cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ab initio electron-phonon interactions using atomic orbital wave functions

The interaction between electrons and lattice vibrations determines key physical properties of materials, including their electrical and heat transport, excited electron dynamics, phase transitions, and superconductivity. We present an ab initio method that employs atomic orbital (AO) wave functions to compute the electron-phonon (e-ph) interactions in materials and interpolate the e-ph coupling matrix elements to fine Brillouin zone grids. We detail the numerical implementation of such AO-based e-ph calculations, and benchmark them against direct density functional theory calculations and Wannier function (WF) interpolation. The key advantages of AOs over WFs for e-ph calculations are outlined. Since AOs are fixed basis functions associated with the atoms, they circumvent the need to generate a material-specific localized basis set with a trial-and-error approach, as is needed in WFs. Therefore, AOs are ideal to compute e-ph interactions in chemically and structurally complex materials for which WFs are challenging to generate, and are also promising for high-throughput materials discovery. While our results focus on AOs, the formalism we present generalizes e-ph calculations to arbitrary localized basis sets, with WFs recovered as a special case.
The Role of the Emergency Physician for Injured Geriatric Patient Care in the ED

The rapidly aging population is now shifting the focus of healthcare. As the population lives longer, a greater percentage of individuals are living longer, more active, and subsequently at more of a risk to suffer from a traumatic injury. This means that more older persons are at risk to fall down and fracture a hip and suffer from a subdural hematoma and more at risk to be struck in a crosswalk and suffer from multiple trauma. Injuries in the geriatric population presenting to the emergency department (ED) are undergoing a change in presentations and complexity. Geriatric trauma is increasing both in absolute number and proportion of annual trauma admissions, with admissions in level I and II trauma centers up from 23% in 2003 to 30% in 2009 [1]. The geriatric trauma patient is three to five times more likely to die from trauma than a younger patient who sustains a similar mechanism of injury [2, 3].
Synthesis-dependent properties of barlowite and Zn-substituted barlowite

Abstract The mineral barlowite, Cu4(OH)6FBr, has been the focus of recent attention due to the possibility of substituting the interlayer Cu2+ site with non-magnetic ions to develop new quantum spin liquid materials. We re-examine previous methods of synthesizing barlowite and describe a novel hydrothermal synthesis method that produces large single crystals of barlowite and Zn-substituted barlowite (Cu3ZnxCu1–x(OH)6FBr). The two synthesis techniques yield barlowite with indistinguishable crystal structures and spectroscopic properties at room temperature; however, the magnetic ordering temperatures differ by 4 K, and the thermodynamic properties are clearly different. The dependence of properties upon synthetic conditions implies that the defect chemistry of barlowite and related materials is complex and significant. Zn-substituted barlowite exhibits a lack of magnetic order down to T = 2 K, characteristic of a quantum spin liquid, and we provide a synthetic route towards producing large crystals suitable for neutron scattering.
Virulence of Puccinia triticina, the Wheat Leaf Rust Fungus, in the United States in 2017

Samples of wheat leaves infected with the leaf rust fungus, Puccinia triticina, were obtained in 2017 from agricultural experiment station plots, demonstration plots, and farm fields in the Great Plains, the Ohio Valley, the southeastern states, California, and Washington in order to determine the prevalent virulence phenotypes present in the United States. A total of 65 virulence phenotypes were identified among the 469 single uredinial isolates that were tested on 20 near-isogenic lines of Thatcher wheat that differ for leaf rust resistance genes. Virulence phenotypes MBTNB at 11.3% of the overall population, and MCTNB at 7.0%, were the first and third most common phenotypes. Both phenotypes were found mostly in the southeastern states and Ohio Valley region. Phenotype TFTSB at 10.9% was the second most common phenotype and was found mostly in southern Texas. Virulence to leaf rust resistance gene Lr39, which is present in hard red winter wheat cultivars, was highest in the Great Plains region. Virulence to Lr11 and Lr18, which are present in soft red winter wheat cultivars, was highest in the southeastern states and Ohio Valley region. Virulence to Lr21, which is present in hard red spring wheat cultivars, was highest in the northern Great Plains region. The predominate P. triticina phenotypes from the soft red winter wheat regions of the southeastern states and Ohio Valley area differed from those in the hard red winter and hard red spring wheat areas of the Great Plains region. Collections from Washington had unique virulence phenotypes that had not been previously detected.
Targeting Apolipoprotein E for Alzheimer’s Disease: An Industry Perspective

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a key lipid transport protein in the brain, is predominantly produced by astrocytes. Astrocytes are the most numerous cell type in the brain and are the main support network for neurons. They play a critical role in the synthesis and delivery of cholesterol in the brain. Humans have three common apoE isoforms, apoE2, apoE3 and apoE4, that show a strong genotype effect on the risk and age of onset for sporadic and late onset forms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Carriers of an e4 allele have an increased risk of developing AD, while those with an e2 allele are protected. Investigations into the contribution of apoE to the development of AD has yielded conflicting results and there is still much speculation about the role of this protein in disease. Here, we review the opposing hypotheses currently described in the literature and the approaches that have been considered for targeting apoE as a novel therapeutic strategy for AD. Additionally, we provide our perspective on the rationale for targeting apoE and the challenges that arise with respect to “drug-ability” of this target.
History and Development of the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer

In terms of relative resolution and sensitivity the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer (MROI)will arguably be the most powerful optical telescope on earth; with greater resolution than the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)and greater than that of the three much hyped 30-meter class telescopes that are currently in development (ELT, TMT, GMT). The sensitivity of the MROI also far exceeds (by a factor of 10 to 100 times)that of other high resolution interferometers such as CHARA, NPOI and the European VLTI. This paper traces the development of the MROI from the creation of the Langmuir Atmospheric Laboratory on Magdalena Ridge in South Central New Mexico, through the establishment of the Congressionally designated research site, to the present day. The gift of a declassified 2.4-meter primary mirror, originally intended for space surveillance, led to the design of a 3-element optical interferometer then in 2004, with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the University of Cambridge, the 3-element array was redesigned as an array of 10 × 1.4-meter optical telescopes intended to be the first of the third generation of sparse array optical interferometers. Finally, the paper will recount the development of that 10-element array and, owing to changes in Congress, the retirement of a senior Senator, and the subsequent lack of funding, it's rescue from near extinction and the current state of the development.
Retention and infiltration of bacteria on a plant leaf driven by surface water evaporation

Evaporation-driven internal flows within a sessile droplet can transport microorganisms close to the leaf surface and facilitate their infiltration into the available openings, such as stomata. Here, using microfabricated surfaces out of polydimethylsiloxane, the sole effects of evaporation of sessile droplets in contamination of plant leaves was studied. These surfaces were patterned with stomata, trichomes, and grooves that are common surface microstructures on plant leaves. Evaporation of sessile droplets, containing bacterial suspensions, on real leaves and fabricated surfaces was studied using confocal microscopy. To provide insight about the effects of leaf hydrophobicity and surface roughness on the bacterial retention and infiltration, variations of contact angle of sessile droplets at these surfaces were measured during evaporation. The results showed that evaporation-driven flow transported bacteria close to the surface of spinach leaves and fabricated surfaces, leading to distinct infiltration into the stomata. Larger size and wider spacing of the micropores, and a more hydrophilic surface, led bacteria to spread more at the droplet base area and infiltrate into more stomata. Evaporation-driven movement of contact line, which can sweep bacteria over the leaf surface, was shown to lead to bacterial infiltration into the stomatal pores. Findings should help improve microbial safety of leafy greens.Evaporation-driven internal flows within a sessile droplet can transport microorganisms close to the leaf surface and facilitate their infiltration into the available openings, such as stomata. Here, using microfabricated surfaces out of polydimethylsiloxane, the sole effects of evaporation of sessile droplets in contamination of plant leaves was studied. These surfaces were patterned with stomata, trichomes, and grooves that are common surface microstructures on plant leaves. Evaporation of sessile droplets, containing bacterial suspensions, on real leaves and fabricated surfaces was studied using confocal microscopy. To provide insight about the effects of leaf hydrophobicity and surface roughness on the bacterial retention and infiltration, variations of contact angle of sessile droplets at these surfaces were measured during evaporation. The results showed that evaporation-driven flow transported bacteria close to the surface of spinach leaves and fabricated surfaces, leading to distinct infiltration ...
Failure of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation

Meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) has emerged as an acceptable surgical therapy in relieving pain and restoring function in young patients with symptomatic meniscal deficiency without severe osteoarthritis. Despite its early success, at long-term follow-up MAT has been associated with significant rates of graft failure, requiring repeat interventions and often progression to arthroplasty. In select patients who previously benefited from a primary MAT and have an identified, treatable cause of failure, revision meniscus allograft transplantation may be considered. Careful identification and treatment of concomitant pathologies known to cause failure, including ligamentous instability, cartilage injury and limb malalignment, should be addressed at the time of revision surgery. Acute tears should be assessed for whether they are amenable to repair or replacement with a new graft is required. The author's preferred approach is to perform the bone-slot technique for both primary and revision cases. Literature on outcomes following revision meniscus allograft transplantation are limited but favorable, with higher failure rates than primary MAT but significant functional outcome improvement in most patients.
Measurement of intrinsic foot stiffness in minimally and traditionally shod runners using ultrasound elastography: A pilot study

Running is an activity with a consistently high injury rate. Running footwear design that mimics barefoot running has been proposed to reduce injury rate by increasing the strength of foot structur...
Pain and Psychology

Pain is a complex emotional and sensory experience that is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. The longer pain persists, the more important the psychosocial factors become in the maintenance and aggravation of pain. This chapter describes the rationale for a biopsychosocial approach to pain, including the historical context of the biopsychosocial approach to pain and the state of the current neuroscience research involving psychological factors and pain. Furthermore, relevant psychological constructs when evaluating individuals with chronic pain are explored. Finally, a brief discussion of psychological approaches for pain and interventions based on these approaches is provided.
Correction for Schmidt et al., “Effects of Agricultural Management on Rhizosphere Microbial Structure and Function in Processing Tomato Plants”

