cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANALYSIS OF COMPRESSION, TENSION AND TORSION FOR TESTING FOOD GEL FRACTURE PROPERTIES*

Three fracture test methods: uniaxial compression, uniaxial tension and torsion were examined by interpreting results using theories upon which the methods were based. In each of these tests, the fracture of gels can occur as a result of shear, compression or tension. The fracture properties determined from uniaxial compression and tension were compared with torsion testing, a suitable reference technique. Shear stress and strain in uniaxial compression were comparable with shear stress and strain in torsion. However, the tensile stress in compression is not in agreement with that in torsion. Tensile stress or shear stress values in uniaxial tension were generally comparable with tensile or shear stress values in torsion, while the strain levels in uniaxial tension were typically much lower than those in uniaxial compression or torsion. This result could be related to the fracture strain being a function of elongation necessary to reduce the specimen cross section to an area producing the critical fracture stress. The comparison among different methods revealed shear stress and strain can be the fracture criteria for uniaxial compression, and tensile stress can be the fracture criterion for uniaxial tension, whereas the fracture strain criterion in uniaxial tension cannot be specified. Possible mechanisms for differences among methods are discussed in the manuscript.
Theoretical determination that electrons act as anions in the electride Cs + (15-crown-5) 2 ·e -

ELECTRIDES are crystalline salts formed from complexed alkali-metal cations. There has been some dispute as to whether the valence electron from the alkali ion becomes a trapped interstitial anion1,2 or resides at or near the alkali-metal nucleus3. If the former description holds, electrides would represent stoichiometric counterparts of ionic insulators containing 'F-centre' electronic defects. Experiments1,2 have so far failed to resolve the question. Here we present ab initio self-consistent density-functional calculations4 of the electron distribution in the electride Cs+ (15-crown-5)2 · e-. We find that a spatially localized electron is located at the anion site, in accord with the F-centre model. Although the potential is in fact repulsive in this region, the electron is apparently forced to reside here by the need to lower its kinetic energy. We suggest that this picture may hold for other electrides as well.
RecA acts as a switch to regulate polymerase occupancy in a moving replication fork

This report discovers a role of Escherichia coli RecA, the cellular recombinase, in directing the action of several DNA polymerases at the replication fork. Bulk chromosome replication is performed by DNA polymerase (Pol) III. However, E. coli contains translesion synthesis (TLS) Pols II, IV, and V that also function with the helicase, primase, and sliding clamp in the replisome. Surprisingly, we find that RecA specifically activates replisomes that contain TLS Pols. In sharp contrast, RecA severely inhibits the Pol III replisome. Given the opposite effects of RecA on Pol III and TLS replisomes, we propose that RecA acts as a switch to regulate the occupancy of polymerases within a moving replisome.
Donor Heart Utilization following Cardiopulmonary Arrest and Resuscitation: Influence of Donor Characteristics and Wait Times in Transplant Regions.

Background. Procurement of hearts from cardiopulmonary arrest and resuscitated (CPR) donors for transplantation is suboptimal. We studied the influences of donor factors and regional wait times on CPR donor heart utilization. Methods. From UNOS database (1998 to 2012), we identified 44,744 heart donors, of which 4,964 (11%) received CPR. Based on procurement of heart for transplantation, CPR donors were divided into hearts procured (HP) and hearts not procured (HNP) groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of heart procurement. Results. Of the 4,964 CPR donors, 1,427 (28.8%) were in the HP group. Donor characteristics that favored heart procurement include younger age (25.5 ± 15 yrs versus 39 ± 18 yrs, <path id="x1D443" d="M619 482q0 -69 -40.5 -119t-96 -72.5t-118.5 -26.5h-44l-70 20l-31 -151q-14 -67 0.5 -83t89.5 -22l-5 -28h-287l8 28q65 7 81.5 22t29.5 83l79 398q12 56 0.5 70.5t-78.5 20.5l7 28h255q108 0 164 -43t56 -125zM524 478q0 141 -146 141q-25 0 -47 -8q-16 -6 -20.5 -13.5 t-10.5 -39.5l-43 -241q37 -13 83 -13q67 0 125.5 45t58.5 129z"> <path id="x30" d="M241 635q53 0 94 -28.5t63.5 -76t33.5 -102.5t11 -116q0 -58 -11 -112.5t-34 -103.5t-63.5 -78.5t-94.5 -29.5t-95 28t-64.5 75t-34.5 102.5t-11 118.5q0 58 11.5 112.5t34.5 103t64.5 78t95.5 29.5zM238 602q-32 0 -55.5 -25t-35.5 -68t-17.5 -91t-5.5 -105 q0 -76 10 -138.5t37 -107.5t69 -45q32 0 55.5 25t35.5 68.5t17.5 91.5t5.5 105t-5.5 105.5t-18 92t-36 68t-56.5 24.5z"> ), male gender (34% versus 23%, ), shorter CPR duration ( 30 min, ), and head trauma (60% versus 15%). Among the 11 UNOS regions, the highest procurement was in Region 1 (37%) and the lowest in Region 3 (24%). Regional transplant volumes and median waiting times did not influence heart procurement rates. Conclusions. Only 28.8% of CPR donor hearts were procured for transplantation. Factors favoring heart procurement include younger age, male gender, short CPR duration, and traumatic head injury. Heart procurement varied by region but not by transplant volumes or wait times.
Novel biological network features discovery for in silico identification of drug targets

