cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An IS Offshore Outsourcing Framework: Emerging Knowledge Requirements for IS Professionals

AbstractThe offshoring of information systems tasks has come to be a major feature of the international IS domain. This chapter introduces some basic concepts of offshoring, some reasons companies are offshoring, how offshoring has evolved, the costs and benefits of offshoring, difficulties and risks of offshoring, and the future of offshoring. It also provides a framework for analyzing IS offshoring and outsourcing decisions and discusses the emerging offshoring-related knowledge requirements for people working in the IS field. This chapter makes a case for IS professional who are knowledgeable in offshoring management by providing management and skill requirements and implications for IS/IT educational programs.
Identification of AKAP-4 as a new cancer/testis antigen for detection and immunotherapy of prostate cancer†

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in older men, after skin cancer. PC is difficult to diagnose because the prostate-specific antigen screening method is associated with many false positives. In addition there is a need to develop new and more effective treatments. Among presently available new treatments, immunotherapy is a promising approach. We investigated the expression of the cancer/testis antigen, AKAP-4, in PC patients to evaluate the possibility of exploiting AKAP-4 as a target for immunotherapy. METHODS We analyzed normal prostate tissues, 15 patients with PC and the LnCAP PC cell line by immunohistochemistry. We tested AKAP-4 immunogenicity through indirect ELISA on sera from patients and healthy subjects, and we generated in vitro AKAP-4-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RESULTS AKAP-4 was shown both at the cytoplasmic and surface levels of the LnCAP PC cell line. AKAP-4 was also highly expressed in PC cells from patients. We detected specific anti-AKAP-4 circulating immunoglobulins in AKAP-4 positive subjects. Using recombinant AKAP-4 loaded autologous dendritic cells, we generated AKAP-4-specific and HLA-I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes able to kill PC cells in vitro. Further characterization indicated a Th-1 skewing in the cytokine secretion profile of these cells. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate the aberrant expression of AKAP-4 in PC, which will potentially be developed as a biomarker in PC. We provide evidence that AKAP-4 is a potential target for PC adoptive immunotherapy or anti-tumor vaccination. Prostate 72:12–23, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Focal glomerulosclerosis and renal transplantation

Eighteen patients with corticosteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome developed end-stage renal disease and received one or more renal allografts. The lesion of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and/or of focal glomerular obsolescence was demonstrable in the native kidneys of each patient. Following transplantation, nephrosis developed in three recipients. Two recipients developed nephrosis at two weeks and nine months postransplant in association with rejection; the lesion of FGS was present in association with chronic rejection. Only one recipient developed recurrence of nephrosis and FGS unrelated to rejection. This was manifested by immediate onset of nephrosis in two successive allografts and histologic evidence of the lesion of FGS. The immediate recurrence in successive allografts suggests a circulating factor responsible for the renal lesion in this patient and indicates a separate etiology for a small number of patients with corticosteroid-resistant nephrosis and FGS.
The 'butterfly' graft in functional secondary rhinoplasty.

Objective: To describe a surgical technique (the conchal cartilage butterfly graft) which, when used in properly selected patients, has been found to be a dependable method for alleviation of postrhinoplasty internal nasal valve dysfunction. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Analysis of consecutive patients with weakness and/or collapse of the upper lateral cartilages following rhinoplasty. Seventy-two patients (37 women and 35 men, age range 17-76 y) had severe nasal obstruction and were found to have indications for this procedure. All patients had undergone at least one rhinoplastic procedure. All patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years after surgery. Results: All 72 patients experienced significant subjective improvement in relative nasal obstruction. Two patients (3%) reported less than total resolution of their difficulty breathing through their nose; the remaining 70 patients (97%) reported complete resolution of their nasal airway problems. No patients reported their postoperative nasal obstruction as the same or worse than their preoperative baseline. Sixty-two patients (86%) reported improvement in the appearance of their nose, 8 patients (11%) felt that their appearance was unchanged, and 2 patients (3%) felt that the appearance of their nose was made worse by the procedure. Conclusions: Patients presenting with nasal obstruction after rhinoplasty are frequently found to have collapse and/or weakening of their upper lateral cartilages with resulting nasal valve dysfunction. The conchal cartilage butterfly graft is a technique which, when properly performed during revision rhinoplasty, yields predictable functional and cosmetic results with minimal morbidity.
Effects of nucleoside phosphates and salts on the activity of a heart phosphoprotein phosphatase and its catalytic subunit.

