cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Affective models of depression and anxiety: Extension to within-person processes in daily life.

Abstract Background Affective models (e.g., tripartite model) delineate shared and unique components of depression and anxiety. Specifically, negative affect is broadly associated with these symptoms, whereas low positive affect is relatively specific to depression and social anxiety. However, it is unknown how affect relates to symptoms as they occur naturalistically in daily life or as a within-person dynamic process. Method 135 treatment-seeking adults completed a baseline assessment of trait affect and then rated current affect and symptoms (depression, social anxiety, panic, worry) three times per day for 10 days. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used, and prospective analyses held constant current symptoms. Results Baseline trait negative affect and individual differences in momentary negative affect predicted all four symptoms in daily life, whereas low positive affect predicted greater depression only. Similar results were found for within-person concurrent analyses. Prospectively, momentary negative affect predicted increased depression up to 24 h later, and increased panic or worry up to 8–16 h later. Low momentary positive affect predicted greater depression only (8 h later). Limitations All data were self-reported, and some relevant anxiety and mood symptoms were excluded. The timing of reports was random and may have missed notable symptoms. Given the novelty of the study, replication is important. Conclusions Affective models of depression and anxiety derived from retrospective assessments demonstrated strong ecological validity. With the exception of PA and social anxiety, associations found at the between-person level generally applied to within-person processes, which may be amenable to tracking and targeting in therapy.
To govern, or not to govern? Opportunity and post-coup military behaviour in Egypt 2011–2014

This article examines Egyptian military behaviour in 2011 and 2013 to address the question of why officers remain in power following some successful coups, and allow for a transition to civilian ru...
Modeling and Estimation for Advanced Battery Management

The commercialization of lithium-ion batteries enabled the widespread use of portable consumer electronics and serious efforts to electrify trans-portation. Managing the potent brew of lithium-ion ...
Repeatability of Quantitative Brown Adipose Tissue Imaging Metrics on Positron Emission Tomography with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose in Humans

Summary Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a promising target for anti-obesity interventions. This prospective test-retest study assessed the repeatability of several important quantitative BAT metrics. After cold activation, 24 subjects underwent positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and PET/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), utilizing 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose. Repeat imaging occurred within 14 days per an identical protocol. BAT volumes were strongly correlated between sessions for PET/CT (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.85) and PET/MRI (ICC, 0.82). BAT maximum lean-body-mass-adjusted standardized uptake values (SUL max ) were also strongly correlated between sessions for both PET/CT (ICC, 0.74) and PET/MRI (ICC, 0.83). Much longitudinal variability in BAT metrics was likely due to biological factors intrinsic to BAT, whole-body metabolic fluctuations, or temporal differences in cold-activation efficacy, rather than imaging factors. Future studies utilizing these imaging metrics to track the response BAT to interventions should incorporate this variation into sample-size considerations and response criteria.
An Anisotropic Dual-Broadband Reflective Polarization Converter Metasurface

A dual broadband polarization conversion metasurface is presented in this paper. The metasurface is composed of periodic unit cells, each unit cell consists of a square-shaped resonator having three slits inside it. The surface efficiently transforms an incident linearly polarized electromagnetic (EM) wave into its cross component within the frequency bands of 7.4-10.5 GHz and 12.7-20 GHz. With its dual band operation on a single layer FR4 dielectric substrate, the subject metasurface is a good contender in the field of cross-polarization conversion metasurfaces.
Placing Traffic-Changing and Partially-Ordered NFV Middleboxes via SDN

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) enables flexible implementation of network functions, also called middleboxes, as virtual machines running on standard servers. However, the flexibility also makes it a challenge to optimally place middleboxes, because a middlebox may be hosted by different servers at different locations. The middlebox placement challenge is further complicated by additional constraints, including the capability of middleboxes to change traffic volumes and dependency between them. In this paper, we address the optimal placement challenge of NFV middleboxes for the data plane using a software-defined networking (SDN) approach. First, we formulate the optimization problem to place traffic-changing and interdependent middleboxes. When the flow path is predetermined, we design optimal algorithms to place a non-ordered or totally-ordered middlebox set, and propose a low-complexity solution for the general scenario of a partially-ordered middlebox set after proving its NP-hardness. When the flow path is not predetermined, we show that the problem is NP-hard even for a non-ordered or totally-ordered middlebox set, and propose an efficient traffic and space aware routing algorithm. We have evaluated the proposed algorithms using large scale simulations and a real application based SDN prototype, and present extensive evaluation results to demonstrate the superiority of our design over benchmark solutions.
Quality Innovation Networks Share Varied Resources for Nursing Homes on Mostly User-Friendly Websites

