cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbohydrate uptake genes in Escherichia coli are induced by carbon starvation

Escherichia coli produces several membrane-associated and periplasmic proteins in response to deprivation for a carbon source. The carbon starvation response involves a two- to fourfold, cAMP-dependent induction of operons involved in carbohydrate uptake and utilization, including thelac operon. Threecarbon-starvation-inducible (sci) gene fusions to aphoA reporter sequence were characterized. ThephoA-fusions werecya +/crp +-dependent and located in three previously characterized genes involved in high-affinity uptake of alternative carbon sources:mglB, encoding the periplasmic galactose binding protein;rbsB, encoding the periplasmic ribose binding protein; andlamB, encoding the maltodextrin-specific outer membrane porin.
Kolmogorov inertial range for inhomogeneous turbulent flows

The Kolmogorov argument for the existence of an inertial range is reexamined in situations for which neither Fourier modes nor homogeneity and local isotropy are natural assumptions. Scaling arguments are shown which are still valid, and generalizations to the -5/3 law are given for the eigenvalue spectrum of the two-point velocity-correlation matrix. Results from several different numerical simulations are presented. Data derived from simulations of channel and convection flows show that a sensible inertial range appears at very modest Reynolds numbers.
Impact of the percentage of positive biopsy cores on the further stratification of primary grade 3 and grade 4 Gleason score 7 tumors in radical prostatectomy patients.

Abstract Objectives To examine whether the percentage of core biopsies positive can further stratify Gleason score 7 patients with primary Gleason grade into precise prognostic groups. Methods Between 1991 and 1999, 379 radical prostatectomy patients were found to have pathologic Gleason 7 tumors. The patients were divided into primary grade 3 or 4. Percentage positive was calculated by dividing the number of positive core biopsies by the total number of cores. Results In the cohort, 290 tumors were primary grade 3, and 89 were primary grade 4. On univariate analysis patients with primary grade 3 tumors had a significant prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression-free survival advantage over grade 4 patients. When separated according to percentage of core biopsies positive, statistical analysis revealed significantly better 60-month actuarial PSA progression-free survival for patients with grade 3 and grade 4 and less than 50% core biopsies positive as compared with grade 3 and grade 4 and 50% or more core biopsies positive (85%, 85%, 61%, and 33%, respectively). Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that primary grade did not have an independent impact on biochemical progression-free survival. However, on subset analysis, among patients with 50% or more biopsy cores positive, primary Gleason grade was indeed found to have a significant, independent impact. Conclusions In the present study Gleason 7 patients with primary grade 4 tumors and less than 50% of biopsy cores positive had an excellent prognosis after radical prostatectomy. Our data suggest that among Gleason 7 patients, the percentage of positive biopsies is a stronger predictor of biochemical progression-free survival than primary Gleason grade.
The Herpes Virus Fc Receptor gE-gI Mediates Antibody Bipolar Bridging to Clear Viral Antigens from the Cell Surface

The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein gE-gI is a transmembrane Fc receptor found on the surface of infected cells and virions that binds human immunoglobulin G (hIgG). gE-gI can also participate in antibody bipolar bridging (ABB), a process by which the antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of the IgG bind a viral antigen while the Fc binds to gE-gI. IgG Fc binds gE-gI at basic, but not acidic, pH, suggesting that IgG bound at extracellular pH by cell surface gE-gI would dissociate and be degraded in acidic endosomes/lysosomes if endocytosed. The fate of viral antigens associated with gE-gI–bound IgG had been unknown: they could remain at the cell surface or be endocytosed with IgG. Here, we developed an in vitro model system for ABB and investigated the trafficking of ABB complexes using 4-D confocal fluorescence imaging of ABB complexes with transferrin or epidermal growth factor, well-characterized intracellular trafficking markers. Our data showed that cells expressing gE-gI and the viral antigen HSV-1 gD endocytosed anti-gD IgG and gD in a gE-gI–dependent process, resulting in lysosomal localization. These results suggest that gE-gI can mediate clearance of infected cell surfaces of anti-viral host IgG and viral antigens to evade IgG-mediated responses, representing a general mechanism for viral Fc receptors in immune evasion and viral pathogenesis.
Application of a diameter-dependent terramechanics model to small-wheeled unmanned ground vehicles operating on deformable terrain

Applications ranging from planetary exploration to military operations require small unmanned ground vehicles to traverse deformable terrains such as sand or moist earth. Crossing such terrains can be difficult because failure to generate enough traction can result in immobilization and mission failure. Thus, the ability to accurately predict a vehicle's traction on deformable terrain is critical. Traditionally this has been accomplished via terramechanics based on Bekker theory. However, it has been shown that classical terramechanics loses considerable accuracy when applied to vehicles with wheels less than 50cm in diameter. This paper details the development of a modification to the pressure-sinkage relationship used in Bekker theory that explicitly includes a dependence on wheel diameter. The new model is integrated into a numerical simulation that predicts the tractive performance of an experimental unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). Field tests are performed on sandy terrain, and the results validate the simulated predictions. The new model is found to be significantly more accurate than previous models.
Enhancing Multi-lingual Information Extraction via Cross-Media Inference and Fusion

