distance from retractor tip to femoral artery and vein was 5.9 mm (SD = 5.5, range 0–20) and 12.6 mm (SD 0.7, range 0–35), respectively. Surgeons should be aware of the proximity of the neurovascular structures in relation to the anterior acetabular retractor in the direct anterior approach, taking care to avoid perforating the iliopsoas muscle during retractor insertion and limit excessive traction to prevent nerve injury.
A Case of Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Delivery in a Patient with Uterine Didelphys

Background. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that most women with one prior low-transverse cesarean delivery should be offered a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). However, very little is known about TOLAC in women with uterine anomalies. Case. A 32-year-old gravida-2 para-1 female with a history of uterine didelphys and one prior low-transverse cesarean section in the left uterine horn presented with a subsequent pregnancy in the left uterine horn. After extensive counseling on TOLAC versus repeat cesarean delivery, the patient decided to proceed with TOLAC and had a spontaneous vaginal delivery of a healthy infant at 38 3/7 weeks of gestation. Conclusion. TOLAC can be considered in women with uterine anomalies using ACOG’s standard TOLAC guidelines with informed consent and shared decision-making between the patient and obstetrician.
Characteristics and treatment of methadone maintenance therapy in Pingdingshan city, Henan province

目的 了解平顶山市参加美沙酮维持治疗(MMT)人群的基本特征、治疗依从性以及脱失原因，为提高门诊治疗效率提供依据。 方法 统计平顶山市疾病预防控制中心药物维持治疗中心2017年12月以来首次入组的阿片类物质成瘾者信息，对其人口学特征、既往毒品使用情况和MMT治疗情况进行描述性分析，并用回归模型分析维持率的影响因素。 结果 首次入组MMT的鸦片或海洛因成瘾者共141例。男女比例为3.86∶1；年龄(43.96±8.05)岁；未婚、离异或丧偶82例，占58.16%；初中及以下文化程度94例，占66.67%；初次吸毒年龄为(25.06±6.34)岁；吸毒时间(9.07±6.48)年，最短5个月，最长27年；单纯使用阿片类者134例，占95.04%；曾有毒品注射行为者26例，占18.44%。治疗期间平均服药剂量为(69.54±25.07)mL。MMT维持率为40.43%(57/141)。MMT维持率在文化程度高、居住地离门诊近、交通方便、吸毒时间长、日均服药剂量大的患者中较高。 结论 平顶山市MMT患者以男性、非在婚状态者、初中及以下文化程度者为主，与其他地区一致。提高维持率需增设服务延伸点，应关注低文化、吸毒时间短、服药剂量小的人群。
The effect of different ultraviolet-C light doses on microbial reduction and the components of camel milk.

As a result of increasing interest in non-thermal technologies as a possible alternative or complementary to milk pasteurization processing, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of different ultraviolet-C light doses on the viability of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and chemical changes to camel milk components. Pasteurized and inoculated camel milk samples were ultraviolet-C treated in a continuous flow system. The viability of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium was evaluated with both in vivo imaging system and traditional plate count agar method. Samples subjected to the 4.15, 8.30, and 12.45 mJ/cm2 of ultraviolet-C treatment resulted in 1.9, 3.3, and 3.9-log reductions in E. coli O157:H7 and 0.9, 3, and 3.9-log reductions in S. Typhimurium, respectively. The measurement of secondary lipid peroxidation products (or ThioBarbituric Acid Reactive Substance values) showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences between the raw and ultraviolet-C treated milk samples. Additionally, no changes (P > 0.05) in the protein profiles of αs1-casein, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin were observed between both samples. Compared to the untreated raw milk, c9t11 conjugated linoleic acid decreased (P < 0.01) while t10c12 conjugated linoleic acid increased (P < 0.01) in the ultraviolet-C treated milk. Furthermore, three new volatile compounds were identified in the ultraviolet-C treated milk compared to the control. In conclusion, milk treated with the ultraviolet-C light at a dose of 12.45 mJ/cm2 did not meet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for the 5-log pathogen reduction. The ultraviolet-C treatment, on the other hand, had minimal effects on camel milk components.
A SARS-CoV-2 antiviral therapy score card

The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed an unprecedented effort to identify efficacious treatments for persons infected with SARS-CoV-2. As of September 2020, more than 750 completed, ongoing, or planned clinical trials of drugs intended to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication have been registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov or WHO International Clinical Trials Platform websites. Most of the treatments studied in these trials are repurposed licensed or investigational drugs targeting viral proteins or cellular pathways required for virus replication. The use of repurposed compounds is understandable because with the exception of monoclonal antibodies, it will be several months before novel SARS-CoV-2-specific drugs will be available for human testing. This editorial describes those compounds that I believe should be prioritized for clinical testing: i) viral RNA polymerase inhibitors including GS-441524, its prodrug remdesivir, and EIDD-2801; ii) entry inhibitors including monoclonal antibodies, ACE2 molecular decoys, and peptide fusion inhibitors; iii) parenteral and inhalational preparations of interferon β and λ; and iv) inhibitors of host transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), endosomal trafficking, and pyrimidine synthesis. As SARS-CoV-2 is pandemic and as its most severe consequences result from a dysregulated immunological response to infection, the ideal therapies should be inexpensive and should be able to be administered to non-hospitalized persons at the time of their initial diagnosis.
Social and legal implications of urine drug screen analysis in the neonate: A case of suspected specimen mishandling.

