cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On internal electron transfer in xanthine oxidase

Abstract The structural basis for intarmolecular electron transfer in xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2) has been probed using temperature-jump perturbation and optical spectroscopic methods. Redox equilibria were found to be temperature-insensitive; hence it is argued that electron transfer is not accompanied by any extensive macromolecular conformational changes. No evidence for absorption phenomena ascribable to optical electron transfer could be found throughout the course of reductive titration of the biological particle. The combined results suggest that long-range electron transfer in the xanthine oxidase can best be described as occurring between only weakly interacting redox sites embedded in a rigid protein matrix.
The area requirements of an ecosystem service: crop pollination by native bee communities in California

Managing ecosystem services is critical to human survival, yet we do not know how large natural areas must be to support these services. We investigated how crop pollination services provided by native, unmanaged, bee communities varied on organic and conventional farms situated along a gradient of isolation from natural habitat. Pollination services from native bees were significantly, positively related to the proportion of upland natural habitat in the vicinity of farm sites, but not to any other factor studied, including farm type, insecticide usage, field size and honeybee abundance. The scale of this relationship matched bee foraging ranges. Stability and predictability of pollination services also increased with increasing natural habitat area. This strong relationship between natural habitat area and pollination services was robust over space and time, allowing prediction of the area needed to produce a given level of pollination services by wild bees within this landscape.
Diverse molecular interactions of the hnRNP K protein

Abstract The hnRNP K protein is a versatile molecule that interacts with RNA, DNA, the proto-oncoprotein VaV, Src-like tyrosine and inducible serine/threonine kinases, the transcription factor TBP and a number of zinc-finger transcriptional repressors. The interaction of K protein with some of its protein partners is modulated by nucleic acids and K protein can alter the in vivo and in vitro rate of transcription. K protein can simultaneously engage several proteins and may facilitate molecular cross-talk. Taken together these diverse interactions suggest that K protein may act as a nucleic acid-regulated docking platform. © 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Identification of Components in the Stale Flavor Fraction of Sterilized Concentrated Milk

SUMMARY The more volatile components of the stale flavor fraction of sterilized concentrated milk (SCM) were studied by a nitrogen-purge on-column trapping technique. Higher-boiling components were isolated by solvent extraction of the fat from lyophilized SCM, followed by low-pressure reduced-temperature steam distillation of the extracted fat. Components in the resulting flavor extract were identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The following compounds were identified in the extract from stale SCM: 2-heptanone, 2-nonanone, 2-tridecanone, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, naphthalene, a dichlorobenzene, δ decalactone, benzothiazole and o-aminoacetophenone. Of these compounds, only the dichlorobenzene and 2-heptanone were identified in the extract from the control SCM.
The porous media model for the hydraulic system of a conifer tree: Linking sap flux data to transpiration rate

Linking sap flow in tree boles to plant transpiration continues to be a fundamental and practical research problem in physiological ecology and forest hydrology. Many models have been proposed to describe water movement within trees with varying degrees of success. The prevailing resistance–capacitance (RC)-circuit models have the advantage of being easy to implement. However, RC models are ordinary differential equation (ODE) models that reduce the spatial–temporal dynamics of a tree hydraulic system to the temporal variation of simplified quantities; thus, the RC parameterization is more empirical and open to various interpretations. For coniferous trees, a reasonable alternative to RC circuit models is a porous media (PM) model, which is a partial differential equation (PDE) model that describes the spatial–temporal dynamics. The model more closely represents the physical elements of the conifer hydraulic system but also requires a direct estimation of its properties. Our proposed PM model is original in that it formulates a theoretical link between measured quantities (i.e., sap flux density and tree structure) and model parameters, obtained during nighttime, which permits direct numerical conversion of sap flow to transpiration rate during daytime. In addition to fully simulating the PDE, we propose an alternative method to transform the PDE into a set of ODEs, to significantly reduce computational demands. Although the ODE results are noisy, the transpiration pattern produced by the ODE, once filtered, is similar to that of the PDE. We demonstrate that measurements of the sap flux in multiple positions below and within the crown can be used to compute the height-dependent transpiration rate; but if rates of bulk crown transpiration are of primary interest, readily obtainable measurements at two heights, at the base of the tree and below the crown, are sufficient for the computation. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Osteopontin is elevated during neointima formation in rat arteries and is a novel component of human atherosclerotic plaques

