cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential cellular regulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition in an in vitro model of 1,3-dinitrobenzene-induced encephalopathy.

Abstract Exposure to 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) is associated with neuropathologic changes in specific brainstem nuclei, mediated by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The expression of Bcl-2-family proteins as a function of sensitivity to 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB)-induced mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) was examined in C6 glioma and SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Neuroblastoma cells were 10-fold more sensitive than glioma cells to DNB-induced decreases in mitochondrial reducing potential, measured by reduction of the tetrazolium compound, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The IC 50 values for DNB-related inhibition of MTT reduction were 107±25 μM in SY5Y cells and 1047±101 μM in C6 cells. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in both SY5Y and C6 cells following DNB exposure by 4.6- and 6.0-fold above control, respectively. DNB caused abrupt depolarization of mitochondria in both neuroblastoma and glioma cells that was inhibited by trifluoperazine. The first order rate constants for mitochondrial depolarization were: C6, k =0.31±0.02 min −1 ; SY5Y, k =0.14±0.01 min −1 . Onset of MPT occurred at 10-fold lower concentration of DNB in SY5Y cells than in C6 cells. The antioxidants, deferoxamine and α-tocopherol, effectively prevented DNB-induced MPT in C6 and SY5Y cells, suggesting involvement of ROS in the initiation of MPT. Exposure to DNB resulted in decreased cellular ATP content in SY5Y cells and efflux of mitochondrial calcium in both SY5Y and C6 cells, concurrent with onset of MPT. The expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-X L , and Bax was evaluated in both cell types by Western blot analysis. C6 glioma cells strongly expressed Bcl-X L and only weakly expressed Bcl-2 and Bax, whereas SY5Y neuroblastoma cells expressed lower levels of Bcl-X L and higher levels of both Bcl-2 and Bax. Collectively, these results suggest that higher constitutive expression of Bcl-X L , rather than Bcl-2, correlates with resistance to DNB-induced MPT in SY5Y and C6 cells and that differential regulation of the permeability transition pore may underlie the cell-specific neurotoxicity of DNB.
OBSIDIAN PRODUCTION AND CHANGING CONSUMPTION IN THE LAKE PATZCUARO BASIN, MICHOACAN, MEXICO

Many Tarascan settlements surrounded Lake Patzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico, during the Late Postclassic period. A hierarchy of settlements existed from the capital of Tzintzuntzan to secondary administration sites and small tributary communities. Obsidian artifacts from the large site, Erongaricuaro, have been studied by the author. Analysis of the obsidian from this site highlighted particular patterns in the production and consumption of prismatic blades and large scrapers. Data from another site, Urichu, was collected and analyzed more recently. Urichu was a tributary center to Erongaricuaro during the Tarascan empire. Local and state elites inhabited both sites, and analysis of obsidian manufacture indicates that the sites may have had different functions. Obsidian from the sites also varies by source location. This too may indicate site function and the changing sociopolitical organization of obsidian production and use throughout the Tarascan empire.
Achieving Harmony from Tension: Contemporary Patterns and Pitfalls of Family Advocacy

ABSTRACT Advocacy in illness and aging is a formidable challenge. Physical illness, financial dependence or constraint, social-emotional problems, and the changing political and demographic structure of caregiving force severe demands on intervention programs and possibilities. This paper provides an uncommon but, hopefully, reasonable framework for freeing clinicians, educators, and helping professionals from their own ideas which periodically are rendered problematic in providing successful intervention. Several illustrations of these practical problems are presented. Finally some postures for advocacy and intervention are considered.
Control of DNA synthesis in Bacillus subtilis by phage ∅e

Abstract After infection of Bacillus subtilis 3610 with bacteriophage ∅e, which contains hydroxymethyluracil in place of thymine in its DNA, bacterial DNA synthesis is arrested. Our results show that the phage-coded deoxythymidine triphosphate hydrolase (TTPase) is not essential for the arrest. A phage-coded protein made in the first 13 min after infection appears to be involved in arresting host DNA synthesis. Phage mutants defective in this function have been isolated. The inhibition of host DNA synthesis does not appear to take place by detachment of bacterial DNA from the cell membrane or by inhibition of DNA polymerase. A phage фe mutant defective in TTPase, with thymine replacing up to 20% of the HMU in its DNA, can grow and transfer the thymine-containing DNA to progeny normally. The role of HMU in this phage remains unexplained.
Dealing with Process Overload Attacks in UNIX

A process overload attack is an attack on a shared computer system in which a user repeatedly forks new processes and hence makes the system unusable for others. The specific problem we address is seen in an academic environment where student programs create unintentional process overload attacks in UNIX systems by careless coding. Instead of rebooting the system or manually examining and killing the processes, our approach to dealing with these attacks was to build a process load monitoring tool to detect and kill these processes automatically. This paper focuses on what we learned about the behaviors of different fork bombs, how we classified them based on their self-replicating capabilities, and our experience with detecting, killing and cleaning these unwanted processes.
A case of Mycobacterium mucogenicum infection in a liver transplant recipient and a review of the literature

Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can be devastating in a postoperative liver transplant recipient on multidrug immunosuppressive therapy. Various atypical (nontuberculous mycobacteria [NTM]) mycobacterial infections have been reported in the solid organ transplant population, but to our knowledge, no cases of Mycobacterium mucogenicum infections have been reported. Here, we report a case of a patient with end-stage liver disease secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis, model for end-stage liver disease score of 29, who underwent deceased-donor orthotopic liver transplantation, with her postoperative course complicated by multiple pleural effusions and peritonitis. Despite numerous courses of antibiotics, her condition did not improve. Acid-fast bacilli cultures grew M. mucogenicum, which was then treated with appropriate antimicrobical therapy. M. mucogenicum, a rapidly growing NTM that can be present in water contamination, should be recognized as a potential source of infection, especially in the immunocompromised population.
Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by College Women within the Context of a History of Victimization.

Using a longitudinal design, the current study explored intimate partner violence perpetration among 1,300 college women within the context of one's history of physical and sexual victimization across 4 years of college. Structural equation modeling indicated that sexual victimization does not predict concurrent use of women's intimate partner violence but does predict subsequent use of women's intimate partner violence during the later years of college. In contrast, physical victimization is associated positively with concurrent use of women's intimate partner violence but is negatively associated with subsequent use of women's intimate partner violence for women. Furthermore, the negative relationship of victimization to subsequent perpetration primarily is due to those with high levels of victimization histories. The present study provides the first model of intimate partner violence within the context of victimization history using longitudinal data. The findings indicate that women's intimate partner...
StretchPlot: Interactive visualization of multi-dimensional trajectory data

The visualization of space-time trajectory data is challenging due to the fact that, in most cases, the data inherently exists in more than two dimensions. In many space-time visualizations, additional variables must be mapped into other visual attributes such as color or size. Given that substantive analyses of trajectory data will likely be concerned with variables beyond space and time, we propose a method that allows trajectory positions to be determined by an arbitrary number of variables in a multi-dimensional space-time dataset. Our method is based on Star Coordinates [5], a prior technique for interactively positioning multi-dimensional data. Our technique is catered specifically to multi-dimensional space-time trajectory data. The technique is demonstrated using a large multidimensional space-time dataset related to touring musicians.
Strategic tools of influencing third world attitudes: The case of Soviet‐U.S. rivalry

Abstract This article analyzes if, and how much, Soviet tools for making friends with countries in the South—such as trade, arms transfers, treaties of friendship and cooperation, as well as the ideological orientation of Third World states—helped the Soviets to achieve their intended objective. The degree of closeness between Moscow and individual Third World regimes is labeled as alignment, which is measured by using the rate of agreement between them in terms of their votings in the roll‐call votes of the General Assembly of the United Nations. While supporting the generally negative view expressed by many scholars about the efficacy of Soviet foreign‐policy instruments, this article reveals evidence of a strong impact arms transfers had on Third World regimes. Further, the findings suggest that the general consensus in our discipline about the postwar transformation of the global system from a military to a trading world is still premature, particularly for Third World countries, many of whom are conc...
Effect of temperature on methyl radical generation over Sr/La2O3 catalysts

The role of gas phase CH3 radicals in the oxidative coupling of CH4 over 1 wt% Sr/La2O3 is supported by the observations that (i) this is a very effective catalyst for the generation of CH3 · radicals and (ii) the concentration of CH3 · radicals increases with temperature over the range of 450 °C–800 °C.
Life on the Surface of Venus

IT is said (for example, refs. 1–3) that our knowledge of the surface of the cloud covered planet Venus is extremely fragmentary and ambiguous; that there are alternative non-thermal explanations of the microwave emission; that, even if the surface is hot, the polar regions may be cold enough to support life, or sufficiently high mountains may exist, and so on. It seems appropriate to relate some of this speculation to continuing work on the physical environment of Venus.
Nonmyopic active learning of Gaussian processes: an exploration-exploitation approach

When monitoring spatial phenomena, such as the ecological condition of a river, deciding where to make observations is a challenging task. In these settings, a fundamental question is when an active learning, or sequential design, strategy, where locations are selected based on previous measurements, will perform significantly better than sensing at an a priori specified set of locations. For Gaussian Processes (GPs), which often accurately model spatial phenomena, we present an analysis and efficient algorithms that address this question. Central to our analysis is a theoretical bound which quantifies the performance difference between active and a priori design strategies. We consider GPs with unknown kernel parameters and present a nonmyopic approach for trading off exploration, i.e., decreasing uncertainty about the model parameters, and exploitation, i.e., near-optimally selecting observations when the parameters are (approximately) known. We discuss several exploration strategies, and present logarithmic sample complexity bounds for the exploration phase. We then extend our algorithm to handle nonstationary GPs exploiting local structure in the model. We also present extensive empirical evaluation on several real-world problems.
Greater São Paulo newer library automation