In silico identification of potential drug targets is a crucial task for drug discovery. Traditional approaches utilize only protein sequence or structural information to predict drug targets, and achieve limited successes. Since cellular proteins function in the context of interaction networks by interacting with other cellular macromolecules, analysis of topological features of proteins in such networks reveal important insights on the potential druggability of proteins. In this paper, we first introduced ten novel topological features extracted from the human protein-protein interaction network. When designing these new features, we specially emphasized the roles of three disease-related groups of proteins: known drug targets, disease genes, and essential genes. Based on these novel network features, we built highly accurate models with up to 80% classification accuracy using support vector machines, L1-regularized logistic regression, and k-nearest neighbors to predict drug target, and analyzed the relevance of each feature to the proteins' druggability. Moreover, we combined our network features with a set of protein sequence features, and achieved more robust experimental performance. With the framework of integrating both network and sequence features, our method can also be used to prioritize multiple candidate proteins according to their predicted druggability.
Coupled Folding during Translation Initiation

Abstract The structure of the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E bound to a cognate domain of eIF4G and m 7 GDP in this issue of Cell shows that these factors undergo coupled folding to form a stable complex with high cap binding activity that promotes efficient ribosomal attachment to mRNA during translation initiation.
A dilated unreactive pupil in acute bacterial meningitis: oculomotor nerve inflammation versus herniation.

We report two children with bacterial meningitis in whom a dilated pupil, in the absence of coma, was an early presenting feature of the disease. In these cases, pupillary dilatation occurred, owing to local irritation rather than increased intracranial pressure
Peering into the microphysics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation

The onset of the active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is marked by the formation of a region of deep convection and enhanced precipitation over the Indian Ocean. Generally persisting from 30 to 60 days as it progresses slowly eastward, the MJO consists of wet active phases alternating with suppressed periods of lower rainfall and reduced storm activity.
The history and future of X-ray microscopy

We take a somewhat whimsical look at the history of X-ray microscopy, and extrapolate some trends into the future.
A photographic and acoustic transect across two deep-water seafloor mounds, Mississippi Canyon, northern Gulf of Mexico

In the northern Gulf of Mexico, a series of seafloor mounds lie along the floor of the Mississippi Canyon in Atwater Valley lease blocks 13 and 14. The mounds, one of which was drilled by the Chevron Joint Industry Project on Methane Hydrates in 2005, are interpreted to be vent-related features that may contain significant accumulations of gas hydrate adjacent to gas and fluid migration pathways. The mounds are located w150 km south of Louisiana at w1300 m water depth.. New side-scan sonar data, multibeam bathymetry, and near-bottom photography along a 4 km northwest–southeast transect crossing two of the mounds (labeled D and F) reveal the mounds’ detailed morphology and surficial characteristics. Mound D, w250 m in diameter and 7–10 m in height, has exposures of authigenic carbonates and appears to result from a seafloor vent of slow-to-moderate flux. Mound F, which is w400 m in diameter and 10–15 m high, is covered on its southwest flank by extruded mud flows, a characteristic associated with moderate-to-rapid flux. Chemosynthetic communities visible on the bottom photographs are restricted to bacterial mats on both mounds and mussels at Mound D. No indications of surficial gas hydrates are evident on the bottom photographs. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND SOCIAL POLICIES: AN ILLUSTRATION FROM SOCIOLINGUISTICS*

Language spoken and abilities in its social use are critical individual attributes, ranking with ethnicity, sex, and age in their association with access to life chances. Sociolinguistic variables have been neglected by sociologists, however, and language-related social problems are neither recognized nor understood. The structure of society is clearly the source of sociolinguistic discrimination, but a first step in the definition of language-related social problems requires more specific identification of: (1) affected populations; (2) the nature of difficulties and/or disadvantages experienced by those populations; and (3) the settings and circumstances in which those difficulties and disadvantages are most severely experienced. Moreover, social policies directed to ameliorization of language-related problems, just like those oriented to other social problems are formulated primarily by officials and bureaucrats on the basis of their perceptions of: (1) recommendations made by scholarly researchers (often in disagreement among themselves); (2) demands made by the affected populations (often in conflict themselves over goals and means); and (3) attitudes held by the dominant majority (sometimes concerned about others' problems but usually interested in minimizing threats to its own privilege). I discuss some implications of the interaction of these factors, and make some modest recommendations about how social scientists might work more effectively on sociolinguistic aspects of social problems.
Comparison of acetyl bromide lignin with acid detergent lignin and Klason lignin and correlation with in vitro forage degradability

