cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk-adjusted analysis of positive surgical margins following laparoscopic and retropubic radical prostatectomy.

Abstract Objectives To prospectively compare in a contemporary and contemporaneous series the positive surgical margin (PSM) rate between laparoscopic (LRP) and retropubic (RRP) radical prostatectomy at the same institution. Methods Between 1 January 2003 and 30 June 2005, 1177 consecutive men with clinically localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate underwent radical prostatectomy at the same institution: 485 laparoscopically and 692 through a retropubic approach. Partin table probability of organ-confined (OC) disease was used as an index of disease aggressiveness: The PSM rate between the two approaches was compared, with adjustment for the OC probability. Results Overall both surgical approaches had a comparable PSM rate of 11.3% after LRP and 11% after RRP. In a logistic regression analysis adjusting for OC probability, there was no statistically significant difference between LRP and RRP (odds ratio [OR]: 1.156; 95% confidence interval [%95 CI], 0.792, 1.686; p =0.5). There was a statistically significant decrease over time in the rate of PSM for LRP (OR: 0.71 per 100 patients treated; %95 CI, 0.57, 0.89; p =0.003), while that of RRP was unchanged (OR: 1.06 per 100 patients treated; %95 CI, 0.94, 1.21; p =0.3; p =0.002 for interaction between change over time and procedure). Conclusions In our institution, laparoscopic and retropubic radical prostatectomy provide comparable PSM rates for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. The PSM rate over the study period remained unchanged in the RRP experience, indicating a mature and well-established operative technique, while that of LRP underwent a significant decrease, demonstrating that the procedure and therefore the results continued to evolve during the study.
Characterization of a new endogenous endo-β-1,4-glucanase of Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus)

The present work characterized a new endogenous cellulase (endo-β-1,4-glucanase) gene, CfEG5, uncovered in the transcriptome of Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus). The full-length gene was cloned and sequenced. It is similar to the CfEG3a described earlier (Zhang et al., 2009) but not likely an allelic variant. GenomeWalker™ DNA walking analysis indicated that there may be one copy of CfEG5 and two copies of CfEG3a in the termite genome. As with CfEG3a, the transcript of CfEG5 was detected predominantly in the salivary gland based on quantitative RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of translated amino acid sequence showed that the CfEG5 is more related to CaEG, derived from an Australian subterranean termite (Coptotermes acinaciformis), than CfEG3a and other cellulases from Coptotermes formosanus, Reticulitermes speratus, or Reticulitermes flavipes. Recombinant CfEG5, produced in Escherichia coli, was active against filter-paper cellulose, resulting in mostly cellobiose and cellotriose, similar to the enzymatic and biochemical properties of CfEG3a. These findings would lead to further investigation of both the evolutionary origin of eukaryotic cellulase genes and the evolutionary relationship of termite species. The cellulose-degrading enzyme is applicable for bioconversion of wood to simple sugars and production of biofuels. The recombinant cellulase should also be useful for designing and screening of inhibitors for the development of target-specific and environment-friendly bio-termicides.
A Note on Maritally-Disrupted Men’s Reports of Child Support in the June 1980 Current Population Survey

Data from the June 1980 Current Population Survey on fathers’ reported provision offinancial support to children from previous marriages living elsewhere is compared to previously published tabulations from the April 1979 CPS of women’s receipt of child support payments. The comparison indicates that the number of men with children from previous marriages living elsewhere is substantially underreported in the June 1980 CPS. Because of the apparent underreporting, the data on the provision of financial support should be interpreted with caution.
Equilibrium configurations of N equal charges on a sphere

The emergence of new levels of complexity that often accompanies the transition from few- to many-body systems is clearly illustrated by the progression of equilibrium states of N charges on the surface of a sphere as N increases. The characteristics of these electrostatic equilibrium states in the range 2<or=N<or=65 can be examined in detail by equilibrating 1000 randomized initial configurations for every value of N. As N increases, the equilibrium states undergo a succession of structural changes. For instance, a state with non-zero dipole moment appears at N=11, an enantiomeric or mirror image state appears at N=15, and a robust metastable state appears at N=16. For values of N exceeding 50, clusters of four or more metastable states with energies within 0.01% of each other are the dominant pattern. In analogy with some other complex systems, these energetically similar states have strikingly different asymmetric configurations.
Tracking Magnetic Footpoints with the Magnetic Induction Equation

The accurate estimation of magnetic footpoint velocities from a temporal sequence of photospheric magnetograms is critical for estimating the magnetic energy and helicity fluxes through the photosphere. A new technique for determining the magnetic footpoint velocities from a sequence of magnetograms is presented. This technique implements a variational principle to minimize deviations in the magnitude of the magnetic induction equation constrained by an affine velocity profile, which depends linearly on coordinates, within a windowed subregion of the magnetogram sequence. The variational principle produces an overdetermined system that is solved directly by linear least-squares or total least-squares methods. The resulting optical flow field and associated uncertainties are statistically consistent with the magnetic induction equation and the affine velocity profile within this aperture. The general technique has potential for application to other solar data sets where a physical model for the underlying image dynamics can be applied.
Monodisperse polyethylenes: Crystallization kinetics

