cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model-based control of perception/action

The coupling of perception and action in humans and other species is one of the major questions in cognitive science and neuroscience. The empirical domain of perception/action includes reaching and grasping, skilled use of tools, visual control of locomotion (e.g., driving and flying), dance, and individual and team sports. Understanding of perception/action in the human requires research on perceptual and cognitive representations of 3-D space, internal representation of the body, motor control of the limbs and effectors, and internalization of vehicle dynamics. Like many others in the field, we believe that research on perception/action will advance more quickly in the future by giving greater emphasis to active control tasks over simple psychophysical judgments and by studying skilled actions of moderate complexity, like driving and sport activity, instead of the stripped down tasks of the past that have permitted experimental rigor at the cost of failing to engage many of the perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes involved in complex action.
Inheritance of the Cellular Components of Wood, Cellulose Yield and Pulp and Paper Products

There are many properties of wood that are under genetic control, most of which are essentially independent except for those that are actually dependent on each other, like cell wall thickness and specific gravity. Most show a relatively strong inheritance pattern. A few are of importance in determining product quality, but others play only a minor role. Frequently, it is not the cell component itself that is of importance, but ratios, such as cell length to wall thickness or to lumen size, that are important.
Constructing a boosted, spinning black hole in the damped harmonic gauge

The damped harmonic gauge is important for numerical relativity computations based on the generalized harmonic formulation of Einstein's equations and is used to reduce coordinate distortions near binary black hole mergers. However, currently there is no prescription to construct quasiequilibrium binary black hole initial data in this gauge. Instead, initial data are typically constructed using a superposition of two boosted analytic single black hole solutions as free data in the solution of the constraint equations. Then, a smooth time-dependent gauge transformation is done early in the evolution to move into the damped harmonic gauge. Using this strategy to produce initial data in the damped harmonic gauge would require the solution of a single black hole in this gauge, which is not known analytically. In this work we construct a single boosted, spinning, equilibrium black hole in damped harmonic coordinates as a regular time-independent coordinate transformation from Kerr-Schild coordinates. To do this, we derive and solve a set of four coupled, nonlinear, elliptic equations for this transformation, with appropriate boundary conditions. This solution can now be used in the construction of damped harmonic initial data for binary black holes.
Defining differences in patient characteristics between spasmodic dysphonia and laryngeal tremor

OBJECTIVE To compare presenting characteristics of patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD), ADSD with laryngeal tremor (ADSD + LT), and laryngeal tremor without ADSD (LT). DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. METHODS Patients treated for laryngeal movement disorders (1990-2016) were included. Analysis of variance and chi square tests measured differences in patient characteristics across the three disease groups. Using ADSD as the referent, multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine whether potential risk factors including patient demographics, family history, presence of potential inciting events prior to disease onset, and coprevalent movement disorders were associated with ADSD + LT or LT. RESULTS In all, 652 patients with ADSD (n = 377), ADSD + LT (n = 98), and LT (n = 177) were included. ADSD patients were significantly younger than those with ADSD + LT and LT (52.5 ± 13.4, 63.9 ± 11.3, and 69.3 ± 10.5 years, respectively; P < 0.001). Coprevalent movement disorders were more common in ADSD + LT (38.7%) and LT (57.1%) groups than in the ADSD group (11.5%; P < 0.001). Compared to ADSD, patients with ADSD + LT and LT were more likely to develop an additional movement disorder during follow-up. In multivariable analyses, increasing age, female gender, and having a movement disorder at presentation were associated with significantly greater odds of having ADSD + LT or LT when compared to ADSD. CONCLUSION ADSD + LT patients demonstrate intermediate gender composition and age distributions between those with ADSD and LT. These findings suggest that ADSD + LT may be a distinct phenotype in the spectrum of laryngeal movement disorders. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 129:170-176, 2019.
Elucidating carbon uptake from vinyl chloride using stable isotope probing and Illumina sequencing

Vinyl chloride (VC), a known human carcinogen, is a common and persistent groundwater pollutant at many chlorinated solvent contaminated sites. The remediation of such sites is challenging because of the lack of knowledge on the microorganisms responsible for in situ VC degradation. To address this, the microorganisms involved in carbon assimilation from VC were investigated in a culture enriched from contaminated site groundwater using stable isotope probing (SIP) and high-throughput sequencing. The mixed culture was added to aerobic media, and these were amended with labeled ((13)C-VC) or unlabeled VC ((12)C-VC). The cultures were sacrificed on days 15, 32, and 45 for DNA extraction. DNA extracts and SIP ultracentrifugation fractions were subject to sequencing as well as quantitative PCR (qPCR) for a functional gene linked to VC-assimilation (etnE). The gene etnE encodes for epoxyalkane coenzyme M transferase, a critical enzyme in the pathway for VC degradation. The relative abundance of phylotypes was compared across ultracentrifugation fractions obtained from the (13)C-VC- and (12)C-VC-amended cultures. Four phylotypes were more abundant in the heavy fractions (those of greater buoyant density) from the (13)C-VC-amended cultures compared to those from the (12)C-VC-amended cultures, including Nocardioides, Brevundimonas, Tissierella, and Rhodoferax. Therefore, both a previously identified VC-assimilating genus (Nocardioides) and novel microorganisms were responsible for carbon uptake. Enrichment of etnE with time was observed in the heavy fractions, and etnE sequences illustrated that VC-assimilators harbor similar Nocardioides-like etnE. This research provides novel data on the microorganisms able to assimilate carbon from VC.
When Should Agencies Post Weight Limits on Local Highways in New York State

