cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Somatosensory evoked potentials in Huntington's disease ☆

Abstract Scalp recorded somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by left and right median nerve stimulation were obtained in 21 patients with Huntington's disease (HD), 14 individuals at risk (AR) for HD, and 21 non-patient controls matched for age and sex. Although SEP abnormalities were not uniform in the HD group, no HD patient had SEPs that conformed fully to the normal configuration with respect to peak latencies, presence of all components and spatial distribution. The most common abnormality was non-specific in nature, consisting of amplitude reduction or virtual absence of components after 100 msec. More specific deviations were noted in the early SEP events. In half of the HD patients, peak P30 seemed to occur at approximately 45 msec poststimulus; this peak could have been taken as the normal P45 had it not reversed in phase between the central and frontal leads. In these cases peak P45 appeared to be missing. Peak N20 latency values were longer in the HD group than in the non-patient controls, whereas the P15 latencies did not differ significantly. The conduction time between P15 and N20 was significantly longer in HD patients than the non-patient controls. SEPs of the majority of the ARs were similar to those of the non-patient controls in terms of overall configuration, although mean amplitudes were generally lower for ARs than non-patient controls and 4 ARs exhibited prolonged P15-N20 latency differences.
Physiology and biochemistry of uric acid

Das endgultige Abbauprodukt unerwunschter Purinnukleotide ist beim Menschen die Harnsaure. Deren Bildung erfolgt als letzter Schritt des Purinabbaus. In vielen Spezies wird diese durch das Enzym Urikase weiter zu Allantoin umgewandelt. Dem Menschen fehlt aber dieses Enzym, weshalb eine relative hohe Harnsaurekonzentration im Blut aufrecht erhalten wird. Wahrend der Evolution der hoheren Primaten war vermutlich der Verlust der Urikase mit erhohtem Harnsaurespiegel vorteilhaft, da die Harnsaure in unserem Korper als wichtiger Radikalfanger dient. Jedoch kann die Harnsaure im Zusammenhang mit genetischen oder umweltbedingten Faktoren auch zu Gesundheitsproblemen fuhren: Wenn Harnsaureanhaufung in den Nieren auftritt, konnen Nierensteine entstehen und wenn Harnsaure in den Gelenken kristallisiert, kann dies zur Gicht fuhren. Der Korper muss den Harnsaurespiegel im Blut im optimalen Bereich aufrecht erhalten, um solche nachteiligen Wirkungen zu verhindern. Normalerweise wird uberschussige Harnsaure durch Aussc...
Direct Derivation of van der Waals Force Field Parameters from Quantum Mechanical Interaction Energies

van der Waals force field parameters are difficult to determine from only experimental data because of the insufficient data-to-parameter ratio, particularly for the diverse set of atom types necessary for force fields used in virtual ligand screening. We present a method which exploits the virtually unlimited number of ab initio calculations, as compared with experimental data, and does not have to rely on unphysical combination rules used by most force fields. Interaction energies of all pairs of molecules from a set of eight compounds at the MP2/d-aug-cc-pVDZ level with a counterpoise correction are used to simultaneously fit parameters in a buffered Lennard-Jones van der Waals potential for six atom types. The transferability of the parameters is demonstrated by the reproducibility of ab initio dimer energies for four molecules in a validation set. Next, sublimation energies of 14 alkanes and 11 nonalkane compounds are calculated using both our potential and the van der Waals potential from the MMFF94...
A definition of uncertainty aversion

A definition of uncertainty or ambiguity aversion is proposed. It is argued that the definition is well-suited to modelling within the Savage (as opposed to Anscombe and Aumann) domain of acts. The defined property of uncertainty aversion has intuitive empirical content, behaves well in specific models of preference (multiple-priors and Choquet expected utility) and is tractable. Tractability is established through use of a novel notion of differentiability for utility functions, called eventwise differentiability.
National Identity in a Multicultural Society: Malaysian Children's Literature in English.

This article explores the question of how children’s literature reflects national identity in a diverse society. Drawing parallels with Ellison’s Invisible Man, it speculates on how literary omissions and misrepresentations of diverse groups may influence the minds of young readers in their attitudes toward themselves, their nation, and others. In a sampling of the current children’s picture book literature of Malaysia in English, it relates current thinking in multiculturalist and post-colonial theory to the forms of multiculturalism found in these works. It examines this literature’s representations of history, diversity, class, gender, and values to determine who is represented, how they are portrayed, who is excluded, and what values are promoted, exploring what image of national identity this literature projects.
Factors predicting the onset of adolescent drinking in families at high risk for developing alcoholism