Abstract As a follow up to a 1981 on-site sabbatical study, automated projects or activities in academic, public and special libraries or information centers in the Greater Sao Paulo area that developed from 1981 to the end of 1987 are described. Among the 27 Greater Sao Paulo libraries and/or information centers that were surveyed, the Division of Information and Systems of the Institute of Technological Research of Sao Paulo State, the Division of Library, Documentation and Information of Sao Bernardo do Campo, the Regional Library of Medicine, and the System of Libraries of the University of Sao Paulo were among those answering the survey questionnaire which indicated having made further advancements in the aspects of functions, processes and/or routines in areas of librarianship. The Library of the Company of Data Processing of the State of Sao Paulo and the Sao Paulo School of Business Administration of the Getulio Vargas Foundation reported automation in several of their library functions. The Library of the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research, a library almost fully automated by the end of the 1970s, reported even newer automated efforts.
Control of a variable-geometry turbocharged and wastegated diesel engine

AbstractThis paper addresses the problem of controlling a turbocharged diesel engine so as to minimize NOx and smoke emissions while ensuring that the driver's torque demands are met. A diesel engine equipped with a variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve is considered. The technical challenges in the control design task include the multivariable non-linear dynamics of the system and the unavailability of key states for feedback. A control strategy based on non-linear control synthesis is developed and shown accurately to control the air-fuel ratio (AFR) and the burned gas fraction in the intake manifold, F1, to desired values in the presence of changing operating conditions. The variables F1 and AFR are shown to be crucial for feedback. Since neither of these variables can be measured, an observer based on flow and pressure sensor measurements is developed for their real-time estimation. Lyapunov theory is used to show that the developed observer is asymptoticall...
Gas-phase reactions of the 4-dehydroanilinium ion and its isomers

Collisional activation of protonated 2-, 3- and 4-iodoanilines in a dual-cell Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometer results in the loss of an iodine atom to yield product ions of m/z 93. Ion–molecule reactions and energy-resolved collision-activated dissociation experiments demonstrate that these three ions are structurally distinct, and that they are distonic ions. The ions were identified as the 2-, 3- and 4-dehydroanilinium ions, the high-energy distonic isomers of ionized aniline. The reactivity of these charged phenyl radicals is largely analogous to that of the phenyl radical. For example, the 4-dehydroanilinium ion abstracts an iodine atom from isopropyl iodide, a thiomethyl group from dimethyl disulfide, and adds to cyclohexene. Comparison of the collision-activated dissociation product abundances of the ion formed upon CH3S abstraction to that of a reference ion suggests that bond formation occurs at the formal radical site upon CH3S abstraction. Hence, the reaction probably occurs via a simple radical abstraction mechanism similar to that of the phenyl radical. However, some neutral reagents react with the charge site of the 4-dehydroanilinium ion, and yet others undergo a two-step reaction sequence involving the charge site in addition to the radical site. For example, certain basic molecules induce isomerization of the 4-dehydroanilinium ion to the significantly more stable ionized aniline by deprotonating the charge site and then donating a hydrogen atom to the radical site.
Some Properties of Milk Powders with Particular Reference to Sweet Buttermilk Powders

Dried milk is a product of modern invention. The production of skim milk powder has grown from nothing in 1900 to over 300,000,000 pounds in 1937, while the production of dried buttermilk was about one-third of a million pounds in 1916 and over 50,000,000 in 1937. The large production and consumption of milk powders has given rise to a large number of problems relative to storage, keeping qualities, flavor control and the like.
Two-hole strengths in 38K from the 39K(3He, α38K reaction

Abstract States in 38K up to 7.13 MeV excitation have been studied using the 21 MeV 3He++ beam of a tandem Van de Graaff and the 39K(3He, α) reaction. Charged particles were analysed by a split-pole magnetic spectrograph equipped with a telescope arrangement of proportional counters for position and energy-loss measurement. Several levels (presumably T = 0) not previously seen in single-nucleon pick-up leading to A = 38 nuclei have been observed. Spectroscopic factors for s 1 2 and d 3 2 or d 5 2 pick-up have b derived using DWBA calculations. Most of the shell-model s 1 2 and d 3 2 strength was observed. The admixtures of s 1 2 −1 d 3 2 −1 and ( d 3 2 ) −2 configurations in states o known spin- from the Spectroscopic factors. Results indicate large 2p-4h admixtures in some states, independent of the ambiguity between d 3 2 and d 5 2 pick-up. The dominance of the l = 0 transition to the 3.42 MeV (2+, 0) state clearly distinguishes among recent realistic shell-model calculations. Observed mixtures of l = 0 and l = 2 strengths disagree with predictions of appreciable d 5 2 strength below 5 MeV.
A 10-year assessment of information and communication technology tasks required in undergraduate agriculture courses

