cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraventricular injections of tachykinin NK3 receptor agonist reduce the gain of the baroreflex in unrestrained rats

Abstract The tachykinin neuropeptides acting at NK3 receptors affect mean arterial pressure (MAP) through both neuroendocrine and neural mechanisms. NK3 receptors are found in brainstem nuclei that mediate the baroreflex, but the effects of NK3 receptor stimulation on baroreflex function are unknown. The present study tests the effects of intraventricular injections of senktide, a selective NK3 receptor agonist, on the sensitivity of the baroreflex in three stains of rats: Charles River Laboratory, Long–Evans, and Brattleboro rats, which lack the ability to synthesize vasopressin. Rats with lateral ventricle cannulas were administered injections of isotonic saline, 100 ng, or 200 ng senktide, and 5 min later arterial baroreceptor–heart rate (HR) function was examined by constructing full-range blood pressure–HR curves using alternating doses (5–20 μg kg min) of phenylephrine and nitroprusside to raise and decrease blood pressure approximately 50 mm Hg over a period of 1 min, respectively. Intraventricular injections of 200 ng senktide had no significant effect on baseline MAP, but significantly decreased the gain of the baroreflex in all three rat strains whereas the 100 ng dose had no effect on the baroreflex. These results show that NK3 receptor stimulation modulates the baroreflex that is independent of any action of vasopressin.
Spectral Diffusion in Magnetic Resonance

Electron spin-spin interaction is discussed for the case of strong hyperfine broadening. The hyperfine interaction is represented by a resonance spectrum of width $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\omega}$ and the electron interactions, which are taken to be dipolar, are treated by time-dependent perturbation theory. A characteristic relaxation time for electron spins, ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{s}=\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\omega}}{{\ensuremath{\Delta}}^{2}}$, is found, where $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ is a measure of the strength of the dipolar interaction. The time-dependent theory suggests a modification of the Bloch equations to give a phenomenological description of systems of this kind. Spin-spin relaxation is represented by a term which gives diffusion of spin excitation through the resonance spectrum. Slow passage, rapid passage, and free relaxation are considered by using the modified equations.
Numerical Simulation of Axisymmetric, Turbulent Buoyant Plumes—Application to Displacement Ventilation

The displacement ventilation method of providing quality indoor air relies on the use of buoyant plumes generated by discrete heat sources. A number of practical displacement ventilation techniques are based on the model of a buoyant plume generated by a point heat source. Such a model has a number of intrinsic flaws. In particular, it is inapplicable in a finite region above the source. Furthermore, the solutions for the point source, when obtained for turbulent flow, require empirical inputs for their completion. These limitations have motivated the present numerical simulation. Consideration is given here to the turbulent buoyant plume generated by a heated finite sphere. In the limit of a vanishing radius, the sphere reduces to a point source. The numerical simulations are based on a model free of simplifying assumptions, aside from axisymmetry. The resulting numerical solutions have quantified the zone in which the point-source solutions are valid. Furthermore, the virtual origins needed to give mean...
XI. Types of Radio-Frequency Cables and Specifications

AN OUTLINE has been given of the electrical and mechanical principles that determine the design of high-frequency cable.
The future is uncertain: Eat dessert first

There may be evolutionary as well as economic reasons why organisms generally act impulsively. I discuss this possibility and suggest some follow-up experiments that may clarify the exciting empirical and theoretical contributions made by the experiments discussed in the target article.
Computational Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Analyses of a Patient-Specific AAA Pre- and Post-EVAR

The establishment of a new pathway for blood flow immediately following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) results in morphological changes and remodeling of the aneurismal sac. While EVAR is a minimally invasive surgical intervention, failure of the endovascular graft (EVG) may occur in which there is downstream migration and endoleak formation, creating a repressurization of the aneurismal sac and an increased risk of rupture. While the mechanism of aneurysm rupture and EVG failure is fundamental in nature, the factors that most significantly contribute to the end result are not yet fully understood. Mechanically, both are the consequence of an exerted force or disturbance exceeding the strength of a given material, whether it is the aneurismal arterial wall or the interaction that exists between the graft and wall. Embedded within this causal relationship are the contributions of arterial wall remodeling, intraluminal thrombus formation, and the dynamics that exists within the lumen. Several studies have been performed to examine these factors individually as they affect shear stress, the development of vortices, and the mechanical stress experienced along the arterial wall. However, a complete investigation is needed to study an anatomically realistic geometry operating under physiological conditions. The computational analyses conducted in this investigation address the confluence of these factors as they are modeled within an accurate patient-specific abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) reconstructed from CT scan data prior to and after EVAR. Our results verify the pressure-dominated characteristic of the flow and the negligible contribution of the dynamic and frictional force components; both are in good agreement with previously published results for analytical estimation of flow-induced forces in EVGs. [1]Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Daily Melatonin Treatments Regulate the Circadian Melatonin Rhythm in the Adult Djungarian Hamster

