cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sparing of high retropharyngeal nodal basins in patients with unilateral oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy

Abstract Purpose The introduction of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has facilitated dose painting and sparing of uninvolved/low-risk nodal basins in head and neck cancers. In oropharynx cancer (OPC), the need for elective coverage of uninvolved high contralateral retropharyngeal (RP) nodes and the risk associated with sparing this region remain unclear. We examined outcomes of OPC patients treated with IMRT and omission of contralateral high RP coverage. Methods and materials We identified 102 OPC patients with cN0-N2b disease treated with definitive IMRT with or without concurrent chemotherapy between 2010 and 2013. The contralateral RP nodal basins superior to the vertebral level of C1 were omitted from the elective IMRT field for all patients. Of the 67 patients (66%) with p16 status available, 63 (94%) were p16+. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate overall survival, as well as freedom from local failure, regional failure, distant failure, and retropharyngeal failure. Results The median follow-up was 26.9 months (range, 3.0-59.9 months). There were no failures in the treated ipsilateral RP nodes or the spared contralateral high RP nodes in the entire cohort. In the p16+ cohort and the entire cohort, the 2-year rates of overall survival and freedom from local, regional, distant, and retropharyngeal failure were 98.0% and 95.1%, 98.1% and 97.7%, 96.4% and 96.7%, 98.1% and 95.1%, and 100% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions Omission of contralateral high RP nodes in patients with p16+ OPC with unilateral disease is safe.
Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in Raw Milk in Nebraska.

Raw milk samples were obtained from bulk storage tanks of individual dairy farms in eastern Nebraska during February and July of 1986. One hundred different farms were tested during each period. One-tenth ml of each sample was plated directly onto McBride's Listeria Agar (MLA) and 30 ml was subjected to a four-week cold enrichment procedure. Suspect colonies from MLA were subjected to biochemical tests to confirm identity. Nine percent of all raw milk samples examined were determined to be positive for Listeria species after the cold enrichment procedure. Four percent contained L. monocytogenes and five percent contained L. innocua . Six percent and two percent of samples were found to contain L. monocytogenes in February and July respectively.
A survey of photogeochemistry

The participation of sunlight in the natural chemistry of the earth is presented as a unique field of study, from historical observations to prospects for future inquiry. A compilation of known reactions shows the extent of light-driven interactions between naturally occurring components of land, air, and water, and provides the backdrop for an outline of the mechanisms of these phenomena. Catalyzed reactions, uncatalyzed reactions, direct processes, and indirect processes all operate in natural photochemical transformations, many of which are analogous to well-known biological reactions. By overlaying photochemistry and surface geochemistry, complementary approaches can be adopted to identify natural photochemical reactions and discern their significance in the environment.
Post Conflict Reconstruction Efforts in Tribal Areas of Pakistan through Informal Education

Abstract. The paper is a first effort of its kind to discuss the issue of post conflict reconstruction efforts in the tribal belt of Pakistan by focusing on soft skills and peaceful behavior of locals on account of informal means of delivering education. The paper explains why informal education in comparison to formal schooling isa preferred strategy to change the behaviors of locals towards subtle national integration in short time span. The paper presents the learning initiatives and possible outcomes with help of academic literature that focuses on post conflict reconstruction efforts in regions like Africa and Asia. Keywords. Education, Informal educaton. JEL. A11, A14, A20.
Ambulatory Visit Groups: How They Perform for Oncology Outpatient Departments

(1987). Ambulatory Visit Groups: How They Perform for Oncology Outpatient Departments. The Journal of Cancer Program Management: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 22-33.
Proportional pricing: an equitable method of expanding PPS to non-medicare payers

There has been increased interest in expanding the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) to non-Medicare payers to provide incentives for hospitals to contain costs and to concentrate in those Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) which they can provide efficiently. However, this should not force low-volume, low-cost payers to subsidize high cost payers and should not penalize low Length-of-Stay (LOS), low-cost hospitals. This article proposes a new method proportional pricing to expand PPS incentives to non-Medicare payers with equity for payers and hospitals. It would also allow all-payer rate setting and premium price competition among payers to coexist.
The application of mHealth to monitor implementation of best practices to support healthy eating and physical activity in afterschool programs.

