cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 9 - Surface chemistry effects in activated carbon adsorption of industrial pollutants

This chapter describes the effects of activated carbon surface chemistry on the adsorption of industrial pollutants from water. Fundamental interactions controlling the adsorption of aqueous pollutants on activated carbon are reviewed and the characteristics of activated carbons and representative industrial pollutants are described. The effects of activated carbon surface chemistry on the adsorption of industrial pollutants from ultrapure water and from solutions containing natural organic matter (NOM) is also discussed. The chapter emphasizes the solution conditions that apply to the treatment of drinking water. In potable water sources, industrial pollutants are typically present at trace concentrations that are well below the pollutant's aqueous solubility limit. When adsorbing industrial pollutants from very dilute solutions, the effects of activated carbon surface chemistry on adsorption capacity are more pronounced as surface coverages are low. The total micropore volume or the commonly measured BET surface area primarily determine the adsorption capacity of activated carbon for a pollutant at higher surface coverages, which may be achieved in the treatment of highly contaminated waters or in solvent recovery operations.
Participatory Research on Universal Design and Accessible Space At the University of Arizona

The framework of Universal Design (UD) is one approach to improving access on university campuses. This paper reflects on a participatory research project on accessible space at the University of Arizona. Student-researchers from the Disability Resource Center conducted map-based qualitative research with members of the campus community to investigate perceptions of accessibility. Data analysis indicates the importance of hidden and invisible barriers, the attitudinal aspects of accessibility, and adaptive strategies of campus users. The paper contributes to investigation of spatial aspects and the lived experience of universal design in institutional contexts, while offering a model for involving students in applied research.
The Use of CloudSat Data to Evaluate Retrievals of Total Ice Content in Precipitating Cloud Systems from Ground-Based Operational Radar Measurements

AbstractAn approach is described to retrieve the total amount of ice in a vertical atmospheric column in precipitating clouds observed by the operational Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) systems. This amount expressed as ice water path (IWP) is retrieved using measurements obtained during standard WSR-88D scanning procedures performed when observing precipitation. WSR-88D-based IWP estimates are evaluated using dedicated cloud microphysical retrievals available from the CloudSat and auxiliary spaceborne measurements. The evaluation is performed using measurements obtained in extensive predominantly stratiform precipitation systems containing both ice hydrometeors aloft and rain near the ground. The analysis is based on retrievals of IWP from satellite and the ground-based KWGX and KSHV WSR-88D that are closely collocated in time and space. The comparison results indicate a relatively high correlation between satellite and WSR-88D IWP retrievals, with corresponding correlation coefficients...
Techniques for improving efficiency in the emergency department for patients with acute ischemic stroke

The past 15 years have witnessed significant strides in the management of acute stroke. The most significant advance, reperfusion therapy, has changed relatively little, but the integrated healthcare systems-stroke systems-established to effectively and safely administer stroke treatments have evolved greatly. Driving change is the understanding that "time is brain." Data are compelling that the likelihood of improvement is directly tied to time of reperfusion. Regional stroke systems of care ensure patients arrive at the most appropriate stroke-capable hospital in which intrahospital systems have been created to process the potential stroke patient as quickly as possible. The hospital-based systems are comprised of prehospital care providers, emergency department physicians and nurses, stroke team members, and critical ancillary services such as neuroimaging and laboratory. Given their complexity, these systems of care require maintenance. Through teamwork and ownership of the process, more patients will be saved from potential death and long-term disability.
Stable isotopes reveal ecological differences amongst now‐extinct proboscideans from the Cincinnati region, USA

The mobility and dietary preferences of now-extinct proboscideans have not been comprehensively examined in the central USA. We used stable carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotopic signatures in molar enamel to investigate the foraging ecology of four mastodons (Mammut americanum) and eight mammoths (Mammuthus spp.) from southwestern Ohio and northwestern Kentucky. We tested two hypotheses: (i) these individuals were nomadic migrants that were passing through the region when they died; and (ii) mammoths and mastodons foraged in different environments. Unexpectedly, our results suggest that 11 of the 12 sampled individuals were regional residents. With the exception of one mastodon, 87Sr/86Sr ratios for proboscideans and regional water samples were statistically indistinguishable; slightly lower ratios for waters suggest glacial loess has an impact on modern samples. Amongst the individuals identified as residents, 87Sr/86Sr ratios indicate that mammoths and mastodons foraged in discrete geographical areas, and δ13C values imply dietary differences between the genera, which is consistent with our expectations. Oxygen isotope values may be able to distinguish animals that lived during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) from those that lived more recently. Three mammoths and one mastodon yielded δ18O values that are similar to modern regional precipitation and surface water, but too high for estimated drinking water during the LGM. We propose that these individuals lived during a relatively warm period following the LGM. Compellingly, the mammoth with the highest δ18O value also has the lowest δ13C value, suggesting that this individual was alive after regional vegetation shifted from open parkland to deciduous forest dominated by C3 species. Our results demonstrate that a wealth of information can be gleaned from fossil museum specimens and lay a foundation for future work on the foraging ecology of proboscideans and other extinct megafauna from the Midwest USA.
Targeted expression of the human thyrotropin receptor A-subunit to the mouse thyroid: insight into overcoming the lack of response to A-subunit adenovirus immunization.