Abstract Background The legal implications associated with illicit drug use during pregnancy are significant, as providers are required to notify child protective services when a drug-exposed infant is identified. Case report The case presented involves possible specimen mishandling in two infants at risk for in utero drug exposure and describes alternative methodologies available to confirm specimen identity. Conclusions It is critical that institutions establish and adhere to stringent procedures when screening newborns.
Relations between Sensory Responsiveness and Features of Autism in Children.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition defined by differences in social communication and by the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities (RRBs). Individuals with autism also commonly present with atypical patterns of sensory responsiveness (i.e., hyporesponsiveness, hyperresponsiveness, and sensory seeking), which are theorized to produce cascading effects across other domains of development. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in sensory responsiveness in children with and without autism (ages 8–18 years), as well as relations between patterns of sensory responsiveness and core and related features of autism. Participants were 50 children with autism and 50 non-autistic peers matched on age and sex. A comprehensive clinical battery included multiple measures of sensory responsiveness, core features of autism, adaptive behavior, internalizing behaviors, cognitive ability, and language ability. Groups significantly differed on all three patterns of sensory responsiveness. Some indices of core and related autism features were robustly associated with all three patterns of sensory responsiveness (e.g., RRBs), while others were more strongly associated with discrete patterns of sensory responsiveness (i.e., internalizing problem behaviors and hyperresponsiveness, language and sensory seeking). This study extends prior work to show that differences in sensory responsiveness that are linked with core and related features of autism persist in older children and adolescents on the spectrum.
David Oliver: Could we do better on hospital acquired covid-19 in a future wave?

Hospitals are currently in the eye of a covid-19 storm, driven by a rapid rise in community infection rates and more new emergency cases presenting daily. But before the current surge there were concerns about covid infection acquired or identified during a hospital stay. In October the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) issued a report on the factors behind hospital acquired covid-19 infections in England last spring.1 We now have better access to testing and personal protective equipment (PPE). We have better knowledge from research and guidelines. But the rates of covid infection officially classified as “hospital acquired” have yet to fall. NHS hospitals are fielding formal complaints from people angry and distressed that they, or a family member, may have contracted infection in what they expect to be a place of safety. Teams battling to deliver clinical care in a highly pressurised environment and at some personal risk will be sent down a distracting, demoralising warren of complaint handling and root cause …
Selecting the Optimal Factor of Safety or Probability of Liquefaction Triggering for Engineering Projects Based on Misprediction Costs

AbstractIn deterministic evaluations, liquefaction triggering potential is assessed by comparing the computed factor-of-safety (FS) against liquefaction triggering to some minimal acceptable FS. Wh...
Editor Emory O. Jackson, the Birmingham World, and the Fight for Civil Rights in Alabama, 1940–1975: by Kimberley Mangun, New York, Peter Lang Publishing, 2019, 268 pp.

In 1963, Birmingham, Alabama, was thrust into the national spotlight as the site of several pivotal moments of the civil rights movement, including the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, atta...
Successful Percutaneous Epicardial Access in Challenging Scenarios

Background This case-series highlights strategies used for successful epicardial access in challenging cases. Percutaneous epicardial access has become a valuable tool for mapping and ablating arrhythmias. However, this technique can be especially difficult in certain circumstances and is frequently avoided. Methods All cases of epicardial access for ablation from our institution were reviewed searching for exceptionally difficult cases in patients with complex pericardial and thoracic anatomy. The successful strategies are characterized in this report. Results Among 144 patients who underwent an epicardial ablation procedure between January 2004 and June 2013, four required unconventional approaches for epicardial access for ventricular tachycardia ablation. Two patients (one with previous cardiac surgery and one with prior pericardial effusion) had substantial fibrous pericardial adhesions with no virtual pericardial space and required adhesiolysis. One patient, status postpartial colectomy, underwent computed tomography-guided intercostal epicardial access due to the presence of bowel throughout the subdiaphragmatic space in the upper abdomen. The fourth patient had partial congenital absence of the pericardium and underwent epicardial access through the creation of a subxiphoid window. All epicardial accesses were successful and performed without major complication. Conclusions With precise procedural planning and cardiac imaging, percutaneous epicardial access is feasible even in patients with significant anatomical challenges.
Continued Analysis of EUVE and Optical Observations of a Flare on AD Leonis