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Quality innovation networks' (QINs') support of nursing homes (NHs) is a national strategy to systematically improve the quality of care experienced by residents. QINs have been tasked with providing NHs with information, resources, tools, and training to assist in developing best practices and to support quality improvement efforts in infection prevention (including joining the National Healthcare Safety Network [NHSN]), avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, and increase use of hospice and palliative care. Our objective was to examine QIN online resources provided to NHs to support best practices and improvement efforts. DESIGN An environmental scan was conducted. SETTING/MEASUREMENT Each QIN website was evaluated on (1) usability, (2) accessibility and prominence, (3) website design, (4) availability of training materials, (5) recency of update, (6) identification of key personnel, and (8) quality focus areas (ie, infection prevention, NHSN, antibiotic stewardship, reducing unnecessary or avoidable hospitalizations, and palliative and hospice care). RESULTS QIN websites varied dramatically in design and resources offered to NHs as well as in the content and ease of finding information. Antibiotic stewardship and NHSN resources were widely available. Information (ie, fact sheets) on reducing avoidable hospitalizations was commonly available, while resources, such as tool kits, webinars, training, and contact information for personnel on reducing avoidable hospitalizations, were available to 23 states. Infection prevention resources were varied and limited to 34 states. Both palliative care and hospice resources were available through only a few QINs (13 states and 20 states, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Given that much of the information, tool kits, and resources are standardized and in the public domain, centralized resources with tailored or specialized links to unique local resources, like in-person trainings and state-specific contact information, could be more beneficial for NHs. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2376-2381, 2019.
An unusually short inter-molecular N-H⋯N hydrogen bond in crystals of the hemi-hydro-chloride salt of 1-exo-acetamido-pyrrolizidine.

The title compound [systematic name: (1R*, 8S)-2-acetamidoocta­hydro­pyrrol­izin-4-ium chloride–N-[(1R, 8S)-hexa­hydro-1H-pyrrolizin-2-yl)acetamide (1/1)], 2(C9H16N2O)·HCl or C9H17N2O+·Cl−·C9H16N2O, arose as an unexpected product when 1-exo-acetamido­pyrrolizidine (AcAP; C9H16N2O) was dissolved in CHCl3. Within the AcAP pyrrolizidine group, the unsubstituted five-membered ring is disordered over two orientations in a 0.897 (5):0.103 (5) ratio. Two AcAP mol­ecules related by a crystallographic twofold axis link to H+ and Cl− ions lying on the rotation axis, thereby forming N—H⋯N and N—H⋯Cl⋯H—N hydrogen bonds. The first of these has an unusually short N⋯N separation of 2.616 (2) A: refinement of different models against the present data set could not distinguish between a symmetrical hydrogen bond (H atom lying on the twofold axis and equidistant from the N atoms) or static or dynamic disorder models (i.e. N—H⋯N + N⋯H—N). Computational studies suggest that the disorder model is slightly more stable, but the energy difference is very small.
TACC3 Regulates Microtubule Plus-End Dynamics and Cargo Transport in Interphase Cells

End-binding proteins (EBs) are widely viewed as master regulators of microtubule dynamics and function. Here, we show that while EB1 mediates the dynamic microtubule capture of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in fibroblasts, in neuronal cells, infection occurs independently of EBs through stable microtubules. Prompted by this, we find that transforming acid coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3), widely studied in mitotic spindle formation, regulates the cytoplasmic localization of the microtubule polymerizing factor chTOG and influences microtubule plus-end dynamics during interphase to control infection in distinct cell types. Furthermore, perturbing TACC3 function in neuronal cells resulted in the formation of disorganized stable, detyrosinated microtubule networks and changes in cellular morphology, as well as impaired trafficking of both HSV-1 and transferrin. These trafficking defects in TACC3-depleted cells were reversed by the depletion of kinesin-1 heavy chains. As such, TACC3 is a critical regulator of interphase microtubule dynamics and stability that influences kinesin-1-based cargo trafficking.
Environmental surveillance and adverse neonatal health outcomes in foals born near unconventional natural gas development activity.