Abstract Background: With a longitudinal prospective design, the purpose of this study was 1) to assess, with survival analysis, the age of onset of drinking in relation to family history of alcoholism; 2) to examine the importance of selected neurobiological and psychosocial risk factors in predicting the onset to drink; and 3) to determine if the age of onset of substance dependence problems differed by risk group status. Methods: One hundred twenty-five children and adolescents were evaluated annually ( N = 638 evaluations), providing up to seven annual waves of longitudinal data. Survival analyses were performed to determine the age of onset of regular drinking and the age of onset for substance abuse/dependence. The age of onset of regular drinking outcome was modeled using familial density of alcoholism and four factors, which included neurobiological indices of development (postural sway and P300), personality characteristics, academic achievement, self-esteem, and trait anxiety. Results: High-risk children/adolescents showed a significantly earlier age of onset of drinking and an earlier age of onset for substance abuse problems. Familial density of alcoholism predicted an earlier onset of drinking, as did having deficits in reading achievement, reduced P300 (visual and auditory), and greater postural sway for age. Higher scores on the Extraversion scale of the Junior version of the Eysenck Personality Inventory also predicted an earlier onset of drinking. Conclusions: Familial density of alcoholism (number of alcoholic first- and second-degree relatives) is an important predictor of adolescent alcohol initiation. Evidence is presented suggesting that part of the familial/genetic variation in outcome may be due to neurobiological factors and temperament.
SU‐FF‐T‐164: Radiochromic EBT Film Characterization and Applicability for IMRT QA Verification

Purpose: Characterization of ISP's new EBT radiochromic film for clinical dosimetry, with emphasis on the usefulness for routine QA of IMRT treatments. Method and Materials: EBT is a new formulation of radiochromic film by ISP. Sheets were exposed to 6 MV and 18 MV photons from a Varian 2300C/D accelerator over clinically useful dose ranges. Density was measured by scanning the film in a Vidar VXR‐16 Dosimetry Pro scanner and the data analyzed using RIT113 v4 software. The reproducibility, stability, and temperature sensitivity were investigated. Dose distributions for IMRT treatments delivered with a Millinieum 120 leaf MLC were measured with the EBT film and compared to those of Kodak EDR2 film and to the predictions of the Eclipse treatment planning system. Results: EBT films from the same batch have a consistent response to doses ranging from 50 to 500 cGy for 6 MV and 18 MV photons. The density readings are stable from 1 to 75 hours post exposure when stored in the dark at room temperature. Beyond 75 hours, the density slowly increases. The film is insensitive to cold, but shows significant degradation when exposed to 60 C for as little as two hours. For IMRT dose distributions where the dose is below 200 cGy, the EBT film has similar responses as Kodak's EDR2 film and very close agreement to the Eclipse predictions. In regions of IMRT doses greater than 200 cGy, the EBT film loses sensitivity as compared to EDR2 film and to the Eclipse calculations. Conclusion: ISP's EBT radiochromic film is reproducible and stable under normal clinical conditions. For IMRT dose verification, the EBT film is in close agreement with calculations and EDR2 film for doses less than 200 cGy. Further research is needed to understand the reduced response of EBT to IMRT doses above 200 cGy.
Non-parametric permutation test for the discrimination of float glass samples based on LIBS spectra

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) coupled with non-parametric permutation based hypothesis testing is demonstrated to have good performance in discriminating float glass samples. This type of pairwise sample comparison is important in manufacturing process quality control, forensic science and other applications where determination of a match probability between two samples is required. Analysis of the pairwise comparisons between multiple LIBS spectra from a single glass sample shows that some assumptions required by parametric methods may not hold in practice, motivating the adoption of a non-parametric permutation test. Without rigid distributional assumptions, the permutation test exhibits excellent discriminating power while holding the actual size of Type I error at the nominal level. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Volatiles from thermal decomposition of isomeric methyl (12S, 13S)-(E)-12,13-epoxy-9-hydroperoxy-10-octadecenoates

Two epimers of methyl (12S,13S)-(E)-12,13-epoxy-9-hydroperoxy-10-octadecenoate were isolated after esterification of a mixture of fatty acids obtained from decomposition of (13S)-(9Z,11E)-13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid by an Fe++-cysteine catalyst. These epimeric epoxyhydro-peroxyoctadecenoates were decomposed by heat (210 C) in the injection port of a gas chromatograph, and the cleavage fragments were subsequently separated by gas chromatography (GC) and identified by mass spectrometry (MS). Among the scission products obtained, the most prominent in the GC peak profile were methyl octanoate and methyl 9-oxononanoate. Other peaks were identified as pentane, 1-pentanol, hexanal, 2-heptanone, 2-pentylfuran, methyl heptanoate, 2-octenal, 4,5-epoxy-2-decenal, methyl 8-(2-furyl)-octanoate, 11-oxo-9-undecenoate and methyl 13-oxo-9,11-tridecadienoate. In addition, 3,4-epoxynonanal, methyl 8-oxooctanoate, 3-hydroxy-2-pentyl-2,3-dihydrofuran and methyl 10-oxodecanoate were tentatively identified. Except for the furan compounds, the formation of the fragmentation products could be explained by conventional free-radical scission mechanisms.
A Brief Retrospective and Prospective Look atThe Journal of Financial Intermediation: 1990–1998