The flare star AD Leo (dM3.5e, 4.9 pc) was observed by EUVE from 1993 March 1-March 3 UT. A flare was detected by the EUVE DS/S and seen in optical photometry on 1993 March 2 UT. We summarize an analysis of the flare’s physical parameters, and present differential emission measure (DEM) curves calculated for the quiescent, flare peak and flare decay phases of the observation.
A performance study of job management systems: Research Articles

Job Management Systems (JMSs) efficiently schedule and monitor jobs in parallel and distributed computing environments. Therefore, they are critical for improving the utilization of expensive resources in high-performance computing systems and centers, and an important component of Grid software infrastructure. With many JMSs available commercially and in the public domain, it is difficult to choose an optimum JMS for a given computing environment. In this paper, we present the results of the first empirical study of JMSs reported in the literature. Four commonly used systems, LSF, PBS Pro, Sun Grid Engine/CODINE, and Condor were considered. The study has revealed important strengths and weaknesses of these JMSs under different operational conditions. For example, LSF was shown to exhibit excellent throughput for a wide range of job types and submission rates. Alternatively, CODINE appeared to outperform other systems in terms of the average turn-around time for small jobs, and PBS appeared to excel in terms of turn-around time for relatively larger jobs. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bioenergetic Analysis of Single Pancreatic β-Cells Indicates an Impaired Metabolic Signature in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects.

Impaired activation of mitochondrial energy metabolism by glucose has been demonstrated in type 2 diabetic β-cells. The cause of this dysfunction is unknown. The aim of this study was to identify segments of energy metabolism with normal or with altered function in human type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔψM), and its response to glucose, is the main driver of mitochondrial ATP synthesis and is hence a central mediator of glucose-induced insulin secretion, but its quantitative determination in β-cells from human donors has not been attempted, due to limitations in assay technology. Here, novel fluorescence microscopic assays are exploited to quantify ΔψM and its response to glucose and other secretagogues in β-cells of dispersed pancreatic islet cells from 4 normal and 3 type 2 diabetic organ donors. Mitochondrial volume densities and the magnitude of ΔψM in low glucose were not consistently altered in diabetic β-cells. However, ΔψM was consistently less responsive to elevati...
Ultrahigh‐Pressure Liquid Chromatography: An Emerging Technique

An overview of ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) is presented that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of the technique. The push to use higher eluent pressures is the direct result of a new column technology based on the use of smaller diameter separation media and narrower bore diameters in combination with faster linear flow velocities. The topics discussed include the general aspects of the technique, as well as specific information about instrumentation, column design, and nonlinear effects. An important consideration when carrying out UHPLC separations compared to conventional HPLC separations is eluent heating due to compression and decompression heating. In many instances, the amount of heat generated is large and cannot be ignored. Models to predict heating under different operation conditions are discussed.
Resilience and crime victimization

What do we know about resilience in crime victimization? In this article, the authors discuss resilience defined as protective factors (e.g., personality characteristics, biological characteristics, social and cultural factors, and community characteristics); as a process of adaptation (e.g., self-enhancement, positive cognitive appraisals, coping styles, and spirituality), including an iterative perspective on resilience as a cascade of protective processes; and as positive outcomes (e.g., lack of symptoms) following exposure to adverse events. Within each of these definitional frameworks, they consider general conceptual issues pertaining to resilience and then the small body of research that has focused specifically on resilience and some type of crime victimization. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
Seasonal variation of root distribution of irrigated, field-grown Russet Burbank potato

Root density of irrigated, field-grown Russet Burbank potatoes grown on Plainfield loamy sand was determined periodically from soil core samples during the 1973 growing season. Total root length and weight also were measured.
A simplified algebraic method for system of linear inequalities with LP applications

In this pedagogical note we present an improved method to solve and analyze linear programming (LP) problems. The method depends on solving a system of equations and is free of any slack, surplus or artificial variables. The proposed method eliminates the need to manipulate linear inequalities to introduce additional variables and works only within the original decision variables space. We present applications of the method to handle linear optimization with varying objective function. The proposed method is easy to implement and enhances understanding of the simplex method and LP solvers transparent. We believe it is a useful alternative approach to present LP in the class room during the first few hours of introducing the subject.
Glutamine synthetase cascade: Enrichment of uridylyltransferase in Escherichia coli carrying hybrid ColE1 plasmids