Abstract Studies of neonatal health risks of unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) have not included comprehensive assessments of environmental chemical exposures. We investigated a clustering of dysphagic cases in neonatal foals born between 2014 and 2016 in an area of active UNGD in Pennsylvania (PA),USA. We evaluated equine biological data and environmental exposures on the affected PA farm and an unaffected New York (NY) farm owned by the same proprietor. Dams either spent their entire gestation on one farm or moved to the other farm in late gestation. Over the 21-month study period, physical examinations and blood/tissue samples were obtained from mares and foals on each farm. Grab samples of water, pasture soil and feed were collected; continuous passive sampling of air and water for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was performed. Dysphagia was evaluated as a binary variable; logistic regression was used to identify risk factors. Sixty-five foals were born, 17 (all from PA farm) were dysphagic. Odds of dysphagia increased with the dam residing on the PA farm for each additional month of gestation (OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.2, 1.7, p = 6.0E-04). Males were more likely to be born dysphagic (OR = 5.5, 95% CI 1.2, 24.5, p = 0.03) than females. Prior to installation of a water filtration/treatment system, PA water concentrations of 3,6-dimethylphenanthrene (p = 6.0E-03), fluoranthene (p = 0.03), pyrene (p = 0.02) and triphenylene (p = 0.01) exceeded those in NY water. Compared to NY farm water, no concentrations of PAHs were higher in PA following installation of the water filtration/treatment system. We provide evidence of an uncommon adverse health outcome (dysphagia) in foals born near UNGD that was eliminated in subsequent years (2017–2019) following environmental management changes. Notably, this study demonstrates that domestic large animals such as horses can serve as important sentinels for human health risks associated with UNGD activities.
The Differential Analyzer as an Active Mathematical Instrument: Control Applied to Mechanism and Circuitry

As part of a 1989 ACC Plenary Lecture, we feature here the essential role played by amplification and control in the successful development of the differential analyzer (DA). This first occurred with the introduction of the capstan torque amplifier in Vannevar Bush's largely mechanical form (as the 1930 MDA) and then later with use of the voltage operational amplifier in an electronic embodiment (as the 1947 EDA or electronic analog computer). Certain essential components and features of both MDAs and EDAs are outlined and contrasted, where the fast all-electronic EDA best exemplifies the distinctive benefits attending the evolution from mostly mechanical to fully electrical implementation.
Envisioning the future of work to safeguard the safety, health, and well-being of the workforce: A perspective from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The future of work embodies changes to the workplace, work, and workforce, which require additional occupational safety and health (OSH) stakeholder attention. Examples include workplace developments in organizational design, technological job displacement, and work arrangements; work advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and technologies; and workforce changes in demographics, economic security, and skills. This paper presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Future of Work Initiative; suggests an integrated approach to address worker safety, health, and well-being; introduces priority topics and subtopics that confer a framework for upcoming future of work research directions and resultant practical applications; and discusses preliminary next steps. All future of work issues impact one another. Future of work transformations are contingent upon each of the standalone factors discussed in this paper and their combined effects. Occupational safety and health stakeholders are becoming more aware of the significance and necessity of these factors for the workplace, work, and workforce to flourish, merely survive, or disappear altogether as the future evolves. The future of work offers numerous opportunities, while also presenting critical but not clearly understood difficulties, exposures, and hazards. It is the responsibility of OSH researchers and other partners to understand the implications of future of work scenarios to translate effective interventions into practice for employers safeguarding the safety, health, and well-being of their workers.
Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing two low-intensity weight loss maintenance interventions based on acceptance and commitment therapy or self-regulation.

Abstract Background Weight regain is common following behavioral obesity treatment and attenuates many of the benefits of initial weight loss. This paper describes a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the efficacy of two low-contact weight loss maintenance interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and self-regulation (SR). Potential mechanisms of action and moderators of treatment effects will also be evaluated. Methods Adults (anticipated N = 480) with overweight or obesity will complete an initial 3-month online weight loss program (Phase 1). Participants who achieve ≥4 kg weight loss (anticipated N = 288) will then be randomized to an ACT or SR weight loss maintenance intervention. Both interventions will entail four 2.5 h, face-to-face, group-based workshop sessions and 6 months of email contact. Assessments will be conducted at phase 1 baseline, phase 1 completion/pre-randomization, and 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months post-randomization. The primary outcome will be weight change for the period from randomization to 30 months. Potential process measures including ACT-based constructs (e.g., psychological acceptance, values-consistent behavior), self-weighing frequency, and motivation will be also be assessed, as will potential moderators (e.g., initial weight loss). Conclusions This study will compare the efficacy of two intervention approaches (ACT and SR) delivered in a scalable workshop format for long-term weight loss maintenance. Future research could examine efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these approaches in real world settings.
Beyond Physical Capacity: Factors Associated With Real-world Walking Activity After Stroke.

Abstract Objective To identify homogeneous subsets of survivors of chronic stroke who share similar characteristics across several domains and test if these groups differ in real-world walking activity. We hypothesized that variables representing the domains of walking ability, psychosocial, environment, and cognition would be important contributors in differentiating real-world walking activity in survivors of chronic stroke. Design Cross-sectional, secondary data analysis. Setting University/laboratory. Participants A total of 283 individuals with chronic (≥6mo) stroke (N=238). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Thirteen variables representing 5 domains were included: (1) walking ability: 6-minute walk test (6MWT), self-selected speed (SSS) of gait; (2) psychosocial: Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale; (3) physical health: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI); (4) cognition: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); and (5) environment: living situation and marital status, work status, Area Deprivation Index (ADI), Walk Score. Mixture modeling was used to identify latent classes of survivors of stroke. After identifying the latent classes, walking activity, measured as steps per day (SPD), was included as a distal outcome to understand if classes were meaningfully different in their real-world walking Results A model with 3 latent classes was selected. The 6MWT, SSS, ABC scale, and Walk Score were significantly different among all 3 classes. Differences were also seen for the MoCA, ADI, and CCI between 2 of the 3 classes. Importantly, the distal outcome of SPD was significantly different in all classes, indicating that real-world walking activity differs among the groups identified by the mixture model. Conclusions Survivors of stroke with lower walking ability, lower self-efficacy, lower cognitive abilities, and greater area deprivation had lower SPD. These results demonstrate that the physical and social environment (including socioeconomic factors) and cognitive function should also be considered when developing interventions to improve real-world walking activity after stroke.
Pediatric Sports-Related Concussion: An Approach to Care:

Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a common sports injury in children and adolescents. With the vast amount of youth sports participation, an increase in awareness of concussion and evidence that t...
Propositional Proofs in Frege and Extended Frege Systems (Abstract)

We discuss recent results on the propositional proof complexity of Frege proof systems, including some recently discovered quasipolynomial size proofs for the pigeonhole principle and the Kneser-Lovasz theorem. These are closely related to formalizability in bounded arithmetic.
Visualizing execution paths

Trying to understand assembly code can be a difficult or unpleasant task for many computer science students. Even if the code is well structured and documented, it is rather tedious to determine manually all the execution paths. Running the program multiple times may miss some possible paths that the user did not consider. Thus, for the purposes of pedagogy and testing, there is a need for a static tool that can analyze assembly code and emit information about all execution paths. This paper describes a software tool called Path Viz that allows a user to observe the complete path and block structure of a computer program. The tool reads assembly code and control-flow information in order to generate the set of paths. A graphical user interface appears to allow the user to query about any portion of the program. Path Viz operates efficiently since it does not actually run the input program. Furthermore, the implementation of Path Viz makes it amenable to porting to a different assembly language.
Relaxation processes in a system with logarithmic growth

We discuss relaxation and aging processes in the one- and two-dimensional ABC models. In these driven diffusive systems of three particle types, biased exchanges in one direction yield a coarsening process characterized in the long-time limit by a logarithmic growth of ordered domains that take the form of stripes. From the time-dependent length, derived from the equal-time spatial correlator, and from the mean displacement of individual particles different regimes in the formation and growth of these domains can be identified. Analysis of two-times correlation and response functions reveals dynamical scaling in the asymptotic logarithmic growth regime as well as complicated finite-time and finite-size effects in the early and intermediate time regimes.
Retrolental fibroplasia: clinical observations.

Retrolental fibroplasia is a postnatally acquired disease. The basic pattern for the disease is present in the majority of premature infants born weighing less than 1500 gm. A relationship between the electrolyte content of the diet, and fluid retention can be established in small premature infants. A relationship between large blood transfusions and an increased incidence of RLF is presented. Exclusively human milk diets, fed until a weight of 1800 gm. is achieved, do not prevent RLF developing later in infants born weighing less than 1500 gm. ACTH may exert its temporary influence on RLF by its diuretic effect on water and salt metabolism in the premature infant. Two factors, formulae of high electrolyte concentration and blood transfusion, may overload the capacities for physiologic adjustment of the smaller premature infant, and lead to RLF. A direct relationship between the development of RLF and blood transfusion during a period of water and electrolyte retention is reported. The practice of feeding high electrolyte formulae, and excessively large blood transfusion for anemia may be responsible for the remarkable variation in incidence from hospital to hospital, the variation in incidence even in the same hospital, and the increasing incidence of RLF in premature infants following the introduction of these practices.
Physical Chemistry of Clay-Water Interaction

Publisher Summary Clay and water are two of the most common substances in the earth's crust. Separately and together they influence daily lives of individuals. Frequently, the mutual interaction between clay and water controls the formation of clouds and the infiltration of rain water into the soil. It is often responsible for the failure of buildings and highways and the decreased production of oil wells. It affects the quality of paper coatings and ceramics. This chapter provides a critical review of the recent literature on clay–water interaction. Understanding the nature and properties of the two components help to understand the nature of clay–water interaction.
Regulation of firearm dealers in the United States: An analysis of state law and opportunities for improvement