Background:Childhood obesity continues to be a global epidemic and many child-based settings (e.g. school, afterschool programs) have great potential to make a positive impact on children’s health ...
The Evaluation of Televised Instruction

A significant amount of teaching is now being done by means of television. According to Goldman (2), about 80 cities in the United States have educational TV stations, most of which devote a substantial portion of their programing to in-school broadcasting. Thus, a question of increasing importance is the extent to which stated educational objectives may be achieved through televised instruction.2 Experts have come forth in support of both sides. However, dependable answers to this and other similar questions can be provided only by careful methodology and instrumentation of such evaluations. It is the purpose of this paper to propose an approach to the general problem of evaluating the attainment of the (particularly non
Anesthesia in Fish

Fish should be anesthetized during any procedure that is stressful or likely to cause pain. The author discusses methods of anesthesia, the effects of anesthetic agents on water quality, and the physiologic effects of selected anesthetic agents on fish.
Machine Learning for Prediction of Posttraumatic Stress and Resilience Following Trauma: An Overview of Basic Concepts and Recent Advances

Posttraumatic stress responses are characterized by a heterogeneity in clinical appearance and etiology. This heterogeneity impacts the field's ability to characterize, predict, and remediate maladaptive responses to trauma. Machine learning (ML) approaches are increasingly utilized to overcome this foundational problem in characterization, prediction, and treatment selection across branches of medicine that have struggled with similar clinical realities of heterogeneity in etiology and outcome, such as oncology. In this article, we review and evaluate ML approaches and applications utilized in the areas of posttraumatic stress, stress pathology, and resilience research, and present didactic information and examples to aid researchers interested in the relevance of ML to their own research. The examined studies exemplify the high potential of ML approaches to build accurate predictive and diagnostic models of posttraumatic stress and stress pathology risk based on diverse sources of available information. The use of ML approaches to integrate high-dimensional data demonstrates substantial gains in risk prediction even when the sources of data are the same as those used in traditional predictive models. This area of research will greatly benefit from collaboration and data sharing among researchers of posttraumatic stress disorder, stress pathology, and resilience.
The Ethics of Public Health Practice for the Prevention and Control of STDs

The goal of public health is to promote the health of all persons for the good of the entire population. While this is a straightforward intention, in practice, public health regularly raises ethical dilemmas that result primarily from conflicts between individual interests and community interests. With respect to sexual health, ethical public health practice is made all the more challenging by the private nature of sexual behavior, and by the social stigma associated with many sexual practices and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This chapter provides an overview of the ethical topics that arise in STD prevention and control, in order both to heighten awareness and understanding of these issues and to provide readers with some guidance for articulating and exploring these issues. We examine the ethics of STD prevention and control in both public health practice and in the delivery of health care. Here, we circumscribe public health practice as the set of activities intended to improve the health of a specific community or population by preventing or controlling disease (1–3). We define delivery of health care as the provision of preventive and treatment services to individuals, including the use of screening and diagnostic tests and the implementation of vaccination programs (4,5). We highlight in this chapter key concepts in the ethics literature and discuss their implications for several strategies used in STD prevention and control. Our aim is to support the work of health care providers and public health practitioners and provide them with tools to help ensure the ethical delivery of strategies to prevent and control STDs. The overview presented in this chapter is not meant to be all-inclusive, but rather illustrative of key ethical issues stemming from or influencing the implementation of various STD management strategies. The first section of the chapter provides background information on research ethics, bioethics, public health ethics, and the regulatory context; highlights key ethical concepts in public health; summarizes how paradigms of disease transmission influence ethical thinking and delivery of care; and presents a decision-making framework for articulating and responding to ethical challenges in public health. The purpose of this section is to provide a context as well as a useful and consistent approach for the ethical analysis of STD prevention and control. The second section of the chapter examines the ethical considerations that arise from the pursuit of several STD management
After the gun: examining police visits and intimate partner violence following incidents involving a firearm

Laws have been enacted to keep firearms out of the hands of abusers. In this study, we examined one such effort—removal of a firearm at the scene of intimate partner violence (IPV)—to assess the subsequent occurrence and number of IPV incidents responded to by police and subsequent risk of injury to the victim. Using the 28,977 IPV calls in one large U.S. city to which officers responded during the 2013 calendar year, we identified 220 first-time incidents in which offenders used (i.e., brandished, pistol whipped, shot) a pistol, revolver, rifle, or shotgun. Officers reported removing a firearm from 52 (24%) of the offenders. After using full propensity score matching to control for potential confounders, logistic and Poisson regressions were used to assess differences between those from whom a firearm was removed and those whose firearm was not removed. Firearm removal at the scene of an IPV incident appears to increase the likelihood of subsequent IPV reports to police and suggestive evidence that subsequent injury to the victim might increase as well. The offender shifting from threats with a firearm to physical violence and a change (an increase as well as a decrease) in victim willingness to summon police may account for the findings.
Free-water imaging of the hippocampus is a sensitive marker of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Validating sensitive markers of hippocampal degeneration is fundamental for understanding neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that free-water in the hippocampus will be more sensitive to early stages of cognitive decline than hippocampal volume, and that free-water in hippocampus will increase across distinct clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease. We examined two separate cohorts (N = 126; N = 112) of cognitively normal controls, early and late mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease. Demographic, clinical, diffusion-weighted and T1-weighted imaging, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging were assessed. Results indicated elevated hippocampal free-water in early MCI individuals compared to controls across both cohorts. In contrast, there was no difference in volume of these regions between controls and early MCI. ADNI free-water values in the hippocampus was associated with low CSF AB1–42 levels and high global amyloid PET values. Free-water imaging of the hippocampus can serve as an early stage marker for AD and provides a complementary measure of AD neurodegeneration using non-invasive imaging.
Timescales: A Benchmark Generator for MTL Monitoring Tools