The present study tested the hypothesis that daily melatonin treatments influence the biological clock mechanism controlling the circadian melatonin rhythm. Adult male and female Djungarian hamster...
AN INVESTIGATION OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO SECTION 3 OF THE TOEFL TEST

The TOEFL testing program is currently exploring a change in Section 3 of the TOEFL® test that would replace the vocabulary subpart with additional reading comprehension questions. This change has been proposed by internal test development specialists and is supported by external experts in the field of English as a second language. The purpose of this study was to investigate the proposed revision to Section 3 in terms of the length and timing that would be necessary to address concerns of test speededness of the section. The study was carried out using an experimental design with test length and testing time defined as independent variables, and examinee test performance defined as the dependent variable. In addition, several psychometric issues relating to the proposed revision to Section 3 were investigated as part of the study. The results of the study supported the implementation of a revised TOEFL Section 3 consisting of five reading passages with a total of 50 items. The results of the study also suggested that a total testing time of no less than 55 minutes should be allowed for the revised TOEFL Section 3. Additional psychometric analyses indicated that the current TOEFL score scale can be maintained with the revised Section 3, and that the proposed revisions will not appreciably affect the reliability and validity of Section 3 of the TOEFL test.
Tautomerization of the substrate heterocycle in the course of the reaction of xanthine oxidase

Abstract Tautomerism in several forms of pteridines and purines relevant to the reaction of the molybdenum hydroxylase xanthine oxidase has been studied using ab inito Density Functional theory calculations in vacuo and the Kikwood/Onsager reaction field in solvent with high dielectric constant. The results indicate that during the oxidative hydroxylation catalyzed by the mononuclear molybdenum center of xanthine oxidase both classes of substrates undergo a proton shift from the pyrimidine subnucleus to the imidazole (for purines) or pyrazine (for pteridines) subnucleus. This shift has three principal effects; (i) compensation of the negative charge accumulating on the imidazole subnucleus of substrate; (ii) partial transfer of negative from the imidazole (pyrizine, in pteridines) to the pyrimidine dione; and (iii) lowering of the energy of intermediates formed in the course of the reaction. The results of our calculations are supported by the UV-Vis spectra of pteridinedione N-anion as well as the observed kinetic isotope effects and pH dependence of the apparent rate of the product formation and decay observed during oxidative hydroxylation of pteridine and purine substrates catalyzed by xanthine oxidase. The present results provide an explanation of the otherwise anomalous observation that methylation of N3 in xanthine, a site remote from the hydroxylation chemistry, results in nearly complete loss reactivity.
Researching Terrorist Networks

Abstract While there has been a great deal of work on networks and their impact on governance, government and social movements, until the attacks against the United States in 2001 very few studies focused on what Raab and Milward call “Dark Networks” (2003). The attack on the United States illustrated how effectively tactical and strategic networks can exploit modern technology for violence. Since 2001, there has been a growing interest in the role that networks play in facilitating terrorist tactical and strategic behavior. Much of the network literature on terrorism has focused on the tactical importance of networks. Strategic terrorist networks (i.e., the relationships between and among terrorist organizations and the states that sponsor terrorism) are rarely, if ever, studied. In this paper, we give an overview of why terrorist networks are important, the major areas of investigation, and possible future areas of exploration.
Environmental behavior of actinides

Since the plutonium concentration in ocean waters is quite low, most of the plutonium deposited in marine waters has been sorbed onto plants and sediments. Actinides in natural waters usually are not in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium for long time periods as their solubility and migration behavior is strongly related to the form in which the nuclides are introduced initially into the aquatic system for long time periods. Their solubility depends on pH (hydrolysis), EH (oxidation state), reaction with complexants (e.g., carbonate, phosphate, humic acid, etc.), sorption to surfaces of minerals and/or colloids, etc. The primary variable is the oxidation state of the actinide cation. Actinides can be present in more than one oxidation state which complicates modeling actinide environmental behavior.
Violence in the city: Empirical bases for a collective working image

Many police patrol officers in Newark, New Jersey, articulate a working image of violence in the city that is similar to Louis Wirth's classical model of the effects of urban social disorganization on deviant behavior. In Newark, however, the working theory posits the 1967 civil disorders as a cataclysmic disorganizing event that generated ominously unique patterns of violence in the post-disorder years, compared to earlier times. Using data on violent crimes reported to the Newark police between 1940 and 1980, this article attempts to test the adequacy of that working theory as an explanation of reality. Regression techniques similar to those used by Friesma (1979) to assess natural disaster impacts are applied to three transformations of these crime data. The analysis demonstrates that the police working version of the disorganization model is more accurate as an inference from the pattern of violence that characterizes their workload than it is one from the patterns of absolute incidence of violent crime or of the risk of violent victimization incurred by residents of Newark. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for the larger problem of police-citizen distance.
Intelligent systems for HAZOP analysis of complex process plants

