cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of the polyamine transport system in cellular uptake of the radioprotectants WR-1065 and WR-33278.

High levels of the aminothiol WR-1065 protect cells from ionizing radiation, while much lower levels of this compound or its disulfide, WR-33278, impart anti-mutagenic effects. In view of the structural similarity of these agents to the essential cellular polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine we investigated the possibility that the amino-thiols enter cells by the active polyamine transport system. WR-33278 appears to be a very close analog of spermidine or spermine in that it not only inhibits spermidine incorporation, but is also transported at the same velocity as spermidine, with a K t of ∼0.8 μM compared with 0.4 μM for the polyamine. Further, repression of the activity of the polyamine transporter by antizyme or its elimination by selected mutation affected both transport of WR-33278 and spermidine equally. In contrast, WR-1065 is not a good substrate for the polyamine transporter and appears to enter cells predominantly by non-mediated passive diffusion. There appears to be no uptake of either WR-33278 or the polyamines by this non-mediated diffusion. Thus both the form of the aminothiol and the activity of the polyamine transport system need to be considered in evaluating the efficacy of low exogenous levels of this drug on mutagenesis or carcinogenesis.
Decreased small-world functional network connectivity and clustering across resting state networks in schizophrenia: an fMRI classification tutorial

Functional network connectivity is a method of analyzing the temporal relationship of anatomical brain components, comparing the synchronicity between patient groups or conditions. We use functional-connectivity measures between independent components to classify between Schizophrenia patients and healthy controls during resting-state. Connectivity is measured using a variety of graph-theoretic connectivity measures such as graph density, average path length, and small-worldness. The Schizophrenia patients showed significantly less clustering (transitivity) among components than healthy controls (p<.05, corrected) with networks less likely to be connected, and also showed lower small-world connectivity than healthy controls. Using only these connectivity measures, an SVM classifier (without parameter tuning) could discriminate between Schizophrenia patients and healthy controls with 65% accuracy, compared to 51% chance. This implies that the global functional connectivity between resting-state networks is altered in Schizophrenia, with networks more likely to be disconnected and behave dissimilarly for diseased patients. We present this research finding as a tutorial using the publicly available COBRE dataset of 146 Schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, provided as part of the 1000 Functional Connectomes Project. We demonstrate preprocessing, using independent component analysis (ICA) to nominate networks, computing graph-theoretic connectivity measures, and finally using these connectivity measures to either classify between patient groups or assess between-group differences using formal hypothesis testing. All necessary code is provided for both running command-line FSL preprocessing, and for computing all statistical measures and SVM classification within R. Collectively, this work presents not just findings of diminished functional network connectivity among resting-state networks in Schizophrenia, but also a practical connectivity tutorial.
Rodent tissue distribution of 2-cyanoethylene oxide, the epoxide metabolite of acrylonitrile.

Abstract The direct acting mutagen 2-cyanoethylene oxide (CEO), formed in the liver by oxidation of acrylonitrile (ACN), is thought to mediate the extrahepatic carcinogenic effects of ACN in rats. This study determined the tissue distribution of CEO (3 mg/kg p.o.) in F-344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. Radioactivity from [2,3-14C] CEO was widely distributed in the major organs of rodents by 2 h and decreased by 71 % to 90% within 24 h, demonstrating that there was no preferential tissue uptake or retention of CEO. CEO was detected in rodent blood and brain 5–10 min after an oral dose of ACN (10 mg/kg), demonstrating that this mutagenic epoxide metabolite circulates to extrahepatic target organs following ACN administration.
Quantitative studies of allosteric effects by biointeraction chromatography: analysis of protein binding for low-solubility drugs.

A new chromatographic method was developed for characterizing allosteric interactions between an immobilized binding agent and low-solubility compounds. This approach was illustrated by using it to characterize the interactions between tamoxifen and warfarin during their binding to the protein human serum albumin (HSA), with β-cyclodextrin being employed as a solubilizing agent for these drugs. It was confirmed in this work through several experiments that warfarin had a single binding site on HSA with an association equilibrium constant of (2−5) × 105 M-1 (average, 3.9 × 105 M-1) at 37 °C, in agreement with previous reports. It was also found that tamoxifen had a single major binding site on HSA, with an association equilibrium constant of (3−4) × 107 M-1 (average, 3.5 × 107 M-1) at 37 °C. When warfarin was used as a mobile-phase additive in competition studies with tamoxifen, this had a positive allosteric effect on tamoxifen/HSA binding, giving a coupling constant of 2.3 (±0.3). Competitive studies usi...
Issues in evolutionary medicine

