cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolierung und Charakterisierung der Endospermproteine des Weizens: Ein Beitrag zur Erklärung der Kleberbildung

Mit Hilfe der Sedimentationstechnik gelingt es, einen Teil des Endospermproteins in etwa 95% iger Reinheit als sog. Freies Protein zu isolieren. Der wasserlosliche Anteil betragt bis zu 50% und besteht aus Proteinen und Polypeptiden mit Molekulargewichten ab 700; sie zeigen im Disk-Elektropherogramm etwa 12 Banden. Andererseits wird ein Teil des Endospermproteins als Starkekornprotein abgetrennt, dessen Trager die Starkekorner sind. Der wasserlosliche Anteil betragt bis zu 40%, jedoch sind hier Substanzen mit Molekulargewichten unter 700 zu finden. Starkekornprotein ist saulenchromato-graphisch am Kationenaustauscher in mindestens 20 Komponenten differenzierbar. Freies Protein kann also nicht identisch sein mit Starkekornprotein, was daruber hinaus auch die Aminosaurenanalyse und die Bestimmung der SH-Gruppen und der Disulfidbindungen bestatigt. Starkekornprotein besitzt gegenuber Freiem Protein einen auffallend hohen Anteil an SH-Gruppen. Die loslichen Eiweiskomponenten des Freien Proteins und die des Starkekornproteins setzen sich im Sinne einer Fallungsreaktion um. Nur geringe Anteile des Starkekornproteins genugen, um mehr als 50% des loslichen Freien Proteins auszufallen. Diese Reaktion lauft ab, wenn Weizenmehl mit Wasser behandelt wird (z. B. beim Kneten), last sich aber auch beim Zusammengeben wasriger Extrakte aus Freiem Protein und Starkekornprotein zeigen. Durch Saulenchromatographie und PAA-Elektrophorese ist nachgewiesen worden, das dabei nur bestimmte Protein-komponenten beteiligt sind. Der entstehende Niederschlag besitzt kleberahnliche Eigenschaften; seine Aminosaurenzusammensetzung ahnelt der des Freien Proteins und der des Klebers.
Blueberry and Cranberry

Abstract Blueberries and cranberries (Vaccinium spp.) are some of the berries with the highest production in North America. Both are typically mechanically harvested for processed market, although the methods for harvest may differ for each species. About 20% of the processed fruit remains as pomace or press cake, which is a rich source of fibers and bioactive compounds. Some of the compounds in these by-products are anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which are mostly concentrated in the berry skins, and can be used as a natural colorant or for their health-promoting properties. Although the pomace may be incorporated directly into food products, different methods are also used for extraction of bioactive compounds from each of the berries, including thermal or solvent extraction, extrusion, pulsed electric field, and pressured liquid extraction. Alternatively, the pomace can be used as substrate in solid-state fermentation. Production, characteristics of the pomace, and their utilization are explored in this chapter.
Sources of error in molecular diagnostic analyses

Abstract Rapid growth of molecular diagnostics testing, technology, and applications has been seen in recent years. Accurate molecular diagnostic results are critical to patient management and care, and it is important that potential sources of error are identified and reduced or eliminated. In this chapter, I will discuss pre-analytical considerations around specimen collection, transport, and storage, and considerations for nucleic acid extraction. In addition, I will review common molecular methodologies and sources of error, including those specific to some methodologies (for example PCR inhibitors or next-generation sequencing artifacts) as well as those that are common to most methodologies (for example sample contamination). Finally, I will discuss quality management principles to detect and manage errors in the clinical molecular laboratory.
A Centennial of Protons.

In the modern and exciting world of particle physics, in which scientists talk of Higgs bosons and supersymmetry, it would be natural for someone to dismiss the common proton as a particle too pedestrian to be interesting. Yet in the centennial year of the announcement of its discovery, studies of the humble nucleus of the hydrogen atom continue to teach us fascinating lessons about the subatomic world.
Hualish: A New Conceptual Label

It was not my original intention to propose a new label for what I hope to capture, but it quickly became obvious that it was necessary after delving into my research. This chapter lays out the justification for this new label and its fundamental characteristics.
The Affect Deception Model:A Review of Deception In Negotiation & The Role Of Emotion In Deception

Deception is pervasive in negotiations. Negotiations are characterized by information asymmetries, and negotiators often have both opportunities and incentives to mislead their counterparts. Effect...
Association of Mandatory Bundled Payments for Joint Replacement With Use of Postacute Care Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees.