We describe a new information fusion approach to integrate facts extracted from cross-media objects (videos and texts) into a coherent common representation including multi-level knowledge (concepts, relations and events). Beyond standard information fusion, we exploited video extraction results and significantly improved text Information Extraction. We further extended our methods to multi-lingual environment (English, Arabic and Chinese) by presenting a case study on cross-lingual comparable corpora acquisition based on video comparison.
Advanced glycation end products: sparking the development of diabetic vascular injury.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are proteins or lipids that become glycated after exposure to sugars. AGEs are prevalent in the diabetic vasculature and contribute to the development of athe...
Kernel-based nonparametric anomaly detection

An anomaly detection problem is investigated, in which there are totally n sequences, with s anomalous sequences to be detected. Each normal sequence contains m independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) samples drawn from a distribution p, whereas each anomalous sequence contains m i.i.d. samples drawn from a distribution q that is distinct from p. The distributions p and q are assumed to be unknown a priori. The scenario with a reference sequence generated by p is studied. Distribution-free tests are constructed using maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) as the metric, which is based on mean embeddings of distributions into a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS). It is shown that as the number n of sequences goes to infinity, if the value of s is known, then the number m of samples in each sequence should be of order O(log n) or larger in order for the developed tests to consistently detect s anomalous sequences. If the value of s is unknown, then m should be of order strictly larger than O(log n). The computational complexity of all developed tests is shown to be polynomial. Numerical results demonstrate that these new tests outperform (or perform as well as) tests based on other competitive traditional statistical approaches and kernel-based approaches under various cases.
Inhibition of adhesion of Escherichia coli k88ac fimbria to its receptor, intestinal mucin-type glycoproteins, by a monoclonal antibody directed against a variable domain of the fimbria.

Strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli that express K88 fimbriae are among the most common causes of diarrhea in young pigs. Adhesion of bacteria to receptors on intestinal epithelial cells, mediated by K88 fimbriae, is the initial step in the establishment of infection. Three antigenic variants of K88 fimbriae exist in nature: K88ab, K88ac, and K88ad. K88ac is the most prevalent and may be the only variant of significance in swine disease. Each K88 fimbrial variant is composed of multiple antigenic determinants. Some of these determinants are shared among the three variants and may be referred to as conserved epitopes, whereas others are unique to a specific variant and may be referred to as variable epitopes. In this study, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to either variable or conserved epitopes of K88ac fimbriae were produced. The specificity of each MAb was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunoblot assays. Fab fragments were prepared from these MAbs and were tested for their ability to block the binding of K88-positive bacteria and purified fimbriae to porcine enterocyte brush border vesicles and purified K88 receptors, respectively. The purified receptors were intestinal mucin-type sialoglycoproteins (IMTGP) isolated from porcine enterocytes (A. K. Erickson, D. R. Baker, B. T. Bosworth, T. A. Casey, D. A. Benfield, and D. H. Francis, Infect. Immun. 62:5404–5410, 1994). Fab fragments prepared from MAbs specific for variable epitopes blocked the binding of bacteria to brush borders and of fimbriae to IMTGP. However, those from MAbs specific for a conserved epitope did not. These observations indicate that the receptor-binding domain of a K88ac fimbria is contained, at least in part, within the antigenically variable epitopes of that fimbria. Epitope mapping for one of the MAbs, which recognizes a linear epitope on K88ac fimbriae, indicated that this MAb binds to the region from amino acid no. 64 to no. 107 on the major subunit of K88ac fimbriae.
Transient stability monitoring for electric power systems using a partial energy function

Practical methods are finally emerging for analyzing transient instability in electric power systems. Two approaches are evolving, one using global energy functions, and the other using partial energy functions. The global functions descend from Lyapunov theory and have a strong theoretical foundation. Partial Energy Functions are terms in the global energy function that correspond to a single machine. These Partial Energy Function (PEF) is heuristically defined and thus does not yet have a strong theoretical basis. This paper will focus on the PEF, its derivation, and its application. Much of the paper is in tutorial form. The paper first presents a clear and simple example to clarify the energy function approach. Then, a PEF is derived for a power system. The technique is applied to a 17 generator, 162 bus system. Stability margins are reported in megawatts.
Minimally invasive surgery and childhood cancer.