A phosphoprotein phosphatase (phosphatase B, Mr= 161000) isolated from canine heart extract can be dissociated by ethanol into a catalytic subunit (phosphatase S, Mr= 34800). The dissociation of phosphatase B into phosphatase S is accompanied by an increase in the enzymic activity toward phosphohistone, phosphocasein and phosphorylase a and by a pronounced change in catalytic properties. Phosphatases B and S exhibit different substrate saturation kinetics. pH profile and respond differently to nucleoside phosphates and salts. The increased activity toward phosphohistone accompanying the dissociation of phosphatase B reflects loss of substrate inhibition. Preincubation of either phosphatase B or S with ATP results in an inactivation of its activity and phosphatase S is much more susceptible to ATP inactivation than phosphatase B. ATP and various ionic compounds, however, can greatly stimulate the activity of phosphatase B by interacting with phosphohistone, indicating the modification at the substrate level represents an important regulatory mechanism. By contrast, the activity of phosphatase S is slightly stimulated by relatively low concentrations of salts, and is inhibited by nucleoside phosphates. The present data indicates that the activity of phosphatase B is more sensitive to the modification of the substrate, phosphohistone, by nucleoside phosphates and salts than is phosphatase S. These observations suggest that the regulatory properties of phosphatase B are lost following its dissociation.
Acid phosphatase isozymes in cancer of the prostate

Acid phosphatase (AP-ase) isozymes were studied in prostatic carcinoma, to determine to what extent they remain active and unchanged. In contrast to serum AP-ase, that of tissue homogenates was relatively stable. Tartrate-sensitive AP-ase activity varied 100-fold for lesions taken from 11 different patients, without complete loss of activity in any lesion. The results explain why the serum AP-ase activity is not invariably elevated even in patients with metastatic cancer of the prostate. An equation is given that permits estimation of the conditions under which secretion by the tumor will result in a detectable rise in the serum level of this enzyme. There was a close parallel between AP-ase activity determined by test-tube assay with phenyl phosphate as substrate, and activity determined by disc electrophoresis and development of isozyme bands with naphthol AS-BI phosphate. Disc electrophoresis of prostate from normal adults and from patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy showed a fine structure of multiple isozyme bands, which was largely acquired during fetal development. Samples of primary and metastatic cancer of the prostate showed variable loss of normal prostatic isozyme bands, but some of these changes may have been artifactual. An AP-ase isozyme band shared between fetal prostate and prostatic carcinoma, but absent from normal prostate, was not found.
Integrated planning of constraint sensor management and patrolling

This paper proposes a multi-purpose planning scheme that effectively solves patrolling and constrained sensor planning problems for large-scale multi-agent systems. This situation occurs when some mobile-robots are performing a patrolling mission, and, at the same time, they gather visual data from predefined objects in the map. The proposed technique does not directly tackle the merged problem with the complicated cost function. Instead, it suggests a sequential scheme which allows compromises between trajectory length and observation quality. To handle large-scale systems, it offers a polynomial time approximation scheme to solve the corresponding constraint visual sensor management to achieve near-optimal planning. The simulation confirms the effectiveness of the proposed multi-objective multi-agent planning scheme on realistic size systems.
Working Around the Family: Is There a Gender Divide?

The article focuses on working families and the gender divide. Particular attention is paid to households were both parents work, the need for flexibility during family responsibilities, as well as which parent is expected to make the sacrifice to adjust work efforts when needed. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Cincinnati examining how family obligations are distributed by working parents is presented. The author analyzes the results of the study, as well as the impact of children on both the father and the mother in the home.
Rare-earth elements, Co, Sc and Hf in the Steens Mountain basalts.

Abstract The concentrations of the rare-earth elements (REE) in 52 of 70 consecutive lava flows from Steens Mountain, Oregon, are reported. The concentrations of Co, Sc and Hf were measured in 17 of the flows. Logarithmic partitioning theory is used to correlate the concentrations of the trace elements with the major element and mineralogical compositions of the samples. Production of the basalts by partial melting requires a parent material that has concentrations of the REE that are several times those of chondrites. Those samples enriched in alumina have positive Eu anomalies compared to chondrites and those depleted in alumina have negative Eu anomalies. Production of these samples by partial melting is unlikely because the Eu anomalies would require that plagioclase was stable under the conditions of melting. All of the samples can be related to a single parent magma by fractional crystallization processes. The concentrations of the trace elements are controlled by the addition or removal of plagioclase and the removal of clinopyroxene. Samples with high concentrations of alumina are interpreted as plagioclase cumulates while those with low concentrations of alumina are residual liquids produced by crystallization of plagioclase. During fractional crystallization, the concentrations of the light REE are increased selectively in the residual liquid. The material that must be crystallized and removed during fractional crystallization has characteristics that are similar to those reported for gabbros.
Specularity in the mediaevalFolie Tristan poems or madness as metadiscourse

Le motif de la folie de Tristan, a travers la Folie Tristan, Roman de Tristan en prose, les versions d'Oxford et de Berne, le Tristant d'Eilhart von Oberge et ses continuations
Tetrairon and hexairon hydroxo/acetato clusters stabilized by multiple polyoxometalate scaffolds. Structures, magnetic properties, and chemistry of a dimer and a trimer.