Importance In 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services introduced mandatory bundled payments for knee and hip replacement surgical procedures among traditional Medicare (TM) patients in randomly selected areas. The association of bundled payments with outcomes among patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) is not known. Objective To determine the association of bundled payments for joint replacement surgical procedures with the use of postacute care (PAC) services among MA patients. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used difference-in-differences analysis to evaluate changes in PAC use among patients enrolled in Medicare who underwent joint replacement operations before and after the introduction of bundled payments (ie, from January 1, 2013, to September 30, 2017). A total of 75 metropolitan statistical areas were randomized to participate in the bundled payment program, with 121 areas serving as controls. Data were analyzed between September 15, 2018, and October 1, 2019. Exposure Bundled payments for hip and knee joint replacement operations, in which hospitals received a single payment to cover all costs associated with a joint replacement and associated care for the 90 days after surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were discharge to any institutional PAC setting and days spent in institutional PAC within 90 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included discharge and days spent in specific PAC settings (ie, home health, skilled nursing facility, inpatient rehabilitation). Results Of 1 536 387 individuals who underwent hip and knee join replacement surgery, 493 977 (32.2%) were enrolled in MA (mean [SD] age, 73.3 [8.4] years; 386 699 [63.5%] women; 55 078 [6.4%] black) and 1 042 410 (67.8%) were enrolled in TM (mean [SD] age, 73.3 [8.7] years, 829 014 [65.2%] women; 82 890 [9.4%] black). Among MA patients, bundled payments were associated with a reduction of 1.5 (95% CI, 1.0-2.0) percentage points in discharge to an institutional PAC setting (P Conclusions and Relevance In this study, the first 18 months of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services bundled payment program for joint replacement surgery were associated with reductions in the use of institutional PAC among MA patients. Past evaluations of bundled payments that focused on TM patients may not have measured the full consequences of this alternative payment model.
Appendicitis in the Pregnant Patient: Risk, Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes

To evaluate outcomes related to operative and non-operative management of appendicitis during pregnancy Several studies have evaluated preoperative laboratory values to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of appendicitis in the pregnant patient. Further, the Alvarado score appears to be accurate in the pregnant patient. Operative management continues to prevail in comparison to non-operative management consisting of antibiotics alone. Risks of preterm labor, fetal loss, and appendiceal perforation appear to be higher. Despite this, several recent studies have utilized MRI imaging to better stratify which patients may be better candidates for non-operative management. Additional future studies are still needed. Appendicitis remains a common non-obstetric reason for abdominal pain during pregnancy. Perforation can result in poor outcomes. Operative management appears to be safe and is commonly utilized. Laparoscopy is a safe approach for surgeons who can perform laparoscopic appendectomy. Additional study is required to determine the role of non-operative management in the pregnant patient.
Growth of elastically-stiff, nanostructured, high-entropy alloy nitride, (VNbTaMoW)N/Al2O3(0001) thin film

Abstract We demonstrate the growth of 111-oriented, stoichiometric, B1-structured high-entropy alloy nitride (VNbTaMoW)N/Al2O3(0001) thin film via reactive magnetron sputtering and determine its elastic modulus E as 187±70 GPa using in situ buckling tests. Ab initio density functional theory calculations reveal that B1-MoN and B1-WN are structurally unstable, yet the nitride alloy with nearly equal fractions of parent nitrides is stable in B1 structure with E111 along [111] around 270 GPa. Interestingly, E111 values of the nitride alloys are higher than those expected from rule-of-mixture of all as well as the mechanically stable parent binary nitrides (B1- VN, NbN, and TaN). Our results suggest that cocktail effects, expected of high-entropy alloys, help not only stabilize a significant concentration of the unstable B1-WN and B1-MoN but also result in an enhanced stiffness of (VNbTaMoW)N.
In the diaspora, not dead: Africa’s heritages in French museums:

There have always been pressures from within French society and from Africa for the restitution of items of African cultural patrimoine. Newly elected President Macron announced that it was time to...
Agricultural practices drive biological loads, seasonal patterns and potential pathogens in the aerobiome of a mixed-land-use dryland

Air carries a diverse load of particulate microscopic biological matter in suspension, either aerosolized or aggregated with dust particles, the aerobiome, which is dispersed by winds from sources to sinks. The aerobiome is known to contain microbes, including pathogens, as well as debris or small-sized propagules from plants and animals, but its variability and composition has not been studied comprehensibly. To gain a dynamic insight into the aerobiome existing over a mixed-use dryland setting, we conducted a biologically comprehensive, year-long survey of its composition and dynamics for particles less than 10 μm in diameter based on quantitative analyses of DNA content coupled to genomic sequencing. Airborne biological loads were more dependent on seasonal events than on meteorological conditions and only weakly correlated with dust loads. Core aerobiome species could be understood as a mixture of high elevation (e.g. Microbacteriaceae, Micrococcaceae, Deinococci), and local plant and soil sources (e.g. Sphingomonas, Streptomyces, Acinetobacter). Despite the mixed used of the land surrounding the sampling site, taxa that contributed to high load events were largely traceable to proximal agricultural practices like cotton and livestock farming. This included not only the predominance of specific crop plant signals over those of native vegetation, but also that of their pathogens (bacterial, viral and eukaryotic). Faecal bacterial loads were also seasonally important, possibly sourced in intensive animal husbandry or manure fertilization activity, and this microbial load was enriched in tetracycline resistance genes. The presence of the native opportunistic pathogen, Coccidioides spp., by contrast, was detected only with highly sensitive techniques, and only rarely. We conclude that agricultural activity exerts a much stronger influence that the native vegetation as a mass loss factor to the land system and as an input to dryland aerobiomes, including in the dispersal of plant, animal and human pathogens and their genetic resistance characteristics.
Sleep Apnea and Hypertension in the Elderly