Summary Over the last 2 decades, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become a significant tool for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant disease in adults. Despite initial reports of port-site metastases and peritoneal spread following laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer in the 1990s, MIS is now commonly used for many applications in adult surgical oncology, including biopsy and resection of malignant disease in the chest and abdominal cavities, mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, staging of abdominal, pelvic and thoracic malignancies, and management of therapeutic complications. The use of MIS techniques in children is growing with the availability of smaller instruments and equipment more suitable to the pediatric patient. Herein, we review the role of MIS in the diagnosis, staging and treatment of malignant disease in children. We will also evaluate MIS as it applies to the palliation of disease and the management of treatment complications in childhood cancer.
Intergenerational Relationships and Rural Return Migration

Many rural communities lose population through outmigration of rural youth, resulting in a high concentration of elderly. Concern about these issues sparked our interest in researching rural return migration as a way of countering net migration loss. In the process, we found that intergenerational family dynamics and aging parents residing in the rural hometown are critical for promoting the return move of adult children and grandchildren. Intergenerational relationships and migration to be closer to family provide a context for understanding these moves. Prior research on intergenerational relationships and geographic proximity has focused on the moves of aging parents toward adult children, often using quantitative methodologies. This research focuses on the moves of adult children, using a qualitative methodology. It reveals that the return move of adult children can substitute for aging parents’ move away from a long-term rural residence to live closer to adult children and grandchildren. Migration decisions on the part of adult children thus affect elderly parents’ opportunities for aging in place. Community leaders, especially in relatively isolated, rural towns that find it difficult to attract newcomers, should become cognizant that aging parents can attract younger generations back to their rural home towns.
Competition for Light Between Individual Trees Lowers Reference Canopy Stomatal Conductance: Results from a Model

[1] We have used an ecosystem model, TREES (Terrestrial Regional Ecosystem Exchange Simulator), to test the hypothesis that competition for light limits reference canopy stomatal conductance (GSref; conductance at 1 kPa vapor pressure deficit) for individual tree crowns. Sap flux (JS) data was collected at an aspen-dominated unmanaged early successional site, and at a sugar maple dominated midsuccessional site managed for timber production. Using a Monte Carlo approach, JS scaled canopy transpiration (EC) estimates were used to parameterize two versions of the model for each tree individually; a control model treated trees as isolated individuals, and a modified version incorporated the shading effects of neighboring individuals on incident radiation. Agreement between simulated and observed EC was better for maple than for aspen using the control model. Accounting for canopy heterogeneity using a three-dimensional canopy representation had minimal effects on estimates of GSref or model performance for individual maples. At the Aspen site the modified model resulted in improved EC estimates, particularly for trees with lower GSref and more shading by neighboring individuals. Our results imply a link between photosynthetic capacity, as mediated by competitive light environment, and GSref. We conclude that accounting for the effects of canopy heterogeneity on incident radiation improves modeled estimates of canopy carbon and water fluxes, especially for shade intolerant species. Furthermore our results imply a link between ecosystem structure and function that may be exploited to elucidate the impacts of forest structural heterogeneity on ecosystem fluxes of carbon and water via LiDAR remote sensing.
Population differentiation and plasticity in vegetative ontogeny: effects on life-history expression in Erysimum capitatum (Brassicaceae).

 Premise of the study: Distinguishing the contributions of phenotypic plasticity vs. population differentiation to variation in the life history of plants throughout their range is important for predicting their performance after dispersal or their responses to environmental change. In Erysimum capitatum , plants in alpine environments are iteroparous perennials, but those below tree line are semelparous perennials. We tested population differentiation and plasticity of life-history variation and explored the effects of plastic responses at the prereproductive stage on life-history expression.  Methods: Plants from alpine and below tree-line populations were grown in a common greenhouse environment. Soil water content at the prereproductive stage was manipulated to simulate fi eld condition. Because rosette ontogeny of E. capitatum (i.e., production of multiple rosettes, reproductive allocation, and degeneration of rosettes) was highly associated with in situ life-history variation, water effects on rosette ontogeny and life history were assessed.  Key results: Plants from alpine populations showed higher postreproductive survival than those from low-elevation populations in the greenhouse environment, and such difference can be explained by differential rosette ontogeny at both the prereproductive and reproductive stage. In addition, rosette development at the reproductive stage was plastic to water availability at the prereproductive stage, which infl uences life-history expression as adults.  Conclusions: Because water availability is lower at low-elevation sites, in situ population differentiation is likely caused by plasticity to water availability as well as by genetic differentiation or maternal effects. Plastic or evolutionary changes of prereproductive traits are expected to infl uence adult life-history expression, which possibly infl uence population demography.
Hebrews' Use of the Old Testament: Recent Trends in Research

