cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerating molecular property calculations with semiempirical preconditioning

Computing ab initio molecular linear response properties, e.g., electronic excitation energies and transition dipole moments, requires the solution of large eigenvalue problems or large systems of equations. These large eigenvalue problems or large systems of equations are commonly solved iteratively using Krylov space algorithms, such as the Davidson algorithm for eigenvalue problems. A critical ingredient in Krylov space algorithms is the preconditioner which is used to generate optimal update vectors in each iteration. We propose to use semiempirical approximations as preconditioners to accelerate the calculation of ab initio properties. The crucial advantage to improving the preconditioner is that the converged result is unchanged, so there is no tradeoff between accuracy and speedup. We demonstrate our approach by accelerating the calculation of electronic excitation energies and electric polarizabilities from linear response time-dependent density functional theory using the simplified time-dependent density functional theory semiempirical model. For excitation energies, the semiempirical preconditioner reduces the number of iterations on average by 37% and up to 70%. The semiempirical preconditioner reduces the number of iterations for computing the polarizability by 15% on average and up to 33%. Moreover, we show that the preconditioner can be further improved by tuning the empirical parameters that define the semiempirical model, leading to an additional reduction in the number of iterations by about 20%. Our approach bridges the gap between semiempirical models and ab initio methods and charts a path towards combining the speed of semiempirical models with the accuracy of ab initio methods.
Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing Reveals Functional Genes and Microbiome Associated with Bovine Digital Dermatitis

Metagenomic methods amplifying 16S ribosomal RNA genes have been used to describe the microbial diversity of healthy skin and lesion stages of bovine digital dermatitis (DD) and to detect critical pathogens involved with disease pathogenesis. In this study, we characterized the microbiome and for the first time, the composition of functional genes of healthy skin (HS), active (ADD) and inactive (IDD) lesion stages using a whole-genome shotgun approach. Metagenomic sequences were annotated using MG-RAST pipeline. Six phyla were identified as the most abundant. Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the predominant bacterial phyla in the microbiome of HS, while Spirochetes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were highly abundant in ADD and IDD. T. denticola-like, T. vincentii-like and T. phagedenis-like constituted the most abundant species in ADD and IDD. Recruitment plots comparing sequences from HS, ADD and IDD samples to the genomes of specific Treponema spp., supported the presence of T. denticola and T. vincentii in ADD and IDD. Comparison of the functional composition of HS to ADD and IDD identified a significant difference in genes associated with motility/chemotaxis and iron acquisition/metabolism. We also provide evidence that the microbiome of ADD and IDD compared to that of HS had significantly higher abundance of genes associated with resistance to copper and zinc, which are commonly used in footbaths to prevent and control DD. In conclusion, the results from this study provide new insights into the HS, ADD and IDD microbiomes, improve our understanding of the disease pathogenesis and generate unprecedented knowledge regarding the functional genetic composition of the digital dermatitis microbiome.
Chapter 14 Adaptation of Na+-H+ Exchange in the Proximal Tubule: Studies in Microvillus Membrane Vesicles

Publisher Summary Na + –H + exchange is identified in a range of epithelial and nonepithelial cells. This transport mechanism participates in the regulation of cell pH and volume and is important for cell division in the fertilized egg and in cultured cells responding to growth factors and mitogenic stimuli. In transporting epithelia—such as the renal proximal tubule—Na + –H + exchange present on the microvillus membrane is an important luminal mechanism for NaHCO 3 reabsorption. Study of adaptation of the Na + –H + exchanger in isolated renal microvillus membrane vesicles may yield important information about regulatory functions of proximal tubule transport. Changes in vesicle transporter activity may have as its physiologic correlate functions other than HCO − 3 transport. This chapter discusses the intrinsic changes in Na + –H + antiporter activity that occur in microvillus membrane vesicles isolated from the rat renal cortex in models of chronic adaptation of the animals. Several criteria in the evaluation of Na + –H + exchange activities in renal microvillus membrane vesicles is considered in the chapter. The effects of contralateral nephrectomy on vesicle Na + –H + exchange activity in remnant renal is evaluated in tissue model of chronic adaptation in a study described in the chapter. Dietary K + deficiency in animals is associated with changes in renal structure and function. K + -depleted animals have an increased renal size, retarded body growth, and increased renal protein synthesis. Na + –H + antiporter activity has been shown to increase metabolic acidosis induced by NH 4 Cl. The chapter evaluates the function of Na + –H + exchange in diabetic ketoacidosis, a model of endogenous acidosis.
Reproducibility and prognostic significance of morphologic dysplasia in de novo acute myeloid leukemia.