Volume 85, no. 16, e01064-19, 2019, [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01064-19][1]. Figure 3 should appear as shown below. ![Figure][2] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1128/AEM.01064-19 [2]: pending:yes
Thermodynamics of Simple Materials

We shall now combine the simple ideas of thermodynamics, presented in the last lecture, with those of continuum mechanics as developed in the beginning of this course. The finite set of parameters T1, T2,…,T k is replaced by the motion X (X, t) of a body B; the temperature θ (t) is replaced by the temperature field θ( x, t), defined over the configuration BX of B at time t. We assume that θ( X,t) > 0.
Clinical characteristics of SF3B1 mutant (mut) uveal melanoma (UM) and response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI).

9535Background: Metastatic UM is associated with a median overall survival (OS) < 1 year (yr) and overall response rate (RR) to ICI < 18%. SF3B1 mut UM represent a clinically unique subset of UM, d...
A Comparative Study on State Estimation Algorithms for Power Systems

The state estimation (SE) has been widely used in power system control centers to optimally estimate the states of the power grid in real time. Using different objective functions, many SE algorithms have been proposed to filter out measurement noise in different ways. In this paper, three widely-used SE algorithms, i.e., the weighted least squares (WLS), least absolute value (LAV), and projection statistics (PS) based algorithms, are compared in their estimation accuracy and computation time. The comparison was made using the simulation data generated from the IEEE 14-bus system and IEEE 118-bus system through the Monte-Carlo method. It is found that when the measurement noise is reasonably small and follows the independent Gaussian distribution, the WLS algorithm has the best accuracy and shortest computation time. When some measurements at leverage points were compromised by outliers, the PS based algorithm is the most robust among the three methods. The study results can be used to assist control centers in choosing the right SE algorithm based on the features of the measurement noise and setup.
A new place for psychiatry among the forensic sciences.

Forensic psychiatry occupies a special place among the forensic sciences. It has not always been recognized as a forensic science, and, even today, is not always integrated in forensic medicine cen...
Age-Related Increase in Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity in Skeletal Muscle Reduces Lifespan in Drosophila.

Metabolic adaptations occur with aging but the significance and causal roles of such changes are only partially known. In Drosophila, we find that skeletal muscle aging is paradoxically characterized by increased readouts of glycolysis (lactate, NADH/NAD+) but reduced expression of most glycolytic enzymes. This conundrum is explained by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme necessary for anaerobic glycolysis and whose expression increases with aging. Experimental Ldh overexpression in skeletal muscle of young flies increases glycolysis and shortens lifespan, suggesting that age-related increases in muscle LDH contribute to mortality. Similar results are also found with overexpression of other glycolytic enzymes (Pfrx/PFKFB, Pgi/GPI). Conversely, hypomorphic mutations in Ldh extend lifespan whereas reduction in PFK, Pglym78/PGAM, Pgi/GPI, and Ald/ALDO levels shorten lifespan to various degrees, indicating that glycolysis needs to be tightly controlled for optimal aging. Altogether, these findings indicate a role for muscle LDH and glycolysis in aging.
The 6-O-Methylglucose-containing Lipopolysaccharides of Mycobacterium phlei: LOCATIONS OF THE NEUTRAL AND ACIDIC ACYL GROUPS

Abstract The methylglucose-containing lipopolysaccharide (MGLP) of Mycobacterium phlei is an acidic molecule with 18 hexose units. Four forms (MGLP-I to MGLP-IV) exist with from 0 to 3 moles of esterified succinate. Each form is also acylated with acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, and octanoate, totaling 6 moles. Eight positions of acylation have been ascertained by methyl replacement (Gray, G. R., and Ballou, C. E. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 8129–8135). Six of these positions are now shown to be acylated specifically with monobasic acids and two others specifically with acidic succinyl groups. In addition, another site of succinylation has been found, which accounts for the nine positions in MGLP-IV. Characterization of newly methylated fragments produced by methyl replacement and Smith degradation of MGLP-I, which does not contain succinate, was used to determine placement of the neutral acyl groups. To complement these studies, we characterized the neutral acylated fragments isolated from a mixture of Smith-degraded MGLP-I and II, which were isotopically labeled in the various monobasic acyl groups. The positions at which succinate was esterified were determined by characterization of acidic acylated products resulting from Smith degradation of MGLP-II which contained labeled succinate. Our results indicate that the monobasic acids were esterified at positions 4 and 6 of the 3-O-methylglucose unit, and at position 6 of the 3 adjacent glucose residues at the 3-O-methylglucose end of the chain. An additional neutral acyl group (probably the octanoate) was esterified to position 3 of the glyceric acid. Propionate was found in two of the positions of acylation nearest the 3-O-methylglucose end of MGLP, indicating that there was some heterogeneity in the placement of monobasic acids among these sites since only 1 mole of propionate is normally present. Succinate was esterified at position 6 of the remaining glucose residues near the glyceric acid end of the molecule. MGLP-II, which contains only 1 mole of succinate per mole of polysaccharide, was succinylated to some extent at each of these three positions. The nonrandom distribution of monobasic versus dibasic acids provides support for the concept that a defined placement of esters is in some way related to the biological function of the lipopolysaccharide.
Thermal Conductivity and Sintering Behavior of Advanced Thermal Barrier Coatings

