cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indications and results of relaxing retinotomy.

Abstract The authors report their results of a consecutive series of 40 eyes undergoing relaxing retinotomy during vitrectomy to achieve retinal reattachment for the following indications: proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), 21 eyes (52%); trauma, 10 eyes (25%); diabetic retinopathy, 6 eyes (15%); and expulsive choroidal hemorrhage, 3 eyes (8%). Thirty eyes (75%) had undergone previous vitreoretinal procedures. Extended tamponade was achieved in all cases with either silicone oil (27 eyes, 68%) or long-acting gas (13 eyes, 32%). Retinotomy size ranged from 45° to 360°. Intraoperative retinal attachment was possible in all eyes with 33 (83%) achieving total or subtotal retinal attachment including the macula for 5 months or more. Twenty-seven eyes (68%) achieved 3/200 visual acuity or better and 10 (37%) achieved 20/400 or better. Thirteen eyes (32%) failed to achieve 3/200 visual acuity secondary to recurrent detachment (18%), corneal decompensation (8%), macular dysfunction (5%), and glaucoma (3%).
Tangible sketching in 3D with posey

Posey is a physical construction kit that is instrumented to capture assembly and configuration information and convey it to a host computer. We have used Posey to build applications that deploy a reconfigurable physical model as a tangible interface for various domains. We demonstrate these applications to support a case for computationally enhanced construction kits as a semi-general interaction modality.
EFFECT OF THE POLYURETHANE CRYSTALLINE INTERPHASE FORMED AT AN AL SURFACE ON WATER-VAPOR ABSORPTION

Water-vapor absorption of polyurethane/Al bonds was studied, and the weight gain of samples after water-vapor exposure was measured to examine the effect of the polyurethane crystalline interphase formed at the Al surface on water-vapor absorption. Water-vapor absorption was found to be independent of the crosslink density of the polyurethanes. Instead, it was found that the microstructural characteristics of the spherulitic interphase, a mixture of crystallites and amorphous material formed on the Al surface, strongly affects water-vapor absorption: As the area fraction and the size of spherulites for the films increases, the amount of absorbed water vapor initially increases rapidly and then remained constant. The water vapor absorbed and condensed at spherulite boundaries consisting of voids and defects was created due to volume contraction during polymer crystallization.© 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 1417–1422, 2003
A Notion of Mechanistic Theory

The notion in question is suggested by the words ‘mechanism’ or ‘machine’. Unlike the usual meaning of ‘mechanistic’, that is, deterministic in contrast to probabilistic, the notion here considered distinguishes among deterministic (and among probabilistic) theories.
Case history - Motor terminated incorrectly by a “Qualified Person”

A Maintenance Mechanic received a serous electric shock troubleshooting a small acid pump. Investigation revealed incorrect motor connection by a “Qualified Person”. So why did the electrician, with over 20 years' experience, known to be Qualified, responsible, proficient and who constantly maintained focus on safety, make such a mistake?
RNAi screening comes of age: improved techniques and complementary approaches

Gene silencing through sequence-specific targeting of mRNAs by RNAi has enabled genome-wide functional screens in cultured cells and in vivo in model organisms. These screens have resulted in the identification of new cellular pathways and potential drug targets. Considerable progress has been made to improve the quality of RNAi screen data through the development of new experimental and bioinformatics approaches. The recent availability of genome-editing strategies, such as the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9 system, when combined with RNAi, could lead to further improvements in screen data quality and follow-up experiments, thus promoting our understanding of gene function and gene regulatory networks.
Relativistic deuteron wavefunctions

Abstract A relativistic description of deuteron structure requires four wavefunctions: the usual S- and D-state functions and two purely relativistic P-state wavefunctions. We describe a calculation of the P-state wavefunctions; their combined probability is approximately 1 2 %.
The Decomposition of Hydrazine in the Gas Phase and over an Iridium Catalyst

Hydrazine is an important rocket fuel, used as both a monopropellant and a bipropellant. This paper presents theoretical results to complement the extensive experimental studies of the gas phase and Ir catalyzed decompositions involved in the monopropellant applications of hydrazine. Gas phase electronic structure theory calculations that include electron correlation predict that numerous molecular and free radical reactions occur within the same energy range as the basic free radical pathways: NN bond breaking around 65 kcal/mol and NH bond breaking around 81 kcal/mol. The data suggest that a revision to existing kinetics modeling is desirable, based on the energetics and the new elementary steps reported herein. A supported Ir-6 octahedron model for the Shell 405 Iridium catalyst used in thrusters was developed. Self-Consistent Field and electron correlation calculations (with core potentials and associated basis sets) find a rich chemistry for hydrazine on this catalyst model. The model catalyst provides dramatically lower NN and NH bond cleavage energies and an even smaller barrier to breaking the NH bond by NH2 abstractions. Thus, the low temperature decomposition over the catalyst is interpreted in terms of consecutive NH2 abstractions to produce ammonia and nitrogen. The higher temperature channel, which has hydrogen and nitrogenmore » products, may be due to a mixture of two mechanisms. These two mechanisms are successive NH cleavages with surface H + H recombinations, and the same type of assisted H-2 eliminations found to occur in the gas phase part of this study.« less
Diatom productivity peak and increased circulation during latest Quaternary: Alboran Basin (Western Mediterranean)