The spectroscopic acetyl bromide lignin (ABL) and two versions of the gravimetric sulfuric acid lignin method [Lignin (sa)] were compared for their correlations with in vitro forage dry matter (IVDMD) and neutral detergent fiber degradability (IVNDFD) assays of 73 grass and legume samples. The two versions of Lignin (sa) were the acid detergent lignin (ADL) and Klason lignin (KL) methods. ABL and KL methods employ crude cell wall as the fibrous preparation while ADL uses acid detergent fiber. In vitro forage measures of degradability were negatively correlated with almost all lignin values, but the ABL method had the highest correlation coefficients for both grasses and legumes. Regression curves of ADL values with grass and legume IVDMD and IVNDF revealed different slopes, with steeper curves for grasses. With KL, grass and legume IVDMD and IVNDFD slopes were statistically similar and parallel. The results observed in the ADL and KL methods testify to the distance between the lines and data points, that is, these methods are poor predictors of NDF degradability. Grass and legume samples assayed with the ABL procedure, exhibited similar slopes, with parallel lines for both IVDMD and IVNDFD assays. Steeper inclination of curve for grasses relative to legumes in the ADL method may be attributed to partial loss of lignin during the procedure. This shows that ABL can accurately and consistently measure the inhibitory effect of lignin on degradation of structural carbohydrates of both grasses and legumes. The ABL method provides an accurate, easy and fast procedure for quantifying lignin in plant materials. A step-by-step laboratory procedure of the ABL method is described.
Local Approach to Damage in Elasto- Plastic Metal Matrix Composites

Damage is incorporated along with plastic deformation in this model for the analysis of fiber-reinforced metal matrix composite materials. In the formulation, a micromechanical composite model is used in the sense that the matrix and fiber local con- stitutive damage relations are treated separately and then linked to the overall response through a certain homogenization procedure. In this process, two local damage tensors M and M are introduced where M accounts for the damage in the ductile matrix such as nucleation and growth of voids, while the tensor M reflects the damage in the fibers such as fiber fracture. The problems of debonding and delamination can be conveniently represented by either M or Mor a combination of both depending on the extent of complexity that is desired of the final constitutive model. A von Mises type yield criterion with an associated flow rule is first assumed for the undamaged matrix material. It is shown that the resulting overall yield function for the damaged composite is of the anisotropic type, while the derived overall flow rule is nonassociative due to the presence of damage. In addition, an overall kinematic hardening rule is obtained for the damaged composite system that is a combination of a generalized Ziegler-Prager rule and a Phillips-type rule. Finally, an elasto-plastic stiffness tensor is
Cell Volume Fluctuations in MDCK Monolayers

Cells moving collectively in tissues constitute a form of active matter, in which collective motion depends strongly on driven fluctuations at the single-cell scale. Fluctuations in cell area and number density are often seen in monolayers, yet their role in collective migration is not known. Here we study density fluctuations at the single- and multicell level, finding that single-cell volumes oscillate with a timescale of 4 h and an amplitude of 20%; the timescale and amplitude are found to depend on cytoskeletal activity. At the multicellular scale, density fluctuations violate the central limit theorem, highlighting the role of nonequilibrium driving forces in multicellular density fluctuations.
Room temperature dc electrical conductivity studies of electron-beam irradiated carbon nanotubes

Abstract The influence of electron-beam (E-beam) irradiation on the electrical (electronic) properties of single- (SW) and multi-walled (MW) carbon nanotube grown by microwave chemical vapor deposition is investigated. These films were subjected to a constant energy of 50 keV (50 A/cm2) from a scanning electron microscope gun for 2.5, 5.5, 8.0, and 15 h continuously — such conditions resemble increased temperature and/or pressure regime, enabling a degree of structural fluidity. To assess the structural modifications and electrical properties, the films were analyzed before and after irradiation. The experiments show that with increased exposure to ≥ 8–9 h, occasionally found individual bundles of single-wall nanotubes tend to collapse or pinch, graphitize/amorphize, and oxidize within the area of the electron-beam focus. Dramatic improvement in the I–V properties for single-walled (from semiconducting to quasi-metallic) and relatively small but systematic behavior for multi-walled with increasing exposure is discussed in terms of the critical role of controlled introduction of defects. The contact resistance decreases by orders of magnitude when exposed to electron beam and for all of the measurements the values ranged between 80 Ω and 10 kΩ at room temperature. These results also indicated that multi-walled nanotubes tend to reach a state of saturation degradation assessed by four-probe conductivity measurements. It is suggestive that there may be local gradual re-organization, i.e. sp2 + δ, sp3 C ⇔ sp2 C. More importantly, they provided a contrasting comparison between metallic/semiconducting (single/double-wall) and invariably metallic (multi-wall) carbon nanotubes.
ANTAGONISM OF THE CONTRACTILE EFFECT OF DIGITALIS BY EDTA IN THE NORMAL HUMAN VENTRICLE.