Most highways in New York State, United States, are maintained by local agencies, so decisions about operations and maintenance for low-volume roads are critical. Local highway officials use existi...
Probing Pore Size and Connectivity in Porous Silicas Using 13C MAS NMR Spectroscopy of Supercritical Methane

Measuring the pore size and pore-size distributions and exploring the fluid-exchange dynamics between different types of pores in porous materials remains a significant experimental challenge but i...
Diabetes enhances translation of Cd40 mRNA in murine retinal Müller glia via a 4E-BP1/2-dependent mechanism.

Activation of the immune costimulatory molecule cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40) in Muller glia has been implicated in the initiation of diabetes-induced retinal inflammation. Results from previous studies support that CD40 protein expression is elevated in Muller glia of diabetic mice; however, the mechanisms responsible for this increase have not been explored. Here, we evaluated the hypothesis that diabetes augments translation of the Cd40 mRNA. Mice receiving thiamet G (TMG), an inhibitor of the O-GlcNAc hydrolase O-GlcNAcase, exhibited enhanced retinal protein O-GlcNAcylation and increased Cd40 mRNA translation. TMG administration also promoted Cd40 mRNA association with Muller cell–specific ribosomes isolated from the retina of RiboTag mice. Similar effects on O-GlcNAcylation and Cd40 mRNA translation were also observed in the retina of a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. In cultured cells, TMG promoted sequestration of the cap-binding protein eIF4E (eukaryotic translation in initiation factor 4E) by 4E-BP1 (eIF4E-binding protein 1) and enhanced cap-independent Cd40 mRNA translation as assessed by a bicistronic reporter that contained the 5′-UTR of the Cd40 mRNA. Ablation of 4E-BP1/2 prevented the increase in Cd40 mRNA translation in TMG-exposed cells, and expression of a 4E-BP1 variant that constitutively sequesters eIF4E promoted reporter activity. Extending on the cell culture results, we found that in contrast to WT mice, diabetic 4E-BP1/2–deficient mice did not exhibit enhanced retinal Cd40 mRNA translation and failed to up-regulate expression of the inflammatory marker nitric-oxide synthase 2. These findings support a model wherein diabetes-induced O-GlcNAcylation of 4E-BP1 promotes Cd40 mRNA translation in Muller glia.
Exploring the Trade-Offs Local Governments Make in the Pursuit of Economic Growth and Equity:

Economic development at the municipal level often necessitates that local governments make trade-offs between firm- and locality-based strategies. In recent decades, economic development researcher...
The DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey: Probing the Evolution of Dark Matter Halos around Isolated Galaxies at z ~ 1

Using the first 25% of DEEP2 Redshift Survey data, we probe the line-of-sight velocity dispersion profile for isolated galaxies with absolute B-band magnitude -22<M_B-5log(h)<-21 at z=0.7-1.0, using satellite galaxies as luminous tracers of the underlying velocity distribution. Measuring the velocity dispersion beyond a galactocentric radius of ~200 kpc/h (physical) permits us to determine the total mass, including dark matter, around these bright galaxies. We find a line-of-sight velocity dispersion (sigma_los) of 162^{+44}_{-30} km/s at ~110 kpc/h, 136^{+26}_{-20} km/s at ~230 kpc/h, and 150^{+55}_{-38} km/s at ~320 kpc/h. Assuming an NFW model for the dark matter density profile, this corresponds to a mass within r_{200} of M_200=5.5^{+2.5}_{-2.0} x 10^12 M_Sun/h for our sample of satellite hosts with mean luminosity ~2.5L*. Roughly $~60% of these host galaxies have early-type spectra and are red in restframe (U-B) color, consistent with the overall DEEP2 sample in the same luminosity and redshift range. The halo mass determined for DEEP2 host galaxies is consistent with that measured in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey for host galaxies within a similar luminosity range relative to M*_B. This comparison is insensitive to the assumed halo mass profile, and implies an increase in the dynamical mass-to-light ratio (M_200/L_B) of isolated galaxies which host satellites by a factor of ~2.5 from z ~ 1 to z ~ 0. Our results are consistent with scenarios in which galaxies populate dark matter halos similarly from z ~ 0 to z ~ 1, except for ~1 magnitude of evolution in the luminosity of all galaxies.
Neighborhood Disorder and Distress in Real Time: Evidence from a Smartphone-Based Study of Older Adults:

Socioeconomic disadvantage and disorder in the residential neighborhood have been linked to multiple health risks, but less is known about the relevance of other spaces of daily life. This article considers whether disadvantage and disorder in the immediate context-within or outside of the residential neighborhood-is associated with physiological symptoms indicative of stress and strain. We use data from a study of 61 older adults in four New York City neighborhoods. Participants carried smartphones to capture GPS locations and ecological momentary assessments during the study week. We find that instantaneous exposure to disorder is associated with momentary spikes in pain and fatigue. This is not explained by cumulative exposure to disorder or concurrent stress or fear. Rather, disordered spaces may be physically and cognitively taxing for older adults in real time. We urge further research on short- and long-term health consequences of activity spaces.
Chemical Reaction Equilibria: Stoichiometric Formulation and Sample Problem

The material presented in this lecture is adapted from Chapter 16 in T&M. So far in Part II, we have discussed multicomponent (n > 1) and multiphase (π > 1) systems under the assumption that the various chemical species comprising the system do not participate in any chemical reactions. In Lectures 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, we will allow the various chemical species to participate in chemical reactions, including generalizing the thermodynamic formulation accordingly. In this lecture, we will first contrast the calculation of changes in the thermodynamic properties of a binary mixture consisting of two inert components with that of a binary mixture where the two components participate in a dissociation reaction. Second, we will discuss the stoichiometric formulation of chemical reaction equilibria. Specifically, we will introduce stoichiometric numbers, stoichiometric coefficients, and the extent of reaction. Finally, we will solve Sample Problem 31-1, where 2 moles of methane and 3 moles of water are introduced into a closed chemical reactor, where they undergo two chemical reactions simultaneously to produce carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. Given the initial mole numbers of the reactants (methane and water), we will calculate the two extents of reaction, the final mole numbers of methane, water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen, and their corresponding mole fractions.
Fetal Heart Rate Decelerations in Women with Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Emerging literature has shown that women with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have increased risk for gestational hypertension/preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Case reports suggest an association between maternal apnea and fetal heart rate deceleration but data are lacking on how maternal sleep impacts fetal health. Since decelerations may be associated with adverse outcomes, we sought to determine whether fetal heart rate decelerations were associated with SDB. A cohort study of third trimester pregnant women with a singleton fetus was conducted. Participants underwent a home sleep test with continuous portable electronic fetal monitoring. SDB was defined as a respiratory disturbance index (RDI)≥10 events/hour. The temporality between a respiratory event and fetal heart rate decelerations was determined to be present if a deceleration occurred < 30 s after a respiratory event. Forty women were included with mean (±SD) age, BMI, and gestational age of 32.0±5.5 years, 37.1±8.0 kg/m2, and 34.6±2.4 weeks respectively. Overall, n=23 (57.5%) women had SDB. Thirty-seven late decelerations were observed in 18 women; of these, 84% were temporally associated with a respiratory event. Nine of the 18 women (50%) had SDB. Ten prolonged decelerations were observed in 6 women of which nine (90%) were temporally associated with a respiratory event. Five of the six women (83%) had an RDI≥10. These initial data suggest that, in this population, the majority of both late and prolonged fetal heart rate decelerations occur with a maternal respiratory event. Since respiratory events are characteristic of maternal SDB, this raises the possibility that SDB may influence fetal well-being.
Performance of a Blind Adaptive Digital Beamformer on a Multi-user Rician Channel

In this work we test the performance of a blind adaptive digital beamformer for multiple users transmitting to a base station that is equipped with a uniform linear array (ULA) antenna. Each user transmits a signal block of complex QAM signals over a wireless channel, with multipath fading and noise. This channel is modeled by a Rician distribution with a dominant line-of-sight (LOS) path and three non-LOS (NLOS) paths. The beamformer is implemented using a blind adaptive CMA-AMA cost function to recover the signal block from each user, and to estimate the channel in a multi-stage manner. The performance of the system is evaluated over a range of transmitted signal power from the users. We evaluate the effect of varying the number of elements at the base station ULA antenna, by comparing symbol error rates (SER) of the received signal and the mean square error (MSE) of the estimated channel.
Prospective associations of mid-childhood plasma per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pubertal timing.

Abstract Background Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may disrupt pubertal timing. Higher PFAS plasma concentrations have been associated with later pubertal timing in girls, but cross-sectional findings may be explained by reverse causation. Objectives To assess prospective associations between PFAS plasma concentrations in mid-childhood and markers of pubertal timing in male and female adolescents. Methods We studied 640 children in Project Viva, a Boston-area prospective cohort. We examined associations of plasma concentrations of 6 PFAS measured at mean 7.9 (SD 0.8) years (2007–2010) with markers of pubertal timing. Parents reported a 5-item pubertal development score at early adolescence (mean 13.1 (SD 0.8) years) and reported age at menarche annually. We calculated age at peak height velocity using research and clinical measures of height. We used sex-specific linear and Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate associations of single PFAS with outcomes, and we used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to estimate associations of the PFAS mixture with outcomes. Results Plasma concentrations were highest for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) [median (IQR) 6.4(5.6) ng/mL], followed by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) [4.4(3.0) ng/mL]. In early adolescence, girls were further along in puberty than boys [pubertal development score mean (SD) 2.9 (0.7) for girls and 2.2(0.7) for boys; age at peak height velocity mean (SD) 11.2y (1.0) for girls and 13.1y (1.0) for boys]. PFAS was associated with later markers of pubertal timing in girls only. For example, each doubling of PFOA was associated with lower pubertal development score (−0.18 units; 95% CI: −0.30, −0.06) and older age at peak height velocity (0.23 years; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.40)]. We observed similar associations for PFOS, perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), and the PFAS mixture. PFAS plasma concentrations were not associated with age at menarche or markers of pubertal timing in boys. Discussion Higher PFAS plasma concentrations in mid-childhood were associated with later onset of puberty in girls.
13-Year-Old Boy Presenting with Bilateral Femur Fractures in the Setting of Severe Vitamin D Deficiency.

Background. Femur fractures in adolescents are rare. Severe vitamin D deficiency has important implications for bone health. We describe the case of a 13-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who presented with low-impact bilateral femur fractures in the setting of severe vitamin D deficiency. Case Presentation. A 13-year-old boy with ASD presented with bilateral leg pain after an unwitnessed fall. Laboratory investigations revealed severe hypocalcemia (S. calcium 4.9 mg/dL) and severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 4 ng/mL). Lower extremity X-rays revealed bilateral distal femoral metaphyseal fractures. Conclusion. This is the youngest known case of bilateral femoral fractures in the setting of severe 25(OH)D deficiency. Children with ASD are especially at risk for 25(OH)D deficiency as many have inadequate nutritional intake. As such, primary care providers may provide a pivotal role in the routine laboratory screening of 25(OH)D in this population.
Platinum-complexed phosphorous-doped carbon nitride for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Sustainable hydrogen gas production is critical for future fuel infrastructure. Here, a series of phosphorous-doped carbon nitride materials were synthesized by thermal annealing of urea and ammonium hexafluorophosphate, and platinum was atomically dispersed within the structural scaffold by thermal refluxing with Zeise's salt forming Pt–N/P/Cl coordination interactions, as manifested in X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopic measurements. The resulting materials were found to exhibit markedly enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media, as compared to the P-free counterpart. This was accounted for by P doping that led to a significantly improved charge carrier density within C3N4, and the sample with the optimal P content showed an overpotential of only −22 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2, lower than that of commercial Pt/C (−26 mV), and a mass activity (7.1 mA μg−1Pt at −70 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) nearly triple that of the latter. Results from the present study highlight the significance of P doping in the manipulation of the electronic structures of metal/carbon nitride nanocomposites for high-performance HER electrocatalysis.
Regularization and Semi-supervised Learning on Large Graphs

We consider the problem of labeling a partially labeled graph. This setting may arise in a number of situations from survey sampling to information retrieval to pattern recognition in manifold settings. It is also of potential practical importance, when the data is abundant, but labeling is expensive or requires human assistance.
Calcification of ligamentum flavum causing spinal cord compression in a stroke patient

Hypertrophy or calcification of the ligamentum flavum may be a cause of spinal cord compression. Most cases have been reported to occur in either the cervical or thoracolumbar region. We report an unusual case of a 59-year-old man admitted to the rehabilitation service with a recent diagnosis of right cerebrovascular accident with left hemiparesis. The patient had a history of gait disturbance, motor weakness, and bowel/bladder changes. Admission FIM scores were approximately 62 with complete dependence in mobility (ie, transfers) and locomotion. Fluctuating changes in his neurological status were observed; further testing led to an uncommon diagnoses of thoracic radiculomyelopathy caused by calcification of the ligamentum flavum. This diagnosis, although rare, should be considered in the diagnosis of patients suspected to have spinal cord compression.
Triggering Protostellar Collapse, Injection, and Disk Formation

Certain meteoritical inclusions contain evidence for the existence of short-lived radioactivities such as 26A1 and 41Ca at the time of their formation 4.566 billion years ago. Because the half-lives of these nuclides are so short, this evidence requires that no more than about a million years elapsed between their nucleosynthesis and their inclusion in cm-sized solids in the solar nebula. This abbreviated time span can be explained if these nuclides were synthesized in a stellar source such as a supernova, and were then transported across the interstellar medium by the resulting shock wave, which then triggered the gravitational collapse of the presolar molecular cloud core. Detailed 2D and 3D numerical hydrodynamical models are reviewed and show that such a scenario is consistent with the time scale constraint, and with the need to both trigger collapse and to inject shock-wave matter into the collapsing protostellar cloud and onto the protoplanetary disk formed by the collapse.
Fermi pseudopotentials and resonances in arrays

The method of Fermi pseudopotential for the Schodinger equation is generalized to the case of the Maxwell's equations. Infinite, linear, uniform arrays of such pseudopotentials are analyzed, and infinitely narrow resonances are found. A list is given of related problems that are not yet solved but are guaranteed to be solvable.
RAT GP-3 IS A PANCREATIC LIPASE WITH KINETIC PROPERTIES THAT DIFFER FROM COLIPASE-DEPENDENT PANCREATIC LIPASE