The thyrotropin receptor (TSHR), the major autoantigen in Graves’ disease, is posttranslationally modified by intramolecular cleavage to form disulfide-linked A- and B-subunits. Because Graves’ hyperthyroidism is preferentially induced in BALB/c mice using adenovirus encoding the free A-subunit rather than full-length human TSHR, the shed A-subunit appears to drive the disease-associated autoimmune response. To further investigate this phenomenon, we generated transgenic mice with the human A-subunit targeted to the thyroid. Founder transgenic mice had normal thyroid function and were backcrossed to BALB/c. The A-subunit mRNA expression was confirmed in thyroid tissue. Unlike wild-type littermates, transgenic mice immunized with low-dose A-subunit adenovirus failed to develop TSHR Abs, hyperthyroidism, or splenocyte responses to TSHR Ag. Conventional immunization with A-subunit protein and adjuvants induced TSHR Abs lacking the characteristics of human autoantibodies. Unresponsiveness was partially overcome using high-dose, full-length human TSHR adenovirus. Although of low titer, these induced Abs recognized the N terminus of the A-subunit, and splenocytes responded to A-subunit peptides. Therefore, “non-self” regions in the B-subunit did not contribute to inducing responses. Indeed, transgenic mice immunized with high-dose A-subunit adenovirus developed TSHR Abs with thyrotropin-binding inhibitory activity, although at lower titers than wild-type littermates, suggesting down-regulation in the transgenic mice. In conclusion, in mice expressing a human A-subunit transgene in the thyroid, non-self human B-subunit epitopes are not necessary to induce responses to the A-subunit. Our findings raise the possibility that autoimmunity to the TSHR in humans may not involve epitopes on a cross-reacting protein, but rather, strong adjuvant signals provided in bystander immune responses.
Role of uncal resection in optimizing transsylvian access to the basilar apex: cadaveric investigation and preliminary clinical experience in eight patients.

OBJECTIVE The pretemporal approach has gained popularity for the treatment of basilar apex aneurysms. However, it requires the sacrifice of anterior temporal bridging veins to allow posterior temporal lobe retraction and, for patients with dominant pretemporal venous drainage, has the attendant risk of venous hypertension, hemorrhagic venous infarction, or seizures postoperatively. Alternatively, we have found that splitting the sylvian fissure, resecting the uncus, and applying posterolateral retraction to the medial temporal lobe provides a similar exposure to the basilar apex while preserving the anterior temporal bridging veins. To evaluate the transsylvian, trans-uncal approach to the basilar apex, we report our initial clinical results using this exposure in eight consecutive patients. A morphometric cadaveric analysis comparing this approach with the pretemporal approach was also performed. METHODS For the clinical study, all hospital charts and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed for patients undergoing the transsylvian, trans-uncal approach for the treatment of an upper basilar trunk aneurysm between July 2000 and July 2002. In the anatomic study, six formalin-fixed cadaver specimens were used. Two sequential exposures of the basilar apex were performed on each specimen side. First, the pretemporal exposure was performed with anteroposterior temporal lobe retraction. Next, after the temporal lobe had been allowed to return to normal anatomic position, the retractor was repositioned on the medial aspect of the temporal lobe superficial to the uncus, and a 10 x 10 x 15-mm volume of uncus was removed. Morphometric measurements were performed for each exposure. RESULTS Four basilar bifurcation and four superior cerebellar segment aneurysms in eight consecutive patients were successfully clip-ligated by use of the transsylvian, trans-uncal approach. All patients had temporal bridging veins that were preserved, as documented by angiography and operative reports. No patient developed a venous infarction or new postoperative seizures, with a mean follow-up of 9.75 months (range, 0.5-28 mo). The cadaveric analysis revealed that in addition to providing a similar exposure of the upper basilar complex, the transsylvian, trans-uncal approach provided additional exposure of the ipsilateral posterior cerebral and superior cerebellar arteries compared with the pretemporal approach. CONCLUSION When approaching the basilar bifurcation, the transsylvian, trans-uncal approach provides superior exposure of the ipsilateral superior cerebellar and posterior cerebral arteries compared with the pretemporal approach, while preserving the anterior temporal bridging veins. This approach is most valuable in patients with dominant temporal venous drainage or when additional exposure of the ipsilateral posterior cerebral or superior cerebellar arteries is required.
A DPYD Variant (Y186C) Specific to Individuals of African Descent in a Patient With Life-Threatening 5-FU Toxic Effects: Potential for an Individualized Medicine Approach