Investigation of the catalytically relevant γ-diiron(III) Keggin complexes in aqueous acetate buffer leads to a dimeric C2v-symmetric polyanion, [{Fe(OH)(OAc)}4(γ-SiW10O36)2]12- (3) and a trimeric ...
Bentonite Reduces Measurable Aflatoxin B1 in Fish Feed

Abstract Methods for extraction and quantification of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were tested and adapted for use with fish feed. We tested a wide range of minerals in vitro to find practical methods to reduce the bioavailability of AFB1. Several common feed additives previously reported to have a beneficial effect in fish or in livestock were included. The amount of AFB1 recovered from methanol–water extracts declined by an average of 70% within 1 h of adding 10% bentonite to moistened trout feed. If bentonite has a similar in vivo effect, then the adsorption of undetected feed toxins might explain the reported beneficial effects of feeding bentonite to fish.
Use of phenol in the isolation of erythropoietic glycoprotein.

THE erythropoietic activity in the plasma of rabbits made anaemic with phenylhydrazine can be isolated as an acid glycoprotein. A dialysed and lyophilized ethanol fraction from heat-coagulated plasma consistently gives us a potent stable highly water-soluble preparation. Six laboratories have found good correlation in a comparative assay of a batch prepared by us1. Further di-ethyl-amino-ethyl cellulose column fractionation removes 40–50 per cent of inert protein and results in the active glycoprotein previously described2.
AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPICAL STUDY OF DEVELOPING SYMPATHETIC NEURONS IN MAN.

An electron microscopic study has been made of the sympathetic ganglia of a 15 and a 17 week old male human fetus. The fetal sympathetic neurons were densely packed in a scanty connective tissue matrix which also contained blood vessels. The fetal sympathetic neurons had a large, electron-light nucleus with one or two nucleoli, and was of a somewhat mottled appearance due to irregularly dispersed aggregates of fine and coarse granules. The perikaryon usually formed a thin envelope around the nucleus and contained, except for large pigment granules, all intracytoplasmic structures which were also found in mature sympathetic neurons. Adjacent sympathetic cells were either in immediate contact, or slightly separated by a wedge of electron-light satellite expansions, or lined by primitive axons. The satellite cells were in the early state of development. Electron-dense axons either stood side by side with, or were slightly engulfed by light Schwann cell expansions and formed distinct bundles surrounded by a common basement membrane. There was practically no trace of myelin formation or Schwann cell wrapping characteristic for unmyelinated fibers as seen in the adult.
Resolution enhancement in spectroscopy by maximum entropy fourier self-deconvolution, with applications to Raman spectra of peptides and proteins

The method of maximum entropy extrapolation is applied to Fourier self-deconvolution to enhance the inherently low resolution of the Raman spectra of peptides and proteins. Using computer-simulated and real spectral data, a comparative study was made between the maximum entropy (MEM) and the conventional discrete Fourier transform (DFT) methods. The MEM provides better resolution with no side-lobe formation, and is especially useful in the resolution enhancement of complicated Raman spectra of proteins. The MEM is also suitable for the spectral estimation of a short-time record of noisy data, enabling the exposure time of protein solutions to the intense laser beam to be reduced significantly. The theory of maximum entropy spectral analysis is presented and the application of the techniques of digital resolution enhancement is discussed. It is pointed out that a combined use of different techniques should be made whenever possible in carrying out digital signal enhancement in order to reduce the chance of misinterpretation of spectral information.
Biapenem inactivation by B2 metallo β-lactamases: energy landscape of the post-hydrolysis reactions.

Background The first line of defense by bacteria against β-lactam antibiotics is the expression of β-lactamases, which cleave the amide bond of the β-lactam ring. In the reaction of biapenem inactivation by B2 metallo β-lactamases (MβLs), after the β-lactam ring is opened, the carboxyl group generated by the hydrolytic process and the hydroxyethyl group (common to all carbapenems) rotate around the C5–C6 bond, assuming a new position that allows a proton transfer from the hydroxyethyl group to C2, and a nucleophilic attack on C3 by the oxygen atom of the same side-chain. This process leads to the formation of a bicyclic compound, as originally observed in the X-ray structure of the metallo β-lactamase CphA in complex with product. Methodology/Principal Findings QM/MM and metadynamics simulations of the post-hydrolysis steps in solution and in the enzyme reveal that while the rotation of the hydroxyethyl group can occur in solution or in the enzyme active site, formation of the bicyclic compound occurs primarily in solution, after which the final product binds back to the enzyme. The calculations also suggest that the rotation and cyclization steps can occur at a rate comparable to that observed experimentally for the enzymatic inactivation of biapenem only if the hydrolysis reaction leaves the N4 nitrogen of the β-lactam ring unprotonated. Conclusions/Significance The calculations support the existence of a common mechanism (in which ionized N4 is the leaving group) for carbapenems hydrolysis in all MβLs, and suggest a possible revision of mechanisms for B2 MβLs in which the cleavage of the β-lactam ring is associated with or immediately followed by protonation of N4. The study also indicates that the bicyclic derivative of biapenem has significant affinity for B2 MβLs, and that it may be possible to obtain clinically effective inhibitors of these enzymes by modification of this lead compound.
Relation of Diagonal Ear Lobe Crease to the Presence, Extent, and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease Determined by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

