cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decomposition Moisture—The Hidden Reactive Constituent in Coal

When coals are heated to temperatures of 200°C–250°C, moisture from the decomposition of organic materials, such as humic acids, is driven off. This moisture is decomposition moisture. Very little information is known about decomposition moisture, and there are no known examples of the quantification of this type of moisture in coal. The amount of decomposition moisture in coal is assumed to be relatively small. Recent studies involving the rapid drying of coal have shown that moisture that evolves around 200°C plays a significant role in the determination of the volatile matter yields of most ranks of coal. It is assumed that this moisture is decomposition moisture. A series of experiments were performed to study this moisture, including how to identify and quantify it. Analytical techniques including thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetry, and carbon and hydrogen analysis were employed in the study. All these techniques were needed to quantify the decomposition moisture evolved from various ranks of coal. The decomposition moisture in the coals studied ranged from 0.03 to 2.07 %.
Clinical Outcome of Patients with Acute Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction: Comparative Study between Left Circumflex Artery and Right Coronary Artery as Aculprit Artery

Information available about comparison between inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI) caused by RCA and LCX occlusion is limited. The aim of present study was to compare the difference between outcome of Left Circumflex artery and Right Coronary artery related acute inferior wall myocardial infarction undergoing emergency percutaneous coronary intervention. This prospective, observational, nonrandomized study enrolled 200 consecutive patients with inferior wall STEMI .The study was done at the National Heart Institute(NHI) and Benha university hospital (BUH),Cairo, Egypt in the period from January 2018 to March 2020.All patients were treated with emergency percutaneous coronary intervention during hospitalization and clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared .Group 1 included 100 patients presented with acute inferior wall STEMI caused by RCA occlusion and Group 2 included 100 patients presented with acute inferior wall STEMI caused by LCX occlusion .In –hospital mortality ,reinfarction, bleeding and stroke were reported in all patients.Total primary outcome in the present study was higher in LCX group(p=0.048) that may be related to higher use stents. Heart failure, stroke and bleeding were more than RCA group. More cardiac enzyme release in LCX group(p=0.046),also regard the 30 days outcome , the current study shows a higher incidence of combined end point of adverse cardiovascular events (Death and re-infarction) in LCX group compared to RCA group but not reaching statistically significance. Conclusions: The results of the current study suggest that LCX related acute inferior STEMI had an unfavorable clinical outcome after emergency PCI compared to RCA related acute inferior STEMI mostly related to relative increase in major or minor bleeding ,stroke and reinfarction.
Validating Learner Fit of Commercially Available Instructional Material

Following the widespread use of commercially available instructional materials for ESL/EFL learners, educators are faced with the challenge of modifying and adapting them to meet the needs of the learners and to ensure achievement of target learning outcomes as maybe required by the ministry of education of a particular country. This study explored the grammatical content of a commercially available coursebook intended to prepare students for academic studies to suit the needs of Thai freshmen learners. A total of 150 diaries were subjected for error analysis while the grammar contents of the prescribed textbook were exposed to content analyses. Suggestions to modify the instructional material to suit the intended language learners were identified and implications to modifying instructional materials were discussed.
Education and adaptive capacity: the influence of formal education on climate change adaptation of pastoral women

Adaptive capacity is critical for understanding the climate resilience of social-ecological systems. A gendered lens is of particular importance as women are simultaneously one of the most vulnerab...
Traumatic Brain Injury and the Theory of Meaning

We write to illustrate the utility of the Theory of Meaning (TOM) as a framework for finding a new life purpose for individuals who have survived a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI is an interru...
Hoedjin: Eksplorasi Metode Penulisan Sejarah Perempuan

This essay is an exploration of historical writings of women in the Indonesian context. Through a short fragment of Nie Hiang Nio, this essay discusses the challenges and opportunities of using careful speculation and literary techniques as a method of writing the history of unknown women. An exploration of this method helps historians to find a creative solution in dealing with the stories of ordinary women. Without falling into fiction, a literary style of women history can open more conversations about the past and can become one way of feminist practices in writing history, of which silences can be embraced through historical imagination and bravery to ask.
Baseline 6-min walk distance predicts survival in lung transplant candidates

In a large, prospectively followed, two-center cohort of patients listed for lung transplantation (n = 376), we used Cox proportional hazards models to determine the importance of baseline 6-min walk distance (6MWD) in predicting patient survival. 6MWD used as a continuous variable was a significant predictor of survival after adjusting for other important covariates when transplant was considered as a time-varying covariate (HR for each 500 ft increase in 6MWD = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43–0.77, p = 0.0002). 6MWD remained an important predictor of survival in models that considered only survival to transplant (HR for each 500 ft increase in 6MWD = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27–0.62, p 1200 ft, p-value = 0.0001). In the overall model, 6MWD prediction of survival was relatively homogeneous across disease category (6MWD by disease interaction term, p-value = 0.63). Our results demonstrate a significant relationship between baseline 6MWD and survival among patients listed for lung transplantation that exists across all native disease categories and extends through transplantation. The 6MWD is thus a useful measure of both urgency and utility among patients awaiting lung transplantation.
TRMM precipitation bias in extreme storms in South America