In an earlier report, we used differential cloning to identify genes that might be critical in controlling arterial neointima formation (Giachelli, C., N. Bae, D. Lombardi, M. Majesky, and S. Schwartz. 1991. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 177:867-873). In this study, we sequenced the complete cDNA and conclusively identified one of these genes, 2B7, as rat osteopontin. Using immunochemistry and in situ hybridization, we found that medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) in uninjured arteries contained very low levels of osteopontin protein and mRNA. Injury to either the adult rat aorta or carotid artery using a balloon catheter initiated a qualitatively similar time-dependent increase in both osteopontin protein and mRNA in arterial SMC. Expression was transient and highly localized to neointimal SMC during the proliferative and migratory phases of arterial injury, suggesting a possible role for osteopontin in these processes. In vitro, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and angiotensin II (AII), all proteins implicated in the rat arterial injury response, elevated osteopontin expression in confluent vascular SMC. Finally, we found that osteopontin was a novel component of the human atherosclerotic plaque found most strikingly associated with calcified deposits. These data implicate osteopontin as a potentially important mediator of arterial neointima formation as well as dystrophic calcification that often accompanies this process.
On the curtailment of sampling

We address the problem of the curtailment or continuation of an experiment or trial at some interim point where say N observations are in hand and at least S > N observations had originally been scheduled for a decision. A Bayesian predictive approach is used to determine the probability that if one continued the trial with a further sample of size M where N +M ≥S, one would come to a particular decision regarding a parameter or a future observable. This point of view can also be applied to significance tests if one is willing to admit the calculation as a subjective assessment. Supposons qu'il soit prevu qu'une experience (ou essai) implique le prelevement de S observations avant la prise d'une decision. On considers la situation ou N > S observations sont deja prises et on se demande si, a la lumiere de celles-ci, il vaut mieux ecourter l'experience ou la poursuivre. A l'aide d'une approche bayesienne predictive on determine la probabilite que dans le cas ou un echantillon supplemental de taille M(N +M > S) est preleve, on arriverait a une decision particuliere a propos d'un parametre ou d'une valeur future. Ce point de vue peut ětre applique aux tests de signification si lon est prět a considerer les calculs comme une appreciation subjective.
Long-term follow-up of fixation patterns in eyes with central scotomas from geographic atrophy that is associated with age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To study whether fixation patterns changed over time in patients with central scotomas from geographic atrophy from age-related macular degeneration. Design Prospective cohort study. Methods setting: Institutional. patient or study population: Prospective natural history study of geographic atrophy included 34 eyes of 25 patients with baseline acuity between 20/80 and 20/200 and with subsequent follow-up. observation procedures: Baseline and annual follow-up visits included best-corrected visual acuity, scanning laser ophthalmoscope macular perimetry, reading rate, and clinical evaluation. main outcome measures: Location of eccentric preferred retinal locus for fixation (PRL). Results At baseline, 77% of study eyes had a PRL. At the final visit (median follow-up, 5.3 years), 91% of study eyes had a PRL, with 81% of the eyes retaining the baseline PRL location. Fixation with the scotoma to the right and fixation with the scotoma superior were the first and second most common fixation patterns, respectively. Reading rates of Conclusion Fixation with right pattern remained the most common fixation pattern, both in patients with a PRL at baseline and in patients who had a PRL during follow-up. Eyes with a PRL at baseline generally retained this pattern. The reading rate data suggest an advantage of fixation with right or superior pattern, rather than left. Reading rate declined further during follow-up in most patients.
Liquid Chromatography in Pharmaceutical Analysis VIII: Determination of Isoniazid and Acetyl Derivative in Plasma and Urine Samples

Parameters are described for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of a mixture of isoniazid and its acetyl derivative. The compounds are chromatographed on an octadecylsilane column, using absolute methanol-distilled water (60:40) at pH 2.5 containing 0.01 M dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate. The flow rate was 2.0 ml/min (2500 psig). The separation and quantification are applicable to plasma and urine samples. The determination in each biological fluid can be achieved in approximately 90 min with percentage accuracies for isoniazid of 5.25 and 7.45 and for the acetyl derivative of 4.47 and 1.56 in plasma and urine, respectively.
Stress-Stimulated Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Control the Stability and Activity of the Cdt1 DNA Replication Licensing Factor

DNA replication is tightly coordinated both with cell cycle cues and with responses to extracellular signals to maintain genome stability. We discovered that human Cdt1, an essential origin licensing protein whose activity must be restricted to G(1) phase, is a substrate of the stress-activated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). These MAP kinases phosphorylate Cdt1 both during unperturbed G(2) phase and during an acute stress response. Phosphorylation renders Cdt1 resistant to ubiquitin-mediated degradation during S phase and after DNA damage by blocking Cdt1 binding to the Cul4 adaptor, Cdt2. Mutations that block normal cell cycle-regulated MAP kinase-mediated phosphorylation interfere with rapid Cdt1 reaccumulation at the end of S phase. Phosphomimetic mutations recapitulate the stabilizing effects of Cdt1 phosphorylation but also reduce the ability of Cdt1 to support origin licensing. Two other CRL4(Cdt2) targets, the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21 and the methyltransferase PR-Set7/Set8, are similarly stabilized by MAP kinase activity. These findings support a model in which MAP kinase activity in G(2) promotes reaccumulation of a low-activity Cdt1 isoform after replication is complete.
Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of high-dose interleukin 2. In vivo infusion of antibody to NK-1.1 attenuates toxicity without compromising efficacy against murine leukemia.

In the current study we used the therapy of established murine leukemia to identify the lymphocyte subsets responsible for toxicity and for therapeutic efficacy of high-dose IL-2. Initial results confirmed that high-dose IL-2 induces marked proliferation of a variety of host cells, including NK cells, Lyt-2+ T cells, L3T4+ T cells, and B cells. Infusion of antibody to NK-1.1 depleted NK-1.1+ cells in vivo and greatly reduced the toxicity of IL-2, but did not decrease therapeutic efficacy. By marked contrast, depletion of host T cells, either Lyt-2+ or L3T4+, had no effect on toxicity but greatly reduced therapeutic efficacy. The requirement for host T cells for the curative effect of IL-2 gives credence to the possibility that substantial efficacy of high-dose IL-2 against established malignancy may require existent host antitumor immunity. Since the human tumors that have been shown to have the most substantial responses to IL-2 (i.e., malignant melanoma and renal cell carcinoma) are those long considered to be immunogenic in the autochthonous host, the current study predicts that for these, as well as other immunogenic human tumors, it should be possible to decrease the toxicity and thus increase the therapeutic index of IL-2 by selectively depleting NK cells in vivo.
Semi-automated separation of the epimeric dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids lycopsamine and intermedine: preparation of their N-oxides and NMR comparison with diastereoisomeric rinderine and echinatine.

Introduction The diversity of structure and, particularly, stereochemical variation of the dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids can present challenges for analysis and the isolation of pure compounds for the preparation of analytical standards and for toxicology studies. Objective To investigate methods for the separation of gram-scale quantities of the epimeric dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids lycopsamine and intermedine and to compare their NMR spectroscopic data with those of their heliotridine-based analogues echinatine and rinderine. Methods Lycopsamine and intermedine were extracted, predominantly as their N-oxides and along with their acetylated derivatives, from commercial samples of comfrey (Symphytum officinale) root. Alkaloid enrichment involved liquid–liquid partitioning of the crude methanol extract between dilute aqueous acid and n-butanol, reduction of N-oxides and subsequent continuous liquid–liquid extraction of free base alkaloids into CHCl3. The alkaloid-rich fraction was further subjected to semi-automated flash chromatography using boronated soda glass beads or boronated quartz sand. Results Boronated soda glass beads (or quartz sand) chromatography adapted to a Biotage Isolera Flash Chromatography System enabled large-scale separation (at least up to 1–2 g quantities) of lycopsamine and intermedine. The structures were confirmed using one- and two-dimensional 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Examination of the NMR data for lycopsamine, intermedine and their heliotridine-based analogues echinatine and rinderine allowed for some amendments of literature data and provided useful comparisons for determining relative configurations in monoester dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids. A similar NMR comparison of lycopsamine and intermedine with their N-oxides showed the effects of N-oxidation on some key chemical shifts. A levorotatory shift in specific rotation from +3.29° to −1.5° was observed for lycopsamine when dissolved in ethanol or methanol respectively. Conclusion A semi-automated flash chromatographic process using boronated soda glass beads was standardised and confirmed as a useful, larger scale preparative approach for separating the epimers lycopsamine and intermedine. The useful NMR correlations to stereochemical arrangements within this specific class of dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid cannot be confidently extrapolated to other similar dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Valuing health properly.

This comment on Paul Dolan's essay, 'Developing methods that really do value the ''Q'' in the QALY,' seconds his critique of current preference-based methods of valuing health states but disputes both his assumption that health states should be appraised by their bearing on well-being and his conclusion that the bearing of health states on well-being should be measured in terms of subjective experience. This comment defends instead the view that health states should be valued in terms of the range of activities that they permit.
Classification of the Modes of Dissociation in Immiscible Cu-Alloy Thin Films

We have found the dissociation behavior of immiscible Cu-alloy thin films to fall into three broad categories that correlate most closely with the form of the Cu-rich end of the binary alloy phase diagrams. The motivation for these studies was to use the energy released by the dissociation of an immiscible alloy, in addition to other driving forces commonly found in thin films and lines, to promote grain growth and texture evolution. In this work, the dissociation behavior of eight dilute (3.3 ± 0.5 at% solute) binary Cu-systems was investigated, with five alloying elements selected from group VB and VIB, two from group VillA, and one from group 1B. These alloying elements are respectively V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Fe, Ru and Ag. Several experimental techniques, including in situ resistance and stress measurements as well as in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction, were used to follow the progress of solute precipitation in approximately 500 nm thick films. In addition, transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the evolution of microstructure of Cu(Ta) and Cu(Ag). For all eight alloys, dissociation occurred upon heating, with the rejection of solute and evolution of microstructure and texture often occurring in multiple steps that range over several hundred degrees between approximately 100 and 900°C. However, in most cases, substantial reduction in resistivity of the films took place at temperatures of interest to metallization schemes, namely below 400°C.
NATIONAL ATTITUDES REGARDING GENDER BIAS IN CHILD CUSTODY CASES

Recent changes in family law have mandated equal treatment in child custody cases. Sweys of 4,579 attorneys and judges from four states, deemed to be nationally representative, were used to discover whether attorneys or judges perceive any favoritism toward mothers’ or fathers’ claims in the awarding of custody of children. Whereas attorneys, particularly males, perceive that mothers continue to be favored over fathers in custody cases, judges do not share this opinion. Within the past 15 years, “forty-two of the fifty states . . . have established some form of task force or committee to study gender issues” (Wilker, 1989, p. 14). Many of these studies have included surveys of judges and attorneys regarding their attitudes toward the existence of gender bias in the handling of child custody cases in their court systems. “These task forces have turned out to be more than a collection of stare specijic data [italics added] on gender issues in the courts. Rather they have reinforced the idea that needed reforms will be the result of self-scrutiny from within the court system” (Wilker, 1989, p. 14). The aim of this study is to analyze the results of several of the existing state task force reports to provide a national perspective regarding attitudes toward gender bias in child custody cases. It concludes with some general policy recommendations to state court systems that might help to eliminate perceptions of gender bias that may continue to exist. Initially, we reviewed all the publicly available state bar association studies of gender bias to determine if the same, or similar, questions and response categories were used by several states. We prepared a spreadsheet and examined the information to determine if state-specific analyses could be expanded to provide a national perspective on the issues. We did not intend to alter the content or meaning of any question or response category, we did not preselect any questions, nor did we desire to alter any state-specific analysis. Rather, our intent was to broaden the scope of each individual state’s examination to draw conclusions across states. The spreadsheet identified those questions and response categories for items that were identical, or very similar, in surveys from the states of Maryland, Missouri, Texas, and Washington. These items are included in this article. The similarity in questions and
Adaptive Testing of Conditional Association Through Recursive Mixture Modeling

In many case-control studies, a central goal is to test for association or dependence between the predictors and the response. Relevant covariates must be conditioned on to avoid false positives and loss in power. Conditioning on covariates is easy in parametric frameworks such as the logistic regression—by incorporating the covariates into the model as additional variables. In contrast, nonparametric methods such as the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test accomplish conditioning by dividing the data into strata, one for each possible covariate value. In modern applications, this often gives rise to numerous strata, most of which are sparse due to the multidimensionality of the covariate and/or predictor space, while in reality, the covariate space often consists of just a small number of subsets with differential response-predictor dependence. We introduce a Bayesian approach to inferring from the data such an effective stratification and testing for association accordingly. The core of our framework is a recur...
Evaluation of a Bicycle Helmet Giveaway Program—Texas, 1995

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of a bicycle helmet giveaway program on helmet use among children. METHODS: In 1995, a bicycle helmet giveaway program was conducted in two rural towns in Texas. Helmets were given to all 403 school children in kindergarten through grade 8. Helmet education, a bicycle rodeo, and incentives to increase helmet use were part of the program. Observations of helmet use were made before the helmet program began and after the program at several intervals throughout the school year and during the summer. A self-reported survey questionnaire was administered to children in grades 4 through 8 before the helmet program began and at several intervals during the school year to determine their attitudes about helmet use, safety perceptions, and peer pressure. A questionnaire also was administered to the parents of these children to determine attitudes and bicycle helmet use among parents. RESULTS: Helmet use increased from 3% before the giveaway to 38% at the end of the school year, 7 months later. However, during the subsequent summer, helmet use decreased to 5%. Helmet use among 7th- and 8th-grade students was 0% at all observations periods after the giveaway. Even though 96% of all students thought that helmet use increased riding safety and 68% thought helmets should be worn at all times when riding, only 25% thought that their friends would approve of helmet use. Most parents also believed that helmets increased riding safety and should be worn, but only 23% reported always wearing one when riding a bicycle. CONCLUSIONS: Bicycle helmet giveaway programs can increase helmet use temporarily, but they may not be sufficient to sustain it. This program was not effective among 7th- and 8th-grade students.
PGE2-induced hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes involves EP4 receptor-dependent activation of p42/44 MAPK and EGFR transactivation.

Upon induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), neonatal ventricular myocytes (VMs) mainly synthesize prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The biological effects of PGE2 are mediated through four different G prote...
Use of the NRL DHPI System to Automate the Generation of Nomografs

The objective of the paper is to automate generation of high-resolution Dispersion Nomografs for CT Analyst and to add the capability of generating the Nomografs using only high-end commodity hardware. CT-Analyst provides near-instantaneous urban plume prediction with unprecedented accuracy and ease of use. It has additional important features like backtrack from contamination reports and sensor readings to unknown, upwind source locations. These capabilities arise from using Dispersion Nomografs that are precomputed from detailed high-resolution three dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations.
The Future of Tax Research: A Mostly Economics Perspective

INTRODUCTION Tax research is an active area of academic inquiry across the disciplines of accounting, economics, and law. The title for this paper comes from the title of a session at the February 2006 meeting of the American Tax Association. The session brought together researchers from these three disciplines to prognosticate on the future of tax research. To me, the charge of thinking about the ‘‘future of tax research’’ brought to mind two distinct questions. First, given the multidisciplinary aspect of tax research, how will it evolve over time? Second, what are the important unanswered questions about taxation that I would like researchers (hopefully from all disciplines) to work on over the next decade? I have structured this paper to address each of these questions. I start with a brief exercise in ‘‘cultural anthropology’’ with some comments on how the different disciplines approach tax research and, for economics, how tax research fits into the broader spectrum of economic research. An understanding of these differences may help foster increased interaction across the disciplines. The second part of the paper offers a short ‘‘Greatest Hits’’ list from the perspective of economics on what the major unanswered tax questions are. Creating such a list naturally depends on one’s own background and biases. As an empiricist, I tend to focus on empirically oriented questions. Furthermore, federal, rather than state or local, tax issues dominate my list, which is a reflection more of my interests than the relative importance of the areas of research.
Inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 stimulates secretion of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein.

Aberrant metabolism of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP) or its amyloidogenic Aβ fragment is thought to be centrally involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Nonamyloidogenic processing of APP involves its cleavage within the Aβ domain by a protease, termed α-secretase, and release of the large extracellular domain, termed APPS. Secretion of APPS can be stimulated by phorbol esters, activators of protein kinase C, with concurrent inhibition of Aβ production. While the role of protein kinases on APP metabolism has been investigated, considerably less effort has been devoted to elucidating the role played by protein phosphatases. Okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, has been shown to stimulate secretion of APPS, but the identity of the phosphatase involved has not been investigated. The secretion of APPS from COS-1 cells was measured in the absence or presence of various doses of serme/threonine-specific phosphatase inhibitors. Quantitation of the derived IC50 values was used to determine the identity of the phosphatase involved in the control of APP secretion. The availability of protein phosphatase inhibitors with different relative potencies against the different types of serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase allowed us to examine which of the four known types of protein phosphatase might be involved in the regulation of APP secretion. Both okadaic acid and calyculin A stimulated the secretion of APP from COS-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal dose for stimulation of APP secretion was approximately 100-fold higher with okadaic acid than with calyculin A. The nearly 100-fold difference in the observed IC50 values for okadaic acid and calyculin A implicates a type 1 protein phosphatase in the control of APPS production. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is known to be highly expressed in adult mammalian brain, both in neurons and glia. The identification of a specific phosphatase type in the control of APP secretion opens new avenues to the development of rational therapeutic intervention strategies aimed at the prevention and/or treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Normative Values of Adult’s Voice in Indian Population Using Praat

Voice plays a major role in speech and communication. Voice characteristics convey information not only related to the individuals laryngeal status but also the social origins, emotional state, physique, age and sex. Any deviation from these guidelines is considered as voice disorder. The present study included 60 voice samples (30 males and 30 females) age range 18 to 25 years. The voice samples were recorded in sound treated room and analyzed with praat software. Voice parameters were analyzed like fundamental frequency(f0), Jitter (local), jitter (local, absolute), shimmer (local), shimmer (local dB), harmonics to noise ratio(HNR), first formant frequency(f1), second formant frequency(f2), and third formant frequency(f3) for the vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/. Mean and standard deviation were calculated and also t-test was carried out to observe the significant difference across gender on voice parameters. Significant differenceswere noticed on some of the voice parameters between genders.
Complications of chronic kidney disease: a close look at renal osteodystrophy, nutritional disturbances, and inflammation

As kidney disease advances and the glomerular filtration rate declines, fluid, electrolyte, and hormonal imbalances increase. Almost all of the body's systems are adversely affected. This article describes three major complications of chronic kidney disease: renal osteodystrophy (including the role of secondary hyperparathyroidism), nutritional disturbances (such as protein-energy malnutrition), and inflammation. It also addresses the possibility that there is a malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome, as well as the impact of kidney disease and its complications on the quality of patients' lives and the usefulness of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life assessment tool.
Paramagnetic-Resonance Spectra of S - 2 in Alkali Halides

The impurity ion ${\mathrm{S}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ has been introduced into six alkali-halide crystals: NaI, KCl, KBr, KI, RbBr, and RbI. The center is characterized by extreme $g$ anisotropy; in KBr, for example, the principal $g$ factors were 3.5037, 0.8434, and 0.8388. The first of these corresponds to the S-S bond direction which, in all crystals studied, was parallel to the $〈110〉$ directions of the crystal. The direction of minimum $g$ factor was associated with the direction of the molecular $\ensuremath{\pi}$ orbital occupied by the unpaired electron. This direction was $〈110〉$ for ${\mathrm{S}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in KCl, RbRr, and RbI, but $〈100〉$ for ${\mathrm{S}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in NaI, KBr, and KI. Sulfur enriched in the isotope ${\mathrm{S}}^{33}$ was used to investigate the ${\mathrm{S}}^{33}$ hyperfine interaction. The largest ${\mathrm{S}}^{33}$ hyperfine interaction occurred when ${H}_{0}$ was parallel to the S-S bond direction, and not, as might have been expected, when ${H}_{0}$ was parallel to the direction of the $\ensuremath{\pi}$ function. This was due to the dominant contribution from the L\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}I term in the hyperfine Hamiltonian. Hyperfine structure due to lattice nuclei could not be resolved but gave rise to the highly anisotropic linewidths of the resonances.
Quartz types, authigenic and detrital, in the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Formation, South Texas, USA

Abstract Lithologic heterogeneity of the Eagle Ford Formation in South Texas arises from mixing of extrabasinal grains of siliciclastic composition with intrabasinal grain assemblages composed dominantly of marine carbonate with a lesser component of biosiliceous debris. Detrital quartz in particular is derived from both extrabasinal and intrabasinal sources, posing a challenge for the use of bulk compositional data for mudrock classification. Extrabasinal detrital quartz supplied along a major axis of siliciclastic influx, the Woodbine depositional system of East Texas, is reduced to a minor part of the grain assemblage in South Texas. Petrographic evidence and point-count results indicate that around 85 percent of total quartz in these rocks, equal to about 12.6 volume percent, is authigenic. Thus, significant quantities of authigenic silica are not restricted to siliceous mudrocks, but can be found in carbonate-rich mudrocks as well. Formerly opaline skeletons of radiolaria, the dominant source of silica for authigenic quartz precipitation, are only poorly preserved by replacements including calcite, dolomite, pyrite, and quartz. Dissolved silica released by dissolution of radiolarians, and perhaps also by volcanic glass dissolution is re-precipitated in a variety of forms, including matrix-dispersed microquartz cement, fillings within primary intragranular pores, and grain replacement of both calcareous and siliceous allochems. The mass balance of dissolved silica mobilized from radiolarians and other reactive silicates and the precipitation of authigenic quartz is uncertain because the initial volumes of now-dissolved detrital material versus the final volume of authigenic material (quartz and other authigenic silicates) cannot be determined with accuracy.
Student internships: developing real world skills for real world problem solutions

This paper discusses a software engineering project and its results as accomplished by a student through a summer internship program. It involves a streaming video surveillance system, which contains four main parts: IP based camera(s) streaming MJPEG, a main encoding server, a central distribution server and a set of clients.
Direct Evidence of a Chemical Conversion Mechanism of Atomic-Layer-Deposited TiO2 Anodes During Lithiation Using LiPF6 Salt

Titanium dioxide has been identified as a prospective anode material for use in lithium ion batteries. The higher lithiation potential of TiO2 versus other common anodes is more electrochemically compatible with most organic electrolytes, thus leading to reduced solid electrolyte interphase formation and overall more stable battery systems. However, in this study TiO2 has exhibited poor cycling stability with common electrolytes containing lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) salt. Combined electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses have revealed this to be due to the onset of reversible fluorination of the anode and chemical conversion of TiO2 to TiOF2 during lithiation. Comparison of electrochemical cycling of atomic-layer-deposited TiO2 anodes using LiPF6 with and without a hydrofluoric acid scavenger, tributylamine, to cycling using a nonfluorinated lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) salt indicates that the in situ formation of hydrofluoric acid in the electrolyte from decomposition of the PF6– anion alters ...
Percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral injury.

AbstractThe courses of 6 patients with various forms of ureteral injury and disruption herein illustrate the value and worth of percutaneous nephrostomy drainage and study. The nature and degree of injury are ascertained, and sepsis and obstruction are managed without formal anesthesia or surgical intervention, leading to ultimate repair in a planned and orderly fashion.
Genome-wide Association Study of Postburn Scarring Identifies a Novel Protective Variant.