Crystallization kinetics of hydrogenated monodisperse polybutadienes have been measured using hot-stage microscopy, and the data have been analyzed in terms of crystallization half-time and Avrami exponent. Results obtained from hydrogenated polybutadienes having Mw's in the range 5,100 to 340,000 were compared with what was obtained from several commercial polyethylenes. A four-branch star hydrogenated polybutadiene was also included in this study. Crystallization half-time at constant undercooling was found to go through a minimum when expressed as a function of Mw; such behavior is consistent with polyethylene data already reported in the literature. It was found that crystallization half-times for all polyethylene homopolymers studied (hydrogenated polybutadienes as well as commercial polyethylenes with their broad molecular weight distributions) exhibit similar exponential dependences on undercooling.
Alteration by drugs of the daily rhythm of plasma corticosteroid concentration in the Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis☆

Abstract The daily rise in plasma concentrations of corticosteroid that occurs at 8 hr after the onset of a 12-hr daily photoperiod in male Gulf killifish was blocked by injections of atropine, pentobarbital, and physostigmine administered 4 hr previously. Injections of epinephrine, phentolamine, and normal saline were ineffective. These results indicate that the neural regulation of a daily rhythm of plasma corticosteroid involves cholinergic mechanisms.
Repair of Formamidopyrimidines in DNA Involves Different Glycosylases ROLE OF THE OGG1, NTH1, AND NEIL1 ENZYMES

The oxidatively induced DNA lesions 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyG) and 4,6-diamino-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyA) are formed abundantly in DNA of cultured cells or tissues exposed to ionizing radiation or to other free radical-generating systems. In vitro studies indicate that these lesions are miscoding, can block the progression of DNA polymerases, and are substrates for base excision repair. However, no study has yet addressed how these lesions are metabolized in cellular extracts. The synthesis of oligonucleotides containing FapyG and FapyA at defined positions was recently reported. These constructs allowed us to investigate the repair of Fapy lesions in nuclear and mitochondrial extracts from wild type and knock-out mice lacking the two major DNA glycosylases for repair of oxidative DNA damage, OGG1 and NTH1. The background level of FapyG/FapyA in DNA from these mice was also determined. Endogenous FapyG levels in liver DNA from wild type mice were significantly higher than 8-hydroxyguanine levels. FapyG and FapyA were efficiently repaired in nuclear and mitochondrial extracts from wild type animals but not in the glycosylase-deficient mice. Our results indicated that OGG1 and NTH1 are the major DNA glycosylases for the removal of FapyG and FapyA, respectively. Tissue-specific analysis suggested that other DNA glycosylases may contribute to FapyA repair when NTH1 is poorly expressed. We identified NEIL1 in liver mitochondria, which could account for the residual incision activity in the absence of OGG1 and NTH1. FapyG and FapyA levels were significantly elevated in DNA from the knock-out mice, underscoring the biological role of OGG1 and NTH1 in the repair of these lesions.
Self-Verification as a Mediator of Mothers’ Self-Fulfilling Effects on Adolescents’ Educational Attainment

This research examined whether self-verification acts as a general mediational process of self-fulfilling prophecies. The authors tested this hypothesis by examining whether self-verification processes mediated self-fulfilling prophecy effects within a different context and with a different belief and a different outcome than has been used in prior research. Results of longitudinal data obtained from mothers and their adolescents (N=332) indicated that mothers' beliefs about their adolescents' educational outcomes had a significant indirect effect on adolescents' academic attainment through adolescents' educational aspirations. This effect, observed over a 6-year span, provided evidence that mothers' self-fulfilling effects occurred, in part, because mothers' false beliefs influenced their adolescents' own educational aspirations, which adolescents then self-verified through their educational attainment. The theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.
Trace metal and major ion interactions in aquatic animals

Abstract In reviewing studies of trace metal uptake over the last 30 years, evidence is sought for specific mechanisms controlling transepithelial metal uptake or loss, and their possible relationship with pumps controlling the regulation of physiologically-important electroytes. There is evidence of zinc regulation in some crustaceans. However, the widespread occurrence of specific transepithelial regulatory mechanisms for trace metals is unlikely. Metal uptake and toxicity is often negatively associated with salinity. Although this phenomenon is probably related, in part, to trace metal speciation, an associated calcium effect is seen in some species. Several examples exist of interactions between calcium regulation and trace metals, suggesting there may be a number of shared pathways. Cadmium is particularly implicated in this regard. Inhibition of Na K ATPase by trace metals is seen in some fish, although there is no direct evidence of competitive inhibition of transepithelial sodium movement by trace metals.
Determination of Rate Constants for Dark Current Reduction at Semiconductor Electrodes Using ZnO Single-Crystal Microelectrodes

A method based on microelectrodes of ZnO single crystals was employed to determine the effective reaction velocity for dark reduction of ferrocenium acceptors by electrons from the semiconductor conduction band. Measurement techniques were explored and theoretical models for steady-state voltammetry at semiconductor electrodes developed. The microelectrode method as presented here represents an unambiguous experimental method for ascertaining ideal interfacial behavior even at high current flows found near the flatband potential. These results are compared with reaction velocities derived from extrapolation methods at millimeter-sized ZnO electrodes. It is seen that the extrapolation method is insensitive to nonideal behavior in the reduction reaction whereas the microelectrode method is not.
Improving asymmetric printing and low margin using custom illumination for contact hole lithography

Perhaps the most challenging level to print moving beyond 65 nm node for logic devices is contact hole. Achieving dense to isolated pitches simultaneously in a single mask print requires high NA with novel low-k1 imaging techniques. In order to achieve the desired dense resolution, off axis illumination (OAI) techniques such as annular and quasar are necessary. This also requires incorporation of sub-resolution assist features for improved semidense to isolated contact margin. We have previously discussed design related issues revolving around asymmetric contact hole printing and misplacement associated with using extreme off axis illumination (OAI). While these techniques offer the appropriate dense margin needed, there are regions of severe asymmetric printing which are unsolvable using optical proximity correction (OPC). These regions are impossible to avoid unless design rule restrictions or new illumination schemes are implemented. We continue this work with discussions revolved around illumination choices for alleviating these regions without losing too much dense margin.
Vacuum tunneling current from an adsorbed atom.

The tunneling current density is computed in the vacuum region between two planar metal electrodes, on one of which is an adsorbed atom. The calculation uses self-consistent wave functions for each electrode; the effects of adatom valence resonances are fully taken into account. This study leads to a better understanding of important aspects of the current flow in the scanning tunneling microscope. Its emphasis is not so much on the question of resolution discussed in earlier theoretical work, but on the characteristic signatures of chemically different atoms at a surface.
Algebraic determination of all vertex cutsets in a graph

Algebraic operations which apply to cutsets are defined. Their application to the expansion of certain product sums of the vertexes, contained in the nonredundant paths in an arbitrary graph, leads directly to the unique identification of each and every vertex cutset, with respect to any given pair of vertexes in the graph. This information is essential to the analysis of flow and reliability in communication nets. The cutsetgeneration technique is algebraically efficient and practicable.
Gene structure of chick lumican and identification of the first exon.

Three overlapping genomic clones to chick lumican were isolated and then characterized using restriction enzyme analyses, Southern blot analyses with cDNA probes, and by DNA sequencing. The results showed chick lumican gene to consist of 3 exons with a 2.9-kb first intron and a 4.2-kb second intron. Transcription initiation sites, identified by S1 nuclease experiments using genomic fragments containing exon 1 and by primer extension analysis of RNA, indicated the first exon to be 303 b. Two TATA sequences were 31 and 49 bases upstream of the first exon. The first exon contained all 5' untranslated sequence. The second exon was 896 b and contains 20 b of untranslated sequence, and codes for the start methionine to the end of the 10th leucine rich repeat. The third exon is 880 b and codes for the remainder of the core protein, and 724 b of untranslated 3' sequence. A 1-kb genomic fragment containing a portion of exon 1 and upstream sequence in a luciferase reporter sector showed specific promotor activity in the forward, but not the reverse direction when transfected into corneal fibroblasts. These results show the chick lumican gene to consist of three exons, and that regulatory elements are present within 1 kb upstream of the first exon.
MO-D-332-09: Cardiac Function Measurements On An Interventional C-Arm System with Isotropic Spatial Resolution and High Temporal Resolution Using Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS)

Purpose: To achieve three dimensional isotropic dynamic cardiacCTimaging with high temporal resolution for evaluation of cardiac function with a slowly rotating C‐arm system. In this work we propose an acquisition and image reconstruction framework which enables simultaneously high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Method and Materials: A recently introduced extension to compressed sensing in which a prior image is used as a constraint in the reconstruction has enabled this application. This new algorithm is referred to as Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS). An in‐vivo animal experiment (e.g. a beagle model) was conducted using an interventional C‐arm system. The imaging protocol was as follows: contrast was injected, the contrast equilibrated, breathing was suspended for ∼14 seconds during which time 420 equally spaced projections were acquired. This data set was used to reconstruct a fully sampled blurred image volume using the conventional FDK algorithm (e.g. the prior image). Then the data set was retrospectively gated into 19 phases according to the recorded ECG signal (heart rate ∼ 95bpm) and images were reconstructed with the PICCS algorithm. Results:Cardiac MR was used as the gold standard due to its high temporal resolution. The same short‐axis slice was selected from the PICCS‐CT data set and the MR data set. Manual contouring on the peak systolic and peak diastolic frames was performed to assess the ejection fraction contribution from this single plane. The calculated ejection fractions with PICCS‐CT agreed well with the MR results. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the ability to use a slowly rotating interventional C‐arm system in order to make measurements of cardiac function. The new technique provides high isotropic spatial resolution (∼0.5 mm) along with high temporal resolution (∼ 33 ms). The evaluation of cardiac function demonstrated agreement with single slice cardiac MR.
Sludge Production and Management for Recirculating Aquacultural Systems

Waste discharge from recirculating aquacultural systems is typically in the form of sludge composed of partially stabilized excreta, uneaten food particles, and bacterial growth. The amount of solids produced can be estimated using an equation presented in this paper. In a typical recirculating system, total suspended solids (TSS) is the major pollutant of the sludge produced. The production of TSS ranges from 10 to 30% of the feeding rate on a dry weight basis. The ratio of 5-d biochemical oxygen demand to total suspended solids (BODS/TSS) of the sludge ranges from 0.10 to 0.2, the total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) content of the TSS ranges from 4 to 6%, and total phosphorus ranges from 0.2 to 2%. The nature of the waste and the economics of the treatment processes dictate the disposal of aquacultural sludge. Effective clarification of aquacultural waste is critical in reducing sludge volume. Using lagoons for stabilization and storage is the most practical option. While direct disposal by land application seems feasible for rural areas with dry climates, additional stabilization/storage in a lagoon with eventual disposal through land application seems most feasible for a variety of conditions. The effluent produced from the sludge treatment processes can be used for irrigation or for direct discharge after further polishing (treatment).
Managing asthma in the allergic patient

Asthma is a chronic disease afflicting more than 12 million people in the United States alone. In many patients, environmental allergens trigger their asthma. Physicians can control the disease with modification of the environment and education of the patient in allergen avoidance.
Butterbean seed yield, color, and protein content are affected by photomorphogenesis

Yield and nutrient content of edible beans are important to growers and consumers. Our objective was to determine whether some colors of light reflected to growing bean plants could affect photomorphogenesis enough to result in greater seed yield. Speckled butterbean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) was used as the test crop because it is a popular food crop, and the speckled areas contain anthocyanins, which function as antioxidants. The plants were grown in drip-irrigated rows that were covered with plastic mulch to conserve water and to reflect morphogenic light. Black served as the control; and red, green, and white mulch surface colors were used to reflect different quantities of blue (BL), red (R), and far-red (FR) light to the plants from emergence to ripening of seed. Seed yield over red was significantly greater than over black, green, or white. The area of seed coat covered by dark speckles was highest over red and lowest over black and green. Protein concentration on a seed weight basis did not differ among colors, but significantly more seed protein per plant was found in beans that developed over red than over black, green, or white surfaces. We conclude that altering the amounts of BL, R, and FR reflected to developing speckled butterbean plants can alter physiological processes enough to affect seed yield, anthocyanin-containing area on seed coats, and amount of seed protein per plant.
Transverse collective instability in the PSR

An instability in the Proton Storage Ring (PSR) is observed as fast loss of beam during accumulation and storage when the injected beam current exceeds a threshold value. Instabilities are observed during both coasting-beam and bunched-beam operation. Large coherent transverse oscillations occur prior to and during the beam loss. The growth times are rapid, typically in the range 10-100 mu s. The instability threshold is observed to depend strongly upon RF voltage, beam size, injected momentum spread, and nonlinear fields. Weaker dependences upon betratron tune, vacuum pressure, and stripping-foil bias voltage have also been observed. A possible e-p oscillation component of the unbunched beam instability is suggested. Growth times suggest a significant Re(Z/sub perpendicular to /) of approximately 0.2-0.5 M Omega /m; the source of this is not yet precisely identified. >
Multiple Effector Functions Mediated by Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific CD4+ T-Cell Clones

Mounting evidence suggests that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag-specific T helper cells contribute to effective antiviral control, but their functional characteristics and the precise epitopes targeted by this response remain to be defined. In this study, we generated CD4(+) T-cell clones specific for Gag from HIV-1-infected persons with vigorous Gag-specific responses detectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Multiple peptides containing T helper epitopes were identified, including a minimal peptide, VHAGPIAG (amino acids 218 to 226), in the cyclophilin binding domain of Gag. Peptide recognition by all clones examined induced cell proliferation, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) secretion, and cytolytic activity. Cytolysis was abrogated by concanamycin A and EGTA but not brefeldin A or anti-Fas antibody, implying a perforin-mediated mechanism of cell lysis. Additionally, serine esterase release into the extracellular medium, a marker for cytolytic granules, was demonstrated in an antigen-specific, dose-dependent fashion. These data indicate that T helper cells can target multiple regions of the p24 Gag protein and suggest that cytolytic activity may be a component of the antiviral effect of these cells.
Depth extent of damage zones around the central Calaveras fault from waveform analysis of repeating earthquakes

SUMMARY We systematically investigate spatial variations of temporal changes and depth extent of damage zones along the Calaveras fault that ruptured during the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake by the waveform analysis of 333 sets of repeating earthquakes. We use a sliding window waveform cross-correlation technique to measure traveltime changes in waveforms generated by each repeating cluster. We find clear traveltime delays in the S- and early S-coda waves for events immediately after the Morgan Hill main shock. The amplitudes of the time delays decrease logarithmically with time since the main shock, indicating a time-dependent recovery (healing) process following the abrupt coseismic temporal changes. The largest temporal changes are observed at station CCO that is the closest to the rupture zone of the Morgan Hill main shock. The time delays at this station are larger for clusters in the top 6 km, and decrease systematically at larger depth. In comparison, the time delays observed at other five stations are much smaller, and do not show clear relationship with hypocentral depth. We suggest that the temporal changes at these five stations mostly occur in the top few hundred metres of the near-surface layers, while the temporal changes at station CCO are likely associated with the damage zone around the Calaveras fault that is well developed in the top few kilometres of the upper crust. Our results are consistent with the inference of a widespread damage and non-linearity in the near-surface layers associated with strong ground motions of nearby large earthquakes, and localized damages and flower-type structures around active faults based on previous studies of fault zone structures and recent 3-D numerical simulations.
Activation of Rheumatoid Factor–Specific B Cells Is Antigen Dependent and Occurs Preferentially Outside of Germinal Centers in the Lupus-Prone NZM2410 Mouse Model

AM14 rheumatoid factor (RF) B cells in the MRL/lpr mice are activated by dual BCR and TLR7/9 ligation and differentiate into plasmablasts via an extrafollicular (EF) route. It was not known whether this mechanism of activation of RF B cells applied to other lupus-prone mouse models. We investigated the mechanisms by which RF B cells break tolerance in the NZM2410-derived B6.Sle1.Sle2.Sle3 (TC) strain in comparison with C57BL/6 (B6) controls, each expressing the AM14 H chain transgene in the presence or absence of the IgG2a(a) autoantigen. The TC, but not B6, genetic background promotes the differentiation of RF B cells into Ab-forming cells (AFCs) in the presence of the autoantigen. Activated RF B cells preferentially differentiated into plasmablasts in EF zones. Contrary to the MRL/lpr strain, TC RF B cells were also located within germinal centers, but only the formation of EF foci was positively correlated with the production of RF AFCs. Immunization of young TC.AM14 H chain transgenic mice with IgG2a(a) anti-chromatin immune complexes (ICs) activated RF B cells in a BCR- and TLR9-dependent manner. However, these IC immunizations did not result in the production of RF AFCs. These results show that RF B cells break tolerance with the same general mechanisms in the TC and the MRL/lpr lupus-prone genetic backgrounds, namely the dual activation of the BCR and TLR9 pathways. There are also distinct differences, such as the presence of RF B cells in GCs and the requirement of chronic IgG2a(a) anti-chromatin ICs for full differentiation of RF AFCs.
Who shall lead ? An integrative personality approach to the study of the antecedents of status in informal social organizations

The effects of personality traits, motives, and leadership identity claims on the attainment of status in informal, social organizations were assessed in several organizations using multiple indices of status. The power motive Hope for Power was predictive of holding executive offices. Extraversion and Consci entiousness predicted peer-ratings of social influence. Extraversion, Emotional Stability, and Dominance were related to subjective beliefs of personal power and influence. Seeing oneself as a leader mediated the effects of personality traits and motives on subjective sense of power and attaining social influence, but not achieving formal office. Together, these findings offer an integrated look at the unique relationships between personality and status attainment.
Mechanisms of neurotrophin receptor signalling.

Regulation of cell survival decisions and neuronal plasticity by neurotrophins are mediated by two classes of receptors, Trks (tropomyosin receptor kinases) and p75, the first discovered member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily. The p75 receptor participates with the TrkA receptor in the formation of high-affinity nerve growth factor-binding sites to promote survival under limiting concentrations of neurotrophins. Activation of Trk receptors leads to increased phosphorylation of Shc (Src homology and collagen homology), phospholipase C-γ and novel adaptor molecules, such as the ARMS (ankyrin-rich membrane spanning)/Kidins220 protein. Small ligands that interact with G-protein-coupled receptors can also activate Trk receptor kinase activity. Transactivation of Trk receptors and their downstream signalling pathways raise the possibility of using small molecules to elicit neuroprotective effects for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Like amyloid precursor protein and Notch, p75 is a substrate for γ-secretase cleavage. The p75 receptor undergoes an α-secretase-mediated release of the extracellular domain followed by a γ-secretase-mediated intramembrane cleavage. Cleavage of p75 may represent a general mechanism for transmitting signals as an independent receptor and as a co-receptor for other signalling systems.
Practical Challenges Facing Communities of Interest in the Net-Centric Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) is transforming its information management and sharing approaches in accordance with a net-centric data strategy. New solutions promote a "need-to-share" paradigm that enables all information to be available to all appropriate consumers within the enterprise. DoD has mandated the transformation to occur through the efforts of Communities of Interest (COIs). This paper explores how DoD is progressing towards its vision and what challenges COIs face because of knowledge and automation gaps in the following areas: best-practice information sharing venues; engagement and products relevant to metadata management; and balancing the complementary views of data, services and business rules in analytic activities. Although offered from a DoD perspective, these experiential insights are equally relevant for thoughtful consideration by any large, heterogeneous and distributed enterprise embarking on a similar evolutionary journey
Design and Control of the Cumene Process

The chemistry of the cumene process features the desired reaction of benzene with propylene to form cumene and the undesirable reaction of cumene with propylene to form p-diisopropylbenzene. Both reactions are irreversible. Since the second has a higher activation energy than the first, low reactor temperatures improve selectivity of cumene. However, low reactor temperatures result in low conversion of propylene for a given reactor size or require a large reactor for a given conversion. In addition, selectivity can be improved by using an excess of benzene to keep cumene and propylene concentrations low, but this increases separation costs. Therefore, the process provides an interesting example of plantwide economic design optimization in which there are many classical engineering trade-offs: reactor size versus temperature, selectivity versus recycle flow rate, and reactor size versus recycle flow rate. Design optimization variables affect both energy costs and capital investment. They also affect the am...
Rhetorical Balance in Aristotle's Definition of the Tragic Agent: Poetics 13

The most recent attempt to explain Aristotle's use of 6papria in Poetics 13 is that of T. C. W. Stinton (CQ N.S. 25 (1975), 221-54). Stinton insists that Ap it was used, among others, by van Braam, Hey, and Glanville, and more recently by Ostwald and Bremer, with varying results.' Neither the arguments of these scholars for various particular meanings of 4papria, nor Stinton's effort to embrace them all, however, seem to satisfy the context in which the term appears. In fact, &papria has been studied as if it could be divorced from other ethical terms present in the immediate context, and from the arrangement that is, the rhetorical structure of balance and contrast in which these terms are related to each
Exact Goodness‐of‐Fit Tests for Markov Chains

Goodness-of-fit tests are useful in assessing whether a statistical model is consistent with available data. However, the usual χ² asymptotics often fail, either because of the paucity of the data or because a nonstandard test statistic is of interest. In this article, we describe exact goodness-of-fit tests for first- and higher order Markov chains, with particular attention given to time-reversible ones. The tests are obtained by conditioning on the sufficient statistics for the transition probabilities and are implemented by simple Monte Carlo sampling or by Markov chain Monte Carlo. They apply both to single and to multiple sequences and allow a free choice of test statistic. Three examples are given. The first concerns multiple sequences of dry and wet January days for the years 1948-1983 at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington State, and suggests that standard analysis may be misleading. The second one is for a four-state DNA sequence and lends support to the original conclusion that a second-order Markov chain provides an adequate fit to the data. The last one is six-state atomistic data arising in molecular conformational dynamics simulation of solvated alanine dipeptide and points to strong evidence against a first-order reversible Markov chain at 6 picosecond time steps.
Precis of Vaulting ambition: sociobiology and the quest for human nature

The debate about the credentials of sociobiology has persisted because scholars have failed to distinguish the varieties of sociobiology and because too little attention has been paid to the details of the arguments that are supposed to support the provocative claims about human social behavior. I seek to remedy both deficiencies. After analysis of the relationships among different kinds of sociobiology and contemporary evolutionary theory, I attempt to show how some of the studies of the behavior of nonhuman animals meet the methodological standards appropriate to evolutionary research. I contend that the efforts of E. O. Wilson, Richard Alexander, Charles Lumsden, and others to generate conclusions about human nature are flawed, both because they apply evolutionary ideas in an unrigorous fashion and because they use dubious assumptions to connect their evolutionary analyses with their conclusions. This contention rests on analyses of many of the major sociobiological proposals about human social behavior, including: differences in sex roles, racial hostility, homosexuality, conflict between parents and adolescent offspring, incest avoidance, the avunculate, alliances in combat, female infanticide, and gene–culture coevolution. Vaulting Ambition thus seeks to identify what is good in sociobiology, to expose the errors of premature speculations about human nature, and to prepare the way for serious study of the evolution of human social behavior.
Principles of nanoparticle design for overcoming biological barriers to drug delivery

Biological barriers to drug transport prevent successful accumulation of nanotherapeutics specifically at diseased sites, limiting efficacious responses in disease processes ranging from cancer to inflammation. Although substantial research efforts have aimed to incorporate multiple functionalities and moieties within the overall nanoparticle design, many of these strategies fail to adequately address these barriers. Obstacles, such as nonspecific distribution and inadequate accumulation of therapeutics, remain formidable challenges to drug developers. A reimagining of conventional nanoparticles is needed to successfully negotiate these impediments to drug delivery. Site-specific delivery of therapeutics will remain a distant reality unless nanocarrier design takes into account the majority, if not all, of the biological barriers that a particle encounters upon intravenous administration. By successively addressing each of these barriers, innovative design features can be rationally incorporated that will create a new generation of nanotherapeutics, realizing a paradigmatic shift in nanoparticle-based drug delivery.
Effect of Flow Instabilities and Self-Sustained Oscillations on Labyrinth Seal Leakage Resistance

Two flow instabilities involving a bifurcated flow pattern were discovered for the throughflow jet in a stepped labyrinth seal. A bifurcation stability map was developed showing which combinations of tooth clearance and step height occur in which of the three flow regimes. These instabilities, along with self-sustained flow oscillations, were experimentally explored to obtain a preliminary understanding of their effect on seal leakage. Computer-captured visualization videos were used to measure the throughflow angle oscillation amplitudes, frequencies and mean flow trajectory angles. For small tooth clearances, the intermediate step height case, which exhibited the sharpest flow deflection and largest oscillation amplitude, gave the highest leakage resistance. Further, for larger tooth clearances, the large step height cases, located farthest on the stability map into the Oscillatory Bifurcated regime, gave the highest resistance. Thus, for large clearances the oscillating nature of the Oscillatory Bifurcation flow pattern appears to give enhanced leakage resistance via increased turbulent mixing.Copyright © 1997 by ASME
Shared Photonarratives in an Online Master's Course: Reflection, Context and Community.

Distance education has potential to reach teachers from diverse areas, but the challenges of building community and promoting reflection in these settings can be considerable. In this study, photonarratives were used as an assignment in a distance education course to promote reflection on science teaching. Twenty science teachers (half from rural areas) produced photonarratives that included photos and descriptions of helping and hindering factors related to their science teaching. Analysis of the photonarratives showed that two primary categories of factors were both helpful and hindering and included geographic factors (proximity to a community college or facilities) and available technologies (such as probeware or document cameras). A third category, colleagues, came across as a theme among the helping factors alone. The photonarratives served as a tool to empower the teachers by giving them the control to identify and document issues related to their unique science teaching context while also promoting insight into shared issues across the group. The power of photos embedded in personal narratives as a tool for teacher reflection and developing community is discussed.
Long-term trends in sodium and chloride in the Mohawk River, New York: the effect of fifty years of road-salt application

Ecological studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of road-salt, primarily NaCl, on water quality, flora, and fauna. In this study, we quantified changes in ionic composition and solute flux of water draining the Mohawk River Basin (9103 km(2)) in New York State, from 1952 to 1998. Using various statistical, graphical, and modeling techniques, we showed that concentrations ofNa+ and Cl- have increased by 130 and 243%, respectively, while other constituents have decreased or remained constant. The use of de-icing salt on roads within the watershed, which we estimate at 39 kg km(-2) day(-1), appears to be the primary mechanism responsible for reported increases, accounting for the increase in NaCl export from 16 to 46 kg km(-2) day(-1) over the 47-year period.Moreover, despite population decline within this rural upstate watershed, increased environmental stewardship, and The Clean Water Act, concentrations of Na+ and Cl- still increased during the 1990s.
On Entropy Rate for the Complex Domain and Its Application to i.i.d. Sampling

We derive the entropy rate formula for a complex Gaussian random process by using a widely linear model. The resulting expression is general and applicable to both circular and noncircular Gaussian processes, since any second-order stationary process can be modeled as the output of a widely linear system driven by a circular white noise. Furthermore, we demonstrate application of the derived formula to an order selection problem. We extend a scheme for independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) sampling to the complex domain to improve the estimation performance of information-theoretic criteria when samples are correlated. We show the effectiveness of the approach for order selection for simulated and actual functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data that are inherently complex valued.
Darwinian evolution patterns in food products and beverages

Abstract Although the development and survival of food products are regulated by mechanisms that bear little resemblance to those operating in the living world, their general evolutionary patterns share certain common features. These include punctuated equilibria, convergent evolution, coevolution, the equivalence of symbiosis, and, rarely, even parasitism. The evolution of food products, like that of living organisms and other systems, is a nonlinear process. Consequently, its path can be affected not only by major events that drastically alter the environment but also by very minor events that may be unnoticeable at the time of their occurrence.
Bismuth Triflate Catalyzed Friedel-Crafts Acylation of 3-Phenyl- and 3-(2-Carboalkoxyphenyl)sydnones under Microwave Irradiation

Mesoionic sydnones (cf. 1)1 undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution, including acylation,2–5 at the C-4 position.6–14 In earlier work from our laboratory, we showed that C-4 acetylation of aryl...
From Noble Death to Crucified Messiah

In his excellent study of crucifixion, Martin Hengel has documented the harsh reality of the penalty in antiquity and has shown that it was seldom portrayed in detail or in an idealized manner. These facts are important and should be kept constantly in mind. They make all the more pressing the question why a detailed narrative of Jesus' death was composed and lead us to look closely at the way the story is told. An ancient opponent of Christianity, Celsus, provides an interesting illustration of both the cultural situation and the literary question. On the one hand, he expressed the general view that crucifixion was the most ignominious and shameful type of death. On the other hand, he made charges that were based, not so much on the disgrace of death by crucifixion as such, but on the way the story is told, on the character of Jesus as revealed by the narrative. As is well known, in part of his work entitled On the True Doctrine, he employed the device of a fictitious Jewish interlocutor. Alluding to the scene in Gethsemane, this critic challenged the teaching that Jesus was a god or the son of the most high God because he hid and tried to escape when the Jews decided that he was worthy of death. Further, this so-called god was betrayed by his own disciples, a criticism that applies to several scenes of the passion narrative. Returning to the Gethsemane story, the interlocutor attacks the theory that Jesus foreknew and intended his sufferings on the basis of his portrayal as mourning and lamenting and praying that this cup might pass from him.
Endometriosis in a Patient with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome and Complete Uterine Agenesis: Evidence to Support the Theory of Coelomic Metaplasia

Abstract Background There are many hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Most theories, including retrograde menstruation, require the existence of a uterine structure and endometrial tissue. We report endometriosis with the absence of a uterus. This finding supports the theory of coelomic metaplasia. Case A 20-year-old with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome presented with increasing pelvic pain and underwent laparoscopy. Uterine, cervical, vaginal, and tubal agenesis was confirmed. Stage I endometriosis was visualized in the posterior cul-de-sac and destroyed. She received medical therapy for 5 years until she represented with pain and underwent another laparoscopy, at which endometriosis was again identified and destroyed. Summary and Conclusion This case of endometriosis in a patient with complete uterine agenesis supports the theory of coelomic metaplasia.
Scalable alignment and transfer of nanowires in a spinning Langmuir film

Many nanomaterial-based integrated nanosystems require the assembly of nanowires and nanotubes into ordered arrays. A generic alignment method should be simple and fast for the proof-of-concept study by a researcher, and low-cost and scalable for mass production in industries. Here we have developed a novel Spinning-Langmuir-Film technique to fulfill both requirements. We used surfactant-enhanced shear flow to align inorganic and organic nanowires, which could be easily transferred to other substrates and ready for device fabrication in less than 20 minutes. The aligned nanowire areal density can be controlled in a wide range from 16/mm−2 to 258/mm−2, through the compression of the film. The surface surfactant layer significantly influences the quality of alignment and has been investigated in detail.
Steady-State Plasma and Bronchopulmonary Concentrations of Intravenous Levofloxacin and Azithromycin in Healthy Adults

The purpose of this study was to compare the concentrations of levofloxacin and azithromycin in steady-state plasma, epithelial lining fluid (ELF), and alveolar macrophage (AM) after intravenous administration. Thirty-six healthy, nonsmoking adult subjects were randomized to either intravenous levofloxacin (500 or 750 mg) or azithromycin (500 mg) once daily for five doses. Venipuncture and bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage were performed in each subject at either 4, 12, or 24 h after the start of the last antibiotic infusion. The mean concentrations of levofloxacin and azithromycin in plasma were similar to those previously published. The dosing regimens of levofloxacin achieved significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations in steady-state plasma than azithromycin during the 24 h after drug administration. The respective mean (± standard deviation) concentrations at 4, 12, and 24 h in ELF for 500 mg of levofloxacin were 11.01 ± 4.52, 2.50 ± 0.97, and 1.24 ± 0.55 μg/ml; those for 750 mg of levofloxacin were 12.94 ± 1.21, 6.04 ± 0.39, and 1.73 ± 0.78 μg/ml; and those for azithromycin were 1.70 ± 0.74, 1.27 ± 0.47, and 2.86 ± 1.75 μg/ml. The differences in concentrations in ELF among the two levofloxacin groups and azithromycin were significantly (P < 0.05) higher at the 4- and 12-h sampling times. The respective concentrations in AM for 500 mg of levofloxacin were 83.9 ± 53.2, 18.3 ± 6.7, and 5.6 ± 3.2 μg/ml; those for 750 mg of levofloxacin were 81.7 ± 37.0, 78.2 ± 55.4, and 13.3 ± 6.5 μg/ml; and those for azithromycin were 650 ± 259, 669 ± 311, and 734 ± 770 μg/ml. Azithromycin achieved significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations in AM than levofloxacin at all sampling times. The concentrations in ELF and AM following intravenous administration of levofloxacin and azithromycin were higher than concentrations in plasma. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of such high intrapulmonary concentrations in patients with respiratory tract infections.