cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commentary: The global tobacco litigation initiative: An effort to protect developing countries from big tobacco

The tobacco industry faces challenges in the affluent world, but preys upon poor and populous countries, taking advantage of underdeveloped tobacco policies. One of the ways to address tobacco control globally is to create a tobacco litigation partnership between developed and developing countries. A global litigation partnership has the potential to alleviate concerns over weak tobacco control structures in developing countries and benefit developed countries in monetary as well as legislative ways.
Cytochemical study on the nature of nucleic acids in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

The nature of nucleic acids present in the nucleoids of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was investigated with cytochemical methods. EBV infected cell cultures were embedded in glycol-methacrylate and thin sections were exposed to DNase and RNase and examined in the electron microscope. The results showed disappearance of viral nucleoids after DNase treatment, which provided evidence that EBV contains DNA, as do other herpes viruses.
Coefficients Used in a New Transition Reynolds Equation Model

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the coefficients used in the transition Reynolds equation model [1], which is applicable to the transition flow of thin films in long journal bearings. Calculations show that the overall coefficient A1 (Reh ) increases with the increase of Reynolds number, while the other overall coefficient A2 (Reh ) decreases with the increase of Reynolds number. A1 (Reh ) is always positive and A2 (Reh ) is always negative. The magnitude of both A1 (Reh ) and A2 (Reh ) is larger for the larger clearance ratio C/R at the same Reynolds number. The curves of A1 (Reh ) or A2 (Reh ) for different clearance ratios tend to collapse to one when Taylor number is used as the abscissa, particularly when Taylor number is less than 70. With these coefficients determined the model presented in [1] is fully usable.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Aqueous and vapor phase mercury sorption by inorganic oxide materials functionalized with thiols and poly-thiols

The objective of the study is the development of sorbents where the sorption sites are highly accessible for the capture of mercury from aqueous and vapor streams. Only a small fraction of the equilibrium capacity is utilized for a sorbent in applications involving short residence times (e.g., vapor phase capture of mercury from coal-fired power plant flue gases). So, dynamic capacity rather than equilibrium capacity is more relevant for these kinds of situations. Rapid sorption rates and higher dynamic capacity can be achieved by increasing the accessibility of active sites and decreasing the diffusional resistance to mass transport for the adsorbing species. This requires the use of open structured sorbent materials and attachment of functional groups on the external surface area of supports. The strong interaction of sulfur containing ligands (e.g., thiol) with mercury makes them suitable candidates for immobilization on these types of materials. In this study, inorganic oxide supports like alumina and silica are functionalized with thiol moieties like mercapto silane, cysteine and poly-cysteine for capturing mercury from aqueous and vapor phase. Aqueous phase Hg (II) sorption studies with cysteine/poly-cysteine functionalized silica showed that high dynamic capacity can be achieved by attaching active sites (thiol) on the external area of supports. Vapor phase Hg capture studies with thiol-functionalized mesoporous silica (Hg0 concentration = 3.37 mg/m3 with N2 as the carrier, gas temperature = 70 °C) yielded a capacity of 143 μg Hg/g for the sorbent. Although the sulfur content for the sorbent was low (0.80 wt. %) the molar ratio of Hg captured to sulfur was comparatively high (2.86×10−3) pointing to the high accessibility of sulfur sites.
Strategies for Teaching Self-Determination Skills in Conjunction With the Common Core

College and career readiness for all students includes supporting the needs of students with disabilities. Ensuring students with disabilities are college and career ready goes beyond academics and...
Parallel computing in Ada: an overview and critique

The aim of this paper is to present the basic issues related to the use of Ada in parallel computing. It is argued that there exists a gap between the most popular area of parallel computing research, scientific computing, and the interests of Ada community. A number of new research directions and curricular changes are proposed.
Spectrophotometric study of thiouracil interference in a serum cholesterol determination

Abstract A spectrophotometric study of the effect of thiouracil on the determination of cholesterol by FeCl 3 reaction has been described. The depression of the reaction by thiouracil was confirmed and its removal by exchange with the iodate of AgIO 3 studied. It was found that thiouracil appeared to be removed by the exchange, but the iodate that replaced both it, as well as the chloride which is always present, interfered maximally in a FeCl 3 -acetic acid protein precipitating system and to a lesser extent in an alcohol-acetone extraction system. One can infer from the results obtained that it would have been more reasonable to use an uncontaminated portion of serum for the determination of cholesterol rather than to carry out an in vitro removal of an in vitro addition of what may have been an unnecessary stabilizing agent.
Use of calcium in prehospital cardiac arrest

All records of patients presenting to the Milwaukee County Paramedic System for the period of January 1 to December 31, 1980 were reviewed retrospectively. One hundred seventy-nine patients initially presented in asystole, and 116 patients initially presented in electromechanical dissociation (EMD). All patients with trauma and poisoning were excluded. The in-field successful resuscitation rates for asystole were 8/105 (8%) in the calcium group versus 8/24 (33%) in the no-calcium group (P
In vitro release profiles of eristostatin from biodegradable polymeric microspheres: Protein aggregation problem