Abstract Diatoms were studied quantitatively in six latest Quaternary (⋍70 kyr B.P. to Recent) piston cores from the westernmost Mediterranean, the Alboran Basin, and the Atlantic region immediately to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar. The Atlantic cores completely lack diatoms. In the Alboran Basin, diatoms are common from late Stage 3 (⋍27.5 kyr B.P.) to Termination Ib (9 kyr B.P.) and in Recent core tops, but are absent in the other latest Quaternary intervals. Maximum accumulation of diatoms and highest abundance of species normally in sediments associated with increased productivity occurred during the latest Quaternary deglaciation, in the first phase of Termination I (⋍14.8 kyr B.P.). In the modern Alboran Basin, a region of high biological productivity occurs immediately east of the Gibraltar Straits. This high productivity results from upwelling associated with the interaction between the Atlantic inflow and the bottom topography near the Spanish coast. The upwelled nutrient-rich waters are then advected to the east and southeast by the surficial anticyclonic gyral circulation. Late Quaternary variations in diatom abundance are considered to reflect changes in this upwelling intensity with highest diatom abundances inferred to result from increased upwelling associated with an intensification of the anticyclonic gyral circulation. Highest inferred upwelling rates occurred during the first phase of latest Quaternary deglaciation. It is possible that an intensification of circulation within the Mediterranean Basin as a whole occurred from late Stage 3 to mid Termination I because widespread hiatus formation has been reported at this time in the Straits of Sicily due to an increase in the formation of intermediate waters. Diatoms were not preserved in other latest Quaternary intervals due to insufficient productivity to counterbalance their dissolution.
Health Policy Basics: Physician Quality Reporting System

The U.S. health care system is in the midst of transforming from a fee-for-service system to a value-based system that delivers high-quality and cost-effective care. Quality reporting programs and increasing transparency of performance are meant to encourage physicians and hospitals to invest in improving the delivery of care. In 2006, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). The PQRS is an incentive and penalty payment program for eligible professionals who report data on quality measures for covered professional services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries. The program gives eligible professionals the opportunity to assess the quality of care they are providing to their patients and compare their performance on a given measure with that of their peers. This article discusses the history of PQRS, the 2014 PQRS, and how it affects other quality programs.
Teaching a new dog old tricks.

Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks T o paraphrase Dickens, we live in the best of times, and we live in the worst of times. The cultural and technological advances of the past century have vastly improved the length and quality of life for some, while the gap between the most advantaged and the least advantaged has widened into an abyss. This is strikingly evident in the area of emergency and essential surgical care. The developed world must be part of the solution to this problem; the question is how best to help. We are capable of bringing trained medical personnel and stateof-the-art equipment to areas that lack these resources, transplanting a fully functioning modern surgical hospital anywhere in the world, but such a facility can rarely be sustained by local resources. Individual patients benefit, but the effect is inherently limited. On a different tack, the EESC program of the WHO, as described by Abdullah et al, does not provide direct patient care but aims instead to deliver tools to assist with the development of local resources and capabilities, thus creating lasting change. The logic behind the program is sound, but the question of its long-term efficacy is as yet unanswered. The program is based on current thinking from the developed world and, in its own way, also attempts to transplant fully formed the cognitive and technical aspects of modern western surgery, albeit modified to an austere environment. Infrastructure, technology, and technique seem well suited to such transplantation, but cognitive approaches and patterns of human behavior are more complex and local, decreasing the chance of successful engraftment. The long-term effect of the EESC program will likely be determined not by its ability to replicate standards from the developed world but by its ability to germinate a unique local culture of surgical care that adapts and applies these standards in ways particular to the specific region.
An Improved Prenex Normal Form

Let ℒ be the set of all formulas of a given first order predicate logic (with or without identity). For each positive integer n , let ℒ n be the set of all formulas φ in ℒ logically equivalent to a formula of the form where Q is a (possibly empty) string of quantifiers, m is a positive integer, and each α ij is either an atomic formula or the negation of an atomic formula.
Conservation of energy estimated by second law analysis of a power-consuming process