This study sought to assess required information and communication technology (ICT) tasks in selected undergraduate agriculture courses in a land-grant university during a 10-year period. Selected agriculture faculty members in the fall 1999 (n = 63), 2004 (n = 55), and 2009 (n = 64) semesters were surveyed to determine the ICT tasks they required of students. There were significant (p < .05) increases in the number of required Internet and electronic mail tasks between 1999 and 2009; but no significant changes in the number of word processing, computer graphics, spreadsheet, database, or miscellaneous ICT tasks required over the period. In 1999, three specific tasks (receive electronic mail, search the Internet, and type a lab or project report) were required in more than 50% of courses; in 2009, these three tasks plus three additional tasks (send electronic mail, submit assignments as attached electronic mail files, and use Blackboard^(C) to acquire course information) were required in a majority of courses. Faculty with higher levels of self-perceived ICT skills and those teaching higher-level courses tended to require larger and more diverse sets of ICT tasks than other faculty. Course level explained the largest proportion of unique variance in the number of required spreadsheet, word processing, computer graphics, and miscellaneous ICT tasks. Self-perceived ICT skills and course level explained approximately equal amounts of the unique variance in total ICT tasks required. Both the quantity and complexity of ICT in undergraduate agriculture courses should be increased.
Ultratrace measurements of nucleic acids by baseline-corrected adsorptive stripping square-wave voltammetry.

The direct and reliable electrochemical detection of DNA is of paramount importance to the development of modern DNA hybridization chips, for the detection of nucleic acids following their electrophoretic separations, or for the sensing of DNA damage and interactions. Such solid electrode voltammetric measurements of nucleic acids have been traditionally hampered by the large solvent decomposition background current that obscures the oxidation signals of the purine nucleobases. This paper reports on the use of adsorptive stripping square-wave voltammetry, in connection with the “moving average baseline correction” approach, for monitoring ultratrace levels of DNA and RNA. Compared to other baseline-fitted or background-subtraction protocols, the moving average baseline scheme is particularly effective in isolating the small purine nucleobase peaks, which appear as small shoulders on the steep background discharge contribution. The remarkably flat baseline thus obtained (up to extreme potentials) leads to ...
Use of learned visual cues during habitat location by Brachymeria intermedia

Like many other parasitoids, Brachymeria intermedia (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) uses olfactory cues to find its host, but in addition it appears to use learned visual cues to focus its searching efforts at the macrohabitat level. In laboratory experiments, females were held in cages where Lymantria dispar pupae were hidden either in a vertical, tree-like structure or on the floor. After four days females had learned to search for hosts in the structure in which they previously had found pupae. Such training was reversible. During similar tests in a semi-natural situation, in which pupae were hung from a tree trunk or were hidden under leaf litter, females also tailored their subsequent searching to favour the macrohabitat where hosts previously had been found. This parasitoid most likely uses a combination of visual and olfactory cues during host searching.
Temperature-jump apparatus with raman detection based on a solid-state tunable (1.80-2.05 μm) kHz optical parametric oscillator laser

The operating characteristics of a pulsed (10 ns) tunable near-infrared (NIR) laser source are described for temperature-jump (T-jump) applications. A Q-switched Nd:YLF laser (∼10 ns pulses) with a 1 kHz repetition rate is used to pump a potassium titanyl arsenate (KTA) crystal-based optical parametric oscillator (OPO), producing ∼1 mJ NIR pulses that are tunable (1.80–2.05 μm) across the 1.9 μm vibrational overtone band of water. This T-jump source has been coupled to a deep ultraviolet (UV) probe laser for Raman studies of protein dynamics. T-jumps of up to 30 °C, as measured via the O–H stretching Raman band of water, are readily achieved. Application to cytochrome c unfolding is demonstrated.
Momentum: getting and staying on topic during a brainstorm

Despite the prevalent use of group brainstorming for problem solving and decision-making within organizations, brainstorming sessions often lack focus and fail to produce quality ideas. We describe Momentum, a tool that elicits topic-oriented responses prior to a group brainstorm. In an exploratory study, we found qualitative differences in task focus, quality and rate of ideation, and efficiency of storytelling between users and non-users of the tool.
C–H Bond Activation by a Palladium(II) Thioether Complex: Formation of the Bis(nitromethanate) Complex [Pd(9S3)(CH2NO2)2]

Palladium(II) acetate reacts with 1 equiv of 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane (9S3) at room temperature to produce the neutral complex [Pd(9S3)(OAc)2] (1; OAc– = CH3COO–) as an analytically pure yellow solid, which has been characterized using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of 1 shows the first example of an exodentate third sulfur of the 9S3 ligand in a Pd(II) complex. Complex 1 reacts with nitromethane at room temperature in methanol to produce [Pd(9S3)(CH2NO2)2] (2) and acetic acid, as confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, complex 2 has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Its crystal structure is the first example of any transition-metal complex containing two nitromethanate (anionic nitromethane) ligands. The complex shows the more typical elongated-square-pyramidal structure and [S2C2 + S1] coordination with one long Pd–S axial interaction at 2.823(2) A and two C-bound nitromethanate ligands. Interestingly, each nitromethanate ligand is in a different coordination environment and varies in their trans-directing abilities. Reactivity studies suggest that the complexation behavior of the 9S3 ligand and the Pd(II) center as well as the σ-donor ability of the leaving group play key roles in the C–H activation of the nitromethane. Two related metal complexes, [Pd(dppe)(OAc)2] (dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) and [Pd(9S3)(CF3COO)2], were synthesized, but neither of these react in a similar fashion to form a nitromethanate complex. Also, the reaction of 1 with nitrobenzene and nitrocyclopentane was studied, but these nitro-organics do not undergo C–H bond activation like nitromethane.
Multiplex ELISA in a single microfluidic channel

In this article, we demonstrate a novel approach to implementing multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a single microfluidic channel by exploiting the slow diffusion of the soluble enzyme reaction product across the different assay segments. The functionality of the reported device is realized by creating an array of ELISA regions within a straight conduit that are selectively patterned with chosen antibodies/antigens via a flow-based method. The different analytes are then captured in their respective assay segments by incubating a 5-μL aliquot of sample in the analysis channel for an hour under flow conditions. Once the ELISA surfaces have been prepared and the enzyme substrate introduced into the analysis channel, it is observed that the concentration of the soluble enzyme reaction product (resorufin) at the center of each assay region grows linearly with time. Further, the rate of resorufin generation at these locations is found to be proportional to the concentration of the analyte being assayed in that segment provided that the ELISA reaction time in the system (τ(R)) is kept much shorter than that required by the resorufin molecules to diffuse across an assay segment (τ(D)). Under the operating condition τ(R) << τ(D), the reported device has been shown to have a 35% lower limit of detection for the target analyte concentration compared with that on a commercial microtiter plate using only a twentieth of the sample volume.
A fast start/stop machine for handling magnetic tape

Some of the requirements for a fast start/stop digital tape recorder are considered. A prototype machine is described, which operates with ½ in. wide tape at a speed of 100 in./sec., and has start and stop times of 3 millisec (to 90 per cent. of final value).
Clinical amnionitis and endometritis in patients with premature rupture of membranes : Endocervical prostaglandin E2 gel versus oxytocin for induction of labor

Objective: To compare the rates of clinical amnionitis and endometritis in patients with premature rupture of membranes (PROM), using endocervical prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) gel for induction of labor versus immediate oxytocin induction of labor. Methods: We randomized 118 patients to receive either endocervical 0.5 mg of PGE2 gel (study group) or immediate oxytocin induction of labor (control group). If labor was not established in the group receiving PGE2 gel in 24 hours, intravenous oxytocin was given in incremental doses. The rates of clinical amnionitis and endometritis in the two groups were analyzed. Also compared were hours of labor, duration of rupture of membranes and number of vaginal examinations. Student t test, χ2, or Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for statistical analysis, as appropriate. P Results: The rates of clinical amnionitis were 5.3% in the PGE2 group and 8% in the control group. Endometritis developed in 1.7% of PGE2 patients and 3.2% of controls. These differences in maternal infection rates were not statistically significant. The two groups were comparable with respect to age, parity, and antepartum group B streptococcal colonization. No significant differences in hours of labor, duration of ruptured membranes, or vaginal examinations were observed. Neonatal outcome data (mean birth weight, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, Apgar score less than 7 at 5 minutes) were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Endocervical placement of 0.5 mg of PGE2 gel does not increase the incidence of clinical amnionitis and endometritis in patients with PROM at term when compared with immediate induction of labor with oxytocin.
Small‐scale Spatial Distribution of a Pyramidellid Snail Ectoparasite, Boonea impressa, in Relation to its Host, Crassostrea virginica, on Oyster Reefs

. The pyramidellid snail, Boonea (= Odostomia) impressa (SAY), is an important ectoparasite of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin). The small-scale spatial distribution of snails was examined in 11 oyster populations in the Copano Bay - Aransas Bay area of the Texas coast. Snails were contagiously distributed (s2/>1) and positively spatially autocorrelated. Patchiness was better developed and patches were larger on enclosed reefs than on more exposed open-bay reefs, probably because higher wave energy and increased distance between oyster clumps limited clump-to-clump movement by snails on open-bay reefs. Small snails were consistently distributed differently from large snails because small snails were less host specific. As the snails grow, a narrowing of host preference results in a substantial change in spatial distribution. Snails were consistently more contagiously distributed than their hosts; however, snail distribution was not host-density dependent. Factors determining the spatial distribution of the host had surprisingly little effect on the distribution of snails. Snail aggregates apparently form randomly by chance meetings of a few snails and then grow by attraction of additional snails. Consequently, snail behavior, which determines the size and length of time a patch retains its integrity, and the age distribution of the snail population may be the two most important factors, besides population size, determining the impact of B. impressa on oyster populations.
RISE AND/OR FALL IN THE SERIAL TROPONIN VALUES LACK CORRELATION WITH THE INCIDENCE OF OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Current guidelines for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction include a detection of the rise and/or fall in cardiac biomarker values. However, the lack of rise and/or fall in the serial troponin values is often observed in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We
Evaluation of Intrusion Detection Systems Under a Resource Constraint

An intrusion detection system plays an important role in a firm's overall security protection. Its main purpose is to identify potentially intrusive events and alert the security personnel to the danger. A typical intrusion detection system, however, is known to be imperfect in detection of intrusive events, resulting in high false-alarm rates. Nevertheless, current intrusion detection models unreasonably assume that upon alerts raised by a system, an information security officer responds to all alarms without any delay and avoids damages of hostile activities. This assumption of responding to all alarms with no time lag is often impracticable. As a result, the benefit of an intrusion detection system can be overestimated by current intrusion detection models. In this article, we extend previous models by including an information security officer's alarm inspection under a constraint as a part of the process in determining the optimal intrusion detection policy. Given a potentially hostile environment for a firm, in which the intrusion rates and costs associated with intrusion and security officers' inspection can be estimated, we outline a framework to establish the optimal operating points for intrusion detection systems under security officers' inspection constraint. The optimal solution to the model will provide not only a basis of better evaluation of intrusion detection systems but also useful insights into operations of intrusion detection systems. The firm can estimate expected benefits for running intrusion detection systems and establish a basis for increase in security personnel to relax security officers' inspection constraint.
Collaborative information seeking by the numbers

In this paper, we present results of an on-line survey conducted in early 2010 to inquire about collaborative information seeking activities and behaviors in the context of Web searches. We recruited participants using the Amazon Mechanical Turk service to gather responses from people with a wide range of backgrounds. We present results about the frequency of collaborative Web searches, number of sessions involved, concurrency, location, collaborative group size, and communication methods used to collaborate. We draw comparisons with prior work and highlight collaborative search scenarios that are important for tools and systems to support.
The spatial distribution of fixed mutations within genes coding for proteins

An examination has been conducted of the extensive amino acid sequence data now available for five protein families - the alpha crystallin A chain, myoglobin, alpha and beta hemoglobin, and the cytochromes c - with the goal of estimating the true spatial distribution of base substitutions within genes that code for proteins. In every case the commonly used Poisson density failed to even approximate the experimental pattern of base substitution. For the 87 species of beta hemoglobin examined, for example, the probability that the observed results were from a Poisson process was the minuscule 10 to the -44th. Analogous results were obtained for the other functional families. All the data were reasonably, but not perfectly, described by the negative binomial density. In particular, most of the data were described by one of the very simple limiting forms of this density, the geometric density. The implications of this for evolutionary inference are discussed. It is evident that most estimates of total base substitutions between genes are badly in need of revision.
Phonational Range in the Modal and Falsetto Registers

The phonational range of the modal and falsetto registers was determined for 35 nonsingers and eight singers. Each subject phonated the vowel /a/ at different frequencies by matching the pitch of s...
Information technology and development: the Internet and the mobile phone in Haiti

This paper examines the ways in which the information technology IT sector has contributed to the growth of the Haitian economy. It pinpoints four areas in which the impact is most visible: 1 the employment that the growth of the IT industry generates in both the informal and formal sectors of the economy; 2 the sizable amount of taxes that it disburses to the coffers of the state; 3 the crucial communication services that it provides to the business community e.g. banking; and 4 the remittances flows that it facilitates.
Kinetics of β-funaltrexamine binding to wild-type and mutant μ-opioid receptors expressed in chinese hamster ovary cells

The two-stage reaction whereby the antagonist β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA) binds covalently to μ opioid receptors makes it a highly discriminating probe into the tertiary structure of the receptor's recognition pocket. To obtain a quantitative measure of how well this pocket is preserved in a mutated form of the receptor, in which His-297 is substituted with glutamine, we employed [3H]-β-FNA to evaluate the kinetic rate constants for both the reversible as well as the irreversible stages of its binding to wild-type and mutant H297Q μ receptors stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The expression levels of the wild-type and mutant H297Q receptors were matched by exploiting the variation in receptor density as a function of plating day and by raising the expression level by pretreatment with naloxone. We found that all of the kinetic rate constants for [3H]-β-FNA were diminished by about one-half at the mutant H297Q μ receptors with respect to wild-type receptors. By comparison, the association rate constant of [3H]-naloxone likewise decreased by one-half; however, the dissociation rate constant increased 5-fold at the mutant H297Q receptor. We conclude that the mutation has had only minor influence on the recognition site and that the function of position 297 is more likely as a link in the transduction chain. Synapse 52:123–135, 2004. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Relationship Between Smoking and Calculus Deposition

The chi-square test for association in contingency tables is often used to analyze data gathered during the course of dental/oral experimentation. A simple procedure that makes such analyses more useful is described, and the method is applied in a study of the relationship between smoking and calculus deposition.
Identifying patterns of co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illness in a jail population

Although the co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs) is well documented among correctional populations, less explored are the actual patterns that exist between specific SUDs and additional mental health disorders in combination. This study examines prevalence and correlates of psychiatric comorbidity in incarcerated men who screened positive for a SUD and the ability of a practical structured interview to document diagnostic indications of SUDs and co-occurring disorders. Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation (CAAPE) interview data from 176 substance-dependent male inmates incarcerated in a local jail facility were analyzed. The most common substance dependence diagnoses were for alcohol (81%) and cocaine (35%). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the most common co-occurring mental health condition (55%), followed by antisocial personality disorder and major depressive episodes (51% each). Patterns related to the presence of PTSD and major depressive episod...
Heat Transfer Analysis for Thermal Energy Storage Using NaNO3 as Encapsulated Phase Change Material

Storage of thermal energy is of practical interest for concentrated solar power (CSP) applications. Thermal energy storage (TES) for CSP systems has been accomplished with the use of liquid eutectic mixtures of KNO3 and NaNO3 that are exchanged between a cold and hot tank with appropriate heat exchangers in between. While such two tank systems primarily rely on the sensible heat of the fluid to store thermal energy the storage system that utilizes latent heat can significantly be smaller, more effective and less expensive. The current work is focused on TES at higher temperatures using encapsulated phase change material (EPCM) as NaNO3 encapsulated by stainless steel that is applicable to Rankine and other power generation cycles. We present here two dimensional transient heat transfer analysis for the NaNO3 encapsulated in a cylindrical shaped capsule for charging (storing thermal energy) and discharging (retrieving thermal energy) process. Energy stored and retrieved are in both sensible and latent heat form. Simulations are conducted for both vertically and horizontally placed cylindrical rods to investigate the effect of gravity on the charging and discharging process for various diameters of rods. It has been found that heat transfer into/from EPCM rods is not posing any problem for 6–8 hours storage/retrieval of thermal energy.© 2012 ASME
How undergraduate nursing students learn to care for patients spiritually in clinical studies--a review of literature.

Aim To gain knowledge about what is known about how undergraduate nursing students learn to care for patients spiritually in their clinical studies. Background Spirituality is related to meaning, hope and comfort and spiritual care is part of nurses’ responsibility. Clinical studies are vital for students to integrate knowledge, clinical reasoning and formation. However, nurses are important in role modelling. Method A literature search was undertaken using international databases from 1980 to 2012. Articles were thoroughly evaluated and 10 papers reviewed for this article. Results Four main areas emerged as essential for learning spiritual care in clinical studies: (1) the importance of learning in real-life situations with repeated exposure to patients in diverse placements; (2) use of pedagogical methods that assist students to understand, work with and reflect on patients’ spirituality; (3) to be aware of and overcome conditions prohibiting spiritual care learning; and (4) to see spiritual care learning in connection with how students are prepared and how they are followed up after clinical studies. Conclusion Clinical studies are fundamental to students’ learning of spiritual care in nursing. Implications for nursing management Nurse leaders play a key role in keeping holistic care a nursing focus and creating a good learning environment.
Identification of ε-N-trimethyllysine in a rat testis calcium-dependent regulatory protein of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Summary A Ca++-dependent regulatory protein (CDR) of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isolated from rat testis contains 151 residues. Amino acid analysis of this protein showed one residue of an unidentified component which eluted between histidine and lysine. The elution time for this component corresponded to synthetic e-N-trimethyllysine (TML). Natural-abundance 13C Fourier transform NMR spectra of CDR showed a narrow resonance at 53.8 ppm which is characteristic of the carbon resonance of a trimethylammonium group. A single tryptic peptide of CDR was isolated which contained the residue of e-N-TML. Digestion of the tryptic peptide with thermolysin yielded a peptide with the following sequence: Leu-Gly-Glu-TML.
Theory of two-atom coherence in gases. I. Master equations

The response of a collision-broadened gas sample to driving coherent radiation is studied theoretically, taking into account effects of coherent excitations of two or more atoms (or molecules). In analogy to the Bloch-type master equation for one-atom coherences, describing the motion of a single atom "dressed" by the relevant (incident and detected) field modes, a master equation is derived for two-atom coherences, including an effective interaction of the Bethe-Salpeter---type, accounting for the mutual interaction of the coherently driven pair. The master equation includes also all symmetrization effects owing to resonance exchange between identical atoms, and is limited to nonreactive gas atoms (or molecules) undergoing binary collisions, including otherwise all (internal and translational) relaxation effects. The self-energy kernels are expressed in a nonperturbative fashion, in terms of binary-collision scattering amplitudes, and include renormalization effects due to coincidence of radiative couplings with the collisions (optical and radiative collisions). The concept of two-atom coherences is generalized to higher coherence ranks by constructing a hierarchy of master equations, including vertex operators that upgrade or downgrade the coherence rank, as a prelude to a diagrammatic method for calculating continuous-wave spectra. This hierarchy is compared with prevalent Agarwal-type master equations, based on the Dicke pseudospin method, and used in the study of two-level atoms.
LET'S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE: WHY THE FORENSIC INTERVIEWS OF CHILDREN IN CHILD PROTECTIVE CASES SHOULD BE VIDEO RECORDED*

Child sexual abuse is often difficult to prove due to a lack of physical evidence. In many instances, the only evidence is a child's statement given during a forensic interview. Forensic interviews are conducted to assess whether the child has been abused, to develop a plan to protect a child's safety pending trial, and to provide further investigative leads. Note taking by the interviewer is currently the primary method for documenting what takes place in a forensic interview. Research shows that this form of documentation is problematic because interviewers tend to omit abuse-related details in their notes. This Note suggests that federal law should require that forensic interviews of children in child sexual abuse cases be video recorded. State law can provide for a policy of video recording even in the absence of a federal law mandate. Video recording would better preserve the child's statements thereby improving the reliability of the information that is obtained during forensic interviews. The child's demeanor would also be fully captured on video as opposed to getting lost in an interviewer's notes.
TGFβ1 and TNFα potentiate nitric oxide production in astrocyte cultures by recruiting distinct subpopulations of cells to express NOS-2

Nitric oxide (NO) synthase-2 (NOS-2), a key source of NO at sites of neuroinflammation, is induced in astrocyte cultures treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus interferon-gamma (IFN gamma). A recent study examining the regulation of astrocytic NOS-2 expression demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF beta 1) potentiated LPS plus IFN gamma-induced NOS-2 expression via expansion of the pool of astrocytes that express NOS-2. Results in the current report indicate that this population-based mechanism of increasing NOS-2 expression is not restricted to TGF beta 1, since it also accounts for the potentiation of NO production in astrocyte cultures by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). In contrast to TGF beta 1, which required 24h preincubation for optimal potentiation of NO production, TNF alpha was maximally effective when added concurrently with LPS plus IFN gamma. Nevertheless, under conditions that optimally potentiated NO production, both cytokines recruited similar numbers of astrocytes to express NOS-2 (% NOS-2-positive cells after LPS plus IFN gamma alone or with TNFalpha or TGF beta 1 was 9.5+/-1.2, 25.3+/-2.9, and 32.4+/-3.0, respectively). Interestingly, stimulation of astrocytes in the presence of both TGF beta 1 and TNFalpha additively increased the number of astrocytes that expressed NOS-2 protein (% NOS-2-positive cells was 61.0+/-4.2) relative to each cytokine alone. Potentiation of NO production by either TNF alpha or TGF beta 1 was not ablated by neutralizing antibodies to TGF beta 1 or TNFalpha, respectively. Thus, the two cytokines act independently to recruit separate pools of astrocytes to express NOS-2. These results are consistent with the notion that astrocytes possess an innate heterogeneity with respect to responsiveness to these cytokines.
Congenital Absence of the Left Pericardium

A case of complete absence of the left pericardium, suspected from plain chest x-rays and proved by diagnostic left pneumothorax, has been reported. The significance of the pericardium in relation to cardiac function is discussed. Because absence of the left pericardium is a benign and relatively asymptomatic anomaly that usually requires no treatment, it behooves the clinician and radiologist to become cognizant of its presence.
Femtosecond Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductors and Metals

We describe investigations of carrier dynamics in GaAs and AlGaAs semiconductors and thin gold films using femtosecond optical techniques. Transient absorption saturation measurements in semiconductors permit an investigation of the fundamental scattering processes of optically excited carriers. Measurements of energy relaxation provide evidence for transient nonthermal carrier distributions. Studies in metals allow an investigation of nonequilibrium electron and phonon effects since the electrons are decoupled from the lattice on a femtosecond time scale. Nonequilbrium temperatures and energy transport in the electron gas have been observed.
Opportunity lost: A clash between politics, planning, and design in defense housing for pittsfield, massachusetts

In 1941, a small group of planners working for the Federal Works Agency’s Division of Defense Housing saw a tremendous opportunity both to provide a quick increase in housing availability and to improve the quality of their design as models for the future of American housing. To this end, they contracted with many of the nation’s leading architects to create innovative designs, only to have their efforts thwarted by those preferring the status quo and opting for short-term economic gain. This article focuses on an event that ultimately led to conflict between two of America’s most forceful figures: Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably America’s most esteemed architect of the twentieth century, and John W. McCormack who, for more than forty years, was one of the most powerful members of the U.S. Congress.