The 2008 WHO classification of acute myeloid leukemia includes a category of acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes; however, the significance of multilineage dysplasia alone is controversial and its reproducibility has not been evaluated in acute myeloid leukemia. We performed an in-depth analysis of morphologic dysplasia in 159 de novo acute myeloid leukemia cases lacking myelodysplasia-related cytogenetic abnormalities. Using the 2008 WHO criteria, there were 89 acute myeloid leukemia—not otherwise specified (56%) and 43 acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes (27%), while 27 cases were ambiguous as to myelodysplasia-related changes status due to limited maturing cells (acute myeloid leukemia—not evaluable, 17%). On multivariable analysis, neither acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes nor acute myeloid leukemia—not evaluable showed significantly different event-free survival compared with acute myeloid leukemia—not otherwise specified in the 137 patients treated with induction chemotherapy. When individual dysplastic features were analyzed, only micromegakaryocytes and hypogranulated myeloid cells emerged as factors significantly associated with shorter event-free survival in a multivariable analysis that included the other significant covariates of age, white blood count, platelet count, abnormal karyotype and stem-cell transplantation. Our findings indicate that the current 2008 WHO definition of multilineage dysplasia in acute myeloid leukemia in its current form is not optimal, and that the use of a more restricted definition of morphologic dysplasia results in more relevant risk stratification that is independent of other conventional prognostic factors.
The translog approximate function: Substitution among inputs in manufacturing evaluated at sample means

Abstract This paper shows the translog function can approximate any first-degree homogeneous function around any expansion point. Estimates for 1987 manufacturing confirm no weak separability of labor from capital, but do not confirm lower production (than non-production) worker substitution with capital.
Thermal Regime of a Cold Air Trap in Central Pennsylvania, USA: the Trough Creek Ice Mine

Air temperatures internal and external to a talus cave (‘ice mine’) in central Pennsylvania were measured hourly for three years. Despite its location near the base of a talus slope, the cave demonstrated the thermal characteristics of an apparently static cave, with limited connections to the external environment other than through the cave entrance. Congelation ice that lasted until late spring formed as drip or flowstone and ponded ice from the limited influx of infiltrating water during late winter/early spring. A closed period of thermal stratification and slow warming of cave air was followed by an open period in winter months during which the cave was cooled by the influx of cold dry air. Unlike the occasionally strong and localised cooling induced by the flow of cold air from vents at the base of talus slopes, static cold traps retain their cold air and have little apparent effect on surrounding biota, instead providing potential refugia for organisms that prefer colder temperatures. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Performance characterization of irregular I/O at the extreme scale

We statistically model the I/O behavior of two irregular applications.We feed the model into two ADIOS I/O kernels and two HDF5 I/O kernels.We measure the performance of the two applications' I/O under different I/O parameter settings.We critically compare and contrast the results for a large set of I/O scenarios.We show how I/O size and irregular I/O patterns are relevant factors when tuning performance. This paper reports our experience with irregular I/O and describes lessons learned when running applications with such I/O on supercomputers at the extreme scale. Specifically, we study how irregularities in I/O patterns (i.e., irregular amount of data written per process at each I/O step) in scientific simulations can cause increasing I/O times and substantial loss in scalability. To this end, we quantify the impact of irregular I/O patterns on the I/O performance of scientific applications at the extreme scale by statistically modeling the irregular I/O behavior of two scientific applications: the Monte Carlo application QMCPack and the adaptive mesh refinement application ENZO. For our testing, we feed our model into I/O kernels of two well-known I/O data models (i.e., ADIOS and HDF) to measure the performance of the two applications' I/O under different I/O settings. Empirically, we show how the growing data sizes and the irregular I/O patterns in these applications are both relevant factors impacting performance.
Congenital absence of the uterine cervix

Surgical correction of congenital atresia of the uterine cervix by creation of a fistulous communication between the functioning endometrial cavity and the vagina with the use of the atretic cervix as a conduit has been performed in two patients. This technique, which permits egress of menstrual blood and the retention of the capacity to reproduce, should replace hysterectomy as the treatment of choice for this extremely unusual and formerly hopeless Mullerian duct anomaly.
Strategies to predict metal mobility in surficial mining environments

This report presents some strategies to predict metal mobility at mining sites. These strategies are based on chemical, physical, and geochemical information about metals and their interactions with the environment. An overview of conceptual models, metal sources, and relative mobility of metals under different geochemical conditions is presented, followed by a discussion of some important physical and chemical properties of metals that affect their mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity. The physical and chemical properties lead into a discussion of the importance of the chemical speciation of metals. Finally, environmental and geochemical processes and geochemical barriers that affect metal speciation are discussed. Some additional concepts and applications are briefly presented at the end of this report.
The Organizational Ombudman's Quest for Privileged Communications

The role of organizational ombudsman has grown tremendously in the past couple of decades. Organizations have come to rely upon their ombuds offices to provide value-added dispute resolution services aimed at improving the corporate ethical and cultural environment while simultaneously staving off unwanted turnover and potential litigation from disgruntled employees. While employees have enjoyed ‘being heard’ by their ombudsman, the ombudsmen have struggled to keep the information they have heard confidential and away from the public forum via subsequent litigation and motions to compel them to disclose this information. This article explores the current state of the ombudsman confidentiality privilege, compares and contrasts the organizational ombudsman role with mediation, human resources, and its governmental ombudsman counterpart, and offers ideas on how to improve the chances of getting a court to acknowledge such a privilege.
Effect of amifostine on toxicities associated with sequential chemotherapy and radiation therapy for unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a phase II trial.