[1] Deep convective storms in subtropical South America are some of the most intense in the world, and the hydrological cycle plays an important role in both tropical and subtropical South America. Recent studies have suggested that the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar algorithm significantly underestimates surface rainfall in deep convection over land. This study investigates the range of the rain bias in storms containing four different types of extreme radar echoes: deep convective cores, deep and wide convective cores, wide convective cores, and broad stratiform regions over South America. Storms with deep convective cores show the greatest underestimation, and the bias is unrelated to their echo top height. The bias in wide convective cores relates to the echo top, indicating that storms with significant mixed phase and ice hydrometeors are similarly affected by assumptions in the TRMM algorithm. The relationship between storm type and rain bias remains similar in both subtropical and tropical regions.
Minimizing Indefinite Information in Disjunctive Deductive Databases

A natural way to formalize certain incomplete information in databases is through the use of disjunctions, for example A ∨ B. Typically, the meaning of such indefinite information is based on the classical interpretation of the connective ∨, We argue in this paper that this treatment is not strong enough for dealing with a large class of indefinite information. Instead, we propose an intuitively more meaningful definition in which asserting a disjunction also invaliudates any subsumed disjunction, hence exhibiting a non-monotonic behavior. First, we examine a class of databases that can be stratified in a way similar to [1]. For this class of databases, we derive a meaning that coincides with the above motivation. Next, we present an algorithm for transforming an arbitrary database P to a set of stratifiable databases from which the meaning of P is obtained. It turns out that computing answers under this semantics can be done in polynomial time.
The V1V2 Region of HIV-1 gp120 Forms a Five-Stranded Beta Barrel.

ABSTRACT The region consisting of the first and second variable regions (V1V2) of gp120 plays vital roles in the functioning of the HIV-1 envelope (Env). V1V2, which harbors multiple glycans and is highly sequence diverse, is located at the Env apex and stabilizes the trimeric gp120 spike on the virion surface. It shields V3 and the coreceptor binding sites in the prefusion state and exposes them upon CD4 binding. Data from the RV144 human HIV-1 vaccine trial suggested that antibody responses targeting the V1V2 region inversely correlated with the risk of infection; thus, understanding the antigenic structure of V1V2 can contribute to vaccine design. We have determined a crystal structure of a V1V2 scaffold molecule (V1V2 ZM109 -1FD6) in complex with 830A, a human monoclonal antibody that recognizes a V1V2 epitope overlapping the integrin-binding motif in V2. The structure revealed that V1V2 assumes a five-stranded beta barrel structure with the region of the integrin-binding site (amino acids [aa] 179 to 181) included in a “kink” followed by an extra beta strand. The complete barrel structure naturally presents the glycans on its outer surface and packs into its core conserved hydrophobic residues, including the Ile at position 181 which was highly correlated with vaccine efficacy in RV144. The epitope of monoclonal antibody 830A is discontinuous and composed of three segments: (i) Thr 175 , Tyr 177 , Leu 179 , and Asp 180 at the kink overlapping the integrin-binding site; (ii) Arg 153 and Val 154 in V1; and (iii) Ile 194 at the C terminus of V2. This report thus provides the atomic details of the immunogenic “V2i epitope.” IMPORTANCE Data from the RV144 phase III clinical trial suggested that the presence of antibodies to the first and second variable regions (V1V2) of gp120 was associated with the modest protection afforded by the vaccine. V1V2 is a highly variable and immunogenic region of HIV-1 surface glycoprotein gp120, and structural information about this region and its antigenic landscape will be crucial in the design of an effective HIV-1 vaccine. We have determined a crystal structure of V1V2 in complex with human MAb 830A and have shown that MAb 830A recognizes a region overlapping the α4β7 integrin-binding site. We also showed that V1V2 forms a 5-stranded beta barrel, an elegant structure allowing sequence variations in the strand-connecting loops while preserving a conserved core.
Characterization of the Fundamental Protein Ligand Requirements of [4Fe-4S]2+/+ Clusters with Sixteen Amino Acid Maquettes

A survey of ferredoxin maquettes derived from natural sequences was utilized to obtain a primary sequence competent for [4Fe-4S]2+/+ incorporation for the study of the minimal ligand requirements f...
A review and expert opinion of the use of certolizumab for Crohn's disease.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, idiopathic, inflammatory bowel disease with no known cure. In those patients with moderate to severe disease, the result is often a clinically debilitating condition. In the last decade, one of the most significant developments in therapy has been a class of biological agents that neutralize TNFα. Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is the most recently FDA approved anti-TNF agent for the induction and maintenance of moderate to severely active Crohn's disease. Areas covered: The currently available evidence regarding the use of CZP in CD, the expected efficacy and possible adverse events associated with this population. Expert opinion: CZP is a TNFα inhibitor that is a safe and effective agent for treatment of CD. It has several unique features which make it useful in patients with moderate to severe disease.
Nonlinear H∞ Robust Control for Six DOF equations of motion of Rigid Body with Mass Uncertainty

Abstract This paper derives the analytic solution of nonlinear H∞ robust controller for a system with mass and moments of inertia uncertainties and investigates the implementation using control surface inverse algorithm. A special Lyapunov function with mass and moments of inertia uncertainties is introduced to solve the associated Hamilton-Jacobi partial differential inequality (HJPDI). The HJPDI is solved analytically, resulting in a nonlinear H∞ robust controller with simple proportional feedback structure. The control surface inverse algorithm (CSIA) is employed to determine the angles of control surface deflection from the nonlinear H∞ control command. The ranges that guarantee stability and robustness of nonlinear H∞ flight control system implemented by vehicle actuators are derived. Numerical simulation is carried out and the results show that the responses still show good convergence for large initial perturbation.
Detection of Differential Item Functioning in the Graded Response Model

Methods for detecting differential item func tioning (DIF) have been proposed primarily for the item response theory dichotomous response model. Three measures of DIF for the dichotomous response m...
Positive Selection for New Disease Mutations in the Human Germline: Evidence from the Heritable Cancer Syndrome Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) is a highly aggressive thyroid cancer syndrome. Since almost all sporadic cases are caused by the same nucleotide substitution in the RET proto-oncogene, the calculated disease incidence is 100–200 times greater than would be expected based on the genome average mutation frequency. In order to determine whether this increased incidence is due to an elevated mutation rate at this position (true mutation hot spot) or a selective advantage conferred on mutated spermatogonial stem cells, we studied the spatial distribution of the mutation in 14 human testes. In donors aged 36–68, mutations were clustered with small regions of each testis having mutation frequencies several orders of magnitude greater than the rest of the testis. In donors aged 19–23 mutations were almost non-existent, demonstrating that clusters in middle-aged donors grew during adulthood. Computational analysis showed that germline selection is the only plausible explanation. Testes of men aged 75–80 were heterogeneous with some like middle-aged and others like younger testes. Incorporating data on age-dependent death of spermatogonial stem cells explains the results from all age groups. Germline selection also explains MEN2B's male mutation bias and paternal age effect. Our discovery focuses attention on MEN2B as a model for understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of germline selection. Since RET function in mouse spermatogonial stem cells has been extensively studied, we are able to suggest that the MEN2B mutation provides a selective advantage by altering the PI3K/AKT and SFK signaling pathways. Mutations that are preferred in the germline but reduce the fitness of offspring increase the population's mutational load. Our approach is useful for studying other disease mutations with similar characteristics and could uncover additional germline selection pathways or identify true mutation hot spots.
Mechanisms Of Carcinogenesis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract Recent investigations into the mechanisms of carcinogenesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are discussed with major emphasis on the diol epoxide pathway. These investigations are in three principal areas: (1) enantiospecific synthesis of dihydrodiol and diol epoxide metabolites; (2) sitespecific synthesis of PAH-oligonucleotide adducts; and (3) studies of bis−dihydrodiol (i.e. tetrahydrotetraol) and tetraol monoepoxide metabolites.
Family history of coronary heart disease and pre-clinical carotid artery atherosclerosis in African Americans and whites: The ARIC study

The association between family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) and morbidity and mortality due to atherosclerotic sequelae, although well documented in population-based samples of whites, has been little studied in African Americans. Less is known about the relationship between a family history of CHD and pre-clinical atherosclerosis. We report the relation between family history of CHD, summarized in a family risk score (FRS), and asymptomatic atherosclerosis at the extracranial carotid arteries, measured by B-mode ultrasound. The FRS was assessed in relatives of 3,034 African Americans and 9,048 white probands aged 45 to 64 years, in the four community-based cohorts of the ARIC Study. The analyses were restricted to individuals free of clinically manifest CHD. The distribution of CHD FRS by ethnic-gender groups was right skewed, with slightly higher mean values for white than African-American males, and for African-American than white females. In a series of multivariate linear regression models with mean carotid artery intima-media wall thickness (IMT) as the dependent variable, FRS was associated positively with IMT in white and African-American women and white men. In a multiple regression model, approximately one-half of the quantitative statistical relationship of the CHD FRS with IMT in whites was statistically explained by the major risk factors considered as intervening, explanatory variables in this analysis. This association in African-American women was fully explained by the major risk factors. The FRS was not, however, associated with atherosclerosis or major risk factors in African-American males, in the ARIC Study.
Energy and Nutrient Intakes of Older Adults Interviewed in the “what We Eat In America” Survey

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: TO identify nutrients that are less than the recommended levels in diets consumed by persons, 65+ years of age The CSFII, 1994–96, popularly known as the What We Eat in America Survey, provides the most recent dietary data on a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized older adults. Dietary information was collected by an in-person interview for two nonconsecutive days using a 24 hour recall. Mean energy and nutrient intakes (+ SEM) from 1 day of dietary data for men (n=371) and women (n=365), 65–97 yrs, were compared to men (n=395) and women (n=410), 50–64 yrs. The mean energy intake of both sexes, 50–64 yrs, was significantly higher than that of those, 65+ yrs. For both sexes, the decline in reported mean energy intake across age groups was accompanied by a significant decrease in mean nutrient intakes of protein, and total, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Mean intakes of Vitamin A and carotene reported by men were significantly higher for the men 65+ yrs of age compared to men 50–64 yrs. For men and women, 65+ yrs, energy intakes were considerably less than the 1989 RDA. Fat provided 32% of the total energy for women and 34% for men, 65+ yrs. Saturated fat provided 11% of the energy for both sexes. Within each sex, mean intakes of dietary fiber, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium and Vitamin B6 were less than recommended levels, while mean sodium intakes excluding discretionary salt use exceeded 2400 mg/day. Quartiles of nutrient intakes by income status were calculated. Income level appeared to affect intakes of Vitamins A and C. These data indicate that the diets consumed by older adults warrant improvement.
The Quilty lesion enigma: focal apoptosis/necrosis and lymphocyte subsets in human cardiac allografts

Quilty lesions, as first described by Billingham in 1981, or 'Quilty Effect' (QE) are distinct endomyocardial mononuclear cell infiltrates that have been observed in human heart transplant recipients, as well as in experimental models of heart transplantation. In the present investigations, the pattern and extent of apoptosis (programmed cell death) and myocyte necrosis, as well as specific lymphocyte subsets in Quilty lesions was assessed. Endomyocardial biopsies obtained from 13 patients at 10-3362 days post-transplant were examined. Apoptosis, as identified by DNA nick end-labeling, was found in myocytes at the periphery of Quilty lesions in 11 of 13 cases (85%), and 'early' stages of myocyte necrosis, as demonstrated by specific staining with alpha light chain myosin monoclonal antibodies (mAb), was observed at the same sites in 10 of 13 cases (77%) of both Quilty type A and type B lesions. Apoptosis was not identified in the lymphocyte infiltrates of any of the lesions examined. Lymphocyte subsets were characterized using mAb for T cell receptor (CD3), for helper/inducer T cells (CD4), for cytotoxic/suppressor T cells (CD8) and for mature B cells (CD20). Immunostaining revealed separate clusters of T lymphocytes with less prevalent B cells within the Quilty lesions. CD4+ cells were found in larger numbers than CD8+ cells in all cases. Non-B, non-T large lymphocytes were occasionally present. Except for the extent of the cellular infiltrate, no major cytochemical lymphocyte distribution differences were found between Quilty type A and B lesions. Myocyte apoptosis and early necrosis at the periphery of Quilty lesions suggest that early myocyte injury occurring in B lesions may represent initial or 'abortive stages' of cardiac allograft rejection. Why these lesions do not progress to overt rejection indeed warrant further detailed studies.
Approximate Solutions to Some Problems in Polyelectrolyte Theory Involving Nonuniform Charge Distributions

We give approximate solutions for some problems in polyelectrolyte theory involving nonuniform charge distributions. Distributions of condensed counterions and electrostatic free energies are found for line-charge models of oligomers, end segments, junctions separating regions of different charge densities, and two semi-infinite line charges approaching each other end-on. The end-on potential of mean force in the latter case is screened by the Debye length. With that exception, we find little correlation between the Debye screening length and the much smaller distances marking the onset of significant end effects. We suggest a biological application to DNA unwinding by helicases.
Atomic and electronic structures of SrTiO3/GaAs heterointerfaces: An 80-kV atomic-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy study

We have examined the atomic and electronic structures of epitaxially grown, ultrathin SrTiO{sub 3} (100) films on GaAs (001) using 80-kV aberration-corrected atomic-resolution Z-contrast imaging and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) to develop a fundamental understanding of the interfacial structure-property relationships. We find that the interface is atomically abrupt and no surface reconstruction of the GaAs (001) surface is observed. Using atomic-column resolved EELS, we examine the oxygen vacancy and Ti concentrations in the SrTiO{sub 3} film and across the heterointerface. We show that Ti diffuses into the first few monolayers of GaAs. Using a combination of EELS and first-principles calculations, we present evidence for the formation of As oxides at the interface depending on the thin-film growth conditions. These findings are used to explain the differences in the transport behavior of the films.
Phosphorylation of Synaptic Membranes

: In vivo and in vitro phosphorylation of synaptic membrane proteins were compared. In vivo phosphorylation was carried out by injecting rats intraventricularly with 1 mCi of 32Pi-orthophosphate. After a 40-min isotope incorporation period, rats were decapitated and synaptic membranes isolated. In vitro phosphorylation was accomplished by incubating unlabeled synaptic membranes, isolated from noninjected rats, with 5 μM-[γ-32P]ATP. In vivo and in vitro32P-labeled synaptic membranes were then fractionated electrophoretically on an SDS-polyacrylamide (7.5%) slab gel. The Coomassie blue protein patterns for in vivo and in vitro32P-labeled synaptic membranes were identical. In contrast, autoradiographs of these gels showed striking differences in the pattern of phosphate incorporation. Cyclic-AMP (10 μM) maximally stimulated) the in vitro phosphate labeling of two protein bands (80,000 and 55,000 apparent molecular weight) which were not substantially labeled by the in vivo procedure.
Lines of influence in thirteenth century optics: Bacon, Witelo, and Pecham.

HISTORIANS of mediaeval optics have devoted a large measure of their effort to the work of three men who wrote on optics in the second half of the thirteenth centuryRoger Bacon, Witelo, and John Pecham. Such an emphasis is not without justification: not only were they the ones who, under the influence of Alhazen's Perspectiva, produced the great thirteenth-century synthesis of optical knowledge, but it was chiefly through the dissemination of their works in manuscripts and printed editions that this optical knowledge was transmitted to subsequent generations. Because Bacon, Witelo, and Pecham all composed their optical works within a period of two decades or less (a relatively short period of time by mediaeval standards of communication), the question of influence is unavoidably raised. Not only is this question pertinent to the history of mediaeval optics, but the alleged influence of o-ne upon another has been used as a basis for generalizations regarding the course of thirteenth-century science in general;1 it is therefore of considerable importance to examine all the available evidence and decide who really influenced whom. To many historians, it has appeared that the lines of influence linking Bacon, Witelo, and Pecham can be easily determined from elementary considerations. Since it has been generally agreed that Bacon wrote his principal optical works before Witelo and Pecham wrote theirs, it has seemed self-evident that Witelo and Pecham read and were influenced by Bacon's works. To complete the picture, Witelo is explicitly cited in printed editions of Pecham's Perspectiva communis.2 But unfortunately, the problem of influence cannot be so easily resolved. In the first place, Bacon's works on optics were composed in partial secrecy and forwarded to the Papal court with little immediate circulation, and it cannot be assumed, without a comparison of doctrines and a study of the mechanics of transmission, that they were read by anybody. Secondly, the citations to Witelo appearing in printed versions of Pecham's Perspectiva communis are spurious, having been inserted into the 1542 (Nuremberg) edition by its editor, Georg Hartmann, and reprinted in subsequent editions.3 It is thus apparent that the question of influence must be reopened.
Introduction to the Theme Issue on Sustainable Senior Living for the 21st Century

William Thomas (2004) in his recent volume asks “what are old people for?” This implies that we should rethink our notion of the goal for our retirement years and how we should all redesign physica...
A model for Vibrio cholerae colonization of the human intestine

Vibrio cholerae is a strict human pathogen that causes the disease cholera. It is an old-world pathogen that has re-emerged as a new threat since the early 1990s. V. cholerae colonizes the upper, small intestine where it produces a toxin that leads to watery diarrhea, characterizing the disease (Kahn et al., 1988). The dynamics of colonization by the bacteria of the intestines are largely unknown. Although a large initial infectious dose is required for infection, data suggests that only a smaller sub-population colonizes a portion of the small bowel leading to disease. There are many barriers to colonization in the intestines including peristalsis, fluid wash-out, viscosity of the mucus layer, and pH. We are interested in identifying the mechanisms that allow this sub-population of bacteria to survive and colonize the intestines when faced with these barriers. To elaborate the dynamics of V. cholerae infection, we have developed a mathematical model based on a convection-diffusion-reaction-swimming equation capturing bacterial dynamics coupled with Stokes equations governing fluid velocity where we developed a novel non-local boundary condition. Our results indicate that both host and bacterial factors contribute to bacterial density in the gut. Host factors include intestinal diffusion and convection rates while bacterial factors include adherence, motility and growth rates. This model can ultimately be used to test therapeutic strategies against V. cholerae.
Improved yields for baculovirus-mediated expression of human His6-PDK1 and His6-PKBβ/Akt2 and characterization of phospho-specific isoforms for design of inhibitors that stabilize inactive conformations

Abstract PDK1 and PKB/Akt have a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain at the C-terminus and N-terminus, respectively, which stabilizes an unphosphorylated, autoinhibited conformation. Binding of the PH domain to a phospholipid second messenger causes relief of autoinhibition, which results in kinase phosphorylation and activation. Baculovirus-mediated expression in Sf9 insect cells of both His 6 -PDK1 and His 6 -PKBβ/Akt2 were optimized, which significantly improved the yields (⩾5-fold) of the affinity purified enzymes over previously reported values. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) and Western analyses indicated that the apparent V max = 192 ± 13 U/mg and K m (PDK-Tide) = 55 ± 10 μM of purified His 6 -PDK1 results from a mixture of at least three different phospho-specific isoforms (p I values of 6.8, 6.5, and 6.4). A purely unphosphorylated isoform of His 6 -PDK1 (p I = 6.8) was generated by treatment with lambda protein phosphatase (λPP), which decreased V max to 2.4 ± 0.4 U/mg and increased K m (PDK-Tide) to 217 ± 61 μM. Isoelectric focusing and Western analyses indicated that the apparent V max = 0.21 ± 0.03 U/mg and K m (Crosstide) = 87 ± 30 μM of purified His 6 -PKBβ/Akt2 results from a mixture of the enzyme monophosphorylated either at Ser-474 (∼90%) or at Thr-309 (∼10%). A purely unphosphorylated isoform of His 6 -PKBβ/Akt2 (p I = 6.4) was generated by treatment with λPP, which decreased V max ∼2-fold. The optimization of high-level production and detailed characterization of purified and λPP-treated His 6 -PDK1 and His 6 -PKBβ/Akt2 will facilitate detailed structural and kinetic studies aimed at understanding the mechanism of second messenger-induced activation.
A New Density-Dependent Mixing Rule for the SRK Equation of State

A new procedure for obtaining density-dependent mixing rules is applied to the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state. The result is a one-parameter local-composition mixing rule which adequately represents the nonidealities possible in dense fluid mixtures but approaches the classical mixing rule at low densities. A three-parameter version of the mixing rule is also presented which allows for the local-composition effect in the low density limit. The expressions are tested with the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state. Results for vapor-liquid and gas-liquid systems are discussed.
Learning about Students with General Education Development Diplomas on College Campuses: Implications for Academic Advisors

As the numbers of students who earn the general educational development (GED) high school equivalency diploma increase, so too does the presence of GED credential holders on college campuses. Yet in large universities, they make up a relatively small demographic group whose advising needs may go unnoticed. In this article, we describe a series of studies undertaken to learn more about Kent State University students who hold GED diplomas, and we focus on results that have implications for academic advisors. The studies were designed to summarize and analyze demographic, academic, and interview data so that a portrait of students with GED diplomas could be developed. We hope that these portraits provide a more complete understanding of the academic needs and aspirations of GED holders in higher education. Relative emphasis: * research, theory, practice
Accurate and efficient simulation of rigid-body rotations

Abstract This paper introduces efficient and accurate algorithms for simulating the rotation of a three-dimensional rigid object and compares them to several prior methods. First, we introduce a second-order-accurate method that incorporates a third-order correction; then we introduce a third-order-accurate method; and finally we give a fourth-order-accurate method. These methods are single-step and the update operation is only a single rotation. The algorithms are derived in a general Lie group setting. Second, we introduce a near-optimal energy-correction method which allows exact conservation of energy. This algorithm is faster and easier to implement than implicit methods for exact energy conservation. Our third-order method with energy conservation is experimentally seen to act better than a fourth-order-accurate method. These new methods are superior to naive Runge–Kutta or predictor–corrector methods, which are only second-order accurate for sphere-valued functions. The second-order symplectic McLachlan–Reich methods are observed to be excellent at approximate energy conservation but are not as good at long-term accuracy as our best methods. Finally we present comparisons with fourth-order-accurate symplectic methods, which have good accuracy but higher computational cost.
External Ocelli in Lepidoptera Previously Considered to be Anocellate

DORSAL ocelli are simple photoreceptors found in nymphal and adult hemimetabolous insects and adult holometabolous insects1,2. They were thought to have a variable distribution, and to be absent in many representatives of several insect orders ; in Lepidoptera several families have been considered to be entirely or partially anocellate2–4. In sphingids it has been reported that their large superposition eyes have assumed the function of the ocelli4, but it is now known that the sphingids are not anocellate. Ocelli were described within the dorsal protocerebrum in the adult of Sphinx convoluvi by Berlese5 and recently internal ocelli have been reported in several adult sphingids, saturniids and citheroniids6. There have been no descriptions of external ocelli in sphingids, saturniids, citheroniids, or any Ropalocera7.
Effects of deposition rate on the size of self-assembled InP islands formed on GaInP/GaAs(100) surfaces

Utilizing the Stranski-Krastanov growth mode, three-dimensional InP islands are formed on a GalnP/GaAs surface using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The islands have been investigated with atomic force microscopy, and the effect of the deposition rate on the shape of the islands has been quantified. The height of the islands varies with deposition rate, whereas the basediameters are nearly constant around 1260 ± 35A. The island height is 290 ± 12 A at a high (2.6 ML/s) deposition rate and decreases to approximately 250 ± 16 A for low (0.1 ML/ s) and moderate (0.8 ML/s) deposition rates.
WE‐C‐T‐617‐02: Direct Calibration of Ionization Chambers in Linac Photon Beams

Purpose: Currently, the starting point for dosimetry in the radiotherapy clinic is an ion chamber calibrated at the standards laboratory in a 60 Co beam. Conversion factors obtained from a protocol such as TG‐51 are then required to derive the dose in a linac beam. This paper details the measurement of these kQ factors in photon beams from a clinical linac.Method and Materials: The NRC primary standard water calorimeter was used to calibrate a set of NE2571 Farmer‐type ion chambers in 6, 10 & 25 MV photon beams from an Elekta Preciselinac installed at NRC. A number of influence quantities — water purity, temperature sensors, temperature measurement system — were investigated in detail. In addition, significant effort was put into monitoring the stability of the linac to ensure that output variations did not significantly affect the measurements. Results: The kQ factors obtained were in good agreement with previous measurements using the NRC Vickers research linac reported by Seuntjens et al in 2000. This indicates no dependence on accelerator type and validates the use of %dd10x as a beam quality specifier for megavoltage photon beams. The calculated factors given in TG‐51 also agree well with these measured kQ factors. The standard uncertainty in the calibration of an ion chamber is estimated to be 0.45%, a significant improvement over using the calculated values. Conclusion: A clinical linac can be successfully used for primary standards dosimetry. Absorbed dosecalibration factors for a set of NE2571 chambers have been obtained for 6, 10 & 25 MV photon beams. Factors for other chambers can be determined by direct comparison with these reference chambers in a water phantom.
Acute health effects associated with nonoccupational pesticide exposure in rural El Salvador.

Abstract Little is known about the health effects of nonoccupational pesticide exposure in agricultural communities of poor countries. Therefore, this study investigated acute symptoms associated with nonoccupational exposure to organophosphate insecticides (OPs) in rural El Salvador, a region known for intensive pesticide use. In the five communities studied, 2-week prevalences of several acute symptoms were associated with living with a farmer who had recently applied methyl parathion. These included cramps in limbs (odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.2–3.7), chest pressure (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–4.0), change in defecation (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–4.1), feeling dazed (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3–4.4), and eyes tearing (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4–4.5). Associations were found regardless of whether the individuals reporting the symptoms had themselves performed field labor. These results suggest that living in areas where pesticides are used on crops may represent an environmental health concern, especially for children.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: COMPUTERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

ABSTRACT Geographic information systems (GIS) are a type of computer technology gaining increasing acceptance in law enforcement. Geographic information systems allow users to make connections between seemingly unrelated bits of information gathered over time and over large and diversified geographical areas. Such capabilities have the potential for significantly improving the effectiveness of criminal investigations, as well as crime prediction/prevention efforts. Examples of GIS applications in law enforcement are given.
Converting a maltose receptor into a nascent binuclear copper oxygenase by computational design.

Computational protein design methods were used to identify mutations that are predicted to introduce a binuclear copper center coordinated by six histidines, replacing the maltose-binding site in Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) with an oxygen-binding site. A small family of five candidate designs consisting of 9 to 10 mutations each was constructed by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. These mutant proteins were expressed and purified, and their stability, copper- and cobalt-binding properties, and interactions of the resulting metalloprotein complexes with azide, hydrogen peroxide, and dioxygen were characterized. We identified one 10-fold mutant, MBP.Hc.E, that can form CuII2 and CoII2 complexes that interact with H2O2 and O2. The CoII2 protein reacts with H2O2 to form a complex that is spectroscopically similar to a synthetic model that structurally mimics the oxy-hemocyanin core, whereas the CuII2 protein reacted with O2 or H2O2 does not. We postulate that the equilibrium between the...
High-performance size exclusion chromatography of aquatic humic substances

Importance du choix de l'eluant pour une bonne separation des acides humiques en chromatographie sur gel. Le poids moleculaire moyen des acides humiques est de 2000 daltons
A “Broader Regulatory Scheme” — The Constitutionality of Health Care Reform

Although a federal court in Florida has allowed a state challenge to the constitutionality of health care reform to proceed to the next stage of litigation,1 a second federal court in Michigan has already swiftly dispatched identical claims on the merits. In rejecting the plaintiffs' claim, in Thomas More Law Center et al. v. Barack Hussein Obama et al., that the 2010 health care reform is unconstitutional, Judge George Steeh wrote on October 7 that according to a wealth of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, Congress's power to regulate individual activity under the Commerce Clause (in this case, through a mandate . . .
Ethanol Induces Apoptosis in Cerebellar Granule Neurons by Inhibiting Insulin‐Like Growth Factor 1 Signaling

Abstract: The ability of ethanol to interfere with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-mediated cell survival was examined in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons. Cells underwent apoptosis when switched from medium containing 25 mM K+ to one containing 5 mM K+. IGF-1 protected granule neurons from apoptosis in medium containing 5 mM K+. Ethanol inhibited IGF-1-mediated neuronal survival but did not inhibit IGF-1 receptor binding or the neurotrophic action of elevated K+, and failed to potentiate cell death in the presence of 5 mM K+. Inhibition of neuronal survival by ethanol was not reversed by increasing the concentration of IGF-1. Significant inhibition by ethanol (15–20%) was observed at 1 mM and was half-maximal at 45 mM. The inhibition of IGF-1 protection by ethanol corresponded to a marked reduction in the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1, the binding of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), and a block of IGF-1-stimulated PI 3-kinase activity. The neurotrophic response of IGF-1 was also inhibited by the PI 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002, the protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine chloride, and the protein kinase A inhibitor KT5720, but unaffected by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor PD 98059. These data demonstrate that ethanol promotes cell death in cerebellar granule neurons by inhibiting the antiapoptotic action of IGF-1.
Transplantation: Transplant tourism—an update regarding the realities

A recent article exposes the ongoing industry of transplant tourism in China, where foreign patients can receive vendor organs recovered from executed prisoners. Concerning data reveal the long-term complications of kidney transplant tourism, particularly the increased risk of malignancy. These findings relay an important message to transplant communities and physicians worldwide.
Analysis of membrane processes for blood purification

Physical phenomena play an important role in membrane processes for blood purification. They largely determine the separation performance of these devices and they interact with chemical and biologica
Women and the Family in Eighteenth-Century Mexico: Law and Practice

During the eighteenth century, Mexican family law remained almost unchanged while the ways in which families chose to use the inheritance law altered significantly. At the beginning of the century, women of most economic classes—from artisan families to the nobility—usually received legally binding dowries that protected them at the death of their husbands and provided their children with inheritances. By the end of the century, however, the practice of awarding dowries had almost completely ceased. This essay explores possible explanations for this change through a discussion of the various ways in which women held power and property, depending upon their position in the family.
SHAPE-directed RNA secondary structure prediction.

Abstract The diverse functional roles of RNA are determined by its underlying structure. Accurate and comprehensive knowledge of RNA structure would inform a broader understanding of RNA biology and facilitate exploiting RNA as a biotechnological tool and therapeutic target. Determining the pattern of base pairing, or secondary structure, of RNA is a first step in these endeavors. Advances in experimental, computational, and comparative analysis approaches for analyzing secondary structure have yielded accurate structures for many small RNAs, but only a few large (>500 nts) RNAs. In addition, most current methods for determining a secondary structure require considerable effort, analytical expertise, and technical ingenuity. In this review, we outline an efficient strategy for developing accurate secondary structure models for RNAs of arbitrary length. This approach melds structural information obtained using SHAPE chemistry with structure prediction using nearest-neighbor rules and the dynamic programming algorithm implemented in the RNAstructure program. Prediction accuracies reach ⩾95% for RNAs on the kilobase scale. This approach facilitates both development of new models and refinement of existing RNA structure models, which we illustrate using the Gag-Pol frameshift element in an HIV-1 M-group genome. Most promisingly, integrated experimental and computational refinement brings closer the ultimate goal of efficiently and accurately establishing the secondary structure for any RNA sequence.
OPTIMIZATION OF AN OIL BOOM ARRANGEMENT

ABSTRACT The equipment under study is an innovative boom arrangement consisting of a ramp boom and three other conventional booms of different drafts. To optimize the design, an advanced volume of fluid (VOF) algorithm is developed to calculate oil-water flows in the complex geometry. The effects of the gravity, current velocity, and depth; spans between the conventional booms; the ramp boom's draft and inclination angle; oil viscosity; and density are considered in the present numerical modeling. A comparison was made between the computational simulation and the laboratory experiment of the boom arrangement and satisfactory results were obtained. From the numerical investigations, it is found that the oil slick flowing behind the ramp boom is similar to that of a solid object traveling under the influence of gravity. To achieve a high performance, the ramp slope should be as small as possible and the span of the boom system should cover the oil's “landing distance.” Under the current tide conditions, the...
The Role of Knee Extensor Strength in Balance-Restoring Step Initiation and Execution

A stepping response is often used to restore balance following a fall. Using laboratory-induced balance perturbations, various researchers have reported age-related alterations in balance recovery step characteristics including earlier step liftoff time [1; 2], shorter step length [1; 3], and longer step duration [2]. Such age-related changes in the step response may be related to older adults’ reduced strength reserve, which is prominent in the lower extremities [4] and therefore likely plays an important role in balance recovery.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Spectrum sharing between S-band radar and LTE cellular system: A spatial approach

Spectrum sharing is a new way forward to solve spectrum scarcity problem. In this paper, we propose a spatial approach for spectrum sharing between a MIMO radar and an LTE cellular system with N BS base stations (BS). The MIMO radar and LTE share N BS interference channels i.e. H i , i = 1,2, …, N BS . We propose projecting the radar signal onto the null space of interference channel between the MIMO radar and LTE using our proposed interference-channel-selection algorithm, in order to have zero-interference from the MIMO radar. We select interference channel with the maximum null space i.e. arg max 1≤i≤NBS dim [N(H i )] and project the radar signal onto the null space of this channel. Our proposed spatial spectrum-sharing algorithm is radar-centric such that it causes minimum loss in radar performance by carefully selecting the interference channel and at the same time protects the ith LTE BS from the radar interference. Through our analytical and simulation results we show that the loss in the radar performance is less when the proposed interference-channel-selection algorithm is used to select the channel onto which radar signals are projected.