Controversy exists concerning the relation between diagonal ear lobe crease (DELC) and coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined whether DELC is associated with CAD using coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography. We studied 430 consecutive patients without a history of coronary artery intervention who underwent CT angiography on a dual-source scanner. Presence of DELC was agreed by 2 blinded observers. Two blinded readers evaluated CT angiography images for presence of CAD and for significant CAD (≥50% stenosis). Chi-square and t tests were used to assess demographic differences between subgroups with and without DELC and the relation of DELC to 4 measurements of CAD: any CAD, significant CAD, multivessel disease (cutoff ≥2), and number of segments with plaque (cutoff ≥3). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for CAD confounders: age, gender, symptoms, and CAD risk factors. Mean age was 61 ± 13 and 61% were men. DELC was found in 71%, any CAD in 71%, and significant CAD in 17% of patients. After adjusting for confounders, DELC remained a significant predictor of all 4 measurements of CAD (odds ratio 1.8 to 3.3, p = 0.002 to 0.017). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for DELC in detecting any CAD were 78%, 43%, 77%, and 45%. Test accuracy was calculated at 67%. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 61% (p = 0.001). In conclusion, in this study of patients imaged with CT angiography, finding DELC was independently and significantly associated with increased prevalence, extent, and severity of CAD.
Photometry and Polarization in Remote Sensing

Photometry and Polarization in Remote Sensing is a textbook that purports to offer quantitative approaches to theory and applications of remote sensing in the 0.185–12-μm wavelength range. Many researchers utilize remote sensing to conduct at least part of their research, including workers in such diverse areas as astronomy, oceanography, meteorology, ecology, hydrology, and geology. As a consequence, an extensive but dispersed literature exists, mostly written over the past decade. A text that begins with theoretical approaches and covers modern examples of research using remote sensing data would be most welcome.
Mechanism of double potentials recorded during sustained atrial flutter in the canine right atrial crush-injury model.

BACKGROUNDDuring atrial flutter, double potentials may be recorded at specific sites in the atria. It has been suggested that double potentials represent sequential activations at the center of the reentrant circuit. An alternative hypothesis is that double potentials represent electrical activity in an area of slow conduction. Understanding their mechanism is important because double potentials have been considered a possible indicator of target sites for catheter ablation.METHODS AND RESULTSWe systematically studied double potentials in our canine model of atrial flutter produced by right atrial crush injury using a 64-channel computerized mapping system with 56 electrodes on the right atrium in seven mongrel dogs under general anesthesia. Activation maps were recorded during sinus rhythm before and after crush injury, during rapid pacing above and below the crush injury, and during sustained atrial flutter, entrainment of atrial flutter, and termination of atrial flutter induced with D-sotalol (2 mg/kg...
Rotating Block Method for Seismic Displacement of Gravity Walls

A rotating block method is developed to calculate the rotational displacements of gravity retaining walls based on rigid foundations under seismic loading. The method is similar to the pseudostatic sliding block method of Newmark. When a threshold acceleration for rotation is exceeded, a rigid wall will start to rotate until the angular velocity for rotation is reduced to zero. The influence of ground motion characteristics on computed wall deformation was evaluated. The procedure was validated by data from centrifuge tests. This method is also applicable for the most complex cases when the sliding and rotation of a gravity wall are coupled.
Existence and construction of translation models for stationary non-Gaussian processes

Abstract Translation models are memoryless transformations of Gaussian processes specified by their marginal distribution F and covariance function ξ . Iteration schemes are commonly used to find probability laws of Gaussian images of translation models, although these schemes may not converge since translation models do not exist for arbitrary functions F and ξ . Pairs ( F , ξ ) for which translation models exist are said to be consistent. Optimization algorithms are developed for constructing translation models that, for consistent pairs ( F , ξ ) , match F and ξ , and, for inconsistent pairs ( F , ξ ) , match F or ξ and approximate ξ or F . The resulting translation models can be used in Monte Carlo simulation studies.
Paleomagnetic excursion recorded in latest Pleistocene deep-sea sediments, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Paleomagnetic and/or micropaleontological studies have been carried out on approximately 28 sedimentary cores of latest Pleistocene age from the Gulf of Mexico. Sedimentation rates range from 9 cm to 20 cm/1000 yr. A distinct excursion in the earth's magnetic field occurs in the upper parts of 8 of 15 cores for which paleomagnetic studies were conducted and is independently correlated with planktonic foraminiferal zones. An inclination change to zero or negative inclination is often associated with a declination change. The age of the excursion was determined by extrapolation of sedimentation rates from the Z-Y paleontological boundary which is dated at 11,000 B.P. The magnetic excursion occurred between 12,500 and 17,000 yr ago within the upper part of zone Y . This falls within the age range of the Laschamp Event as originally defined.
Artificial intelligence in electric power systems: a survey of the Japanese industry