Abstract We have used hybrid ColE1 plasmids that carry small selected segments of the Escherichia coli chromosome ( L. Clarke and J. Carbon, 1976 Cell 9 , 91–99 ) to obtain increased levels of two of the components involved in the covalent modification of glutamine synthetase. Screening of the plasmid collection for those strains capable of correcting the glutamine requirement in glnD mutants of E. coli which lack uridylyltransferase activity indicated that two of these plasmid-containing strains, JA200/pLC 6–32 and JA200/pLC 38–39, overproduce Uridylyltransferase by 14- to 25-fold. In both of these strains the increase in uridylyltransferase levels was correlated with a parallel increase in uridylyl-removing enzyme levels. This is in agreement with evidence which suggests that both of these activities may be encoded by the same or closely neighboring genes. Two plasmids (pLC 28–36 and pLC 41-35), that complement strains with mutations in the glnA gene, the structural gene for glutamine synthetase, are also capable of complementing the defect in the glnD mutants. However, as shown here, this occurs by a mechanism other than overproduction of uridylyltransferase.
Developmental effects of combined exposure to ethanol and vitamin A.

Abstract The potential for ethanol (EtOH) to influence the developmental toxicity of vitamin A was investigated. 11 groups of approximately 31 FDA-bred Osborne-Mendel rats received either a control or isocaloric 6.4% EtOH liquid diet (containing 4000 IU vitamin A/litre) ad lib. The vehicle control, EtOH and pair-fed (pair-fed against the EtOH group) groups received corn oil (the vehicle) by gavage. Vitamin A was administered by gavage without EtOH at 40,000, 80,000, 120,000 or 160,000 IU/kg daily. Vitamin A was administered by gavage at 10,000, 20,000, 40,000 or 80,000 IU/kg with EtOH ad lib., daily throughout the study. Combined EtOH and vitamin A resulted in significant reductions in maternal diet consumption and body weight when doses of vitamin A were as low as 10,000 IU/kg. The most severe effects on overall (days 0–20) maternal body weight gain were observed in the groups receiving 120,000 or 160,000 IU vitamin A/kg alone or EtOH in combination with 80,000 IU vitamin A/kg. The overall diet consumption (days 0–20) paralleled the overall weight gain. In general, pups exposed to ethanol and vitamin A had a tendency to weigh less than those exposed to vitamin A alone, but to weigh more than those exposed to EtOH alone. EtOH combined with vitamin A at 80,000 IU/kg resulted in an increased incidence of cleft palate relative to the vehicle control or either treatment alone. The incidence of exencephaly and protruding tongue was significantly greater in the group given vitamin A at 160,000 IU/kg, compared with the vehicle control group. The most consistent statistically significant skeletal finding in the groups receiving combined treatment was a treatment-related increased incidence of supernumerary ribs [14th rib (C7), 14th rib bud (L1) and 15 ribs]. In addition, the incidence of misshapen zygomatic arch was also significantly increased in the group exposed to EtOH and vitamin A at 80,000 IU/kg. The incidence of moderately enlarged renal pelvis and severely enlarged ureter proximal to the kidney was increased in the group exposed to EtOH and vitamin A at 80,000 IU/kg relative to the vehicle control, or either treatment alone. Therefore, for some of the endpoints examined in this investigation, it would appear that ethanol potentiates the developmental effects of vitamin A.
Mitochondrial Targeting of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1 and Its Role in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction

We report that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-inducible CYP1B1 is targeted to mitochondria by sequence-specific cleavage at the N terminus by a cytosolic Ser protease (polyserase 1) to activate the cryptic internal signal. Site-directed mutagenesis, COS-7 cell transfection, and in vitro import studies in isolated mitochondria showed that a positively charged domain at residues 41–48 of human CYP1B1 is part of the mitochondrial (mt) import signal. Ala scanning mutations showed that the Ser protease cleavage site resides between residues 37 and 41 of human CYP1B1. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) treatment induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial respiratory defects, and mtDNA damage that was attenuated by a CYP1B1-specific inhibitor, 2,3,4,5-tetramethoxystilbene. In support, the mitochondrial CYP1B1 supported by mitochondrial ferredoxin (adrenodoxin) and ferredoxin reductase showed high aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity. Administration of benzo[a]pyrene or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin induced similar mitochondrial functional abnormalities and oxidative stress in the lungs of wild-type mice and Cyp1a1/1a2-null mice, but the effects were markedly blunted in Cyp1b1-null mice. These results confirm a role for CYP1B1 in inducing PAH-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction. The role of mitochondrial CYP1B1 was assessed using A549 lung epithelial cells stably expressing shRNA against NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase or mitochondrial adrenodoxin. Our results not only show conservation of the endoprotease cleavage mechanism for mitochondrial import of family 1 CYPs but also reveal a direct role for mitochondrial CYP1B1 in PAH-mediated oxidative and chemical damage to mitochondria.
Whole Genome Sequencing to Investigate the Emergence of Clonal Complex 23 Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup Y Disease in the United States