Advanced thermal barrier coatings, having significantly reduced long-term thermal conductivities, are being developed using an approach that emphasizes real-time monitoring of thermal conductivity under conditions that are engine-like in terms of temperatures and heat fluxes. This is in contrast to the traditional approach where coatings are initially optimized in terms of furnace and burner rig durability with subsequent measurement in the as-processed or furnace-sintered condition. The present work establishes a laser high-heat-flux test as the basis for evaluating advanced plasma-sprayed and physical vapor-deposited thermal barrier coatings under the NASA Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Program. The candidate coating materials for this program are novel thermal barrier coatings that are found to have significantly reduced thermal conductivities due to an oxide-defect-cluster design. Critical issues for designing advanced low conductivity coatings with improved coating durability are also discussed.
Mapping Rugged Terrain for a Walking Robot

This paper briefly reports on progress in the design and performance of a mapping system that uses laser rangefinder input to construct elevation maps of rugged, natural terrain. The paper emphasizes performance; the rationale for the design is presented elsewhere. The performance of two rangefinders is considered, and found to be the most significant limitation on the constructed maps. In addition, the accuracy and precision of the maps are quantified.
Dynamic MAP calculations for abduction

We present a dynamic algorithm for MAP calculations. The algorithm is based upon Santos's technique (Santos 1991b) of transforming minimal-cost-proof problems into linear-programming problems. The algorithm is dynamic in the sense that it is able to use the results from an earlier, near by, problem to lessen its search time. Results are presented which clearly suggest that this is a powerful technique for dynamic abduction problems.
Segmentation of the surfaces of the retinal layer from OCT images

We have developed a method for the automated segmentation of the internal limiting membrane and the pigment epithelium in 3-D OCT retinal images. Each surface was found as a minimum s-t cut from a geometric graph constructed from edge/regional information and a priori-determined surface constraints. Our approach was tested on 18 3-D data sets (9 from patients with normal optic discs and 9 from patients with papilledema) obtained using a Stratus OCT-3 scanner. Qualitative analysis of surface detection correctness indicates that our method consistently found the correct surfaces and outperformed the proprietary algorithm used in the Stratus OCT-3 scanner. For example, for the internal limiting membrane, 4% of the 2-D scans had minor failures with no major failures using our approach, but 19% of the 2-D scans using the Stratus OCT-3 scanner had minor or complete failures.
Partial-spectrum-reconstruction digital filter banks

Practical design methods for partial-spectrum-reconstruction (PSR) filter banks are presented. The filters are the discrete-Fourier-transform (DFT) or the discrete-cosine-transform (DCT) versions of prototype filters. The prototype filters are designed to minimize aliasing and distortions at the output. The proposed technique is extended to system with large numbers of channels (typically more than 1000 channels) using an interpolated filtering technique. Design examples are given to demonstrated the theory. >
The Diptera as a Model System in Cell and Molecular Biology

Publisher Summary The cells of Diptera have been used as a model system in a wide variety of experiments designed to probe the organization of the eukaryotic genome. The cells of these organisms lend themselves readily to both cytological and biochemical investigations using specific techniques, such as light and electron microscopic autoradiography, immunofluorescence, salt or sucrose density gradient and gel electrophoretic analyses, hybridization in situ, and molecular cloning-recombinant DNA studies. This chapter reviews the research carried out in past years using dipteran model systems, specifically three families—the Drosophilidae, the Chironomidae, and the Sciaridae. Six separate areas of research are considered. They are chromatin structure, middle repeated DNA (MR DNA), highly repeated DNA (HR DNA), satellites, and heterochromatin, puffs, heat shock, and mechanisms of gene control: the nonhistone proteins.
Fruit and vegetable intakes are an independent predictor of bone size in early pubertal children