One of the most important areas of Hebrews research concerns the various ways in which the author handles the Old Testament. The past two decades have witnessed an acceleration of research on the book generally, and within the context of the heightened attention, certain trends in exploration of Hebrews' uses of the Old Testament have emerged. A consideration of these trends is carried forward in two movements. First, a brief introduction to the topic is set forth, which focuses on the phenomena surrounding Hebrews' uses of the Old Testament. Here current discussions on direct quotations, allusions, uses of biblical phrases, echoes, and general refer ences are considered, as are the author's uses of introductory formulae. Second, the article details four trends that have surfaced in the literature of recent years. The first trend concerns a movement away from focus on the question of a specific textual form behind Hebrews and a movement to consideration of the author's own minor adjustments in presentatio...
Electronically controlled metamaterial-based leaky-wave transmission-line for conformal surface applications

In this paper a novel multifunctional electronically controlled conformal metamaterial-based transmission-line (TL) is presented. The proposed structure is a 25 unit-cell composite right/left-handed (CRLH) TL that is conformed on a cylindrical surface with a radius of 25 cm. This TL supports both guided-wave mode and radiation mode under its fundamental mode operation. Varactor diodes are introduced in the unit-cells to electronically control its guided and radiation characteristics. By applying different reverse-bias voltages the capacitance of the unit-cell is tuned. It will be shown that the proposed TL has the ability to operate partially in the slow-wave (SW) region and partially in the fast-wave (FW) region by applying proper biasing voltages to the different sections of the TL. Therefore, it has a unique radiation aperture selectivity function which results in controlling the radiation angle and beamwidth at a fixed frequency. In addition it will be shown that this electronically controlled conformal CRLH TL has the capability to compensate for the conformation effect by adjusting the biasing voltages properly. The proposed method allows the conformal structure to refocus its radiation main beam and have a comparable performance as the planar version.
Fluorescence of quinacrine mustard conjugated to proteins

Abstract Proteins are readily labeled by quinacrine mustard to yield conjugates whose spectral properties are well-suited for fluorescence studies. Data on these conjugates and on the parent compound, quinacrine, are presented including lifetimes, quantum yields, and corrected excitation and emission spectra. Polarization studies using the Perrin-Weber equation show that rotational relaxation times can be obtained with quinacrine mustard conjugates. Such conjugates had lifetimes ranging from 4 to 13 ns and quantum yields from about 0.1 to 0.3. Quinacrine mustard is a useful reporter group, as shown by the changes in fluorescence parameters of conjugates undergoing conformational changes induced by denaturants. An excited state p K a ∗ of 4.9 was identified for quinacrine, but the protonation was suppressed in the mustard conjugate of serum albumin until the N-F transition took place. The properties of the mustard conjugates are discussed in terms of potential uses and compared with properties of other types of fluorescent conjugates.
A data-integrated nurse activity simulation model

This research develops a data-integrated approach for constructing simulation models based on a real data set provided by Baylor Regional Medical Center (Baylor) in Grapevine, Texas. Tree-based models and kernel density estimation were utilized to extract important knowledge from the data for the simulation. Classification and Regression Tree model, a data mining tool for prediction and classification, was used to develop two tree structures: (a) a regression tree, from which the amount of time a nurse spends in a location is predicted based on factors, such as the primary diagnosis of a patient and the type of nurse; and (b) a classification tree, from which transition probabilities for nurse movements are determined. Kernel density estimation is used to estimate the continuous distribution for the amount of time a nurse spends in a location. Merits of using our approach for Baylor's nurse activity simulation are discussed.
Test Bias: in God We Trust; All Others Must Have Data

Racial and cultural test bias continues to be a major concern among all professionals involved in the placement and treatment of handicapped children. Though embroiled in social, political, and emotional snarls, the issue must be addressed, professionally, from a primarily empirical standpoint. This paper reviews the research program of the author and several of his colleagues in their attempts to evaluate empirically the merits of the cultural-test-bias hypothesis. There is little evidence to substantiate claims of bias for well-constructed, properly standardized tests. Correspondingly, minority and other disadvantaged children with low academic and aptitude test scores need remedial and special educational help just as much as do their white middle-class counterparts.
Investigation of a microwave data telemetry link for a retinal prosthesis

In this paper, we investigate a novel approach of establishing a data telemetry link for a dual-unit retinal prosthesis at microwave frequencies (1.45 and 2.45 GHz) using a pair of microstrip patch antennas. Appropriately sized extraocular (25/spl times/25 mm) and intraocular (6/spl times/6 mm) antennas are designed to operate at both the frequencies using the finite-difference time-domain method, and the coupling between them is examined computationally in the presence of a 0.25-mm resolution human-head model. Good agreement between numerical and experimental coupling results is shown and it is observed that the eyeball acts as a dielectric lens for the implanted antenna, thus improving the coupling between the extraocular and intraocular antennas. Specific absorption rate (SAR) computations are also performed at both the frequencies, and the peak 1-g SAR value is calculated. Detailed analysis of the design issues of the antennas, results of the numerical and experimental coupling measurements, and SAR calculations are presented.
Protection against covert storage and timing channels