Abstract Process safety, occupational health and environmental issues are ever increasing in importance in response to heightening public concerns and the resultant tightening of regulations. The process industries are addressing these concerns with a systematic and thorough process hazards analysis (PHA) of their new, as well as existing facilities. Given the enormous amounts of time, effort and money involved in performing the PHA reviews, there exists considerable incentive for automating the process hazards analysis of chemical process plants. In this paper, we review the progress in this area over the past few years. We also discuss the progress that has been made in our laboratory on the industrial application of intelligent systems for operating procedure synthesis and HAZOP analysis. Recent advances in this area have promising implications for process hazards analysis, inherently safer design, operator training and real-time fault diagnosis.
Avoiding crisis contagion: Poland’s case

Abstract This paper examines the major reasons for limited crisis contagion to Poland in the period 2007–09. At this time Poland was the only European Union (EU) member that grew in the midst of the Great Recession and financial crisis. The following analysis focuses on domestic polices and economics structure which made this growth possible. Poland’s modest levels of private and public debt, low share of mortgages in bank assets, limited decline in real estate prices, and proactive policies by domestic and foreign banks substantially buffered Poland’s financial sector. At the same time, real economy was aided by a high share of domestic consumption as opposed to exports, a favorable labor market structure, and timely financial assistance from the EU, all that shielded it from major crisis contagion.
Thermal uses of geothermal energy

SYNOPSIS The world potential for geothermal energy represents a substantial augmentation to energy supplies at costs competitive with petroleum at present prices. About 20 nations have geothermal projects or experiments underway and at least another 25 nations have geothermal potential. Current uses of geothermal energy include space heating and cooling, greenhouses. Soil warming, kiln drying, and electric energy production. Numerous new applications appear to be feasible, such as environmentally controlled livestock production, absorption refrigeration, and industrial processing in such areas as pulp and paper, wood chemicals, sugar beets, and corn products. Geothermal energy can be applied with state-of-the-art technology, with improvement in corrosion control and down-hole pumping. Incentives may be needed to stimulate geothermal investment to overcome the higher front-end costs of geothermal installations. Geothermal energy is a promising future source of electric energy, ambient heat, and direct ther...
Mechanistic test for carbocationic alkene cyclization initiated by cationic iron carbene complex formation

Abstract A key mechanistic test is performed to determine whether cationic iron carbene complexes may function as initiators of cationic alkene cyclization reactions. Generation of a cationic iron carbene complex 15 within a framework containing a 1,5-diene system results in the formation of a bicyclic product 16, thus indicating the potential utility of these carbene complexes as polycyclization initiators.
IMPLNT — A fortran program to calculate the distribution of implanted ions which includes the effects due to sputtering

Abstract The computer program IMPLNT has been written to study what happens as an ion beam is incident on a target. The target is divided into layers, and as each layer is sputtered away, the fraction of beam atoms to target atoms in the surface layer, as well as the distribution off the beam atoms within the target are calculated. At present the program considers the beam ion incident onto a single element target. It takes account of the dilation of the target as beam atoms are added to it, and also the change in range with the increase of beam atoms. A Gaussian distribution is used to distribute the beam atoms within the target. Some samples of the curves plotted by the program are given. Comparison with experiment has indicated that, besides sputtering, diffusion must also be considered.
A TEM-APFIM INVESTIGATION OF BORON-DOPED Ni3Al

Etude de la microstructure de Ni 3 Al dope au bore. Une phase τ(Ni 20 Al 3 Bγ) se forme dans les alliages ou la teneur en bore depasse la limite de solubilite (1% B). Les alliages solidifies rapidement montrent une structure complexe avec parois d'antiphases, associee a un enrichissement en aluminium
Antigen-specific suppressor macrophages induced by culture with cyclosporine A plus acetylcholine receptor

Abstract Suppressor cells specific for the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) can readily be induced by culturing spleen cells from rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in medium containing cyclosporine A plus AChR. We describe here the purification and characterization of novel antigen-specific suppressor cells, which appear to be macrophages, from these cultures. The cells were adherent to plastic, very large, and of low buoyant density. These properties were used to enrich the cells, first by adherenece, followed by centrifugation on discontinuous Percoll density gradients. The enriched large suppressor cells (LSC) were shown to be potent suppressors of secondary immune responses to AChR, including both lymphoproliferation and antibody production. Furthermore, the LSC exhibited antigen specificity of suppression: LSC induced with AChR suppressed secondary antibody responses to AChR significantly more than to an unrelated antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). In reciprocal experiments, LSC induced with KLH suppressed KLH responses significantly more than AChR responses. The LSC exhibited the morphologic, enzymatic, phenotypic, and radioresistance characteristics of macrophages. They were neither lymphocytes nor NK cells as defined by phenotypic and functional properties, respectively. Several possible mechanisms are postulated to explain how these remarkable cells may acquire antigen specificity.
Sexuality after treatment for early prostate cancer: exploring the meanings of "erectile dysfunction".