PURPOSETo determine the effect of amifostine on the safety and efficacy of induction chemotherapy with high-dose cisplatin and vinblastine followed by large-field thoracic irradiation to 60 Gy in patients with stage IIIA or IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).PATIENTS AND METHODSTwenty-six patients with unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB NSCLC were entered onto the study between May 1991 and November 1994. Patients received amifostine (740 or 910 mg/m2) followed by cisplatin (120 mg/m2) on days 1 and 29. Vinblastine (5 mg/m2) was given weekly for 5 weeks with no amifostine pretreatment. Following chemotherapy, patients received amifostine (340 mg/m2 4 days a week for 5 weeks, or 200 mg/m2 5 days a week for 6 weeks) 15 minutes before definitive thoracic radiation therapy to a total dose of 60 Gy in 6 weeks.RESULTSTwenty-five patients were assessable for response and survival. The objective response rate was 60%. One-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 55%, 23%, and 23%. There was no grade 3 or greater re...
Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators

Stress begins in the brain and affects the brain, as well as the rest of the body. Acute stress responses promote adaptation and survival via responses of neural, cardiovascular, autonomic, immune and metabolic systems. Chronic stress can promote and exacerbate pathophysiology through the same systems that are dysregulated. The burden of chronic stress and accompanying changes in personal behaviors (smoking, eating too much, drinking, poor quality sleep; otherwise referred to as "lifestyle") is called allostatic overload. Brain regions such as hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and amygdala respond to acute and chronic stress and show changes in morphology and chemistry that are largely reversible if the chronic stress lasts for weeks. However, it is not clear whether prolonged stress for many months or years may have irreversible effects on the brain. The adaptive plasticity of chronic stress involves many mediators, including glucocorticoids, excitatory amino acids, endogenous factors such as brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), polysialated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The role of this stress-induced remodeling of neural circuitry is discussed in relation to psychiatric illnesses, as well as chronic stress and the concept of top-down regulation of cognitive, autonomic and neuroendocrine function. This concept leads to a different way of regarding more holistic manipulations, such as physical activity and social support as an important complement to pharmaceutical therapy in treatment of the common phenomenon of being "stressed out". Policies of government and the private sector play an important role in this top-down view of minimizing the burden of chronic stress and related lifestyle (i.e. allostatic overload).
Optimization of Spine Sensor Location in Resin Ttransfer Molding

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a manufacturing process to produce polymer composite parts. RTM is comprised of four stages: 1) cutting and placing of the fiber mats (preform) inside a mold, 2) resin injection, 3) curing of the part, and 4) demolding of the hardened part. Resin injection is the most critical stage in RTM and it can be affected by unpredictable parameters such as preform permeability variations. These variations can produce unrepeatable filling patterns where the Last Point to Fill (LPF) may not coincide with the exit vent location. Failure to completely wet the fibers inside the mold can cause dry spots which are major defects that usually require the part to be scrapped. In order to overcome the uncertainties in the filling stage, adaptive control can be used to monitor and regulate the flow front such that the LPF coincides with the vent location. Recently, the development of sensors has allowed continuous sensing of the flow front in a straight line. Such sensors can be placed between the injection gates and the vent. The location of these sensors can affect adaptive control and the resulting filling pattern and, therefore, the final quality of the part. The work presented in this paper uses a search algorithm to find the optimal location for the sensors. The results of this optimization study can be used to enhance future control algorithms and, therefore, can lead to a more successful RTM process.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Fiscal Policy and Economic Cycles in Oil-Exporting Countries

This paper empirically assesses the impact of oil price shocks on the underlying non-oil economic cycle in oil-exporting countries. Panel VAR analysis and the associated impulse responses indicate that in countries where the oil sector is large in relation to the economy, oil price changes affect the economic cycle only through their impact on fiscal policy. Once fiscal policy changes are removed, oil price shocks do not have a significant independent effect on the economic cycle.
The management of software engineering: part V:software engineering management practices

Software engineering may be defined as the systematic design and development of software products and the management of the software process. Software engineering has as one of its primary objectives the production of programs that meet specifications, and are demonstrably accurate, produced on time, and within budget. This paper in five parts discusses the principles and practices used by the IBM Federal Systems Division for the design, development, and management of software. Part V deals with the management of software engineering, which is primarily the intellectual control of the whole software engineering process. Intellectual control is brought about by a technical review strategy, a cost management approach, and a project environment for effective software development.
A Midterm Case Study Assessment of Skill-Based Pay in the Virginia Department of Transportation:

Interest m skilled-based pay by public administration theorists and practitioners is increasing as this innovative pay system is viewed as a viable means of enhancing employee skills and work motiv...
Factors Associated with Osteonecrosis of the Jaw among Bisphosphonate Users

Abstract Background Bisphosphonates are medications that impact bone reformation by inhibiting osteoclast function. Osteonecrosis of the jaw has been reported among patients receiving these medications. It is unclear if the risk factors associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw among cancer patients taking bisphosphonates also are possible risk factors among patients receiving these medications for other indications. Methods A systematic review search strategy was used to identify cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw among patients taking bisphosphonates for an indication other than cancer to identify potential contributing factors. Data were analyzed according to previous models to develop a more expanded model that may explain possible mechanisms for the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw among patients without cancer. Results Ninety-nine cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw were identified among patients who were prescribed a bisphosphonate for an indication other than cancer. These cases included 85 osteoporosis patients, 10 patients with Paget's disease, 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 patient with diabetes, and 1 patient with maxillary fibrous dysplasia. The mean age was 69.4 years, 87.3% were female, and 83.3% were receiving oral, but not intravenous, bisphosphonates. Of the 63 patients reporting dental care information, 88.9% had a dental procedure before the onset of osteonecrosis of the jaw. Of all cases providing medical information, 71% were taking at least one medication that affects bone turnover in addition to the bisphosphonate, and 81.3% reported additional underlying health conditions. Conclusions The case details suggest a multiplicity of factors associated with this condition and provide the foundation for a model outlining the potential mechanism for the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw among patients taking bisphosphonates for an indication other than cancer.
Effects of transverse shear and rotatory inertia on the coupled twist-bending vibrations of circular rings

Abstract The coupled twist-bending vibrations of complete, incomplete and transversely supported rings are investigated. The governing equations of motion are developed from Hamilton's principle by considering the effects of rotatory inertia and shearing deformation. The results are compared with those given by the classical theory which neglects the effects of shear and rotatory inertia. The frequencies of vibration of a ring with rectangular cross-section are compared with the available experimental values and it is found that the theoretical prediction would be closest to the true frequencies if the effect of shear deformation is also considered. Natural frequencies of a ring supported transversely at two, three and four points are found. The vibration characteristics of incomplete rings are studied by varying the boundary conditions, the ring's subtended angle and the stiffness parameter EI/C.
A Wide Area of Air Pollutant Impact Downwind of a Freeway during Pre-Sunrise Hours.

Abstract We have observed a wide area of air pollutant impact downwind of a freeway during pre-sunrise hours in both winter and summer seasons. In contrast, previous studies have shown much sharper air pollutant gradients downwind of freeways, with levels above background concentrations extending only 300 m downwind of roadways during the day and up to 500 m at night. In this study, real-time air pollutant concentrations were measured along a 3600 m transect normal to an elevated freeway 1–2 h before sunrise using an electric vehicle mobile platform equipped with fast-response instruments. In winter pre-sunrise hours, the peak ultrafine particle (UFP) concentration (∼95 000 cm −3 ) occurred immediately downwind of the freeway. However, downwind UFP concentrations as high as ∼40 000 cm −3 extended at least 1200 m from the freeway, and did not reach background levels (∼15 000 cm −3 ) until a distance of about 2600 m. UFP concentrations were also elevated over background levels up to 600 m upwind of the freeway. Other pollutants, such as NO and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, exhibited similar long-distance downwind concentration gradients. In contrast, air pollutant concentrations measured on the same route after sunrise, in the morning and afternoon, exhibited the typical daytime downwind decrease to background levels within ∼300 m as found in earlier studies. Although pre-sunrise traffic volumes on the freeway were much lower than daytime congestion peaks, downwind UFP concentrations were significantly higher during pre-sunrise hours than during the daytime. UFP and NO concentrations were also strongly correlated with traffic counts on the freeway. We associate these elevated pre-sunrise concentrations over a wide area with a nocturnal surface temperature inversion, low wind speeds, and high relative humidity. Observation of such wide air pollutant impact area downwind of a major roadway prior to sunrise has important exposure assessment implications since it demonstrates extensive roadway impacts on residential areas during pre-sunrise hours, when most people are at home.
Developing Faculty Expertise in Information Assurance through Case Studies and Hands-On Experiences

Though many Information Assurance (IA) educators agree that hands-on exercises and case studies improve student learning, hands-on exercises and case studies are not widely adopted due to the time needed to develop them and integrate them into curriculum. Under the support of National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarship for Service program, we implemented two faculty development workshops to disseminate effective hands-on exercises and case studies developed through multiple previous and ongoing grants, and to develop faculty expertise in IA. This paper reports our experience of holding the faculty summer workshops on teaching information assurance through case studies and hands-on experiences. The topics presented at the workshops are briefly described and the evaluation results of the workshops are discussed. The workshops provided a valuable opportunity for IA educators to connect with each other and form collaboration in teaching and research in IA.
Studies on the development of the chick optic tectum. IV. An autoradiographic study of the development of retino-tectal connections

Abstract The normal pattern of innervation of the optic tectum has been studied autoradiographically in a series of chick embryos which were injected intraocularly with [ 3 H]proline at intervals between the 6th and 21st days of incubation. From the distribution of the radioactively labeled proteins transported in the rapid phase of axonal flow, it is evident that retinal fibers first enter the tectum late on the 6th day of incubation and then spread across its surface from its rostrolateral aspect to its caudo-dorso-medial pole during the ensuing 6 days. At the 9th day, when the fibers have grown across the surface of the rostral half of the tectum, there is no indication that the terminal portions of the axons have left the stratum opticum to enter the outer layers of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale. The first suggestion of such an invasion of the straum griseum et fibrosum superficiale is found at day 10, when labeled fibers can be seen in this stratum, over a restricted, oval, area near the center of the tectum. Over the course of the next 2 days the region of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale occupied by retinal fibers expands, more-or-less concentrically, until by day 14 some labeled fibers are seen in the outer part of the stratum, throughout the tectum. Concurrent with the ingrowth of optic nerve fibers the final cytoarchitectonic differentiation of the outer layers of the tectum occurs so that by day 18 the autoradiographs show a pattern of labeling of layers a–f of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale similar to that seen in mature, post-hatched chicks. Since the region of the tectum which is first innervated by retinal fibers corresponds to the projection field of the region around the upper end of the choroid fissure where the first ganglion cells are generated, it would appear that the axons of the first-formed ganglion cells grow over the rostral surface of the tectum before establishing the first retino-tectal synapses near the central portion of the tectum. Subsequently, as the ganglion cell population grows concentrically from around the area centralis, there is a parallel expansion of the region in which retino-tectal synapses are being formed in the tectum.
Bioactive marine sponge norditerpene and norsesterterpene peroxides

Abstract Peroxyterpenoids have been isolated which are: methyl nuapapuanoate (4), a norditerpene; and muqubilin (1), a norsesterterpene.
A monoclonal antibody reactive with an activated ras protein expressing valine at position 12

Activated ras transforming genes have been described in a variety of neoplasms and encode 21,000-Dalton (p21) proteins with amino acid substitutions at positions 12, 13, and 61. In this report we describe a monoclonal antibody designated DWP that reacts. Specifically with synthetic dodecapeptides containing valine at position 12, to a lesser extent with peptides containing cysteine at position 12 and not with peptides containing glycine, arginine, serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid or alanine at the same position. Western blot and immunoperoxidase studies showed that DWP specifically reacts with activated rasH or rasK proteins in NIH cells transformed by DNA from the human carcinoma cells that encode valine at position 12. DWP did not react with normal p21s encoding glycine at position 12, nor with activated p21s encoding aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, serine, or cysteine at position 12. A survey of human tumor cell lines demonstrated that DWP reacted with the human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 but not with human tumor cell lines previously shown td contain other activating mutations at positions 12 or 61. DWP and perhaps additional antibodies that specifically react with alterations at positions 12 or 61 of the ras protein may be valuable in determining the presence and frequency of activated ras proteins in human malignancy.
Feet first: Object exploration in young infants.

In this study, infants reached for toys with their feet weeks before using their hands. These results suggest that, contrary to long-held beliefs, early leg movements can be precisely controlled, the development of skilled reaching need not involve lengthy practice, and that early motor behaviors need not develop in a strict cephalocaudal pattern.
Energy transfer processes in linear triatomic molecule-solid surface collisions

Abstract The semiclassical stochastic trajectory method is extended to the study of rotational and vibrational transitions for linear triatomic molecules colliding with non-rigid solid surfaces. Rotational and vibrational motion are treated by quantum mechanics, translational motion by classical mechanics, and surface atom motion by the classical generalized Langevin equation. Self-consistent coupling of all motions is enforced via Ehrenfest's theorem. Calculations of the kinetic energy and gas temperature dependence of trapping probabilities, vibrational relaxation probabilities and final vibrational state distributions are presented for the CO2-Ag(111) system at surface temperatures of 0 and 600 K. The trapping probabilities are greatly enhanced by the rotational motion and also vary to some degree with the initial vibrational state of the CO2. Total vibrationally inelastic probabilities are on the order of 10−2 for a single collision event with an initial state (00°1). For the initial state (0110) these are much larger, ~ 10−1, due to the nature of bending mode motion. In conjunction with the large trapping probabilities, the mechanism of vibration to vibration, rotation, translation, phonon energy transfer can provide vibration relaxation probabilities in the range of those measured experimentally. A pseudo-selection rule for conservation of vibrational angular momentum is found.
EFFECT OF HUMAN RENIN ON ALDOSTERONE SECRETION RATE IN NORMAL MAN AND IN PATIENTS WITH THE SYNDROME OF HYPERALDOSTERONISM, JUXTAGLOMERULAR HYPERPLASIA AND NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE.

