cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
InSight: A Bluetooth Beacon-based Ad-hoc Emergency Alert System for Smart Cities

The purpose of alerts and warnings is to provide necessary information to the public that will lead to their safety in emergencies. The nation's alerting capabilities need to evolve and progress with the extensive use of smartphones, and newer technologies become available, especially to be more precisely targeted to sub-populations at risk. Historically, this has been a challenge as the delivery of alerts and warning messages to the public is primarily through broadcast media and signs. However, deploying such signs takes time and may not be visible to people imminent of natural hazards. Especially for road closing, marking hazards, emergency evacuation, etc., it would be beneficial to have an easy-to-deploy and automated alert/warning system that requires no line of sight. To this end, we have developed Insight - a Bluetooth beacon-based system that uses a smartphone application to sense signals from beacons marking hazard zones. The system does not require any Internet or communication infrastructure and therefore, it is resilient to breakdowns in communications during disasters. To demonstrate the feasibility of Insight, we conducted a study in an urban university campus location. The system demonstrated adequate usability and feasibility.
Plastic ingestion by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) over 33 years along the coast of Texas, USA

Despite exponential growth of anthropogenic marine debris in recent decades, plastic ingestion by marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico is not well understood. Gastrointestinal tracts were examined from 464 green turtles that stranded in Texas between 1987 and 2019, and 226 turtles ingested plastic (48.7%). This number doubled from 32.5% in 1987-1999 to 65.5% in 2019, but mass of ingested items was lowest in 2019. No turtles showed evidence of death directly related to plastic ingestion. Compared to other regions, plastic ingestion was low. Small turtles (<25 cm straight carapace length) ingested plastic more frequently and in greater amounts than larger turtles. Small turtles also ingested more hard plastic while larger turtles ingested more sheet-like and thread-like plastics, which may correspond to size-based habitat shifts. This is among the largest marine turtle ingestion studies to date and demonstrates an increasing prevalence of plastic ingestion.
Association Between Sex and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Outcomes for Patients With Melanoma.

Importance Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized melanoma treatment and are now standard of care. Although sex is associated with immune function and immune-related diseases, the interaction between sex and ICIs is understudied. Objective To examine whether cancer immunotherapy effectiveness varies between female and male patients with advanced melanoma treated with either nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy or anti–programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy (namely, pembrolizumab or nivolumab). Design, Setting, and Participants The study population consisted of 1369 older adults (aged ≥65 years) with a record of melanoma diagnosis from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 2015, in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare linked database. Patients with a diagnosis of stage III or stage IV melanoma and a claims record showing nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy or anti–PD-1 therapy (ie, pembrolizumab or nivolumab) as their last type of ICI prescribed were included in the analyses. Patients were followed up through December 31, 2017, for the overall survival analysis. Statistical analysis was performed from September 19, 2019, to February 20, 2021. Exposures Sex, last prescribed ICI, and prior use of ipilimumab. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was overall survival, defined as time from the index date until death from any cause, with patients censored at the end of the study (December 31, 2017). Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to examine the association of sex with ICI outcomes while adjusting for prior use of ipilimumab, age at ICI initiation, Charlson Comorbidity Index, cancer stage at the time of diagnosis, and autoimmune disease diagnosis. Results Among the 1369 patients in the study (982 men [71.7%]; median age, 75 years [IQR, 69-82 years]), the outcome of nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy depended on sex (Wald χ2 = 9.48;P = .009 for interaction). The mortality hazard ratio (HR) for women with prior ipilimumab use receiving combination therapy was 2.06 times (95% CI, 1.28-3.32;P = .003) higher than their male counterparts. No significant difference was observed between women and men receiving anti–PD-1 therapy with (HR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.68-1.38];P = .85) or without prior ipilimumab use (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.67-1.07];P = .16). For women with prior ipilimumab use, combination therapy was associated with 2.82 times higher mortality hazards than anti–PD-1 therapy (95% CI, 1.73-4.60). No statistically significant difference was seen in mortality risk between anti–PD-1 therapy and combination therapy for men. Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study suggests that female patients with advanced melanoma may not benefit as much from combination ICIs as male patients would. Tumor mutation burden or estrogen level may serve as an important biomarker associated with ICI response in metastatic melanoma.
Introducing the Network Information Service for Linux

NIS is a system for sharing system information between machines. Mr. Brown tells us how to set up and use it
Space Resources, Common Property, and the Collective Action Problem

The subjects of lunar mining, asteroidal resource extraction, and orbital solar power are again attracting considerable attention, leading to more discussion of space property rights regimes. This article discusses both private-property regimes and centralized regulatory regimes of the sort envisioned by the 1979 Moon Treaty, and also notes that private property regimes may actually be both more productive of wealth and more beneficial for the space environment than centralized regulatory schemes.
The Role of Steroids in the Management of Children with Bacterial Meningitis

The article by Wald et al in this issue of Pediatrics addresses the potential value of adjunctive steroid therapy in the management of bacterial meningitis in children older than 8 weeks of age.1 This carefully designed and executed multicenter, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) compared the hospital course and long-term outcome of 69 dexamethasone recipients with that of 74 well-matched placebo recipients. The dose of steroids was the same as that used in three prior RCTs2,3 and the first dose was administered within 4 hours after the first dose of ceftriaxone. Unique to this study was the performance of the first audiologic evaluation within 24 hours of admission to the hospital, permitting the investigators to determine the time of onset of the most common sequela of meningitis, sensorineural hearing loss.
Directive speech acts in Malay (Bahasa Melayu) : an ethnopragmatic perspective

En employant l’approche du « metalangage semantique naturel » d’Anna Wierzbicka et de ses collegues, cette etude explore les significations et les emplois de six actes de parole en malais, la langue nationale de la Malaisie. L’etude demontre que les categories d’actes de parole sont profondement enchâssees dans la culture, refletant des valeurs et des pratiques du discours specifiques de la culture.
COLA: optimizing stream processing applications via graph partitioning

In this paper, we describe an optimization scheme for fusing compile-time operators into reasonably-sized run-time software units called processing elements (PEs). Such PEs are the basic deployable units in System S, a highly scalable distributed stream processing middleware system. Finding a high quality fusion significantly benefits the performance of streaming jobs. In order to maximize throughput, our solution approach attempts to minimize the processing cost associated with inter-PE stream traffic while simultaneously balancing load across the processing hosts. Our algorithm computes a hierarchical partitioning of the operator graph based on a minimum-ratio cut subroutine. We also incorporate several fusion constraints in order to support real-world System S jobs. We experimentally compare our algorithm with several other reasonable alternative schemes, highlighting the effectiveness of our approach.
Home-Based Business: A Growing Phenomenon

During the last five years there has been an upsurge in the number of home-based businesses in Qatar. This research investigates the reasons behind the sudden surge in home businesses, the support they receive from organizations such as Bedaya, Social Development Center and Roda Center as well as the future of home-based businesses in Qatar. Many young entrepreneurs in the country have noticed an absence in the market for businesses that sell desserts (cupcakes more specifically), fashion accessories and abayas. Creating a home-based business was one way of seizing this opportunity and meeting the market demand, at minimal start-up costs and reduced risk. Interviews were conducted with three centers that provide career and entrepreneurship guidance as well as seven home-based businesses that have been operating for at least a year. The research showed that Bedaya, Social Development and Roda Centers played predominant roles in the rise of popularity in this type of business. The advancements in social med...
Approximate band absorption and total emissivity calculations for CO2

Abstract A highly simplified procedure, using symmetrical band contours and intensity estimates derived from harmonic oscillator approximations, has been used to calculate band and total emissivities for CO2. Agreement with experimental data and with more accurate calculations is excellent.
Modernization of the Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering Laboratories: Upgrading Educational CIM Cells Involving Students and Faculty

This paper reports the process of upgrade and enhancement of the Educational CIM Cell at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). The upgrade is part of the laboratory experiments in the Automated Manufacturing Systems Course at NKU. The goal of this paper is to increase students’ practical experience, upgrade the equipments in house, save cost, and reduce the technical dependency on an outside company. In this project Allen-Bradley SLC 100 PLC and Allen-Bradley SLC 150 will be upgraded with a new Allen-Bradley PLC and Panelview operator interface. Comprehensive effort are made to incorporate what has been learned in the MET program to design, manufacture a part, and use robotics and programmed interface for placement onto a conveyor. After the part is placed on the conveyor it will be transferred to a location where the part will be accepted or rejected. Personal computers will be interfaced for simulation, and to actual hardware for control and automation of typical manufacturing operations and industrial processes. This concept of an integrated laboratory system will allow expanded coverage of traditional controls topics and permit introduction of appropriately advanced control techniques including adaptive control for machining operations. This method of modernizing is shown to be more effective than modernizing by a turnkey upgrade of the laboratory Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) facilities.© 2002 ASME
Foraging behaviour of caterpillars given a choice of plant genotypes in the presence of insect predators

Summary 1. To examine the effects of predators and plant genotype on the behaviour, patterns of herbivory, growth, and survivorship of caterpillars, an experiment was conducted under semi-natural conditions, with two host plant genotypes (low vs. high iridoid glycosides) of plantain Plantago lanceolata, two kinds of herbivores (noncryptic specialist Junonia coenia vs. cryptic generalist Pyrrharctia isabella), and two levels of caterpillar predation (with and without Podisus maculiventris stinkbugs). 2. Choice tests conducted in the laboratory showed that in three out of four cases, caterpillars preferred leaves from the low iridoid glycoside genotype. 3. In the field experiment, the presence of predators affected the amount of leaf material eaten per plot and the proportion of leaf material eaten by the caterpillars as expected, but it did not affect the use of plant genotypes by Junonia caterpillars within the plots. In contrast, the caterpillar density–predation treatments affected the proportion of leaves eaten by Pyrrharctia caterpillars that were of the low iridoid glycoside genotype, but not entirely as expected. The caterpillars used both genotypes equally when predators were present but the high iridoid glycoside genotype was used more by caterpillars at low density and without predators. 4. The message then is that on the scale that caterpillars could be choosy about intake of iridoid glycosides they were not choosy among plant genotypes; however they were choosy between leaves, which can differ in iridoid glycoside concentration via plant genotype and leaf age.
Wet Chemical Synthesis of Sr- and Mg-Doped LaGaO3, a Perovskite-Type Oxide-Ion Conductor

Sr- and Mg-doped LaGaO3ultrafine powders were prepared by a sol–gel process that involves an acetate solution of the cations followed by ammonia peptization. The formed gel precursor consists of a hydrous complex of hydroxo and acetate ligands with the cations. Dehydration occurs when the gel is heated, and the complex of hydroxo and acetate ligands with the cations precipitates. Thermal analysis (DTA/TGA) reveals endothermic peaks corresponding to the decomposition of the hydroxo ligand at 220°C and the acetate ligand at 280°C followed by a strong exothermic peak at 330°C; gases are liberated by the cleavage of the CH3COO−ligands. The coupling of the endothermic peak at 280°C and the exothermic peak at 330°C is found to be a characteristic phenomenon for the breakup of the CH3COO−bond. The IR spectroscopy of products at different stages of decomposition further confirms the existence of OH−and CH3COO−ligands and the assumptions about chemical reactions made in this study. TEM observations show an average 50-nm particle size after calcination at 500°C. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicate a single perovskite cubic phase after sintering at 1400°C, yielding a 94% dense sample. Hydrothermal treatment of the gel and the Pechini method were also used for comparison.
Water activity at interfaces and its role in regulation of interfacial enzymes:: a hypothesis

Abstract A simple relationship between surface pressure and interfacial water activity has been derived. It is hypothesized that the mechanism of activation of several membrane-bound enzymes by the surface pressure of the membrane might in part be related to changes in interfacial water activity. That is, the lipid–water interface of biomembranes may provide a thermodynamic environment in which the (re)activity of water can be controlled very precisely by inducing localized changes in surface pressure. This precise control of local water activity at interfaces might be one of the mechanisms by which the activities of membrane-bound enzymes are regulated in biological systems. The surface pressure dependency of activities of some of the membrane-bound enzymes is examined as an example in the context of interfacial water activity.
Optimization of R + e e - and ``freezing'' of the QCD couplant at low energies

The new result for the third-order QCD corrections to ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{e}}^{+}$${\mathit{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, unlike the old, incorrect result, is nicely compatible with the principle-of-minimal-sensitivity optimization method. Moreover, it leads to infrared fixed-point behavior: the optimized couplant ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathit{s}}$/\ensuremath{\pi} for ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{e}}^{+}$${\mathit{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ does not diverge at low energies, but ``freezes'' to a value 0.26 below about 300 MeV. This provides some direct theoretical evidence, purely from perturbation theory, for the ``freezing'' of the couplant---an idea that has long been a popular and successful phenomenological hypothesis. We use the ``smearing'' method of Poggio, Quinn, and Weinberg to compare the resulting theoretical prediction for ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{e}}^{+}$${\mathit{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ with experimental data down to the lowest energies, and find excellent agreement.
Sexual activities and attitudes of women with vulvar dysesthesia.

Abstract Objective To assess the relationship between sexual activities and attitudes of women with and without vulvar dysesthesia. Methods Women with vulvar dysesthesia, 18–60 years old, and ethnically matched women without this disorder were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, completed a 27-page questionnaire, and had a physical examination. We compared sexual activities and attitudes between patients and controls using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results Between January 21, 2001, and December 12, 2002, we enrolled 63 women with vulvar dysesthesia and 62 controls who reported having a current sexual partner. Women with vulvar dysesthesia were less likely than controls to have had, during the previous month, intercourse (66.7% versus 83.9%, P = .03) and orgasms (57.6% versus 78.7%, P = .02), although the association with intercourse was no longer statistically significant after controlling for age, education, and smoking status ( P = .07). Of those having had intercourse in the past month, the frequency of this activity was less among patients (3.0 ± 2.7 versus 6.2 ± 4.5 episodes, P P Conclusion Women with vulvar dysesthesia are similar to those without in many sexual activities but are less likely to have had an orgasm in the past month or to have had intercourse at the same frequency as controls. Although some attitudes were similar, sexual interest and self-concept were decreased among those with this disorder.
Measurement of pH by NMR spectroscopy in concentrated aqueous fluoride buffers

Abstract An NMR spectroscopic technique has been developed to give rapid, accurate pH measurements on tenth-milliliter samples of concentrated acidic aqueous solutions buffered by fluoride ion in the pH 1.5–4.5 range. The fluoride 19 F chemical shift has been calibrated as a function of pH at 0.1 and 1.0 M concentration by reference to an internal 3-fluoropyridine standard. Subsequent measurements of fluoride buffer pH required no additives and only two NMR spectra in the presence of an external reference standard.
Estrogen facilitation of release of pituitary ovulating hormone in the rabbit in response to vaginal stimulation.

Although naturally estrous rabbits ordinarily ovulate following coital stimulation, very few respond in this manner to simple mechanical stimulation of the vagina. In this regard, among others, they differ from the estrous cat which which readily ovulates in response to glass-rod stimulation of the vagina. The present study reveals that priming the estrous rabbit with moderate dosages of estrogen for two days or the anestrous rabbit for a longer period sets the stage for release of pituitary ovulating hormone in response to artificial stimulation of the vagina in 40–45% of the cases. The ovarian follicles, ruptured in this response, become functional corpora lutea as evidenced by the decidual reaction to uterine trauma. The ovulatory response could not be evoked in pseudopregnant rabbits by these means. The response was blocked in estrous estrogentreated rabbits by pentobarbital, atropine, dibenamine and reserpine. The report emphasizes the facilitatory function of estrogen in reflexogcnous ovulation and ...
Induced sporicidal activity of chlorhexidine against Clostridium difficile spores under altered physical and chemical conditions.

Background Chlorhexidine is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial commonly used to disinfect the skin of patients to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Because chlorhexidine is not sporicidal, it is not anticipated that it would have an impact on skin contamination with Clostridium difficile, the most important cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. However, although chlorhexidine is not sporicidal as it is used in healthcare settings, it has been reported to kill spores of Bacillus species under altered physical and chemical conditions that disrupt the spore’s protective barriers (e.g., heat, ultrasonication, alcohol, or elevated pH). Here, we tested the hypothesis that similarly altered physical and chemical conditions result in enhanced sporicidal activity of chlorhexidine against C. difficile spores.
Simultaneous determination of arsenic and selenium species in fish tissues using microwave-assisted enzymatic extraction and ion chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A microwave-assisted enzymatic extraction (MAEE) method was developed for the simultaneous extraction of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) species in fish tissues. The extraction efficiency of total As and Se and the stability of As and Se species were evaluated by analyzing DOLT-3 (dogfish liver). Enzymatic extraction using pronase E/lipase mixture assisted by microwave energy was found to give satisfactory extraction recoveries for As and Se without promoting interspecies conversion. The optimum extraction conditions were found to be 0.2 g of sample, 20 mg pronase E and 5mg lipase in 10 mL of 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.25 at 37 degrees C. The total extraction time was 30 min. The speciation analysis was performed by ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS). The accuracy of the developed extraction procedure was verified by analyzing two reference materials, DOLT-3 and BCR-627. The extraction recoveries in those reference materials ranged between 82 and 94% for As and 57 and 97% for Se. The accuracy of arsenic species measurement was tested by the analysis of BCR 627. The proposed method was applied to determine As and Se species in fish tissues purchased from a local fish market. Arsenobetaine (AsB) and selenomethionine (SeMet) were the major species detected in fish tissues. In the analyzed fish extracts, the sum of As species detected was in good agreement with the total As extracted. However, for Se, the sum of its species was lower than the total Se extracted, revealing the presence of Se-containing peptides or proteins.
Numerical modeling of microwave induced natural convection

Abstract A three-dimensional numerical model is developed to predict the distribution of electromagnetic fields, power distributions, temperatures, and velocities within a containerized liquid located in a microwave cavity. A three-dimensional Finite-Difference-Time-Domain (FDTD) scheme is used to determine electromagnetic fields and absorbed power by solving the transient Maxwell’s equations, and the Finite Control Volume method with SIMPLER algorithm is used to obtain unsteady temperature profiles and flow patterns. Temperature dependence of liquid dielectric properties is simulated through an iterative process. Two liquids, distilled water and corn oil, are chosen to illustrate microwave heating phenomena for high and low loss dielectrics, respectively.
Computational intelligence in multiple sequence alignment

Purpose – Multiple sequence alignment (MSA) is one of essential bioinformatics methods for decoding cis‐regulatory elements in gene regulation, predicting structure and function of proteins and RNAs, reconstructing phylogenetic tree, and other common tasks in biomolecular sequence analysis. The purpose of this paper is to describe briefly the basic concepts and formulations of gapped MSA and un‐gapped motif discovery approaches, and then review computational intelligence (CI) applications in MSA and motif‐finding problems.Design/methodology/approach – This paper performs exhaustive literature review on the MSA and motif discovery using CI techniques.Findings – Although CI‐based MSA algorithms were developed nearly a decade ago, most recent CI effort seems attempted to tackle the NP‐complete motif discovery problem. Applications of various CI techniques to solve motif discovery problem, including neural networks, self‐organizing map, genetic algorithms, swarm intelligence and combinations thereof, are surv...
A sedimentation‐study on Clearwater River, Idaho

Introduction—Clearwater River is situated in north central Idaho and crosses the State from east to west. This major stream is unique in that it and all its tributaries rise and flow entirely in one state. The Clearwater's well-developed dendritic pattern is bounded on the north by the watershed of St. Joe River and on the south by the Salmon and its tributaries. Lewiston, Idaho, marks the point of confluence of Clearwater and Snake rivers. The Lewiston generating-station dam on Clearwater River is situated 2 miles from the River's mouth, near the eastern limits of the City of Lewiston. The total ponded area extends upstream for 3-1/2 miles. The area covered by that portion of the log-pond with which this paper deals extends 3000 feet upstream and covers 68 acres.
Transparent boron-doped carbon nanotube films.

We report results of studies on the sheet resistance and optical transmission of thin films of boron-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Boron doping was carried out by exposure of SWNTs to B2O3 and NH3 at 900 °C and 1−3 atom % boron was found in the SWNT bundles via electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Boron doping was found to downshift the positions of the optical absorption bands associated with the van Hove singularities (E11s E22s and E11m) by ∼30 meV relative to their positions in acid-treated and annealed SWNTs. Raman spectroscopy, EELS, and optical data are consistent with the picture that a few atom % boron has been substituted for carbon in the sp2 framework of SWNTs. Finally, our results show that boron doping does not significantly affect the optical transmittance in the visible region. However, boron doping lowers the sheet resistance by ∼30% relative to pristine SWNT films from the same batch. Boron-doped SWNT may provide a better approach to touch-screen technology.
Archiving strategy for USGS EROS center and our future direction

The U. S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation and Science Center has the responsibility to acquire, manage, and preserve our Nation's land observations. These records are obtained primarily from airplanes and satellites dating back to the 1930s. The ability to compare landscapes from the past with current information enables change analysis at local and global scales. With new observations added daily, the records management challenges are daunting, involving petabytes of electronic data and tens of thousands of rolls of analog film. This paper focuses upon the appraisal and preservation functions employed to ensure that these records are available for current and future generations.
Gadolinium Burnable Absorber Optimization by the Method of Conjugate Gradients

The optimal axial distribution of gadolinium burnable poison in a pressurized water reactor is determined to yield an improved power distribution. The optimization scheme is based on Pontryagin's maximum principle, with the objective function accounting for a target power distribution. The conjugate gradients optimization method is used to solve the resulting Euler-Lagrange equations iteratively, efficiently handling the high degree of nonlinearity of the problem.
The equitable presentation for the quantum group Uq(g) associated with a symmetrizable Kac–Moody algebra g

Abstract We consider the quantum group U q ( g ) associated with a symmetrizable Kac–Moody algebra g . We display a presentation for U q ( g ) that we find attractive; we call this the equitable presentation. For g = sl 2 the equitable presentation has generators X ± 1 , Y , Z and relations X X −1 = X −1 X = 1 , q X Y − q −1 Y X q − q −1 = 1 , q Y Z − q −1 Z Y q − q −1 = 1 , q Z X − q −1 X Z q − q −1 = 1 .
Resonance ionization detection of neutral O(3PJ) produced from stimulated surface processes

We report the first quantum‐state specific detection of ground‐state atomic oxygen O(3PJ ) above an electron irradiated adsorbate‐covered surface using laser resonance‐enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. Electron‐stimulated desorption of O(3PJ ) is not observed from an O‐covered Pt(111) surface, but O(3PJ ) fragments are produced from electron‐stimulated dissociation of NO2(a) coadsorbed with O (θ0=0.75 ML) on Pt(111). The ∼9–10 eV threshold for O(3PJ ) formation correlates with that observed for NO2(a) dissociation. The measured O(3PJ ) spin‐orbit state distribution is (5.0):(2.5):(1.0) for J=2, 1, and 0, respectively. This is within experimental error of the 2J+1 statistical (T→∞) limit. No gas phase O(3PJ ) is detected from the stimulated dissociation of adsorbed O2 on Pt(111); however, we have utilized the O(3PJ) detection capability as an indirect probe of NO2 production from an electron‐stimulated surface reaction between coadsorbed O2 and NO on Pt(111). The NO2 is detected by laser photol...
Antibody and T-cell recognition of α-bungarotoxin and its synthetic loop-peptides

Peptides representing the loops and surface regions of α-bungarotoxin (BgTX) and control peptide analogs in which these sequences were randomized were synthesized and used to map the recognition profiles of the antibodies and T-cells obtained after BgTX immunization. Also, the abilities of anti-peptide antibodies and T-cells to recognize the immunizing peptide and BgTX were determined. Three regions of BgTX were immunodominant by both rabbit and mouse anti-BgTX antibodies. These regions resided within loops L1 (residues 3–16), L2 (residues 26–41) and the C-terminal tail (residues 66–74) of the toxin. The regions recognized by BgTX-primed T-lymphocytes were mapped in five mouse strains: C57BL6(H-2b), Balbc (H-2d), CBA (H-2k), C3HHe (H-2k) and SJL (H-2s). The H-2b and H-2d haplotypes were high responders to BgTX, while the H-2k and H-2s were intermediate responders. The T-cell recognition profile of the peptides varied with the haplotype, consistent with Ir gene control of the responses to the individual regions. The submolecular specificities of antibodies and T-cells were compared in three of the mouse strains (C57BL6, Balbc and SJL). In a given mouse strain, there were regions that were strongly recognized by both antibodies and T-cells as well as regions that were predominantly recognized either by antibodies or by T-cells. The peptides were used as immunogens in their free form (i.e. without coupling to any carrier) in two of the mouse strains, Balbc and SJL. In both mouse strains, the peptides gave strong antibody responses. Antibodies against peptide L2 showed the highest binding to intact BgTX. Antibodies against the other peptides exhibited lower binding activity to the intact toxin, and this activity was dependent on the peptide and the mouse strain. The response of peptide-primed T-cells to a given immunizing peptide was not related to whether this region was immunodominant with BgTX-primed T-cells. The ability of peptide-primed T-cells to recognize the intact toxin varied with the peptide and was dependent on the host strain. These results indicate that anti-peptide antibody and T-cell responses are also under genetic control and that their ability to cross-react with the parent toxin is not only dependent on the conformational exposure of the correlate region in intact BgTX.
Experimental observations and computer simulations for metallic projectile fragmentation and impact crater development in thick metal targets

Abstract Stainless steel (3.18 mm diameter) spherical projectiles impacting 2.5 cm thick targets of nickel, copper, 304 stainless steel, and 70/30 brass at velocities ranging from 0.52 to 5.12 km/s were observed by SEM to form decreasing average fragment sizes with increasing impact velocity, beyond a fragmentation onset velocity of 0.7 km/s. Crater observations by optical microscopy and SEM were qualitatively simulated using an AUTODYN numerical analysis code, which also illustrated a decrease in fragmentation density within the target craters with increasing impact velocity. However, extrapolated simulations corresponding to impact velocities as high as 10 km/s showed residual fragmentation within these craters in contrast to extrapolations of the experimental fragment size versus impact velocity data indicative of zero fragment size at 6 km/s.
Factors in the lethality of i.v. phencyclidine in conscious dogs.

1. Pretreatment were pancuronium prevented convulsions and hyperthermia, but had no effect on acidemia or changes in cardiovascular parameters after intravenous (i.v.) infusion of phencyclidine (PCP). 2. While dogs survived higher amounts of PCP, they failed to regain spontaneous respiratory function. 3. Mechanical ventilation alone increased the mean lethal dose/time of PCP and reduced the effects of PCP on arterial systolic pressure, cardiac output, and PCO2. 4. EKG showed ventricular arrhythmias, which progressed to death. 5. Phenytoin pretreatment plus respiratory assistance increased the lethal dose and reduced PCP effects on cardiovascular parameters, body temperature, and cardiac rhythm. 6. Blocking of convulsions prevented hyperthermia and acidemia; respiratory support reduced circulatory effects, but respired dogs then died, at higher doses, from a primary myocardial toxicity of PCP.
The histories of withdrawal convulsions and delirium tremens in 1648 alcohol dependent subjects

Une faible proportion d'hommes et femmes alcoolodependants font des episodes de delirium tremens (DT) et/ou convulsions au cours du sevrage alcoolique. Bien que les auteurs aient decrit certaines caracteristiques individuelles davantage susceptibles de provoquer ces suites graves liees au syndrome d'abstinence, il n'est pas evident de dire si ces facteurs de risque operent independamment dans leur association avec un sevrage severe. L'entretien semi-structure SSAGA a ete utilise pour evaluer 1648 hommes et femmes (n = 540) alcoolodependants. Les caracteristiques individuelles, les antecedents medicaux et le parcours alcoolique de 161 hommes et 51 femmes (12,8% des sujets) qui declaraient avoir eu au moins un episode de delirium tremens et/ou des convulsions durant le sevrage, ont ete compares aux caracteristiques des autres individus alcoolodependants. Compare aux autres sujets alcoolodependants, ceux ayant des antecedents de sevrage difficile declaraient avoir bu un nombre maximum de verres plus eleve dans une periode de 24 heures (40,9 ± 25,71 control 24,9 ± 17,72), davantage d'episodes de manque (28,2 ± 33,74 contre 15,9 ± 26,84), une plus grande consommation non medicale de sedatifs (56,4% contre 32,9%), et un nombre plus important de problemes de sante. L'analyse de regression logistique de type hierarchique a revele que les differences les plus grandes entre ceux ayant des antecedents de sevrage plus ou moins graves etaient liees au nombre maximum de verres/jour et au nombre total d'episodes de manque. Les autres variables s'ajoutaient encore de maniere significative a la relation avec un sevrage plus severe. L'etiologie du delirium tremens et des convulsions est complexe et implique l'interaction de diverses caracteristiques representant des domaines relativemont uniques. Il serait souhaitable que ces donnees aident les medecins a identifier les individus les plus vulnerables et donc les plus susceptibles d'avoir de graves problemes lors du sevrage, et aident les chercheurs a mieux comprendre l'etiologie de ces problemes.
Interactive learning through the use of student federal tax clinics

Abstract With approval from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), student federal tax clinics may be operated by law schools or graduate accounting programs. Currently there are 17 student federal tax clinics approved by the IRS. The graduate accounting program at the University of North Texas (UNT) was the first graduate accounting program permitted to operate a clinic and is currently one of only three accounting programs in the nation that operate a clinic. The program allows graduate accounting students to represent taxpayers before the IRS at the audit and appeals conference. This article demonstrates how tax clinics provide an excellent means for interactive learning while helping students and professors keep abreast of practice issues. Information on establishing and operating an accounting student tax clinic is provided as well as a list of current tax clinic participants.
Human Dignity—A Theological and Confucian Discussion

: There is no doubt in the Christian tradition that humans are created in the image of God, which establishes the fundamental difference between humans and animals. However, problems concerning differences between humans have become more serious in theological discussions today with regard to human dignity. While theologians of the West argue for recognition of and respect for human dignity for every individual human being through legislation in the political system, one must not overlook the fact that in China, the emphasis of Confucian anthropology on the cultivation of moral personality is of vital importance for the practice and domination of politicians.
Control of ion temperature anisotropy in a helicon plasma

Laser induced fluorescence measurements of the parallel and perpendicular ion temperatures in a helicon source indicate the existence of a substantial ion temperature anisotropy, . The magnitude of the ion temperature anisotropy depends linearly on the source magnetic field. The parallel ion temperature is independent of magnetic field strength while the perpendicular temperature increases linearly with increasing magnetic field. Bohm-like particle confinement is proposed as an explanation for the linear dependence on magnetic field of the perpendicular ion temperature. In the helicon mode, the ion temperature components are independent of RF driving frequency and power and show a trend towards isotropy at high neutral fill pressures.
A cauchy criterion and a convergence theorem for Riemann-complete integral

In 1957 Kurzweil [1] proved some theorems concerning a generalized type of differential equations by defining a Riemann-type integral, but he did not study its properties beyond the needs of that research. This was done by R. Henstock [2, 3], who named it a Riemann-complete integral. He showed that the Riemann-complete integral includes the Lebesgue integral and that the Levi monotone convergence theorem holds. The purpose of the present paper is to give a necessary and sufficient condition for a function to be Riemann-complete integrable and to establish a termwise integration theorem for a uniformly convergent sequence of Riemann-complete integrable functions.
Mutation patterns in cancer genomes.

Recent large-scale cancer sequencing studies have focused primarily on identifying cancer-associated genes, but as an important byproduct provide “passenger mutation” data that can potentially illuminate the mutational mechanisms at work in cancer cells. Here, we explore patterns of nucleotide substitution in several cancer types using published data. We first show that selection (negative or positive) has affected only a small fraction of mutations, allowing us to attribute observed trends to underlying mutational processes rather than selection. We then show that the increased CpG mutation frequency observed in some cancers primarily occurs outside of CpG islands and CpG island shores, thus rejecting the hypothesis that the increase is a byproduct of island or shore methylation followed by deamination. We observe an A→G vs. T→C mutational asymmetry in some cancers similar to one that has been observed in germline mutations in transcribed regions, suggesting that the mutation process may be influenced by gene expression. We also demonstrate that the relative frequency of mutations at dinucleotide “hotspots” can be used as a tool to detect likely technical artifacts in large-scale studies.
Neighbouring extremals of dynamic optimization problems with parameter variations

Neighbouring extremals of dynamic optimization problems with a known parameter vector θ and an unknown parameter vector π are considered in this paper. The parameter vector π and the control are to be optimally determined to minimize a cost functional with a given θ. With some simplifications, the neighbouring extremal problem is reduced to one of solving a linear, time-varying, two-point boundary value problem with integral path equality constraints. A modified backward sweep method is used to solve this problem. Example problems are solved to illustrate the validity and usefulness of the solution technique.
At-Risk Populations and the Critically Ill Rely Disproportionately on Ambulance Transport to Emergency Departments

Study objective Emergency department (ED) crowding increases ambulance diversion. Ambulance diversion disproportionately affects individuals who rely on ambulance transport. The purpose of this study is to determine which populations rely most on ambulance transport. Methods We queried the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database for 1997 to 2000 and 2003 to 2005 for patients who arrived by ambulance or personal transport. We performed bivariate analysis to assess the extent to which all patients and a subset of critically ill patients use ambulance transport relative to self-transport. Results In our sample, 30,455 (15%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 15% to 16%) patients arrived by ambulance and 162,091 (85%; 95% CI 84% to 85%) arrived by walk-in/self-transport. Overall, patients with Medicare insurance were more likely to rely on ambulance transport, at 34% (95% CI 33% to 35%), than the privately insured, at 11% (95% CI 10% to 11%). Among the critically ill, privately insured patients were less likely to rely on ambulance transport, at 47% (95% CI 42% to 52%), than those with Medicare insurance (61%; 95% CI 58% to 65%), the publicly insured (60%; 95% CI 52% to 67%), or the uninsured (57%; 95% CI 49% to 64%). Among the critically ill, patients aged 15 to 24 years and those older than 74 years were most likely to rely on ambulance transport, at 63% (95% CI 53% to 72%) and 67% (95% CI 62% to 71%), respectively. Fifty-seven percent (95% CI 54% to 59%) of the critically ill used ambulance versus 15% (95% CI 14% to 15%) of noncritical patients. Conclusion Patients with Medicare insurance or public insurance, the uninsured, the elderly, and the critically ill disproportionately rely on ambulance transport to the ED. Ambulance diversion may disproportionately affect these populations.
Polyether—urethane ionomers: surface property/ex vivo blood compatibility relationships

Abstract The effect of incorporation of ions into polyurethanes on their interfacial interaction with blood is of interest because of the relative blood compatibility of polyurethanes, and the effect of ionic domains on surface properties and thus blood response. A series of uncharged, anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic polyetherurethanes was coated on tubing surfaces, and their blood response determined using an ex-vivo canine series shunt experiment. The results showed the polyurethane zwitterionomer and anionomer to be more thromboresistant than the uncharged polyurethane. The polyurethane cationomer was the most thrombogenic material studied. A comparison between two uncharged polyurethanes of different hard segment content showed that surface soft segment concentration correlated with thromboresistance. Multiprobe surface characterization using contact angle measurements, ESCA, ATR-IR, and SEM were used to obtain surface property information on the materials studied. The thromboresistance of the zwitterionomer and the anionomer was related to a high concentration of the mobile side chain ionic sulfonate group at the surface. Ionic mobility at the interface appears to strongly influence the blood response of these materials. Ionization of polyurethanes is thus a useful technique to both improve blood compatibility and study the role of surface chemistry in artificial surface-induced thrombosis.
Three-dimensional ultrasound.

Laparoendoscopic surgery is fueled by technology, and advances in medical imaging may bring about further progress. The application of three-dimensional ultrasound to minimally invasive surgery represents technology “just over the horizon.” This article describes the scientific basis of three-dimensional ultrasound and its ability “to see” anatomy not readily visualized laparoscopically. Three-dimensional ultrasound may offer a more intuitive, accurate assessment of hidden anatomic structures in real time, using a safe, non-ionizing and cost-effecitve technology.
Differences among Holland Types as Measured by the Hand Test: An Attempt at Construct Validation

The Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and the Hand Test were administered to 120 male undergraduate students. Subjects classified into one of six Holland personality types on the basis of VPI high-point codes were found to differ significantly with respect to both the absolute and relative number of responses on certain Hand Test scoring variables. As these differences appeared to be reasonably consistent with Holland's personality theory, additional evidence was provided for the construct validity of the postulated vocational types.
Facility for regional in vivo neutron activation analysis of skeletal calcium.

Describes the authors facility which was designed and built to measure regional changes in skeletal calcium of human subjects or animals, and to measure whole body calcium in small animals. This facility employs a collimated beam of neutrons obtained from a 3 mg252Cf source. The neutrons have a fission spectrum of mean energy 2.3 MeV.
Hyperandrogenic anovulation (PCOS): a unique disorder of insulin action associated with an increased risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Recent prevalence estimates suggest that 5–10% of premenopausal women have the full-blown syndrome of hyperandrogenism, chronic anovulation, and polycystic ovaries. Evidence suggests that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have a unique disorder of insulin action and are at increased risk to develop non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Further, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women with polycystic ovary syndrome has a substantially earlier age of onset (third to fourth decades) than it does in the general population (sixth to seventh decades). Studies assessing whether abnormalities in insulin action are intrinsic or secondary to the hormonal milieu have found that insulin-induced receptor autophosphorylation is markedly diminished in approximately 50% of polycystic ovary syndrome women. This defect is unique to women with polycystic ovary syndrome and is not seen in other common insulin-resistant states of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In polycystic ovary syndrome women who have normal receptor autophosphorylation, it remains likely that signaling mechanisms downstream of the receptor are abnormal, since these women are also insulin resistant. This distinctive post-insulin-binding defect appears to be genetic, since it is present in cells removed from the in vivo environment for generations.
Supply M anagement: What's in a Name? Or, Do We Know Who We Are?

SUMMARY This article provides a conceptual basis from which to view some alternative perspectives of supply management. These approaches highlight the fractious nature of the purchasing/supply/logistics fields. Additionally, the article includes a proposal fora potentially unifying framework of the strategic components used by practitioners and researchers in supply and related fields.