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly administered as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of various aggressive cancers. Severe toxic reactions to 5-FU have been associated with decreased levels of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme activity. Manifestations of 5-FU toxicity typically include cytopenia, diarrhea, stomatitis, mucositis, neurotoxicity, and, in extreme cases, death. A variety of genetic variations in DPYD, the gene encoding DPD, are known to result in decreased DPD enzyme activity and to contribute to 5-FU toxic effects. Recently, it was reported that healthy African American individuals carrying the Y186C DPYD variant (rs115232898) had significantly reduced DPD enzyme activity compared with noncarriers of Y186C. Herein, we describe for the first time, to our knowledge, an African American patient with cancer with the Y186C variant who had severe toxic effects after administration of the standard dose of 5-FU chemotherapy. The patient lacked any additional toxic effect-associated variations in the DPYD gene or the thymidylate synthase (TYMS) promoter. This case suggests that Y186C may have contributed to 5-FU toxicity in this patient and supports the use of Y186C as a predictive marker for 5-FU toxic effects in individuals of African ancestry.
The functions of psychiatric evaluation in contested child custody and visitation cases.

The process of the resolution of 200 disputed custody and visitation cases referred for court-ordered evaluation was studied. Although the function of such evaluations is often seen as providing evidence for judicial consideration, in the study sample this was an unusual result, as judges made decisions in only 11% of cases. Highly adversarial parents reached agreement during or at the end of the evaluation in 18% of cases, and the experts' recommendations functioned as a bargaining chip which promoted resolution in 71% of cases. The authors propose a model in which psychiatric evaluation in these cases functions in the legal system as an alternative method of dispute resolution, gaining much of its effect from the shadow of judicial power which looms in the background. The implications of this model for the conduct of psychiatric custody/visitation evaluations are discussed.
4 Telecom and Defense Systems: Exploring Differences in the Practice of Systems Engineering

Much of the work in developing process, methods, and tools for systems engineering (SE) has been performed in, or on behalf of, the defense and aerospace business domains. It is shown in this paper that there are significant differences in how systems are developed in these traditional domains of SE versus the telecommunications industry. Because of this, there will be difficulty in implementing “standard” SE process, methods, and tools in other domains than defense and aerospace. In order to successfully “transition” good SE practices to other domains, it is essential that the differences in implementation be understood and accounted for.
The effects of perfluorinated chemicals on adipocyte differentiation in vitro

Abstract The 3T3-L1 preadipocyte culture system has been used to examine numerous compounds that influence adipocyte differentiation or function. The perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), used as surfactants in a variety of industrial applications, are of concern as environmental contaminants that are detected worldwide in human serum and animal tissues. This study was designed to evaluate the potential for PFAAs to affect adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation using mouse 3T3-L1 cells. Cells were treated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (5–100 µM), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (5–100 µM), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (50–300 µM), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (40–250 µM), the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) PPARα agonist Wyeth-14,643 (WY-14,643), and the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone. The PPARγ agonist was included as a positive control as this pathway is critical to adipocyte differentiation. The PPARα agonist was included as the PFAA compounds are known activators of this pathway. Cells were assessed morphometrically and biochemically for number, size, and lipid content. RNA was extracted for qPCR analysis of 13 genes selected for their importance in adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism. There was a significant concentration-related increase in cell number and decreased cell size after exposure to PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS, and PFNA. All four PFAA treatments produced a concentration-related decrease in the calculated average area occupied by lipid per cell. However, total triglyceride levels per well increased with a concentration-related trend for all compounds, likely due to the increased cell number. Expression of mRNA for the selected genes was affected by all exposures and the specific impacts depended on the particular compound and concentration. Acox1 and Gapdh were upregulated by all six compounds. The strongest overall effect was a nearly 10-fold induction of Scd1 by PFHxS. The sulfonated PFAAs produced numerous, strong changes in gene expression similar to the effects after treatment with the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone. By comparison, the effects on gene expression were muted for the carboxylated PFAAs and for the PPARα agonist WY-14,643. In summary, all perfluorinated compounds increased cell number, decreased cell size, increased total triglyceride, and altered expression of genes associated with adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism.
Exploitation of multicore systems in a java virtual machine

The Java®programming language and the Java virtual machine (JVM®) are intended to provide a level of abstraction from the underlying hardware and operating system (OS). This abstraction poses challenges from a performance perspective, because developers are often unable to make use of best-practice approaches during software development for their deployed OSs and hardware platforms. The rise of multicore processor systems has been swift and has changed many software developers' underlying assumptions with respect to the hardware over the last ten years. The role of the JVM is to hide such platform complexity by adapting appropriately through runtime analysis and reaction to application behavior. The JVM is an essential component for exploiting the full potential of multicore processor systems through effective management of the memory subsystem, removing impediments to application and system scalability with respect to the number of logical processors, producing efficient and highly optimized code, and providing user tools for monitoring and analysis. This paper reviews the key techniques and tools available in the IBM Developer Kit for the Java 6 release for managing and optimizing Java for multicore processor environments and describes performance results to demonstrate the effectiveness of such tools and techniques.
Logistic Regression and Discriminant Analysis by Ordinary Least Squares

