cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Binding of Multiple EF-Tu Copies to Translating Ribosomes in Live Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT In bacteria, elongation factor Tu is a translational cofactor that forms ternary complexes with aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) and GTP. Binding of a ternary complex to one of four flexible L7/L12 units on the ribosome tethers a charged tRNA in close proximity to the ribosomal A site. Two sequential tests for a match between the aa-tRNA anticodon and the current mRNA codon then follow. Because one elongation cycle can occur in as little as 50 ms and the vast majority of aa-tRNA copies are not cognate with the current mRNA codon, this testing must occur rapidly. We present a single-molecule localization and tracking study of fluorescently labeled EF-Tu in live Escherichia coli. Imaging at 2 ms/frame distinguishes 60% slowly diffusing EF-Tu copies (assigned as transiently bound to translating ribosome) from 40% rapidly diffusing copies (assigned as a mixture of free ternary complexes and free EF-Tu). Combining these percentages with copy number estimates, we infer that the four L7/L12 sites are essentially saturated with ternary complexes in vivo. The results corroborate an earlier inference that all four sites can simultaneously tether ternary complexes near the A site, creating a high local concentration that may greatly enhance the rate of testing of aa-tRNAs. Our data and a combinatorial argument both suggest that the initial recognition test for a codon-anticodon match occurs in less than 1 to 2 ms per aa-tRNA copy. The results refute a recent study (A. Plochowietz, I. Farrell, Z. Smilansky, B. S. Cooperman, and A. N. Kapanidis, Nucleic Acids Res 45:926–937, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkw787) of tRNA diffusion in E. coli that inferred that aa-tRNAs arrive at the ribosomal A site as bare monomers, not as ternary complexes. IMPORTANCE Ribosomes catalyze translation of the mRNA codon sequence into the corresponding sequence of amino acids within the nascent polypeptide chain. Polypeptide elongation can be as fast as 50 ms per added amino acid. Each amino acid arrives at the ribosome as a ternary complex comprising an aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA), an elongation factor called EF-Tu, and GTP. There are 43 different aa-tRNAs in use, only one of which typically matches the current mRNA codon. Thus, ternary complexes must be tested very rapidly. Here we use fluorescence-based single-molecule methods that locate and track single EF-Tu copies in E. coli. Fast and slow diffusive behavior determines the fraction of EF-Tu copies that are ribosome bound. We infer simultaneous tethering of ~4 ternary complexes to the ribosome, which may facilitate rapid initial testing for codon matching on a time scale of less than 1 to 2 ms per aa-tRNA.
A High-fat and High-Cholesterol Diet Potentiates Oxidative Damage in Hippocampus of Mice Lacking Apolipoprotein E

Objective We examined genetic and dietary challenge on hippocampal oxidative damage. Mice expressing (ApoE+/+) or lacking apolipoprotein E (ApoE-/-) were maintained on a standard diet or a high fat /high cholesterol (challenge) diet for 11-31 weeks. Similar levels of oxidative species were observed for ApoE+/+ and -/- mice maintained on the basal diet. Method However, treatment of ApoE-/- homogenates with hydrogen peroxide and iron increased oxidative species by >100%, indicating an equivalent amount of potential oxidative species in latent form. We observed a time- and region-specific induction of oxidative damage in the hippocampi of ApoE-/- but not +/+ mice while maintained on the challenge diet. Notably, however, additional significant latent oxidative products were detected during this time. After 31 weeks of dietary challenge, by which time hippocampal oxidative species had doubled, there was an additional 50% in the latent form. Conclusion This highlights the degree to which ApoE deficiency places hippocampal tissue at risk for oxidative damage. Even a modest dietary deficiency may be sufficient to provoke oxidative damage to hippocampal tissue. These results highlight the combinatorial impact of genetic and dietary deficiencies on oxidative damage to hippocampal tissue.
Incidental Diagnosis of Parathyroid Lesions by Preoperative Use of Next-Generation Molecular Testing

Parathyroid glands can mimic thyroid follicular lesions on fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology and can lead to unnecessary or incorrect surgery. Newer molecular panel tests using next-generation sequencing (NGS) include analysis of cell type-specific gene expression profiles such as parathyroid. The study aim is to determine the frequency and clinical implications of parathyroid tissue identification by molecular testing in cytologically indeterminate “thyroid” lesions. Molecular analysis of indeterminate thyroid FNA specimens is obtained routinely and relies on amplification-based NGS inclusive of PTH-specific expression profiles. For this study, we retrospectively examined the clinical data and management of patients with molecular results positive for PTH expression from May 2014 until May 2016. Among 4765 consecutive patients with indeterminate cytology for a presumed thyroid nodule, NGS instead indicated a parathyroid lesion in 20 patients (0.42%). The clinical data of 15 patients were available, and the subsequent clinical management was altered in 93% (14/15 patients), including five (33%) eucalcemic patients who could avoid unnecessary surgery. Primary hyperparathyroidism was not suspected in seven patients until the molecular analysis results, and primary hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed in one (14%). During parathyroid exploration, most patients (6/8, 75%) required concurrent thyroidectomy or lobectomy, but thyroid preservation was still possible in two patients. A parathyroid gland was histologically confirmed in 89%. In 0.42% of patients with indeterminate cytology results, next-generation molecular results will indicate the presence of a parathyroid lesion. When this occurs, it is accurate and can robustly impact clinical management (93%).
Microstructure characterization of BaSnO 3 thin films on LaAlO 3 and PrScO 3 substrates from transmission electron microscopy

