cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrochromatographic solid-phase extraction for determination of cimetidine in serum by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Abstract A highly effective electrochromatographic solid-phase extraction and preconcentration method is reported for the determination of cimetidine in serum in the concentration range 0.233–11.4 μg/ml. Preconcentrated samples were determined by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography while ranitidine was used as an internal standard. Sample preparation included retention of the analyte on a C 18 solid-phase cartridge, followed by elution assisted by an applied voltage of 150 V. From 0.5-ml serum samples, 20–50-μl aliquots were collected for electrophoretic analysis. Within the studied concentration range, the method was linear and provided adequate precision.
HDL as a target in the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Lipid abnormalities are among the key risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Indeed, lipid-modifying drugs - in particular, the statins, which primarily lower plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - considerably reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, leading to their widespread use. Nevertheless, it seems that there might be limits to the degree of benefit that can be achieved by lowering LDL-cholesterol levels alone, which has led to increased interest in targeting other lipid-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In this article, we first consider the mechanisms that underlie the protective effect of HDL cholesterol, and then discuss several strategies that have recently emerged to increase levels of HDL cholesterol to treat cardiovascular disease, including nuclear receptor modulation, inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and infusion of apolipoprotein/phospholipid complexes.
On the theory of secondary recrystallization texture formation in face-centered cubic metals

Abstract An oriented-nucleation growth-selectivity theory for secondary recrystallization in face-centered cubic metals is discussed. According to the theory, primary recrystallization produces a texture consisting of strong and weak components, which are related to components of the deformation texture by a 〈111〉 relationship (approximately 38 degree rotation). Large primaries from the weak components of the texture are considered to be the nuclei for secondary recrystallization. The theory is applied to explain several results reported in the literature.
Outer inverses of matrices

Abstract Let R be a commutative ring with 1 and let G∈ R n×m . If A∈ R m×n is of rank r⩾1 with tr C r (AG)=1 , then AGA=A iff GCr(A)=A; that is, A is an outer inverse of G iff A is the adjoint image of Cr(A) under G.
Development of a transfer matrix for a rectangular void in a three-dimensional neutron diffusion nodal model

Abstract The problem of a parallelepiped void occupying a nodal position in the diffusion nodal method was investigated. In the diffusion nodal model the neutron flux is expanded in Legendre polynomials. To solve for the neutron partial currents that couple the void to its surrounding nodes, the concept of overall transfer matrix was introduced. The transfer matrix, when multiplied by the column vector containing the Legendre coefficients of the spatial flux in the neighboring node, produces the outbound neutron partial currents from the void. This method uses the faces of the void as P1 distributed neutron sources and finds the subsequent neutron streaming through the void using a combination of analytical and numerical solutions. A neutron balance on the number of neutrons per second that enters the void and the number per second that exists from it was performed and the results have been found satisfactory to better than 0.1% for a wide class of rectangular voids.
Identification of the major 68,000-dalton protein of microtubule preparations as a 10-nm filament protein and its effects on microtubule assembly in vitro.

The major 68,000-dalton protein present in cycled microtubule preparations from bovine brain can be isolated in a rapidly sedimenting fraction consisting of filaments 10 nm in diameter. This 68,000-dalton protein remains in the filament fraction after gel filtration, phosphocellulose chromatography, or salt extraction of microtubule protein. Microtubule protein devoid of 10-nm filaments contains ring structures under depolymerizing conditions, and it polymerizes into microtubules with a characteristically low critical concentration, although all of the 68,000-dalton protein has been removed from it. When cycled microtubule protein is subjected to chromatography on phosphocellulose, the tubulin fraction (PC-tubulin) assembles into microtubules only at concentrations greater than 2 mg/mL. The other fraction, eluted from phosphocellulose at high ionic strength, contains the major 68,000-dalton protein and can be further resolved into two components by centrifugation. The supernatant, which consists mainly of high molecular weight microtubule-associated proteins, stimulates low concentrations of PC-tubulin to assemble. The pellet contains all of the 68,000-dalton protein, consists of 10-nm filaments, and does not stimulate assembly of PC-tublin. Boiling of purified filaments, however, releases several proteins, including the 68,000-dalton protein, and these released proteins stimulate the assembly of PC-tubulin. The morphology and protein composition of the filaments isolated from microtubule preparations by these techniques are very similar to those of mammalian neurofilaments. These results suggest that the major 68,000-dalton protein in cycled microtubule preparations, which may correspond to tubulin assembly protein [Lockwood, A.H. (1978) Cell 13, 613--627], is a constituent of neurofilaments.
The name-bearing types of Odonata held in the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, with systematic notes on Afrotropical taxa. Part 2: Zygoptera and descriptions of new species

Abstract Orthographic details of 118 name-bearing types of Odonata and 11 ‘holotypes’ of forms, without nomenclatural status, are provided in two parts: the second and present paper deals with Zygoptera. The taxonomy of the gracilis-group of Chlorocypha and the Afrotropical members of Prodasineura and Aciagrion are discussed. Chlorocypha fabamacula is removed from synonymy with C. wittei; Pseudagrion superbum from P. serrulatum. Chlorocypba basilewskyi and possibly C. hasta are junior synonyms of C. tenuis their treatment as a subspecies of C. jacksoni and C. molindica respectively is rejected; Elattoneura tropicalis of E. cellularis; Agriocnemis dissimilis of A. palaeforma; Pseudagrion quadrioculatum of P. superbum; Pseudagrion williamsi of P. kersteni; Teinobasis malawiensis of T. alluaudi. It was confirmed that Chlorocnemis rossii is a junior synonym of C. flavipennis; Aciagrion congoense of A. africanum; Agriocnemis aligulae of A. maclachlani; Argiocnemis umbargae of Ceriagrion annulatum; Ischnura hil...
The Transmembrane src Substrate Trask Is an Epithelial Protein that Signals during Anchorage Deprivation

The roles of epithelial cells encompass both cellular- and tissue-level functions that involve numerous cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions, which ultimately mediate the highly structured arrangement of cells on a basement membrane. Although maintaining this basic structure is critical for preserving tissue integrity, plasticity in epithelial cell behavior is also critical for processes such as cell migration during development or wound repair, mitotic cell detachment, and physiological shedding. The mechanisms that mediate epithelial cell plasticity are only beginning to be understood. We previously identified Trask, a transmembrane protein that is phosphorylated by src kinases during mitosis. In this study, we report that the phosphorylation of Trask is associated with anchorage loss in epithelial cells. Phosphorylation of Trask is seen during the cell-detachment phase of mitosis, in experimentally induced interphase detachment, and during cell migration in experimental epithelial models. An analysis of human tissues shows that Trask is widely expressed in many epithelial tissues but not in most tissues of mesenchymal origin, except for a subset of early hematopoietic cells. Trask is not phosphorylated in epithelial tissues in vivo; however, its phosphorylation is seen in epithelial cells undergoing mitosis or physiological shedding. Trask is a novel epithelial membrane protein that is phosphorylated by src kinases when epithelial cells disengage from their tissue framework, identifying an important new regulator of epithelial tissue dynamics.
Indolizidine synthesis by transannular cyclization

Beckmann rearrangement of alkylcyclooctenone oximes VIa and VIb gave corresponding nine-membered lactams 1,3,4,5,8,9-hexahydro-3-methyl-2H-azonin-2-one (VIIIa) and 1,3,4,5,8,9-hexahydro-3-butyl-2H-azonin-2-one (VIIIb), respectively. A stereospecific transannular cyclization was induced by mercuric acetate leading to alkyl indolizinones Xa and Xb. Temperature and solvent dependent nmr spectra of the medium ring lactams indicates the stereochemical control is caused by steric interactions of the alkyl side chain. Lithium aluminum hydride reduced Xa/Xb to cis-octahydro-6-methylindolizidine (XIa) and cis-octahydro-3-n-butylindolizidine (XIb).
Some discriminative properties of syntactic structures

Summary Forty scripts were prepared that contained the same 36 kernel sentences with one of four syntactic structures: declarative, negative, passive, or query. The relative frequency of the structures in each script was varied systematically. Tape recordings of the scripts, read by 40 speakers, were presented to listeners who sorted a (different) set of 144 sentences according to their estimate of which speaker was most likely to have said each sentence. The distribution of syntactic structures in the stimulus scripts was compared with the corresponding distribution arrived at by the listener. When a particular syntactic structure predominated in a speaker's corpus, the listeners tended to assign all the sentences of the dominant form exclusively to that speaker. When the relative frequencies of the syntactic structures in a corpus were more nearly equal, the listeners tended to assign structures at random. Most of the confusions in discrimination, that is, assignment of a structure to a speaker much more often than it was uttered, were associated with the declarative and passive sentence structures. These syntactic forms generalized most often with each other and more often with the remaining syntactic forms than either negative or interrogative sentences.
Accountability mechanisms in the auditing profession

Certified Public Accountants serve as independent auditors of financial statements. They perform information‐integrity testing for the economy and society, adding creditability to financial statements prepared by organizations’ management. Investors, creditors, and others rely on these financial statements and the audit report to make business decisions. Auditing work involves gathering evidence (research) and forming an opinion (reporting results) about the “fairness”; of financial statements according to regulatory, legal, and professional rules. As researchers, auditors are subject to a complex network of mechanisms to promote accountability in their work. These mechanisms exist at environmental, professional, and audit‐firm levels. They combine to influence the judgments of individual auditors.
Data-driven geography

The context for geographic research has shifted from a data-scarce to a data-rich environment, in which the most fundamental changes are not just the volume of data, but the variety and the velocity at which we can capture georeferenced data; trends often associated with the concept of Big Data. A data-driven geography may be emerging in response to the wealth of georeferenced data flowing from sensors and people in the environment. Although this may seem revolutionary, in fact it may be better described as evolutionary. Some of the issues raised by data-driven geography have in fact been longstanding issues in geographic research, namely, large data volumes, dealing with populations and messy data, and tensions between idiographic versus nomothetic knowledge. The belief that spatial context matters is a major theme in geographic thought and a major motivation behind approaches such as time geography, disaggregate spatial statistics and GIScience. There is potential to use Big Data to inform both geographic knowledge-discovery and spatial modeling. However, there are challenges, such as how to formalize geographic knowledge to clean data and to ignore spurious patterns, and how to build data-driven models that are both true and understandable.
Nonexistence of dc States in Low‐Pressure Thermionic Converters

Computer simulation of large signal time-dependent behavior of low pressure thermionic converters to show nonexistence of dc states
Viscosity and nonlinearity effects on the forces and waves generated by a floating twin hull under heave oscillation

Abstract Nonlinear hydrodynamics of a twin rectangular hull under heave oscillation is analyzed using numerical methods. Two-dimensional nonlinear time-domain solutions to both inviscid and viscous problems are obtained and the results are compared with linear, inviscid frequency-domain results obtained in [26] to quantify nonlinear and viscous effects. Finite-difference methods based on boundary-fitted coordinates are used for solving the governing equations in the time domain [2] . A primitive-variables based projection method [6] is used for the viscous analysis and a mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian formulation [11] for inviscid analysis. The algorithms are validated and the order of accuracy determined by comparing the results obtained from the present algorithm with the experimental results of Vugt [22] for a heaving rectangle in the free surface. The present study on the twin-hull hydrodynamics shows that at large and non-resonant regular frequencies, and small amplitude of body oscillation, the fluid viscosity does not significantly affect the wave motion and the radiation forces. At low frequencies however the viscosity effect is found to be significant even for small amplitude of body oscillation. In particular, the hydrodynamic force obtained from the nonlinear viscous analysis is found to be closer to the linear inviscid force than the nonlinear inviscid force to the linear inviscid force, the reason for which is attributed to the wave dampening effect of viscosity. Since the wave lengths generated at smaller frequencies of oscillation are longer and therefore the waves could have a more significant effect on the dynamic pressure on the bottom of the hulls which contribute to the heave force, the correlation between the heave force and the wave elevation is found to be larger at smaller frequencies. Because of nonlinearity, the wave radiation and wave damping force remained nonzero even at and around the resonant frequencies – with the resonant frequencies as determined in [26] using linear potential flow theory. As to be expected, the nonlinear effect on the wave force is found to be significant at all frequencies for large amplitude of oscillation compared to the hull draft. The effect of viscosity on the force, by flow separation, is also found to be significant for large amplitude of body oscillation.
Kinetics of tethering quaternary ammonium compounds to K(+) channels.

Polymeric maleimido-quaternary ammonium (QA) compounds have been shown to function as molecular tape measures when covalently tethered to external cysteine residues of a Shaker K(+) channel (Blaustein R.O., P.A. Cole, C. Williams, and C. Miller. 2000. Nat. Struct. Biol. 7:309-311). For sufficiently long compounds, the cysteine-maleimide tethering reaction creates a high concentration, at the channel's pore, of a TEA-like moiety that irreversibly blocks current. This paper investigates a striking feature of the maleimide-cysteine tethering kinetics. Strong blockers-those that induce substantial levels (>80%) of irreversible inhibition of current-react with channel cysteines much more rapidly than weak blockers and, when delivered to channels with four cysteine targets, react with multiexponential kinetics. This behavior is shown to arise from the ability of a strong blocker to concentrate its maleimide end near a channel's cysteine target by exploiting the reversible pore-blocking affinity of its QA headgroup.
GREGORC'S COGNITIVE STYLES : COLLEGE STUDENTS' PREFERENCES FOR TEACHING METHODS AND TESTING TECHNIQUES

This study investigated the preferences of liberal arts students for various teaching methods and testing techniques in relation to their cognitive style. 100 students completed the Gregorc Style Delineator and rated preferences for teaching methods and testing techniques commonly used in college classes. Analysis indicated that scores on the Sequential–Random continuum of Gregorc's model are more strongly related to learning style than are those on the Concrete-Abstract continuum. Students who scored high in the Sequential direction of the continuum preferred teaching methods such as structured lectures and independent lab experiments and preferred tests comprised of problems with concrete answers. 86% of the Science majors scored high in the Sequential direction. Students who scored high in the Random direction of the continuum preferred group discussion and group projects and preferred assessment by projects or class discussion. 85% of Humanities majors scored high in the Random direction. With the qua...
Arbitrary combination and the use of signs in mathematics: Kant's 1763 Prize Essay and its Wolffian background

In his 1763 Prize Essay, Kant is thought to endorse a version of formalism on which mathematical concepts need not apply to extramental objects. Against this reading, I argue that the Prize Essay has sufficient resources to explain how the objective reference of mathematical concepts is secured. This account of mathematical concepts’ objective reference employs material from Wolffian philosophy. On my reading, Kant's 1763 view still falls short of his Critical view in that it does not explain the universal, unconditional applicability of mathematical concepts.
USING A HYDROPHOBIC CONTACT POTENTIAL TO EVALUATE NATIVE AND NEAR-NATIVE FOLDS GENERATED BY MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS

There are several knowledge-based energy functions that can distinguish the native fold from a pool of grossly misfolded decoys for a given sequence of amino acids. These decoys, which are typically generated by mounting, or “threading”, the sequence onto the backbones of unrelated protein structures, tend to be non-compact and quite different from the native structure: the root-mean-squared (RMS) deviations from the native are commonly in the range of 15 to 20 A. Effective energy functions should also demonstrate a similar recognition capability when presented with compact decoys that depart only slightly in conformation from the correct structure (i.e. those with RMS deviations of ∼5 A or less). Recently, we developed a simple yet powerful method for native fold recognition based on the tendency for native folds to form hydrophobic cores. Our energy measure, which we call the hydrophobic fitness score, is challenged to recognize the native fold from 2000 near-native structures generated for each of five small monomeric proteins. First, 1000 conformations for each protein were generated by molecular dynamics simulation at room temperature. The average RMS deviation of this set of 5000 was 1.5 A. A total of 323 decoys had energies lower than native; however, none of these had RMS deviations greater than 2 A. Another 1000 structures were generated for each at high temperature, in which a greater range of conformational space was explored (4.3 A average RMS deviation). Out of this set, only seven decoys were misrecognized. The hydrophobic fitness energy of a conformation is strongly dependent upon the RMS deviation. On average our potential yields energy values which are lowest for the population of structures generated at room temperature, intermediate for those produced at high temperature and highest for those constructed by threading methods. In general, the lowest energy decoy conformations have backbones very close to native structure. The possible utility of our method for screening backbone candidates for the purpose of modelling by side-chain packing optimization is discussed.
Microfluidic chip-based method for genotyping microsatellites, VNTRs and insertion/deletion polymorphisms.

Abstract We have developed a method to genotype variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) and insertion/deletion polymorphisms using an integrated microfluidic chip-based system. We used this method to analyze a) a highly polymorphic pentanucleotide repeat (CCTTT) n locus within the 5′-putative promoter region of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase gene (iNOS5) which is associated with diabetic complications and infectious diseases; b) a bi-allelic 27 bp VNTR region within intron 4 of endothelial nitric oxide gene (eNOS27) which is associated with hypertension in type 2 diabetes patients with coronary heart disease and excess risk of advanced diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes patients and c) an insertion/deletion polymorphism within the gene encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE/ID) which is associated with cardiovascular pathology and nitric oxide activity, and is in strong linkage disequilibrium with functional variants. Following amplifications, samples were mixed with gel-dye and markers and loaded into commercially available microfluidic chips designed for DNA sizing applications. In the study (N = 230), 95 (41%) of the DNA samples were homozygous and 135 (59%) were heterozygous for the iNOS5 repeats. For eNOS27, 173 (75%) of the genotyped DNA samples were homozygous for the larger 4b allele and the remaining 57 samples (25%) were heterozygous (4b/4a). No DNA samples were homozygous for the shorter 4a allele with four 27 bp repeats. In case of ACE/ID, 47 (20%) of the DNA samples were homozygous for the insertion, 65 (28%) were homozygous for the deletion and the remaining 118 (51%) were heterozygous. The results obtained were verified by analyzing random amplicons using bi-directional sequencing and GeneScan® 3.0 analyses with 100% concordance being observed. Using the microfluidic chip-based method, separation and DNA sizing and genotyping are rapidly accomplished. The DNA fragments are resolved clearly and the system allows quantitation. Finally, the microfluidic chip-based method may be used for both large- and small-scale genotyping studies.
POVM inconclusive rate

The inclusive rate is considered as a disturbance measure in key distribution in quantum cryptography. Bennett's two- state protocol is addressed for the case in which a positive operator valued measure is implemented by the legitimate receiver in the presence of individual attack by a general unitary disturbing eavesdropping probe. The maximum Renyi information gain by the disturbing probe is calculated for given receiver error and inconclusive rates. It is demonstrated explicitly that less information is available to an eavesdropper at fixed inconclusive rate and error rate than is available at fixed error rate only.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Foreign Language 101 for School Administrators: Effective Evaluation Of Foreign Language Teachers

What should principals know about the foreign language teachers in their school? How can they evaluate the teachers when they might not understand the language being used in the classroom? What should they look for during classroom observations?
True benefit or selection bias: an analysis of laparoscopic versus open splenectomy from the ACS-NSQIP

By virtue of the benefits associated with minimally invasive approaches, laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is believed to have better patient-related outcomes compared to open splenectomy (OS). However, there are limited data directly comparing the two techniques. Patients who underwent elective LS and OS between 2005 and 2010 were identified from the public use file of the ACS-NSQIP database using the Current Procedural Terminology codes 38120 and 38100. Patients who had concomitant procedures were excluded. Because of the nonrandom assignment of surgical techniques, a selection bias could have been responsible for the differences in patient outcomes. Therefore, patient characteristics and comorbidities that were available and could have been potential confounders were compared and regression analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors associated with serious and overall morbidity as well as mortality. During the study period 1,644 and 851 patients underwent LS and OS, respectively. Compared to patients who underwent LS, patients who had OS had a longer median length of hospital stay (3 vs. 6 days, P < 0.0001) and higher incidences of serious (7 vs. 17 %, P < 0.0001) and overall morbidity (12 vs. 25 %, P < 0.0001) and mortality (1.4 vs. 3.3 %, P = 0.02). However, there were certain significant differences in the characteristics and comorbidities of the patients that could have confounded outcomes. On regression analysis, OS was not associated with higher mortality (OR = 1.43, 95 % CI 0.7–2.7, P = 0.28) but was associated with higher serious morbidity (OR = 1.8, 95 % CI 1.4–2.3, P = 0.001) and overall morbidity (OR = 2.0, 95 % CI 1.6–2.4, P = 0.0001). After adjusting for available confounders, patients who underwent LS had lower morbidity and similar mortality rates. Although certain confounders such as previous surgical history, underlying pathology, and spleen size could still have potentially influenced outcomes, the data suggest that patient outcomes after LS are excellent and when technically possible a minimally invasive technique should be the preferred approach for splenectomy.
Evidence for collisional narrowing in the infrared laser Stark spectrum of CH3CN

$^{*}$ This work was supported by the National Science Foundation. $^{1}$ R. H. Dicke, Phys. Rev. 89, 472 (1953); J. P. Wittke and R. H. Dicke, Phys. Rev. 103, 620 (1956).
Assimilation of SMOS Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

Soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) instrument are assimilated into the Noah land surface model (LSM) within the NASA Land Information System (LIS). Before assimilation, SMOS retrievals are bias-corrected to match the model climatological distribution using a Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) matching approach. Data assimilation is done via the Ensemble Kalman Filter. The goal is to improve the representation of soil moisture within the LSM, and ultimately to improve numerical weather forecasts through better land surface initialization. We present a case study showing a large area of irrigation in the lower Mississippi River Valley, in an area with extensive rice agriculture. High soil moisture value in this region are observed by SMOS, but not captured in the forcing data. After assimilation, the model fields reflect the observed geographic patterns of soil moisture. Plans for a modeling experiment and operational use of the data are given. This work helps prepare for the assimilation of Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) retrievals in the near future.
Illness and health practitione use in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract This paper examines several aspects of the health care delivery system in the target area of the Family Health Clinic in Calabar, Nigeria. Included in the discussion are children under six years of age resident in the target area; illnesses experienced by these children over a two-week period: both “traditional” and “modern” health practitioners in Calabar: efforts made to reach practitioners in terms of distance travelled, time spent, costs incurred; and treatment outcome. Specific research questions ask if there are differences among subgroups of children (based on demographic, socioeconomic and environmental characteristics) with respect to illness need, type of practitioner contacted. efforts made to reach practitioners and outcome of treatment: and if there are differences among types of health practitioners with respect to efforts made to reach them and success of treatments provided. The findings have policy implications for the Family Health Clinic.
Carboplatin and docetaxel-induced acute pancreatitis: brief report

A 60-year-old Caucasian female presented with stage IIA (T2N0M0) estrogen- and progesterone-negative and HER2-positive breast cancer. She was started on an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen of docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab (TCH). She tolerated the first two cycles of the TCH regimen well. However, 3–4 days after the third and fourth cycles, she developed acute pancreatitis. Elevated pancreatic enzymes and abdominal computed tomography (CT) imaging findings confirmed the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Common causes of pancreatitis were ruled out. Given the time course it was assumed that the chemotherapy was the cause of pancreatitis in our patient. The patient did not receive any further docetaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy but continued on adjuvant trastuzumab alone for a planned duration of 1 year without any recurrence of acute pancreatitis.
Ab Initio Study of the Ring Expansion of Phenylnitrene and Comparison with the Ring Expansion of Phenylcarbene

The rearrangement of singlet phenylnitrene (1a) to 1-azacyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene (3a) has been studied computationally, using the CASSCF and CASPT2N methods in conjunction with the 6-31G*, cc-pVDZ, and 6-311G(2d,p) basis sets. Ring expansion from the 1A2 state of 1a is predicted to occur in two steps via 7-azabicyclo[4.1.0]hepta-2,4,6-triene (2a) as an intermediate. The rearrangement of 1a to 2a is estimated to have a barrier of ca. 6 kcal/mol and to be rate-determining. Azirine 2a is unlikely to be detected, because of the small calculated barrier (ca. 3 kcal/mol) to its rearrangement to 3a. At the CASPT2N/6-311G(2d,p)//CASSCF(8,8)/6-31G* + ZPE level of theory, the reaction 1a → 3a on the lowest singlet potential energy surface is calculated to be exothermic by 1.6 kcal/mol. This reaction is predicted to be ca. 19 kcal/mol less exothermic, but to have a barrier ca. 9 kcal/mol lower than the analogous ring expansion of 1A‘ phenylcarbene (1b) to cyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene (3b). Factors which contribute...
Acoustic analysis and feature transformation from neutral to whisper for speaker identification within whispered speech audio streams

Whispered speech is an alternative speech production mode from neutral speech, which is used by talkers intentionally in natural conversational scenarios to protect privacy and to avoid certain content from being overheard or made public. Due to the profound differences between whispered and neutral speech in vocal excitation and vocal tract function, the performance of automatic speaker identification systems trained with neutral speech degrades significantly. In order to better understand these differences and to further develop efficient model adaptation and feature compensation methods, this study first analyzes the speaker and phoneme dependency of these differences by a maximum likelihood transformation estimation from neutral speech towards whispered speech. Based on analysis results, this study then considers a feature transformation method in the training phase that leads to a more robust speaker model for speaker ID on whispered speech without using whispered adaptation data from test speakers. Three estimation methods that model the transformation from neutral to whispered speech are applied, including convolutional transformation (ConvTran), constrained maximum likelihood linear regression (CMLLR), and factor analysis (FA). a speech mode independent (SMI) universal background model (UBM) is trained using collected real neutral features and transformed pseudo-whisper features generated with the estimated transformation. Text-independent closed set speaker ID results using the UT-VocalEffort II corpus show performance improvement by using the proposed training framework. The best performance of 88.87% is achieved by using the ConvTran model, which represents a relative improvement of 46.26% compared to the 79.29% accuracy of the GMM-UBM baseline system. This result suggests that synthesizing pseudo-whispered speaker and background training data with the ConvTran model results in improved speaker ID robustness to whispered speech.
Re)figuring Composition through Stylistic Study

As stylistic study is revived within composition, figures of thought, a neglected subcategory of the larger category of figures, have a great deal to offer our student readers and writers. These figures can shift students' attention away from content and argument toward other equally important but often ignored aspects of prose, thereby enriching students' rhetorical repertoires. This focus on style also contributes to our understanding of composition as a discipline and its relationship to the field of rhetoric.
Aligned Bands and Nuclear Shapes in the N = 90 Region

The N = 90 transition region is studied by gauge-space systematics for Nd through Yb nuclei and by the trend of transition quadrupole moments for ground-state bands. Lifetime measurements on quasiparticle bands in 160,161Yb indicate a systematic decrease in the collectivity at higher rotational frequencies, indicating triaxial shapes. Spectroscopy measurements on 159Tm are described. A change in the order of the signatures of the h11/2 band after compared to before the back-bend is used to extract qualitative information on shape triaxiality. The systematics of 2 and 3 quasiparticle bands in N = 90 and 91 nuclei is presented and used to deduce the occurrence of a large-interaction crossing in 160Yb and 162Hf due to the alignment of negative-parity neutrons (h9/2 + f7/2).
Genotypic Variation for Shoot N Concentration and Response to Water Deficits in Soybean

For soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], reports differ as to the degree to which accumulation of shoot biomass and N are inhibited by water deficit (WD). Our first objective was to evaluate responses of shoot biomass and shoot N to WD for soybean genotypes from diverse genetic backgrounds. The second objective was to determine if the severity of WD affected the response of N accumulation relative to biomass accumulation among genotypes. In a 2-yr field study of 15 genotypes, shoot N concentrations ranged from 25 to 33 mg N kg 21 for plants from well-watered (WW) treatments harvested around 60 d after planting, and N2 fixation accounted for 68% of the N accumulated. Following a 16- to 22-d WD period, shoot N concentrations were similar to that of WW plants for genotypes with low WW N concentrations but decreased for genotypes with high WW N. As a result, the shoot N concentration range among genotypes decreased following WD stress. In a greenhouse study where essentially all of the plant N accumulated was from N2 fixation, shoot N concentration increased across a range of WD levels for six genotypes with low WW N concentrations but decreased for two genotypes with high WW N. These results indicate that changes in shoot N concentration in response to WD depend on both the inherent N concentration of a given genotype and the severity of the WD stress.
Dietary Fusarium Moniliforme Culture Material Induces in Vitro Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Like Activity in the Sera of Swine

Sera obtained from a group of pigs (n = 5) fed a diet amended with fumonisin containing Fusarium moniliforme culture material was used to determine the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF) activity by a functional bioassay utilizing the TNF sensitive WEHI 140 mouse fibrosarcoma cell line. Two pigs developed signs consistent with pulmonary edema which was confirmed by pathologic examination in only one pig. Significant, time dependent increases in TNF-like activity were observed in all pigs during the five days of the trial. Another group of pigs (n = 5) was given a defined daily dose of the same culture material by gastric intubation. Two pigs developed fulminant pulmonary edema and sharp increases in TNF activity were observed during the 3 days of the trial in all pigs. In both cases the activity was not abrogated by addition of a neutralizing anti-human TNF monoclonal antibody suggesting that other factors may have been responsible for these effects, possibly the increased levels of sphingoid bases in the serum. Since the pig has become an important model in the study of TNF mediated endotoxic shock, these studies illustrate the relevance of certifying the absence of this important mycotoxin from corn based animal diets, specially if functional assays are used to monitor the activity of TNF in serum.
Growth kinetics of fluorapatite deposition on synthetic hydroxyapatite seed crystals

Abstract Crystal growth kinetics of fluorapatite on hydroxyapatite seeds were studied over a range of supersaturations and solution fluoride concentrations at pH 4.5. The kinetics of this system are complicated by two additional phenomena: (i) Fluoride is exchanged for surface hydroxyl ions. (ii) At low supersaturations, growth of the crystals becomes intrinsically more difficult as growth proceeds. The kinetics were compared with classical growth models assuming linear, parabolic, and exponential dependencies of growth rate on the solution ion activity product, on the basis of the stoichiometry of the growing phase. These models were found inadequate because the experimental data, which included a wide range of nonstoichiometric solutions, clearly showed that growth is not a single valued function of ion activity product. After modifications to more appropriately account for the implied mass transfer steps, the resulting models were in much better qualitative agreement with the experimental data.
Approximation in variationally posed eigenvalue problems

In this paper bounds are established for the error in Ritz-Galerkin approximation of variationally posed eigenvalue problems. For the most part these bounds are upper bounds, but lower bounds for the error are established for certain selfadjoint problems.
Mobility and other predictors of hospitalization for urinary tract infection: a retrospective cohort study.

Background Many hospitalizations for residents of skilled nursing facilities are potentially avoidable. Factors that could prevent hospitalization for urinary tract infection (UTI) were investigated, with focus on patient mobility.
Radical entry into particles during emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate

The entry of free radicals (formed in the aqueous phase) into polymer particles is the subject of the present work. A model has recently been developed based on the postulate that the aqueous-phase growth of the free radicals to a critical size is the rate-determining step for entry. An experimental strategy was devised to study this phenomena. Polystyrene latex with a water-insoluble inhibitor partitioned into the polymer particles was used as seed for secondary polymerization of vinyl acetate. This was done to form and isolate stable oligomers of the critical size. The presence of vinyl acetate oligomers was detected with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography. Fast atom bombardment–mass spectroscopy (MS) was used to determine the molecular weights of the oligomers. Though it was not possible to determine the precise size of the vinyl acetate oligomers formed, the MS results show that the number of monomer units in the oligomers has an upper bound of 12–14. The number of units in the oligomer of critical size was estimated to be about 5–6. These experimental results are quite close to model predictions; thus this work helps in corroborating the model. Additional work is necessary to conclusively validate this model. The experimental strategy used in this work has made it possible to determine the approximate size of oligomers formed in the aqueous phase during emulsion polymerization. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Treatment of Maculopathy Associated With Optic Disk Pit by Sponge Explant

Purpose To evaluate the anatomic and functional outcome in nine patients with optic disk pit maculopathy after the use of the macular buckling procedure. Methods In this prospective study, nine consecutive patients (five women and four men with a mean age of 28 years [range, 14 to 49 years] who had unilateral maculopathy associated with optic disk pit) were treated with macular buckling surgery. A scleral sponge of 7.5 × 5.5 mm was fixed at the posterior pole of the globe corresponding to the macula along the vertical axis of the 12-to-6 o'clock meridian. No additional treatment of any kind (laser, diathermy, or cryotherapy) was used. The correct positioning of the sponge during the operation was monitored by B-scan ultrasonography. Within the first week after surgery, indocyanine green angiography was performed to evaluate the choroidal circulation. During the same period, magnetic resonance imaging of the orbit was performed to determine the sponge position in relation to the optic nerve. Results In all nine eyes, complete disappearance of subretinal and intraretinal fluid in the macula and in the surrounding area was noted. The absorption of the macular fluid started immediately after the operation and was completed after five to six months. No further change of the appearance of the fundus was noted during the follow-up period, which ranged from 18 to 66 months (mean follow-up, 42 months). Six eyes gained four or five lines of visual acuity, and two eyes improved by three lines. Conclusions The macular scleral buckling procedure in optic disk pit maculopathy can yield favorable anatomic and functional results.
Positive Gordon-Wixom coordinates

We introduce a new construction of transfinite barycentric coordinates for arbitrary closed sets in two dimensions. Our method extends weighted Gordon-Wixom interpolation to non-convex shapes and produces coordinates that are positive everywhere in the interior of the domain and that are smooth for shapes with smooth boundaries. We achieve these properties by using the distance to lines tangent to the boundary curve to define a weight function that is positive and smooth. We derive closed-form expressions for arbitrary polygons in two dimensions and compare the basis functions of our coordinates with several other types of barycentric coordinates. Highlights? We introduce a new barycentric coordinate basis that is positive and smooth. ? The smoothness of the basis is equal to the smoothness of the boundary curve. ? No numerical minimization is required. The basis function values can be evaluated by analytically evaluated integrals.
Collision free, time resolved fluorescence of SO2 excited near 2900 Å

Abstract A frequency doubled, tunable dye laser has been used to excite SO2 fluorescence in the region ≈2600–3200 A. Two different groups of rovibronic states, having different zero pressure lifetimes and bimolecular quenching rates, are observed throughout the first excited singlet. The principal group of states has unusually long (≈80–600 μsec) collision free lifetimes, with bimolecular quenching rates and collision free lifetimes both decreasing to shorter excitation wavalenghts. The second group has a bimolecular quenching rate an order of magnitude above gas kinetic, and has not been observed by previous workers. A vibrational cascading non-exponentially effect in the decay of the principal group, first observed by Calvert and coworkers, has been confirmed. It is concluded that the unexpectedly long lifetimes and double exponential decay invalidate the conclusion of previous workers that SO2 undergoes a unimolecular internal conversion.
Cloning and expression of Xenopus Lrp5 and Lrp6 genes.

LRP5 and LRP6 comprise a subfamily of lipoprotein-receptor related proteins that function as co-receptors for Wnt proteins. Mutation of human LRP5 is responsible for osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome and disruption of Lrp6 in mice causes similar effects to mutation of several different Wnt genes. We have cloned Xenopus homologues of Lrp5 and Lrp6 (Xlrp5, Xlrp6) and examined their expression during embryogenesis. Both genes are expressed maternally and ubiquitously through early development. At later stages, Xlrp5 is found in the eye, forebrain, hindbrain, branchial arches and the tip of the tail bud. Xlrp6 is expressed throughout the central nervous system, branchial arches, in the eye and otic vesicle. Both genes are also expressed at the intersomitic boundary. These results suggest roles for Wnt signaling via LRP proteins in these tissues.
Global stabilization with almost disturbance decoupling of a class of uncertain non-linear systems

In this paper we study the global stabilization of a class of non-linear uncertain systems while decoupling the output from external disturbances to any specified degree of accuracy. The class of non-linear systems considered could be viewed as a generalization of uniform rank multivariable linear systems which have the property that all their infinite zeros are of the same order. Although the plants considered are non-linear, the compensator developed here is linear. Our compensator which achieves global exponential stability and almost disturbance decoupling of the output requires only output feedback rather than full state feedback. Model uncertainty is dealt with either by restricting the uncertain elements to particular subspaces satisfying the so-called ‘matching conditions’ and/or by treating a family of plants  for which a single controller simultaneously globally exponentially stabilizes all the plants in  while achieving almost disturbance decoupling of the output.
A 3-D prognostic numerical model study of the Georges Bank ecosystem. Part I: physical model

Abstract The influence of tidal forcing and tidal and wind mixing on circulation and stratification over Georges Bank and adjacent regions in the Gulf of Maine has been examined using the 3-D semi-implicit version of the Blumberg and Mellor (1987) primitive equation ocean-circulation model. The numerical domain covered the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank region with an open boundary starting at the New Jersey coast and ending at the Nova Scotia coast, with increased spatial resolution over Georges Bank. Numerical experiments were conducted using both smoothed and non-smoothed high-resolution (15 s) bottom topography. The model was forced by specifying the M 2 elevation and phase on the open boundary, and several forms of the bottom roughness parameter z o were used. The model provided a reasonable simulation of the M 2 tidal elevations and currents. The model, when run as an initial value problem with early summer stratification, exhibited tidal mixing fronts around the 40–60 m isobath over Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals, and 100-m isobath on Brown Bank. The formation of these tidal mixing fronts significantly enhanced the along-isobath tidal rectified current over Georges Bank and the other two shoal regions. A cool-water band developed within the frontal zone along the eastern and southern flanks of Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoal, and it became cooler owing to wind mixing and upwelling as a mean summer wind stress was added. Tidal mixing and turbulent dissipation varied in time asymmetrically over Georges Bank. Over Georges Bank, tidal mixing was generally characterized as a local 1-D balance between turbulent shear production and dissipation. The spatial structure of the tidal residual flow and local turbulent dissipation rate depended critically on the spatial resolution of the bottom topography and the spatial distribution of z 0 . Analysis of the 3-D momentum balance and the residual flow over the center of Georges Bank indicates that earlier results based on a 2-D cross-bank model correctly captured the basic dynamics of stratified tidal rectification and tidal mixing in this idealized model setting.