cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of vegetable oils to recover compounds from aqueous solutions

Corn oil, canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and soyabean oil were tested as extractants for the recovery of organic compounds from aqueous solution. Short chain aliphatic alcohols and acids were poorly recovered (Kd 2.0) from aqueous solution by vegetable oils. Kd is defined as the ratio of the concentration of the dissolved substance in the extractant to that in the aqueous phase. The exception was caffeine which was poorly extracted from water. The type of oil used appeared to have limited effect on Kd. Increasing the reaction temperature resulted in increased Kd for most readily extractable compounds. Acidulated fatty acid was also tested as an extractant. Although it generally resulted in a greater Kd than the oils or hexane control, acidulated fatty acid was less desirable as an extractant because it tended to create an emulsion with the aqueous phase under the test conditions.
Glaser-mediated synthesis and photophysical characterization of diphenylbutadiyne-linked porphyrin dyads.

The Pd-mediated Glaser coupling of a zinc monoethynyl porphyrin and a magnesium monoethynyl porphyrin affords a mixture of three 4,4‘-diphenylbutadiyne-linked dyads comprised of two zinc porphyrins (Zn-pbp-Zn), two magnesium porphyrins (Mg-pbp-Mg), and one metalloporphyrin of each type (Zn-pbp-Mg). The latter is easily isolated due to the greater polarity of the magnesium versus the zinc chelate. Exposure of Zn-pbp-Mg to silica gel results in selective demetalation, affording Zn-pbp-Fb where Fb = free base porphyrin. This synthesis route employs the magnesium porphyrin as a latent form of the Fb porphyrin, thereby avoiding copper insertion during the Glaser reaction, and as a polar entity facilitating separation. The absorption spectrum of Zn-pbp-Mg or Zn-pbp-Fb is the sum of the spectra of the component parts, while in each case the fluorescence spectrum upon illumination of the Zn porphyrin is dominated by emission from the Mg or Fb porphyrin. Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy shows that the energy-...
Spatial and temporal frequency selectivity of neurons in visual cortical area V3A of the macaque monkey.

Abstract Response properties of neurons in V3A were studied at a retinal eccentricity of 2–4 deg. The distributions of spatial frequency bandwidths and orientation bandwidths were similar to those of neurons in V1. Peaks of spatial frequency tuning curves ranged from 0.35 to 8.0 c/deg with a mean of 1.75 c/deg. Most V3A cells showed lowpass or, less often, broad bandpass temporal frequency selectivity. The mean direction selectivity index was 0.41. The response properties of cells in V3A differed most from those in V1 with respect to the larger receptive field widths in V3A averaging about 4 deg, the consequent larger number of cycles of the preferred grating that fall within the receptive field, and the previously reported profound response suppression incurred when patches of the preferred grating are extended both within and beyond the classical receptive field. The response properties of cells in V3A differed most from those in V3 in that V3A neurons are much less selective to the speed and direction of stimulus motion than are neurons in V3. The overall response properties of cells in V3A are consistent with anatomical evidence that places this cortical area in the visual pathway from V3A to V4 and then to IT.
The rehabilitation potential of patients in chronic disease institutions.

Abstract 1. 1. In a survey of the rehabilitation potential of 1,480 patients in nursing homes and county home infirmaries, it was found that 15.1 per cent of those examined had definite possibilities of benefiting from rehabilitation; 32.8 per cent were thought capable of benefiting slightly from rehabilitation; and 52.1 per cent were considered unable to be rehabilitated. 2. 2. Patients in county home infirmaries were found to have greater rehabilitation potential than patients in nursing homes and men more frequently were considered capable of rehabilitation than women. Both observations appear to be explained largely by the older age of nursing home patients and of the female patients in this study. 3. 3. The extent of a disability appeared to be a more important factor limiting a patient's rehabilitation potential than did the organ system involved. 4. 4. From this survey it is concluded that there is no pressing need for extensive rehabilitation services in nursing homes. Nursing homes are not and should not attempt to become major rehabilitation centers, although they can and should provide limited restorative services, chiefly those leading to improved self-care. 5. 5. County home infirmaries have an appreciably higher proportion of patients in need of rehabilitation. Institutions of this kind should provide restorative services. The more difficult cases should be referred to specialized rehabilitation facilities.
Fugitive filing: ready reference technologies as cultural artifacts

Purpose – This paper seeks to position ready reference technologies as cultural artifacts that have meaning and value beyond pure functionality as a reference tool. The case study aims to assert that locally created reference tools and technologies have much to offer as artifacts that encode cultural knowledge about the community, institution and profession.Design/methodology approach – This case study consists of semi‐structural interviews with six library reference staff members about their experiences and interpretations of a collaboratively created ready reference technology that is used in their reference practice at a public library.Findings – The results demonstrate there is value is exploring technologies as cultural artifacts in that they reveal otherwise hidden or obscured institutional values, labor practices, tensions associated with changing times in the profession, and the community culture throughout time.Practical implications – There is benefit in exploring locally created ready reference...
Identifying environmental contributions to autism: Provocative clues and false leads

The potential role of environmental factors in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is an area of emerging interest within the public and scientific communities. The high degree of heritability of ASD suggests that environmental influences are likely to operate through their interaction with genetic susceptibility during vulnerable periods of development. Evaluation of the plausibility of specific neurotoxicants as etiological agents in ASD should be guided by toxicological principles, including dose-effect dependency and pharmacokinetic parameters. Clinical and epidemiological investigations require the use of sufficiently powered study designs with appropriate control groups and unbiased case ascertainment and exposure assessment. Although much of the existing data that have been used to implicate environmental agents in ASD are limited by methodological shortcomings, a number of efforts are underway that will allow more rigorous evaluation of the role of environmental exposures in the etiology and/or phenotypic expression of the disorder. Surveillance systems are now in place that will provide reliable prevalence estimates going forward in time. Anticipated discoveries in genetics, brain pathology, and the molecular/cellular basis of functional impairment in ASD are likely to provide new opportunities to explore environmental aspects of this disorder.
State of the unions: Assessment by elite American labor leaders

One hundred and sixty-four elite union leaders in the United States completed a survey to assess the condition of the American labor movement and the factors affecting it. The respondents included high-level international union and state federation officers, central labor presidents, and 58 shop stewards. This study compares the responses of these labor officials and finds that they have similar, negative assessments of the condition of the American labor movement. The study also finds that these leaders agree that the most important factors affecting the labor movement are collective bargaining rights, union leadership, union member solidarity, and the NLRB.
Hominoid dental maturation

Abstract Traditional analyses of dental eruption pattern and enamel attrition suggested that the South African australopithecines exhibited a human-like or delayed maturation rate. Recent work has challenged this view by proposing that early hominids matured at a rate more like extant apes. We show that relative growth rates of ape and human dental structures are essentially similar, and that pattern differences in calcification stem from hominid incisor and canine reduction with concomitant facial reorganization. Pattern of dental development alone cannot be used to infer rates of somatic maturation.
Career Development Concerns of Recent Immigrants and Refugees

The number of recent immigrants and refugees in the United States is growing dramatically. Among key reasons for migration is search for adequate employment and hope for opportunities to develop occupationally. However, recent immigrants and refugees face multiple obstacles in their career development in the United States. This article uses social cognitive career theory to examine the role of relocation circumstances, stressors of migration, acculturation patterns, and oppression on the career development and employment functioning of recent immigrants and refugees. Specific suggestions for career counselors working with this population are provided.
Racial/ethnic Identities and Related Attributed Experiences of Multiracial Japanese European Americans

Surveys from 50 multiracial Japanese European Americans supported the endorsement of multiple simultaneous racial/ethnic identities and a differentiated multiracial identity. Experiences associated with being multiracial included feeling different, sensitivity to cultural cues, appreciation of different viewpoints, acceptance of difference, and disliking exclusion. Implications for research and therapy are discussed. Los estudios de 50 Americanos Japoneses Europeos multiraciales sostuvieron la aprobacion de multiples identidades racial/etnicos simultaneas y una identidad multiracial diferenciada. Las experiencias relacionadas con ser multiracial, sentirse diferente, la sensibilidad de indicaciones culturales, reconocimiento de puntos de vista diferentes, aceptacion de diferencia, y la aversion de exclusion. Las implicaciones para la investigacion y terapia se discuten.
Nucleocytoplasmic export of type D simian retrovirus genomic RNA: identification of important genetic subregions and interacting cellular proteins.

Abstract The simian retrovirus (SRV) genome contains a constitutive transport element (CTE) within its 3′ intergenic region (IR) that mediates the nuclear export of unspliced SRV RNA. The serogroup 2 SRV CTE is predicted to form a stable stem–loop structure containing two major internal loops exhibiting 180° inverse symmetry, with loop face sequences A, A′, B, and B′ and additional minor internal and terminal loops. To begin the identification of potential CTE-interacting proteins and to assess structural requirements for protein interaction, we conducted RNA mobility shift assays using IR fragments that obliterated this region's known stable stem–loop structure. Using immunoblotting assays, we have determined that RNA helicase A, implicated in the nuclear export of unspliced SRV genomic RNA, does not appear to interact directly with either the complete serogroup 2 SRV 3′ IR or the subregion RNAs and that formation of RNA–protein complexes is conferred by interaction with other novel proteins. UV crosslinking of RNA–protein complexes, coupled with RNase T1/A digestion, indicates that a novel protein of 120 kDa molecular weight interacts with the complete CTE or with individual subregion RNAs. Transfection analyses indicate that SRV recombinants containing A, A′, B, or B′ sequences forming the faces for two open loops undergo RNA export; only the complete sense CTE recombinant or a second recombinant containing two subregions in sense orientation that reconstitute the 3′ two-thirds of the 3′ IR, and contain only A′ and B that form the faces for two terminal loops, are capable of SRV RNA export. These experiments indicate that secondary structural determinants of the 3′ IR and multiple protein interactions may be important factors in the nuclear export of unspliced SRV RNA.
Sediment volume and mass beneath the Bay of Bengal

Rates of sediment accumulation and the amount of sedimentary fill in depocenters lying downstream of erosion in the Himalayas and Tibet can provide some insight into tectonics and geological history. The objective of this paper is to put on record the best estimates which are possible with existing data of the volume and mass of sediments, sedimentary rock and metasedimentary rock beneath the sea floor of the Bay of Bengal. The sedimentary section in the Bay of Bengal is divided into two parts: (1) Eocene through Holocene, sediments and sedimentary rocks which post-date the initial India-Asia collision: volume = 12.5 × 106 km3; mass = 2.88 × 1016 t; this is most of the Bengal Fan, including its eastern lobe, the Nicobar Fan, plus some of the outer Bengal Delta; (2) Early Cretaceous through Paleocene, pre-collision sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks: volume = 4.36 × 106 km3; mass = 1.13 to 1.18 × 1016 t; these are interpreted as continental rise and pelagic deposits.
The culture wars and urban electoral politics: sexuality, race, and class in Tacoma, Washington

Abstract Answering calls for increased sensitivity to context in studies of electoral conflicts in local gay rights issues, we offer an exploratory case study of an unsuccessful electoral initiative to repeal a Tacoma, Washington, gay rights ordinance. Using a mixed-methods approach, we explore the role of elections in contemporary cultural politics, especially the ways in which race, class, and sexuality are co-constructed in part through the discourses and practices of elections. We perform a qualitative analysis of the popular rhetorics and understandings deployed during the campaign and a quantitative analysis of the election's sociodemographics. Results suggest that while there is a distinct social geography in Tacoma that was highly correlated with voting on the repeal effort, the contest was played out almost entirely at the citywide scale. It was enjoined as a debate over what kind of place Tacomans wished their city to be as it moves into the future, not as a struggle between contending place-based interests or values. The implication of these results is that the nuances of place at particular scales, including highly contingent constructions of sexuality, race and class, may now be more important than ever in these sorts of cultural conflicts.
Direct observation of ballistic transport in GaAs.

We present the first direct evidence of hot electrons traversing ballistically a thin GaAs layer. The energy distribution of the hot electrons associated with the momentum in the direction of the current was measured with the use of a tunneling-hot-electron-transfer amplifier as an electron spectrometer. The width of the ballistic peak was found to be about 60 meV for hot electrons with excess energy of some 300 meV above the thermal electrons. Those values are close to the expected initial injection values.
Optimal energy conserving local discontinuous Galerkin methods for second-order wave equation in heterogeneous media

Abstract Solving wave propagation problems within heterogeneous media has been of great interest and has a wide range of applications in physics and engineering. The design of numerical methods for such general wave propagation problems is challenging because the energy conserving property has to be incorporated in the numerical algorithms in order to minimize the phase or shape errors after long time integration. In this paper, we focus on multi-dimensional wave problems and consider linear second-order wave equation in heterogeneous media. We develop and analyze an LDG method, in which numerical fluxes are carefully designed to maintain the energy conserving property and accuracy. Compatible high order energy conserving time integrators are also proposed. The optimal error estimates and the energy conserving property are proved for the semi-discrete methods. Our numerical experiments demonstrate optimal rates of convergence, and show that the errors of the numerical solutions do not grow significantly in time due to the energy conserving property.
Cellular receptors for fragments of the third component of complement

Many of the biological effects of the complement system are mediated by cellular receptors which can bind the fragments of C3 that are covalently attached to activators of complement. These receptors, which are termed CR1, CR2 and CR3, reside on lymphocytes, myelomonocytic cells, erythrocytes and renal podocytes. Progress in understanding their roles in im munological reactions has recently accelerated, as summarized in this review by Douglas Fearon, because of the molecular identification of these membrane proteins.
617 HUMAN MILK TRACE METALS – APPLICATION OF X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY TO QUANTITATION AND SCREENING

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) was examined as a tool for quantitative analysis of trace metals of biological importance in human milk. The validity of XRF was demonstrated by study of within day, day to day, and operator to operator variability with an accuracy of > 97%. Standard curves were constructed for Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn and were highly significant (r ≥ 0.99). Correlation of results to atomic absorption spectrophotometry was excellent. Forty women provided 250 samples of human milk obtained from 2-359 days of lactation. Trace metals were segregated almost exclusively in the aqueous fraction of milk. Ca, the only major metal analyzed, was found in fairly constant concentration throughout lactation, 25-40 mg/dl. Fe, Cu, and Zn concentrations declined during lactation; this decline was most marked during the first 30 days. There was a 10-fold decrease in milk zinc concentrations by 6 months of lactation. The physiologic significance of these findings is unclear. It does not appear to be a dilutional effect but may reflect a change in maternal nutritional status, or, teleologically, a change in infant nutritional requirements based on improved assimilation of trace metals. The advantages of XRF for quantitation and screening of trace elements in human milk are 1) accurate, simultaneous analysis of multiple elements from a single sample 2) ease of sample preparation which limits contamination risk 3) non-destructive analysis which permits repeated analysis of a single sample.
The design and implementation of parametric types in Pascal

Parametric types offer an attractive solution to the problems of dealing with arrays in Pascal. These problems arise from the use of strong, static type checking, especially of array-type procedure arguments. Parametric types provide solutions both for the array procedure argument problem and allow the consistent inclusion of arrays with dynamic bounds. A parametric type mechanism is proposed and design issues are discussed. The inclusion of parametric types has major effects on the implementation of a language like Pascal. The implementation issues and implementation versus design tradeoffs are examined. The implementation strategy used can be extended to accommodate the standard and generic types in Ada.
Reduced thymocyte proliferation but not increased apoptosis as a possible cause of thymus atrophy in iron-deficient mice.

Iron deficiency induces thymus atrophy in laboratory animals and very likely in humans by unknown mechanisms. The atrophy is associated with impaired cell-mediated immunity. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that thymus atrophy is a result of increased apoptosis and reduced thymocyte proliferation. Thymocytes were obtained from twenty-seven control, twenty-seven pairfed, twenty-seven iron-deficient (ID) mice; twelve and fourteen ID mice that received the control diet (0.9 mmol/kg versus 0.09 mmol/kg for the ID diet) for 1 d (repletion, R 1 ) and 3 d (R 3 ), respectively. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis were studied by flow cytometry using propidium iodide staining and terminal deoxyuridine nick end labeling of DNA breaks assay respectively. When mice were killed, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and liver iron stores of 1D, R 1 , and R 3 mice were 25-40 % of those of control and pairfed mice (P < 0.01). Absolute and relative thymus weights and thymocyte numbers were 19 to 68 % lower in ID, R,, and R 3 than in control and pairfed groups (P < 0.05). We found no significant difference among groups in the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis. A higher percentage of thymocytes from ID and R 1 mice than those of control, pairfed, and R 3 mice were in the resting phase of the normal cell cycle (P < 0.05). Conversely, a lower percentage of thymocytes from ID and R, mice than those from control, pairfed, and R 3 mice were in the DNA synthesis phase and late phase of DNA synthesis and onset of mitosis (G 2 -M) (P < 0.05). Indicators of iron status positively correlated (r 0.3 to 0.56) with the percentage of thymocytes in the G 2 -M phase (P < 0.05). Results suggest that reduced cell proliferation but not increased apoptosis is the cause of thymus atrophy associated with iron deficiency.
Aggressive Runtime Leakage Control Through Adaptive Light-Weight $V_{\rm th}$ Hopping With Temperature and Process Variation

The increasing leakage power consumption and stringent thermal constraint necessitate more aggressive leakage control techniques. Power gating and body biasing are widely used for standby leakage control. Their large energy overhead for performing mode transition is the major obstacle for more aggressive leakage control. Temperature and process variation (TV/PV) further magnify the overhead problem, leading to so-called “corner case leakage control” problem. Light-weight Vth hopping (LW-VH) is a candidate technique to tackle the energy overhead problem. This paper demonstrates the application of LW-VH on microarchitectural- and RTL-level idleness exploitation with adaptive control techniques for TV/PV compensation. Adaptive LW-VH shows 30% average saving on total CPU leakage at microarchitectural level, and 4% to 15% leakage saving at RTL level. By combining all the techniques proposed in this paper, a three-tier aggressive leakage control system is introduced to fully exploit idleness at all levels.
Differential expression of the chromosomal high mobility group proteins 14 and 17 during the onset of differentiation in mammalian osteoblasts and promyelocytic leukemia cells

The expression of chromosomal proteins HMG 14 and HMG 17 during proliferation and differentiation into the osteoblast and monocyte phenotypes was studied. Cellular levels of HMG 14 and HMG 1 7 mRNA were assayed in primary cultures of calvarial-derived rat osteoblasts under conditions that (1) support complete expression of the mature osteocytic phenotype and development of a bone tissue-like organization; and (2) where development of osteocytic phenotypic properties are both delayed and reduced in extent of expression. HMG 14 and HMG 17 are preferentially expressed in proliferating osteoblasts and decline to basal levels post-proliferatively at the onset of extracellular matrix mineralization. In contrast, under conditions that are not conducive to extracellular matrix mineralization, HMG 14 is maximally expressed following the downregulation of proliferation. Consistent with previous reports by Bustin and co-workers [Crippa et al., 1990], HMG 14 and HMG 17 are expressed in proliferating HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells and downregulated post-proliferatively following phorbol ester-induced monocytic differentiation. However, differentiation into the monocyte phenotype is accompanied by reinitiation of HMG 17 gene expression. The results indicate that the levels of HMG 14 and HMG 17 mRNA are selectively down-regulated during differentiation.
Does the LSI-R Have Utility for Sex Offenders?:

Despite societal perception that sex offenders will repeat their crimes, research indicates these offenders are more likely to be generalists than sex offense–specific offenders. Sex offender–specific legislation has reinforced this erroneous perception while contributing to the excessive labeling of sex offenders as sexual recidivists. Additionally troubling is the lack of research on the efficacy of generalized risk/needs assessments for sex offenders. The present study fills this void by evaluating the adequacy of the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R) for use with a sexual offending population. The predictive accuracy of the LSI-R for sexual and nonsexual recidivism outcomes was explored using a sample of 21,298 individuals released from New Jersey correctional facilities from 2004 to 2006. Results indicate that while the LSI-R does not have predictive utility for sexual offenses, it has utility for sex offenders overall. Policy implications of the usefulness of the LSI-R for this offending po...
Design methodology for a 1.0 GHz microprocessor

This paper describes the design methodology used to build an experimental 1.0 GigaHertz PowerPC integer microprocessor at IBM's Austin Research Laboratory. The high frequency requirements dictated the chip composition to be almost entirely custom macros using dynamic circuit techniques. The methodology presented will cover design and verification tools as well as circuit constraints and microarchitecture philosophy. The microarchitecture, circuits and tools were defined by the high frequency requirements of the processor as well as the aggressive design schedule and size of the design team.
Peddling in the Antebellum Economy: Precursor of Mass‐Marketing or a Start in Life?

. This article examines the effect of peddling upon industrialization and economic development and the evolution of institutional arrangements in marketing in the Antebellum period. After 1840 peddling in America was undertaken, to an increasing extent, by newly arrived immigrants from Germany who displaced the traditional “Yankees” from the trade. The relationship between peddling and the development of entrepreneurship is explored, along with the special opportunities that peddling provided for economic and occupational mobility in the American milieu. The frequency with which individuals who started careers as peddlers rose to prominence in the fields of merchandising and finance points to the importance of the “schooling” function of this institution for newly arrived immigrants in American folkways, business practices, and commercial possibilities.
Is routine chest radiograph necessary after chest tube removal

Abstract Background Obtaining a chest radiograph (CXR) after chest tube (CT) removal to rule out a pneumothorax is a universal practice. However, the yield of this CXR has not been well documented. Additionally, most iatrogenic pneumothoraces resulting from CT removal are atmospheric in origin, asymptomatic, and can be observed. Recently, we have begun to discontinue routine CXR for CT removal. We evaluated our experience with CT removal to clarify the usefulness of routine post CT removal CXR. Methods After IRB approval, a retrospective study was conducted on patients who had a CT placed in the past decade. Cardiac patients requiring a CT were excluded. Patient demographics, diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes were collected. Patients were divided into two groups, those with a CXR after CT removal (Group 1) and those without (Group 2). Percentages were compared with Chi square with Yates correction. Results 462 patients were identified (group 1=327, group 2=135). Indications for CT included; empyema (n=176), lung resection (n=146), pneumothorax (n=71), pleural effusion (n=26), spinal fusion (n=20), trauma (n=16), and miscellaneous (n=7). Seven patients (2.1%) in group 1 required reinsertion for pneumothorax (n=4), empyema (n=2), and pleural effusion (n=1) compared to 1 patient (0.7%) in group 2 who required reinsertion for pleural effusion. This difference was not significant (P=0.2). Conclusions In non-cardiac patients with a CT, tube reinsertion is uncommon and tube replacement is secondary to symptoms. Therefore, routine post CT removal CXR is not necessary. CXR in these patients should be obtained based upon clinical indications after CT removal.
Noise in free-electron laser amplifier

The equations of the free-electron laser amplifier are generalized to include higher order modes. The density and velocity fluctuations in the entering electron beam cause noise excitation in the amplifier. The electron beam fluctuations have been studied extensively, both theoretically and experimentally, in traveling wave tubes, and hence the well-tested formalism developed for this purpose is conveniently applied to the present problem. It is found that the fluctuations put a severe constraint on the achievable exponential gain in a proposed Raman-type free-electron laser operating at optical frequencies. A 1/\lambda^{3} scaling law is derived.
The elimination of hallucinatory and delusional behavior by verbal conditioning and assertive training: A case study

Abstract A 20-yr-old male diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic had auditory and visual hallucinations and a very rigid religious delusional system. For the auditory hallucinations, verbal conditioning was used to eliminate his talk of “voices”. At the same time, assertive training was given. The visual hallucinations proved to be strictly manipulative, being consciously used to remove the patient from conflict situations. As he became more assertive these hallucinations disappeared. The delusional system, which was also functional in removing him from conflict, responded to verbal conditioning and assertive training. After 2 months of treatment the hallucinations and delusions ceased to be reported or observed. The patient has had no recurrence of psychotic symptoms for 2 1 2 yr.
Reliability of Outcome Measures for People With Lower-Limb Amputations: Distinguishing True Change From Statistical Error

Background Use of outcome measures to examine outcomes of amputation is complicated by a number of factors, including ease of administration and lack of scientific evidence to guide selection and interpretation. Objective The purposes of this study were: (1) to estimate test-retest reliability of a modified version of the Prosthetic Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ), scales of a version of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire adapted for the veteran population (SF-36V), the Orthotics and Prosthetics Users' Survey (OPUS), the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), the Two-Minute Walk Test, the Six-Minute Walk Test, the Timed “Up & Go” Test, and the Amputee Mobility Predictor; (2) to calculate minimal detectable change (MDC) of each measure; and (3) to conduct item analysis of the modified PEQ. Design This was a multi-site study with repeated measurements. Methods Forty-four patients with unilateral lower-limb amputation participated. Participants were tested twice within 1 week. We calculated test-retest reliability of each measure using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC [2,1]), estimated standard error of the measurement and MDC, and assessed scale score distribution. Results The study demonstrated strong test-retest reliability scores of performance measures (ICC=.83–.97) suggesting that these measures are good choices for evaluation of people with lower-limb amputation. Reliability of PEQ subscales (ICC=.41–.93) was comparable to that reported in the literature (ICC=.56–.90). Limitations This study examined only statistically measurable differences and did not evaluate whether changes in scores were clinically important. Conclusions Minimal detectable change scores can be used to determine whether change in test scores exceeds measurement error associated with day-to-day variation. This is the first study to present test-retest reliability data on the self-reported OPUS scales, the PSFS in people with lower-limb amputations, and a new, easier-to-use scoring mechanism for the PEQ.
Refrigeration Nation: A History of Ice, Appliances, and Enterprise in America Jonathan Rees. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013.

Refrigeration Nation: A History of Ice, Appliances, and Enterprise in America Jonathan Rees. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013.When American environmental writer Henry David Thoreau sought solitude in the wilderness surrounding Walden Pond in the late 1840s, he was not alone. Ice harvesters, who carved blocks out of the frozen pond in winter to arrange in ice houses along the banks, were visitors, introducing Thoreau to the burgeoning ice industry. Another prominent American nineteenth-century author, Mark Twain, groused during his tour of Europe that he could not find a good glass of ice water on the continent. At the time, Americans were the only ones to demand ice in their drinks. "I think that there is but a single specialty with us," wrote Twain, "only one thing that can be called by the wide name 'American.' That is the national devotion to ice water... I suppose we do stand alone in having a drink that nobody likes but ourselves" (qtd. in Rees 184). These anecdotes illustrate the strange hold that ice and refrigeration have had in America, prompting historian Jonathan Rees to dub it the "refrigeration nation." In his book of the same title, he argues convincingly that "because of its wealth, its abundant and available amounts of perishable food, and the economic incentives provided by its relatively unencumbered free enterprise system," the United States "took to refrigeration faster than anywhere else in the world" (178-79).Rees writes in his introduction that "cold does not exist: it is simply the absence of heat" (1). It has always been easier to make heat than remove it, and those attempting to create and regulate cold for the storage of food as well as comfort faced technological challenges that began as early as the seventeenth century and have lasted ever since. Compounding these efforts is what refrigerating engineers refer to as cold chains, which Rees defines as "the linked refrigeration technologies needed to preserve and transport perishable food from its point of production to its point of consumption" (3). Much of Rees's book addresses the development of the modern cold chain, which began in the early 1800s and has lasted up to the present, encompassing four overlapping stages: (1) generating cold, (2) managing cold, (3) controlling temperature, and (4) expanding and extending volume and reach. In each of these areas, America took the lead, "driving the development of the modern cold chain" and making "the most use of refrigeration technology over time" (7)'Rees specializes in industrial history, and his book chronicles the business and technology of making things cold, first with ice and then with mechanical refrigeration. …
CuxS back contact for CdTe solar cells

Se estudiaron peliculas de sulfuro de cobre (CuxS) como material de contacto posterior para celulas solares de CdTe. Las peliculas de CuxS se hicieron por deposicion en bano quimico de solucion acuosa. El recocido a 200°C en Ar mejoro el rendimiento de las celulas solares. Mediante la estructura CdS/CdTe/CuxS/C, se obtuvo un voltaje de circuito abierto (VCA) superior a los 840 mV y una eficacia de conversin de energia superior al 11%
Characterization of In-Phase/Quad-Phase Digital Downconversion Via Special Sampling Scheme

This study explores the characterization of a Special Sampling Scheme (SSS) for In-Phase and Quad-Phase (I/Q) downconversion using mathematical analysis. The SSS is an under-developed signal sampling methodology that can be used with military and industry radar receiver systems. The SSS processes a digital input signal-stream sampled at a specified sampling frequency, and downconverts it into In-Phase (I) and Quad-Phase (Q) output signal-streams. Using the theory and application of the SSS, the main objective to be accomplished is the mathematical characterization of the effects of input, output, and filter coefficient parameters on the I/Q imbalances when using the SSS. We use Matlab to examine and to characterize the SSS to generate parameters suitable for an implementation with a digital circuit.
Failure of Aedes albopictus to Overwinter Following Introduction and Seasonal Establishment at a Tire Recycling Plant in the Northeastern USA

Abstract In July 2006, an introduction of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, was documented for the first time at a commercial tire recycling plant in northeastern Connecticut, USA. The introduction likely occurred via transport of infested tires originating from northern New Jersey or metropolitan New York City. Efforts were made to determine seasonal establishment and overwintering success by assessing adult biting and oviposition activity in the surrounding woodlands. The first adult female was collected in a CO2-baited Mosquito Magnet® Liberty trap within the confines of the tire plant during the week of July 28. Additional females were collected intermittently thereafter through October 16. Host-seeking female Ae. albopictus attempting to alight on human subjects and larvae hatching from eggs collected in ovitraps placed in the woodlands surrounding the tire plant were detected weekly from August 21 through October 2, denoting seasonal establishment in the adjoining woodlands. However, no la...
Electronic and Physical Market Channels: A Multi-Year Investigation in a Market for Products of Uncertain Quality

Many markets that have traditionally relied upon collocation of buyers, sellers, and products have introduced electronic channels. Although these electronic channels may provide benefits to buyers and sellers by lowering the transaction costs of participating in the market, there are trade-offs related to quality uncertainty and increased risk that may limit the adoption of the electronic channels. As a result, buyers and sellers use physical channels for some transactions and electronic channels for others. These usage patterns may evolve over time, particularly when the electronic channels are new. We examine buyer and seller use of electronic and physical channels in a market for products of uncertain quality (used vehicles) over a 2.5 year period. Results indicate that transactions involving low quality uncertainty and relatively rare products occurred in the electronic channels, while transactions involving high quality uncertainty and relatively plentiful products occurred in the physical channels. These patterns became clearer over time as buyers and sellers gained experience with the electronic channels. The electronic channels led to discounts for products of high quality uncertainty, but not for those of low quality uncertainty.
Genomic characterization of human SEC14L1 splice variants within a 17q25 candidate tumor suppressor gene region and identification of an unrelated embedded expressed sequence tag

Human SEC14L1 shows partial sequence homology to the budding yeast SEC14 protein and the Japanese flying squid retinal-binding protein and was previously generally localized to 17q25. We more precisely mapped SEC14L1 within a discrete region of 17q25 that likely harbors at least one putative breast and ovarian tumor suppressor gene. We determined that this gene consists of 18 exons ranging in size from 70 bp (exon 11) to 3088 bp (exon 17) and spanning at least 58 kb of DNA. Exon 17 contained a highly polymorphic variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and was present only in the larger ubiquitously expressed 5.5-kb transcript. The 3.0-kb ubiquitously expressed transcript included sequences at the beginning of exon 17 (designated exon 17a) and the end of exon 17 (designated exon 18), but lacked the internal 2439 bp of exon 17, including the VNTR. This alternative splicing resulted in a predicted protein of 719 residues from the smaller transcript with four more terminal amino acids than the 715 residue protein predicted from the larger transcript. EST H49244 spanned exon 11 of SEC14L1 and was specifically expressed in human peripheral blood leukocytes. One intragenic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was confirmed. SEC14L1 contained the CRAL/TRIO domain also found in alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTPA) and cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP). As retinoids have been shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, loss of the proposed SEC14L1 retinal-binding function may contribute to breast tumorigenesis. As TTPA and CRALBP have been implicated in retinitis pigmentosa (RP), altered SEC14L1 expression may contribute to RP in previously unlinked families. Coding exon-specific PCR primers were designed to aid in future expression and mutational analyses.
H ENNER F ÜRTIG , Iran's Rivalry with Saudi Arabia Between the Gulf Wars , Durham Middle East Monograph Series (Reading, U.K.: Ithaca Press, 2002). Pp. 306. $49.50 cloth

The author, a former German diplomat now affiliated with the Center for Modern Oriental Studies in Berlin, presents a detailed and readable account of bilateral relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia from the Iranian Revolution through the mid-1990s. The work is based largely on English-and German-language secondary sources, with some reference to the secondary literature in Persian and to newspaper accounts in Arabic and Persian. The first section of the book is a chronological account of the relationship, with chapters on the immediate post-revolutionary period, on the Iran–Iraq War, and on the first Gulf War and its aftermath. The second section of the book focuses on main areas of rivalry, both geographic and issue-oriented. It includes chapters on Saudi–Iranian competition in the Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia, and for “religious and economic leadership.” The latter chapter focuses on the Iranian revolutionary challenge to Saudi claims of leadership in the Muslim world and on conflict within OPEC over oil policy.
Evaluation of Networks of Plans and Vulnerability to Hazards and Climate Change: A Resilience Scorecard

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Land use planning is key to mitigating natural hazards and the effects of climate change. Communities adopt multiple plans that directly and indirectly address hazard mitigation; the integration of local plans can significantly affect future community vulnerability to hazards. We develop a resilience scorecard to assess the degree to which the network of local plans targets areas most prone to hazards and then evaluate the coordination of local plans and test it in Washington (NC), a community vulnerable to coastal floods and projected sea-level rise. We find that local plans are not fully consistent and do not always address the areas in a community most vulnerable to floods or sea level risks; moreover, some plans actually increase physical and social vulnerability to hazards. While these results indicate the validity of a resiliency scorecard, we were forced to use a narrow range of vulnerability indicators; better data would improve the process.Takeaway for pr...
Non-governmental organizational health operations in humanitarian crises: the case for technical support units.

As the humanitarian health response industry grows, there is a need for technical health expertise that can build an evidence base around outcome measures and raise the quality and accountability of the health relief response. We propose the formation of technical support units (TSUs), entities of health expertise institutionalized within humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which will bridge the gap between the demand for evidence-based, humanitarian programming and the field capacity to accomplish it. With the input of major humanitarian NGOs and donors, this paper discusses the attributes and capacities ofTSUs; and the mechanisms for creating and enhancing TSUs within the NGO management structure. Language: en
BAR gossip

We present the first peer-to-peer data streaming application that guarantees predictable throughput and low latency in the BAR (Byzantine/Altruistic/Rational) model, in which non-altruistic nodes can behave in ways that are self-serving (rational) or arbitrarily malicious (Byzantine). At the core of our solution is a BAR-tolerant version of gossip, a well-known technique for scalable and reliable data dissemination. BAR Gossip relies on verifiable pseudo-random partner selection to eliminate non-determinism that can be used to game the system while maintaining the robustness and rapid convergence of traditional gossip. A novel fair enough exchange primitive entices cooperation among selfish nodes on short timescales, avoiding the need for long-term node reputations. Our initial experience provides evidence for BAR Gossip's robustness. Our BAR-tolerant streaming application provides over 99% convergence for broadcast updates when all clients are selfish but not colluding, and over 95% convergence when up to 40% of clients collude while the rest follow the protocol. BAR Gossip also performs well when the client population consists of both selfish and Byzantine nodes, achieving over 93% convergence even when 20% of the nodes are Byzantine.
Copy Number Variation in the GBE1 Gene is not the Cause of Adult Polyglucosan Body Disease in a Symptomatic Heterozygote. (P05.031)

Objective: To determine whether DNA copy number variation in the GBE1 gene can contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of Adult Polyglucosan Body Disease (APBD). Background APBD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with onset after the fifth decade characterized by gait ataxia, spastic paraplegia, posterior column sensory loss, bladder dysfunction, and variable cognitive disturbances. MRI of the brain shows cortical/cerebellar volume loss, white matter changes, and an atrophic cervical spinal cord. Inheritance is autosomal recessive via mutation of the glucan (1,4-alpha-), branching enzyme 1 (also known as Glycogen-branching enzyme), GBE1 . Inactivating mutations lead to a fatal childhood-onset liver disorder, glycogen storage disease type IV. Mutations that reduce activity lead to milder forms, including APBD, associated with the formation of insoluble polyglucosan bodies in the central and peripheral nervous system. Homozygous or compound heterozygous missense mutations are the most common genetic variations seen. Design/Methods: A 51 year old man of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage presented to our tertiary care center with difficulty walking beginning insidiously at age 36, falls at age 46, and bladder incontinence at age 48. Examination showed lower extremity spasticity, distal sensory loss, and a spastic ataxic gait. MRI showed T2/FLAIR hyperintensities throughout the brain, cerebellum, and brainstem with a thin cervical spinal cord. Sural nerve biopsy revealed polyglucosan bodies and muscle enzymatic activity was significantly reduced to approximately 40% of normal (p=0.029). GBE1 gene sequencing identified a heterozygous c.986A>C (p.Tyr329Ser) missense mutation but no other sequence variants. Results: To assess whether DNA structural variation was responsible for this observation, we performed quantitative PCR evaluating the GBE1 locus in this patient and identified no abnormal structural variation on the opposite allele. Conclusions: Here we demonstrate DNA copy number variation is not the mechanism for the molecular pathogenesis of APBD in this patient, although this may still be a consideration in other patients lacking confirmation of a molecular diagnosis by GBE1 sequencing. Supported by: NIMH K08MH86297 (BLF) and the UCLA Program in Neurogenetics. Disclosure: Dr. Fogel has received personal compensation for activities with the American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies. Dr. Botros has nothing to disclose.