Existing technology is quite successful at preventing direct unauthorized communication in multilevel secure computer systems, but is almost completely ineffective at protecting such systems against covert storage and timing channels. In a covert channel, one process transmits secret information by modulating its rate of use of a shared resource, while another program detects that modulation by monitoring the responsiveness of the resource. The proposed protection technique involves screening all programs in a system by a data dependency analysis procedure that determines whether the results of those programs depend on the relative timing of operations within the system. Programs containing such timing dependencies are denied access to the system until certified by other means. The approach is reasonably inexpensive and completely rigorous and, when strictly applied, precludes all communication over covert storage and timing channels. >
The reaction of cellulose with acetic acid

Reaction curves for the reaction of cellulose with acetic acid and water were studied. This reaction was found to be slow and severely limited in extent of reaction. An analysis by means of reaction kinetics equations of this limited reaction led to the following suggested reaction mechanism: (a) The larger fraction of cellulose hydroxyl groups—88% in the particular samples of cellulose investigated—cannot be acetylated because the mutual hydrogen-bonding between these groups imposes an energy barrier to reaction. This causes the equilibrium constant for the reaction of these groups to be highly unfavorable toward acetylation. (b) Part of the remaining hydroxyl groups (those which do react) react very slowly with a reaction rate apparently dependent on the rate of diffusion of acetic acid into the cellulose fibers. These hydroxyl groups are apparently unassociated hydroxyl groups buried within the cellulose fibers. (c) The remaining hydroxyl groups apparently react according to the kinetics of homogeneous acetic acid acetylation and thus must be in freely accessible locations, such as on the fiber surfaces.
An Overview of State Policy Problems

Concepts of federalism are briefly rmiewed with the intent of inquiring whether the states have become entrepreneurial as a result ofthe Reagan devolution. An overview of the contributions to the symposium suggests that support for a theory of cyclicality is not consistently evident in the states. Necessary resatrcesarenotalways present toallow thestates to bethe policyentrepreneurs in the United States.
Micropulsation Instrumentation Systems at the Dallas Geomagnetic Center

Scientists from the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, Texas Christian University, and Texas Instruments Incorporated are conducting theoretical and experimental studies of the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves on low-frequency (10-4 to 100 cps) fluctuations in the earth's electromagnetic field (often called micropulsations). The experimental part of the program involves the operation of an observatory for the sensing and collection of micropulsation data. This micropulsation observatory, together with a U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Standard magnetographic observatory, are collectively known as the Dallas Geomagnetic Center. The magnetic field changes in N-S and E-W geomagnetic directions are sensed by means of induction coils with six foot long mu-metal cores, short iron core coils, an Automatic Standard Magnetic Observatory (ASMO) which uses a rubidium vapor magnetometer, and by standard magnetographs. Corresponding electric field changes are sensed by electrode pairs buried in the Earth a few hundred feet apart. The data which consists of recordings of fluctuations in the earth's magnetic and electric fields in a range from a few cycles per month to a few cycles per second (cps) is available in the form of reproducible paper charts, analog magnetic tape, digital magnetic tape, and punched paper tape, or IBM cards.
High-Frequency Optical Excitations in YBCO Measured from Differential Optical Reflectivity

YBCO differential optical reflectivity (DOR) responses are measured in the temperature range of 50–160 K at several optical frequencies. It is found that the background response relates to temperature variation of the scattering rate. Above Tc the full DOR response may be attributed to a Drude plasma with a low mobility. Below Tc, accumulation of the superconducting condensate is accompanied by appearance of a new optical spectrum in the range of 1.2–1.5 eV. We present a model for a plasma having parameters close to that of a Mott transition that demonstrates qualitatively the features observed experimentally.
Effects of Composition Variations on Microstructure and Chemical Durability of West Valley Reference Glass.

Glasses suitable for high-level nuclear waste vitrification must meet a number of requirements including processability, durability, and phase stability. Our new data indicate that the West Valley Reference 5 composition meets these requirements: it is phase stable over the expected range of melter temperatures and residence times, and only minimal (<2 vol %) secondary phase formation, consisting predominantly of iron-group spinels, is expected in the canister cooled glass. Leach tests have shown that the durability of Reference 5 is significantly less sensitive to spinel formation than the earlier Reference 4. However, natural process variations during production will result in a range of glass compositions around the nominal composition. In this paper we report on the effects of composition changes around Reference 5 on the phase stability upon heat treatment and the consequent effects on chemical durability. Since variations in the waste-stream levels of most major components can be accommodated by adjusting the quantities of the glass-forming additives we focus here on a group of components for which this is generally not the case: Ca, Ce, Cr, Mn, Ni, S, and Fe. While many of these components are present at below 1 wt % they could have potentially significant indirect effects on product durability due to enhancement of secondary phase formation. The results provide a data base to support broad (≥300%) tolerance ranges to variation of levels of most of these components. Viscosity data are also reported.
Release of surfactant cargo from interfacially-active halloysite clay nanotubes for oil spill remediation.