Detailed microstructure analysis of epitaxial thin films is a vital step towards understanding essential structure-property relationships. Here, a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques is utilized to determine in detail the microstructure of epitaxial La-doped BaSnO3 films grown on two different perovskite substrates: LaAlO3 and PrScO3. These BaSnO3 films are of high current interest due to outstanding electron mobility at ambient. The rotational disorder of low-angle grain boundaries, namely the in-plane twist and out-of-plane tilt, is visualized by conventional TEM under a two-beam condition, and the degree of twists in grains of such films is quantified by selected-area electron diffraction. The investigation of the atomic arrangement near the film-substrate interfaces, using high-resolution annular dark-field scanning TEM imaging, reveals that edge dislocations with a Burgers vector along [001] result in the out-of-plane tilt. It is shown that such TEM-based analyses provide detailed information about the microstructure of the films, which, when combined with complimentary high-resolution X-ray diffraction, yields a complete structural characterization of the films. In particular, stark differences in out-of-plane tilt on the two substrates are shown to result from differences in misfit dislocation densities at the interface, explaining a puzzling observation from X-ray diffraction.
Knowledge-Based Expert Systems: An Overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is concerned with the development of computer programs that emulate the intelligence of humans, i.e., AI is deeply concerned with the understanding of human problem-solving strategies and incorporating (or simulating) these strategies into computer programs. For the past few decades AI researchers have been trying hard to impart some problem solving abilities to the computer. In the early 50’s AI researchers, notably Newell and associates, attempted to develop general problem solvers. These programs performed impressively in small domains, such as solving the monkey-bananas problem.1 In the early 60’s researchers realized that for solving problems of practical interest in a reasonable amount of time, computer programs needed domain specific heuristic2 This led to the development of computer programs that incorporated domain specific heuristics in the late 60’s, specially by Feigenbaum, Moses, and other researchers, knowledge, since human experts use heuristics which are learned and refined over several years of problem-solving in that domain.
Physical Restraint Use in Adult Patients Presenting to a General Emergency Department

Study objective The prevalence of agitation among emergency department (ED) patients is increasing. Physical restraints are routinely used to prevent self-harm and to protect staff, but are associated with serious safety risks. To date, characterization of physical restraint use in the emergency setting has been limited. We thus aim to describe restraint patterns in the general ED to guide future investigation in the management of behavioral disorders. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult patients presenting to 5 adult EDs within a large regional health system for 2013 to 2015, and with a physical restraint order during their visit. We undertook descriptive analyses and cluster analysis to determine unique meaningful groups within our sample. Results In 956,153 total ED visits, 4,661 patients (0.5%) had associated restraint orders, representing 3,739 unique patients. The median age was 47 years (interquartile range 32 to 59 years), 66.7% of patients were men, 61.9% had a psychiatric history, and 91.1% arrived by ambulance. For chief complaints, 33.7% were alcohol or drug use, 45.4% medical, 12.3% psychiatric, and 8.5% trauma. Cluster analysis identified 2 distinct cohorts. A younger, predominantly male population presented with alcohol or drug use, whereas an older group arrived with medical complaints. Conclusion Our data found strong association of alcohol or drug use with physical restraints and identified a unique elderly population with behavioral disturbances in the ED. Further characterization of causal links and safer practices to manage agitation for these vulnerable populations are needed.
La crisis y lo sagrado.

What is in question at the moment is not financial capitalism; it is not capitalism at all; it is not the market, regulated or unregulated; it is the role of the economy in our individual lives and in the fuctioning of our societies.
Carbon exchange responses of a mesic grassland to an extreme gradient of precipitation