Objective:To identify genetic variants associated with the severity of postburn hypertrophic scarring (HTS) using a genome-wide approach.Background:Risk of severe postburn HTS is known to depend on race, but the genetic determinants of HTS are unknown.Methods:We conducted a genome-wide association s
INFIX/EXFIX: Massive Open Pelvic Injuries and Review of the Literature

Introduction. Open pelvic fractures make up 2–5% of all pelvic ring injuries. Their mortality has been reported to be as high as 50%. During Operation Enduring Freedom protocols for massive open pelvic injuries lead to the survival of injuries once thought to be fatal. The INFIX is a subcutaneous anterior fixator for pelvic stabilization which is stronger than external fixation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of INFIX and modern algorithms for massive open pelvic injuries. Methods. An IRB approved retrospective review describes 4 cases in civilian practice with massive open pelvic injuries. We also review the modern literature on open pelvic injures. Discussion. Key components in the care of massive open pelvic injuries include hemorrhage control by clamping of the aorta or REBOA when necessary and fecal/urinary diversion. The INFIX can be used internally, as a partial INFIX partial EXFIX, or as an EXFIX. Its low profile allows for easy application of wound vacs and wound care and when subcutaneous avoids pin tract infections. Conclusion. Massive open pelvic injuries are a difficult problem. Following modern protocols can help prevent mortality.
Modern Water Management Issues in Central and Southwest Asia

The water crisis in Afghanistan is acute and in need of serious effort to overcome even partially. Integrated water-resource management (IWRM) is a preferred course of action in dealing with the complex and difficult problems of all the varieties of water management in Afghanistan. Water management in any place is all about knowing as precisely as possible what water you actually have and apportioning it out to the many water users in some sort of reasonably equitable fashion. Accordingly, water management systems are designed to account for all sorts of waters, especially the so-called “blue” waters of precipitation and river flow, the “green” waters of evapotranspiration through plants, and the “gray” waters that have been utilized in agriculture, industry, and domestic uses where they become variously polluted. The new Water Accounting Plus (WA +) system that has been developed for enhanced water management in an increasingly water-short world utilizes four detailed lists with all the various water processes and products that are organized into the resource-base sheet, evapotranspiration sheet, productivity sheet, and withdrawal sheet. The WA + system enables rigorous water management utilizing these accounting systems.
Monotone operator approach to power flow solutions

The AC power flow equations underlie all operational aspects of power systems. In this paper, Here we solve this problem using the theory of monotone operators. We show that it is possible to characterize a “contractivity domain” in the power flow variables (voltage magnitudes and phases). The construction of these domains depends on the specific representation chosen for the power flow equations, so that different representations lead to different domains. Given this domain, there is a simple efficient algorithm that will either find a solution in the domain, or certify that no solutions exist in it. We validate the approach on several IEEE test cases.
PREGNANCY; AN APPRAISAL ON FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES STUDENTS EDUCATION, A FOCUS ON ALVAN IKOKU FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OWERRI)

The purpose of this research is to appraise the effects of pregnancy on the education of female students. In carrying out the research, survey design is used as the research design, four research questions were formulated, which sought the effects of pregnancy on the education of female undergraduates. The population of this study consists of all the regular students in all the faculties of the institution in 2015/2016 academic session; seventeen thousand nine hundred students. Simple random sample technique was used and the sample size is twenty, which was used in the analysis of the research with a mean calculation, based on the average score as the decision line. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection The data were analyzed with the use of mean calculation, with the average mean as the decision line. The result from the average on each question shows that pregnant students do not attend lectures regularly. They hardly write and submit their assignments as at when due. They do not have enough time for their studies. The paper recommends amongst others that a health programme be set up in higher institutions to cater for the pregnant and nursing-mother students.
Circulatory Failure During Noninhaled Forms of Cyanide Intoxication.

Our objective was to determine how circulatory failure develops following systemic administration of potassium cyanide (KCN). We used a noninhaled modality of intoxication, wherein the change in breathing pattern would not influence the diffusion of CN into the blood, akin to the effects of ingesting toxic levels of CN. In a group of 300 to 400 g rats, CN-induced coma (CN i.p., 7 mg/kg) produced a central apnea within 2 to 3 min along with a potent and prolonged gasping pattern leading to autoresuscitation in 38% of the animals. Motor deficits and neuronal necrosis were nevertheless observed in the surviving animals. To clarify the mechanisms leading to potential autoresuscitation versus asystole, 12 urethane-anesthetized rats were then exposed to the lowest possible levels of CN exposure that would lead to breathing depression within 7 to 8 min; this dose averaged 0.375 mg/kg/min i.v. At this level of intoxication, a cardiac depression developed several minutes only after the onset of the apnea, leading to cardiac asystole as PaO2 reached value approximately 15 Torr, unless breathing was maintained by mechanical ventilation or through spontaneous gasping. Higher levels of KCN exposure in 10 animals provoked a primary cardiac depression, which led to a rapid cardiac arrest by pulseless electrical activity (PEA) despite the maintenance of PaO2 by mechanical ventilation. These effects were totally unrelated to the potassium contained in KCN. It is concluded that circulatory failure can develop as a direct consequence of CN-induced apnea but in a narrow range of exposure. In this "low" range, maintaining pulmonary gas exchange after exposure, through mechanical ventilation (or spontaneous gasping), can reverse cardiac depression and restore spontaneous breathing. At higher level of intoxication, cardiac depression is to be treated as a specific and spontaneously irreversible consequence of CN exposure, leading to a PEA.
Metabolic effects of exogenous ketone supplementation – an alternative or adjuvant to the ketogenic diet as a cancer therapy?

Cancers exhibit an abnormal metabolism characterized by increased glucose consumption. Studies suggest that unlike healthy tissues, cancer cells are unable to efficiently utilize ketones for energy...
“Wonderful and Incomparable Beauty”: Adapting Period Aesthetic for The Importance of Being Earnest

Moving-image productions of Oscar Wilde’s final play, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), are remarkably faithful to the original period and setting. Indeed, the majority of stage productions and all major cinema adaptations revel in the spectacle of period art and costume design. Anthony Asquith’s 1952 Technicolor production is awash with fin-de-siecle style, complete with nods to William Morris and James MacNeill Whistler. The kinescoped 1964 British Armchair Theatre television production employs black-and-white aesthetic to effect, with strong line drawings in the style of Aubrey Beardsley as both title-card elements and set-design figures. Oliver Parker’s 2002 Edwardian confection emphasizes country–city distinctions with costume and decor, interrupted by Pre-Raphaelite fantasy sequences. Just as the characters move in Wilde’s “Trivial Comedy for Serious People” from conventional mores to modern understandings of marriage and identity, so these three filmed adaptations move in sequence from late Victorian to Art Nouveau to Edwardian style. The invocation of the decadent aesthetic in these films allows the demurely repressed sexuality in Wilde’s play to emerge in the mise en scene, providing an external expression of character motives and desires.
Ribosomes Need Straight A's to Sleep.

Like falling asleep and waking up, many biological processes in mammals cycle in a diurnal fashion. Now, Sinturel et al. demonstrate that diurnal size changes in the liver require eating during a mouse's normal awake time and that these size changes are controlled by a nuclear mechanism that modulates ribosome production.
Apoptosis mediated by extracellular matrix proteins and p53 prevents full in vitro transformation of human fibroblasts.

3047 Much of our current understanding of the pathogenesis of cancer comes from studies performed in rodent cells and animal tumor models. However, human cells are more resistant to both immortalization and transformation. In fact, the same basic genetic changes required for neoplastic transformation in rodent cells have consistently failed to yield tumorigenic transformants in human cells. This indicates fundamental differences in the biology of human and rodent cells and the need to establish more representative model systems to study human tumorigenesis. Recently, several studies have been undertaken to create experimentally transformed human cancer cells in vitro. We describe a novel set of genes capable of full transformation of human cells involving hTERT, E1A, RasV12 combined with inactivation of p53. Full inactivation of p53 could be substituted by Bcl-2 indicating the key role of apoptotic function of p53 in this model of transformation suppression. Further, microarray analyses of human cells undergoing malignant transformation at different stages have identified p53 downstream targets important for transformation. As a result, we have identified the extracellular matrix proteins, Cyr61/CCN1 and CTGF/CCN2 to be both p53-responsive genes and mediators of p53-dependent transformation. Suppression of either Cyr61/CCN1 or CTGF/CCN2 was able to mimic p53 inactivation, resulting in full transformation of human fibroblasts in vitro. These results demonstrate the development of a new human transformation model system, where apoptosis plays a critical role in tumor suppression and the identification of extracellular matrix proteins that may mediate p53-dependent transformation.
Nondegloving technique for Peyronie's disease with penile prosthesis implantation and double dorsal-ventral patch graft.

A circumcising incision to deglove the penis for penile prosthesis (PP) implantation can increase the risk of ischemic injury to the glans penis. In order to avoid vascular complications, we describe a novel technique utilizing a ventral incision to perform the PP implantation and a double-dorsal patch graft, or “sliding technique” (ST), in patients with severe Peyronie's disease (PD). Three patients with severe PD and erectile dysfunction at our institution underwent ST and PP implantation through a ventral incision. This new approach was not only successful in facilitating the ST and PP implantation in these patients but also allowed for adequate exposure of the penile shaft with no reported loss of sensation. We also conducted a review of current literature regarding the approaches for PD. While ischemic complications of PP implantation and ST are rare, there are reports of ischemic injury in patients undergoing a circumcising incision. The combination of a circumcising incision and a patient's underlying peripheral artery disease potentially raises a patient's risk of this rare complication. Our innovative ventral incision provides an alternative method for PP implantation and ST in order to avoid ischemia of the penis, while still allowing for adequate exposure.