Naturally occurring halloysite clay nanotubes are effective in stabilizing oil-in-water emulsions and can serve as interfacially-active vehicles for delivering oil spill treating agents. Halloysite nanotubes adsorb at the oil–water interface and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions that are stable for months. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) imaging of the oil-in-water emulsions shows that these nanotubes assemble in a side-on orientation at the oil–water interface and form networks on the interface through end-to-end linkages. For application in the treatment of marine oil spills, halloysite nanotubes were successfully loaded with surfactants and utilized as an interfacially-active vehicle for the delivery of surfactant cargo. The adsorption of surfactant molecules at the interface serves to lower the interfacial tension while the adsorption of particles provides a steric barrier to drop coalescence. Pendant drop tensiometry was used to characterize the dynamic reduction in interfacial tension re...
Influence of Structural Dynamics on Polarization Energies in Anthracene Single Crystals

Normal mode sampling and molecular dynamics simulations are coupled to a valence-bond/Hartree−Fock approach to evaluate the impact of the lattice and molecular vibrations on site energies in anthracene single crystals. The calculations are conducted in the temperature range 0−400 K and show substantial contributions from high-frequency modes, which calls for a quantum-mechanical model even at room temperature. External reorganization energies are also obtained from these modeling studies and found to be much smaller than their internal counterparts. Implications for charge transport in organic single crystals are discussed.
Energy Budget for the Banks Grass Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Its Use in Deriving Mite Body Temperatures

Departure of Banks grass mite, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), body temperatures from leaf temperatures were calculated, using an energy budget equation. To obtain the radiation term of the equation, mite transmissivity was determined experimentally. Absorptivity estimates were ca. 0.5 in the photosynthetically active wavelengths and ca. 0.2 in the near-infrared wavelengths. However, when adjusted to account for the influence of corn leaf transmissivity, these values became, respectively, 15 and 8% of incident radiation. Mortality rates at various RHs were determined and then used to derive mite resistance to water loss. LT50 values at 30°C ranged from 16.8 h at 0% RH to 67.7 h at 100% RH. Calculated resistance to water loss was 1.8 × 105 sec m−1 and is thus negligible in energy balance calculations. The effects of radiation are small but not negligible. Resulting calculations indicate that mites feeding on leaves will be <0.7°C above leaf temperature.
Pattern-Based Refinement of Assume-Guarantee Specifications in Reactive Synthesis

We consider the problem of compositional refinement of components' specifications in the context of compositional reactive synthesis. Our solution is based on automatic refinement of assumptions and guarantees expressed in linear temporal logic LTL. We show how behaviors of the environment and the system can be inferred from counter-strategies and strategies, respectively, as formulas in special forms called patterns. Instantiations of patterns are LTL formulas which hold over all runs of such strategies, and are used to refine the specification by adding new input assumptions or output guarantees. We propose three different approaches for compositional refinement of specifications, based on how much information is shared between the components, and demonstrate and compare the methods empirically.
Developing Students’ Cultural Intelligence Through an Experiential Learning Activity: A Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior Interview

Business schools can increase their competitiveness by offering students intercultural skills development opportunities integrated into the traditional curricula. This article makes a contribution by proposing an approach to developing students’ cultural intelligence that is based on the cultural intelligence (CQ) model, experiential learning theory, and contact theory. This study empirically tests the effectiveness of the proposed approach by developing and conducting a cost-efficient, easy-to-implement experiential learning activity where marketing students and advanced English as a Second Language students interview each other about consumer behavior differences. The activity led to a perceived increase in cultural knowledge, motivation, and confidence in the students’ ability to communicate with people from other cultures. Overall, students deemed the activity a valuable part of their education. Students’ CQ was positively correlated with the self-reported (perceived) prior experience-based and studie...
Abortion Rights as Human Rights

This essay maps how human rights have helped advance abortion rights, and it explores the relationship between human rights discourses and abortion access in jurisdictions with under-resourced health systems. The first part describes the incorporation of abortion rights in international human rights documents and in the opinions and reports of human rights bodies. The second part discusses why courts increasingly cite human rights texts in national opinions, noting courts’ invocation of universal values, consensus on limited abortion permission, and state duties to protect women’s rights. The third part examines on-the-ground obstacles to implementing court judgments and national abortion laws. This essay argues that human rights reasoning, rooted in claims to universalism and modernity, may minimize the problems that follow legal change, particularly in places with weak health-care infrastructures. The conclusion considers public health law research that keeps in view the differences among countries’ hea...
Is screening and intervention associated with treatment receipt among individuals with alcohol use disorder? Evidence from a national survey