The pancreas contains three homologous proteins, colipase-dependent pancreatic lipase (PL) and two recently described pancreatic lipase-related proteins, PLRP1 and PLRP2. Rat (r) PLRP2 was first identified as a zymogen granule membrane protein, GP-3. Subsequently, we showed that rPLRP2 could cleave fatty acids from triglycerides, but the kinetic properties of rPLRP2 have not been further investigated. To further characterize rPLRP2, we expressed the recombinant enzyme in a baculovirus system, purified the secreted protein, and measured its kinetic properties. rPLRP2 had a broad pH optimum and the curve was similar to that of rPL. At pH 7.5, rPLRP2 cleaved short, medium, and long chain triglycerides by a kinetic mechanism that did not include interfacial activation. The activity against these substrates was not affected by bile salts. In particular, rPLRP2 did not show the bile salt inhibition typical of PL. Although colipase increased rPLRP2 activity in the presence of bile salts, the increase was only 2- to 5-fold compared to the absolute requirement for colipase that rPL had under these conditions. Finally, rPLRP2 could hydrolyze phospholipids, a substrate poorly hydrolyzed by PL. Our characterization of rPLRP2 demonstrates clear differences among the kinetic properties of rPLRP2 and rPL, rPLRP2, and PLRP2 homologues isolated from guinea pig and coypu pancreas. These findings have important implications for the physiological function of rPLRP2.
The use of Mobius transformations in neural networks and signal processing

A framework for the use of Mobius transformations in general neural networks (NNs) and signal processing is provided. It is first shown that both a nonlinear activation function of a neuron and a first order all-pass filter section can be considered as Mobius transformations. Further the global input-output relationship in layered NNs is shown to belong to a modular group of compositions of Mobius transformations, whereas cascaded all-pass digital filters are shown to represent the Blaschke product of Mobius transformations. Finally, Routh stability in nonlinear field filters is briefly addressed in this context. For rigour, existence and uniqueness of such an approach is considered.
Rediscovering Community—Reflections After Hurricane Sandy

Hoboken, New Jersey, is a town of 50,000 residents located across the Hudson River from New York City. Most of Hoboken’s infrastructure was compromised during Hurricane Sandy as a result of flooding and power outages that rendered many businesses inoperable, including all of the pharmacies in town. Despite a focus on emergency preparedness since Hurricane Katrina and 9/11, there were no contingencies in place to facilitate and assess the medication needs of the community in the event of a natural disaster. This essay describes how the author rediscovered the meaning of community, and through working with colleagues in other health care disciplines and non–health care volunteers, provided care to patients in suboptimal circumstances.
Effects of modified corn gluten meal on quality characteristics of a model emulsified meat product

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soy protein isolate (SPI), three forms of native corn gluten meal on sensory, color and textural characteristics of an emulsified meat product. The meals included native corn gluten meal (CGM) that had been ph-adjusted from 4.4 to 6.6 and particle size reduced to either ∼38 (MC38) or ∼7 μm (MC7). When judged by a trained sensory panel, all CGM-based substances contributed the same degree of CGM off-odor intensity, but significantly lowered pork odor intensity when compared to SPI-containing products and controls. SPI and all CGM-based substances increased grain-like odor. Visual off-color was apparent in all meat products containing CGM-based substances. Instrumental color evaluation indicated that products containing CGM-based substances were lighter, more yellow colored than control and SPI-containing products. However, sensory denseness, springiness and cohesiveness, and texture profile analyses of meat products were not affected.
Solubilization of hydrocarbons by the dissolved organic matter in sea water

Abstract Water samples from Narragansett Bay and the Providence River, and fulvic acid/ saline water solutions were examined for their ability to solubilize n-alkane (n-C16 and n-C20), isoprenoid (pristane) and aromatic (phenanthrene and anthracene) hydrocarbons and dibutyl phthalate. Removal of the dissolved organic matter (D.O.M.) from the natural samples by activated charcoal and by ultra-violet oxidation resulted in a 50–99 per cent decrease in the amounts of n-alkanes and isoprenoid hydrocarbons solubilized. This decrease was directly related to the amount of D.O.M. removed. The solubilities of the aromatic hydrocarbons were unaffected by the D.O.M. Fulvic acid from a marine sediment, surface active organic material isolated at a chloroform/sea water interface, organic material extracted from a marine sediment by sea water, and organic matter contributed by a municipal sewage effluent, promote n-alkane solubility when added to NaCl solutions and re-enhance solubility when added to organic depleted sea water. The solubility of No. 2 fuel oil increased 2.5 times in the presence of fulvic acid (3.7 mg C/l.) with most of the increase seen in the alkane and isoprenoid components. N-Alkane solubility increases in fulvic acid/saline water solutions with increasing pH and reaches a maximum with respect to ionic strength at I = 0.3. There is evidence to suggest that the mode of solubilization of the hydrocarbons is by incorporation into micelles formed by intermolecular association of the surface active humic-type monomers. The presence of ionic species is a prerequisite for micelle formation.
Comments on: Dynamic priority allocation via restless bandit marginal productivity indices

Nino-Mora’s paper (referred to hereafter as [N-M]) has provided an excellent survey of the state-of-the-art of a class of dynamic resource allocation problems known as the restless bandit model. The paper’s focus is on the indexability structure of the model, namely, under what condition(s) certain priority-index policies are optimal
Intelligence versus academic achievement: a comparison of juvenile delinquents and special education classifications

Many juvenile delinquents are placed in special education programs labeled as emotionally disturbed, mentally retarded, or learning disabled. This study compared the intelligence and academic achievement of the aforementioned classifications in order to determine similarities and differences. The results indicated that the juvenile delinquents were similar to the learning disabled and emotionally disturbed intellectually, and they were similar to the learning disabled and educable mentally retarded academically. In terms of both intelligence and academic achievement combined, juvenile delinquents had the greatest similarity to the learning disabled than either educable mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed. Therefore, teachers of juvenile delinquents should be familiar with the emotional manifestations of learning problems.
Renal response to repeated exposure to endotoxin: Implications for acute kidney injury

Zager and colleagues demonstrate that endotoxin tolerance is accompanied by an augmented inflammatory response in the kidney, the latter also exhibiting cholesterol-dependent cytoresistance. These novel findings are discussed mainly from the perspective of acute kidney injury and its prevention by preconditioning and the elicitation of cytoprotective pathways.
The Development of a Free Surface Capturing Approach for Multidimensional Free Surface Flows in Closed Containers

A new surface-capturing method is developed for numerically simulating viscous free surface flows in partially filled containers. The method is based on the idea that the flow of two immiscible fluids within a closed container is governed by the equations of motion for an incompressible, viscous, nonhomogeneous (variable density) fluid. By computing the flow fields in both the liquid and gas regions in a consistent manner, the free surface can be captured as a discontinuity in the density field, thereby eliminating the need for special free surface tracking procedures. The numerical algorithm is developed using a conservative, implicit, finite volume discretization of the equations of motion. The algorithm incorporates the artificial compressibility method in conjunction with a dual time-stepping strategy to maintain a divergence-free velocity field. A slope-limited, high-order MUSCL scheme is adopted for approximating the inviscid flux terms, while the viscous fluxes are centrally differenced. The capabilities of the surface capturing method are demonstrated by calculating solutions to several two- and three-dimensional problems.
Progress and issues in the implementation of the 1984 out-of-home care protection amendment.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to assess the status of implementation of out-of-home protection programs since 1984 in the U.S. Data was obtained from a survey of state child protection services (CPS) liaisons in summer, 1989. A framework for viewing protection after placement is presented and the development of policy regarding maltreatment in out-of-home care is traced from its roots in the deinstitutionalization movement. Changes in state statutes and rules, results in out-of-home abuse and neglect reporting, how states operationalize “properly constituted authority” and “independent investigation,” the role of licensing in preventing and remediating out-of-home maltreatment, training initiatives and the extent of the use of background checks are reported. A summary evaluation of the status of the implementation of the federal 1984 out-of-home care protection amendments by stage agencies is offered.
Combining qualitative and quantitative sampling, data collection, and analysis techniques in mixed-method studies.

Researchers have increasingly turned to mixed-method techniques to expand the scope and improve the analytic power of their studies. Yet there is still relatively little direction on and much confusion about how to combine qualitative and quantitative techniques. These tech- niques are neither paradigm- nor method-linked; researchers' orientations to inquiry and their methodological commitments will influence how they use them. Examples of sampling combina- tions include criterion sampling from instrument scores, random purposeful sampling, and strat- ified purposeful sampling. Examples of data collection combinations include the use of instru- ments for fuller qualitative description, for validation, as guides for purposeful sampling, and as elicitation devices in interviews. Examples of data analysis combinations include interpretively linking qualitative and quantitative data sets and the transformation processes of qualitizing and quantitizing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs & Health 23:246-255, 2000
Spatial and temporal variation in proportional stock density and relative weight of smallmouth bass in a reservoir

Abstract Population data for smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieui in 20,235 ha John Day Reservoir on the Columbia River were used to (1) determine whether Proportional Stock Density (PSD) and Relative Weight (Wr) varied spatially and temporally in two areas of the reservoir with established smallmouth bass fisheries; (2) explore possible causes of any observed variation; and (3) discuss some management implications and recommendations. Both PSD and Wr varied spatially and monthly in all years examined. On an annual basis, PSD varied at one area but not at the other, whereas Wr showed little variation. Possible explanations for the variation in PSD and Wr are differences in growth, mortality, recruitment, and exploitation. Our data suggested that regulations established or changed on a reservoir-wide basis may have different effects on the fishery, depending on location in the reservoir. Also, pooling data from various areas within a reservoir to yield point estimates of structural indices may not represe...
Interleukin-2 and Inflammation Induce Distinct Transcriptional Programs that Promote the Differentiation of Effector Cytolytic T Cells

Interleukin(IL)-2 and inflammation regulate effector and memory cytolytic T-lymphocyte (CTL) generation during infection. We demonstrate a complex interplay between IL-2 and inflammatory signals during CTL differentiation. IL-2 stimulation induced the transcription factor eomesodermin (Eomes), upregulated perforin (Prf1) transcription, and repressed re-expression of memory CTL markers Bcl6 and IL-7Ralpha. Binding of Eomes and STAT5 to Prf1 cis-regulatory regions correlated with transcriptional initiation (increased recruitment of RNA polymerase II to the Prf1 promoter). Inflammation (CpG, IL-12) enhanced expression of IL-2Ralpha and the transcription factor T-bet, but countered late Eomes and perforin induction while preventing IL-7Ralpha repression by IL-2. After infection of mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, IL-2Ralpha-deficient effector CD8(+) T cells expressed more Bcl6 but less perforin and granzyme B, formed fewer KLRG-1(+) and T-bet-expressing CTL, and killed poorly. Thus, inflammation influences both effector and memory CTL differentiation, whereas persistent IL-2 stimulation promotes effector at the expense of memory CTL development.
Acute Coronary Syndromes and Women: There are Differences

Coronary heart disease is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and under-researched in women, and the body of evidence points towards three explanations: sex-based physiology, provider bias, and psychosocial influences. This article examines each of these possible reasons for the gender differences in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Fortunately, as research evolves more is being learned about gender-specific aspects of care.
United atom force field for phospholipid membranes: Constant pressure molecular dynamics simulation of dipalmitoylphosphatidicholine/water system

We refined the united atom field for the simulations of phospholipid membranes. To validate this potential we performed 1000-ps constant pressure simulation of a dipalmitoylphosphatidicholine (DPPC) bilayer at T=50° C. The average area per head group (61.6±0.6) A2 obtained in our simulation agrees well with the measured one of (62.9±1.3) A2. The calculated SCD order parameters for the Sn-2 hydrocarbon tail also display a good agreement with the experiment. The conformations of head groups in our simulations of the liquid crystal phase are different than the ones observed in the crystal structure. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20, 531–545, 1999
Mechanism of Electrochemical Reduction of Hydrogen Peroxide on Copper in Acidic Sulfate Solutions

Hydrogen peroxide is a commonly used oxidizer component in chemical mechanical planarization slurries, used in the processing of Cu metallization in microelectronics applications. We studied the electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide on Cu in 0.1 M H2SO4 solutions using methods including cyclic voltammetry, rotating disk electrode experiments, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The spectroscopy reveals that the hydrogen peroxide molecule is reduced at negative potentials to form a Cu−OH surface species in acidic solutions, a result consistent with the insight from Tafel slope measurements. DFT calculations support the instability of peroxide relative to the surface-coordinated hydroxide on both Cu(111) and Cu(100) surfaces.
Music during the Occupation: Musical Activity and Composition in Latvia, 1940–45

Scholars of World War II in the Baltic will embrace this 695-page survey of musical life in Latvia under Soviet (1940–1941) and Nazi (1941–1945) occupation. Far too little has been written. Histori...
A finiteness theorem for W-graphs

Abstract A W -graph for a Coxeter group W is a combinatorial structure that encodes a module for the group algebra of W , or more generally, a module for the associated Iwahori–Hecke algebra. Of special interest are the W -graphs that encode the action of the Hecke algebra on its Kazhdan–Lusztig basis, as well as the action on individual cells. In previous work, we isolated a few basic features common to the W -graphs in Kazhdan–Lusztig theory and used these to define the class of “admissible” W -graphs. The main result of this paper resolves one of the basic question about admissible W -graphs: there are only finitely many admissible W -cells (i.e., strongly connected admissible W -graphs) for each finite Coxeter group W . Ultimately, the finiteness depends only on the fact that admissible W -graphs have nonnegative integer edge weights. Indeed, we formulate a much more general finiteness theorem for “cells” in finite-dimensional algebras which in turn is fundamentally a finiteness theorem for nonnegative integer matrices satisfying a polynomial identity.
Final-state screening and chemical shifts in photoelectron spectroscopy.

Photoelectron spectroscopic measurements of core-electron levels in cations of transition-series insulators commonly show satellite features in the vicinity of the main photoelectron peaks. In this paper, the relationship between main lines and adjacent satellites is systematically examined for 3 d-series insulators. The spectral features are interpreted using a relaxation model that allows for the possibility of different final-state screening conditions of the photoinduced hole. Systematic trends are examined by employing atomic calculations and utilizing transition-state theory to calculate electron removal energies for atoms in appropriately simulated chemical environments. It is demonstrated that the main-line and satellite energies are both dependent on the cation charge environment but with different degrees of sensitivity. The consequence is that sensitivity to chemical change can be monitored in the observed main-line to satellite separation. Model predictions are tested by monitoring the dependence of the satellite separations on the cation valence state and on the electronegativity of both cations and ligated anions. Systematic tests are applied to 3 d-series insulators but more general applicability of the relaxation model is also discussed. 93 references, 19 figures, 1 table.
Endogenous thyrotropin and triiodothyronine concentrations in individuals with thyroid cancer.