This article presents a benchmark generator, Timescales, which can be used to evaluate the performance and scalability of runtime verification tools using Metric Temporal Logic (MTL) formulas as their specifications. We mainly target runtime verification of cyber-physical systems and generate traces similar to the qualitative behavior of sensor readings and state variables of such systems that are observed/sampled continuously. Since such systems are composed of many heterogeneous components that work over very different time scales, it is crucial to measure the performance of the MTL monitoring tool for a wide range of timing parameters in specifications. Hence, Timescales supports the generation of benchmarks for 10 typical timed properties for any given trace length and timing parameters with several other useful features. Finally, we include some default benchmark suites generated by Timescales.
The Seller's Curse and the Underwriter's Pricing Pivot: A Behavioral Theory of IPO Pricing

Canonical theories of law and economics predict that issuing firms in initial public offerings (IPOs) demand — and that competitive markets produce — a transaction structure that maximizes value to issuers. Yet, since 1980, corporate America has left approximately 19 cents of foregone proceeds on the table for every dollar it has raised in IPOs. Moreover, the standard IPO contract appears designed to exacerbate rather than resolve agency costs, information asymmetries, and other foreseeable causes of IPO underpricing. This Article studies a new puzzle: why don’t issuers anticipate their transactional vulnerability and bargain for a sale of stock contract that protects them against foreseeable causes of underpricing? To explain this puzzle, I model issuer heterogeneity in a novel way. Some fraction of issuers have managers that — when they engage an underwriter months before the IPO — fail to anticipate their underwriters’ incentives or capacity to impose underpricing when the IPO is priced. The interaction between market forces and managerial psychology at these naive issuers explains the structure of the standard IPO contract. Conditional on using the standard IPO contract, underwriters pivot between two strategies. In the IPOs of naive issuers, underwriters hold up and underprice IPOs. In the IPOs of sophisticated issuers, underwriters short sell the issuing firm’s stock and overprice IPOs. The model predicts efficiency losses and wealth transfers from naive issuers and one-shot investors to underwriters, repeat investors, and sophisticated issuers in IPO markets. The behavioral theory I present provides a more comprehensive explanation for IPO pricing and practices than existing accounts, and supports arguments for substantive reforms to federal broker-dealer regulation.
Sustainability benchmarking tool (SBT): theoretical and conceptual model proposition of a composite framework

Sustainable development and sustainability notions are among trending topics of twenty-first century. Elevated sustainability concerns of various stakeholders have been forcing members of all industries to evolve into their more environmentally and socially responsible versions. However, a complete framework with a true sustainability and benchmarking focus is yet to be delivered. Within this study, an innovative, holistic, versatile and scalable tool was developed to assess and benchmark sustainability performance of organizations and supply chains. The proposed framework was established upon trivet structure of triple bottom line philosophy and fueled by lean, Six Sigma and life cycle analysis methodologies for accurate and effective measurement of sustainability performance. Completeness of the framework was ensured through development of first-generation key performance indicator pool with 33 indicators, a unique work environment assessment mechanism for safety and environmental protection issues in terms of 11 risk categories and by construction of an ownership structure for ease of framework deployment. Proposed framework is expected to help with true sustainability performance improvement and benchmarking objectives at a range of business levels from facility to sectoral operations. Both small- and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations could benefit from SBT Framework since it eliminates unit-based comparisons within its standardized performance measurement modules. Industries with lower profit margins could also gain competitive edge through continuous discovery of improvement opportunities. Furthermore, some manufacturing industries with unique characteristics such as wood products industries with their carbon sequestration potential and electric car manufacturers with their renewable energy-dependent final products could document their strengths more effectively through this science-based assessment mechanism.
On the effect of load on vibration amplitude in ultrasonic-assisted drilling