A refrigeration system removing heat from a cold storage is analyzed to determine exergetic losses of the thermodynamic cycle and the power needed for the flows of the refrigerant and the media transferring heat at a specified temperature. How much the overall power consumption of the system can be decreased by lowering the condensing temperature, by either increasing the external heat transfer at the condenser or by lowering the inlet temperature of the heat exchanging media, is investigated. The latter depends on the relative humidity of the air. The performance of air, water and evaporative-cooled condensers are evaluated as a function of relative humidity of the ambient air. It is shown that the evaporative condenser operates at the lowest condensing temperature and, therefore, the least power consumption of the total system is achieved. Wetting the condenser with water requires only 1% of the overall power consumption but reduces the consumption by 30% as compared with the air-cooled condenser. Precooling the air by a water spray before it enters an air-cooled condenser is of benefit only at relative humidities of 65% or less. At other state conditions of the air, a higher power consumption will result. Lowering the temperature of the surroundings lowers Prev and the second law efficiency must be properly defined so that, for cases of lowest power consumption, highest values of the efficiency will be obtained. Means for the design of least power-consuming air-conditioners are briefly stated, as well as the advantages of evaporative condensers for fog-free operation.
Heat and mass transfer in the presence of an inert gas

Abstract A new graphical method for solving enthalpy transfer problems is described in which a modified enthalpy is the transfer potential. The condition line is determined by successive approximations. An entire condition line is constructed for each approximation, and the resulting approximate line determines an auxiliary line used for the next construction. The method was used to calculate enthalpy transfer coefficients from experimental data on enthalpy transfer in a grid-packed tower for the tetrachloroethylene-air system, which are reported. Three types of countercurrent operations were studied: 1. The vapour content of the gas is increased and the gas is heated by hot liquid. 2. The vapour content of the gas is increased and both the gas and the liquid are cooled. 3. The liquid is heated by the hot gas and the vapour content of the gas is either increased or decreased. The enthalpy transfer coefficients for operations of the first type were lower than those for the other two. The existence of fog during dehumidification had no apparent effect on the coefficients. The application of the graphical method to the design of a cooler-condenser is described.
Rabies in the 21st Century

Why are 50,000–55,000 people dying from rabies worldwide each year, with 25,000–30,000 human deaths in India alone and over 3 billion people continuing to be at risk of rabies virus infection in over 100 countries in the 21st century? These are astonishing numbers, particularly as they represent individuals, a large proportion of whom are children, who have been attacked or are likely to be attacked by rabid dogs, the main source of rabies virus infection that, as yet, has not been brought under control in many parts of the world. The number of human deaths and the circumstances by which these deaths continue to occur are extraordinary, with over 95% of rabies victims reported residing in Asia and Africa and nearly all victims of a rabid dog bite. Rabies has been part of the history of civilization for several millennia, rooted in its enzootic environment (animal host) and causing severe threats to public health across continents. Rabies and the symptoms it presents can hardly be ignored, yet it appears to be unduly neglected in some parts of the world, notably in Asia and Africa, where the spread of canine rabies is not under control and is far from being eliminated. In other parts of the world, largely in developed countries, where elimination of canine rabies has been achieved, there are models to be followed and lessons learned that will challenge epidemiologists and molecular virologists alike in the future as they apply new techniques to achieve the elimination of canine and human rabies worldwide.
Posterior atlantoaxial stabilization

Abstract Purpose of study: Develop new techniques to improve safety and success of C1–C2 fusion procedures. Methods used: A standard posterior C1–C2 exposure is performed. Cross-table lateral fluoroscopy is used to guide and confirm screw trajectories. The C2 pedicle screw entry point is identified and drilled with angles 15 degrees medially and 25 degrees cephalad for pedicle cannulation. Drill depth is stopped short of the C2 transverse foramen. The C1 lateral mass screw insertion point is located beneath the posterior arch of C1 in the midposition of the lateral mass just above the C2 root. The drill is then angled 10 degrees medial to lateral and cephalad toward the anterior tubercle of C1 on lateral fluoroscopy. The C1–C2 joint is then decorticated and packed with local bone fragments. Posterior rods are contoured and connected to polyaxial screw heads, and a cross-connector is applied. of findings: This technique has been used in five cases of atlantoaxial instability at our institution during the past year. There have been no C2 nerve root or vertebral artery injuries. No construct failures have been observed during the current follow-up. Relationship between findings and existing knowledge: C1 lateral mass and C2 pedicle screw fixation offers an alternative means of atlantoaxial fusion. The technique is less demanding than C1–C2 transarticular screw placement and reduces the risk of vertebral artery injury. The linked construct is stable in flexion, extension and rotation. Laminectomy or fracture of the posterior elements does not preclude this fixation technique. We think this procedure will replace the C1–C2 transarticular screw procedure. Overall significance of findings: This new technology has the potential to supplant previous C1–C2 procedures with improved safety and success. Disclosures: Device or drug: pedicle screws. Status: approved. Conflict of interest: No conflicts.
PPARs Integrate the Mammalian Clock and Energy Metabolism

