cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the biosynthetic potential of bimodular aromatic polyketide synthases

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic polyketides such as actinorhodin and tetracenomycin are synthesized from acetate equivalents by type II polyketide synthases (PKS). Their carbon chain backbones are derived from malonyl-CoA building blocks through the action of a minimal PKS module consisting of a ketosynthase, a chain length factor, an acyl carrier protein (ACP) and a malonyl-CoA/ACP transacylase. In contrast to these acetogenic polyketides, the backbones of a few aromatic polyketide natural products, such as the R1128 antibiotics, are primed by non-acetate building blocks. These polyketides are synthesized by bimodular PKSs comprising of a dedicated initiation module, which includes a ketosynthase, acyl transferase and ACP, as well as a minimal PKS module. Recently we showed that regioselectively modified polyketides could be synthesized through the genetic recombination of initiation modules and minimal PKS modules from different polyketide biosynthetic pathways (Tang et al. PLoS Biol. 2004, 2 , 227–238). For example, the actinorhodin and tetracenomycin minimal PKSs could accept and elongate unnatural primer units from the R1128 initiation module. In this report we provide further examples of using heterologous bimodular PKSs for the engineered biosynthesis of new aromatic polyketides. In addition to providing insights into the biosynthetic mechanisms of aromatic PKSs, our findings also highlight considerable potential for crosstalk between amino acid catabolism and aromatic polyketide biosynthesis. For example, exogenously supplied unnatural amino acids are efficiently incorporated into bioactive anthraquinone antibiotics.
Electrosorption of n-butanol on mercury from concentrated aqueous KCl and HCl Solutions: A study in salting-out and salting-in effects

Abstract The adsorption of n -butanol was studied from 2 M HCl and 2 M KCl solutions by electrocapillary and double-layer capacity measurements, n -Butanol and other aliphatic alcohols are salted out from KCl and other salt solutions but are interestingly salted in from solutions of HCl and other acids. Anomalous capacity behavior of n -butanol was evident from HCl solutions. The result is explained as arising from the penetration of the electrolyte into the surface film.
The Impact of Autophagy on Cell Death Modalities

Autophagy represents a homeostatic cellular mechanism for the turnover of organelles and proteins, through a lysosome-dependent degradation pathway. During starvation, autophagy facilitates cell survival through the recycling of metabolic precursors. Additionally, autophagy can modulate other vital processes such as programmed cell death (e.g., apoptosis), inflammation, and adaptive immune mechanisms and thereby influence disease pathogenesis. Selective pathways can target distinct cargoes (e.g., mitochondria and proteins) for autophagic degradation. At present, the causal relationship between autophagy and various forms of regulated or nonregulated cell death remains unclear. Autophagy can occur in association with necrosis-like cell death triggered by caspase inhibition. Autophagy and apoptosis have been shown to be coincident or antagonistic, depending on experimental context, and share cross-talk between signal transduction elements. Autophagy may modulate the outcome of other regulated forms of cell death such as necroptosis. Recent advances suggest that autophagy can dampen inflammatory responses, including inflammasome-dependent caspase-1 activation and maturation of proinflammatory cytokines. Autophagy may also act as regulator of caspase-1 dependent cell death (pyroptosis). Strategies aimed at modulating autophagy may lead to therapeutic interventions for diseases in which apoptosis or other forms of regulated cell death may play a cardinal role.
The costs and consequences of drone warfare

One of the distinctive elements of President Barack Obama's approach to counterterrorism has been his embrace of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to target terrorist operatives abroad. The Obama administration has used drones in active theatres of war, such as Afghanistan, but it has also dramatically increased the number of drone attacks launched by the CIA in other countries, such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. The conventional wisdom on drone warfare holds that these weapons are highly effective in killing terrorist operatives and disabling terrorist organizations, while killing fewer civilians than other means of attack. This article argues that much of the existing debate on drones operates with an attenuated notion of effectiveness that discounts the political and strategic dynamics—such as the corrosion of the perceptions of competence and legitimacy of governments where drone strikes take place, growing anti-Americanism and fresh recruitment of militant networks—that reveal the costs of drone warfare. Focusing particularly on drone use in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, the article suggests that the Obama administration's counterterrorism policy operates at cross-purposes because it provides a steady flow of arms and financial resources to build up governments whose legitimacy it systematically undermines by conducting unilateral strikes on their territory. It concludes that the US embrace of drone technology is a losing proposition over the long term as it will usher in a new arms race and lay the foundations for an international system that is increasingly violent, destabilized and polarized between those who have drones and those who are victims of them.
AN OUTBREAK OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN WALLAROOS (Macropus robustus) IN A CALIFORNIA ZOO

Four wallaroos (Macropus robustus) from a central California zoo colony of 22 died within a three week period. Histopathologic findings in all four cases were suggestive of toxoplasmosis. Brain, lung and heart were the most frequently involved organs. Within 4 months of the last death sera from nine colony members were tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii using the indirect hemagglutination test. All nine had serological titers ranging from 1:64 to 1:131,072.
Optical damage mechanisms in hafnia and silica thin films

Optical damage mechanisms for submicron thick, electron beam deposited HfO2 and SiO2 films on BK-7 substrates have been investigated by monitoring the emission of neutral constituents during excitation with time-delayed pairs of 70 ps laser pulses at a wavelength of 1064 nm. In silica, and probably also HfO2, linear absorption is the mechanism for energy deposition into the films by the laser beams. Sporadic ablation observed for the HfO2 films may be related to optical conditioning of multilayer HfO2-SiO2 high-reflector coatings.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An enzymatic synthesis of specifically radiolabelled derivatives of the common osmolyte, glycine betaine

Abstract A simple, rapid and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of radiolabelled glycine betaine. Relatively inexpensive 14 C- or 3 H-labelled choline obtained from commercial sources is oxidized effectively using commercially available choline oxidase. Recoveries of >80% with >95% radiochemical purity are obtained using ion exchange chromatography. The addition of [ 14 C-methyl]glycine betaine to samples from the water column of a hypersaline lake illustrate but one application for studies of methylated amine metabolism.
Novelties in Chamaecrista section Absus (Caesalpiniaceae)

Described, figured and discussed are two new species ofChamaecrista sect.Absus from campo rupestre habitats in southeastern Brazil:Ch. axiliflora Irwin & Barneby, of seriesAdenophyllae, from central Bahia, related toCh. adenophylla (Taubert) Irwin & Barneby; andCh. gumminans Irwin & Barneby, of seriesGlutinosae, from central Minas Gerais, related toCh. stilifera Irwin & Barneby.
DO HEAVY BURDENS OF SCHISTOCEPHALUS SOLIDUS IN JUVENILE THREESPINE STICKLEBACK RESULT IN DISASTER FOR THE PARASITE

The diphyllobothriidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus typically infects threespine sticklebacks that are too small to allow the parasite to reach a mature size. As a result, the parasite must allow further growth of its host to reach the size at which it becomes competent to infect and reproduce in the definitive host. At times, however, intensity of infection can be high, leading to crowding among parasites and to heavy burdens causing mortality among hosts. Our data show that, during a previously observed epizootic, large percentages of plerocercoids (average 75% per host, 82% among all parasites pooled) did not grow to become massive enough in 1-yr-old threespine sticklebacks to be capable of establishment and maturation in the definitive host. Massive deaths of 1-yr- old sticklebacks due to infection during the epizootic resulted in the great misfortune of a disaster for a large number of parasites, resulting in dramatically reduced transmission of S. solidus.
Intravenous perfluoropropane-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin produces myocardial ultrasound contrast that correlates with coronary blood flow

If microbubble gas blood solubility and diffusivity are reduced, the persistence (and hence ultrasound reflectivity) of the microbubble in blood is prolonged. Recently we have sonicated a multifold dilution of human albumin with 5% dextrose while exposed to gases of low blood solubility and diffusivity and produced microbubbles that consistently opacify the myocardium after intravenous injection. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a gas with very low diffusivity, perfluoropropane, when introduced into dextrose albumin during sonication, would produce visually evident myocardial ultrasound contrast after intravenous injection compared to sonicating with gases that have more rapid diffusivity. Second, we sought to determine whether the degree of contrast (peak myocardial videointensity) achieved with this agent would correlate with coronary blood flow. In eight open-chest dogs, intravenous injections of dextrose albumin sonicated with either room air, sulfur hexafluoride, or perfluoropropane (PESDA) were given under baseline conditions. PESDA injections were repeated when coronary flow was increased during low-dose dobutamine infusion. Left anterior descending coronary blood flow was monitored with a transit-time flow probe. Background-subtracted anterior myocardial peak videointensity was measured after each injection. Visible myocardial opacification was seen in 100% of the 0.04 to 0.08 ml/kg intravenous injections of PESDA. No significant myocardial contrast was observed with the same doses of intravenous room air- or sulfur hexafluoride-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin. There was a strong correlation between left anterior descending coronary artery flow (range 17 to 96 ml/min) and myocardial peak videointensity ( r =0.75; p
Process engineering of high-ethanol-tolerance yeast for the manufacture of ethanol

Inhibitory effects of ethanol and glucose on a high-ethanol-tolerance yeast strain (fusion product of Saccharomyces diastaticus and Saccharomyces uvarum) having high osmotic and ethanol tolerance were studied in batch cultures. A model incorporating both substrate and product inhibition was developed that represented the experimental data quite well. By performing fed-batch fermentation, an ethanol concentration of 13.3% (w/v) was obtained. The maximum allowable ethanol concentration for cell growth was predicted to be 129.9 g/L and ethanol-producing capability of cells was found to be completely inhibited at 136.4 g/L. On-line monitoring of the fermentation was performed using an ion trap mass spectrometer and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Preliminary results are reported.
Beziehungen zwischen Mikroben und blutgruppenaktiven Substanzen

Substanzen mit Blutgruppenspezifitat ABH(0) sind nicht auf die roten Blutzellen des Menschen beschrankt. Sie sind vielmehr antigene, ubiquitare Oberflachenstrukturen, die die Natur als Bauprinzip von Mikroben bis zu Saugetieren beibehalten hat. Sogenannte „praexistierende naturliche” Antikorper lassen sich experimentell als das Resultat „stiller” Immunisierung durch diese weitverbreiteten Antigene nachweisen. Die blutgruppenspezifischen Strukturen der Bakterien sind denen der menschlichen ABH(0)-Substanzen chemisch sehr ahnlich. Die Situation bei den aktiven Substanzen aus hoheren pflanzen ist komplizierter; sie geben ausergewohnliche immunchemische Reaktionen, und zwei ihrer blutgruppenspezifischen Monosaccharide prazipitieren Antikorper. In jungster Zeit wurde die Natur der M- und N-Blutgruppensubstanzen aus Erythrocytenmembranen aufgeklart, welche zudem hervorragende Influenzavirus-Rezeptoren und-Hemmer sind. M- und N-antigene Glykoproteine sind die Hauptsubstanzen des zweiten von mindestens 14 Blutgruppensystemen des Menschen. Das NN-Antigen ist die erste physikalisch homogene, chemisch definierte, hochblutgruppenaktive Zelloberflachenstruktur menschlichen Ursprungs. Als Oberflachenstrukturen haben blutgruppenaktive Substanzen Rezeptoreigenschaften, von denen die Blutgruppenspezifitat wohl haufig nur eine von mehreren ist.
m -Isometric Commuting Tuples of Operators on a Hilbert Space

We consider a generalization of isometric Hilbert space operators to the multivariable setting. We study some of the basic properties of these tuples of commuting operators and we explore several examples. In particular, we show that the d-shift, which is important in the dilation theory of d-contractions (or row contractions), is a d-isometry. As an application of our techniques we prove a theorem about cyclic vectors in certain spaces of analytic functions that are properly contained in the Hardy space of the unit ball of \( \mathbb{C}^d \).
Demonstration of inferior phrenic arteries on spiral CT—case report

An unusual case is presented in which normal noncollateral left and right inferior phrenic arteries (IPAs) are clearly visualized on two successive CT axial sections for long continuous lengths of their courses, presumably due to their relative horizontal orientation. They are both noted to penetrate the diaphragm (infradiaphragmatic to supradiaphragmatic) as a normal variation. There was no liver pathology, other tumor, or other unusual anatomy.
Correlation between male and female reproduction in the subdioecious herb Astilbe biternata (Saxifragaceae).

Genotypic trade-offs between male and female reproduction are commonly assumed in theoretical studies of the evolution of gender specialization. Although these trade-offs are supported by higher seed production of females than hermaphrodites in natural populations of gynodioecious species, comparisons between male and female reproductive allocation among hermaphrodite individuals under controlled conditions are rare. We assessed phenotypic and genotypic correlations between stamen and fruit production in fruiting males of the near-dioecious herb Astilbe biternata. In the field, we found a significant negative phenotypic correlation between stamen production and fruit production within individuals that produced both stamens and fruit as well as higher fruit set in females than fruiting males. The negative correlation between fruit and stamen production that was observed in the field was also apparent across clonally propagated genotypes. These results suggest that negative genetic correlations between male and female reproduction may limit the independent evolution of fruit and stamen production in A. biternata. Negative genetic correlations between male and female reproductive output underlie theoretical models describing the evolution of sexual dimorphic species from hermaphroditic ancestors in plants (for review see Geber, 1999). In the presence of these genetic trade-offs, selection resulting in increased reproductive output through one sex function also will result in decreased reproductive output in the other sex function. It is impossible to test for these genetic trade-offs in dioecious species because, by definition, all individuals are unisexual and none reproduce by both male and female modes. However, if negative genetic correlations between male and female reproductive output contribute to the evolution of dioecy from hermaphroditism, then species with ‘‘intermediate’’ breeding systems along the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to dioecy should express these trade-offs. Here we assess the presence of a negative genetic correlation between male and female reproductive output in Astilbe biternata, a subdioecious perennial plant. Subdioecious species comprise individuals that express male, female, or hermaphroditic phenotypes in natural populations and are considered to represent an intermediate step along one common evolutionary pathway between hermaphroditism and dioecy (Webb, 1999). For clarity we
Transnational criminal organizations: Strategic alliances

(1995). Transnational criminal organizations: Strategic alliances. The Washington Quarterly: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 57-72.
Semigroups whose idempotents form a subsemigroup

We prove that if the "type-II-construct" subsemigroup of a finite semigroup S is regular, then the "type-II" subsemigroup of 5 is computable (actually in this case, type-II and type-II-construct are equal). This, together with certain older results about pseudo-varieties of finite semigroups, leads to further results: (1) We get a new proof of Ash's theorem: If the idempotents in a finite semigroup S commute, then S divides a finite inverse semigroup. Equivalently: The pseudo-variety generated by the finite inverse semigroups consists of those finite semigroups whose idempotents commute. (2) We prove: If the idempotents of a finite semigroup S form a subsemigroup then S divides a finite orthodox semigroup. Equivalently: The pseudo-variety generated by the finite orthodox semigroups consists of those finite semigroups whose idempotents form a subsemigroup. (3) We prove: The union of all the subgroups of a semigroup S forms a subsemigroup if and only if 5 belongs to the pseudo-variety UQ * G if and only if Sn belongs to UQ. Here UQ denotes the pseudo-variety of finite semigroups which are unions of groups. For these three classes of semigroups, type-// is equal to type-// construct.
Sonic boom minimization using inverse design and probabilistic acoustic propagation

near-field signature is more accurately represented. The problem of F-function parameters’ estimation is reformulated as a gradient-based optimization problem and solved. Sonic boom propagation is carried out in a probabilistic fashion using parametric atmospheric models and statistical techniques. A bilevel pseudoinverse optimization is performed using coarse-grained parallel genetic algorithms to design aircraft that meet low sonic boom requirements under atmospheric uncertainty. The optimization analysis is split into two cycles with multiple conflicting objectives. Results are presented and discussed.
De novo characterization of the gametophyte transcriptome in bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum

Because of their phylogenetic position and unique characteristics of their biology and life cycle, ferns represent an important lineage for studying the evolution of land plants. Large and complex genomes in ferns combined with the absence of economically important species have been a barrier to the development of genomic resources. However, high throughput sequencing technologies are now being widely applied to non-model species. We leveraged the Roche 454 GS-FLX Titanium pyrosequencing platform in sequencing the gametophyte transcriptome of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) to develop genomic resources for evolutionary studies. 681,722 quality and adapter trimmed reads totaling 254 Mbp were assembled de novo into 56,256 unique sequences (i.e. unigenes) with a mean length of 547.2 bp and a total assembly size of 30.8 Mbp with an average read-depth coverage of 7.0×. We estimate that 87% of the complete transcriptome has been sequenced and that all transcripts have been tagged. 61.8% of the unigenes had blastx hits in the NCBI nr protein database, representing 22,596 unique best hits. The longest open reading frame in 52.2% of the unigenes had positive domain matches in InterProScan searches. We assigned 46.2% of the unigenes with a GO functional annotation and 16.0% with an enzyme code annotation. Enzyme codes were used to retrieve and color KEGG pathway maps. A comparative genomics approach revealed a substantial proportion of genes expressed in bracken gametophytes to be shared across the genomes of Arabidopsis, Selaginella and Physcomitrella, and identified a substantial number of potentially novel fern genes. By comparing the list of Arabidopsis genes identified by blast with a list of gametophyte-specific Arabidopsis genes taken from the literature, we identified a set of potentially conserved gametophyte specific genes. We screened unigenes for repetitive sequences to identify 548 potentially-amplifiable simple sequence repeat loci and 689 expressed transposable elements. This study is the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis for a fern and represents an important scientific resource for comparative evolutionary and functional genomics studies in land plants. We demonstrate the utility of high-throughput sequencing of a normalized cDNA library for de novo transcriptome characterization and gene discovery in a non-model plant.
A first-law thermodynamic analysis of the corn-ethanol cycle

This paper analyzes energy efficiency of the industrial corn-ethanol cycle. In particular, it critically evaluates earlier publications by DOE, USDA, and UC Berkeley Energy Resources Group. It is demonstrated that most of the current First Law net-energy models of the industrial corn-ethanol cycle are based on nonphysical assumptions and should be viewed with caution. In particular, these models do not (i) define the system boundaries, (ii) conserve mass, and (iii) conserve energy. The energy cost of producing and refining carbon fuels in real time, for example, corn and ethanol, is high relative to that of fossil fuels deposited and concentrated over geological time. Proper mass and energy balances of corn fields and ethanol refineries that account for the photosynthetic energy, part of the environment restoration work, and the coproduct energy have been formulated. These balances show that energetically production of ethanol from corn is 2‐4 times less favorable than production of gasoline from petroleum. From thermodynamics it also follows that ecological damage wrought by industrial biofuel production must be severe. With the DDGS coproduct energy credit, 3.9 gallons of ethanol displace on average the energy in 1 gallon of gasoline. Without the DDGS energy credit, this average number is 6.2 gallons of ethanol. Equivalent CO2 emissions from corn ethanol are some 50% higher than those from gasoline, and become 100% higher if methane emissions from cows fed with DDGS are accounted for. From the mass balance of soil it follows that ethanol coproducts should be returned to the fields.
The application of flow cytometry and a thioredoxin‐like nuclear gene for breeding Poa arachnifera x Poa pratensis hybrids

Interspecific hybridization between Poa arachnifera Torr. (Texas bluegrass) and Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky bluegrass) has shown to be a proven method for the development of turf-type hybrid bluegrass cultivars for the southern United States. Unlike in P. pratensis, the use of DNA markers for molecular characterization and flow cytometry to determine nuclear DNA contents has not been extensively utilized in P. arachnifera. In this study, 2C nuclear DNA content of 19 different genotypes of P. arachnifera (both males and females) was determined to range from 8.02 to 13.24 pg/2C using flow cytometry. The DNA content of the hybrids between P. arachnifera and P. pratensis from two different pedigrees was found to be intermediate between their parents. Furthermore, the utility of the trx (thioredoxin-like) nuclear gene in the identification of interspecific hybrids between P. arachnifera and P. pratensis was demonstrated using sequence and phylogenetic analyses. A newly discovered 851-bp trx allele may serve as a useful marker to differentiate P. arachnifera from P. pratensis and provide insights into the evolutionary origin of P. arachnifera.
The crucial constants in the exponential-type error estimates for Gaussian interpolation

vb ≤ (Cd)c/d ∥f∥h where C,c are constants, h is the Gaussian function, s is the interpolating function, and d is called fill distance which, roughly speaking, measures the spacing of the points at which interpolation occurs. This error bound gets small very fast as d → 0. The constants C and c are very sensitive. A slight change of them will result in a huge change of the error bound. The number c can be calculated as shown in [9]. However, C cannot be calculated, or even approximated. This is a famous question in the theory of radial basis functions. The purpose of this paper is to answer this question.
He's home, but he's not the same: a pastoral counseling impression of family care after combat related traumatic brain injury.

As the occurrence of direct contact with heavy improvised explosive devices has increased in Operation Enduring Freedom, more and more veterans are returning home from combat deployment with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Although these injuries are associated with many different neurological, physiological, and emotional symptoms, perhaps most difficult for families is the phenomenon of perceived personality change. This article examines common clinical interventions in treating personality change associated with TBI, and offers pastoral context and insights for complementary care with families during the return and reunion process. Language: en
The Underclass in the United States: Some Correlates of Economic Change*

This paper analyzes the important manifestations of the underclass, outlines some differing positions on its origin and persistence, and lends further support to the argument of its link with the changing United States economy. The processes that produce and maintain the underclass are discussed along with their conflicting and converging interpretations. An analysis of the impact of industrial restructuring in the early 1980s shows that massive job losses affected blacks in the inner city areas much more severely than any other groups. The economic recovery that followed has not benefitted this group and, as a consequence, many census tract areas that were predominantly poor have become designated underclass. Consequences of the polarization of the labor force that has contributed to the isolation of inner city blacks from the economy is discussed, and recommendations are offered for solving this national problem.
Re: Smoking and lung cancer: recent evidence and a discussion of some questions

Summary This report reviews some of the more recent epidemiologic and experimental findings on the relationship of tobacco smoking to lung cancer, and discusses some criticisms directed against the conclusion that tobacco smoking, especially cigarettes, has a causal role in the increase in broncho-genic carcinoma. The magnitude of the excess lung-cancer risk among cigarette smokers is so great that the results can not be interpreted as arising from an indirect association of cigarette smoking with some other agent or characteristic, since this hypothetical agent would have to be at least as strongly associated with lung cancer as cigarette use; no such agent has been found or suggested. The consistency of all the epidemiologic and experimental evidence also supports the conclusion of a causal relationship with cigarette smoking, while there are serious inconsistencies in reconciling the evidence with other hypotheses which have been advanced. Unquestionably there are areas where more research is necessary, and, of course, no single cause accounts for all lung cancer. The information already available, however, is sufficient for planning and activating public health measures. – J. Nat. Cancer Inst. 22:173–203, 1959.
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: long term clinical outcomes

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) continues to be the preferred operation. However, data for long-term outcomes are lacking. Our goal was to determine the long-term clinical outcomes after LRYGB. Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted on all patients who underwent LRYGB from 2001–2006. Only patients who had postoperative clinic visits both at ≤2 and ≥5 years were included. Data collected included patient demographics and postoperative clinical outcomes, including percent excess weight loss (%EWL), complications, and improvement or resolution of preoperative comorbidities (type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and hyperlipidemia). Data were analyzed by using SAS (version 9.2) and SPSS (version 16) statistical software. There were 770 patients who underwent LRYGB at UAB from 2001–2006. Of these, 172 patients met inclusion criteria (148 women and 24 men) with a median age of 41 years and median body mass index of 46 kg/m2. Median short- and long-term follow-up was 12 and 75 months, respectively. Mean %EWL was 69 % for short-term and 65 % for long-term follow-up (P = 0.0032). Of 172 patients, 66 experienced 81 complications at a median of 26 months after operation. The improvement or resolution of comorbidities was maintained in the long-term, and there was no statistically significant difference compared with improvement or resolution in the short-term. Although there was a statistically significant difference in %EWL between short- and long-term follow-up, both arms showed a clinically relevant %EWL (69 and 65 %) and both were statistically significant compared with preoperative values. The improvement or resolution of comorbidities achieved with LRYGB was maintained in long-term follow-up. Thus, LRYGB resulted in significant improvement in clinical outcomes that were durable in the long term.
From an Epistemology of Faith to Everyday Understanding Reflections on Kierkegaard, Rosenzweig, and Clinical Practice

Practitioners of psychotherapy often find themselves in clinical situations that challenge their ability to maintain both empathy and “charitable skepticism” toward clients’ narratives. The author approaches this question of clinical credulity through a comparison of the religious philosophies of Soren Kierkegaard and Franz Rosenzweig. Kierkegaard’s Philosophical Fragments is read as advocating a necessary and provisional “leap of faith” when confronting such clinical aporias. This reading of Kierkegaard is then contrasted to Rosenzweig’s recommendations in his clinical allegory, Understanding the Sick and the Healthy, which suggests a model of empathic reflection that balances affirmation with skepticism. The author concludes from this comparison that (a) the initial exploration of material provided by the psychotherapy client must proceed from a tentative “willful suspension of disbelief” on the part of the therapist and (b) this epistemology of faith must be tempered with the particular concept of “eve...
Nano-dielectric materials in electrical insulation application

High performance electrical insulation materials and structures must be free from unwanted and unpredictable dielectric breakdown through the insulator as well as surface flashover along the interface between the insulator and the ambient or vacuum. The last decade has witnessed significant developments in the area of nano-particulate and nano-dielectric materials, and significant effects of nano-scale fillers on electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of polymeric materials have been observed. Surface flashover is one of the major issues in electrical insulation in power systems operating either in space (vacuum or partial vacuum) or atmospheric (earth-bound) environments. Thus, development of new and advanced materials to be used in power systems requires extensive studies on electrical insulation characteristics of these materials before they can be used in commercial systems. Most of the research in characterization of nano-dielectric materials has been for systems operating in atmospheric environment; there are limited or no data for systems using these materials in space environments. In this paper, we present experimental results of surface flashover characteristics of epoxy resin and epoxy resin cast with powdered Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in partial vacuum. The flashover studies were conducted separately using DC and AC signals. Surface flashover voltage and current waveforms of the samples and light emission waveforms and video images during the breakdown were recorded. Optical data collected by a video camera along with the PMT light emission data are analyzed and the results of the optical emission characteristics of surface flashover are presented along with the electrical data. The samples used in the experiments were produced by using either epoxy resin of known properties or by mixing known quantities of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ with epoxy. The electrode material placed over the dielectric samples was copper.
Frequent occurrence of asplenism and cholelithiasis in patients with autoimmune polyglandular disease type I

Abstract purpose: This study assesses the occurrence of asplenism and gallstones in patients with autoimmune polyglandular disease type I (APG I). patients and methods: Nine patients with APG I (ages 14 to 48) were studied at the National Institutes of Health. Each patient received endocrine testing, a careful examination of his or her peripheral blood smear, lymphocyte immunophenotyping, a liver-spleen scan, and either an upper abdominal ultrasound or a computer-assisted tomogram to evaluate the spleen and gallbladder. results: We documented asplenism in four patients and cholelithiasis in four patients, with two patients having both conditions. The patients with asplenism had Howell-Jolly bodies on peripheral blood smears, lack of splenic uptake by liver-spleen scan, and absent spleens by abdominal computed tomographic scan or ultrasound evaluation. The clinical presentation of the patients with cholelithiasis ranged from acute symptoms requiring surgery to asymptomatic gallstones. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping did not reveal consistent changes in either B- or T-cell subpopulations in the patients studied. conclusion: Asplenism and gallstones occur frequently in patients with APG I. In addition to careful examination of the peripheral blood smear for Howell-Jolly bodies to screen for asplenism, we recommend an abdominal ultrasound to detect asplenism and/or gallstones in all patients with APG I. Appropriate immunizations and antibiotic coverage may be helpful in those patients with absent spleens.
Assessing Assistive Device Needs of Community Dwelling Older Adults in Tompkins County

ABSTRACTResearch has shown that for older adults (OAs), remaining at home encourages engagement in meaningful occupation. Physical and cognitive changes associated with aging result in functional changes that are a barrier to remaining independent. Assistive technology (AT) can be beneficial for OAs to maintain independence. In order to meet the AT needs of OAs living in Tompkins County, the university-based researchers were asked by the Finger Lakes Independence Center (FLIC) in Ithaca, New York, to identify the current AT needs of OAs who they serve. This is a market research study utilizing a nonexperimental descriptive survey design. After pilot testing the survey with experts to ensure content validity, the survey was given to a convenience sample of OAs. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Review of the data indicates that magnification devices, laundry baskets on wheels, and amplified phone devices were the most frequently identified AT-related needs of participants. The research ...
Making an Analogy between a Multi Chain Interaction in CDW Transport and Wave Functionals to Form S-S' Pairs

First, we show through a numerical simulation that the massive Schwinger model used to formulate solutions to CDW transport in itself is insufficient for transport of solitons (anti-solitons) through a pinning gap model of CDW transport. We show that a model Hamiltonian with Peierls condensation energy used to couple adjacent chains (or transverse wave vectors) permits formation of solitons (anti- solitons) which could be used to transport CDW through a potential barrier. We argue tthere are analogies between this construction and the false vacuum hypothesis for showing a necessary and sufficient condition for formation of CDW soliton - anti - soliton (S-S') pairs in wave functionals This can be established via either use of the Bogomil'nyi inequality or maybe an experimental artifact which is due to the false vacuum hypothesis to obtain a 'distance between the S-S' 'charge centers'.
Deformation Mechanisms in Thin Films

There are a variety of different mechanisms which may contribute to the plastic deformation of a polycrystalline material, involving such processes as dislocation glide, dislocation climb, grain boundary sliding and diffusion of vacancies. Each mechanism can be characterized by a relationship which gives strain-rate as a function of stress, temperature and microstructural state. A deformation mechanism may actually involve multiple, coupled atomic processes. For example, diffusional creep results from the coupled operation of vacancy diffusion and grain boundary sliding. The total strain-rate of the polycrystal is the sum of the contributions of the various different mechanisms, with different mechanisms dominant in different regimes of stress and temperature. In bulk polycrystals this behavior has been described with deformation-mechanism maps. For thin films the same atomic processes of deformation can operate, but the deformation mechanisms may have different stress---strain-rate---temperature relationships because of the presense of free surfaces or thin-film---substrate interfaces.
Dying in the shadows: the challenge of providing health care for homeless people

The study of mortality among homeless women reported in this issue by Cheung and Hwang[1][1] (see page 1243) is a clarion call to our society and our health care community. The stunning 10-fold disparity in mortality rates between Toronto's homeless and housed women aged 18–44 is complemented by
First Record of Chrosomus erythrogaster (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in the Mobile Basin

Abstract We document the discovery of Chrosomus erythrogaster (Southern Redbelly Dace) in the Bankhead National Forest, Double Springs, AL. This collection represents the first documented collection of C. erythrogaster in the Mobile Basin and adds to the biodiversity found in the Bankhead National Forest. Biogeographically, the discovery of C. erythrogaster at this locality leads us to propose the idea of interbasin transfer through subterranean pathways. No evidence exists for stream capture through surface waters, and bait-bucket transfer is unlikely given the isolation of the area due to its wilderness designation.
Fire in the Brazilian Amazon: A Spatially Explicit Model for Policy Impact Analysis

This article implements a spatially explicit model to estimate the probability of forest and agricultural fires in the Brazilian Amazon. We innovate by using variables that reflect farmgate prices of beef and soy, and also provide a conceptual model of managed and unmanaged fires in order to simulate the impact of road paving, cattle exports, and conservation area designation on the occurrence of fire. Our analysis shows that fire is positively correlated with the price of beef and soy, and that the creation of new conservation units may offset the negative environmental impacts caused by the increasing number of fire events associated with early stages of frontier development.
A Method for Obtaining the Mean Transports of Ocean Currents by Combining Isopycnal Float Data with Historical Hydrography

This article presents a method for obtaining the mean structure of the temperature, specific volume anomaly, and velocity of an ocean current, using isopycnal float data combined with gravest empirical mode (GEM) fields calculated from historical hydrography. A GEM field is a projection on a geostrophic streamfunction space of hydrographic data, which captures most of the vertical structure associated with frontal regions. This study focuses on the North Atlantic Current‐subpolar front (NAC‐SPF) current system, but the float‐GEM method has broad applicability to baroclinic ocean currents in general. The NAC‐SPF current system is of climatic interest, being an important conduit of warm salty waters into the northern North Atlantic. It constitutes the upper limb of the thermohaline circulation of the Atlantic Ocean and plays a crucial role in the moderation of European climate, but uncertainties regarding its transport and corresponding heat fluxes remain, mainly because the structure of the system is not well known. This paper shows how isopycnal floats can be used to obtain such estimates. The performance of the float‐GEM method is tested in two ways. First, two synoptic hydrographic sections (one across the NAC and the other across the SPF) are reconstructed from simulated isopycnal float pressure measurements. The baroclinic transports of volume and temperature (relative to 1000 dbar) across the sections are well reproduced by the method: the float‐GEM transport estimates have an accuracy of 620% and a precision of 615% or less, which result in deviations of less than 610% from the ‘‘real’’ values. In the second test, horizontal maps of pressure and temperature on the d 52 12.7 3 1028 m3 kg21 specific volume anomaly surface (su 27.5 kg m23) are produced, using RAFOS float data from two experiments that sampled the region from 1993 to 2000. These maps compare well with similar maps constructed in previous studies and establish the consistency of the method. The good performance of the float‐GEM method gives confidence in this novel way of using isopycnal floats to obtain information on the structure of the ocean. Combined with the velocity measured by the floats, it has the potential to estimate absolute transports and heat fluxes along the NAC‐SPF system.
Disparities in Social Health by Sexual Orientation and the Etiologic Role of Self-Reported Discrimination

Some past work indicates that sexual minorities may experience impairments in social health, or the perceived and actual availability and quality of one's social relationships, relative to heterosexuals; however, research has been limited in many ways. Furthermore, it is important to investigate etiological factors that may be associated with these disparities, such as self-reported discrimination. The current work tested whether sexual minority adults in the United States reported less positive social health (i.e., loneliness, friendship strain, familial strain, and social capital) relative to heterosexuals and whether self-reported discrimination accounted for these disparities. Participants for the current study (N = 579) were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk, including 365 self-identified heterosexuals (105 women) and 214 sexual minorities (103 women). Consistent with hypotheses, sexual minorities reported impaired social health relative to heterosexuals, with divergent patterns emerging by sexual orientation subgroup (which were generally consistent across sexes). Additionally, self-reported discrimination accounted for disparities across three of four indicators of social health. These findings suggest that sexual minorities may face obstacles related to prejudice and discrimination that impair the functioning of their relationships and overall social health. Moreover, because social health is closely related to psychological and physical health, remediating disparities in social relationships may be necessary to address other health disparities based upon sexual orientation. Expanding upon these results, implications for efforts to build resilience among sexual minorities are discussed.
Pediatric Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Mature Subspecialty.

The burden of gastrointestinal disease affecting infants and children is high and increasing. Fortunately, there are a growing number of specialists trained in both pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology: enough to be available to most general pediatricians for evaluation and management of gastrointestinal illness. As in adults, gastrointestinal endoscopy has become a key element in the diagnosis and therapy of many diseases affecting children. It is certainly preferable to have endoscopies in children carried out by pediatric gastroenterologists who have specific knowledge and understanding of children’s diseases. There is more availability of such specialists for the performance of the most common upper and lower GI endoscopies. In addition, there is an increasing cadre of pediatric gastroenterologists who have been trained in advanced procedures, including enteroscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and endoscopic ultrasonography. It has been nearly 15 years since the last issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics of North America was devoted to pediatric endoscopy, and of course, there has been tremendous progress in the field. This is remarkably well documented in this terrific issue, which offers critical basic information needed to ensure the safety and success of GI endoscopy in children, including how to set up a pediatric endoscopy unit, how to train and assess pediatric endoscopy specialists, how to properly obtain informed consent for procedures in children, and how to measure the quality of endoscopic procedures, so critical in the current era. The emphasis in children’s endoscopy is different than in much of adult gastroenterology: much less relating to cancer and much more relating to congenital abnormalities, inflammatory diseases, and allergic diseases. A good example in this issue of a particular problem in young children is the proper management of button battery ingestion, a situation uncommon in adults, which requires specific understanding and is seen as a paradigm for management of severe pediatric
The Human Hemoglobins

The hemoglobin is the intensely colored pigment which imparts the red color to the blood; hemoglobin is the most abundant blood protein in man, and represents more than 95% of the soluble protein content of the erythrocytes. The primary functional role of the hemoglobin is the transport of oxygen from the alveolar capillaries of the lungs to the body tissues; an associated function is the binding of carbon dioxide and protons by deoxyhemoglobin, thereby serving to buffer the blood on the venous side of the circulation.
The Limited Gains From Complex Tariffs

Models of nonlinear pricing ignore the monetary, administrative, and managerial costs of screening. As a consequence there is a wide divergence between complex theoretical characterization of nonlinear taris and the simple tari options commonly encountered in the business practice. This paper uses an equilibrium model of nonlinear pricing to determine the magnitude of foregone rents due to the implementation of simplified screening mechanisms. I then study the distribution of these foregone rents conditional on observable characteristics of a large sample of independent cellular telephone markets. I also use the estimated overall profitability of each market to analyze in detail the pricing strategies of firms in a monopoly environment, including the number of taris and the use of foggy pricing. Estimates reveal that the sample mean of foregone profits for not oering an additional tari option amounts to $3.27 (1986 dollars) although this amount declines to $1.32 if firms already oer three tari options. But these foregone profits only amount to 4% and 0.6% of the profits attainable with a fully nonlinear tari, respectively. JEL: C39, D43, L96.