In the United States, serogroup Y, ST-23 clonal complex Neisseria meningitidis was responsible for an increase in meningococcal disease incidence during the 1990s. This increase was accompanied by antigenic shift of three outer membrane proteins, with a decrease in the population that predominated in the early 1990s as a different population emerged later in that decade. To understand factors that may have been responsible for the emergence of serogroup Y disease, we used whole genome pyrosequencing to investigate genetic differences between isolates from early and late N. meningitidis populations, obtained from meningococcal disease cases in Maryland in the 1990s. The genomes of isolates from the early and late populations were highly similar, with 1231 of 1776 shared genes exhibiting 100% amino acid identity and an average πN = 0.0033 and average πS = 0.0216. However, differences were found in predicted proteins that affect pilin structure and antigen profile and in predicted proteins involved in iron acquisition and uptake. The observed changes are consistent with acquisition of new alleles through horizontal gene transfer. Changes in antigen profile due to the genetic differences found in this study likely allowed the late population to emerge due to escape from population immunity. These findings may predict which antigenic factors are important in the cyclic epidemiology of meningococcal disease.
Molybdenum carbide catalysts: II. Topotactic synthesis of unsupported powders

Abstract Metastable cubic α -MoC 1− x ( x ~ 0.5) unsupported powders with specific surface area ca. 200 m 2 g −1 and particle size ca. 3 nm were prepared by temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) of MoO 3 with ammonia producing first Mo 2 N which was subsequently converted to α-MoC 1− x by TPR with a CH 4 /H 2 mixture. Alternatively, a direct TPR of MoO 3 with a CH 4 /H 2 mixture also produced α-MoC 1− x , provided that a small amount of platinum was impregnated on MoO 3 prior to TPR. Reactions involved in both processes were topotactic, with formation of metastable α-MoC 1− x crystals exhibiting pseudomorphism with the original platelets of MoO 3 , the starting material. Without platinum, the reaction between MoO 3 and CH 4 /H 2 required a higher temperature of initial reduction and the reaction was not topotactic, leading to hexagonal Mo 2 C, the thermodynamically stable phase of molybdenum carbide.
Protection of Sandwich Plates from Low-velocity Impact

Sandwich plates used in marine structures are made of laminated face sheets bonded to a structural foam core. Low-velocity impact by a stiff indenter may cause local deflection of the face sheet and permanent deformation or crushing of an underlying volume of the foam core. Upon unloading, the face sheet tends to spring back, while the permanent strain in the core gives rise to residual stresses that may nucleate local interfacial cracks. Extension of such interfacial cracks by applied loads can compromise structural integrity. This article examines the protective effect of thin, ductile interlayers, inserted between the face sheet and the foam core, that absorb the face sheet deflection and thus prevent or reduce the extent of damage to the foam core. Finite element solutions are obtained for a stiff, incompressible, and very ductile polyurethane (PUR) interlayer, and also for a compliant and compressible elastomeric foam (EF) layer, in a sandwich plate made of quasi-isotropic AS4/3501-6 laminated face s...
A new method of L-kynurenine precolumn derivatization with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde and cyanide for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

L-Kynurenine was derivatized by naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) and sodium cyanide (CN). The concentration of the reaction product, cyano-2-L-kynurenine-substituted benzisoindole (CBI-L-kynurenine), reached steady-state in 100 min at ambient temperature. It was separated by reversed-phase HPLC and detected spectrophotometrically at 254 nm, fluorimetrically at 482 nm after irradiation at 419 nm, and electrochemically on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) at +0.68 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) with the detection limits of 2, 1 and 5 pmoles, respectively.
Crack initiation mechanisms in copper polycrystals cycled under constant strain amplitudes and in step tests

Abstract Crack nucleation mechanisms at plastic strain amplitudes of 10−3 and 10−4 are reported for polycrystalline pure copper. In specimens cycled at 10−3, cell structures are formed and, as well known, cracks nucleate at the grain boundaries. At the lower amplitude the dislocation structures consist of persistent slip bands (PSBs) and loop patches. Nevertheless, while some cracks do nucleate in the PSBs, the grain boundaries are the preferred site, rather surprisingly, for both crack nucleation and crack propagation. Crack nucleation mechanisms for low-high and high-low step tests using these two amplitudes were also explored. In low-high tests, for a rather wide range of fatigue life fractions the subsequent cycles at the high amplitude tend to ignore the damage produced first at the low amplitude. The potency of the damage interaction is much greater in high-low tests for the conditions studied here.
Level-Crossing Measurement of Lifetime and hfs Constants of the P 3 2 2 States of the Stable Alkali Atoms

Measurements have been made of the hyperfine structure (hfs) constants and lifetimes of the first and second $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ states of the stable alkali atoms, except lithium, using the pure magnetic field level-crossing technique. The results for ${\mathrm{Na}}^{23}$ are The results for ${\mathrm{K}}^{39}$ have been reported previously. For ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{85}$ and ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{133}$, hfs constants were obtained that agreed with, but were less accurate than, previous work. The measured life-times are The error limits in these measurements are two standard deviations. The above results were obtained by fitting the observed level-crossing signal to a theoretical line shape computed from the Breit formula, using $a$, $b$, and $\ensuremath{\tau}$ as parameters.
Dose confirmation and non-interference evaluations of the oral efficacy of a combination of milbemycin oxime and spinosad against the dose limiting parasites, adult cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum), in dogs.

Abstract Two separate controlled and blinded studies were conducted to confirm the dose and non-interference of spinosad and milbemycin oxime (MO) administered orally in combination or alone to dogs for the treatment and control of experimentally induced flea infestations ( Ctenocephalides felis ) and adult hookworm infections ( Ancylostoma caninum ). For each study, dogs were allocated randomly based on pre-treatment adult flea and hookworm egg counts to one of four treatment groups of 10 animals each. In each study, spinosad and MO in combination, using the lower half (30–45 mg/kg spinosad; 0.5–0.75 mg/kg MO) of the US commercial dose band (30–60 mg/kg spinosad; 0.5–1.0 mg/kg MO) of each active ingredient, or individually alone using the full dose range, were given orally to dogs on Day 0 using a tablet formulation. A placebo control was treated similarly. In one study, on Days −1, 5, 12, 19, 28 and 35 each dog was infested with approximately 100 unfed adult C. felis obtained from the investigator's established flea colony. All dogs were infested via the same method. Forty-eight hour post-infestation flea comb counts were conducted on Days 1, 7, 14, 21, 30 and 37 and were used to determine the knockdown and residual flea activity. In the second study, on Day −27 each of 48 dogs were experimentally inoculated with 100 third-stage infective larvae of the hookworm, A. caninum . Dogs were treated on Day 0 and necropsied on Day 7 or Day 8. All nematodes in the intestinal tract were collected on Day 7 or Day 8, identified and counted by species and stage. Post-treatment, the geometric mean live flea counts were significantly different ( p -value A. caninum worm counts were significantly different ( p -value 99% adult hookworm efficacy evaluated under laboratory conditions. Interference between either drugs was not demonstrated for both of these dose limiting parasites.
Circuit switching in multi-hop lightwave networks

Emerging high speed networks are using optical fibers employing time division synchronous communication. In these systems the use of optical switching is strongly advocated due to the bottleneck created by store and forward in electronic components. Switching solutions geared toward optical systems have been proposed so far only for packet switching networks.This paper introduces a new circuit switching approach for the emerging time division controlled fiber optic networks based on the requirement to avoid store and forward at intermediate nodes. The approach, termed Fast Circuit Switching (FCS), is unique in several operational and performance aspects. In terms of the way time slots within each cycle are allocated, a circuit is guaranteed a transmission slot immediately upon arrival at every intermediate node. As a result, the proposed Fast Circuit Switching (FCS) can be implemented by pure optical switches. In terms of performance, FCS guarantees minimum data transmission delays, consisting only of the end to end propagation delay in the network. Lastly due to being based on fixed time allocation at intermediate nodes, the FCS controlled system is purely end to end controlled. These properties make FCS inherently suitable for efficiently implementing circuit switching in wide area fiber optic networks, particularly, for supporting real time communications.The realization of slot assignments, which support the FCS solution, entails a novel graph oriented algorithmic approach. Several new algorithms for allocating circuits according to FCS are presented, dealing with fixed, as well as dynamic, circuit management. It is shown that, while providing unique operational and performance advantages as discussed above, the FCS is also bandwidth efficient, requiring only system bandwidth similar to conventional circuit switching methodologies.
Dynamic pricing strategies for social networks in the presence of externalities

We propose a dynamic pricing strategy for maximizing the revenue of a seller who wishes to sell a divisible service (good) to buyers (agents) embedded in a social network. We investigate the case where the seller can perfectly price discriminate the socially interconnected buyers with positive social influences on each other. We assume that each buyer purchases a non-negative quantity of the service depending both on her internal valuations and on the purchases of her neighbors in the social network. We relax the usual game theoretic assumption of strategic agents and assume a more realistic model of myopic buyers who choose actions that maximize their present utility and do not take into account the effect of their current actions to their future payoffs. We explore the space of dynamic pricing strategies where the seller approaches the buyers sequentially and repeatedly in multiple rounds of a selected order. We propose a dynamic policy for networks with reciprocating agents and compare its performance against an existing static policy that achieves the equilibrium consumption of the buyers. We show that our sequential dynamic pricing policy yields a greater revenue value for the seller and also drives the aggregate social welfare to a higher level than what is achievable by even the best equilibrium. Further, the computational complexity of each new round is cubic in the size of the social network. Our results indicate that dynamics provide a means to improve both seller and buyer objectives even though the strategy is designed specifically to maximize the seller's revenue.
Heat-flow modeling and visualization of catastrophic self-propagating damage in single-mode optical fibers at low powers

Damage to optical fibers by 'self-propelled self-focusing' occurs at relatively low optical powers. This phenomenon is modeled using a finite-element technique. The description is based on an induced fiber-absorption change with temperature which has been verified experimentally. A lumped absorption of a few percent used in the model gives good agreement with measurements of the velocity of damage-propagation.
Acoustic performance of inlet suppressors on an engine generating a single mode

Three single degree of freedom liners with different open area ratio face sheets were designed for a single spinning mode in order to evaluate an inlet suppressor design method based on mode cutoff ratio. This mode was generated by placing 41 rods in front of the 28 blade fan of a JT15D turbofan engine. At the liner design this near cutoff mode has a theoretical maximum attenuation of nearly 200 dB per L/D. The data show even higher attenuations at the design condition than predicted by the theory for dissipation of a single mode within the liner. This additional attenuation is large for high open area ratios and should be accounted for in the theory. The data show the additional attenuation to be inversely proportional to acoustic resistance. It was thought that the additional attenuation could be caused by reflection and modal scattering at the hard to soft wall interface. A reflection model was developed, and then modified to fit the data. This model was checked against independent (multiple pure tone) data with good agreement.
Dementia and Depression in Elders with Mental Retardation: A Pilot Study.

Abstract A preliminary investigation of cognitive decline and depressive symtomatology is presented with older adults who have mental retardation. A series of different assessment instruments are reviewed and tested in a pilot study. A review of dementia and depression with respect to elders with mental retardation is presented to place the study in perspective. Findings reveal decreasing cognitive ability is associated with higher rates of observed depression and reported behavioral problems. Trends suggested those more elderly displayed more depressive behaviors, psychotropic medication was a common treatment, and cognitive decline was associated with lower intial intellectual levels. Dementia and depression is a complicated symptom complex to identify in aging adults with mental retardation.
Quantum field theory and nuclear structure

We discuss recent successful calculations of the properties of nuclear matter within the context of theories exhibiting mass generation through spontaneous symmetry breaking. We start with the sigma model of Gell-Mann and Levy and introduce the nucleon mass (in a vacuum) in the usual manner. We relate the expectation value of the sigma field in a vacuum to a finite value of the scalar density. If the vacuum is now filled with nucleons (nuclear matter) the scalar density is increased and the new value for the nucleon mass must be determined. We exhibit the equation whose solution determines the new mass, and we also define a perturbative scheme for the determination of this mass. This scheme involves an expansion of the various quantities of the theory in terms of matrix elements calculated with positive- and negative-energy spinors parametrized with the vacuum mass. Although the decrease in the mass upon going from vacuum to nuclear matter at the equilibrium density is quite large (approx.400 MeV), we are still able to exhibit a small parameter which allows for a perturbative expansion of the binding energy and other observables. The leading term in such an expansion reproduces the approximation widely used in othermore » calculations of the properties of nuclear matter. The truncation of the expansion at the leading term is inadequate and this fact accounts for the lack of success in previous calculations using the standard formalism. We proceed to make a transformation to the Weinberg Lagrangian retaining the fluctuating parts of the sigma field. We further make a small-oscillation approximation, dropping the nonlinear terms in this Lagrangian.« less
Differential binding of testosterone and estradiol to isoforms of sex hormone-binding globulin: selective alteration of estradiol binding in cirrhosis.

The MCR of testosterone is decreased but the MCR of estradiol is unchanged in men with cirrhosis and elevated serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations. Previous studies indicated that SHBG from cirrhotic men selectively delivers estradiol, but not testosterone, to peripheral tissues of rats in vivo. These results suggest that estradiol and testosterone may bind to different SHBG isoforms in serum and that the estradiol-binding isoforms may be selectively altered in cirrhosis. This hypothesis was tested by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and fast protein liquid chromatography chromatofocusing. After Concanavalin-A affinity purification of serum glycoproteins from pregnant women, normal men, normal women, and cirrhotic men, the glycoprotein fraction was reconstituted, labeled with [3H]testosterone or [3H]estradiol, and applied to isoelectric focusing gels. Testosterone was bound selectively by the most acidic isoforms of SHBG, pI 4.5–5.4, and there was a significant anodal shift of t...
Causality and Characteristic Impedance

A new causal power-normalized waveguide equivalent-circuit theory fixes both the magnitude and phase of the characteristic impedance of a waveguide.
Priming 4.5-Month-Old Infants to Use Height Information by Enhancing Retrieval

How do infants select and use information that is relevant to the task at hand? Infants treat events that involve different spatial relations as distinct, and their selection and use of object information depends on the type of event they encounter. For example, 4.5-month-olds consider information about object height in occlusion events, but infants typically fail to do so in containment events until they reach the age of 7.5 months. However, after seeing a prime involving occlusion, 4.5-month-olds became sensitive to height information in a containment event (Experiment 1). The enhancement lasted over a brief delay (Experiment 2) and persisted even longer when infants were shown an additional occlusion prime but not an object prime (Experiment 3). Together, these findings reveal remarkable flexibility in visual representations of young infants and show that their use of information can be facilitated not by strengthening object representations per se but by strengthening their tendency to retrieve available information in the representations.
Dynamical Simulation of Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reactions in Dye−Semiconductor Systems with Different Anchor Groups

Photoinduced electron transfer processes in dye-semiconductor systems are studied employing a recently proposed method based on a model Hamiltonian where the parameters are determined by first-principles electronic structure calculations. The systems investigated include the molecules pyridine and perylene, which are anchored via phosphonic or carboxylic acid groups to a titanium dioxide nanocluster. The dynamics of the electron injection process is analyzed in some detail. Furthermore, the applicability of different rate theories to characterize the electron transfer dynamics is discussed.
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-3 Promoter Methylation is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Bladder Cancer

Purpose: TIMP-3 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3) is 1 of 4 members of a family of proteins that were originally classified according to their ability to inhibit matrix metalloproteinases. We analyzed TIMP-3 methylation in 175 urine sediment DNA samples from patients with bladder cancer with well characterized clinicopathological parameters, including patient outcome.Materials and Methods: We examined urine sediment DNA for aberrant methylation of 9 genes, including TIMP-3, by quantitative fluorogenic real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results: Using an optimal cutoff value by TaqMan® quantitation we found that the risk of death was statistically significantly higher in patients with higher TIMP-3 and ARF methylation (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.27, p = 0.01 and HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.76, p = 0.05, respectively) than in patients without/lower TIMP3 and ARF methylation in urine. A significant correlation was also seen between the risk of death and stage 3 tumor (HR 2.73, 95% CI 1.58 to 4.72, p =...
Residual stresses in girth welds of carbon steel pipes: neutron diffraction analysis

In the oil and gas industry, residual stresses in welded components, such as risers and oil offloading lines, play a key role in determining their fatigue and fracture performance. The focus of this work is on measuring the residual stresses in girth welds of large diameter (508 mm, 20 in. outside diameter) thick walled (25·4 mm, 1 in. wall thickness) pipes. Residual stresses were measured using neutrons on two girth welds on X-65 grade line pipes. One was a carbon steel weld with fully ferritic weld metal, and the second was an Inconel 625 dissimilar weld with fully austenitic weld metal. It was observed that while there were subtle differences, the overall magnitude and distribution of axial and hoop residual stresses were comparable in the two girth welds. These data are consistent with available previous measurements and computer models from the literature.
Noise Evaluation of Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

Noise testing of fluorescent lamp ballasts has been studied from a number of approaches and found unsatisfactory. A system has evolved which, if acceptable to the industry, may provide a basis for industry specifications and standards regarding this type of measurement. Study and comment by industry is encouraged.
Dermatologic diagnosis by using the hemocytometer and the dental broach.

: The hemocytometer and dental broach are useful tools in diagnosing dermatologic conditions.
Effects of metal salts on collagen synthesis in embryonic rat calvaria

Abstract Several salts of metals used in the fabrication of dental and surgical implants have been tested for their ability to affect collagen synthesis in embryonic rat calvaria maintained in tissue culture. This was accomplished by incubating calvaria with [ 14 C]proline for 30 min and measuring the amount of hydroxyproline-bound 14 C in tissue hydrolysates. The results (expressed in disintegrations per minute incorporated per gram of tissue) indicate that collagen synthesis was considerably reduced after a 24-hr treatment of the calvaria by RhCl 3 (10 −5 m ), HAuCl 4 (10 −5 m ; 10 −4 m ), or CoCl 2 (10 −4 m ), slightly reduced by NiCl 2 (10 −4 m ) and unchanged by similar treatments with MnCl 2 , CrCl 3 , TiCl 4 , Na 2 MoO 4 , or Na 2 WO 4 at 10 −4 m . These concentrations are in the same range as those reported by others for elements found in tissues surrounding implanted metallic materials. In all cases, collagen synthesis seemed to be affected to the same degree as the overall protein synthesis as measured by the total 14 C uptake.