Background: Adequate intakes of fruit and vegetables are recommended for optimum health in children. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether consuming fruit and vegetables >3 times per day is beneficial to bone mass in children. Design: Fifty-six white females (Tanner stage 2) recorded dietary intake on 3 independent days. The numbers of servings of fruit and vegetables were recorded for each day and tallied, and the subjects were divided into 2 consumption groups for analysis (low consumption: <3 servings/d, n = 22; high consumption: ≥3 servings/d, n = 34). Bone area and the bone mineral content of the whole body and radius were assessed by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Radioimmunoassays measured serum parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were assessed for calcium, sodium, and creatinine. Results: After adjustment for age, body mass index, and physical activity, those children who reported consuming ≥3 servings fruit and vegetables/d had more bone area of the whole body (6.0%; P = 0.03) and radius (8.3%; P = 0.03), lower urinary calcium excretion (2.6 ± 0.2 compared with 1.8 ± 0.3 mg/kg; P = 0.04), and lower parathyroid hormone (19.6 ± 1.9 compared with 25.0 ± 1.6 pg/mL; P = 0.01) than did those children who reported consuming <3 servings fruit and vegetables/d. Conclusions: High fruit and vegetable intakes have beneficial effects on the bone area of the radius and whole body in early pubertal girls. The lower urinary calcium output associated with higher fruit and vegetable intakes may be a modulating factor.
Medical nutrition: a comprehensive, school-wide curriculum review

Background: A school-wide nutrition program was established in 1982 and a required medical nutrition course (MNC) was established in 1985 at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Emphasis was placed on developing an integrated curriculum and on using innovative methods to incorporate nutrition into the existing curriculum. Objective: The objective of this review was to establish a baseline and make positive curricular changes to comply with the recommendations of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education for accreditation. The MNC and the nutrition curriculum were evaluated as part of this 3-y comprehensive, school-wide evaluation process. Design: The MNC was invited for review (December 2004) because of its position in the curriculum (first year), special content and methods, and relation to other courses. A review team, which consisted of the Assistant Dean for Medical Education (who chaired the team), a curriculum coordinator, faculty representatives, and a medical student, was appointed. The MNC coordinator prepared a review book that included the requested documentation. The initial 3-h review meeting culminated in a formal evaluation and recommendations. Follow-up meetings at 1 mo and 1 y were scheduled. Results: The review was a positive process that reaffirmed the uniqueness of the nutrition program at the University. It supported the MNC as an important part of the required curriculum. Recommendations included use of the Web, encouragement to identify new opportunities with interested faculty, and a structure to further integrate and align nutrition into existing courses. Conclusions: A positive, proactive review process supports the importance of nutrition in the medical school curriculum and encourages further integration.
The effects of molding conditions on the surface composition of sheet molding compound

An improved internal reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR) technique (1) has been found to be effective for measuring the relative concentrations of polyester and polystyrene (resin) and calcium carbonate filler on sheet molding compound (SMC) surfaces. The technique has been used to determine the effect of molding conditions on the surface compositions of three commercial SMC materials. The surface compositions of two of the materials, of the same formulation but obtained from different sources, were the same and were unaffected by molding conditions. The surface of the third material (or a different formulation) was found to have substantially less resin than the first two materials. The surface composition of the third material varied with molding conditions, the greatest uniformity being obtained with high molding temperatures and pressures. This study has shown that the ATR technique is suitable for determining the relative surface compositions of SMC formulations. This method will be used to correlate the SMC surface composition to SMC properties, such as surface appearance, paintability, and adhesive bond durability.
Diet of the hatchetfish Sternoptyx diaphana

Sternoptyx diaphana Hermann is a non-migrating hatchetfish inhabiting the mesopelagic zone between 300 and 1500 m in temperate to tropical oceanic regions. An analysis is presented of the diet of this species, collected from 5 oceanic faunal provinces—the Pacific Subantarctic, and 4 subregions of the North Atlantic Ocean. Stomach analyses of 20 to 40 mm specimens revealed considerable intra-trawl (fish to fish), intraregional (Station to station), and inter-regional variation in size and composition of the diet. Generic composition of stomach contents differed noticeably from region to region, with the highest degree of faunal affinity being only 38%. The dominant food items both in terms of biomass and abundance also varied inter-regionally, with fish, euphausiids, or decapods predominant by weight; and euphaussids, copepods, or amphipods most prevalent by number. Differences in size distribution of food items from region to region were also noted. S. diaphana from regions of cooler overlying water masses fed on fewer but larger prey items, and diet was less diverse than that of fish from warmer waters. The diet consists primarily of omnivorous and carnivorous prey, and there is evidence that larger specimens feed on larger food items. The broad size-distribution and taxonomic spectrum of the prey, features of functional morphology, and low density as inferred from trawl catches, indicate that S. diaphana is a predator of limited pursuit capability. Feeding strategy appears to involve capture of the nearest “available” prey within its immediate vicinity.
Effect of Extruder Parameters and Moisture Content of Switchgrass, Prairie Cord Grass on Sugar Recovery from Enzymatic Hydrolysis

Research on biomass pretreatment to enhance enzymatic digestibility has been done for more than decades, but a viable continuous pretreatment method needs to be developed. Extrusion has the potential to be a viable continuous pretreatment method. This study investigated the effect of compression ratio (2:1 and 3:1), screw speed (50, 100, and 150 rpm), and barrel temperature (50, 100, and 150 °C) on the sugar recovery from switchgrass (SG) and prairie cord grass (PCG) over a range of moisture contents (15, 25, 35, and 45% wb).The pretreated samples were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis for sugar recovery measurement. Statistical analyses revealed that a 3:1 screw compression ratio (compared to 2:1) increased glucose recovery by 12% and 8% and combined sugar recovery by 37% and 40% for SG and PCG, respectively. For SG, the highest sugar recovery (45.2%) was obtained at the lowest screw speed (50 rpm) and the highest temperature (150 °C) with moisture content of 15%. The highest glucose, xylose, and combined sugar recovery of 61.4%, 84.3%, and 65.8% were recorded for PCG extruded at a screw speed of 50 rpm and a temperature of 50 °C with a moisture content of 25%. Glycerol and acetic acid were byproducts found in low concentration (0.02–0.18 g/L) for both biomass.
Mapping adenines, guanines, and pyrimidines in RNA

The positions of adenines, guanines, and pyrimidines can be determined by partial nuclease digestion of a terminally labeles RNA molecule. In urea, at elevated temperatures, RNase T1 generates a pattern reflecting cleavage at guanines while RNase U2 cleaves only at adenine. A limited alkaline hydrolysis provides a continuum of fragments derived from breaks at every phosphodiester bond. The reaction products are electrophoretically fractionated by size in adjacent lanes of a polyacrylamide gel. An autoradiograph of the gel displays the sequence up to 100 nucleotides from the end of the molecule, although uracil cannot as yet be distinguished from cytosine. These techniques form the basis of an RNA sequencing method and are demonstrated on yeast 5.8S ribosomal RNA.
Documatic: participatory, mobile shooting assistant, pre-editor, and groundwork for semi-automatic filmmaking

While digital filmmaking has broadened the accessibility of documentary film and television creation, legacy production practices persist of first gathering information (shooting) and later structuring the audio-video narrative (editing). The open-source app Documatic combines shooting and editing processes via synchronized smartphone-camera annotation systems that automatically generate non-destructive video "rough-cuts" for Adobe Premiere. Harnessing the correct digital affordances can enable small documentary productions to enjoy some of the production efficiency traditionally belonging only to large scale filmmakers, while maintaining the artisanal quality control of a small team. The paper outlines the design, implementation, and example usage of this production and editing assistant, which is aimed at supporting small independent documentary filmmaking teams.
The mechanism of gastric hyperacidity produced by pylorus ligation in the rat

Pylorus ligation significantly increased gastric acid concentration over that found in nonligated acute fistula rats. Ligating the stomach on the antrum did not change the gastric secretory pattern from that obtained by pylorus ligation. Local administration of atropine, mecamylamine, and cocaine into the lumen of a pylorus sac inhibited gastric secretion. Atropine was four times as potent and mecamylamine three times as potent locally as when given orally, indicating direct effects on nerve structures in the submucosa.
Comparison of different alcohols in a caged lumophore for measuring supersaturated dissolved oxygen

Abstract Intense phosphorescence is observed when an alcohol is introduced to an aqueous solution containing 1-bromonaphthalene and a cyclodextrin complex. The enhancement of the phosphorescence intensity of 1-bromonaphalene is related closely with the alcohol’s effectiveness in shielding the photo-excited lumophore from dissolved oxygen. The phosphorescence intensity decreases and the phosphorescence decay rate increases as the dissolved oxygen concentration increases. In this paper, we measure the phosphorescence intensity and decay rate of the complex using different alcohols and explain their respective advantages. By relating the concentration of oxygen to the intensity and the lifetime of the phosphorescence, the dissolved oxygen concentration can be measured. The sensitivities and measurement ranges with the complexes containing different alcohols are compared. Currently, this technique can measure dissolved oxygen concentrations from 0 to 40.2 mM (31,400% saturation). The range of the measurement is 40 times larger than previous studies.
ASYMPTOTIC METHODS: APPLICATION TO REDUCTION OF MODELS

ABSTRACT. A survey of results on reduction of models related to problems of natural resource modeling using the boundary function method is presented. Detailed reduction procedures as well as conditions under which the reductions are at all possible are discussed. Particular asymptotic techniques are illustrated by simple examples taken from chemical kinetics, and a realistic example from atmospheric chemistry modeling.
Economies of Size and the Spatial Distribution of Land in Farming Units

Economies of size studies may erroneously point to excessive machinery capacities on large-scale farming units. This paper shows a simple but illustrative example of the influence of the spatial distribution of land on machinery requirements for increasing sizes of farms in the Imperial Valley of California.
A Grammar-Based Framework for Integrating Design and Manufacturing

In this paper, we present an engineering framework called Manufacturing Integration and Design Automation System (MIDAS). The core of MIDAS is a process grammar, which provides the theoretical foundation to represent, manipulate and execute design and manufacturing processes. The important properties offered by MIDAS, which are especially useful for integrating design and manufacturing, are generativity and abstraction. Given a set of rules and objects, it generates feasible alternative processes that can be represented at varying levels of abstraction. Generativity and abstraction allow users of MIDAS to explore alternative processes while coordinating and integrating iterative engineering activities concurrently in a distributed environment. When design and manufacturing processes are integrated within the framework of MIDAS, it helps engineers to navigate through the process alternatives and to foresee the effects of particular design choices in subsequent stages of design and manufacturing, even with an incomplete set of design data. Using a shared representation of design and manufacturing processes, MIDAS facilitates communication among engineers through a collaborative browser and various visualization tools.
Long-term Follow-up of Endoluminal Grafting for Aneurysmal and Occlusive Disease in the Superficial Femoral Artery