Background: Thyroid hormone suppression therapy is associated with decreased recurrence rates and improved survival in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Recently higher baseline thyrotro...
Foreign language learning with CMC: forms of online instructional discourse in a hybrid Russian class

Abstract Where the role of instructor discourse has been the focus of much recent research on asynchronous online instruction, the anatomy of effective instructional discourse of foreign language educators has yet to be examined. Indeed, the majority of work in the area of foreign language and telecommunications has concentrated on student–student, student–peer interaction and the power through autonomy these dyads encourage. Little attention has yet been given to specific language strategies used by teachers in online conversations that are instructional in nature. The authors examine the online teaching strategies employed by the teacher of a first-year Russian class that integrated Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) for extended language practice and, in this case, instruction through the teacher’s careful interventions. In some respects, these interventions resemble those of the ideal communicative classroom where authentic, student-centered activities incorporate focus on form. Based on this one case of a foreign language educator actively using this tool to instruct, it would appear that CMC includes the opportunity for both teacher and students to stop the clock, examine the language being used in the online conversation, determine teachable and learnable moments, and respond accordingly.
RAYLEIGH WAVE SCATTERING BY A WEDGE: A BOUNDARY METHOD APPROACH

The solution technique is based on the representation of the plane linear elastodynamic problem by two reduced wave potentials for both, the half-space and the wedge. Following Herrera's theory, appropriate bases of connectivity conditions are adopted for both these regions, which provide a c-complete system of solutions for the problem. Finally, by discretizing the boundary between the half-space and the wedge, as well as the free boundaries of the half-space and the wedge we formally solve the problem in the least-square sense. The resulting formulas, if encoded in a computer program, will yield the amplitudes of the reflected and transmitted surface waves - along the half-space boundary - as well as the amplitude of the newly generated surface wave along the free boundary of the wedge, and scattered fields of the longitudinal and transverse waves in the half-space and the wedge.
Relation of gauge formalisms for pulsations of general-relativistic stellar models.

There have been two recent reformulations of the equations for even-parity perturbations of general-relativistic stellar models, in both of which fluid perturbation variables are absent in the final set of equations. The recent reformulation by Chandrasekhar and Ferrari uses the diagonal coordinate gauge and leads to a fifth-order system of differential equations; we have recently presented a reformulation, based on the Regge-Wheeler coordinate gauge, which leads to a fourth-order system. The difference in the orders is similar to that for perturbations of Schwarzschild and of Reissner-Nordstroem black holes; in both cases the diagonal-gauge formulation led to a system one degree higher than that for equations based on the Regge-Wheeler gauge. For perturbations of holes, however, the equations could be reduced by one degree. We show that this is the case also for the Chandrasekhar-Ferrari equations for stellar perturbations. More important, we show that the extra degree of freedom, in all descriptions based on the diagonal gauge, is due to the fact that the diagonal gauge is an incomplete constraint on coordinates; a one degree of freedom set of gauge transformations can be made within the diagonal gauge. This previously unnoticed degree of freedom is responsible for the extra degree ofmore » freedom in the Chandrasekhar-Ferrari equations, and the related black-hole equations. It also provides an {ital a} {ital priori} solution with which those equations can be reduced.« less
Implementation of simple crafted 90 or 180° pulse shapes in fourier transform NMR spectroscopy

On montre que des formes d'impulsions simples ameliorent la selectivite et la sensibilite et reduisent le chauffage de l'echantillon
CHARGE Syndrome: An Introduction for Speech-Language Pathologists

CHARGE syndrome, identified in 1979 and a gene found in 2004, is a highly variable disorder, making “typical” CHARGE hard to describe. Few children will have all of the characteristic anomalies. Th...
Legal Remedies for Deceptive and Unfair Practices in Franchising

This article examines two major legal problem areas in franchising: deceptive practices in the selling of a franchise and unfair practices in the operation of a franchise system. Legal remedies for these deceptive and unfair practices are examined based on findings from an empirical study among state attorneys general.
Interactive effects of turkeypox virus and Plasmodium hermani on Turkey poults.

Two experiments were conducted to examine the interactive effects of two disease agents of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), turkeypox virus and the malarial organism, Plasmodium hermani, on the health of turkey poults. Groups of domestic broad-breasted white turkey poults of 1 and 10 wk of age were infected with either turkeypox virus, P. hermani, both turkeypox virus and P. hermani, or were maintained as uninfected controls. The strains of turkeypox virus and P. hermani had been isolated from wild turkeys in southern Florida (USA). The goals of these experiments were two-fold and included both an examination of age differences in response to infections, and an examination of the effects of dual versus singular infections with the two agents. Both singular and concomitant infections of turkeypox virus and P. hermani were more detrimental to poults infected at 1 wk of age than to those infected at 10 wk, based on mortality, weight gain, and parasitemia. Dual infections of turkeypox virus and P. hermani ...