cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A first collision source method for coupling Monte Carlo and discrete ordinates for localized source problems

A difficult class of problems for the discrete-ordinates neutral particle transport method is to accurately compute the flux due to a spatially localized source. Because the transport equation is solved for discrete directions, the so-called ray effect causes the flux at space points far from the source to be inaccurate. Thus, in general, discrete ordinates would not be the method of choice to solve such problems! It is better suited for calculating problems with significant scattering. The Monte Carlo method is suited to localized source problems, particularly if the amount of collisional interactions is minimal. However, if there are many scattering collisions and the flux at all space points is desired, then the Monte Carld method becomes expensive. To take advantage of the attributes of both approaches, we have devised a first collision source method to combine the Monte Carlo and discrete-ordinates solutions. That is, particles are tracked from the source to their first scattering collision and tallied to produce a source for the discrete-ordinates calculation. A scattered flux is then computed by discrete ordinates, and the total flux is the sum of the Monte Carlo and discrete ordinates calculated fluxes. In this paper, we present calculational results using the MCNP and TWODANT codes for selected two-dimensional problems that show the effectiveness of this method.
Evolving Controls for Unstable Systems

This paper considers the use of the genetic algorithm (GA) to create neural networks capable of carrying out a series of increasingly difficult control problems. The control problems considered are variations of the standard pole balancing problem, including a variable length pole, multiple poles on a single cart, and a jointed pole. This paper presents these problems and their equations of motion, discusses GA created networks for handling these problems, and compares the networks for control theoretic solutions. The paper concludes that the GA and neural nets are well suited to the difficult control problems presented.
Physicochemical aspects of doxorubicin-loaded pH-sensitive polymeric micelle formulations from a mixture of poly(l-histidine)-b-poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)

Abstract In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) was physically incorporated into pH-sensitive micelles made from a mixture of poly( l - histidine) -b- poly(ethylene glycol)/poly( l - lactide)- b -poly(ethylene glycol) (75/25, wt.%). The DOX-loaded mixed micelles were formulated using dialysis methods and optimal DOX incorporation was achieved at a drug/polymer feed ratio of 0.2 (wt./wt.) when a proper amount of aqueous phase (0.2, v./v.) was added into the common solvent (DMSO) solution, followed by dialysis at 4 °C. Based on the results obtained from dynamic light scattering, UV–Vis absorption, and fluorescence experiments, it was demonstrated that the encapsulated drugs were mainly located inside the hydrophobic micelle cores, well protected and inaccessible to the exterior molecules. Under in vitro conditions, although the microstructure of the micelles was altered below pH 8.0 by the encapsulated drugs, the drug-loaded micelles still exhibited a desirable ability to control the drug release in response to tumor extracellular pH.
Requirement of Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate for the Thermosensitive Effects of Rts1 in a Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate-Less Mutant of Escherichia coli

Abstract Previous publications showed that a covalently closed circular (CCC) Rts1 plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that confers kanamycin resistance upon the host bacteria inhibits host growth at 42°C but not at 32°C. At 42°C, the CCC Rts1 DNA is not formed, and cells without plasmids emerge. To investigate the possible role of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) in the action of Rts1 on host bacteria, Rts1 was placed in an Escherichia coli mutant (CA7902) that lacks adenylate cyclase or in E. coli PP47 (a mutant lacking cAMP receptor protein). Rts1 did not exert the thermosensitive effect on these cells, and CCC Rts1 DNA was formed even at 42°C. Upon addition of cAMP to E. coli CA7902(Rts1), cell growth and formation of CCC Rts1 DNA were inhibited at 42°C. The addition of cAMP to E. coli PP47(Rts1) did not cause inhibitory effects on either cell growth or CCC Rts1 DNA formation at 42°C. The inhibitory effect of cAMP on E. coli CA7902(Rts1) is specific to this cyclic nucleotide, and other cyclic nucleotides such as cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate did not have the effect. For this inhibitory effect, cells have to be preincubated with cAMP; the presence of cAMP at the time of CCC Rts1 DNA formation is not enough for the inhibitory effect. If the cells are preincubated with cAMP, one can remove cAMP during the [3H]thymidine pulse and still observe its inhibitory effect on the formation of CCC Rts1 DNA. The presence of chloramphenicol during this preincubation period abolished the inhibitory effect of cAMP. These observations suggest that cAMP is necessary to induce synthesis of a protein that inhibits CCC Rts1 DNA formation and cell growth at 42°C.
Myosin X dimerization and its impact on cellular functions