PURPOSE To examine the long-term outcome of patients treated with endoluminal grafts (ELGs) for aneurysmal and occlusive disease in the femoropopliteal (FP) segment. METHODS ELGs of radially expandable polytetrafluoroethylene with terminal Palmaz stents were used to form intimal conduits to revascularize lengthy occlusive disease and exclude aneurysms in the FP segment. Patient records were reviewed retrospectively for outcome. RESULTS Fifty-five (98%) of 56 ELGs were placed successfully in 51 patients treated from August 1993 to February 1996. Over a mean 36-month follow-up, 28 (50%) ELGs occluded. Half of these failures reflected early technical difficulties. There were 11 (20%) stent stenoses, 6 in the proximal stent and 5 in the distal device. The majority of the graft failures were treated with endovascular techniques; however, FP bypass was required in 7 (25%) patients, while 2 (7%) were not treated. Life-table analysis demonstrated 46% primary and 68% secondary patency rates at 24 months. Among demographic and procedural variables, only previous dilation or stent procedures in the target artery was associated with failure (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The prototype ELG used in this series demonstrated durability similar to conventional surgical therapy utilizing synthetic material. Endoluminal grafting of FP lesions may be a more durable alternative to classical bypass once devices and techniques are refined.
Experimental evaluation of the BDD-I dosimeter for the Global Positioning System

Abstract The Burst Detection Dosimeter I (BDD-I) is a multipurpose silicon detector system that has flown on two Block I satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) series. These spacecraft occupy circular orbits about 20 000 km above the surface of the Earth. BDD-I measures the radiation dose received by the GPS spacecraft, primarily from energetic electrons trapped in the Earth's radiation belt, but also from solar energetic particles and galactic cosmic rays outside the trapped radiation zone (when the spacecraft is near the Earth's magnetic poles). Absorbers, located in front of four separate silicon sensors, determine energy thresholds for measuring incident particle fluxes, and the magnitude of energy loss in each sensor provides an imperfect but useful separation between protons and electrons over a wide range of energies. This article describes the important mechanical and electronic features of this detector. Relations are given for converting the observed counting rate in the detector to parameters representing the incident flux of charged particles. The overall uncertainty in this determination of the integral electron flux is about 30%. The detector response was well characterized by the use of electrons with energies below 3 MeV. Monte Carlo simulations agree with measured responses to within the experimental uncertainty. The simulation results also enable assessments of the sensitivity of the experimental measurements to systematic effects such as an angular divergence in the incident electron beam. The article presents some sample data measured with the detector.
Climatic controls on fire-induced sediment pulses in Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho: a long-term perspective

Abstract Fire management addressing postfire erosion and aquatic ecosystems tends to focus on short-term effects persisting up to about a decade after fire. A longer perspective is important in understanding natural variability in postfire erosion and sedimentation, the role of these processes in structuring habitat, and future expectations in light of a warming climate and environmental change. In cool high-elevation forests of northern Yellowstone National Park, stand ages indicate infrequent large stand-replacing fires. In warmer low-elevation forests of the Payette River region of Idaho, fire-scarred tree-rings record frequent low-severity fires before 1900; stand-replacing fires and resulting debris flows in recent decades are usually attributed to 20th-century fire suppression, grazing, and other land uses. In both areas, however, tree-ring records extend back only about 500 years. We use 14 C -dated geologic records to examine spatial and temporal patterns of fire-induced sedimentation and its relation to climate over the last 10 000 years. We review sedimentation processes in modern postfire events, which vary in magnitude and impact on stream systems depending on burn severity, basin geomorphology, and the timing and characteristics of postfire storms. Modern deposits also provide analogs for identification of fire-related deposits in alluvial fans. In Yellowstone, episodes of fire-induced sedimentation occurred at intervals of about 300–450 years during the last 3500 years, indicating a regime of infrequent high-severity fires. Millennial-scale variations in the fire-sedimentation record appear to relate to hemispheric-scale climatic change. Fire-related sedimentation is rare in Yellowstone during cooler episodes (e.g., the Little Ice Age ∼1200–1900 a.d. ), probably because effectively wetter conditions prevented most fires from spreading. During some of the same cool periods, the Payette region experienced light surface fires and frequent, small pulses of fire-induced sediment. Between 900 and 1200 a.d. , however, large fire-related debris flows occurred in both study areas, coincident with the Medieval Warm Period. During that time, drought may have limited grass growth in xeric Payette-region forests, restricting surface fire spread and allowing understory shrubs and trees to create ladder fuels. Although fire suppression and land-use effects are clearly involved in recent catastrophic fires in the Payette region, a warming climate and severe drought are probable contributors to major stand-replacing fires and postfire sedimentation, both past and present. Restoration and maintenance of conditions prior to European settlement may be unrealistic because of the potent influence of climate, and the incidence of severe fires will likely increase in both areas with future warming.
Anomaly-free incremental output in stream processing

Continuous queries enable alerts, predictions, and early warning in various domains such as health care, business process monitoring, financial applications, and environment protection. Currently, the consistency of the result cannot be assessed by the application, since only the query processor has enough internal information to determine when the output has reached a consistent state. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that addresses the problem of consistency under the assumptions and constraints of a continuous query model. In addition to defining an appropriate consistency notion, we propose techniques for guaranteeing consistency. We implemented the proposed techniques in our existing stream engine, and we report on the characteristics of the observed performance. As we show, these methods are practical as they impose only a small overhead on the system.
Perspectives on self-management in multiple sclerosis: a focus group study.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the experience of self-management among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and gather their input to inform a self-management intervention. Twelve people wit...
Probiotics and the nursing home: should we give bacteria for breakfast?

There has been increasing recognition that the bacterialiving in the gastrointestinal trait represent the largest organin the human body. They play a key role in bowel functionand in regulating immune function. The balance betweencommensal (‘‘friendly’’) and pathogenic (‘‘unfriendly’’) bacte-ria is important in preventing diarrhea and constipation, lac-tose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome ﬂare-ups, andtranslocation of pathogenic bacteria into the systemic circu-lation.The ﬁrst intestinal bacteria were isolated at the Pasteur In-stitute by Henry Tessier and called Biﬁdobacterium biﬁdum.In1917, Alfred Nissle found that a soldier who failed to get shig-ellosis had Escherichia coli in his feces. He postulated thatthese bacteria were protective and used them to treat salmo-nellosis and shigellosis. These early studies led to the conceptthat there were good bacteria that regulated the growth ofother organisms in the gut. In the 1960s, this led to the devel-opment of the term probiotic. Probiotics are microorganismswhich, when taken orally, have health beneﬁts. These aremostly bacteria that convert carbohydrates into lactic acidand are used to produce yogurt. The most common strainsare Lactobacillus and Biﬁdobacterium.Yogurt has been used by humans for more than 4000 years.The biblical version of its origin is the Angel who taughtAbraham how to make yogurt. The commercialization ofyogurt began in 1916 when Isaac Carasso in Barcelona startedto sell yogurt, which he named Danone after his son Daniel(Danone 5‘‘little Daniel’’). Yogurt was ﬁrst sold in theUnited States in 1929 by the Colombosians in Andover,Massachusetts.At the start of the 20th century, the French scientist,Metchnikoff, promoted the use of yogurt for longevitywhen he believed that Bulgarian peasants lived an exces-sively long time and that this was attributable to their useof soured milk.
Influence of the optical isomers of some centrally acting drugs on norepinephrine responses

Abstract On the isolated rat vas deferens, the (−)-norepinephrine potentiating effect by the optical isomers of centrally acting drugs appears as follows: (+)-pipradrol > (−)-pipradrol, (+)-phendimetrazine > (±)-phendimetrazine, (+)-parachloroamphetamine = (−)-parachloroamphetamine, (+)-trans McN822 = (±)-cis McN822. At higher concentrations (−)-pipradrol appears to be weak competitive antagonist of alpha-adrenergic receptors.
Pretreatment serum endostatin as a prognostic indicator in metastatic gastric carcinoma

Endostatin is the C-terminal antiangiogenic fragment of the extracellular matrix protein collagen XVIII, and is generated by tumor-derived proteases. The presence of serum endostatin in patients with gastric cancer has not been reported. The authors assessed the serum levels of endostatin in patients with gastric carcinoma and evaluated their association with the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the clinical outcome. A total of 107 patients with gastric cancer were included in the study. Pretherapeutic serum levels of endostatin and VEGF were measured using an ELISA, and compared with those in 23 healthy controls. The serum levels of endostatin and VEGF were higher in gastric cancer patients than in healthy controls (endostatin, 70.1 +/- 16.6 vs. 52.2 +/- 6.2 ng/mL [p < 0.001]; VEGF, 55.1 +/- 7.6 vs. 32.1 +/- 2.4 ng/mL [p < 0.001]; mean +/- SD). Serum endostatin levels were significantly associated with the presence of distant metastases (r = 0.556, p < 0.001) and VEGF levels (r = 0.335, p < 0.001), but not with the depth of tumor invasion, differentiation, or regional lymph node status. A serum endostatin level above the 75th percentile of the distribution for the patients (79.2 ng/mL) was associated with a poor outcome (last follow-up at 42 months; median survival time, 9 vs. 20 months [log-rank, p = 0.017]; median time to progression, 5 vs. 10 months [log-rank, p = 0.022]) in the patients with metastatic gastric cancer. The results suggest for the first time that an elevated serum level of endostatin at the diagnosis of metastatic gastric cancer could be predictive of a poor outcome.