If the observations for fitting a polytomous logistic regression model satisfy certain normality assumptions, the maximum likelihood estimates of the regression coefficients are the discriminant function estimates. This article shows that these estimates, their unbiased counterparts, and associated test statistics for variable selection can be calculated using ordinary least squares regression techniques, thereby providing a convenient method for fitting logistic regression models in the normal case. Evidence is given indicating that the discriminant function estimates and test statistics merit wider use in nonnormal cases, especially in exploratory work on large data sets.
Symbioses Can Transcend Particularisms: A Memoir of Friendship with Ralph Wendell Burhoe

Ralph Burhoe's paradigmatic scientific innovation is the extension of the concept of symbiosis to coadapted human genotypes and culturetypes, centered on religion. Civilization also requires a coexistent secular arena, where religion's nearness may help prevent our natural synergistic instrumentalizations of each other from degrading to losses of respect for one another as responsible free agents. The mixed messages in the Bible's diverse stories help to preserve a richness of choices in memory as we navigate history. We science-and-religion theorists should expand our academic base to include economics, politics, literature, and other areas, while emulating Ralph's wise and good-humored ways of drawing us together and affecting our lives.
Quantized Dirac field in curved Riemann--Cartan background. I. Symmetry properties, Green's function

In the present series of papers, we study the properties of quantized Dirac field in curved Riemann-Cartan space, with particular attention on the role played by torsion. In this paper, we give, in the spirit of the original work of Weyl, a systematic presentation of Dirac's theory in curved Riemann-Cartan space. We discuss symmetry properties of the system, and derive conservation laws as direct consequences of these symmetries. Also discussed is conformal gauge symmetry, with torsion effectively playing the role of a conformal gauge field. To obtain short-distance behavior, we calculate the spinor Green's function, in curved Riemann-Cartan background, using the Schwinger-DeWitt method of proper-time expansion. The calculation corresponds to a generalization of DeWitt's calculation for a Riemannian background.
Dynamics of the Mid-ocean Ridge Plate Boundary: Recent Observations and Theory

The global mid-ocean ridge system is one of the most active plate boundaries on the earth and understanding the dynamic processes at this plate boundary is one of the most important problems in geodynamics. In this paper I present recent results of several aspects of mid-ocean ridge studies concerning the dynamics of oceanic lithosphere at these diverging plate boundaries. I show that the observed rift valley to no-rift valley transition (globally due to the increase of spreading rate or locally due to the crustal thickness variations and/or thermal anomalies) can be explained by the strong temperature dependence of the power law rheology of the oceanic lithosphere, and most importantly, by the difference in the rheological behavior of the oceanic crust from the underlying mantle. The effect of this weaker lower crust on ridge dynamics is mainly influenced by spreading rate and crustal thickness variations. The accumulated strain pattern from a recently developed lens model, based on recent seismic observations, was proposed as an appealing mechanism for the observed gabbro layering sequence in the Oman Ophiolite. It is now known that the mid-ocean ridges at all spreading rates are offset into individual spreading segments by both transform and nontransform discontinuities. The tectonics of ridge segmentation are also spreading-rate dependent: the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge is characterized by distinct “bulls-eye” shaped gravity lows, suggesting large along-axis variations in melt production and crustal thickness, whereas the fast-spreading East-Pacific Rise is associated with much smaller along-axis variations. These spreading-rate dependent changes have been attributed to a fundamental differences in ridge segmentation mechanisms and mantle upwelling at mid-ocean ridges: the mantle upwelling may be intrinsically plume-like (3-D) beneath a slow-spreading ridge but more sheet-like (2-D) beneath a fast-spreading ridge.
Localization and the invariant probability measure for photonic band gap structures

Optical localization in a randomly disordered infinite length one-dimensional photonic band gap structure is studied using the transfer matrix formalism. Asymptotically, the infinite product of random matrices acting on a nonrandom input vector induces an invariant probability measure on the direction of the propagated vector. This invariant measure is numerically calculated for use in Furstenberg's master formula giving the upper Lyapunov exponent (localization factor) of the infinite random matrix product. A quarter-wave stack model with one of the bilayer thicknesses disordered is used for simulation purposes. In this plane wave model the invariant measure is rarely a uniform probability density function, as is sometimes assumed in the literature. Yet, the assumption of a uniform probability density function for the invariant measure gives surprisingly good results for a highly disordered system in the UV region.
Postulates for the Calculus of Binary Relations

