cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purified staphylococcal culture medium stimulates neutral metalloprotease secretion from human articular cartilage

Human articular cartilage released significantly increased levels of metal-dependent enzymes capable of degrading collagen, casein, and gelatin at a neutral pH following exposure to a sterile, purified fraction of Staphylococcus aureus culture medium. Neutral metalloprotease activity was determined by radiolabeled substrate assays and substrate gel analysis. The enzymes were activated with 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate and were inhibited by 1, 10-phenanthroline and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. Protein immunoblots demonstrated that type I collagenase and stromelysin (matrix metalloproteinase III) secretion was increased following staphylococcal medium challenge. The profile of enzymatic activity induced by staphylococcal medium was directly comparable to that observed with interleukin-1, which was used as a positive control. The staphylococcal medium had no inherent proteolytic activity. Increased production of the neutral metalloproteases collagenase and stromelysin may significantly contribute to the extensive cartilage destruction noted in staphylococcal septic arthritis.
Quantum Humor: The Playful Side of Physics at Bohr’s Institute for Theoretical Physics

From the 1930s to the 1950s, a period of pivotal developments in quantum, nuclear, and particle physics, physicists at Niels Bohr’s Institute for Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen took time off from their research to write humorous articles, letters, and other works. Best known is the Blegdamsvej Faust, performed in April 1932 at the close of one of the Institute’s annual conferences. I also focus on the Journal of Jocular Physics, a humorous tribute to Bohr published on the occasions of his 50th, 60th, and 70th birthdays in 1935, 1945, and 1955. Contributors included Leon Rosenfeld, Victor Weisskopf, George Gamow, Oskar Klein, and Hendrik Casimir. I examine their contributions along with letters and other writings to show that they offer a window into some issues in physics at the time, such as the interpretation of complementarity and the nature of the neutrino, as well as the politics of the period.
Quantized motion of three two-dimensional electrons in a strong magnetic field

We have found a simple, exact solution of the Schr\"odinger equation for three two-dimensional electrons in a strong magnetic field, given the assumption that they lie in a single Landau level. We find that the interelectronic spacing has characteristic values, not dependent on the form of the interaction, which change discontinuously as pressure is applied, and that the system has characteristic excitation energies of approximately $0.03\frac{{e}^{2}}{{a}_{0}}$, where ${a}_{0}$ is the magnetic length.
Proteomics in the characterization of adipose dysfunction in obesity

Adipose tissue plays a central role in body weight homeostasis, inflammation, and insulin resistance via serving as a fat-buffering system, regulating lipid storage and mobilization and releasing a large range of adipokines and cytokines. Adipose tissue is also the major inflammation-initiated site in obesity. Adipose-derived adipokines and cytokines are known to be involved in the modulation of a wide range of important physiological processes, particularly immune response, glucose and lipid homeostasis and insulin resistance. Adipose tissue dysfunction, characterized by an imbalanced secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines and cytokines, decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, dysregulation of lipid storage and release and mitochondrial dysfunction, has been linked to obesity and its associated metabolic disorders. Proteomic technology has been a powerful tool for identifying key components of the adipose proteome, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in the proteomic characterization of adipose tissue and discussed the identified proteins that potentially play important roles in insulin resistance and lipid homeostasis.
Trends in eastern U.S. sulfur air quality from the Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network

[1] Surface air quality data obtained at long-term stations operated by the Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are combined with precipitation chemistry data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program to construct indicators of air chemistry in the lower atmosphere starting in 1985/1986 and extending through 1997. The analysis is based on data from seven stations east of the Mississippi River. On the whole, levels of airborne sulfur reached a maximum in the late 1980s; since then, levels have been declining steadily at a rate of about 2.8% per annum, but with an increase to about 5% per annum for a period of the 1990s. There is no clear-cut step function that could be attributed to the initiation of emissions trading and resulting SO2 emissions reductions in about 1995. Instead, the data appear to indicate that the new regulatory trading philosophies have continued the long-term improvement in overall air quality that was already under way. The data from individual sites indicate that the benefits of emissions decreases are not necessarily evident at all locations. Improvements appear to be moderated to a considerable extent by local factors that may dominate in some situations. Overall, the air quality data correlate well with changes in emissions of sulfur as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency. The analysis shows that the percentage improvement in sulfur concentrations in the planetary boundary layer east of the Mississippi corresponds one to one to the percentage change in emissions from electric utilities (within the statistical uncertainties involved). Overall, the results support the hypothesis that regional air quality is governed by the largest point-source emitters, rather than by the integral of all upwind sources.
Relationships Among Secchi Disk Depth, Beam Attenuation Coefficient, and Irradiance Attenuation Coefficient for Great Lakes Waters

