cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Naval Station Anchorage

CAPT Jake Branson is beginning his first week at work after assuming command of NAVSTA Anchorage. He has received a message from his Regional Commander indicating that Commander Naval Installations Command (CNIC) headquarters has just issued a requirement for all Regional Commanders to propose adjustments that would reduce its annual operating expenses by 3% (i.e., reduce its total annual authorized funding level by 3%) without sacrificing required performance levels. Branson is worried about his ability to comply. Excerpt UVA-C-2320 Rev. Aug. 30, 2011 NAVAL STATION ANCHORAGE CAPT Jake Branson sat in his new office, looking out at the piers in the distance. It was Monday morning, and Branson was beginning his first full week at work after assuming command of NAVSTA Anchorage the previous Friday. Late Friday afternoon he'd received a message from his Regional Commander indicating that Commander Naval Installations Command (CNIC) headquarters had just issued a requirement for all Regional Commanders to propose adjustments that would reduce its annual operating expenses by 3% (i.e., reduce its total annual authorized funding level by 3%) without sacrificing required performance levels. Branson was worried about his ability to comply. Branson had spent the weekend looking over his notes from his turnover discussions. One of the first areas requiring his attention was the command's financial situation, so the idea of losing resources in a year of execution when he was already uncomfortable with his financial status was a serious concern. He was dissatisfied with some of the answers he'd received from his comptroller and was concerned about the apparent lack of financial knowledge he had noticed during his discussions with his department heads. They did not seem to understand the seriousness of the station's overall financial status. Each department head appeared to have a relatively good handle on the component of the budget for which they were responsible but little understanding beyond that. Branson wondered if the right mechanisms were in place to foster that kind of a dialogue. . . .
Response to “Editorial on pain following thoracic surgery”

We appreciate Holm et al.’ s interest in our paper (1). By design, our study was not powered to answer each secondary result. This point was already acknowledged in the limitations section. The primary outcome variable of our study was the incidence of chronic pain, at 6 months, for any patient undergoing thoracic surgery. We tested the primary hypothesis of whether variables from preoperative evaluation can predict chronic pain after thoracic surgery. Based on our data from 99 patients who were followed for 6 months, the answer was no. Acute postsurgical pain was the only covariate associated with the presence of chronic pain.
Kinematic and kinetic differences between left-and right-handed professional baseball pitchers

While 10% of the general population is left-handed, 27% of professional baseball pitchers are left-handed. Biomechanical differences between left- and right-handed college pitchers have been previo...
Hydrogen bonding and solvolysis of alkyl sulphonate esters and related compounds

Hydrogen bonding between alkyl sulphonyl compounds andp-chlorophenol in carbon tetrachloride solution has been investigated by infra-red spectrometry. Analysis of the intensity of the bonded O-H stretching absorption indicates that, under the conditions employed, only 1:1 complexes are formed in significant concentration. Equilibrium constants for the complex formation have been determined at 15, 25, 35 and 45° C., and the corresponding enthalpy values derived. The strengths of the hydrogen bonds have been estimated from the positions of the bonded O-H stretching bands, and these frequencies correlate with the normal electronic effect of substitution in aryl and alkyl groups attached to the sulphonyl group. The rate of solvolysis of the methyl sulphonates in water is shown to vary inversely as the strength of the hydrogen bond formed. The possible bearing of these observations on certain aspects of the detailed mechanism of solvolysis is discussed.
Constructive feminism: women’s spaces and women’s rights in the American City

Amidst the re-reckoning and reawakening of feminist activism in the United States, Daphne Spain’s Constructive Feminism provides timely historical insights. The book focuses on the way that second-...
Incidence and risk factors for abdominal occult metastatic disease in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background The incidence of occult metastatic disease (OMD) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and associated risk factors are largely unknown. Methods We identified all patients with PDAC, who had an aborted oncologic operation due to OMD within a 10-year period. The cases were matched to a cohort of resected PDAC patients on a 1:3 ratio, based on age and sex, for comparison of preoperative clinical characteristics and potential risk factors for OMD. Results In the studied period, 117 patients with OMD were identified in 1423 pancreatectomies performed for PDAC (8%). Liver metastases were the most common finding (79%) followed by peritoneal implants (16%). When compared with non-OMD cases, patients with OMD presented more often with abdominal pain (P 30 mm, abdominal pain, and preoperative CA 19-9 > 192 U/mL. Conclusions Occurrence of OMD in PDAC accounts for 8% of cases. Preoperative CA 19-9 > 192 U/mL, primary tumor size > 30 mm, and identification of indeterminate lesions in preoperative CT may indicate the need for diagnostic laparoscopy.
Knee Arthrodesis Outcomes After Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty and Failure of Two-stage Revision With an Antibiotic Cement Spacer.

Background Reinfected total knee arthroplasty can be managed with a second two-stage exchange or a knee arthrodesis procedure. Methods Twenty-three patients with knee arthrodesis after failed exchange arthroplasty for infection were reviewed. Patients were managed with a staged protocol of implant extraction, debridement, and implantation of an antibiotic spacer, with subsequent arthrodesis. Follow-up averaged 40.4 months, with a minimum of 1 year. Results Bony union with eradication of infection was achieved in 20/23 knees. Sixteen of the 20 patients were able to ambulate with minimal pain. The average time to union was 11.3 months, and the average leg length discrepancy was 4.85 cm. The average Knee Society Score after arthrodesis was 44, and the average visual analog scale pain score was 1.73. Three patients underwent above-knee amputation. Discussion Knee arthrodesis performed for persistent periprosthetic infection allowed for eradication of infection and union in 87% of the patients, creating a stable knee fusion.
Evaluation of a Family Medicine Transitional Care Service Line.

Introduction: As of 2013, the all-cause readmission rate among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries was 17.5%. In addition to poor outcomes, 30-day hospital readmissions account for over $17 billion in Medicare expenditures. The presence and involvement of a primary care provider can be essential during the transition period from hospital discharge to the outpatient setting. Objective: In an effort to reduce 30-day hospital readmissions a transitional care management (TCM) service was implemented in a multi-site family medicine practice. Methods: The transitional care service line was structured after the 2013 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recommended process for transitioning patients from an inpatient to an outpatient setting. The service included a care team RN, electronic documentation in an electronic medical record and the primary care physician. Results: The 30-day readmission rate was 12.0% in the 10 months before implementation of the new service line and 12.4% in the first 10 months after implementation of the new service line. There was no evidence of an impact of the new service line on a decline in 30-day readmission rates (P = .18). Discussion: Hospital readmissions generate unnecessary costs and often present a major burden on patients and their families. Early engagement with patients after hospital discharge will help to address any acute needs, verify medication adherence and ensure that necessary equipment and services are available. Conclusion: Although there was no evidence of an impact of the new service line on a decline in 30-day readmission rates it was decided that this service was a benefit to the patients and the physicians involved.
Propuesta de una guía de orientación para Pymes chilenas en relación con las alternativas entre el 14 a o 14 b de la reforma tributaria Ley 20.780, para el periodo comercial 2017

La Reforma Tributaria, a traves de la Ley N°20.780 tiene como proposito del Gobierno poder entregar educacion gratuita a una gran parte de los estudiantes chilenos, buscando fuentes de financiamiento por lo que envia al Parlamento cambios en el modelo impositivo chileno. De este modo, las empresas deben escoger entre los dos sistemas de tributacion que comenzaran a regir a contar del 01 de enero de 2017, estos son los denominados “Renta Atribuida” y “Renta Parcialmente Integrada”. La presente investigacion tiene por finalidad proponer una guia de orientacion para pymes chilenas en relacion con las alternativas entre el 14 A o 14 B de la reforma tributaria, para el periodo comercial 2017. Esta investigacion es de caracter cualitativa, de tipo comprehensivo, se desarrolla a traves de la recopilacion de antecedentes, entrevistas a expertos y aplicacion de casos practicos. Obteniendo como resultado que la decision con respecto al regimen de tributacion final dependera de cada empresa y de la perspectiva de los duenos o accionistas y la proyeccion que tengan de la misma.
“Dread to treat” patients in cardiac surgery: Global strategies for interacting with cardiothoracic patients with substance use disorders

Patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) who undergo valve repair or replacement are often readmitted to the hospital after discharge secondary to recidivism. These "dread to treat" patients pose a unique dilemma for cardiac surgeons who often must make the extremely difficult decision of whether to perform a valve replacement in a recidivist patient with SUDs. This editorial focuses on illuminating strategies which surgeons can administer to patients with SUDs to improve quality of care and reduce provider distress.
Role of the central junction in folding topology of the protein-free human U2-U6 snRNA complex analyzed by time-resolved FRET

ABSTRACT Intron removal during splicing of precursor pre-mRNA requires assembly of spliceosomal small nuclear (sn)RNAs into catalytically competent conformations to promote two transesterification reactions. U2 and U6 snRNA are the only snRNAs directly implicated in pre-mRNA splicing catalysis, but rearrangement and remodeling steps prior to catalysis require numerous proteins. Previous studies have shown that the protein-free U2-U6 snRNA complex adopts two conformations characterized by four and three helices surrounding a central junction in equilibrium. To analyze the role of the central junction in positioning the two helices critical for formation of the active site, we used ensemble time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer to measure distances between fluorophores at selected locations in constructs representing the protein-free human U2-U6 snRNA complex. Data describing four angles in the four-helix conformer suggest the complex adopts a tetrahedral geometry; addition of Mg2+ results in shortening of the distances between neighboring helices, indicating compaction of the complex around the junction. In contrast, the three-helix conformer shows a closer approach between the two helices bearing critical elements, but addition of Mg2+ widens the distance between these stems. Presence of Mg2+ also enhances the steady state fraction of the three-helix conformer found to be active in spliceosomes. Although the central junction assumes a significant role in orienting helices, in neither conformer, with or without Mg2+, are the critical helices positioned sufficiently close to favor interaction, implying that a major role of spliceosomal remodeling proteins is to overcome such distances to create and stabilize a catalytically active fold.
Reversing the Decline in Urology Residency Applications: An Analysis of Medical School Factors Critical to Maintaining Student Interest.

Abstract Objective To identify institutional factors that predict medical student decision to apply for the urology match. Materials and Methods American Urological Association (AUA) Match data from 2015 to 2019 were used to determine the number of applicants from each medical school who submitted rank lists. Associations between the applicant counts from each medical school and medical school characteristics were assessed using multivariable Poisson regression models. Data were obtained using publicly available datasets and a survey of urology program coordinators. Results There were 1916 medical students from 199 medical schools who submitted rank lists to the urology residency match. After adjusting for class size, schools with a urology residency program produced significantly greater number of urology applicants (RR 2.7; 95% CI, 2.2-3.4, p Conclusion To recruit more medical students into urology, departments should foster early preclinical exposure to specialty-specific interest groups, interaction with residents, and development of a diverse faculty.
Chapter 13 – Nucleotides

: Nucleotides are phosphorylated nucleosides. A nucleoside is a combination of a nucleic acid base and a sugar. ATP is a nucleotide that participates in numerous energy transduction reactions. NTPs are the ultimate building blocks of nucleic acids. Nucleic acid polymerases are referred to as pols. In mammalian cells, ribonucleotides are converted to deoxyribonucleotides at the NDP level. DNA and RNA are structurally similar polymers. Nucleoside monophosphates are converted to their respective di- and triphosphate derivatives via phosphoryl transfer from ATP. Nucleotides can be synthesized from small organic molecules, and they are conserved through salvage pathways.
Quality Improvement Innovation in a Maternal and Child Health Network: Negotiating Course Corrections in Mid-Implementation

This article analyzes mid-implementation course corrections in a quality improvement innovation for a maternal and child health network working in a large Midwestern metropolitan area. Participating organizations received restrictive funding from this network to screen pregnant women and new mothers for depression, make appropriate referrals, and log screening and referral data into a project-wide data system over a one-year pilot program. This paper asked three research questions: (1) What problems emerged by mid-implementation of this program that required course correction? (2) How were advocacy targets developed to influence network and agency responses to these mid-course problems? (3) What specific course corrections were identified and implemented to get implementation back on track? This ethnographic case study employs qualitative methods including participant observation and interviews. Data were analyzed using the analytic method of qualitative description, in which the goal of data analysis is to summarize and report an event using the ordinary, everyday terms for that event and the unique descriptions of those present. Three key findings are noted. First, network participants quickly responded to the emerged problem of under-performing screening and referral completion statistics. Second, they shifted advocacy targets away from executive appeals and toward the line staff actually providing screening. Third, participants endorsed two specific course corrections, using “opt out, not opt in” choice architecture at intake and implementing visual incentives for workers to track progress. Opt-out choice architecture and visual incentives served as useful means of focusing organizational collaboration and correcting mid-implementation problems.
Scalpel edge roughness affects post-transection peripheral nerve regeneration.

Background Gentle and precise tissue dissection reduces collateral tissue damage and preserves its structural quality for optimizing healing. This is particularly true for peripheral nerve neurorrhaphy. Axon regeneration kinetics across the repair is dependent on the amount of intraneural fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether scalpel blade smoothness was a deterministic factor in the kinetics of postneurorrhaphy peripheral axon regeneration. Methods Scalpel transection of the saphenous nerve was performed in 18 female Hartley guinea pigs either by a standard #15 stainless steel scalpel blade or a highly polished version of the same blade. Compound nerve action potential recordings and histochemical assay of neurofilament density proximal and 1 cm distal to the site of nerve transection were quantified postneurorrhaphy at postoperative weeks 5, 9, and 12. Results There was no action potential transmission observed in the distal axons immediately after neurorrhaphy. A substantial acceleration of axonal conduction recovery was observed in nerves transected with polished scalpel blades observed by high compound nerve action potential amplitudes at postneurorrhaphy weeks 5 and 9 (P < .05). In addition, an increased recovery of intra-axonal neurofilament density in nerves transected with polished scalpel blades was observed by postoperative week 5 (P < .05). Conclusion The quality of the scalpel blade is an important determinate of postsurgical healing. Gentle handling of tissue matters.
The stationary distribution and stochastic persistence for a class of disease models: Case study- malaria

This paper presents a nonlinear family of stochastic SEIRS models for diseases such as malaria in a highly random environment with noises from the disease transmission and natural death rates, and ...
Occurrence of Hypotrichosis in Polled Hereford Cattle

Six cases of hypotrichosis were observed in a herd of Polled Hereford cattle. Five were in calves born in the herd in the 1984 and 1985 calving seasons and the sixth was a mature cow that had been purchased. Both male and female calves were affected by the condition characterized by curly hair over all or parts of the body, a deficiency of hair in the switch, and hair loss on the poll, brisket, neck, and legs of some affected animals. Some affected calves were a much lighter than normal colour at birth. Hair follicles were characterized by abnormally large trichohyalin granules. Five of the six affected animals were from sires and dams that both descended from a common sire. The sire of the sixth affected animal also descended from the same common sire.
Why study media ecosystems

Much as ecology emerged from biology as scientists began studying the complex interactions between organisms in their environments, a shift is happening in communication and media studies regarding...
Reducing Disparities in Academic Outcomes Among Youth of Color: Evidence From an Alternative Education Program:

The differential treatment of youth of color in schools perpetuates disparities in academic outcomes. Alternative education programs may represent a constructive approach to preventing or mitigatin...
Tactical Design of Same-Day Delivery Systems

We study tactical models for the design of same-day delivery (SDD) systems. Same-day fulfillment in e-commerce has seen substantial growth in recent years, and the underlying management of such ser...
BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF α-CRYSTALLINS DURING LENS DEVELOPMENT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the biochemical properties of α-crystallins during lens development. Most physicochemical and immunochemical studies on the properties of α-crystallins have been performed with protein samples composed of a mixture of α-crystallins. The α-crystallins can be fractionated by chromatography or by immunoelectrophoresis into several components. It was widely believed that the apparent heterogeneity of a-crystallin preparations was as a result of chromatographic artifacts. In this study, the differences between the various α-crystallins lie in the proportions of individual subunits rather than in the chemical nature of the subunits. Fractionation of these individual α-crystallins on urea-equilibrated DEAE-cellulose shows that they all contain the same subunits; however, the amount of each subunit varies from one α-crystallin to the next. The total absence of subunit 5 in the embryonic lens indicates that the synthesis of this subunit may be regulated by transcriptional controls, that is, the RNA message for this subunit may not be transcribed until after birth. However, the presence of small amounts of subunit 7 in the early lenses indicates that the synthesis of this peptide chain is regulated by translational controls. The degree of resolution of the mixture of α-crystallins into individual proteins depends largely upon the sensitivity of the fractionation procedure.
Cyclic electron transport around photosystem I in washed thylakoids

Cyclic electron flow around photosystem I has been shown to contribute to the buildup of transmembrane electric field and proton gradient in isolated intact chloroplasts, in the whole leaf and in reconstituted systems (1–5). Different reaction routes have been proposed for cyclic electron flow occurring under various experimental conditions; ferredoxin, intrinsic to the intact chloroplast or supplied exogenously in reconstituted systems, is believed to play an important role. Here we show that an intrinsic, cyclic electron flow operates in washed thylakoids in the absence of detectable amounts of soluble ferredoxin. This “stripped” cycle involving membrane-bound ferredoxin: NADP+ oxidoreductase can also generate transmembrane electric field as well as a proton gradient. It requires neither poising by NADPH, nor the presence of 02 , and unlike the cycle in intact chloroplasts, it is insensitive to antimycin A.
Preparing Teachers of English Language Learners: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications.

In this study, we examined the degree to which the requirements in each state’s teacher education programs reflect current theory and practice for teachers of ELLs in their coursework, and how these requirements in turn are related to 4th grade Hispanic ELL’s reading outcomes on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. We found that required coursework on English language development and assessment were positively related to Hispanic ELLs' reading outcomes. Moreover, states that require both specialist certification, and all teachers to have some level of training to meet the needs of ELLs, also tend to have higher levels of achievement than states that do not have these requirements.
Gender, Trial Employment, and Initial Salaries

Gender disparities in wages among professionals exist because women begin their professional careers making less than men. Prior research indicates this occurs because employers lack information about prospective employees at the hiring stage which triggers discrimination and bias in wage setting. Building on work that suggests organizational practices impact inequality, we examine if trial employment affects initial salaries by providing employers a first-hand look at candidates prior to employers making permanent hiring decisions. Using a unique data set that is well-suited for this inquiry, we find evidence that a female wage discount occurs among entry-level business professionals. However, as predicted, the female wage discount dissipates when offers are received from employers where trial employment takes place.
Separating the natural and anthropogenic air‐sea flux of CO2: The Indian Ocean

[1] We estimate the natural and anthropogenic components of the air-sea flux of CO2 in the Indian Ocean. The increase in atmospheric CO2 driven by human activity has caused the air-sea CO2 disequilibrium, and consequently the flux, to increase significantly over the industrial era. We estimate the flux in the year 1780 to be approximately 0.2 Gt/yr, increasing by 0.26 Gt/yr to 0.5 Gt/yr in 2000. The estimate of the natural (preindustrial) flux is highly sensitive to uncertainties in modern-day CO2 disequilibrium measurements. By contrast, the estimate of the anthropogenic flux is only weakly sensitive to these measurements.
A relational database for cardiology

The computing needs and design considerations of the Data Retrieval Service (DRS) system are discussed. It is concluded that the DRS system is one solution to the problem of information storage and retrieval for cardiology. By using a 'pseudo-object-oriented', modular approach, the system is flexible, easy to use, and cost effective. It is also expandable, having been designed for evolutionary growth and technological development. >
Is Atmospheric Phosphorus Pollution Altering Global Alpine Lake Stoichiometry

Anthropogenic activities have significantly altered atmospheric chemistry and changed the global mobility of key macronutrients. Here we show that contemporary global patterns in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) emissions drive large hemispheric variation in precipitation chemistry. These global patterns of nutrient emission and deposition (N:P) are in turn closely reflected in the water chemistry of naturally oligotrophic lakes (r2 = 0.81, p < 0.0001). Observed increases in anthropogenic N deposition play a role in nutrient concentrations (r2 = 0.20, p < 0.05); however, atmospheric deposition of P appears to be major contributor to this pattern (r2 = 0.65, p < 0.0001). Atmospheric simulations indicate a global increase in P deposition by 1.4 times the preindustrial rate largely due to increased dust and biomass burning emissions. Although changes in the mass flux of global P deposition are smaller than for N, the impacts on primary productivity may be greater because, on average, one unit of increased P deposition has 16 times the influence of one unit of N deposition. These stoichiometric considerations, combined with the evidence presented here, suggest that increases in P deposition may be a major driver of alpine Lake trophic status, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. These results underscore the need for the broader scientific community to consider the impact of atmospheric phosphorus deposition on the water quality of naturally oligotrophic lakes.
Management of diabetes in the real world: tight control of glucose metabolism.

This clinical review looks at tight control of blood glucose with oral agents and insulin in adults and children with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It includes recommendations based on the treatment algorithms from the Texas Diabetes Council. The focus is on specific indications for selecting initial monotherapy, early dual therapy, or combination oral therapy. Discussion includes glycemic targets and times to goal along with recommendations for insulin management that depend on patient stratification as "treatment naive" or "combination oral agent failures" (defined as A1c value ≤9.5% or >9.5%). This presentation also includes protocols for once-daily injections, multidose insulin injections, and intensive insulin therapy (physiologic insulin delivery) as well as discussion of starting doses, titration schedules, optimum basal bolus insulin regimen, and calculation of insulin augmentation.
Managerial incentives in the financial sector

Abstract Despite significant academic and policy interest the nature of managerial incentives in the non- industrial sector has escaped close scrutiny. Contrary to some earlier suggestions, this note finds traditional incentives to maximize profits or market value prevalent in the financial sector.
Differential geometry of quantum computing

An expository review is given of recent developments in the differential geometry of quantum computation. Descriptions are given of the appropriate Riemannian geometry of the special unitary unimodular group in 2 n - dimensions, including the choice of metric, connection, curvature tensor, and optimal geodesics for achieving minimal complexity quantum computations.
Investigation on atmospheric air dielectric barrier discharge uniformity

Uniform dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) appears to be a very attractive solution for many medical application. Although there are many different non-equilibrium discharge pattern have been proposed for medical application like tissue treatment, sterilization, and cell stimulation. These discharges are different in term of plasma produced, degree of ionization, plasma temperature, gasses employed, and ultimately in the amount and identity of active species and charged particles that can influence biological interactions. Among all the discharge patterns, the most commonly used cold plasma is DBD and plasma jet. DBD provides on target treatment to deliver the active species to the projects comparing to plasma jet. Nanosecond-pulsed DBD is sepcially suitable for medical application, not only it can provided all active species that non-equalibrium plasma can produce to the target but it also produces highly uniform plasma despite of the target surface. Thus, nanosecond-pulsed DBD produces very controllable plasma system that gives a uniform treatment result.
Variable shock-free times with informative and uniformative stimuli.

Three rats were trained on a fixed-ratio escape procedure in which responding produced one of two equiprobable outcomes—a 10-second or 60-second shock-free period. Before the fixed-ratio requirement was satisfied, brief shocks were presented at irregular intervals averaging either 15 or 30 seconds. Two conditions, differing in the relationship between exteroceptive stimuli and the outcomes, were studied. In the uninformative (uncorrelated) condition, the same stimulus was presented during both outcomes. In the informative (correlated) condition, one stimulus was present during the 10-second outcome only; another stimulus was present during the 60-second outcome only. Subjects pressed faster in the uninformative condition than they did in the informative condition. The inadequacy of the information hypothesis in accounting for the findings is discussed, and an alternative hypothesis is offered.
Crown ether-modified clays and their polystyrene nanocomposites

Crown ether-modified clays were obtained by the combination of sodium and potassium clays with crown ethers and cryptands. Polystyrene nanocomposites were prepared by bulk polymerization in the presence of these clays. The structures of nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Their thermal stability and flame retardancy were measured by thermogravimetric analysis and cone calorimetry, respectively. Nanocomposites can be formed only from the potassium clays; apparently the sodium clays are not sufficiently organophilic to enable nanocomposite formation. The onset temperature of the degradation is higher for the nanocomposites compared to virgin polystyrene, and the peak heat release rate is decreased by 25% to 30%.
Human milk peroxidase is derived from milk leukocytes

Peroxidase enzymes present in human colostrum, saliva, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and bovine milk were compared with respect to their molecular exclusion chromatographic behavior and immunological cross-reactivity. Human milk peroxidase gave an elution profile similar to myeloperoxidase derived from blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Human salivary peroxidase reacted with an antibody directed against bovine lactoperoxidase, but with the same antibody preparation no reaction was detected either with human milk peroxidase or leukocyte myeloperoxidase. We conclude that the peroxidase enzyme in human milk is different from the human salivary and the bovine enzymes and is probably derived from milk leukocytes.
Thermo/Mechanical Design, Modeling, and Testing of Shape Memory Actuated Minimal and Micro Invasive Probe Systems

Small scale probes implementing shape memory alloy (SMA) actuation show great promise in applications requiring remote and minimally invasive access to small environments. Such environments include physiological spaces like those located in human and animal bodies as well as cavities within mechanical systems. Probes examined here are generally snake like in appearance composed of one or multiple independent segments, which in turn are made up of one or multiple SMA actuators performing work against an elastic spine. As the actuator(s) of a given segment are activated, the spine bends causing the probe to bend in the area of that segment. When the actuator(s) are deactivated, the force generated in the bending of the spine returns the segment to its neutral position. Activation and deactivation of actuators is accomplished by heating and cooling respectively, enacting the solid phase changes that are characteristic to the shape memory effect. The gage of control over probe shape depends on the number of independent segments that are available per unit length and the degree of control an operator has over each of the segments. The work presented here discusses the constraints imposed on the design of SMA actuated probes, and how those constraints become more critical and limiting with reduced physical scale and refinement of motion control. Numerical and finite element models have been developed showing the interrelationship between mechanical design, the thermal and phase states of the SMA actuator(s), and the mechanical performance of the total system. Performance concerns examined include probe shape control and the limits of shape change as a function of physical scale. Comparative data is presented between behavior predicted by the models developed and performance observed during the testing of prototypes. It is concluded that segment length, linked to refinement of probe control, is limited by its thermal boundary conditions.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Advances in protective coating chemistry: Fatty acids, polymerization, end products

This review has attempted to present somewhat diagrammatically exemplary fundamentals of drying oil chemistry and technology. The point has been stressed that the chemistry of the higher fatty acids is entirely analogous to that of the lower fatty acids. Finally typical protective coatings have been described from the point of view of the fundamental chemistry involved.
Violations of Bjorken scaling in inclusive e+e- annihilation

We discuss the application of renormalization-group techniques to inclusive e+e- annihilation. It is shown by a modest extension of Mueller's techniques that annihilation structure functions have a behavior completely analogous to electroproduction structure functions: Their moments scale for large virtual photon mass, and this scaling is described by "anomalous dimensions" which have a singularity structure and general form very similar to the usual anomalous dimension, though there is no simple relation between the two. We show how information about the structure functions can be deduced from the moments and how, in appropriate limits, deviations from Bjorken scaling can be interpreted in terms of an underlying field theory.
Origin of “paired” aseismic rises: Ceará and Sierra Leone rises in the equatorial, and the Rio Grande Rise and Walvis Ridge in the South Atlantic☆

Abstract In the equatorial Atlantic the Ceara and Sierra Leone rises lie on opposing sides of the mid-ocean ridge and are equidistant from its axis. The northern and southern boundaries respectively, of the two rises are formed by the same fracture zones. The area of shallowest acoustic basement under the Ceara Rise coincides with the presence of a 1–2 km thick seismic layer (velocity: 3.5 km/sec) lying over the oceanic layer 2. This 3.5 km/sec layer is interpreted as a sequence of volcanics which began erupting about 80 m.y. ago when the sites of the two rises lay at the ridge axis. As the “abnormal” volcanic activity ceased, the breakup of this volcanic pile into two pieces has formed the Ceara and Sierra Leone rises. In the South Atlantic, the northern and southern boundaries of the Rio Grande Rise are also formed by fracture zones and an approximately 1 km thick layer with a velocity of 3.5 km/sec exists also under this rise. The same fracture zones appear to bound the Walvis Ridge. Drilling data suggests that both the Rio Grande Rise and Walvis Ridge have subsided continuously since their creation. The igneous rocks recovered from both rises consist of alkalic basaltic suites typical of oceanic volcanic islands. The existing data favor a model in which “excessive” volcanism along the same segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge created both the South Atlantic aseismic rises between 100 and 80 m.y. ago. In both the examples, the northern and southern boundaries of the rises are formed by the same fracture zones which originally bounded the abnormally active segment of the ridge axis.
The Role of Polycarboxylic Acids in Calcium Phosphate Mineralization

Abstract The role of two polyelectrolytes, poly- L -glutamate and poly- L -aspartate, in the growth of calcium phosphate crystal phases, has been investigated at constant supersaturation. Both molecules are strong inhibitors of HAP growth when present in the solution phase but also act as hydroxyapatite and (octacalcium phosphate)-like crystal nucleators when adsorbed on germanium surfaces. The structure of the polymers in solution is presented and various adsorption models are analyzed. A “train-loop” structure of these long, flexible chain polymers on the crystal surface is consistent with all the adsorption (experimental and theoretical), inhibition, and electrophoretic mobility results.
Localized Homicide Patterns and Prevention Strategies: A Comparison of Five Project Safe Neighborhood Sites

Research has produced a wealth of knowledge on the victims, offenders, and circumstances of homicide incidents. This research, however, is seldom tied to community-based homicide prevention initiatives. This article compares patterns of homicide across five Project Safe Neighborhood sites and presents an example of how homicide characteristics in local communities can be tied to specific local prevention strategies. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of how homicide research can provide the first step in developing community-based, data-driven violence prevention programs.
A Parallel First-Order Spherical Harmonics (P1) Matrix-Free Method for Radiative Transport

Radiative transfer in participating media is modeled using a first-order spherical harmonics (P1), or its degenerate form, diffusion. The equations are discretized on an unstructured grid. The method uses a matrix-free algorithm employing an iterative solver from the Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) solver package developed by Joubert and Carey [1]. The algorithm couples radiation transport and conduction, by casting them into a Picard iteration. Compared are solutions for two participating media problems indicating the method to be first-order accurate in time. Parallel scaling of the matrix-free method with use of in-situ preconditioners, symmetric successive overrelaxation (SSOR) and block Jacobi, are reported.
UHP Magma Paragenesis Revisited, Olivine Clinopyroxenite and Garnet-Bearing Ultramafic Rocks from the Cuaba Gneiss, Rio San Juan Complex, Dominican Republic

Narrow (1-4 cm) dikes of spinel-bearing clinopyroxene garnetite intruded olivine clinopyroxenite. The latter represents the earliest magmatic rocks yet discovered on a previously described liquid line of descent for a suite of magmatic rocks from the UHP terrane of northern Hispaniola. The extended liquid line of descent produced the following mineral assemblages, from high to low temperature: (I) Ol + Cpx + Opx + Mag; (II) Oli + Cpx + Grt (inferred); (III) Oli + Cpx + Grt + Spl; (IV) Cpx + Grt + Spl; (V) Cpx + Grt + Spl + Crn. Phase relationships in the CMAS system constrain the magmatic conditions to P > 3.4 GPa and T >1540°C, but thermobarometry shows that the mineral assemblages generally re-equilibrated at subsolidus conditions (~850°C, ~4.2 GPa). The subsolidus temperatures reflect Mg-Fe adjustments affecting to a greater extent olivine, clinopyroxene, and orthopyroxene, and to a lesser extent garnet and spinel. Mg-Fe partitioning between Grt and Spl in olivine-bearing assemblages (i.e., assemblage ...
A single dose of the DENV-1 candidate vaccine rDEN1Δ30 is strongly immunogenic and induces resistance to a second dose in a randomized trial.

Dengue is an emerging infectious disease that has become the most important arboviral infection worldwide. There are four serotypes of dengue virus, DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4, each capable of causing the full spectrum of disease. rDEN1Δ30 is a live attenuated investigational vaccine for the prevention of DENV-1 illness and is also a component of an investigational tetravalent DENV vaccine currently in Phase I evaluation. A single subcutaneous dose of rDEN1Δ30 was previously shown to be safe and immunogenic in healthy adults. In the current randomized placebo-controlled trial, 60 healthy flavivirus-naive adults were randomized to receive 2 doses of rDEN1Δ30 (N = 50) or placebo (N = 10), either on study days 0 and 120 (cohort 1) or 0 and 180 (cohort 2). We sought to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of this candidate vaccine in 50 additional vaccinees and to test whether the humoral immune response could be boosted by a second dose administered 4 or 6 months after the first dose. The first dose of vaccine was well tolerated, infected 47/50 vaccinees and induced seroconversion in 46/50 vaccinees. Irrespective of dosing interval, the second dose of vaccine was also well tolerated but did not induce any detectable viremia or ≥4-fold rise in serum neutralizing antibody titer.Only five subjects had an anamnestic antibody response detectable by ELISA following a second dose of vaccine, demonstrating that the vaccine induced sterilizing humoral immunity in most vaccinees for at least six months following primary vaccination.The promising safety and immunogenicity profile of this vaccine confirms its suitability for inclusion in a tetravalent dengue vaccine.
Filamentous sludge bulking control by nano zero-valent iron in activated sludge treatment systems

Sludge bulking causes loss of biomass in the effluent and deterioration of effluent water quality. This study explored the use of nano zero-valent iron (NZVI with an average particle size of 55 ± 11 nm) for sludge bulking control. In two Modified Ludzack–Ettinger (MLE) activated sludge treatment systems, a single dose of NZVI at the final concentration of 100 mg Fe per L in the mixed liquor reduced the number of filamentous bacteria Type 021N by 2–3 log units (a reduction of 99.9 and 96.7% in MLE tank #1 and #2, respectively). The side effect of the use of NZVI depended on sludge bulking conditions and biomass concentration. In the system with sludge bulking and significant sludge loss (average biomass concentration of 1022 ± 159 COD mg per L or at the ratio of 0.098 g Fe per g biomass COD), the use of NZVI increased effluent COD, NH4+–N and NO2−–N concentrations, as also evident with the loss of nitrifying populations and nitrifying activities resulting in more than 40 days to have the full recovery of the activated sludge system. In contrast, in the system with the early stages of bulking and the biomass concentration of 1799 ± 113 COD mg per L (at the ratio of 0.056 g Fe per g biomass COD), the effluent water quality and overall bioreactor performance were only slightly affected for a few days.
Raman scattering study of the high-frequency graphitic intralayer modes in Li-graphite and the stage dependence of the mode frequency in donor graphite intercalation compounds.

Raman spectra of the high-frequency (\ensuremath{\sim}1600 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$) graphite interlayer modes have been studied in several Li-graphite intercalation compounds (GIC's) ${\mathrm{LiC}}_{\mathrm{p}}$=6,12,17,18. In stage-2 ${\mathrm{LiC}}_{17}$ we have also used these modes to study the T=250 K reversible structural phase transition from high-T disordered to low-T ordered Li intercalate layers and found that a Raman singlet at room temperature evolves into an unresolved Raman doublet (or triplet) below the phase transition temperature. A careful line-shape study of the low-T spectrum could not clearly distinguish between these two possibilities. A triplet is consistent, however, with previous x-ray diffraction studies of the phase transition in the bulk. Raman spectra of ${\mathrm{LiC}}_{6}$ were obtained and found to be in good agreement with previous studies. Spectra of pure stage-2 ${\mathrm{LiC}}_{12}$ were recorded for the first time. The high-frequency graphitic intralayer mode frequencies obtained in this work, together with other previously published data, indicate that a ``universal'' linear relation between mode frequency and reciprocal stage index does not exist in donor-type GIC's. That is, well outside of experimental error, the Li results show clearly that several factors (i.e., intercalate layer order, charge transfer, etc.) all make significant contributions to the small fractional change (\ensuremath{\sim}0.5%) observed in the graphitic mode frequencies. The net effect of all factors in the graphitic intralayer mode frequency is not well parametrized by the stage index alone.
Errors inherent in reconstruction of obscured targets for multilook imagery: I. Error analysis and simulation results

The detection and recognition of targets obscured by natural or simulated arboreal cover can be facilitated by combining multiple images of the target taken from different viewpoints or look angles. This technique, called multi-look imaging (MLI), has three principal advantages: (1) obscured target features can be revealed in one or more of the views; (2) fusion of information about a given target feature contained in multiple views can yield apparent noise reduction and increased feature resolution; (3) background features can be reduced via correlation and subtraction, thereby decreasing the target-to-clutter ratio. In Part 1 of this series of two paper, we discussed background and theory that support airborne MLI of ground targets. In this paper, we continue theory development with an analysis of geometric projection error inherent in target reconstruction. The effect of projection error derived from focal-plane quantization error during back-projection of a given look or view in model-based target reconstruction is of particular interest, due to our current research emphasis upon ray-projection based reconstruction algorithms. Additional error sources discussed in this paper include uneven coverage of looks, which can yield space-variant uncertainty associated with reconstruction of target features having low information content in relation to other target or background features. Simulation results are based on a calibrated model of airborne MLI, and are analyzed in terms of computational cost and accuracy of target reconstruction achievable via stereophotogrammetric methods.
The Contributions of Talker Familiarity and Individual Talker Characteristics

The article details a two-phase study investigating the relative contributions of talker-familiarity and talker-intelligibility to L2 listening comprehension by learners in a classroom setting. Students from beginning to low-intermediate German FL classes participated in German language listening tasks, being exposed to speech by their German teacher (familiar talker) and other, unfamiliar talkers. Findings were consistent in both phases of the study: the relative intelligibility of particular talkers was more predictive to L2 listening accuracy than familiarity with the talker. Follow-up investigations revealed a relationship between speech rate and listening comprehension accuracy.
Probing lepton structure at the SSC

Abstract If quarks and leptons are composite objects with common constituents, then there exist two-quark-two-lepton contact interactions which could affect lepton pair production at the SSC. We show that for a range of compositeness scales and lepton pair invariant masses, the contact interaction contributions dominate the standard model contributions to the cross section. In this regime, we show that there should be a measurable and statistically significant front-back asymmetry.