Abstract 1.1. The administration of deslanoside to normal subjects is associated with a highly significant shortening of the ejection time index. 2.2. The reduction in serum ionizable calcium induced by the administration of Na 2 EDTA to digitalized subjects is attended by a prompt and consistent reversal of the digitalis-induced shortening of the ejection time index. 3.3. The administration of Na 2 EDTA in undigitalized subjects evoked significantly less prolongation of the ejection time index than in digitalized individuals, although the changes in serum calcium were identical. 4.4. It is postulated that a reduction in ionizable serum calcium antagonizes the contractile effects of deslanoside, as reflected by these alterations in the ejection time index.
Glucose activation of Pilobolus longipes sporangiospores

Pilobolus longipes sporangiospore activation, as measured by spherical growth, was assayed with an electronic particle counter. Glucose caused spores to grow to the diameter of germinated spores (ca. 18–20 μm) but only when applied in conjunction with a heat treatment. Although spores were activated by glucose its continued presence prevented germ tube formation. Germ tube formation required the early removal of glucose and the addition of exogenous iron. The non-metabolizable glucose analogue, 3-0-methyl-d-glucose (3-OMDG), also activated spores, and these spores produced germ tubes when supplied with exogenous iron. An effect of the heat treatment was to cause glucose (and 3-OMDG) transport, which in turn resulted in activation. These results indicate that germination of P. longipes spores may be triggered by specific effectors (e. g. glucose or 3-OMDG) but metabolism of the effector is not required.
ATP-dependent Transport of Reduced Glutathione on YCF1, the Yeast Orthologue of Mammalian Multidrug Resistance Associated Proteins

The transport systems involved in the export of cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) have not been identified, although recent studies implicate a role for some of the multidrug resistance associated proteins (MRP), including MRP1 and MRP2. The present study examined the hypothesis that the yeast orthologue of MRP, Ycf1p, mediates ATP-dependent GSH transport. [3H]GSH transport was measured in vacuolar membrane vesicles isolated from a control strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DTY165), the isogenic DTY167 strain that lacks a functional Ycf1p, and in DTY167 transformed with a 2-micrometer plasmid vector containing YCF1. GSH transport in control vacuolar membrane vesicles was mediated largely by an ATP-dependent, low affinity pathway (Km = 15 +/- 4 mM). ATP-dependent [3H]GSH transport was cis-inhibited by substrates of the yeast Ycf1p transporter and inhibited by 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, probenecid, and sulfinpyrazone, inhibitors of MRP1 and MRP2, but was minimally affected by membrane potential or pH gradient uncouplers. In contrast, ATP-dependent GSH transport was not seen in vacuolar membrane vesicles isolated from the DTY167 yeast strain without a functional Ycf1p but was restored to near wild-type levels in the DTY167 strain transformed with YCF1 and expressing the vacuolar Ycf1p transporter. On the other hand, expression and functional activity of a bile acid transporter, Bat1p, and of the V-type ATPase were similar in all three yeast strains. These results provide direct evidence for ATP-dependent low affinity transport of GSH by the yeast Ycf1p transporter. Because of the structural and functional homology between Ycf1p and MRP1 and MRP2, these data support the hypothesis that GSH efflux from mammalian cells is mediated by these membrane proteins.
The sweetness-inducing effect of miraculin; behavioural and neurophysiological experiments in the rhesus monkey Macaca mulatta

1. The gustatory effects of miraculin, the sweetness-inducing protein from the miracle fruit Synsepalum dulcificum, was studied in the rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta. 2. The intake of five acids was recorded in two-bottle preference tests, one bottle containing acid and the other tap water, before and after miraculin treatment. All the acids tasted more pleasant after miraculin. 3. The electrical activity of the chorda tympani nerve to stimulation of the tongue with a variety of sweeteners, acids, sodium chloride and quinine hydrochloride was recorded in anaesthetized animals. 4. Pre-treatment of the tongue with 0·3-5 mg miraculin doubled the summated nerve response to the acids and diminished the response to sucrose by about 10%. The enhancement lasted for at least an hour and the diminution up to 20 min. 5. After miraculin treatment the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between the order of increased intake of acids and the order of enhancement of the summated nerve response was 0·99. 6. A solution of 0·1 mg miraculin per ml. elicited a weak nerve response. No preference over water for this concentration of miraculin was recorded in the two-bottle tests. 7. The activity of twenty-nine single taste fibres, selected for their responsiveness to sweetness or acids or both, was recorded after miraculin treatment. Effects were obtained in nine fibres which were similar but more pronounced than those observed in the summated recordings. Before miraculin, these fibres responded better and to a larger variety of sweeteners (81%) than the other fibres (40%). After miraculin, acids elicited on the average 2·3 times more activity than before, while the response to sweeteners was depressed. In twenty fibres no effect of miraculin was observed. These fibres responded to fewer of the sweeteners and were more stimulated by the non-sweet stimuli than the first group. 8. The results suggest that miraculin acts on those structures in the taste cell membrane that are involved in perception of the sweet taste, making them sensitive to acids. The new quality of sweetness after miraculin treatment is signalled by taste fibres which normally respond to sweet substances but which, under the influence of miraculin, are responding to acids. It is likely that the quality of a taste stimulus is conveyed by the identity of the taste fibres.
The effect of education on police attitudes

This paper examines the effect of education on police attitudes. Although the literature seems to suggest that college-educated policemen will be more tolerant than their non-college counterparts, studies to date are highly ambiguous. The present study examines the attitudes of the members of one police department. Findings from the correlation analysis indicate that the educational level of the police does not significantly affect their attitudes. It is suggested that this is due, in part, to the vocational orientation of many police college students and to be pervasive effect of the police role
Rethinking Visual Ethics: Evolution, Social Comparison and the Media's Mono-Body in the Global Rise of Eating Disorders

This study applies evolution theory to visual ethics and argues that social comparison theory favored by scholars of eating disorders is actually a Darwinian maladaptation to the media's widespread digital manipulation of women's bodies creating the thin ideal. An evolutionary perspective suggests how the media is enmeshed and why social comparison of the mediated “mono-body” will continue. This study has three sections: 1) evolution theory and morality; 2) social comparison, biology of the social gaze, and anthropological evidence of Western media's role in the global rise of eating disorders; and 3) rethinking visual ethics to expand Newton's (2001) mass interpersonal relationship.
Tolerance for Inequity In Buyer‐Seller Relationships1

Customers who purchased a household cleaning product from a door-to-door salesman were offered a monetary rebate after the sale. Customers accepted the rebate when it came from a company, but not when it came from the salesman. A second study replicated these findings and also showed that customers were reluctant to accept rebates that came from middlemen (suppliers). It seems likely that customers were more willing to accept money from the company than from other donors becausc they believed the company had higher income.
Restraint Procedures and Challenging Behaviours in Intellectual Disability: An Analysis of Causative Factors

Background Persons with intellectual disability often evince challenging behaviours. Efforts have been underway for some time to develop prosocial or positive skill acquisition treatments to address challenging behaviours. However, physical/mechanical and chemical restraint is still commonly used in many clinical and community settings. Such interventions may be planned or unplanned and in some cases implemented by staff/parents with little training. Method Physical/mechanical and chemical restraint and the factors that may result in the use and maintenance of restraint are reviewed. Results The type, rate and intensity of challenging behaviours, and the age of the affected individual and residential placement appear to be among the major factors that put these persons at risk for restraint. Conclusions Restraint is still a commonly used intervention employed with people with challenging behaviours. Physical and chemical restraint should be used as a last resort, part of a planned programme, and implemented by trained people.
Preparation and photoconduction of rapidly quenched films in the Bi2O31bM2O5 system (M=V, Nb and Ta)

Abstract The Bi2O31bM2O5 films (M=V, Nb and Ta) were prepared by a rapid quenching technique using a twin-roller type equipment. Quenched film of pure Bi2O3 partially precipitated a tetragonal phase which differs from well-known β-Bi2O3 in structure. In every (Bi2O3)0.975 (M2O5)0.025 composition (2.5% M2O5), the tetragonal phase was obtained as single phase, and the tetragonality became greater than that of the pure Bi2O3. Beyond this composition, the tetragonality decreased to form δ-phase with a fcc structure with increasing the M2O5 content. The lowest V2O5 content forming a δ-phase was 5%, while a slight tetragonality still remained in the samples containing 10% Nb2O5 and 10% Ta2O5, respectively. From the measurement of the photoconductivities of the quenched films, it was proved that a photoconduction appeared in the tetragonal phase while no photoconductivity was observed in the cubic phase. The characteristic of the photoconduction was that a remarkable decrease in the resistivity was observed when a light of ca. 500 nm in wave length was irradiated on the films.
The role of the vascular surgeon in anterior retroperitoneal spine exposure: Preservation of open surgical training

Objective Open vascular surgical procedures have decreased since the advent of endovascular repair. Advances in spinal fusion techniques and artificial disc replacement have led to an increase in the need for anterior retroperitoneal exposure of the lumbar spine (ARES). Vascular surgeons participate as "exposure surgeons" for these cases due to their unique skills in dealing with retroperitoneal structures. We report a single center experience with this procedure and focus on injury pattern and preservation of open surgical training. Methods Patients undergoing ARES over an 8-year period were identified from our vascular registry. A two-team approach involving a vascular surgeon and spine surgeon has been routinely employed. ARES was performed for anterior lumbar interbody fusion or total disc replacement. The intraoperative techniques of vascular manipulation were reviewed. The need for suture repair of vascular structures and the incidence and timing of serious vascular injury was recorded. Results Four-hundred and five ARES procedures were performed. The levels exposed included L5-S1 alone (128), L4-5 (54), 4-5 and 5-S1 (139), and other combinations in 84 cases. The exposure involved the L4-5 disc in 243 cases (60%). Exposure of L4-5 was accomplished above the left common iliac artery (CIA) in 44%, between the left CIA and common iliac vein (CIV) in 45%, and below the left CIV in 11%. Minor vascular injuries (all venous) needing suture repair occurred in 24% of cases overall. Minor vascular injuries occurred during both exposure (43%) and instrumentation (57%). Minor vascular injuries were significantly more frequent in cases involving the L4-5 disc than in those not involving L4-5 (31.7% vs 11.1%, P Conclusion Vascular expertise is important in anterior retroperitoneal lumbar spine exposure. Minor venous injuries frequently occur during exposure and instrumentation. Significant vascular injuries, while rare, occur during instrumentation, therefore the vascular surgeon should remain present throughout the entire procedure. The vascular manipulations required during exposure of the L4-5 disc offer an excellent opportunity for open vascular surgical experience. Vascular surgeon involvement in these cases allows for prompt repair of vascular injuries and provides opportunities for the vascular surgery resident to augment his/her open surgical training.
Synthesis and application of abrasion resistant coating materials based on functionalized bis and tris maleimides

Trialkoxysilane functionalized bis and trismaleimide based systems have been synthesized and used for coating a bisphenol-A polycarbonate substrate by the sol-gel method. The abrasion resistance of the substrate is improved by the optically clear materials following thermal curing of the coating.
The orthogonal group over a full ring

Abstract This paper examines a class of commutative rings which includes the zero-dimensional rings, in particular, semilocal rings and von Neumann regular rings. It is shown that this class of rings allows the development of the basic theory of free symmetric inner product spaces and their orthogonal groups, e.g., diagonalization of forms, Witt cancellation, and the generators, transitivity, and commutator properties of the orthogonal group.
Electrospun Conducting Polymer-Based Sensors for Advanced Pathogen Detection

This paper focuses on the development of conducting polymer hybrid sensors for pathogen detection for advanced medical diagnostics. Using the electrospinning technique, polyaniline hybrids were developed for the detection of gas and for pH monitoring to determine the suitability of these sensors for exhaled human breath analyses. Results show that electrospun hybrids based on leucoemeraldine based polyaniline exhibit sensitivity to down to 1 ppm and for the first time, using emeraldine salt polyaniline, demonstrate a conductimetric response to changes in the headspace of aqueous solutions of varying pH. This manuscript discusses the response of these hybrid systems to varying concentrations of pH and NO2.
Prediction of corrosion-fatigue behavior of DP steel through artificial neural network

Abstract Corrosion–fatigue crack growth (da/dN) of dual phase (DP) steel was analyzed using an artificial neural network (ANN) based model. The training data consisted of corrosion–fatigue crack growth rates at varying stress intensity ranges (ΔK) for martensite contents between 32 and 76%. The ANN model exhibited excellent comparison with the experimental results. Since a large number of variables are used during training the model, it will provide a reliable and useful predictor for corrosion–fatigue crack growth (FCG) in DP steels.
Scope and limitations in the Jacobsen epoxidation of dienyl sulfones

Abstract Symchiral (salen)Mn(III)Cl complexes catalyze the epoxidation of 2-sulfonyl, 1,3 cyclic dienes with exceptional enantioselectivity. The incorporation of the sulfone moiety increases the enantioselectivity by up to 30%, relative to the unsubstituted cyclic 1,3-diene.
Comments on "Gender, ethnic, age, and relationship differences in non-traditional college student alcohol consumption: a tri-ethnic study".

The purpose of these comments is to serve as a reaction to an article by Stephanie Babb, Cynthia Stewart, and Christine Bachman of the University of Houston-Downtown. The article is ambitiously titled “Gender, Ethnic, Age, and Relationship Differences in Non-Traditional College Students’ Alcohol Consumption: A Tri-Ethnic Study” and is published in this issue of the Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse. These comments are not intended to be a definitive response to all of the possible points raised by the authors of the article; rather they are reflective of the personal views of an addiction professional who has been active in the field for several years, particularly involved with efforts directed at substance use by non-traditional college students, and who has published previously on related topics. It is only possible to react to a few specific issues raised by the article; another commentator or a peer reviewer would probably address a myriad other areas. Indeed, several other topics of concern co...
Domain decomposition on parallel computers

Abstract We consider the application of domain decomposition techniques to the solution of sparse linear systems arising from implicit PDE discretizations on parallel computers. Representatives of two popular MIMD architectures, message passing (the Intel iPSC/2-SX) and shared memory (the Encore Multimax 320), are employed. We run the same numerical experiments on each, namely stripwise and boxwise decompositions of the unit square, using up to 64 subdomains and containing up to 64K degrees of freedom. We produce a tight-fitting complexity model for the former and discuss the difficulty of doing so for the latter. We also evaluate which of three types of domain decomposition preconditioners that have appeared in the literature of self-adjoint elliptic problems are most efficient in different regions of machine-problem parameter space. Some form of global sharing of information in the preconditioner is required for efficient overall parallel implementation in the region of most practical interest (large problem sizes and large numbers of processors); otherwise, an increasing iteration count inveighs against the gains of concurrency. Our results on a per iteration basis also hold for sparse discrete systems arising from other types of partial differential equations, but in the absence of a theory for the dependence of the convergence rate upon the granularity of the decomposition, the overall results are only suggestive for more general systems.
Vernalization-mediated epigenetic silencing by a long intronic noncoding RNA

Vernalization is an environmentally-induced epigenetic switch in which winter cold triggers epigenetic silencing of floral repressors and thus provides competence to flower in spring. In Arabidopsis, winter cold triggers enrichment of tri-methylated histone H3 Lys(27) at chromatin of the floral repressor, FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), and results in epigenetically stable repression of FLC. This epigenetic change is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved repressive complex, polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Here, we show that a long intronic noncoding RNA [termed COLD ASSISTED INTRONIC NONCODING RNA (COLDAIR)] is required for the vernalization-mediated epigenetic repression of FLC. COLDAIR physically associates with a component of PRC2 and targets PRC2 to FLC. Our results show that COLDAIR is required for establishing stable repressive chromatin at FLC through its interaction with PRC2.
Brain wave maturation and neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely low gestational age neonates

Brain wave maturation and neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely low gestational age neonates
Low-threshold InGaAs/GaAs single-quantum-well lasers using single-step metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Low threshold current single quantum well InGaAs/GaAs lasers are fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on a nonplanar substrate. By taking advantage of the growth rate and doping differences on different crystal facets during the growth, an almost- buried heterostructure laser is made by a single growth step. Threshold currents as low as 1.0 mA under pulsed operation and 1.2 mA under continuous-wave operation are obtained for uncoated lasers at room-temperature. The lasers showed high external quantum efficiency (80%). High reflection coated laser (95%/95%) has a cw threshold current as low as 0.28 mA.
Laminar flow in twisted pipes

The effect of torsion on fully developed laminar flow in a twisted pipe is considered in the low-Reynolds-number regime. The flow in a pipe of elliptical cross-section whose axis is straight but which is twisted about that axis is examined and the secondary flow pattern found. The helical pipe of circular cross-section is also revisited; in this case, the first-order torsional effect on the streamtubes is verified, and previous conclusions that such an effect would be of higher order are explained.
Bacteraemia—a New York perception

Positive blood cultures (in total 7541) obtained from patients of varied social background in a New York medical centre between 1984 and 1989 are reviewed. Streptococcus pneumoniae predominated in community-acquired infections, and coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus in nosocomial infections, the latter often arising from intravenous lines. The reported trend towards Gram-positive isolates is confirmed in this series.
Comparative efficacy of topical gatifloxacin with ciprofloxacin, amikacin, and clarithromycin in the treatment of experimental Mycobacterium chelonae keratitis.

Objective To determine the comparative efficacy of topical gatifloxacin with ciprofloxacin,fortified amikacin, and clarithromycin againstMycobacteriumchelonaekeratitis in an animal model. Methods ExperimentalM chelonaekeratitis was inducedvia intrastromal inoculation in a rabbit model. Thirty-five rabbits were randomlydivided into 5 groups and each group was treated hourly for 12 hours withtopical 0.9% balanced salt solution, 0.3% gatifloxacin, 0.3% ciprofloxacinhydrochloride, a combination of topical fortified amikacin sulfate (50 mg/mL)and clarithromycin (10 mg/mL), or a triple combination of topical 0.3% gatifloxacin,fortified amikacin sulfate (50 mg/mL), and clarithromycin (10 mg/mL). Antibacterialefficacy of each regimen was determined by quantitative bacteriologic analysis. Results Treatment with 0.3% gatifloxacin or the triple combination of 0.3% gatifloxacin,topical fortified amikacin sulfate (50 mg/mL), and clarithromycin (10 mg/mL)reduced the number of mycobacterial organisms more significantly than thecontrols that were treated with a topical balanced salt solution (bothP Conclusion These results suggest that topical 0.3% gatifloxacin ophthalmic solutioncan be a new initial treatment agent againstM chelonaekeratitis. Clinical Relevance Topical gatifloxacin 0.3% may provide an initial alternative in thereapyofM chelonaekeratitis.
High Numbers of False-Positive Stress Tests Are the Result of Inappropriate Testing

Patients who underwent coronary angiography preceded by stress testing during the period January 2009 through March 2012 were evaluated using the CathPCI database. The predictive accuracy of stress echocardiography (SE) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were determined and used to back calculate the pretest probability of the population being tested. In total, 2662 catheterizations were performed, 866 (33%) of which were preceded by stress imaging. Overall, the positive predictive values of SE and SPECT did not differ significantly (61% and 66%, P = .15) and were much lower in certain subgroups. The overall pretest probabilities of patients without a documented history of coronary artery disease undergoing SE and SPECT in the study population were estimated to be 18% and 27%, respectively. This study shows that stress testing is performed too often in low-risk patients in whom it is unlikely to improve clinical decision making.
Direct association of RhoA with specific domains of PKC-α

