cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opinions of Forest Managers, Loggers, and Forest Landowners in North Carolina regarding Biomass Harvesting Guidelines

Woody biomass has been identified as an important renewable energy source capable of offsetting fossil fuel use. The potential environmental impacts associated with using woody biomass for energy have spurred development of biomass harvesting guidelines (BHGs) in some states and proposals for BHGs in others. We examined stakeholder opinions about BHGs through 60 semistructured interviews with key participants in the North Carolina, USA, forest business sector—forest managers, loggers, and forest landowners. Respondents generally opposed requirements for new BHGs because guidelines added to best management practices (BMPs). Most respondents believed North Carolina’s current BMPs have been successful and sufficient in protecting forest health; biomass harvesting is only an additional component to harvesting with little or no modification to conventional harvesting operations; and scientific research does not support claims that biomass harvesting negatively impacts soil, water quality, timber productivity, or wildlife habitat. Some respondents recognized possible benefits from the implementation of BHGs, which included reduced site preparation costs and increases in proactive forest management, soil quality, and wildlife habitat. Some scientific literature suggests that biomass harvests may have adverse site impacts that require amelioration. The results suggest BHGs will need to be better justified for practitioners based on the scientific literature or linked to demand from new profitable uses or subsidies to offset stakeholder perceptions that they create unnecessary costs.
TASK-Like Conductances Are Present within Hippocampal CA1 Stratum Oriens Interneuron Subpopulations

TASK-1 (KCNK3) and TASK-3 (KCNK9) are members of the two-pore domain potassium channel family and form either homomeric or heteromeric open-rectifier (leak) channels. Recent evidence suggests that these channels contribute to the resting potential and input resistance in several neuron types, including hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells. However, the evidence for TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium (TASK)-like conductances in inhibitory interneurons is less clear, and mRNA expression has suggested that TASK channels are expressed in only a subpopulation of interneurons. Here we use immunocytochemistry to demonstrate prominent TASK-3 protein expression in both parvalbumin-positive- and a subpopulation of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)67-positive interneurons. In addition, a TASK-like current (modulated by both pH and bupivacaine) was detected in 30-50% of CA1 stratum oriens interneurons of various morphological classes. In most neurons, basic shifts in pH had a larger effect on the TASK-like current than acidic, suggesting that the current is mediated by TASK-1/TASK-3 heterodimers. These data suggest that TASK-like conductances are more prevalent in inhibitory interneurons than previously supposed.
PREDICTIVE APPLICATION OF AN ORNL GEOHYDROLOGY MODEL

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate the predictive capability of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory finite-element computer model of water flow through aquifers, FEWA. The computer code for FEWA was written by G. T. Yeh and D. D. Huff. The area investigated was the Hialeah-Preston wells in Miami, Florida over the Biscayne aquifer. The field data of May 3, 1977, for the area were used for calibration of the model. The model was then integrated over time until October 4, 1977, using the data on rainfall, infiltration, and pumpage of wells during that period. The predicted potentiometric head for the area compared well with the field data. It may be concluded that substantial confidence in the predictive capability of the model has been established for the site in Florida.
Acousto-optical Characterization of the Viscoelastic Nature of a Nuchal Elastin Tissue Scaffold

A nondestructive, acousto-optical method for characterizing the mechanical loss factor of biological tissues and tissue scaffolds is presented and applied to the characterization of an elastin tissue scaffold derived from bovine nuchal ligament. The method relies on launching guided surface acoustic waves into the tissue scaffold with a small speaker and simultaneously illuminating a small region of the scaffold distant from the speaker with a low-power HeNe laser. The phase lag between the driving acoustic wave and the shift in the backscattered laser speckle pattern is determined as a measure of the mechanical loss factor of the scaffold, tan δ. Measurements of tan δ and elastic modulus were also made by traditional dynamic mechanical loading techniques. Through the central portion of the loading cycle, the elastic modulus of the elastin scaffold was 1.2 × 106 ± 1 × 105 N · m-2 (parallel to fiber orientation). The estimated value of tan δ in the direction parallel to the elastin fibers was 0.03 ± 0.017 ...
Bands between 9–12 μm with total absorption produced by high voltage discharge

Abstract A 2.8 m absorption cell was used for the study of 9 12 μm absorption bands which were produced by high voltage discharge. Two bands were found with total absorption of O 3 and HNO 3 . The HNO 3 production is associated with O 3 .
Meta-analysis: More intensive statin therapy prevents major vascular events

Source Citation Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaboration, Baigent C, Blackwell L, et al. Efficacy and safety of more intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis of data from ...
Extinction of a Free Methanol Droplet in Microgravity

