cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast and Accurate Influenza Forecasting in the United States with Inferno

Infectious disease forecasting is an emerging field and has the potential to improve public health through anticipatory resource allocation, situational awareness, and mitigation planning. By way of exploring and operationalizing disease forecasting, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has hosted FluSight since the 2013/14 flu season, an annual flu forecasting challenge. Since FluSight9s onset, forecasters have developed and improved forecasting models in an effort to provide more timely, reliable, and accurate information about the likely progression of the outbreak. While improving the predictive performance of these forecasting models is often the primary objective, it is also important for a forecasting model to run quickly, facilitating further model development, improvement, and scalability. In this vein I introduce Inferno, a fast and accurate flu forecasting model inspired by Dante, the top performing model in the 2018/19 FluSight challenge. When compared to all models that participated in FluSight 2018/19, Inferno would have placed 2nd in both the national and state challenges, behind only Dante. Inferno, however, runs in minutes and is trivially parallelizable, while Dante takes hours to run, representing a significant operational improvement with minimal impact to performance. A future consideration for forecasting competitions like FluSight will be how to encourage improvements to secondarily important properties of forecasting models, such as runtime, generalizability, and interpretability.
Promoting Inclusive Development with More Effective Environmental Policies

Ecologically vulnerable areas refer to the transitional ones between two different types of ecosystems and being a focus of ecological protection. In such areas, the ecological system is unstable and unbalanced, with weak ability to cope with interference, while the ecological carrying capacity is low. They are, therefore exposed to sabotage and need special protection.
Injury Profile of Mixed Martial Arts Competitions in the United States.

Background:The popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) continues to grow in the United States. Although prior work has provided valuable insight concerning injuries in the sport, much of the availab...
Pharmacokinetics and Milk Depletion of Meloxicam and Gabapentin in Lactating Holsteins

There is an urgent need for safe and effective treatments to prevent and mitigate pain in food-producing ruminants. Two excellent candidates for this purpose are meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and gabapentin, an analogue of the neurotransmitter GABA that was originally developed as an anti-epileptic. Gabapentin is currently used to control neuropathic pain in humans. Neither of these drugs are approved for use in cattle, and bovine practitioners must comply with the requirements of the Animal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA, 1994) to use them in an extralabel manner in their patients. One of the AMDUCA requirements is the availability of scientific data on which to base an appropriate withdrawal interval to prevent harmful residues from entering the food chain. The purpose of this study was to generate such data for milk following co-administration of meloxicam and gabapentin to lactating Holstein cows.
COVID-19: Isolating the Problems in Privacy Protection for Individuals with Substance Use Disorder (preprint)

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced social distancing orders, as well as exacerbated housing instability and unemployment, all of which interfere with substance use disorder (“SUD”) treatment. Treatment access concerns are accompanied by concerns regarding privacy, stigmatization, and discrimination with treatment. The pandemic has galvanized discussion over SUD privacy law. In March 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, which, inter alia, amended the privacy framework for SUD treatment records. This Comment evaluates the extent to which the CARES Act privacy modifications sustainably balance individual privacy expectations with strong public interests in obtaining SUD records and integrating care. It suggests that heightened antidiscrimination law is better situated to reduce barriers to treatment and avoid widespread treatment discontinuity in a future public health crisis.
Realizing the Full Potential of Lipidomics: A New Protool for an Improved Extraction of the Intact Polar Lipids of Archaea

Summary The investigation of intact polar lipids (IPLs) is a powerful tool for investigating the physiology of Archaea in cultures and their prevalence in environmental samples. IPLs are typically extracted using the Bligh and Dyer protocol. However, recent studies have exposed both, bias and a low extraction efficiency for archaeal lipids obtained by this technique. Here, we tested different solvent mixtures, mechanical rupture techniques and chemical detergents/enzymatic lysis buffers for their potential to destroy the cell envelope and thus increase the extraction efficiency of archaeal IPLs in pure cultures and environmental samples. The tests with different solvent mixtures revealed highest IPL yields when samples were extracted with a monophasic solvent system that included a trichloroacetic acid buffer. Freeze-thaw cycles prior to the extraction after Nishihara and Koga (1987) enhanced the extraction efficiency by 1.7-times, while other investigated mechanical rupture techniques (bead beating and osmotic shock) showed no increase. The use of chemical detergents in combination with freeze-thaw cycles resulted in significantly higher IPL yields than the experiments without the pre-treatment. The results demonstrate that the novel protocol results in significantly higher archaeal IPL abundances than the Bligh and Dyer protocol, suggesting that earlier studies may have overlooked the majority of IPLs.
More efficient household electricity use

Since 1973 the efficiency of most energy uses in homes has improved throughout the OECD.1 This means that to provide a given amount of energy service (for example, heating, cooling, locomotion or mechanical force), less energy is required today than was needed in the past. These improvements have been gained through the introduction of new appliances and, for space heating and cooling, new homes with more efficient building shells and the retrofitting of the existing building stock. In this report we analyse some of the past changes in the efficiency of household appliance electricity use, and discuss prospects for, and barriers to, further increases in the future.
Using R-trees for interactive visualization of large multidimensional datasets

Large, multidimensional datasets are difficult to visualize and analyze. Visualization interfaces are constrained in resolution and dimension, so cluttering and problems of projecting many dimensions into the available low dimensions are inherent. Methods of real-time interaction facilitate analysis, but often these are not available due to the computational complexity required to use them. By organizing the dataset into a level-of-detail (LOD) hierarchy, our proposed method solves problems of both inefficient interaction and visual cluttering. We do this by introducing an implementation of R-trees for large multidimensional datasets. We introduce several useful methods for interaction, by queries and refinement, to explain the relevance of interaction and show that it can be done efficiently with R-trees.We examine the applicability of hierarchical parallel coordinates to datasets organized within an R-tree, and build upon previous work in hierarchical star coordinates to introduce a novel method for visualizing bounding hyperboxes of internal R-tree nodes. Finally, we examine two datasets using our proposed method and present and discuss results.
Higher-speed, higher-performance 802.11a wireless LAN via carrier-interferometry orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

WLANs (wireless local area networks) have emerged as a powerful architecture capable of supporting the requirements of broadband wireless communications. The IEEE 802.11a 5 GHz WLAN standard employs OFDM in its physical layer. This paper introduces carrier interferometry OFDM to the current 802.11a WLAN, and demonstrates that the corresponding small changes to the traditional OFDM scheme lead to notable improvements in probability of error performances and a doubling in throughput. Calling the modified WLAN system pseudo-orthogonal carrier-interferometry WLAN (or PO-CI-WLAN for short), we show that in office buildings, at a bit error rate of 10/sup -3/, PO-CI-WLAN offers a 3 dB performance gain over the IEEE 802.11a 5 GHz WLAN and simultaneously doubles the throughput.
A Coherent RF repeater for distributed communications

The quality of a communications link is fundamentally limited by its transmission power. In the case of a mobile or small platform, this limitation can be particularly crippling because of energy storage constraints. In addition, a single platform, especially one equipped with an omni-directional antenna, can be limited in its ability to control where its signal is broadcast spatially. The former challenge motivates the use of a repeater to boost or null the signal power at a target; the latter prompts the concept of having that repeater act as a cooperative platform in order to provide spatial diversity as well as additional power on target. Some cooperative distributed communication methods have been demonstrated (D. Brown, P. Bidigare, and U. Madhow, ICASSP 2012), but these rely on feedback from a receiver. In a noncooperative setting, repeaters can be used to sample a transmitted signal and noncoherently retransmit a modified version of it to degrade the performance of a receiver (D. Torrieri, IEEE J. Sel. Areas Commun., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 569–575, May 1989).
Brain damage in experimental neonatal hydrocephalus: correlations between diffusion tensor imaging and cytopathology

Materials and methods Obstructive hydrocephalus was induced by intracisternal injection of kaolin on postnatal day 1 (P1); age-matched control animals were either intact or received intracisternal injections of saline. Six animals (3 hydrocephalics and 3 intact controls) were imaged in vivo at 8-9 days of age (P8-9) and then sacrificed by cardiac perfusion of paraformaldehyde. Four animals (2 hydrocephalics and 2 saline controls) were sacrificed at postnatal day 21 (P21) and paraformaldehyde-fixed brains were imaged ex vivo with a Bruker 7 T MRI scanner. DTI was acquired in 6 directions to obtain measurements of the directionality of water diffusion through tissue (Fractional Anisotropy, FA; 0 = isotropic where water can move freely in any direction; 1 = anisotropic where water can move in only one direction) and the magnitude of diffusivity of water in tissue (Mean Diffusivity, MD). Values were computed bilaterally in the genu of the corpus callosum (gCC), external capsule (EC), internal capsule (IC), and cortical gray matter (Ctx). Results At P8-9 ventriculomegaly was severe and by P21 had progressed to where the periventricular white matter and internal capsule were so thin that DTI could only be reliably performed ex vivo. At both times FA values were significantly reduced in the gCC (p < 0.001) but not the EC, IC or Ctx. There was a trend toward higher FA values at P21 than at P8/9 for both hydrocephalic rats and normal controls. In contrast, MD values increased only in the EC. Conspicuous gliosis was prevalent in all structures examined but differed depending on cell type. Younger animals showed a more robust reaction of microglial cells compared to 21-day old hydrocephalics. Astrocytes exhibited the opposite pattern with a more robust reaction in the older animals.
The effects of salts and ureas on the subunit dissociation of concanavalin A.

The effects of various neutral salts of the Hofmeister series and the urea series on the subunit structure and dissociation of concanavalin A were investigated, employing light-scattering molecular weight methods. Concanavalin A and its isolated intact chain tetramers prepared by the method of Cunningham and co-workers (Biochemistry 11 (1972), 3233–3239) are found to dissociate rapidly and reversibly to dimers. The higher members of the Hofmeister series and GdnCl are found to be the most effective dissociating reagents, with the former salts exhibiting the usual trend of increasing effectiveness: F− < CI− < Br− < ClO4−, SCN−, I−. The alkyl ureas are found to be generally less effective dissociating agents than GdnCl and the higher members of the Hofmeister salt series. This suggests that, relative to polar and ionic interactions, hydrophobic effects have a less dominant stabilizing influence on the dimer-dimer interactions, generating the tetramers in solution. The combined effects of pH and urea on the tetramer to dimer dissociation of concanavalin A in the pH 6.0 to 7.5 region was also investigated. The light-scattering molecular weight data could be fitted with either one or two protonating groups per monomer, depending on the protein preparation. The pK values of 6.7, or 6.4 and 6.7, used to fit the dissociation data suggest that probably histidine residues 51 and 121 (assigned by Senear and Teller (Biochemistry 20 (1981), 3076–3083)) are involved in the proton-linked association-dissociation reaction observed at pH 6.0 to 7.5. The possibility that one of the two protonating groups is glutamic acid residue 192 has also been considered.
Effects of captivity on thermoregulation and metabolism in Artibeus jamaicensis (chiroptera: phyllostomatidae)

1. 1. In the Jamaican fig-eating bat, Artibeus jamaicensis, oxygen consumption (OC in cm3/g per hr) and deep body temperature (Tb in °C) are significantly related to ambient temperature (Ta in °C) and length of time in captivity, but not to the direction (low to high or high to low) of Ta change. 2. 2. OC and Tb levels as functions of Ta rapidly change from those characteristic of a non-homeothermic endotherm on the day of capture to values characteristic of a homeothermic endotherm within 3–6 days in captivity. 3. 3. Jamaican fig-eating bats examined within 12 hr of capture were physiologically distinct from individuals of this species kept briefly (3 days) in captivity. 4. 4. Bats tested within 12 hr of capture at Tas of 30 and 25°C required 13 and 23 less metabolic energy, respectively, than bats maintained briefly in captivity.
“Stealth” Alerts to Improve Warfarin Monitoring When Initiating Interacting Medications

BACKGROUND As electronic health records (EHRs) become widely adopted, alerts and reminders can improve medication safety, but excessive alerts may irritate or overwhelm clinicians, thereby reducing their effectiveness. We developed a novel “stealth” alert in an EHR to improve anticoagulation monitoring for patients prescribed a medication that could interact with warfarin. Instead of alerting the prescribing provider, the system notified a multidisciplinary anticoagulation management service, so that the prescribing clinicians never saw the alerts. We aimed to determine whether these “stealth” alerts increased the frequency of anticoagulation monitoring following the co-prescription of warfarin and a potentially interacting medication.
Measuring Dimensions of Spirituality in Chemical Dependence Treatment and Recovery: Research and Practice

Spirituality and religiousness have long been associated with physical and mental health. The scientific treatment of religiosity as a multi-dimensional phenomenon is well established, especially in relation to chemical dependence treatment. Indeed, over 100 instruments are available for measuring various dimensions of religiosity. The more recent emergence of spirituality as an accepted construct in research has seen the development of a growing number of instruments to measure aspects of spirituality. The authors selected ten spirituality scales for review and discussion, and provided information relating to the scales’ development, psychometrics, format, scoring, and availability. The scales are then conceptualized in terms of their aggregate and overlapping usefulness for research and practice, and suggestions are made concerning the salient dimensions of spirituality measured by each scale. The scales are presented as defining an increased sense of internalized spirituality that contributes to positive psychological and emotional outcomes underpinning recovery from chemical dependence.
Should Taxon Names Be Explicitly Defined

I. Abstract Overviews are provided for traditional and phylogenetic nomenclature. In traditional nomenclature, a name is provided with a type and a rank. In the rankless phylogenetic nomenclature, a taxon name is provided with an explicit phylogenetic definition, which attaches the name to a clade. Linnaeus's approach to nomenclature is also reviewed, and it is shown that, although the current system of nomenclature does use some Linnaean conventions (e.g., certain rank-denoting terms, binary nomenclature), it is actually quite different from Linnaean nomenclature. The primary differences between traditional and phylogenetic nomenclature are reviewed. In phylogenetic nomenclature, names are provided with explicit phylogenetic definitions, whereas in traditional nomenclature names are not explicitly defined. In phylogenetic nomenclature, a name remains attached to a clade regardless of how future changes in phylogeny alter the clade's content; in traditional nomenclature a name is not “married” to any part...
Seven reasons to shave your head and three reasons not to: the bald truth

Many of these monthly missives have addressed the different ways ACM is working to change the image of computing professionals. This month, in the spirit of April Fool's Day, we root out the ACM President's effort to change that image one person at a time---starting at the top.
Iterative algorithm for designing binary phase-only composite filters

Abstract Use of the Magneto-Optic Spatial Light Modulator (MOSLM) in the filter plane of optical correlatorsis attractive because it is capable of high frame rates. This has led to the design of several differenttypes of Binary Phase-Only Filters (BPOFs) and Ternary Filters matched to a single reference. Tofurther increase the throughput of an optical correlator employing the MOSLM, attempts at designingBinary Phase-Only Composite Filters have been made. In this paper, we introduce a new iterativetechnique to design such Composite Filters in which we simultaneously maximize the peak sharpnessand minimize the deviation of the actual correlation peak intensities from their desired values. 1 Introduction Binary Phase-Only Filters have received much attention in the past ten years [1-9]. Most of this research has focused on the design of filters matched to a single reference image. These filters have beendesigned to optimize many different figures of merit. Among these are Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Peak-to-Correlation Energy and light efficiency. Now, the focus appears to be shifting to the design of Binary Phase-Only Composite Filters (BPOCFs) [10,11]. If we desire real-time implementation, then binary phase-onlycomposite filters, which are used to recognize many distortions of an image, should be considered sincethey require fewer filters.In this paper, we present a new algorithm for designing BPOCFs. The advantage of this new algorithmover the previous ones is that it allows us to not only approach the desired correlation peak value, butit also maximizes the peak sharpness produced by the filter. The remainder of this paper is organized asfollows. Section 2 introduces composite filters or synthetic discriminant functions (SDFs) [12,13] and setsup the notation we use. Section 3 develops the new algorithm for designing BPOCFs. Section 4 presentssome initial results and Section 5 gives our conclusions.
Religion and Suicide

Religion impacts suicidality. One’s degree of religiosity can potentially serve as a protective factor against suicidal behavior. To accurately assess risk of suicide, it is imperative to understand the role of religion in suicidality. PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases were searched for published articles on religion and suicide between 1980 and 2008. Epidemiological data on suicidality across four religions, and the influence of religion on suicidality are presented. Practice guidelines are presented for incorporating religiosity into suicide risk assessment. Suicide rates and risk and protective factors for suicide vary across religions. It is essential to assess for degree of religious commitment and involvement to accurately identify suicide risk.
Economics of the Water Blanket Technique for Greenhouse Heating

A number of unconventional technologies have been developed to heat greenhouses. In this paper, the potential economic and energy savings from one promising ''cogeneration'' process-the ''water blanket'' system-which utilizes reject heated water from power plants are reported. For each unit of energy generated in power plants, at least one more unit is discharged into coolant water as low-grade heat.
The small sample performance of four tests of the difference between pairs of meta-analytically derived effect sizes

Four tests for the difference between pooled estimators of effect size from separate meta-analyses are discussed, and small sample performance compared via Monte Carlo simulation. In terms of Type I error and power, a z-test based on the difference between pooled estimators appears most accurate, while a confidence interval approach modified to permit testing between two mean effect sizes and Hedges and Olkin’s (1985) chi-square test with one degree of freedom appear roughly equivalent, and each of these is superior to a z-test based on an r-transformation. The modified confidence interval approach has particular promise for graphical examination of presumed moderators in meta-analyses.
563 EFFECT OF RACE ON MORTALITY FOR INFANTS WEIGHING < 2000 GRAMS

We have begun to analyze several factors associated with mortality in the total population of livebirths to see how these risk factors affect mortality in the selected population of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Of the 450 admissions to the UTMB-NICU in 1983, 210 infants weighed less than 2000 g and account for all infants <2000 g born at UTMB. The number of admissions, the number of small for gestational age infants (SGA) and the number of deaths by birthweight and race were as follows:
Simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of losartan and E-3174 metabolite in human plasma, urine and dialysate

A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of losartan and its E-3174 metabolite in human plasma, urine and dialysate. For plasma, a gradient mobile phase consisting of 25 mM potassium phosphate and acetonitrile pH 2.2 was used with a phenyl analytical column and fluorescence detection. For urine and dialysate, an isocratic mobile phase consisting of 25 mM potassium phosphate and acetonitrile (60:40, v/v) pH 2.2 was used. The method demonstrated linearity from 10 to 1000 ng/ml with a detection limit of 1 ng/ml for losartan and E-3174 using 10 μl of prepared plasma, urine or dialysate. The method was utilized in a study evaluating the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of losartan in patients with kidney failure undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
EARLY BROOD-REARING HABITAT USE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF GREATER SAGE-GROUSE IN WYOMING

Populations of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have been declining throughout their range since the 1960s. Productivity, which includes production and survival of young, is often cited as a factor in these declines. We monitored radio-equipped Greater Sage-Grouse at 3 sites in western Wyoming to assess early brood-rear- ing habitat use (through 14 days post-hatch) and productivity. Logistic and linear regression analyses with Akaike's Information Criterion were used to evaluate early brooding habitat use and to examine relationships between productiv- ity and vegetation, insect size and abundance, and weather parameters. Females with broods were found in areas with greater sagebrush canopy and grass cover, and fewer invertebrates compared to random areas. The number of juveniles per female (estimated from wing barrel collections during fall harvest) was positively related to the abundance of medium-length Hymenoptera and grass cover, and the proportion of females with confirmed chicks 14 days post-hatch was positively related to abundance of medium-length Coleoptera and total herbaceous cover. Although the specific parameters varied slightly, Greater Sage-Grouse productivity in Wyoming appeared to be associated with a combination of insect and herbaceous cover elements. Managing for abundant and diverse insect communities within dense protec- tive sagebrush stands should help ensure high-quality early brood-rearing habitat and increased Greater Sage-Grouse productivity.
Postpartum renal vein thrombosis with left retroaortic renal vein

An unusual case of thrombosis in a left retroaortic renal vein is presented. Noninvasive radiologic diagnosis is reviewed.
Electrostatics in computational protein design

Catalytic activity and protein-protein recognition have proven to be significant challenges for computational protein design. Electrostatic interactions are crucial for these and other protein functions, and therefore accurate modeling of electrostatics is necessary for successfully advancing protein design into the realm of protein function. This review focuses on recent progress in modeling electrostatic interactions in computational protein design, with particular emphasis on continuum models.
AMPEROMETRIC DETECTION OF PYOCYANIN IN NANOFLUIDIC CHANNELS

Microfabricated nanofluidic electrode assemblies (NEAs) with integrated palladium references were used to amperometrically monitor changes in pyocyanin concentration. Pyocyanin is an electroactive molecule that is produced by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is directly linked to cellular processes that increase both robustness and virulence in this bacterium. This is the first time that pyocyanin has been measured in real time using microfabricated sensors. A linear response in faradaic current (R2 = 0.96) was observed over a biomedically relevant range of pyocyanin concentrations (0–100 μM) while continuously measuring the current for 2 h. Measurement of the current that results from the repeated oxidation and reduction of pyocyanin at two closely spaced electrodes inside the device nanochannel yielded a 1.07 μM limit of detection without electrical isolation of the electrochemical cell. Since a reference electrode is integrated inside the nanofluidic channel of these sensors, they can potentially be employed to detect pyocyanin and other redox-active molecules in wide range of medical and environmental settings where space is limited. NEAs were also used with an external Ag/AgCl reference electrode to determine the concentration of pyocyanin in trypticase soy broth samples. This type of analysis is completed in less than 2 min and the detection limit was determined to be 441 nM.
Introducing Complementary and Alternative Therapies.

or make available. NIH/NCCAM defines CAM as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” Complementary therapies are provided by a divergent group of professional and lay caregivers, with different educational qualifications, professional credentials, and regulatory oversight, which varies by therapy, geographical location, and cultural context, including conventionally trained physicians and RN/NPs. These therapies may be used in combination with conventional or allopathic treatments or in lieu of conventional therapies. When the various CAM therapies are used instead of conventional/allopathic therapies, they are referred to as alternative; when used in conjunction with conventional treatment to supplement or augment the therapeutic outcome, they are considered to be complementary. Although there is some documented use of these therapies as alternatives, the vast majority of the use is complementary in nature. Licensed health care providers who systematically incorporate both conventional and complementary treatment strategies are often referred to delivering integrative care. More fully defined, integrative medicine emphasizes the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, health care professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health. Many would argue that nurses have historically practiced in an integrative fashion; in fact, a look across nursing theory reveals these same values of holism, relational care, and informed practice. However, nursing has identified its practice as holistic rather than integrated. Advanced practice nursing, built upon this holistic framework, has a long legacy of offering integrative/holistic care to patients and families in order to promote health and healing, prevent and treat illness, and alleviate symptoms. Advanced practice nurses have used therapeutic strategies that support biopsychosocial healing for years, including those that are now identified by NIH/NCCAM as CAM practices. Nursing research of the 1970s and 80s examined the effects of mind-body therapies (MBTs) guided imagery, breathing, and relaxation techniques on pain, anxiety, and depression. Nursing textbooks from the same era identified energetic (therapeutic/healing touch) and manipulative and body-based therapies (massage) as independent nursing interventions. Therefore, I would posit that advanced practice nurses were among the first primary care clinicians to offer what is now known as integrative care and advance practice nurses continue to have a vital interest in its clinical investigation, accessibility, and safe delivery to the public.
Microcomputer Application in Generating Force Functions for Aircraft Tire Load Testing

A microcomputer is used to generate force functions for aircraft tire load testing. Using the technique of multiplexing, one can feed more than four functions signals after D/A conversion to each corresponding hydraulic system. Such a system results in better performance with respect to accuracy improvement, design flexibility, hardware requirement, and reliability than a conventional random logic circuit. A slight modification in its software program can produce several different real time functions synchronously tor asynchronously for various control applications.
The second-law analysis of mixed convection in rectangular ducts

The rate of entropy generation, S˙′G[W/mK], is examined both theoretically and numerically for forced and mixed convection in a rectangular duct heated at the bottom. Under fully-developed flow conditions S˙′G is expressed in terms of relevant non-dimensional hydrodynamic and thermal parameters. Numerically, it is demonstrated that S˙′G is a single, effective parameter to examine both thermal and hydrodynamic fields and their variations.
Yahweh the Dragon: Exploring a Neglected Biblical Metaphor for the Divine Warrior and the Translation of ’Ap:

In the Hebrew Bible, Yahweh is often depicted as a divine warrior, executing vengeance against his enemies. Some of these texts employ the image of Yahweh as a dragon-like creature who pours forth ...
Spectroscopic Review of the Normal Vibrations of Metal Complexes with Nitrogen-Containing Ligands:

The ir and Raman spectroscopic studies of metal complexes with nitrogen-containing ligands have been reviewed. A special emphasis has been placed on the stretching and bending fundamentals of the metal–ligand bond. The following ligands are included in the discussion: nitrosyl, nitro, nitrite, nitride, azido, molecular nitrogen, hydrazine, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, isoselenocyanate, pyridine, and ethylenediamine.
Regulation of protein kinase B/Akt activity and Ser473 phosphorylation by protein kinase Cα in endothelial cells

Abstract Protein kinase Bα (PKBα/Akt-1) is a key mediator of multiple signaling pathways involved in angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis among others. The unphosphorylated form of Akt-1 is virtually inactive and its full activation requires two phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate-dependent phosphorylation events, Thr308 by 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) and Ser473 by an undefined kinase that has been termed PDK2. Recent studies have suggested that the Ser473 kinase is a plasma membrane raft-associated kinase. In this study we show that protein kinase Cα (PKCα) translocates to the membrane rafts in response to insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) stimulation. Overexpression of PKCα increases Ser473 phosphorylation and Akt-1 activity, while inhibition of its activity or expression decreases IGF-1-dependent activation of Akt-1. Furthermore, in vitro, in the presence of phospholipids and calcium, PKCα directly phosphorylates Akt-1 at the Ser473 site. We conclude, therefore, that PKCα regulates Akt-1 activity via Ser473 phosphorylation and may function as PDK2 in endothelial cells.
The effect of actinomycin-D on regeneration time inTubularia

Actinomycin-D was administered to regenerating stem segments ofTubularia spectabilis to ascertain if the synthesis of RNA is necessary for the completion of hydranth development. Preliminary experiments have indicated that this drug suppresses a burst of H3-uridine uptake into the extractable RNA of these regenerates.
Terminal Osseous Dysplasia with Pigmentary Defects Maps to Human Chromosome Xq27.3-Xqter

We have identified a four-generation family with 10 affected females manifesting one or more of the following features: osseous dysplasia involving the metacarpals, metatarsals, and phalanges leading to brachydactyly, camptodactyly, and other digital deformities; pigmentary defects on the face and scalp; and multiple frenula. There were no affected males. We performed X-inactivation studies on seven affected females, using a methylation assay at the androgen receptor locus; all seven demonstrated preferential inactivation of their maternal chromosomes carrying the mutation, and two unaffected females showed a random pattern. These findings indicate that this disorder is linked to the X chromosome. To map the gene for this disorder, we analyzed DNA from nine affected females and five unaffected individuals, using 40 polymorphic markers evenly distributed throughout the X chromosome. Two-point and multipoint linkage analyses using informative markers excluded most of the X chromosome and demonstrated linkage to a region on the long arm between DXS548 and Xqter. A maximum LOD score of 3.16 at recombination fraction 0 was obtained for five markers mapping to Xq27.3-Xq28. The mapping data should facilitate the identification of the molecular basis of this disorder.
Amplified Quenching of a Conjugated Polyelectrolyte by Cyanine Dyes

The conjugated polyelectrolyte PPESO3 features a poly(phenylene ethynylene) backbone substituted with anionic 3-sulfonatopropyloxy groups. PPESO3 is quenched very efficiently (KSV > 106 M-1) by cationic energy transfer quenchers in an amplified quenching process. In the present investigation, steady-state and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy are used to examine amplified quenching of PPESO3 by a series of cyanine dyes via singlet−singlet energy transfer. The goal of this work is to understand the mechanism of amplified quenching and to characterize important parameters that govern the amplification process. Steady-state fluorescence quenching of PPESO3 by three cationic oxacarbocyanine dyes in methanol solution shows that the quenching efficiency does not correlate with the Forster radius computed from spectral overlap of the PPESO3 fluorescence with the cyanines' absorption. The quenching efficiency is controlled by the stability of the polymer−dye association complex. When quenching st...
Blackbody Infrared Radiative Dissociation of Partially Solvated Mixed Ligand Ru(II) Complex Ions

Unimolecular dissociation reactions of gas-phase partially solvated transition metal complex ions, diamminebis(2,2‘-bipyridine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(NH3)2(bipy)2]2+, tetraammine(2,2‘-bipyridine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(NH3)4bipy]2+, and pentaammine(2-methylpyrazine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(NH3)5MePyz]3+, have been investigated with electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI−FTICR/MS) under low pressure (<10-8 mbar) conditions. Under these conditions, dissociation of solvent from the complex ions is driven primarily by absorption of blackbody photons from the FTICR analyzer cell walls, that is, via blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD), with little collisional contribution at pressures below 10-8 mbar. The replacement of ammine hydrogens with deuterium increases measured BIRD rate constants. Optimized geometries, vibrational frequencies, and IR absorption band intensities have been calculated for the complexes by semiempirical and ab initio methods. These calculate...
Relation of mammotropes to mammary tumors. V. Role of mammotropes in radiation carcinogenesis.

X rays (50r) and mammotropic hormones (administered in the form of isologous functional mammotropic pituitary tumor grafts) alone produced no mammary tumors in female W/Fu rats within 7 months of treatment. In contrast, 53% of the rats treated with both, developed mammary tumors. As with chemical carcinogen-induced tumors, administration of mammotropic hormones restored inhibition of mammary tumor development by ovariectomy. Most mammary tumors induced by radiation plus mammotropic hormones were adenocarcinomas; a few were fibroadenomas. Three induced tumors tested were found to be highly mammotropic hormone responsive: they did not grow in males and grew in females uniformly only when stimulated with mammotropic hormones. Grafted fibroadenoma cells re mained latent in many rats until administered mammotropic hormones brought about their rapid growth. Administration of this hormone could be delayed as long as 7 1/2 months. It is concluded that radiations bring about an irreversible modification of some cells, depending on severity of the dose; mammotropic hormones are not carcinogens but, as promoters of mammary epithelium, promote carcinogenesis and growth of some tumors. (auth)
Why is reality a troubling concept

Many psychoanalysts assume that modern philosophy has revealed that objective reality is an illusion, and they take that as their starting point for discussing psychic reality and the direction of treatment. However, the philosophical argument for the antiobjectivist position, far from being a final truth, can be seen as a late echo of the age-old debate over whether it is possible to match unchanging general descriptions to the changing individuals in the world. It is but one of two competing philosophical positions (postulating either a world of incomparable individuals or a world of abstract properties), neither of which can definitively vanquish its rival without violating common sense. The underlying, specifically psychoanalytic problem that stirs these recent debates is not the philosophical problem of reality, but rather the question of what it can mean to say that someone is realistic in regard to the world of human values, roles, and relationships. Analytic tradition begins the inquiry by suggesting that realisticness about human meaning is a matter of feeling out the potentialities of the human world by multiple affective attachments. Many questions remain to be answered.
Direct conversion of highly aromatic phthalonitrile thermosetting resins into carbon nanotube containing solids

Abstract A method for the in situ synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a bulk solid composition from the pyrolysis of a mixture formulated from Co 2 (CO) 8 and various high temperature phthalonitrile resins is presented. Carbon nanotube containing compositions in various forms (solid, fiber, and film) can be readily fabricated by this method utilizing slight modifications to the standard resin processing techniques. The formation of carbon nanotubes occurs during the carbonization process at ambient pressure. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy studies show the presence of a copious amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the carbonaceous composition.
Does Federalism Weaken Democratic Representation in the United States

The framers of the U.S. Constitution explicitly designed federalism to enhance representation. Because powers are divided among multiple governments, citizens are able to exert pressure on the elected officials of various governments in an effort to achieve desired outcomes. If one government is not doing what citizens prefer, they can seek it from a different government. This assumes that individuals form opinions about the functions performed by different governments. Given the complexity of federalism, this may be an unrealistic assumption for many citizens. Original survey data uniquely suited to explore this question suggest that citizens do behave in a fashion consistent with the federalist framework. Moreover, the actual change in the assignment of functional responsibilities across governments behaves as if it responds to public opinion. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
Exploring a Conceptual Model-Based Approach to Teaching Situated Word Problems: A Response to Yan Ping Xin and Dake Zhang

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to Yan Ping Xin and Dake Zhang's recent critical evaluation of our work in “Exploring a Conceptual Model-Based Approach to Teaching Situated Word Problems,” ...
Intermediate-field effects and the Hall resistivity in the basal plane of cadmium

The Hall resistivity rho/sub 21/(B, T) (B parallel (0001), J parallel (1010)) has been measured in a monocrystal of Cd in the temperature range 1.5--580 degreeK and in applied fields up to 2.0 T. At low temperatures rho/sub 21/ is highly sensitive to minute traces of impurity and to misalignment of the sample. To eliminate the uncertainties which arise from these sources in any comparison of rho/sub 21/ between different samples, we chose to make an intensive study of a single well-oriented sample. This leads to clearly defined systematic tendencies in rho/sub 21/(B, T). Using path-integral calculations based upon a simple model of the second-zone ''monster'' that allows intersheet scattering, we are able to give a plausible qualitative description of all the observed features. We are able to show, furthermore, how this interpretation encompasses a behavior previously observed in lightly doped samples that was seemingly inconsistent with the intersheet scattering mechanism. (AIP)
33.2: Invited Paper: High Δn Liquid Crystals for Displays and Optical Communications

High birefringence (Δn) liquid crystals are useful for color sequential microdisplay, high brightness cholesteric display, high contrast PDLC, and high speed optical communications. LC structures showing Δn >0.4, low absorption and good photo and thermal stability are reviewed.
Trends in married couples' time use: Evidence from 1977–78 and 1987–88

Conflicting evidence regarding married couples' time use trends has recently emerged in the literature. A critical review of this literature suggests that variations in data quality and methodological approaches may be responsible for many of the observed differences. Capitalizing on the insights gained from this review, a trend analysis of couples' time use is presented in this paper. The analysis is based on two cross-sections of time diary data collected from two-parent, two-child households. The results suggest that the relationships between socioeconomic variables and couples' time use changed during the period from 1977–78 to 1987–88. On average, these changes lead to an increase of over seven hours per week in married women's productive work time (i.e., market work plus household work). Correspondingly, the productive work time of husbands increased by an average of three and one-half hours per week. Both increases came at the expense of time that was formerly spent in more leisure-oriented activities.
A rational approach to pathogenesis and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, inflammation, and atherosclerosis

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are major risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) and premature atherosclerosis. Both conditions are associated with insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Inflammatory mediators, including plasma interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and tumor necrosis factor R are elevated in these individuals. The elevations of inflammatory mediators may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, because atherosclerosis is an inflammation of the arterial wall. There is evidence that the thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of drugs may alleviate some of the adverse atherosclerotic effects common in patients with type 2 diabetes. Considerable recent data suggest that the TZDs possess anti-inflammatory properties and exert an effect on the atherogenic process, including effects on endothelial function, monocyte/macrophage function, lipid abnormalities, smooth muscle cell migration, and fibrinolysis, all functions that are abnormal in the presence of insulin resistance. These actions of TZDs are consistent with the recently described anti-inflammatory effects of insulin. The use of TZDs as potent anti-inflammatory agents in patients with type 2 diabetes is an approach that would normalize glucose levels, as well as potentially alleviate the long-term risk of atherosclerosis.
Biologically active breast milk proteins in association with very preterm delivery and stage of lactation.

Biologically active breast milk proteins in association with very preterm delivery and stage of lactation
Dynamics of Micromanipulation Using a Compliant Micromanipulator

Attractive forces present at the micro and nano scales are a hindrance to error-free manipulation of micro-scale objects using manipulator devices as they cause the micro-scale objects to become adhered to the end-effector of the manipulator. This paper presents a dynamic model for controlled release of a polystyrene microsphere adhered to the end-effector of a compliant micromanipulator due to Van Der Waal's forces applying the principle of the inertial release technique. The inertial release is effected through step input actuation forces of the manipulator. Various actuation parameters such as the velocity and rise time for successful inertial release of adhered microspheres are investigated.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Glu-286 Rotation and Water Wire Reorientation Are Unlikely the Gating Elements for Proton Pumping in Cytochrome c Oxidase

One of the key unresolved issues regarding proton pumping in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is the identity of the gating element that prevents the backflow of protons. In this study, we analyze two popular proposals for this element: isomerization of the key branching residue (Glu-286) and (re)orientation of water molecules in the hydrophobic cavity. Using a multifaceted set of computational analyses that involve CcO embedded in either an implicit or explicit treatment of lipid membrane, we show that neither Glu-286 nor active-site water likely constitutes the gating element. Detailed energetic and structural analyses of the simulation results indicate that the gating-relevant properties of these structural motifs observed in previous work are likely a result of the simplified computational models employed in those studies.
Interaction of indomethacin with a new penetration enhancer, dodecyl 2-(NN-dimethylamino)propionate (DDAIP): its effect on transdermal delivery

Abstract The new biodegradable penetration enhancer DDAIP (dodecyl 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)propionate) shows a striking enhancement of the acidic drug indomethacin through shed snake skin. This enhancement appears to be due partially to some interaction between the drug and the enhancer. This interaction was examined using UV, IR, 1 H- and 13 C-NMR spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The existence of preferential hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid group of indomethacin and the tertiary amine group of the enhancer and a dipole-dipole interaction was demonstrated.