cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling three-dimensional surface-to-surface rigid contact and impact

This work presents a rigid body framework for analyzing three-dimensional surface contacts and impacts as a simultaneous multi-point impact problem with friction. A method is developed to address the indeterminacy issue typically associated with multi-point contact and impact analysis. This is accomplished using the constraints on impulses and contact forces defined by the Coulomb friction law and rigid body constraints. The proposed approach relies on a global interpretation of Stronge’s energetic coefficient of restitution (ECOR) to maintain energetic consistency. A key aspect of this work involves addressing the three-dimensionality of this problem, which requires a numerical integration in the impulse domain to address the slip/no-slip behavior in the tangential plane of the impact. This work also models the transition to contact after a series of impacts, and proposes a method for enforcing frictional contact constraints. Several examples of simulation results using the proposed method are presented here.
Evaluating the early impact of Medicaid expansion on trends in diagnosis and treatment of benign gallbladder disease in Kentucky.

Abstract Background In January 2014, Kentucky expanded Medicaid coverage in an effort to improve access to healthcare. This study evaluated the early impact of Medicaid expansion on diagnosis and treatment of benign gallbladder disease in Kentucky. Methods Administrative claims data were queried for patients undergoing cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder disease between 2011 and 2015. Demographic, procedure, and outcome variables from 2011 to 2013 (PRE) and 2014–2015 (POST) were compared. Results After Medicaid expansion, patients were more likely to have their operation performed as an outpatient (80.0% vs. 78.2%, p Conclusions The expansion of Kentucky Medicaid in 2014 has been associated with an increase in outpatient cholecystectomy, shorter hospital stays for inpatients, and increased hospital charges for both inpatients and outpatients. Increased charges for all procedures may represent a mechanism for hospitals to offset the cost of providing global care for more patients.
Weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy in developmentally delayed adolescents and young adults.

Abstract Background Adolescent obesity is a significant factor in caring for patients with developmental delay (DD). Sleeve gastrectomy provides durable weight loss for teens with obesity but requires behavioral change that may not occur in patients with DD. Objectives To determine whether patients with DD had similar weight loss and adverse outcomes to patients without a diagnosis of DD after sleeve gastrectomy. Setting Academic children's hospital, United States. Methods Patients with DD undergoing sleeve gastrectomy were matched to adolescents without DD. Chart review was performed to determine etiology and severity of DD, weight, and body mass index (BMI) change in each group at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. One-year emergency department visits, readmissions, and reoperations were reviewed. Results Ten patients with DD and 44 patients without DD underwent sleeve gastrectomy between 2008 and 2017. Six patients with DD (60%) had mild cognitive impairment, 3 patients (30%) had moderate cognitive impairment, and 1 patient (10%) had severe cognitive impairment. Patients were 81.5% female, had a mean age of 17.3 years, and had a preoperative BMI of 48.6 kg/m2. Preoperative BMI was similar in the 2 groups, and percent BMI reduction at 1 year was −29% (95% confidence interval: −35 to −23) and −26% (95% confidence interval: −29 to −23) in groups with and without DD respectively (group by time interaction, P = .27). Conclusion Adolescents with DD experience similar 1-year weight loss and adverse events following sleeve gastrectomy to adolescents without DD. Understanding the long-term outcomes for this population is crucial to ensure appropriate implementation of surgical weight loss programs.
Acetaminophen interference with Nova StatStrip® Glucose Meter: case report with bench top confirmation

Context: Point-of-care glucose meters are an integral part in the assessment of patients with altered mental status. For this reason, glucose meters are checked for interference from commonly encou...
Disease Demons in Mesopotamia and Egypt: Sāmānu as a Case Study

This article gives a brief overview about previous approaches whether the use of the term “demon” is constructive in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. Additionally, the similarities and differences between Egyptian and Mesopotamian representations of disease demons are compared in general, and then the demon Sāmānu/Akhu (ax.w) is analyzed as a case study.
Community Use Of Face Masks And COVID-19: Evidence From A Natural Experiment Of State Mandates In The US.

State policies mandating public or community use of face masks or covers in mitigating the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are hotly contested. This study provides evidence from a natural experiment on the effects of state government mandates for face mask use in public issued by fifteen states plus Washington, D.C., between April 8 and May 15, 2020. The research design is an event study examining changes in the daily county-level COVID-19 growth rates between March 31 and May 22, 2020. Mandating face mask use in public is associated with a decline in the daily COVID-19 growth rate by 0.9, 1.1, 1.4, 1.7, and 2.0 percentage points in 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, and 21 or more days after state face mask orders were signed, respectively. Estimates suggest that as a result of the implementation of these mandates, more than 200,000 COVID-19 cases were averted by May 22, 2020. The findings suggest that requiring face mask use in public could help in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
Comment on “Higher order reentrant post modes in cylindrical cavities” [J. Appl. Phys. 122, 144501 (2017)]

