cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What drives global ICT adoption? Analysis and research directions

Information and communication technology (ICT) adoption is increasing globally and offers unique opportunities for information systems (IS) and electronic commerce researchers to undertake research that will have an impact. The purpose of this article is to survey the academic literature on this topic and provide research directions for future work. We analyze economic, social and other factors that drive global ICT adoption and the individual, organizational, industry and economy impacts. We do this with respect to a set of relevant problems, technology opportunities, theories, research methods, and solutions. The integration of these areas enables us to establish a balanced picture of the current state of global ICT adoption research. It also offers a useful means to analyze the kinds of research that needs to be pursued to make additional progress in the related area of e-commerce research. With these ideas in mind, we present five emerging research directions in three different categories: new economic geography, rational expectations theory, and new empirical methods. We also analyze several topics in the global arena of emerging technologies.
Protective factors against substance use among Asian American youth: A test of the peer cluster theory

Few viable theoretical models of risk and protective factors for adolescent substance use have been empirically tested on diverse populations. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the cross-cultural validity of Oetting and Beauvais' (1987) peer cluster theory was tested on a sample of Asian American youth. Second, the effect of youths' immigration experience on the relationship among the protective factors was examined. Results showed partial support for the validity of the peer cluster model for this sample. As hypothesized, the peer domain variable was significantly related to substance use, while the family domain variable served as a protective factor against substance use. However, the school domain variable did not have any direct or indirect effects on substance use. There were no significant differences in the path model when the sample was split according to youth immigrant status. Implications for substance use prevention are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Serological and histopathological responses of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, to experimental infection with the 13P2 reovirus

. Both fingerling and adult rainbow trout were given intraperitoneal inoculations of the 131P2 reovirus which did not result in mortalities but produced a subclinical disease in 56% of the adults and in 65% of the juvenile fish. Sera from virus infected adult trout contained virus neutralizing and precipitating antibodies and demonstrated immunofluorescence of antigen(s) specific for the 13P2 virus. Virus infection was characterized by increased virus titres and a multifocal reticulo-endothelial granulomatous hepatitis, occasionally accompanied by a fibrosing pancreatitis. Electron microscopy of infected liver tissues demonstrated arrays of 13P2 virus particles in a reticuloendothelial cell phagosome and in a hepatocyte lipid inclusion body from one of three juvenile fish examined. These results show that 13P2 virus inoculation of rainbow trout causes a non-virulent virus infection accompanied by specific humoral antibodies. These antibodies are sufficient in titre for use in future serologic studies of the virus. Further discussion regarding the pathogenesis of this virus in bluegills versus rainbow trout is presented.
Anesthesia in rabbits by intrahepatic sodium pentobarbital.

Abstract A reliable method for anesthesia of laboratory rabbits by intrahepatic injection of sodium pentobarbital was developed. Anatomical dissection was the basis for designation of external landmarks for injection. The advantages of the method have been simplicity, accuracy of dosage based on body weight, and an induction speed great enough for convenience but consistent with life support measures in case of respiratory collapse. No restraint was required and the injections were easily made without assistance. Supplemental block or local infiltration anesthesia was usually required for surgical procedures. In 421 anesthetic procedures, the fatality rate was 2.9% from anesthesia-related events but the rate was much less in the last 200 procedures due to refinement of technique. Liver chemistry determinations and histopathology demonstrated insignificant hepatic damage and there was no gross morbidity.
Online estimation of power system distribution factors — A sparse representation approach

This paper proposes a method to compute linear sensitivity distribution factors (DFs) in near real-time without relying on a power flow model of the system. Instead, the proposed method relies on the solution of an underdetermined system of linear equations that arise from high-frequency synchronized measurements obtained from phasor measurement units. In particular, we exploit a sparse representation (i.e., one in which many elements are zero) of the desired DFs obtained via a linear transformation, and cast the estimation problem as an IO-norm minimization. As we illustrate through examples, the proposed approach is able to provide accurate DF estimates with fewer sets of synchronized measurements than earlier approaches that rely on the solution of an overdetermined system of equations via the least-squares errors method.
A generalization of APL array-oriented concept

One of the most important concepts in APL is that standard scalar dyadic functions may be extended element-by-element to compatible structures. This paper presents a new definition of compatability which is a generalization of the APL array-oriented concept. Examples of programs in the generalized version are given with comparisons to standard APL, FORTRAN, ALGOL, and PL/1.
Use of sedative and analgesic agents in neurotrauma patients: Effects on cerebral physiology

Sedation and analgesia is used primarily in the intensive care unit (ICU) to limit the stress response to critical illness, provide anxiolysis, improve ventilatory support, and facilitate adequate ICU care. However, in the neurotrauma ICU there are many other reasons for the use of these agents. The primary aim is to prevent secondary cerebral damage by maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion pressures. This is accomplished in several different ways. Controlling intracranial pressure (ICP) and maintaining an adequate mean arterial pressure (MAP) is at the cornerstone of this management. Lowering the metabolic demands of the brain is also an important consideration as a treatment strategy. Analgesic and sedative agents are utilized to prevent undesirable increases in ICP and to lower cerebral metabolic demands. Concerns surrounding the use of these agents include time to awakening after discontinuation, effect on the cerebrovasculature, and the effect on patient outcome. There are many different pharmacological agents available, each with their distinct advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacological effects of each of these agents when used in neurotrauma patients.
Photocarcinogenesis and persistent hyperplasia in UV-irradiated SENCAR mouse skin

Susceptibility to photocarcinogenesis has been examined in several mouse strains and stocks including SENCAR, CD-1, BALB/c, C3H, C57Bl, and NZB, SENCAR mice are hypersusceptible to tumorigenesis ca...
Vaccinia DNA topoisomerase I : single-turnover and steady-state kinetic analysis of the DNA strand cleavage and ligation reactions

Vaccinia DNA topoisomerase I catalyzes a reversible, site-specific strand cleavage and resealing reaction with duplex DNA involving a transient 3'-phosphotyrosyl linkage between the DNA and Tyr-274 of the enzyme. Single-turnover and steady-state kinetic measurements, as well as DNA binding studies with DNA duplexes containing the preferred cleavage sequence (5'-CCCTT decreases -3') in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, at 20 degrees C, have permitted the evaluation of the individual rate constants for strand cleavage (kcl) and religation (kr) and for duplex DNA binding and dissociation. The values of kcl = 0.07 s-1 and kr = 0.66 s-1 indicate that the internal cleavage equilibrium (Kcl = kcl/kr = 0.1) favors the uncleaved E.DNA complex. The apparent second-order rate constant kcl/KmDNA + = 8 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 for the single-turnover cleavage reaction is 10(2)-10(3)-fold less than the rate of diffusional encounter and provides an estimate of k(on) (DNA). Single-turnover cleavage experiments using a duplex substrate with a nonbridging racemic phosphorothioate nucleotide substitution at the cleavage site showed biphasic cleavage kinetics with equal amplitudes for each phase, which was fit to a double exponential: kfast = 0.01 s-1 and kslow = 0.0004 s-1. These "thio effects" (= kclphos/kclthiol) of 4.6- and 115-fold indicate that cleavage is at least partially rate-limiting in the single-turnover reaction; the two kinetic phases indicate a strong preference for cleavage of one thio isomer. Multiple-turnover cleavage-religation reactions showed an initial pre-steady-state burst proportional to enzyme, followed by a slower steady-state rate with a value of kcat = 0.006 s-1. The phosphorothioate substrate showed a smaller burst and no significant thio effect on kcat. These results indicate fast chemical steps and largely rate-limiting dissociation of the religated product (KD = 54 nM) in the steady-state, a conclusion confirmed by direct measurement of the rate constant for product dissociation as 0.01 s-1. MgCl2 (5 mM) increases this rate constant by an order of magnitude, thus explaining the divalent cation induced acceleration of DNA supercoil relaxation by this enzyme. No divalent cation binding by the enzyme was detected indicating this effect to result from metal binding to DNA. The rate constants kcl and kr for the nucleophilic attack of Tyr-274 and deoxyribose 5'-OH at phosphorus represent approximately 10(9)- and 10(12)-fold enhancements over the analogous attack of phenolate and alcoholate anions at the phosphorus backbone of DNA in solution at pH 7.5. Consistent with this estimate, the Y274F mutant is at least 10(6)-fold less active in cleavage than the wild-type enzyme.
Endotoxin potentiation of trichothecene-induced lymphocyte apoptosis is mediated by up-regulation of glucocorticoids.

Exposure to bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) is quite common and may increase human susceptibility to chemical-induced tissue injury. The purpose of this study was to identify mechanisms by which LPS potentiates lymphoid tissue depletion in B6C3F1 mice exposed to the common food-borne trichothecene mycotoxin, vomitoxin (VT). As demonstrated by DNA fragmentation and flow cytometric analysis, apoptosis in thymus, Peyer's patches, and bone marrow was marked in mice 12 h after administering Escherichia coli LPS (0.1 mg/kg body wt ip) concurrently with VT (12.5 mg/kg body wt po), whereas apoptosis in control mice or mice treated with either toxin alone was minimal. Based on observed increases in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 serum concentrations following LPS and VT cotreatment, the roles of these cytokines in apoptosis potentiation were assessed. Injection with rolipram, an inhibitor of TNF-alpha expression, or use of IL-6 knockout mice was ineffective at impairing thymic apoptosis induction by the toxin cotreatment, suggesting that these cytokines did not mediate LPS potentiation. Toxin cotreatment increased splenic cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression, suggesting possible involvement of prostaglandins in apoptosis. However, indomethacin, a broad spectrum inhibitor of cyclooxygenases, failed to block thymus apoptosis. Toxin cotreatment increased serum corticosterone and, furthermore, RU 486, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, significantly abrogated apoptosis in thymus, Peyer's patches, and bone marrow following LPS + VT exposure. The results presented herein and the known capacity of glucocorticoids to cause apoptosis indicate that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis plays a key role in LPS potentiation of trichothecene-induced lymphocyte apoptosis.
Symbolic modular deadlock analysis

Methods in object-oriented concurrent libraries often encapsulate internal synchronization details. As a result of information hiding, clients calling the library methods may cause thread safety violations by invoking methods in an unsafe manner. This is frequently a cause of deadlocks. Given a concurrent library, we present a technique for inferring interface contracts that specify permissible concurrent method calls and patterns of aliasing among method arguments. In this work, we focus on deriving contracts that guarantee deadlock-free execution for the methods in the library. The contracts also help client developers by documenting required assumptions about the library methods. Alternatively, the contracts can be statically enforced in the client code to detect potential deadlocks in the client. Our technique combines static analysis with a symbolic encoding scheme for tracking lock dependencies, allowing us to synthesize contracts using a SMT solver. Additionally, we investigate extensions of our technique to reason about deadlocks in libraries that employ signaling primitives such as wait-notify for cooperative synchronization. Our prototype tool analyzes over a million lines of code for some widely-used Java libraries within an hour, thus demonstrating its scalability and efficiency. Furthermore, the contracts inferred by our approach have been able to pinpoint real deadlocks in clients, i.e. deadlocks that have been a part of bug-reports filed by users and developers of client code.
Two variants noted on radiogallium imaging.

Two variants observed during radiogallium imaging are presented. In one, soft tissue uptake was enhanced at sites of external tissue overlap. In the lower abdomen, this produced a «bathing trunks» appearance. The second variant was a result of bone uptake of radiogallium in the vertebral column. With severe scoliosis, the vertebral column appears to cross the sternum, producing a «hook» appearance
The mission statement is a strategic tool: when used properly

Managers are divided in their allegiance to their firms’ mission statements. Some managers swear by their mission statement while others swear at theirs. Evidence from two firms, as well as existing research, indicates that part of this disagreement originates in the manager’s view of mission statements. Managers who see mission statements as tools that can influence the inner workings of their organizations are likely to understand the mission’s usefulness. Managers who put their mission statements on display and expect them to magically transform organizational behavior are likely to be frustrated and see them as an exercise in futility. In this paper, insights from two managers who take the first view provide specific steps managers can utilize to harness the benefits of their mission statements.
T-lymphocyte cycling in human cyclic neutropenia: effects of lithium in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Two patients with cyclic neutropenia demonstrated T-cell lymphopenia during their neutropenic episodes. In addition, they also demonstrated a depressed lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin when neutropenic, which was possibly mediated by a plasma factor. Lithium appeared to normalize T-cell expression and function when used in vitro and in vivo . Lithium therapy of one patient resulted in a cessation of T-cell cycling and a transient clinical improvement without affecting neutrophil periodicity.
Social Interactions in the Home and the Development of Young Children's Conceptions of the Personal

Observations and interviews of 20 middle-class 3- and 4-year-olds and their mothers were conducted to examine the emergence of the personal domain. Interviews with children showed that 3- and 4-year-olds make a conceptual distinction between personal, and moral or conventional issues. Interviews with mothers indicated that they viewed it as important for young children to have freedom of choice over personal issues to develop a sense of autonomy and individuality. Observations in the home revealed that mothers tended to give direct social messages to children about moral, conventional, and prudential events, and were more likely to give indirect social messages in the form of offered choices to children in response to personal issues. Mothers were more likely to negotiate with children over personal than other social events. These data revealed a pattern of social interactions concordant with event domain, which included a reciprocal system along the border between the personal and the conventional.
Use of personal computer technology in supporting a radiological review workstation

Recent advances in personal computer technology have made these low-cost platforms quite attractive for the implementation of radiological workstations, particularly in those cases where high throughput is not critical (such as clinical review workstations). In light of this observation, the objectives of this on-going project are threefold: (1) to identify the characteristics and performance specifications that are desirable in a radiological review workstation (within the UCSF PACS architecture), (2) to review current personal computer technology in terms of its ability to support such a workstation, and (3) to design and implement a prototype hardware and software architecture. This paper outlines our progress to data and discusses some of our projections for the near future.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Chemomechanical Transduction in Hybrid Bio-Derived Conducting Polymer Actuator

Biological ion transport has inspired recent developments in smart materials. The work by Leo and co-workers, Bailey and co-workers has demonstrated the feasibility to design engineered systems using biological ion transporters. The biological and bio-inspired systems utilize ion transport across a barrier membrane for energy conversion. Among smart materials, ionic-active materials demonstrate electromechanical coupling using ion transport across the thickness of the polymer. Inspired by the resemblance between ionic interaction in a conducting polymer and biological membranes, this paper presents a novel actuation mechanism that uses ion transport through a biological membrane to produce shape changes in a conducting polymer actuator. This paper presents the basic architecture, the physics of transduction and analysis of extensional and bending actuation in the hybrid bio-polymer actuator. An extensional actuator of size 1 cm × 1 cm × 1 μm is theoretically found to generate 135 mPa of blocked stress. A bimorph bending actuator of dimensions 10 mm × 1 mm × 2 μm is theoretically found to produce a free-displacement of 0.5 mm using biochemical gradients.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A review of venous collaterals in inferior vena cava obstruction

The purpose of this study was to review venous collateralization resulting from inferior vena cava obstruction. The elements responsible for the extent and distribution of venous collaterals in inferior vena cava obstruction and whether or not the obstructive lesion involves tributaries of the inferior vena cava. Common etiologies of inferior vena cava obstruction include extensions of iliofemoral vein thrombi, thrombosis from intraluminal tumors or following trauma, and external compression. The anatomy of the venous collateral systems may be divided into deep and superficial networks, each of which is composed of systems of primary or secondary clinical significance, as defined by the degree of restoration of adequate venous return and the extent of visceral venous decompression. The most common obstructions of the inferior vena cava involve the lower third of the vessel. The azygos-hemiazygos and vertebral venous plexus systems play the most significant roles, while the superficial systems are less prominently involved. In upper level inferior vena cava obstruction, reestablishment of venous circulation is less developed, which usually leads to a poorer clinical outcome. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Representative Policing and Violence Towards the Police

Conflict theories suggest that groups lacking access to the political process, such as racial minorities, may resort to violence to achieve their goals and protest against injustice perpetuated by the state. Given their visibility, police officers may be particularly vulnerable to striking out by politically excluded groups; however, no research of which we are aware has examined how racial demographics within police departments, relative to the communities served, impacts violence against officers. Drawing on the racial threat perspective, we hypothesized that jurisdictions where the police are less representative of the community served would experience a greater number of assaults against police. FINDINGS indicate that while population size and aggravated assault rates are strongly predictive of assaults against police, the relationship between minority representation and assaults against police is not consistent with expectations: as the representation ratio increases within departments, so too does the number of assaults on police. Language: en
International Waste Glass Study - Composition and Leachability Correlations

As part of an effort to assess and understand the performance and chemical durability of Savannah River Plant (SRP) waste glass, an International Glass Study was undertaken. That study found important similarities, based on correlations of composition and leaching performance, among many difference defense and commercial waste glass compositions being studied world-wide. In addition, the beneficial effect of waste on glass performance was confirmed for the systems evaluated. This paper discusses those results.
Characterization of a Cys115 to Asp Substitution in the Escherichia coli Cell Wall Biosynthetic Enzyme UDP-GlcNAc Enolpyruvyl Transferase (MurA) That Confers Resistance to Inactivation by the Antibiotic Fosfomycin†

The antibiotic fosfomycin inhibits bacterial cell wall biosynthesis by inactivation of UDP-GlcNAc enolpyruvyl transferase (MurA). Prior work has established that Cys115 of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae MurA is the active site nucleophile alkylated by fosfomycin and implicated this residue in the formation of a covalent phospholactyl−enzyme adduct derived from the substrate, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). On the basis of sequencing information from a putative MurA homolog from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we generated a C115D mutant of E. coli MurA that was highly active but fully resistant to time-dependent inhibition by fosfomycin. Fosfomycin still bound to the active site of C115D MurA, as established by the observed reversible competitive inhibition vs PEP. In contrast to the broad pH-independent behavior of wild-type (WT) MurA, C115D mutant activity titrated across the pH range examined (pH 5.5−9) with an apparent pKa ∼6, with kcatC115D ranging from ∼10kcatWT at pH 5.5 to <0.1kcatWT at pH 9.0. ...
Ultrastructure of granulocytes in the peripheral blood of the cat

The ultrastructure of granulocytes in the peripheral blood of the cat was studied. At least two morphologically distinct types of mature granules were seen in eosinophils, basophils and neutrophils. The primary granules of cat eosinophils contained concentric rings with a repeat of 10 nm and a substructure of each ring with a repeat of less than 2 nm. Lattice and banding patterns with a repeat of 12 nm were seen in 5% of the primary basophil granules. Secondary granules of all three granulocytes were dumbbell-shaped or elongated and were considerably smaller than primary granules. Granular endoplasmic reticulum observed in some segmented neutrophils was thought to represent Doehle bodies seen occasionally in blood smears of normal cats. Nuclear projections were seen in some neutrophils and eosinophils. Comparative aspects of the ultrastructure of cat granulocytes are discussed.
Determination of impurities in nucleoside 3'-phosphoramidites by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

Abstract Negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry is quite useful for the identification of products and by-products formed during the synthesis of nucleoside 3′-phosphoramidites. The data shown that detritylation and oxidation are side reactions which occur during the synthesis of monomeric units used in the construction of oligodeoxyribonucleotides by the phosphite triester method.
Jealousy in sexually open marriages

One hundred twenty-five men and 125 women, all Dutch and mostly liberal middle-class, responded to a series of scales measuring present, past, and anticipated jealousy as well as a variety of variables thought to be correlated with jealousy. All respondents were or had been in a sexually open marriage in which one or both partners had had an extramarital involvement. Women were more jealous than men. A variety of negative and positive consequences of spouse's extramarital involvement are presented. Individual and marital variables such as self-esteem, age, emotional dependency, and marital satisfaction were only weakly related to jealousy if at all. Only two of four major perceived causes for the reduction of jealousy in the relationship were related to jealousy anticipated in future jealousy-provoking situations. The findings are discussed in connection with sex roles, the threats that trigger jealousy, and a theoretical model of jealousy presented elsewhere.
Representation of Water Table Dynamics in a Land Surface Scheme. Part I: Model Development

Most of the current land surface parameterization schemes lack any representation of regional groundwater aquifers. Such a simplified representation of subsurface hydrological processes would result in significant errors in the predicted land surface states and fluxes especially for the shallow water table areas in humid regions. This study attempts to address this deficiency. To incorporate the water table dynamics into a land surface scheme, a lumped unconfined aquifer model is developed to represent the regional unconfined aquifer as a nonlinear reservoir, in which the aquifer simultaneously receives the recharge from the overlying soils and discharges runoff into streams. The aquifer model is linked to the soil model in the land surface scheme [Land Surface Transfer Scheme (LSX)] through the soil drainage flux. The total thickness of the unsaturated zone varies in response to the water table fluctuations, thereby interactively coupling the aquifer model with the soil model. The coupled model (called LSXGW) has been tested in Illinois for an 11-yr period from 1984 to 1994. The results show reasonable agreements with the observations. However, there are still secondary biases in the LSXGW simulation partially resulting from not accounting for the spatial variability of water table depth. The issue of subgrid variability of water table depth will be addressed in a companion paper.
Comparative virulence and competition between Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Abstract Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are infected by two species of microsporidia: Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. Epidemiological evidence indicates that N. ceranae may be replacing N. apis globally in A. mellifera populations, suggesting a potential competitive advantage of N. ceranae. Mixed infections of the two species occur, and little is known about the interactions among the host and the two pathogens that have allowed N. ceranae to become dominant in most geographical areas. We demonstrated that mixed Nosema species infections negatively affected honey bee survival (median survival = 15–17 days) more than single species infections (median survival = 21 days and 20 days for N. apis and N. ceranae, respectively), with median survival of control bees of 27 days. We found similar rates of infection (percentage of bees with active infections after inoculation) for both species in mixed infections, with N. apis having a slightly higher rate (91% compared to 86% for N. ceranae). We observed slightly higher spore counts in bees infected with N. ceranae than in bees infected with N. apis in single microsporidia infections, especially at the midpoint of infection (day 10). Bees with mixed infections of both species had higher spore counts than bees with single infections, but spore counts in mixed infections were highly variable. We did not see a competitive advantage for N. ceranae in mixed infections; N. apis spore counts were either higher or counts were similar for both species and more N. apis spores were produced in 62% of bees inoculated with equal dosages of the two microsporidian species. N. ceranae does not, therefore, appear to have a strong within-host advantage for either infectivity or spore growth, suggesting that direct competition in these worker bee mid-guts is not responsible for its apparent replacement of N. apis.
Thermal Time Distributions in Tubular Heat Exchangers during Aseptic Processing of Fluid Foods

The objectives of this study were to develop a mathematical model for thermal time distributions (TTD) in tubular heat exchangers and to perform a computer simulation to study the role of TTD in food process design. A computer simulation of heat transfer to a pseudoplastic fluid with variable thermophysical properties heated in a tubular heat exchanger was carried out. A power law model, with the flow behavior consistency indices modeled as temperature-dependent properties, is used to described the flow behavior of the fluid. The coupled continuity, momentum, and energy equations with corresponding boundary conditions for constant wall temperature and heat flux are solved numerically by a Dufort-Frankel finite difference technique. Thermal processing models are then applied to obtain TTD by tracking fluid elements along the flow path in a heating section. TTD and F curves are used to evaluate process effectiveness. Two tube radii (0.0254 and 0.0382 m) and two wall temperatures (125 and 130 °C) were studied. Increasing the wall temperature from 125 to 130 °C reduced the length of the heat exchanger by 11.3%. Increasing the tube radius by 150% caused an 84.2 % increase in the length of the heating section.
Bending-fatigue damage-detection on notched-tooth spiral-bevel gears using the average-log-ratio, ALR, algorithm

Abstract The frequency-domain ALR (average-log-ratio) damage-detection algorithm [MSSP 24 (2010) 2807–2823] is utilized to illustrate damage detection and progression on notched-tooth spiral-bevel gears. Use of equal weighting of increases or decreases of individual rotational-harmonic amplitudes caused by damage, for early ALR detections, is substantiated. Continuously improving statistical reliability of ALR is documented by using increasing numbers of rotational-harmonic amplitude-ratios and increasing numbers of waveforms in the synchronous averaging. Sensitivity of the ALR algorithm to incipient damage is observed to be comparable to that obtained from the kurtosis-based Figure of Merit 4 (FM4). In contrast to FM4, ALR is shown to monotonically increase with increasing damage and running time. Interestingly, this diagnostic technique can be implemented with remarkably low analog-to-digital conversion rates. Computation of ALR for differing torque levels shows strong indications of weakening tooth-stiffness and increasing tooth-plastic-deformation. ALR computation utilizing tooth-rotational-location windowing also is illustrated.
Recombinant human interferon gamma therapy for osteopetrosis

A defect in leukocytic superoxide formation has been demonstrated in patients with congenital osteopetrosis. This leukocyte defect appears to be related to defective bone resorption. Because recombinant human interferon gamma therapy enhances superoxide production in patients with chronic granulomatous disease, we sought to determine whether a similar strategy could reverse the osteopetrotic condition. Interferon gamma, 1.5 μ g/kg three times a week, was administered by subcutaneous injection for 6 months to eight patients with osteopetrosis. Urinary hydroxyproline and urinary calcium excretion increased markedly during therapy in parallel with a significant decrease in trabecular bone volume. Bone marrow scans demonstrated increased bone marrow production. The hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, and leukocyte production of superoxide increased significantly. No serious infections were encountered during the therapy. These data suggest that interferon gamma administration enhances bone resorption and leukocyte function in patients with osteopetrosis.
An eating disorder randomized clinical trial and attrition: profiles and determinants of dropout.

Eating disorders (ED), particularly anorexia nervosa, account for the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders (1,2). Psychotherapy has been the first-line approach for the treatment of ED, with demonstrated efficacy in bulimic samples and some indications of efficacy for the anorexic population (3,10). However, treatment success remains limited and the development of effective interventions remains among the most important priorities in the field (4). Randomized clinical trials (RCT) are considered the gold standard approach to establishing the efficacy of new forms of intervention. Yet the validity of findings from RCT in the ED field has been consistently threatened by high rates of attrition, and to date, studies focused on predictors of attrition have been limited. The few studies that have examined ED RCT attrition have focused almost exclusively on drop out during the treatment phase of the study. Attrition that occurs during the post-intervention follow-up phases has not been systematically addressed even though it has significant consequences on the result. Further, studies have been based on the assumption that pretreatment sources of individual difference account for the attrition, and therefore, the focus has been almost exclusively on the examination of group differences in baseline characteristics. The fact that findings from these studies have failed to converge raises an interesting question of whether individual differences in response to treatment may be important in explaining attrition patterns. The primary purpose of this study is to explore whether differential treatment effects in the targeted mechanism of change and ED symptoms are associated with patterns of attrition through the treatment and follow-up phases in an ED psychotherapy RCT.
Chemical enhancer solubility in human stratum corneum lipids and enhancer mechanism of action on stratum corneum lipid domain

Previously, chemical enhancer-induced permeation enhancement on human stratum corneum (SC) lipoidal pathway at enhancer thermodynamic activities approaching unity in the absence of cosolvents (defined as Emax) was determined and hypothesized to be related to the enhancer solubilities in the SC lipid domain. The objectives of the present study were to (a) quantify enhancer uptake into SC lipid domain at saturation, (b) elucidate enhancer mechanism(s) of action, and (c) study the SC lipid phase behavior at Emax. It was concluded that direct quantification of enhancer uptake into SC lipid domain using intact SC was complicated. Therefore a liposomal model of extracted human SC lipids was used. In the liposome study, enhancer uptake into extracted human SC lipid liposomes (EHSCLL) was shown to correlate with Emax. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to evaluate lipid phase alterations in enhancer-treated intact SC. IR spectra demonstrated an increase in the lipid domain fluidity and DSC thermograms indicated a decrease in the phase transition temperature with increasing Emax. These results suggest that the enhancer mechanism of action is through enhancer intercalation into SC intercellular lipids and subsequent lipid lamellae fluidization related to enhancer lipid concentration.
Causes of Time Buffer and Duration Variation in Construction Project Tasks: Comparison of Perception to Reality

AbstractDue to the inherent nature of the construction industry, all construction projects have some amount and type of uncertainty. This uncertainty can lead to variation in project task durations from what was originally planned. As a result, construction personnel compensate for the uncertainty by adding a time buffer to absorb variations in the work plan. For the purpose of this research, a time buffer is defined as the amount of time included in task durations to compensate for uncertainty and to protect against variation. Variation is defined as the difference between the planned and actual task duration. Although previous research acknowledges time buffer additions, the root causes for adding a buffer have not been thoroughly researched. A nationwide survey was administered to project managers, superintendents, and foremen to identify the most severe reasons for adding time buffers to construction task durations. The root causes of variation have been previously identified and are used as the compa...
Regional phospholipid analysis of porcine lens membranes by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

The applicability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) to the qualitative and quantitative analysis of most mammalian phospholipid (PL) classes was demonstrated in a crude extract of porcine lens membranes. When 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) was used as the matrix, positive-ion spectra allowed the accurate quantification of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and sphingomyelins (SMs). Other PLs such as phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogens (PEps), phosphatidylethanolamine ethers (PEes) and phosphatidylserines (PSs), could also be detected, but their lower ionization efficiency led to negative errors in their quantification. Despite this limitation, it was possible to determine relative changes among PLs extracted from cortical and nuclear regions. Negative-ion spectra were acquired with the use of p-nitroaniline (PNA) as the matrix. Because neither PCs nor SMs produce negative ions, other PL classes can be analyzed selectively. The absolute quantification of the various PL classes detectable in negative-ion spectra was also affected by differences in ionization efficiencies. However, the trends in compositional changes between cortical and nuclear-fiber PLs were in agreement with those obtained by (31)P NMR spectroscopy. MALDI-TOFMS also offers the possibility of studying variations in the acyl-chain distribution of the various species comprising each PL class. For porcine lenses, PCs, PEs and phosphatidylinositols (PIs) exhibited the greatest depletions in going from cortical to nuclear membranes. Among their individual species, those with two or more sites of unsaturation suffered the most significant reduction.
Bacterial mutagenicity of eight medicinal herbs from Zimbabwe

Eight plants traditionally used as medicines in Zimbabwe were evaluated for mutagenicity. The required plant parts were dried, powdered and extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus with distilled water. The extracts were tested using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97a, TA98, TA100 and TA102. The results indicate five of these extracts are nonmutagenic in the assay while three of the extracts were found to be mutagenic. The three plant extracts, namely those of Combretum erythrophyllum, Gnidia kraussiana and Barlerii randii, were found to be mutagenic to strain TA102. Furthermore, the extract of C. erythrophyllum was also mutagenic to strain TA100. The presence of S9 mix appeared to diminish the mutagenicity of the extracts except in the case of C. erythrophyllum, the mutagenicity of which was enhanced in strain TA100. These results assume importance in view of the fact that these plants are used as therapeutic agents.
Nanostructural features in silica-polyvinyl acetate nanocomposites characterized by small-angle scattering

Abstract Small-angle scattering (SAS) experiments were carried out on nanocomposites of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and fumed silica nanoparticles with different surface areas and chemical treatment, in the wave-vector ( Q ) range: 0.0002–1 A −1 . SAS data on composites with matrices of two different molecular weights indicate that the particle aggregation is independent of the molecular weight of the matrix for a fixed filler concentration and surface treatment. Particle size distributions derived from the SAS data suggest that particle aggregation is reduced when the native surface hydroxyl groups are blocked by various surface treatments, which also reduce the bonding strength to the polymer matrix. The unified exponential/power-law analysis of the SAS data shows three levels of hierarchy in the organization of silica particles. The first level consists of small aggregates of silica particles. At the second level we observe polydispersed aggregates resembling mass-fractal objects that is corroborated by TEM. The polydispersed aggregates further associate to form agglomerates at the third level. The relevance of these findings to the mechanism of nanofiller reinforcement of linear amorphous polymers above T g is discussed.
Inelastic Interactions of Low-Energy Electrons with Organic Solids: Simple Formulae for Mean Free Paths and Stopping Powers

A theoretical description of the inelastic interactions of low-energy electrons (E?10 keV) with solid organic insulators is presented. The response of the valence electrons to energy and momentum transfers is inferred from a model for the energy-loss function with parameters fixed by optical data. With this model energy-loss function, inverse mean free path and stopping power due to interactions with the valence electrons are calculated for several organic solids. Contributions to the inverse mean free path and stopping power due to K-shell ionization in carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are obtained from theoretical atomic generalized oscillator strengths. Simple, analytical formulae are deduced which allow predictions of mean free paths and stopping powers for electrons in the energy range 100 eV?E?10 keV to be made for a large group of organic solids.
Quantitative determination of hexosamines in glycoprotein by ion-exchange chromatography

An ion-exchange chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of glucosamine and galactosamine in glycoproteins is described. The hexosamines are completely separated from interfering peptides of the acid hydrolysate using a small column of cation exchanger in a manner described earlier by Boas. Chromatographic separation of the hexosamine fraction and the determination of glucosamine and galactosamine are accomplished on an amino acid analyzer with ninhydrin.
Comparative properties of copper wire array implosions driven by the pre-refurbished and post-refurbished generator

Summary form only given. The refurbishment of Sandia's Z generator, completed in late 2007, represents a significant enhancement in its capabilities. In addition to increased operational efficiency and reliability, up to twice the previous energy can be stored in its present capacitors, allowing for greater load current and coupled energy1. Despite losses occurring near the load, enhancements of current of ∼ 15% and load energy coupling of > 30% have been achieved in K-shell experiments2.
A paradox of cooling winter soil surface temperatures in a warming northeastern United States

Climate model projections indicate that wintertime temperatures will warm and change snowfall patterns in the northeastern U.S. Snow provides insulation for soils from air temperature fluctuations. Therefore, these snowfall changes will have consequences, particularly for soil surface temperatures. Changes in minimum soil surface temperatures were investigated using a heat flow soil temperature model, driven using daily average air temperature and snow depth data. Two scenarios of three coupled atmosphere-ocean circulation models were used to run the soil temperature model. Modeled projections of minimum soil surface temperatures in the northeastern U.S. indicate that warming will occur over the majority of the region over the 2000–2099 period. In contrast, soil surface temperature projections in the northernmost and snowiest regions of the Northeast indicate minimum soil surface temperatures will be colder. In these northern regions, the coldest soil surface temperatures are also projected to occur later in winter, but show little change in other regions. Most trends throughout the Northeast are enhanced using the higher emission scenario A1fi. Changes to snow depth drive the changes in the minimum soil surface temperatures where snow persists during winter, whereas average air temperatures drive changes in the rest of the northeastern U.S.
Health care organizations' use of race/ethnicity data to address quality disparities

Health care organizations—health plans, hospitals, community health centers, clinics, and group practices—can play an important role in the elimination of racial/ethnic disparities in health care. There are now a number of examples of organizations that have been successful in reducing or eliminating disparities, and a number of published examples of how quality improvement initiatives can improve care for members of targeted minority groups, thereby contributing to the elimination of disparities.
Linkage Disequilibrium in Genetic Association Studies Improves the Performance of Grammatical Evolution Neural Networks

One of the most important goals in genetic epidemiology is the identification of genetic factors/features that predict complex diseases. The ubiquitous nature of gene-gene interactions in the underlying etiology of common diseases creates an important analytical challenge, spurring the introduction of novel, computational approaches. One such method is a grammatical evolution neural network (GENN) approach. GENN has been shown to have high power to detect such interactions in simulation studies, but previous studies have ignored an important feature of most genetic data: linkage disequilibrium (LD). LD describes the non-random association of alleles not necessarily on the same chromosome. This results in strong correlation between variables in a dataset, which can complicate analysis. In the current study, data simulations with a range of LD patterns are used to assess the impact of such correlated variables on the performance of GENN. Our results show that not only do patterns of strong LD not decrease the power of GENN to detect genetic associations, they actually increase its power
Interaction of sleep quality and sleep duration on impaired fasting glucose: a population-based cross-sectional survey in China.

Objectives To explore the interactions of sleep quality and sleep duration and their effects on impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in Chinese adults. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Community-based investigation in Xuzhou, China. Participants 15 145 Chinese men and women aged 18–75 years old who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Primary and secondary outcome measures The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to produce sleep quality categories of good, common and poor. Fasting blood glucose levels were assessed for IFG. Sleep duration was measured by average hours of sleep per night, with categories of 8 h. The products of sleep and family history of diabetes, obesity and age were added to the logistic regression model to evaluate the addictive interaction and relative excess risk of interaction (RERI) on IFG. The attributable proportion (AP) of the interaction and the synergy index (S) were applied to evaluate the additive interaction of two factors. Bootstrap measures were used to calculate 95% CI of RERI, AP and S. Results The prevalence of IFG was greatest in those with poor sleep quality and short sleep duration (OR 6.37, 95% CI 4.66 to 8.67; p Conclusions The results suggest that there are additive interactions between poor sleep quality and short sleep duration.