Abstract Optical data collected between 1973 and 1979 are utilized to discuss the relationships among the directly observed Secchi disk depths and the directly measured total attenuation coefficients and irradiance attenuation coefficients in Lakes Erie, Ontario, Superior, and Huron, as well as Georgian Bay. Tables and curves are presented depicting these mathematical relationships obtained by statistical regressions. These relationships are used to effect an intercomparison of the four Laurentian Great Lakes. In addition, subsurface, vertically downward sighting ranges are estimated and compared to the Secchi disk depths as determined from the mathematical regressions. Since there exists a vast amount of historical Secchi disk depth measurements, the need for such relationships certainly exists. It is intended that the cautious use of these regressions will assist the interpretation of such historical data bases wherein Secchi depths comprise the only available optical information.
Problems With Nomenclature of Specialty Training and Practice and Disclosure of Information Within Clinical Psychology

This commentary responds to Perry and Boccaccini (2009) by extending implications of the findings to nomenclature about specialties and specialty training, standardizing website information, and truth in advertising about clinical training programs.
Hypothesis Testing in Time Series via the Empirical Characteristic Function: A Generalized Spectral Density Approach

Abstract The standardized spectral density completely describes serial dependence of a Gaussian process. For non-Gaussian processes, however, it may become an inappropriate analytic tool, because it misses the nonlinear processes with zero autocorrelation. By generalizing the concept of the standardized spectral density, I propose a new spectral tool suitable for both linear and nonlinear time series analysis. The generalized spectral density is indexed by frequency and a pair of auxiliary parameters. It is well defined for both continuous and discrete random variables, and requires no moment condition. Introduction of the auxiliary parameters renders the spectrum able to capture all pairwise dependencies, including those with zero autocorrelation. The standardized spectral density can be derived by properly differentiating the generalized spectral density with respect to the auxiliary parameters at the origin. The consistency of a class of Parzen's kernel-type estimators for the generalized spectral dens...
Demographic factors and their association with outcomes in pediatric submersion injury.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiology and outcomes of serious pediatric submersion injuries and to identify factors associated with an increased risk of death or chronic disability. METHODS: A retrospective database review of 1994-2000 Massachusetts death and hospital discharge data characterized demographic factors; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), or ICD-10 injury codes; and outcomes for state residents 0-19 years of age identified with unintentional submersion injuries. The authors performed logistic regression analysis to correlate outcomes with risk and demographic factors. RESULTS: The database included 267 cases of serious submersion injury, defined as those requiring hospitalization or leading to death. Of these 267 patients, 125 (47%) drowned, 118 (44%) were discharged home, 13 (5%) were discharged home with intravenous therapy or with availability of a home health aide, and 11 (4%) were discharged to an intermediate care/chronic care facility. The authors observed a trend of improved outcome in successively younger age groups (p
General Exchange Boundary Condition and Surface Anisotropy Energy of a Ferromagnet

The general exchange boundary condition applicable to a line of spins placed in a static field of arbitrary orientation and whose end spins are subjected to different environments are first formulated. The result is then applied to the problem of spin wave resonance in thin magnetic films. Both the line and absorption spectra are calculated assuming different types of surface anisotropy. By comparing our theoretical results with various experiments, it is concluded that the shape of the energy surface of the surface anisotropy energy are uniaxial with the easy axis of magnetization in the direction of the surface normal and the hard plane of magnetization parallel to the film plane. The possible origin of this anisotropy, including the question of dynamic pinning, is discussed in some detail. Aside from the usual volume spin-wave resonance modes, we found also some surface spin wave modes whose presence may have an important bearing upon the magnetization reversal process in thin Permalloy films. An apparent departure from the ${k}^{2}$ dispersion low for spin waves and its relevance upon the determination of the exchange constant is also discussed.
Dental microwear texture analysis of late Pliocene Procynocephalus subhimalayanus (Primates: Cercopithecidae) of the Upper Siwaliks, India

Late Pliocene Procynocephalus subhimalayanus from the Upper Siwaliks, India is known from only three specimens. The dietary proclivities of this taxon have implications for reconstructing the paleoecology of the Upper Siwaliks. The dental microwear texture properties of Procynocephalus are compared to those from extant tropical forest primates including Alouatta palliata (n = 11), Cebus apella (n = 13), Gorilla gorilla (n = 9), Lophocebus albigena (n = 15) and Trachypithecus cristatus (n = 12). Dental microwear textures are generated by scanning the surface enamel of Facet 9 using white-light confocal microscopy at 100x. Four variables were extracted from scale-sensitive fractal analysis, and the data were ranked before ANOVA with post-hoc tests of significance and multivariate analyses were performed. Procynocephalus clusters closest to Lophocebus, Cebus and some Gorilla specimens suggesting hard-object feeding characterized a portion of its diet. The dental microwear texture of Procynocephalus supports interpretations of widespread grasslands of the Late Pliocene Kansal Formation (Pinjor zone). The extreme enamel complexity characterizing Procynocephalus may derive from consumption of underground storage organs, or other foods with high grit loads. Foods consumed near ground level carry a heavy load of abrasive minerals possibly contributing to greater enamel surface complexity and textural fill volume.
"On the border of snakeland": Evolutionary psychology and plebeian violence in industrial Chicago, 1875-1920

Historians of crime have often borrowed theoretical perspectives from sociology, criminology, and anthropology. An influential body of scholarship produced by psychologists, however, offers a new and unusually intriguing interdisciplinary perspective for historians of violence. Emphasizing the ways in evolutionary adaptations condition human behavior, "evolutionary psychologists" have developed a complex model for understanding certain kinds of violent social interactions. Aggressiveness, risk taking, and related forms of violent behavior, these scholars argue, have biological and evolutionary roots. Analyzing patterns of male-on-male homicide from Chicago between 1875 and 1920, this essay tests the applicability of evolutionary psychology theory to historical data on violence. If the model helps to account for both patterns of lethal violence and shifts in such patterns, then perhaps historians of crime should expand their use of interdisciplinary theory to include models from evolutionary psychology. Language: en
15N chemical shift anisotropy in protein structure refinement and comparison with NH residual dipolar couplings.

Abstract Recent methods of aligning proteins which were developed in order to measure residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) in solution can also be used for additional applications such as measuring the 15 N CSA in the form of chemical shift differences, Δ δ . A new XPLOR-NIH module has been developed and implemented for NMR structure refinement using the 15 N Δ δ data as restraints. The results of this refinement are shown using the protein Bax. This method should be amenable to any protein which can be studied by NMR. An analysis comparing the structural information provided by NH RDCs and the 15 N Δ δ is included.
Let's lunch and learn: Professional knowledge sharing in teachers' lounges and other congregational spaces

Abstract Teachers' lounges are often thought as places that breed negativity. This two-year ethnography conducted in the United States explored teachers' interactions within teachers' lounges and congregational spaces. This article discusses that an important occurrence in these spaces, professional knowledge sharing, took place instead of perpetual negativity which is the common perception. I present suggestions for how teacher education programs can highlight the importance of congregational spaces, while providing a more complete account of them.
The Absolute Continuity of Phase Operators

This paper studies the spectral properties of a class of operators known as phase operators which originated in the study of harmonic oscillator phase. Ifantis conjectured that such operators had no point spectrum. It was later shown that certain phase operators were, in fact, absolutely continuous and that all phase operators at least had an absolutely continuous part. The present work completes the discussion by showing that all phase operators are absolutely continuous. Introduction. Let H be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert space with orthonormal basis {0 }n= 1. For any bounded linear operator A on H, let Sp(A) denote the spectrum of A. If A is selfadjoint with spectral resolution A = fAdEx, denote by Hfa(A) the set of elements x in H for which IIExxII2 is an absolutely continuous function of X. It can be shown [2, p. 104] that tfa(A) is a subspace of H which reduces A. The restriction of A to Ht(a(A) is called the absolutely continuous part of A, and, if Hfla(A) = H, the operator A is said to be absolutely continuous. Let V denote the unilateral shift operator on H, so that VOn = On+ 1. Furthermore, let {an}n'=1 be any sequence of positive real numbers converging monotonically to 1 and satisfying the following "chain sequence" condition: (1) l/4a2 = (1 -gn.l)gn whereO 0). Define the operator A by AOn = an-l,n with ao = 0. Consider now the following operators on H-: C = (V *A + A V)/2, S = (V *A -A P)/2i. Such operators, called phase operators, have been studied in conjunction with the phase of the harmonic oscillator. Note that C and S are the real and imaginary parts, respectively, of T= V*A and, in particular, are selfadjoint. The conditions on the sequence {a,n}n'=1 guarantee that Sp(C) = Sp(S) = [-1, I]. [For a more detailed discussion of the origin of such operators and their properties see [3], Presented to the Society, January 25, 1975; received by the editors November 15, 1974. AMS (MOS) subject classifications (1970). Primary 47B15, 47B47.
CONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA (CH): A PREDICTOR OF PREINATAL MORTALITY AND POOR NEUROLOGIC OUTCOME

Thirty-six of 1236 high-risk newborns transported to NSUH between 1/73 and 12/82 developed CH (direct bilirubin >2.0 mg/dl or >50% of total); 36 transports matched for sex, race, gest. age ± 2 wk, weight ± 200 gm, birthdate ± 1 yr, served as controls. All charts were reviewed to determine association between CH and various factors. These results indicate that CH is significantly associated with shock, hemolytic disorders, multiple Tx, exchange Tx, higher mortality and subsequent poor neurologic outcome. T.P.N. was not significantly associated with CH. The outlook for survival and normal development for the neonate with CH is poorer than has been previously recognized.
Simple reaction time: effects associated with age, preparatory interval, incentive-shift, and mode of presentation.

Abstract Children ( N = 216) aged 5–13 and young adults ( N = 72) performed in a simple auditory reaction time task for two sessions. The experimental conditions were low incentive in the first session followed by high incentive; high followed by low; and low followed by low. The preparatory intervals were 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 seconds, and both the regular and irregular modes of presentation were used. In the Low-High groups the incentive effects were highly reliable in all age groups, but four to six times as great in the youngest children as in the adults, and greater on the harder tasks than the easier ones. A tendency for improvement in speed to be accompanied by a decreased dependence of the reaction time on the preparatory interval mimicked the same strong trend accompanying increasing age. There was no “depression” effect when incentives were shifted down in the High-Low groups. The form of the effect of the preparatory interval of the preceding trial on the reaction time of any current trial was about the same in children as in adults.
Moisture Deficit Effects on Cotton Lint Yield, Yield Components, and Boll Distribution

Understanding how moisture deficit stress alters cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) reproductive growth and yield component development would provide insight into the current yield stagnation problem plaguing U.S. cotton producers. Objectives were to document the effects of moisture deficit stress on reproductive growth, lint yield, yield components, boll distribution, and fiber quality. Meld studies were conducted from 1998 through 2001 utilizing eight diverse genotypes, which were grown under both dryland and irrigated conditions. Weekly white bloom counts, nodes above white bloom, lint yield, yield components, end-of-season plant mapping, and fiber quality data were collected. Genotypes responded similarly to the two soil moisture regimes for all of the parameters evaluated. Irrigation delayed cutout, the slowing of vegetative growth due to strong reproductive demand for assimilate, an average of 6 d. This delayed maturity enabled those plants to sustain flowering later in the growing season compared with dryland plants. During the years when sufficient moisture deficits occurred, the lint yield of dryland plants was reduced 25%, primarily because of a 19% reduction in number of bolls. Irrigated plants produced more bolls at higher plant nodes (>Node 10) and at the more distal positions (≥2) on the sympodial branches than did the dryland plants. Irrigation did not affect most fiber traits, but 3 out of 4 yr of irrigation produced approximately 2% longer fiber. Production of more bolls higher up the plant and further out the fruiting branch with irrigation indicates that these areas on the plant are where high yields need to be stabilized.
Experimental Acute Otitis Media Due to Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae: Comparison of High and Low Azithromycin Doses with Placebo

Treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) with azithromycin results in apparent clinical success, but tympanocentesis performed 4 to 6 days after initiation of therapy in children with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) recovered from initial middle ear cultures demonstrates persistence of infection in more than 50% of episodes. We sought to determine the effect of azithromycin at different doses on the density of middle ear infection due to NTHI to provide additional understanding of this dichotomy between clinical and microbiologic outcome measures in AOM. In a chinchilla model of experimental otitis media (EOM), animals treated with placebo were compared to animals receiving a single daily dose 30 or 120 mg of azithromycin per kg of body weight per day for 5 days. Microbiologic outcome was assessed by obtaining quantitative cultures from the middle ear during a 5-day course and for 1 week following therapy. Azithromycin concentrations were measured to ascertain whether a concentration-dependent effect was present. Azithromycin at 30 and 120 mg/kg/day demonstrated a dose-dependent effect on the quantitative assessment of middle ear infection due to NTHI. A 30-mg/kg dose of azithromycin daily resulted in levels in serum and areas under the serum concentration-time curve at 24 h comparable to published data obtained with children given azithromycin at 5 to 10 mg/kg in multiday regimens. Increased doses of azithromycin (120 mg/kg) achieved 2.5- to 4-fold-higher levels in serum and 3- to 6-fold-higher total levels and levels in extracellular middle ear fluid as well as more rapid reduction in bacterial density and a greater proportion of middle ears with complete sterilization than either placebo or the 30-mg/kg/day regimen.
Detection of time-varying flows in wireless networks

The problem of detecting the presence of time-varying flows in multi-hop wireless networks is considered. In particular, from transmission timing measurements, a test is constructed to determine whether there is a flow of data packets between a pair of nodes. It is assumed that the packet flows may have time-varying (piecewise constant) flow rates. First, a timing-based detector is proposed to detect a flow in the given measurements, and its performance analysis follows. Then, based on the detector, a sliding window technique is proposed for continuous monitoring. The techniques are tested using the MSN Voice over IP (VoIP) traffic and the synthetic Poisson traffic.
DIETARY FLAVONOIDS: Bioavailability, Metabolic Effects, and Safety

▪ Abstract Flavonoids comprise the most common group of plant polyphenols and provide much of the flavor and color to fruits and vegetables. More than 5000 different flavonoids have been described. The six major subclasses of flavonoids include the flavones (e.g., apigenin, luteolin), flavonols (e.g., quercetin, myricetin), flavanones (e.g., naringenin, hesperidin), catechins or flavanols (e.g., epicatechin, gallocatechin), anthocyanidins (e.g., cyanidin, pelargonidin), and isoflavones (e.g., genistein, daidzein). Most of the flavonoids present in plants are attached to sugars (glycosides), although occasionally they are found as aglycones. Interest in the possible health benefits of flavonoids has increased owing to their potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities observed in vitro. There is growing evidence from human feeding studies that the absorption and bioavailability of specific flavonoids is much higher than originally believed. However, epidemiologic studies exploring the role of ...
A2 mass spectrum in 7-GeV/c π+p interactions

Abstract The A 2 mass spectrum is studied in the reaction π + p→A 2 + p atZZ 7 GeV/ c in a hydrogen bubble chamber in order to investigate previously reported structure. We report on 1400 A 2 events with mass resolutions of 3.8, 6.7 and 9.2 MeV in the K + K 0 , 3π and ηπ + channels.
Vapor and Solution Deposited Organic Thin Film Transistors

For practical device and system use, OTFTs must demonstrate the uniformity, reproducibility, reliability, and integration with other devices, needed for real applications. As a candidate application we have considered the integration of vapor-deposited OTFTs with organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and have fabricated small test displays that allow us to investigate device characteristics and passivation and isolation requirements for integrating these organic devices
Stability and inheritance of endosperm-specific expression of two transgenes in progeny from crossing independently transformed barley plants

To study stability and inheritance of two different transgenes in barley, we crossed a homozygous T8 plant, having uidA (or gus) driven by the barley endosperm-specific B1-hordein promoter (localized in the near centromeric region of chromosome 7H) with a second homozygous T4 plant, having sgfp(S65T) driven by the barley endosperm-specific D-hordein promoter (localized on the subtelomeric region of chromosome 2H). Both lines stably expressed the two transgenes in the generations prior to the cross. Three independently crossed F1 progeny were analyzed by PCR for both uidA and sgfp(S65T) in each plant and functional expression of GUS and GFP in F2 seeds followed a 3:1 Mendelian segregation ratio and transgenes were localized by FISH to the same location as in the parental plants. FISH was used to screen F2 plants for homozygosity of both transgenes; four homozygous plants were identified from the two crossed lines tested. FISH results showing presence of transgenes were consistent with segregation ratios of expression of both transgenes, indicating that the two transgenes were expressed without transgene silencing in homozygous progeny advanced to the F3 and F4 generations. Thus, even after crossing independently transformed, homozygous parental plants containing a single, stably expressed transgene, progeny were obtained that continued to express multiple transgenes through generation advance. Such stability of transgenes, following outcrossing, is an important attribute for trait modification and for gene flow studies.
SORPTION PROPERTIES OF CARBON COMPOSITE MATERIALS FORMED FROM LAYERED CLAY MINERALS

The sorption properties of carbon-composite materials based on montmoriUonite and hydro- talcite matrices have been studied using nitrogen adsorption isotherms and inverse gas chromatography. Carbon composite materials derived from both types of inorganic precursors contain pore structure accessible for adsorbate molecules. Adsorption capacity per unit mass of these composite adsorbents is larger in the case of hydrotalcite than in montmorillonite-based materials. Exposing these materials to ambient conditions results in their hydration. Subsequent water removal by heating under vacuum increases nitrogen adsorption capacity, which is explained by the opening of the adsorption space. The water content of hydrated samples and its effect on adsorption capacity is greater for the case of hydro- talcite-based materials. No direct relationship between carbon content and adsorption properties of the materials studied is observed.
Enzymes immobilized on alumina and stainless steel supports

Enzymes can be sorbed on inorganic carriers followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. In some cases superior results are obtained when the support is precoated with a porous layer of titanium oxide. Immobilized lactase prepared in this way retains essentially all its activity when stored under water at 23°C for long periods of time and loses activity only slowly while treating cheese whey at 55°C over the course of several weeks contact time. Furthermore, catalyst activity is unaffected by frequent sanitization. Optimum pH for these immobilized-lactase catalysts (enzyme produced from A. niger) is about 3.0 and optimum temperature is about 60°C. Amyloglucosidase catalase, L-asparaginase, and trypsin have also been immobilized by these techniques.
The mechanisms leading to the useful electrical properties of polymer nanodielectrics

Polymer nanocomposites with metal oxide nanoparticle fillers exhibit enhanced electrical breakdown strength and voltage endurance compared to their unfilled or micron filled counterparts. This paper presents the following hypothesis for the mechanisms leading to improved properties. The inclusion of nanoparticles provides myriad scattering obstacles and trap sites in the charge carriers' paths, effectively reducing carrier mobility and thus carrier energy. The result is homocharge buildup at the electrodes, which increases the voltage required for further charge injection due to blocking by the homocharge. The hypothesis is supported by electroluminescence, pulsed electro acoustic analysis, thermally stimulated current measurements, a comparison of AC, DC, and impulse breakdown, as well as absorption current measurements, in silica/crosslinked polyethylene matrix composites with supporting evidence from titania/epoxy composites.
Numerical Study of Optimal Building Scales With Low Cooling Load in Both Hot and Mild Climatic Regions

Natural ventilation is one of the primary strategies for buildings in hot and mild climatic regions to reduce building cooling energy requirement. This paper uses a building energy simulation program and a computational fluid dynamics program to investigate the influence of building scales on building cooling energy consumption with and without natural ventilation. The study examines the energy performance of buildings with different L/W and H/W ratios in both Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA. The simulation results show the varying trends of natural ventilation potential with increased building scale ratio of L/W and H/W. The comparison of the predicted energy consumptions for twenty buildings discloses the most energy-efficient building scales for rectangular-shape buildings in both hot and mild climates with and without natural ventilation. The study indicates that natural ventilation is more effective in mild climates than in hot climates, which may save cooling energy by 50% and vent fan energy by 70%. The paper analyzes the most suitable seasons for natural ventilation in Miami and Los Angeles. Further simulations indicate that extra cooling benefits associated with more natural ventilation cannot compensate additional heat gains through larger windows.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Slashing Smallville: The Interplay of Text, Audience and Production on Viewer Interpretations of Homoeroticism

This essay examines the slash community surrounding the television series Smallville. Utilizing textual data, audience survey responses, and fan ethnography, I locate the performance of homoeroticism in Smallville and highlight important (sub)textual moments of the series as recounted by participants. These observations reveal important implications concerning the performative capabilities of narrative, the cultural significance of this particular Superman retelling, and the influence of textual intent on subcultural practices related to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. In essence, slash fans create an alternative vision of television narrative by marking each characters’ actions as homoerotic, which is rearticulated by the writers, directors and actors of the series. This interplay illustrates the changing nature of television narrative, where text, audience and production are inseparable when analyzing media artifacts.
Applications of mass spectrometry to metabolomics and metabonomics: Detection of biomarkers of aging and of age‐related diseases

Every 5 years or so new technologies, or new combinations of old ones, seemingly burst onto the science scene and are then sought after until they reach the point of becoming commonplace. Advances in mass spectrometry instrumentation, coupled with the establishment of standardized chemical fragmentation libraries, increased computing power, novel data-analysis algorithms, new scientific applications, and commercial prospects have made mass spectrometry-based metabolomics the latest sought-after technology. This methodology affords the ability to dynamically catalogue and quantify, in parallel, femtomole quantities of cellular metabolites. The study of aging, and the diseases that accompany it, has accelerated significantly in the last decade. Mutant genes that alter the rate of aging have been found that increase lifespan by up to 10-fold in some model organisms, and substantial progress has been made in understanding fundamental alterations that occur at both the mRNA and protein level in tissues of aging organisms. The application of metabolomics to aging research is still relatively new, but has already added significant insight into the aging process. In this review we summarize these findings. We have targeted our manuscript to two audiences: mass spectrometrists interested in applying their technical knowledge to unanswered questions in the aging field, and gerontologists interested in expanding their knowledge of both mass spectrometry and the most recent advances in aging-related metabolomics.
Flexibility in Consumer Purchasing for Uncertain Future Tastes

Consumers often simultaneously purchase multiple units in the same product category. Whether they are best off purchasing an assortment of alternatives or an equal number of one alternative is addressed in this paper. Models of an expected-utility-maximizing consumer are developed, and it is shown that an assortment may have greater expected utility than an equal number of any one alternative. The rationale is that the assortment allows the consumer to choose from inventory the alternative most appropriate for a consumption occasion using preference information not available at the purchase occasion. It is also shown that, when consuming alternatives from inventory, the consumer may forego the alternative offering the most utility in the expectation that it will yield even more utility in the future.
History dependence of non-fully depleted (NFD) digital SOI circuits

In this paper we experimentally demonstrate that the switching speed of digital circuits built from Non-Fully Depleted (NFD) SOI MOSFETs show a time dependence. Using a very high-bandwidth setup and pulses as short as 1 nsec, the magnitude and range of this memory effect are determined. It is demonstrated that the propagation delay variations have switching-history, V/sub dd/, and L/sub eff/ dependence. The cause of this behavior is traced to the SOI MOSFET's floating body and the dynamic variations of its stored charge and potential.
Toxoplasma gondii Targets a Protein Phosphatase 2C to the Nuclei of Infected Host Cells

Intracellular pathogens have evolved a wide array of mechanisms to invade and co-opt their host cells for intracellular survival. Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii employ the action of unique secretory organelles named rhoptries for internalization of the parasite and formation of a specialized niche within the host cell. We demonstrate that Toxoplasma gondii also uses secretion from the rhoptries during invasion to deliver a parasite-derived protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C-hn) into the host cell and direct it to the host nucleus. Delivery to the host nucleus does not require completion of invasion, as evidenced by the fact that parasites blocked in the initial stages of invasion with cytochalasin D are able to target PP2C-hn to the host nucleus. We have disrupted the gene encoding PP2C-hn and shown that PP2C-hn-knockout parasites exhibit a mild growth defect that can be rescued by complementation with the wild-type gene. The delivery of parasite effector proteins via the rhoptries provides a novel mechanism for Toxoplasma to directly access the command center of its host cell during infection by the parasite.
Hydroxyurea derivatives of irofulven with improved antitumor efficacy

Irofulven is a semi-synthetic derivative of Illudin S, a toxic sesquiterpene isolated from the mushroom Omphalotus illudens. Irofulven has displayed significant antitumor activity in various clinical trials but displayed a limited therapeutic index. A new derivative of irofulven was prepared by reacting hydroxyurea with irofulven under acidic conditions. Acetylation of this new compound with acetic anhydride produced a second derivative. Both of these new derivatives displayed significant antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo comparable to or exceeding that of irofulven.
Abstract T P24: Endovascular Thrombectomy in Non-Intubated Patients for Basilar Artery Occlusive Disease is Associated With Improved Outcomes

Background and Purpose: Basilar artery occlusive disease is associated with poor outcomes and high rates of mortality in the absence of recanalization. Intra-arterial thrombectomy can lead to improved outcomes in a subset of patients, but the determinants of these outcomes are poorly understood. Patients are often routinely intubated prior to thrombectomy for concern of poor mental status and potential procedural complication risk in an uncooperative patient, however intubation itself carries an associated complication profile. We sought to understand the outcomes in patients undergoing thrombectomy with intravenous conscious sedation (IVCS) versus general anesthesia (GA). Methods: A review of our prospectively maintained endovascular stroke database identified 103 patients presenting with basilar occlusion. Results: 79 patients underwent GA and 24 patients underwent IVCS. There were no significant differences in age, gender or stroke risk factors between the two groups. The average NIHSS was higher in th...
Impact assessment in practice: case studies from save the children programs in Lao PDR and Afghanistan

Abstract There are a range of opportunities, and challenges, in engaging with the impact of delivering change, many of which are magnified in the often complex operating environments in which Save the Children works. This chapter presents the Save the Children’s approach to assessing how successful we are in delivering positive outcomes for children. Focusing on two case studies from highly contrasting contexts, the chapter explores strategies adopted to collect, analyze, and utilize evidence to inform program delivery and measure program results; and analyses the factors that enable and constrain assessment of program progress and impact.
Interaction Between Frames and Precast Panel Walls

It is shown that plastic analysis is a suitable method for analyzing structures composed of precast concrete panel walls mounted on a steel frame. The panels are bolted on the frame using connecting bolts embedded in the panels. These bolts are assumed to be elastic perfectly plastic. A yield locus for the panel-bolt-frame system is developed. With the aid of the yield locus the collapse load and mode of collapse for a panel frame system can be determined. Of particular interest is the use of panel walls as wind bracing and as partial bearing walls. Two illustrative examples of this type are described. With this method of analysis, full advantage can be taken of the panel's ability to transmit forces between points in the frame.
Clinical Evaluation of Aztreonam Therapy for Serious Infections Due to Gram-Negative Bacteria

Aztreonam--a new, synthetic, monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotic with excellent in vitro activity and beta-lactamase stability--was used for the treatment of 26 serious infections due to gram-negative bacteria in 23 patients: nine cases of bacteremia, one of endocarditis, one of pneumonia, one of septic arthritis, six of osteomyelitis, five of abscess or soft tissue infection, and three of meningitis. The majority of patients had serious underlying disease, and 18 were in critical or poor condition. The mean age of the patients was 62 years, and the mean duration of therapy was 19 days. The clinical condition of all 23 patients improved during therapy; 20 infections were cured according to clinical criteria. Three of the six instances of therapy failure were due to inadequate debridement. No superinfections, resistant pathogens, or significant adverse reactions were seen. Aztreonam was effective and safe for the treatment of serious gram-negative infections.
The Perils of Odysseus: On Constructing Theories of International Relations

Confusion and misconceptions about the state and nature of “theory” have reached monumental proportions in the field of international relations. This situation is debilitating both because it misleads academics and policymakers alike about the contributions that can be made by theorists of international relations and because it operates to set back serious efforts to pursue theory in the field. Accordingly, I write in an effort to cut through some of this confusion and to set the problems of constructing theories about international phenomena in perspective. Specifically, I wish to explicate the following theses in these pages: 1
CompanionViz: Mediated platform for gauging canine health and enhancing human–pet interactions

Abstract Advancements in personal data collection and visualization – commonly referred to as the quantified self (QS) movement – allow individuals to self-track health and other attributes. We extend quantified self (QS) concepts to the quantified other (QO) to explore how the use of technology, collection of data on one's pet dog, and personal visualization affect pet owners' understandings of, and relationships with, their pets. We introduce the term Human–pet–computer interaction (HPCI) as the study of how technology can be designed and used to advance human–pet companionships. As an example, we describe CompanionViz, a personal information visualization prototype designed to inform pet owners on their dogs’ caloric inputs/outputs, as well as exercise and movement habits. We present a user study of CompanionViz featuring a twelve-participant survey and one field study, consisting of three unique use cases, and show that by providing pet owners with quantifiable awareness of their dogs’ health and exercise habits using personal visual representations, pet owner–dog bonds can benefit.
COFFEE IN CHINA: MARKET TREND AND CONSUMER DEMAND

OF THESIS COFFEE IN CHINA: MARKET TREND AND CONSUMER DEMAND Although it remains a tea consuming nation, both production and consumption of coffee in China has been increasing at double-digit rates and is not expected to slow down (International Coffee Organization (ICO), 2015). With investments and upward trends in production and rapid increases in consumption of coffee in China it is important for producers and retailers of the bean1 in China to understand the new Chinese coffee consumer. Using survey data from Wuhan, China we help understand the Chinese coffee consumer by explaining their consumption using standard OLS regression. Results show that whether or not consumers make/brew their own coffee, how long consumers have been consuming coffee regularly, the size of the coffee cup most often purchased and individuals’ prediction of their coffee consumption in the following year are all important in explaining Chinese coffee consumption. We suggest for long-run success, that Chinese coffee producers and retailers in China focus on the quality of their coffee bean.
The Value of Integrated Information Systems for U.S. General Hospitals

THE VALUE OF INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR U.S. GENERAL HOSPITALS Each year, huge investments into healthcare information systems (HIS) are being made all over the world. Despite the enormous cost for the hospitals, the overall benefits and costs of the healthcare information systems have not been deeply assessed. In recent years, much previous research has investigated the link between the implementation of Information Systems and the performance of organizations. Although the value of Healthcare Information System or Healthcare Information Technology (HIS/HIT) has been found in many studies, some questions remain unclear. Do HIS/HIT systems influence different hospitals the same way? How to understand and explain the mechanism that HIS/HIT improves the performance of hospitals? To address these questions, our research will: 1) Identify the bottlenecks of the current healthcare system which affects the operation efficiency (mismatch between demand and service provided); 2) Adopt the institutional theory to explain the process of implementing HIS/HIT and the possible outcomes; 3) Conduct an empirical study, to expose issues of current healthcare system and the value of the HIS/HIT, and to identify the factors that affect the performance of different hospitals; and 4) Design a decision support system for hospitals. Based on institutional theory, we explain the empirical findings from 2014 HIMSS database. To solve the mismatch between the patient needs and doctor’s schedule, we will propose a business model for a new integrated information management system. It gives the physicians and patients a comprehensive picture needed to understand the type of different patients. A classification schema will be designed to provide recommendations for scheduling decision, and it is supported by the interactive system.
Open Reduction, Internal Fixation Distal Intraarticular Distal Humerus Fracture.

Purpose The purpose of this video is to demonstrate the surgical repair of an intraarticular distal humerus fracture. Methods A polytrauma patient with an intraarticular distal humerus fracture is shown. The patient is positioned laterally, with a posterior skin incision and olecranon osteotomy for exposure. An anatomic reduction is achieved, and internal fixation with perpendicular plating of the distal humerus is performed. Results The video is 18 minutes, 34 seconds duration in time and 2,048,752,000 bytes in size. Conclusions Open reduction with internal fixation of a distal humerus fracture is demonstrated in this video.
A study of the kinetic mechanisms of two enzymes involved in the metabolism of adenosylmethionine

An understanding of the biological role of a compound is often acquired through a knowledge of the kinetic mechanisms of those enzymes involved in its metabolism. Once the mechanism has been classified by initial rate kinetic analysis, structural analogues of the product can be used to elucidate the substrate-product binding site on the enzyme.