A recent article [McAlister et al., J. Appl. Phys. 122, 144501 (2017)] claims to show the existence of “new” higher order reentrant post modes. Indeed, such modes do exist and are known to scientists and engineers for a very long time as modes of a foreshortened quarter-wave coaxial resonator. It is a textbook problem. In this comment, I briefly review the higher order modes in such cavities and provide relevant references.
Distance degree vector and scalar sequences of corona and lexicographic products of graphs with applications to dynamic NMR and dynamics of nonrigid molecules and proteins

We have developed novel topological techniques to generate distance degree vector sequences (DDS) and distance degree scalar sequences (SS) of corona and lexicographic products of graphs both of which are of chemical and biochemical interest. Query ID="Q1" Text="Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 1 Given name: [Medha Itagi] Last name [Huilgol]. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct." We have obtained exact analytical expressions for such products for a variety of graphs and trees of chemical and biochemical interest. We have also outlined the applications of these graph products and their DDS to dynamic NMR spectroscopy and isomerization/conformational graphs of nonrigid molecules and proteins whose NMR and conformational dynamics graphs are expressible as lexicographic products of smaller graphs.
The Novel and the Problem of New Life

The novel since the nineteenth century has displayed a thorny ambivalence toward the question of having children. In its representation of human vitality it can seem to promote the giving of life, but again and again it betrays a nagging doubt about the moral implications of procreation. The Novel and the Problem of New Life identifies this tension as a defining quality of the modern British and European novel. Beginning with the procreative-skeptical writings of Flaubert, Butler, and Hardy, then turning to the high modernist work of Lawrence, Woolf, and Huxley, and culminating in the postwar fiction of Lessing and others, this book chronicles the history of the novel as it came to accommodate greater misgivings about the morality of reproduction. This is the first study to examine in literature a problem that has long troubled philosophers, environmental thinkers, and so many people in everyday life.
Using response surface models to analyze drug combinations.

Abstract Quantitative evaluation of how drugs combine to elicit a biological response is crucial for drug development. Evaluations of drug combinations are often performed using index-based methods, which are known to be biased and unstable. We examine how these methods can produce misleadingly structured patterns of bias, leading to erroneous judgments of synergy or antagonism. By contrast, response surface models are less prone to these defects and can be applied to a wide range of data that have appeared in recent literature, including the measurement of combination therapeutic windows and the analysis of discrete experimental measures, three-way drug combinations, and atypical response behaviors.
Blueberry Polyphenols do not Improve Bone Mineral Density or Mechanical Properties in Ovariectomized Rats

Osteoporosis-related bone fragility fractures are a major public health concern. Given the potential for adverse side effects of pharmacological treatment, many have sought alternative treatments, including dietary changes. Based on recent evidence that polyphenol-rich foods, like blueberries, increase calcium absorption and bone mineral density (BMD), we hypothesized that blueberry polyphenols would improve bone biomechanical properties. To test this, 5-month-old ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10/gp) were orally gavaged for 90 days with either a purified extract of blueberry polyphenols (0–1000 mg total polyphenols/kg bw/day) or lyophilized blueberries (50 mg total polyphenols/kg bw/day). Upon completion of the dosing regimen, right femur, right tibia, and L1–L4 vertebrae were harvested and assessed for bone mineral density (BMD), with femurs being further analyzed for biomechanical properties via three-point bending. There were no differences in BMD at any of the sites analyzed. For bone mechanical properties, the only statistically significant difference was the high dose group having greater ultimate stress than the medium dose, although in the absence of differences in other measures of bone mechanical properties, we concluded that this result, while statistically significant, had little biological significance. Our results indicate that blueberry polyphenols had little impact on BMD or bone mechanical properties in an animal model of estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss.
Early changes in immune cell count, metabolism, and function following sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective human study.

OBJECTIVE To characterize longitudinal changes in blood biomarkers, leukocyte composition, and gene expression following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). BACKGROUND LSG is an effective treatment for obesity, leading to sustainable weight loss and improvements in obesity-related co-morbidities and inflammatory profiles. However, the effects of LSG on immune function and metabolism remain uncertain. METHODS Prospective data was collected from 23 enrolled human subjects from a single institution. Parameters of weight, co-morbidities, and trends in blood biomarkers and leukocyte subsets were observed from pre-operative baseline to one year in three-month follow-up intervals. RNA-sequencing was performed on pairs of whole blood samples from the first six subjects of the study (baseline and three months post-surgery) to identify genome-wide gene expression changes associated with undergoing LSG. RESULTS LSG led to a significant decrease in mean total body weight loss (18.1%) at three months and among diabetic subjects a reduction in HbA1c. Improvements in clinical inflammatory and hormonal biomarkers were demonstrated as early as three months after LSG. A reduction in neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was observed, driven by a reduction in absolute neutrophil counts. Gene set enrichment analyses of differential whole blood gene expression demonstrated that after three months, LSG induced transcriptomic changes not only in inflammatory cytokine pathways but also in several key metabolic pathways related to energy metabolism. CONCLUSIONS LSG induces significant changes in the composition and metabolism of immune cells as early as three months post-operatively. Further evaluation is required of bariatric surgery's effects on immunometabolism and consequences for host defense and metabolic disease.
Central hemangioma of the mandible