The ultrasonic-assisted drilling (UAD) process is a technology that applies ultrasonic vibrations in the feed direction of the drill to improve drilling conditions and productivity. In recent years, UAD has been the subject of extensive research due to its advantages over the conventional drilling (CD) process, these being reported as thrust force and torque reduction, burr height reduction, improvements in surface roughness, and hole accuracy. The results of the research also showed that these benefits do not necessarily equally occur for all drilling conditions but can vary with machining and ultrasonic conditions. In particular, it is found that the drill vibration amplitude is a key factor in determining UAD benefits. However, a critical difficulty is that the all-important matter of the drill vibration amplitude at the point of material engagement, the so-called “down-the-hole” amplitude, is not known due to inaccessibility. This difficulty, not faced, for example by the ultrasonic-assisted turning (UAT) process due to its visual access, has prevented measurement of load effects on UAD, as well as verification of analytical models of the process. In this study, a technique to measure the effect of load on drill vibration amplitude during UAD is presented. The technique is based on examining the surface of the drilled hole, where minute, oscillatory traces of the vibrating drill tip are found that correspond to drill tip vibrational amplitude. This data, when coupled with in-process laser vibration measurements at the drill chuck, as well as no load amplitude measurements, permit the effects of load on vibration amplitude to be determined. Results have shown that drilling loads cause measurable reductions in drill vibration amplitude and must be accounted for in UAD procedures.
Effect of a mild, diffuse central retinal edema on light evoked outer retina optophysiology signals measured in vivo in mice with optical coherence tomography (Conference Presentation)

Over last few years Optical Coherence Tomography has allowed precise observations of the light-evoked opthophysiological response of the inner and outer retina. In mouse rods this manifests itself as outer segments elongation that is driven by phototransduction. Given the current model describing these observations as osmotically driven water movements we have decided to alter retinal water homeostasis to see if, and how the measured signals will be affected. Our observations of light-evoked retina responses during mild, diffuse central retinal edema confirmed that water plays a key role in this process.
Markov chain Monte Carlo methods: Theory and practice

Abstract In many situations, especially in Bayesian statistical analysis, it is required to draw samples from intractable probability distributions. A common way to obtain approximate samples from such distributions is to make use of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms. Two questions arise when using MCMC algorithms. The first of these is how long the underlying Markov chain must run before it can be used to draw approximate samples from the desired distribution. The second question is that of how often states of the chain can be used as approximate samples from the desired distribution so that the samples are roughly independent. This chapter provides insight into how to answer both of these questions in the course of describing how MCMC algorithms are used in practice. In this chapter, common types of MCMC algorithms are described, and Bayesian estimation using the output of the chain is also discussed.
Neither Liberal nor Conservative: The Theoretical and Political Nuance of Critical Pedagogy in a Sectarian Climate

This article, acknowledging the variety of interpretations and applications of critical pedagogy, delves into the thought and politics of Paulo Freire to review theoretical and political foundations, along with a consideration of common criticisms and responses from critical theorists. Informed by recent literature, I highlight the theory of critical pedagogy as dialectic, and examine the inherent political nature of critical pedagogy as non-sectarian, anti-neoliberal, radical-progressive, democratic, and humanist. After reviewing the theoretical and political foundations of critical pedagogy, I consider criticisms in the literature related to its emphasis on theory as abstract, potential inherent sexism and cultural invasiveness. As I aim to show, these criticisms, while not without some merit, are based primarily on a strawman portrayal of critical pedagogy as inherently liberating without serious interrogation of the intentions of the teacher. Noteworthy criticisms which may help the field of critical pedagogy to evolve beyond a myopic view of democracy originate from Indigenous scholars’ approach to integration and critique of critical pedagogy. The significance of this article pertains to clarification and reconsideration of critical principles in an era where schooling serves as a battleground between liberal and conservative forces. In an era of polarization, critical pedagogy contributes an underrepresented perspective in this debate, as it critiques both Right and Left, offering a critically nuanced rather than a sectarian assessment.
Should Anyone Care about Scientific Progress

Scientific progress has been understood as synonymous with the growth of knowledge and the advancement of humanity. In this brief survey, this concept is problematized both in rhetorical terms and ...
Crisis Regulations: The Unexpected Consequences of Floating NAV for Money Market Funds

Abstract From the inception of money market funds (MMFs), all MMFs reported a fixed $1 NAV (Net Asset Value). In July 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued new regulations for MMFs that require Prime institutional MMFs to report floating NAVs. The SEC did not expect a significant impact on the MMF industry from requiring floating NAVs for Prime institutional funds. We find that over 70% of the assets under management in Prime MMFs left Prime funds with over half the Prime funds closing. We find that more than half of the Prime retail MMFs (which are not required to switch to floating NAV) closed with more than 50% of the assets under management exiting these funds. Finally, we find that for every dollar that exited Prime MMFs a dollar was added to Government MMFs. Based on the SEC's economic discussions, these results all represent unexpected consequences.
Continuous Blackjack: Equilibrium, Deviation and Adaptive Strategy.

