cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the effect of processing variables on the mechanical response of polysytrene molded using vibration‐assisted injection molding process

The present work is focused on the study of vibration-assisted injection molding (VAIM) process, using polystyrene as a model polymeric system. This recently developed polymer processing operation is based on the concept of using motion of the injection screw to apply mechanical vibration to polymer melt during the injection and packing stages of injection molding process, to control the polymer behavior at a molecular level, which would result in improvements/alterations to the mechanical behavior of molded products. In this study, the afore-mentioned concept was verified experimentally from monotonic tensile experiments and birefringence measurements of VAIM molded polystyrene in comparison with those of conventional injection molding process. The results of our study indicate that the actual degree of strength improvement depends on at least four parameters, namely, vibration frequency, vibration amplitude, vibration duration, and the delay time between the injection start and the vibration start. Furthermore, when these parameters were optimized, as much as a 28% strength improvement was observed, accompanied by an increase in toughness. Furthermore, birefringence measurements revealed that VAIM processing significantly altered the residual stress distribution throughout final products, but it did not, however, change the material density in the products. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006
Kinetics of propylene hydrogenation on platinum-alumina

A modelling study is made of propylene hydrogenation over platinum-alumina, using extensive kinetic data along with information on the surface species. A comprehensive set of Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson kinetic models is constructed for this system, and the preferred member is selected by Bayesian estimation along with chemical criteria. A realistic, accurate reaction model is thus determined. Comparisons are also made with earlier models.
Particle sorting in bivalves: in vivo determination of the pallial organs of selection

Benthic particle feeders are exposed to a food supply varying in both quantity and quality. Previous studies have shown that bivalve molluscs deal with such fluctuating particle regimes in a variety of ways, including adjustments in pumping and ingestion rates, and selective rejection of non-nutritive particles as pseudofeces. The actual site of particle selection within the pallial cavity, however, has remained a topic of speculation. During August 1995 and January and August 1996, we exposed the oysters Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin) and C. gigas (Thunberg), and the mussel Mytilus trossulus Gould to a mixture of ground, aged Spartina alterniflora Loisel and similar-sized phytoplankton at three concentrations (103, 104, 105 particles ml−1). We then examined the ctenidia and labial palps by means of endoscopy and sampled, in vivo, the particulate material from various ciliated tracts, and analyzed the samples with a flow cytometer. We found that in oysters, the ctenidia are responsible for particle sorting, whereas the labial palps play an accessory role in particle selection, or function to control the volume of material to be ingested. In mussels, however, the ctenidia play little role in particle selection and simply transport particulate matter to the palps for further processing. We suggest that selection by the ctenidia of oysters is a function of their architecture (plicate, heterorhabdic).
Fast algorithms for the elimination of common subexpressions

We give two algorithms for computing the set of available expressions at entrance to the nodes of a flow graph. The first takes O(mn) isteps on a program flow graph (one in which no node has more than two successors), where n is the number of nodes and m the number of expressions which are ever computed. A modified version of this algorithm requires O(n 2) steps of an extended type, where bit vector operations are regarded as one step. We present another algorithm which works only for reducible flow graphs. It requires O(n log n) extended steps.
Scaled quantum mechanical force field for alanyl-alanine peptide in solution.

We have obtained ab initio scale factors and assigned frequencies for the alanine-alanine peptide in water. Calculations were performed on the isolated acidic and basic Ala-Ala structures, two one-water basic Ala-Ala supermolecules, and one two-water acidic and one two-water basic Ala-Ala supermolecules. Force constants were scaled using the experimentally determined Raman and Fourier transform infrared vibrational frequencies of four isotopic species of Ala-Ala in water at pH 13 and pH 1. Most of the 4-31G scale factors were transferable from smaller molecules. All but one scale factor were directly transferable between the pH 1 and pH 13 species for coordinates unchanged by protonation in both the isolated and two-water supermolecule structures. Scale factors for nonpolar coordinates were transferable between all Ala-Ala species with only a few small changes. Good agreement was obtained between the calculated and experimental frequencies for all isotopic species and structures.
"This is a lot easier!": constrained movement speeds navigation

This paper reports on an experiment comparing constrained and unconstrained movement in a 2D zooming environment. Results showed a significant reduction in time on task when movement was constrained, accompanied by considerable decreases in mouse movement activity. Detailed analysis suggests that subjects were calmer, more confident in their actions and experienced less spatial disorientation, indicating that judiciously constrained movement can reduce both mechanical and cognitive demands of navigation.
Oxygen isotopes indicate most intracellular water in log-phase Escherichia coli is derived from metabolism

The transport of water into and out of unicellular organisms is a seemingly simple process in which water diffuses either through pores or directly across the membrane. Because of the rates at which water can theoretically diffuse, it is generally accepted that intracellular water is indistinguishable from extracellular water. Using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry, we directly tested this assumption. Here we demonstrate that under active growth, up to 70% of the intracellular water in log-phase Escherichia coli cells was actually generated during metabolism and was isotopically distinct from extracellular water. The contribution of metabolism to intracellular water was substantially less in stationary-phase or quiescent cells.
The Utility of the Social Communication Questionnaire in Screening for Autism in Children Referred for Early Intervention.