OBJECTIVE: To explore perceptions of the impact of erectile dysfunction on men who had undergone definitive treatment for early nonmetastatic prostate cancer. DESIGN: Seven focus groups of men with early prostate cancer. The groups were semistructured to explore men’s experiences and quality-of-life concerns associated with prostate cancer and its treatment. SETTING: A staff model health maintenance organization, and a Veterans Affairs medical center. PATIENTS: Forty-eight men who had been treated for early prostate cancer 12 to 24 months previously. RESULTS: Men confirmed the substantial effect of sexual dysfunction on the quality of their lives. Four domains of quality of life related to men’s sexuality were identified: 1) the qualities of sexual intimacy; 2) everyday interactions with women; 3) sexual imagining and fantasy life; and 4) men’s perceptions of their masculinity. Erectile problems were found to affect men in both their intimate and nonintimate lives, including how they saw themselves as sexual beings. CONCLUSIONS: Erectile dysfunction, the most common side effect of treatment for early prostate cancer, has far-reaching effects upon men’s lives. Assessment of quality of life related to sexual dysfunction should address these broad impacts of erectile function on men’s lives. Physicians should consider these effects when advising men regarding treatment options. Physicians caring for patients who have undergone treatment should address these psychosocial issues when counseling men with erectile dysfunction.
Immunologic characterization of MHC recombinant swine: role of class I and II antigens in in vitro immune responses.

SUMMARY A recombinant haplotype between the class I and class II major histocompatibility loci of inbred miniature swine has made it possible to study the role of the corresponding antigens in in vitro and in vivo immune responses. Before examining the effects of selective SLA locus matching on allograft survival, it was deemed necessary to determine the corresponding effects on in vitro parameters of immunity. The results presented in this paper indicate that: (1) a difference at the class II loci was required for a maximal proliferative response which depended on the haplotype combination used; (3) in cell-mediated cytoxicity assays, the class I antigens were found to be the primary targets for lysis. Although optimal CTL generation required the presence of both class I and class II antigen differences, CTL were sometimes generated in the absence of a known class II difference. The weak, intermittent cytotoxicity seen in these cultures of class II difference. The weak, intermittent cytotoxicity seen in these cultures of class II matched cells could be augmented by the addition of third party, class I matched, class II mismatched, stimulator cells. Taken together, these data provide evidence for the conservation of function of antigen class between species. They also provide further evidence for the two-signal hypothesis of CTL generation. They, also provide further evidence for the two-signal hypothesis of CTL generation. Thus, MHC recombinant swine provide a model for the study of the effect of antigen class on in vitro and in vivo immunobiology.
Approximate method for calculating heating rates on three-dimensional vehicles

An approximate method for calculating heating rates on three-dimensional vehicles at angle of attack is presented. The method is based on the axisymmetric analog for three-dimensional boundary layers and uses a generalized body-fitted coordinate system. Edge conditions for the boundary-layer solution are obtained from an inviscid flowfield solution, and because of the coordinate system used, the method is applicable to any blunt body geometry for which an inviscid flowfield solution can be obtained. The method is validated by comparing with experimental heating data and with thin-layer Navier-Stokes calculations on the shuttle orbiter at both wind-tunnel and flight conditions and with thin-layer Navier-Stokes calculations on the HL-20 at wind-tunnel conditions.
BRUCELLOSIS AND THE BRITISH PUBLIC

Abstract A hospital nurse presented with brucellosis after drinking unpasteurised milk from an infected herd, and five other patients acquired the disease in the same way. Present-day milk regulations to safeguard the public are not effective even in areas where they are closely observed.
Laser ionization source for ion cyclotron resonance spectroscopy. Application to atomic metal ion chemistry

Abstract A pulsed nitrogen laser with a pulse energy of 5 mJ released in 5 ns (power density ca. 107W cm−2) has been used in conjunction with an ion cyclotron resonance spectrometer to generate a variety of atomic metal ions including Cu+ and Ag+ from their respective metals and Cr+, Fe+, and Ni+ from a stainless steel sample. A brief study of the chemistry of Cu+ and Ag+ is presented. These results indicate the potential of the combined laser ionization—ion cyclotron resonance technique for studying solid samples and the chemistry of ions difficult to generate by conventional methods.
A simple method of independent treatment time verification in gamma knife radiosurgery using integral dose.