Abstract Since its inception in 1990,The Journal of Financial Intermediationhas striven to be a high-quality outlet for empirical and theoretical research in financial intermediation, market microstructure, and corporate finance. This article briefly reviews the output of theJournalsince its inception, describes recent changes, and takes a look at the future.
HLA-G: A human pregnancy-related immunomodulator

In human pregnancies mothers and their embryo/fetuses are invariably genetically different. Thus, attenuation of the adaptive maternal immune response, which is programmed to reject 'foreign' entities, is required for pregnancy to be initiated and maintained. Unexpectedly, given the propensity of the immune system to dispose of non-self entities, at least 50% of expected human pregnancies reliably go forward. This indicates that to a large extent, effective systems of tolerance have evolved. Although overlapping and redundant mechanisms of tolerance have been identified, production of HLA-G by trophoblast cells derived from the external trophectoderm layer of the blastocyst appears to be of major importance. At this point in time, no pregnancies in which all of the proteins derived from the HLA-G gene are absent have as yet been reported. Many studies have shown that both membrane-bound and soluble isoforms of the proteins derived from this HLA class Ib gene are produced by placental trophoblast cells, with consequences that include but are not restricted to immune suppression at the maternal-fetal interface. Here we report new studies that are leading to a better understanding of the HLA-G proteins, their unique structures, unusual modes of regulation, diverse functions, and potential for use in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to suboptimal fertility in women.
Imprinting detection by extending a regression-based QTL analysis method

We present an extension of a regression-based quantitative-trait linkage analysis method to incorporate parent-of-origin effects. We separately regressed total, paternal, and maternal IBD sharing on traits' squared sums and differences. We also developed a test for imprinting that indicates whether there is any difference between the paternal and maternal regression coefficients. Since this method treats the identity-by-descent information as the dependent variable that is conditioned on the trait, it can be readily applied to data from complex ascertainment processes. We performed a simulation study to examine the performance of the method. We found that when using empirical critical values, the method shows identical or higher power compared to existing methods for evaluation of parent-of-origin effect in linkage analysis of quantitative traits. Missing parental genotypes increase the type I error rate of the linkage test and decrease the power of the imprinting test. When the major gene has a low heritability, the power of the method decreases considerably, but the statistical tests still perform well. We also applied a permutation algorithm, which ensures the appropriate type I error rate for the test for imprinting. The method was applied to a data from a study of 6 body size related measures and 23 loci on chromosome 7 for 255 nuclear families. Multipoint identities-by-descent (IBD) were obtained using a modification of the SIMWALK 2 program. A parent-of-origin effect consistent with maternal imprinting was suggested at 99.67-111.26 Mb for body mass index, bioelectrical impedance analysis, waist circumference, and leptin concentration.
The effect of neutron irradiation on the strength of αCu-Al single crystals

Abstract The room temperature strength of Cu and αCu-Al single crystals containing 0.5 to 14 at. % Al has been studied as a function of neutron irradiation from doses of 1.0 × 10 15 to 0.98 × 10 20 nvt. For a dose of 1.4 × 10 17 nvt or less, the amount of irradiation induced strengthening decreases with increasing solute concentrations; the strength of Cu-14 at.% Al crystals is independent of dose in this range. With dose of 0.94 × 10 18 nvt or more, the strength of these crystals is independent of solute concentration. These observations are explained on the basis of solute additions increasing the dislocation motion stress and neutron irradiation increasing the dislocation generation stress. The Cu data follows the cube-root dose dependence previously established by other researchers; the irradiated alloy crystals show the same macroscopic glide characteristics as has been found in irradiated Cu single crystals. Measurements of both the difference in the flow stress between 77 and 300°K and the strain rate dependence of the flow stress at 300°K become solute independent at a dose of 0.94 × 10 18 nvt; saturation effects are found in both these properties at a dose of 0.98 × 10 20 nvt.
Drying Transition in the Hydrophobic Gate of the GLIC Channel Blocks Ion Conduction

The theoretical prediction of water drying transitions near nonpolar surfaces has stimulated an intensive search for biological processes exploiting this extreme form of hydrophobicity. Here we quantitatively demonstrate that drying of a hydrophobic constriction is the major determinant of ion conductance in the GLIC pentameric ion channel. Molecular-dynamics simulations show that in the closed state, the channel conductance is ∼12 orders-of-magnitude lower than in the open state. This large drop in conductance is remarkable because even in the functionally closed conformation the pore constriction remains wide enough for the passage of sodium ions, aided by a continuous bridge of ∼12 water molecules. However, we find that the free energy cost of hydrating the hydrophobic gate is large, accounting almost entirely for the energetic barrier blocking ion passage. The free energies of transferring a sodium ion into a prehydrated gate in functionally closed and open states differ by only 1.2 kcal/mol, compared to an 11 kcal/mol difference in the costs of hydrating the hydrophobic gate. Conversely, ion desolvation effects play only minor roles in GLIC ion channel gating. Our simulations help rationalize experiments probing the gating kinetics of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in response to mutations of pore-lining residues. The molecular character and phase behavior of water should thus be included in quantitative descriptions of ion channel gating.
Frequency dependence of magnetoelectric phenomena in BaMn F 4