We introduce a variant of the classic poker game blackjack -- the continuous blackjack. We study the Nash Equilibrium as well as the case where players deviate from it. We then pivot to the study of a large class of adaptive strategies and obtain a model-free strategy. Finally, we apply reinforcement learning techniques to the game and address several associated engineering challenges.
Randomized controlled trials of self-monitoring interventions with or without incentives for diet and exercise among individuals with overweight or obesity: Psychological and behavioural effects

Objectives To test the effects of three behavioural interventions (daily monetary incentives + self-monitoring, delayed lump sum monetary incentives + self-monitoring, and self-monitoring only) on psychological constructs and fruit and vegetable consumption or physical activity behaviour change among a sample of adults with overweight or obesity. Design A pair of 3-arm longitudinal randomized controlled trials compared daily monetary incentives + self-monitoring, delayed lump sum monetary incentives + self-monitoring, and self-monitoring only interventions for either fruit and vegetable consumption or physical activity. Methods Individuals reporting elevated weight status and insufficient engagement in one of the target behaviours were randomly assigned to one of three 3-week interventions. All three interventions involved daily self-monitoring of the behaviour, and two provided monetary incentives contingent upon reported behaviour. Participants completed measures of psychological constructs and reported behaviour at baseline, the end of the intervention, and two and four weeks post-intervention. Results Participants across all three intervention conditions demonstrated increased engagement in the target behaviour from pre- to post-intervention and reported behaviour remained above baseline levels at both follow-up time points. Increases in reported behaviour during the intervention were associated with increases in self-efficacy, and this enhanced self-efficacy prospectively predicted sustained reported behaviour at follow-up. However, contrary to hypotheses, the incentive interventions including self-monitoring were not more efficacious than self-monitoring alone, and increased reported behaviour was not associated with enhancements in attitudes. Conclusions Self-monitoring interventions can aid behaviour change efforts, and behavioural practice during these interventions can increase self-efficacy. However, among adults with overweight or obesity who are seeking behaviour change interventions, incentive-based self-monitoring approaches may not be superior to self-monitoring alone in driving behaviour change and maintenance.
Computationally Guided Discovery of Axis-Dependent Conduction Polarity in NaSnAs Crystals

Most electronic materials exhibit a single dominant charge carrier type, either holes or electrons, along all crystallographic directions. However, there are a small number of compounds, mostly met...
Correcting Myopia in Domestic Violence Advocacy: Moving Forward in Lawyering and Law School Clinics

Lawyers and law school clinics have become myopic in their approach to civil domestic violence lawyering. This article argues that domestic violence lawyering should expand beyond its current focus on family law to move domestic violence law and practice forward. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from criminal law and feminist legal theory, this article proposes a lawyering model that expands individual representation across a wide spectrum of case types while also challenging systems that enable battering or do not support victims in their efforts to secure safety. Holistic representation in family law, public benefits, immigration, housing, mortgage foreclosure, tort, and financial matters, among other substantive areas, better serves domestic violence victims and reveals systemic problems facing victims. By taking a dual approach – broad holistic representation of individual victims combined with law reform efforts directed at systemic issues revealed through broad direct representation – lawyers and law school clinics can move domestic violence advocacy forward.
Acute Kidney Injury in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients: National Analysis of Impact of Age.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine epidemiology and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and to assess if age modifies the effect of AKI on mortality. METHODS Using National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample Database for hospitalizations in the USA from 2003 to 2014, we identified adult patients on ECMO support. Using International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision, we assessed the rates of AKI and AKI requiring dialysis (AKI-D) among them and associated survival. We used a multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors of and differential effect of age on mortality from AKI. RESULTS AKI was seen in 63.9% of 17,942 ECMO hospitalizations: 21.9% of those with AKI required dialysis. The percentage of those with AKI increased steadily. Mortality was higher in those with AKI, with highest in those with AKI-D (70.8% vs. 61.7%; p < 0.001). While both age and AKI were independent predictors of mortality, age was neither a risk factor for AKI nor did it modify the effect of AKI on mortality. CONCLUSIONS AKI is common and is increasing among patients on ECMO support. Patients on ECMO have high mortality and AKI is an independent predictor of mortality. Though age is also an independent predictor of mortality in patients on ECMO, it is neither a predictor of AKI nor does not modify the relationship between AKI and mortality.
Oscillatory states of mitochondria: Studies on the oscillatory mechanism of liver and heart mitochondria

Abstract Oscillatory movements of ions across the inner membrane of liver and heart mitochondria in vitro have been investigated. Our results indicate that the inverse of the square of oscillatory period is linear with respect to (a) the permeant cation concentration; (b) the inverse of the permeant weak acid anion concentration, and (c) the rate of energyproduction. It has been shown that various factors contribute to damping of the oscillations. These factors include: substrate utilization, mitochondrial deterioration, imperfect mitochondrial synchronization, and, possibly, an oscillatory mechanism which dictates damping. An increased period length and extensive damping of oscillations occurs at a critical mitochondrial protein concentration (less than 0.6 mg protein/ml). Such inhibition can be reversed by the addition of cytochrome c .
Nucleosynthesis in the Big Bang and in Stars

The quest for the origin of the elements is probably as old as human attempts to understand the world around us. While, during most of our history, such questions were addressed within the fields of philosophy and theology, it has been only during this century that a thoroughly scientific approach has been developed to study such questions. This approach inevitably includes the field of nuclear astrophysics, the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics, that has been developed from the insights of many great scientists, including Eddington, Gamow, Bethe, von Weizsucker and, a little later, Hoyle and Fowler. They realized that nuclear processes are able to generate the energy of stars over their lifetimes, and in doing so, synthesize heavier elements from hydrogen and helium, the main nuclides produced during the Big Bang, the earliest, explosive period of our expanding universe.
The Proteolytic Enzymes of the K-1 Strain of Streptomyces griseus Obtained from a Commercial Preparation (Pronase) STABILIZATION OF THE TRYPSIN COMPONENT BY CALCIUM AND GUANIDINE

Abstract Streptomyces griseus trypsin is more thermolabile than the two other components in pronase which are homologous with bovine chymotrypsin. It is completely inactivated after heating to 60° for 15 min. The heat stability of the enzyme is reduced in the presence of EDTA. Calcium was found to be the specific cation which stabilizes the enzyme at higher temperatures. This trypsin denatures irreversibly in 8 m urea (at 23°) in low calcium ion concentrations, but is stable and active in this denaturant if 0.5 m calcium ion is present. This latter property makes this enzyme a possibly useful agent in protein structural studies. Both the microbial and bovine trypsin are found to bind guanidinium ion substantially. Guanidinium ion competitively inhibits the activity of each enzyme against Nα-benzoyl-l-arginine-p-nitroanilide. Microbial trypsin has about a 3-fold greater affinity for guanidine and about a 20-fold lower Km for Nα-benzoyl-l-arginine-p-nitroanilide than does bovine trypsin. Binding of guanidine with either enzyme produces no apparent inhibition of activity against the poor nonspecific substrate, p-nitrophenyl acetate, when compared to inhibitorfree solutions. These findings suggest that guanidine associates with that part of the specificity site which binds the charged portion of basic substrate residues. The addition of 0.2 m guanidine HCl to an 8 m urea-10 mm CaCl2 solution completely inhibits the autolysis of the microbial trypsin but only slightly decreases the rate of autolysis of the bovine enzyme. In 8 m urea-10 mm CaCl2 and 1.0 m guanidine HCl, about 90% of the activity of the microbial enzyme is retained after 2 hours even in the presence of another S. griseus serine endopeptidase known to be active and stable in this mixed denaturant solution. Therefore, guanidine appears to stabilize microbial trypsin. In the presence of sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and denaturant mixture, the microbial enzyme rapidly loses activity. Measurements of circular dichroism were made at pH 8 and revealed that 0.45 m CaCl2 completely protects the microbial enzyme against rapid unfolding by 8 m urea, whereas this salt has little effect upon the rapid conformational transition of the bovine enzyme in this denaturant. It was found also that 0.2 m guanidine with a low calcium ion concentration can largely stabilize in 8 m urea the conformation of the microbial enzyme. A study was carried out to see if the guanidine complex of either trypsin could demonstrate a changed specificity toward N-acyl-aminoacyl-p-nitroanilides. The results were entirely negative.
An efficient computer aided engineering tool using hybrid numerical techniques

The heat transfer analysis of systems with complex 3D geometries is usually done by numerical methods. Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite Difference Method (FDM) are widely used for this purpose. Complex geometries are accurately analyzed by FEM method. However, FEM solutions can be computationally inefficient for thermal problems that have high mesh densities with complex boundary conditions and variable material properties. On the other hand, Finite Difference method (FDM) is difficult to apply for complex geometric shapes. A hybrid numerical approach that combines the advantages of FDM and FEM has been integrated into a thermal simulation code. The hybrid technique has been implemented using object oriented programming techniques in a PC environment. A comparison of the computational efficiency of the two methods has been presented.
Discriminative mixture-of-templates for viewpoint classification

Object viewpoint classification aims at predicting an approximate 3D pose of objects in a scene and is receiving increasing attention. State-of-the-art approaches to viewpoint classification use generative models to capture relations between object parts. In this work we propose to use a mixture of holistic templates (e.g. HOG) and discriminative learning for joint viewpoint classification and category detection. Inspired by the work of Felzenszwalb et al 2009, we discriminatively train multiple components simultaneously for each object category. A large number of components are learned in the mixture and they are associated with canonical viewpoints of the object through different levels of supervision, being fully supervised, semi-supervised, or unsupervised. We show that discriminative learning is capable of producing mixture components that directly provide robust viewpoint classification, significantly outperforming the state of the art: we improve the viewpoint accuracy on the Savarese et al 3D Object database from 57% to 74%, and that on the VOC 2006 car database from 73% to 86%. In addition, the mixture-of-templates approach to object viewpoint/pose has a natural extension to the continuous case by discriminatively learning a linear appearance model locally at each discrete view. We evaluate continuous viewpoint estimation on a dataset of everyday objects collected using IMUs for groundtruth annotation: our mixture model shows great promise comparing to a number of baselines including discrete nearest neighbor and linear regression.
Strip-tillage and Row Cover Use in Organically and Conventionally Grown Summer Squash

Growing summer squash in a more sustainable way involves multiple management practices. Cover crops often are incorporated into the soil before planting a cash crop. However, they can also be “rolled” and used as a ground cover throughout the growing season. The cash crop is planted in small, tilled strips within the residue. This “strip-tillage” technique provides a weed-controlling, moisture-retaining mat that does not need to be removed at the season’s end, as plastic mulch does. The reduction in tillage can improve soil structure and health.
A Computer System for Training Operators, Programmers and Maintenance Personnel

Two central issues related to computer assisted instructional (CAI) systems are discussed. First, we discuss logistics management and integrated logistics support for the life-cycle of a CAI product included in an automatic test system. A description of a proposed prototype CAI system is included in the second portion of this paper. This discussion includes a description of preliminary, demonstration systems along with features to be included during the next two years. The underlying theme in the discussion is that both of these issues must be treated simultaneously.
The Naive Conception of the Topology of the Surface of a Body

The aim of this paper is to sketch aspects of the analysis of some ‘naive’ topological concepts which enter into everyday descriptions of features of the surfaces of physical bodies. Examples of such descriptions and of the reasoning involving them are to say that: (a) Feature A (say a reddish region on the surface of a cube) touches but does not completely cover feature B (say an edge of the cube), from which it can be inferred that feature B touches the edge or boundary of feature A. (b) Several features meet in a common point, from which it can be inferred that any two of them touch, (c) The surface of a transparent object has places or points on it where there are no features (at any rate, no visually discernible ones). It is evident that not only are such concepts as ‘point’ and ‘boundary’ used in everyday descriptions, but they also are assumed to conform to certain general principles which underlie inferences. These general principles can be regarded as elements of an implicit ‘naive topological theory’ of the surface of a body, which I hope to clarify in the present analysis.
Varieties of Anomalous Experience: Examining the Scientific Evidence

Varieties of Anomalous Experience: Examining the Scientific Evidence. Etzel Cardena. Steven Jay Lynn. and Stanley Krippner. eds. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2000. 476 pp.
Long-term survival from gastrocolic fistula secondary to adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon

Gastrocolic fistula is a rare presentation of both benign and malignant diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Malignant gastrocolic fistula is most commonly associated with adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon in the Western World. Despite radical approaches to treatment, long-term survival is rarely documented. We report a case of a 24-year-old woman who presented with the classic triad of symptoms associated with gastrocolic fistula. Radical en-bloc surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy were performed. She is still alive ten years after treatment. Gastrocolic fistula is an uncommon presentation of adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon. Radical en-bloc surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy may occasionally produce long-term survival.
The Social and Religious Meanings of Charity in Medieval Europe

There is considerable evidence that during the 12th and 13th centuries, Latin Christendom experienced a charitable revolution. This period witnessed the foundation of large numbers of leprosaria and hospitals for the sick and poor, as well as the creation of confraternities and religious orders engaged in intensive charitable work. Some historians have argued that this charitable outpouring was principally spurred by economic and material forces, as well as a burgeoning urban culture. However, others have suggested that developments in spirituality and devotional culture are central to understanding what medieval charity meant to its practitioners. For still other scholars, medieval charity was primarily a way to elevate one's social status and affirm existing hierarchies of power. This essay surveys different historical interpretations of the social and religious meaning of charity during the Middle Ages, including how historians of medieval and early modern Europe have periodized charitable practices and how they have used charity as a window into the interactions between the rich and poor, powerful and powerless.
Longitudinal mixing in dog lungs during high-frequency forced flow oscillation.

Abstract Longitudinal mixing in the conducting airways of eight intubated anesthetized beagles (10.8 ± 0.9 kg) was studied at functional residual capacity in the presence of forced sinusoidal flow oscillations and in the absence of fresh air bias flow. The ranges of oscillation conditions were: frequencies, f, from 3 to 18 Hz and minute volumes, V osc , from 50 to 150 ml/sec, corresponding to tidal volumes, V osc f , from 0.3 to 4.5 ml/kg body mass. Oscillations were imposed during a breath holding interval incorporated into a modified single-breath nitrogen (N 2 ) washout maneuver. The expired N 2 fraction curves were analyzed with a Fickian diffusion model by adjusting the value of a global mixing parameter, 〈DA 2 〉, to achieve an optimal fit of the model to the data. The mixing parameter was an increasing function of minute volume and a decreasing function of frequency, which is well represented by the equation: 〈 DA 2 〉 = 2.72 V osc 1.74 f −1.57 By comparison to available theory and previous measurements in physical systems, this formula implies that Taylor-type dispersion is the dominant mixing mechanism in the conducting airways. Also, the diffusion model predicted, and the data verified, the existence of a mouthward ‘diffusion flow’ during breath holding. This effect, caused by the non-uniform nature of the summed airway cross-section, is directly correlated with the value of 〈DA 2 〉.
Localization of desmin in cultured astrocytes and its distribution in relation to glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein.

In dissociated cultures from newborn rat brain, it is shown that astrocytes which are positive with GFA antisera also stain with desmin antisera. However, the localization of these two proteins within the same cell seems to be different as revealed by double immunofluorescence employing both these antisera.
Carbon-13 chemical shielding tensors in l-threonine

Abstract The carbon-13 chemical shielding tensors of the amino acid L-threonine have been determined by solid state proton-enhanced NMR of a single crystal at 3.52 T. For the first time a carbinol shielding tensor is determined quantitatively and unambiguously: the most shielded axis lies 4° from the CO bond. A coordinate system which approximates the alpha carbon tensor orientation is proposed, and it is suggested that this “local symmetry” may be general to many amino acid alpha carbons. The carboxyl and methyl tensor orientations closely approximate previously established “local symmetry,” although the methyl (C γ ) C 3v symmetry is slightly disrupted, apparently by the neighboring (O γ ) oxygen. The influence of the carbon-nitrogen dipolar interaction on the observed spectra is discussed, and used to make unique assignments for the carboxyl, alpha, and beta carbon tensors.
Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate may mediate closure of K+ channels by light and darkness in Samanea saman motor cells

Leaflet movements of Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr. depend in part upon circadian-rhythmic, light-regulated K+ fluxes across the plasma membranes of extensor and flexor cells in opposing regions of the leaf-moving organ, the pulvinus. We previously showed that blue light appears to close open K+ channels in flexor protoplasts during the dark period (subjective night) (Kim et al., 1992, Plant Physiol 99: 1532–1539). In contrast, transfer to darkness apparently closes open K+ channels in extensor protoplasts during the light period (subjective day) (Kim et al., 1993, Science 260: 960–962). We now report that both these channel-closing stimuli increase inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] levels in the appropriate protoplasts. If extensor cells are given a pulse of red light followed by transfer to darkness, channels still apparently close (Kim et al. 1993) but changes in Ins(1,4,5)P3 levels are complex with an initial decrease under red light followed by accumulation. Neomycin, an inhibitor of polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis, inhibits both blue-light-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 production and K+-channel closure in flexor protoplasts and both dark-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 production and K+ channel closure in extensor protoplasts. The G-protein activator, mastoparan, mimics blue light and darkness in that it both increases Ins(1,4,5)P3 levels and closes K+ channels in the appropriate cell type at the appropriate time. These results indicate that phospholipase C-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphoinositides, possibly activated by a G protein, is an early step in the signal-transduction pathway by which blue light and darkness close K+ channels in S. saman pulvinar cells.
The alpha-lytic protease pro-region does not require a physical linkage to activate the protease domain in vivo.

α-LYTlC protease, an extracellular serine protease of Lysobacter enzymogenes 495 , is synthesized as a pre-pro-protein1. Previously it has been shown that when expressed in Escherichia coli, the protein is autocatalytically processed in the periplasmic space, and that the functional protease domain accumulates extracel-lularly2. Engineered proteins lacking the 166 amino-acid pro-region were enzymatically inactive and remained cell-associated2. By independently expressing the pro- and protease domains in vivo, evidence is provided here that direct covalent linkage is not required for production of active protease. We postulate that the pro-region acts as a template to promote the folding of the protease domain into an active configuration. Our results, combined with recent experiments on the evolutionarily unrelated subtilisin E (ref. 3), suggest that the ability of the pro-region of these bacterial proteases to facilitate folding of their protease domains is not a curiosity of a single system, but may reflect a general property of extracellular bacterial serine proteases.