Abstract Background Most individuals with alcohol use disorder do not receive treatment and little national-level United States (U.S.) data exist on the association between screening and intervention with receipt of treatment. Methods The sample includes adults 18 years and older reporting prior year symptoms of alcohol use disorder from 2013 and 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Survey-weight adjusted prevalence of prior year receipt of ambulatory care, alcohol screening in a medical setting, alcohol intervention in a medical setting and alcohol treatment receipt and setting were calculated. Regression-adjusted odds ratios were calculated for alcohol treatment outcomes of interest. Results Despite high use of ambulatory care (74.4%, 95%CI: 72.8, 75.6), prevalence of screening (52.5%, 95%CI: 50.5, 54.5), intervention (13.5%, 95%CI: 12.1, 15.0) and treatment (6.8%, 95%CI: 5.8, 7.9) were low. Screening (AOR: 1.7, p Conclusions While prior year receipt of screening and intervention were low overall among adults with alcohol use disorder, receipt of these services was strongly associated with use of alcohol treatment. This likely indicates a missed opportunity to encourage a high-risk population to access treatment services. Receipt of screening and intervention was most strongly associated with treatment in medical and specialty behavioral health settings. Future research should examine this prospectively to assess whether entry into treatment settings may be mediated by screening and intervention in ambulatory care settings or if brief intervention is occurring at the time of treatment.
Warr — Implementing a Waste and Release Reduction Strategy

Hoechst Celanese Corporation is embarked upon a Corporate-wide Waste and Release Reduction program, which we have given the acronym “WARR”. WARR is a comprehensive program for achievement of major reductions across the corporation of all emissions and waste materials.
The Tail of the Rat in Temperature Regulation: Effect of Angiotensin II

The importance of the tail in thermoregulation of the rat was shown by comparison of the colonic temperatures (Tc) of tailed and tailless rats following administration of graded doses of the beta-adrenoceptor agonist, isoproterenol (ISO). The hyperthermic responses of tailless rats was higher and lasted longer than that of tailed controls. Angiotensin II (AngII), a potent vasoconstrictor agent, also increased tail skin temperature (Tsk), but reduced Tc in a dose-related fashion. This apparently aberrant vasodilatory response of tail skin vasculature to a vasoconstrictor agent is mediated by way of AT-1 receptors, since it is blockable by losartan potassium, a specific AT-1 receptor antagonist. The mechanism beyond the AT-1 receptor by which AngII induces a hypothermic response in the rat remains to be elucidated.
Determination of Linear Force-Free Magnetic Field Constant Alpha Using Deep Learning

Modeling the coronal magnetic field of the Sun is an important objective in heliophysics. In this study, we illustrate how to use deep learning to estimate the parameter for a magnetic field model. A linear force-free magnetic field configuration is employed to model, as an initial illustration, an active region by using two magnetic dipoles and to determine the associated linear force-free field (LFFF) alpha parameter from a set of pseudo-coronal loop images, which serve as training and validation sets to existing deep learning algorithms. Our results show very high accuracy of determining the LFFF parameter alpha from pseudo-coronal loop images.
Benefit-Cost Analysis for the Supply of Renewable Electric Energy in Zones Not Interconnected Case Study Miraflores Boyacá

This research is carried out through a documentary and technical analysis in which, through the review of the literature, research articles and other sources of scientific and technological compilation, to economically determine the implementation of a scenario modeled at 1 cubic meter (1 m 3 ) only in terms of the supply of renewable electric energy with cooling purposes, a model that will be analyzed with the help of the benefit-cost ratio (B/C) for the supply of energy in areas not interconnected to the national grid, With the purposes of agriculture preservation Postharvest, for the case study Miraflores Boyaca, the objective is to generate an economic analysis for the possible implementation of the scenario and selection, taking into account that for the study of the indicators of goodness of fit in the evaluation of projects of Engineering, the indicators that are used for the project are the net present value (NPV) and the re B/C these data are presented through a cash flow, in each of the points proposed, which are composed of systems, and those systems are the possible electric sources such as the wind power, solar power and the biomass only the three most representative sources or usable in the town of Miraflores were taken, demonstrating that wind energy is the one that best represents B/C, for the future implementation in a real-scale model.
Primary pulmonary hypertension with death during right heart catheterization. A case report and a survey of reported fatalities.