All members of the myosin superfamily of actin-based molecular motors are thought to use the energy from ATP hydrolysis to generate force and motion. Some myosins are capable of forming parallel coiled-coil dimers by virtue of a coiled-coil domain that is C-terminal to the motor catalytic region (head) (1). This form of dimerization is thought to be essential for the hand-over-hand processive walking mechanism of myosins that function as intracellular transporters (2). In this walking mechanism the mechanochemical properties of the motors are such that the likelihood of at least one head of the dimer being attached to the actin filament is high, owing to a step size that closely matches the helical pitch of the actin filament and a strain-gating mechanism in which the enzymatic cycles of the two heads are coordinated (2). Processive walking allows for multiple successive steps and long-distance transport along a single actin filament. In a study presented in PNAS, Lu et al. (3) demonstrate an antiparallel dimerization mechanism in myosin X (MYO10) and suggest that this structural arrangement allows more efficient processive walking in the parallel actin bundles of filopodia. In addition, Lu et al. (3) demonstrate that formation of the antiparallel coiled coil enhances the ability of MYO10 to induce filopodia formation.
Experimental and computational study of a swept compression corner interaction flowfield

The results of an experimental and computational study of the three-dimensional shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction generated by a swept compression corner are presented. This corner had a streamwise compression angle of 24 deg and a sweepback angle of 40 deg. Two equilibrium incoming turbulent boundary layers with thicknesses varying by 3:1 were used. In both cases the freestream Mach number was 2.95, the freestream Reynolds number was 63xl0/m, and the wall temperature was close to adiabatic. This study was undertaken to test the applicability to flowfield features of a Reynolds number similarity law originally based on surface features only. A second goal of the study was to test the ability of a state-of-the-art numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations to predict the subject flow. The experimental results, composed primarily of flowfield pitot pressure and yaw angle surveys, confirmed the general applicability of the similarity law. The comparison of experiment and computation revealed that the latter captured may of the qualitative features of the flow. Further, only very limited reasons were found to prefer a two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence model rather than an algebraic model for predictions of this flow.
Cloning and primary structural analysis of the bullous pemphigoid autoantigen BP180.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune skin disease that is characterized by the presence of subepidermal blisters resulting from a disruption of the adhesive interactions between basal keratinocytes and the cutaneous basement membrane. Autoantibodies from patients suffering from this disorder recognize two epidermal antigens, BP180 and BP230, both of which have been localized to the hemidesmosome, a transmembrane structure of stratified, squamous epithelia that functions in cell-matrix adhesion. In the present study we report the primary structural analysis of BP180 based on the sequence of a series of overlapping cDNA clones encompassing 4,669 bases of the BP180 transcript. A polymerase chain reaction-based protocol was used to confirm the contiguity of the cDNA segments. This cloned portion of the BP180 transcript was found to contain one long open reacting frame (ORF) 4,596 bases in length. This ORF encodes a polypeptide of 155,000 Daltons with an isoelectric point of 9.7. The carboxyl-terminal half of BP180, a stretch of 916 amino acids, consists of 15 collagen domains of variable length (15 to 242 amino acids) that are separated from one another by short stretches of non-collagen sequences. Located 76 amino acids upstream of the collagenous region is a putative transmembrane domain, a structural feature that distinguishes BP180 from all of the well-characterized members of the collagen family. This membrane-spanning domain is predicted to function as a signal-anchor sequence, directing the C-terminal collagenous segment of this protein to the exterior of the cell. The putative intracellular domain is highly basic with an isoelectric point of 10.37. This molecular analysis predicts that the BP180 antigen is an integral membrane protein of the hemi-desmosome that contains a long extracellular collagenous tail. This combination of structural features suggests that BP180 may function as a cell-matrix adhesion molecule, with the collagenous region acting as a potential site of interaction with basement membrane components. Autoantibody-mediated disruption of such an adhesive interaction may play a critical role in the development of sub-epidermal blisters in BP patients.
Building things in general relativity

In the context of general relativity, there is a sense in which certain objects cannot be constructed, using reasonable matter, from normal initial conditions. An attempt is made to capture this sense as a definition. The implications of such a definition, along with some related results and open questions, are discussed.
The actin genes of drosophila: a dispersed multigene family

We have initiated a study of the organization and expression of the actin genes of D. melanogaster. Using actin gene-specific probes from both chicken and Dictyostelium sources, a clone--denoted lambda DmA2--containing a Drosophila actin gene has been isolated from a representative library of Drosophila genomic DNA cloned in the lambda bacteriophage vector, Charon 4. Southern blotting experiments reveal that there is only one actin structural gene contained in the 17.5 kb Drosophila insert of lambda DmA2 and that the sequences immediately flanking the structural gene are single copy. Observations by electron microscopy of the R loop structures formed by hybridizing total cytoplasmic poly(A)+ RNA from Drosophila embryos to an appropriate subcloned segment of lambda DmA2 indicate that the gene consists of an approximately 70-170 nucleotide leader sequence encoding the 5' portion of the mature mRNA, a 1.65 kb intervening sequence not present in the mRNA and a 1.55 kb sequence containing the major portion of the gene. Using genomic blots with actin-specific probes derived from lambda DmA2, we show that there are six actin genes per haploid Drosophilia genome. They direct the synthesis of three major size classes of mRNA. Using in situ hybridization, the six genes have been localized to six widely dispersed sites on the polytene chromosomes; the locus for lambda DmA2 is 5C on the X chromosome. In vitro translation of mRNA selected hybridization by a DNA segment specific to lambda DmA2 suggests that this particular gene codes for one of the cytoplasmic actin polypeptides.
Legal Challenges to Presidential Policies on the Use of Military Force

A review of legal challenges to the use of military force, from the Vietnam War era to the Gulf War, demonstrates a judicial unwillingness to constrain presidential policymaking. In most of these cases, the judiciary has ruled the legal challenge nonjusticiable. In the first post-Cold War challenge, Dellums v. Bush, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued the equivalent of a declaratory judgment. Arguably, this is the only practical judicial response to the presidential use of force, but it does little more than redirect the policy conflict from the courts to Congress. The rule of law remains a weak reed in efforts to constrain presidential policymaking on the use of military force.
Calcium-dependent presynaptic action of substance P at the frog neuromuscular junction.

SUBSTANCE P, an 11 amino acid peptide found in many areas of the nervous system1, has been proposed to be the excitatory transmitter between primary afferents and motoneurons2. A depolarising action of substance P on spinal motoneurons and primary afferents has been demonstrated3–6. But, an initial reduction of response preceding an increased spinal reflex discharge and a reduction of the motoneurone excitatory postsynaptic potential has also been seen in response to substance P (refs 4, 5). In addition, both excitatory and inhibitory effects of substance P on firing of cuneate and cortical Betz cells have been reported7,8. In the hatchetfish Mauthner fibre–giant fibre synapse, substance P has a pronounced presynaptic effect9. We have further investigated the effects of substance P at a synapse in which the electrophysiological characteristics and transmitter are known, the ionic constituents of the Ringer can be manipulated and quantal analysis is possible—the neuromuscular junction of the frog. We report here that substance P has a potent presynaptic effect on transmission at this synapse which is composed of an initial phase in which transmission is depressed, followed by a prolonged period in which excitability and quantal release are increased.
Value of Continuous Photoelectric Recording of Dye Curves in the Estimation of Cardiac Output

In order to test photoelectric recording of dye curves, simultaneous determinations of cardiac output were made in 48 patients with heart disease with the Fick and dye-dilution technics. The dye curves were recorded with a Colson densitometer following either intrathoracic or antecubital injection of dye. Both Evans blue and indocyanine green dyes were employed. Satisfactory agreement was noted between Fick and dye estimates, demonstrating empirically the usefulness of the continuous recording technic.
Membrane fluidity as an index of pathology

Abstract Cell membrane fluidity (CMF) is a parameter crucial to the maintenance of cellular function. Alterations in CMF are seen in several pandemic disease processes and the normalization of CMF in these diseases may prove therapeutic.
Job satisfaction of information technology workers in academic libraries

This study examines the job satisfaction of library information technology (IT) workers in relation to demographic, socioeconomic, and work-related variables, such as a sense of belonging, faith in wanting to belong, a feeling of acceptance, paying dues, job autonomy, the broker's role, and promotion opportunities. A total of 443 mail surveys were sent to a sample of IT workers at 30 university member libraries of Association of Research Libraries in the United States. A total of 202 surveys were returned, resulting in a 45.6% response rate. This study found that salary, an MLS degree, a sense of belonging, faith in wanting to belong, a feeling of acceptance, job autonomy, and promotion opportunities were related to job satisfaction of the library IT workers. This study provides some explanations as to why some IT workers are more satisfied with their jobs than others, thereby contributing to improving the quality of their work lives.
Iron uptake mechanisms in plants: Functions of the FRO family of ferric reductases

Abstract Iron is essential for plants and plays critical roles in important processes such as photosynthesis and respiration. While our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in iron uptake from the soil is relatively well developed, information regarding the mechanisms that serve to move iron into subcellular compartments, like mitochondria, chloroplasts and vacuoles, is just beginning to emerge. This review summarizes iron uptake from the soil and recent progress in understanding iron transport mechanisms occurring at organellar membranes with a focus on members of the FRO family of ferric chelate reductases. FROs reduce ferric iron chelates to form soluble ferrous iron. The founding member of the family, Arabidopsis FRO2, reduces iron at the root surface so that it may be transported across the plasma membrane. More recent studies in Arabidopsis suggest that FROs may function at organellar membranes. In particular, FRO7 plays an essential role in iron delivery to chloroplasts, while two other FROs (FRO3 and FRO8) localize to the mitochondria and might therefore contribute to mitochondrial iron homeostasis.
The role of Notch signaling in specification of podocyte and proximal tubules within the developing mouse kidney

Notch genes encode transmembrane receptors that mediate intercellular interaction by binding to the ligands on the adjacent cells. Due to early embryonic lethality in mice deficient for some Notch pathway genes, the role of Notch signaling for kidney development has not yet been defined. Using an antibody specific to the N-terminal end of gamma-secretase-cleaved Notch 1, we found evidence for Notch 1 activation in the comma-shaped and S-shaped bodies. We therefore cultured embryonic (E) day E12.5 mouse metanephroi in the presence of a gamma-secretase inhibitor, N-S-phenyl-glycine-t-butyl ester (DAPT), to block Notch signaling. Fewer renal epithelial structures were observed, with a severe deficiency in proximal tubules and glomerular podocytes. Distal tubules were present but at a reduced number, and this was accompanied by an increase in intervening, nonepithelial cells. By culturing day E14.5 metanephroi, we observed the formation of podocyte clusters after 3 days of DAPT treatment. These observations suggest that gamma-secretase activity, probably through activation of Notch, is not essential for podocyte formation beyond the stage of S-shaped body but is required for the proximal tubule and podocyte fates when S-shaped bodies are forming.
Single Molecule Analysis of Protein Folding on the Ribosome

Most proteins must fold into specific three-dimensional structures to become biologically active. Insights into the mechanisms underlying protein folding have been gained largely from in vitro refolding experiments employing isolated full-length proteins. In the cell, however, proteins are synthesized by the ribosome in a vectorial manner. Hence, amino-terminal portions of the protein can participate in folding events while more carboxyl-terminal segments are still being synthesized. As translation proceeds, the elongating nascent protein traverses the polypeptide exit tunnel before emerging from the exit site located at the surface of the large ribosomal subunit. Interactions with components of the tunnel and the area around the exit site have been shown to influence the conformation of the emerging protein. Thus, it is likely that both the vectorial process of translation itself and the ribosomal environment affect the folding pathway of translating polypeptides. We have developed an experimental methodology to directly probe folding transitions of ribosome-associated nascent polypeptides by single molecule force spectroscopy. Using Optical Tweezers, we are able to “pull” on the nascent protein emerging from the ribosome. In combination with a reconstituted translation system, we are capable of interrogating the conformational dynamics of defined, incrementally longer nascent polypeptides. We find that interactions with the ribosome result in an overall deceleration of folding kinetics. The ribosome affects specific transitions during the folding of T4 lysozyme, used as a model protein in our studies. Our results suggest that the ribosome has properties of a molecular chaperone for translating polypeptides, preventing premature folding and maintaining the nascent chain in a folding-competent state. Our experimental system has allowed us to recapitulate the folding transitions during the earliest stages of protein biogenesis and to dissect how the ribosome contributes to the efficient folding of newly synthesized proteins.
Evaluating Print Collections for a Transition to Digital

Preston Medical Library is an academic medical center library serving the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine and the UT Medical Center hospital. The library conducted an analysis of the bound print collection in anticipation of relocating within the hospital. This analysis contemplated replacing a subset of bound print with electronic archives as compared to costs of moving and maintaining the collection. The library concluded that a one-time purchase of electronic back files, while more expensive, would result in greatly enhanced access, expanded usable space, and lowered collection maintenance costs going forward.
Use of metaknowledge in the verification of knowledge-based systems

Knowledge-based systems are modeled as deductive systems. The model indicates that the two primary areas of concern in verification are demonstrating consistency and completeness. A system is inconsistent if it asserts something that is not true of the modeled domain. A system is incomplete if it lacks deductive capability. Two forms of consistency are discussed along with appropriate verification methods. Three forms of incompleteness are discussed. The use of metaknowledge, knowledge about knowledge, is explored in connection to each form of incompleteness.
Free‐energy simulations of the oxidation of c‐terminal methionines in calmodulin

In the course of aging or under conditions of oxidative stress, methionine residues of calmodulin undergo oxidation, leading to loss of biological activity of the protein. We have performed free-energy simulations of the effects of C-terminal methionine side-chain oxidation on the properties of calmodulin. The simulation results indicate that oxidation should have a destabilizing effect on all three protein functional states: calcium free, calcium loaded, and with both calcium and target peptide bound. Because the different states are destabilized by different amounts, this leads to a more complex pattern in the observable effects on protein thermal stability, calcium affinity, and binding of a target peptide. The influence of oxidation on the free energy of CaM unfolding is estimated by comparing the free-energy cost of oxidizing a Met residue in a Gly-Met-Gly peptide and in the protein. The protein thermal stability of the oxidized forms is lowered by a moderate amount 1-3 kcal/mol, in qualitative agreement with experimental results of 0.3 kcal/mol, The calculated changes in affinity for calcium and for the target peptide show opposing trends. Oxidation at position 144 is predicted to enhance peptide binding and weaken calcium binding, whereas oxidation at 145 weakens peptide binding and enhances affinity for calcium. The lower affinity of Met 145-oxidized calmodulin toward the target peptide correlates with experimentally observed lowering of calmodulin-activated Ca-ATPase activity when oxidized calmodulin from aged rat brains is used. Thus, our simulations suggest that Met 145 is the oxidation site in the C-terminal fragment of calmodulin. The microscopic mechanism behind the calculated free energy changes appears to be a greater affinity for water of the oxidized Met side-chain relative to normal Met. Structures with Met exposed to solvent had consistently lower free energies than those with buried Met sidechains.
Quantitative cw Overhauser effect dynamic nuclear polarization for the analysis of local water dynamics

Liquid state Overhauser effect Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (ODNP) has experienced a recent resurgence of interest. The ODNP technique described here relies on the double resonance of electron spin resonance (ESR) at the most common, i.e. X-band (∼10GHz), frequency and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at ∼15 MHz. It requires only a standard continuous wave (cw) ESR spectrometer with an NMR probe inserted or built into an X-band cavity. We focus on reviewing a new and powerful manifestation of ODNP as a high frequency NMR relaxometry tool that probes dipolar cross relaxation between the electron spins and the ¹H nuclear spins at X-band frequencies. This technique selectively measures the translational mobility of water within a volume extending 0.5-1.5 nm outward from a nitroxide radical spin probe that is attached to a targeted site of a macromolecule. It allows one to study the dynamics of water that hydrates or permeates the surface or interior of proteins, polymers, and lipid membrane vesicles. We begin by reviewing the recent advances that have helped develop ODNP into a tool for mapping the dynamic landscape of hydration water with sub-nanometer locality. In order to bind this work coherently together and to place it in the context of the extensive body of research in the field of NMR relaxometry, we then rephrase the analytical model and extend the description of the ODNP-derived NMR signal enhancements. This extended model highlights several aspects of ODNP data analysis, including the importance of considering all possible effects of microwave sample heating, the need to consider the error associated with various relaxation rates, and the unique ability of ODNP to probe the electron-¹H cross-relaxation process, which is uniquely sensitive to fast (tens of ps) dynamical processes. By implementing the relevant corrections in a stepwise fashion, this paper draws a consensus result from previous ODNP procedures and then shows how such data can be further corrected to yield clear and reproducible saturation of the NMR hyperpolarization process. Finally, drawing on these results, we broadly survey the previous ODNP dynamics literature. We find that the vast number of published, empirical hydration dynamics data can be reproducibly classified into regimes of surface, interfacial, vs. buried water dynamics.
Genotoxicity of complex PAH mixtures recovered from contaminated lake sediments as assessed by three different methods.

Although human exposure generally occurs to mixtures of chemicals, limited toxicological information is available to characterize the potential interactions of the components of environmental mixtures. This study was conducted to compare the genotoxicity of chemically characterized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixtures using in vitro and in vivo techniques. A total of three extracts (E1-E3) were selected from sediment samples collected from a lake adjacent to an abandoned coal gasification site. Sediments were collected on a grid moving downstream and away from the most likely source of PAH contamination, with E1 collected closest to the shore, E2 at an intermediate distance, and E3 furthest from the shore. The sediment samples were extracted in methylene chloride and methanol, dried, and redissolved in an appropriate solvent for evaluation in a battery of genotoxicity assays. Samples were evaluated for their ability to produce point mutations in bacteria and DNA adducts in vitro without metabolic activation or in vivo. Samples were also analyzed using GC/MS. Sample E1 had both the highest concentration of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) (46.5 ppm) and carcinogenic PAHs and, using 2 P-postlabeling induced the highest adduct levels overall in vitro and in vivo. Sample E2, which had a BP concentration of 14 ppm, induced the greatest number of revertants in the bacterial mutagenicity assay. Sample E3, which had the lowest level of carcinogenic PAHs and BP, induced the lowest adduct levels. However, E3 was capable of inducing a positive genotoxic response in bacteria (with S9), although the slope of the response at lower doses was less than that of E2. The in vivo data showed that the major adduct formed by E1 and E2 was a BP adduct. This information could not have been obtained with the Salmonella or in vitro postlabeling tests. Among internal organs, the extracts of all three samples induced the greatest adduct levels in the lung, similarly to previous complex PAH mixtures studied. These data demonstrate the limitations of predicting genotoxic or carcinogenic potential based on chemical analysis or a single biological test. The results suggest that mixture interactions, cytotoxicity and metabolism are likely to have an influence on the potential of a complex mixture of chemicals to produce a carcinogenic effect. In addition, the concentration of genotoxic PAHs and both in vitro and in vivo DNA adduct formations were decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline.
Strategies for load rating of infrastructure populations: a case study on T-beam bridges

There is consensus on the importance of objectively and reliably assessing the condition and load capacity of aged bridges. Although each bridge may be considered as a unique structure, the behavior of many bridge types may be governed by only a few mechanisms and related parameters, especially if a population is constructed from standard designs. By identifying these parameters, and their variation within the population, it is possible to extend findings such as load rating obtained from a statistical sample to the entire population. Bridge type-specific strategies for load rating and condition assessment in conjunction with statistical sampling may therefore offer significant advantages for inspecting and load rating bridges sharing common materials, similar geometry and detailing, and the same critical behavior mechanisms. In this paper, the writers present their recent work on load rating of the reinforced concrete T-beam bridge population in Pennsylvania to objectively re-qualify them based on field-...
Reliability and validity of medical outcome and patient satisfaction measures among injured workers in Washington state: A pretest

Several existing measures of medical outcomes and some newly constructed measures of patient satisfaction were tested for reliability and validity on a sample of 100 subjects who had suffered work-related injuries and illnesses in Washington State. Included in the measures of medical outcome were the SF-36 and the upper body mobility subscale of the Health Assessment Questionnaire. The newly constructed measures of patient satisfaction assessed areas such as satisfaction with the attending physician and with access to referrals. Also administered were assessments of job satisfaction, both prior to and since the injury, and a measure of chance health locus of control. The patient satisfaction and medical outcomes measures demonstrated good reliability and validity for use with this population. However, neither the measures of job satisfaction nor chance health locus of control were related to either patient satisfaction with medical care nor to medical outcomes. Language: en
Methanol oxidation and hydrogen reactions on NiZr in acid solution

Abstract The electrochemical properties of a Ni50Zr50 (at.%) alloy have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and steady-state polarization measurements. The alloy forms a passivating oxyhydroxide film that makes it electrochemically stable in an acid solution. The oxyhydroxide film is shown to be an electrocatalyst for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The reaction proceeds at surface O2− ions neighboring a Ni3+ ion of a thicker passivating film; electron transfer from the surface to the electrode occurs diffusively by the nickel atoms of the film. A reaction pathway is presented that accounts for the observation of an optimum thickness for the passivating film. The NiZr alloy was also found to catalyze both hydrogen-oxidation and proton-reduction reactions (HOR and PRR) if it has a thinner surface oxyhydroxide film. The alloy appears to form mixed NiZrH and NiZrH3−x hydrides on cycling negative of the normal hydrogen potential. The activity of the hydrogen-oxidation reaction on a hydride surface was found to increase in the presence of streaming hydrogen gas and also with increasing negative initial potential. Although the hydride is unstable in acid, it may be an attractive candidate for use as a rechargeable negative electrode in an alkaline metal/air or nickel-metal hydride secondary battery.
Disruption of circadian rhythms accelerates development of diabetes through pancreatic beta-cell loss and dysfunction.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is complex metabolic disease that arises as a consequence of interactions between genetic predisposition and environmental triggers. One recently described environme...
Grain boundary sites in fcc metals studied by PAC

Perturbed angular correlation of gamma rays (PAC) is applied to study the atomic structure of grain boundaries (gb) in fcc metals using nuclear quadrupole interactions.111In probes were diffused in samples of Au, Cu, Ni and Pt which had first been annealed to form high-angle gbs. Diffusions were carried out at such low temperatures that only gb diffusion should occur (Harrison's type-C kinetic regime), and measurements were made after removing any residual surface activity. For three Pt samples, a unique signal attributed to a gb site was detected with a site fraction of about 50%, coupling frequency ω1=80.0(2) Mrad/s and electric-field-gradient asymmetry parameter η=0. A Pt sample of 99.9995% purity exhibited much less inhomogeneous signal broadening than 99.998% pure samples, indicating the level of purity necessary to observe the gb sites via quadrupole interactions. The broadening is attributed to gb segregation. For Au, Cu and Ni, only ill-defined, non-unique signals were detected, apparently because of gb segregation. The small broadening in the high-purity Pt sample indicates a high degree of uniformity in the crystal structure of the high-angle gb sites. The large site fraction of the 80 Mrad/s signal demonstrates the dominance of a single site for Cd probes in high-angle gbs.
Positive cases to the branch point problem

Fatou's Theorem states that a bounded analytic function in the unit disk admits radial limits almost everywhere on the unit circle C If we relax the condition of boundedness of f in the hypothesis of Fatou's theorem to unboundedness of the maximum modulus function M f (r) such that M f r < q(r),where q (r) has a slow growth to ∞ we can only hope to obtain asymptotic values instead of radial limits at points of C. The MacLane class A of analytic functions is the class of non constant analytic functions in the unit disk D that have asymptotic values at a dense subset of the unit circle C. The main purpose of this paper is to consider a question posed by MacLane [M2] in 1970 on whether functions in A with an arc tract have branch points. We answer this question positively in the special cases, where the finite asymptotic values are bounded, or where infinity is linearly accessible at least at two points of the end of the tract
Studies of spontaneous magnetic fields in laser-produced plasmas by faraday rotation

An extensive study has been made of the large magnetic fields in the plasma near the focus of a high-irradiance Nd-laser beam. The dependence of the magnetic field on many experimental conditions is noted---particularly timing and the presence of a preformed plasma. The data were obtained with a Raman-shifted, three-channel Faraday-rotation diagnostic system.
Oil, pixels and poetry

Oil, Pixels and Poetry is a collaboration between TACC, their 75-monitor tile display and Francesca Samsel, a visual artist, producing a series depicting the 2010 Gulf Oil Disaster.
Ion-beam milling of cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC)

Abstract Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) was etched by utilizing an Ar+ ion-beam. The etching depth was determined versus angle, ion source current, anode voltage, and time. It was found that the maximum etching rate occurred when the ion-beam was incident at an angle of 45°. Constant etching rates were determined with respect to ion source current, anode voltage, and time.
Planetary exploration - Earth's new horizon /Twelfth von Karman Lecture/

Planetary exploration is examined in terms of the interaction of technological growth with scientific progress and the intangibles associated with exploring the unknown. The field is limited to unmanned exploration of the planets and their satellites. A descriptive model of the endeavor, its activities and achievements in the past decade, a characterization of the current state of the art, and a look at some of the planetary mission opportunities for the next decade are presented. A case is made for the value to civilization of ongoing planetary exploration. The pioneering U.S. planetary explorers, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, are discussed in the second part of the work. Launch velocity, navigation, the remote system, the earth base, and management technology are considered in the third part. Authorized near-term U.S. planetary projects and opportunities of the next decade are described in the last section.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ON SELECTED TENNESSEE SELF-CONCEPT SCALES

Differences in self-concepts of 19 men and 69 women, all university students, were investigated. Nine subscales and the total self-concept of the Tennessee Self-concept Scale were analyzed by t tes...
Proliferation tissue polypeptide antigen distinguishes malignant mucinous cystadenocarcinomas from benign cystic tumors and pseudocysts.

Background Cystic lesions of the pancreas include inflammatory pseudocysts, serous cystadenomas, and mucinous cystic tumors, some of which are malignant. Previous studies have shown that malignant mucinous tumors differ from benign pancreatic cysts in proliferative activity, secretion of tumor markers, and expression of growth factor receptors. Analysis of aspirated cyst fluid for tumor markers, viscosity, and cytologic examination has been proposed as an aid to preoperative differential diagnosis. Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) is a soluble proliferation antigen produced by rapidly dividing tissues, including conventional ductal pancreatic carcinoma. TPA levels in pancreatic cyst fluids have not been reported. Methods Tissue polypeptide antigen levels were determined in 46 pancreatic cyst fluids using a commercial immunoassay technique. Results Mucinous cystadenocarcinomas exhibited significantly higher levels of cyst fluid TPA than benign cystic lesions, including pseudocysts, serous cystadenomas, and benign mucinous cystadenomas (mean 910,672 U/mL, median 300,900 U/mL, range 16,600 to 4,210,000 U/mL for malignant mucinous Cystadenocarcinomas; versus mean 16,082 U/mL, median 2,455 U/mL, range 0 to 155,000 U/mL for benign cystic lesions considered as a group; P Conclusions Elevated levels of the proliferation antigen TPA in malignant pancreatic cysts correlate with earlier observations of increased proliferative activity and overexpression of growth factor receptors in these tumors. The TPA measurement may be a useful addition to previously reported cyst fluid markers to aid in preoperative differential diagnosis. Markedly elevated or very low values indicate a malignant or benign cyst, respectively.
Compassion fatigue: are you at risk?

Vol. 36, No. 1, January 2009 • Oncology Nursing Forum E .P., a 34-year-old oncology staff nurse, felt like she was losing control of her life. She felt a sense of dread and fatigue each morning when her alarm went off. How could she make it through one more day trying to balance her family life, her job, and caring for her mother, whose senile dementia was gradually worsening every day? E.P. could not really remember the last time she felt energetic and positive, nor could she pinpoint when she began to feel so overwhelmed. E.P. had been married for 13 years to her college sweetheart. He was in sales and worked out of the home, which, she felt, often added to the chaos of their lives. Their children came soon after marriage and were now embarking on adolescence—a daughter, 12, and a son, 10. The children seemed to fight continuously for inconsequential reasons, and her daughter was beginning to challenge E.P. in every arena: clothes, music, friends, homework, and curfew. E.P.’s husband played a passive role in their childrearing, and E.P. often did not feel supported when she attempted to set guidelines or expectations for the children. Caring for her mother was adding additional stress and her only sibling lived out of state and was not available to assist her in handling the physical, emotional, or financial aspects of their mother’s care. E.P. had studied nursing in college and began working immediately after graduation. She worked in general medicalsurgical units initially; looking back, she remembered being enthusiastic and eager to go to work every day. Nursing was not just a job for her. E.P. felt that nursing was a profession and, at one time, she had hoped to further her education and become a nurse practitioner. She did not plan to become an oncology nurse but worked the float pool for several months and soon found that her work with patients with cancer and their families was rewarding. E.P. enjoyed the challenges of working in a specialty area, learning new skills, and felt that the environment reinforced the ideals that made her enter the profession in the first place: empathy, Compassion Fatigue: Are You at Risk?
Herpetic Whitlow: An Occupational Disease of Practicing Dentists

Recurrent herpes simplex virus lesions of fingers, hand, or eyes are suspected to be encountered in health practitioners in greater frequency than in the general population. To determine whether an increased risk of disease contraction coincident to practicing dentistry exists and to determine the magnitude of risk, a survey of dentists practicing in the state of Michigan was conducted. An age and sex matched nondentist patient from each respondent's practice provided a control population. Frequency of herpes labialis and herpes infection of the eye were found be lower in dentists than in the control population. Conversely, herpetic whitlow was found to be more frequent in practicing dentists than in the control population. If the occurrence of herpes labialis in each of the two groups is taken as the reference point, the frequency of herpetic whitlow is significantly higher among practicing dentists than among the control population (P less than .01).
Quinidine lactate and gluconate in the suppression of ectopic ventricular tachycardias associated with myocardial infarction; control of toxicity by morphine.

In dogs with myocardial infarction, produced by a standard technic, rapid persistent ectopic ventricular tachycardia develops. Intravenous quinidine lactate and quinidine gluconate effectively control the arrhythmia in 56 to 60 per cent of the animals, but produce toxic reactions in many of them. Morphine sulfate prevents vomiting and diarrhea from quinidine, but does not prevent convulsive movements. The most effective treatment of the arrhythmia was by use of morphine followed by quinidine gluconate. This combination was successful in 89 to 100 per cent of the cases. Principles for guidance in the treatment of severe ventricular arrhythmias have been drawn from these studies.
Decorin and biglycan retain LDL in disease-prone valvular and aortic subendothelial intimal matrix.

Objective Subendothelial LDL retention by intimal matrix proteoglycans is an initial step in atherosclerosis and calcific aortic valve disease. Herein, we identify decorin and biglycan as the proteoglycans that preferentially retain LDL in intimal matrix at disease-prone sites in normal valve and vessel wall.
First Ladies in Permanent Conjuncture: Grace Coolidge and “Great” American Womanhood in the New York Times

This study of the New York Times coverage of Grace Coolidge draws on Antonio Gramsci's concept of “conjuncture” to argue that the role of first lady is one of permanent conjuncture, characterized by a struggle between tradition and modernity. Although once voted one of America's “greatest women,” Coolidge's depiction as more conventional than current may explain why she is now a forgettable 1920s’ figure. Overall, we argue that the representation of a first lady as an idealized figure of American womanhood is problematic, particularly in the midst of destabilizing gender roles.
A neural network application to consumer classification to improve the timing of direct marketing activities

This article develops an alternative estimation approach for classifying new prospective consumers as "good'' or "bad'' prospects for direct marketing purposes. We show that the traditional approach of using demographics alone to profile non-active consumers (those who have yet to buy in the category) can be improved by waiting to observe their initial and limited number of sequential purchases in the category. We call this method the early purchase classification (EPC) approach. We make use of two established classification models, a multinomial logit model (MNL) and a neural network model (NN), and show that the classification accuracy of both models using our EPC approach outperforms the traditional approach of classifying non-active prospects using demographics only. Furthermore, we find that the NN model consistently outperforms the MNL model at this task. This research uses the best aspects of each model by utilizing the MNL model to determine which variables are most relevant to the classification and then using those variables for classification in the NN model. Using the complementary features of the MNL and NN models, managers can use the EPC approach to determine the most profitable time in a purchasing history to classify and target prospective consumers new to their categories.
Yields of cultured Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas Thunberg improved after one generation of selection

Abstract Parental families (G 0 ) in three lines of Pacific oysters were selected based on live weight and meat yields at harvest. The average live weight yield of progeny (G 1 ) from crossing G 0 -selected lines in seven trials was 9.5% greater than that of nonselected control families and live weight yields were significantly greater (ANOVA, P 1 families were tested at the same site as their parents' selection site rather than at a different site, although this effect was only significant for G 1 families of cohort 5 ( P P >0.05). A significant genotype×environment interaction affected yields in both cohort 5 and cohort 7 (ANOVA; P r =0.30; cohort 7, r =0.35), indicating that selection for high yield in one environment would likely result in a low correlated response in a different environment. Nonetheless, it was possible to identify six families in cohort 5 and four families in cohort 7 that were among the top 10 families at both sites. Further evaluation of families across a wider range of environments is needed to determine if it is possible to substantially improve yields by selecting “generalist” families that perform well along the whole Pacific coast, or whether it will be necessary to select lines that are suited to particular sites.