The theory of relations was discussed, along with the theory of classes, by Peirce and Schroder. While the calculus of classes has subsequently been presented (by Couturat, and by Huntington) as an abstract mathematical system, no similar formulation has been published of the calculus of relations. Professor Alfred Tarski has proposed to me, the problem of developing a similar formulation for the theory of relations. In this paper I present a set of postulates for the calculus of relations.The postulates have been chosen so as to enable us to prove Theorem A, below, which asserts a kind of completeness of the system. A set of postulates is called semi-categorical, if every two realizations which involve the same number of elements are isomorphic. From Theorem A one can easily prove that my postulates are semi-categorical, if one assumes the following theorem from Mengenlehre: if α and β are cardinal numbers such that , then α=β. This theorem has not been proved, however, except on the assumption of the axiom of choice and the generalized continuum hypothesis, and is not assumed in the present paper.It should be pointed out, that the sort of completeness I have chosen is not the only sort, or even necessarily the most interesting sort, of completeness which a set of postulates for the calculus of relations could possess. For example, the question arises, whether it would be possible to find a set of postulates from which all true equations (involving free variables and the operations used by Schroder) could be derived, and which was the weakest possible such set. The present work should therefore be regarded only as a first step in the investigation of the axiomatization of the calculus of relations.
Role of Hydrous Iron Oxide Formation in Attenuation and Diel Cycling of Dissolved Trace Metals in a Stream Affected by Acid Rock Drainage

Mining-impacted streams have been shown to undergo diel (24-h) fluctuations in concentrations of major and trace elements. Fisher Creek in south-central Montana, USA receives acid rock drainage (ARD) from natural and mining-related sources. A previous diel field study found substantial changes in dissolved metal concentrations at three sites with differing pH regimes during a 24-h period in August 2002. The current work discusses follow-up field sampling of Fisher Creek as well as field and laboratory experiments that examine in greater detail the underlying processes involved in the observed diel concentration changes. The field experiments employed in-stream chambers that were either transparent or opaque to light, filled with stream water and sediment (cobbles coated with hydrous Fe and Al oxides), and placed in the stream to maintain the same temperature. Three sets of laboratory experiments were performed: (1) equilibration of a Cu(II) and Zn(II) containing solution with Fisher Creek stream sediment at pH 6.9 and different temperatures; (2) titration of Fisher Creek water from pH 3.1 to 7 under four different isothermal conditions; and (3) analysis of the effects of temperature on the interaction of an Fe(II) containing solution with Fisher Creek stream sediment under non-oxidizing conditions. Results of these studies are consistent with a model in which Cu, Fe(II), and to a lesser extent Zn, are adsorbed or co-precipitated with hydrous Fe and Al oxides as the pH of Fisher Creek increases from 5.3 to 7.0. The extent of metal attenuation is strongly temperature-dependent, being more pronounced in warm vs. cold water. Furthermore, the sorption/co-precipitation process is shown to be irreversible; once the Cu, Zn, and Fe(II) are removed from solution in warm water, a decrease in temperature does not release the metals back to the water column.
Comments on an efficient search direction for linear programming problems by H. Luh and R. Tsaih

With regard to the paper "An efficient search direction for linear programming problems" by Luh and Tsaih (Comput. and Oper. Res. 29 (2002) 195), we provide a correction of a mathematical error, and we modify the auxiliary algorithm in the above reference. We also introduce a new initial search direction when the algorithm begins at an interior feasible point. Numerical results are presented to show that this search direction can substantially improve the efficiency of the algorithm.
Unfolding and refolding of Aspergillus niger PhyB phytase: role of disulfide bridges.

The role of disulfide bridges in the folding of Aspergillus niger phytase pH 2.5-optimum (PhyB) was investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Guanidinium chloride (GuCl) at 1.0 M unfolded phytase; however, its removal by dialysis refolded the protein. The thiol reagent tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) reduces the refolding activity by 68%. The hydrodynamic radius (R H ) of PhyB phytase decreased from 5.5 to 4.14 nm when the protein was subjected to 1.0 M GuCl concentration. The active homodimer, 183 kDa, was reduced to a 92 kDa monomer. The DLS data taken together with activity measurements could indicate whether refolding took place or not in PhyB phytase. The correlation between molecular mass and the state of unfolding and refolding is a very strong one in fungal phytase belonging to histidine acid phosphatase (HAP). Unlike PhyA phytase, for which sodium chloride treatment boosted the activity at 0.5 M salt concentration, PhyB phytase activity was severely inhibited under identical condition. Thus, PhyA and PhyB phytases are structurally very different, and their chemical environment in the active site and substrate-binding domain may be different to elicit such an opposite reaction to monovalent cations.
High resolution mapping of hyporheic fluxes using streambed temperatures: Recommendations and limitations