The author studied the Japanese involvement in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and visited eight Japanese RD problems in AI applications development and their solutions; practical system examples; and AI applications to power systems of the future. Out of the 97 papers cited, ten were produced by electric utilities, ten by manufacturers, 17 by universities, and 60 were joint efforts. This shows the level and importance of joint collaborative research among the Japanese researchers. Even though they are working on many theoretical aspects of the AI technology, including automated knowledge acquisition and verification, they still use a significant amount of theoretical work done in the US for successful prototyping of AI based tools. The use of AI tools in the Japanese electric power industry is far more widespread than what is seen in the US or in Europe. >
Vortex response and critical fields observed via RF penetration depth measurements on the superconductor YNi2B2C

Abstract Measurements of the RF penetration depth λ ( T , H , θ ) are used to study the superconducting order parameter, vortex dynamics in the mixed state and delineate critical fields in the borocarbide superconductor YNi 2 B 2 C. The lower critical field has an anomalous T dependence, H c1 ( T ) = 1.12[1 − ( T / T c )]kOe, which is, however, consistent with independent superfluid density measurements at microwave frequencies. The vortex response is dominated by viscous flux flow, indicative of extremely weak pinning, and is parameterized by a field scale H c2, eff . The angular dependence of the vortex contribution λ(θ) is in good agreement with the Coffey-Clem model. Structure is seen in the depairing transition in the vicinity of the upper critical field, with the existence of well-defined critical fields H c2 α , H c2 β and H c2 γ , with the vortex field scale H c2, eff closest to H c2 β . Overall the measurements indicate that YNi 2 B 2 C has a rich and unusual field dependence of its transport parameters.
A Scale for the Measurement of Initiative

Summary Initiative is one of the traits stressed in the selection and placement of personnel, particularly those being considered for higher positions. Because of the importance of this trait, an attempt was made to develop a scale for measuring it. On the basis of responses of college students on an occupational objectives questionnaire two criterion groups were formed, one for whom initiative was important and another for whom it was unimportant. These students also took a forced-choice inventory and an item analysis was performed to locate differentiating items. These items were grouped together to form a scale of initiative. The inventory was considered to possess satisfactory validity since it correlated positively with ratings of initiative, job success in supervisory positions, occupational level, and job success in management positions, and negatively with job success in routine line positions.
Experimental inoculation of juvenile rhesus macaques with primate enteric caliciviruses.

Background Tissue culture-adapted Tulane virus (TV), a GI.1 rhesus enteric calicivirus (ReCV), and a mixture of GII.2 and GII.4 human norovirus (NoV)-containing stool sample were used to intrastomacheally inoculate juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in order to evaluate infection caused by these viruses.
Genetic analysis of cosB, the binding site for terminase, the DNA packaging enzyme of bacteriophage λ

cosB, the binding site for terminase, the DNA packaging enzyme of bacteriophage lambda, consists of three binding sites (called R3, R2 and R1) for gpNu1, the small subunit of terminase; and I1, a binding site for integration host factor (IHF), the DNA bending protein of Escherichia coli. cosB is located between cosN, the site where terminase introduces staggered nicks to generate cohesive ends, and the Nu1 gene; the order of sites is: cosN-R3-I1-R2-R1-Nu1. A series of lambda mutants have been constructed that have single base-pair C-to-T transition mutations in R3, R2 and R1. A single base-pair transition mutation within any one of the gpNul binding sites renders lambda dependent upon IHF for plaque formation. lambda phage with mutations in both R2 and R3 are incapable of plaque formation even in the presence of IHF. Phages that carry DNA insertions between R1 and R2, from 7 to 20 base-pairs long, are also IHF-dependent, demonstrating the requirement for a precise spacing of gpNu1 binding sites within cosB. The IHF-dependent phenotype of a lambda mutant carrying a deletion of the R1 sequence indicates that IHF obviates the need for terminase binding to the R1 site. In contrast, a lambda mutant deleted for R2 and R1 fails to form plaques on either IHF+ or IHF- cells, indicating terminase binding of R2 is involved in suppression of R mutants by IHF. A fourth R sequence, R4, is situated on the left side of cosN; a phage with a mutant R4 sequence shows a reduced burst size on both an IHF+ and an IHF- host. The inability of the R4- mutant to be suppressed by IHF, plus the fact that R4 does not bind gpNu1, suggests R4 is not part of cosB and may play a role in DNA packaging that is distinct from that of cosB.
The dissociation constants of carbonic acid in seawater at salinities 5 to 45 and temperatures 0 to 45°C

The pK1∗ and pK2∗ for the dissociation of carbonic acid in seawater have been determined from 0 to 45°C and S = 5 to 45. The values of pK1∗ have been determined from emf measurements for the cell: Pt](1 − X)H2 + XCO2|NaHCO3, CO2 in synthetic seawater|AgC1; Ag where X is the mole fraction of CO2 in the gas. The values of pK2∗ have been determined from emf measurements on the cell: Pt, H2(g, 1 atm)|Na2CO3, NaHCO3 in synthethic seawater|AgC1; Ag The results have been fitted to the equations: lnK∗1 = 2.83655 − 2307.1266/T − 1.5529413 lnT + (−0.20760841 − 4.0484/T)S0.5 + 0.08468345S − 0.00654208S1 InK∗2 = −9.226508 − 3351.6106/T− 0.2005743 lnT + (−0.106901773 − 23.9722/T)S0.5 + 0.1130822S − 0.00846934S1.5 where T is the temperature in K, S is the salinity, and the standard deviations of the fits are σ = 0.0048 in lnK1∗ and σ = 0.0070 in lnK2∗. Our new results are in good agreement at S = 35 (±0.002 in pK1∗and ±0.005 in pK2∗) from 0 to 45°C with the earlier results of Goyet and Poisson (1989). Since our measurements are more precise than the earlier measurements due to the use of the Pt, H2|AgCl, Ag electrode system, we feel that our equations should be used to calculate the components of the carbonate system in seawater.
Technology choice and capacity expansion with two product families: tradeoffs between scale and scope

Recent developments in modern technologies such as CIM, FMS and CAD provide a great degree of operational flexibility and permit production of a variety of products with little or no changeover costs. In contrast, dedicated technologies with specialized equipment are designed to produce a limited range of products more efficiently. In this paper, we examire the tradeoffs between scale and scope economies in a two-product environment with general, dynamic demand patterns. We use a discrete period, finite horizon mathematical program to determine the optimal mix of dedicated and flexible technologies. Since the problem is difficult to solve optimally, we develop a two-phased heuristic procedure to obtain good expansion plans that determine type of technologies and amount of capacity additions. These procedures are based on easily solvable subproblems derived from the planning problem. Our computational results suggest that the methods work well and provide acceptable solutions with reasonable effort.
Essay The Seven Deadly Sins revised and edited for physicians of the 21st century

Saint: A dead sinner revised and edited. —Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary Centuries ago, when science, medicine, and theology were intimately interrelated, sin was a topic suitable for discussion in scientific and medical literature. That is no longer true. It is not that such a concept has failed mankind, as it remains a central theme in many religions. Rather, its interpretation is too diverse to obtain consensus from the secular community. Yet its absence is problematic: the wages of sin were once death; the wages of its modern equivalent, unethical behavior, are termination of employment or of institutional participation in federal funding. Given such serious consequences, an attempt to update sin seems in order. The most celebrated classification of sins identified seven that were most deadly: envy, anger, greed, sloth, pride, gluttony, and lust.1 What follows is a modification of deadly sins appropriate to medical practice. Working with students and residents has helped me to define these sins, as less experienced members of our profession tend to defend their errors with less subtlety and more candor than some older ones. Ample personal experience with error has likewise been helpful. Of course, describing these modern medical foibles carries some risk. As suggested by Winston Churchill, “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body—it calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”2 The vignettes used to frame each sin are drawn from real life; when necessary, they have been modified to avoid identifying details. ### Envy. An internationally known investigator–clinician is recruited to join a nonacademic surgical practice in a large city. The administration of a nearby medical school forbids its faculty members to collaborate with her. A medical student quotes a professor as refusing to order an MRI on …
An exploratory study of desired hotel attributes for American tourists vacationing in China and Ireland

The attributes of domestic and international hotels important to American tourists are identified and compared. American tourists typically expect clean rooms at a good price; however, they would o...
YjdE (AdiC) Is the Arginine:Agmatine Antiporter Essential for Arginine-Dependent Acid Resistance in Escherichia coli

To survive in extremely acidic conditions, Escherichia coli has evolved three adaptive acid resistance strategies thought to maintain internal pH. While the mechanism behind acid resistance system 1 remains enigmatic, systems 2 and 3 are known to require external glutamate (system 2) and arginine (system 3) to function. These latter systems employ specific amino acid decarboxylases and putative antiporters that exchange the extracellular amino acid substrate for the intracellular by-product of decarboxylation. Although GadC is the predicted antiporter for system 2, the antiporter specific for arginine/agmatine exchange has not been identified. A computer-based homology search revealed that the yjdE (now called adiC) gene product shared an overall amino acid identity of 22% with GadC. A series of adiC mutants isolated by random mutagenesis and by targeted deletion were shown to be defective in arginine-dependent acid resistance. This defect was restored upon introduction of an adiC+-containing plasmid. An adiC mutant proved incapable of exchanging extracellular arginine for intracellular agmatine but maintained wild-type levels of arginine decarboxylase protein and activity. Western blot analysis indicated AdiC is an integral membrane protein. These data indicate that the arginine-to-agmatine conversion defect of adiC mutants was at the level of transport. The adi gene region was shown to be organized into two transcriptional units, adiAY and adiC, which are coordinately regulated but independently transcribed. The data also illustrate that the AdiA decarboxylase:AdiC antiporter system is designed to function only at acid levels sufficient to harm the cell.
Deformation and creep modeling in polycrystalline Ti–6Al alloys

Abstract This paper develops an experimentally validated computational model for titanium alloys accounting for plastic anisotropy and time-dependent plasticity for analyzing creep and dwell phenomena. A time-dependent crystal plasticity formulation is developed for hcp crystalline structure, with the inclusion of microstructural crystallographic orientation distribution. A multi-variable optimization method is developed to calibrate crystal plasticity parameters from experimental results of single crystals of α-Ti–6Al. Statistically equivalent orientation distributions of orientation imaging microscopy data are used in constructing the polycrystalline aggregate model. The model is used to study global and local response of the polycrystalline model for constant strain rate, creep, dwell and cyclic tests. Effects of stress localization and load shedding with orientation mismatch are also studied for potential crack initiation.
A Raman Spectroscopic Study of the Initial Stages of Hydrolysis Oftetraethoxysilane

Multichannel detection Raman spectroscopy was used to follow the hydrolysis and condensation reactions of TEOS/ethanol solutions. Effects of alkoxide concentration, catalyst concentration, watenTEOS ratios, and temperature were studied. It was found that the initial oligomeric composition of hydrolyzed solution was dependent upon the amount of water added to the solution: not only did reaction rates differ, but so to did the reaction products. Higher water concentrations resulted in formation of an oligomer which may contain a trisiloxane ring.
Phylogenetic Placements of Loxoscaphe thecifera (Aspleniaceae) and Actiniopteris radiata (Pteridaceae) Based on Analysis of rbcL Nucleotide Sequences

Abstract Nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene were determined for Loxoscaphe thecifera and Actiniopteris radiata and used in maximum parsimony cladistic analyses to determine their phylogenetic positions in the context of a broad range of advanced fern taxa. Loxoscaphe nested firmly within the Aspleniaceae, and Actiniopteris was placed with Onychium in the Pteridaceae. To help resolve conflicting contemporary treatments that either subsume Loxoscaphe species within Asplenium or segregate them as an independent genus, the rbcL sequence of L. thecifera was subjected to a more focused analysis involving all rbcL sequences available to represent the taxonomic diversity of Aspleniaceae. Loxoscaphe thecifera was sister to Asplenium griffithianum + prolongatum, robustly and surprisingly nested within the clade of Asplenium species recognized as Asplenium section Thamnopteris, a group accepted by some as the segregate genus Neottopteris. These results indicate that there is presently no phylo...
The Unphosphorylated Receiver Domain of PhoB Silences the Activity of Its Output Domain

PhoB is the response regulator of the Pho regulon. It is composed of two distinct domains, an N-terminal receiver domain and a C-terminal output domain that binds DNA and interacts with sigma(70) to activate transcription of the Pho regulon. Phosphorylation of the receiver domain is required for activation of the protein. The mechanism of activation by phosphorylation has not yet been determined. To better understand the function of the receiver domain in controlling the activity of the output domain, a direct comparison was made between unphosphorylated PhoB and its solitary DNA-binding domain (PhoB(DBD)) for DNA binding and transcriptional activation. Using fluorescence anisotropy, it was found that PhoB(DBD) bound to the pho box with an affinity seven times greater than that of unphosphorylated PhoB. It was also found that PhoB(DBD) was better able to activate transcription than the full-length, unmodified protein. We conclude that the unphosphorylated receiver domain of PhoB silences the activity of its output domain. These results suggest that upon phosphorylation of the receiver domain of PhoB, the inhibition placed upon the output domain is relieved by a conformational change that alters interactions between the unphosphorylated receiver domain and the output domain.
Charge Of The Right Brigade? Communities, Coverage, And Care For The Uninsured

ABSTRACT: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Communities in Charge (CIC) program funded projects in fourteen communities that aimed to expand health insurance coverage and improve care for their ...
Preliminary investigation on use of high-resolution optical coherence tomography to monitor injury and repair in the rat sciatic nerve.

Background and Objective—Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used in limited settings to study peripheral nerve injury. The purpose of the study is to determine whether highresolution OCT can be used to monitor nerve injury and regeneration in the rat sciatic nerve following crush injury, ligation, and transection with microsurgical repair. Study Design/Materials and Methods—Forty-five rats were segregated into three groups. The right sciatic nerve was suture ligated (n = 15), cut then microsurgically repaired (n = 15), or crushed (n = 15). The left sciatic nerve served as the control; only surgical exposure and skin closure were performed. Each group was further divided into three subgroups where they were assigned survival durations of 4, 15, or 24 weeks. Following euthanasia, nerves were harvested, fixed in formalin, and imaged at the injury site, as well as proximal and distal ends. The OCT system resolution was approximately 7 μm in tissue with a 1,060 nm central wavelength. Results—Control (uninjured) nerve tissue showed homogenous signal distribution to a relatively uniform depth; in contrast, damaged nerves showed irregular signal distribution and intensity. Changes in signal distribution were most significant at the injury site and distal regions. Increases in signal irregularity were evident during longer recovery times. Histological analysis determined that OCT imaging was limited to the surrounding perineurium and scar tissue. Conclusion—OCT has the potential to be a valuable tool for monitoring nerve injury and repair, and the changes that accompany wound healing, providing clinicians with a non-invasive tool to treat nerve injuries.
Breast milk and infection

Three viruses (CMV, HIV, and HTLV-I) frequently cause infection or disease as a result of breast-milk transmission. Reasonable guidelines have been pro-posed for when and how to avoid breast milk in the case of maternal infection. For other viruses, prophylactic immune therapy to protect the infant against all modes of transmission are indicated (VZV, varicella-zoster immunoglobulin, HAV and immunoglobulin, HBV, and HBIg + HBV vaccine). In most maternal viral infections, breast milk is not an important mode of transmission, and continuation of breastfeeding is in the best interest of the infant and mother (see Tables 2 and 3). Maternal bacterial infections rarely are complicated by transmission of infection to their infants through breast milk. In a few situations, temporary cessation of breastfeeding or the avoidance of breast milk is appropriate for a limited time (24 hours for N gonorrheae, H infiuenzae, Group B streptococci, and staphylococci and longer for others including B burgdorferi, T pallidum, and M tuberculosis). In certain situations, prophylactic or empiric therapy may be advised for the infant (eg, T pallidum, M tuberculosis, H influenzae) (see Table 1). Antimicrobial use by the mother should not be a reason not to breastfeed. Alternative regimens that are compatible with breastfeeding can be chosen to treat the mother effectively. In most cases of suspected infection in the breastfeeding mother, the delay in seeking medical care and making the diagnosis means the infant has been ex-posed already. Stopping breastfeeding at this time only deprives the infant of the nutritional and potential immunologic benefits. Breastfeeding or the use of expressed breast milk, even if temporarily suspended, should be encouraged and supported. Decisions about breast milk and infection should balance the potential risk compared with the innumerable benefits of breast milk.
Flow cytometric analysis of cerebrospinal fluid has low diagnostic yield in samples without atypical morphology or prior history of hematologic malignancy.

Objectives: To identify pretest characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens that will allow the rational use of flow cytometric analysis (FCA) in the diagnosis of hematologic malignancy. Methods: Retrospective data were collected on 501 consecutive CSF samples submitted for FCA. Results: A positive diagnosis of hematologic malignancy was made in 41 specimens (8.2%). Blasts or atypical lymphocytes were noted on Wright-stained slides in 98% of FCA-positive specimens (40/41), and a history of a hematologic malignancy was present in 89% of specimens (34/38). All FCA-positive specimens had atypical morphology or history of hematologic malignancy. Four hundred six specimens (81%) were FCA negative. Of FCA-negative specimens, 7% (30/406) had atypical morphology, and 3% (12/404) had future central nervous system involvement seen within 30 days.
Modern Sedimentary Environments in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

ABSTRACT Analyses of sidescan-sonar records supplemented by available bathymetric, sedimentary, subbottom, and bottom-current data reveal the distributions of the following three categories of sedimentary environments within the glaciated, topographically complex Boston Harbor estuary in Massachusetts. 1) Environments of erosion appear on the sonographs either as patterns with isolated strong reflections or as uniform patterns of strong reflectivity. These patterns define outcrops of bedrock or till and coarse lag deposits that are being scoured and winnowed by tidal- and wave-induced currents. Erosional areas are located primarily along mainland and insular shores, within large channels that have strong tidal currents, atop submerged ridges and knolls, and across much of the harbor entrance. 2) Environments of deposition are depicted on the sidescan-sonar records as smooth, featureless surfaces that have low to moderate reflectivity. Depositional environments are found predominantly over shallow subtidal flats and in broad bathymetric lows where tidal currents are weak. Sediments within depositional areas are organic-rich sandy and clayey silts that are accumulating at rates ranging from 0.01 to 0.11 g/cm2/yr or 4000 to 46,100 metric tons/yr. The cumulative mass of modern mud in harbor depocenters is 24.3 million metric tons. 3) Environments of sediment reworking constitute areas affected by a combination of erosional and depositional processes. They are characterized on the sonographs by mosaics of light and dark patches produced by relatively subtle and gradational changes in reflectivity. Reworked sediments have diverse grain sizes that overlap and are transitional between those of the other two sedimentary environments, and they are indicative of highly variable bottom currents.
Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in the Operating Room

Pulmonary artery hypertension is defined as persistent elevation of mean pulmonary artery pressure > 25 mm Hg with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure 35 mm Hg. Although mild pulmonary hypertension rarely impacts anesthetic management, severe pulmonary hypertension and exacerbation of moderate hypertension can lead to acute right ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock. Knowledge of anesthetic drug effects on the pulmonary circulation is essential for anesthesiologists. Intraoperative management should include prevention of exacerbating factors such as hypoxemia, hypercarbia, acidosis, hypothermia, hypervolemia, and increased intrathoracic pressure; monitoring and optimizing right ventricular function; and treatment with selective pulmonary vasodilators. Recent advances in pharmacology provide anesthesiologists with a wide variety of options for selective pulmonary vasodilatation. Pulmonary hypertension is a major determinant of perioperative morbidity and mortality in special situations such as heart and lung transplantation, pneumonectomy, and ventricular assist device placement.
Using an Instructional Intervention to Reduce Problem and Off-Task Behaviors

Functional relationships between the presentation of easy versus difficult math tasks and the occurrence of problem and off-task behaviors of students with emotional or behavioral disorder (EBD) we...