cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Palliative Care for Patients with Haematological Malignancies

Tremendous therapeutic advance has been made in treating patients with haematological disease during the past decades. Despite this, very many patients will eventually die from their disease, and another number of patients will die from complications and side effects of the therapeutic regimen itself. Given the burdensome and disease-specific course of most haematological malignancies, very little is known about the specific clinical, nursing and psychosocial needs of patients suffering from incurable and advanced haematological disease. Therefore, this chapter will on the one hand seek to provide haematologists with knowledge on the assessment and multi-professional care of this particularly vulnerable group of patients and to demonstrate how palliative care structures may help in supporting the care for patients with incurable haematological disease. On the other hand, this chapter will provide palliative care physicians and teams with a basis of knowledge on the biology, the therapy and the prognostic trajectories of different haematological entities, enabling those of us who work in specialised palliative care to specifically support these patients and understand the complex clinical situations that differ markedly from those encountered in patients with solid tumour entities.
Geometry and graphics in landscape architecture

Despite its long practical history landscape architecture is still young as an academic discipline. In Poland the interest in landscape architecture began to grow in the last quarter of the 20th century and only recently became really vivid. The studies cover a wide range of subjects connected mainly with natural science. Students also get the chance to develop their artistic skills through the medium of art classes. Students of landscape architecture obtain a Master of Science degree, therefore technical subjects such as geometry or engineering graphics remain particularly significant. Teaching methods which make the taught subject relevant to the future occupations of the students, or are closely related to the faculty, draw a favourable response from the students. The article presents the whole range of examples of tasks, which are relevant to the profession connected with the landscape architecture and outlines the issues which are taught in descriptive and engineering geometry classes. Nowadays, it is difficult to observe students' craving for purely theoretical academic knowledge. To be well received it has to be ‘smuggled’ under the guise of practical use and immediate usefulness in their vocation. Anyway, it seems that what is most important is the result. Theoretical knowledge should be a good foundation for the future work of graduates and will hopefully develop them intellectually.
Trends and Fads in Macroeconomic Dynamics

This paper tries to distinguish between those features of macroeconomic dynamics which will stand the test of time and which will not. It reviews the rational expectations and the representative agent models. It concludes that more attention should be paid to nonlinear dynamics and uncertainty than has hitherto been paid by macroeconomists. This lecture presents some thoughts and observations resulting from having worked for over a quarter of a century in the general area of macroeconomic dynamics. The stimulus for thinking about these issues was occasioned by the writing of my book Methods of Macroeconomic Dynamics, recently published by MIT Press. This book attempts to provide an overview of the methods employed in the analysis of macrodynamic systems. In doing this one has to sort out what is important, that is what has a permanent effect on how we conduct macrodynamics, and what is purely transitory. This lecture provides a fortuitous occasion to present these views. My remarks will be structured as follows. After reviewing the early background to modern macrodynamics, I will then turn to some of the more recent developments, including the rational expectations and representative agent models. I will then comment on some of the current practices of the profession, including what I consider to be some fads, and conclude with some observations about the future.
Scheduling strategies and their evaluation in a data stream management system

MavStream, a Data Stream Management System (DSMS), has been developed for processing stream data from applications such as network monitoring, sensor monitoring and traffic management systems that require near-real time results and have to process unbounded streams of data. In order to be useful, a result produced by MavStream has to meet certain Quality of Service (QoS) requirements on tuple latency, memory usage, and throughput. Strategies used for scheduling the operators of continuous query (CQ) significantly affect the QoS metrics and hence are of interest. This paper discusses scheduling strategies used in MavStream, their design, implementation, and evaluation. Scheduling is done in MavStream at the operator level. The scheduler maintains a ready queue of operators and decides on the operators to be scheduled based on the scheduling strategy. We first introduce the path capacity scheduling strategy with the goal of minimizing tuple latency by scheduling operator paths with maximum processing capacity. Later we discuss segment-scheduling strategy that aims at minimization of total memory requirement by scheduling operator segments with maximum memory release capacity. We then discuss simplified segment strategy, which splits operator path into just two segments providing better tuple latency performance than segment scheduling strategy and lower memory utilization than path capacity scheduling strategy. Extensive set of experiments have been designed and performed to evaluate the proposed scheduling strategies by simulating real time streams. The performance metrics of average tuple latency, memory utilization and throughput are compared with each other for different strategies and with round robin strategy to validate the analytical conclusions.
Taking a Beating on the Stock Market: Crime and Stock Returns*

