cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Care and Pension Benefits for Construction Workers: TheRole of Prevailing Wage Laws Health Care and Pension Benefits for Construction Workers

This article examines the affect of state prevailing wage laws (PWLs) on the amount and mix of wages and benefits paid to construction workers. PWLs require contractors who win bids on state-financed construction projects to pay compensation rates equivalent to those prevailing in local construction markets. During 1982-1992, 6 states repealed their PWLs, 9 states who never had a PWL did not enact one, and 32 states kept their PWLs. Data from the Form 5500 series, the Census of Construction Industries, the Current Employment Statistics, and the Current Population Survey are combined to evaluate the effects of PWL repeals on compensation. When comparing the experiences of different states, PWLs enhance both wages and benefits, with the largest percentage increase going toward employer pension contributions. PWLs appear to create an incentive for both employers to pay and workers to accept a larger percentage of their total compensation in the form of benefits.
Comparative studies of Campylobacter jejuni genomic diversity reveal the importance of core and dispensable genes in the biology of this enigmatic food-borne pathogen

MLST, DNA microarrays, and genome sequencing has allowed for a greater understanding of the metabolic capacity and epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni. While strain-specific genes may provide an isolate a selective advantage in environments and contribute to the organism's pathogenicity, recent work indicates that C. jejuni pathogenicity is dictated by variations in the nucleotide sequence of core genes. Challenges facing C. jejuni researchers include determining (a) the degree to which genomic diversity enables this bacterium to persist in particular environments; (b) if C. jejuni virulence and disease severity can be predicted on the basis of genotype; (c) the set of core and variable genes whose products contribute to virulence; and (d) the genes in which nucleotide changes can affect a strain's pathogenicity.
Translational application of nano delivery systems: emerging cancer therapy.

The nanotechnology-based therapies have demonstrated great promise in revolutionizing cancer medicine by improving efficacy while reducing the adverse effects. Despite recent progress in newer nanotechnologies, the bench-to-bedside translation of nanotechnology-based therapies is very poor. This theme issue of AAPS PharmSciTech provides a broad overview of the critical steps and approaches in the development of various nanosystems for the delivery of small-molecule drugs and nucleic acids for cancer therapy.
Glass Batch Plant Control with Small Computers

Glass batching, the process in which raw materials are stored, weighed, mixed, and delivered to glass melting furnaces, was modernized with small dedicated digital computers. The modernized glass batch plant includes the direct control of twenty-one scales, weighing 136 000 kg (150 tons)/h for nine glass container furnaces. The computer system improved the weighing accuracy, increased the potential material through-put, and provided greater flexibility of operation.
Lossless coding standards for space data systems

The International Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) is preparing to issue its first recommendation for a digital data compression standard. Because the space data systems of primary interest are employed to support scientific investigations requiring accurate representation, this initial standard will be restricted to lossless compression. In particular the demonstrated breadth of applicability and high performance of what has become known as "The Rice Algorithms", has led the CCSDS to recommend a version of these algorithms. The key algorithmic and performance characteristics that have driven the development of this recommendation are discussed.
A economia cubana no início do século XXI: avaliação do desempenho e debate sobre o futuro

At the start of the 21st century, the Cuban economy seemed to continue in the long and slow process of recovery after the grave crisis of the 1990s. But several negative factors struck in 2001 and the first half of 2002, including the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; the recession that began in March 2001; the fall of the world prices of nickel; the hurricane Michelle that hit the island on November 4; the shut down of the Russian surveillance base in Lourdes; the drop of direct foreign investment, and the economic consequences of the deteriorated political situation in Venezuela. Mainly based on statistics and information from Cuban sources, this paper evaluates Cuban economic and social performance in 2000-2001 and the first half of 2002; the situation in this period is contrasted with that in 1989 (prior to the crisis) and 1993 (the worst point in the crisis).
Identification of a Novel Pathway That Selectively Modulates Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells

Expression of the nuclear receptor interacting factor 3 (NRIF3) coregulator in a wide variety of breast cancer cells selectively leads to rapid caspase-2-dependent apoptotic cell death. A novel death domain (DD1) was mapped to a 30-amino acid region of NRIF3. Because the cytotoxicity of NRIF3 and DD1 seems to be cell type-specific, these studies suggest that breast cancer cells contain a novel "death switch" that can be specifically modulated by NRIF3 or DD1. Using an MCF-7 cell cDNA library in a yeast two-hybrid screen, we cloned a factor that mediates apoptosis by DD1 and refer to this factor as DD1-interacting factor-1 (DIF-1). DIF-1 is a transcriptional repressor that mediates its effect through SirT1, and this repression is attenuated by the binding of NRIF3/DD1. DIF-1 expression rescues breast cancer cells from NRIF3/DD1-induced apoptosis. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of DIF-1 selectively leads to apoptosis of breast cancer cells, further suggesting that DIF-1 plays a key role in NRIF3/DD1-mediated apoptosis. A protein kinase A inhibitor (H89) also elicits apoptosis of breast cancer cells but not of the other cell types examined, and DIF-1 also protects these cells from H89-mediated apoptosis. In addition, H89 incubation results in a rapid increase in NRIF3 levels and siRNA knockdown of NRIF3 protects breast cancer cells from H89-mediated apoptosis. Our results indicate that DIF-1 plays a key role in breast cancer cell survival and further characterizing this pathway may provide important insights into developing novel therapies to selectively target breast cancer cells for apoptosis.
Atmospheric Circulation and Its Effect on Arctic Sea Ice in CCSM3 Simulations at Medium and High Resolution

The simulation of Arctic sea ice and surface winds changes significantly when Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3) resolution is increased from T42 (2.8°) to T85 (1.4°). At T42 resolution, Arctic sea ice is too thick off the Siberian coast and too thin along the Canadian coast. Both of these biases are reduced at T85 resolution. The most prominent surface wind difference is the erroneous North Polar summer anticyclone, present at T42 but absent at T85. An offline sea ice model is used to study the effect of the surface winds on sea ice thickness. In this model, the surface wind stress is prescribed alternately from reanalysis and the T42 and T85 simulations. In the offline model, CCSM3 surface wind biases have a dramatic effect on sea ice distribution: with reanalysis surface winds annual-mean ice thickness is greatest along the Canadian coast, but with CCSM3 winds thickness is greater on the Siberian side. A significant difference between the two CCSM3-forced offline simulations is the thickness of the ice along the Canadian archipelago, where the T85 winds produce thicker ice than their T42 counterparts. Seasonal forcing experiments, with CCSM3 winds during spring and summer and reanalysis winds in fall and winter, relate the Canadian thickness difference to spring and summer surface wind differences. These experiments also show that the ice buildup on the Siberian coast at both resolutions is related to the fall and winter surface winds. The Arctic atmospheric circulation is examined further through comparisons of the winter sea level pressure (SLP) and eddy geopotential height. At both resolutions the simulated Beaufort high is quite weak, weaker at higher resolution. Eddy heights show that the wintertime Beaufort high in reanalysis has a barotropic vertical structure. In contrast, high CCSM3 SLP in Arctic winter is found in association with cold lower-tropospheric temperatures and a baroclinic vertical structure. In reanalysis, the summertime Arctic surface circulation is dominated by a polar cyclone, which is accompanied by surface inflow and a deep Ferrel cell north of the traditional polar cell. The Arctic Ferrel cell is accompanied by a northward flux of zonal momentum and a polar lobe of the zonal-mean jet. These features do not appear in the CCSM3 simulations at either resolution.
The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler: Toward an Adlerian vocational theory

Abstract Within the past couple of decades, the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler has become increasingly popular among consultants, educators, and psychotherapists alike. The approach also has gained the attention of several vocational researchers, and some vocational investigations on Adler's theory have appeared. Unfortunately, such empirical studies have been all too few, seemingly because no articulated framework exists of an Adlerian vocational theory. In this article, an Adlerian vocational theory is proposed. Specific hypotheses and corollaries, each derived from the substantive base of Individual Psychology, are presented and explained.
Application of TGA/FTIR to the thermal degradation mechanism of tetrafluoroethylene–propylene copolymers

Although the exact mechanism for the degradation of tetrafluoroethylene-propylene copolymer (Aflas TM ) has not been defined, comparative TGA/FTIR data have clearly shown that the main degradation products are mixed hydrocarbon/fluorocarbons similar to those observed with Tefzel rather than what one would expect if degradation occurred by unzipping to monomers
Development and Evaluation of a Molecular Viability Assay for Pneumocystis carinii

Despite recent declines in incidence, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) remains the most commonly occurring opportunistic illness among persons with AIDS in the United States. While P. carinii DNA has been detected in patient respiratory specimens and in air samples collected from various indoor environments housing PCP patients, the viability of these organisms is unknown. For this reason, we have developed and evaluated a molecular viability assay for P. carinii. This method is based upon the detection of P. carinii mRNA by a reverse transcription-PCR that employs specific primers from a member of the heat shock protein 70 family. Under optimal assay conditions, these primers were capable of detecting as few as 100 viable trophozoites as determined by ethidium bromide staining, while no signal was obtained from 10(6) trophozoites killed by heat, desiccation, or UV radiation. This assay was also capable of distinguishing P. carinii from other common fungi present in the air. Therefore, this molecular viability assay may be useful in conjunction with standard bioaerosol collection devices and procedures for the detection of viable P. carinii collected from various indoor environments. It may also be useful in confirming the presence of viable trophozoites in respiratory specimens collected by noninvasive techniques from putatively infected individuals.
Single-Unit Activity Patterns in Nuclei That Control the Electromotor Command Nucleus during Spontaneous Electric Signal Production in the Mormyrid Brienomyrus brachyistius

Mormyrid fish generate weak electric organ discharges (EODs) used for communication and navigation. EODs are initiated in the medullary command nucleus (CN), which receives dense projections from the mesencephalic precommand nucleus (PCN) and the adjacent thalamic dorsal posterior nucleus (DP), plus a minor projection from the ventral edge of the toral ventroposterior nucleus (VPv). The dorsal region of the ventroposterior nucleus (VPd) projects to DP-PCN and receives input from the electric organ corollary discharge pathway. I recorded extracellularly from single units within DP-PCN and VPd and correlated their activity patterns with electromotor output to generate hypotheses on electromotor control mechanisms. DP-PCN neurons show an oscillatory pattern of activity, firing within a window of 10-200 msec before each EOD, while remaining silent for 50-150 msec after each EOD. VPd neurons only fire during the silent period of DP-PCN neurons, suggesting that they provide recurrent inhibition to DP-PCN. During “scallops”, only DP-PCN neurons with high baseline firing rates increase their activity, whereas during “accelerations”, only neurons with low baseline firing rates show a strong increase in activity. Thus, the generation of different displays likely results from the activation of different groups of neurons projecting to CN. The activity of VPd neurons decreases during both displays, suggesting that disinhibition plays an important role in their generation. The mormyrid electromotor network shares many functional properties with central pattern generators (CPGs) found in relatively simple motor systems, indicating that it may be an excellent model system for studying CPG function in vertebrate communication.
Comparison of fabrication methods for bonded wafer SOI

Summary form only given. The reduction of collector series resistance in bipolar devices and the prevention of back-gate effects in MOS devices is commonly realized through the use of highly doped buried layers and retrograde implanted wells, respectively. For device applications requiring a thick SOI layer (approximately 10 mu m), this can be achieved by using back-side processing in a wafer-bounding technique. While bipolar devices have been successfully fabricated using this method, the resulting back-side nonuniformities can reduce bounding yield. This shows up as microdebonding after the trench etch used for lateral isolation. Other drawbacks to back-side bonding are difficult front-to-back alignment and a relatively large variation in layer thickness (+1.5 mu m across a 4-in. slice) due to the grind/polish step used for planarization. An improved method of manufacturing thick bonded SOI material using an epitaxial layer on a thin bonded substrate eliminates many of the drawbacks to the back-side bonding approach. This epi-on-bonded method results in an all-frontside material process suitable for use in a complementary bipolar or BICMOS technology. >
Pulmonary Embolism from PulseSpray Pharmacomechanical Thrombolysis of Clotted Hemodialysis Grafts: Urokinase versus Heparinized Saline

PURPOSE To compare the frequency and extent of pulmonary embolism (PE) occurring during pulse-spray pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (PSPMT) of clotted hemodialysis grafts with use of either urokinase (UK) or heparinized saline (HS). Postintervention primary patency and complication rates were compared for each method of thrombolysis. METHODS AND MATERIALS Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind study evaluating PE with two PSPMT agents. The doses of heparin were similar between groups. The only variable was that one group of patients received UK and the other received HS. In two cases, the venous anastomosis could not be crossed. Eleven patients were treated with UK and 14 with HS. Nuclear medicine perfusion lung scans were performed before treatment and after graft declotting procedures. Lung perfusion was quantified to 10% of a pulmonary segment (0 = normal perfusion, 1=segmental perfusion defect), with nine segments counted for each lung. RESULTS Baseline nuclear medicine perfusion lung scan results were abnormal (≥20% segmental perfusion defect) in 19 patients (70.4%). New PE (one or more pulmonary segments) occurred in two patients treated with UK (18.2%) and nine patients treated with HS (64.3%; P = .04). All cases of PE were asymptomatic. Quantitative global pulmonary perfusion analyses revealed that treatment with UK improved flow to 0.2 ± 2.0 pulmonary segments, whereas treatment with HS decreased perfusion to 1.0 ± 1.7 segments ( P = .16, NS). Although postintervention primary patency rates were similar according to life-table analysis ( P = .76, NS), complication rates were higher with use of HS ( n = 4, 28.6%) than with use of UK ( n = 2, 18.2%) ( P = .6, NS). CONCLUSIONS All PE were asymptomatic during PSPMT, but treatment with UK reduced the rate of PE and tended to result in smaller defects in lung scan results. Most patients undergoing hemodialysis have abnormal baseline perfusion scan results, but PSPMT with UK improved many of them. The postintervention primary patency rates were similar between groups, but complications were more frequent after treatment with HS.
Detection of cationic surfactants in oral rinses and a disinfectant formulation using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Three commercial oral rinses and one commercial disinfectant formulation were analyzed for the presence of cationic surfactants using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) in the positive ion mode. The product labels on these formulations indicate the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride, tetraalkylammonium or trialkylbenzylammonium chlorides. The resulting MALDI-TOF mass spectra only showed cetylpyridinium, tetraalkylammonium, and trialkylbenzylammonium ions, apparently due to the dissociation of the salts in the ion source. We confirmed the presence of cetylpyridinium salt in the three oral formulations, whereas the disinfectant formulation consisted of a complex mixture of the salts of dioctyldimethylammonium, didecyldimethylammonium, benzylmyristyldimethylammonium, decyloctyldimethylammonium, benzyldecyldimethylammonium, and benzylcetyldimethylammonium. This work demonstrates again the potential for using meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin as a matrix in the MALDI-TOFMS analysis of low molecular weight compounds. This study also demonstrates that the mode of ionization of quaternary ammonium compounds (cationic surfactant salts) under MALDI conditions is by dissociation, leading to the detection of only the positively charged moieties.
Autoantibodies to tumor-associated antigens as diagnostic biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma and other solid tumors.

Liver cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is one of the most common tumors worldwide. The majority of people with HCC will die within 1 year of its detection. The high case–fatality rate can, in part, be attributed to a lack of diagnostic methods that enable the early detection of liver cancer. Hence, there is a need for further understanding of tumor biology and host response mechanisms so that new diagnostic and therapeutic tools can be developed. There has been a growing interest in using serum anti-tumor-associated antigen (TAA) antibodies as serological cancer biomarkers. This interest stems from the notion that these anti-TAA antibodies are ‘sensors’ or ‘reporters’ of molecular events associated with tumorigenesis. The persistence and stability of autoantibodies in the serum of cancer patients is an advantage over other potential markers, including the TAAs themselves, some of which are released by tumors but rapidly degrade or are cleared after circulating in the serum for a limited time. Furthermore, the widespread availability of methods and reagents to detect serum autoantibodies facilitates their characterization in cancer patients and assay development. The hypothesis is that ‘customized’ TAA arrays constitute promising and powerful tools for enhancing the serological anti-TAA antibody detection of cancer. The present review will focus on the recent advances in our studies primarily associated with the idea and possibility that autoantibodies to TAAs can be used as biomarkers in immunodiagnosis of HCC and other solid tumors.
Effects of landscape covariates on the distribution and detection probabilities of mammalian carnivores

Mammalian carnivores are affected by various anthropogenic disturbances near urban environments. Urban expansion and increased anthropogenic activity near and in preserved habitats may cause shifts in the current spatial distributions of those species. To predict the effects of future land-use changes on mammalian carnivores, we modeled their current occurrence across former Fort Ord Army Base as a function of urban proximity and road/trail density. We collected detection/nondetection data for domestic dogs, coyotes (Canis latrans), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and bobcats (Lynx rufus) using scent stations. We analyzed our data with likelihood-based occupancy modeling and used evidence ratios based on Akaike information criterion weights to infer the effect of each variable on occurrence and detection probabilities for each species. We used the estimated weighted model coefficients of the predictive variables to create current and future species distribution maps given proposed landscape changes in the study area. Domestic dogs were more likely to use areas closer to the urban edge, while gray foxes showed a preference toward inland areas. Detection probability was highest in areas closer to the urban edge for striped skunks and in areas with high road/trail densities for raccoons. Our results suggest that the distribution of domestic dogs will most likely expand with future development, while those of gray foxes will contract. We predict that future land-use changes outside of preserved areas will have an adverse effect on gray foxes within the protected areas.
How to Increase Job Satisfaction and Reduce Turnover Intentions in the Family Firm: The Family–Business Embeddedness Perspective

The authors define family–business embeddedness as confluence of values and objectives stemming from the overlapping institutional contexts—family, business, and symbolic—in the family firm. Hence,...
Characteristic properties of equine milk proteins

Properties of three equine milk proteins, lysozyme, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin, were investigated and compared with the corresponding ones of bovine milk. The subsite structure similar to that in hen egg lysozyme was assumed in the functional region of lysozyme from interaction with inhibitors. α-lactalbumin has structures similar to those of bovine, but less stability of its intact and 3SS forms are observed than the corresponding bovine irrespective of [Ca 2+ ] because of the entropy factors. Although the folding of β-lactoglobulin at acid pH is very similar to that of the bovine protein the conformation of the I strand is different from that of bovine I strand at neutral pH according to NMR data.
Reproducibility: Experimental mismatch in neural circuits

The finding that acute and chronic manipulations of the same neural circuit can produce different behavioural outcomes poses new questions about how best to analyse these circuits. See Article p.358 The development of optogenetics as a specific tool to probe the function of genetically defined neural circuits in the execution of specific behaviours has been a prominent field of recent growth in neuroscience. However, many of these studies disregard the potential for indirect effects of circuit manipulation on other downstream circuits operating independently in separate functions. Here, Bence Olveczky and colleagues reveal how transient inactivation of specific circuits in mammals and songbirds can severely impair task-specific responses that otherwise spontaneously recover after permanent lesions of the same brain areas. This suggests that additional considerations must be taken into account when interpreting data from transient circuit manipulations of behaviour.
Alcoholism and sociopathy--diagnostic confusion.

Alcohol abuse may become a primary illness, alcoholism, or a complication of other psychiatric processes, such as sociopathy. It is necessary to distinguish between the alcoholic who engages in a l...
Agricultural Trade Dependency and the Threat of Starvation: A Cross-National Analysis of Hunger as Unequal Exchange

Hunger represents a persistent problem in less developed countries (LDCs). Comparative sociological research debates the role of exports in influencing hunger, as export specialization can be a means to development as well as dependency. We consider the severity of hunger as an outcome of unequal exchange relationships, utilizing a measure of agricultural export flows. The results reveal that agricultural export flows to high-income countries elevate the severity of hunger in LDCs, net of other important modernization, food production, and military factors. Thus, the concept of unequal exchange is relevant in explaining cross-national patterns in hunger, and suggests that inequalities in food distribution are paramount in contributing to threatening levels of hunger in LDCs.
Characterization of the Melted and Solidified Cu-SMA System with SHS Process

To improve the property of Cu-SMA (shape memory alloy) system in a cold district, molten alloy was produced by means of SHS method. It was determined that the shape memory behavior of the Cu-Al-Ni alloy, which was added to other elements in the base of the alloy, showed a different behavior than the base alloy.The following results were obtained.(1) A uniform Cu based shape memory alloy was prepared by use of exothermic reaction of Cu-Al-Ni.(2) By the elemental addition of B or the mixture of B and C to a Cu-Al-Ni-Ti alloys, the reversible curve of shape memory behavior was improved in the lower temperature than 0 °C.(3) A molten Cu-Al-Ni alloy formed in the uniform structure improved in performance in terms of the fracture strength and the deformed ratio.
Prevalence rates of respiratory tract infections in a children′s hospital

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence rates of respiratory tract infections in hospitalized patients of department of pediatrics and understand the current status of respiratory tract infections so as to reduce the infection rate.METHODS From 8∶00 on Jan 16,2013to 8∶00 on Jan 17,2013,the prevalence rates of the respiratory tract infections in 326children were investigated by means of review of medical records combined with onsite survey,then the statistical analysis was performed with the use of SPSS13.0software,the chi-square test was conducted for the analysis of count data,and the logistic regression analysis was carried out for the influencing factors with statistical difference that were screened out through univariate analysis,with P0.05representing the statistical significance.RESULTS Among the 326children investigated,the respiratory tract infections occurred in 21 cases with the infection rate of 6.44%;the incidence of the respiratory tract infections was related to the age,hospitalization duration,invasive operation,combination use of antibiotics,use of glucocorticoid,and primary disease(P0.05).The result of the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the invasive operation,combination use of antibiotics,and use of glucocorticoid were the independent risk factors for the respiratory tract infections.A total of 21strains of pathogens have been isolated,including 13(61.90%)strains of gram-negative bacteria and 8(38.10%)strains of gram-positive bacteria;the Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Klebsiella pneumoniae,and Escherichia coli were dominant among the gram-negative bacteria;the Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were the predominant species of the gram-positive bacteria.The pathogens were highly resistant to ampicillin,levofloxacin,and erythromycin but were susceptible to imipenem.CONCLUSIONIt is necessary to formulate effective diagnosis and treatment countermeasures in response to the related factors for infections according to the result of survey of prevalence rates,standardize the use of antibiotics and glucocorticoid,and reduce the invasive procedures so as to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections.
Restorative cost savings related to dental sealants in Alabama Medicaid children.

PURPOSE Since properly placed and retained sealants can reduce the incidence of caries lesions and save subsequent restorative costs, the purpose of this study was to compare the subsequent restorative cost in a group of predominantly African American Medicaid children who received prior sealants to that of a group of children who did not receive sealants. METHODS Dental claims of 2 cohorts of 5- to 7-year-old children who were continuously enrolled in Alabama Medicaid from 1990 to 1997 (N=9,549) and who either did or did not receive sealants were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics, chi-square and t tests, and regression analysis. The subsequent restorative care costs related to 1-surface posterior amalgam or resin restorations were evaluated in relation to sealant status and selected independent variables. RESULTS Only 10% of the children with at least 1 prior sealant claim obtained subsequent 1-surface posterior amalgam or resin restorations. This proportion was 33% among children without a prior sealant claim (OR=4.2, 95% CI=3.6-4.9). On average, total Medicaid reimbursement per child for sealants, plus subsequent restorative care was 56 dollars in the sealant group compared to 72 dollars for subsequent care alone in the nonsealant group. This difference was independent of the child's race, gender, or age. CONCLUSIONS As expected, children who do not receive sealants are more likely to obtain subsequent restorative care and cost more money to the health care system. However, the modest sealant-related subsequent restorative cost savings observed among Alabama Medicaid children may be an underestimate of the real cost-benefits of sealants.
Reverse migration of lithofacies boundaries and shoreline in response to sea‐level rise

The migration of the lithofacies boundaries preserved in the sedimentary record is key to interpreting changes in depositional environments. Grain size is one of the most recognizable physical characteristics of lithofacies. The advance and retreat of grain-size breaks, as a proxy for lithofacies boundaries (e.g. gravel–sand transition), is commonly attributed to variations in external controls (e.g. climate, sea level and tectonic subsidence). While most models of fluviodeltaic systems focus on predicting the response of the shoreline to these forcings, none have thoroughly incorporated the migration of grain-size transitions (GST) that coevolve with the shoreline. We present a numerical delta evolution model that treats both the shoreline and GST as moving boundaries to provide quantitative understanding of the dynamic interaction between the downstream boundary (shoreline) and the upstream lithofacies boundaries (GSTs) of the fluviodeltaic system under relative sea-level rise. We tested a range of relative sea-level rise rates in the model. The shoreline and GST gradually reduced their progradation rates and eventually retreated landward as the fluviodeltaic topset and foreset elongated. However, their timings of retreat were different, resulting in a counterintuitive case for a quicker retreat of GST while the shoreline still continued to advance. A series of scaled flume experiments with a sand and crushed walnut sediment mixture captured the same behaviours of these two moving boundaries. We found that GST experienced higher relative sea-level rise (RSLR) rates than the shoreline. This additional RSLR rate scales with the downstream river slope and the shoreline progradation rate to cause earlier GST retreat in comparison to the shoreline. The fundamental understanding from this study of migration of both the GST and shoreline in fluviodeltaic systems will aid in accurately assessing the trajectories of GST in sedimentary strata as a proxy for environmental change.
Case 43: Retrospective Studies: What to Watch Out For

You are an Associate Professor in a large university hospital. An anesthesia resident asks you if it is possible to use the large hospital database to attempt to answer a clinical question. The question relates to the prediction of hypotension after induction of general anesthesia. He suggests that all episodes of post-induction hypotension be extracted from the database and the associated factors be analyzed.
IMMUNOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF VACCINE VIRUS : II. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTARY BODIES OF VACCINIA.

Washed elementary bodies obtained from dermal vaccine virus contain ash, carbohydrate, fat, and nitrogen a part of which is undoubtedly in the form of protein. These components are similar to those found in bacteria and other substances of protoplasmic origin.
Regulation of JNK kinase signaling modules by Rho activated kinase, ROCK1

4923 Vitis amurensis Rupr. (Vitaceae) has long been used in Chinese/Oriental herbal medicine for the treatment of cancer, but its active compounds and mechanisms of action have not been well studied. To this end, we isolated from its root heyneanol A (HA), which is a tetramer of resveratrol (RES), and aimed to establish the in vivo anti-tumor activity of HA using the Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) model and the involvement of apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activities for such effect. Furthermore, we sought to elucidate the cellular and molecular processes that mediate the apoptosis and anti-angiogenesis effects using cell culture models. We used RES as a reference compound for comparison of the anti-tumor efficacy and mechanisms. To test the in vivo efficacy for inhibiting tumor growth, we administered HA and RES by daily i.p. injection to C57BL/6 mice that were subcutaneously inoculated with LLC cells. HA dose-dependently decreased tumor growth without any adverse effect on body weight and seemed more potent than RES. The tumor inhibitory effects were accompanied by a marked increase in tumor cell apoptosis as detected by cleaved caspase 3 and TUNEL assays and decreased tumor cell proliferation index and tumor microvessel density. These data support apoptosis and anti-angiogenesis as two key mechanisms for mediating the anti-tumor effects. Mechanistically, treatment of LLC cells in cell culture with HA or RES significantly increased apoptotic cells. Both HA and RES activated caspase 9 and 3, caused PARP cleavage, which were completely blocked by a pan caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. In addition, HA and RES suppressed the bFGF-induced proliferation and differentiation of HUVECs without apparent cytotoxicity. Furthermore, HA and RES inhibited the binding of bFGF to its receptor in a concentration-dependent manner and HA and RES inhibited bFGF-induced vascularization of Matrigel plugs in vivo. Together, the results support HA as an active anti-cancer compound that induces caspase-mediated cancer cell apoptosis and inhibits tumor angiogenesis, rivaling the potency of its monomer, RES.
Transport and flow characteristics of an oscillating cylindrical fiber for total artificial lung application.

AbstractMass transport and fluid dynamics characteristics in the vicinity of an oscillating cylindrical fiber with an imposed pulsatile inflow condition are computationally investigated in the present study. The work is motivated by a recently proposed design modification to the Total Artificial Lung (TAL) device, which is expected to provide better gas exchange. Navier–Stokes computations, coupled with convection–diffusion equation are performed to assess flow dynamics and mass transport behavior around the oscillating fiber. The oscillations and the pulsatile free stream velocity are represented by two sinusoidal functions. The resulting non-dimensional parameters are Keulegan–Carpenter number (KC), Schmidt number (Sc), Reynolds number (Re), pulsatile inflow amplitude (), and amplitude of cylinder oscillation (). Results are computed for , Sc = 1000, Re = 5 and 10, and 0.7 and 0.25 5.25. The pulsatile inflow parameters correspond to the flow velocities found in human pulmonary artery while matching the ...
Adsorbed cation effects on unfrozen water in fine-grained frozen soil measured using pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract Unfrozen water within frozen soils is a key component that determines a soil's thermophysical response to changing physical and environmental conditions. The physicochemical nature of the clay component of fine-grained soils, including the adsorbed cations, strongly controls the amount and mobility of unfrozen water. Here we present the unfrozen water measurements of five standard clays and one heterogeneous soil. For each soil, we prepared a suite of the untreated soil and four cation treatments, which represents a comprehensive data set of clays and dominant cations typically found in soils. We measured unfrozen water content using a refined pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (P-NMR) testing facility and the normalization method, which yielded accurate and repeatable results. Results indicated that cation treatments have negligible effect on the unfrozen water content of kaolinite, illite, and chlorite. Conversely, soils that are partially or completely composed of smectite demonstrated the largest unfrozen water content when treated with Na+ cations, and a marked reduction with the K+ treatment. From the results of the standard clay testing, we estimated the unfrozen water content for the natural, heterogeneous soil, producing curves that matched those measurements to within 4% for all cation treatments. This suggests that the unfrozen water content of a heterogeneous soil with a known mineralogy may be approximated from a database of measured unfrozen water contents of standard clays.
TOTAL VIABLE COUNTS | Spread Plate Technique

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by James W. Messer, Eugene W. Rice, Clifford H. Johnson, volume 3, pp 2159–2160, © 1999, Elsevier Ltd.
Kumquat—Fortunella japonica

Abstract Kumquats (Fortunella spp.), the smallest of the citrus fruits, are characterized by a fleshy, sweet and edible exocarp, a reduced mesocarp and an acidic endocarp. Kumquats are an excellent source of nutrients and phytochemicals including flavonoids, vitamins, carotenoids, and terpenoids, with a marked antioxidant activity. The rich content of essential oils, besides contributing to the nutraceutical properties of the fruit, confer a distinctive and pleasant flavor. The postharvest life of kumquats is greatly offset by their high perishability under ambient conditions, due to the high transpiration rate which leads to a rapid decline of firmness and increase of weight loss and shriveling. The postharvest life of kumquats is further limited by the high susceptibility to postharvest decay, particularly incited by Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, the causal agents of green and blue molds, respectively. Cold storage is an effective means to prolong fruit shelf-life, especially when combined with postharvest treatments other than synthetic fungicides, which delay pathogen growth without leaving chemical residues on fruit. This aspect is very important for consumer safety, as kumquat fruits eaten as a whole. Besides fresh consumption, fruit are largely used to prepare jams, candies, fruit in spirits, syrups, and liqueurs as well as decorations.
Pictorial review: Renal ultrasound

Ultrasound (US) is the first-line imaging modality for evaluating azotemic patients for urinary obstruction and renal size. US is also valuable for distinguishing congenital variants and simple cystic lesions from renal masses. Doppler US is effective in detection of renal calculi and evaluation of vascular pathology. Unfortunately, renal US is limited in distinguishing causes of medical renal disease. The kidneys have a complex internal architecture with a highly variable appearance on US. This article illustrates non-neoplastic renal conditions, including normal and embryological variants, parenchymal, cystic, and vascular diseases. Renal infections, calcifications, and trauma and fluid collections are also discussed, with an emphasis on distinguishing US features and pathophysiology.
The effect of phosphorus on the formation of the Widmanstaetten pattern in iron meteorites.

Use of a combination of a revised Fe-Ni-P phase diagram and laboratory cooling experiments on Fe-Ni-P alloys to determine the effect of P on the formation of the Widmanstaetten pattern. From the phase diagram results, two reaction paths were found for the formation of kamacite (1) gamma (taenite) yields alpha (kamacite) + gamma (taenite) and (2) gamma yields gamma + Ph /phosphide, (FeNi)3P/ yields alpha + gamma + Ph. The reaction path gamma yields alpha + gamma is preferred at low P contents, while at higher P contents and at Ni contents greater than 7.0 wt.%, the reaction path gamma yields gamma + Ph yields alpha + gamma + Ph controls the formation of kamacite. Above 7 wt.% Ni, the effect of P on the equilibrium nucleation temperature of kamacite is quite small, less than about plus or minus 30 C with respect to the Fe-Ni binary diagram. The addition of P (greater than 0.1 wt.%) to meteorites promotes nucleation of kamacite at higher temperatures and effectively lowers the amount of undercooling necessary to nucleate kamacite homogeneously. Ni has just the opposite effect, decreasing the temperature of nucleation and increasing the amount of undercooling. It is concluded that significant amounts of undercooling, 50 to 100 C, are necessary for the nucleation of the Widmanstaetten structure in meteorites, and that chemical equilibrium is maintained in the various phases of slowly cooled iron meteorites to 650 C and probably to 600 C.
Interrater agreement of visual analysis in single-subject decisions: quantitative review and analysis.

The empirical literature examining the interrater agreement for visual analysis of single-subject data was examined using the technique of meta-analysis. Aggregated study results revealed an overall interrater agreement value of .58 for 14 studies representing a total of 789 raters. Additional analyses revealed that the interrater agreement values did not vary across raters based on previous experience or level of expertise. Characteristics of the graphs, including whether the data were hypothetical or real, or whether designs were the simple AB format or more complex (ABAB) designs, did not significantly influence the interrater agreement values. The only graphic characteristic related to increased interrater agreement was the presence of a trend (regression) line. Trend lines appeared to improve interrater agreement if the raters were familiar with their method of computation and interpretation. Simply including a trend line in the graphs produced only a marginal improvement in interrater agreement.
The Essence of Insanity

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., once remarked that “even a dog distinguishes between being stumbled over and being kicked” (1881). Was Holmes intending to convey ironic admiration for canine certitude? We cannot say for certain, although Holmes was certainly well aware that our own ability to discern intent from accident, or sane intentions from insanely distorted intentions, has been dogged by doubt. Given our own all too human failings with these tough adjudicative discriminations, Holmes proposed a simpler principle and task. In advancing the principle of “strict liability,” Holmes would restrict the adjudicator’s purview to the behavioral and subsurface levels, rather than invite excursions into the subterranean depths of intentions and mind. One result of this restriction is that the extent of our inferences would be judiciously reduced to what could be obviously inferred by any “reasonable man.” Instead of burrowing into the mind’s darker recesses, where it is all too easy to err and lose our way, all we have to do now, says Holmes, is observe behavior and sniff the ground for telltale intentions.
Bladder Outlet Surgery and Condom Catheter Drainage

This article describes surgical techniques and special considerations for the rehabilitation of the bladder after spinal cord injury. Adequate cleaning of the leg bag and careful monitoring of the urinary tract are emphasized to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections and upper tract changes.
Representations of$${\mathfrak{U}_d}$$and$$G{L_2}\left( {{\mathbb{F}_q}} \right)$$

In this lecture we analyze the representation of two more types of groups: the alternating groups\({\mathfrak{U}_d}\)and the linear groups \(G{L_2}\left( {{\mathbb{F}_q}} \right)\) and \(S{L_2}\left( {{\mathbb{F}_q}} \right) \) over finite fields. In the former case, we prove some general results relating the representations of a group to the representations of a subgroup of index two, and use what we know about the symmetric group; this should be completely straightforward given just the basic ideas of the preceding lecture. In the latter case we start essentially from scratch. The two sections can be read (or not) independently; neither is logically necessary for the remainder of the book.
Valence Bond Theory

In this chapter, we build on the ideas developed in our treatment of H2 (Sections 8.3–8.5). We will not be able to do much in the way of complete calculations, for which there should be no regrets. Rather, we try to generalize the results for H2 to other systems in a semi-intuitive way.
Viterbo’s Index and the Morse Index for the Symplectic Action

We define a relative Morse index of nondegenerate critical points of the symplectic action functional, in the case of paths connecting two Lagrangian submanifolds.
“It’s Cool Being Italian”: Fashioning an Ethnic Youth Style

This chapter focuses on the use of ethnicity in assembling a style-based youth subculture. Being Italian is performed in style repertoires—enlisted for appropriation, including poaching, and to give coherence to a style. Ethnicity is the cornerstone of a “subcultural ideology”, a claim to “distinction” or “social power” alongside style (Thornton 1995; also Maira 2003). An ethnography of an online setting exposes primordial ethnic discourses and the active conversion of ethnic capital into youth culture capital featuring a symbolic reversal of ethnic stigma associated with minority group status.
Sox9+ messenger cells orchestrate large-scale skeletal regeneration in the mammalian rib.

Fractures to major bones often heal slowly or incompletely, especially in older people, and large bone injuries do not repair naturally. By comparison, rib bones show an unusual capacity to regrow and repair themselves even when a large portion is damaged. Previous research suggests that the connective tissue around the ribs helps to support and co-ordinate bone healing. Yet it is currently not clear why ribs have a greater capacity to repair these large injuries compared to other bones. Kuwahara et al. have now examined bone repair by studying how ribs heal in mice. The experiments show that around 6% of the connective tissue cells are critical for large-scale repair. Kuwahara et al. named these cells messenger cells. These cells detect the presence of a signal molecule called Hedgehog (Hh), however, if these cells lose the ability to respond to the Hh molecules, the ribs do not heal properly. Further examination revealed that these messenger cells co-ordinate repair by encouraging other cells to build a special kind of bone-healing tissue with hybrid properties of both cartilage and bone. Further research could now examine how messenger cells co-ordinate healing and if their properties could be adapted to help repair other bones. Ultimately, understanding how messenger cells work may even provide insights into new ways to repair and regenerate other tissues and organs too.