cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Baseline Drinking Status, Peer Motivational Interviewing Microskills, and Drinking Outcomes in a Brief Alcohol Intervention for Matriculating College Students: A Replication ☆

Abstract The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend previous findings (Tollison et al., 2008) on the association between peer facilitator adherence to motivational interviewing (MI) microskills and college student drinking behavior. This study used a larger sample size, multiple follow-up time-points, and latent variable analyses allowing for more complex models to be tested in a sample with different characteristics than Tollison et al. Matriculating students who participated in high school sports ( N = 327) took part in a Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students led by peer facilitators trained in motivational interviewing (MI). Participants were assessed pre- and immediately postintervention on contemplation to change, as well as pre-, 5 months, and 10 months postintervention on drinking quantity. Independent coders used the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scale (Moyers, Martin, Manuel, & Miller, 2003) to evaluate therapist MI adherence. Contrary to our previous study, results indicated that a higher number of open questions was positively related to increases in drinking, especially for heavier drinkers. Congruent with the previous study, more simple reflections was positively related to increases in drinking. Finally, this study revealed that heavier baseline drinking was associated with more simple reflections. There were no significant results found for changes in contemplation. Results corroborate previous findings that the excessive use of simple reflections may be indicative of countertherapeutic outcomes while raising questions about the relationship between the frequency of open questions and therapeutic outcomes.
Woman as Myth: The ‘Case’ of Gabriela Mistral

La mujer no solo nos funda con la carne de su carne y la sangre de su sangre, no solo nos nutre a sus pechos y nos conforta en su regazo, sino tambien nos impregna de sus sufrimientos, y nos trasfunde sus ideas, y como el Jehova de la leyenda biblica, nos modela a su imagen y semejanza. Manuel Gonzalez Prada, 19041 Para mi, la forma del patriotismo femenino es la maternidad perfecta. Gabriela Mistral, 19222 Hijo de madre, entienda mi locura … Alfonsina Storni, 1924[?] 3 The three epigraphs that head this essay connote ‘woman’ in turn as transcendental signifier, as the mother of politics, and as a complicit hysteric: not uncommon examples from the iconography of the feminine in Latin America, in the first half of the present century, at least. In an era of adversarial sexual poetics, when masculine and feminine were interpreted as oppositional rather than complementary, Manuel Gonzalez Prada, the radical Peruvian leader, is a frequent if ambivalent participant in the game of deconstructive mythology,4 an...
Image-registration-based local noise reduction for noisy video sequences

This paper presents a method for localizing noise-corrupted areas in quality degraded video frames, and for reducing the additive noise by utilizing the temporal redundancy in the video sequence. In the proposed algorithm, the local variance of each pixel is computed to obtain the spatial distribution of noise. After adaptive thresholding, region clustering, and merging, the corrupted areas of highest energy are detected. Due to the high temporal redundancy in the video sequence, the corrupted information can be compensated by overlapping the corrupted regions with the appropriate regions from adjacent video frames. The corresponding pixel locations in the adjacent frames are computed by using image registration and warping techniques. New pixel values are calculated based upon multi-frame stacking. Pixel values in the adjacent frames are weighted according to registration errors, whereas the values in the noisy frame are evaluated according to local variance. Knowing the location of the local noise enables the denoising process to be much more specific and accurate. Moreover, since only a portion of the frame is processed, as compared to standard denoising methods that operate on the entire frame, the details and features in other areas of the frame are preserved. The proposed scheme is applied to UAV video sequences, where the outstanding noise localization and reduction properties are demonstrated.
Isomerization and Decomposition Reactions of Primary Alkoxy Radicals Derived from Oxygenated Solvents

This paper presents quantum chemical studies of the unimolecular isomerization (1,5 H-shift) and decomposition (β C−C scission) reactions of a series of six oxygenated alkoxy radicals and 1-butoxy ...
Impedance response of polycrystalline tungsten oxide

Abstract Polycrystalline tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) pellets were prepared by conventional ceramic processing technology. The ac small-signal electrical data acquired in the frequency ( f ) range 100 Hz≤ f ≤1 MHz at temperature ( T ) ranging the 31–100 °C revealed distinct semicircular relaxation in the impedance plane. This relaxation indicates device behavior originating from the grain boundaries. The lumped grain impedance associated with the device action remained too small to detect when the large resistance scale is realized. The semicircular relaxation is thermally activated indicating 0.58 eV as the activation energy for the relaxation time.
Pharmacology of heparin and warfarin

Thromboembolic obstruction to three major components of the circulation—arterial, venous and intravascular foreign surfaces—contributes to premature death and disability in Western society. In many, but not all, of these conditions associated with thromboembolism, heparin and warfarin are the drugs of choice. It is the purpose of this presentation to provide some common ground in the area of anticoagulant prophylaxis that will be of intrinsic value for decision making in cardiac, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease. Only those aspects of the hemostatic mechanism most relevant to the antithrombotic action of heparin and warfarin are discussed. Assays for both drugs as well as some practical guidelines for their use in low, medium and high dose regimens are outlined. Techniques for improving the benefit/risk ratio for each drug are specifically detailed.
An In-Process Neural Network-Based Surface Roughness Prediction (INN-SRP) System Using a Dynamometer in End Milling Operations

Surface roughness is influenced by the machining parameters and other uncontrollable factors resulting from the cutting tool in end milling operations. To perform the in-process surface roughness prediction (ISRP) system accurately, the uncontrollable factors must be monitored. In this paper, an empirical approach using a statistical analysis was employed to discover the proper cutting force to represent the uncontrollable factors in end milling operations. Furthermore, an in-process neural network-based surface roughness prediction (INN-SRP) system was developed. A neural network associated with sensing technology was applied as a decision-making system to predict the surface roughness for a wide range of machining parameters. The good accuracy of the results for a wide range of machining parameters indicates that the system is suitable for application in industry.
Integral for longitudinal phase space tomography on equilibrium distributions

We employ Abel's transform to derive an analytic expression for filtering an equilibrium distribution function from its longitudinal beam profile. The result can be applied to a large class of Hamiltonians that are quadratic in the momentum coordinate.
Prostaglandin E2 9-ketoreductase activity in human decidua vera tissue☆☆☆

Amnion is believed to be a tissue of central importance in the biochemical processes of parturition. In this tissue, prostaglandin E2 is the near exclusive prostaglandin produced. And although the production of prostaglandin E2 is increased during labor in women, the levels of the major metabolite of prostaglandin E2 in maternal plasma are not elevated; rather, the levels of 13,14-dihydro-15-ketoprostaglandin F2 alpha, the major circulating metabolite of prostaglandin F2 alpha, are increased strikingly. Because of this apparent paradox, we considered the possibility that prostaglandin E2, originating in amnion, chorion laeve, or decidua vera, is converted to prostaglandin F2 alpha in decidua vera by the action of prostaglandin E2-9-ketoreductase. We found that prostaglandin E2 9-ketoreductase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of prostaglandin E2 to F2 alpha, is present in cytosolic fractions prepared from homogenates of uterine decidua vera tissue. The specific activity of 9-ketoreductase in cytosolic fractions of decidua of six women varied from 3.2 to 155 pmol X min-1 X mg-1 protein. We also evaluated the conversion of exogenous prostaglandin E2 to F2 alpha in intact human endometrial stromal cells in monolayer culture. We found that prostaglandin E2, added to the culture medium, was converted to prostaglandin F2 alpha by endometrial stromal cells that were maintained in the presence of inhibitors of prostaglandin synthase. The extent of conversion of exogenous prostaglandin E2 to F2 alpha, however, was low relative to the specific activity of prostaglandin E2 9-ketoreductase found in decidual cytosol. These findings are consistent with the possibility that prostaglandin E2 formed in decidua vera tissue may be converted in that tissue to prostaglandin F2 alpha by 9-ketoreductase; on the other hand, prostaglandin E2 formed in contiguous tissues probably is not converted significantly to prostaglandin F2 alpha by decidual 9-ketoreductase.
Approach to the small renal mass: to treat or not to treat

Accurately conveying the benefits and risks of treatment interventions to patients diagnosed with small renal masses (SRMs) is essential to appropriately identify which patients will achieve better oncologic outcomes and confer a survival advantage from primary therapy. Treatment decisions to determine the ideal management with nephrectomy, thermal ablation, or active surveillance for patients diagnosed with an SRM remain highly complex. Existing prediction tools that incorporate various key clinical variables may facilitate an informed decision about the best management of SRM by more appropriately selecting treatment individualized to the characteristics of the SRM and the patient's clinical characteristics.
Control of mating type expression in Paramecium multimicronucleatum, syngen 2.

Two isogenic acyclic strains of Paramecium multimicronucleatum, syngen 2, expressing mating types III and IV, and a cycler strain, which displays circadian alternation of the two mating types, were treated with proteolytic enzymes, or the inhibitors actinomycin D or puromycin at various stages of the mating reactive period induced by food depletion. Reactivity of acyclic animals was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes, and to both inhibitors before or after the onset of reactivity, suggesting that reactivity is attained and maintained via continuous RNA and protein synthesis, and that protein integrity is essential to the activity of the type-specific substances. A new cell cycle was not necessary for recovery from a block in reactivity. Type III animals were consistently more sensitive to inhibition by puromyin, and required longer recovery periods after all treatments except actinomycin D given after the development of reactivity. Possible explanations of these observations are considered. The daily type changes seen in cycler animals seemed to occur by replacement of one mating type substance with the other. Type-switching was neither prevented nor displaced by exposure to actinomycin D or puromycin during a period before or including a type change, even though reactivity was reduced by more than 95%, suggesting that type-switching is not directly associated with transcription or translation of the type-specific genes.
FACULTY PERCEPTIONS OF THE QUALITY OF OFF‐CAMPUS INSTRUCTION

Two‐year college faculty teaching credit courses off‐campus were surveyed to ascertain their perceptions regarding a variety of factors about these courses. In general, faculty cited a number of factors that lead to the conclusion that the quality of off‐campus courses may be less than comparable on‐campus courses. However, the summary question about the extent of learning indicated that 83% of two‐year faculty included in the survey reported their students learned as much or more than they would in a comparable on‐campus course. The information was based upon personal perceptions of the faculty included and was not correlated to other measures such as standardized test scores or grade point averages. The data from two‐year college faculty were compared to a larger data base from 322 faculty teaching at all levels of higher education and results were similar.
Mapping Local Nucleotide Flexibility by Selective Acylation of 2‘-Amine Substituted RNA

2‘-Amine substitutions in single-stranded oligoribonucleotides react more rapidly with activated esters than 2‘-amine positions in mismatched or duplex RNA substrates. Reactivity does not reflect static solvent accessibility or electrostatics. We infer that acylation of 2‘-amine substituted RNA is sensitive to local nucleotide flexibility. Selective acylation was used to map the structure and magnesium ion dependent conformational changes in tRNAAsp transcripts containing single 2‘-amine substitutions per transcript. Under denaturing conditions, all 2‘-amine substituted RNA positions show similar reactivity. When tRNAAsp transcripts are refolded under strongly native conditions (10 mM Mg2+, 100 mM NaCl), positions involved in base pairing and known tertiary interactions, including base triples and loop−loop interactions, are protected from modification. In the absence of magnesium ion the acceptor, T- and anticodon stems form stable helices as judged by their low relative 2‘-amine reactivity. In contrast,...
Nanosecond Photoreduction of Cytochrome P450cam by Channel-Specific Ru-diimine Electron Tunneling Wires

We report the synthesis and characterization of Ru-diimine complexes designed to bind to cytochrome P450cam (CYP101). The sensitizer core has the structure [Ru(L2)L‘]2+, where L‘ is a perfluorinated biphenyl bridge (F8bp) connecting 4,4‘-dimethylbipyridine to an enzyme substrate (adamantane, F8bp-Ad), a heme ligand (imidazole, F8bp-Im), or F (F9bp). The electron-transfer (ET) driving force (−ΔG°) is varied by replacing the ancillary 2,2‘-bipyridine ligands with 4,4‘,5,5‘-tetramethylbipyridine (tmRu). The four complexes all bind P450cam tightly: Ru−F8bp-Ad (1, Kd = 0.077 μM); Ru−F8bp-Im (2, Kd = 3.7 μM); tmRu−F9bp (3, Kd = 2.1 μM); and tmRu−F8bp-Im (4, Kd = 0.48 μM). Binding is predominantly driven by hydrophobic interactions between the Ru-diimine wires and the substrate access channel. With Ru−F8bp wires, redox reactions can be triggered on the nanosecond time scale. Ru-wire 2, which ligates the heme iron, shows a small amount of transient heme photoreduction (ca. 30%), whereas the transient photoreduct...
Russia's BRICs Diplomacy: Rising Outsider with Dreams of an Insider

Russia has been the leading proponent of transforming the BRICs from an investment strategy into a recognized coalition of emerging powers bearing significant implications for international relations. Since the end of the Cold War, Moscow has tried to deny the realities of unipolarity while grudgingly adjusting to its constraints. Now that American primacy is waning, Russia, the perennial outsider, aims to become an insider and a rule maker in the international system. Despite questioning the existing order's durability and legitimacy, Russia and the other BRICs seek to be among its managing directors, not to overthrow it. Russia has simultaneously sought to renegotiate the terms of its accommodation to the Euro-Atlantic order, drawing on its preference for cooperation without domestic conditionality requirements. Moscow's BRICs diplomacy has been one of its most successful international initiatives, although the group's future existence will probably be determined by China, the real contender for polar power status.
A processor efficient MIS algorithm on random graphs

Abstract In this paper we present a randomized parallel algorithm for finding a maximal independent set in a random graph with n vertices in which the edges are chosen with probability p such that 2 (n−1)⩽p . The algorithm has O(log2n) expected time using only O(n) processors on the EREW PRAM model.
Solution properties of amitriptyline and its partitioning into lipid bilayers

Solution properties of a drug and its partitioning into lipid bilayers were studied for drug extraction using several different techniques, such as surface tension, zeta potential, ultra filtration and UV-Vis spectroscopy. From the surface tension study it was found that the presence of salt makes the drug molecules more surface-active. Zeta potential revealed the adsorption of the drug into the liposome bilayers to be governed mostly by electrostatic forces. The drug retention volume was expressed as a capacity factor, K, and that was normalized with respect to the amount of the immobilized phospholipids. The K-values for the positively charged drug on the liposomes decreased in the presence of phosphate buffer due to the presence of the oppositely charged ions. The above methods can thus be used to understand the mechanism of drug-membrane interaction and quantification of drug absorption into liposomes.
IFN-α inhibits IL-3 priming of human basophil cytokine secretion but not leukotriene C4 and histamine release

Abstract Background Innate immune responses play a critical role in determining the course of acquired immunity, including that associated with allergic disease. Type I interferons, which are generated early in these reactions, are important soluble factors that prime for T H 1-like activity. Objective Because human basophils secrete IL-4 and IL-13 in response to both IgE-dependent and IgE-independent stimuli, we tested whether IFN-α, a major type I IFN, affects the production of these T H 2 cytokines and/or mediator release from these cells. Methods Basophils isolated from blood were treated with IFN-α in the presence and absence of IL-3 priming before stimulating through the IgE receptor to release histamine, leukotriene C 4 , and IL-4. Effects of IFN-α on IL-3—mediated IL-13 secretion and basophil survival were also tested. IFN-α receptor expression was determined by RT-PCR. Results IFN-α specifically inhibited the effects IL-3 has on basophil cytokine secretion. Enhanced secretion of IL-4 resulting from IL-3 priming was significantly inhibited in cells concurrently cultured with IFN-α. This effect was specific for cytokine generation, because histamine and leukotriene C 4 were unaffected. Furthermore, IFN-α blocked IL-13 secretion directly induced by IL-3. Although IFN-β also possessed some inhibitory activity, IFN-γ (a type II IFN) had no effect on basophil cytokine secretion. Basophils constitutively expressed mRNA for the type I IFN receptor, and IFN-α did not affect basophil viability with regard to inhibition of cytokine secretion. Conclusions These results support the belief that early innate immune responses resulting in IFN-α production negatively regulate allergic responses by also inhibiting priming of basophil cytokine release.
Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type-I tax gene induces secretion of human macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha.

Abstract Human T-cell lymphotropic virus I (HTLV-I) encodes for a 40-kDa protein, Tax, which is important for the immortalization of T cells. Tax has been shown to transactivate several cellular genes. In this study, we show that MIP-1α is selectively expressed and secreted in the tax transfected Jurkat cell line upon mitogen stimulation. Expression of MIP-1α-R mRNA in these cells suggests an autocrine role for this chemokine in HTLV-I infected T-cells. Induced MIP-1α expression and secretion in PMA/PHA stimulated tax transfected cells correlate with the noninduction of MNP-1 transcription factor, which is intimately involved in downmodulating the MIP-1α gene.
Obliquity-oblateness feedback : are climatically sensitive values of obliquity dynamically unstable ?

A new model is presented for feedback between rotational and climatic variations, operative on time scales of 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 7) years. Due to the combined effect of planetary perturbations to the Earth's orbit plane and luni-solar torques on the oblate figure of the Earth, the obliquity varies by approximately 1 deg on a 4 x 10(exp 4) year time scale. Associated changes in the seasonal and latitudinal pattern of incident solar radiation cause major glaciations. Mass transport from the oceans to the polar ice sheets during these glaciations can change the gravitational oblateness of the Earth by amounts approaching 1%. As the rate of spin axis precession is directly proportional to the oblateness, the climatically forced mass transport can by dynamically significant. A simple parameterization of this coupled orbital-rotational-climatic system suggests that there is a strong tendency for the system to evolve away from climatically sensitive values of the obliquity. This may explain the mid-Pleistocene transition from an obliquity dominated regime to the present regime in which most climatic variability is concentrated at longer (10(exp 5) year) periods.
Characterizing Flight Aggregation of the Southern Pine Beetle

Spatial aggregation patterns of flying southern pine beetles, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm., were studied using a systematic grid of sticky flight traps placed in 3 beetle infestations. Five methods of characterizing dispersion were compared: Lloyd's index of patchiness (IP), Morisita's index of dispersion (Iδ), the coefficient of dispersion (CD), the slope of Taylor's power function (b), and the slope (β) of Iwao's regression of mean crowding (m) on mean density (m*). All indices indicated a high degree of aggregation of flying southern pine beetles within the infestations. The indices varied, however, in their ranking of aggregation for the 3 study sites. IP and Iδ gave the same relative results while CD showed a different pattern. The two regression techniques showed no significant differences between slopes for the various study sites. The m*-m regression provided more information for interpretation and more potential for evaluating influences of system manipulations. It is recommended, therefore, for characterization of southern pine beetle aggregation within infestations. IP (which serves as the theoretical basis of the regression), is suggested for comparisons between daily aggregation patterns. The m*-m pairs to the 95% prediction limits about the regression line; pairs falling outside these limits represent aggregation patterns significantly different from the norm.
Adult Bronchiolitis: Evaluation by Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Response to Prednisone Therapy

Four adult patients with biopsy-proven bronchiolitis were identified and prospectively evaluated. Each patient presented with the rapid onset (weeks to months) of severe respiratory disease that was clinically distinct from asthma, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, and emphysema. Bronchiolitis patients were evaluated by pulmonary function testing and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) before and after two months of treatment with 1 mg/kg/day of prednisone. Initial BAL results of bronchiolitis patients were compared to those of cigarette smokers with chronic bronchitis (n = 4), asymptomatic cigarette smokers (n = 5), and normal nonsmoking volunteers (n = 5). Neutrophils comprised 53±13 percent of the cells recovered by BAL in bronchiolitis patients but only 3±2 percent of the cells in chronic bronchitis patients, 1.5 ±0.6 percent of the cells in asymptomatic smokers, and 0.3±0.3 percent of the cells in normal volunteers (p
Loss of Pluripotency in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Directly Correlates with an Increase in Nuclear Zinc

The pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is important to investigations of early development and to cell replacement therapy, but the mechanism behind pluripotency is incompletely understood. Zinc has been shown to play a key role in differentiation of non-pluripotent cell types, but here its role in hESCs is directly examined. By mapping the distribution of metals in hESCs at high resolution by x-ray fluorescence microprobe (XFM) and by analyzing subcellular metal content, we have found evidence that loss of pluripotency is directly correlated with an increase in nuclear zinc. Zinc elevation not only redefines our understanding of the mechanisms that support pluripotency, but also may act as a biomarker and an intervention point for stem cell differentiation.
State Estimator Based Feedback Control for a Metering Poppet Valve System

In this work, a feedback linearization controller (FLC) is developed for a unique electro hydraulic flow control valve. The valve is a unique design developed at the University of Missouri with two stages: a pilot stage and a main stage which both employ poppet valves rather than more common spool valves. The controller is applied with the aid of the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The EKF supplies all the state estimates which are necessary for the installation of the controller in an actual physical system. The simulation results show that the FLC tracks the reference signal accurately and with a fast response. It is also shown that the controller can achieve the tracking task under different operating conditions and has ability to reject system disturbances. From the robustness test, it is shown that an accurate model is necessary for the feedback linearization controller to work.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Religious Faith as Experiencing-As

The particular sense or use of the word ‘faith’ that I am seeking to understand is that which occurs when the religious man, and more specifically the christian believer, speaks of ‘knowing God’ and goes on to explain that this is a knowing of God by faith. Or again, when asked how he professes to know that God, as spoken about in Christianity, is real, his answer is ‘by faith’. Our question is: what does ‘faith’ mean in these contexts? And what I should like to be able to do is to make a descriptive (or if you like phenomenological) analysis that could be acceptable to both believers and non-believers. A Christian and an atheist or agnostic should equally be able to say, Yes, that is what, phenomenologically, faith is — though they would of course then go on to say radically different things about its value.
The distribution of glutamic acid, a transmitter candidate, and other amino acids in the dorsal sensory neuron of the cat.

Abstract The distribution of free glutamate in the dorsal sensory neurons is consistent with both a transmitter role and a metabolic role for this substance in the dorsal root projections to the neurons in the spinal grey and primary sensory nuclei of the medulla. There is more free glutamate in the dorsal root or dorsal root ganglion than in the distal sensory root. These data indicate that there must be a differential flow mechanism in the dorsal sensory neuron directing more free glutamate towards the cord where synaptic contacts are made. Free glutamate levels are highest in regions of dorsal root termination. Although the dorsal root ganglion appears to be much like central grey tissue in total free amino acid content, there are differences in levels of individual amino acids between cortical grey, spinal grey, and the dorsal root ganglion. Glutamine levels were highest in the dorsal root ganglion. Several other amino acids also were higher in the dorsal root ganglion than in the dorsal root tissue.
Sine-Gordon renormalization-group analysis of the orientational preroughening transition on a triangular lattice

We discuss the existence of a type of interfacial transition which, by analogy with translational preroughening, we name the orientational preroughening transition. A sine-Gordon renormalization-group analysis of the orientational roughening and preroughening transitions for a lattice-interfacial Hamiltonian is presented. Thus we construct an effective Hamiltonian of a tensionless solid-on-solid interface on a triangular lattice and then study its flow using Wilson's momentum-shell renormalization-group method. By analogy to the case for translational roughening for an interface that possesses a surface tension, we find both roughening and preroughening transitions. We also discuss the present uncertainties associated with that and with other preroughening transitions.
Electrocautery versus cold knife technique adenotonsillectomy: a cost analysis.

Objective Much has been written about the merits of various techniques of adenotonsillectomy. Proponents of each technique tout many virtues over one another. However, cost remains one variable that has not been thoroughly addressed. In this study, we compared the surgery time, anesthesia time, bleeding, and cost between 2 well-established techniques. Electrocautery tonsillectomy/adenoid ablation was compared against traditional cold knife dissection with adenoid curette. Study design and setting A retrospective chart review of 275 patients in a large tertiary teaching hospital. Results The electrocautery group had overall savings of 8, 8, and 9 minutes in surgery, anesthesia, and operating room times, respectively. In terms of cost, the variable cost of the electrocautery group was 19% less than the cold knife dissection group. Conclusion/significance This study demonstrated that cautery ablation of adenoids, when employed as part of adenotonsillectomy, enables the surgical team to save significant amount of time, and substantial cost for patients. EBM rating: B-3.
Moisture Transfer Properties of Dry and Semimoist Foods

Equilibrium moisture content, mass diffusion coefficients, and densities were collected for wheat flour, shredded wheat, raisins, nonfat dry milk, and freeze-dried apple, turnip, and ground beef at 25 ± 1°C. Flour adsorbing to 0.75 aw had the largest mass diffusion co-efficient, 1.15 × 10−7 m2/hr and raisins had the smallest value of 0.015 × 10-7 m2/hr. Two of the food uroducts. flour desorbing to 0.11 aw, and the freeze-dried turnip, exhibited diffusion coeffcients which were dependent on the moisture content. Most of the foods reached equilibrium within 1 wk based on an objective criterion of no more than a 0.5% dry basis moisture difference over three successive readings at 1 wk interval.
CRP has little incremental value over traditional cardiovascular risk factors in risk stratification.

In this Viewpoint, Michael Farkouh and colleagues question the evidence that C-reactive protein (CRP) is an independent predictor of future cardiovascular events. They suggest that failure to adjust for all components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in previous studies has bought into question the value of CRP over established traditional risk factors. The authors postulate that CRP is only a marker of the MetS and has limited incremental value in cardiovascular risk stratification.
Lithium-based energy storage management for DC distributed renewable energy system

Making electricity grids “smarter” and facilitating them with integration of renewable energy sources (RES) are fairly accepted as the necessary steps to achieve a sustainable power industry. However, serious concerns over reliability and performance require integration of energy storage as a critical part to buffer energy or provide arbitrage. Lithium-based battery offers high specific power/energy density, and gains popularities in many applications, such as (Plug-in) hybrid electric vehicle ((P)HEV) and renewable energy system. This paper discusses two issues: (a) integrating lithium-based battery into a multi-renewable-energy-source-feeding DC-distributed renewable energy system (DRES); (b) floating charge safety for a high voltage series-connected Li-ion battery pack. Based on the analysis of this two issues, this paper then proposes an integration strategy for lithium-based energy storage management, and the maximum cell voltage V Cell_max controlled floating charge profile for long string series connected lithium-ion cells pack. An 8.4kW bi-directional multi-phase dc-dc converter is designed to validate above mentioned concepts
Numerical applications of minicomputers at the national bureau of standards

At the National Bureau of Standards, minicomputers are used in a variety of applications requiring the acquisition and processing of physical data. In this paper, a general view of minicomputer use in laboratories at NBS is given. Several specific applications with current and future requirements in numerical processing are discussed. Computation on small computers is typically constrained, more severely than on large computers, by hardware limitations. These can be overcome only by mathematical software that is not required in large computer systems. The validity of computed results depends on this software as well as on the same type of mathematical software that would be used to solve the same problem on a large computer. But mathematical software of known high quality is less readily available for minicomputers. Some possible means of alleviating the software problems of minicomputers, and some steps taken in this direction at NBS, are discussed.
Protection of superconducting magnets

The protection of superconducting magnets can be narrowly considered as the problem of rapidly detecting an irreversible loss of superconductivity (quench) and converting the magnetic stored energy to thermal energy (dump) without permanent damage (protection). It can also be broadly considered as a method for avoiding all structural and electrical failure mechanisms through design, fabrication, and operation of a magnet. Energy dump and quench detection methods are reviewed. General magnet failure is surveyed historically.
Community Psychology: Individuals and Interventions in Community Context

Community psychology has historically focused on understanding individual behavior in sociocultural context, assessing high-impact contexts, and working in and with communities to improve their resources and influence over their futures. This review adopts an ecological perspective on recent developments in the field, beginning with philosophy of science and progressing through a series of substantive research and intervention domains that characterize current work. These domains include research on the ecology of lives, the assessment of social settings and their impact on behavior, culture and diversity as expressed in the community research process, and community intervention.
Racial and Temporal Variations in the Prevalence of Heart Defects

Background. Documenting the preva- lence and trends of congenital heart defects provides useful data for pediatric practice, health-care planning, and causal research. Yet, most population-based studies use data from the 1970s and 1980s. We sought to extend into more recent years the study of temporal and racial variations of heart defects occurrence in a well-defined population. Methods. We used data from the Metropolitan At- lanta Congenital Defects Program, a population-based registry with active case ascertainment from multiple sources. Heart defects were identified among liveborn infants up to 1 year old, among stillborn infants, and among pregnancy terminations to mothers residing in metropolitan Atlanta. Results. From 1968 through 1997, the registry ascer- tained 5813 major congenital heart defects among 937 195 infants, for a prevalence of 6.2 per 1000. The prevalence increased to 9.0 per 1000 births in 1995 through 1997. The prevalence of ventricular septal defects, tetralogy of Fal- lot, atrioventricular septal defects, and pulmonary steno- sis increased, whereas that of transposition of the great arteries decreased. For some defects, prevalence and trends varied by race. Conclusions. The prevalence of congenital heart de- fects is increasing. Whereas most findings likely result from improved case ascertainment and reporting, others might be because of changes in the distribution of risk factors in the population. The basis of the racial varia- tions is incompletely understood. Pediatrics 2001;107(3). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/107/3/ e32; heart defects, whites, blacks, epidemiology, preva- lence.
Health-care utilization by disabled persons: a survey in rural Bangladesh.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the utilization of health services by disabled persons in rural Bangladesh and to identify associated factors to inform the development of appropriate health services. Household surveys were conducted in two villages of Bangladesh by a trained primary-care specialist who lived in the study area for 4 months. About 81% of the sample had utilized some form of health care with more than half consulting unqualified practitioners of modern medicine. Disabled persons whose families perceived they were disabled were 14 times more likely than others to seek treatment. Being male and in the economically productive age group, having an acquired disability and having some form of belief about disability causation were associated with utilization. The conclusions of the study are that social and cultural barriers prevent certain groups, notably women and demographically dependent age groups, from accessing health care. Those who are economically beneficial to the family...
Learning Conversations in World of Warcraft

We examine learning culture in a popular online game, world of warcraft. We analyze the way players learn this complex game through chat conversation with peers. We describe three kinds of learning: fact finding, devising tactics/strategy, and acquiring game ethos. We investigate learning in the zone of proximal development as specified in cultural-historical activity theory. We examine the emotional tenor of learning conversations, noting their drama, humor, and intimacy
A curious behavior of capillary surfaces

It is known that for a given base domainΩ and «contact angle»γ, there will be a critical γ0, 0 ⩽γ0, ⩽π/2., such that a solution overΩ of the scalar capillarity equation in the absence of external (e.g. gravity) force field will exist if γ0, 0 ⩽γ, ⩽π/2, and will fail to exist if 0 ⩽γ ⩽γ0. In the particular case for whichΩ is a circular disk, a solution exists for everyγ, and is unique up to an additive constant. For a piecewise smoothΩ that is not circular, there will be a boundary pointP of maximal inward directed curvatureKM (at a protruding corner we defineKM=∞). We suppose that a solution exists for such a domain, and ask whether a solution continues to exist if the domain is made closer to circular by smoothing with an inscribed interior arc of constant curvatureK<KM. That is so in many cases, for example it is true ifΩ is a rectangle, and in fact in that case smoothing decreases γ0. In the present note, we show that the answer can also be negative. To that effect, we give an example of a convex domain Ω at which the valueKM is achieved only at a single isolated point, and for which smoothing at that point changes existence to non-existence.
Penn State's Freshmen in the Sciences and Engineering (FISE) House

The Freshmen in the Sciences and Engineering (FISE) House is an experiment living/learning program for freshmen in scientific and technical majors. Living/learning refers to the special programming available in the residence hall to develop academic and social skills unavailable in the general classroom environment. FISE House is being evaluated through surveys and interviews with the residents. In addition, the residents will be tracked as they progress through their collegiate career to see if they are retained in a scientific or technical field. Some of the results of the evaluation of the first year are discussed. >
Allantois as the bursa-equivalent in man

This article proposes the hypothesis that allantois is the anatomical homologue of bursa of Fabricius in mammalia. This hypothesis is based on immunohistochemical study of sections from hematopoietic organs of three fetuses with cloacal exstrophy. In the complex maldevelopment of cloacal exstrophy the common features are absence of distal midgut and exstrophy of cloaca with an exstropic intervening intestinal band. It has been suggested that gut is of dual origin and in addition to the yolk sac, allantois, absent in this maldevelopment, is involved in the embryogenesis of intestines by developing into distal midgut. There was absence of B-lymphocyte in two of three fetuses with rudimentary midgut and aplastic allantois. Meanwhile, B-cells were identified in the hematopoietic tissues and the prominent Peyer's patches of the more developed exstrophic allantois in the third case presented here. Therefore, it is concluded that allantois as the origin of distal midgut and lymphatic-rich ileocecal portion of digestive system is directly involved in the B-cell formation and represents the bursa of Fabricius in man.
Example-guided optimization of recursive domain theories

The authors investigate the utility of explanation-based learning in recursive domain theories and examine the cost of using macro-rules in these theories. As a first step in producing effective explanation-based generalization (EBG) algorithms, the authors present a new algorithm for performing source optimization of recursive domain theories. The algorithm, RSG (recursive-structure generalizer), uses a training example as bias and generalizes the control knowledge encoded in the example's derivation tree to produce a more efficient formulation of the original domain theory. The control knowledge involves control of both clause and binding selection. The authors demonstrate the effectiveness of the method of planning problems in situation calculus. The authors show that in most cases one must know the future problem distribution a priori to produce an optimal reformulation. >
Imatinib blocks migration and invasion of medulloblastoma cells by concurrently inhibiting activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor and transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (PDGFR) expression correlates with metastatic medulloblastoma. PDGF stimulation of medulloblastoma cells phosphorylates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and promotes migration. We sought to determine whether blocking PDGFR activity effectively inhibits signaling required for medulloblastoma cell migration and invasion. DAOY and D556 human medulloblastoma cells were treated with imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), a PDGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to PDGFRB to test the effects of blocking PDGFR phosphorylation and expression, respectively. PDGFR cell signaling, migration, invasion, survival, and proliferation following PDGF-BB stimulation, with and without PDGFR inhibition, were measured. PDGF-BB treatment of cells increased PDGFRB, Akt and ERK phosphorylation, and transactivated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which correlated with enhanced migration, survival, and proliferation. Imatinib (1 μmol/L) treatment of DAOY and D556 cells inhibited PDGF-BB- and serum-mediated migration and invasion at 24 and 48 h, respectively, and concomitantly inhibited PDGF-BB activation of PDGFRB, Akt, and ERK but increased PTEN expression and activity. Imatinib treatment also induced DAOY cell apoptosis at 72 h and inhibited DAOY and D556 cell proliferation at 48 h. siRNA silencing of PDGFRB similarly inhibited signaling, migration, and survival and both siRNA and imatinib treatment inhibited PDGF-BB-mediated EGFR transactivation, indicating that the effects of imatinib treatment are specific to PDGFRB target inhibition. These results indicate that PDGFRB tyrosine kinase activity is critical for migration and invasion of medulloblastoma cells possibly by transactivating EGFR; thus, imatinib may represent an important novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of medulloblastoma. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(5):1137–47]
Stochastic steady state gain in a gene expression process with mRNA degradation control

Recent analyses with high-resolution single-molecule experimental methods have shown highly irregular and variable bursting of mRNA in a wide range of organisms. Noise in gene expression is thought to be beneficial in cell fate specifications, as it can lay a foundation for phenotypic diversification of isogenetic cells in the homogeneous environment. However, because the stability of proteins is, in many cases, higher than that of mRNAs, noise from transcriptional bursting can be considerably buffered at the protein level, limiting the effect of noisy mRNAs at a more global regulation level. This raises a question as to what constructive role noisy mRNAs can play in the system-level dynamics. In this study, we have addressed this question using the computational models that extend the conventional transcriptional bursting model with a post-transcriptional regulation step. Surprisingly, by comparing this stochastic model with the corresponding deterministic model, we find that intrinsic fluctuations can substantially increase the expected mRNA level. Because effects of a higher mRNA level can be transmitted to the protein level even with slow protein degradation rates, this finding suggests that an increase in the protein level is another potential effect of transcriptional bursting. Here, we show that this striking steady state increase is caused by the asynchronous nature of molecular reactions, which allows the transcriptional regulation model to create additional modes of qualitatively distinct dynamics. Our results illustrate non-intuitive effects of reaction asynchronicity on system dynamics that cannot be captured by the traditional deterministic framework. Because molecular reactions are intrinsically stochastic and asynchronous, these findings may have broad implications in modelling and understanding complex biological systems.
3D motion estimation using single perspective sparse range data via surface reconstruction neural networks

A regularized surface reconstruction neural network approach to perform robust invariant 2D/3D object recognition and motion estimation is presented. By efficiently embedding the whole 2D/3D image space into a neural network parametric representation, it is possible to elegantly duplicate the human's mental image transform and matching capability in performing the rotating and scaling of objects as suggested by the studies of experimental psychology. The preliminary simulations of applying this technique to invariant 2D target classification and 3D object motion estimation using sparse range data collected from a single perspective view are encouraging. >
Suppressing thermal energy drift in the LLNL Flash X-Ray accelerator using linear disk resistor stacks

This paper addresses thermal drift in sodium thiosulfate liquid resistors and their replacement with linear disk resistors from HVR Advanced Power Components. Sodium thiosulfate resistors in the FXR induction linear accelerator application have a temperature coefficient of ∼1.8%/°C. The FXR Marx banks send an 8kJ pulse through eight 524 cm3liquid resistors at a repetition rate of up to 1 every 45 seconds. Every pulse increases the temperature of the solution by ∼0.4°C which produces a 0.7% change in resistance. The typical cooling rate is ∼0.4°C per minute which results in ∼0.1% energy drop per pulse during continuous pulsed operations.