This paper illustrates the utility of applying evolutionary thought to medical issues with three examples: selection arenas, aging, and tradeoffs. First, the human female reproductive tract functions as a selection arena at two levels: in the ovaries, where atresia reduces the number of oocytes by more than 99.99% before any are ovulated, and in the uterus, where early embryos homozygous for immune genes are spontaneously aborted. These selective filters early in life have implications both for eugenics and for the anti-abortion movement. Second, the evolutionary theory of aging predicts that intrinsic mortality should reflect extrinsic mortality: if life for adults is risky, then it does not pay to invest in maintenance at the expense of reproduction. This idea is well confirmed, at least in populations where density effects are not important. While only organisms that reproduce asymmetrically should age, even bacteria reproduce asymmetrically, and they do age, suggesting that all organisms reproduce asymmetrically and therefore age. Third, tradeoffs are central to theories of phenotypic design, but the mechanisms that cause them remain obscure. A method is suggested to get at the mechanisms of tradeoffs by examining conflicts among functions over gene expression. It could be applied in humans to the tradeoff between reproductive performance and disease resistance. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 17:131–140, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A spontaneous canine model of mucous membrane (cicatricial) pemphigoid, an autoimmune blistering disease affecting mucosae and mucocutaneous junctions.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a rare autoimmune blistering dermatosis of humans that was previously known as cicatricial pemphigoid. It is characterized by vesicles, ulcers and scarring that affect predominantly mucosae and mucocutaneous junctions. Circulating autoantibodies recognize epitopes on basement membrane proteins such as collagen XVII or laminin-5/6. Herein, we describe the clinico-pathological and immunological characteristics of 17 dogs afflicted with a dermatosis homologous to MMP of humans. Patients exhibited vesicles and erosions predominantly on mucous membranes or mucocutaneous junctions of the mouth, nose, eyes, genitalia or anus. Histopathology revealed subepithelial vesicles with variable dermal inflammation. Direct immunofluorescence demonstrated IgG or complement at the dermoepithelial junction. Indirect immunofluorescence using salt-split epithelia permitted the detection of circulating basement membrane-specific IgG autoantibodies in 15 cases. In 11 patients, autoantibodies recognized the NC16A segment of collagen XVII, as determined by salt-split indirect immunofluorescence, immunoblotting using canine keratinocytes and ELISA with synthetic canine peptides. In one dog, autoantiodies bound to the dermal side of salt-split epithelia and recognized epitopes within the 30 kDa carboxy-terminal segment of human collagen XVII. Canine MMP, like its human counterpart, exhibits distinctive clinical signs and histopathological lesions, yet circulating autoantibodies target different antigenic epitopes. This spontaneous canine model of MMP could prove useful for studies on the pathogenesis or therapy of this human disease.
Development of a Model for Announcing Negatively Perceived Changes

Presents a model for announcing major, negatively perceived, top‐down changes such as layoffs and reorganizations was developed based on the extant literature. The appropriateness of the model was then tested by analysing 15 cases in which a major change was announced. The model presented here, based on the literature and 15 case analyses, serves as an initial step in developing an effective and efficient strategy for announcing major organizational changes.
Methodologies for data collection

Background Electronic disease surveillance systems can be extremely valuable tools; however, a critical step in system implementation is collecting data. Without accurate and complete data, statistical anomalies that are detected hold little meaning. Many people who have established successful surveillance systems acknowledge the initial data collection process to be one of the most challenging aspects of system implementation.
Reflection-mode submicron-resolution photoacoustic microscopy in vivo

We developed the first reflection-mode submicron-resolution photoacoustic microscopy system. With a lateral resolution of ~0.5 µm and a maximum penetration depth of ~0.42 mm in soft tissue, it is suitable for in vivo high-resolution imaging.
PRACTICAL STABILITY OF IMPULSIVE SYNCHRONIZATION BETWEEN TWO NONAUTONOMOUS CHAOTIC SYSTEMS

The practical stability of impulsive synchronization between two nonautonomous chaotic systems is studied in this paper, and this is equivalent to that of the origin of the synchronization error system, which is modeled by an impulsive differential equation. We develop theoretical methods of choosing the time interval between two successive synchronization impulses and strengths of synchronization impulses for restricting synchronization errors within prescribed regions around the origin. Numerical experimental results are given to demonstrate theoretical results.
Role of Phosphorylation in Regulation of the Assembly of Endocytic Coat Complexes

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis involves cycles of assembly and disassembly of clathrin coat components and their accessory proteins. Dephosphorylation of rat brain extract was shown to promote the assembly of dynamin 1, synaptojanin 1, and amphiphysin into complexes that also included clathrin and AP-2. Phosphorylation of dynamin 1 and synaptojanin 1 inhibited their binding to amphiphysin, whereas phosphorylation of amphiphysin inhibited its binding to AP-2 and clathrin. Thus, phosphorylation regulates the association and dissociation cycle of the clathrin-based endocytic machinery, and calcium-dependent dephosphorylation of endocytic proteins could prepare nerve terminals for a burst of endocytosis.
Polydipsia and autoshaping: Drinking and leverpressing as substitutes for eating

Three experiments delivered food at fixed or random intervals independently of the rat’s behavior, always less than the amount eaten with food freely available. The results revealed a Polydipsie response to this experimental suppression of eating, and total drinking decreased as total eating increased. When we added a lever that signaled each food delivery, leverpressing and drinking rose far above their baseline levels; both responses decreased as total eating increased. When a similar schedule presented lever and food independently, rats still became Polydipsie, but showed no sign of autoshaped leverpressing. A fourth experiment revealed a hypophagic response to schedules that suppressed drinking; total eating increased with total drinking. As mutual substitutes in the economic sense, one behavior falls as the other rises; as mutual complements in the economic sense, the two behaviors rise or fall together. We discuss polydipsia and autoshaping in terms of drinking as an intrinsic substitute for eating, and leverpressing as a learned substitute for eating. The results suggest a revision of conservation theory, which views drinking and eating as substitutes when the schedule suppresses eating but as complements when the schedule suppresses drinking.
A note on the application of the nonlinear two-stage least-squares estimator to a Box-Cox-transformed model

Abstract This paper alerts the potential applicant of the nonlinear two-stage least-squares (NL2S) estimator to a difficulty encountered in using the procedure to estimate a Box-Cox-transformed model. It points out that the estimator is not well defined when the untransformed dependent variables all exceed 1 or are all fractions. The problem is one of identification in the application of the NL2S estimator to the Box-Cox regression model.
Oceanographic education, where now?

In the United States, formalized oceanographic education in the university classroom developed in the late 1940's. A primary objective was the unification of the marine sciences, the interdisciplinary approach. Since then the programs have greatly increased in numbers and have become diverse. They now include undergraduate level programs. Also, they may feature such majors as ocean engineering, marine affairs, and law of the sea or specialize in some aspect of biological, chemical, geological or physical oceanography. To support such diverse curricula in the future strong oceanographic centers must be maintained. Only in this way can students from the diverse programs come together for periods of time to learn about the ocean. The remainder and major part of the students time would be spent in the basic subject field (engineering, law, physics, etc.) and the combination would make him an oceanographer.
Creative parameter selection for volume visualization

Most of the available algorithms for scalar volume visualization offer predefined techniques such as display of volumetric regions defined by scalar threshold values. The regions can usually be drawn opaque or transparent or appear in combinations. This paper presents an implementation of a volume visualization concept where several modelling and rendering techniques can be applied in any combination, mainly bounded by the creativity of the user. The concept is based on the use of a model for light scattering in a field of varying density emitters, and the use of fixed visual references to improve readability and disambiguate interpretation. An image is computed by means of an interval-based mapping from scalar range to visual parameters. Each interval has a set of associated parameters, such as colour and attenuation. In addition, each interval of the scalar range must be mapped into relative density by means of a transfer function which is selected in a ‘natural way’ depending on application. A methodology is suggested which enable the piecewise transfer functions to be easily determined. A prototype user-interface for the mapping from scalar values to visual parameters is demonstrated. The interface is easy to use for the beginner, while it also encourages creativity and intuition in the process of selecting parameters.
POLAR MAGNETIC SUBSTORM IN THE EVENING SECTOR.

Abstract The morphology of the disturbance field of the polar magnetic substorm in the evening sector is studied by using a chain of four Alaskan north-south stations distributed between dp lat 61° and 70°. It is shown that in the evening sector a typical auroral zone station is situated in a transition belt between the region of an intense negative bay on the poleward side and the region of a weak positive bay on the equatorward side and thus experiences a great variety of types of the disturbance field. In this paper, the most common types of the disturbances are classified, and a typical latitudinal change of the disturbance between 70° and 60° is obtained.
Tissue plasminogen activator binding to mouse cerebellar granule neurons

Cultures of dissociated neonatal mouse cerebellar cells secrete primarily tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and to a lesser extent urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) into the culture medium. Fibrin overlays have localized plasminogen activator to granule neurons in these cultures; furthermore, this granule cell plasminogen activator activity is blocked by an antibody to tPA. Developmental studies indicate that maximal levels of soluble plasminogen activator in the culture medium preceed the peak of fibrinolytic activity by these cultures, suggesting that secreted PA may bind back to the surface of these granule neurons. Here we show that granule cell-associated tPA can be displaced by a brief pH shock. However, incubation of these fibrinolytically inactive cultures with exogenously added mouse tPA leads to a specific binding of active tPA to granule neurons as visualized by subsequent fibrin overlay. In similar studies mouse uPA, human uPa, and human tPA fail to show fibrinolytic activity associated with the cerebellar culture, whereas mouse tPA fails to bind to cerebellar glial cell cultures. These findings suggest that granule neurons possess binding sites for tPA on their surface, where this protease can retain its functional activity and may play an important role in cell migration or other cell activities.
A National Evaluation of Door-to-Imaging Times among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients within the Veterans Health Administration

Background Rapid brain imaging for ischemic stroke is important for patient outcomes. We sought to determine the proportion of ischemic stroke patients receiving brain imaging within the guideline-recommended 24 hours, and predictors of faster imaging among patients with acute symptoms. Methods Retrospective analysis of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Performance Measurement Stroke Special Project data. Of 3000 ischemic stroke patients, secondary samples included 649 presenting within 6 hours of onset, and 217 potentially tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-eligible patients (onset-to-arrival time 2). Two linear regression models examined the association between door-to-imaging time and predictors among secondary samples, accounting for clustering within hospital. Results Of the 3000 ischemic stroke patients, 97.1% had brain imaging within 24 hours. Among patients presenting within 6 hours of onset, median door-to-imaging time was 59 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 33-109). Predictors of faster door-to-imaging time included elevated arrival blood pressure and stroke center presentation. Among the potentially tPA-eligible patients, median door-to-imaging time was 52 minutes (IQR, 31-105); no significant predictors were identified. Conclusions Nearly all ischemic stroke patients at VHA hospitals have door-to-imaging time within 24 hours. There remains room for improvement for timely brain imaging among patients with acute symptom onset.
Assessment of Small Modular Reactor Fuel Cost

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) offer to the nuclear industry a simple, standardized, and safe option for new reactor builds as they are factory built, requiring smaller initial capital investment with shorter construction times. SMRs also promise competitive economy when compared with the current fleet. Construction cost estimates for a majority of the projects, which are mostly in their design stages, are proprietary, but fuel configuration, fuel enrichment, average burn-up, and thermal efficiency are publicly available for most SMR projects. This paper calculates the fuel cost when generating electricity, for selected SMR plants, including optimal tails depletion. The results are compared between one another and with current Light Water Reactors (LWR), providing a rough comparison of a long-term economics once the capital investment is amortized.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Efficacy of the RECAP Intervention Program for Children With Concurrent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems

The authors evaluated the efficacy of RECAP, a psychosocial intervention developed to treat concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems in children. Participants included 93 4th-grade children assigned to the treatment group or a no-treatment control group. The school-based program, which lasts the 9-month academic year, provides individual, group, classroom, teacher, and parent training in the RECAP skills-development curriculum, which was derived from empirically supported treatment programs for nonconcurrent internalizing and externalizing problems. Outcome assessments included parent-, teacher-, self-, and peer reports. A mixed hierarchical linear models analysis indicated that, overall, treatment children's rate of improvement in both internalizing and externalizing problems was significantly greater than that for control participants.
Chained behavior as a function of prior exposure to presence and absence of a reinforcing event

Rats were trained on a two-component chained schedule in which responding to S1 produced S2 in whose presence a dipper delivered milk. Prior to such training, Ss were pre-exposed to periods of dipper operation and non-operation either correlated or uncorrelated with S2 and S1. Acquisition of the chained response was fastest following preexposure to the stimuli paired with dipper operation and non-operation. This result was attributed to mediation by classically conditioned responses since operant behavior observed during preexposure was not a factor.
Work Effort, Productivity, and Compensation Trends in Members of the Society for Vascular Surgery:

Objective:To survey the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) membership with regard to type of practice, employment status, work effort, and productivity criteria.Methods:A survey questionnaire was developed to gather information about member demographics, academic versus private practice, employment status, time in practice, measures of work, and productivity criteria.Results:Two-thirds of members were in private practice, 24% were employed by hospitals/health systems and 21% were in solo practice. Only 50.3% said they or their group kept record of relative value units/work relative value units (RVUs/WRVUs). Of those tracking RVUs, significantly greater number of private practice VS reported annual RVUs >10 000 compared to academic VS (P < .01). Net collections were the most common measure of productivity (51%) followed by WRVUs (36%).Conclusions:With a changing environment and employment status of VS, tracking measures of productivity and proper benchmarking become vitally important. The SVS should consid...
Note on asymmetric technology game

Abstract In a differential game model involving international trade rivalry in output but some form of interdependence in technological transfer and progress on the input side, Ryuzo Sato argues that it is conceivable for a country that imports basic research knowledge from its trade rival to win global market share even though it is not more proficient in applied research relative to its rival. Sato conjectures that this trade paradox is due to the strategies employed in the game. This paper provides an alternative conjecture for the paradox and suggests a change in the specification of the policy parameters of the model.
Selecting aptamers for a glycoprotein through the incorporation of the boronic acid moiety.

The first general method for the selection of boronic acid−based aptamers (boronolectins) that allows for glycan substructure focusing is described. Using fibrinogen as a model glycoprotein, we have selected boronic acid-modified DNA aptamers that have high affinities (low nM Kd) and the ability to recognize changes in the glycosylation site. The method developed should also be applicable to the development of aptamers for other glycoproducts, such as glycolipids and glycopeptides.
Adhesion Behavior of Thermoplastic Polyimides and Poly(imide-siloxane) Segmented Copolymers: Influence of Test Temperatures

Abstract Soluble and thermoplastically processable fully cyclized BTDA-DDS based polyimide homopolymers and multiphase poly(imide-siloxane) segmented copolymers with controlled molecular weight and non-reactive end groups were synthesized via solution imidization. Adhesive properties were investigated using melt-laminated, single-lap-shear samples prepared from surface-treated Ti-6A1-4V adherends and compression-molded adhesive films. Tests were conducted at room temperature, 100, 150, 200, and 250°C. The room-temperature adhesive bond strengths increased with poly(dimethylsiloxane) oligomer incorporation up to 30 weight percent and were optimum with the lowest controlled molecular weight range investigated (20,000 gm/mole). Lap shear values at 25[ddot] C as high as 50 MPA (7,000 psi) were obtained. The results suggest that melt flow and bond consolidation were critical parameters directly correlated with the lap shear strength. TMA penetration-temperature measurements were consistent with this view. As t...
Natural Language Modeling for Phoneme-to-Text Transcription

This paper relates different kinds of language modeling methods that can be applied to the linguistic decoding part of a speech recognition system with a very large vocabulary. These models are studied experimentally on a pseudophonetic input arising from French stenotypy. We propose a model which combines the advantages of a statistical modeling with information theoretic tools, and those of a grammatical approach.
Mycobacteria lacking the RD1 region do not induce necrosis in the lungs of mice lacking interferon-γ

The genetic region of difference 1 (RD1) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has recently been hypothesized to encode for proteins that are cytotoxic to the host cell in nature. We demonstrate here that while M. tuberculosis grew progressively in the lungs of gene disrupted mice (GKO) unable to produce interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), similar mice infected instead with M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) reproducibly exhibited an obvious slowing of the disease after about 20 days. Closer examination of BCG-infected GKO mice showed a florid granulomatous inflammation in the lungs, whereas similar mice infected with M. tuberculosis exhibited wholesale progressive necrosis. In the BCG-infected GKO mice large numbers of activated effector T cells, some strongly positive for the cytokine tumour necrosis factor, as well as activated natural killer cells accumulated in the lungs. To further test the hypothesis that the differences observed were directly associated with the loss of the RD1 region, it was then shown that a mutant of M. tuberculosis lacking RD1 grew progressively in both normal and GKO mice but failed to induce any degree of necrosis in either animal despite reaching similar levels in the lungs. However, when mice were infected with this mutant, in which the RD1 region had been restored by complementation, wholesale necrosis of the lungs again occurred. These data support the hypothesis that proteins encoded in the RD1 region are a major cause of necrosis and contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of the disease.
Unpacking the Blockers: Understanding Perceptions and Social Constraints of Health Communication in Hereditary Breast Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Susceptibility Families

Family communication is essential for accurate cancer risk assessment and counseling; family blockers play a role in this communication process. This qualitative analysis of social exchanges is an extension of earlier work characterizing those who are perceived by study participants as health information gatherers, disseminators, and blockers within families with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) susceptibility. Eighty-nine women, ages 23–56 years, enrolled in a Breast Imaging Study (BIS) and participated in a sub-study utilizing a social assessment tool known as the Colored Ecological Genetic Relational Map (CEGRM). Purposive sampling ensured that participants varied according to numbers of participating family members e.g., ranging from 1 to 6. Eighty-nine women from 42 families (1–8 relatives/family) participated. They collectively designated 65 blockers, both male and female. Situational factors, beliefs, attitudes and cultural traditions, privacy and protectiveness comprised perceived reasons for blocking intra-family health communications. Longitudinal data collected over 4 years showed families where blocking behavior was universally recognized and stable over time, as well as other families where blocking was less consistent. Self-blocking was observed among a significant minority of participating women. Blocking of health communications among family members with HBOC was variable, complex, and multifaceted. The reasons for blocking were heterogeneous; duration of the blocking appeared to depend on the reasons for blocking. Blocking often seemed to involve bi-directional feedback loops, in keeping with Lepore’s Social Constraints and Modulation Theory. Privacy and protectiveness predominated as explanations for long-term blocking.
AN EINSTEIN PARADOX

At the age of 16, Einstein hit on a paradox that contained the germ of the theory of relativity. He argued that an observer moving so as to keep abreast of a light wave should see it as at rest, but that there seems to be no such electromagnetic field. The paradox is usually resolved by saying that, according to the special theory of relativity, no observer can move fast enough to keep up with light. However, the situation is more subtle. One can easily show that the paradox arises essentially from applying a Galilean transformation to the light waves but a relativistic one to the Maxwell equations. But a close examination of the transformational situation reveals surprising aspects that seem not to have been pointed out before and that transfer the locale of the paradox from logic to intuition.
Beta decay of 24Al and 24mAl

Abstract The β+ decays of 24Al and 24mAl have been studied with a Ge(Li) detector. Ten β+ branches including weak transitions to 24Mg levels at 10576, 10824, 11017 and 11318 keV were observed. The super-allowed β+ decay of 24mAl and two additional branches from 24mAl were also detected. The resulting logft values and GT matrix elements are compared to shell-model calculations by Brown, Chung and Wildenthal, which are quite successful in accounting for the data. From β-decay and M1 transition strengths we conclude that the analog of the 24mAl ground state is split between two closely spaced 1+ levels in 24Mg. An isospin violating matrix element of ~ 50 keV is inferred.
Polymer−Layered Silicate Nanocomposites from Model Surfactants

A series of experiments has been designed and conducted to test a recent model for the morphological behavior of polymer−layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites, where a PLS nanocomposite is composed of a homopolymer matrix, a layered silicate clay mineral filler, and an organic surfactant modifier. For nearly complete exchange of naturally occurring interlayer cations with model surfactants synthesized for this study, the effect of surfactant length on the morphology of polymer−layered silicate nanocomposites has been examined. Here, the surfactant and matrix homopolymer are both based on polystyrene (PS) and are, therefore, expected to be miscible. Small-angle X-ray scattering data show that no intercalation of the homopolymer into the modified layered silicate occurs. This finding is consistent with results for autophobic dewetting such as occurs with densely grafted polymer brushes, based on high surfactant coverages within the layered silicate galleries.
The Living-Wage Movement: Potential Implications for the Working Poor

In December 1994, the mayor of Baltimore signed Council Bill 716, requiring businesses with large city contracts to pay their employees a minimum wage of $6.10 per hour. At the time, this was almost $2.00/hour more than the $4.25 federal minimum wage. The first living wage law in the USA passed as a result of a year-long campaign organized by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and a coalition of faith-based community groups called Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD). As a direct result of the new law, people like Charles Riggs, who cleaned up Oriole Park at Camden Yards, received an almost 50% pay raise. Although Riggs was employed full-time, he had been living in a homeless shelter because he was unable to afford rent out of his minimum wage job (Reynolds & Kern, 2003).
Quantification of Pavement Damage Caused by Dual and Wide-Base Tires

A study conducted in 2001 on the heavily instrumented Virginia Smart Road measured pavement responses to a new generation of single wide-base tire (445/50R22.5) and to dual tires (275/80R22.5). The new single wide-base tire has a wider tread and a greater load-carrying capacity than conventional wide-base tires. The potential fatigue damage resulting from different tire configurations was evaluated. After successful field testing, a finite element (FE) parametric study was conducted to investigate different failure mechanisms that were not evaluated in the field. In this study, dual tires and two new generations of wide-base tires (445/50R22.5 and 455/55R22.5) were evaluated. The main difference between the two generations of wide-base tires is that the 455/55R22.5 is wider than the 445/50R22.5; hence, it further reduces the contact stress at the pavement surface under the same nominal tire pressure. In the developed FE models, geometry and dimensions were selected to simulate accurately the axle configurations typically used in North America; actual tire tread sizes and applicable contact pressure for each tread were considered; laboratory-measured pavement material properties were incorporated; and models were calibrated and properly validated against stress and strain measurements obtained from the experimental program. Four failure mechanisms were considered: fatigue cracking, primary rutting, secondary rutting, and top-down cracking. Results indicated that the new generations of wide-base tire would cause the same or relatively greater pavement damage than conventional dual tires. Because overall truck weight is reduced by approximately 450 kg when wide-base tires are used, it is reasonable to implement the load limits currently applied to the dual-tire assembly on the 455/55R22.5 wide-base tire.
Comparative amino-acid analyses of glycine-extracted spleen deoxyribonucleoproteins

Abstract 1. 1. The amino-acid composition of deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNP) from human ( Homo sapiens ), bovine ( Bos bovinus ), and rat ( Mus norvegicus albinus ) splenic nuclei is similar, reflecting perhaps their general functional similarities. 2. 2. However, the amino-acid composition from mammalian splenic DNP is different from that of DNP from the thymus and white blood-cell nuclei of the same species. 3. 3. DNP from chicken spleen ( Gallus domesticus ) contained 3 · 3 moles per cent more lysine and 2 moles per cent less aspartic acid than mammalian spleen DNP's, indicating an absolute difference of 25 and 12 per cent respectively.
Comparison and application of two methods for the least squares analysis of immittance data

Abstract Two different, recent methods for complex nonlinear least squares fitting of the small-signal ac response of dielectric and partially conducting systems are described and compared. These methods, which are also appropriate for fitting mechanical relaxation, nuclear magnetic relaxation, and light-scattering complex data, simultaneously fit the real and imaginary parts of the data to an appropriate model. For small-range response data, the weighted, extended least squares, vector-minimization approach (Program LEVM) and the much more complicated unweighted matrix-determinant method are shown to yield indistinguishable results. For small-range data measured on a dielectric polymer, weighting is found to be unnecessary. Verification of some of the results is accomplished by Monte Carlo simulation. For large-range data sets, such as those usually arising from electrical response measurements on ionic or electronic conductors, data variances generally vary widely (high heteroscedasticity). Some kind of weighting is then essential in order to obtain low-bias fitting-model parameter estimates with small estimated standard deviations. This is demonstrated by fitting wide-range data for the admittance of hydrogen-doped lithium nitride over a wide frequency range. The results of fitting with the several different weighting schemes available as choices in the vector-minimization approach are compared and discussed. Such fitting was carried out using the general-purpose program LEVM, which runs rapidly on a PC/AT or equivalent machine. It is the only available complex nonlinear least squares fitting program which can use the data to produce least-squares estimates of the parameters of an error-variance (weighting) model as well as those of the fitting model. Thus, the data themselves can be used to determined the most appropriate weighting. An excellent fit of the Li 3 N data was obtained, demonstrating that iterative reweighting, using variable weights proportional to the magnitude of the real and imaginary parts of the fitting-model function raised to a power near unity (a form of extended least squares), was the most appropriate way to treat the high heteroscedasticity of the data and to obtain minimum-bias, high-precision parameter estimates.
Brief inpatient psychiatric treatment: finding solutions.

The shift to a managed care philosophy means that clients with psychiatric needs are likely to have both fewer and briefer inpatient hospitalizations. Identification of focused goals and measurable...
Optoelectronic design of multijunction wire-array solar cells

Microwire solar cells have demonstrated promising optical and photovoltaic performance in arrays of single junction Si wires. Seeking higher efficiencies, we have numerically investigated III-V on Si 1−x Ge x architectures as candidates for tandem microwire photovoltaics via optical and electronic transport modeling. Optical modeling indicates that light trapping is an important design criterion. Absorption is more than doubled by the presence of Al 2 O 3 scattering particles around the wires, leading to high overall light collection despite low wire packing fraction. Texturing of the microwire outer surface, which was found to occur experimentally for GaP/Si microwires, is also shown to enhance absorption by over 50% relative to wires with smooth surfaces, allowing for the use of thinner layers. Finally, full optoelectronic simulations of GaAs on Ge structures revealed that current matching is attainable in these structures and that wire device efficiencies can approach those of planar cells.
Molecular distributions in interphases: statistical mechanical theory combined with molecular dynamics simulation of a model lipid bilayer

A mean-field statistical mechanical theory has been developed to describe molecular distributions in interphases. The excluded volume interaction has been modeled in terms of a reversible work that is required to create a cavity of the solute size against a pressure tensor exerted by the surrounding interphase molecules. The free energy change associated with this compression process includes the configuration entropy as well as the change in conformational energy of the surrounding chain molecules. The lateral pressure profile in a model lipid bilayer (30.5 A2/chain molecule) has been calculated as a function of depth in the bilayer interior by molecular dynamics simulation. The lateral pressure has a plateau value of 309 +/- 48 bar in the highly ordered region and decreases abruptly in the center of the bilayer. Model calculations have shown that for solute molecules with ellipsoidal symmetry, the orientational order increases with the ratio of the long to short molecular axes at a given solute volume and increases with solute volume at a given axial ratio, in accordance with recent experimental data. Increased lateral pressure (p perpendicular) results in higher local order and exclusion of solute from the interphase, in parallel with the effect of surface density on the partitioning and local order. The logarithm of the interphase/water partition coefficient for spherical solutes decreases linearly with solute volume. This is also an excellent approximation for elongated solutes because of the relatively weak dependence of solute partitioning on molecular shape. The slope is equal to (2p perpendicular - p parallel)/3KBT, where p parallel is the normal pressure component, and different from that predicted by the mean-field lattice theory. Finally, the lattice theory has been extended herein to incorporate an additional constraint on chain packing in the interphase and to account for the effect of solute size on partitioning.
Direct Purchase As a Function of Interlibrary Loan

Abstract Instead of borrowing a book for a patron via interlibrary loan, many libraries buy the requested book. The process is often faster and, sometimes cheaper, than interlibrary loan. A discussion of workflows and information about purchasing faculty requests instead of borrowing items is included. The discussion emphasizes successful strategies to solve the problem of the overlap of responsibilities and potential conflicts among collection subject selectors, acquisitions staff and interlibrary loan staff. Discussion focuses on implementing purchase on demand once the library has determined that Direct Purchase is part of the Interlibrary Loan process.
Graph theory in the study of metal cluster bonding topology: Applications to metal clusters having fused polyhedra

Abstract : The energy levels in delocalized two- or three-dimensional chemical structure are related to the eigenvalues of the graph representing the corresponding bonding topology. Such relatively crude but computationally undemanding graph theory derived models provide a clear demonstration of the close relationship between two-dimensional aromatic systems such as benzene and three-dimensional aromatic systems such as deltahedral boranes, carboranes, and metal clusters. The basic building blocks for the three dimensional aromatic systems are deltahedra having no degree 3 vertices. Delocalized bonding in such systems having v vertices requires two electrons for a multicenter core bond as well as 2v electrons for pairwise surface bonding. A problem of particular interest is how metal cluster polyhedra can fuse together leading ultimately to the infinite structures of the bulk metals. As a model for such processes the fusion of rhodium carbonyl octahedra is examined using graph theory derived methods. These lead to reasonable electron-precise models for the bonding topologies in the 'biphenyl analogue' (Rh12(CO)30)2-, the 'naphthalene analogue' (Rhg(CO)19)3-, the 'anthracene analogue' H2Rh12(CO)25, and the 'perinaphthene analogue' (Rh11(CO)23)3-. Similar models can also be developed for clusters based on centered larger rhodium polyhedra as exemplified by the centered cuboctahedral clusters of the type (Rh13(CO)24H5-q)q- (q = 2, 3, 4) representing a fragment of the hexagonal close packed metal structure. (Author)
Training Paraprofessionals to Support Students with Disabilities: A Literature Review

The purpose of this literature review is to describe intervention research studies in which paraprofessionals received training applicable to student with disabilities. Thirty studies were systematically reviewed to identify (a) characteristics of study participants and settings, (b) characteristics of paraprofessional training and paraprofessional-implemented intervention evaluated within these studies, (c) quality of the studies, and (d) implications for practice and areas for future research. Overall, paraprofessional training and subsequent intervention with students yielded positive outcomes. Training sessions typically were delivered by workshops, lectures, or classes and classroom-based training. However, numerous studies failed to demonstrate characteristics of study quality.
Protrusio Acetabuli: Contraindication or Indication for Hip Arthroscopy? And the Case for Arthroscopic Treatment of Global Pincer Impingement

Protrusio acetabuli has been considered a contraindication for hip arthroscopy. We present the case of a 33-year-old man with bilateral symptomatic protrusio acetabuli-the most extreme form of global pincer femoroacetabular impingement-and cam femoroacetabular impingement. We demonstrate the feasibility of the arthroscopic correction of severe deformities and describe key surgical steps permitting central compartment access, subtotal acetabuloplasty, labral reconstruction, and femoroplasty of the right hip, followed by later subtotal acetabuloplasty, labral refixation, and femoroplasty of the left hip, with improved outcomes at 2 and 1 years, respectively, as measured by the nonarthritic hip score. Though challenging, global pincer impingement, even acetabular protrusion, may be successfully treated with dual-portal outpatient hip arthroscopy. The modified midanterior portal enables central compartment access and extended posterior "reach" in the arthroscopic treatment of major global pincer femoroacetabular impingement, potentially making this contraindication a historical one while respectfully challenging the "global" recommendation for open surgery in this setting.
Static Attitude Determination Methods

Attitude determination typically requires finding three independent quantities, such as any minimal parameterization of the attitude matrix. The mathematics behind attitude determination can be broadly characterized into approaches that use stochastic analysis and approaches that do not. We restrict the term “estimation” to approaches that explicitly account for stochastic variables in the mathematical formulation, such as a Kalman filter or a maximum likelihood approach [29]. Black’s 1964 TRIAD algorithm was the first published method for determining the attitude of a spacecraft using body and reference observations, but his method could only combine the information from two measurements [2]. One year later, Wahba formulated a general criterion for attitude determination using two or more vector measurements [36]. However, explicit relations to stochastic errors in the body measurements are not shown in these formulations. The connection to the stochastic nature associated with random measurement noise was first made by Farrell in a Kalman filtering application that appeared in a NASA report in 1964 [11], but was not published in the archival literature until 1970 [12]. Farrell’s filter did not account for errors in the system dynamics, which were first accounted for in a Kalman filter developed by Potter and Vander Velde in 1968 [27].