Equations of motion of the Landau-Lifshitz type are used together with the free-energy expression of an earlier publication [D. L. Fox et al., Phys. Rev. B 21, 2926 (1980)] to derive expressions for dynamic phenomena in the low-temperature phase of BaMn${\mathrm{F}}_{4}$. The magnon frequency decreases and the optical-phonon frequency increases with the strength of the magnetoelectric coupling. Three susceptibilities, magnetic, magnetoelectric, and dielectric, are found; all three have poles at both the magnon and the phonon frequency.
Custom-Made, 3D, Intraoperative Surgical Guides for Nasal Reconstruction

Abstract This article presents the use of an intraoperative surgical guide created by 3D laser surface scanning and rapid prototyping. The authors present outcomes of 3 patients in whom the nasal surgical guide was used intraoperatively for reconstruction of full-thickness, complex nasal defects. This effort highlights the multidisciplinary approach involving a surgeon and anaplastologist integrated with the latest technology to provide patients with the best possible outcomes.
Sequence Requirements for Mitochondrial Import of Yeast Cytochrome c

Apocytochrome c is synthesized in the cytoplasm, transported to the mitochondrial intermembrane space, and subsequently covalently attached to heme in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme cytochrome c heme lyase. We have investigated the amino acid sequences in cytochrome c which are required for mitochondrial import, using a systematic series of site-directed alterations of the CYC7-H3 gene which encodes iso-2-cytochrome c in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Import of the altered apocytochromes c was assayed in yeast strains that overexpressed cytochrome c heme lyase. Under these conditions, there was efficient mitochondrial accumulation of forms of apocytochrome c which are incapable of having heme covalently attached. In fact, all apocytochromes c containing deletions located to the carboxyl-terminal side of His27 efficiently accumulated in the mitochondria of strains overexpressing heme lyase, even though all but one of these deletion-containing proteins were incapable of heme attachment. A minimum length of polypeptide chain at the extreme amino terminus of cytochrome c, rather than any specific sequence element in this region, appears to be required for efficient mitochondrial import. Certain amino acid substitutions in the region extending from Gly15 to Leu18, at residue Phe19 and at residue His27, lead to reduced mitochondrial import of apocytochrome c, resulting from stalling of the altered apocytochrome c in partially imported states.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Stimulation to Assess for Ovarian Hyperandrogenism

Abstract Study Objective To determine whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation elicits an exaggerated 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) response in patients with functional ovarian hyperandrogenism. Methods In this clinical study, healthy volunteers and hyperandrogenic patients in an outpatient General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) setting were studied. Five adolescent girls with functional ovarian hyperandrogenism were studied. Six healthy women with regular menstrual cycles volunteered for this study. Steroid hormone responses to hCG stimulation were measured before and 30, 240, and 300 minutes after hCG injection. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia was excluded through ACTH stimulation testing and molecular genetic analysis. Main outcome measure 17-0HP responses. Results Mean basal 17-0HP concentrations were greater in the hyperandrogenic patients, 110.4 ± 41.2 ng/dL versus 61.8 ± 28.6 ng/dL. After hCG stimulation, 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentrations significantly increased in the patients and were unchanged in the healthy controls. Conclusion hCG stimulation elicited greater 17-hydroxyprogesterone responses in adolescent girls with functional ovarian hyperandrogenism compared with healthy controls. hCG stinlulation may be helpful to confirm ovarian hyperandrogenism.
Using Web-Based Cases to Enhance, Extend, and Transform Pre-Service Teacher Training: Two Years in Review.

This study was part of a two-year review regarding the use of Web-based case conferencing to enhance, extend, and transform the learning of pre-service teachers in an introductory educational psychology course. First, Web conferencing enhanced the learning opportunities within educational psychology by providing an electronically shared space for hundreds of students to share, discuss, and reflect on case situations common in K-12 school settings. Second, this environment extended learning by including students from other universities and countries. Finally, instead of strictly relying on instructor cases and commentary, the Web transformed the learning process by allowing students to generate cases online and provide timely and relevant peer feedback. Across the two years of this study, students generated more than a thousand case situations that tended to focus on classroom management, motivation, and controversial issues or hot topics. Within these case situations, students were extremely task...
Neutron-proton interaction and bandcrossing in the cranking model

A cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogolubov formalism for a description of collective rotational states, which includes the n-p residual interaction along with pairing and is applicable to a neutron-proton system, is presented. A delta force form is used for the n-p residual interaction. A simple model is then developed where the valence neutrons and the valence protons occupy i13/2 and h11/2 orbitals, respectively. Results of these calculations are presented to show the effect of n-p interaction on the phenomenon of bandcrossing. Within the limits of such a restrictive model (which is particularly applicable to the (h11/2) p(i13/2) n bands in odd-odd nuclei) we find evidence for a shifting of the first bandcrossing frequency to a larger value. We find that n-p interaction may also affect many other phenomena in the high spin region.
Induction of hepatomas secreting large amounts of alpha-fetoprotein.