Firearms were associated with 30, 136 deaths in the United States in 2003. Most guns are initially sold to the public through a network of retail dealers. Licensed firearm dealers are an important source of guns for criminals and gun traffickers. Just one percent of licensed dealers were responsible for more than half of all guns traced to crime. Federal law makes it difficult for ATF to inspect and revoke the licenses of problem gun dealers. State licensing systems, however, are a greatly under-explored opportunity for firearm dealer oversight. We identify and categorize these state systems to identify opportunities for interventions to prevent problem dealers from supplying guns to criminals, juveniles, or gun traffickers. Just seventeen states license gun dealers. Twenty-three states permit routine inspections of dealers but only two mandate that those inspections occur on a regular basis. Twenty-six states impose record-keeping requirements for gun sales. Only thirteen states require some form of store security measures to minimize firearm theft. We conclude with recommendations for a comprehensive system of state licensing and oversight of gun dealers. Our findings can be useful for the coalition of more than fifty U.S. mayors that recently announced it would work together to combat illegal gun trafficking.
Distributed collaborative problem-based graduate-level learning: Students' perspectives on communication tool selection and efficacy

There is growing interest in higher education into graduate-level learning at a distance, where participants are chosen not by where they live but by programmatic match in terms of interest, motivation, intelligence, and academic and professional background. Asynchronous, web-based educational programs have shown to be quite successful at providing quality education at a distance, however we question whether all activities necessary to build a strong academic community and give teachers and students adequate ability to engage in a wide variety of academic activities and discourse can be handled most efficaciously via asynchronous methods alone. As Internet bandwidth increases and richer media in this domain becomes more technologically efficient (requires less bandwidth with ever higher performance) the opportunity to re-introduce synchronous interaction at a distance becomes possible. At our institution a wide variety of synchronous and asynchronous tools are being developed for distance education purposes. This study tracks student selection of these tools for various types of instructional activities at varying cognitive levels, and tracks their reaction to the efficacy of the tool for the given tasks.
A test for relative racial demand functions in American manufacturing

(1978). A test for relative racial demand functions in American manufacturing. Applied Economics: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 61-73.
A robust/cautious model predictive controller

Abstract In process control, a significant number of problems are encountered where there are hard and soft constraints on the measured process variables and/or on the value and rate of change of the manipulated variables. On-line implementation of traditional control strategies becomes unfeasible since they cannot explicitly deal with process constraints. Model predictive control offers a viable alternative; however, a prominent issue is the behaviour of these algorithms when the prediction model does not match the actual plant. A possible solution is to formulate the problem in a linear/non-linear programming framework, using the cutting plane technique to locate the ‘worst’ plant/model mismatch at every time interval. This results in a very practical cautious predictive controller that computes the next controller action based on expected model/plant mismatch. Control of a stirred tank reactor illustrates the method, using a one-step ahead predictive controller.
The Social Psychology of Ordinary Ethical Failures

After the collapse of Enron, the fraud at Worldcom, and a host of other corporate scandals at the start of the new millennium, the media immediately began a search for the underlying cause of the failure of ethics that caused these scandals. These searches led to answers such as regulatory failure, a few bad apples, and the poorly created incentives of the gatekeepers. The scandals led to decline in the perception of business leaders in society, and business schools were challenged to rethink their training of future leaders. Implicit in the calls for action was the assumption that changes were needed to keep corporate actors from explicitly engaging in unethical behavior. The passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002 made a variety of changes targeted to reduce intentionally corrupt behavior, including the regulation of public accounting firms. Although we applaud such changes in the incentive structure to make organizational actors act more ethically, we believe that such measures simply bypass the vast majority of unethical behaviors that occur without the conscious awareness of the actors who engage in them. The papers in this special issue provide insight into the types, magnitude, and causes of unethical behavior that can occur without the conscious awareness in the actor performing the unethical action and the consequences for those affected by their actions. These ordinary unethical behaviors are conceived to be ordinary because they are assumed to be rooted in the basic mechanics of the mind’s abilities and constraints (Banaji, 2001). They are also ordinary in that such unethical behaviors are not characteristic of a special group of unethical people, the bad apples that Enron had to cast away, but rather of all of us. If this is true, then the pervasiveness of what is termed “unethical” must be rethought, and as such the solutions to contemporary ethical scandals may need special attention. To engage in a satisfactory discussion of these issues, we
Molecular cloud shredding in the Galactic Bar