The combustion of isolated, unsupported methanol droplets under microgravity conditions has been studied in the NASA-Lewis 2.2-sec drop tower. The substitution of O2/He mixtures for O2/N2 mixtures results in a substantial increase in the oxygen index required for ignition, the rate of gasification, and the diameter at extinction. As a result, droplets with initial size larger than 1 mm can be produced, deployed, ignited, and burned to extinction, all under microgravity conditions in this facility. A comprehensive time dependent numerical model incorporating detailed multicomponent molecular transport mechanisms and complex elementary chemical kinetics was developed and applied to simulate the entire transient droplet combustion processes (ignition/quasi-steady burning/extinction). Model outputs show good agreement with the experimental measurements, without parameter adjustment. Analysis of modeling results shows that the thermal conductivity of the gas phase under combustion environments increased by a factor of two when the 50-percent O2/50 percent He mixture is used instead of air. The increased thermal conductivity accelerates the heat transfer from the flame front to the droplet surface, resulting in a factor of two increase in the burning rate.
Melt processing and domain morphology of PMMA/HDPE polymer blends prepared from powder precursors

Abstract Powder polymer processing was used to prepare immiscible PMMA/HDPE blends from micrometer sized polymer spheres that were physically mixed prior to compression molding to a fused blended film. This two-stage mixing approach, initially as dry powders and subsequently during compression molding, seeks to minimize the time/temperature/shear to which delicate thermoplastic polymers would otherwise be exposed by conventional extrusion processing. The powder processing route effectively generates fine domain blends (3–10 μm) similar to extruded blends, although some coalescence was present. Conformational effects were observed by FTIR at high wavenumbers, indicating intimate interfacial proximity. The spectral effects are similar to those observed in extruded pellet blends. This powder processing route will be useful for molding delicate thermoplastic polymers found in certain biomaterial, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.
Extracellular Matrix Protein Anosmin Promotes Neural Crest Formation and Regulates FGF, BMP, and WNT Activities

Neural crest cells are a transient stem cell-like population appearing during vertebrate embryonic development. Generation of the cranial neural crest is known to require a balanced combination of FGF and BMP levels. However, it is poorly understood how the functions of such growth factors are controlled in the extracellular space. Anosmin is an extracellular matrix protein implicated in FGF signaling and mutated in Kallmann syndrome. Here, we demonstrate that anosmin is synthesized locally in the cranial neural crest of chicken embryos and is essential for cranial neural crest formation. Anosmin upregulates FGF8 and BMP5 gene expression; it also enhances FGF8 activity while inhibiting BMP5 and WNT3a signaling. Taken together, our data establish that the matrix protein anosmin is required for cranial neural crest formation, with functional modulation of FGF, BMP, and WNT.
MR-PET image coregistration for quantitation of striatal dopamine D2 receptors.

Our goal was to assess the utility of MR-PET image coregistration to quantify dopamine D{sub 2} receptors in striatum. Twenty-nine normal subjects were investigated with PET and [{sup 11}C]raclopride and with MRI. D{sub 2} receptors were quantified using the ratio of the distribution volume in striatum to that in cerebellum. Measures obtained using regions selected directly from the PET images were compared with those obtained from MR images and then projected to coregistered PET images. There were no differences between measures selected from the PET images (3.9 {+-} 0.5) and those from the MR images (3.9 {+-} 0.65). The values for these two measures were significantly correlated and corresponded to r = 0.9, P < 0.0001. Regions of interest selected directly from PET images, where there is a large contrast between the region of interest and background, as for the case of dopamine D{sub 2} ligands, are almost identical to those obtained from coregistered MR images. 24 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Tumor lipids: structural analyses of the phospholipids.

Abstract The distribution of fatty acids esterified at the 1- and 2-positions of phosphatidyl serine (PS), phosphatidyl inositol (PI), and diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG), and the fatty acid composition of sphingomyelins and ceramides isolated from Ehrlich ascites cells were determined. Diglycerides derived from PS, PI, and DPG by phospholipase C hydrolysis were also analyzed intact as acetate derivatives. Alkyl and alk-1-enyl glyceryl ethers were absent from PS, PI, and DPG, or present in only trace amounts. Predominately stearic acid was esterified at the 1-position of PS and PI. Stearic, 18:1, and 18:2 acids accounted for 34, 25, and 25% of the acids esterified at the 2-position of PS, whereas two-thirds of the 2-position acids of PI was 20:4. Both the 1- and 2-positions of DPG were dominated by 18:2 acid. More than 75% of the DPG was resistant to phospholipase C hydrolysis. The distribution of diglyceride species was different for each phosphatide. Sphingomyelin and ceramide fatty acids obtained from this neoplasm contained 9% of a C24 dienoic acid, which is absent from sphingomyelin of normal tissue, or present in only trace amounts. The acid was identified as Δ15, Δ18-tetracosadienoic acid.
Epidemiologic Studies and the Media: The Challenge of Communicating Women's Health Risks