Human renin, given intravenously to a normal subject, caused increased secretion of aldosterone. In 2 patients with the syndrome of hyperaldosteronism, juxtaglomerular hyperplasia and normal blood pressure, renin caused no increase of aldosterone secretion and had a subnormal pressor effect as well. These results show that renin can alter adrenal cortical function in normal man, and suggest a pathologic role for renin in the syndrome of juxtaglomerular hyperplasia.
A study of the redox properties and methanol oxidation rates for molybdenum-based mixed oxides

Abstract The equilibrium properties of bulk MgMoO 4 , Zr(MoO 4 ) 2 , Al 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , SrMoO 4 , and Cr 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 have been characterized by coulometric titration at 873 K in order to understand the effect of the mixed-cation environment on the Mo 6+ –Mo 4+ redox properties and how this in turn affects reactivity for methanol oxidation. The structures of the oxidized and reduced phases were also characterized by XRD. With SrMoO 4 , reduction resulted in the formation of SrMoO 3 ; however, each of the other oxides underwent a reversible decomposition. MgMoO 4 formed a mixture of crystalline MgO and Mg 2 Mo 3 O 8 ; Zr(MoO 4 ) 2 reduced to MoO 2 and a mixture of monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO 2 ; and Cr 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 formed a new crystalline phase. For MgMoO 4 , Zr(MoO 4 ) 2 , Al 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , and Cr 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , removal of one O/Mo occurred at a P (O 2 ) of 10 −6 atm, corresponding to a Δ G of oxidation of −100 kJ/mol-O 2 ; however, the equilibrium between SrMoO 4 and SrMoO 3 occurred at 10 −26 atm O 2 , corresponding to a Δ G of oxidation equal to −375 kJ/mol-O 2 . These thermodynamic properties differ significantly from oxidation of MoO 2 to MoO 3 , for which Δ G is −220 kJ/mol-O 2 at 873 K. All of the mixed oxides were essentially inactive for the selective oxidation of methanol, with specific rates that were much lower than that observed for MoO 3 .
Assessing hospital safety on nights and weekends: the SWAN tool.

Abstract:Patient safety in hospitals during nights and weekends has increasingly been recognized as a significant problem. The safety on weekends and nights tool was developed to assist health care leadership assess capabilities for care during off-hours and identify opportunities for improving outc
Trust and risk in e-government adoption

Citizen confidence in government and technology is imperative to the wide-spread adoption of e-government. This study analyzes the impact of trust and risk perceptions on one's willingness to use e-government services. We propose a model of e-government trust composed of disposition to trust, trust of the Internet (TOI), trust of the government (TOG) and perceived risk. Results from a citizen survey indicate that disposition to trust positively affects TOI and TOG, which in turn affect intentions to use an e-government service. TOG also affects negatively perceived risk, which affects use intentions as well. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
The thermal conductivity surface for mixtures of methane and ethane

A correlation is presented for the extensive series of thermal conductivity measurements of binary methane-ethane mixtures. The composition dependences of the thermal conductivity in the dilute-gas region, dense-gas and liquid region, and critical region are discussed. The average absolute percentage deviation of the thermal conductivity surface as a function of temperature, density, and composition, from the experimental data, is 1.60%.
PREPARATIVE-SCALE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LARGE FULLERENES GENERATED IN LOW-PRESSURE BENZENE FLAMES

Soot generated in a premixed benzene/oxygen/argon low-pressure flame was extracted sequentially with dichloromethane, toluene, CS2 and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Quantifications by HPLC were performed for C60, C70, C76, C78, and C84 by means of external standards using a monomeric octadecylsilica (ODS) bonded stationary phase and acetonitrile/toluene (55:45) as a mobile phase. Toluene was found to be the most suitable solvent for all the cases studied here. After the partial removal of smaller fullerenes with preparative HPLC, the presence of fullerenes up to C104 was shown by means of HPLC−APCI−MS using a heated nebulizer interface. The macroscopic isolation of C86, C90, C92, C94, and C96 was performed using a two-step HPLC separation with a 2-(1-pyrenyl)ethylsilica stationary phase and toluene as eluent preceded by the partial removal of C60 and C70 with a poly(divinylbenzene) HPLC column. UV−vis spectra were measured, and the presence of a C90 adduct could be discerned. Based on the results of this work, the...
The Therapeutic Use of Humor With Clients Who Have Schizophrenia

A positive worker/client relationship contributes greatly to a mental health client’s achievement of intervention goals. Practitioners who work with clients who have schizophrenia sometimes face challenges in developing positive relationships with them when the cognitive impairments characteristic of that disorder make verbal communication difficult. The purpose of this article is to review the indications for using humor with clients in general and then consider the potential for practitioners to use humor as one means of developing constructive working relationships with clients who have schizophrenia. This article does not address the use of specific humor techniques, but considers whether practitioners with a natural sense of humor can use it to their advantage in working with members of this population. Seven principles for the use of humor, and seven client examples, are included.
High-resolution snow-water equivalent measurement by gamma-ray spectroscopy

Abstract Frozen precipitation has important implications for water quality and soil biology. Nutrients in landspread animal manure are transported to surface waters by snowmelt, and winter survival of forages often depends on snow cover. Further development of mechanistic snow behavior models would be assisted by improved measurements of the disappearance of water from snowpacks. We developed a system to measure the total water content (snow-water equivalent, SWE) of a snow cover based on attenuation of γ-rays. A mixed Eu-152, 154 source (about 70 MBq) was pushed through raceways which were placed on the soil surface prior to snowfall. Attenuation of the emitted radiation by solid and liquid water in snow was measured with a Ge detector held above the snow and a multichannel analyzer. Use of four energy peaks and solution of the six resulting equations reduced dependence of the measurement on source-detector geometry. In laboratory tests, measurements of a fixed water depth (30 mm) were constant to ±1.5 mm following displacement of the detector by 50 mm laterally and 100 mm vertically, a much larger repositioning error than occurs in the field. Field tests showed that the system detected melting conditions with greater sensitivity than was attained with collecting of snow cores. Errors in estimated SWE due to repositioning of the detector were about ±3 mm. Estimated energy balance terms were in reasonable agreement with observed melting during a field experiment. The new device will allow non-destructive SWE measurements to assess the influences of a number of agricultural management practices on winter hydrology.
Looking Down or Looking Up: Status and Subjective Well-Being among Asian and Latino Immigrants in the United States.

Foundational theories of international migration rest on the assumption that immigrants maintain reference groups in their country of origin even after settling in a new place, while the transnationalism perspective suggests that immigrants maintain a dual frame of reference. This article uses the nationally representative National Latino and Asian American Survey to test the location of immigrants' reference groups. I find that the relationship between various measures of subjective social standing and subjective well-being suggests that immigrants maintain simultaneous reference groups in both the United States and the country of origin, supporting transnational theories, and refuting earlier theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
A feature-based algorithm for detecting and classifying scene breaks

We describe a new approach to the detection and classification of scene breaks in video sequences. Our method can detect and classify a variety of scene breaks, including cuts, fades, dissolves and wipes, even in sequences involving significant motion. We detect the appearance of intensity edges that are distant from edges in the previous frame. A global motion computation is used to handle camera or object motion. The algorithms we propose withstand compression artifacts such as those introduced by JPEG and MPEG, even at very high compression rates. Experimental evidence demonstrates that our method can detect and classify scene breaks that are difficult to detect with previous approaches. An initial implementation runs at approximately 2 frames per second on a Sun workstation.
A module-specific post-processing calibration method to improve cotton yield mapping

Calibrating cotton yield monitor data is difficult, because there are many confounding factors, such as landscape, soil, ambient light and temperature, defoliation level, and variety that can cause sensor response to shift from field to field and even within a field. The conventional calibration method involves in situ weighing of basket loads, which is costly, logistically unfavorable, and not adequate to account for inconsistent performance of yield monitor sensors. In this work a module-specific post-processing method was used to calibrate cotton yield data. The method was enabled by a wireless communication and GPS based electronic system that can delineate the harvest location of each cotton module in the field during machine harvest. Module-specific correction coefficients were calculated as the ratio of module weight determined at the gin to the yield monitor based module weight integrated over the module harvest area. Module-specific lint turnout, also determined at the gin, was used to convert seed cotton yield to lint yield. The method was field tested on 16 cotton modules harvested from two study areas near College Station, TX. Results showed that yield monitor based weight deviated substantially from the actual weight for some modules, with errors ranging from -41.0% to +13.9%. Lint yield maps produced with module-specific post-processing calibration showed more reliable spatial patterns than maps produced with field-based post-processing. Combining the wireless communication and GPS system with the cotton yield monitor could greatly enhance the quality of cotton yield maps, making them more suitable for various precision agriculture applications.
Cytogenetic evidence of gene amplification as a mechanism for tumor cell invasion.

In order to study the process by which human melanoma cells achieve invasion of basement membranes, a modification of the Membrane Invasion Culture System was developed to allow the in vitro collection of human melanoma cell populations that had invaded acellular human amniotic membranes. A significant increase in the number of double-minute chromosomes (DMs) was observed in metaphase nuclei of A375P human melanoma cells which had passed through two amniotic membranes (A375P-2) over that of control cells. Eighteen percent of the first monolayer of A375P-2 cells contained 1–89 DMs/cell, whereas 3–8.3% of the control A375P cells contained 1–10 DMs/cell. There was a rapid loss of DMs in A375P-2 cells as a function of passage number. After 25 days in tissue culture, the incidence of DMs had essentially dropped below the control range. These data indicate that an unstable gene amplification event may be part of the process by which melanoma cells execute invasion through basement membranes.
Parental Perceptions of the Schools’ Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity:

As childhood obesity has increased, schools have struggled with their role in this epidemic. Parents with a school-age child in a suburban latchkey program were surveyed regarding their perceptions of childhood obesity, body mass index, and the school's role in prevention and treatment of obesity. More than 80% of participants identified inactivity, poor eating behavior, lack of parental control in what children eat, and eating too much as the main causes of childhood obesity. Parents preferred receiving information about their child's body mass index from the school via a letter from the school nurse. Participants agreed that physical education classes, as well as units on nutrition and weight control, should be present in schools. Parents also supported eliminating junk food machines and offering special low-calorie meals. By supporting these strategies, parents indicated that schools should have a role in childhood obesity. School nurses can advocate for parental preferences in their school district.
EFFECT OF BENZYL ALCOHOL |[lpar]|BA|[rpar]| ON RAT PLASMA LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE |[lpar]|LDH|[rpar]|

There are increasing numbers of clinical reports on the toxicity of BA. This deserves more attention since BA is a preservative agent being used in various injectable drugs in the neonatal unit. One experimental approach may reside in studying the effect of BA on certain plasma enzymes known for their rapid changes during development and growth, which may be also implicated in some of BA toxicity on the heart, i.e., LDH. This study utilized rat blood plasma as the source for LDH and evaluated the in vitro effect of BA on the activity of its “H” and “M” isoenzymes in young (30 to 45 days old) and in adult male rats (90 to 110 days old). Enzymatic activity was determined spectrophotometrically and expressed as specific activity measured at 30°C. The young rats showed 1.67 and 4.5 units of plasma H and M LDH isoenzyme, respectively. The presence of 90 mMol of BA in the reaction mixture resulted in 48% inhibition of the “H” isoenzyme compared to 14% of the “M” subunit. The LDH activity assayed in plasma of adult rats was 0.8 units for the “H” isoenzyme and 2.9 units for the “M” LDH isoenzyme. There was a 51% inhibition of the former and a 19% inhibition of the latter LDH subunits by equimolar concentration of BA, i.e., 90 mMol. The results indicate that the “H” isoenzyme, which predominates in the heart, is more sensitive towards the BA-effect noted than the “M” isoenzyme of LDH. This implies that measurement of “H” LDH may be useful in monitoring some of the cardiac toxicity of BA.
Empirical implications of unobserved household heterogeneity for manufacturer and retailer pricing

This paper investigates manufacturer and retailer pricing decisions for brands within a given product category. We use household-level data and a nested logit model of purchase incidence and brand choice to specify and estimate the demand functions for brands. Our focus is on studying the effect of unobserved household heterogeneity on brand prices. The channel structure assumed is that of several competing manufacturers selling through a single retailer. Manufacturers set wholesale prices to maximize brand profits and the retailer sets selling prices for brands that maximize category profits. Empirical results indicate that accounting for heterogeneity directly influences the level of prices charged by the manufacturers and the retailer.
Changes in Family Life in Middletown, 1924–77

Characteristics of family life described by Middletown high school students in 1924 and reported in Robert and Helen Lynd's Middletown are contrasted with data from students interviewed in 1977. Comparisons of students' responses suggest that there has been an attenuation of certain family functions and an enhancement of others. The 1977 students were more likely to earn their own spending money and less likely to receive their sex education from their parents; and females were more likely to spend evenings away from home. There were changes in definitions of women's roles, and the range of desirable parental characteristics had narrowed to focus on direct parent-child relationships of an emotional or expressive nature. Analysis of reported topics of disagreement suggest that the generation gap in 1977 is no wider than it was in 1924. Howard M. Bahr is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Family and Demographic Research Institute, Brigham Young University. This paper is a report of the Middletown III Project, conducted by the Center for Program Effectiveness Studies at the University of Virginia and supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. SOC 75-13580. The investigators are Theodore Caplow, Howard M. Bahr, and Bruce A. Chadwick. The data collection in Middletown high schools was supervised by Alice Lynn Ryssman. Public Opinion Quarterly ? 1980 by The Trustees of Columbia University Published by Elsevier North Holland, Inc. 0033-362X/80/0044-035/$1.75 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.255 on Mon, 23 May 2016 06:16:39 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms