cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical fiber luminosity probe for plasma temperature fluctuation measurements.

This paper describes the theory, development, and experimental application of an instrument designed to measure small relative temperature fluctuations associated with traveling acoustic waves in a combustion plasma by observing potassium line radiation. The instrument has been used successfully to measure relative temperature fluctuations of <0.1% in a combustion plasma under conditions representative of magnetohydrodynamic power generation.
Sentence alignment for monolingual comparable corpora

We address the problem of sentence alignment for monolingual corpora, a phenomenon distinct from alignment in parallel corpora. Aligning large comparable corpora automatically would provide a valuable resource for learning of text-to-text rewriting rules. We incorporate context into the search for an optimal alignment in two complementary ways: learning rules for matching paragraphs using topic structure and further refining the matching through local alignment to find good sentence pairs. Evaluation shows that our alignment method outperforms state-of-the-art systems developed for the same task.
Feyman-X dependence of D± production in π−-nucleon interactions

Abstract We report on the production of D ± mesons using a 250 GeV/c π − beam incident on target of Be, Al, Cu and W. Over the range 0.0 x F dσ / dx F are well desribed by a function of the form (1− x F ) n with n = 3.08±0.25. We find the difference between the values of n for D + and D − to be less than 1.3 at 90% C.L. Also, there is no significant dependence of n on atomic number. We compare our preliminary results with those of other experiments and with predictions based on perturbative QCD.
Heterologous RNA replication enhancer stimulates in vitro RNA synthesis and template-switching by the carmovirus, but not by the tombusvirus, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase: implication for modular evolution of RNA viruses

The viral RNA plays multiple roles during replication of RNA viruses, serving as a template for complementary RNA synthesis and facilitating the assembly of the viral replicase complex. These roles are coordinated by cis-acting regulatory elements, such as promoters and replication enhancers (REN). To test if these RNA elements can be used by related viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp), we compared the potential stimulatory effects of homologous and heterologous REN elements on complementary RNA synthesis and template-switching by the tombus- (Cucumber necrosis virus, CNV), carmovirus (Turnip crinkle virus, TCV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RdRps in vitro. The CNV RdRp selectively utilized its cognate REN, while discriminating against the heterologous TCV REN. On the contrary, RNA synthesis by the TCV RdRp was stimulated by the TCV REN and the heterologous tombusvirus REN with comparable efficiency. The heterologous REN elements also promoted in vitro template-switching by the TCV and HCV RdRps. Based on these observations, we propose that REN elements could facilitate intervirus recombination and postrecombinational amplification of new recombinant viruses.
Free and Forced Vibrations of Elastically Connected Structures

A general theory for the free and forced responses of 𝑛 elastically connected parallel structures is developed. It is shown that if the stiffness operator for an individual structure is self-adjoint with respect to an inner product defined for 𝐶𝑘[0,1], then the stiffness operator for the set of elastically connected structures is self-adjoint with respect to an inner product defined on 𝑈=𝑅𝑛×𝐶𝑘[0,1]. This leads to the definition of energy inner products defined on 𝑈. When a normal mode solution is used to develop the free response, it is shown that the natural frequencies are the square roots of the eigenvalues of an operator that is self-adjoint with respect to the energy inner product. The completeness of the eigenvectors in 𝑊 is used to develop a forced response. Special cases are considered. When the individual stiffness operators are proportional, the problem for the natural frequencies and mode shapes reduces to a matrix eigenvalue problem, and it is shown that for each spatial mode there is a set of 𝑛 intramodal mode shapes. When the structures are identical, uniform, or nonuniform, the differential equations are uncoupled through diagonalization of a coupling stiffness matrix. The most general case requires an iterative solution.
Mechanism of the Electroreduction of Complexes of the Type [ M (NH 3 ) 5 X ] n+

THE effect of various anions upon the reduction of [Co(NH3)5 X]3+ at the dropping mercury electrode was reported recently by Vlcek and Kůta1. They explained the generation of the electrochemically active species in terms of a bimolecular substitution process that was proposed earlier2 and has since been the subject of correspondence between Dr. Vlcek and one of us (G. W. W.).
Flight response ofHeliothis subflexa (Gn.) females (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to an attractant from groundcherry,Physalis angulata L.

Mated femaleHeliothis subflexa (Gn.) (HS) moths 1-7 days old responded positively in a Plexiglas flight tunnel to an attractant extracted with methanol from fresh whole-leaf washes of groundcherry,Physalis angulata L. Response to the groundcherry extract, as indicated by plume-tracking (i.e., upwind flight toward the odor source) and contact with the chemical dispenser did not change significantly during the first 5 hr of scotophase. Overall, ca. 50% of the responding moths also landed on the chemical dispenser; ca. 50% of the moths that landed also deposited eggs. There were no significant differences in the behavioral responses of females mating only once and those that had mated two or more times. Virgin females and male moths were significantly less responsive to the groundcherry attractant than mated females. The flight tunnel bioassay described provides an excellent system for evaluating plant allelochemics associated with host-plant selection.
Repertoire and Organization of Human T-Cell Receptor α Region Variable Genes

A contig of YAC, PAC, and cosmid clones that spanned the human T-cell receptor α variable (AV) gene region on chromosome 14 was assembled. PCR primers corresponding to the members of 32 different subfamilies were used to map AV genes on the genomic clones. Nucleotide sequencing of PCR products derived from different genomic clones was used to discriminate between related AV gene segments that coamplified. The presence of individual AV gene segments on genomic clones was further confirmed by hybridization both to clones and to human genomic DNA from several unrelated individuals. These results suggest that the T-cell receptor α (TCRA) region in humans contains at least 46 distinct AV gene segments that can be grouped into 32 subfamilies based on nucleotide homology. Several subfamilies appear to contain additional members detectable by hybridization that do not map to chromosome 14.
An approach to chronic fatigue syndrome in adults.

Background The neurologist is often asked to evaluate patients with a chief complaint of fatigue. Many neurologists do not believe in the pathologically based disease known as chronic fatigue syndrome, yet as a group, neurologists are well suited to guide the diagnostic work up of such patients to pinpoint treatable disorders in the realm of neurology, general medicine, and psychiatry. Review summary Every patient should be carefully evaluated for certain medical, psychiatric, and neurologic disease that can cause fatigue as the most prominent symptom. This is most pressing because new work in virology, immunology, and imaging holds promise but still does not provide any diagnostic test or a mechanism for the production of these symptoms. Only a few treatments meet with even modest success in CFS. The goal of this paper is to provide the clinical neurologist with a framework for the investigation and management of this challenging group of patients. Conclusions Neurologists are typically also trained in psychiatry and general medicine, and this is a strong position to evaluate the patient with fatigue. Because no presently available test can make the diagnosis of CFS, the assessment is vital to seek out more treatable illnesses.
Evaluation of Laminaria-based microbial fuel cells (LbMs) for electricity production.

Abstract Marine algae represents a sustainable feedstock in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to its low water and energy requirements for cultivation, higher capacity to sequester carbondioxide, and high carbohydrate content. Two-compartment MFCs were evaluated under batch-fed mode using Laminaria saccharina as the model for algae-based electron donor, and mixed microbial consortia as the biocatalyst, in the anode compartment. The Laminaria -based MFCs ( L BMs) were studied with three different pretreatment conditions for the L. saccharina : (i) autoclaving (Auto), (ii) microwave irradiation (Micro), and (iii) as received treatment (No-Treat). A control was setup to establish base line performance for two-compartment MFCs using glucose as the electron donor in the anode. The performance of L BMs (250 mW/m 2 and 900 mA/m 2 ) was on par with glucose-based MFCs. AC impedance analysis revealed that the charge transfer resistance was at least 50-fold higher than the corresponding ohmic losses in both L BMs and glucose-based MFCs.
Parallel Drains from the Laplace Standpoint

Where natural drainage is inadequate for keeping the water table below the root zone of the crops being grown, drains are often employed to control water table levels. Such drains are commonly installed in parallel lines at depths and spacings adapted to the needs of the area. Formulas used for determining drain spacings are generally based upon Dupuit-Forchheimer concepts. These developments postulate a saturated, permeable aquifer underlying the irrigated area and an impermeable barrier underlying the aquifer. The basic differential equation expresses the requirement that the flow out through the sides of a vertical column of infinitesmal cross sectional area must be supplied by a corresponding drop of the water table at the top of the column. If variations of transmissivity due to variations of water table level are taken into account the second order differential equation obtained is nonlinear. To avoid the mathematical difficulties posed by this nonlinearity it is customary to neglect the effects of changes of transmissivity due to changes of water table levels. This imposes a restriction that the formulas derived from these linearized differential equations suffer a loss of accuracy if the change of water table levels becomes a considerable portion of the initial saturated depth. Offsetting these difficulties is the tactical advantage that the linearized differential equations are of types long studied in older developments concerned with conduction of heat in solids. The advantages conferred by the possibilities for exploiting the results of investigations in the older discipline are many. An alternative approach is based upon a requirement that there can be no accumulation of water in any elementary cubical volume located in the zone of complete saturation below the water table. The differential equation obtained on this basis, if the aquifer is homogeneous and isotropic, is the one which bears the name of Laplace. It will be the purpose of this paper to explore the possibilities afforded by this approach for evaluating the flow to parallel drains and to compare the results with those obtainable by the Dupuit-Forchheimer method.
Synthesis, receptor binding and QSAR studies on 6-substituted nicotine derivatives as cholinergic ligands

Abstract Nicotine 1 binds at nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors (nAChRs) but relatively little is known regarding its structure–affinity relationships at central receptors. The present study focuses on the pyridine 6-position of nicotine. Earlier studies from our laboratories suggested that the electronic (σ) and/or lipophilic (π) nature of the 6-position substituent might influence nAChR affinity. To examine this in greater detail, we prepared and evaluated a series of 6-substituted nicotine analogs. The various analogs were found to bind at nAChRs with affinities ( K i values) ranging from 0.45 to > 10000 nM. It was demonstrated, for fifteen of these analogs, that affinity could not be explained on the basis of either σ or π. However, a combination of π and Δ MOL VOL (representative of the volume of the 6-position substituent) accounted for affinity ( r = 0.970, n = 15). The basicity of the pyridine nitrogen atom was also examined by determining the p K a values of several representative analogs. Consistent with the above studies examining σ, as well as with previously published studies on peripheral nAChR binding, p K a alone did not account for variation in affinity. It would appear that lipophilic substituents at the pyridine 6-position contribute to nAChR affinity of nicotine analogs, but that affinity is further modulated by the steric size of this substituent in that increased size results in decreased affinity.
Regional Relations and the Future of China's Foreign Policy

China's Regional Relations: Evolving Foreign Policy Dynamics. By Mark Beeson, Fujian Li. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2014. 254 pp., $59.95 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-1-626-37040-1). At the outset of China's Regional Relations , Mark Beeson and Fujian Li pose the following question: Will a rising China become a “responsible stakeholder” in the international system, or will it challenge the US-led international order as it grows more powerful? The book thus contributes to the massive literature on the implications of China's rise. Yet, although the question is far from novel, the authors adopt an innovative approach for addressing it. China's current relations with countries in neighboring regions, they argue, are particularly informative of its future foreign policies. Because China's growing power and influence will first be manifested in relations with its neighbors, China's regional relations should yield insights into its likely future behavior in other contexts as it becomes more powerful. Furthermore, because China is a member of several distinct and heterogeneous regions, explaining variation in its foreign policies across these regions should help identify factors that will affect China's foreign policies in future contexts. Although many other works have examined China's regional relations, few have done so in the systematic manner that Beeson and Li adopt. The authors examine China's relations in five neighboring subregions of Asia: the Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Central/South Asia, and Australia. While others have examined China's bilateral relations with individual neighbors (for example, Goldstein 2005; Ross 2006; Swaine 2011) or with one subregion in isolation (for example, Goh 2007; Johnston 2008), Beeson and Li view regions holistically, as imagined communities of states that vary …
Recursive partitioning to reduce distortion

Adaptive partitioning of a multidimensional feature space plays a fundamental role in the design of data-compression schemes. Most partition-based design methods operate in an iterative fashion, seeking to reduce distortion at each stage of their operation by implementing a linear split of a selected cell. The operation and eventual outcome of such methods is easily described in terms of binary tree-structured vector quantizers. This paper considers a class of simple growing procedures for tree-structured vector quantizers. Of primary interest is the asymptotic distortion of quantizers produced by the unsupervised implementation of the procedures. It is shown that application of the procedures to a convergent sequence of distributions with a suitable limit yields quantizers whose distortion tends to zero. Analogous results are established for tree-structured vector quantizers produced from stationary ergodic training data. The analysis is applicable to procedures employing both axis-parallel and oblique splitting, and a variety of distortion measures. The results of the paper apply directly to unsupervised procedures that may be efficiently implemented on a digital computer.
The 4 year stability of psychopathic traits in non-referred youth.

One significant limitation in research extending the construct of psychopathy to youth has been the absence of longitudinal studies testing the stability of psychopathic traits prior to adulthood. To begin to address this limitation, the current study estimated the stability of psychopathic traits over a 4 year period in a sample of non-referred children in the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh grades at the first assessment. For parent ratings of psychopathic traits, stability estimates using intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 0.88 across 2-4 years, with a stability estimate of 0.93 across all four assessments. There were also distinct trends in the patterns of stability found in the sample. Specifically, children rated as being initially high on these traits were more likely to be rated lower at later assessments than was the case for children rated initially low on these traits. Finally, the child's level of conduct problems, the socioeconomic status of the child's family, and the quality of parenting the child received were the most consistent predictors of stability of psychopathic traits.
Estimated impacts of soil degradation on the African water balance and climate

This study uses a well-established water balance methodology, the Thornthwaite-Mather approach, to evaluate the effects of soil water holding capacity assumptions on estimates of African evapotranspiration rates, moisture deficit, and moisture surplus conditions. Under constant climate conditions, the model tests the impact of using a constant 150 mm soil water holding capacity compared to using a newly derived soil water holding capacity data set (the Dunne-Willmott data set). The study also uses a worldwide survey of soil degradation between 1950 and 1980 (GLASOD: Global Assess- ment of Soil Degradation) to evaluate the impacts of human-induced soil degradation on local water balances. The GLASOD data are used to alter local soil water holding capacities based on the Dunne- Willmott data to simulate human soil degradation patterns in Africa. Results indicate that the use of simplified soil water holding capacities can lead to significant errors in estimated evapotranspiration rates and water surplus and deficit conditions in Africa. Regions most affected are those with seasonal wet and dry climates, which are also those locations with the greatest climate variability. Because these are often the climates most studied to detect and model environmental change, it is important that accurate soil moisture estimates be used to simulate climate conditions in these regions. Results also indicate that soil degradation occurring over a 30 yr period (1950 to 1980) has had a significant impact on local water resources. The greatest impacts of these changes are in some of the more productive agricultural areas in the wetter sub-humid climates. Changes include increased runoff during wet seasons and an extended drought period during the dry seasons. Given that these agricultural systems have less flexibility to respond to long-term desiccation as compared to pastoral systems, this could lead to significant changes in local growing seasons and perhaps overall productivity in the future.
Deliberate self-harm in young people: attendance at a paediatric emergency department

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is the strongest predictor of suicidal behaviour. This retrospective study reviewed all DSH presentations to our Paediatric Emergency Department between 2002-2006.
MmPalateMiRNA, an R package compendium illustrating analysis of miRNA microarray data

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute the largest family of noncoding RNAs involved in gene silencing and represent critical regulators of cell and tissue differentiation. Microarray expression profiling of miRNAs is an effective means of acquiring genome-level information of miRNA activation and inhibition, as well as the potential regulatory role that these genes play within a biological system. As with mRNA expression profiling arrays, miRNA microarrays come in a variety of platforms from numerous manufacturers, and there are a multitude of techniques available for reducing and analyzing these data.
Integration time for the perception of depth from motion parallax

The perception of depth from relative motion is believed to be a slow process that "builds-up" over a period of observation. However, in the case of motion parallax, the potential accuracy of the depth estimate suffers as the observer translates during the viewing period. Our recent quantitative model for the perception of depth from motion parallax proposes that relative object depth (d) can be determined from retinal image motion (dθ/dt), pursuit eye movement (dα/dt), and fixation distance (f) by the formula: d/f≈dθ/dα. Given the model's dynamics, it is important to know the integration time required by the visual system to recover dα and dθ, and then estimate d. Knowing the minimum integration time reveals the incumbent error in this process. A depth-phase discrimination task was used to determine the time necessary to perceive depth-sign from motion parallax. Observers remained stationary and viewed a briefly translating random-dot motion parallax stimulus. Stimulus duration varied between trials. Fixation on the translating stimulus was monitored and enforced with an eye-tracker. The study found that relative depth discrimination can be performed with presentations as brief as 16.6 ms, with only two stimulus frames providing both retinal image motion and the stimulus window motion for pursuit (mean range=16.6-33.2 ms). This was found for conditions in which, prior to stimulus presentation, the eye was engaged in ongoing pursuit or the eye was stationary. A large high-contrast masking stimulus disrupted depth-discrimination for stimulus presentations less than 70-75 ms in both pursuit and stationary conditions. This interval might be linked to ocular-following response eye-movement latencies. We conclude that neural mechanisms serving depth from motion parallax generate a depth estimate much more quickly than previously believed. We propose that additional sluggishness might be due to the visual system's attempt to determine the maximum dθ/dα ratio for a selection of points on a complicated stimulus.
Sex‐biased migration in humans: what should we expect from genetic data?

Different patterns of mitochondrial and Y-chromosome diversity have been cited as evidence of long-term patrilocality in human populations. However, what patterns are expected depends on the nature of the sampling scheme. Samples from a local region reveal only the recent demographic history of that region, whereas sampling over larger geographic scales accesses older demographic processes. A historical change in migration becomes evident first at local geographic scales, and alters global patterns of genetic diversity only after sufficient time has passed. Analysis of forager populations in the ethnographic record suggests that patrilocality may not have predominated among pre-agricultural humans. The higher female migration rate inferred by some genetic studies may reflect a shift to patrilocality in association with the emergence of agriculture. A recent global survey does not show the expected effects of higher female migration, possibly because the sampling scheme used for this study is accessing pre-agricultural human migration patterns. In this paper, we show how the demographic shift associated with agriculture might affect genetic diversity over different spatial scales. We also consider the prospects for studying sex-biased migration using the X-linked and autosomal markers. These multi-locus comparisons have the potential of providing more robust estimates of sex differences than Y-linked and mitochondrial data, but only if a very large number of loci are included in the analysis.
Lysophosphatidylcholine Mediates Early Response to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation in Endothelial Cells

Materials/Methods: Fisher 344 rats received right hemithoracic irradiation using a single dose of 28 Gy. Serial studies were performed in both control and irradiated groups of rats at 24 hr, 3, 5, 7 days, and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14 and 20 weeks after irradiation. End points included radionuclide lung perfusion studies and immunohistochemical techniques. Radionuclide lung perfusion studies were conducted to determine the time course and severity of the pulmonary vascular damage. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to determine tissue hypoxia (CA9 hypoxia marker), oxidative stress (8-OHdG staining), macrophage activation/proliferation, and expression of profibrogenic (TGF-b) and proangiogenic (VEGF) cytokines.
Erosion of telomeric single-stranded overhang in patients with aplastic anaemia carrying telomerase complex mutations.

Background Loss-of-function mutations in telomerase complex genes reduce telomerase activity and shorten overall telomere length in leucocytes, and they can clinically manifest as bone marrow failure (aplastic anaemia and dyskeratosis congenita) and familial pulmonary fibrosis. Telomeres are constituted of double-stranded tandem TTAGGG repeats followed by a 3¢ G-rich single-stranded overhang, a crucial telomeric structural component responsible for the t-loop formation. Materials and methods We investigated the length of telomeric overhangs in 25 healthy individuals from 0 to 76 years of age, 16 patients with aplastic anaemia, and 13 immediate relatives using a non-denaturing in-gel method and the telomere-oligonucleotide ligation assay. Results Telomeric overhang lengths were constant from birth to eighth decade of life in healthy subjects, in contrast to overall telomere length, which shortened with ageing. Most patients with marrow failure and a telomerase gene mutation showed marked erosion of telomeric overhang associated with critically short telomeres; in other aplastic patients with normal genotypes, normal overall telomere lengths and who responded to immunosuppressive therapy, telomeric overhangs were maintained. Conclusions Telomeric overhang erosion does not participate in physiological ageing but support a role for eroded telomeric overhangs and abnormal telomere structure in pathological shortening of telomeres, especially caused by loss-of-function telomerase mutations. Disrupted telomere structure caused by short telomeric overhangs may contribute to the mechanisms of abnormal haematopoietic compartment senescence and chromosomal instability in human bone marrow failure.
Evaluation of Roundabout Performance Using SIDRA

This paper compares the performance of roundabouts with four leg intersections under yield control, two- and four-way stop control, and signal control for various traffic conditions using the SIDRA package. Such conditions include variations in volume levels, turning volume splits, number of approach lanes, and lane widths. The results from the analysis indicate that roundabouts are the best alternative designs for intersections with two-lane approaches that carry heavy through and/or left traffic turning volumes. The perfor- mance of roundabouts compares well to the performance of signalized intersections with one-lane approaches and heavy traffic volumes. Roundabout capacities are found higher than capacities of signal controlled intersec- tions with two- and three-lane approaches for any proportion of left-turning traffic volume. This study provides recommendations to traffic engineers on the conditions under which roundabouts perform better than controlled intersections and, thus, should be considered as design alternatives.
Multi-parameter segmentation of brain images

Recent advances in multi-parameter MR brain imaging has enabled multi-class tissue characterization for better quantitative analysis and understanding brain disorders and pathologies. This paper presents a maximum likelihood based method for multi-class segmentation that utilizes spatio-frequency features obtained from wavelet analysis along with the multi-parameter measurements. Results on MR brain images of a patient with stroke are presented.
On high-speed data bus performance analysis

The adequacy of using average throughput analysis in determining the relative performance of high-speed data bus networks is discussed. Using analytical means, the performance of three different linear bus implementations and the SAE ring bus are examined in terms of low-to-moderate, high, and worst-case throughput delays, and theoretical maximum throughput. It is shown that factors that have a major impact on some of these characteristics do not have a major impact on others. >
Contemporary perceptions of the First World War reflected in the capital markets

This paper analyses contemporary perceptions of the First World War in order to identify which historical events were considered turning points in the war effort by actors at the time. Using a new data-set of daily prices of French war debt issued and traded in London, it looks for structural breaks in the time series using a four-step rolling windows algorithm. The data confirm that contemporary actors reacted strongly to some events considered to be less relevant by historians, such as the Battles of Jutland and Caporetto, and did not significantly react to other events generally considered by historians to be turning points for the war effort, such as the German Michael Offensive, the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. The analysis indicates that contemporary views of turning points in the war differed significantly from those in ex post historical accounts, indicating that the relative importance placed on certain events by historians might not reflect the...
The Value of Qualitative Methods in Social Validity Research

One quality indicator of intervention research is the extent to which the intervention has a high degree of social validity, or practicality. In this study, I drew on Wolf’s framework for social validity and used qualitative methods to ascertain five middle schoolteachers’ perceptions of the social validity of System 44®—a phonics-based reading intervention for secondary students. Findings derived from teacher interviews and classroom observations conducted during the course of one school year indicate that the ways in which teachers make decisions about social validity are complex and predicated on the interaction of several factors related to an intervention’s goals, outcomes, and procedures. By using qualitative methods and applying Wolf’s framework to an academic intervention, I expand the social validity construct and delineate its sub-components.
Formation and metabolism of alkylated nucleosides: possible role in carcinogenesis by nitroso compounds and alkylating agents.

Publisher Summary Alkylation of nucleic acids occurs both physiologically within living cells and after the administration of compounds that are either themselves direct chemical alkylating agents or are converted into alkylating agents by metabolic activation. Some of these compounds are highly potent carcinogens. Carcinogenicity of these agents is due to the alkylation of certain cellular components because no other degradation product nor is the compound itself oncogenic. This chapter deals with the formation and metabolism of alkylated purines in nucleic acids. It briefly discusses other alkylation reactions leading to the alkylphosphate triester production and alkylated pyrimidines. It also presents evidences favoring particular critical targets for the action of alkylating carcinogens. The attack on nucleic acids by carcinogenic alkylating agents is not entirely random and generally leads to the formation of alkylated nucleosides at many different sites distributed throughout the cellular nucleic acids. Carcinogenesis is not necessarily mediated through mutagenesis in somatic cells. However, it is observed that carcinogenic action could be mediated through a distinct action of the electrophilic reactant.
Movin’ on Up: Socioeconomic Mobility and the Risk of Delivering a Small-for-Gestational Age Infant

Objective Poor fetal growth is associated with increased rates of adverse health outcomes in children and adults. The social determinants of poor fetal growth are not well understood. Using multiple socioeconomic indicators measured at the individual level, this study examined changes in maternal socioeconomic position (SEP) from childhood to adulthood (socioeconomic mobility) in relation to poor fetal growth in offspring. Methods Data were from the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Study (September 1998–June 2004) that enrolled women in mid-pregnancy from 52 clinics in five Michigan communities (2463 women: 1824 non-Hispanic White, 639 non-Hispanic Black). Fetal growth was defined by birthweight-for-gestational age percentiles; infants with birthweight-for-gestational age <10th percentile were referred to as small-for-gestational age (SGA). In logistic regression models, mothers whose SEP changed from childhood to adulthood were compared to two reference groups, the socioeconomic group they left and the group they joined. Results Approximately, 8.2 % of women (non-Hispanic White: 6.3 %, non-Hispanic Black: 13.9 %) delivered an SGA infant. Upward mobility was associated with decreased risk of delivering an SGA infant. Overall, the SGA adjusted-odds ratio was 0.34 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.17–0.69] for women who moved from lower to middle/upper versus static lower class, and 0.44 (CI 0.28–1.04) for women who moved from middle to upper versus static middle class. There were no significant differences in SGA risk when women were compared to the SEP group they joined. Conclusions Our findings support a link between mother’s socioeconomic mobility and SGA offspring. Policies that allow for the redistribution or reinvestment of resources may reduce disparities in rates of SGA births.
Reducing Costs in the Manufacturing Industry: An Energy Economic Perspective

Manufacturers lack the proper economic tools to improve energy efficiency of the plant. This paper uses energy economic analysis to increase the overall profit of the manufacturing facility by reducing energy consumption with minimal throughput impact. A return on investment strategy is developed to give plant managers the quantitative tools to select the machine which, when replaced, will lead to the largest return on investment. Over the long term, this will lead to the largest decrease in energy costs. To increase profits on a daily basis, a control methodology is developed that uses energy opportunity windows to insert downtime events that have minimal production impact, but reduce the overall energy consumption. A simulation case study is performed to test the control methodology and the return on investment strategy to show the effect of both on the profit of the manufacturing facility.© 2015 ASME
Pathways to treatment: Mental health providers’ experiences with Latina/o clients’ care seeking

ABSTRACTThis study examined the insight of mental health providers into the pathways Latina/os follow when dealing with mental distress. Latinos are the largest ethnic minority in the nation and their mental health continues to be a complex matter. Latinos are less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Latino Whites. Focus groups with 25 mental health professionals provided descriptions of their Mexican-American clients’ pathways to seeking mental health treatment. Pathways to mental health treatment encountered by mental health providers of Latina/o adults can vary, but follow an escalating pattern. This informal to formal treatment path is consistent with mental health care seeking behavioral theories. Implications are discussed in the context of practice and cultural considerations.
Design-Time Reliability Enhancement Using Hotspot Identification for RF Circuits

Failure due to aging mechanisms in CMOS devices is an important concern of RF circuits. Lifetime of analog/RF circuits is defined as the point where at least one specification will fail due to aging effects. In this brief, we present a methodology for analyzing the performance degradation of RF circuits caused by aging mechanisms in MOSFET devices and inductors at design time (presilicon). We identify reliability hotspots and concentrate on these circuit components to enhance the lifetime with low area and no performance impact.
Long-term refrigerated storage of swedes

SummarySwedes cv. Laurentian Purple Top from nine commercial crops grown on a range of soil types during the four seasons 1982–85 were stored, with or without post-harvest dipping in benomyl or iprodione (0.5 g l−1 a.i.), in an ice-bank cooled store at 0.5°C, 97–98% r.h. or a conventional direct expansion cooled store at 2.0–2.5°C, 90–95% r.h. Storage weight losses were lower, and roots remained firm and turgid with no regrowth after 34–38 weeks in the ice-bank store, whereas those in the conventional store were flaccid with obvious leaf and root regrowth after only 25–28 weeks. The major source of wastage, spreading soft rots caused by Botrytis cinerea, were controlled by both fungicides, although smaller lesions caused by Phoma lingam were controlled more effectively by benomyl. In most crops, the highest recoveries (80–100% after 25–28 weeks, and 73–97% after 34–38 weeks) suitable for processing were from benomyl-dipped roots in the ice-bank store. The practical applications of long-term ice-bank stora...
Anticonvulsant Action of Isopropyl Alcohol.

SummaryAnalyses of blood isopropyl alcohol and blood acetone in relation to elevation of cortical threshold to electric stimulation suggest that the alcohol itself is responsible for the anticonvulsant effect. The ketonemia, nonetheless, may contribute a share. Other secondary and tertiary alcohols (2-butanol, 3-pentanol, and 2-methyl-2-butanol) effectively raised the cortical threshold, with or without acetonemia. Isopropyl alcohol was capable of antagonizing metrazol and thujone convulsions but was not effective against picrotoxin seizures.
Leaching Behavior of Fossil Fuel Wastes: Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Calcium

A literature review [1] of the leaching behavior of inorganic constituents contained in fossil fuel wastes indicated that most of the available information deals primarily with (1) determination of the elemental composition of different wastes, (2) examination of the physical characteristics of waste solids, and (3) empirical leaching studies involving different solutions and procedures (e.g., water, acids, extraction procedure, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure). A comprehensive mechanistic approach and data are needed to predict accurately the composition of pore waters from fossil fuel wastes. An approach that relates the aqueous concentrations in leachates to solubility-controlling or adsorption-controlling solid phases- in the wastes is described. The behavior of calcium is used as an example to show the relevance of existing data to predicting leachate composition and to identify the type of data needed. The application of this approach to pore waters from flue gas desulfurization sludge shows that Ca concentrations can be accurately predicted from the nature of the Ca solids present and the thermo-chemical data descriptive of precipitation/dissolution and complexation reactions.
Experience Curves and Dynamic Demand Models: Implications for Optimal Pricing Strategies:

Recent empirical research shows that supply and demand conditions are typically not stable over time. The evolution of these factors and the firm's ability to impact the evolution have important pr...
Clinical Analysis of Epidemic parotitis Complicated with Acute Pancreatitis and Discussion of Its Pathogenesis

Objective To summarize the clinical features and laboratory indicators of mumps complicated with acute pancreatitis,and to explore its pathogenesis. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in the study.29 children with mumps and acute pancreatitis who were hospitalized in the Children's Hospital of Hunan Province from January 2008 to January 2011 were selected as observation group;meanwhile,84 mumps children without complications were served as control group.Their clinical manifestations were observed,and the difference in the laboratory indicators of the two groups was compared. Results 4.71% of mumps cases were complicated with pancreatitis,but the manifestations were mild.Hematocrit(Hct),erythrocyte sedimentation rate,C reactive protein and blood sugar of observation group were higher than those of control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P0.05).No statistically significant difference was found in blood leukocytes,blood and urine amylase between the two groups(P0.05). Conclusions Acute pancreatitis is the common complication of mumps and the main manifestations are mild.We can not diagnose it according to blood and urine amylase.Blood lipase testing combined with B ultrasound is conducive to the diagnosis.The increase of Hct and blood sugar leads to abnormal hemorheology,the elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and CRP suggest that mumps complicated with pancreatitis might occur,and all the changes of above indicators can reflect the patient's conditions.
Enterovirus infection status among family members of children with hand foot and mouth disease and healthy children in Baoshan district of Shanghai

Objective To understand enterovirus infection status among family members of children with hand foot and mouth disease( HFM D) and healthy children in Baoshan,Shanghai,and provide evidence for the prevention and control of HFM D. Methods Household survey was conducted among the family members of children with confirmed HFM D and healthy children from vaccination clinlcs selected during June-August 2014,and stool samples were collected from them. Results The enterovirus positive rate in 79 close contacts of HFM D cases from 30 families was 30. 38%( 24 /79),but no enterovirus positive persons were detected in 25 family members of healthy children from 11 families.Among close contacts,88. 89% were infected with the same types enterovirus detected in HFM D cases. The infection rate in close contacts spending ≥ 6 h. in taking care of sick children per day was higher than those spending 6 h. in taking care of sick children per day,the difference was statistically significant( χ2= 6. 07,P 0. 05). Conclusion The enterovirus infection rate in the family close contacts of children with HFM D was higher than that in the family members of healthy children. The healthy education and management should be strengthened among HFM D family close contacts.
Temperature-induced functional deocclusion of thiols inhibitory for sheep erythrocyte K-Cl cotransport

In low-K sheep erythrocytes, K-Cl cotransport is activated by treatment with low concentrations of thiol reagents and by other interventions such as lowering of cellular free cytosolic Mg, hyposmotic cell swelling, the kinase inhibitor staurosporine, and hydroxylamine. High concentrations of N-ethylmaleimide or methylmethane thiolsulfonate reverse the activation through thiol groups and, as shown here, also the stimulation by non-thiol manipulations. The overriding inhibitory sites functionally associated with and different from those of the activating thiols (SHa) were further distinguished by temperature. Treatment with N-ethylmaleimide and its subsequent removal by dithiothreitol, both at 0 degrees C, prevented the inhibitory effect at 37 degrees C and thus the chemical modification of inhibitory thiols (SHi). Whereas stimulation through SHa closely followed the loss of glutathione, inhibition through SHi occurred only in glutathione-depleted cells. The reversal of K-Cl cotransport stimulation by all hitherto known interventions, which is strongest in metabolically depleted cells, suggests that the low temperature-protected SHi constitute crucial sites that, close to the transporter itself or at the cytoskeletal level, become functionally deoccluded upon temperature elevation.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)

Management of athletes often requires attention to not only musculoskeletal injuries but also to medical conditions. Those who oversee athletic competitions should be able to understand the basic management of conditions ranging from asthma to sudden cardiac arrest, and also be able to assess patients with concussions, metabolic derangements, frostbite, and heat illness.
Secure coprocessor integration with Kerberos V5

The nightmare of Trusted Third Party (T3P) based protocol users is compromise of the T3P. Because the compromised T3P can read and modify any user information, the entire user group becomes vulnerable to secret revelation and user impersonation. Kerberos, one of the most widely used network authentication protocols, is no exception. When the Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) is compromised, all the user keys are exposed, thus revealing all the encrypted data and allowing an adversary to impersonate any user. If an adversary has physical access to the KDC host, or can obtain administrator rights, KDC compromise is possible, and catastrophic. To solve this problem, and to demonstrate the capabilities of secure hardware, we have integrated the IBM 4758 secure coprocessor into Kerberos V5 KDC. As a result of the integration, our implemented KDC preserves security even if the KDC host has been compromised.
SNS-032 is a potent and selective inhibitor of CDK2, 7 and 9 and induces cell death by inhibiting cell cycle progression and the expression of antiapoptotic proteins

2079 The cell cycle-regulated CDKs, CDK1, 2, and 4 have been extensively studied as potential therapeutic targets in cancer. Recent research has additionally underscored the potential role of several constitutively active CDKs including CDK7 and 9 as cancer targets. Phosphorylation of the c-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA Polymerase II by CDK7 and 9 are critical steps in transcriptional regulation. Inhibition of these kinases is predicted to have the greatest effect on the expression of proteins with short T \(\frac{1}{2}\) and short-lived mRNA, including proteins involved in apoptotic regulation. CDK7 also activates cell-cycle CDKs 1, 2, 4 and 6. SNS-032 (formerly BMS-387032) has previously been described as a selective inhibitor of CDK2 with potent antitumor activity in animal models. Here we show that in addition to inhibition of CDK2, SNS-032 also inhibits CDK7/cyclinH and CDK9/cyclinT at low nanomolar concentrations in biochemical assays. The compound is highly selective for CDK inhibition; in a panel of 208 kinases, only four non-CDK proteins were inhibited by >50% at 1 μM SNS-032. The cellular pharmacology of SNS-032 mirrors the biochemical data. Cells treated with SNS-032 show a rapid cell cycle arrest and onset of cell death that corresponds with inhibition of multiple substrates of CDK2, 7, and 9. For instance, inhibition of pRb phosphorylation, accumulation of cyclin E protein, and cell-cycle arrest at G1 and G2 are observed in multiple cell lines in a time- and dose-dependent manner, consistent with inhibition of CDK2 and CAK. Furthermore, SNS-032 inhibits CDK9-mediated phosphorylation of Ser2 in the CTD with an IC50= 20 nM. Corresponding with inhibition of RNA polymerase II, the short half-life, anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 is rapidly depleted from cells, coincident with the phosphorylation of p53. Expression of Mcl-1 is a candidate predictor of aggressive disease and resistance to chemotherapy in CLL and is essential for survival of B-cell lymphoma and multiple myelomas, supporting the use of SNS-032 as a treatment for these diseases. SNS-032, a selective inhibitor of multiple CDKs involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation, has potential for antitumor activity in both solid and hematological cancers. SNS-032 is currently in phase 1 clinical studies.