Growing evidence indicates that ecosystem processes may be differentially sensitive to dry versus wet years, and that current understanding of how precipitation affects ecosystem processes may not be predictive of responses to extremes. In an experiment within a mesic grassland, we addressed this uncertainty by assessing responses of two key carbon exchange processes—aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and soil respiration (Rs)—to an extensive gradient of growing season precipitation. This gradient comprised 11 levels that specifically included extreme values in precipitation; defined as the 1st, 5th, 95th, and 99th percentiles of the 112-year climate record. Across treatments, our experimental precipitation gradient linearly increased soil moisture availability in the rooting zone (upper 20 cm). Relative to ANPP under nominal precipitation amounts (defined as between the 15th and 85th percentiles), the magnitude of ANPP responses were greatest to extreme increases in precipitation, with an underlying linear response to both precipitation and soil moisture gradients. By contrast, Rs exhibited marginally greater responses to dry versus wet extremes, with a saturating relationship best explaining responses of Rs to both precipitation and soil moisture. Our findings indicate a linear relationship between ANPP and precipitation after incorporating responses to precipitation extremes in the ANPP–precipitation relationship, yet in contrast saturating responses of Rs. As a result, current linear ANPP–precipitation relationships (up to ~ 1000 mm) within mesic grasslands appear to hold as appropriate benchmarks for ecosystems models, yet such models should incorporate nonlinearities in responses of Rs amid increased frequencies and magnitudes of precipitation extremes.
Adapting a Global Gender-Transformative Violence Prevention Program for the U.S. Community-Based Setting for Work with Young Men

Extensive practice-based evidence from international settings, as well as in-depth evaluations of programs promoting gender equity, have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing perpetration of violence against women and girls. Such "gender-transfor-mative programs" encourage critical analysis of gender norms, challenge homophobia and gender-based harassment, build skills to question harmful masculine norms, interrupt harmful and disrespectful behaviors, and encourage more equitable behaviors. Here we describe the history of a gender-transformative program, "Program H," first developed in Brazil and Mexico, the rationale for and evaluation of this original program, and the processes of adaptation for the US urban community-based setting, and highlight the risks as well as opportunities on the work with young men and boys in the future.
Prekallikrein and Protease Inhibitor Levels in Plasma from Conscious, Hemorrhaged and Euvolemic Swine Infused with 7.5% NaCl/6% Dextran-70

Abstract : The kallikrein-kinin system can initiate a number of effects capable of further aggravating the effects of hemorrhage. The present study examines plasma prekallikrein concentrations and the levels and functional activity of circulating protease inhibitors known to bind kallikrein, in 5 euvolemic and 6 hemorrhaged swine infused with 7.5% NaCl/6% Dextran-70 (HSD). Pigs were hemorrhaged progressively over a 45 min period at 27 ml/kg body weight. HSD was then infused over a one (1) minute period into both groups of pigs at a dose of 4 ml/kg. Blood samples were withdrawn before, immediately after the hemorrhage period and at 5, 60 and 120 min following HSD infusion. Neither group of pigs showed significant changes in plasma prekallikrein concentrations in response to either hemorrhage or HSD infusion. In addition, plasma concentrations of gamma - Pl and gamma 2 -M and the functional activity of gamma -Pl were unaffected by hemorrhage or HSD. These data indicate that Dextran-70, when administered as HSD, is not an activator of the kallikrein-kinin system. Keywords: HSD; Dextran; Hemorrhage; Swine; Prekallikrein; Protease inhibitors.
Social Phobia across the Lifespan

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by fear and avoidance of social situations in which one may be evaluated by others. The disorder results from a complex interplay among genetic factors (e.g., family history of the disorder); temperamental factors (e.g., behavioral inhibition and anxiety sensitivity); biological contributors; parenting style and other environmental considerations; and cognitive factors, such as interpretation biases and heightened self-focused attention. In this article, we discuss the contribution of these factors for the etiology and maintenance of the disorder throughout the lifespan.
Organizational Effectiveness of 2-Year Colleges: The Centrality of Cultural and Leadership Complexity

The central purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which community college faculty and administrators' perceptions of the organizational effectiveness of their institutions was related to their perceptions of the cognitive and behavioral complexity of the organizational cultures and the leadership roles performed by senior campus officials of their institutions. The findings show a strong relationship between perceptions of the organizational effectiveness of the institutions and the level of complexity in their campus cultures and the leadership behaviors of senior campus officials. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research on the organizational effectiveness of colleges and universities and policy and practice initiatives that have the potential to improve the performance of these institutions.
Calcium-Lipid Interactions Observed with Isotope-Edited Infrared Spectroscopy.

Abstract Calcium ions bind to lipid membranes containing anionic lipids; however, characterizing the specific ion-lipid interactions in multicomponent membranes has remained challenging because it requires nonperturbative lipid-specific probes. Here, using a combination of isotope-edited infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, we characterize the effects of a physiologically relevant (2 mM) Ca2+ concentration on zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine and anionic phosphatidylserine lipids in mixed lipid membranes. We show that Ca2+ alters hydrogen bonding between water and lipid headgroups by forming a coordination complex involving the lipid headgroups and water. These interactions distort interfacial water orientations and prevent hydrogen bonding with lipid ester carbonyls. We demonstrate, experimentally, that these effects are more pronounced for the anionic phosphatidylserine lipids than for zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine lipids in the same membrane.
A COMPARISON OF THE PAPER AND COMPUTERIZED TABLET VERSION OF THE KING-DEVICK TEST IN COLLEGIATE ATHLETES AND THE INFLUENCE OF AGE ON PERFORMANCE.