Eristostatin, a low molecular weight polypeptide (MW 5725), was encapsulated within two biodegradable poly(lactic acid-glycolic acid) microspheres. In vitro release profiles from the microspheres exhibited fast initial release for up to several days, followed by very slow or no release. The later stage of the slow release was due to protein aggregation within the microspheres. A simple, noninvasive method to detect the protein aggregation within the microspheres has been developed: extraction of radiolabeled protein from the microspheres by a DC electric field into a polyacrylamide gel and subsequent exposure to a gamma-ray sensitive film. Direct application of the degrading microspheres onto the sample loading zone of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) could successfully extract the monomeric and oligomeric proteins into the autoradiogram of a gel slab, while unextractable protein aggregates within the microspheres could be directly visualized in their loading position.
Intensified Fischer–Tropsch synthesis process with microchannel catalytic reactors

Abstract A microchannel catalytic reactor with improved heat and mass transport has been used for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. It was demonstrated that this microchannel reactor based process can be carried out at gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) as high as 60,000 h−1 to achieve greater than 60% of single-pass CO conversion while maintaining relatively low methane selectivity ( 0.9). In this study, performance data were obtained over a wide range of pressure (10–35 atm) and hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide ratio (1–2.5). The catalytic materials were characterized using BET, scanning electron microcopy (SEM), transmission electron microcopy (TEM), and H2 chemisorption. A three-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous model was used to simulate temperature profiles in the exothermic reaction system in order to optimize the reactor design. Intraparticle non-isothermal characteristics are also analyzed for the FT synthesis catalyst.
The UCSD HIRES/Keck I Damped Lyα Abundance Database. II. The Implications

We present a comprehensive analysis of the damped Lyα (DLA) abundance database presented in the first paper of this series. This database provides a homogeneous set of abundance measurements for many elements including Si, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe, Al, S, Co, O, and Ar from 38 DLA systems with zabs > 1.5. With little exception, these DLA systems exhibit very similar relative abundances. There is no significant correlation in X/Fe with [Fe/H] metallicity, and the dispersion in X/Fe is small at all metallicity. We search the database for trends indicative of dust depletion and in a few cases find strong evidence. Specifically, we identify a correlation between [Si/Ti] and [Zn/Fe] which is unambiguous evidence for depletion. Following Hou and colleagues, we present [X/Si] abundances against [Si/H] + log N(H ) and note trends of decreasing X/Si with increasing [Si/H] + log N(H ) which argue for dust depletion. Similarly, comparisons of [Si/Fe] and [Si/Cr] against [Si/H] indicate significant depletion at [Si/H] > -1 but suggest essentially dust-free damped systems at [Si/H] 3.5, where small number statistics dominate the N(H I)-weighted mean; and (2) there is no evolution in the mean [Fe/H] metallicity from z = 1.7 to 3.5 but possibly a marked drop at higher redshift. We conclude with a general discussion on the physical nature of the DLA systems. We stress the uniformity of the DLA chemical abundances which indicates that the protogalaxies identified with DLA systems have very similar enrichment histories, i.e., a nearly constant relative contribution from Type Ia and Type II supernovae. The DLA systems also show constant relative abundances within a given system, which places strict constraints on the mixing timescales of the damped systems and may pose a great challenge to the protogalactic clump scenarios favored by hierarchical galaxy formation.
Effect of disruption of Akt-1 of lin−c-kit+ stem cells on myocardial performance in infarcted heart

Aims We have demonstrated an important role of bone marrow-derived stem cells in preservation of myocardial function. We investigated whether Akt-1 of lin−c-kit+ stem cells preserves ventricular function following myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and results Isolated lin−c-kit+ cells were conjugated with anti-c-kit heteroconjugated to anti-vascular cell adhesion molecule to facilitate the attachment of stem cells into damaged tissues. Female severe combined immunodeficient mice were used as recipients. MI was created by ligation of the left descending artery. After 48 h, animals were divided into four groups: (i) sham ( n = 5): animals underwent thoracotomy without MI; (ii) MI ( n = 5): animals underwent MI and received medium; (iii) MI + wild-type (Wt) stem cells ( n = 6): MI animals received 5 × 105 Wt lin−c-kit+ stem cells; (iv) MI + Akt-1−/− stem cells ( n = 6): MI animals received 5 × 105 Akt-1−/− lin−c-kit+ stem cells. Two weeks later, left ventricular function was measured in the Langendorff mode. The peripheral administration of Wt armed stem cells into MI animals restored ventricular function, which was absent in animals receiving Akt-1−/− cells. Real-time PCR indicates a decrease in SRY3, a Y chromosome marker in hearts receiving Akt-1−/− cells. An increase in angiogenic response was demonstrated in hearts receiving Wt stem cells but not Akt-1−/− stem cells. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the peripheral administration of Wt lin−c-kit+ stem cells restores ventricular function and promotes angiogenic response following MI. These benefits were abrogated in MI mice receiving Akt-1−/− stem cells, suggesting the pivotal role of Akt-1 in mediating stem cells to protect MI hearts.
Application of adaptive local cosine transform to detection and estimation of ultra-wideband signals through dispersive propagation channels