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of nuclear receptors that function as transcription factors regulating the expression of numerous target genes. PPARs play an essential role in various physiological and pathological processes, especially in energy metabolism. It has long been known that metabolism and circadian clocks are tightly intertwined. However, the mechanism of how they influence each other is not fully understood. Recently, all three PPAR isoforms were found to be rhythmically expressed in given mouse tissues. Among them, PPARα and PPARγ are direct regulators of core clock components, Bmal1 and Rev-erbα, and, conversely, PPARα is also a direct Bmal1 target gene. More importantly, recent studies using knockout mice revealed that all PPARs exert given functions in a circadian manner. These findings demonstrated a novel role of PPARs as regulators in correlating circadian rhythm and metabolism. In this review, we summarize advances in our understanding of PPARs in circadian regulation.
Suppression of tyrosine transaminase activity by rat liver ribosomes

Abstract The activity of tyrosine transaminase is suppressed if rat liver ribosomes are present in the enzyme assay system. This observation is true whether highly purified rat liver enzyme or crude pH 5.1 enzyme fraction transaminase is employed. Ribosomal suppression of enzymatic activity is not due to Mg++ and/or to limited substrate or cofactor and occurs when catalysis is linear. Suppression of enzyme activity was demonstrated independently by two different assay methods. The data are interpreted to suggest possible ribosomal involvement in the regulation of tyrosine transaminase.
Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of a molluscan metallothionein mRNA

A quantitative assay based on competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was developed for metallothionein (MT) mRNA of the mollusc Crassostrea virginica and applied to analysis of MT mRNA of hemocytes. The assay was based on titration of a competitive external standard cRNA derived from the coding region of the oyster MT mRNA. Serial dilutions of the cRNA standard were coamplified with a constant amount of total RNA using biotinylated primers common to both target and standard sequences. Amplified products were bound to streptavidin-coated plates and hybridized to sequence-specific fluorescein-labeled probes. Detection was based on single photon counting of chemiluminescence generated by an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated antifluorescein antibody. For quantification, the target chemilumincescence was normalized to that of the standard, and the amount of target MT mRNA in the sample was derived from the titration. Cadmium-induced MT mRNA equivalent to that in 180 hemocytes was easily detected, and, for routine quantitative analysis, was sufficiently sensitive to quantify basal and induced MT mRNA. Basal hemocyte MT mRNA of 133±8 (1 S.E.) amol per microgram total RNA was induced 5-fold to 573±14 amol per microgram total RNA by in vitro exposure to 15 μM CdCl2 for 20 h.
Bariatric Surgery Operating Room Time—Size Matters

The goal of this study was to document the relationship between BMI and the components of bariatric surgical operating room (OR) time. The Stanford Translational Research Integrated Database Environment identified all patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures at Stanford University Medical Center between May 2008 and November 2013. The 434 patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (n = 213) BMI ≥35 to 60 kg/m2 than for smaller bariatric patients.
Transport aloft drives peak ozone in the Mojave Desert

Abstract Transport of anthropogenic pollution eastward out of the Los Angeles megacity region in California has been periodically observed to reach the Colorado River and the Colorado Plateau region beyond. In the 1980s, anthropogenic halocarbon tracers measured in and near the Las Angeles urban area and at a mountain-top site near the Colorado River, 400 km downwind, were shown to have a correlated seven-day cycle explainable by transport from the urban area with a time lag of 1–2 days. Recent short term springtime intensive studies using aircraft observations and regional modeling of long range transport of ozone from the Southern California megacity region showed frequent and persistent ozone impacts at surface sites across the Colorado Plateau and Southern Rocky Mountain region, at distances up to 1500 km, also with time lags of 1–2 days. However, the timing of ozone peaks at low altitude monitoring sites within the Mojave Desert, at distances from 100 to 400 km from the South Coast and San Joaquin Valley ozone source regions, does not show the expected time-lag behavior seen in the larger transport studies. This discrepancy is explained by recognizing ozone transport across the Mojave Desert to occur in a persistent layer of polluted air in the lower free troposphere with a base level at approximately 1 km MSL. This layer impacts elevated downwind sites directly, but only influences low altitude surface ozone maxima through deep afternoon mixing. Pollutants in this elevated layer derive from California source regions (the Los Angeles megacity region and the intensive agricultural region of the San Joaquin Valley), from long-range transport from Asia, and stratospheric down-mixing. Recognition of the role of afternoon mixing during spring and summer over the Mojave explains and expands the significance of previously published reports of ozone and other pollutants observed in and over the Mojave Desert, and resolves an apparent paradox in the timing of ozone peaks due to short-range and long-range transport from the upwind basins.
Designing an interdisciplinary information technology program

We examine key factors in the design and implementation of an Information Technology (IT) major and discuss the limitations encountered in creating a new program in a resource constrained environment. The focus is on four factors. First, we discuss a learning model appropriate for IT majors who need to be prepared for graduate study in IT, the military IT environment, and the civilian IT world. Second, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the learning model by using existing courses offered by an existing organization. Third, we discuss ways to mitigate potential weaknesses of this approach. Finally, we discuss a continuous assessment and improvement process to evaluate and improve the success of the implementation.
Training veterans to provide peer support in a weight-management program: MOVE!