The purpose of this study is to develop a simple independent dose calculation method to verify treatment plans for Leksell Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Our approach uses the total integral dose within the skull as an end point for comparison. The total integral dose is computed using a spreadsheet and is compared to that obtained from Leksell GammaPlan®. It is calculated as the sum of the integral doses of 201 beams, each passing through a cylindrical volume. The average length of the cylinders is estimated from the Skull-Scaler measurement data taken before treatment. Correction factors are applied to the length of the cylinder depending on the location of a shot in the skull. The radius of the cylinder corresponds to the collimator aperture of the helmet, with a correction factor for the beam penumbra and scattering. We have tested our simple spreadsheet program using treatment plans of 40 patients treated with Gamma Knife® in our center. These patients differ in geometry, size, lesion locations, collimator helmet, and treatment complexities. Results show that differences between our calculations and treatment planning results are typically within ± 3 % , with a maximum difference of ± 3.8 % . We demonstrate that our spreadsheet program is a convenient and effective independent method to verify treatment planning irradiation times prior to implementation of Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
Unoperated Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries, Nonrestrictive Ventricular Septal Defect, and Pulmonary Stenosis in Middle Adulthood: Do Multiple Wrongs Make a Right?

Submitted May 6, 2011; Accepted August 3, 2011. The survival into adulthood of patients with unoperated complex congenital heart disease with anomalies often considered life threatening in infancy and childhood requires a complex interplay of "balanced" defects allowing for cardiovascular physiology compatible with long-term survival. We report on a series of three cases from our advanced imaging database of middle-aged adults presenting with multiple similar defects providing a hemodynamically balanced circulation. The constellation of defects seen in each of these patients included congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, a large nonrestrictive ventricular septal defect, valvular pulmonary stenosis, and in two cases anomalous coronary arteries. Cardiovascular computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) were important to the characterization of the multiple defects and their three-dimensional relationships in these cases. Treatment decisions in patients with this constellation of findings are challenging, given the limited data due to the rarity of survival of patients with these defects into middle adulthood and the paucity of data related to decisions and approaches to medical management, surgical correction, or transplantation.
p-Version least squares finite element formulation for two-dimensional incompressible Nnewtonian and non-Newtonian non-isothermal fluid flow

Abstract This paper presents a p -version least squares finite element formulation (LSFEF) for two-dimensional incompressible Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid flow with heat transfer. The dimensionless form of the differential equations describing the fluid motion and heat transfer are cast into a set of first order differential equations using non-Newtonian stresses and heat fluxes as auxiliary variables. The velocities, pressure and temperature, as well as stresses and heat fluxes, are interpolated using equal order, C 0 , p -version hierarchical approximation functions. The application of the least squares finite element procedure to the set of coupled first order partial differential equations results in finding a solution vector which makes partial derivatives of the error functional with respect to , a null vector. This is accomplished by using Newton's method with a line search. The paper presents implementation of the power law model for the non-Newtonian viscosity. The fluid properties are also considered to be a function of temperature. Two numerical examples (couette shear flow problem and the 4:1 symmetric sudden expansion) are used to present numerical results for non-isothermal Newtonian and power law fluid flow. The numerical examples demonstrate the convergence characteristics and the accuracy of the formulation.
Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction using an in situ metathesis reaction to form an ionic liquid extraction phase for the preconcentration of aromatic compounds from water.

A novel microextraction method is introduced based on dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) in which an in situ metathesis reaction forms a water-immiscible ionic liquid (IL) that preconcentrates aromatic compounds from water followed by separation using high-performance liquid chromatography. The simultaneous extraction and metathesis reaction forming the IL-based extraction phase greatly decreases the extraction time as well as provides higher enrichment factors compared to traditional IL DLLME and direct immersion single-drop microextraction methods. The effects of various experimental parameters including type of extraction solvent, extraction and centrifugation times, volume of the sample solution, extraction IL and exchanging reagent, and addition of organic solvent and salt were investigated and optimized for the extraction of 13 aromatic compounds. The limits of detection for seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons varied from 0.02 to 0.3 µg L−1. The method reproducibility produced relative standard deviation values ranging from 3.7% to 6.9%. Four real water samples including tap water, well water, creek water, and river water were analyzed and yielded recoveries ranging from 84% to 115%.
Yale natural radiocarbon measurements. I. Pyramid Valley, New Zealand and its problems.