Seen just outside the innermost regions of the galactic center, the kinematics of molecular gas are dominated by a handful of compact but unusually broad-lined features of enigmatic origin. We show, using previous data, that there is a family of such features whose members are distinguished morphologically by their extreme vertical extension, perpendicular to the inclined plane of the overall gas tilt. Having isolated the features spatially, we mapped them with varying degrees of completeness at high resolution (1´) in lines of 12 CO, 13 CO and CS. Although very broad profiles exist in some individual beams, more generally we resolved the kinematics into spatial gradients which earlier were smeared in broader beams to form wider lines. The largest apparent velocity gradients are typically with respect to galactic latitude but motions are confined to the range of velocities inside the galactic terminal velocity, indicating that it is the galactic gravitational potential which is being tapped to create the observed kinematics. We interpret the broad-lined features qualitatively in terms of recent hydrodynamical models of gas flow in strongly barred galaxies: standing shocks which occur where gas enters the Galactic dust lane can account for the presence of broad lines over small spatial volumes wherever molecular gas is actually engaged in this process. To interpret the dynamical sequencing of the complex behaviour seen within the broad-line features we discuss how the Sun must be oriented with respect to the bar. In doing so, we identify the nuclear star-forming rings seen in other galaxies with the complex of giant H II regions Sgr A, B, C etc. and show that the kinematics are as expected for a ring of radius 175 pc (for a Sun-center distance of 8.5 kpc) rotating at about 210 km s -1 . Gas having clear and strong outward-directed non-circular motion around $l=0$° (the famous “expanding molecular ring”) is then associated with the “spray” of incoming gas at the inner ends of the dust lane, defining a more nearly end-on viewing angle for the bar. Using the inferred geometry, we construct a narrative for the behaviour of the feature most completely mapped here, at $l = 5.4$°, whereby gas basically falls out of the sky and is concentrated into the observed dense, bright molecular core before being shredded and sucked into the inflow of the dust lane 100 pc or more below the nominal galactic equator. From there it is recycled and lifted back into the more nearly equatorial region of the nuclear ring. Of course, the vertical structure of this and the other features, and the overall tilt of the dust lane and inner-galaxy gas layer, all remain to be discussed theoretically.
Purification of Human Leukocyte Elastase and Cathepsin G by Chromatography on Immobilized Elastin

Human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G were isolated from purulent sputum by a simple procedure involving chromatography on elastin-agarose. Salt extracts of sputum were prepared, treated with DNase, and the precipitate which formed extracted and applied to a column of soluble elastin-Sepharose 4B. Contaminating protein was eluted with 50 mM Tris, 50 mM NaCl, pH 8.0 and then two column volumes of 50 mM acetate, 1.0 M NaCl, pH 5.0. The tightly bound elastase and cathepsin G together with a trypsin-like serine protease could finally be eluted with 50 mM acetate, 1.0 M NaCl, 20% DMSO, pH 5.0. Resolution of the proteases was accomplished by cation-exchange chromatography. Disc gel electrophoresis established the purity of elastase and cathepsin G and confirmed the existence of several isozymes for each.
Synthesis and carbohydrate binding studies of fluorescent α-amidoboronic acids and the corresponding bisboronic acids

Fluorescent boronic acids are very useful for the design and synthesis of carbohydrate sensors. In an earlier communication, we first described the effort of developing water soluble fluorescent α-amidoboronic acids, which change fluorescence upon sugar binding. In this report, we describe a general method of functionalizing such boronic acids and their applications in the preparation of bis-α-amidoboronic acids with significantly enhanced binding for oligosaccharides as compared to their monoboronic acid counterparts. The advantages of good water solubility, easy modification to generate diversity, and modularity in synthesis will make α-amidoboronic acids very useful building blocks for future synthesis of boronic acid-based fluorescent sensors.
Evidence of ultraviolet divergence on the lattice.

There is a widespread intuitive belief that lattice theories are automatically ultraviolet finite. It is shown here that this is false and that lattice theories are not immune from ultraviolet infinities. This is illustrated with an example. Causes, cures, and lessons are briefly noted.
Bacteriocidal activity of Lactobacillus plantarum C-11

Abstract Plantaricin A, a bacteriocin produced by a strain ofLactobacillus plantarum isolated from a cucumber fermentation was shown to be bacteriocidal, degradable by proteases, heat-stable (>30 min at 100°C), non-dialyzable (>8000 MW), and active from pH4·0 to 6·5. Plantaricin A was bacteriocidal toward some species of the four genera of lactic acid bacteria:Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc andStreptococcus. Plantaricin A was not effective against other Gram positive or Gram-negative bacteria or yeasts. Mutants ofL. plantarum lacking bacteriocin activity isolated from chemostat cultures had identical plasmid profiles to that of the bacteriocin-producing parental strain.
Orientation of the β subunit polypeptide of (Na+ + K+)ATPase in the cell membrane

Although the animal cell (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is composed of two polypeptide subunits, alpha and beta, very little is known about the beta subunit. In order to obtain information about the structure of this polypeptide, the beta subunit has been investigated using proteolytic fragmentation, chemical modification of carbohydrate residues, and immunoblot analysis. The sialic acid moieties on the oligosaccharide groups on the beta subunit of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase were labeled with NaB3H4 after oxidation by sodium periodate, or the penultimate galactose residues on the oligosaccharides were similarly labeled after removal of sialic acid with neuraminidase and oxidation by galactose oxidase. All of the carbohydrate residues of the protein are located on regions of the beta subunit that are found on the non-cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. Cleavage of the galactose oxidase-treated, NaB3H4-labeled beta subunit by chymotrypsin at an extracellular site produced labeled fragments of 40 and 18 kDa, indicating multiple glycosylation sites along the polypeptide. Neither the 40 kDa fragment nor the 18 kDa fragment was released from the membrane by chymotrypsin digestion alone, but after cleavage the 40 kDa fragment could be removed from the membrane by treatment with 0.1 M NaOH. This indicates that the 40 kDa fragment does not span the lipid bilayer. The 40 kDa fragment and the 18 kDa fragment are also linked by at least one disulfide bond. The 18 kDa fragment also contains all of the binding sites found on the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase for anti-beta subunit antibodies. Both the 40 kDa fragment and the 18 kDa fragment were also generated using papain or trypsin to cleave the beta subunit. These data indicate that the beta subunit of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase contains multiple sites of glycosylation, that it inserts into the cell membrane near only one end of the polypeptide, and that one region of the polypeptide is particularly sensitive to proteolytic cleavage relative to the rest of the polypeptide.
The effects of community social capital on school performance: A spatial approach

Abstract The influence of social capital on economic activities has been a central theme in the literature for quite a long time, but the relationship between social connectedness and school choice has not been addressed. If the primary objective of social capital is to create cohesiveness through the connectivity of community members, then it is clear that parents’ school choice decisions are influenced by the groups or organizations to which they belong. Ni (2007) argues that parents’ decisions not only influence students’ academic performance, but also affect school expenditures. Thus, it is worthwhile to investigate the effect of social capital on school performance. The measurement of social capital has been debated for a long time. In this paper we create a geographically bounded community around schools in Mississippi employing GIS instead of following the commonly used political boundaries such as school district or county to measure social capital. Then we estimate the social capital stock for each school to analyze the relationship between the school's performance and existing social capital. Data were collected from the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NRCRD) and the Mississippi Department of Education for the academic year 2005–2006. We find that schools located in communities with a higher stock of social capital significantly outperform those with relatively low levels of social capital. The results also suggest that students’ race and socio-economic status significantly reduce primary school performance, holding all else equal. This research helps to understand the importance of social capital from spatial perspectives and will guide policy makers in future resource allocations.
The Case for Countercyclical Fiscal Capacity

A growing literature has sought to demonstrate when and how government capacity links to performance. This article examines those questions in the area of financial management. A basic challenge for state governments is to maintain budgetary stability and program predictability in face of economic downturns. State governments can best meet this challenge by developing what we call countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC). We present the concept of CCFC as the creation and use of financial tools that help state governments maintain countercyclical spending and program stability during revenue shocks. We operationalize the concept in terms of fiscal reserves that are used to mitigate emergency-spending cuts and tax increases and analyze the operation of such reserves over a period that includes recessions in 1991 and 2001. We find evidence of the efficacy of CCFC and argue for greater investments in this aspect of government capacity.
Dickkopf Homolog 1 Mediates Endothelin-1-Stimulated New Bone Formation

Tumor-produced endothelin-1 (ET-1) stimulates osteoblasts to form new bone and is an important mediator of osteoblastic bone metastasis. The anabolic actions of ET-1 in osteoblasts were investigated by gene microarray analyses of murine neonatal calvarial organ cultures. Targets of ET-1 action were validated by real-time RT-PCR in murine primary osteoblast cultures. IL-6, IL-11, the CCN (CYR61, CTGF, NOV) family members cysteine-rich protein 61 and connective tissue growth factor, inhibin β-A, serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand, snail homolog 1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3, and TG-interacting factor transcripts were increased by ET-1. ET-1 decreased the transcript for the Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor, dickkopf homolog 1 (Dkk1). Calvarial organ cultures treated with ET-1 had lower concentrations of DKK1 protein in conditioned media than control cultures. High DKK1 concentrations in bone marrow suppress bone formation in multiple myeloma. We ...
Practical polymerization of functionalized lactones and carbonates with Sn(OTf)2 in metal catalysed ring-opening polymerization methods

We report the synthesis of functionalized polycarbonates and polyesters employing stannous(II) trifluoromethane sulfonate [Sn(OTf)2] in homo and copolymerizations with monomers of the valerolactone family such as valerolactone and α-allyl-valerolactone using ring-opening polymerization (ROP) techniques and 5-methyl-5-allyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxane-2-one (MAC) and 5-methyl-5-ethyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxane-2-one (MEC). Practical reaction and work up conditions were established which circumvented the typically high polydispersities associated with Sn catalysts. Monomer concentration was found to be critical to incorporate challenging monomers such as α-allyl-valerolactone in the desired monomer ratios. Moreover, carbonate polymerizations were well controlled and facilitated products with narrow polydispersities. Bulk conditions for the polycarbonate polymerization were found to be preferential compared to traditional solution conditions. Additionally, the incorporation of α-allyl-valerolactone into polyester copolymers varied with monomer concentration, and highest incorporation was achieved using more dilute conditions.
Cathodoluminescence measurement of strained alumina single crystals

Abstract Alumina single crystals indented with a Vickers hardness indenter were investigated by cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and spectroscopy in a scanning electron microscope. The spatial resolution of the CL images was approximately 0·4 μm. CL spectra were measured with wavelength resolution of 1·0 nm in the wavelength range of 200 to 900 nm; in the immediate region of the ruby lines (693 nm), spectra were measured with a resolution of 0·15 nm. Stress-induced frequency shifts of the ruby lines were utilized to measure the residual stresses in the region surrounding the indentation. Both hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic stresses were measured. The magnitude of the stresses was observed to vary with distance from the center of the indent and also with crystallographic orientation. After the samples were annealed at 1600°C for 10 h, no measurable stresses remained either in the center of the indent or in the surrounding area.
Technique for Less Invasive Implantation of Heartmate II Left Ventricular Assist Device Without Median Sternotomy

The standard implantation of the Heartmate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) (Thoratec Inc, Pleasanton, CA) involves a median sternotomy. There are some theoretical advantages to avoiding a median sternotomy in LVAD implantation. Hill et al 1 introduced the concept of implantation of LVADs via a combination of right mini-thoracotomy and left subcostal incision and used this approach to implant the Thoratec paracorporeal LVAD (Thoratec Inc). Gregoric et al 2 subsequently described a less invasive approach for implanting the Heartmate II LVAD without median sternotomy by using a subcostal incision and a right mini-thoracotomy, and they used the approach in 3 patients. With some modifications, we now use this method for routine implantation of the Heartmate II and describe our technique.
A longitudinal study of an adult with aphasia: Considerations for research and therapy

Abstract This paper described investigation and therapy carried out over a one year period with an adult aphasic patient characterized by severe impairment of auditory comprehension. A deblocking technique was used to reintegrate the mechanisms for correlating sound and meaning. The visual mode of presentation of linguistic material was used both to provide a stable representation of speech units and to allow reinforcement of auditory representations. The patient was given tasks of repetition, reading aloud, and sequencing, using progressively more complex material. The behavior of the patient gives support to the viability of the theoretical constructs of linguistics: this can be seen in the differential processing of function words vs. content words, and in the orderly progression of improvement through stages explicable as the recovery of well-defined and hierarchically dependent subcomponents of linguistic organization.
No end in sight: the nurse's role in ensuring a holistic approach in the care of a patient undergoing a drainage implant for end-stage glaucoma.

Abstract This article addresses issues that relate to the surgical care of patients in imminent danger of permanently losing their eyesight as a result of advanced glaucoma. An overview of the stages of glaucoma and concurrent treatment is reviewed. Close attention is given to the psychosocial and physiologic ramifications of this end-stage surgical procedure. The nurse's role in assisting patients through this life crisis is essential to the patient's well being, lifestyle changes, and quality of life. (Insight - the Journal of the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses 2000;25:88–91.)
NORMAL XERORADIOGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC ANATOMY OF THE GREAT HORNED OWL (BUBO VIRGINIANUS), WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA)

The purpose of this study was to provide a reference for xeroradiographic and conventional radiographic anatomy of the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) as a representative of the avian Order Strigiformes. The head, body, wing, and pelvic limb of three adult birds were radiographed using xeroradiographic and conventional radiographic techniques. Twelve xeroradiographs and their corresponding conventional radiographs were selected, and the xeroradiographs labeled to illustrate normal anatomy. Selected views of the barn owl (Tyto alba) were included to illustrate significant differences between this and other species of owls.
Determination of α-dialkylamino acids and their enantiomers in geological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with a chiral adduct of o-phthaldialdehyde

Derivatization with (omicron)-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and the chiral thiol N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a convenient and sensitive technique for the HPLC detection and resolution of protein amino acid enantiomers. The kinetics of the reaction of OPA-NAC with (alpha)-dialkylamino acids was investigated. The fluorescence yield of (alpha)-dialkylamino acids was only about 10% of that of protein amino acids when the derivatization was carried out at room temperature for 1-2 min, which is the procedure generally used for protein amino acid analyses. The fluorescence yield of (alpha)-dialkylamino acids can be enhanced by up to ten-fold when the derivatization reaction time is increased to 15 min at room temperature. The OPA-NAC technique was optimized for the detection and enantiomeric resolution of a-dialkylamino acids in geological samples which contain a large excess of protein amino acids. The estimated detection limit for a-dialkylamino acids is 1-2 pmol, comparable to that for protein amino acids.