INTRODUCTION The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has implemented MOVE!, a weight-management program for veterans designed to address the increasing proportion of overweight and obese veterans. The objective of our study was to determine whether peer support employing motivational interviewing (MI) could positively influence lifestyle changes, thus expanding the reach of the MOVE! program. We describe the initial evaluation of the peer training program. METHODS We developed an MI peer ounselor training program for volunteer veterans, the "Buddies" program, to provide one-on-one telephone support for veterans enrolled in MOVE!. Buddies were recruited at 5 VHA sites and trained to provide peer support for the 6-month MOVE! intervention. We used a DVD to teach MI skills and followed with 2 to 3 booster sessions. We observed training, conducted pre- and posttraining surveys, and debriefed focus groups to assess training feasibility. RESULTS Fifty-six Buddies were trained. Results indicate positive receipt of the program (89% reported learning about peer counseling and 87% reported learning communication skills). Buddies showed a small improvement in MI self-efficacy on posttraining surveys. We also identified key challenges to learning MI and training implementation. CONCLUSIONS MI training is feasible to implement and acceptable to volunteer Buddies. Trainers must assess how effectively volunteers learn MI skills in order to enhance its effective use in health promotion.
Spatiotemporal Variability in Dissolved Organic Matter Composition is More Strongly Related to Bacterioplankton Community Composition than to Metabolic Capability in a Blackwater Estuarine System

The composition and metabolic capability of bacterioplankton communities were examined over seasonal and spatial gradients and related to the source, composition, and quantity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the blackwater estuary Winyah Bay, Georgetown County, SC, USA and its tributary rivers. Bacterial community composition (BCC) was measured by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, and bacterial metabolic capability (BMC) was measured by defined substrate utilization patterns (Biolog GN2 plates). Spatial patterns were not important, despite the anticipated watershed effects and the well-documented influence of salinity gradients on estuarine bacterioplankton, but DOM, BCC, and BMC all showed varying degrees of temporal patterns; DOM-based groupings differentiated BCC samples better than spatiotemporal categories, but not BMC. BCC was closely related to properties describing DOM composition, particularly those related to DOM source (i.e., cypress swamps vs. in situ phytoplankton production, indicated by chlorophyll a, colored DOM spectral slope, α355/dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and DOC concentration), and to associated physicochemical variables, such as temperature, pH, and salinity. BMC was more strongly related to abiotic factors, such as temperature and dissolved nutrients, as well as to chlorophyll a and percent bioavailable DOC. In contrast with previous studies, BCC and BMC were significantly correlated in this highly heterotrophic estuary, suggesting that DOM source variability may select for specialist phylotypes above a background of generalists. This study, therefore, supports a causative pathway from DOM to BMC to BCC while suggesting that BCC and BMC may be simultaneously influenced by different suites of DOM characteristics and physicochemical parameters.
Synthesis, mechanism of formation, and catalytic activity of Xantphos nickel π-complexes

A general synthetic route to the first Xantphos nickel alkyne and alkene complexes has been discovered. Various Ni π-complexes were prepared and characterized. NMR experiments indicate benzonitrile undergoes ligand exchange with a Xantphos ligand of (Xant)2Ni, a compound that was previously believed to be unreactive. The Ni π-complexes were also shown to be catalytically competent in cross coupling and cycloaddition reactions. (Xant)2Ni is also catalytically active for these reactions when activated by a nitrile or coordinating solvent.
Integrins as a primary signal transduction molecule regulating monocyte immediate-early gene induction

Abstract Integrins are cell surface receptors found on monocytes that facilitate adhesion to both cellular and extracellular substrates. These integrins are thought to be involved in the selective gene induction observed after monocyte adhesion to various extracellular matrices. To investigate this hypothesis, we stimulated monocytes with monoclonal antibodies to different integrin receptors to specifically mimic the integrin receptor-ligand interactions. Engagement of the common beta chain of the beta 1 subfamily of integrins resulted in expression of the inflammatory mediator genes, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, and monocyte adherence-derived inflammatory gene 6 (MAD-6), whereas engagement of the common beta chain of the beta 2 family did not. Furthermore, to characterize integrin-mediated gene induction, we examined the ability of antibodies to the alpha chain of integrin receptors to regulate gene expression. Engagement of the very late antigen 4 (VLA-4) receptor resulted in induction of all the mediator genes. Receptor crosslinking was required because individual Fab fragments were unable to stimulate gene induction whereas the divalent F(ab')2 fragment and the whole IgG molecule could. Interleukin 1 beta secretion was dependent on the anti-integrin antibody used. Some antibodies required a second signal and, for others, direct engagement was sufficient for protein production. In conclusion, engagement of integrin receptors regulated the production of both inflammatory mediator mRNA and protein. These results suggest that integrin-dependent recognition and adherence may provide the key signals for initiation of the inflammatory response during monocyte diapedesis.
Kernel-Based Machine Learning Models for Predicting Daily Truck Volume at Seaport Terminals

The heavy truck traffic generated by major seaports can have huge impacts on local and regional transportation networks. Both transportation agencies and port authorities have a need to know in advance the amount of truck traffic in order to accommodate them accordingly. Several previous studies have developed models for predicting the daily truck traffic at seaport terminals using terminal operation data. In this study, two kernel-based supervised machine learning methods are introduced for the same purpose: Gaussian processes (GPs) and e-support vector machines (e-SVMs). They are compared against the multilayer feedforward neural network (MLFNN) model, which was used in past studies, to provide a comparison of their relative performance. The model development is done using the data from Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals at the Port of Houston. Truck trips generated by import and export activities at the two terminals are investigated separately, generating four sets of data for model testing and comparison. For all test data sets, the GP and e-SVM models perform equally well and their prediction performance compares favorably to that of the MLFNN model. On a practical note, the GP and e-SVM models require less effort in model fitting compared to the MLFNN model. The strong performance of the GP and e-SVM models and their relative ease of use make them viable alternative approaches to the MLFNN in port-generated truck traffic predictions.
The Educational Thought of Theodore Frelinghuysen

Chute looks into the educational thought of Theodore Frelinghuysen ((1787â€“1862), Rutgers' seventh president (1850-1862)
Protecting Wireless Local Area Networks

To help organizations improve their WLAN security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology recently published Guidelines for Securing Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs): Recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Here, the authors summarize some of the recommendations.
Determination of the effectiveness of hydrocarbon extraction from oil-contaminated soils

A procedure based on the hypothesis of minimum entropy generation is presented for calculation of hydrocarbon mass-flux density using a low-boiling solvent to extract hydrocarbons from oil-contaminated soils. The effect of the ratio of extractant to oil-contaminated soil on mass-flux density and extractor efficiency is studied. Computed and experimental data are compared.
Changes in oxygen sensitivity of TASK in carotid body glomus cells during early postnatal development.

Abstract A post-natal increase in carotid body (CB) hypoxia responsiveness occurs at the level of carotid sinus nerve activity, intracellular calcium, cell membrane depolarization and hypoxic inhibition of O 2 -sensitive background K + conductance. TASK-1, TASK-1/3 and TASK-3 are functionally expressed in CB glomus cells, with TASK-1/3 providing the major part of the O 2 -sensitive TASK-like background K + conductance. Here we report the effects of graded hypoxia on TASK-like channel activity in CB glomus cells from rats aged 0 to 1, 6 to 7 and 16 to 18 days; the time frame of postnatal CB functional maturation. TASK was active in nearly all cell-attached patches and TASK activity during normoxia did not differ across ages. Hypoxia produced a progressive decrease in channel opening frequency with graded decreases in O 2 level and also produced glomus cell depolarization, as assessed by the shift in reversal potential of TASK single channel current. Hypoxic inhibition of TASK activity was least at P0–P1 and increased with age mainly between 6–7 and 16–18 days. The O 2 -sensitive TASK activity was significantly greater in glomus cells from P16 to P18 when compared to cells from P0 to P1 day old rats. These results support the hypothesis that postnatal carotid body functional maturation is due, at least in part, to changes in the sensitivity of TASK to the hypoxic signals generated in glomus cells.
Translocation of radioactive silver compounds from site of injection into organs.

Summary and conclusions1) Data were obtained in mice on translocation of 5 radioactive silver Ag111 compounds at various intervals after injection into the tail by a previously described method of serial tail amputations and 24 hours after injection into the scalp. 2) Ag111 nitrate storage rate at site of injection was higher than for another soluble compound—Ag111 lactate, but lower than for 2 insoluble coarsely particulate compounds—Ag111 oxide and chloride; on the contrary, pick-up by liver and blood was highest for soluble compounds. 3) Translocation of each compound from the scalp followed the pattern of its translocation from the tail but at a much slower rate. 4) In the above experimental conditions the fate of various Ag111 compounds in the body of the mouse depended mainly a) on the physico-chemical properties of the compound (solubility, pH, ability to form colloidal complexes with tissue fluid and blood, size and tendency of insoluble particles to clump) and b) on biological conditions at site ...
Rescuing Alu: recovery of new inserts shows LINE-1 preserves Alu activity through A-tail expansion.

Alu elements are trans-mobilized by the autonomous non-LTR retroelement, LINE-1 (L1). Alu-induced insertion mutagenesis contributes to about 0.1% human genetic disease and is responsible for the majority of the documented instances of human retroelement insertion-induced disease. Here we introduce a SINE recovery method that provides a complementary approach for comprehensive analysis of the impact and biological mechanisms of Alu retrotransposition. Using this approach, we recovered 226 de novo tagged Alu inserts in HeLa cells. Our analysis reveals that in human cells marked Alu inserts driven by either exogenously supplied full length L1 or ORF2 protein are indistinguishable. Four percent of de novo Alu inserts were associated with genomic deletions and rearrangements and lacked the hallmarks of retrotransposition. In contrast to L1 inserts, 5′ truncations of Alu inserts are rare, as most of the recovered inserts (96.5%) are full length. De novo Alus show a random pattern of insertion across chromosomes, but further characterization revealed an Alu insertion bias exists favoring insertion near other SINEs, highly conserved elements, with almost 60% landing within genes. De novo Alu inserts show no evidence of RNA editing. Priming for reverse transcription rarely occurred within the first 20 bp (most 5′) of the A-tail. The A-tails of recovered inserts show significant expansion, with many at least doubling in length. Sequence manipulation of the construct led to the demonstration that the A-tail expansion likely occurs during insertion due to slippage by the L1 ORF2 protein. We postulate that the A-tail expansion directly impacts Alu evolution by reintroducing new active source elements to counteract the natural loss of active Alus and minimizing Alu extinction.
Finally, MALT1 is a protease!

Two groups demonstrate proteolytic activity for MALT1, a component of the signaling pathway mediating antigen receptor–dependent stimulation of the transcription factor NF-κB, and identify its first substrates.
ISOLATE DESIGNATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ISOLATES FROM PIGS IN THE UNITED STATES

Pigs are considered to be the most important meat source of Toxoplasma gondii for humans in the United States. In the present study, 168 T. gondii isolates (designated TgPgUs15-182) from various sources were genotyped using 10 polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico). Genotyping data from an additional 14 isolates collected from T. gondii-infected pigs in Maryland were included for analysis. Nine genotypes (1-9) were recognized from the 182 T. gondii isolates. Most (56%, 102) isolates were clonal Type II (genotypes 1 and 2) and 27% (49) were clonal Type III (genotype 3) strains. Genotype 4 had Type II alleles, with the exception of Type I alleles at loci Apico and L358. Eight isolates (genotype 5) from Iowa had a combination of alleles I, II, and III at different loci. The remaining 6 isolates were divided into genotypes 6-9 and had a combination of different alleles. Eight of the 9 genotypes were previously reported in different animal species and geographic regions. In conclusion, along with the predominance of clonal Type II and III strains, a few diverse, previously unrecognized T. gondii lineages were found circulating in domestic pigs used for human consumption.
Dynamics of Miscible Polymer Blends: Role of Concentration Fluctuations on Characteristic Segmental Relaxation Times

We show that the time corresponding to the peak of the segmental relaxation time distribution and the mean time of that distribution for the components of several miscible polymer blends are strongly affected by both chain connectivity and concentration fluctuations. These two measures of characteristic segmental relaxation times differ from the time corresponding to the mean composition experienced by a segment, with these differences being emphasized for blends with large glass transition contrast, lower temperatures, or increased concentration fluctuations on the nanometer scale. These findings are in contrast to self-concentration models, which generally assume that concentration fluctuations affect neither the mean nor the peak segmental relaxation times and are only relevant for determining the distribution of relaxation times. Going further, we show through the inclusion of self-concentration and concentration fluctuation effects that segmental dynamics are only affected by a local environment of s...
Synthesis of macroglobulins in vitro.

THE increased concentration of macroglobulin (IgM) in the sera of patients with macroglobulmaemia is usually ascribed to excessive production of the protein by neoplastic cells of the lymphocytic series. This inference is based on, two observations: the association of increased concentrations of IgM and abnormal “lymphocytoid” or “plasmacytoid” cells, and the staining of these cells by fluorescein-labelled antibody to IgM (ref. 1). Recently, a patient (J. P.) with γ-macroglobulinaemia and circulating lymphosarcoma cells (leucolymphosarcoma) offered a rare opportunity to examine directly the capacity of these cells to synthesize IgM. For comparison, the synthesis of IgM by leucocytes of a normal subject and of patients with various haematological diseases was also investigated. In additional experiments, the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) by the lymphosarcoma cells and certain other leucocytes was investigated.
Trace metal retention through the schwertmannite to goethite transformation as observed in a field setting, Alta Mine, MT