The cardiovascular morbidity associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) changes with aging. This review addresses unique aspects of OSA-associated hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly. The risk of hypertension and CVD in OSA diminishes with aging. The standard apnea hypopnea index cut-offs for OSA diagnosis and severity do not predict CVD or mortality in the elderly. Further, the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on hypertension and mortality is inconsistent in this population. A therapeutic effect of CPAP is noted in some studies in subsets of elderly with high CPAP adherence. Aging-related physiological changes in upper airway function and ventilatory control function modify the impact of OSA on hypertension and CVD. Future research should identify common endotypes of OSA and optimal OSA severity metrics from polysomnography to inform treatment algorithms for the elderly. Finally, promotion of CPAP adherence in this population may improve CVD outcomes.
A Simple Method to Dual Site-Specifically Label a Protein Using Tryptophan Auxotrophic Escherichia coli

Site-specifically labeling proteins with multiple dyes or molecular moieties is an important yet non-trivial task for many research, such as when using Foster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to study dynamics of protein conformational change. Many strategies have been devised, but usually done on a case-by-case basis. Expanded genetic code provided a general platform to incorporate non-canonical amino acids (ncAA), which can also enable multiple site-specific labeling, but it’s technically complicated and not suitable for some applications. Here we present a streamlined method that could enable dual site-specific protein labeling by using a tryptophan auxotroph of Escherichia coli to incorporate a naturally found tryptophan analog, 5-hydroxytryptophan into a recombinant protein. As a demonstration, we incorporated 5-hydroxytryptophan into E. coli release factor 1 (RF1), a protein known to possess two different conformations, and site-specifically attached two different fluorophores, one on 5-hydroxytryptophan and another on a cysteine residue. This method is simple, generally applicable, efficient, and can serve as an alternative way for researchers who want to install an additional labeling site in their proteins.
TEG and ROTEM: Technology and clinical applications

Initially described in 1948 by Hertert thromboelastography (TEG) provides a real-time assessment of viscoelastic clot strength in whole blood. Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) evolved from TEG technology and both devices generate output by transducing changes in the viscoelastic strength of a small sample of clotting blood (300 µl) to which a constant rotational force is applied. These point of care devices allow visual assessment of blood coagulation from clot formation, through propagation, and stabilization, until clot dissolution. Computer analysis of the output allows sophisticated clot formation/dissolution kinetics and clot strength data to be generated. Activation of clot formation can be initiated with both intrinsic (kaolin, ellagic acid) and extrinsic (tissue factor) activators. In addition, the independent contributions of platelets and fibrinogen to final clot strength can be assessed using added platelet inhibitors (abciximab and cytochalasin D). Increasingly, ROTEM and TEG analysis is being incorporated in vertical algorithms to diagnose and treat bleeding in high-risk populations such as those undergoing cardiac surgery or suffering from blunt trauma. Some evidence suggests these algorithms might reduce transfusions, but further study is needed to assess patient outcomes.
A Review of “Dividing the Spoils: The War for Alexander the Great's Empire”

Dividing the Spoils seeks to fill a gap in narrative treatments of ancient Greek and Near Eastern history between the death of Alexander the Great and the rise of Rome. Waterfield, an independent s...
In vivo kinetics of murine hemopoietic stem cells

We used stochastic modeling and computer simulation to study the replication, apoptosis, and differentiation of murine hemopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in vivo. This approach allows description of the behavior of an unobserved population (ie, HSCs) on the basis of the behavior of observed progeny cells (ie, granulocytes and lymphocytes). The results of previous limiting-dilution, competitive-repopulation studies in 44 mice were compared with the results of simulated transplantation studies to identify parameters that led to comparable outcomes. Using this approach, we estimated that murine HSCs replicate (on average) once every 2.5 weeks and that the frequency of murine HSCs is 8 per 10 5 nucleated marrow cells. If it is assumed that short-term repopulating cells are distinct from HSCs, that they contribute to hemopoiesis early after transplantation, and that they are independently regulated, a frequency of 4 HSCs per 10 5 nucleated marrow cells also allows simulations that best approximate the observed data. When stochastic modeling and computer simulation were applied to limiting-dilution, autologous-transplantation studies in cats heterozygous for glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase, different estimates of HSC replication rate (1 per 8.3-10 weeks) and frequency (6 per 10 7 cells) were derived. Therefore, it appears that these parameters vary inversely with increased longevity, size, or both. An implication of these data is that human HSCs may be less frequent and replicate more slowly. These findings on cell kinetics have several implications.
An iNKT cell expansion causes premature delivery in mice (HUM7P.323)

Objective: Maternal-fetal tolerance involves a tight balance between the innate and adaptive immunity, which avoids rejection of the semi-allogeneic embryo. The innate and adaptive limbs of the immune response are bridged by iNKT cells; therefore, we hypothesized that an alteration in their number and/or activation breaks maternal-fetal tolerance, leading to premature delivery. Methods: Pregnant mice were injected on E16.5 with either α-galactosylceramide (an iNKT activator; 2 μg) or PBS as a control (n=19 each). Gestational length and the rates of stillbirth and long-term pup survival were recorded. Peripheral blood, decidua, liver, spleen and lymph nodes were collected just prior to delivery from additional treated and control mice (n=8-9 each). In tissue cell suspensions, iNKT phenotype and activation were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: 1) iNKT activator treatment promoted premature delivery (E18.09±0.60; controls delivered on E19.51±0.78); 2) iNKT activator treatment increased the rate of stillbirth (63.63 vs. 21.94%); 3) iNKT activator treatment did not reduce long-term pup survival; 4) iNKT activator treatment caused an expansion of iNKT cells (CD1d tetramer+NK1.1+CD49b+) in peripheral blood, liver and decidua, but not in spleen and lymph nodes; 5) iNKT cell activation was unchanged by iNKT activator treatment. Conclusion: Treatment with α-galactosylceramide causes an expansion of systemic and local iNKT cells leading to premature delivery in mice.
Restricted Ig variable region gene expression among Ly-1+ B cell lymphomas.

The majority of the characterized Ly-1+ B cell lymphomas of B10.H-2aH-4bp/Wts origin (the CH series) bear surface Ig related by Ag specificity or idiotype or both. To determine the genetic basis for these structural similarities, we have sequenced the VH and VL region genes expressed by 10 CH lymphomas, and have compared their VH and V kappa gene rearrangements by Southern blot analysis to one another and to those of four other CH lymphomas. Sequence analysis identified only five different VH, and seven different VL genes, and indicated that these V genes are essentially unmutated. CH lymphomas which express the identical VH gene share at least one idiotope. Thus, the basis for shared idiotype and specificity is due in most cases to the use of the same V gene. This restriction in V gene expression is not due to the preferential use of V genes of any particular VH family or VL group, as the expressed V genes belong to four different VH families and four V kappa groups, and include V lambda 1 and V lambda 2. We hypothesize that Ag selection accounts for the restriction in V gene usage among CH lymphomas.
Detailed analysis of Honeywell In-Space Accelerometer data - STS-32

The Honeywell In-Space Accelerometer (HISA) system collected data in the mid-deck area of the Shuttle Columbia during the flight of STS-32, January 1990. The resulting data were to be used to investigate the response of crystal microstructure to different types of residual acceleration. The HISA is designed to detect and record transient and oscillatory accelerations. The sampling and electronics package stored averaged accelerations over two sampling periods; two sampling rates were available: 1 Hz and 50 Hz. Analysis of the HISA data followed the CMMR Acceleration Data Processing Guide, considering in-house computer modelling of a float-zone indium crystal growth experiment. Characteristic examples of HISA data showing the response to the primary reaction control system, Orbiter Maneuvering System operations, and crew treadmill activity are presented. Various orbiter structural modes are excited by these and other activities.
An informatics model for tissue banks – Lessons learned from the Cooperative Prostate Cancer Tissue Resource

Advances in molecular biology and growing requirements from biomarker validation studies have generated a need for tissue banks to provide quality-controlled tissue samples with standardized clinical annotation. The NCI Cooperative Prostate Cancer Tissue Resource (CPCTR) is a distributed tissue bank that comprises four academic centers and provides thousands of clinically annotated prostate cancer specimens to researchers. Here we describe the CPCTR information management system architecture, common data element (CDE) development, query interfaces, data curation, and quality control. Data managers review the medical records to collect and continuously update information for the 145 clinical, pathological and inventorial CDEs that the Resource maintains for each case. An Access-based data entry tool provides de-identification and a standard communication mechanism between each group and a central CPCTR database. Standardized automated quality control audits have been implemented. Centrally, an Oracle database has web interfaces allowing multiple user-types, including the general public, to mine de-identified information from all of the sites with three levels of specificity and granularity as well as to request tissues through a formal letter of intent. Since July 2003, CPCTR has offered over 6,000 cases (38,000 blocks) of highly characterized prostate cancer biospecimens, including several tissue microarrays (TMA). The Resource developed a website with interfaces for the general public as well as researchers and internal members. These user groups have utilized the web-tools for public query of summary data on the cases that were available, to prepare requests, and to receive tissues. As of December 2005, the Resource received over 130 tissue requests, of which 45 have been reviewed, approved and filled. Additionally, the Resource implemented the TMA Data Exchange Specification in its TMA program and created a computer program for calculating PSA recurrence. Building a biorepository infrastructure that meets today's research needs involves time and input of many individuals from diverse disciplines. The CPCTR can provide large volumes of carefully annotated prostate tissue for research initiatives such as Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) and for biomarker validation studies and its experience can help development of collaborative, large scale, virtual tissue banks in other organ systems.
Another Defense of Naturalized Ethics

This essay argues against Richard Joyce, using him as an exemplar of a number of writers who purport to show that the best a naturalized ethics can provide are demands that we can hold only as moral agnostics; that is, that no moral claims can be shown to be epistemically warranted, hence no moral claims have the property of “inescapable authority” necessary for real moral discourse or deliberation. The prudent (and “dignified”) course of action is therefore to act as if moral claims had categorical standing, knowing full well that we cannot, in principle, know this. The essay proposes instead that a fully naturalized account of moral reasoning and sentiments, compatible with the commitment to understanding human beings as products of evolutionary processes, can provide “existence imperatives” necessarily implicated in our being social animals. It argues that, on the one hand, we're mistaken in believing that real moral discourse must include imperatives that hold with inescapable authority as a foundation and, on the other, that a naturalistic perspective can offer demands that are authoritative enough to make moral judgment sound.
Quality of 2- and 3-Dimensional Fast Acquisition Fetal Cardiac Imaging at 18 to 22 Weeks Ramifications for Screening

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency with which 6 different fetal cardiac views taken during a fetal ultrasound examination at 18 to 22 weeks' gestation can be obtained satisfactorily for cardiac anomaly screening using either a 2-dimensional (2D) static or 3-dimensional (3D) fast acquisition technique. METHODS A prospective study of 100 low-risk women undergoing an anatomic survey was performed. Standard static 2D and 3D fast acquisition volumes were obtained on all patients. The 2D and 3D images were assigned, in a random order, to be independently graded by 3 reviewers. The degree of inter-reviewer agreement was assessed through the use of the Cohen kappa statistic. The factors contributing to satisfactory imaging were evaluated by random effects logistic regression. RESULTS A significant proportion of both 2D and 3D images were judged unsatisfactory for screening purposes. However, 2D images were significantly more likely, for all cardiac views, to be judged satisfactory (P < .05). The odds ratios for the 2D technique's being more likely than the 3D technique to provide images satisfactory for screening were 2.6 for the 4-chamber view, 2.4 for the right ventricular outflow tract, 4 for the left ventricular outflow tract, 3.2 for the 3-vessel view, 8.6 for the aortic arch, and 2.2 for the ductal arch. CONCLUSIONS In this prospective study, static 2D imaging was significantly more likely than fast acquisition 2D imaging to yield cardiac views of high enough quality to satisfactorily screen for anomalies.
Intestinal absorption of β-carotene ingested with a meal rich in sunflower oil or beef tallow: postprandial appearance in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins in women

BACKGROUND Evidence indicates that different types of fat have different effects on the postprandial plasma triacylglycerol response. Therefore, the type of fat may influence the appearance of beta-carotene in postprandial triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins, which is used as an indicator of intestinal beta-carotene absorption. OBJECTIVE We compared in female subjects the appearance of beta-carotene in plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins after beta-carotene was ingested with a meal containing sunflower oil or beef tallow. DESIGN Women (n = 11) each ingested 2 different vitamin A-free, fat-rich meals that were supplemented with beta-carotene (47 micromol) and contained equivalent amounts (60 g) of sunflower oil or beef tallow. Blood samples were collected hourly from 0 to 10 h; additional samples were collected at selected intervals until 528 h. In a subgroup of the women (n = 7), plasma chylomicrons and 3 subfractions of VLDLs were separated by cumulative rate ultracentrifugation. RESULTS The appearance of beta-carotene in chylomicrons and in each VLDL subfraction was lower after ingestion with the meal containing sunflower oil than after ingestion with the meal containing beef tallow (P < 0.03). In chylomicrons, the area under the concentration-versus-time curve (AUC) for beta-carotene was 38.1 +/- 13.6% lower (P < 0.03); in contrast, the AUC for triacylglycerol was higher (P < 0.05) after the sunflower-oil-rich meal than after the beef-tallow-rich meal. CONCLUSIONS Ingestion of beta-carotene with a meal rich in sunflower oil as compared with a meal rich in beef tallow results in lower appearance of beta-carotene and greater appearance of triacylglycerol in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins.
In-Situ Time-of-Flight Neutron Diffraction Study of High-Temperature α-to-β Phase Transition in Elemental Scandium

Lattice parameters for both hcp α-Sc and bcc β-Sc were determined between 1200 °C and 1400 °C from time-of-flight (TOF) neutron diffraction data collected from an elemental Sc sample vacuum sealed inside a niobium crucible. On heating, the high-temperature β-Sc phase first appeared between 1340 °C and 1350 °C, close to the reported transition temperature of 1337 °C. The lattice constants of hcp α-Sc were found to vary between a = 3.3522(4) A, c = 5.3807(7) A at 1200 °C and a = 3.3579(6) A, c = 5.398(1) A at 1340 °C. The lattice constants of bcc β-Sc were found to vary between a = 3.752(2) A at 1350 °C and a = 3.7572(8) A at 1400 °C. The average thermal expansion coefficient for the bcc β-Sc phase was 1.61 × 10−5 °C−1 over the temperature range 1360 °C to 1400 °C. The average thermal expansion coefficient along the a-axis of hcp α-Sc between 1200 °C and 1340 °C was 1.46 × 10−5 °C−1. The average thermal expansion coefficient along the c-axis of hcp α-Sc between 1200 °C and 1340 °C was 2.22 × 10−5 °C−1.
Realignment: Highways and Livability Policy in the Post-Interstate Era, 1978–2013

While federal policy makers have pursued “livable” communities since the late 1970s, they have rarely agreed on precisely what “livability” entailed and how best to achieve it. When U.S. Secretary ...
Soil microbiota in two annual grasslands: responses to elevated atmospheric CO2.

We measured soil bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and biological activity in serpentine and sandstone annual grasslands after 4 years of exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2. Measurements were made during the early part of the season, when plants were in vegetative growth, and later in the season, when plants were approaching their maximum biomass. In general, under ambient CO2, bacterial biomass, total protozoan numbers, and numbers of bactivorous nematodes were similar in the two grasslands. Active and total fungal biomasses were higher on the more productive sandstone grassland compared to the serpentine. However, serpentine soils contained nearly twice the number of fungivorous nematodes compared to the sandstone, perhaps explaining the lower standing crop of fungal biomass in the serpentine and suggesting higher rates of energy flow through the fungal-based soil food web. Furthermore, root biomass in the surface soils of these grasslands is comparable, but the serpentine contains 6 times more phytophagous nematodes compared to the sandstone, indicating greater below-ground grazing pressure on plants in stressful serpentine soils. Elevated CO2 increased the biomass of active fungi and the numbers of flagellates in both grasslands during the early part of the season and increased the number of phytophagous nematodes in the serpentine. Elevated CO2 had no effect on the total numbers of bactivorous or fungivorous nematodes, but decreased the diversity of the nematode assemblage in the serpentine at both sampling dates. Excepting this reduction in nematode diversity, the effects of elevated CO2 disappeared later in the season as plants approached their maximum biomass. Elevated CO2 had no effect on total and active bacterial biomass, total fungal biomass, or the total numbers of amoebae and ciliates in either grassland during either sampling period. However, soil metabolic activity was higher in the sandstone grassland in the early season under elevated CO2, and elevated CO2 altered the patterns of use of individual carbon substrates in both grasslands at this time. Rates of substrate use were also significantly higher in the sandstone, indicating increased bacterial metabolic activity. These changes in soil microbiota are likely due to an increase in the flux of carbon from roots to soil in elevated CO2, as has been previously reported for these grasslands. Results presented here suggest that some of the carbon distributed below ground in response to elevated CO2 affects the soil microbial food web, but that these effects may be more pronounced during the early part of the growing season.
TSV array utilization in low-power 3D clock network design

This paper focuses on low-power clock network design for 3D ICs, where through-silicon vias (TSVs) form a regular 2-dimensional array. This TSV array style is shown to be more manufacturable and practical than layouts with TSVs located at irregular spots. However, due to limited TSV resources in TSV arrays, TSV utilization in a 3D clock network significantly affects the final clock power. A straightforward extension on existing works for TSV arrays cannot guarantee power efficiency. Therefore, we develop a decision-tree-based clock synthesis (DTCS) method to generate low-power and reliable clock networks by efficiently exploring the entire solution space for the best TSV array utilization. Our DTCS method has been applied for both gate-level chip-scale 3D clock designs and block-level global clock designs. Experimental results show that our algorithm effectively finds close-to-optimal solutions for power efficiency with skew minimization in short runtime. Our DTCS method achieves up to 13.5% average power reduction with more than 50% fewer TSVs compared with the straightforward extension on the existing algorithm.
Practical Considerations for Measuring Hydrogen Concentrations in Groundwater

Several practical considerations for measuring concentra tions of dissolved molecular hydrogen (H2) in groundwater, including (1) sampling methods, (2) pumping methods, and (3) effects of well casing materials were evaluated. Three different sampling methodologies (a downhole sampler, a gas-stripping method, and a diffusion sampler) were compared. The downhole sampler and gas-stripping methods gave similar results when applied to the same wells. The diffusion sampler, on the other hand, appeared to overestimate H2 concentrations relative to the downhole sampler. Of these methods, the gas-stripping method is better suited to field conditions because it is faster (∼30 min for a single analysis as opposed to 2 h for the downhole sampler or 8 h for the diffusion sampler), the analysis is easier (less sample manipulation is required), and the data computations are more straightforward (H2 concentrations need not be corrected for water sample volume). Measurement of H2 using the gas-stripping method can be affe...
The fine structure of the stria vascularis of the cat inner ear.

The fine structure of the cat stria vascularis was studied with the electron microscope. It consists of three layers of epithelial cells in close association with intraepithelial capillaries. The cells of the superficial row have a convex luminal surface bordering on the cochlear duct lumen. The apical cytoplasm contains numerous coated vesicles and vesicular invaginations which are interpreted as a type of micropinocytosis. Deep infoldings of the plasmalemma divide the lower two-thirds of these cells into thin compartments containing numerous mitochondria. It is suggested that marginal cells are well adapted by their fine structure to participate in regulation of the ion composition of endolymph. The cells of the intermediate and basal rows have pale cytoplasm and numerous processes Ascending processes of the basal cells form cup-like structures which partially isolate each apical cell from the rest of the epithelium. The endothelium of the strial capillaries is not remarkable and no discontinuities of the endothelial lining were observed. The endothelial basement lamina sends out numerous extensions into a system of interconnected extracellular passages that permeate the epithelium. These are interpreted as pathways for the rapid diffusion of materials from the capillaries.
Water version of the radial-arm maze: learning in three inbred strains of mice.

The conventional land radial-arm maze has several disadvantages, including requiring a complicated automated apparatus, the elimination of odors as cues, and the use of food deprivation. We have created a water version of the maze, based on the principles of the land version, which maintains the advantages and excludes some of the disadvantages. In our maze, BXSB and C57BL/6 mice significantly reduced the number of working and reference memory errors committed over sessions, while NZB mice did not. For each strain, as the working memory 'load' increased during a session, the number of errors increased. However, with practice the BXSB and C57BL/6 strains were able to handle this memory load more effectively. Mice were able to learn the maze without extensive adaptation, training, or testing and they did not exhibit 'chaining'. This maze can also be considered to be an example of a water win-shift task that mice can easily learn. Therefore, the water version of the radial-arm maze can be a simple and useful tool for studying rodent learning and memory.
Bioactives from bitter melon enhance insulin signaling and modulate acyl carnitine content in skeletal muscle in high-fat diet fed mice

Bioactive components from bitter melon (BM) have been reported to improve glucose metabolism in vivo, but definitive studies on efficacy and mechanism of action are lacking. We sought to investigate the effects of BM bioactives on body weight, muscle lipid content and insulin signaling in mice fed a high-fat diet and on insulin signaling in L6 myotubes. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into low-fat diet control (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD plus BM (BM) groups. Body weight, body composition, plasma glucose, leptin, insulin and muscle lipid profile were determined over 12 weeks. Insulin signaling was determined in the mouse muscle taken at end of study and in L6 myotubes exposed to the extract. Body weight, plasma glucose, insulin, leptin levels and HOMA-IR values were significantly lower in the BM-fed HFD group when compared to the HFD group. BM supplementation significantly increased IRS-2, IR β, PI 3K and GLUT4 protein abundance in skeletal muscle, as well as phosphorylation of IRS-1, Akt1 and Akt2 when compared with HFD (P<.05 and P<.01). BM also significantly reduced muscle lipid content in the HFD mice. BM extract greatly increased glucose uptake and enhanced insulin signaling in L6 myotubes. This study shows that BM bioactives reduced body weight, improved glucose metabolism and enhanced skeletal muscle insulin signaling. A contributing mechanism to the enhanced insulin signaling may be associated with the reduction in skeletal muscle lipid content. Nutritional supplementation with this extract, if validated for human studies, may offer an adjunctive therapy for diabetes.
Neuropsychological performance and family history in children at age 7 who develop adult schizophrenia or bipolar psychosis in the New England Family Studies.

BACKGROUND Persons developing schizophrenia (SCZ) manifest various pre-morbid neuropsychological deficits, studied most often by measures of IQ. Far less is known about pre-morbid neuropsychological functioning in individuals who later develop bipolar psychoses (BP). We evaluated the specificity and impact of family history (FH) of psychosis on pre-morbid neuropsychological functioning. METHOD We conducted a nested case-control study investigating the associations of neuropsychological data collected systematically at age 7 years for 99 adults with psychotic diagnoses (including 45 SCZ and 35 BP) and 101 controls, drawn from the New England cohort of the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP). A mixed-model approach evaluated full-scale IQ, four neuropsychological factors derived from principal components analysis (PCA), and the profile of 10 intelligence and achievement tests, controlling for maternal education, race and intra-familial correlation. We used a deviant responder approach (<10th percentile) to calculate rates of impairment. RESULTS There was a significant linear trend, with the SCZ group performing worst. The profile of childhood deficits for persons with SCZ did not differ significantly from BP. Neuropsychological impairment was identified in 42.2% of SCZ, 22.9% of BP and 7% of controls. The presence of psychosis in first-degree relatives (FH+) significantly increased the severity of childhood impairment for SCZ but not for BP. CONCLUSIONS Pre-morbid neuropsychological deficits are found in a substantial proportion of children who later develop SCZ, especially in the SCZ FH+ subgroup, but less so in BP, suggesting especially impaired neurodevelopment underlying cognition in pre-SCZ children. Future work should assess genetic and environmental factors that explain this FH effect.
SoHo A Study of Residential Invasion of a Commercial and Industrial Area

Human ecological theory has been consistent in its formulation of the process of invasion-succession. Early studies that employed these concepts tended to focus on a particular example of the proce...
Rotating deep annulus convection. Part 2. Wave instabilities, vertical stratification, and associated theories

The baroclinic instability theories which are relevant to the differentially heated, rotating annulus are reviewed and recalculated in a way which brings out the importance of the vertical stratification of the fluid. Experimental measurements of the wave-regime neutral surface are presented which qualitatively agree with most of the predictions of the theories; in particular, good agreement with the predicted effect of the vertical stratification is obtained. Some details concerning an observed transition from high amplitude waves to low amplitude waves are given. Also some experimental evidence on the existence of a one-wave mode and a mixed one-wave and two-wave mode is presented. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1970.tb00495.x
The patent gamble: strategic insights for playing the worldwide patent game.

Biotech companies face the challenge of cutting costs to make their resources last through the economic downturn, while continuing to seek international patent protection for their inventions to ensure long-term viability.
An efficient privacy preserving location based service system

Location based service is an indispensable part of today's mobile era. While it brings a lot of benefits to people, the breach to individual location privacy is always a concern and impedes the smooth development of location based service. A user can be easily tracked once she subscribes or uses the service from an untrusted location based service server. In this paper, we try to address this problem by proposing a secure and efficient location based service system. In our system, a user does not leak any of her location information while she can still obtain the desired information associated with the location. We propose a novel method to map a user's current location to the index of the information stored in the location based service server. We demonstrated the efficiency of our system through simulations.
Experimental evaluation of high energy ion implantation gradients for possible fabrication of a transistor pedestal collector

The use of ion accelerators to implant impurities in crystals has become the subject of widespread research. Such studies have been limited mainly to low energies with acceleration voltages of 50 to 500 kilovolts. In this energy range, impurities are implanted into the upper micron or less of the surface. The present work describes certain characteristics of high energy ion implantation. The ions used were boron and phosphorus. They were implanted into silicon with energies of 2 to 4 megavolts. In this energy range, the impurities have a useful positive impurit concentration gradient from the surface. The surface concentration is about 4 × 1016 cm-3, and the peak concentration exceeds 1019 cm-3 depending on dosage. The peak concentration occurs about 2.5 µm deep. After annealing the radiation damage introduced into the semiconductor, it was determined that the surface silicon recovered over 90% of its expected maximum conductivity and mobility. A discussion is given of the concentration gradients required to fabricate a collector pedestal for a high-speed switching transistor, and it is shown that such gradients can be obtained by using high energy ion-implantation. The pedestal may be implanted after the base and emitter diffusions, and annealed at a low temperature, thus keeping a sharp impurity gradient. Also, since it is put into the final epitaxial layer, its vertical position relative to the emitter-base junction will be independent of epitaxial undulations.
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION SHOW THE NEED FOR DIRECT TAXATION? IT JUST AIN'T SO!

Historians and economists often refer to the United States experience under the Articles of Confederation as evidence against decentralised government finance. While it is true that the US government had difficulty raising money from the states during this period, we argue that these facts are a benefit of the system, not a flaw. A ‘bottom-up’ system of finance, such as the one that existed under the Articles of Confederation, is an important check on Leviathan and has implications for United Nations fund-raising efforts and development economics.
Sensory deprivation in autoscopic illusion, and Joseph Conrad's "The secret sharer".

The role of sensory deprivation and sensory monotony in autoscopic illusion and autoscopic hallucination is discussed. Other factors—especially intrapsychic conflict—also seem to be involved. The relationships of these factors are considered, using Conrad'sThe Secret Sharer as a basis of reference.
Effect of application of nontoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on subsequent aflatoxin contamination of peanuts in storage

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine the potential for biological control of aflatoxin contamination of peanuts during storage. Florunner peanuts were treated in field plots by applying competitive, nontoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, at 76 and 67 days after planting in 1998 and 1999, respectively. After harvest, half the peanuts from both treated and control plots were sprayed with an aqueous conidial suspension containing the nontoxigenic strains; the other half of the peanuts from each group were not sprayed. The peanuts were then placed in separate compartments of a miniature warehouse. Therefore, storage treatments consisted of peanuts that were (1) not treated at all; (2) treated prior to storage only; (3) field-treated only; (4) treated both in the field and prior to storage. Peanuts were stored for 3–5 months under high temperature and relative humidity conditions designed to promote aflatoxin contamination. In 1998, peanuts were not contaminated with aflatoxins prior to storage. After storage, peanuts that were never treated with the competitive fungi contained an average of 78.0 ppb of aflatoxins. Peanuts not treated in the field but receiving the spray treatment before storage contained 48.8 ppb. Peanuts treated in the field only averaged 1.4 ppb, and peanuts treated both in the field and prior to storage contained 0.8 ppb. In 1999, peanuts suffered from late-season drought and were contaminated with aflatoxins at harvest, with controls averaging 516.8 ppb compared with 54.1 ppb in treated peanuts. After storage, non-field-treated peanuts averaged 9145.1 ppb compared with 374.2 ppb for peanuts that had been field-treated, a 95.9% reduction. Spraying of pods with the nontoxigenic strains postharvest but prior to storage provided no additional protection against aflatoxin contamination. Results demonstrated that field application of the nontoxigenic strains had a carry-over effect and reduced aflatoxin contamination that occurred in storage.
Antidepressant adverse drug reactions in older adults: Implications for RNs and APNs

The purpose of this article is to review essential information about the pharmacokinetics of antidepressants in older adults and possible adverse drug reactions associated with each antidepressant class to avoid or minimize adverse drug events.