Previous studies performed at our laboratory have shown that agonist-induced contraction of smooth muscle is associated with translocation of protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha and RhoA to the membrane and that this interaction is due to a direct protein-protein interaction. To determine the domains of PKC-alpha involved in direct interaction with RhoA, His-tagged PKC-alpha proteins of individual domains and different combinations of PKC-alpha domains were used to perform in vitro binding assays with the fusion protein glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-RhoA. Coimmunoprecipitation was also performed using smooth muscle cells transfected with truncated forms of PKC-alpha in this study. The data indicate that RhoA directly bound to full-length PKC-alpha, both in vitro (82.57 +/- 15.26% above control) and in transfected cells. RhoA bound in vitro to the C1 domain of PKC-alpha [PKC-alpha (C1)] (70.48 +/- 20.78% above control), PKC-alpha (C2) (72.26 +/- 29.96% above control), and PKC-alpha (C4) (90.58 +/- 26.79% above control), but not to PKC-alpha (C3) (0.64 +/- 5.18% above control). RhoA bound in vitro and in transfected cells to truncated forms of PKC-alpha, PKC-alpha (C2, C3, and C4), and PKC-alpha (C3 and C4) (94.09 +/- 12.13% and 85.10 +/- 16.16% above control, respectively), but not to PKC-alpha (C1, C2, and C3) or to PKC-alpha (C2 and C3) (0.47 +/- 1.26% and 7.45 +/- 10.76% above control, respectively). RhoA bound to PKC-alpha (C1 and C2) (60.78 +/- 13.78% above control) only in vitro, but not in transfected cells, and PKC-alpha (C2, C3, and C4) and PKC-alpha (C3 and C4) bound well to RhoA. These data suggest that RhoA bound to fragments that may mimic the active form of PKC-alpha. The studies using cells transfected with truncated forms of PKC-alpha indicate that PKC-alpha (C1 and C2), PKC-alpha (C1, C2, and C3), and PKC-alpha (C2 and C3) did not associate with RhoA. Only full-length PKC-alpha, PKC-alpha (C2, C3, and C4), and PKC-alpha (C3 and C4) associated with RhoA. The association increased upon stimulation with acetylcholine. These results suggest that the functional association of PKC-alpha with RhoA may require the C4 domain.
Longitudinal spatial inhomogeneities in intrinsic optical bistability due to induced absorption

Longitudinal spatial effects in the nonlinear medium are analyzed in a model for mirrorless optical bistability due to induced absorption that treats heat conduction, electromagnetic field propagation, and temperature-dependent absorption. We consider two specific cases: the temperature-induced shift of the absorption peak of bound I2 excitons in CdS single crystals and the temperature-induced shrinkage of the band gap in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum-well material. For both cases it is shown that the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of the nonlinear absorption profile along the direction of propagation of the electric field undergoes a first-order-like phase transition commensurate with the transition of the output intensity from one value to another for fixed input intensity. Stability conditions are presented for the steady states of the output intensity as a function of the input intensity for the cases treated. There is a multiplicity of bistability curves, and the stability analysis produced the expected branches of stable solutions.
Uncertainty Quantification in Remaining Useful Life Prediction Using First-Order Reliability Methods

In this paper, we investigate the use of first-order reliability methods to quantify the uncertainty in the remaining useful life (RUL) estimate of components used in engineering applications. The prediction of RUL is affected by several sources of uncertainty, and it is important to systematically quantify their combined effect on the RUL prediction in order to aid risk assessment, risk mitigation, and decision-making. While sampling-based algorithms have been conventionally used for quantifying the uncertainty in RUL, analytical approaches are computationally cheaper, and sometimes they are better suited for online decision-making. Exact analytical algorithms may not be available for practical engineering applications, but effective approximations can be made using first-order reliability methods. This paper describes three first-order reliability-based methods for RUL uncertainty quantification: first-order second moment method (FOSM), the first-order reliability method (FORM), and the inverse first-order reliability method (inverse-FORM). The inverse-FORM methodology is particularly useful in the context of online health monitoring, and this method is illustrated using the power system of an unmanned aerial vehicle, where the goal is to predict the end of discharge of a lithium-ion battery.
A CLEAN-based iterative nonlinear statistical rain rate retrieval algorithm

An iterative nonlinear statistical retrieval algorithm for estimating rain rate from multispectral and multiresolution passive microwave brightness temperature imagery of a convective oceanic storm is described. Both SHF and EHF radiometric channels are considered. The retrieval utilizes a combination of a non-iterative nonlinear statistical retrieval algorithm and the iterative CLEAN algorithm to "deconvolve" rain rates directly from simulated diffraction-limited satellite-based brightness temperature observations. Features of the CLEAN based retrieval algorithm are (1) that it allows the use of high spatial resolution brightness imagery to guide the retrieval of rain rate (which is most correlated with the spectral features found in the lower frequency and hence lower resolution channels) and (2) that the computationally intensive portion of the iterative process is constrained to a single brightness temperature calculation. The brightness temperatures are obtained using a planar-stratified scattering-based forward radiative transfer calculation for the channels and design characteristics of the proposed Multispectral Imaging Microwave Radiometer (MIMR). This radiative transfer model allows for five hydrometeor phases: suspended cloud water, rain, suspended cloud ice, dry snow, and dry graupel. The sensor observation simulation convolves antenna gain patterns appropriate for a sensor at a 705 km orbital altitude with a 1.6-m aperture with channels at 6.0, 10.69, 18.7, 23.8, 36.5, and 89.0 GHz.
The Patentability of Stem Cells in Australia

The potential therapeutic applications of stem cells are unlimited. However, the ongoing political and social debate surrounding the intellectual property and patenting considerations of stem cell research has led to the implementation of strict legislative regulations. In Australia the patent landscape surrounding stem cells has evolved considerably over the past 20 years. The Australian Patents Act 1990 includes a specific exclusion to the patentability of human beings and of biological processes for their generation. However, this exclusion has received no judicial consideration to date, and so its scope and potential impact on stem cell patents is unclear.