Summary Hepatomas secreting large amounts of alpha-fetoprotein were induced in Fischer rats by the continuous feeding of 0.06% 3′-methyl-4-dimethylamino-azobenzene. Serum alpha-fetoprotein concentrations in the 59 hepatomabearing rats ranged from 92–3260 μg/ml (mean, 972 μg/ml; median, 830 μg/ ml) at the time of primary tumor transplantation.
The natural history of respiratory syncytial virus infection in cancer and transplant patients: implications for management

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been reported to cause severe morbidity and mortality among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with or without autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT). However, little is known about the natural history of this infection in these patients, and current standard practice, aerosolized ribavirin plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), is extremely expensive, difficult to use, and not supported by controlled clinical trials. The purpose of this observational study was to determine the frequency, seasonality, morbidity, and mortality of RSV infection in a group of cancer patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy with neither ribavirin nor IVIG treatment. During the period of October 3, 1997, through October 14, 1998, 190 cancer patients (median age, 58 years; 71 women) underwent viral nasopharyngeal washing prior to chemotherapy. Multiple myeloma (MM) accounted for most patients (147, 77%). RSV was recovered from cultures taken from 71 patients (37%) throughout the year, although more frequently during fall and winter seasons (P <.001) than spring and summer. Serious respiratory complications developed in 19 (27%) of 71 RSV-positive patients versus 24 (20%) of 119 patients whose RSV cultures were negative (P =.384). The presence of renal failure or increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) prior to chemotherapy and the development of mucositis were the only predictive factors for severe respiratory complications. Recovery of RSV from nasopharyngeal washings among cancer patients is common, occurs throughout the year, and does not appear to increase serious morbidity or mortality. RSV infection may not necessarily be a contraindication for APBSCT or an indication for therapy with aerosolized ribavirin and IVIG.
Biochemical Markers of Bone Metabolism: An Overview

Abstract Objectives: An overview of biochemical markers of bone metabolism is presented along with indications for their clinical utilization. Design and Methods: The structure, cyclical metabolism, and hormone regulation of bone is reflected by markers of resorption, formation and/or turnover. Markers of resorption representing degradation of type 1 collagen, include N-telopeptides, C-telopeptides, hydroxyproline, and the collagen crosslinks pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline; acid phosphatase, a marker of osteoclast activity, and urinary calcium are also indicators of bone resorption. Bone formation markers indicate osteoblast activity; bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and the N-terminal and C-terminal extension peptides of procollagen reflect formation of organic matrix in bone. Osteocalcin, produced by osteoblasts but also released during osteoclastic degradation, may indicate either formation when resorption and formation are coupled or turnover when they are uncoupled. Results: Bone markers respond to intervention more rapidly than techniques such bone mineral density. Resorption markers respond approximately 1 to 3 months after intervention; markers of formation respond later, after 6 to 9 months. Bone markers may add useful information for assessing fracture risk and for monitoring osteoporosis, Paget’s disease of bone, cancer metastasis, and metabolic disease. Various therapeutic interventions may affect release of some bone markers. Conclusion: Bone disease has high prevalence in adults so bone markers will become even more important for assessing fracture risk and monitoring therapy as populations age. Characteristics of bone markers are dependent on biology and the assay used. Substantial work remains in characterizing existing assays, identifying better markers and performing the clinical studies to define which bone markers should be measured and when.
Surface characteristics of polyether and addition silicone impression materials after long-term disinfection.

It has been demonstrated that short-term disinfection can affect the surface properties of impression materials. This study evaluated advancing contact angle, receding contact angle, imbibition and mass loss of a polyether impression material, and two different viscosities of an addition silicone impression material after long-term immersion disinfection (18 hours). The brand names of the impression materials tested were Impregum F, Extrude Extra, and Extrude Wash, and all were tested by use of the Wilhelmy technique; first, for the nondisinfected state, which served as controls, and then after 1 and 18 hours of disinfection in a full-strength solution of acid glutaraldehyde. Weight changes before and after the disinfection process were also measured to detect weight loss and mass change over time. All materials exhibited some degree of imbibition. Polyether lost 0.4% mass in air, which indicated loss of a volatile component. Polyether and addition silicone were both relatively hydrophobic and could be disinfected with acid glutaraldehyde for up to 18 hours without affecting wettability.
Oxidative Destruction of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Using Boron-Doped Diamond Film Electrodes

This research investigated the oxidative destruction of perfluorooctane sulfonate at boron-doped diamond film electrodes. Experiments measuring oxidation rates of PFOS were performed over a range in current densities and temperatures using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) reactor and a parallel plate flow-through reactor. The oxidation of PFOS yielded sulfate, fluoride, carbon dioxide, and trace levels of trifluoroacetic acid. Reaction rates in the RDE reactor were zeroth order in PFOS concentration. Reaction rates in the flow-through reactor were mass-transfer-limited and were pseudo-first-order in PFOS concentration, with a half-life of 5.3 min at a current density of 20 mA/cm2. Eyring analysis of the zeroth order rate constants at a fixed electrode potential yielded an apparent activation energy of 4.2 kJ/mol for PFOS oxidation. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations were used to calculate activation barriers for different possible reaction mechanisms, including oxidation by hydroxyl radicals at different sites on the PFOS molecule, and direct electron transfer. A comparison of the experimentally measured apparent activation energy with those calculated using DFT indicated that the most likely rate-limiting step for PFOS oxidation was direct electron transfer.
Ground robot navigation using uncalibrated cameras

Precise calibration of camera intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, while often useful, is difficult to obtain during field operation and presents scaling issues for multi-robot systems. We demonstrate a vision-based approach to navigation that does not depend on traditional camera calibration, and present an algorithm for guiding a robot through a previously traversed environment using a set of uncalibrated cameras mounted on the robot. On the first excursion through an environment, the system builds a topological representation of the robot's exploration path, encoded as a place graph. On subsequent navigation missions, the method localizes the robot within the graph and provides robust guidance to a specified destination. We combine this method with reactive collision avoidance to obtain a system able to navigate the robot safely and reliably through the environment. We validate our approach with ground-truth experiments and demonstrate the method on a small ground rover navigating through several dynamic environments.
A multifactorial action plan improves hand hygiene adherence and significantly reduces central line–associated bloodstream infections

Background Although hand hygiene (HH) is key to reducing health care–associated infections, it is well documented that health care worker (HCW) adherence to appropriate HH protocols is relatively low. Methods This was a collaborative quality improvement project with multiple interventions conducted in a 570-bed academic hospital in Columbia, MO between April 2006 and September 2012. A multimodal action plan to improve HH adherence among all HCWs was developed, addressing 4 key areas: staff education, staff accountability, hand sanitizer product selection and accessibility, and organizational culture. HH adherence and central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates were monitored as outcome measures. Results The overall HH adherence rate increased from 58% in April 2006 to 98% in September 2012. The adherence rates increased among all hospital units and among all HCW categories; in September 2012, HH adherence was 96% for physicians, 99% for nursing staff, and 99% for food services staff. CLABSI rates decreased over the same period, from 4.08 per 1000 device-days to 0.42 per 1000 device-days. Conclusions This multifactorial quality improvement project resulted in an institution-wide increase in HH adherence and a significant decrease in CLABSIs.
Goitrogenic effect of prolonged treatment with LATS on mice immunologically tolerant to human immunoglobulin G.

SummaryIn order to determine whether LATS has a true tropic or goitrogenic effect on mouse thyroid glands, mice were made hyporesponsive to human IgG so that they could receive prolonged treatment with low doses of human LATS-IgG. Groups of mice were treated with TSH, two different doses of LATS, normal human IgG, and saline. The LATS- and TSH-treated mice were found to have lost weight when compared to controls, to have enlarged thyroid glands which had increased rates of RNA and protein synthesis, and to have elevated rates of 131I uptake. The LATS- and TSH-treated glands showed histologic evidence of hyperactivity, although the LATS glands, in contrast to those treated with TSH, did not show marked colloid resorption. These results derived from prolonged therapy with LATS-IgG in tolerant mice, confirm the thyrotropic activity of LATS.
A remark on a vanishing property for viscosity solutions of fully nonlinear parabolic equations

Abstract We make the observation that, under some natural conditions on F (stated in (A)–(C) in the main text), if a viscosity solution of the fully nonlinear parabolic equation F ( D 2 u , D u , u ) − u t = 0 vanishes to infinite order at ( x 0 , t 0 ) , then there is a small spatial neighborhood B r 0 ( x 0 ) × { t 0 } of ( x 0 , t 0 ) in which u vanishes identically. The proof is inspired in an essential way by the ideas employed in the recent paper Armstrong and Silvestre (2011) [2] , where the unique continuation property for fully nonlinear elliptic equations was established.
Band line-up at the 4H-SiC/Ni interface determined with photoemission spectroscopy

The band line-up at the 4H-SiC/Ni interface was determined using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). Ni was deposited in 14 steps on an ex situ cleaned n-type 4H-SiC substrate starting with an initial deposition of 0.5 A up to a final thickness of 110 A. The sample surface was characterized in situ by XPS before the growth sequence, and after each Ni deposition step. Analysis of the Ni 3d and O 1s core level peaks indicates that a thin Ni oxide layer was formed at the interface due to a chemical reaction with oxidizing agents on the sample surface due to the ex situ substrate preparation before a metallic Ni film could be grown. The substrate core level spectra exhibit a significant shift to lower binding energy due to the development of an inversion condition in the semiconductor at the interface. This resulted in the formation of an electron injection barrier of 3.26 eV at the interface.
Target localisation techniques and tools for multiple-input multiple-output radar