The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) is a brief parental screening instrument used to identify children With autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Screening validity for the SCQ has been supported in children 4 years of age and older, but ongoing studies indicate that the SCQ may not be effective in identifying very young children With ASD. The purpose of the current investigation Was to determine Whether the SCQ could distinguish children With ASD from children With other developmental delays in a sample of very young children referred for early intervention. Results found that the recommended cutoff score of 15 yielded a sensitivity value of .47 and a specificity value of .89. Maximum sensitivity and specificity rates Were achieved When the SCQ cutoff score Was reduced to 11 (.89 and .89, respectively). Implications of the findings are discussed.
Effect of hydrostatic pressurization on chondrocyte differentiation

It has been hypothesized that intermittent hydrostatic pressure induces chondrocyte differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. This hypothesis was tested in a murine mesenchymal stem cell (C3H/10T 1/2 embryo fibroblasts) micromass model culture system. The culture medium was supplemented with either 10 ng/mL or 100 ng/mL recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein, rhBMP-2. Cells were subjected to 90 minutes pressurization at 0.1 Hz to a peak stress of 585 kPa each day for 7 consecutive days. Control cultures were grown in the presence of rhBMP-2 but were not mechanically stimulated. Cell proliferation and total sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content were quantified, and type II collagen content was qualitatively assessed. Contrary to what was expected, no differences were observed in the cell proliferation, total sGAG synthesized, or amount of type II collagen produced among the experimental and control groups.
SIM PlanetQuest: status and recent progress

SIM PlanetQuest will investigate, using stellar interferometry from space, a broad range of topics in astronomy and astrophysics. Chief among its scientific goals is a search of nearby stars for terrestrial planets in the circumstellar habitable zone. Composed of three astrometric interferometers each capable of resolving approximately one billionth of a degree, SIM is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Universe in a number of areas. With the completion of its technology development phase, SIM is now on a sure footing for the development of requirements for the flight instrument. The preliminary design of SIM is in place and many key brassboards have been built. Here we review the project status and recent progress.
Massive Horizontal Gene Transfer in Bdelloid Rotifers

Horizontal gene transfer in metazoans has been documented in only a few species and is usually associated with endosymbiosis or parasitism. By contrast, in bdelloid rotifers we found many genes that appear to have originated in bacteria, fungi, and plants, concentrated in telomeric regions along with diverse mobile genetic elements. Bdelloid proximal gene-rich regions, however, appeared to lack foreign genes, thereby resembling those of model metazoan organisms. Some of the foreign genes were defective, whereas others were intact and transcribed; some of the latter contained functional spliceosomal introns. One such gene, apparently of bacterial origin, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and yielded an active enzyme. The capture and functional assimilation of exogenous genes may represent an important force in bdelloid evolution.
New Disease-Modifying Therapies and New Challenges for MS

The availability of the second-generation therapies for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab and fingolimod, provides new treatment options for MS but also presents new challenges. Both natalizumab and fingolimod appear to be more effective than the interferon beta products and glatiramer acetate, but both have more safety problems than do the first-generation therapies. Treatment with natalizumab is associated with a significant risk of patients developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which the JC virus causes. We now are able to risk stratify MS patients into high- and low-risk groups for developing PML on the basis of the presence or absence of antibodies to the JC virus, history of prior use of immunosuppressants, and duration of therapy with natalizumab. Fingolimod appears to be associated with a risk of asystole and sudden death. It may also increase the risk of serious herpes infections and paradoxical activation of MS. More information is needed about these serious side effects from fingolimod to allow us to use it safely in patients.
Role of intracellular calcium in human adipocyte differentiation.

Shi, Hang, Yuan-Di Halvorsen, Pamela N. Ellis, William O. Wilkison, and Michael B. Zemel. Role of intracellular calcium in human adipocyte differentiation. Physiol Genomics 3: 75–82, 2000.—Intracel...
Gadolinium enhancement of the lumbar leptomeninges and roots in a case of ALS.

Dear Sir,We read with great interest the article by Young et al., reporting a case of clinically definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) associated with modest gadolinium enhancement of the lu...
Transition Edge Sensor Focal Plane Arrays for the BICEP2, Keck, and Spider CMB Polarimeters

We describe the transition-edge-sensor (TES) focal plane arrays used for three cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimetry projects. The first is BICEP2. The focal plane array for BICEP2 has been delivered and the instrument is now taking data at the South Pole. Second is the Keck Array. The focal planes for Keck will be nearly identical to those of BICEP2, but will cover multiples frequencies (96, 150 and 225 GHz). The scheduled deployment of Keck is late 2010. Finally, there is Spider, a high-altitude balloon observatory, which will also cover 96, 150, and 225 GHz and will be deployed in 2012. The goal of all three experiment is detecting B modes in the polarization of the CMB.
Preliminary study of relating cotton fiber tenacity and elongation with crystallinity

A fundamental understanding of the relationship between cotton fiber strength (or tenacity)/elongation and structure is important to help cotton breeders modify varieties for enhanced end-use qualities. In this study, the Stelometer instrument was used to measure the bundle fiber tenacity and elongation properties of different cotton fibers. This instrument is the traditional fiber strength reference method and could be still preferred as a screening tool owing to its significant low cost and portability. Fiber crystallinity (CIIR) and maturity (MIR) were characterized by the previously proposed attenuated total reflection (ATR)-based Fourier transform infrared protocol that has microsampling capability and is suitable for the tiny Stelometer breakage specimens (2 ∼ 5 mg), which cannot be readily analyzed by a conventional X-ray diffraction pattern. Relative to the distinctive increase in fiber tenacity with either CIIR or MIR for Pima fibers (Gossypium barbadense), there was an unclear trend between the ...
Short-Term Effects of Burning Wyoming Big Sagebrush Steppe in Southeast Oregon

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata subsp. wyomingensis [Beetle & A. Young] S.L. Welsh) plant communities of the Intermountain West have been greatly reduced from their historic range as a result of wildfire, agronomic practices, brush control treatments, and weed invasions. The impact of prescribed fall burning Wyoming big sagebrush has not been well quantified. Treatments were sagebrush removed with burning (burned) and sagebrush present (control). Treatments were applied to 0.4-ha plots at 6 sites. Biomass production, vegetation cover, perennial herbaceous vegetation diversity, soil water content, soil inorganic nitrogen (NO { ,N H z ), total soil nitrogen (N), total soil carbon (C), and soil organic matter (OM) were compared between treatments in the first 2 years postburn. In 2003 and 2004, total (shrub and herbaceous) aboveground annual biomass production was 2.3 and 1.2 times greater, respectively, in the control compared to the burned treatment. In the upper 15 cm of the soil profile, inorganic N concentrations were greater in the burned than control treatment, while soil water, at least in the spring, was greater in the control than burned treatment. Regardless, greater herbaceous aboveground annual production and cover in the burned treatment indicated that resources were more available to herbaceous vegetation in the burned than the control treatment. Exotic annual grasses did not increase with the burn treatment. Our results suggest in some instances that late seral Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities can be prescribed fall burned to increase livestock forage or alter wildlife habitat without exotic annual grass invasion in the first 2 years postburn. However, long-term evaluation at multiple sites across a larger area is needed to better quantify the effects of prescribed fall burning on these communities. Thus, caution is advised because of the value of Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities to wildlife and the threat of invasive plants.
The legal consequences of intimate partner violence for men and women

Abstract Activists claim that assaults on women by their intimate partners tend to go unreported, and that, when they are reported, offenders are treated leniently while victims are mistreated. I review a research program consisting of seven studies that examines whether assaults involving intimate partners have different consequences than other assaults, and whether these consequences depend on the gender of offenders and victims. The consequences examined include: whether the assault was reported to the police; the reasons the victim gave for reporting or not reporting; whether the victim signed a complaint; whether the offender was punished; and whether the victim was satisfied with the way the case was handled. The evidence does not support the idea that assaults by male partners are particularly likely to be underreported or treated leniently. Rather, the results suggest that offenders who assault women are more likely to suffer legal consequences than those who assault men, whether their victim is their partner or someone else.
Relationships between glucose, sodium and effective osmolality in diabetic dogs and cats

Objective: To examine the relative contributions of sodium and glucose to serum effective osmolality and the presence of abnormalities of sodium and osmolality in diabetic dogs and cats. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: A university-based referral hospital. Animals: Diabetic dogs (n=14) and cats (n=13) consecutively admitted to the hospital over a 6-month period. Interventions: None Measurements: Serum biochemistry assessments. Main results: The mean glucose concentration was higher in diabetic dogs than in diabetic cats. Total osmolality (OsmT), effective osmolality (OsmE), and the concentrations of sodium, potassium, blood urea notrogen, bicarbonate, and creatinine did not differ between species. Sodium abnormalities and hyperosmolality affected 44% and 81%, respectively, of the study group. However, marked hyperosmolality (OsmE>330 mOsm/L) was found in only 33% of the study group. Serum sodium correlated closely with OsmE in dogs and cats but serum glucose did not correlate with the OsmE in either species. Subsets of dogs (n=10) and cats (n=7) with diabetic ketosis (DK) were examined separately. DK dogs had significantly lower sodium concentrations than DK cats and the proportion of DK dogs with hyponatremia was nearly 3 times greater than DK cats. Severe hyperosmolality (OsmE>330 mOsm/L) was more common in DK cats than DK dogs. Conclusions: In diabetic dogs and cats, sodium, not glucose, was correlated with serum OsmE and marked elevation in pretreatment OsmE is uncommon. Compensatory reduction in serum sodium may be 1 mechanism for blunting changes in OsmE in the presence of marked hyperglycemia.
Neuroinflammation and neuroimmune dysregulation after acute hypoxic-ischemic injury of developing brain.

Hypoxic-ischemic injury to developing brain results from birth asphyxia in neonates and from cardiac arrest in infants and children. It is associated with varying degrees of neurologic sequelae, depending upon the severity and length of hypoxia-ischemia. Global hypoxia-ischemia triggers a series of cellular and biochemical pathways that lead to neuronal injury. One of the key cellular pathways of neuronal injury is inflammation. The inflammatory cascade comprises activation and migration of microglia—the so-called “brain macrophages,” infiltration of peripheral macrophages into the brain, and release of cytotoxic, proinflammatory cytokines. In this article, we review the inflammatory and immune mechanisms of secondary neuronal injury after global hypoxic-ischemic injury to developing brain. Specifically, we highlight the current literature on microglial activation in relation to neuronal injury, proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory/restorative pathways, the role of peripheral immune cells, and the potential use of immunomodulators as neuroprotective compounds.
Iron toxicity: relevance for dialysis patients

Iron deficiency is common among patients with advanced kidney disease, particularly those requiring hemodialysis. Intravenous iron is a convenient treatment to supplement iron and is widely used among hemodialysis patients. Its efficacy is well established that, with treatment, hemoglobin levels rise and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent dose requirements are reduced. However, the safety of intravenous iron with respect to patient-centered outcomes has not been adequately studied. A variety of studies have indicated potential safety concerns, but most have been of small numbers of patients and with end points studied that have unclear clinical relevance. In this study, issues related to iron toxicity are reviewed.
A Typology of Drug Selling Among Young Adults in the United States

Background: Although studies have found that young adults who sell drugs are more likely to be involved in risky behaviors than those who do not sell drugs, there has been relatively little research that has explored heterogeneity among young adults who sell drugs. Methods: Using a pooled sample of 18 to 25 year olds from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2006–2010) who report past-year drug selling (N = 5,373), this study employs latent profile analysis to specify latent groups and assess the correlates of groupmembership.Results:Findingsindicatesubstantial differences among young adults who sell drugs. In particular, the analysis found four groups of drug sellers: normative (49.6%), club drug users (23.6%), polysubstance users (16.0%), and criminal offenders (10.8%). Club drug users were characterized by high levels of ecstasy and hallucinogen use, polysubstance users were more likely to be depressed and anxious, White and female than the other groups. Criminal offenders were overwhelmingly male and more likely to be comprised of African-Americans and Hispanics. Conclusions: Results indicate that drug selling in early adulthood varies substantially. Contrary to media and popular notions most drug sellers are not involved in crime and polysubstance using drug sellers are in clear need of mental health services. Further, most drug sellers in this age range are White. Findings suggest that policy efforts that operate under the assumption of homogeneity of drug selling may be misguided.
Comparison of postoperative outcomes in ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis patients after ileoanal pouch operations.

Abstract Background: Pouchitis is a poorly understood inflammatory condition that occurs in the ileal pouches of patients who have undergone the ileal-pouch anal anastomosis after restorative proctocolectomy. This postoperative condition is much more common in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) than familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) colitis. It has been suggested that, owing to pouchitis, UC patients do not attain the same quality of life that FAP patients do after the ileal-pouch anal anastomosis operation. We hypothesized that health-related quality of life does not differ between FAP and UC patients. Methods: We analyzed the postoperative morbidity and gastrointestinal function in 110 consecutive patients having undergone the ileal-pouch anal anastomosis for either UC or FAP at OU Medical Center from 1983 to 2000 by retrospective record review. Health-related quality of life was assessed in 83 patients using the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ) and the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: With the exception of pouchitis, there was no difference in perioperative outcome, morbidity, or functional status between UC and FAP patients. The SIBDQ and SF-36 revealed no statistically significant difference between FAP and UC patients. Conclusions: As expected, UC patients are more likely to develop pouchitis. Despite this, our data reveal that both patient groups enjoy a similarly good functional status and quality of life.
Hox11 paralogous genes are required for formation of wrist and ankle joints and articular surface organization

Limb skeletal elements are connected by distinct synovial joints, but the mechanisms regulating joint formation, diversity, and organization remain unclear. Previous studies showed that Hox11 mouse mutants have severe developmental defects in radius and ulna and tibia and fibula, but wrist and ankle joint formation and characteristics were not examined in detail. We now find that E11.5 and E12.5 triple Hox11aaccdd mutants exhibit a significant reduction in prospective carpal and tarsal mesenchyme. Although the mesenchyme became segmented into individual carpal and tarsal skeletal elements with further development, the elements were ill defined and the more proximal elements (radiale, ulnare, talus, and calcaneous) actually underwent involution and/or fusion. Wild-type carpal and tarsal elements displayed a thick articulating superficial zone at their outer perimeter that expressed genes typical of developing joint interzones and articulating cells, including Gdf5, Erg, Gli3, collagen IIA, and lubricin, and defined each element anatomically. In mutant wrists and ankles, the superficial zone around each element was thin and ill defined, and expression of several of those genes was low and often interrupted. These and other data provide novel and clear evidence that Hox11 paralogous genes regulate wrist and ankle joint organization and are essential for establishing carpal and tarsal element boundary and maintaining their articulating surface tissue.
The Professions and Public Policy: Expanding the Third Sector:

Professional associations are often seen as wholly self-interested actors, and/or as an integral, indistinguishable part of the privileged elite. As a result, the international third sector literature has tended to focus on the activities of social movements and NGOs. This article uses field research and the rich Brazilian third sector literature to assess these assumptions. The first part shows that numerous policy-relevant groups have long existed in Brazil, beyond the NGO/social movement ambit. The article then demonstrates the autonomy and policy relevance of profes- sional associations. The final section shifts to the local level, using the activities of these groups in the state of Santa Catarina to show that the Brazilian third sector is best seen not in opposition to the state, but as part of dense policy networks including the state, business, and other nonprofit groups.
Analysis of Reactions Induced by Polarized Particles

The analysis of reactions between particles with spin is usually rather difficult due to the large number of transition matrix elements with different orientations of the particle spins. In terms of these amplitudes the observables form a set of bilinear equations. For an analysis, one important aspect is to determine those subsets that allow a solution. This question has been investigated in detail by Simonius1) who showed that, as long as experimental errors are neglected, polarization experiments of no higher than second order are needed. Consequently, the data base consists of the cross section σo(θ) and of measurements involving one and two particle polarizations. Since all of these data have to be taken at the same energy and angle, this method is generally difficult and probably restricted to a few reactions with a favorable combination of particles.
Old West Meets New West: A Story of Modern Cowboys and Native Americans in the Northwest

Old West meets New West: a story of modern cowboys and Native Americans in the Northwest DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v28i1_gow
Colorful Textile Antennas Integrated into Embroidered Logos

We present a new methodology to create colorful textile antennas that can be embroidered within logos or other aesthetic shapes. Conductive threads (e-threads) have already been used in former embroidery unicolor approaches as attributed to the corresponding conductive material, viz. silver or copper. But so far, they have not been adapted to ‘print’ colorful textile antennas. For the first time, we propose an approach to create colorful electronic textile shapes. In brief, the embroidery process uses an e-thread in the bobbin case of the sewing machine to embroider the antenna on the back side of the garment. Concurrently, a colorful assistant yarn is threaded through the embroidery needle of the embroidery machine and used to secure or ‘couch’ the e-threads onto the fabric. In doing so, a colorful shape is generated on the front side of the garment. The proposed antennas can be unobtrusively integrated into clothing or other accessories for a wide range of applications (e.g., wireless communications, Radio Frequency IDentification, sensing).
Fused filament 3D printing of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs)

This paper describes a new three-dimensional (3D) fused filament additive manufacturing (AM) technique in which electroactive polymer filament material is used to build soft active 3D structures, layer by layer. Specifically, the unique actuation and sensing properties of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are exploited in 3D printing to create electroactive polymer structures for application in soft robotics and bio-inspired systems. The process begins with extruding a precursor material (non-acid Nafion precursor resin) into a thermoplastic filament for 3D printing. The filament is then used by a custom-designed 3D printer to manufacture the desired soft polymer structures, layer by layer. Since at this stage the 3D-printed samples are not yet electroactive, a chemical functionalization process follows, consisting in hydrolyzing the precursor samples in an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide and dimethyl sulfoxide. Upon functionalization, metal electrodes are applied on the samples through an electroless plating process, which enables the 3D-printed IPMC structures to be controlled by voltage signals for actuation (or to act as sensors). This innovative AM process is described in detail and the performance of 3D printed IPMC actuators is compared to an IPMC actuator fabricated from commercially available Nafion sheet material. The experimental results show comparable performance between the two types of actuators, demonstrating the potential and feasibility of creating functional 3D-printed IPMCs.
Hiphop literacies and the globalization of Black popular culture

This special issue emerges from an interest in the globalization of hip-hop literacies and Black popular culture. By hip-hop literacies, we mean cultural practices forged from existing African ideo...
Introducing chemical biology applications to introductory organic chemistry students using series of weekly assignments

Calls to bring interdisciplinary content and examples into introductory science courses have increased, yet strategies that involve course restructuring often suffer from the need for a significant faculty commitment to motivate change. Minimizing the need for dramatic course reorganization, the structure, reactivity, and chemical biology applications of classes of biological monomers and polymers have been integrated into introductory organic chemistry courses through three series of semester-long weekly assignments that explored (a) Carbohydrates and Oligosaccharides, (b) Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins, and (c) Nucleosides, Nucleotides, and Nucleic Acids. Comparisons of unannounced pre- and post tests revealed improved understanding of a reaction introduced in the assignments, and course examinations evaluated cumulative assignment topics. Course surveys revealed that demonstrating biologically relevant applications consistently throughout the semesters enhanced student interest in the connection between basic organic chemistry content and its application to new and unfamiliar bio-related examples. Covering basic material related to these classes of molecules outside of the classroom opened lecture time to allow the instructor to further build on information developed through the weekly assignments, teaching advanced topics and applications typically not covered in an introductory organic chemistry lecture course. Assignments were implemented as homework, either with or without accompanying discussion, in both laboratory and lecture organic courses within the context of the existing course structures.
Appropriateness of antibiotic prophylaxis in the surgical wards of a Teaching Hospital in Rome

Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major contributor to patient injury, mortality and health care costs. There is a strong evidence of effectiveness of antimicrobial prophylaxis and the spread availability of national and international guidelines, its use is often suboptimal. Classically inappropriateness in antibiotic prophylaxis is associated with lower safety, efficiency and higher cost. Our study evaluates the appropriateness of prescription of antibiotics prophylaxis in surgical hospitalized patients in a big Italian research and …
Thermal and Chemical Expansion of Sr-Doped Lanthanum Cobalt Oxide (La1-xSrxCoO3-δ)

The equilibrium thermal expansivity (βT) and oxygen-vacancy chemical expansivity (βC) of polycrystalline La1-xSrxCoO3-δ (LSC; x = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.7) have been measured at 600 °C < T < 900 °C and 10-4 atm < PO2 < 0.21 atm using controlled-atmosphere dilatometry. These measurements show only a moderate dependence of βT on temperature, suggesting that increases often observed in the coefficient of thermal expansion when measured at constant PO2 are primarily thermally induced chemical expansion associated with changes in oxygen stoichiometry. The dependences of βT and βC on the temperature, oxygen-vacancy concentration, and Sr content (x) were characterized and found to follow a consistent nonlinear trend, which may result from the relaxation of lattice strain with increasing defect concentration. A slowly relaxing secondary expansion effect (and/or expansion hysteresis) was also discovered. Possible causes of this behavior, including phase transition/segregation at high vacancy concentration, are discussed.
Public Performance Management Systems: Embedding Practices for Improved Success

Over the past three decades, public sector officials and managers have faced demands for improved policy and program decision-making, more efficient service delivery, and clear accountability. Coun...
Antagonistic effect of ellagic acid on histamine liberators.

SummaryEllagic acid blocks the blood pressure fall induced by potent histamine liberators; namely, compound 48/80, dextran, and polymyxin B sulfate. The extent of edema produced by histamine liberators was also reduced by previous administration of ellagic acid. It also decreased the lethal effect of 48/80 in mice.
Report of failure of alpha-tocopherol to prevent diethylstilbestrol-induced purpura in dogs.

SummaryDiethylstilbestrol caused a prolongation of the bleeding and coagulation time in dogs, thrombopenia, an increase in the capillary fragility, leukocytosis and a gradual anemia. In 2 dogs death resulted.The changes in the circulating blood and bone marrow produced by diethylstilbestrol appear to be temporary in some instances. The return to normal, despite the continued administration of the drug, might indicate that a tolerance to diethylstilbestrol had been acquired. This return to normal was as prompt and as great without as with the administration of alpha-tocopherol.The present studies failed to confirm the report of Skelton, Shute, et al. that alpha-tocopherol exerts an antipurpuric action on the hemorrhagic diathesis induced in dogs by diethylstilbestrol.
Earthquakes and Carbon Dioxide Beneath Mammoth Mountain, California

INTRODUCTION Anyone reading a newspaper or watching television in late August, 1995 learned that carbon dioxide gas is killing trees on the flanks of Mammoth Mountain, a ski resort on the western boundary of Long Valley caldera in eastern California. Much to the consternation of residents in the nearby town of Mammoth Lakes, some of the more sensationalist media coverage gave the mistaken impression that deadly CO2 prompted local evacuations and portended an imminent volcanic eruption. This article places the CO2 emissions described by Farrar et al . (1995) in the context of unrest beneath Long Valley caldera and vicinity that began over 15 years ago (Hill et al ., 1985; Bailey and Hill, 1990; Langbein et al ., 1993; Rundle and Hill, 1988). It focuses in particular on the spatial-temporal evolution of seismicity beneath Mammoth Mountain and evidence that the CO2 emissions are slowly developing, passive phenomena related to magmatic processes activated...
Change in Provider Beliefs Regarding Cervical Cancer Screening Intervals After an Educational Intervention.

Abstract Background: Current cervical cancer screening guidelines include the option of lengthening the screening interval to 5 years for average-risk women aged 30–65 years when screened with Pap and human papillomavirus (HPV) test (co-test). Because many providers are reluctant to extend screening intervals, we launched an educational intervention to promote recommended screening practices. The study objective was to assess changes in provider attitudes and beliefs to extending screening intervals among low-income women. Methods: The study was conducted in 15 clinics in Federally Qualified Health Centers in Illinois. Providers in the intervention arm received a multicomponent educational intervention. Fifty-six providers (n = 29 intervention and n = 27 control) completed baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys assessing beliefs and intentions about extending screening intervals. Results: The 12-month assessment showed providers in the intervention arm were significantly more likely than those in the con...
Population ageing: gender, family support and the economic condition of older Africans

This paper addresses demographic changes occurring in developing countries and in Africa that are resulting in population ageing, i.e. an increasing proportion and number of older persons. The paper focusses on gender differentials in intergenerational relationships, income and cash generation, and family support. Older women are in a far more vulnerable position than older men in most categories of the descriptive analysis. The impact of a structural impact on the elderly, AIDS, especially for women, is discussed in the context of support and intergenerational transfer. Finally, a brief research agenda and policy implications are offered.
Dynamic Tracking Technology for EMS

During its operation the energy management system(EMS)often faces irregular abnormal phenomena.It is very difficult for traditional tracking technology to find out why and when abnormalities have occurred or whether they have occurred or not.A dynamic tracking technology proposed is believed to be capable of accurately locating the abnormality in time without affecting the EMS efficiency while furnishing a basis for the EMS to eliminate abnormalities on its own.
“Oil and Water”? Latino-white Relations and Symbolic Integration in a Changing California

Existing research on race relations between racial/ethnic groups in the United States highlights how personal contact can lead to increased harmony or conflict between groups and may reduce intergr...
Efficient Bin Packing Algorithms for Resource Provisioning in the Cloud

We consider the Infrastructure as a Service IaaS model for cloud service providers. This model can be abstracted as a form of online bin packing problem where bins represent physical machines and items represent virtual machines with dynamic load. The input to the problem is a sequence of operations each involving an insertion, deletion or updating the size of an item. The goal is to use live migration to achieve packings with a small number of active bins. Reducing the number of bins is critical for green computing and saving on energy costs. We introduce an algorithm, named HarmonicMix, that supports all operations and moves at most ten items per operation. The algorithm achieves a competitive ratio of 4/3, implying that the number of active bins at any stage of the algorithm is at most 4/3 times more than any offline algorithm that uses infinite migration. This is an improvement over a recent result of Song et al. [12] who introduced an algorithm, named VISBP, with a competitive ratio of 3/2. Our experiments indicate a considerable advantage for HarmonicMix over VISBP with respect to average-case performance. HarmonicMix is simple and runs as fast as classic bin packing algorithms such as Best Fit and First Fit; this makes the algorithm suitable for practical purposes.
Geriatric assessment factors are associated with mortality after hospitalization in older adults with cancer.

Survival in older adults with cancer varies given differences in functional status, comorbidities, and nutrition. Prediction of factors associated with mortality, especially in hospitalized patients, allows physicians to better inform their patients about prognosis during treatment decisions. Our objective was to analyze factors associated with survival in older adults with cancer following hospitalization. Through a retrospective cohort study, we reviewed 803 patients who were admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Oncology Acute Care of Elders (OACE) unit from 2000 to 2008. Data collected included geriatric assessments from OACE screening questionnaires as well as demographic and medical history data from chart review. The primary end point was time from index admission to death. The Cox proportional hazard modeling was performed. The median age was 72.5 years old. Geriatric syndromes and functional impairment were common. Half of the patients (50.4 %) were dependent in one or more activities of daily living (ADLs), and 74 % were dependent in at least one instrumental activity of daily living (IADLs). On multivariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with worse overall survival: male gender; a total score <20 on Lawton’s IADL assessment; reason for admission being cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, inadequate pain control, or failure to thrive; cancer type being thoracic, hepatobiliary, or genitourinary; readmission within 30 days; receiving cancer treatment with palliative rather than curative intent; cognitive impairment; and discharge with hospice services. In older adults with cancer, certain geriatric parameters are associated with shorter survival after hospitalization. Assessment of functional status, necessity for readmission, and cognitive impairment may provide prognostic information so that oncologists and their patients make more informed, individualized decisions.
Performance adaptive power-aware reconfigurable optical interconnects for high-performance computing (HPC) systems

As communication distances and bit rates increase, optoelectronic interconnects are being deployed for designing high-bandwidth low-latency interconnection networks for high performance computing (HPC) systems. While bandwidth scaling with efficient multiplexing techniques (wavelengths, time and space) are available, static assignment of wavelengths can be detrimental to network performance for non-uniform (adversial) workloads. Dynamic bandwidth re-allocation based on actual traffic pattern can lead to improved network performance by utilizing idle resources. While dynamic bandwidth re-allocation (DBR) techniques can alleviate interconnection bottlenecks, power consumption also increases considerably. In this paper, we propose to improve the performance of optical interconnects using DBR techniques and simultaneously optimize the power consumption using Dynamic Power Management (DPM) techniques. DBR, re-allocates idle channels to busy channels (wavelengths) for improving throughput and DPM regulates the bit rates and supply voltages for the individual channels. A reconfigurable opto-electronic architecture and a performance adaptive algorithm for implementing DBR and DPM are proposed in this paper. Our proposed reconfiguration algorithm achieves a significant reduction in power consumption and considerable improvement in throughput with a marginal increase in latency for various traffic patterns.
Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution and Hydrogen Oxidation with a Ni(PS)2 Complex

Tetra-coordinate Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes employing the PS chelates 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzenethiol (HL1) and 2-(diisopropylphosphino)benzenethiol (HL2) have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic, structural, and electrochemical methods. All complexes were screened for electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution with acetic acid and hydrochloric acid and hyrdogen oxidation in the presence of triethylamine. The nickel complex Ni(L1)2 (1) was found to reduce protons from external acids to generate hydrogen with a turnover frequency of 140 s-1 at an overpotential of 1.09 V and cleave dihydrogen using redox active base triethylamine (Et3N) with a turnover frequency of 23 s-1 at an overpotential of 0.33 V. Ni(L2)2 (3) was also found to be an active catalyst for dihydrogen oxidation, but inefficient for proton reduction due to inaccessible Ni (II/I) reduction in the potential window. Zn(L1)2 (2) and Zn(L2)2 (4) complexes were found to be inadequate for their electrocatalytic behaviour towards both the reactions.
The Future of Psychology in Family Medicine

Psychology has been integral to the field of family medicine since its inception as a medical specialty in the 1960s. Psychologists and other behavioral scientists contribute to family medicine in teaching clinical skills, in defining research questions, in developing research methodology, and in creating integrated physical/mental health care delivery systems. Future developments in the field of psychology in family medicine are likely to emphasize development and evaluation of screening measures which identify mental health problems in primary care, development of early intervention for those mental health problems, and more precise measurement of process and quality of care and health outcomes. Psychologists have an important role to fulfill in educating physicians on alternatives to pharmacologic and medical interventions for common presenting problems in primary care. However, current economic forces shaping the practice of medicine may work against further enhancing the efficacy of the physician in dealing with psychosocial issues. The future role of psychology in family medicine is not yet delineated, and while the move toward parity of reimbursement for mental and physical health care delivery may enhance this collaboration, there is a need to continue to evaluate how the psychological well-being of patients is influenced in the evolution of new models of care delivery.
Teachers’ use of learning progression-based formative assessment in water instruction

While learning progressions (LPs) hold promise as instructional tools, researchers are still in the early stages of understanding how teachers use LPs in formative assessment practices. We report o...
7 – Viruses of Fungi and Protozoans: Is Everyone Sick?

This chapter discusses viruses of fungi and protozoans. There are two extreme strategies for survival pursued by pathogens: killing the host and spreading rapidly, and coexisting with the host, sometimes providing a selective advantage. This chapter discusses the totiviruses, which comprise a subgroup of the fungal and protozoan viruses. With a single essential double stranded RNA (dsRNA), the totiviruses are present in phyla separated by a billion years of evolution and are recognizably related to each other and to no other class of viruses. This chapter outlines the structure of the viral dsRNAs. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScV) strains contain virus particles in the cytoplasm, in which segmented dsRNAs are separately encapsidated, and there is a single essential dsRNA. It presents relationships among dsRNA viruses of lower eukaryotes, and discusses the polymerase domain in the dsRNA viruses of lower eukaryotes, satellite viruses, and other viral symbionts in fungi.
Management of odontogenic cysts by endonasal endoscopic techniques: A systematic review and case series.

BackgroundOdontogenic cysts and tumors of the maxilla may be amendable to management by endonasal endoscopic techniques, which may reduce the morbidity associated with open procedures and avoid dif...