Using daily reported crime incidents from over 2,500 law enforcement agencies across 27 states from 1991-2012, I examine the real and social effects of how stock market changes impact revealed utility using micro-level (city/county) data. Exploiting crime as revealed negative utility, I find an instantaneous positive and convex relationship between daily stock returns and overall crime rates. I also find that market changes impact investors’ (proxied by income) and non-investors’ utility differently and attribute this as evidence in support of envy models such as Abel (1990) that individuals care about their own consumption and wealth relative to others. I find that a one standard deviation increase in daily market returns corresponds to a significant 22.8 bps increase in overall crime rates across the US, and exhibits a monotonically increasing relationship when examining the effect from high income to low income locations. The 22.8 bps daily increase in crime is also economically meaningful and corresponds to an additional annualized 36,551 crimes across the US with a corresponding estimated annualized loss of $2.67 billion. I also find a relationship between returns and violent crime, property crime, and white collar crime. For example, a one standard deviation increase in the market return is associated with a 22 bps decrease in assaults for high income locations, and a 40 bps increase in assaults for low income locations. These results are consistent with rational asset pricing models with envy where a positive stock return increases utility for investors, but decreases utility for non-investors whose relative expected future consumption declines. My results also have strong social welfare implications. Specifically, I provide evidence that income inequality and large market swings adversely affect the overall well-being of the US population.
Do Philanthropic Citizens Behave Like Governments? Internet-Based Platforms and the Diffusion of International Private Aid

Until recently, most aid from rich to poor countries was transmitted through official bilateral and multilateral channels. But the rapid growth in private development aid from foundations, charities, and philanthropic individuals raises a host of questions regarding the allocation of aid and its selectivity across recipient countries. We analyze determinants of the supply of private aid from two large internet-based non-profit organizations that bundle contributions from individuals and transfer them as grants or loans to developing countries: GlobalGiving and Kiva. We compare the allocation of funds from these organizations to official development assistance. We find that the selectivity of private aid is less oriented toward country-specific factors, and more toward frontline projects and individuals in developing nations. Survival analysis examining the funding rate of projects on these two Web sites confirms the lower relevance of country-specific characteristics and risks, suggesting that philanthropic individuals behave unlike official aid donors. This indicates that private aid and official aid are complementary: official aid supports countries, private aid supports people. With different preferences, formal coordination between these different donors may not be needed. Instead, each needs to understand when and how it can partner with the other to meet differing objectives.
Time-varying gravitational multipole moments corresponding to nonradial solar oscillations

Hill (1978) and Severny, Kotov and Tsap (1976) and others have reported oscillations in the apparent radius of the sun of amplitude δR⊙ which have been interpreted as arising from mechanical vibrations of various normal modes. A future space mission is being discussed whereby a probe will pass within 4 R⊙ of the sun. This probe would have sufficient sensitivity to measure an oscillating (dimensionless) quadrupole moment J2′ at the 10−7 level. In this paper we consider the relationship between various multipoles and δR⊙/R⊙. We calculate the multipole moments for the Cowling polytropic model and an approximate solar model. We find J2′/(δ R⊙/R⊙) to be ∼ 10−3 for both models.
Shape adaptation for light field compression

We propose a method of using shape adaptation for compression of light fields of 3D objects. Shape adaptation is incorporated into two light field coders, both applying disparity compensation with an explicit geometry model, to improve the compression efficiency. The shape information can be derived at the decoder from an accurate geometry model. If the available geometry is inaccurate, we propose to code the exact 2D shapes with the aid of the approximate geometry. Experiments show that shape adaptation greatly improves the compression performance of both coders.
North American Border Wars: The Role of Canadian and American Scholarship in U.S. Labor Law Reform Debates

The economies of Canada and the United States and the organization of their societies are deeply interrelated but significant differences exist. This article briefly traces the interaction between the two countries in the development of labor relations laws with a particular emphasis on the impact of scholarly work on U.S. labor law reform debates in the last two decades. Instructive for that purpose is the work of Professor Paul Weiler, a prominent figure in labor law policy discussions in both countries. A significant architect of labor law in Canada, Professor Weiler came to Harvard Law School in 1978 and brought his experience and insights with him, rapidly becoming one of the foremost labor law scholars in the United States. His influence in the 1990s, and hence the influence of Canadian ideas, on the ultimately unsuccessful labor law reform proposals of President Clinton’s Dunlop Commission is widely recognized. Professor Weiler’s proposals are once again the basis for scholarly and policy debate. This time, however, Canadian ideas and experience have prompted a scholarly border skirmish. Recently, when new legislation – the Employee Free Choice Act – was proposed to Congress to implement a number of reforms of the National Labor Relations Act based on the Canadian experience, several U.S. academics argued that the actual Canadian experience where these reforms were in place resulted in higher unemployment and slower economic growth. Canadian labor scholars, fearing the corrosive effects of such critiques on their own labor relations regime, responded with rejoinders challenging the work of the American scholars. Clearly, and notwithstanding American provincialism, Canadian-influenced labor law scholarship has played a central role in U.S. policy debates, creating a favorable intellectual environment for labor law convergence. Yet the opponents of U.S. labor law reform also deploy scholarship aimed at the Canadian experience in order reinforce the divergent paths of the two systems, as do Canadian scholars acting defensively to forestall greater convergence of the Canadian regime to the U.S. model.
Effect of incubation of guinea-pig taenia coli in potassium-free media on arachidonate release and lipid metabolism

Abstract We studied effects of immersion of guinea-pig taenia coli strips in potassiumfree media on arachidonate stores and other lipid fractions. Control studies obtained with the strips in Krebs solution showed that greater than 97% of arachidonate was found esterified in phospholipid with the following distribution: phosphatidylethanolamine > phosphatidylcholine > phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol. 30 min incubation of the strips with [ 3 H]arachidonate complexed to albumin resulted in incorporation of this isotope into phospholipid and neutral lipid fractions, phosphatidylcholine > neutral lipid > phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol > phosphatidylethanolamine. 30 min incubations with 32 PO 2− 4 resulted in isotope incorporation into phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine > phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol > phosphatidylethanolamine. After ‘loading’ with [ 3 H] arachidonate and 32 P, placing the strips in potassium-free media caused the following: there was an increased release of [ 3 H] arachidonate from tissue into the bathing solution. [ 3 H] Arachidonate and 32 P radioactivity in phosphatidylinositol fell without a change in phosphatidylinositol content. [ 3 H] Arachidonate and 32 P radioactivity in other phospholipid fractions was unchanged. Arachidonate specific activity fell and arachidonate content increased in the phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol fraction. [ 3 H] Arachidonate in neutral lipid did not change significantly. We conclude that exposure of taenia coli to potassium-free media activates turnover of phosphatidylinositol, which results in release of arachidonate.
Penile length in adulthood after exstrophy reconstruction

ABSTRACTPurpose: We attempted to determine whether the penis in adulthood after exstrophy reconstruction is short because of a congenital defect in the size of the corpora cavernosa.Materials and Methods: Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 10 men who underwent exstrophy reconstruction in childhood, and 10 age and race matched controls. Measurements of penile and pelvic anatomy were compared.Results: The corpora cavernosa in men after exstrophy reconstruction were shorter than normal. Dividing total corporeal length into an anterior and posterior segment revealed that the anterior segment was short but the posterior segment attached to the pubic ramus was normal. However, the diameter of the posterior corporeal segment was greater than in controls. Although diastasis of the symphysis pubis increased the intersymphyseal and intercorporeal distances, the angle between the corpora cavernosa was unchanged, presumably because the corporeal bodies were separated in a parallel fashion.Conclusions:...
PHONETICS. Peter Roach. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Pp. x + 116. £7.90 paper.

Phonetics belongs to the Oxford series entitled Introduction to language studies edited by H. G. Widdowson. Widdowson states in the preface that the purpose of this series is “not to supplant but to support the more academically oriented introductions to linguistics: to prepare the conceptual background” by providing “a general context in reference to which detail makes sense” (p. vii). The book is divided into four sections: a survey, which is written to be readable and informative; a collection of readings extracted from the specialist literature, which extends the concepts presented in the survey; a list of references; and a glossary, which is cross-referenced to the survey.
MUC1 expression in human prostate cancer cell lines and primary tumors

MUC1 expression was evaluated in normal prostate epithelial cells (PrEC), and prostate cancer cell lines in response to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment. Expression of MUC1 core protein was stimulated in PrEC and PC-3 cells after cytokine treatment, but was highly and constitutively expressed by DU-145 cells. MUC1 was not expressed by LNCaP, C4-2 or C4-2B cells under any condition. DHT alone or in combination with cytokines had no effect on MUC1 expression in any cell line tested. Using antibodies capable of detecting all isoforms of MUC1 core protein independent of their glycosylation state, immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays containing both nontumor and tumor tissue revealed that only 17% of tumor tissues and 41% of nontumor tissues stained positively for MUC1. Staining patterns in tumor tissue varied from focal apical staining to diffuse cytoplasmic staining. Neither the presence of MUC1 core protein nor its subcellular distribution correlated with Gleason grade. These data indicate that MUC1 is a poor marker of prostate cancer progression. Furthermore, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha strongly induce MUC1 expression in both normal prostate epithelia and certain prostate tumor cell lines and may exacerbate pathologies associated with MUC1-positive prostate cancers.
Pre- and post-operative gait analysis for evaluation of neck pain in chronic whiplash

Chronic neck pain after whiplash is notoriously refractory to conservative treatment, and positive radiological findings to explain the symptoms are scarce. The apparent disproportionality between subjective complaints and objective findings is significant for the planning of treatment, impairment ratings, and judicial questions on causation. However, failure to identify a symptom's focal origin with routine imaging studies does not invalidate the symptom per se. It is therefore of a general interest both to develop effective therapeutic strategies in chronic whiplash, and to establish techniques for objectively evaluation of treatment outcomes. Twelve patients with chronic neck pain after whiplash underwent pre- and postoperative computerized 3D gait analysis. Significant improvement was found in all gait parameters, cervical range-of-motion, and self reported pain (VAS). Chronic neck pain is associated with abnormal cervical spine motion and gait patterns. 3D gait analysis is a useful instrument to assess the outcome of treatment for neck pain.
Ectopic Ventricular Prematurity and Its Relationship to Ventricular Tachycardia in Acute Myocardial Infarction in Man

In order to determine the role of the coupling interval of a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) in the development of paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (PVT) during the early phase of acute myocardial infarction in man, 52 male patients with documented acute myocardial infarction had 24-hour Holter monitoring commenced within 24 hours of the onset of prolonged chest pain. Review of the tape recordings revealed that 27 patients had PVT documented, while 25 patients did not. Analysis of the data on the two groups showed that the frequency of PVCs, coupled PVCs, and accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) were found to be associated with a significantly increased incidence of ventricular tachycardia. The mean coupling interval of the PVCs initiating episodes of ventricular tachycardia was not significantly different from either the mean coupling interval of the isolated PVCs in the patients with PVT or the mean coupling interval of the PVCs in the patients without PVT. This suggests that the coupling...
In vitro assays for new drug screening: Comparison of a thymidine incorporation assay with the human tumor colony‐forming assay

Because of technical limitations with the human tumor colony-forming assay (HTCFA), we determined the feasibility of using a thymidine incorporation assay (TIA) for new drug screening. Concordance between the TIA and the HTCFA was obtained (r = 0.840) with twenty coded compounds. Toxic agents without proven clinical efficacy were active in both assays, while non-toxic substances were inactive. Growth rates were higher with the TIA (75%) than with the HTCFA (45%), and the TIA could be completed in 6 days compared to 14-21 days with the HTCFA. We concluded that the TIA is a useful adjunct to in vivo tumor models for screening new anticancer agents.
Comparison of surgical techniques of 111 medial malleolar fractures classified by fracture geometry.

Background:Evaluation of operative techniques used for medial malleolar fractures by classifying fracture geometry has not been well documented.Methods:One hundred eleven patients with medial malleolar fractures (transverse n = 63, oblique n = 29, vertical n = 7, comminuted n = 12) were included in this study. Seventy-two patients had complicating comorbidities. All patients were treated with buttress plate, lag screw, tension band, or K-wire fixation. Treatment outcomes were evaluated on the basis of radiological outcome (union, malunion, delayed union, or nonunion), need for operative revision, presence of postoperative complications, and AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot score.Results:For transverse fractures, tension band fixation showed the highest rate of union (79%), highest average AOFAS score (86), lowest revision rate (5%), and lowest complication rate (16%). For oblique fractures, lag screws showed the highest rate of union (71%), highest average AOFAS score (80), lowest revision rate (19%), and lowest comp...
On the neutron theory of corona heating

Fowler and Hashemi1 have proposed a neutron theory of solar coronal heating. There are, however, several objections to this theory2; it is, for example, difficult to explain in the neutron theory the strong influence of the magnetic field on the structure of the solar corona (which causes the eleven-year solar cycle, the active regions and the spicules in the chromosphere–corona transition regions and so on). We present an observational test of the theory and point out another difficulty of the neutron hypothesis.
Genetic Selection for Enhanced Bioavailable Levels of Iron in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Seeds

The bioavailability of Fe from 24 select genotypes of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds containing a range of concentrations of Fe, myo-inositol pentaphosphate plus phytic acid (IP5+IP6), and tannins was studied using a rat model. Bean accessions, selected from field trials for their variations in Fe, phytate, and tannin seed concentrations, were grown in a greenhouse in nutrient solutions radiolabeled with 59Fe. Mature seeds were autoclaved and lyophilized. Test meals (containing 1 g of dried bean, 0.5 g of sucrose, and 1 g of basal Fe-deficient diet) were fed to marginally Fe-depleted weanling rats over a 3-h period; rats were radioassayed in a γ-spectrometer immediately after feeding and daily thereafter for the next 10 d. Radioiron retention data were used to calculate percent Fe absorption (i.e., Fe bioavailability) from the meals. Seed Fe concentrations ranged from 52 to 157 μg g-1 dry weight. There was a tendency to also select for higher Zn concentrations in the beans when selecting for high Fe c...
Spatial variability of summertime tropospheric ozone over the continental United States: Implications of an evaluation of the CMAQ model

Abstract This study evaluates the ability of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to simulate the spatial variability of summertime ozone (O3) at the surface and in the free troposphere over the continental United States. Simulated surface O3 concentrations are compared with 987 Air Quality System (AQS) sites and 123 Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) sites. CMAQ's ability to reproduce surface observations varies with O3 concentration. The model best simulates observed O3 for intermediate concentrations (40–60 ppbv), while over-(under-) predicting at lower (higher) levels. CMAQ reproduces surface O3 for a wide range of conditions (30–80 ppbv) with a normalized mean error (NME) less than 35% and normalized mean bias (NMB) lying between ±15% for the whole domain. Although systematically over-predicting O3 in the east and under-predicting it in the western United States, CMAQ is able to reproduce 1- and 8-h daily maxima with a cross-domain mean bias (MB) of 1 and 8 ppbv, or NMB of 8% and 25%, respectively. The model underestimates observed O3 at rural sites (MB=−5 ppbv, NMB=−5% and NME=23% with a 40 ppbv cut-off value) and over-predicts it at urban and suburban sites by a similar magnitude (MB=6 ppbv, NMB=7% and NME=25%). Apparent errors and biases decrease when data is averaged over longer periods, suggesting that most evaluation statistics are dependent on the time scale of data aggregation. Therefore, performance criteria should specify an averaging period (e.g., 1- or 8- h) and not be independent of averaging period as some current model evaluation studies imply. Comparisons of vertical profiles of simulated O3 with ozonesonde data show both overestimation and underestimation by 10–20 ppbv in the lower troposphere and a consistent under-prediction in the upper troposphere. Vertical O3 distributions are better simulated when lateral boundary conditions obtained from the global Model of Ozone and Related Tracers version 2 (MOZART-2) are used, but under-prediction remains. The assumption of zero-flux at the top boundary and the resulting exclusion of the contribution of stratosphere–troposphere exchange to tropospheric O3 concentrations limit the ability of CMAQ to reproduce O3 concentrations in the upper troposphere.
Viscoat aspiration with an enlarged Simcoe cannula.

Abstract Enlarging the aspiration port on a Simcoe double-barreled irrigation/aspiration cannula from a 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm diameter facilitates Viscoat® (chondroitin sulfate-sodium hyaluronate) removal at the end of cataract extraction surgery.
Application of hydrocarbon plasmas for modifying near-surface characteristics of bearing steel

The near-surface hardness and wear resistance of AISI 52100, a widely used bearing steel, have been enhanced by energetic ion bombardment using a plasma immersion process. Test flat samples of the steel were immersed in a plasma of methane or acetylene and pulse biased to a negative voltage so as to result in either ion implantation of carbon into the steel surface or deposition of diamond-like carbon film onto its surface. The nanometer size scale surface roughness of the initial sample flats was generally retained after the plasma surface treatments. The surface treatments were carried out with the samples at near-room temperature, which is an important consideration for this type of steel because of its relatively low softening temperature. However, by intentionally using the energy of the bombarding ions to marginally heat the surface of the samples, the depth of the carbon ion implanted layer could be increased by over a factor of two while maintaining the bulk hardness of the steel at acceptable levels.
Poly(ethyl-n-butylsilylene): Structural, thermal, and flow properties of a liquid crystalline polysilane

Poly(ethyl-n-butylsilylene) (PEBS) was synthesized by sodium coupling of ethyl-n-butyldichorosilane and separated into fractions with differing molecular weights,M w=1.4×106 and 2.0×104. Both fractions were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and by X-ray diffraction, UV spectroscopy, polarizing optical microscopy, and capillary rheometry, all as a function of temperature. Both samples adopt a hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline structure at room temperature and below. They undergo a weak endothermic transition at −20°C and a first-order phase transition to a nematic liquid crystalline form at 90°C for the low and 170°C for the highM w fraction. Melting to an isotropic liquid takes place at 106°C for the low and 185°C for the highM w polymer. Both samples undergo two successive thermochromic transitions in the UV, one near the first-order exothermic transition and one near the −20°C transition; the reasons underlying these thermochromic transitions are discussed. Flow properties of PEBS were investigated as a function of molecular weight.
Tutorials in clinical research: Part IV: Recognizing and controlling bias

Objective This is the fourth of a series of Tutorials in Clinical Research. 1–3 The objectives of this article are to heighten reader awareness of biases and of methods to reduce their impact and to provide an easy reference document for the reader during future journal reading. Study Design Tutorial. Methods The authors met weekly for 4 months discussing clinical research articles and biases for which they might be at risk. Liberal use of reference texts and specific articles on bias were reviewed. Like the example by Sackett, biases were catalogued to create an easily understood reference. Articles were chosen to demonstrate how understanding bias might facilitate assessment of the validity of medical publications. Results The article is organized into three main sections. The first section introduces specific biases. Two tables serve as rapid reference tools. The second section describes the most common biases linked to specific research approaches and reviews techniques to minimize them. The last section demonstrates the application of the information to an article in a manner that can be applied to any article. Conclusions Assessing the validity of a medical publication requires an awareness of bias for which the research is inherently at risk. A review of the publication to determine what steps the authors did or did not undertake to minimize the impact of biases on their results and conclusions helps establish the validity. This article should be of assistance in this critical review task.
Evaluation of the Energetics of the Concerted Acid–Base Mechanism in Enzymatic Catalysis: The Case of Ketosteroid Isomerase

Structures of enzymes invariably reveal the proximity of acidic and basic residues to reactive sites on the substrate, so it is natural and common to suggest that enzymes employ concerted mechanisms to catalyze their difficult reactions. Ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) has served as a paradigm of enzymatic proton transfer chemistry, and its catalytic effect has previously been attributed to concerted proton transfer. We employ a specific inhibitor that contains an IR probe that reports directly and quantitatively on the ionization state of the ligand when bound in the active site of KSI. Measurement of the fractional ionization provides a missing link in a thermodynamic cycle that can discriminate the free energy advantage of a concerted versus nonconcerted mechanism. It is found that the maximum thermodynamic advantage that KSI could capture from a concerted mechanism (ΔΔG° = 0.5 kcal mol–1) is quite small.
Mesocosm experiments for evaluating the biological efficacy of ozone treatment of marine ballast water.

Abstract Ballast water is a major pathway for the transfer of non-indigenous species in aquatic environments. The objectives of this study were to determine the ability of ozone to reduce the numbers of a spectrum of marine organisms collected from Puget Sound, Washington in replicated mesocosm (280 l) experiments, and estimate the minimum ozone concentrations as measured by total residual oxidant (TRO) required to reduce organism densities. Ozone treatment was effective in removing bacteria, phytoplankton, and mesozooplankton with initial TRO concentrations of 2–5 mg l −1 as Br 2 . Persistence of TRO resulted in an extended period of toxicity and cumulative mortality. TRO decay allowed bacteria populations to multiply when TRO levels fell below 0.5–1.0 mg l −1 as Br 2 . Phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations were rapidly reduced by ozone treatment and did not increase in any treatments or controls because of lack of light. Overall mesozooplankton viability was rapidly reduced by 90–99% in treatment TRO levels above 1.85 mg l −1 as Br 2 . Our study outlines novel protocols that can be used for testing different potential ballast water treatment systems in replicated and controlled mesocosm experiments.
UV-curable hybrid coatings based on vinylfunctionlized siloxane oligomer and acrylated polyester

Organic–inorganic hybrid coatings were formulated using multifunctional vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) oligomers and acrylated polyester (AP). A radical photoinitiator was added to the VTMS/AP formulation and the films were crosslinked via UV-radiation. The viscoelastic, thermomechanical, and surface properties of the VTMS/AP films were evaluated as a function of VTMS content, using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle, fracture toughness, and tensile properties. In addition, coating properties such as adhesion, scratch resistance, pencil hardness, and impact resistance were also investigated. The tensile and scratch data show that VTMS oligomer dramatically increased hardness and scratch resistance. The VTMS oligomer also increased the contact angle, led to a decrease in surface tension, and improved surface appearance. The VTMS oligomer also increases storage modulus, glass transition temperature, and crosslink density. The morphology of films and the particle size were observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The data indicated that the average silica particle size was ∼90 nm and the particles were well-dispersed in the organic phase. It was postulated that the VTMS oligomer functioned effectively as a hyperbranched crosslinker, surface modifier, and reactive diluent. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 105:2376–2386, 2007
Prehospital care research--the basics.

(2002). Prehospital Care Research—The Basics. Prehospital Emergency Care: Vol. 6, No. sup2, pp. S2-S8.
Nuclear Level Density and the Effective Nucleon Mass

Novel results were obtained for the spin dispersion parameter, which demonstrate the influence of the nucleon pairing correlations and shell effects in nuclei. The volume and surface parameters of the level density parameter, as well as the shell-damping factor, were determined as ${a}_{v}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.076\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009{\mathrm{MeV}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${a}_{s}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.180\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.047{\mathrm{MeV}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{0}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.47\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04{\mathrm{MeV}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, respectively. The effective nucleon mass at the Fermi surface is found to be enhanced and its value is ${m}^{*}/m\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1.09\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13$. These findings are in excellent agreement with the theoretical estimates of Shlomo and Natowitz.
Small angle X-ray and neutron scattering from solutions of biological macromolecules

Small angle X-ray and neutron scattering from solutions of biological macromolecules is an essential book covering the theory, experiment, data analysis, and applications of small-angle scattering ...
Introduction of macromolecules into synaptosomes using electroporation

Synaptic terminals are sites of high metabolic activity and thus are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Oxidative damage to proteins can be toxic to neurons and may cause irreversible cell damage and neurodegeneration. A neuroprotective mechanism used by cells to combat oxidative damage is to selectively degrade damaged proteins. Therefore, it is of interest to study the mechanism of degradation of oxidatively damaged proteins in synaptosomes. One way of oxidizing synaptosomal proteins in vitro is by incubating intact synaptosomes in the presence of an oxidizing agent. A problem with this approach is that it may also cause oxidative damage to the machinery required to recognize and degrade oxidized proteins. We have, therefore, introduced a fluorescent macromolecule into synaptosomes to assess the feasibility of using this technique to study how oxidized proteins are degraded and removed from synaptic terminals. Synaptosomes were subjected to electroporation in the presence of FITC labelled-dextran with an average molecular weight of 70000 (FD-70) and non-specific binding was determined by running parallel experiments in lysed synaptosomes. Following extensive washing, synaptosomes were assayed for the presence of intra-synaptosomal FD-70 by measuring fluorescence in a microplate fluorescence reader. Significant differences in fluorescence were found between intact and lysed synaptosomes with maximal uptake at 100 V/ 1500 microF (approx. 36 pmol/mg protein). To determine if membrane transport was compromised by electroporation, uptake of 3H-arginine was compared in control and electroporated synaptosomes. While untreated electroporated synaptosomes showed a loss of 22% in the ability to transport arginine, preincubation in the presence of 1 mM ATP resulted in a complete restoration of arginine transport. These results show that electroporation is a potentially useful technique for introducing a specific oxidized protein, into synaptic terminals so its metabolic fate can be examined.
A framework for effective data collection, usage and maintenance of DSS

Abstract The need for proper, reliable, and accurate data for any DSS is universally accepted. However, in real life, developers and users face ill-structured problems in noisy and difficult environments. While a wide variety of hardware and software exists for data storage, communication, and presentation (e.g., specialized hardware, DBMS's, and query languages), much less effort has gone into developing methodologies for DSS data capture in less tractable decision environments. Insufficient understanding of potential problems with DSS data and of available methods for dealing with these problems will serve to limit the effectiveness of even sophisticated technologies in DSS development and use. This paper addresses the issue of data collection for DSS in noisy environments, and presents a framework for detecting, preventing, and correcting errors in data collected for DSS use. It employs the metaphor of data communications, and uses analogies from that field in constructing the framework. The approach is illustrated using an actual case study from industrial marketing.
Toxicity of ammonia to red drum sciaenops ocellatus fingerlings with information on uptake and depuration

Median lethal concentrations of un-ionized ammonia-nitrogen to red drum (Sciuenops ocellarus) were 0.9 ± 0.14 mg/L (mean ± SE) after 24 h and 0.8 ± 0.16 mg/L after 48 h (salinity = 4.0%, temperature = 20 C, pH = 6.8–7.1). Ammonia moved quickly from the environment into the plasma with 90% of steady state concentrations being reached after 33 minutes. When ammonia-exposed fish were moved to ammonia-free water, 90% of the ammonia which had accumulated in the plasma was no longer present after 3.3 minutes. The sensitivity of red drum to environmental ammonia appears to be similar to that of most other fishes tested. Based on the median lethal concentrations for red drum observed in this study and the acute-chronic concentration ratios for other species of fish, it is suggested that red drum fingerlings be chronically exposed to no more than 0.05 mg/L un-ionized ammonia-nitrogen.
Near-Infrared Resonance Raman Spectra of Chlorosomes: Probing Nuclear Coupling in Electronic Energy Transfer.

Resonance Raman spectra of chlorosomes, isolated from the green bacteria Chloroflexus aurantiacus and Chlorobium tepidum, have been obtained with excitation in their near-infrared (Qy) absorption bands by using shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy. Both spectra exhibit strong low-frequency (50−300 cm-1) modes, although these modes are relatively more intense in the Chloroflexus aurantiacus spectrum than in the Chlorobium tepidum spectrum. These intensity differences indicate that the low-frequency electron−nuclear coupling is strongest in the Chloroflexus aurantiacus chlorosome. The Raman spectrum of the Chloroflexus aurantiacus chlorosome is independent of excitation wavelength, and the scattering intensity tracks the absorption band and relative Raman intensities. A model comprised of more than one transition having similar vibronic parameters most successfully reproduces the Chloroflexus aurantiacus Qy absorption band shape. The resonance Raman mode frequencies and intensities agree qualita...
Block Copolymer Templating Syntheses of Mesoporous Metal Oxides with Large Ordering Lengths and Semicrystalline Framework

A simple and general procedure has been developed for the syntheses of ordered largepore (up to 14 nm) mesoporous metal oxides, including TiO2, ZrO2 ,N b 2O5 ,T a 2O5 ,A l 2O3, SiO2, SnO2 ,W O 3, HfO2, and mixed oxides SiAlOy ,A l 2TiOy, ZrTiOy, SiTiOy, ZrW2Oy. Amphiphilic poly(alkylene oxide) block copolymers were used as structure-directing agents in nonaqueous solutions for organizing the network-forming metal oxide species. Inorganic salts, rather than alkoxides or organic metal complexes, were used as soluble and hydrolyzable precursors to the polymerized metal oxide framework. These thermally stable mesoporous oxides have robust inorganic frameworks and thick channel walls, within which high densities of nanocrystallites can be nucleated. These novel mesoporous metal oxides are believed to be formed through a mechanism that combines block copolymer self-assembly with alkylene oxide complexation of the inorganic metal species.
Nickel(II) complexes with oxygen and sulfur donors

Abstract Nickel(II) complexes of dithiooxalate, thioglycolate, oxalate, and thiodiglycolate ions have been prepared, and their magnetic properties and electronic spectra studied. The complexes found are octahedral so long as there are at least four oxygens in the coordination sphere. Complexes containing three sulfur atoms are planar if the sulfurs have a negative charge. One octahedral complex containing oxygens and three sulfur atoms was prepared, but data suggest that two of the sulfur atoms are protonated.
Visual acuity development in infants and young children, as assessed by operant preferential looking.

Abstract The operant preferential looking (OPL) procedure was used to obtain psychophysical estimates of visual acuity for square-wave gratings in 50 children between 5 months and 5 yr of age. Acuity developed systematically with age, from 6 min arc (5 c/deg) at 5 months to 0.75 min arc (40 c/deg) at 5 yr, a value close to adult acuity tested with the OPL stimuli. In addition, psychometric functions became steeper with age, suggesting that criterion for responding varies with age. OPL offers the possibility of using a single procedure to follow acuity development across a wide age range.
Community College Adjustment Among Dislocated Workers

Community colleges often are catalysts for economic and workforce development in localities with high unemployment or large numbers of dislocated workers. Increasingly, dislocated workers—individuals who have experienced job loss due to occupational closings, reduced workforces, or severe local economic downturns—are enrolling in educational and retraining opportunities, career counseling, and other supports offered by their local community college in partnership with federal and state assistance programs. Although benchmarks for two-year college success include providing institutional supports to address students’ academic, social, and personal adjustment needs, little research exists to help guide effective practices aimed at supporting dislocated workers’ two-year college adjustment, retention, and success. To help fill this gap, this study collected data describing 117 dislocated-worker students’ academic, social, personal-emotional, and institutional adjustment. Next we compared dislocated worker adj...
Information processing stages in schizophrenia

General background FROM Kraepelin on, and perhaps before, investigators have been intrigued by the slowness of schizophrenics as one reflection of their disorder. The modern history can be said to begin with the Worcester group,l,z starting with the work of SHAKOW and HUSTON3 and extending to the current scene.4*5 Ignoring minor exceptions, it is a universal finding that schizophrenics are slower than controls, with the smallest differences appearing in simple reaction time (RT) at very short preparatory intervals. The details of the relevant experiments have been reviewed extensively.6-8 Most germane to our current concerns are the hypotheses offered to account for the results. In general, they concentrate on input dysfunctions. Thus, SHAKOWg proposed that retardation of RT resulted from the inability of the schizophrenic to maintain the major set required by the situation, with the concomitant arousal of erratic minor sets. WISHNER~~ has argued that the “segmental set” theory is a special case of inefficiency in schizophrenic behavior, which is generally diffuse in relation to task requirements. MCGHIE” emphasized attentional dysfunction localized at the filtering mechanism postulated by BROADBENT.‘~,~~ At the physiological level, VENABLES 14.15 adduced evidence to support a theory of extreme levels of arousal as accounting for the variability of schizophrenic performance. None of these theories are sufficiently precise to generate critical experiments. It is not surprising, therefore, that the overall results of the research undertaken to test them are inconclusive.7 The most detailed attempt to deal with attentional dysfunction in schizophrenia has been that of YATES.16 He proposed that there are four “levels” at which dysfunction can occur in schizophrenic information processing: receptor, data processing, cognitive, and motor. These look very similar to the stages proposed by Sternberg. Indeed, there is reason to view Yates’ idea as a first approximation to the more refined and operationally precise paradigm of Sternberg. Yates’ theory has been criticized precisely for failing to prescribe experiments which could lead to clear-cut conclusions ,17 for whatever dysfunctions are found at any of his “levels” could originate at any other level. No paradigm is provided for identifying loci of dysfunction. Sternberg’s paradigm, as will be seen below, is not subject to such criticism.
Hydrophobically directed selective reduction of ketones using amine boranes

Amine boranes bearing hydrophobic substituents were used to reduce aryl ketones in competition with a methyl ketone. Their high stability in protic solvents combined with their ease of preparation made amine boranes useful compounds in the study of hydrophobically directed selective reductions. Several characteristics of the reducing agent were found to be important in determining the reaction selectivity, including available hydrocarbon surface area, degree of fluorination, and proximity of the hydrophobic group to the active hydrides.