Abstract A basic understanding of epidemiologic methods and terms will enhance the ability of the media to interpret study findings and communicate health risks.
On joint maximum-likelihood estimation of PCR efficiency and initial amount of target

We consider the problem of estimating unknown parameters of the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) from noisy observations. The joint ML estimator of the RT-PCR efficiency and the initial number of DNA target molecules is derived. The mean-square error performance of the estimator is studied via simulations. The simulation results indicate that the proposed estimator significantly outperforms a competing technique.
Molecular and Nonmolecular Diagnostic Methods for Invasive Fungal Infections

Invasive fungal infections constitute a serious threat to an ever-growing population of immunocompromised individuals and other individuals at risk. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as histopathology and culture, which are still considered the gold standards, have low sensitivity, which underscores the need for the development of new means of detecting fungal infectious agents. Indeed, novel serologic and molecular techniques have been developed and are currently under clinical evaluation. Tests like the galactomannan antigen test for aspergillosis and the β-glucan test for invasive Candida spp. and molds, as well as other antigen and antibody tests, for Cryptococcus spp., Pneumocystis spp., and dimorphic fungi, have already been established as important diagnostic approaches and are implemented in routine clinical practice. On the other hand, PCR and other molecular approaches, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), have proved promising in clinical trials but still need to undergo standardization before their clinical use can become widespread. The purpose of this review is to highlight the different diagnostic approaches that are currently utilized or under development for invasive fungal infections and to identify their performance characteristics and the challenges associated with their use.
Potential nitrogen immobilization in grassland soils across a soil organic matter gradient

Nitrogen additions to grasslands have increased historically and are likely to continue increasing given the current and projected land use patterns, urbanization and fossil fuel use. Nitrogen retention in both grassland and forest soils is often limited by organic substrate availability, but few studies have explicitly tested the relationship between soil carbon content and nitrogen retention. We initiated a laboratory study to directly assess the influence of soil organic matter content on potential nitrogen immobilization and turnover for soils collected from across a temperature gradient in the Great Plains region of the U.S. We measured soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and carbon‐nitrogen ratios and estimated carbon mineralization and net nitrogen mineralization over 5- and 30-day laboratory incubations. We used the 15 N pool dilution assay to estimate gross nitrogen immobilization and nitrogen turnover for 5 day laboratory incubations. Soil organic carbon concentration and soil carbon‐ nitrogen ratios were negatively correlated with mean annual temperature in a linear regression model that accounted for 46‐ 56% of the variability, respectively. Regional patterns in soil organic carbon content and small scale variability in substrate availability imposed by discontinuous plant cover together strongly influenced potential nitrogen immobilization. Potential carbon mineralization and nitrogen immobilization increased with increasing soil organic matter content. Soil organic carbon content accounted for 58% of the variation in potential rates of N immobilization. A strong correlation between nitrogen immobilization and carbon mineralization further suggests that rapid stabilization of nitrogen is facilitated by an active microbial community and the availability of a readily mineralizable organic substrate. 7 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Clinical Instructors' Perceptions of Behaviors That Comprise Entry-Level Clinical Performance in Physical Therapist Students: A Qualitative Study

Background and Purpose The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore clinical instructors’ (CIs) perceptions of students’ behaviors that comprise entry-level clinical performance, as well as how those perceptions were integrated into their decision making. Subjects The participants were 21 physical therapists who were CIs for physical therapist students. Methods Using a grounded theory approach, we conducted interviews, asking the question, “What is it about students’ performance that makes you see them as entry-level therapists?” We determined common themes among the interviews and developed a schema to explain the decision-making process. Results Participants identified 7 attributes that, when demonstrated to a sufficient degree, illustrated to them students’ ability to practice at the entry level. Those attributes were knowledge, clinical skills, safety, clinical decision making, self-directed learning, interpersonal communication, and professional demeanor. Participants viewed these attributes in concert to form a subjective “gut feeling” that a student demonstrated entry-level performance. A final theme emerged suggesting a definition of entry-level performance as “mentored independence.” Discussion and Conclusions Participants reported evaluating students’ performance based on attributes similar to those suggested by the American Physical Therapy Association's Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument and previous research. However, subjectivity also was involved in their decision about whether students were able to practice at the entry level. Participants also concluded that entry-level students need not be independent in all clinical situations.
Toxicity of Hydroxyurea in Rats and Dogs

The toxicity of hydroxyurea, a treatment for specific neoplasms, sickle-cell disease, polycythemia, and thrombocytosis that kills cells in mitosis, was assessed in repeat-dose, oral gavage studies in rats and dogs and a cardiovascular study in telemetered dogs. Hydroxyurea produced hematopoietic, lymphoid, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal toxicity with steep dose response curves. In rats dosed for 10 days, 50 mg/kg/day was tolerated; 500 mg/kg/day produced decreased body weight gain; decreased circulating leukocytes, erythrocytes, and platelets; decreased cellularity of thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow; and epithelial degeneration and/or dysplasia of the stomach and small intestine; 1,500 mg/kg/day resulted in deaths on day 5. In dogs, a single dose at ≥ 250 mg/kg caused prostration leading to unscheduled euthanasia. Dogs administered 50 mg/kg/day for 1 month had decreased circulating leukocytes, erythrocytes, and platelets; increased bone marrow cellularity with decreased maturing granulocytes; increased creatinine kinase activity; and increased iron pigment in bone marrow and hepatic sinusoidal cells. In telemetered dogs, doses ≥ 15 mg/kg decreased systolic blood pressure (BP); 50 mg/kg increased diastolic BP, heart rate, and change in blood pressure over time (+dP/dt), and decreased QT and PR intervals and maximum left ventricular systolic and end diastolic pressures with measures returning to control levels within 24 hr.
Surgical Management of Multi-Organ Visceral Tumors In Patients With Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: A Single Stage Approach

ABSTRACTPurpose: We assessed surgical feasibility of a 1-stage multi-organ approach for multiple visceral tumors in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease.Materials and Methods: A total of 14 men and 15 women with von Hippel-Lindau disease underwent simultaneous multi-organ surgery for multiple adrenal, renal and pancreatic tumors at the National Cancer Institute between 1988 and 2001. Perioperative and followup data were analyzed retrospectively. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis.Results: Surgery involving 2 or more organs (mean 2.4 procedures per patient, range 2 to 4) was performed in all patients and concurrent pancreatic operations were performed in 12 (41%). Overall a combined 71 procedures, were performed including 4 cases (13%) treated laparoscopically. Mean ± SD operative time and estimated blood loss were 464 ± 142 minutes (range 206 to 830) and 2,798 ± 4,285 cc (300 to 20,000), respectively. In 16 patients (55%) blood transfusion was administered intraoperatively. At a ...
Effect of Trovafloxacin on Production of Cytokines by Human Monocytes

Antibiotics have previously been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. We examined the effect of the broad-spectrum fluoroquinoline antibiotic trovafloxacin on cytokine synthesis by monocytes obtained from healthy human volunteers and stimulated with either lipopolysaccharide or gram-positive cells (heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus [Pansorbin]). Trovafloxacin levels achievable in humans suppressed in vitro synthesis of each of the cytokines analyzed, viz., interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. This effect was not due to direct effects of the drug on cellular viability; at these concentrations, trovafloxacin did not have demonstrable cytotoxicity for the monocytes, as determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Although similar patterns of suppression of cytokine synthesis were observed in samples obtained from the same volunteers on different days, there were significant day-to-day variations. These results reveal that trovafloxacin possesses significant immunomodulatory activity in vitro and suggest that suppression of acute-phase inflammatory responses may occur in vivo, elicited through trovafloxacin’s effect on cytokine synthesis by human monocytes.
Social Network Dynamics in a Massive Online Game: Network Turnover, Non-densification, and Team Engagement in Halo Reach

Online multiplayer games are a popular form of social interaction, used by hundreds of millions of individuals. However, little is known about the social networks within these online games, or how they evolve over time. Understanding human social dynamics within massive online games can shed new light on social interactions in general and inform the development of more engaging systems. Here, we study a novel, large friendship network, inferred from nearly 18 billion social interactions over 44 weeks between 17 million individuals in the popular online game Halo:Reach. This network is one of the largest, most detailed temporal interaction networks studied to date, and provides a novel perspective on the dynamics of online friendship networks, as opposed to mere interaction graphs. Initially, this network exhibits strong structural turnover and decays rapidly from a peak size. In the following period, however, both network size and turnover stabilize, producing a dynamic structural equilibrium. In contrast to other studies, we nd that the Halo friendship network is non-densifying: both the mean degree and the average pairwise distance are stable, suggesting that densication cannot occur when maintaining friendships is costly. Finally, players with greater long-term engagement exhibit stronger local clustering, suggesting a group-level social engagement process. These results demonstrate the utility of online games for studying social networks, shed new light on empirical temporal graph patterns, and clarify the claims of universality of network densication.
Role of RelA of Streptococcus mutans in Global Control of Gene Expression