Abstract : Tabulated assay data for modern wood and shell corrected to 100% carbon indicated that modern wood gives a consistent series of C14 values; however, modern marine shell provided some contradictions. The data of 10 analyses agreed in 2 cases with published evidence that the marine-shell C14 content is 10% higher than modern wood; 5 cases agreed very closely with modern wood. In 1 case, the mollusk flesh showed the same specific activity as the shells. Possible methods of depositing calcium carbonate by mollusks are suggested to explain these differences. The stratigraphy is included of the moa deposit at Pyramid Valley in the South Island of New Zealand. Features include the use of radiocarbon dates to confirm interhemisphere correlation of late- Pleistocene climate sequences and the age of the moas. The tabulated ages of calcareous samples were calculated on the assumption that the shell and wood C14 contents are identical and that the modern shell contains 10% more C14 than modern wood. The age of the moa (670 yr) is presumed to be correctly given by the age of the organic fraction of its crop contents. The date suggests that Dinornis as well as Euryapteryx (large and small species) were contemporary with man and were exterminated by him.The peat-age confirmation (suggested to be sub- Boreal on pollen-sequence basis) is considered the most important stratigraphic result of the study.
The stabilities of protein crystals.

We describe a model for protein crystallization equilibria. The model includes four terms, (1) protein translational entropy opposes crystallization, (2) proteins are attracted to each other by a nonelectrostatic contact free energy favoring crystallization, (3) proteins in the crystal repel each other but, to a greater extent, attract counterions sequestered in the crystal, which favors crystallization, and (4) the translational entropy of the counterions opposes their sequestration into the crystal, opposing crystallization. We treat the electrostatics using the nonlinear Poisson−Boltzmann equation, and we use unit cell information from native protein crystals to determine the boundary conditions. This model predicts the stabilities of protein crystals as functions of temperature, pH, and salt concentrations, in good agreement with the data of Pusey et al. on tetragonal and orthorhombic crystal forms of lysozyme. The experiments show a weak dependence of crystal solubility on pH. According to the model,...
Difficulties in African agricultural systems enhancement? Ten hypotheses

Abstract The agricultural systems of Sub-Saharan Africa are diverse and vast. Investment in public-sector agricultural research has been considerable, but advances in productivity have been patchy and disappointing. Several hypotheses are synthesized to seek to comprehend why ‘improved’ technologies have had such little impact in recent times. These variously relate to: profitability; risk; data relevance; research gestation, support and resource allocation; threatened natural resources; and economic infrastructure.
Lactose Crystallization in Ice Cream. I. Control of Crystal Size by Seeding

Summary Adequate seeding of ice cream during freezing or of ice cream mix shortly before freezing has been found to prevent development of large lactose crystals. Removal of the supersaturated lactose in the form of minute crystals (not larger than 10μ) removes the danger of sandiness developing during storage. The presence of too few nuclei results in rapid growth of the crystals and acceleration of sandiness development. The results show large lactose crystals develop during storage of normal ice cream because of the inadequate number of nuclei to remove the supersaturated lactose as impalpable crystals.
Review of Single-surgeon 10-Year Experience With Artificial Urinary Sphincter With Report of Sterile Cuff Erosion Managed Nonsurgically

Objective To review our experience with artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and to consider the role of nonsurgical management of sterile AUS cuff erosion. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our 10-year experience with AUS implantation, including complication rates. We focus on the outcomes of eroded sphincters including 2 unique patients who were managed nonsurgically for sterile cuff erosion. Results Between 2002 and 2012, 126 AUS units were implanted in 79 adult male patients by single surgeon (A.K.S.). Twenty-five patients (31.6%) required at least 1 additional procedure because of urethral atrophy (22.8%) or erosion or infection (8.9%). In addition, 2 patients with congenital anomalies underwent AUS implantation at bladder neck and were followed up nonsurgically for several years after cuff erosion. Both refused surgical management and have since remained continent and infection-free despite chronic erosion for 15 years' duration in 1 patient and for 5 years' duration in the other. Of note, the patient with the longer duration of erosion developed bladder stones requiring surgical removal. Conclusion Our AUS complication rates are consistent with those of prior series. Our unique experience with 2 patients suggests that immediate removal of AUS after sterile cuff erosion may occasionally be instituted only in difficult cases where repeat AUS implantation is not possible. To our knowledge, this is the first report of nonsurgical management of eroded AUS cuff in the literature. Larger prospective series concerning patient selection for salvaging eroded AUS may be warranted.
Observation of high photoisomerization quantum yields for 11-CIS retinal analogs having 12-s-trans geometries

Abstract Quantum yields of cis → trans photoisomerization (φPI)_were determined for two analogs of 11- cis -retinal that are expected to have 12-s- trans geometries: 11 - cis -13 demethylretinal and 11- cis -14-methylretinal. In nonpolar solvents, φPI values for these synthetic retinals are higher than that of 11- cis -retinal, thought to exist in a 2:1 equilibrium mixture of distorted 12-s- cis and 12-s- trans conformations. The φPI results are analyzed in terms of the calculated reordering of the two lowest π,π * excited singlet states with conformational changes in the polyene.
Nanosphere lithography: A materials general fabrication process for periodic particle array surfaces

In this article nanosphere lithography (NSL) is demonstrated to be a materials general fabrication process for the production of periodic particle array (PPA) surfaces having nanometer scale features. A variety of PPA surfaces have been prepared using identical single‐layer (SL) and double‐layer (DL) NSL masks made by self‐assembly of polymer nanospheres with diameter, D=264 nm, and varying both the substrate material S and the particle material M. In the examples shown here, S was an insulator, semiconductor, or metal and M was a metal, inorganic ionic insulator, or an organic π‐electron semiconductor. PPA structural characterization and determination of nanoparticle metrics was accomplished with atomic force microscopy. This is the first demonstration of nanometer scale PPA surfaces formed from molecular materials.
A Research Model for Mobile Phone Service Behaviors: Empirical Validation in the U.S. and Turkey

AbstractMobile phone services' adoption and acceptance issues may have a significant impact on business and personal communication practices at the regional and global levels. In this paper, we test an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) in the U.S. and Turkey. We explore key factors that influence the usefulness, ease of use, and intentions to use advanced mobile phone services, such as mobile Internet access, E- Mail, and payments. Our results provide support for the technology acceptance model from both samples and for the importance of variables such as efficacy and personal innovativeness. In addition, we observe differences between the two samples and offer culture-based implications of our research. Finally, research and practical implications are provided.
Factors affecting the rate and energetics of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in vivo is dependent on the degree of reduction of the intramitochondrial reducing power ([NADH]/[NAD+], cytoplasmic energy state ([ATP]/[ADP][Pi]) and intracellular oxygen pressure. Each parameter is independently regulated, and increased reducing power by activating the mitochondrial dehydrogenases allows higher energy state at a given rate of ATP synthesis or a higher rate of ATP synthesis at a given energy state. The mitochondrial respiratory rate is determined by demand, i.e., the rate of ATP utilization by the cell, while the cellular energy state at that demand level is determined by supply, i.e., activity of the dehydrogenases expressed as [NADH]/[NAD+] and of cytoplasmic oxygen pressure.
Effects of stable chlorine-containing organics on aquatic environments

DURING 1962, approximately 60,000 tons of chlorine were added to the effluents of sewage treatment plants in the United States1 and subsequently released to surface waters. By 1970, it was estimated that 100,000 tons of chlorine were added annually, and the quantity will continue to increase as municipalities are required2 to provide at least secondary treatment for sewage by July 1, 1977 (ref. 3). Principal reactions of chlorine in natural waters, besides hydrolysis, are with ammonia and organic amines4,5. Reactive chlorine residuals, for example, hypochlorites, inorganic and organic chloramines, are characterised by reactive chlorine which would decompose or be consumed in various chemical reactions5. Jolley3 has identified seventeen stable chlorine-containing organic compounds at low μg 1−1 concentrations in chlorine-treated sewage effluent. The persistent nature of these compounds, which are characterised by chemically stable or inert C–Cl bonds, suggests potential for their accumulation in receiving surface waters6,7.
Rethinking Community Organization and Robbery: Considering Illicit Market Dynamics

Research indicates that socially integrated communities experience lower rates of violent crime. However, we have a limited understanding of the specific neighborhood‐level processes accounting for this pattern. In particular, we know little about the convergence of informal control mechanisms and other contextual processes such as drug market activity. This paper addresses this issue by assessing the mediating role of drug markets and informal social control in the relationship between levels of violence and social structural characteristics of neighborhoods. Three research questions are examined: Do drug markets account for the relationship between social structural factors and robbery? Does informal social control mediate the link between social structural factors and drug market activity? Is informal social control directly related to robbery or indirectly through drug market activity? Results indicate that drug markets mediate the relationship between structural factors and robbery. After including d...
Effect of thermal treatment on cation local structure in manganese -- neutralized sulfonated polystyrene ionomers