The adaptive local cosine transform (ALCT) is applied to identify the time-frequency distribution of an ultra-wideband signal transmitted through a dispersive propagation channel in the presence of noise. The estimated time-frequency distribution is then used to detect subsequently transmitted signals. Simulation results show the ALCT outperforms the traditional short-time Fourier transform. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 35: 150–153, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10543
On Goulden-Jackson’s Determinantal Formula for the Immanant

In 1992, Goulden and Jackson found a beautiful determinantal expression for the immanant of a matrix. This paper proves the same result combinatorially. We also present a β-extension of the theorem and a simple determinantal expression for the irreducible characters of the symmetric group.
Contrasting patterns of evolutionary divergence within the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus pca operon.

Abstract The six enzymes required for catabolism of protocatechuate to succinate and acetylCoA are encoded by the pca genes in the Gram − bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . The clustered A. calcoaceticus cat genes encode an analogous set of enzymes associated with the metabolic dissimilation of catechol. The nucleotide (nt) sequences of pcaIJFB and pcaK , reported here, complete evidence showing that all of the pca structural genes are tightly grouped in the order pcaIJFBDKCHG within a single operon. The pcaIJF region is nearly identical in nt sequence to the A. calcoaceticus catIJF region which exhibits a G + C content and a codon usage pattern exceptional for A. calcoaceticus . In contrast, pcaD , pcaC , pcaH and pcaG have diverged substantially from their evolutionary counterparts in the cat region; all of these divergent genes exhibit G + C contents and codon usage patterns that are typical for A. calcoaceticus . The pcaI J F and catIJF regions are known to exchange DNA sequence information, and this property may have contributed to their nt sequence conservation. The pcaK gene has no counterpart among known cat genes. The deduced amino-acid sequence of PcaK indicates that it may be a transmembrane protein associated with transport.
Mathematical models of dissolved oxygen concentration in fresh water

Abstract An adequate reserve of dissolved oxygen in a receiving stream is extremely important for protecting aquatic plants and animals, and for conserving our water resources. This paper briefly describes the environmental engineering significance of the stream self-purification, the current stream quality standards on dissolved oxygen concentration, and the solubility of dissolved oxygen in water. Special emphasis is placed on the modelling of the biological reactions and the dissolved oxygen saturation concentration in fresh water. The model can be used for calculating the dissolved oxygen saturation concentration, in turn, for determining the dissolved oxygen deficits, the critical dissolved oxygen concentration, and the allowable dissolved oxygen drop in a stream into which the waste water is discharged.
Changes in the Use of Thrombolytic Therapy in Seattle Area Hospitals from 1988 to 1992: Results from the Myocardial Infarction Triage and Intervention Registry.

Background: Thrombolytic therapy has been shown to reduce mortality in select patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The determinants of eligibility for therapy are changing as more information about the safety and efficacy of thrombolytic therapy is obtained. In the United States, there is some concern that thrombolytic therapy is underutilized, particularly in women and older patients. The purpose of this investigation is to examine change in the use of thrombolytic therapy in a single community from the years 1988 to 1992. Particular attention was paid to women and older patients.Methods: From January 1988 through December 1992, 9154 patients who developed AMI were admitted to coronary care units in 19 hospitals in the metropolitan Seattle area. The hospital records of each consecutive patient were reviewed, and key information was entered into the Myocardial Infarction Triage and Intervention database. Patients who developed AMI after hospital admission for another medical condition were excluded, as were the small numbers of patients with AMI complicated by cardiac arrest and resuscitation prior to hospital admission. This population-based study contains first admissions for AMI during the 5 year period of the registry.Results The use of thrombolytic therapy in all patients increased from 18% to 24% (p <.0001) during the 5 year period; women (10–16%) and patients 75 years and older (3–10%) had proportionately greater increases in utilization. Despite widespread awareness of its importance, the median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival did not change during the 5 years, although there was a slight decrease in the time from hospital arrival to treatment with thrombolytic therapy.Conclusions: The change in use of thrombolytic therapy indicates that age and gender are less often used as exclusions for receiving thrombolytic therapy. It is possible that exclusionary criteria are being modified, with the result that this important treatment is being received by more people. The finding that there was no change in the time from acute symptom onset to hospital arrival requires intensive study. In particular, more needs to be known about patient decisionmaking, and innovative community interventions to reduce delay times must be evaluated.
A Mid-Century of Metallography—Retrospect and Aspect

The following article by L. L. Wyman is reprinted from Fifty Years of Progress in Metallurgical Techniques , ASTM STP 430, 1968, contains information on the early role of ASTM Committee E-4 in the publication of the early Powder Diffraction File data cards and in the formation of the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards. In fact, Roy Wyman was probably the single most instrumental individual in obtaining the sponsorship by ASTM for the continued publication of the PDF up to 1969 when JCPDS became an independent corporation. Roy was on the Board of Directors of JCPDS from the time of its incorporation until his death in 1976. He was Treasurer of JCPDS from 1971 to 1974 and Chairman from 1974 to 1975. Committee E-4 is still active and is the Committee within ASTM which maintains Cooperative Society status with the JCPDS-ICDD.
A three-dimensional MHD model of plasma flow around Titan

Abstract A three-dimensional single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic model is used to study Titans plasma environment. Three cases are considered. The first case is used to study the plasma conditions present at the time of the Voyager 1 encounter (subsonic yet superAlfvenic flow). In the second case the flow was supersonic and superAlfvenic with a magnetosonic mach number of M f = 1.4. The flow in the third case was also supersonic and superAlfvenic but with a magnetosonic mach number of M f = 2.5. The second two cases are relevant for those times when Titan might find itself in the solar wind or in Saturns magnetosheath. Comparisons are made between the modeled density and magnetic field, and measurements made in Titans wake by Voyager 1.
Evaluation of a Group Cognitive-Behavioral Depression Prevention Program for Young Adolescents: A Randomized Effectiveness Trial

Depression is a common psychological problem in adolescence. Recent research suggests that group cognitive-behavioral interventions can reduce and prevent symptoms of depression in youth. Few studies have tested the effectiveness of such interventions when delivered by school teachers and counselors (as opposed to research team staff). We evaluated the effectiveness of the Penn Resiliency Program for adolescents (PRP-A), a school-based group intervention that targets cognitive behavioral risk factors for depression. We randomly assigned 408 middle school students (ages 10-15) to one of three conditions: PRP-A, PRP-AP (in which adolescents participated in PRP-A and parents were invited to attend a parent intervention component), or a school-as-usual control. Adolescents completed measures of depression and anxiety symptoms, cognitive style, and coping at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. PRP-A reduced depression symptoms relative to the school as usual control. Baseline levels of hopelessness moderated intervention effects. Among participants with average and high levels of hopelessness, PRP (A and AP) significantly improved depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, hopelessness, and active coping relative to control. Among participants with low baseline hopelessness, we found no intervention effects. PRP-AP was not more effective than PRP-A alone. We found no intervention effects on clinical levels of depression or anxiety. These findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral interventions can be beneficial when delivered by school teachers and counselors. These interventions may be most helpful to students with elevated hopelessness.
Increasing patient adherence to gastroenterology treatment and prevention regimens

Many gastroenterology treatments would be minimally effective if patients did not adhere to prescribed therapeutic regimens. However, considerable evidence exists that patients often do not adhere. Factors associated with nonadherence include the physician's or other health care provider's behavior, the prescribed regimen, and the illness. These factors affect patient adherence such that: 1) patients do not have the skills or knowledge necessary to complete an assignment; 2) patients do not believe that they will be helped by the prevention or intervention activity, or they do not accept the activity because they do not believe that its value will outweigh its costs; and 3) patients' environments are not supportive of, or interfere with, adherence. Strategies that can increase adherence include attention to the physician/patient relationship, direct skill training, setting up a reward structure, and reminders, among others. Specific methods that gastroenterology health care providers can utilize to enhance adherence in their practice are presented.
Anthropometric correlates of intragastric pressure

Objective. Obesity may increase intra-abdominal pressure on the stomach leading to an increase in intragastric pressure, which in turn induces lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, with subsequent reflux. However, the association between anthropometric measures of total body as well as abdominal obesity and intragastric pressure has not been examined. Material and methods. This prospective cross-sectional study included consecutive patients undergoing manometry at an open access Reflux Center. Standardized measurements of body-weight, height, and waist and hip circumference were prospectively obtained. To assess the intragastric pressure, the perfusion port levels of the catheter were verified to be at the same vertical height (0 mmHg) inside the patient as they were outside the patient during calibration. Correlation between gastric pressure and anthropometric measures was calculated and adjusted for demographic features and presenting symptoms. Results. A total of 322 patients (67% women) with a mean a...
The Authoritarian Personality: A Re‐Review 46 Years Later

The author revisits his contemporary review of The Authoritarian Personality (TAP) in the light of subsequent developments in research and theory. In spite of warranted criticism of the F-scale, the major substantive findings of TAP have held up well. Whether they are better understood in terms of psychoanalytic psychodynamics or Bandura's social learning theory remains controversial. The role of the four authors is briefly examined.
Multi-criteria decision analysis approach to site suitability of U.S. Department of Defense humanitarian assistance projects

Abstract This paper seeks to provide a framework for determining best locations for US Department of Defense (DOD) Humanitarian Assistance (HA) projects as well as proposing a method to selecting and optimal portfolio of DOD projects for an area of operation through data-driven analyses and an understanding of priorities and tradeoffs. To identify optimal locations for HA projects a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach to site suitability analysis is presented along with a case-study using data from El Salvador to demonstrate the utility of the approach. A Portfolio Decision Analysis (PDA) is proposed as a method to generate a portfolio with the most optimal combination of HA projects to lower resource investment risk and maximize desired impact. These two methods are intended as decision aids for HA managers and project nominators in the DOD HA project approval process.
Phase I and II clinical trial design for targeted agents

Challenges presented in the development of targeted agents include selection of the optimal dose, particularly when dose-limiting toxicity does not occur or cannot be easily distinguished from adverse events related to the underlying disease; description of the safety profile when the signs and symptoms of drug toxicity may be similar to those of the underlying disease or of co-morbid conditions; and assessment of antitumor activity if tumor shrinkage is not expected or does not occur when the drug is administered. In such cases, time to progression (TTP) rather than response rate has become a commonly used endpoint, although, with the use of TTP, a reliable estimate of drug effect can only be made in the setting of a randomized trial, thereby increasing the number of patients typically required for phase II testing. Another confounding issue in the clinical development of targeted therapies is whether or not assessment of the target in tumor tissue should be incorporated in the clinical development plan. While doing so has potential advantages such as increasing the likelihood of observing a drug effect and reducing the sample size necessary for clinical trials, there are considerable risks associated with this strategy that stem from incomplete understanding of the target, inadequate assays for target expression or activity and the requirement to develop a molecular diagnostic alongside the therapeutic agent to be used for patient selection. This paper will briefly review the trial designs employed for the phase I and II development of four recently developed angiogenesis inhibitors—bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and vatalanib—three of which have received marketing approval in one or more tumor types.
Effect of preoperative warming on wound infection.

1 Jaffery JB, Aggarwal U, Ades PA, Weise WJ. A long sweet sleep with sour consequences. Lancet 2001; 358: 1236. 2 Cochat P. Primary hyperoxaluria type 1. Kidney Int 1999; 55: 2533–47 S pneumoniae isolated from the throat was a nasopharyngeal coloniser. The strain was identified and confirmed by standard microbiological procedures. The final diagnosis of the patient was septic-shock syndrome along with toxic myocarditis from an unconfirmed cause. The inability to isolate the causative agent in this case could be because of previous treatment with antimicrobials. The S pneumoniae isolate was further characterised in the laboratory. The table shows the susceptibility profile of the isolate. Minimum inhibitory concentration testing was repeated at the Hershey Medical Center, PA, USA, which was our reference centre, and the results showed 100% concordance. The isolate was multidrug resistant but quinolone susceptible, and is the first confirmed isolate resistant to cefotaxime and erythromycin from our centre. PCR for detection of erm gene for macrolide resistance gave a positive result, which suggests inherent macrolide resistance. The isolate belonged to serotype 6B. Our surveillance programmes have received strains of S pneumoniae from different regions of India since 1993. So far, only 5% intermediate resistance to penicillin has been recorded, with no multidrug resistance. Incidentally increasing minimum inhibitory concentration levels to erythromycin and cefotaxime have been noted in the strains showing intermediate resistance to penicillin, although they were still within the susceptible range. The emergence of multidrug resistant pneumococcus makes it important to propagate the judicious use of antibiotics, continue surveillance studies, and to focus attention on pneumococcal vaccination, especially in children at high risk, especially in day-care centres and boarding schools.
Temperature modeling of a land-based aquaculture system for the production of Gracilaria pacifica: Possible system modifications to conserve heat and extend the growing season

Abstract Temperature control is a major cost for numerous aquaculture systems. Solar thermal engineering techniques can be used to identify inexpensive methods for conserving and capturing heat. Gracilaria pacifica , also known as the culinary ingredient ogo, is currently grown in land-based tanks at a site in Goleta, CA where influent sea water temperatures infrequently reach the 21–28 °C range that provides for optimal growth. The major objective of this study was to explore various designs of a G. pacifica tank culture system that maintain optimal water temperature year round to maximize growth. A model was constructed and calibrated by comparing results to a one-third scale pilot system operated in Davis, CA. For model calibration the most sensitive parameter such as cover optical properties were adjusted first and less sensitive parameters were adjusted later. The pilot system consisted of six tanks, three insulated with foam and a clear polyethylene cover (experimental), and three uninsulated and uncovered (controls). The model had weather data inputs including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The model was then compared to a full-scale system operated in Santa Barbara during the winter. The experimental pilot system was 4.93 °C warmer than the control pilot system under optimal weather conditions. The full-scale experimental system was 2.80 °C warmer than the control system under non-ideal conditions. The model demonstrated predictive accuracy under most weather conditions. Furthermore the model is robust enough to accept estimated values for many inputs and still produce accurate results, this suggests a simpler model may be feasible. A polyethylene cover and insulation are not sufficient in general for raising the water temperature to the optimum range during the winter; they may be during other times of the year when more solar energy is available, thereby extending the growing season.
Correlation lengths of meltwater flow through ripe snowpacks, Colorado Front Range, USA

The flowpaths of meltwater through snow is known to be an inhomogeneous process. The spatial distribution of meltwater flowing from the bottom of melting snowpacks is the result of horizontal and vertical flow paths within the snowpack. The ability to characterize the spatial distribution of these meltwater flowpaths would be useful in developing models of snow melt runoff which could better characterize snow melt hydrographs. We analyzed near infrared aerial photos of melting snow using a moving window analysis which can characterize correlation lengths in the reflectance of the snow surface. Near infrared is sensitive to snow grain size, which in turn may indicate higher amounts of meltwater: the grains grow faster if the liquid water content is higher, Correlation lengths were live to seven metres and the probability of finding such correlation lengths increased from 0.22 in May 1997 when the melt had just started to 0.68 by late June when melt was well established. Liquid water content at the snow surface was sampled with a dielectric sensor at 0.5 m intervals on 100 m 2 and 75 m 2 grids. Semi-variograms showed a sill at five to six metres. The liquid water measurements at the snow surface suggest that the correlation lengths derived from the infrared aerial photos represent surface expressions of higher flow density through the melting snowpack. A circular array of 16 snow melt lysimeters each with areas of 0.2 m 2 was operated for two years at Niwot Ridge in the Colorado Front Range. Variograms indicated that flows were correlated over a distance of five to seven metres. These three independent methods all suggest a spatial organization of five to seven metres for flowpaths draining ripe snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains.
Biochemical and genetic evidence for the hepatitis B virus replication strategy

Hepatitis B viruses synthesize their open circular DNA genomes by reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate. The details of this process have been examined with the use of mammalian hepatitis B viruses to map the sites for initiation and termination of DNA synthesis and to explore the consequences of mutations introduced at short, separated direct repeats (DR1 and DR2) implicated in the mechanisms of initiation. The first DNA strand to be synthesized is initiated within DR1, apparently by a protein primer, and the completed strand has a short terminal redundancy. In contrast, the second DNA strand begins with the sequence adjacent to DR2, but its 5' end is joined to an oligoribonucleotide that contains DR1; thus the putative RNA primer has been transposed to the position of DR2. It is now possible to propose a detailed strategy for reverse transcription by hepatitis B viruses that can be instructively compared with that used by retroviruses.
Quinoa: Catalyst or Catastrophe?

Quinoa is a grain-like crop that is rich in protein and minerals; its ability to grow on marginal soils improves its attractiveness as a potential solution to hunger in many areas. Primarily adapte...
Alternative goal structures for computer game-based learning

This field study investigated the application of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures in classroom use of computer math games and its impact on students’ math performance and math learning attitudes. One hundred and sixty 5th-grade students were recruited and randomly assigned to Teams–Games–Tournament cooperative gaming, interpersonal competitive gaming, individualistic gaming, and the control group. A state-standards-based math exam and an inventory on attitudes toward mathematics were used in pretest and posttest. Students’ gender and socioeconomic status were examined as the moderating variables. Results indicated that even though there was not a significant effect of classroom goal structure in reinforcing computer gaming for math test performance, game-based learning in cooperative goal structure was most effective in promoting positive math attitudes. It was also found that students with different socioeconomic statuses were influenced differently by gaming within alternative goal structures.
Machinable glass-ceramic: a new material for vacuum equipment

A machinable glass-ceramic material with a combination of properties for vacuum applications not offered by materials such as alumina, boron nitride, lava, glass or glass-bonded mica has been developed by Corning Glass Works. The glass-ceramic has an unusual microstructure that makes it difficult for cracks to propagate. Thus, it can be machined to precise tolerances with conventional metalworking tools, solving a major parts-fabrication problem for vacuum equipment users. The material can be sealed and metallized. Major applications for the material to date have been in feedthroughs, electrical insulators and similar parts.
Stratigraphy of the Toba Tuffs and the evolution of the Toba Caldera Complex, Sumatra, Indonesia

During the past 1.2 m.y., a magma chamber of batholithic proportions has developed under the 100 by 30 km Toba Caldera Complex. Four separate eruptions have occurred from vents within the present collapse structure, which formed from eruption of the 2800 km3 Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT) at 74 ka. Eruption of the three older Toba Tuffs alternated from calderas situated in northern and southern portions of the present caldera. The northern caldera apparently developed upon a large andesitic stratovolcano. The calderas associated with the three older tuffs are obscured by caldera collapse and resurgence resulting from eruption of the YTT. Samosir Island and the Uluan Block are two sides of a single resurgent dome that has resurged since eruption of the YTT. Samosir Island is composed of thick YTT caldera fill, whereas the Uluan Block consists mainly of the Oldest Toba Tuff (OTT). In the past 74000 years lava domes have been extruded on Samosir Island and along the caldera's western ring fracture. This part of the ring fracture is the site of the only current activity at Toba: updoming and fumarolic activity. The Toba eruptions document the growth of the laterally continuous magma body which eventually erupted the YTT. Repose periods between the four Toba Tuffs range between 0.34 and 0.43 m.y. and give insights into pluton emplacement and magmatic evolution at Toba.
Nested transcripts of gap junction gene have distinct expression patterns.

The shaking B locus (shakB, or Passover) codes for structural molecules of gap junctions in Drosophila. This report describes the complex set of transcripts from the shakB locus. A nested set of five transcripts is described. The transcripts share 3' exons, but each has its own 5' exon. The transcripts are arrayed as a series in the genomic DNA stretching over 60 kb. The 5' end of each successive transcript lies further proximal on the chromosome. Each new transcript shares all the 3' exons with the one preceding it, but adds one or two more 5' exons. The different transcripts are expressed in a wide variety of locations in the nervous system and in non-neural tissues. Some tissues express more than one transcript, and the expression pattern of each is developmentally regulated. Within the adult central nervous system (CNS), these transcripts have an expression pattern that is restricted to the giant fiber system (GFS). The GFS is a small set of neurons which mediates the visually induced escape jump. shakB is required for function of the GFS electrical synapses. The transcript previously defined as active in the giant fiber is not, in fact, expressed in that cell. Instead, we find that another transcript, shakB(N3), and perhaps shakB(N4) as well, is expressed in the GFS; this transcript is not expressed elsewhere in the adult CNS. Two other transcripts, shakB(N1) and shakB(N2), are expressed in the optic lamina but not elsewhere in the CNS. This expression pattern explains the neurophysiological and behavioral defects in escape exhibited in mutants of shakB.
Metropolitan Computer Services Infrastructure and Economic Development Capacity in the Information Society

This article focuses on the capacity of metropolitan areas to use information technology, based on the assumption that the combined telecommunications and computer infrastructure relies on the presence of a computer-literate population with computers as much as on phones, fiber optics, microwave, and digital switches. A computer services infrastructure is assumed robust if there is an adequate number of computer workers and sales of computer equipment and software. Neither factor has received much attention in debates about the information highway. We find that computer service workers are intensively metropolitan. Computer employment is concentrated in large metropolitan areas, but the ratio of computer workers per 1,000 employees is higher in middle-sized and smaller metropolitan areas. Computer and software sales are metropolitan, with downward filtering to smaller regions. Large metropolitan regions have advanced computer infrastructures, but middle and lower ranks of the metropolitan hierarchy are de...
Coupled mass transport and kinetically limited isotope exchange: Applications and exchange mechanisms

Recent studies provide theoretical models for kinetically limited isotope exchange during fluid flow; however, few have attempted to apply these models to natural systems. In this paper, we interpret stable isotopic data from fossil hydrothermal systems in two different tectonic settings by using combined equations of mass transport and kinetically limited isotope exchange. Our models provide alternative interpretations for the geometry of flow responsible for the development of 18 O depletion annuli surrounding epizonal intrusions and for the geometry of flow in shallow-level normal faults. Our models also provide information about relative isotope exchange rates and, by extension, mechanisms of isotope exchange. Our results indicate that dynamic recrystallization in fault zones promotes exchange by surface reaction, whereas exchange in chemically nonreactive and undeformed minerals may be limited by solid-state diffusion.
A Semi-Automatic Evaluation Scheme: Automated Nuggetization for Manual Annotation

In this paper we describe automatic information nuggetization and its application to text comparison. More specifically, we take a close look at how machine-generated nuggets can be used to create evaluation material. A semiautomatic annotation scheme is designed to produce gold-standard data with exceptionally high inter-human agreement.
Electroreflectance and band structure of gray tin

Abstract The electroreflectance spectrum of gray tin in the 1–5 eV region is reported. Nine peaks are observed and assigned to direct interband transitions at critical points. A semiempirical band structure, calculated with due regard of spin-orbit interaction by the k . p . method, incorporating the electroreflectance gaps and the Groves-Paul model is presented.
"power-on resets" in cardiac implantable electronic devices during magnetic resonance imaging

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been safely performed in some patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) under careful monitoring and prespecified conditions. Pacemaker-dependent patients are often excluded, partly because of the potential for "power-on reset" (PoR), which can lead to a change from asynchronous to inhibited pacing with consequent inhibition of pacing due to electromagnetic interference during MRI. Objective The purpose of this study was to review risk factors for PoR during MRI. Methods A prospective study was performed between January 2008 and May 2013 in patients with CIEDs undergoing clinically indicated MRI. Eligible patients were not pacemaker dependent. Devices were interrogated before and after MRI, programmed to an asynchronous mode or an inhibition mode with tachyarrhythmia therapies turned off, and reprogrammed to their original settings after MRI. Results MRI scans (n = 256) were performed in 198 patients with non–MRI-conditional CIEDs between 2008 and 2013 (median age 66 years; interquartile range 57–77 years; 59% men). PoR occurred during 9 MRI scans (3.5%) in 8 patients. PoR was more frequent with Medtronic devices than with other generator brands (n = 9/139 vs 0/117 [6% vs 0%]; P = .005). Devices with PoR were all released before 2002 and were implanted from 1999 to 2004. Effects of PoR included a decrease in heart rate during MRI (n = 4) and transient anomalous battery life indication (n = 1). All devices functioned normally after MRI. Conclusion PoR occurs infrequently but can cause deleterious changes in pacing mode and heart rate. MRI should not be performed in pacemaker-dependent patients with older at-risk generators. Continuous monitoring during MRI is essential because unrecognized PoR may inhibit pacing or accelerate battery depletion due to high pacing output.
Morphological Effects on Illite as a Result of Potassium Depletion

Several illites and a mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite developed fractures in some particles during progressive removal of interlayer potassium by solutions containing sodium tetraphenylboron. The appearance of the splinters in bundles, some connected to incompletely broken plates, suggests the process is related to the differential release of stresses known to exist as a consequence of octahedral-tetrahedral misfit. The formation of splinters produces additional surface area for ion removal and may influence the rate of vermiculite development.
Understanding the Sequence Specificity of tRNA Binding to Elongation Factor Tu using tRNA Mutagenesis

Measuring the binding affinities of 42 single-base-pair mutants in the acceptor and T Psi C stems of Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNA Phe to Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) revealed that much of the specificity for tRNA occurs at the 49-65, 50-64, and 51-63 base pairs. Introducing the same mutations at the three positions into Escherichia coli tRNA CAG Leu resulted in similar changes in binding affinity. Swapping the three pairs from several E. coli tRNAs into yeast tRNA Phe resulted in chimeras with EF-Tu binding affinities similar to those for the donor tRNA. Finally, analysis of double- and triple-base-pair mutants of tRNA Phe showed that the thermodynamic contributions at the three sites are additive, permitting reasonably accurate prediction of the EF-Tu binding affinity for all E. coli tRNAs. Thus, it appears that the thermodynamic contributions of three base pairs in the T Psi C stem primarily account for tRNA binding specificity to EF-Tu.
Primary creep of UO2 and the effect of amorphous grain boundary phases

Creep experiments were conducted on nearly stoichiometric UO2 helical springs from 1000 to 1600°C and 2.1 to 80 MPa. Entirely transient behaviour was measured in all experiments with the plastic strain,ϵ = (Aσ/d1.5) exp(−Q/RT)tm, where A is a constant that depends on purity, d is the grain size, σ is the applied stress, Q is the apparent activation energy, t is the time, m is a constant, and the other terms have their usual meaning. At T > 1200°C, Q ≅ 100 kcal mol−1, but at T 48 MPa, m decreased, and for d 1200°C, glassy phases may accelerate Coble creep by providing short circuit diffusion paths along the grain boundaries or may accelerate superplastic deformation by diffusion along the continuous glassy phase triple line junctions. At low temperatures the glassy phase appears to control grain-boundary sliding.
Dyadic Analysis of Illness Perceptions Among Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Their Family Members

Purpose of this study To characterize illness perceptions among persons with mild cognitive impairment (PWMCI) and their family care partners, and to examine whether PWMCI's and their family care partners' illness perceptions were associated with their own, as well as the other member of the dyad's, emotional reactions to MCI. Design and methods This cross-sectional study of PWMCI and their family care partners (n = 60 dyads) used patient and relative versions of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) to assess metacognitive and emotional features of illness perception in MCI along 5 dimensions of perceived: seriousness of potential consequences, personal controllability, timeline, fluctuation (cycling) of symptoms, and illness coherence (clear vs. confusing). Results As compared to family members, PWMCI perceived MCI to be less potentially serious and to be more within their personal control, but dyads otherwise shared similar perceptions of MCI. Among PWMCI, perceived seriousness of the potential consequences of MCI was the only dimension to be significantly correlated with emotional distress. For family members, increased MCI-related emotional distress was significantly associated with perceptions of MCI as potentially serious, permanent, or confusing. A dyadic analysis using APIM showed that MCI-related emotional distress, in both PWMCI and family members, was linked to the PWMCI's perception of the seriousness of MCI. Implications MCI-related education and support should be tailored for both the PWMCI and family member audiences, while acknowledging interdependence of illness perceptions within family units. Tailored information and support will be critical in managing MCI going forward, as illness perceptions are likely key factors on which individuals will plan for the future or base medical decisions.