Abstract Observations regarding the death of a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension during right heart catheterization are reported. After the succession of events in this case is considered, and the literature concerning fatal outcomes during cardiac catheterization reviewed, it is concluded that cardiac catheterization could well have been unrelated to the death of the patient. It is possible, however, that the psychologic distress and the minimal hemodynamic derangement inherent in catheterization can increase pulmonary vascular resistance and lower cardiac output to an extent that would cause a syncopal attack and sudden death in a patient with this disorder.
Canine osteosarcoma genome sequencing identifies recurrent mutations in DMD and the histone methyltransferase gene SETD2.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare, metastatic, human adolescent cancer that also occurs in pet dogs. To define the genomic underpinnings of canine OS, we performed multi-platform analysis of OS tumors from 59 dogs, including whole genome sequencing (n = 24) and whole exome sequencing (WES; n = 13) of primary tumors and matched normal tissue, WES (n = 10) of matched primary/metastatic/normal samples and RNA sequencing (n = 54) of primary tumors. We found that canine OS recapitulates features of human OS including low point mutation burden (median 1.98 per Mb) with a trend towards higher burden in metastases, high structural complexity, frequent TP53 (71%), PI3K pathway (37%), and MAPK pathway mutations (17%), and low expression of immune-associated genes. We also identified novel features of canine OS including putatively inactivating somatic SETD2 (42%) and DMD (50%) aberrations. These findings set the stage for understanding OS development in dogs and humans, and establish genomic contexts for future comparative analyses. Heather Gardner et al. report the genomic landscape of canine osteosarcoma, finding recurrent mutations in the histone methyltransferase gene SETD2 and in DMD, the gene encoding dystrophin. The results support the study of naturally-occurring osteosarcoma in dogs for understanding both human disease mechanisms and canine-specific alterations to identify new treatments.
Implantation Time Has No Effect on the Morphology and Extent of Previously Reported "Degradation" of Prolene Pelvic Mesh.

Objectives Prolene polypropylene ("Prolene") meshes demonstrate no in vivo degradation, yet some claim degradation continues until no more Prolene polypropylene can be oxidized. We studied whether implantation time affects the morphology/extent of previously reported as cracking/degradation of completely cleaned Prolene explants. Methods Urogynecological explants (248 patients) were collected. After excluding non-Prolene/unknown meshes and those without known implantation times, completely cleaned explants (n = 205; 0.2-14.4 years implantation) were analyzed with light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Based on implant times and storage (fixative or dry), representative specimens were randomly selected for comparison. Controls were unused ("exemplar") TVT specimens with and without intentional oxidation via ultraviolet light exposure. Results Prolene explants included 31 dry (18 TVT; 7 Prolift; 4 Gynemesh; 2 others) and 174 wet (87 TVT; 47 Prolift; 10 Gynemesh; 30 others) specimens. Specimens had similar morphologies before cleaning. Progressive cleaning removed tissue and cracked tissue-related material exposing smooth, unoxidized, and nondegraded fibers, with no visible gradient-type/ductile damage. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the explants confirmed progressive loss of proteins. Cleaning intentionally oxidized exemplars did not remove oxidized carbonyl frequencies and showed deep cracks and gross fiber rupture/embrittlement, unlike the explants and nonoxidized exemplars. Conclusions If in vivo Prolene degradation exists, there should be wide-ranging crack morphology and nonuniform crack penetration, as well as more cracking, degradation, and physical breakage for implants of longer implantation times, but this was not the case. There is no morphologic or spectral/chemical evidence of Prolene mesh degradation after up to 14.4 years in vivo.
The effect of fatigue on balance performance in Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Introduction Balance loss and falls are a common and multifactorial finding in persons with Parkinson's Disease (pwPD). Objective fatigability is thought to contribute to falls in other neurologic conditions, but its impact on balance in pwPD is not known. The two-fold purpose of this study was to: 1) establish that a 6-minute walk (6MWFast) is a stimulus to subjective fatigue for pwPD; and, 2) determine if the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MBT) is sensitive to change that was induced by a fatiguing condition. Methods Using a randomized crossover design, 19 research participants performed a Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MBT) before and after either a ‘fast’ 6-minute walk (6MWFast) to induce fatigue or a 6-minute rest. Results VASF scores increased after the 6MWFast. Total MBT scores in research participants with Modified Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scores of 3.0 and above differed significantly before and after the ‘fast’ 6-minute walk (p = .007, n = 9) while participants with H&Y scores of 1.5 to 2.5 (p = .084, n = 10) did not, suggesting that more disabled pwPD were more likely to experience fatigability that interfered with balance. Conclusions A 6MWFast is a sufficient stimulus to induce subjective fatigue in pwPD and to decrease total MBT scores for more disabled pwPD. Balance evaluations should occur when pwPD are in fatigued and unfatigued states to determine whether fatigue has an impact on balance performance.
Draft Genome Sequences of Plant-Pathogenic Klebsiella variicola Strains Isolated from Plantain in Haiti.

ABSTRACT The genus Klebsiella includes pathogenic and nonpathogenic species. We report the 5.57-Mb genome sequences of two Klebsiella variicola strains, G18-1365 and G18-1376, isolated from symptomatic plantain plants in Haiti. These strains are genetically closely related (average nucleotide identity [ANI] > 99%) to the previously described type strain of K. variicola, DSM 15968.
Equitable Teaching and the Core Practice Movement: Preservice Teachers’ Professional Reasoning:

Background/ContextThe Core Practice movement continues to gain momentum in teacher education research. Yet critics highlight that equitable teaching cannot be reduced to a set of “core” practices, ...