Background Sport-related concussion is a public concern with between 1.6 and 3.8 million sport- and recreation-related injuries occurring annually. An estimated 65% to 90% of concussed athletes show oculomotor disruption such as difficulty with saccades, accommodation, smooth pursuit, and fixation. A rapid number-naming saccade test, the King-Devick (K-D) test, has shown promising results as part of a multifaceted concussion assessment tool. Purpose The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the two versions of the K-D in collegiate aged (18-24) athletes to determine the agreement between versions. A secondary purpose was to investigate the association of K-D scores with sport, sex, use of glasses or contacts, and age of the athlete. Study design Descriptive laboratory study. Methods Division 1 NCAA collegiate athletes across ten sports were recruited to participate in baseline concussion assessments at the beginning of their respective athletic season. Correlations and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association of K-D scores with sex and age. Results One-hundred and nine athletes (69 males, 40 females; mean age = 20.40 ± 1.38 years) were baseline tested. There was excellent agreement (ICC=0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.95) between the paper and computer version. Preseason K-D scores were statistically different (r2=0.873, p<0.05) with athletes scoring a mean of 37.58 seconds on the paper version (95% CI, 36.21, 38.96) and athletes scoring a mean of 41.48 seconds for the computerized tablet version (95% CI, 40.17, 42.91). There were no significant differences in sex, sport, or use of glasses noted for both versions. Age differences were identified; eighteen-year-old athletes took statistically longer than their peers for both K-D versions. Pairwise comparisons showed statistically significant differences between 18-year olds up to the age of 21-year-olds (p<0.05) for the computer version and statistically significant differences between 18-year olds up to 22-year-olds (p<0.05) for the paper version. Conclusion This study supports the use of either version of the K-D test as a potential part of a multifaceted concussion assessment. The age of the athlete influences scores and therefore a K-D baseline should be repeated annually for collegiate athletes. Clinicians should not substitute K-D versions (computer vs. paper) in comparing baseline to a post-concussion K-D score as the scores are quite different. Level of evidence Level 3.
Modeling Arrival Flight Times within the Terminal Airspace

Air traffic management efficiency in the descent phase of flights is a key area of interest in aviation research for the United States, Europe, and recently other parts of the world. The efficiency...
Changing products means changing behaviors

This chapter introduces user-centered design (UCD) at JMC and the required changes that crossed the functional boundaries within the organization. To determine the correct tactics in order to drive the necessary changes, analyze the organization and how its behavior contributed to poor product design, understand the agendas of the people involved and what might motivate them to change, determine how the problems in the product were related to the operational deficiencies and find a way to help create a shared vision about the key user tasks, and design problems across the teams. It is important to drive changes incrementally, moving toward the ideal process by engaging the impacted teams and partnering with them; so, they recognized the benefits through direct experience. One of the major obstacles to achieving a UCD process is convincing people in the existing organization to change the way they currently do things. Each of these changes may seem small, but slowly they add up. In negotiating with people over the necessary changes, it is important to take a “win–win” approach and consider the perspective of the individuals involved. Individuals and teams tend to focus on what is in it for them rather than considering the benefits for the customer, the end user, or the company. When dealing with organizations and the individuals they comprise, it is always important to understand why people are behaving in a way that creates unusable products. No individual has the intent of creating an unusable product. It also focuses on a user-centered approach to defining the process changes.
Getting high on traffic: The biochemistry of intracellular transport.

Molecular mechanisms of secretory and endocytic transport pathways were the focus of a recent ASBMB Special Symposium on Biochemistry of Membrane Traffic, held last October in the picturesque, high altitude setting of Lake Tahoe. An exciting and diverse array of research and discussion topics focused on recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of movement of protein and membrane through the eukaryotic secretory pathway. Highlights included discussions of the common structural and functional features of tethering complexes, the roles of the lipid PI4P in the late secretory pathway, organization of specific ER sub-domains and a new look at Golgi biogenesis.
Using the tools of the information age to enhance research and management of the Southern Pine Beetle

The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) is a major pest in southern U.S.A., Mexico, and Central America. Enormous resources in terms of funding, personnel, and effort have been allocated for research and development of pest management tools for this pest over the past century. Access to information from journal articles, reports, fact sheets, etc. does require some effort and is often incomplete and difficult to obtain. The emergence of the Internet now allows rapid access to information from diverse sources. We have created a comprehensive website entitled, 'The Southern Pine Beetle Internet Control Center' (SPBICC) (www.spbicc.vt.edu). The goal of the site is to provide all available resources on SPB to anyone with access to the Internet. It is also designed to increase communication among researchers and professionals to help advance the management of this pest. The site is interactive, which permits constant updating without contacting a webmaster. Attributes of the site include background information in the form of fact sheets, reviews, and government handbooks; an interactive diagnostic identification key for SPB and other bark beetles; a searchable expertise directory; a calendar of SPB-related events; a discussion forum; an online SPB spot growth predictive model; a searchable bibliographic database; a webcrawler designed to search for SPB-related websites, and more. Web-based tools were developed to integrate relational databases as the functional base of this site. The dynamic nature of the SPBICC makes it a powerful tool and a model for development of websites for other major agricultural or forest pests.
Lubin-Tate Theory

This chapter reproduces with little change the approach to local class field theory given by Lubin-Tate [L-T]. Using special power series associated with prime elements in a p-adic field, they construct maximal abelian totally ramified extensions by means of torsion points on formal groups, thus obtaining a merging of class field theory and Kummer theory by means of these groups.
The Effect of Migration on Natives' Employment Outcomes: Evidence from the Fall of the Berlin Wall

I study the impact of internal migration in Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall on wages and employment in western German local labor markets. I use a novel strategy to control for the endogeneity of migrants’ destination choice, instrumenting observed migration with characteristics of the source region. I find a positive, but short-lived, effect on employment but no significant wage effects. Surprisingly, workers in occupations producing locally consumed goods and services were, if anything, relatively harmed by migration. This is contrary to what one would expect if the positive aggregate employment effects were driven by migrants’ consumption demand.
Empirical Analysis of Legal Theory

Empirical analysis of dispute resolution terms in commercial contracts provides information about theoretical issues in contract law. These clauses are adopted at a time when the parties share an interest in maximizing the value of the contract. The analyst can examine the pattern of contracting behavior and infer that the choices made by sophisticated parties will tend to represent efficient arrangements.
Renal cell carcinoma: Evolving and emerging subtypes

Our knowledge of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rapidly expanding. For those who diagnose and treat RCC, it is important to understand the new developments. In recent years, many new renal tumors have been described and defined, and our understanding of the biology and clinical correlates of these tumors is changing. Evolving concepts in Xp11 translocation carcinoma, mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma, multilocular cystic clear cell RCC, and carcinoma associated with neuroblastoma are addressed within this review. Tubulocystic carcinoma, thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of kidney, acquired cystic disease-associated RCC, and clear cell papillary RCC are also described. Finally, candidate entities, including RCC with t(6;11) translocation, hybrid oncocytoma/chromophobe RCC, hereditary leiomyomatosis and RCC syndrome, and renal angiomyoadenomatous tumor are reviewed. Knowledge of these new entities is important for diagnosis, treatment and subsequent prognosis. This review provides a targeted summary of new developments in RCC.
Sociodemographic and geographic predictors of quality of care in United States patients with end-stage renal disease due to lupus nephritis.

Objective To describe end-stage renal disease (ESRD) quality of care (receipt of pre-ESRD nephrology care, access to kidney transplantation, and placement of permanent vascular access for dialysis) in US patients with ESRD due to lupus nephritis (LN-ESRD) and to examine whether quality measures differ by patient sociodemographic characteristics or US region. Methods National surveillance data on patients in the US in whom treatment for LN-ESRD was initiated between July 2005 and September 2011 (n = 6,594) were analyzed. Odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were determined for each quality measure, according to sociodemographic factors and US region. Results Overall, 71% of the patients received nephrology care prior to ESRD. Black and Hispanic patients were less likely than white patients to receive pre-ESRD care (OR 0.73 [95% CI 0.63–0.85] and OR 0.73 [95% CI 0.60–0.88], respectively) and to be placed on the kidney transplant waitlist within the first year after the start of ESRD (HR 0.78 [95% CI 0.68–0.91] and HR 0.82 [95% CI 0.68–0.98], respectively). Those with Medicaid (HR 0.51 [95% CI 0.44–0.58]) or no insurance (HR 0.36 [95% CI 0.29–0.44]) were less likely than those with private insurance to be placed on the waitlist. Only 24% had a permanent vascular access, and placement was even less likely among the uninsured (OR 0.62 [95% CI 0.49–0.79]). ESRD quality-of-care measures varied 2–3-fold across regions of the US, with patients in the Northeast and Northwest generally having higher probabilities of adequate care. Conclusion LN-ESRD patients have suboptimal ESRD care, particularly with regard to placement of dialysis vascular access. Minority race/ethnicity and lack of private insurance are associated with inadequate ESRD care. Further studies are warranted to examine multilevel barriers to, and develop targeted interventions to improve delivery of, care among patients with LN-ESRD.
Transitions on the Margins of Work and Family Life for Low-Income African-American Fathers

Few studies explore linked transitions in work and family life for low-income African-American men. I examine patterns of work engagement among three cohorts of fathers and explore how they shape transitions in family residence and dynamics of family life. Establishment of a household was considered a shared project with partners and extended kin networks. Findings indicated that most fathers nested residence in households within sporadic spells of employment. Younger cohorts were less able to secure stable work and family arrangements at early ages, in comparison to older and middle cohorts. Implications for social policy include recognition of family formation beyond marital status, including negotiation of household establishment and arrangements for multiple providers in extended kin networks.
Far-infrared spectra and ab initio calculations of nitrosyl chloride

Abstract The far-infrared spectra of ON 35 Cl and ON 37 Cl were recorded from 20 to 100 cm −1 at a resolution of 0.004 cm −1 . Thirteen pure rotational Q branches were assigned for each molecule in the ground vibrational state from which the rotational constants A and the distortion constants φ K and φ K were obtained utilizing previously reported values of the constants B and C from microwave studies. Rotational Q branches were also observed for both molecules in two vibrationally excited states. Ab initio calculations up to those using fourth-order perturbation (MP4) with configuration interaction utilizing the 6-31G* basis set were carried out. Optimized geometries obtained at this level are compared with those obtained with smaller basis sets without configuration interaction and with the experimentally determined values. Force constants were calculated which are compared with the values previously reported. The potential energy distributions and quartic distortion constants were obtained at all levels of ab initio calculations up to MP2/6-31G*.
Humoral and cellular responses to native antigen following oral and parenteral immunization with lipid-conjugated bovine serum albumin.

Abstract Humoral and cellular immune responses of rabbits to bovine serum albumin (BSA) were measured following oral and parenteral immunization with either BSA or one of two dodecanoic acid conjugates of BSA. The first consisted of a mixture of lightly and heavily conjugated BSA-molecules (L-BSA-mix), while the second (L-BSA) was a homogeneous preparation of heavily conjugated BSA with more than 95% of the 60 available amino groups covalently bound to dodecanoic acid. Animals ingesting L-BSA-mix had a similar humoral immune response but enhanced cellular reactivity to BSA in comparison to animals ingesting the native antigen. No systemic immunologic responses to BSA were detected following ingestion of L-BSA in spite of the demonstration of circulating BSA antigenic groups. This lack of a detectable immune response after oral administration was not due to masking of antigenic sites by the lipid residues since both humoral and cellular immune responses to BSA were obtained in animals injected with L-BSA. Ingestion of L-BSA did not induce tolerance since a subsequent injection of BSA elicited a normal primary immune response. The differences in immunogenicity between BSA, L-BSA and L-BSA-mix following oral administration may be related to different modes of antigen recognition by the gut-associated lymphoid tissues.
THE FORCED‐FREE DISTINCTION IN Q TECHNIQUE1

Arguments favoring free- over forced-distribution Q sorts have assumed that forcing leads to loss of important statistical information and interferes with interval properties, rendering Pearson's r inappropriate for analysis. Q sorts with identical item orderings but with varied distributions are shown to provide essentially the same correlations and factor structures when coefficients are computed using Spearman's rs, Kendall's τ, and Pearson's r, leading to the conclusion that the same results are obtained, despite distribution and whether interval or ordinal statistics are used.
On a comparison theorem for strongly elliptic systems

Here Aij , Gij , C, and H denote real n x 12 matrices, the Aij and Gij are to have elements of class C2 while C and H are to be symmetric and their elements are to be continuous. We consider a nontrivial n x 1 vector solution u(x) of (1) which vanishes on the boundary of a smooth domain D in R" and seek conditions on the coefficients of (1) and (2) which assure that every “prepared” n x n matrix solution V(x) of (2) is singular for some x E B. By a prepared solution of (2) we mean one for which (3) is symmetric for x ED and i = l,...,
Exact solutions to one dimensional non-homogeneous parabolic problems by the homogeneous Adomian decomposition method

In this paper, we propose a reliable modification of Adomian decomposition method, namely the homogeneous Adomian decomposition method (HADM), that solves one dimensional non-homogeneous parabolic equations with a variable coefficient. The effectiveness of this method is verified through illustrative examples.
Hadamard inverses, square roots and products of almost semidefinite matrices

Abstract Let A = (aij) be an n × n symmetric matrix with all positive entries and just one positive eigenvalue. Bapat proved then that the Hadamard inverse of A, given by A° (−1) = ( 1 a ij ) is positive semidefinite. We show that if moreover A is invertible then A°(−1) is positive definite. We use this result to obtain a simple proof that with the same hypotheses on A, except that all the diagonal entries of A are zero, the Hadamard square root of A, given by A° 1 2 = (a ij 1 2 ) , has just one positive eigenvalue and is invertible. Finally, we show that if A is any positive semidefinite matrix and B is almost positive definite and invertible then A ○ B ⪰ (1/ e T B −1 e )A .
Mainstreaming ethnicity: Horace Kallen, the strategy of transcendence, and cultural pluralism

Horace Kallen set forth the concept of cultural pluralism in the midst of World War I to contest the prevailing vision of America as a well‐functioning “melting pot.” Kallen's interpretation suggested that an ethnic group was the basic unit of society, but that no one group's culture or viewpoint should be dominant. This article suggests that a strategy of transcendence pervaded Kallen's discourse, and allowed Kallen to advocate the position that culture triumphed over politics and nationality transcended citizenship. Kallen also believed that pluralism provided an affirmative mandate for minority groups to resist assimilation. This article offers several reasons why advocates of ethnic groups were attracted to the notion of cultural pluralism, while it discusses several criticisms of the concept.
Careers of University of San Francisco Computer Science Graduates

One might ask: “How have U.S.F. C.S. graduates done in their careers?” Quantitatively speaking, the succinct answer, based on Table 1, appears to be “Magnifique:” At a 1976 annual salary of d19,100 for a 29-year old professional, they are among the higher-paid of all graduates from university-level baccalaureate programs. Qualitatively speaking, at a 1976 reunion attended by 27% of all C.S. alumni, they talked positively and optimistically about their careers. A similar phenomenon occurred at the most recent 1977 U.S.F. C.S. reunionThe Administrative Management Society has surveyed 52,803 data processing position holders in seven job categories and employed by 4,895 U.S. companies in five industries and compiled average salaries, as of February 3, 1976 (I). The average U.S. programmer was then making an annual d13,572 (d261/week), a figure exceeded by our graduates after about 2 years of experience. However, the highest salaries, the survey reports, were in the western region of the U.S., with a programmer making an annual d16,900 (d325/week). Note, from Table 1, that our C.S. graduates, taken as a group, even though not all are programmers, exceed this figure also after about 4 years of experience.
What Is Inhibited in Inhibition of Return

Research on temporal-order judgments, reference frames, discrimination tasks, and links to oculomotor control suggest important differences between inhibition of return (IOR) and attentional costs and benefits. Yet, it is generally assumed that IOR is an attentional effect even though there is little supporting evidence. The authors evaluated this assumption by examining how several factors that are known to influence attentional costs and benefits affect the magnitude of IOR: target modality, target intensity, and response mode. Results similar to those previously reported for attention were observed: IOR was greater for visual than for auditory targets, showed an inverse relationship with target intensity, and was equivalent for manual and saccadic responses. Important parallels between IOR and attentional costs and benefits are indicated, suggesting that, like attention, IOR may in part affect sensory-perceptual processes.
Sixty-Year Saga (1952–2013) of the Solid-State Structure of Triiron Dodecacarbonyl

This article presents the personal saga of one of the authors (LFD) in the determination of the solid-state structure of Fe3(CO)12. We also present the results of our recent determination of its solid-state structure at low temperature (100 K), in which we have used a modern area-detector diffractometer in order to examine more precisely its temperature-dependent structural variations reported by Braga et al. in 1994 from a point-detector diffractometer. These investigations provide a striking illustration of the remarkable advances over the last six decades in both computational hardware and software packages as well as the recent improvements in hardware data-collection instrumentation that have given rise to X-ray crystallography now being the most powerful (and in most cases the only unambiguous) physical method for elucidating the static structures of complex metal clusters. Other experimental measurements and resulting speculations concerning the dynamic/fluxional behavior of Fe3(CO)12 and closely related analogues in the solid state and in solution are briefly mentioned, as are recent theoretical analyses.
In situ preparation of nanocomposites by surface treatment of titanium dioxide particles with a layered double hydroxide

It is difficult to incorporate nanoparticles in a matrix because the huge number of particles and their enormous surface area dictate that one must expend large amounts of energy in dispersing them and one must find ways to maintain their separation because their surface chemistry is often sufficiently different from the matrix that flocculation via phase separation must be overcome. In many technologies, titanium dioxide is a common white pigment. There is commonly a surface treatment on titanium dioxide particles of a mixed aluminium hydroxide which is partially soluble and is thus available to participate in the formation of a layered double hydroxide, LDH. Thus an in situ preparation of a nanocomposite comprising an LDH and a polymer would take advantage of the presence of the pigment and provide potentially useful gains in physical properties. A zinc–aluminium LDH was precipitated on TiO2 particles. X–Ray diffraction confirmed the structure of the LDH and one could detect the change in surface chemistry of the TiO2 particles by examining their zeta potential in an aqueous dispersion. These materials were incorporated into simple polymeric coating films using polyethylene oxide where the LDH treated particles improved the mechanical properties of the polymer and changed the polymer crystallinity and its glass transition behaviour.
Expert Systems and the "Myth" of Symbolic Reasoning

Elements of the artificial intelligence approach to expert systems offer great productivity advantages over traditional approaches to application systems development, even though the end result may be a program employing no AI techniques. These productivity advantages are the hidden truths behind the "myth" that symbolic reasoning programs are better than ordinary ones.
Identification of White Adipocyte Progenitor Cells In Vivo

The increased white adipose tissue (WAT) mass associated with obesity is the result of both hyperplasia and hypertrophy of adipocytes. However, the mechanisms controlling adipocyte number are unknown in part because the identity of the physiological adipocyte progenitor cells has not been defined in vivo. In this report, we employ a variety of approaches, including a noninvasive assay for following fat mass reconstitution in vivo, to identify a subpopulation of early adipocyte progenitor cells (Lin(-):CD29(+):CD34(+):Sca-1(+):CD24(+)) resident in adult WAT. When injected into the residual fat pads of A-Zip lipodystrophic mice, these cells reconstitute a normal WAT depot and rescue the diabetic phenotype that develops in these animals. This report provides the identification of an undifferentiated adipocyte precursor subpopulation resident within the adipose tissue stroma that is capable of proliferating and differentiating into an adipose depot in vivo.
Perceptual Characteristics of Vowel and Prosody Production in Apraxic, Aphasic, and Dysarthric Speakers

Narrow phonetic transcriptions and prosodic judgments were made of single-word imitations by apraxic (AOS), conduction aphasic (CA), and ataxic dysarthric (AD) speakers. AOS and AD subjects showed similar vowel error patterns, particularly predominant errors in low, tense, and back vowels, more distortions than other types of vowel errors, and predominant errors in initial position of words and in monosyllabic words. The CA subjects displayed a different vowel error pattern, notably more substitutions than distortions, more errors in polysyllabic than monosyllabic words, and more errors in noninitial than initial positions of words. Analysis of prosodic features identifiable at the single-word level (e.g., syllabic stress, juncture, and struggles to initiate or complete productions) indicated that syllabic stress errors and more difficulty initiating than completing word production were characteristic of AOS and AD but not CA subjects.
Magnetic field analysis and achievable on-axis field for helical undulators

Abstract The on- and off-axis magnetic fields for infinitely long, helical undulators were analyzed for linear and nonlinear poles. An analytical expression of the on-axis field for linear poles was derived in terms of coil current density, undulator period length, and coil dimensions. The derived expression showed that, when the undulator dimensions were scaled according to the period ratios, the on-axis fields were proportional to the periods, which is in agreement with calculations of model undulators. For undulators with nonlinear steel poles, when the undulator dimensions were scaled, the field distributions remained unchanged for a constant value of (current density×period). It was also shown that, for two scaled undulators, one with linear and one with nonlinear poles, the off-axis field components, normalized to the respective on-axis fields, had the same field distributions near the axis within the calculation errors. This implies that the derived normalized off-axis field for linear poles may be used for beam dynamic analysis in the fields of undulators with nonlinear poles within the beam chamber. Achievable on-axis fields were calculated for short-period undulators with parameters close to those for the proposed International Linear Collider (ILC) positron production undulators. The required undulator parameters for the ILC appear to be achievable depending on the Nb 3 Sn superconductor packing factor in the coil and on how close the chosen operating current is to the critical current.
Applying Black Threat Theory, Urban Regime Theory, and Deracialization: The Memphis Mayoral Elections of 1991, 1995, and 1999

ABSTRACT:Until 1991 Memphis was the only major US city with a majority-black population that had not elected a black mayor. Various explanations, including in-fighting and competition among black city leaders and citizen aversion to candidates who attempt cross-racial appeals, have been offered to explain the lack of an elected black mayor of Memphis prior to 1991. We first investigate how Herenton overcame these electoral obstacles to become Memphis’ first elected black mayor in 1991, and then won reelection in two consecutive reelection attempts. We then apply Herenton’s campaign strategy and the vote in these elections to several popular theories of voting and election strategy in urban elections—black-threat theory, urban regime theory, and deracialization. Our findings point to the new trend of biracial coalitions in the urban setting and suggest the importance of reconsidering the traditional theories of racial politics, such as the black threat thesis.
Approach for quantification of metal oxide type semiconductor gas sensors used for ambient air quality monitoring

Abstract Metal oxide type (MOx) sensors are one of several technologies being employed in low-cost air quality monitors. Their size and cost make them ideally suited for portable and remote monitoring applications. Quantifying the sensor response, however, remains a significant challenge due to sensitivity to ambient temperature and humidity, and interference with non-target pollutant species. Temporal characteristics such as signal hysteresis and sensor drift over time also affect MOx sensor response. We present a quantification model rooted in principles of semiconductor science and chemistry, yet informed by and simplified using empirical observations. This model predicts concentration from resistance while providing a correction for temperature effects, usually the most significant confounder in ambient air quality monitoring with MOx sensors, and drift due to change in the sensor heating element. The model parameter values are first determined using lab calibrations, then refined using a field collocation with reference instruments. The work thus provides both a quantification model and a means to effectively calibrate sensors for practical applications.