Abstract Solutions draining the Alta Mine, Jefferson County, MT, were contaminated by acid sulfate waters (ASW) generated from anthropogenic exposure of meteoric waters to sulfidic underground mine workings and a waste-rock pile. In 1999, a remediation effort was initiated in an attempt to improve the quality of water draining the site through removal of the waste-rock pile with which these solutions come in contact. ASW were sampled in the mineshaft prior to entering the waste-rock pile and upon discharge from the waste-rock pile aquifer near the pile toe. ASW composition changed as solutions flowed through the waste-rock pile due to sulfide and silicate weathering and schwertmannite precipitation. Schwertmannite and goethite were both sampled in the waste-rock pile where a distinct field relation was observed between the two minerals. Schwertmannite was always in contact with actively flowing ASW, while goethite was never in direct contact with ASW and was generally above the waste-rock water table. Goethite is hypothesized to be re-dissolved/re-precipitated schwertmannite that was deposited under higher flow conditions and subsequently transformed to goethite through exposure to wet/dry cycling associated with seasonal fluctuations in the amount of water moving through the hydrogeologic system. Trace metal concentrations in ammonium oxalate extracts of these minerals provides the first published data on the behavior of multiple trace metals through this phase transformation, which has important ramifications for considering schwertmannite as a long term metal sink due to its known metastability with respect to goethite. A relative retention scale through this phase transformation of Pb > Zn, Mn > As, Al, Cu is potentially applicable to other ASW systems.
Behavioral economics of drug self-administration. I. Functional equivalence of response requirement and drug dose

Response requirement and dose of drug per administration are two separate factors that have been demonstrated to control drug self-administration. Recent developments in behavioral economics have shown that these two factors are in fact functionally equivalent for nondrug reinforcers, as indicated by a unit-price analysis. In this review, the unit-price notion was tested for drugs as reinforcers via a re-analysis of ten drug self-administration studies. The results of the re-analysis indicated that response requirement and reinforcer magnitude, the constituents of unit price, have functionally equivalent effects on drug consumption and that a positively decelerating demand curve is produced as unit price increases. This suggests that the behavioral-economic notion of unit price is a more parsimonious explanation of the effects of response requirement and dose in drug self-administration studies, in that it integrates and describes what was previously considered to be two distinct operations.
Recruitment Strategies, Ideology, and Organization in the Hare Krishna Movement

Studies of recruitment to social movements have focused mainly on the social psychological reasons for joining or the interaction between members and prospective recruits. This paper examines the inter-relationship between recruitment strategy, ideology, movement structure, and external social forces in the development of the Hare Krishna movement. A survey of over 200 Hare Krishna devotees shows that opportunistic exploitation of local conditions, rather than ideology or structure, has been responsible for the growth of the Hare Krishna movement in the United States.
New ATPG techniques for logic optimization

Algorithms are presented for RI (redundancy identification) and RR (redundancy removal). With fault simulation and a backtrack limit of 10, the RI program is able to find a test for all testable faults and identify all the redundant faults in each of the ISCAS benchmark examples. The RR program makes the whole benchmark set 100% testable for single stuck-at faults, and generates the test, in less than 1 CPU hour (SUN4/280). The algorithms were developed for equivalence-based logic optimization applications, which accentuate the role of heuristics in the process of automatic test program generation (ATPG), since this diminishes the role of fault simulation. The authors compare a limited set of results obtained by RR to those of existing logic optimization programs. The results show that in most cases, superior results can be obtained with factors of tens to hundreds speedup in CPU time. >
The evolution of echolocation in swiftlets

143.The abilities of some cave-nesting swiftlets to echolocate has traditionally been used toseparate the genus Aerodramus, which includes echolocating species, from the genusCollocalia, thought to lack echolocation. Here we report the discovery of echolocationin a member of the latter genus, the pygmy swiftlet Collocalia troglodytes. We alsopresent a well-supported molecular phylogeny for the swiftlets and their relatives basedon DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, which we use to reconstruct theevolution of echolocation. Our data provide strong evidence that the swiftlets are amonophyletic group. This monophyly plus the presence of echolocation in C.troglodytes indicate that either (1) echolocation evolved much earlier in the swiftletsthan previously thought and has since been lost in most Collocalia taxa, or (2) thisability evolved independently in Aerodramus and Collocalia. Based on our results,echolocation can no longer be considered a useful character for distinguishing thesetwo genera.J. J. Price (correspondence), Department of Biology, St. Mary’s College of Maryland,St. Mary’s City, MD 20686 USA. E-mail: jjprice@smcm.edu. K. P. Johnson, IllinoisNatural History Survey, Champaign, IL 61820 USA. D. H. Clayton, Department ofBiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA.