cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
English as Tyrannosaurus rex

The increasing domination of English as the world's leading medium of international professional communication has begun to impact English for Academic Purposes programs. Specifically, questions arise as to whether English is becoming too successful. This paper reviews several of the resulting ideological challenges to EAP. Although not all of these challenges are accepted as well-founded, the paper argues that resistance to the 'triumphalism' of English is also a responsibility of EAP teachers. This resistance can be encouraged by further research into the academic registers of languages other than English, by support for local-language scholarly publications, and by using the current controversies as consciousness-raising exercises in EAP classes for international graduate students.
High‐throughput kinetic analysis of acrylate and thiol‐ene photopolymerization using temperature and exposure time gradients

In this work, a high-throughput technique for evaluating photopolymers is developed to enable simultaneous measurement of the effects of temperature in combination with exposure time. Temperature and exposure time gradients were produced in orthogonal directions on a single sample, and subsequently sampled using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The technique developed here allows for photopolymerization kinetics to be analyzed rapidly over a large range of industrially relevant temperatures, giving insight into the role temperature and the polymer's glass transition temperature have in dictating the photopolymerization kinetics. In the 70/30 wt % hexyl acrylate and hexanediol diacrylate system, conversion in samples below the glass transition temperature (T G ) was 66 ± 2% after 12 s, significantly lower than the 93 ± 4% conversion at 12 s for samples polymerized at temperatures above the T G . In addition, a thiol-ene system was analyzed to study the effect of temperature on the ene homopolymerization in allyl ether monomers, which leads to incomplete thiol conversion in stoichiometrically balanced systems. At a 60% thiol conversion, the allyl ether-ene conversion at all temperatures is 65 ± 3% irrespective of initial formulation temperature, indicative of the homopolymerization behavior being nearly independent of temperature.
Single molecules, cells, and super-resolution optics (Presentation Video)

In this plenary presentation, Eric Betzig talks about his scientific journey that led to the Nobel Prize. He made waves early in his career by helping to develop a technique known as near-field microscopy, which brought into focus structures that scientists had long considered too small to see with a light microscope. Eric Betzig is a group leader at Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) in Ashburn, VA. He recieved a BS in physics from California Institute of Technology and a PhD in applied and engineering physics from Cornell University. Betzig received the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with William Moerner and Stefan Hell, for their development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy.
Survival rates in patients with low‐grade glioma after intraoperative magnetic resonance image guidance

BACKGROUND No age-adjusted or histologic-adjusted assessments of the association between extent of resection and risk of either recurrence or death exist for neurosurgical patients who undergo resection of low-grade glioma using intraoperative magnetic resonance image (MRI) guidance. METHODS The current data included 156 patients who underwent surgical resection of a unifocal, supratentorial, low-grade glioma in the MRI suite at Brigham and Women's Hospital between January 1, 1997, and January 31, 2003. Estimates of disease-free and overall survival probabilities were calculated using Kaplan–Meier methodology. The association between extent of resection and these probabilities was measured using a Cox proportional hazards model. Observed death rates were compared with the expected death rate using age-specific and histologic-specific survival rates obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry. RESULTS Patients who underwent subtotal resection were at 1.4 times the risk of disease recurrence (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.7–3.1) and at 4.9 times the risk of death (95% CI, 0.61–40.0) relative to patients who underwent gross total resection. The 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year age-adjusted and histologic-adjusted death rates for patients who underwent surgical resection using intraoperative MRI guidance were 1.9% (95% CI, 0.3–4.2%), 3.6% (95% CI, 0.4–6.7%), and 17.6% (95% CI, 5.9–29.3%), respectively: significantly lower than the rates reported using national data bases. CONCLUSIONS The data from the current study suggested a possible association between surgical resection and survival for neurosurgical patients who underwent surgery for low-grade glioma under intraoperative MRI guidance. Further study within the context of a large, prospective, population-based project will be needed to confirm these findings. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Continuous on-line true titrations by feedback based flow ratiometry: application to potentiometric acid-base titrations

Abstract We applied the methodology of continuous titrations by feedback-based flow ratiometry and the principle of compensating errors [Anal. Chem. 72 (2000), 4713] to potentiometric acid–base titrations. In a typical case, the titrant (a standard base) flow ( F B ) is varied in response to a controller output voltage, while the total flow ( F T , consisting of an acid sample and the titrant flow) is held constant. The titrant flow is initially ramped upward linearly. At the instant, the detector senses the equivalence potential is reached, the controller output (instantaneous value V H ) reverses its ramp direction, thus decreasing the titrant flow linearly at the same rate. When the equivalence point is sensed again, the controller voltage (instantaneous value V L ) is ramped in reverse once more, going upward. Because of the lag time between a change in the controller output and its outcome being sensed by the detector, the controller voltage corresponding to the actual equivalence point is the average of V H and V L . Continuous sensor-governed operation of the controller thus results in a triangular waveform. The mean dc bias of this waveform during any cycle gives the equivalence point controller voltage V E . This principle of compensating errors allows true titrations in principle, requiring no calibration curves. Even though pH electrode response is slow compared with optical sensors, high throughput (12 s per titration) is attainable with reasonable reproducibility (0.7% R.S.D.). The method was applied to diverse acid–base titrations.
Agents that activate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibit explant culture growth and mitotic activity.

Epidermal cells contain 4 separate surface receptors which are linked to adenylate cyclase. Activation of any one of these receptors leads to the accumulation of cAMP within the cell which in turn leads to the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The levels of cAMP accumulation within the cell caused by the 4 activators are not the same. Epinephrine, histamine, adenosine, and prostaglandins of the "E" series cause easily measurable concentrations of cAMP within 5 mm of exposure. Prostaglandin F 2α causes only a small nonsignificant increase. Similarly, 2 phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which inhibit the breakdown of cAMP formed within the cell, differ in their ability to accumulate cAMP when cells are exposed to these agents alone. Isobutylmethylxanthine causes a measurable increase in cAMP, while theophylline, a weak inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, gives a nonsignificant increase in cAMP. Recently, experiments have shown that agents that give only slight increases in cAMP by biochemical measurements, that is, prostaglandins F 2α and theophylline, are equally able to activate protein kinase within the cell. Since activation of protein kinase is the only mechanism for an increase in cAMP to have a physiologic effect, all of these agents that do activate protein kinase should cause physiologic effects. Using an explant culture system, we show in this paper that this supposition is correct and that all agents that activate protein kinase do result in inhibition of mitotic activity regardless of whether or not they are able to raise cAMP to a level that can be biochemically measured as being significantly different from the baseline value.
Tips for managing chronic pain at work.

Jan experiences mild to moderate pain in her feet on a daily basis due to idiopathic neuropathies. Although Jan is able to fulfill her job responsibilities, it is sometimes difficult to complete all of her scheduled visits due to pain. Jan’s colleague, Bryan, has mild daily pain in his right arm from an old sports injury, making it difficult for him to perform tasks requiring manual dexterity. Mandy suffers from nearly constant abdominal pain, the result of irritable bowel syndrome. All three struggle with different types of pain at work. Four common interventions could benefit them all.
Hydration-state-responsive proteins link cold and drought stress in spinach.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) seedlings exposed to low nonfreezing temperatures (0–10° C) that promote cold acclimation, synthesize a variety cold-acclimation proteins and at the same time acquire a greater ability to withstand cellular dehydration imposed by the freezing of tissue water. Two of these proteins (160 and 85 kDa) become more abundant over time at low temperature. In addition, a small decline in tissue water status from a maximally hydrated state also appears to be associated with an initiation of the accumulation of these proteins at a noninductive temperature. Imposing a severe water stress on young seedlings grown at 25° C by withholding water leads to substantial accumulation of the 160- and 85-kDa proteins, and maximal induction of freezing tolerance. This evidence implies that responses to cold acclimation and water stress involve common mechanisms, and further establishes the linkage of these two proteins with stresses having an osmotic component.
Semantic search via XML fragments: a high-precision approach to IR

In some IR applications, it is desirable to adopt a high precision search strategy to return a small set of documents that are highly focused and relevant to the user's information need. With these applications in mind, we investigate semantic search using the XML Fragments query language on text corpora automatically pre-processed to encode semantic information useful for retrieval. We identify three XML Fragment operations that can be applied to a query to conceptualize, restrict, or relate terms in the query. We demonstrate how these operations can be used to address four different query-time semantic needs: to specify target information type, to disambiguate keywords, to specify search term context, or to relate select terms in the query. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our semantic search technology through a series of experiments using the two applications in which we embed this technology and show that it yields significant improvement in precision in the search results.
Lipophilic platinum complexes entrapped in liposomes: improved stability and preserved antitumor activity with complexes containing linear alkyl carboxylato leaving groups

Lipophilic diaminocyclohexane (DACH) platinum complexes have shown significant promise in preclinical studies. One of these compounds,cis-bis-neodecanoato-trans-R,R-1,2-diaminocyclohexaneplatinum(II) (NDDP), which contains two branched leaving groups of 10 carbons, showed a favorable toxicity profile in a liposomal formulation in early clinical trials. However, like many other DACH platinum compounds with branched leaving groups, it is unstable within the liposomes, thus preventing its widespread clinical evaluation. We studied the effect of the configuration of leaving groups on intraliposomal complex stability by studying a series of DACH platinum complexes containing linear alkyl carboxylato leaving groups of 5–18 carbons. The entrapment efficiency was greater than 90% for all liposomal preparations of the complexes and was independent of lipid composition and length of the leaving group. The drug leakage from the liposomes was minimal, but was directly related to the length of the leaving group. Intraliposomal stability was inversely related to the length of the leaving group and the content of DMPG (dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol) in the liposomes. The effect of length of leaving group on intraliposomal stability was minimal in compounds with leaving groups smaller than 10 carbons, but very pronounced in compounds with longer leaving groups. Stable liposomal formulations of selected compounds with leaving groups of 6 and 10 carbons had significant in vivo antitumor activity against both L1210/S and L1210/PDD leukemias. The results indicate (1) that compounds with linear leaving groups are much more stable within DMPG-containing liposomes than compounds with branched leaving groups and (2) that DMPG is required for in vivo antitumor activity. Stable and active liposomal formulations of selected compounds with linear leaving groups have been identified. These formulations are candidates for clinical development.
Periodic solutions of nonlinear delay equations

Abstract Existence and uniqueness of 2π-periodic solutions of d j x(t) dt j + grad G(x(t − τ)) = e(t, x(t), x(t − τ)) (j = 1, 2) , where x(t) is in R n and e(t, u, v) is a given vector function, 2π-periodic in t, are shown under conditions on the spectrum of the Hessian of G. The equation is studied using a fixed point theorem in the space L2(0, 2π). One feature of this approach is that no relationship between the delay and the period is necessary.
Characterization of a Variant Prothrombin in a Patient Congenitally Deficient in Factors II, VII, IX and X

Summary. An 18-month-old child, who had no evidence of liver disease, malabsorption, or chronic ingestion of coumarin compounds, was found to have plasma deficiencies of factors II, VII, IX and X. Assays for factor II and X by immunological techniques (antibody neutralization and immunoelectrophoresis) revealed normal or elevated antigenic activity of these factors, suggesting the presence of abnormal protein variants in the patient's plasma. On two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis of the patient's plasma in calcium, a normal and an abnormal population of prothrombin were seen. The abnormal prothrombin had a mobility more anodal than that of normal prothrombin, but less anodal than that of acarboxyprothrombin. The abnormal prothrombin, in contrast to acarboxyprothrombin, adsorbed readily to both aluminum hydroxide and barium citrate, and could be identified by two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis of a barium citrate eluate. We suspect that the abnormal variant represents a partially carboxylated prothrombin.
The chondroitin sulfate attachment site of appican is formed by splicing out exon 15 of the amyloid precursor gene.

Appicans are secreted and cell-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans containing Alzheimer amyloid precursor (APP) as their core protein. Appicans are found in brain tissue, and in cell cultures their expression depends on both cell type and growth conditions. Here we report that the core protein of appicans derives from an APP mRNA lacking exon 15. Splicing out of this exon creates a new consensus sequence for the attachment of a chondroitin sulfate chain in the resulting APP product. Transfection of C6 glioma or 293 kidney fibroblast cells with APP cDNAs containing exon 15 produced no appican, while transfection with an APP cDNA lacking this exon induced high levels of appican production. Polymerase chain reactions indicated that appican-producing cells contained an APP mRNA species without exon 15, whereas cells without this mRNA produced no appican. Site-directed mutagenesis combined with immunoreactivity experiments showed that the chondroitin sulfate chain is attached to a serine residue 16 amino acids upstream of the amino terminus of the Aβ sequence of APP. The attachment of a glycosaminoglycan chain close to the Aβ sequence of APP may affect the proteolytic processing of APP and production of Aβ. The proteoglycan nature of APP suggests that addition of the chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan is important for the implementation of the biological function of these proteins.
The effect of spatial wandering on experimental laser velocimeter measurements of the end-wall vortices in an axial-flow pump

In a high Reynolds number axial-flow pump, laser velocimeter (LV) measurements were made to study the size and structure of the end-wall vortex. The time mean measurements show that the core size of the end-wall vortex increased with decreasing tip clearance, which is contrary to existing theory. Observations of cavitation in the vortex showed that the flow was unsteady. The vortices emanating from the smaller clearances were observed to wander or meander spatially and to develop kinks more than the vortices emanating from the larger tip clearances. This observed unsteadiness has a significant effect on the time mean size and velocity distribution of the vortex as measured with the LV employing the field point measurement technique. In order to obtain an estimate of the true size and velocity distribution, computational experiments were conducted which modelled a periodically wandering vortex and the LV measurement process. The computational and experimental results show good agreement, including a broadened and reduced tangential velocity distribution. In this paper, the end-wall vortex LV measurements are presented, and the method of analyzing the vortex wandering is described.
The interconnection between cosmic ray results and accelerator results

Abstract The employment of the large detectors at the CERN electron-positron collider, LEP, for cosmic ray muon studies is reviewed, and results from observations with the ALEPH detector are discussed. The muon multiplicity distribution do not agree with simulations for large multiplicities. Possible future extensions of this program are noted.
Scenario based resolution of aspect interactions with aspect interaction charts

Introduction of aspects into the system raises the level of separation of concerns within the system. At the same time it also raises the level of interactions among the various components and features within the system. Current modeling techniques(sequence diagrams, live sequence charts) are inadequate in handling this added level of interaction. A higher level of abstraction is needed in order to capture the interactions among aspects/features/core and provides two immediate benefits - better modularization of the requirements, and better adaptability for the resulting model. We propose the Aspect Interaction Charts (AIC) that build on top of the Live Sequence Charts (LSC) [3] in order to capture the interactions among various aspects at joinpoints. With the AIC we foresee the ability to capture aspect interactions at a joinpoint in a common specification in the form of use-case scenarios, and the ability to execute these scenarios while non-invasively manipulating the interactions among the various aspects. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, we plan on leveraging the tools that come with the LSC language, i.e. the Play Engine. The AIC would provide us with the ability to model, view and manipulate aspect interactions at joinpoints.
Household-level model for hurricane evacuation destination type choice using hurricane Ivan data

Hurricanes are costly natural disasters periodically faced by households in coastal and, to some extent, inland areas. Public agencies must understand household behavior to develop evacuation plans that align with evacuee choices and behavior. This paper presents a previously unknown household-level hurricane evacuation destination type choice model. The discrete choice of destination type is modeled using a nested logit model. Although previous literature considers only houses of friends and relatives and hotels for modeling purposes, this paper incorporates public shelters, churches, and an aggregated destination type denoted other. This research found that the variables influencing this choice include hurricane position at evacuation time, household geographic location, race, income, preparation time, changes in evacuation plans, previous experiences with major hurricanes, household members working during the evacuation, and evacuation notices. The findings of this paper are useful to understand the competition among destination types and how the characteristics of the demand can be used to develop evacuation strategies, such as increasing and/or decreasing use of public shelters, and measuring the effect of evacuation notices in areas with high accessibility to hotels.
Thermal modification of the pore structure of a North Dakota lignite

Abstract Changes in pore volume of a North Dakota lignite were studied by small angle X-ray scattering after vacuum drying, air oxidation, and heat treatment in argon. Air oxidation causes an increase in micropore surface area due to reaction with available carbon surface atoms, as corroborated by wet determination of carboxylate and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Heat treatment in argon results in a major increase in micropore surface as a result of thermal decarboxylation. These results are also corroborated by analysis and measurement of gas release during pyrolysis.
A surface enhanced resonance Raman study of cobalt phthalocyanine on rough Ag films: Theory and experiment

We present a combined experimental/theoretical study of the coverage and frequency dependence of surface (enhanced) resonance Raman scattering [S(E)RRS] of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) on CaF2 roughened silver films. The experimental spectra indicate a rather strong coverage dependence at very low coverage for excitation at or close to the molecular resonance frequency, with a peak at 0.07 monolayer (ML) followed by a rapid decrease above that. This coverage dependence differs strongly with observations on smooth films, where a much weaker dependence is observed. At very low coverage on the rough Ag films S(E)RRS enhancements comparable to SERS are observed. To model this coverage dependence, we consider the electromagnetic interactions between the adsorbate and substrate, with the substrate modeled as a metal spheroid and the adsorbate as a layer with variable coverage. Two models for this layer are considered, an effective medium model in which the layer is taken to have a coverage dependent dielectric constant, and a coupled dipole model in which both the molecules and metal are taken to be polarizable dipoles. The dependence of field enhancement and S(E)RRS intensity is studied for these two models as a function of frequency, coverage, and Stokes shift. It is found that although there are differences between the two models, the coverage dependence is similar in both, with peak intensities at about 0.1 ML for reasonably prolate spheroids. These models also demonstrate that the drop in intensity above 0.1 ML arises from damping of the plasmon resonance by the adsorbed layer. Interadsorbate interactions are found to play a role in determining the coverage dependence of the S(E)RRS intensity that is secondary to this damping. The large enhancements seen below 0.1 ML suggest that excited state quenching by the surface is not important for this nonfluorescent molecule.
The crystal structure of Cs1−xLu3F10−x: Refinement in a higher symmetry space group

Abstract The crystal structure of Cs1−xLu3F10−x, originally described in the monoclinic space group Cm, is better described in the hexagonal space group P 6 m2 . Least-squares refinement in P 6 m2 has led to an improved R of 0.024, to more regular LuF distances, and to a revised composition parameter x of 0.10(1).
Using Nanomaterials to Probe Rotation of Individual Cell Surface Receptors

Rotation of membrane proteins is a sensitive measure of their aggregation state and their interactions with other membrane species. We have explored the use of nanomaterials, including both gold nanorods (GNR) and asymmetric quantum dots (QD), as non-bleaching imaging probes of the rotation of individual cell surface proteins. GNR exhibit resonant light scattering between 700-800 nm which is highly polarized along the rod axis. Orthogonally-polarized, dark-field images of GNR immobilized on glass contain polarized spots suggesting randomly-oriented individual rods. However, imaging individual antibody-conjugated GNR on cell surfaces has been problematic. QD can also provide orientation-dependent optical signals: one commercial product, rod-like in shape, exhibits an initial fluorescence anisotropy >0.2. These QD, conjugated to anti-insulin receptor β-chain antibody, are easily visualized bound to 2H3 cell insulin receptors (IR) as well as immobilized on glass. Blinking of spots in orthogonally-polarized fluorescence images demonstrates imaging of individual QD. The time-autocorrelation function for fluorescence anisotropy from individual cell-bound QD exhibits a slow component decaying on the 100-200 ms timescale. Whether this represents intrinsically-hindered rotation of individual IR or results from crosslinking of multiple receptors by single QD remains to be determined. Supported in part by NIH grant RR023156 and NSF grant CHE-0628260.
Application of automatic thresholding in image analysis scoring of cells in human solid tumors labeled for proliferation markers

We previously reported an image analysis program that uses four investigator-defined parameters including two thresholds, i.e., gray-level threshold (GLT) and hue threshold (HT), to determine the number of cells (TC) and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) or bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) labeling indices (LI) in human solid tumors. The present study investigated if the accuracy and reproducibility of image analysis results can be improved by using computer-defined GLT and HT. Three investigators evaluated 142 images on 3 days, using visual analysis and four image analysis routines, which used different combinations of computer- and investigator-selected GLT and HT. The data show that image analysis using computer-selected GLT and HT yielded (i) LI of PCNA and BrdUrd that were indistinguishable from visual analysis, (ii) equal (BrdUrd LI) or better (TC and PCNA LI) inter-day reproducibility relative to visual analysis results, and (iii) results that were equally (TC) or more accurate (LI of PCNA and BrdUrd) with higher inter-day reproducibility (TC and LI of PCNA and BrdUrd) than image analysis obtained using investigator-defined thresholds. We conclude that the use of computer-defined GLT and HT improved the accuracy and reproducibility of image analysis results.
Effects of operating parameters on the transient response of proton exchange membrane fuel cells subject to load changes

Abstract Water management is critical to the steady state and transient performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems. The dynamic behavior of PEM fuel cells is profoundly related to the dynamics of water transport in the fuel cell system, which include electro-osmotic drag and back-diffusion of water through membrane and rate at which water is generated, supplied and removed from the electrodes. In particular, for low humidity operations, water transport dynamics plays a dominant role in determining the time taken to reach steady state. Toward an understanding of the fuel cell dynamics for dry operations, numerical simulations are carried out for a single channel polymer electrolyte (PEM) fuel cell undergoing step change in cell voltage over wide range of operating conditions. A detailed model-based parametric study is carried out to analyze the effects of operating conditions on membrane water content and the time taken by the single cell system to reach steady state. Based on the studies, design windows are presented that limit the time taken to reach steady state to a desired value. Optimum parameter combinations that minimize the transient time are also identified from the studies.
Assessing Returns to Agricultural Extension

In a technically and economically dynamic environment, extension has the potential for enhancing the efficiency of production. Although extension was formalized and given federal financial support by the passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914, the literature reporting on reasonably rigorous attempts at ex post evaluations of agricultural extension has begun to emerge only recently. In earlier studies (e.g., Griliches and Evenson 1968), expenditures on research and extension were aggregated, and the total was used as one of the variables for explaining the growth in agricultural output (or productivity). The objective of this paper is to present an assessment of the returns to investments in
Comparison of the properties of highly purified equine chorionic gonadotropin isolated from commercial concentrates of pregnant mare serum and endometrial cups

Abstract Commercial concentrates of equine chorionic gonadotropin derived from pregnant mare serum and equine endometrial cups were further purified by sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50 chromatography and gel filtration on columns of Sephacryl S200. Highly purified fractions were obtained from the serum concentrate and from the endometrial cups (serum eCG and cups eCG, respectively). The two preparations were very similar chemically with respect to amino terminal amino acids (phenylalanine and serine), carbohydrate content (38–45%), and amino acid content. The cups eCG had a slightly greater average mobility than serum eCG by disc gel electrophoresis (R F = 0.37 and 0.32, respectively). Notable differences existed between the preparations in certain assay systems. The cups eCG was shown to be more potent than serum eCG by LH bioassay, LH radioimmunoassay (RIA), equine and calf testes FSH radioreceptor assays (RRA), and a RIA utilizing an antibody generated against cups eCG. In contrast, the serum and cups eCGs appeared comparably active in an equine testes LH RRA and RIA using an antibody to a serum-derived eCG. Ratios of FSH:LH activity for both preparations were consistently less than 1, but varied considerably between different assay systems. Although the preparations exhibited very little FSH activity in receptor assays utilizing equine tissues and equine gonadotropins as radioligands, considerable binding activity was measured in calf and rat testes FSH RRAs. These data confirm that variations in the nature of eCG can be reflected in chemical, biological and immunological differences. Further, the properties of eCG preparations vary depending on the source material used for isolation and the assay systems employed for evaluation.
Bioassay of chemically treated subbituminous coal derivatives using Pseudomonas putida F1

Abstract A selection of chemical reagents representing acids (HNO3), bases (NaOH) and oxidants (KMnO4 and catalyzed H2O2) was used to pretreat coal in order to enhance its solubility. The relative bioavailability of the solubilized fractions was assessed using bioassay with Pseudomonas putida F1 by monitoring the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). This bioassay has been shown to be an effective tool for quickly determining the biological potential of coal as substrate for the enhanced production of biogenic natural gas. The concentrations of total dissolved organic carbon in the pretreated samples showed that nitric acid and sodium hydroxide were the most promising pretreatment agents with up to 14.0% of coal carbon solubilized. However, bioassay results indicated that the coal pretreatment with permanganate at high concentration resulted in the largest fraction of bioavailable solubilized constituents. Approximately 20.0% of the soluble carbon was biochemically converted to CO2 within a period of 14-days, accounting for nearly 1.1% of the total coal carbon. Although high concentrations of nitrate (NO3−) and sodium (Na+) associated with the acid and base pretreatments may have inhibited the activity of the microorganisms during the bioassay, relatively high concentrations of purgeable organic carbon and other readily biodegradable forms support the study's conclusion.
Attempted hydrothermal synthesis of diamond by hydrolysis of β-SiC powder

Hydrolysis of β-SiC powder in the “hydrothermal” pressure-temperature regime (1.4 kbar at 800 °C) leads to a sharp Raman band at 1330 cm−1. This suggests evidence for growth of diamonds under hydrothermal conditions. However, X-ray diffraction studies and scanning electron microscopy analysis do not provide the usual evidence for diamonds. Instead, they reveal euhedral monodisperse quartz crystals and a second acicular phase. It is possible that any diamond crystals are very small, with sizes of the order of few nanometers. However, transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the whiskers are a silicon oxycarbide with an approximate composition of SiO1.6C0.2 and have a width up to 100 nm and lattice imaging revealed 9.0 A spacings.
Evaluation of the Vapor Pressure over an Aerosol Particle

Abstract The osmotic coefficient of a solvent with a mixture of solutes is evaluated by taking the weighted average over the molality of each solute. The vapor pressure over a drop with a mixture of solutes is intermediate to the vapor pressures over the single-solute drops.
Understanding skeletal muscle wasting in critically ill patients

29.3%), and the ratio of protein to DNA by 29.5% (95% CI, 13.4 to 45.6%). Decrease in the rectus femoris CSA was greater in patients who experienced multiorgan failure by day 7 (�15.7%; 95% CI, �27.7 to 11.4%) compared with single organ failure (�3.0%; 95% CI, �5.3 to 2.1%; P <0.001), even by day 3 (�8.7%; 95% CI, �59.3 to 50.6% versus �1.8%; 95% CI, �12.3 to 10.5%, respectively; P =0.03). Myofiber necrosis occurred in 20 of 37 patients (54.1%). Protein synthesis measured by the muscle protein fractional synthetic rate was depressed in patients on day 1 (0.035%/hour; 95% CI, 0.023 to 0.047%/hour) compared with rates observed in fasted healthy controls (0.039%/hour; 95% CI, 0.029 to 0.048%/hour; P =0.57) and increased by day 7 (0.076%; 95% CI, 0.032 to 0.120%/hour; P =0.03) to rates associated with fed controls (0.065%/hour; 95% CI, 0.049 to 0.080%/hour; P =0.30), independent of nutritional load. Leg protein breakdown remained elevated throughout the study (8.5; 95% CI, 4.7 to 12.3 μmol phenylalanine/minute/ideal body weight × 100 to 10.6; 95% CI, 6.8 to 14.4 μmol phenylalanine/minute/ideal body weight × 100; P =0.40). The pattern of intracellular signaling supported increased breakdown (n =9, r=�0.83, P =0.005) and decreased synthesis (n =9, r= �0.69, P =0.04). Conclusions Among these critically ill patients, muscle wasting occurred early and rapidly during the first week of critical illness and was more severe among those with
Building the case toward a definitive clinical trial: saline versus Plasma-Lyte*.

Abstract : Since its first reported use during the cholera pandemic in 1831, the potential pitfalls of sodium chloride (saline) as a resuscitative fluid for hypovolemic conditions have been described in numerous animal and human studies (1). Decrease in strong ion difference (SID) leading to hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis (2) and resultant effects on renal blood flow and renal insufficiency (3) and even potential immune dysfunction (4) are well-known phenomenon linked to saline-based resuscitation. Recent clinical studies have highlighted some of these deleterious effects. In a randomized, controlled, double-blinded, crossover study in 12 healthy volunteers, Chowdhury et al (5) demonstrated sustained hyperchloremia, reduced SID, and decreased mean renal artery velocity and renal cortical tissue perfusion when normal (0.9%) saline was administered compared with a more balanced crystalloid solution. In another single-center, prospective, sequential period study, Yunos et al (6) demonstrated significantly less acute kidney injury (AKI) and use of renal replacement therapy after the institution of a chloride restrictive resuscitation strategy when compared with a more liberal saline-based strategy used in the previous 6 months. Yet, despite these well-described deleterious effects, normal saline remains the most commonly used resuscitative crystalloid solution used today (7) and has often been the control fluid used in preclinical and clinical studies comparing resuscitation strategies. Aside from being inexpensive and compatible with many drugs and blood products, its common use likely reflects continued questions surrounding the true clinical significance of hyperchloremia.
Reactive landing of gas-phase ions as a tool for the fabrication of metal oxide surfaces for in situ phosphopeptide enrichment

Zirconium, titanium, and hafnium oxide-coated stainless steel surfaces are fabricated by reactive landing of gas-phase ions produced by electrospray ionization of group IVB metal alkoxides. The surfaces are used for in situ enrichment of phosphopeptides before analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. To evaluate this method we characterized ZrO2 (zirconia) surfaces by (1) comparison with the other group IVB metal oxides of TiO2 (titania) and HfO2 (hafnia), (2) morphological characterization by SEM image analysis, and (3) dependence of phosphopeptide enrichment on the metal oxide layer thickness. Furthermore, we evaluated the necessity of the reactive landing process for the construction of useful metal oxide surfaces by preparing surfaces by electrospray deposition of Zr, Ti, and Hf alkoxides directly onto polished metal surfaces at atmospheric pressure. Although all three metal oxide surfaces evaluated were capable of phosphopeptide enrichment from complex peptide mixtures, zirconia performed better than hafnia or titania as a result of morphological characteristics illustrated by the SEM analysis. Metal oxide coatings that were fabricated by atmospheric pressure deposition were still capable of in situ phosphopeptide enrichment, although with inferior efficiency and surface durability. We show that zirconia surfaces prepared by reactive landing of gas-phase ions can be a useful tool for high throughput screening of novel phosphorylation sites and quantitation of phosphorylation kinetics.
A stochastic approach to model validation

Abstract This paper describes a stochastic approach for assessing the validity of environmental models. In order to illustrate basic concepts we focus on the problem of modeling moisture movement through an unsaturated porous medium. We assume that the modeling objective is to predict the mean distribution of moisture content over time and space. The mean moisture content describes the large-scale flow behavior of most interest in many practical applications. The model validation process attempts to determine whether the model's predictions are acceptably close to the mean. This can be accomplished by comparing small-scale measurements of moisture content to the model's predictions. Differences between these two quantities can be attributed to three distinct ‘error sources’: (1) measurement error, (2) spatial heterogeneity, and (3) model error. If we adopt appropriate stochastic descriptions for the first two sources of error we can view model validation as a hypothesis testing problem where the null hypothesis states that model error is negligible. We illustrate this concept by comparing the predictions of a simple two-dimensional deterministic model to measurements collected during a field experiment carried out near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Preliminary results from this field test indicate that a stochastic approach to validation can identify model deficiencies and provide objective standards for model performance.
The in Vivo Behavior of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin after Dissociation into Subunits

The plasma half-life (T½) and target organ uptake of the subunits of hCG (hCG-α and hCG-β) were investigated. For these studies, tritiated (3H) hCG, hCG-α, and hCG-β were injected iv into intact immature female rats. At timed intervals plasma concentration was determined by specific homologous radioimmunoassays and liquid scintillation counting for 3H. T½ was also determined by radioimmunoassay for unlabeled hCG, hCG-α, hCG-β and recombined subunits, hCG-αβ. Tissue distribution (renal, hepatic, splenic, ovarian) versus time was determined by 3H counting. All substances had exponential disappearance curves with fast and slow components. The T½ (rapid) was 141, 6.2 and 11.1 min for hCG, hCG-α and hCG-β, respectively (p < 0.01) and T½ (slow) of 725, 58 and 81 min, respectively. Slopes of the tritiated and homologous unlabeled compounds were indistinguishable as were those of the native hCG and recombined subunits. 3H-hCG, 3H-hCG-α and 3H-hCG-β were rapidly concentrated in the kidney with lesser concentration...
Self- and foreign-gas broadening of ethane lines determined from diode laser measurements at 12 μm

Self- and foreign-gas broadening of ethane lines have been measured in the nu9 band at 12 microns. A coefficient of 0.125 per cm atm was determined for self broadening. Foreign-gas broadening coefficients determined are (in per cm atm) 0.090 for N2, 0.069 for He, 0.068 for Ar, 0.108 for H2, and 0.096 for CH4. Results are given for a sample temperature of 296 K.
Values as second-order needs in the theory of work adjustment

Abstract Values, as importance dimensions, are conceptualized in the context of the theory of work adjustment as reference dimensions for the description of needs. Factor analyses of Minnesota Importance Questionnaire data are presented to operationalize this conceptualization. Six value dimensions: Safety, Comfort, Aggrandizement, Altruism, Achievement, and Autonomy are identified. These six value dimensions are organized further in terms of broader classes of reinforcement preferences (related to external environment, people, and self) and approach to the work situation (as competitive or noncompetitive).
Turnover of plasma palmitate in fed and fasted lactating cows.

Abstract Palmitate-9,10-T was injected intravenously as a single dose into three normal, fed, lactating cows and later into the same cows after they had been carried through a four-day fast. The tritium concentration was measured at frequent intervals in plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and in body water. The time course of NEFA specific activity followed a log linear rate during the first 5 to 6min, then followed a more complex pattern. The intercept on the Y axis slope of the initial change in specific activity with time provided the basis for calculating several kinetic parameters for the NEFA pool. The first component had a space somewhat larger than the plasma volume and a turnover time of 1.9min in fed cows, showing that this component is very active metabolically. The turnover time of plasma NEFA was increased to 2.9min in fasted cows. Fasting caused a five- to sixfold increase in the concentration of plasma NEFA and a five- to ninefold increase in the pool size. The flux or exchange rate of the NEFA pool increased from 9.2 to 38.5 μ Eq/kg body weight per minute when the lactating cows were deprived of food for four days. Tritium from the palmitate-9,10-T appeared very rapidly in the plasma water, being present in significant amounts within 1min after intravenous injection. Calculations indicated that within 6 to 10min after injection of the labeled palmitate, the total body water contained from 9-24% of the tritium as T 2 O. Subsequently, the concentration of tritium in body water did not change greatly during several days. The standardized specific activity of the plasma water was greater in fasted cows, reflecting greater palmitate oxidation which supports the conclusion that there was a more rapid utilization of NEFA palmitate due to the energy stress of fasting. Thus, between 9 and 24% of the plasma palmitate underwent rapid oxidation. The remaining tritiated palmitate was oxidized more slowly, resulting in the appearance of tritium in body water at about the same rate it was being lost due to water turnover in the cows.
Validation and adaptation of rapid neurodevelopmental assessment instrument for infants in Guatemala.

Background Timely detection of neurodevelopmental impairments in children can prompt referral for critical services that may prevent permanent disability. However, screening of impairments is a significant challenge in low-resource countries. We adapted and validated the rapid neurodevelopmental assessment (RNDA) instrument developed in Bangladesh to assess impairment in nine domains: primitive reflexes, gross and fine motor development, vision, hearing, speech, cognition, behaviour and seizures. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 77 infants (0–12 months) in rural Guatemala in July 2012 and July 2013. We assessed inter-rater reliability and predictive validity between the 27-item RNDA and the 325-item Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) and concurrent validity based on chronic malnutrition, a condition associated with neurodevelopmental impairments. For both RNDA and BSID-III, standardized scores below 80 were defined as borderline impairment. Results Children came from rural households (92%), were born to indigenous women of Mayan descent (73%) and had moderate or severe growth stunting (43%). Inter-rater reliability for eight RNDA domains was of moderate to high reliability (weighted κ coefficients, 0.49–0.99). Children screened positive for impairment in fine motor (17%) and gross motor (14%) domains using the RNDA. The RNDA had good concurrent ability; infants who were growth stunted had higher mean levels of impairment in gross motor, speech and cognition domains (all p < 0.001). The RNDA took 20–30 min to complete compared with 45–60 min for BSID-III. Conclusions Wide-scale implementation of a simple, valid and reliable screening tool like the RNDA by community health workers would facilitate early screening and referral of infants at-risk for neurodevelopmental impairment.
Neurotensin induces calcium oscillations in cultured amacrine cells

The peptide, neurotensin, is found in a class of amacrine cells synapsing chiefly with other amacrine cells in the chicken retina (Li & Lam, 1990 ; Watt et al., 1991). To investigate the possible effects of neurotensin, we have used Ca 2+ imaging to measure cytosolic Ca 2+ concentrations in cultured chick amacrine cells. Following a delay of about 2 min, neurotensin (300 nM) induced oscillations in Ca 2+ concentration that typically had a period of 2 min and peak values of about 300 nM when averaged over the cell body. The phospholipase C inhibitors U-73,112 and 4'-bromophenacyl bromide terminated oscillations induced by neurotensin but the protein kinase inhibitors H7 and staurosporine did not inhibit oscillations, increasing their frequency instead. In the absence of external Ca 2+ , neurotensin induced only a single Ca 2+ transient, much briefer than when external Ca 2+ was present. Together these results suggest that neurotensin activates phospholipase C, thereby producing IP 3 that triggers Ca 2+ release from an internal store. Although this released Ca 2+ contributes to periodic Ca 2+ peaks, the majority of cytosolic Ca 2+ , even in the first peak, comes from Ca 2+ influx across the plasmalemma.