Two sets of manganese-neutralized sulfonated polystyrenes, at 2.6 and 7.6 mol % sulfonation, were subjected to three sample treatments: solvent casting from tetrahydrofuran/water, solvent casting followed by annealing, and compression molding. Both as-cast samples were void of ionic aggregates, as evidenced by the absence of a peak in their small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) patterns. Upon annealing, the SAXS peak appeared, indicating the formation of ionic aggregates. The compression-molded 7.6 mol % material also exhibited the SAXS peak, while the compression-molded 2.6 mol % material did not, possibly due to a slower rate of aggregation in the lower ion content material. The local coordination structure about the Mn2+ cation was examined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and found to be nearly identical for all six samples despite the differences in the state of aggregation. That the local structure is unaffected by the microdomain structure reflects the difference in size scale probed by SAXS and EXAFS. When a nonionic monomer is copolymerized with a small amount of ionic comonomer, profound changes in prop- erties are observed relative to the nonionic parent polymer. The ionic copolymers, termed ionomers, typically contain less than 10 mol % of a sulfonic or carboxylic acid-bearing monomer and are neutralized with metal cations. The marked increases in, for example, modulus and tear and abrasion resistance and the dramatic alterations in ion- transport propertie~l-~ that occur in these materials are now accepted as being due to aggregation of the ionic groups4i5 into microdomains. Because of the small size of these ionic aggregates, diffraction techniques can reveal little regarding their in- ternal structure. On the other hand, extended X-ray ab- sorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy is a powerful technique for determining the local atomic environment about a specific atom and has been profitably applied to numerous ionomers.6-17 The EXAFS signal is a modula- tion of the X-ray absorption coefficient on the high-energy side of an element's absorption edge, and it contains in- formation on the coordination shells surrounding that atom. The type and number of atoms in a shell, as well as the distance to and disorder within a shell, are reflected in the EXAFS data. As such, EXAFS can probe the en- vironment around ions that reside in ionic aggregates, as well as dispersed ionic groups and even ions in solution.1° One ionomer that has been studied in detail by nu- merous in~estigators~~~ ~"~'~~~~~~
Characterization of interlaminar shear failures of graphite/epoxy composite materials

Abstract Research undertaken to develop a more fundamental understanding of interlaminar shear failure in laminated graphite/epoxy composites is described. A test method capable of producing a state of pure interlaminar shear stress within a specified region of a composite test specimen was devised. The test method consisted of the four-point flexural testing of a unique test sample constructed of a coupon of Hercules AS4/3501-6, unidirectional, graphite/epoxy material bonded between two strips of steel using a room-temperature-curing epoxy adhesive. The major advantage of the test method is that the interlaminar shear failure of the composite coupon results from an induced state of pure shear stress, rather than from damage resulting from a complex stress state affecting the region of loading as typically occurs in the case of conventional flexural-type shear tests. The resulting shear failures were characterized with respect to fracture surface appearance, mode of failure, and stress state on the failure plane. A specially designed crack detection device was used to determine the site of fracture initiation and the direction of crack propagation.
Scalable online comparative genomics of mononucleosomes: a BigJob

Our goal is to develop workflows for simulating arbitrary collections of mononucleosomes in atomic detail as an on demand analysis tool for online comparative genomics. The limiting factor is resource availability. The aim of this paper is to document and share our experiences in providing a general-purpose, easy-to-use and extensible solution for such computations. At the core it involves supporting the execution of high-throughput workloads of high-performance biomolecular simulations on one or more XSEDE machines. Although conceptually simple, it is still a difficult practical problem to solve, especially in a flexible, robust, scalable manner. Specifically, we employ BigJob-- an interoperable Pilot-Job. The bulk of this paper is about our experience in executing a very large number of ensembles including the associated non-trivial data management problem. Our experience suggests that although a nascent and fledgling technology, BigJob provides a flexible and scalable Pilot-Job to support workloads that were hitherto not easy.
Revitalizing an online community

It was established early on in this study that a Language, Literacy and Culture Program (LLC) site is needed to keep the community connected. A community-centered design was considered, and implemented in the fall of 1999. The current study was implemented to assess why the site failed and what could be done to revive it. The findings of the current study indicated that the community did not develop as expected despite the team's effort to follow a community-centered approach. In this paper we consider the reasons for the site's failure, and what could be done to revitalize the community. Through surveys, and interviews it was determined that the community needed more active participation from the moderator and faculty. They also required a more interactive and better developed design, and special care should be taken to train the members who need it on the use of technology involved.
Carbon-constrained health care enterprise

Rationale The health economy is a significant part of a national economy accounting typically for about 8% of GDP spent. As national economies respond to the dual challenges of severe economic turbulence on the global scale and climate change mitigation, the health economy is coming under increasing pressure to respond. Indications for sharp reductions in budgets and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, are widespread. Aims In this paper an analysis is undertaken of the diverse forces acting on a typical health care enterprise. The forces, both economic and carbon related, are investigated in terms of their effects through the enterprise and across its boundaries on the supply, demand and waste sides. The overall aim is to show how the enterprise and whole supply chains may flip synchronously into a low-carbon evolutionary pathway. Objectives By illustrating how different elements of the health care enterprise may respond to these developments, diverse opportunities for cost reduction, carbon reduction and product (goods and services) development are identified. These opportunities involve a variety of waste reduction and energy and materials conservation measures as well as new ways of collaborating with other enterprises going through similar transformations. The overall objective is to show that the carbon-constrained health care enterprise and the low-carbon health economy in which it sits may broaden its role in the coming decades to include a degree of responsibility for the health of the environment. This broader role is likely to supplement and entangle with the traditional role of the health economy, currently focused narrowly on human health, and lead to extensive organisational transformation, and infrastructure and product developments.