The production of (p)ppGpp by Streptococcus mutans UA159 is catalyzed by three gene products: RelA, RelP, and RelQ. Here, we investigate the role of the RelA (Rel) homologue of S. mutans in the stringent response and in the global control of gene expression. RelA of S. mutans was shown to synthesize pppGpp in vitro from GTP and ATP in the absence of added ribosomes, as well as in vivo in an Escherichia coli relA-spoT mutant. Mupirocin (MUP) was shown to induce high levels of (p)ppGpp production in S. mutans in a relA-dependent manner, with a concomitant reduction in GTP pools. Transcription profiling after MUP treatment of S. mutans revealed that 104 genes were upregulated and 130 were downregulated (P < or = 0.001); mainly, genes for macromolecular biosynthesis, translation, and energy metabolism were downregulated. When a derivative of UA159 carrying a complete deletion of the relA gene was treated with MUP, 72 genes were upregulated and 52 were downregulated (P < or = 0.001). The expression of 50 genes (P < or = 0.001) was commonly affected by MUP treatment in the two strains, suggesting that S. mutans can mount a relA-independent response to MUP. Consistent with the gene expression profiling, RelA was shown to play major roles in the regulation of phenotypic traits that are required for establishment, persistence, and virulence expression by this oral pathogen. Thus, RelA is the major (p)ppGpp synthase controlling the stringent response in S. mutans, and it coordinates the expression of genes and phenotypes that contribute to the pathogenic potential of the organism.
Early-Onset Alopecia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Cohort Study

A recent meta-analysis of 7 genome-wide association studies on early balding (alopecia) revealed single nucleotide polymorphism variants in the region of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) gene TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP/TDP-43). We therefore explored the association of early-onset alopecia and ALS in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, a large cohort of 51,529 US men. In 1992, the participants (then aged 46-81 years) were asked to report their hair line pattern at age 45 years. During the follow-up period (1992-2008), 42 men were diagnosed with ALS. Of those, 13 had reported no alopecia, 18 had reported moderate alopecia, and 11 had reported extensive alopecia at age 45 years. Those who reported extensive alopecia had an almost 3-fold increased risk of ALS compared with those who reported no alopecia (relative risk = 2.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 6.13). Furthermore, we observed a linear trend of increased risk of ALS with increasing level of balding at age 45 years (Ptrend = 0.02). In conclusion, men with early-onset alopecia seem to have a higher risk of ALS. The mechanisms underlying this association deserve further investigation.
Update from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of medical and public health experts, meets 3 times per year to develop recommendations for vaccine use in the United States. The group has 15 voting members, and each member's term is 4 years. ACIP members and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff discuss the epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccine research, effectiveness, safety data, and clinical trial results. Representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics (J. D. C. and D. W. K.) and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (S. T. O.) are present as liaisons to the ACIP. The ACIP met on June 20 and 21, 2018, to discuss influenza vaccine effectiveness and safety, anthrax vaccination in the setting of a mass exposure, human papillomavirus vaccine, mumps vaccine, Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and pneumococcal vaccination among adults.
Stealth Democracy: Americans' Beliefs About How Government Should Work

Part I. The Benefits of Studying the Processes People Want: 1. Policy space and American politics 2. Process space: an introduction 3. Using process space to explain features of American politics Part II. The Processes People Want: 4. Attitudes toward specific processes 5. Public assessments of people and politicians 6. Americans' desire for stealth democracy Part III. Should People Be Given the Processes They Want?: 7. Popular deliberation and group involvement in theory 8. The realities of popular deliberation and group involvement 9. Improving government and people's attitudes toward it.
Applying knowledge-anchored hypothesis discovery methods to advance clinical and translational research: the OAMiner project

The conduct of clinical and translational research regularly involves the use of a variety of heterogeneous and large-scale data resources. Scalable methods for the integrative analysis of such resources, particularly when attempting to leverage computable domain knowledge in order to generate actionable hypotheses in a high-throughput manner, remain an open area of research. In this report, we describe both a generalizable design pattern for such integrative knowledge-anchored hypothesis discovery operations and our experience in applying that design pattern in the experimental context of a set of driving research questions related to the publicly available Osteoarthritis Initiative data repository. We believe that this ‘test bed’ project and the lessons learned during its execution are both generalizable and representative of common clinical and translational research paradigms.
Occurrence of QoI Fungicide Resistance in Cercospora sojina from Mississippi Soybean

Frogeye leaf spot, caused by Cercospora sojina Hara, is a foliar disease affecting soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), often managed by applications of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. In 2013 and 2014, 634 C. sojina monoconidial isolates were collected from soybean fields throughout Mississippi. Initially, in vitro bioassays were performed to evaluate the sensitivity of 14 of 634 isolates plus a baseline. Resistant and sensitive isolates were characterized by determining the effective fungicide concentrations at which 50% of conidial germination was inhibited (EC50). The molecular mechanism of resistance was determined for all 634 isolates, using a PCR-RFLP method and comparing nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene. The state of Mississippi was divided into five distinct geographical regions (the Hills, Delta, Pines, Capital, and Coast) based on estimates of total soybean hectares. The greatest proportion (16.7%) of QoI-sensitive isolates was collected in the Hills while the Coast had no...
Gas phase and catalytic ignition of methane and ethane in air over platinum

The ignition of gas phase combustion by a heated catalytically active surface involves dynamic coupling of transport processes and chemical kinetics. Researchers have observed that surfaces with high catalytic activity require higher surface temperatures to ignite gas phase combustion, compared to nonactive surfaces, and that this difference is greatest for a stoichiometric mixture. In this work an analysis of the ignition of surface-catalyzed oxidation is developed along with an experimental technique for independently monitoring both surface and gas phase ignition such that the dynamics of these two events can be decoupled. Experiments suggest that the sharp maximum in surface temperature required for gas phase ignition observed in previous work is an artifact caused by transient heating of the surface as ignition occurs. Analysis of surface ignition was also used to investigate the kinetics of methane and ethane oxidation on platinum.
Evaluation of guarded high-resistance Hamon transfer standards

An improved design for a guarded transfer standard in the resistance range 1 M/spl Omega/ to 100 G/spl Omega/ is described. Existing transfer standards and their limitations are reviewed along with a description of guard circuit theory. Measurements made to evaluate the effectiveness of guard networks are described and results are reported that verify the guard circuit behaviour. Guarded transfer standards have been tested with internal and external guard networks showing the benefits of guarding transfer standards for high-resistance measurements. Interchangeable guard networks are used in the improved transfer standards to ensure complete guarding during all phases of the measurement process thus reducing errors caused by leakages to ground. These improved transfer standards have been developed to support National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) calibration services over the range 10 M/spl Omega/ to 1 T/spl Omega/ and to support extension of the calibration service to 10 T/spl Omega/ and 100 T/spl Omega/.
Membrane assembly in Escherichia coli. II. Segregation of preformed and newly formed membrane proteins into cells and minicells.

Abstract Cells of a minicell producing strain of Escherichia coli were freed of minicells and innoculated into fresh medium for further growth. The protein composition of the minicell membranes formed during periods of further growth reflected that of the total cellular membrane proteins, rather than being representative of the membrane proteins formed during the period of production of the minicells. These data, when viewed together with published observations on minicell morphogenesis, do not support models of membrane assembly where the membrane protein matrix grows preferentially either at the poles or at the equitorial perimeter of this organism with conservation of structure of preformed and newly formed membrane.
Grading of Bone Tumors

The modern clinicopathologic study of osseous neoplasms, both benign and malignant, emphasizes a variety of biologic techniques, among which, grading of tumors, DNA-related analyses encompassing cytogenetics, flow cytometric methods, cell kinetics, and restriction enzyme endonuclease mapping are the most prominently mentioned. These biologic methods have been found to be, individually or in combination with each other, useful in predicting prognosis in bone and soft tissue neoplasms.
Abstract 2657: Diagnostic Accuracy of Electrocardiographic Criteria for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: Comparison With Computed Tomography

Introduction: Several electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) exist. However, none of these criteria has been validated against cardiac CT, which provides accurate and reproducible assessment of left ventricular mass (LVM). The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different LVH ECG criteria using cardiac CT as the gold standard. Methods: We included 353 consecutive patients (mean age 55±12 years, 48% females) who underwent coronary CT angiography for various clinical reasons. LVH on CT was defined as LVM index (LVMI) >103 gm/m2 for men and >89gm/m2 for women. ECGs were interpreted by physicians blinded to the LVMI. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and receiver operating curves were calculated for the following LVH ECG criteria using LVMI by CT as the gold standard: Sokolow-Lyon voltage, RaVL, Cornell gender-specific voltage, and Cornell product. Results: A total of 28 patients (7.9%) had LVH by CT and 57 patients (16.1%) had LVH by any ECG criteria. Patients with LVH were older with higher prevalence of hypertension. All ECG criteria had similarly low sensitivity and PPV for the diagnosis of LVH, but high specificity and NPV. The Cornell and aVL criteria are the most sensitive criteria while the Cornell product criterion is the most specific. The false positive and false negative rates range from 6.3% to 7.1% and from 77.8%– 82.4% respectively. Conclusion: Using cardiac CT as the gold standard, ECG criteria for diagnosing LVH are very specific, but all have poor sensitivity. The absence of LVH by ECG provides little reassurance of a normal left ventricular mass by cardiac CT.
Cost-effective regression testing through Adaptive Test Prioritization strategies

We propose two new ATP (Adaptive Test Prioritization) strategies.We conduct an empirical study investigating existing and new ATP strategies.We provide a statistical analysis examining all ATP strategies proposed.Our findings show that FESART is the most consistent cost-effective ATP strategy. Regression testing is an important part of the software development life cycle. It is also very expensive. Many different techniques have been proposed for reducing the cost of regression testing. However, research has shown that the effectiveness of different techniques varies under different testing environments and software change characteristics. In prior work, we developed strategies to investigate ways of choosing the most cost-effective regression testing technique for a particular regression testing session. In this work, we empirically study the existing strategies presented in prior work as well as develop two additional Adaptive Test Prioritization (ATP) strategies using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and the weighted sum model (WSM). We also provide a comparative study examining each of the ATP strategies presented to date. This research will provide researchers and practitioners with strategies to utilize in regression testing plans as well as provide data to use when deciding which of the strategies would best fit their testing needs. The empirical studies provided in this research show that utilizing these strategies can improve the cost-effectiveness of regression testing.
White Sale: Judicial Campaigning in the Post-Republican Party of Minnesota v. White Era

Many have worried about recent changes in judicial campaigns in terms of increased costs and acrimonious rhetoric. Some scholars have concerns that the Supreme Court’s Republican Party of Minnesota v. White further changed the nature of judicial campaigns, allowing candidates to take positions on controversial legal issues and engage in negative campaigning. In this paper, we investigate the effects of White by utilizing the varying state interpretations of White in conjunction with a mail survey of lower court judicial candidates across six states. We find that only a small minority of judges take positions on politically-charged issues or engage in negative campaigning. Most lower court judicial candidates campaign on traditional themes and issues, like experience or qualifications or court administration issues. Moreover, we find no evidence to suggest White has had any effect on the tone or content of judicial rhetoric for lower court races.
Impact of remotely sensed albedo and vegetation fraction on simulation of urban climate in WRF-urban canopy model: A case study of the urban heat island in Los Angeles

Modeling the climate of urban areas is of interest for studying urban heat islands (UHIs). Reliable assessment of the primary causes of UHIs and the efficacy of various heat mitigation strategies requires accurate prediction of urban temperatures and realistic representation of land surface physical characteristics in models. In this study, we expand the capabilities of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model by implementing high-resolution, real-time satellite observations of green vegetation fraction (GVF) and albedo. Satellite-based GVF and albedo replace constant values that are assumed for urban pixels in the default version of WRF. Simulations of urban meteorology in Los Angeles using the improved model show marked improvements relative to the default model. The largest improvements are for nocturnal air temperatures, with a reduction in root-mean-square deviation between simulations and observations from 3.8 to 1.9°C. Utilizing the improved model, we quantify relationships between surface and 2 m air temperatures versus urban fraction, GVF, albedo, distance from the ocean, and elevation. Distance from the ocean is found to be the main contributor to variations in temperatures around Los Angeles. After conditionally sampling pixels to minimize the influence of distance from the ocean and elevation, we find that variations in GVF and urban fraction are responsible for up to 58 and 27% of the variance in temperatures. The satellite-supported meteorological modeling framework reported here can be used for studying UHIs in other cities and can serve as a foundation for testing the efficacy of various heat mitigation strategies.
Relevance of the quality of partner relationships and maternal health to early child wellness.

Objective To examine the relationship between child health and maternal relationship quality with a spouse/partner, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and social support. Methods In a cross-sectional study, structured interviews were completed with 595 mothers in 2002. Women were recruited from a random sample of households in low-income communities of Teresina, Piaui. Child health status was assessed with the Eisen Infant Health Rating Scale and a composite index of child fever, worms, or diarrhea in the past 2 weeks. Exposure variables included maternal relationship quality, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and social support. Analyses included multivariable linear and logistic regression modeling, controlling for sociodemographics. Results Both a high-quality partner relationship and good/excellent maternal self-rated health were significantly associated with higher scores on the Eisen Infant Health Rating Scale (â = 0.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.3-1.4 and β = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.7-1.6, respectively). Every 5-point increase in depressive symptoms was negatively associated with infant health scores (β = -0.3; 95% CI: -0.4 to -0.1) and with recent child wellness (lack of fever, diarrhea, or worms) (odds ratio = 0.9 95%; CI: 0.8-1.0). Conclusion Maternal factors, such as partner relationship quality and health status, may be important to child health and should be considered for inclusion in confirmatory longitudinal studies.
Oxidatively induced DNA damage and its repair in cancer

Oxidatively induced DNA damage is caused in living organisms by endogenous and exogenous reactive species. DNA lesions resulting from this type of damage are mutagenic and cytotoxic and, if not repaired, can cause genetic instability that may lead to disease processes including carcinogenesis. Living organisms possess DNA repair mechanisms that include a variety of pathways to repair multiple DNA lesions. Mutations and polymorphisms also occur in DNA repair genes adversely affecting DNA repair systems. Cancer tissues overexpress DNA repair proteins and thus develop greater DNA repair capacity than normal tissues. Increased DNA repair in tumors that removes DNA lesions before they become toxic is a major mechanism for development of resistance to therapy, affecting patient survival. Accumulated evidence suggests that DNA repair capacity may be a predictive biomarker for patient response to therapy. Thus, knowledge of DNA protein expressions in normal and cancerous tissues may help predict and guide development of treatments and yield the best therapeutic response. DNA repair proteins constitute targets for inhibitors to overcome the resistance of tumors to therapy. Inhibitors of DNA repair for combination therapy or as single agents for monotherapy may help selectively kill tumors, potentially leading to personalized therapy. Numerous inhibitors have been developed and are being tested in clinical trials. The efficacy of some inhibitors in therapy has been demonstrated in patients. Further development of inhibitors of DNA repair proteins is globally underway to help eradicate cancer.
Written Statement Before the Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade of the House Financial Services Committee, Hearing Titled 'Dodd-Frank Five Years Later: What Have We Learned from Conflict Minerals Reporting?'

This is the written testimony I submitted to the House Financial Services Committee for its subcommittee hearing on Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank (the “Conflict Minerals Rule”). It summarizes the key findings of my empirical study of corporate compliance with the Conflict Minerals Rule, and presents policy recommendations stemming therefrom. The full study, The Conflict Minerals Experiment, 6 Harvard Business Law Review (2015 Forthcoming), is posted to SSRN at http://ssrn.com/abstract=2548267.
Crystal structure of 1,2-di-benzoyl-ace-naphthyl-ene.

The title mol-ecule, C26H16O2, crystallizes as a mol-ecular crystal with no strong inter-molecular inter-actions (the shortest C-H⋯O contact is longer than 3.4 A). Two flat ace-naphthyl-ene groups of neigboring 1,2-di-benzoyl-ace-naphthyl-ene mol-ecules are related by a crystallographic center of symmetry and are stacked with the distance between their mean planes of 3.37 (1) A, apparently making an optimal close packing for these bulky aromatic moieties. Both carbonyl groups are oriented towards the same side of the planar ace-naphthyl-ene. The angles between the flat ace-naphthyl-ene group and the benzoyl groups are 62.6 (1) and 57.8 (1)°. Because rotation of the benzoyl groups is sterically hindered, we expect that the mol-ecules will remain locked in this 'pseudo-cis' orientation in solution. As a result, reduction of 1,2-di-benzoyl-ace-naphthyl-ene at low temperature with sodium di-thio-nite yields the cis-isomer of 1,2-dibenzoyl-1,2-di-hydro-ace-naphthyl-ene, which is sterically favorable. This isomer is thermodynamically less favorable than the trans isomer, but it converts to the more stable isomer only on long-term heating (Greenberg & Schenendorf (1980 ▸).
Research on TA Phase Characteristics under Non-periodic Component Situation

The non-periodic components of current signal in actual power grid can affect the phase transform characteristic of TA.According to the phase characteristic of TA under non-periodic components,the paper analyzes the TA's phase characteristic on the basis of the nonlinear time domain equivalent circuit model;at the same time,it builds the model of TA's phase characteristic model,and also makes use of the software of PSCAD/EMTDC to simulate the characteristic and get the TA's phase characteristic.The simulation result reveals that if there is large non-periodic component in grid,the TA will be transient saturated and the output current will be distortion,the transform phase error increases,which will affect the result of relay protection and electric energy measurement.
Effect of C3b Inactivator on Monocyte-bound C3-coated Human Erythrocytes

As a model of IgM-induced hemolytic anemia in man, human erythrocytes were sensitized with IgM antibody and coated with complement components, including C3 and C4, using human serum as a source of complement. These coated red cells were then interacted with monolayers of human mononuclear phagocytic cells (monocytes). Complement-coated red cells so bound could be displaced from their monocyte attachment site in a dose- and time-dependent manner by serum factors, including C3b inactivator (C3bINA). These factors were more efficient in inactivating red cell-bound complement components prior to interaction of the coated cells with monocytes. With large amounts of complement per erythrocyte, measured as membrane-bound C3, the ability of the serum inactivating factor(s) to remove the complement-coated red cells from the monocyte surface was compromised and persistently bound red cells were progressively phagocytosed. These studies implicate C3bINA in the displacement of complement-coated erythrocytes, formed from the interaction of IgM antibody and serum complement, from the hepatic macrophage in IgM-induced immune hemolysis. They suggest that both the concentration of complement components, especially on the erythrocyte surface, and the level of C3bINA and perhaps other inactivators may be important features regulating hemolysis in this disorder.