Abstract A case report of a central hemangioma in an 11-year-old boy is presented along with cogent literature review. Issues discussed include the histogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and variations in mode of treatment. The case in question involved collateralization of contralateral vessels and two operative procedures. The outcome appears to have been complete remission of the lesion.
Substrate‐specificity of uvr excision repair

The substrate specificity of the uvr endonuclease, the product of the uvrA, urvB, and uvrC genes is reviewed. It is suggested that the relatively well-defined substrate specificity of this repair enzyme is useful as a guide in determining the nature of the DNA-lesion caused by a given mutagen.
Searching for Educational Technology Faculty

Since educational technology has become an integral component in teacher education programs, an analysis was conducted of educational technology positions listed in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Weekly job listings were coded from August, 2000 through July, 2001. Over this time period, 70 positions were advertised. Results found that the majority of the positions were tenure track and tended to be at nonresearch/doctoral granting institutions. These positions were typically for a generalist rather than a specialist.
Studies on the relationship between adeno-associated virus type I (AAV-1) and adenoviruses. I. Replication of AAV-1 in certain cell cultures and its effect on helper adenovirus.

Abstract AAV type 1 has been shown to replicate in several species of cell cultures with the aid of certain helper adenoviruses from man, monkey, mouse, and dog. However, during the course of AAV replication the yield of the helper adenovirus was decreased. The reduction in yield of adenovirus was directly related to the quantity of AAV present and inversely- to the dose of the adenovirus challenge. The decrease in adenovirus yield was shown to be due to a reduction in the number of cells yielding virus.
Molecular and regulatory properties of the adenylyl cyclase-coupled beta-adrenergic receptors.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the molecular and regulatory properties of the β-adrenergic receptors. The catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine regulate a variety of physiological processes via their interaction with specific cell surface receptors. The catecholamine receptors were initially classified as α- and β-adrenergic, based on their relative pharmacological properties. The β-adrenergic receptors are delineated into two classes— β 1 AR and β 2 AR. The β-adrenergic receptor has proven to be an excellent model system for understanding the structural, functional, and regulatory properties of G protein-coupled receptors. This receptor family shares many common structural features, including seven transmembrane domains, three intracellular and extracellular loops, an extracellular amino terminus, an intracellular carboxyl terminus, and multiple posttranslational modifications. These structural features give the receptor the unique ability to bind specific extracellular ligands and translate this binding into specific G protein activation. Posttranslational modifications also play a critical role in regulating receptor activity. Multiple protein kinases, including β-adrenergic receptor kinase (βARK), the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase, and protein kinase C, play a role in rapidly phosphorylating and desensitizing the β 2 AR, whereas additional mechanisms to internalize and degrade the receptor are important for long-term regulation of receptor activity.
Longitudinal Associations Between Cybervictimization and Mental Health Among U.S. Adolescents.

Abstract Purpose An emerging body of literature suggests that victims of bullying report detrimental mental health outcomes, such as depression and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between cybervictimization, depression, and anxiety among school-aged youth over a 3-year time frame. Methods Students in Grades 6 through 12 at the initial wave of the study responded to survey items designed to assess their online experiences, including cybervictimization and self-reported depression and anxiety at three separate time points, over a 3-year period. In total, 559 school-aged youth participated in the study. Results Results suggest a reciprocal relationship between cybervictimization and depression and cybervictimization and anxiety. More specifically, depression at Time 1 predicted cybervictimization at Time 2, depression at Time 2 predicted cybervictimization at Time 3, and cybervictimization at Time 1 predicted depression at Time 3. Additionally, cybervictimization at Time 1 predicted anxiety at Time 2, cybervictimization at Time 2 predicted anxiety at Time 3, and anxiety at Time 1 predicted cybervictimization at Time 2. Conclusions Based on the findings from this study, cybervictimization, depression, and anxiety seem to have a reciprocal relationship. Therefore, educational and mental health professionals should consider interventions that address adolescents' online experiences, while supporting mental health and social and emotional learning.
An Attribution Theory Analysis of Romantic Jealousy

Two studies examined the utility of attribution theory (B. Weiner, 1985, 1995) in explaining romantic jealousy responses. In Study 1, by varying hypothetical scenarios according to Weiner's attribution distinction (B. Weiner, 1995), 156 undergraduates perceived jealousy to increase when an unfaithful partner's interaction with interlopers was deliberate (i.e., personal causality), controllable, intentional, and without mitigating excuses. High trait jealousy amplified these ratings but did not affect the underlying attribution relationships. Reversing the attribution-to-jealousy linkage in Study 2, 128 participants from the general population recalled jealousy episodes in their lives, then made attributions for the events and categorized them using Weiner's dimensions (B. Weiner, 1985). Jealousy was more likely when the cause of a partner's indiscretion was perceived to be internal, controllable, and intentional—although not necessarily stable. The findings verify that attribution theory identifies blame conditions that trigger jealousy responses.
Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities in Tributary Streams of Eastern Lake Erie with and without Round Gobies (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814)

Round gobies have had significant impacts on benthic fish and invertebrate communities in nearshore habitats of the Great Lakes. As round gobies have become more abundant in lake habitats, there has been an expansion of their populations into tributary streams and rivers. We compared stream invertebrate and fish communities in New York tributaries to Lake Erie with round gobies present and absent. Four of six benthic invertebrate metrics differed between streams with and without round gobies. Streams with round gobies present had reduced Shannon diversity, EPT richness, and EPT/chironomid ratios, and increased macroinvertebrate density relative to streams without round gobies, but there was no difference in non-Diptera density, or total taxa richness. None of the four fish metrics examined differed between streams with and without round gobies. However, darters occurred in all streams lacking round gobies, but did not occur in any streams with round gobies. Comparisons with historical fish and macroinvertebrate distributional data support our suspicion of goby-induced community changes. In these New York streams, round gobies seem to have had significant impacts on invertebrate communities via their consumptive behavior, whereas the impacts on fish communities are less evident. If round gobies continue to expand their distribution inland, the resultant alterations in macroinvertebrate communities may impact the suitability of tributary streams as spawning and nursery habitat for several sport fish species and for energy dynamics in tributary streams.
Senescence associated inflammasome (SAI) activation promotes cancer progression (TUM4P.909)

Oncogene-induced senescence functions as a barrier against cell transformation and tumorigenesis. Paradoxically, recent studies indicate that senescence also promotes tumor progression through secretion of inflammatory molecules or senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). However, the signaling pathways leading to SASP and the interaction between senescent cells and innate immune cells are poorly understood. Utilizing human and murine breast cancer cells, as well as breast cancer mouse models, this study demonstrates that senescence-associated inflammasome (SAI) generate a positive feedback loop to propagate inflammation through interaction with innate immune cells, contributing to the tumor development. Our data show that cellular senescence induced by oncogenes, such as K-Ras12V and Her2/ERBB2, led to inflammasome activation and IL-1beta production in both murine and human breast cancer cells. Notably, we found that blocking inflammasome activity could suppress both IL-1beta production and oncogene-induced senescence in breast cancer cells. Our results further show that the crosstalk between senescent cells and innate immune cells promoted inflammation and breast cancer progression. Together, our findings demonstrate a critical role for the senescence-associated inflammasome in oncogenic inflammation and tumor development.
Data mining of prenatal data

Comparing inductive machine learning with neural nets and traditional statistical techniques for 'best' predictors of women at risk for PRETERM BIRTH. Preterm babies having higher mortality and morbidity outcomes and often cost in excess of $1 million in the first year of life. We're mining 10 years of prenatal data for possible patterns of preterm birth risk.
Analytical solutions to Fisher’s equation with time-variable coefficients

Abstract This paper provides analytical solutions to the generalized Fisher equation with a class of time varying diffusion coefficients. To accomplish this we use the Painleve property for partial differential equations as defined by Weiss in 1983 in “The Painleve property for partial-differential equations”. This was first done for the variable coefficient Fisher’s equation by Ogun and Kart in 2007; we build on this work, finding additional solutions with a weaker restriction on the trial solution. We also use the same technique to find solutions to Fisher’s equation with time-dependent coefficients for both diffusion and nonlinear terms. Lastly we compute specific solutions to illustrate their behaviors.
It pays to compare: an experimental study on computational estimation.

Comparing and contrasting examples is a core cognitive process that supports learning in children and adults across a variety of topics. In this experimental study, we evaluated the benefits of supporting comparison in a classroom context for children learning about computational estimation. Fifth- and sixth-grade students (N = 157) learned about estimation either by comparing alternative solution strategies or by reflecting on the strategies one at a time. At posttest and retention test, students who compared were more flexible problem solvers on a variety of measures. Comparison also supported greater conceptual knowledge, but only for students who already knew some estimation strategies. These findings indicate that comparison is an effective learning and instructional practice in a domain with multiple acceptable answers.
Reaction of hydrogen with aromatic compounds in a 13.6-MHz discharge

A series of aromatic compounds C6H5X (X=CH3, Cl, NO2, NH2, OCH3, CO2CH2CH3, COCH3, CN) were reacted with hydrogen in a 13.6-MHz inductively coupled glow discharge. The flow rates of aromatic and hydrogen were typically 0.5 mmol/min and 18 mmol/min, respectively. The applied power was varied from 50–200 W and the total pressure was varied from 2–14 torr. The products were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography. Three types of reactions were observed: (1) addition of hydrogen to the aromatic, (2) replacement of the group X by hydrogen, and (3) reactions characteristic of aromatic in the absence of hydrogen. The toluene reaction was studied most carefully. Methylcyclohexenes and benzene were the major products identified. The benzene was optimized by increasing the power and decreasing the pressure of either hydrogen or toluene. Reaction of toluene-d8 with hydrogen revealed that hydrogens were sequentially exchanged for deuteria on toluene and each of the products. A new apparatus is described which allows flow rates and pressure to be preselected and controlled and which allows a series of product samples to be collected without quenching the plasma.
Molecular Dynamics Problem Initialization and Statistics Collection for Arbitrary Geometries

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been extensively used for analysis of thermophysical properties of a variety of nanoscale systems. The majority of MD codes are developed for a specific system or application type, and thus their use in a wide variety of systems is limited. In addition, these codes can contain a steep learning curve for new users. Therefore, we have developed the Molecular Dynamics in Arbitrary Geometries (MDAG) code package for the explicit purposes of adaptability and ease of use. We describe various standard programming techniques we employed to allow for these goals to be achieved. We also discuss the approaches used for problem initialization based on arbitrary zone placement, and for statistics collection based on the mapping of Cartesian grid-based results onto arbitrary zones. We finally provide example applications of this code on nanoscale thermophysical systems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
PHOTONIC GAPS IN PERIODIC DIELECTRIC STRUCTURES

Using a plane wave expansion method, we solved the Maxwell’s equations for the propagation of electromagnetic waves inside periodic dielectric materials, and found the existence of photonic band gaps in several classes of periodic dielectric structures.
Poststroke fatigue: hints to a biological mechanism.

Background Poststroke fatigue (PSF) is common, but the biological basis of this fatigue is unknown. We explored the possibility that PSF is related to systemic inflammation by investigating polymorphisms in 2 genes that affect the immune response. Methods In a substudy of a larger trial that evaluated the role of the immune response on stroke outcome, fatigue was assessed at 30, 90, 180, and 365 days after ischemic stroke using the Fatigue Assessment Scale. Subjects were genotyped for 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms, one in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene ( IL1RN ; rs4251961, a T/C substitution) and two in the in toll-like receptor-4 ( TLR4 ) gene (1063 A/G [Asp299Gly] rs4986790 and 1363 C/T [Thr399Ile] rs4986791). Results Of the 39 participants, 22 (56%) endorsed fatigue during the study. The degree of fatigue was remarkably constant over time and independent of stroke outcome. The C allele of the rs4251961 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in IL1RN was associated with self-reported fatigue ( P = .03), whereas the cosegregating polymorphisms in TLR4 were associated with lower levels of fatigue ( P = .04). Conclusions SNPs in 2 genes with opposing effects on inflammatory immune responses were significantly, but differentially, associated with PSF. These findings suggest a direct link between immune signaling dysregulation and PSF.
Processing and Characterization of NiTi Porous SMA by Elevated Pressure Sintering

Currently, three methods are commonly used for producing porous NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) from elemental powders. These include conventional sintering, Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS), and sintering at elevated pressure via a Hot Isostatic Press (HIP). Conventional sintering requires long heating times and samples are limited in shape and pore size. SHS is initiated by a thermal explosion ignited at one end of the specimen, which then propagates through the specimen in a self-sustaining manner. One of the difficulties with SHS is the inability to control intermetallic phases. This work will focus on the fabrication and characterization of porous NiTi SMA material produced from elemental powders via HlPping. Porous NiTi SMA was produced from elemental Ni and Ti powders at elevated temperature and pressure using a HIP. Small and large pore specimens containing average pore sizes ranging from 20 μm up to 1mm have been produced by slightly varying the HIPping sintering temperatures and times. Quasi-static and dynamic loading experiments are conducted on various samples produced using the presented methodology and their shape recovery and energy absorption characteristics are measured during the forward and reverse phase transformation and detwinning. Their phase transformation characteristics were found using calorimetric measurements and their composition has been studied using optical and electron microscopy and microprobe X-ray analysis.
A New Hydrocarbon Elastomer. II. Properties of an Ethylene-Propylene-Nonconjugated Diene Terpolymer

Abstract A new hydrocarbon elastomer has been synthesized from petrochemical intermediates using coordination catalysis. This amorphous polymer resembles commercial diene elastomers in general appearance, is completely soluble in hydrocarbon and chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, and is stable to prolonged storage. It can be vulcanized effectively by the use of accelerated sulfur systems and reinforced by numerous fillers such as carbon blacks, clays, and certain silicas. Reinforced vulcanizates are strong, resilient, and extremely resistant to oxygen, ozone, heat, light, and many chemical agents. Properly compounded vulcanizates exhibit excellent electrical and low temperature properties. Permeability to gases, specifically nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, parallels natural rubber. Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity are ∼15% greater than polyisoprene. The practical significance of the thermal data remains to be determined.
Studying Close to Home: The Intersection of Life and Work

Cet article examine l'impact de certaines ruptures biographiques sur l'experience identitaire a travers la spiritualite. Elle montre comment les individus restaurent une coherence dans leur recit de vie apres ces experiences. Elle se penche particulierement sur la transformation religieuse dans le judaisme orthodoxe, expose ses perspectives feministes sur la question, puis examine les transformations identitaires provoquees chez l'enfant par le deces de sa mere. Elle interroge a cette occasion les silences de nos cultures au sujet de la mort, ainsi que l'assignation exclusive des meres aux soins des enfants dans nos societes. Elle examine la place du sacre dans la vie quotidienne en observant que les individus peuvent faire face aux ruptures biographiques par des experiences spirituelles distinctes de celles requises par leur communaute d'appartenance. Plus generalement, l'A. montre le caractere culturel, autant que biographique, de la reconfiguration identitaire exprimee dans le recit de vie
Linked-Cluster Perturbation Theory for Closed and Open-Shell Systems: Derivation of Effective π-Electron Hamiltonians

The Brueckner-Goldstone form of linked-cluster perturbation theory is derived, together with its open-shell analog, by an elementary time-independent approach. This serves to focus attention on the physical interpretation of the results. The open-shell expansion is used to provide a straightforward justification for the effective π-electron Hamiltonians of planar organic molecules.
Superlattice Nanowire Pattern Transfer (SNAP)

During the past 15 years or so, nanowires (NWs) have emerged as a new and distinct class of materials. Their novel structural and physical properties separate them from wires that can be prepared using the standard methods for manufacturing electronics. NW-based applications that range from traditional electronic devices (logic and memory) to novel biomolecular and chemical sensors, thermoelectric materials, and optoelectronic devices, all have appeared during the past few years. From a fundamental perspective, NWs provide a route toward the investigation of new physics in confined dimensions. Perhaps the most familiar fabrication method is the vapor−liquid−solid (VLS) growth technique, which produces semiconductor nanowires as bulk materials. However, other fabrication methods exist and have their own advantages. In this Account, I review a particular class of NWs produced by an alternative method called superlattice nanowire pattern transfer (SNAP). The SNAP method is distinct from other nanowire prepar...
Infection and replication of HIV-1 in purified progenitor cells of normal human bone marrow

Myeloid progenitor cells were highly purified from normal human bone marrow by positive immunoselection with high-affinity monoclonal antibodies linked to magnetic beads and were successfully infected in vitro with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). From 99 to 100 percent pure bone marrow cells expressing the CD34 phenotypic marker were obtained. These cells were devoid of mature myeloid or T cell surface and intracellular markers as analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and flow cytometry. HIV-1 particles were detected by supernatant reverse transcriptase activity and transmission electron microscopy 40 to 60 days after infection. Viral particles were predominantly observed assembling and accumulating from within intracellular membranes, while phenotypically the cells were observed to have differentiated into CD4+ monocytes. These studies have important implications in understanding the pathogenesis of HIV-1 as well as the possible cause of certain of the observed hematologic abnormalities in HIV-1 infection. They also indicate that the bone marrow may serve as a potentially important reservoir of HIV-1 in the body.
Stabilization of human population through economic increasing returns

Abstract The assumptions of declining fertility with rising income and rising per-capita output with rising population imply the existence of a stable demographic equilibrium with a high standard of living and relatively low total population. This Smithian equilibrium differs from the well-known Malthusian equilibrium in its comparative statics: technical progress lowers the Smithian equilibrium population, while it raises the Malthusian equilibrium population; a fall in fertility lowers the Smithian equilibrium income, but raises the Malthusian equilibrium income. Economic data show strong support for the hypotheses of increasing economic returns to population and declining fertility with income, and suggest that the human population of the world and per-capita output will stabilize at about 25–30% above their current size, that is, at 7−8.5 billion people, with a per-capital output of 6500–7500 1990 dollars.
The Confession of Altona

During 1933 and 1934 the German Protestant church produced a “high tide” of confessions and ecclesiastical pronouncements. Among these the well-known Barmen Declaration is of prime importance. The first of these confessions, the Confession of Altona of January 1933, however, is hardly known at all, and no English translation has ever been published.
Field Test of a Unique Phosphonate Scale Inhibitor for Extended-Life Squeeze Treatment in Sandstone

The Chevron field at Rangely Colorado is a mature field that is currently under water alternating gas (WAG) Carbon Dioxide flood. There is continuing concern that barium sulfate may form in the wells and calcite may form in surface facilities. Squeezing the wells to protect them from barium sulfate scale has been the best method of controlling the barium sulfate problem. Production is from sandstone, which makes it difficult to obtain optimal performance from scale squeeze treatments. For ten years these wells have been treated with good success using an acidic Diethylene Triamine PentaMethylene Phosponic Acid (DETPMP) type inhibitor. Likewise good squeeze results had been obtained in the North Sea sandstones for many years using DETPMP type inhibitors, but improved results were seen with PhosphonoMethylated PolyAmines (PMPA). Therefore it seemed logical to try the PMPA in this Colorado sandstone. Four wells were squeezed with PMPA. Initial return curves were very promising. No large return spikes were seen, indicating that the inhibitor adsorbed very well. Within a few weeks residual levels fell to a very desirable level of 10 mg/l. Residuals then continued to fall to levels below the target level of about 5 ppm. However, there are no reports of scale in the well indicating that sufficient inhibitor is returning to control scale. By mass balance, 20 to 30% of the squeezed chemical returned after nine months. Most of that returned in the first few months after the squeeze. At current return levels, inhibitor could return for many years.
A “zinc-finger”-type binding domain in tobacco streak virus coat protein

Tobacco streak virus (TSV) RNA and alfalfa mosaic virus (AIMV) RNA will replicate only if a few copies of their coat proteins are bound to the RNA. To understand this phenomenon experiments were performed to find unique features of the TSV and AIMV subunits. Atomic absorption analysis showed that TSV and AIMV contained substantial quantities of zinc in native virions (approximately one zinc atom per four protein subunits in TSV and one zinc atom per two protein subunits in AIMV), while other plant viruses tested did not. Treatment of TSV with a zinc-extracting reagent resulted in partial degradation of all the TSV nucleoprotein components, although the top component was most effected. The sequence (Cys X2 Cys X10 Cys X2 His) was found between residues 28 and 45 in the TSV primary structure and it is similar to a sequence found in several nucleic acid-binding, gene-regulatory proteins, most notably transcription factor IIIA from Xenopus laevis. TSV subunits were found to be extensively crosslinked within the virions. TSV and AIMV contain sequences rich in basic residues in the amino-terminal portion of the subunit (residues 51 to 72 in TSV and 1 to 26 in AIMV) and helical predictions suggested modes of protein-nucleic acid interactions in these regions similar to those proposed for histones. Two potential sites for glycosylation were identified near the amino terminus of the TSV sequence. Controlled treatment of TSV with trypsin removed 87 residues from the amino terminus and produced a monomer of cleaved protein, as analysed by SDS-PAGE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Theoretical Studies of DNA Base Deamination. 2. Ab Initio Study of DNA Base Diazonium Ions and of Their Linear, Unimolecular Dediazoniation Paths†,§

Deamination of the DNA bases cytosine, adenine, and guanine can be achieved by way of diazotization and the diazonium ions of the DNA bases are considered to be the key intermediates. The DNA base diazonium ions are thought to undergo nucleophilic substitution by water or other available nucleophiles. Cross-link formation is thought to occur if the amino group of a neighboring DNA base acts as the nucleophile. All mechanistic hypotheses invoking DNA base diazonium ions are based on product analyses and deduction and analogy to the chemistry of aromatic primary amines while none of the DNA base diazonium ions has been observed or characterized directly. We report the results of an ab initio study of the diazonium ions 1, 3, and 5, derived by diazotization of the DNA bases cytosine, adenine, and guanine, respectively, and of their unimolecular dediazoniations to form the cations 2, 4, and 6, respectively. The dediazoniation paths of two iminol tautomers of 1 and 5 also were considered. The unimolecular dedi...
Dissemination and implementation of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track programme – results of an evaluation study

Very little is known about how implementations that follow on from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) affect a programme's impact. The study aimed to use assessments from programme providers to evaluate changes in the impact of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track programme. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify factors that enhanced the success of the implementation. The data were gathered at two stages of a nationwide implementation through questionnaires completed by programme counsellors (n = 397 and 359) and key stakeholders (n = 47). Data from a related RCT study were used for comparison (n = 182). According to the assessments of counsellors, the programme had not lost its positive impact on the client's life. Several factors were found to be associated with successful implementation. Successful implementation requires a continuous and longer term multilevel approach at three levels: the research level, the practical level in municipalities and the policy level.
Blends of Zein and Nylon-6

Blends of zein and nylon-6 (55 k) in formic acid were used to produce solution cast films and electrospun fibers. When the amount of nylon-6 was 8 % or less blends were formed that had improved tensile strength and reduced solubility. The blends were analyzed using physical property measurements, DSC and IR spectra. Using between 2 and 8 % nylon-6 provided a 33 % increase in tensile strength. Young’s modulus increased by over 50 % in this range. In general elongation was lower for all formulations. Surprisingly the cast films having 0.5–8 % nylon-6 had improved solvent resistance to 90 % ethanol/water. Electrospun fibers were produced from formic acid solutions of zein and nylon-6 where the amount of nylon was 0, 2 and 6. Fibers produced from 27 % spinning solids had average diameters on the order of 0.5 μm. Reducing the spinning solids to 21 % provide slightly smaller fibers however, the fibers had more defects.
The Impact of accuracy and effort feedback and goals on adaptive decision behavior

This paper examines the impact of accuracy feedback, effort feedback, and emphasis on either a goal of maximizing accuracy relative to effort or minimizing effort relative to accuracy on decision processes. Feedback on the accuracy of decisions leads to more normative-like processing of information and improved performance only in the most difficult problems, i.e., decisions with low dispersion in attribute weights. Explicit effort feedback has almost no impact on processing or performance. The impact of the goal manipulation on decision processes was found to be consistent with the shift in strategies predicted by an effort/accuracy model of strategy selection. In particular, a goal of emphasizing accuracy led to more normative-like processing, while emphasis on effort led to less extensive, more selective, and more attribute-based processing and poorer performance. These results provide perhaps the clearest evidence to date of the effect of goals on processing differences. Complex interactive relationships between types of feedback and goal structures suggest the need for additional study of feedback and goals on adaptive decision behavior.
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in the Kuskokwim River Drainage Support the Recurrent Evolution Hypothesis for Sockeye Salmon Life Histories

Abstract Riverine sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka (those that do not use nursery lakes for juvenile rearing) tend to be characterized by greater genetic diversity and weaker population structure than lake-type populations. These findings have led to the “recurrent evolution” hypothesis for sockeye salmon life histories, which proposes that riverine sockeye salmon are the principal colonizing form and play the dominant role in the long-term persistence of sockeye salmon in a dynamic landscape. However, previous studies in Kamchatka (Russia) and Alaska have suggested that the general patterns of riverine sockeye salmon do not apply in all parts of the species' range. In this study, we examined genetic diversity and population structure in lake-type and riverine sockeye salmon from the Kwethluk and Holitna rivers (Kuskokwim drainage, western Alaska), near the northern edge of the species' range in North America. As expected, lake-type sockeye salmon exhibited lower genetic diversity and stronger genetic st...
Regulating mercury: what's at stake?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new rule regulating mercury emissions from power plants. But is the rule sensible? The best way to answer this question is to tote up the benefits and costs of the rule and compare them. The EPA did not do such an exercise when it issued
Soybean leaf growth and gas exchange response to drought under carbon dioxide enrichment

This study was conducted to determine the response in leaf growth and gas exchange of soybean (Glycine max Merr.) to the combined effects of water deficits and carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment. Plants grown in pots were allowed to develop initially in a glasshouse under ambient CO2 and well-watered conditions. Four-week old plants were transferred into two different glasshouses with either ambient (360 μmol mol-1) or elevated (700 μmol mol-1) CO2. Following a 2-day acclimation period, the soil of the drought-stressed pots was allowed to dry slowly over a 2-week period. The stressed pots were watered daily so that the soil dried at an equivalent rate under the two CO2 levels. Elevated [CO2] decreased water loss rate and increased leaf area development and photosynthetic rate under both well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. There was, however, no significant effect of [CO2] in the response relative to soil water content of normalized leaf gas exchange and leaf area. The drought response based on soil water content for transpiration, leaf area, and photosynthesis provide an effective method for describing the responses of soybean physiological processes to the available soil water, independent of [CO2].
A transitional care model for low-income older adults does not reduce readmission rates or emergency department visits during care transitions

Commentary on: Ohuabunwa U, Jordan Q, Shah S, et al. Implementation of a care transitions model for low-income older adults: a high-risk, vulnerable population. J Am Geriatr Soc 2013;61:987–92.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] Improving management of care transitions is an important goal in health systems change, and various attempts have … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJ%2BAm%2BGeriatr%2BSoc%26rft.volume%253D61%26rft.spage%253D987%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1111%252Fjgs.12276%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23711200%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1111/jgs.12276&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=23711200&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F17%2F3%2F98.atom