This study presents a comparative study of coherent and non-coherent target localisation techniques for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar systems with widely distributed elements. Performance is evaluated based on closed-form solutions developed for the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) for each of the localisation methods. These estimators afford insights into the relation between radar locations, target location and localisation accuracy. In particular, the means squared error of the BLUE is factored into a term dependent on signal and processing characteristics and a term dependent on sensor locations. The latter is referred to as geometric dilution of precision (GDOP). The best achievable accuracy for the coherent case is obtained, and a comparative study with the non-coherent case is presented. MIMO radar systems with coherent processing are shown to benefit from a gain because of coherent processing among sensors. This gain is referred to as coherent localisation gain, and it is proportional to the ratio of the signal carrier frequency to the effective bandwidth (a large ratio for typical signals). The footprint of multiple transmit/receive sensors results in a gain, referred to as MIMO gain, for both processing techniques. The MIMO gain is proportional to the product of the number of transmitting and receiving sensors. Analysis of the MIMO gain through the use of GDOP contour maps demonstrate the achievable accuracy at various target locations for a given layout of sensors.
Technology's Ways:: Information Technology, Crime Analysis and the Rationalizing of Policing

The rationalization of policing, linking ends and means, and evaluating the consequences of policies and actions, is progressing in policing. It can be seen in budgeting, career planning, crime audits and performance indicators and goals. One of most powerful tools with capacity, if applied `on the ground,' to prevent, reduce and control crime and disorder is crime analysis. This case study of crime mapping and crime analysis in one American department, done with interviews and observations in 1999, shows that in spite of progress in knowledge about levels and kinds of social disorganization, repeat offenders, clusters of problems and incidents, crime mapping has no operational effects. The lack of infrastructure of support and interpretation; the distribution of the information, isolated and unintegrated databases, and lack of on-line access by patrol officers, renders the extant software and analytic capacity ineffectual. Some suggestions are made that might link the capacity with practice.
A New Vision for Public Administration

Employing the metaphor of human sight, this essay advances a new vision for public administration. It is a departure from past visions in that it asks us to "see" the field from its own viewpoint rather than that of others. First, three common perspectives on public administra? tion are critiqued as possessing a vision ofthe field that is not in accord with its core contributions to the demo? cratic republic. Second, a new vision is advanced comprising three elements: a concept of government-basedyet nongovernmental governance in which the contributions of administration are fully accounted for; a trajectory image ofthe administrative agency propelled by a strong sense of mission; and the notion that administrations highest purpose is to build the public trust that makes democracy possible.
The metabolism of arsenite and arsenate by the rat.

Differences in distribution and metabolism of arsenite and arsenate were studied in rats and in rat liver and kidney slices and hepatocytes. Five minutes after i.v. administration of 4.8 nmol arsenite or arsenate to male Sprague-Dawley rats, blood levels of arsenic were only 10 percent of the initial dose. Blood arsenic levels then rose: by 4 hours about 67 percent of the initial dose of arsenite and 28 percent of the initial dose of arsenate were in the blood compartment. The predominant form of arsenic in the RBC was dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Arsenite was rapidly distributed to both liver and kidney; arsenate was rapidly distributed to kidney only. After 4 hours of exposure to arsenite, liver slices had taken up six times more arsenic and kidney slices two times more arsenic than after exposure to arsenate. Isolated hepatocytes took up as much as 20 times more arsenic after arsenite exposure. DMA was found in the medium of the liver slices and hepatocytes exposed to arsenite, but very little DMA was found in the medium of the arsenate-exposed liver slices and hepatocytes. However, five times more DMA was found in the medium of the kidney slices exposed to arsenate than in the medium of the liver slices. Phosphate inhibited uptake and metabolism of arsenate by kidney slices. These studies indicate that inorganic arsenic is rapidly taken up by liver and kidney and methylated. Arsenite is methylated by both organs, whereas arsenate may be methylated by kidney only.
The Organizational Double Bind: Toward an Understanding of Rationality and Its Complement

Potential effects of the rational model of human behavior on organization members are examined. The rational model stresses cognitive aspects of human activities while de-emphasizing affective processes. It is hypothesized that if certain members attempt to integrate cognitive and affective components of their thoughts and behavior, organizational rationality may prohibit them from realizing complete integration as they may display maladaptive behavioral tendencies that have debilitating effects on their working and non-working lives. The integrated model is introduced which posits that affective processes may be legitimized by introducing organizational norms, drawn from the theory of play, that allow limited arational activity.
A novel, tissue-specific integrin subunit, beta nu, expressed in the midgut of Drosophila melanogaster

The integrins are a family of cell surface receptors for extracellular matrix proteins and counter-receptors on other cells. We have used the polymerase chain reaction to identify a novel integrin receptor beta subunit in Drosophila melanogaster. The deduced amino acid sequence of this subunit, which we have termed beta v (beta-neu), indicates that it has several unusual properties. The beta v subunit is roughly 33% identical with each of the previously sequenced vertebrate and Drosophila beta subunits and is lacking four of the 56 cysteine residues characteristic of most members of this protein family. The expression of the beta v gene is strikingly restricted. It is temporally regulated, with maximal expression occurring at 12–15 hours of embryonic development. In situ hybridization analyses and antibody localization on whole-mount embryos reveal that beta v expression is tissue-specific and confined to the developing midgut endoderm and its precursors during embryogenesis. Tissue specificity of expression is maintained through later stages of development as beta v transcripts are found exclusively in the larval midgut. Within this structure, beta v transcripts are especially concentrated in the cells of the midgut imaginal islands which give rise to the adult midgut.
Use of the vital sign stamp as a systematic screening tool to promote smoking cessation

Objectives To examine the ability of a simple system-wide screening assessment tool, an expanded vital sign stamp, to increase rates of smoker identification, physician advice to quit smoking, and physician assistance in quitting and abstinence rates. Participants and Methods This study is a pretest, posttest design in which 5 primary health care clinics were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition, which received the vital sign stamp, or the control condition. Participants (N=9439) were surveyed by using exit interviews at the 5 clinics, both before and after the vital sign intervention was implemented. Participants who were identified as smokers were then contacted 1 year later for follow-up. The study began in February 1995, and all follow-up visits were completed by December 1998. Results Implementation of the vital sign stamp significantly increased the rates at which physicians asked participants about their smoking status (17.2% vs 7.5%). However, the rates of physicians advising smokers to quit, assisting them in quitting, and arranging follow-up either stayed constant or decreased. The number of quit attempts and abstinence rates also stayed constant. Conclusion A simple system-wide screening assessment tool, while effective in identifying more tobacco users, did not increase the rates at which physicians advised or assisted smokers to quit. Further system-wide changes may be needed to ensure that effective tobacco-dependence treatments are given to smokers.
Branch and bound computation of the minimum norm of a linear fractional transformation over a structured set

The minimum norm of a linear fractional transformation (LFT) over a structured set is computed using a branch and bound algorithm. This is a global optimization problem caused by the possibility of local minima. Several computationally efficient lower bounds for the minimum norm of the LFT are developed, and it is demonstrated that the success of the optimization, as measured by time-to-converge, largely depends on the quality of these bounds.
OPTICAL ROTATION AND HELICAL POLYPEPTIDE CHAIN CONFIGURATION IN COLLAGEN AND GELATIN

The optical rotation phenomena exhibited by a citrate-extracted fraction of ichthyocol (from carp swim bladder), as well as by the parent gelatin derived therefrom, have been studied. Dispersion data for all cases follow a single-term Drude equation, but the variations with state are adequately expressed by simple reference to changes in [alpha](D) as follows:- 1. The native collagen fraction, dispersed in 0.15 M citrate buffer at pH 3.7 in the cold (11 degrees C.), yields a high negative specific rotation, [alpha](D), near -350 degrees . 2. During equilibration at 40 degrees C., which causes conversion to a monodisperse parent gelatin, the rotation drops to about -110 degrees . 3. Gelation at 2 degrees C. results in a partial regain of rotation to around -290 degrees . This mutarotation is reversible, depending on temperature. 4. In the range 0.02 to 0.28 per cent the native ichthyocol and the warm gelatin solutions show little concentration dependence, but with the cold gelatin solutions the specific rotation increases with concentration. Gelatin films formed by cold evaporation yield high specific rotation (ca. -620 degrees ), but those formed by hot evaporation retain low optical activity. 5. Since this same collagen-gelatin system has been investigated physicochemically, it is possible to relate molecular changes to the observed variations in optical rotation. Conclusions are similar to those of Robinson (1953), who studied other gelatins: high negative rotation is believed related to a native collagen polypeptide configuration, herein specified as helical (from x-ray diffraction considerations) and destroyed by heating. The possible roles of intermolecular interactions and of prevalent pyrrolidine constituents in influencing the helical configuration and optical activity are discussed.
Nonlinear classification of EEG data for seizure detection

We address the problem of classification of EEG recordings for the detection of epileptic seizures. We assume that the EEG measurements can be described by a low dimensional manifold. The geometry of the manifold is typically nonlinear and can be recovered with the Laplacian eigenmaps method. Our experiments demonstrate that the manifold can reveal the intrinsic structure of the data and that baseline and ictal states are well separated. We use a kernel ridge regression to identify the boundary between ictal and baseline states. We have performed a quantitative evaluation of our new approach using an acute rat model of epilepsy. Our experiments show that our approach outperforms PCA combined with a kernel ridge classifier.