cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Saccharide-Fatty Acid Esters Utilizing Solvent-Free Suspensions: Effect of Acyl Donors and Acceptors, and Enzyme Activity Retention

The effect of acyl donor (oleic, caprylic, lauric and myristic acids) and acceptor (fructose, sucrose, glucose and xylose) for synthesis of saccharide-fatty acid esters was conducted using solvent-free (50–200 μm sized) suspensions of saccharide crystals in a mixture of fatty acid/fructose oleate (90 wt% monoester and 10 wt% diester) at a ratio of 75/25 w/w initially, and a bioreactor system containing a packed bed bioreactor filled with immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase (Lipozyme®IM, Novozymes, Franklinton, NC, USA) at 53 °C or a stirred tank bioreactor (STBR) at 65 °C. A nearly linear relationship between initial saccharide concentration and initial rate of reaction and final ester concentration was achieved which was independent of acyl donor or acceptor type. Slightly lower reaction rate and yield were obtained for operation in STBRs. Suspensions containing the highest saccharide concentration coincided with saccharide crystals of the smallest average size, since large-sized crystals sedimented out during the workup for formation of the suspensions. The best performance was achieved using fructose and oleic acid as substrates (92.3 wt% ester, consisting of 92 wt% monoester) in a packed-bed bioreactor (PBBR). The activity of RML did not decrease appreciably after four successive runs for solvent-free fructose-oleate esterification, or equivalently, a 22 day reaction period.
Nuclear-spin relaxation in the boson-fermion model of superconductivity.

The nuclear-spin-relaxation rates in high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ cupric oxide superconductors are calculated from the (phenomenological) boson-fermion model. It is shown that the model is consistent with the experimental data for both Cu and O sites, in the superconducting as well as in the normal phase.
The effects of attentional shift training on the execution of soccer skills: A preliminary investigation.

One of the most important skills in soccer is the ability to respond quickly and accurately to the changing demands of the competitive environment (i.e., position of ball, teammates, opponents). A multiple baseline design across 4 male collegiate soccer players was used to determine the effectiveness of an attentional training program on the execution of targeted soccer skills. The treatment included information and laboratory attentional shift exercises followed by practice of attentional shifting skills on the execution of different soccer exercises. Following treatment, the accuracy of execution of the experimental soccer drill improved.
Ultrasound emission in infant rats as an indicant of arousal during appetitive learning and extinction

Infant rats rewarded for crawling by being allowed to suckle on the dry nipple of an anesthetized dam showed a decreasing rate of ultrasound production during acquisition and an increasing rate during extinction. These results suggest that infant rats can be stressed and are aroused as a result of successive nonrewards just as adult rats are. In addition, these results do not support the hypothesis that infant rats lack inhibitory mechanisms related to poorly developed neural centers.
Warfarin or Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Therapy does not Prolong Pig-To-Primate Cardiac Xenograft Function

Microvascular thrombosis is a prominent feature in cardiac delayed xenograft rejection (DXR). We investigated the impact of warfarin or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) anti-coagulation on xenograft function using a heterotopic pig-to-primate model. Donor hearts were from CD46 transgenic pigs and baboon immunosuppression included tacrolimus, sirolimus, anti-CD20 and TPC, an alpha-galactosyl-polyethylene glycol conjugate. Three groups of animals were studied. Group 1 (n = 9) was treated with warfarin, Group 2 (n = 13) with LMWH and Group 3, received no anti-coagulant drugs. The median duration of xenograft function was 20 days (range 3-62 days), 18 days (range 5-109 days) and 15 days (range 4-53 days) in Groups 1 to 3 respectively. Anti-coagulation achieved the targeted international normalized prothrombin ratio (INR) and anti-factor Xa levels consistent with effective in vivo therapy yet, no significant impact on median xenograft function was observed. At rejection, a similar histology of thrombosis and ischemia was apparent in each group and the levels of fibrin deposition and platelet thrombi in rejected tissue was the same. Anti-coagulation with warfarin or LMWH did not have a significant impact on the onset of DXR and microvascular thrombosis. However, a role for specific anti-coagulant strategies to achieve long-term xenograft function cannot be excluded.
Conformational locking by design: relating strain energy with luminescence and stability in rigid metal-organic frameworks.

Minimization of the torsional barrier for phenyl ring flipping in a metal–organic framework (MOF) based on the new ethynyl-extended octacarboxylate ligand H8TDPEPE leads to a fluorescent material with a near-dark state. Immobilization of the ligand in the rigid structure also unexpectedly causes significant strain. We used DFT calculations to estimate the ligand strain energies in our and all other topologically related materials and correlated these with empirical structural descriptors to derive general rules for trapping molecules in high-energy conformations within MOFs. These studies portend possible applications of MOFs for studying fundamental concepts related to conformational locking and its effects on molecular reactivity and chromophore photophysics.
Functionalization of graphene sheets through fullerene attachment

Fullerene-functionalized graphene shows a hierarchical structure, and is promising for many potential applications. In this paper, a new method is presented to synthesize such a novel nanostructure. Graphite flakes were intercalated to graphite oxide, and then functionalized with zero-dimensional fullerene nanocrystals. The resultant compounds were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The characterization results confirmed that fullerene crystals were successfully attached onto the single-layer graphene sheets and significantly facilitated the exfoliation of graphite to monolayer graphene. The fullerene grafted on the graphene surface serves as a space impediment to prevent the re-stacking of exfoliated graphene sheets. This attempt provides an effective route for large-scale exfoliation and functionalization of monolayer graphene, and is expected to significantly facilitate the application of graphene in the electronic devices, energy storage, and functional materials.
Conformation of penicillin as a transition-state analog of the substrate of peptidoglycan transpeptidase.

Abstract Accurate stereo-drawings of a penicillin and a substrate analog of the peptidoglycan transpeptidase show that the two molecules exhibit similar shape towards a certain direction when the central peptide group of the substrate analog is twisted around its peptide bond until it becomes nearly 45 ° out of plane. This observation not only supports Tipper & Strominger's original proposal (1965) that penicillins act as an inhibitor of the peptidoglycan transpeptidase but also suggests that the conformation of the substrate at its transition state is similar to that of penicillin.
Comparative Decomposition. of Ozone in the Nasopharynx of Beagles

The mean tracheal concentration of ozone (O3) was measured in two groups of physiologically unaltered beagles. One group had been exposed to 03 for 18 months and consisted of four subgroups exposed to the following daily concentration × time regimens: 1 ppm × 8 hours, 2 ppm × 8 hours, 3 ppm × 8 hours, and 1 ppm × 24 hours. The control group consisted of previously unexposed beagles sampled similarly at either 1 ppm O3 or 3 ppm O3 following one hour of acclimatization. For groups receiving equal O3 concentrations, the chronically exposed subjects had statistically higher mean tracheal concentrations of O3. All dogs inspiring higher concentrations of O3 demonstrated significantly higher mean tracheal concentrations. Furthermore, the subgroup chronically exposed to 1 ppm × 24 hours had statistically higher mean tracheal concentrations than the chronically exposed subgroup receiving 1 ppm × 8 hours.
Solutions of problems in chemical flow reactors by perturbation methods

Formal approximate solutions, for small ϵi, for the system where G is a general function of the N-dependent variables fi, are obtained by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Uniformly valid approximations are composed for the region 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 by synthesizing expansions pertaining to three separate regions; near x = 0, near x = 1, and the intermediate region in between. Restrictions on the approximations are developed, and these can be used to evaluate the effects of the magnitudes of the λi, of the behavior of G, and of possible disparities in the values of the various parameters ϵi. The results obtained are of considerable practical value because they are readily applicable to actual situations, as demonstrated by a number of specific examples, and because it is possible to evaluate how good the approximation is in each individual case.
A Learning Network Using Adaptive Threshold Elements

The synthesis of Boolean functions is a process for converting some specification for circuit behavior into an expression (optimal in some sense) for a Boolean function. It has been conventional to specify this behavior by means of a table of combinations (or truth table) in which for each system of values for the input variables (i.e., input state) there is associated either the value 1 or the value 0 or the symbol d [1]. These are called, respectively, ONE states, ZERO states and DON'T CARE states. This specification then identifies a nonempty class of Boolean functions and the process of Boolean function synthesis is to select from this class of functions one capable of being represented most simply.
Treatment of orthostatic tachycardia with erythropoietin

PURPOSE To determine whether increasing red blood cell volume with erythropoietin reverses the hemodynamic response to standing in patients with orthostatic tachycardia. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eight patients (2 men, 6 women) with orthostatic tachycardia were administered erythropoietin (50 U/kg body weight 3 times a week for 6 to 12 weeks) in order to reverse their red blood cell volume deficit. Six of the patients also received fludrocortisone (0.1 mg/d). Plasma and red blood cell volumes as well as the hemodynamic response to orthostatic stress were measured before and after erythropoietin therapy. RESULTS Erythropoietin therapy increased the mean +/- hematocrit from 37.6 +/- 1.0 to 46.4 +/- 1.4 (+/- standard error) (P < 0.01) and increased the red blood cell volume from 17.7 +/- 1.1 to 24.6 +/- 2.0 mL/kg (P < 0.01). Treatment increased supine mean blood pressure (from 87 +/- 4 to 93 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < 0.025) and standing mean blood pressure (from 87 +/- 4 to 94 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < 0.025). Erythropoietin therapy, however, failed to reverse orthostatic tachycardia. Following treatment, the mean heart rate after 5 minutes standing was 129 +/- 7 bpm, not significantly different from the pretreatment standing heart rate (134 +/- 5 bpm). CONCLUSIONS Although patients with the orthostatic tachycardia syndrome have a deficit in red blood cell volume, this is not the cause of their abnormal hemodynamic response to standing. Erythropoietin therapy fails to reverse orthostatic tachycardia.
Modeling the effect of crosslinking in methyl-pendant poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole)

Molecular mechanics and dynamics simulations have been performed on methyl-pendant PBZT to study the effects of intermolecular crosslinking. Several possible crosslinked structures were investigated. The effect of crosslinking was found to be strongly dependent upon crosslink type and, in some instances, crosslink density. A significant axial stress is predicted to occur upon the formation of phenyl-to-phenyl type crosslinks. This provides a reasonable explanation for the experimental observation of transverse cracks in the skin of crosslinked, MePBZT fiber.
Cyclisierung von Alkanoylnitrenen

Die Photolyse der unverzweigten und verzweigten Alkanoylazide 1 liefert die Alkanoylnitrene 2, deren Cyclisierung zu γ- und δ-Lactamen 3 und 4 stark von sterischen Faktoren abhangt. In Dichlormethan als Losungsmittel erhalt man zwei- bis dreimal hohere Lactam-Ausbeuten als in Cyclohexan (Tabellen 1 und 2). Dieser Effekt wird durch Stabilisierung des Singulett-Zustands der solvatisierten Nitrene erklart. Cyclization of Alkanoylnitrenes The photolysis of the straight-chain and branched alkanoyl azides 1 gives the alkanoylnitrenes 2 whose cyclization to γ- and δ-lactams 3 and 4, respectively, depends markedly on steric factors. Dichloromethane solutions give the lactams in two or three times the yields obtained in cyclohexane (Tables 1 and 2). This effect is explained by the stabilization of the singlet states of the nitrenes by dichloromethane.
Induction of amebiasis in tissues of white mice and rats by subcutaneous inoculation of small free-living, inquilinic, and parasitic amebas with associated coliform bacteria.

Abstract Amebas from the genera Acanthamoeba, Vahlkampfia, Hartmannella, Entamoeba , and Endolimax were isolated from water samples or from fecal contents of various snakes and lizards and cultured with their associated bacteria on Neff's agar slants. Saline suspensions of trophic and encysted amebas and bacteria were injected intraperitoneally into white laboratory mice, or intramuscularly into white laboratory rats. The animals were sacrificed after 6 weeks, and trophic and encysted amebas were identified from the coelom, lung, liver, lymph nodes, and kidney of the mice, and from the coelom, lung, spleen, liver, peritoneum, kidney, lymph nodes, blood, and brain of the rats. Cortisone-acetate-treated rats gave no significant increase in infectivity over nontreated rats. The significance of infection of mammalian hosts by free-living, inquilinic or poikilothermic parasites is discussed.
[3H]Resiniferatoxin binding to pig dorsal horn membranes displays positive cooperativity

Abstract In the present report we have reevaluated specific [ 3 H]resiniferatoxin (RTX) binding, thought to represent the vanilloid (capsaicin) receptor, to whole spinal cord and dorsal horn membranes of the pig using a modified [ 3 H]RTX binding assay. The high nonspecific [ 3 H]RTX binding of the original protocol was reduced by the addition of α 1 -acid glycoprotein (AGP), a plasma protein that binds RTX, to the assay mixture after the binding reaction had been terminated. Specific [ 3 H]RTX binding to pig whole spinal cord and dorsal horn membranes followed sigmoidal saturation kinetics indicating apparent positive cooperativity. The cooperativity index determined by fitting the data to the Hill equation was 2.31±0.24 in the spinal cord and 2.27±0.13 in the dorsal horn. The apparent dissociation constants in spinal cord and dorsal horn membranes were 87.8±2.7 and 103.9±1.9 pM; the receptor densities were 23±3 and 203±5 fmol/mg protein, respectively. In parallel experiments, rat spinal cord membranes bound [ 3 H]RTX with 2 - 3 fold higher affinity, equal positive cooperativity, and a 49±6 fmol/mg receptor density. As predicted by the modified Hill equation, at low receptor occupancy nonradioactive RTX produced biphasic competition curves. Capsaicin and the competitive antagonist capsazepine also fully displaced specifically bound [ 3 H]RTX from pig dorsal horn membranes with K i values of 9.7±1.7 μ M and 6.8±0.7 μ M, respectively; the corresponding Hill coefficients were 1.81±0.17 and 2.32±0.11. [ 3 H]RTX binding was not inhibited by resiniferonol 9, 13, 14-orthophenylacetate, the biologically inactive parent diterpene of RTX. These findings suggest that the vanilloid receptor present in the dorsal horn of the pig, like those present in human and in the rat, is a receptor cluster in which the subunits cooperate.
Educational policymaking in the Tanzanian postcolony: authenticity, accountability, and the politics of culture

In this article I explore the political event of the Tanzanian government's interdiction of a prominent educational civil society organization in order to theorize the emerging policy heterarchy in Tanzania. In the context of the ensuing public debate about the interdiction, I ask two questions: (1) what tensions are emerging from the democratization reforms embedded in national iterations of international EFA policies and (2) to what end are such reforms taking place? I address these questions with ethnographic, documentary and interview data collected as part of a broader study of participation in development between 2004 and 2007 in Dar es Salaam and the Singida region of central Tanzania. My analysis draws on critical, anthropological and postcolonial theories to explore the tensions of policy making in the context of the Tanzanian postcolony and how such tensions carve out a political topography in Tanzania that delimits and demarcates how policy travels.
Polyketide and Nonribosomal Peptide Antibiotics: Modularity and Versatility

Polyketide (PK) and nonribosomal peptides (NRP), constructed on multimodular enzymatic assembly lines, often attain the conformations that establish biological activity by cyclization constraints introduced by tailoring enzymes. The dedicated tailoring enzymes are encoded by genes clustered with the assembly line genes for coordinated regulation. NRP heterocyclizations to thiazoles and oxazoles can occur on the elongating framework of acyl-S enzyme intermediates, whereas tandem cyclic PK polyether formation of furans and pyrans can be initiated by post-assembly line epoxidases. Macrocyclizations of NRP, PK, and hybrid NRP-PK scaffolds occur in assembly line chain termination steps. Post-assembly line cascades of enzymatic oxidations also create cross-linked and cyclized architectures that generate the mature scaffolds of natural product antibiotics. The modularity of the natural product assembly lines and permissivity of tailoring enzymes offer prospects for reprogramming to create novel antibiotics with optimized properties.
The Credible Brand Model: The Effects of Ideological Congruency and Customer-Based Brand Equity on News Credibility

This study proposes and tests the credible brand model (CBM), which explicates the effects of customer-based brand equity and ideological congruency on audiences’ perceptions of the credibility of news media outlets and the believability of their messages. Data from a survey and an experiment probing respondents’ perceptions of two media outlets (CNN and Fox News Channel) were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The data showed strong support for the CBM.
Mediterranean diet revisited.

Sir, There is no question that there is a low incidence of coronary heart disease among people who live close to the Mediterranean, and obviously eating is an essential part of living. Unfortunately, there is within society at large and scientific medicine also, a tendency to jump to the conclusion that an association inevitably involves causation. For a number of years, we have therefore had a strong view expressed and indeed an assumption made that coronary heart disease is basically dietary, and that …
Influence of Inadequate Compaction near Facing on Construction Response of Wrapped-Face Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls

Standard practice for the compaction of backfill soil near the facing of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall or embankment is to use lightweight compaction equipment to prevent excessive facing deformation. Complications caused by compaction with heavy equipment near the facing could also include misalignment or structural damage of the wall facing and overstressing of the reinforcement layers. However, inadequate compaction near the facing could result in later settlement or appearance of voids behind the facing. Little research has been reported in the literature to quantify the effects of loosely compacted soil behind the facing on the stability and serviceability of MSE walls at the end of construction. The influence of inadequate compaction effort near the facing on the construction performance of idealized wrapped-face MSE wall models was investigated by using a numerical simulation approach. It was shown that inadequate backfill compaction within 1 m of the wall facing could increase the wall lateral displacement by about 40% and the reinforcement strains by about 90% compared with the response of an otherwise identical (i.e., control) wall model constructed with uniform compaction throughout the backfill. This effect was found to be more significant for higher-quality backfills with greater friction angle values and less stiff reinforcement materials. Results of this study on idealized wrapped-face wall models highlight the importance of proper soil compaction and quality control near the facing of MSE walls and offer example quantitative increases that could be expected in the out-of-alignment and reinforcement loads in these MSE structures.
Bioluminescent bioreporter assays for targeted detection of chemical and biological agents

Bioluminescent bioreporters carrying the bacterial lux gene cassette have been well established for the sensing and monitoring of select chemical agents. Their ability to generate target specific visible light signals with no requirement for extraneous additions of substrate or other hands-on manipulations affords a real-time, repetitive assaying technique that is remarkable in its simplicity and accuracy. Although the predominant application of lux-based bioluminescent bioreporters has been towards chemical compound detection, novel genetic engineering schemes are yielding a variety of new bioreporter systems that extend the lux sensing mechanism beyond mere analyte discrimination. For example, the unique specificity of bacteriophage (bacterial viruses) has been exploited in lux bioluminescent assays for specific identification of foodborne bacterial pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. With the concurrent ability to interface bioluminescent bioreporter assays onto integrated circuit microluminometers (BBICs; bioluminescent bioreporter integrated circuits), the potential exists for the development of sentinel microchips that can function as environmental monitors for multiplexed recognition of chemical and biological agents in air, food, and water. The size and portability of BBIC biosensors may ultimately provide a deployable, interactive network sensing technology adaptable towards chem/bio defense.
The Structure of Optimal Trust: Moral and Strategic Implications

In this article we discuss trust in ethics and management as a qualified and conditional good, arguing that researchers should focus on optimal trust—a mixture of trust and distrust appropriate in most contexts, including business. Trust is an important part of strategic choice, and managers who develop optimal trust in relationships with stakeholders will improve firm performance. We offer a definition of optimal trust, develop propositions based on the definition, and include indicators managers might use to assess whether trust is optimal in relationships with various stakeholders.
Students' Problem Solving as Mediated by Their Cognitive Tool Use: A Study of Tool Use Patterns.

The purpose of this study was to use multiple data sources, both objective and subjective, to capture students' thinking processes as they were engaged in problem solving, examine the cognitive tool use patterns, and understand what tools were used and why they were used. The findings of this study confirmed previous research and provided clear empirical evidence supporting the theoretical notion that technology-based cognitive tools play an important role in assisting students' problem solving. Students' tool use patterns were discussed in the context of their problem solving.
Protein Intake of Broiler Breeder Replacements and its Effect on Body Composition and Subsequent Performance

Abstract Miles, R.D., Wilson, H.R. and Harms, R.H. 1997. Protein intake of broiler breeder replacements and its effect on body composition and subsequent performance. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 11: 25–36. Eight hundred broiler breeder females and 200 males were housed with 40 females and 10 males per pen during the growing phase and 33 females and 3 males per pen during the laying phase. All birds were fed a 21% crude protein (CP) diet for the first 21 days. On day 22, birds were assigned to four dietary treatments formulated varying corn and soybean meal with (1) 14% CP, (2) 20% CP, (3) 19% CP and (4) 17% CP. Birds on treatment 1 were fed diet 1 continuously through 24 wks of age. Birds on treatments 2,3 and 4 were fed diets 2,3 and 4 respectively, two weeks and then the percent CP level in each diet was decreased one percent after each 2-wk period thereafter. Birds were weighed each week and feed was allocated on a skip-a-day program from 3 through 24 wks and a daily restriction program thereafter to maintain...
On the Interaction between Protoplanets and Protostellar Disks

The recent discovery of a planetary system around Ups And raises questions concerning the formation process of several planets in the Jupiter-mass range around a single host star. We consider numerically two scenarios involving the interaction of protoplanets with low-viscosity host disks. In the first case, a single protoplanet is assumed to have been formed already, and the development of a tidally induced gap in the disk is calculated. Beyond the outer boundary of the gap, a positive pressure gradient induces the disk gas to attain an azimuthal velocity that is larger than the Keplerian speed. The accumulation of small solid particles at the outer edge of this region provides a favorable location for the formation of an additional protoplanetary core with an orbital radius approximately twice that of the original protoplanet. In the second scenario, we assume that two protoplanets have formed simultaneously, one with twice the orbital radius of the other. Both clear gaps, and the ring of remaining disk material between the planets has a width only a few times the thickness of the disk. The density waves excited by planets on both sides of the ring propagate throughout the ring, and nonlocal dissipation of these waves leads to gas leakage from the ring edges into the gaps. After the ring is depleted, the separation between the planets tends to decline as a result of angular momentum exchange between them and the surrounding inner and outer disks. For a disk with moderate viscosity, the timescale for the planets to approach each other is less than the lifetime of the gas.
Comparison of batch and chromatographic assays of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases

Abstract An improved method for the assay of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (CNPases) is described in which residual 3 H-cAMP or 3 H-cGMP is separated from products by chromatography on thin layers of PEI-cellulose. Comparison of CNPase activity in crude or purified kidney enzyme assayed by the PEI-cellulose method with a batch anion-exchange resin method showed serious underestimation of activity by the latter method. The batch method underestimated CNPase activity by 34–82%. The error was due to substantial binding of nucleosides (adenosine and guanosine) to the resin, which is assumed not to occur by those using this method.
Fracture mechanics: A unified view for Griffith-Irwin-Orowan cracks

Abstract A unified picture of fracture mechanics is proposed in this paper for small scale yielding conditions (a small plastic zone at a crack tip) for two dimensional cracks. For a Griffith crack in a brittle material two equivalent fracture criteria that give the same result can be used. One is an energy argument that uses the true surface energy γ of a solid. The other is based on the intensity of the stress singularity at a crack tip. If the stress singularity is intense enough the stresses at the crack tip can break the solid apart and create surfaces of energy γ. The generalization of the Griffith crack theory to plastic small scale yielding until recently has used only the energy argument. In the generalization the true surface energy is replaced with an effective surface energy that presumably has its origin in plastic work. To have a unified picture of fracture mechanics the intensity of the stress singularity at the actual tip of the crack (rather than the attainment of some stress or strain value within the interior of the plastic zone) should also be used as a fracture criterion and shown to be equivalent to the energy criterion. This demonstration is given in this paper. It is proposed that the stress-strain curve to use in small scale fracture theory is one that is elastic to a yield stress σo, is plastic up to a stress of the order of the theoretical strength σT ( σ T ≈ μ 10 , where μ is the shear modulus), and then is elastic again to infinite stress and strain. Thus the crack tip is in elastic material. (A similar crack tip model has been used by R. Thomson.) It is shown how to find the true stress intensity factor Kt using a proof of the J-integral theorem that is valid for a growing crack. Because of plastic blunting the value of Kt is smaller than the stress intensity factor K of a brittle crack. ( K = σ a (πa) 1 2 for a crack of length 2a in an infinite plate of infinite width and thickness subjected to an applied stress σa.) The fracture equation is found by setting Kt = Kcb where Kcb is the critical value of K for a crack in a perfectly brittle solid.
Determination of bromate in drinking waters by ion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection

Abstract Bromate is a disinfection by-product in drinking water, formed during the ozonation of source water containing bromide. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer is combined with an ion chromatograph for the analysis of bromate in drinking waters. Three chromatographic columns are evaluated in terms of detection limits, analysis time and tolerance to potentially interfering inorganic anions. The detection limits for all columns are in the 1–2 μg/l range for the direct analysis of bromate. A 5-min analysis time was achieved using a Dionex AG10 column and 100 mM NaOH as the eluent. Recoveries for bromate in fortified samples containing chloride (1000 ppm) or nitrate (50 ppm) were 96–107%. Recoveries for bromate in fortified samples containing sulfate (1000 ppm) were 91–124%. The R.S.D. values for drinking water analyses are in the 2–6% range. A 1.8-ml sample was preconcentrated on a Dionex AG10 column. This system produced bromate detection limits in the 0.1–0.2 μg/l range. Coupling the AG10 preconcentrator column with an ultrasonic nebulizer produced a detection limit of 50 ppt for bromate. The precision for samples which are preconcentrated is degraded due to an adjacent peak interfering with integration of the bromate peak.
MESONS IN PHOTOPRODUCTION

In this contribution I touch upon the motivations for gluonic hybrid meson searches via photoproduction. Details are given on the benefits of linear polarization and its advantages in identifying resonance parameters, and how these advantages can be exploited to provide insight on the production mechanism.
The complete structure of WN from W∞ at c=−2

Abstract We show that complete and explicit results for the operator-product expansions for arbitrary-N WN algebras, at central charge c = −2, can be obtained from those of W∞.
Stem cells: Reprogramming finds its niche.

Production of blood stem cells from reprogrammed adult cells is notoriously difficult. It emerges that a supportive microenvironment may be crucial for their efficient generation. See Article p.312 Shahin Rafii and colleagues describe a method that uses four transcription factors, together with an engineered serum-free vascular niche platform, to reprogram human endothelial cells — which comprise the inner lining of blood vessels — as haematopoietic cells with long-term multipotent progenitor cell activity. The resulting reprogrammed blood cells, once transplanted in mouse models, can circulate, home and engraft into the bone marrow, reconstituting haematopoiesis. This approach to autologous blood generation has possible clinical potential for the treatment of inherited and acquired blood disorders.
Theories and Ultra Efficient Computation of Joint Spectral Radius for Estimating First Passage Time Distribution of Markov Set-Chain

This technical note is concerned with the tail distribution of the first passage time of Markov set chains (MSC). An original two-part idea-a more progressive relation and a sortedness test-is conceived to characterize such chains. The theoretical construction based on this idea further results in an algorithm that can compute the tightest exponent bound of the tail distribution for high-dimensional problem instances with surprising ease. To understand the computational implication of this algorithm, note that the problem is equivalent to computing the joint spectral radius (JSR) of a special independent column polytope (one that defines Markov set chains) of nonnegative matrices. In this context, the reported algorithm can compute the exact JSR value for cases of 100 t 100 matrices in less than a second in Matlab. Problems of this size is far beyond the scope of known JSR techniques. It is worth noting that the fields of MSC and JSR have not had significant overlap as one may expect, despite their conceptual akiness. Meanwhile, the present technical note is a contribution that belongs to both fields.
Increased body mass index is associated with earlier time to loss of response to infliximab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background Obesity is an emerging problem in the care of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and has been associated with a diminished response to adalimumab. Whether obesity influences the response to infliximab (IFX) is not known. Methods A retrospective cohort of 124 subjects with IBD initiating IFX, naive to biologic therapy, was identified. Subjects were stratified according to their weight and body mass index (BMI). The primary outcome was the first occurrence of an IBD flare defined as dose escalation of IFX, corticosteroid use, discontinuation of IFX, hospitalization, or surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was performed considering body mass and BMI as categorical and continuous variables. Results Obese (BMI > 30 kg/m) patients with Crohn's disease were more likely to have an IBD flare than nonobese patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 3.03, P 25 kg/m) patients with ulcerative colitis trended toward a similar observation (HR: 9.68, P = 0.06). When considered as continuous variables, increasing mass and BMI were associated with earlier IBD flare in both Crohn's disease (adjusted HR: 1.06 per unit increase in BMI [P = 0.02] and 1.02 per kg increase in body mass [P = 0.02]) and ulcerative colitis (adjusted HR: 1.3 per unit increase in BMI [P = 0.01] and 1.11 per kg increase in body mass [P = 0.004]). Conclusions Increased body weight is associated with an earlier time to loss of response to IFX in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, a novel finding given that IFX is the only antitumor necrosis factor agent whose dosing reflects increased body weight.
Hypothesis: genetic and epigenetic risk factors interact to modulate vulnerability and resilience to FASD

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) presents a collection of symptoms representing physiological and behavioral phenotypes caused by maternal alcohol consumption. Symptom severity is modified by genetic differences in fetal susceptibility and resistance as well as maternal genetic factors such as maternal alcohol sensitivity. Animal models demonstrate that both maternal and paternal genetics contribute to the variation in the fetus’ vulnerability to alcohol exposure. Maternal and paternal genetics define the variations in these phenotypes even without the effect of alcohol in utero, as most of these traits are polygenic, non-Mendelian, in their inheritance. In addition, the epigenetic alterations that instigate the alcohol induced neurodevelopmental deficits can interact with the polygenic inheritance of respective traits. Here, based on specific examples, we present the hypothesis that the principles of non-Mendelian inheritance, or ‘exceptions’ to Mendelian genetics, can be the driving force behind the severity of the prenatal alcohol-exposed individual’s symptomology. One such exception is when maternal alleles lead to an altered intrauterine hormonal environment and, therefore, produce variations in the long-term consequences on the development of the alcohol-exposed fetus. Another exception is when epigenetic regulation of allele-specific gene expression generates disequilibrium between the maternal versus paternal genetic contributions, and thereby, modifies the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on the fetus. We propose that these situations in which one parent has an exaggerated influence over the offspring’s vulnerability to prenatal alcohol are major contributing mechanisms responsible for the variations in the symptomology of FASD in the exposed generation and beyond.
A hybrid approach to the fusion of partially coinciding alarms from asynchronous or specialized detectors

The accurate detection of a diverse set of targets often requires the use of multiple sensor modalities and algorithms. Fusion approaches can be used to combine information from multiple sensors or detectors. But typical fusion approaches are not suitable when detectors do not operate on all of the same locations of interest, or when detectors are specialized to detect disjoint sets of target types. Run Packing is an algorithm we developed previously to optimally combine detectors when their output never coincides, which can be expected when the detectors are specialized to detect different target types. But when asynchronous detectors sometimes coincide, or specialized detectors sometimes detect the same target, Run Packing ignores this coincidence information and thus may be suboptimal in certain cases. In this paper, we show how multi-detector fusion involving partially­ coinciding alarms can be re-framed as an equivalent fusion problem that is optimally addressed by Run Packing. This amounts to a hierarchical or hybrid approach involving fusion methods to join coinciding alarms at the same location into a single unified alarm and then using Run Packing to optimally fuse the resulting set of non­ coinciding alarms. We report preliminary results of applying the method in a few typical landmine detection scenarios to demonstrate its potential utility.
Multidimensional high-throughput screening of displacers.

A multidimensional, batch high-throughput screening (MD-HTS) protocol was developed to investigate the effects of various parameters on the selectivity of ion-exchange protein displacement systems. A variety of molecules were screened, and the results were employed to provided insights into the influence of displacer chemistry and concentration, resin chemistry, and mobile-phase salt counterion on the efficacy and selectivity of these nonlinear chromatographic systems. These results open up the possibility of tailoring the selectivity of displacement separations by choosing appropriate combinations of operating conditions using the MD-HTS technique. The screens were also employed for the identification of displacers and conditions for the separation of a challenging protein mixture by selective displacement chromatography. Column displacements were carried out with potential lead compounds identified from the MD-HTS screens, and the results confirmed that selective displacement could indeed be achieved fo...
Sediment Transport by the Antarctic Bottom Current on the Bermuda Rise

THE basic pattern of bottom water circulation in the Atlantic Ocean was well described in the reports of the Meteor Expedition1. On the basis of dynamic topography, Wust2 calculated average current velocities of 2–15 cm/sec for the axis of the northward flowing Antarctic Bottom Current in the South Atlantic. These velocities, considered high by some workers, met with some scepticism3, but recent direct current measurements in similar current systems indicate velocities of the same magnitude4. In the South Atlantic, a good correlation is observed5 between the occurrence of ripple and scour marks and the location of the Antarctic Bottom Current as determined by Wust. Recently, Heezen, Hollister and Ruddiman6 observed strong scour and other effects of bottom currents6 on the continental rise and Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge7. They inferred6 that geostrophic ‘contour’ currents in the deep sea are not only effective in transporting sediments, but constitute one of the principal agents in the shaping of the great sediment bodies of the continental margins8. These conclusions were based on an investigation of oriented bottom photographs, sediment cores and echograms. We have extended this study to the Antarctic Bottom Current and its effects on the Bermuda Rise.
IMMUNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF AN L-FORM OF A GROUP A BETA HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS.

Antisera were prepared by injecting several groups of rabbits with antigen preparations of the parent streptococcus and its derived L-form. Serum was obtained from each rabbit by cardiac puncture prior to and at intervals after injection of the organisms. To measure the immune response of all animals a modified latex agglutination test was used. This test was found to be specific and easily reproducible. Animals immunized intravenously with the heat-killed streptococci and those immunized intramuscularly with the L-form produced the highest level of antibodies against their respective antigen preparations. Lancefield extracts of the streptococcus reacted with the streptococcal antisera but not with antisera to the L-form. In the antisera to the L-form we found specific antibodies which could not be adsorbed with the parent streptococcus.
Monitoring heparin therapy with thromboelastography and activated partial thromboplastin time.

Blood coagulability in patients undergoing anticoagulant therapy has been studied using the Thromboelastograph® and activated partial thromboplastin time. Currently used tests, such as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and whole blood clotting time, lack sensitivity and do not correlate well with clinically significant bleeding and clotting events. The Thromboelastograph® is an instrument that allows continuous measurement of overall coagulation and fibrinolysis. Sixty patients on heparin therapy were monitored with thromboelastography and activated partial thromboplastin time. Continuous heparin infusion or intermittent administration was used. The Thromboelastograph® was found to be a more sensitive device for detection of response to heparin than APTT. Early response to heparin was reflected in the reaction time, k time, and maximum amplitude of the thromboelastogram. A more precise administration of heparin was made possible, resulting in use of less heparin and a more stable patient response. A more individualized approach to the patient's therapy was achieved by monitoring with the Thromboelastograph, and the best results were obtained with continuous infusion rather than intermittent administration of heparin.
Control of the louse Polyplax serrata with systemic insecticides administered in silastic rubber implants.

Proban® ( O, O -dimethyl O-p -sulfamoylphenyl phosphorothioate) and ronnel (both in pure form and as Ectoral® (23% runnel)) were administered to mice by enclosing them in Silastic® silicone rubber capsules, which were then surgically implanted in the peritoneal cavity of mice. Complete and prolonged control of P. serrata (Burmeister) was attained using Proban, but there was only a moderate reduction in louse populations with ronnel.
Introgression from Tripsacum into Zea and the Origin of Maize

SUMMARYMorphological and cytogenetical evidence reviewed necessitates an almost complete rejection of the tripartite hypothesis as the mode of origin and evolution of maize under domestication. The progenitor of maize more likely was a teosinte-like grass than a wild pod corn. Teosinte could not have originated as a hybrid derivative from maize- Tripsacum introgression, rather it is conspecific with maize. Tripsacoid characteristics in maize are all teosintoid in origin, either as relic characters of the basic teosinte-like progenitor or through direct introgression with teosinte since domestication.
Calculating fiscal impacts where spatial effects are present

Abstract An important policy question concerns the impact that changing urban land uses have on the provision of local public goods. This questions has been investigated by Heikkila and Craig (1991, Journal of Regional Science 31, 65–81) for the case of policing services in Vancouver, Canada. However, their empirical analysis does not allow for the possibility of a spatially dependent error structure in the model, although it has been well established in both theory and practice that spatial autocorrelation can lead to inefficient estimators in regression analysis. Using the same data employed by Heikkila and Craig, we find that spatial effects are indeed present but do not affect our measures of impact in any important way. We conclude that spatial effects may be more important where one's emphasis is on ascertaining the parameters of the underlying model, but less important where the focus of enquiry is on fiscal impact.
Accepting inconsistencies from the paradoxes

It has been proposed that the law of non-contradiction be revised to permit the simultaneous truth and falsity of the key sentences of the logical paradoxes, e.g., “This sentence is false”. In an attempt to show to what extent this bizarre suggestion of inconsistent models or truth-value “gluts” is a coherent suggestion it is proved that a first-order language for number theory can be semantically closed by having its own global truth predicate under some non-standard interpretation and thus that it actually can contain the Liar sentence. It is proved that in this interpretation the Liar sentence is both true and false, although not every sentence is.
InGaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistors grown on GaAs substrates

Lattice mismatched InGaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistors were fabricated on a GaAs substrate for the first time. A current gain of 20 was achieved with a base doping of 1019/cm3 in spite of the existence of a relatively high dislocation density.
Hexamethylmelamine as a Single Second-Line Agent in Ovarian Cancer: Follow-up Report and Review of the Literature

From December 1982 to December 1986, 52 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer were treated with single-agent HMM. Chemotherapy was given for a period of 1 year unless progression of disease or toxicity was noted. Survival was determined from the time of diagnosis to the date of death or September 30, 1992. The regimen was well tolerated with only one case of severe gastrointestinal toxicity. Nine patients were found to be clinically free of disease following completion of HMM treatment; they had initially responded to cisplatin-based therapy (i.e., potentially cisplatin-sensitive) and subsequently recurred. Four were found to have gross disease at the time of reassessment laparotomy. Three of these 9 patients are alive 81-92 months since diagnosis, having maintained disease-free intervals of up to 6 years. The median survival for the 9 patients without evidence of disease at the end of therapy was 75 months versus 9 months for the nonresponders. No patient who had progressive disease on first-line cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy (i.e., primary cisplatin-resistant) responded to second-line single-agent oral hexamethylmelamine. With a follow-up close to 10 years, our data show that hexamethylmelamine, with reasonable toxicity, can provide an extended, disease-free interval to a selected group of patients.