Summary Analytical solutions to the 1D heat transport equation can be used to derive point measurements of flux between surface water and groundwater from streambed temperature time series. Recent studies have used empirical relationships between measured flux and point-in-time observations of streambed temperatures to produce detailed plan view maps of flux from instantaneous temperature maps. Here, the accuracy of such flux maps, derived using streambed temperatures as a quantitative proxy, was assessed from synthetic streambed temperature data generated by numerical flow and transport simulations. The use of numerical simulations is advantageous because maps of flux from the temperature proxy method can be compared to known flux maps to quantify error. Empirical flux–temperature relationships are most accurate if developed from data collected when stream temperatures are at a maximum. The true relationship between flux and streambed temperature will generally be non-linear and well approximated as a cubic function, although linear relationships may be applied when data density is low. Intermediate fluxes (±1.0 m/day) returned by the temperature proxy method have errors typically less than ±0.1 m/day. Errors in estimated flux increase for strong upwelling (>1.0 m/day) or downwelling (
Sparse Tiling for Stationary Iterative Methods

In modern computers, a program's data locality can affect performance significantly. This paper details full sparse tiling, a run-time reordering transformation that improves the data locality for stationary iterative methods such as Gauss-Seidel operating on sparse matrices. In scientific applications such as finite element analysis, these iterative methods dominate the execution time. Full sparse tiling chooses a permutation of the rows and columns of the sparse matrix, and then an order of execution that achieves better data locality. We prove that full sparse-tiled Gauss-Seidel generates a solution that is bitwise identical to traditional Gauss-Seidel on the permuted matrix. We also present measurements of the performance improvements and the overheads of full sparse tiling and of cache blocking for irregular grids, a related technique developed by Douglas et al
EFFECT OF NAPROXEN SODIUM ON THE NET SYNTHESIS OF GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS AND PROTEIN BY NORMAL CANINE ARTICULAR CARTILAGE IN-VITRO

The effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, naproxen sodium, on the metabolism of normal canine articular cartilage has been examined. At a concentration approaching that achieved in synovial fluid of patients treated with the drug (i.e. 30 micrograms mL-1) naproxen sodium had no significant effect on net synthesis of either glycosaminoglycans or protein in organ cultures of femoral condylar cartilage, nor did it increase the proportion of newly synthesized glycosaminoglycans recovered from the culture medium, suggesting that it had no direct effect on the integrity of the extracellular matrix.
New primary basal cell carcinomas arising in skin flaps following Mohs micrographic surgery for primary and recurrent basal cell carcinoma

Two patients developed new primary basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in skin flaps used to reconstruct wounds that followed an earlier primary BCC and a recurrent BCC treated by Mohs micrographic surgery. Criteria for distinguishing a new primary BCC arising in a skin flap or full-thickness skin graft at a previous treatment site for BCC from a truly recurrent BCC are presented. The distinction between a new primary BCC and true tumor recurrence is important for accurate clinical assessment and may have a dramatic impact on the type of subsequent treatment. In addition, there may be less medicolegal liability in the case of a new primary BCC arising at the site of a previously treated BCC than for a BCC that is determined to be recurrent.
Communication Timescales, Structure and Popularity: Using Social Network Metrics for Youtube-Like Multimedia Content Distribution

A significant portion of the HTTP multimedia traffic on the Internet comes from sites like Youtube which serve short videos. Caching of Youtube-like multimedia content, when possible, can reduce traffic on the backbone while providing faster access. The performance of such a caching system will depend on identifying the videos which should be cached and the appropriate duration. In this paper, we look at both of these questions from a social network perspective. We propose that the decision to cache a video should be based on the combined popularity of the individual as well as related videos rather than simply based on individual popularity of a video. We identify timescales at which the inter-relationships between the videos can change through a longitudinal data set. Using the concepts of centrality of nodes, we rank the set of videos in the data set according to their perceived importance. In doing so, we compare three centrality techniques - degree, closeness and betweenness. We evaluate how these centralities affect the performance of a cache. We show that ``Closeness" centrality always performs at least as well as the other two in all cases. Finally, we show that a distributed cache mechanism employing the centrality method to rank videos can reduce the load on the network significantly for even moderate content cache sizes.
Infectivity and complete nucleotide sequence of the cloned genomic components of a bipartite squash leaf curl geminivirus with a broad host range phenotype.

Abstract Through cloning and molecular analysis we have identified two highly homologous bipartite geminiviruses as causing squash leaf curl disease. Mechanical and Agrobacterium -mediated inoculation of plants with cloned viral DNA components identified the two genomic components of SqLCV-E, a squash leaf curl virus with an unexpectedly broad host range for a whitefly-transmitted geminivirus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the genome of this virus showed it to have the same bipartite component organization characteristic of other whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses. Sequence comparison with the genomic components of tomato golden mosaic virus and bean golden mosaic virus revealed a close evolutionary relationship with these two bipartite geminiviruses, with which SgLCV-E shares common hosts. These studies provide clear molecular evidence for the assignment of SqLCV to the subfamily of bipartite geminiviruses.
Level spin and moments of inertia in superdeformed nuclei near A = 194

Abstract Experimental transition energies in the superdeformed (SD) bands near A = 190 are least-squares fit to rotational model formulae in order to extract level spin. The data set includes 16 SD bands, which show no evidence of either irregular behavior near the bottom of the bands or abrupt angular momentum alignment at low ħw. The 9 transitions lowest in energy in each band are well described by the formulae. The fitted spin of the final state in the γ-ray cascade is within ±0.1ħ of an integer or half-odd integer for 13 of the bands. The weight of the evidence suggests that meaningful level spins corresponding to these transitions can be inferred. The moment of inertia at ω = 0 is correlated, with J = 88.3(5)ħ2/MeV and J = 93.4(5)ħ2/MeV for the strong and weak bands, respectively.
Reply by the Author to R. L. Glick and L. H. Caveny

T HE author wishes to thank Glick and Caveny for their interest in his Note, and to comment briefly on the issues which they raise. In their Comment, Glick and Caveny make two points. First, and most important, they emphasize that an internal ballistic analysis of a solid rocket motor (SRM) ought to be coupled to a grain structural analysis to properly analyze SRM performance, since grain deformation can significantly alter the internal geometry. Second, they suggest that it may be possible to create more efficient segmented SRM designs than the simple modification proposed in Ref. 1, where alternate segments are installed in the motor upside down (relative to the usual orientation of segments in SRMs). Their prime candidate appears to be a design in which all of the segments are installed upside down (see Fig. Ic of Glick and Caveny's Comment), and the individual segments are tailored so that the resulting port flow area increase across slots is filled by the flow which emerges from the slots.
Network service quality rank: a network selection algorithm for heterogeneous wireless networks

High-speed wireless services have achieved remarkable rates of growth in recent years. In order to survive in this competitive market, high levels of service performance are an effective way to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. This paper aims to identify the best service provider in a heterogeneous wireless network so that we differentiate the quality of service (QoS) and provide a framework for analytical performance evaluation. This problem is considered a ranking problem in Multi-Criteria Decision Making, and so we formulize a novel method to compute collaboration performance utility for each provider. The compromise ranking technique (called VIKOR) is used to aggregate all utility values on alternatives and computes the best level of service among providers. The experimental evaluation results demonstrate the computational efficacy of the solution approaches and derive managerial insights.
Similarities Between Initiation of V(D)J Recombination and Retroviral Integration

In the first step of V(D)J recombination, the RAG1 and RAG2 proteins cleave DNA between a signal sequence and the adjacent coding sequence, generating a blunt signal end and a coding end with a closed hairpin structure. These hairpins are intermediates leading to the formation of assembled antigen receptor genes. It is shown here that the hairpins are formed by a chemical mechanism of direct trans-esterification, very similar to the early steps of transpositional recombination and retroviral integration. A minor variation in the reaction is sufficient to divert the process from transposition to hairpin formation.
A comparative evaluation of various additives used in the stabilization of sulfate bearing lean clay.

A laboratory study was conducted on both raw and stabilized clay specimens to evaluate short- and long-term performance of three different additives, namely, hydrated lime, class C fly ash (CFA), and cement kiln dust (CKD), for providing better treatment of sulfate rich lean clay. Short-term performance evaluation experiments included Atterberg limits, resilient modulus (Mr), modulus of elasticity (ME), and unconfined compressive strength (UCS), after 28 days of curing. Long-term performance was evaluated in terms of moisture susceptibility (tube suction test) and three-dimensional swell during 120 days of capillary soaking. At the end of 120 days, specimens were also tested for Mr, ME, and UCS, as additional indicators to long-term pavement performance. Short-term performance evaluation projected 15 % CKD with highest improvement, while long-term performance evaluation showed 15 % CFA providing maximum enhancements after 120 days of capillary soaking. The study further indicated swelling of specimens stabilized with lime and CKD; however, CFA helped in reducing the swelling. All the percentages of additives used in the study helped in reducing the moisture susceptibility of clay. Mineralogical studies such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were also used to verify research findings observed from the macro test results.
Making the Best Use of Cybersecurity Economic Models

This article describes an analysis of several representative cybersecurity economic models, where the authors seek to determine whether each model's underlying assumptions are realistic and useful. They find that many of the assumptions are the same across disparate models, and most assumptions are far from realistic. They recommend several changes so that the predictions from economic models can be more relevant and useful.
Supplemental Nurses Are Just As Educated, Slightly Less Experienced, And More Diverse Compared To Permanent Nurses

In the past three decades, the shortage of nurses willing to work in hospitals has been a persistent challenge in the United States. Hiring supplemental registered nurses—nurses on short-term contracts obtained through an external staffing agency—has been common to fill gaps in nurse staffing. But there has been insufficient evidence about supplemental nurse workforce trends to inform workforce policy. To address this concern, we compared qualifications and characteristics of supplemental nurses with those of permanent nurses during 1984–2008. The two groups shared similar education levels in terms of possessing a baccalaureate or higher degree. Supplemental nurses were somewhat less experienced than permanent nurses, averaging fifteen years of experience in 2008 compared to eighteen years for permanent nurses. The supplemental nurse workforce was more diverse racially and ethnically and more likely to be male than the permanent nurse workforce. These data show that employing supplemental nurses could hel...
Dimensional crossover in the phase separation kinetics of thin polymer blend films.

The kinetics of phase separation in thin polymer blend films of polystyrene and polybutadiene on a silicon substrate is examined by optical microscopy of the free film boundary. Our observations on 1000 and 200 \AA{} films are consistent with a crossover from three- to two-dimensional spinodal decomposition kinetics in the (off-critical) viscous hydrodynamic regime. In this stage of phase separation the exponent $n$, characterizing the scale $R(t)\ensuremath{\sim}{t}^{n}$ of the coarsening pattern, is predicted to change from 1 to a value near 0.46 upon lowering the dimensionality.
Safety of testosterone treatment in postmenopausal women.

Objective To critically examine the safety of T therapy given to postmenopausal women. Design MEDLINE literature review, cross-reference of published data, and review of Food and Drug Administration transcripts. Result(s) Although some retrospective and observational studies provide some long-term safety data, most prospective studies have had a duration of 2 years or less. In addition, with the exception of the female-to-male transsexuals, T was administered in conjunction with estrogens or estrogens and progestins, which confound the interpretation of some of the studies. The major adverse reactions are the androgenic side effects of hirsutism and acne. There does not appear to be an increase in cardiovascular risk factors, with the exception of a lowering of high-density lipoprotein with oral T. There are little data on endometrial safety, and most of the experimental data support a neutral or beneficial effect in regards to breast cancer. There does not appear to be an increased risk of hepatotoxicity, neurobehavorial abnormalities, sleep apnea, or fetal virilization (in premenopausal women) with the physiologic treatment doses of T. Conclusion(s) Except for hirsutism and acne, the therapeutic administration of T in physiologic doses is safe for up to several years. However, prospectively collected long-term safety studies are needed to provide a greater degree of assurance.
Temporal coherence of individual turbulent patterns in atmospheric seeing.

We used a variation of the generalized scidar (scintillation detection and ranging) technique to examine the temporal coherence of turbulent patterns at different altitudes in the atmosphere above Palomar Observatory. This enables us to test the validity of a frozen turbulence hypothesis in the local reference frame of the moving atmosphere. The data set analyzed here contains three turbulent patterns, each at a different altitude, which remain internally coherent over time scales of 0.28 0.41 s. This measurement is significant, because it is made on a 5-m aperture, allowing moving patterns to be tracked over time scales longer than their own lifetimes.
Gestalt qualities and the paradox of analysis

of introducing mathematics-variables of higher types. Unlike mine, Quine's proposal makes no "ontological" distinction between such a world and one that contains, in addition, simple characters of the higher types. It seems to me that by making this distinction my proposal reconstructs what some nonpositivistic philosophers may try to express when they insist that while, for example, colors exist, numbers and grammatical categories merely subsist. In this sense at least, I believe that my proposal represents a more adequate analysis of the traditional ontological meaning of 'exist.'
Effects of lights at the choice point on spatial alternation and position learning by normal rats and rats with bilateral lesions of the caudate nucleus

In a spatial alternation task lights at the choice point of a T-maze indicating the correct arm impaired the performance of normal rats and facilitated the performance of rats with bilateral lesions of the caudate nucleus as compared to groups without the lights. The lights had no significant effect on performance in a subsequent position learning task.
Efficacy and safety of long-acting reversible contraception.

Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) includes intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the subdermal implant. These methods are the most effective reversible methods of contraception, and have the additional advantages of being long-lasting, convenient, well liked by users and cost effective. Compared with other user-dependent methods that increase the risk of noncompliance-related method failure, LARC methods can bring ‘typical use’ failure rates more in line with ‘perfect use’ failure rates. LARC methods are ‘forgettable’; they are not dependent on compliance with a pill-taking regimen, remembering to change a patch or ring, or coming back to the clinician for an injection. LARC method failure rates rival that of tubal sterilization at <1% for IUDs and the subdermal implant. For these reasons, we believe that IUDs and implants should be offered as first-line contraception for most women. This article provides a review of the LARC methods that are currently available in the US, including their effectiveness, advantages, disadvantages and contraindications. Additionally, we dispel myths and misconceptions regarding IUDs, and address the barriers to LARC use.