cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alexander Fleming and the discovery of penicillin.

Publisher Summary Penicillin permanently changed infectious disease research and therapeutic medicine, it transformed patient expectations and the structures of drug companies, contributed new insights in microbiology and molecular biology, and captured the public imagination and scientific breakthroughs. Alexander Fleming is the scientist who discovered an antibacterial activity in a Penicillium growth medium. To avoid repetition of the phrase “mold broth filtrate,” he coined the term “penicillin,” a substance that eventually became known as a “miracle drug.” Fleming's story has been told many times with enough elaboration that it is sometimes called the “Fleming myth.” This chapter elaborates Fleming's story which is quite fascinating. It is now known than penicillin controls bacteria by inhibiting their cell division. Hence, the phenomenon observed by Fleming—lysis—was extremely unusual. Penicillin was something new: a natural product of unknown structure with strong antibacterial activity. A major interdisciplinary effort was required to develop penicillin. Penicillin is the paradigm for natural products drug discovery; Fleming himself is an enduring role model not only for success in clinical research but also for how to project a positive popular image for the scientific profession.
Explaining poor health-seeking among HIV-infected released prisoners

Purpose – Little is understood about the self-described barriers that recently released HIV-infected prisoners face when accessing healthcare and adhering to medications. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate these barriers from the perspective of released prisoners themselves. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative assessment using 30 semi-structured interviews explored individuals’ self-reported acute stressors and barriers to health-seeking during community re-integration for recidivist prisoners. Leventhal’s Self-Regulation Model of Illness (SRMI) is applied to examine both structural and psychological barriers. Findings – The SRMI explains that individuals have both cognitive and emotional processing elements to their illness representations, which mediate coping strategies. Cognitive representations of HIV that mediated treatment discontinuation included beliefs that HIV was stigmatizing, a death sentence, or had no physiological consequences. Negative emotional states of hopelessness and a...
Planning as Developmental Process

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses planning as a process, focusing on the dynamic and evolving nature of planning as it unfolds during activity in individual, social, and historical time frames. Traditionally, the study of planning has focused on the possession of plans rather than their development. The development of skill in planning has been regarded as the cumulative acquisition of plans along with an increase in planning in advance of action. The chapter argues for the importance of viewing planning as a process of transformation of opportunities for upcoming events, with development involving learning to plan opportunistically-planning in advance of action or during action according to the circumstances, flexibly anticipating constraints and opportunities, and adapting to circumstances. It explores planning as an activity engaged in by individuals and groups embedded in sociocultural activity and characterizes the changes in planning processes over individual development in terms of developing plans over time according to the material and interpersonal circumstances of the sociocultural activity in which planning occurs. Planning by individuals often occurs with and develops in coordination with other individuals, and always occurs in the context of cultural activity. This is the case for planning in imaginary problems in the laboratory, planning real errands, and planning in play. Examples from each of these situations to develop the idea that planning is itself a developmental process and that the development of planning skill involves facility in managing sociocultural activity with flexibility, creativity, and foresight are provided.
Convergence Analysis of Control Optimization Methods

This chapter will discuss the proofs of optimality of a subset of algorithms discussed in the context of control optimization. The chapter is organized as follows. We begin in Sect. 2 with some definitions and notation related to discounted and average reward Markov decision problems (MDPs). Subsequently, we present convergence theory related to dynamic programming (DP) for MDPs in Sects. 3 and 4. In Sect. 5, we discuss some selected topics related to semi-MDPs (SMDPs). Thereafter, from Sect. 6, we present a selected collection of topics related to convergence of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms.
Free volume theories for penetrant diffusion in polymers

Free volume theories for the concentration dependence of organic penetrant diffusion coefficients in rubbery amorphous polymers have been correlated and extended with emphasis given to similarities and mathematical equivalence for small volume fractions of penetrant. The nature of the empirical parameter used in VASENIN's theory has been further clarified by considering the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of the plasticization effect. Using similar assumptions to those originally used for rubbery polymers, VASENIN's theory is extended to treat solvent diffusion in glassy and semi-crystalline polymers. A procedure has been developed to extend the applicability of FUJITA's theory over a wider range of polymer-solvent composition. The general effects of plasticization leading to increase in penetrant diffusion coefficients and decrease in polymeric glass transition temperatures are considered as resulting from the same functional increase in fractional free volume of a mixture with increasing solvent content. It is suggested that the two phenomena should be quantitatively compared for mutual consistency rather than attempting to develop a fully rigorous treatment for either. In this way diffusion data can be predicted from measurements of glass temperature depression or vice versa. Verschiedene Theorien fur die Konzentrationsabhangigkeit des Diffusionskoeffizienten von organischen Quellmitteln in kautschukartigen, amorphen Polymeren werden zueinander in Beziehung gesetzt, wobei betont wird, das sie sich fur kleine Volumenbruche des Quellmittels mathematisch ineinander uberfuhren lassen. Die Natur des empirischen Parameters, der in der Theorie von VASENIN verwendet wird, konnte durch eine Betrachtung der kinetischen und thermodynamischen Aspekte des Weichmachereffektes naher geklart werden. Unter Verwendung ahnlicher Annahmen, wie sie in VASENINS Theorie fur kautschukartige Polymere eingefuhrt werden, last sich diese Theorie auch auf glasartige und teilkristalline Polymere erweitern. Es wurde auch ein Verfahren entwickelt, um die Anwendbarkeit der Theorie von FUJITA auf einen groseren Konzentrationsbereich zu erweitern. Man kann annehmen, das beide durch die Weichmachung bewirkten Effekte, namlich die Zunahme des Diffusionskoeffizienten des Quellmittels und die Abnahme der Einfriertemperatur des Polymeren, auf derselben Zunahme des Bruchteils des freien Volumens einer Mischung mit steigendem Losungsmittelgehalt beruhen. Es wird vorgeschlagen, das man eher diese beiden Phanomene quantitativ miteinander in Beziehung setzen sollte als zu versuchen, fur jede der Erscheinungen eine strenge Theorie zu entwickeln. In dieser Weise konnen die Diffusionsgrosen aus der Erniedrigung der Einfriertemperatur vorhergesagt werden und umgekehrt.
Agile supply chain transformation matrix: an integrated tool for creating an agile enterprise

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a tool, the Agile Supply Chain Transformation Matrix (ASCTM), and the implementation methodology for a systematic approach to achieve agility in the supplier‐buyer supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework for agile capability creation is developed based on literatures in the supply chain management and manufacturing agility field and the ASCTM tool is constructed using the quality function deployment (QFD) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique. The implementation methodology including the tools to support the implementation of the ASCTM tool are developed based on the QFD/AHP approach and the agility concepts established through the Agility Program at Lehigh University. A practical case study is used to illustrate the applicability of the ASCTM tool.Findings – This tool can help companies create and improve their agility by relating the business changes with the appropriate approaches for supplier‐buyer supply chain ...
The effect of sliding speed on the rate of wear of sapphire on steel

Abstract Frictional force in the sapphire-steel slide interface is reduced with increased sliding speeds. The high temperatures generated at the higher sliding speeds appear to promote chemical reactions, the products of which serve to decrease the shear forces in the interface. The loss of sapphire by such reactions increases the wear rate on some orientations. However, the wear rate is reduced on other orientations where strong adhesive forces would ordinarily cause wear by either brittle fracture or plastic deformation.
Medication and subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation similarly improve balance and complex gait in Parkinson disease

Background Dopaminergic medications and subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) alleviate motor symptoms in Parkinson disease, but balance and gait are more variably affected. Balance reports are particularly inconsistent. Further, despite their prevalence in daily life, complex gait situations including backward and dual task gait are rarely studied. We aimed to assess how medications, STN-DBS, and both therapies combined affect balance and complex gait.
Study on the Decreased Sugar Yield in Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Substrate at High Solid Loading

Current technology for conversion of biomass to ethanol is an enzyme-based biochemical process. In bioethanol production, achieving high sugar yield at high solid loading in enzymatic hydrolysis step is important from both technical and economic viewpoints. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates is affected by many parameters, including an unexplained behavior that the glucan digestibility of substrates by cellulase decreased under high solid loadings. A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate this phenomenon by using Spezyme CP and Avicel as model cellulase and cellulose substrate, respectively. The hydrolytic properties of the cellulase under different substrate concentrations at a fixed enzyme-to-substrate ratio were characterized. The results indicate that decreased sugar yield is neither due to the loss of enzyme activity at a high substrate concentration nor due to the higher end-product inhibition. The cellulase adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies indicated that a decline in the binding capacity of cellulase may explain the long-observed but little-understood phenomenon of a lower substrate digestibility with increased substrate concentration. The mechanism how the enzyme adsorption properties changed at high substrate concentration was also discussed in the context of exploring the improvement of the cellulase-binding capacity at high substrate loading.
Cross-layer optimization for energy-efficient wireless communications: a survey

Since battery technology has not progressed as rapidly as semiconductor technology, power efficiency has become increasingly important in wireless networking, in addition to the traditional quality and performance measures, such as bandwidth, throughput, and fairness. Energy-efficient design requires a cross layer approach as power consumption is affected by all aspects of system design, ranging from silicon to applications. This article presents a comprehensive overview of recent advances in cross-layer design for energy-efficient wireless communications. We particularly focus on a system-based approaches toward energy optimal transmission and resource management across time, frequency, and spatial domains. Details related to energy-efficient hardware implementations are also covered. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incubation temperature has long-term effects on behaviour of young Pine snakes ( Pituophis melanoleucus )

Eggs of pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) were incubated at constant temperatures of 21°, 23°, 26°, 28°, 30° and 32° C to determine behavioural differences as a function of incubation temperature. For all behavioural and physiological measures hatchlings from medium incubation temperatures (26°, 28°) performed tests better than those hatchlings from eggs incubated at low temperatures (21°, 23°). For some behavioural tests hatchlings from eggs incubated at high temperature (30°, 32°) performed less well than medium temperature hatchlings. These differences were not due to ambient temperatures or age of testing since these were held constant. Some of the behavioural differences persisted for 24 weeks.
P2P hierarchical botnet traffic detection using hidden Markov models

Botnets are a major source of spam, distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) and other cybercrime [21]. Compromised computers are usually controlled by a centralized Command and Control (C&C) server. Hidden Markov models (HMMs) have been used successfully to detect centralized botnet traffic, such as the Zeus botnet [9], which is one of the largest botnet in the wild. To avoid the disadvantages of centralized structures, hierarchical botnets now use P2P techniques. In this work, we applied our HMM approach for centralized botnet detection to hierarchical botnet traffic detection based on traffic timing data. We attempted to infer hidden Markov models from botnet traffic timings. However the inferred model is not statistically significant. Usually this can be solved by using larger data sets. Oddly, when we infer models with additional data, the required amount of data for model confidence keeps increasing. While using the approximate HMM for detection, we can not accurately detect botnet traffic like we can for centralized botnet traffic. Reasons for this and possible solutions are discussed.
Hydrogen-Induced Metastability of Polycrystalline Silicon

The presence of H in polycrystalline silicon gives rise to new and hitherto unexpected phenomena. In this paper two of the most recent observations are reviewed: (i) Hydrogen-induced metastable changes of the dark conductivity due to the formation and dissociation of an electrically active H complex and (ii) the generation of acceptor states during prolonged exposure of poly-Si to monatomic H at elevated temperatures. The observed type conversion is clearly due to the diffusion of excess H from the plasma since it does not occur during exposure to other species such as oxygen.
Hybrid parallel programming with MPI and unified parallel C

The Message Passing Interface (MPI) is one of the most widely used programming models for parallel computing. However, the amount of memory available to an MPI process is limited by the amount of local memory within a compute node. Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) models such as Unified Parallel C (UPC) are growing in popularity because of their ability to provide a shared global address space that spans the memories of multiple compute nodes. However, taking advantage of UPC can require a large recoding effort for existing parallel applications.In this paper, we explore a new hybrid parallel programming model that combines MPI and UPC. This model allows MPI programmers incremental access to a greater amount of memory, enabling memory-constrained MPI codes to process larger data sets. In addition, the hybrid model offers UPC programmers an opportunity to create static UPC groups that are connected over MPI. As we demonstrate, the use of such groups can significantly improve the scalability of locality-constrained UPC codes. This paper presents a detailed description of the hybrid model and demonstrates its effectiveness in two applications: a random access benchmark and the Barnes-Hut cosmological simulation. Experimental results indicate that the hybrid model can greatly enhance performance; using hybrid UPC groups that span two cluster nodes, RA performance increases by a factor of 1.33 and using groups that span four cluster nodes, Barnes-Hut experiences a twofold speedup at the expense of a 2% increase in code size.
Rapid loop dynamics of Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatases.

The Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPase) contain a single and invariant tryptophan (W354) located at one of the hinge positions of the flexible loop (WpD loop), which is essential for catalysis. The wild-type Yersinia PTPase and an active site mutant in which the esential Cys 403 has been replaced by serine (C403S) have been examined using both time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and steady-state UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopies. Both enzymes were examined with and without the bound inhibitor arsenate. The UVRR spectra indicate that in solution the ligand-free, wild-type PTPase exists as an equilibrium mixture of two tryptophan rotamer structures with χ2,1 dihedral angles of −4° and −90°. The two rotamers have been attributed to the presence of both “closed” and “open” WpD loop conformers of the ligand-free enzyme. Conversely, the UVRR spectra of the arsenate-ligated, wild-type PTPase and of ligand-free and arsenate-ligated C403S PTPase contain a single W3 band which is correlated to ...
A prospective study evaluating the role of donor-specific anti-endothelial crossmatch (XM-ONE assay) in predicting living donor kidney transplant outcome

Abstract Anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) may play a role in allograft rejection. We prospectively tested 150 consecutive living donor kidney transplant recipients, with transplants performed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital between January and December 2010, using the donor-specific endothelial (XM-ONE) crossmatch. 88/150 Patients received standard of care (SOC) immunosuppression and analyzed separately, in addition to the complete study cohort. Patients were followed for one year and XM-ONE results were analyzed in relation to occurrence of acute rejection, proteinuria, serum creatinine levels, and biopsy proven fibrosis. No correlation was found between XM-ONE results and protocol or “for-cause” biopsy proven acute rejection or vasculopathy at 12 months. When IgG+ and IgM+ results of the XM-ONE assay were combined, a correlation with proteinuria at 12 months was observed ( p = 0.047). Although IgG + XM-ONE results were associated with significantly higher creatinine at 6 months ( p = 0.018), significance was lost at 12 months. Conversely, patients with an IgM + XM-ONE crossmatch had significantly lower creatinine at 1 month ( p = 0.019), 3 months ( p = 0.0045), and 6 months ( p = 0.038) post-transplant, but lost statistical significance at 12 months ( p = 0.67) post-transplant. In summary, the presence of AECAs as determined by a positive XM-ONE result was not predictive of overall poorer graft outcome after one year in our center.
Use of emergency room services by out-of-treatment drug users in Long Beach, California.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of emergency room services among out-of-treatment drug users in Long Beach, CA. Primary data collection occurred between 1991–1996. The study setting was a community-based location through which out-of-treatment drug users were recruited using a standard research protocol. The original study randomized 1,728 participants into a standard or enhanced HIV prevention protocol. Data were collected longitudinally at two points in time, with 1,201 returning for follow-up interview. Standardized instruments were used at baseline and follow-up. Logistic regression and test-retest reliability were performed using the SAS System. Factors associated with emergency room use included income from public assistance sources, ever using other opiates, income less than $500 in the last month, reporting White race/ethnicity, and HIV positive serostatus. Having income from public assistance programs is highly predictive of emergency room use in out-of-treatment dru...
Into the Breech: The Increasing Gap between Algorithmic Trading and Securities Regulation

A seismic shift is taking place in the United States securities markets. The fault lines have been present for quite some time; however, it is only now, in the last few years that the ramifications of these displacements have been felt. The traditional approach to investing has gone from a focus on investing – namely examining companies to determine whether they will be a good long-term investment – to examining the markets as a whole. Nowhere is this shift more apparent than in the rise and increasing prevalence of quantitative trading models. As a result, there is now a disconnect between the markets themselves and the companies that are traded on the markets. Oftentimes, what a company does or does not do matters very little to whether that company’s stock should be bought or sold. Instead, whether that company’s stock is a good “buy” amounts more to how that stock is doing and how the market is behaving. This shift has broad implications for retail and institutional investor behavior, regulatory structures and the role of government in oversight and, if unchecked, the global economy at large. The ever-changing advances in computer technology have fostered a new breed of trading that is much more reliant on quantitative mathematics than on corporate analysis. This article explores algorithmic trading and assesses the impact of its dominance on regulation of the securities markets and their stability in the global economy.
An identity involving partitional generalized binomial coefficients

Define coefficients (κλ) by Cλ(Ip + Z)/Cλ(Ip) = Σk=0l Σϰ∈Pk (ϰλ) Cκ(Z)/Cκ(Ip), where the Cλ's are zonal polynomials in p by p matrices. It is shown that Cϰ(Z) etr(Z)/k! = Σl=k∞ Σλ∈Pl (ϰλ) Cλ(Z)/l!. This identity is extended to analogous identities involving generalized Laguerre, Hermite, and other polynomials. Explicit expressions are given for all (ϰλ), ϰ ∈ Pk, k ≤ 3. Several identities involving the (ϰλ)'s are derived. These are used to derive explicit expressions for coefficients of Cλ(Z)l! in expansions of P(Z), etr(Z)k! for all monomials P(Z) in sj = tr Zj of degree k ≤ 5.
FREEWAY PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM: OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS TOOL

The freeway performance measurement system (PeMS) is a system for all of California. It processes 2 gigabytes/day of 30-s loop detector data in real time to produce useful information. Managers at any time can have a uniform and comprehensive assessment of freeway performance. Traffic engineers can base their operational decisions on knowledge of the current state of the freeway network. Planners can determine whether congestion bottlenecks can be alleviated by improving operations or by minor capital improvements. Travelers can obtain the current shortest route and travel time estimates. Researchers can validate their theory and calibrate simulation models. The use of PeMS in conducting operational analysis, planning, and research studies is described here. The advantages of PeMS over conventional study approaches are demonstrated from case studies on conducting freeway operational analyses, bottleneck identification, level of service determination, assessment of incident impacts, and evaluation of advan...
Estradiol prevents homocysteine-induced endothelial injury in male rats.

Objective: We investigated whether estradiol may prevent accelerated atherosclerosis due to hyperhomocysteinemia by enhancing the antioxidant system. Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated with placebo (P) or 1 mg (1E2) and 2 mg (2E2) 17β estradiol. Half of the animals ( n =6) from each group received homocysteine (Hcy, 100 mg/kg/day) administered in the drinking water for 60 days (P/Hcy, 1E2/Hcy and 2E2/Hcy). Glutathione (GSH) content and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity were determined in myocardial tissues, as well as the serum Hcy concentrations and blood levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The relaxation response of aortic ring segments to acetylcholine (ACh) was used for the assessment of endothelial function, and hematoxylin-eosin stained thin sections of rat aorta were used for detection of the histological changes (namely endothelial damage and wall thickening). Results: Depression of relaxation to ACh occurred in P/Hcy compared to P (15.7±4% vs. 96.3±7%, P <0.0001), but estrogen significantly restored endothelium dependent relaxation in hyperhomocysteinemic rats (86.8±9.3%, P <0.001). Histological examination revealed aortic endothelial denudation in P/Hcy while the endothelial structures of the aorta from the 1E2/Hcy and 2E2/Hcy appeared normal. Significant reductions in GSH and G6PDH levels were detected in P/Hcy (1.5±0.01 μmol/g and 3.21±1.2 U/mg, respectively) compared to 1E2/Hcy (2.5±0.3 μmol/g and 12.81±1.5 U/mg, P <0.001) and 2E2/Hcy (3.11±1.1 μmol/g and 15.66±4 U/mg, P <0.001). In addition, blood H2O2 level in 1E2/Hcy and 2E2/Hcy remained low while it was raised significantly in P/Hcy compared to P ( P <0.001). Conclusions: These data suggest that the observed reduction of GSH levels and suppression of G6PDH activity induced by Hcy coupled, with endothelial ultrastructural changes and impaired function, all reversed by estradiol, may have relevance to the mechanisms of atherogenesis and the beneficial effects of estrogen replacement therapy.
Integrate plant reliability efforts with mechanical integrity

Maintenance ensures the reliability of the equipment to meet operation's demands. Operations ensure the production of sufficient and high quality product. Engineering designs and installs equipment that minimizes risk. Safety ensures that the engineering and administrative controls are in place to minimize that risk. This article presents a concept that combines these reliability and safety efforts, such that the maintenance, operations, engineering and safety groups speak the same language to minimize the overall business risk. This proposed approach combines existing plant reliability efforts with several Process Safety Management elements. The basic steps include identifying safety-critical equipment, ensuring accurate and up-to-date Process Safety Information (PSI), establishing the mechanical integrity (MI) Program, establishing Planned Maintenance (PM) programs, and creating equipment-specific maintenance procedures. The resultant mechanical integrity quality assurance (MI QA) program combines equipment reliability and operational integrity efforts to ensure that the equipment is properly designed (via PSI), fabricated as designed (via PSI and MI), and installed as designed (via Pre-Start-up Safety Reviews). The MI QA program also ensures that the equipment is operated and maintained as designed by trained personnel. Some benefits include being able to: (1) share and document best MI and PM practices between different sites; (2) focus limited PM-related resources on the process safety-critical equipment; and (3) help monitor the essential reliability efforts to ensure continued safe operation. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
Co-Infection of Blacklegged Ticks with Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi Is Higher than Expected and Acquired from Small Mammal Hosts

Humans in the northeastern and midwestern United States are at increasing risk of acquiring tickborne diseases – not only Lyme disease, but also two emerging diseases, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human babesiosis. Co-infection with two or more of these pathogens can increase the severity of health impacts. The risk of co-infection is intensified by the ecology of these three diseases because all three pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti) are transmitted by the same vector, blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), and are carried by many of the same reservoir hosts. The risk of exposure to multiple pathogens from a single tick bite and the sources of co-infected ticks are not well understood. In this study, we quantify the risk of co-infection by measuring infection prevalence in 4,368 questing nymphs throughout an endemic region for all three diseases (Dutchess County, NY) to determine if co-infections occur at frequencies other than predicted by independent assortment of pathogens. Further, we identify sources of co-infection by quantifying rates of co-infection on 3,275 larval ticks fed on known hosts. We find significant deviations of levels of co-infection in questing nymphs, most notably 83% more co-infection with Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi than predicted by chance alone. Further, this pattern of increased co-infection was observed in larval ticks that fed on small mammal hosts, but not on meso-mammal, sciurid, or avian hosts. Co-infections involving A. phagocytophilum were less common, and fewer co-infections of A. phagocytophilum and B. microti than predicted by chance were observed in both questing nymphs and larvae fed on small mammals. Medical practitioners should be aware of the elevated risk of B. microti/B. burgdorferi co-infection.
Light scattering and Secchi depth in an oligotrophic lake: Insights from an individual particle analysis technique

Light-scattering attributes of particles of the upper waters of oligotrophic Skaneateles Lake, New York, were characterized monthly for the spring – fall interval of 2 years with scanning electron microscopy interfaced with automated image and X-ray analyses (SAX). SAX results were used to make forward estimates of the particulate scattering coefficients associated with 2 components ( b x ) of the overall particle population, minerogenic particles ( b m) and diatoms ( b di ), through Mie theory calculations. Estimates of the third component, scattering by organic particles other than diatoms ( b o/nd ), were calculated as the residual of bulk measurements of the particulate scattering coefficient ( b p ) and the summation of b m and b di . Regulation of Secchi depth (SD) in the lake by b p was documented, in the form of a strong ( R 2 = 0.73) linear SD -1 – b p relationship. Variations in the summation ( b m + b di ) explained 66% of the dynamics of b p and 56% for SD -1 . A 2-component partitioning of b p that incorporates the SAX-Mie-based values of b m , and estimates of the contribution of all organic particulates with an empirical chlorophyll- a -based bio-optical model, failed to predict the b p dynamics but closed well on average for the entire study period. The SD -1 – b p relationship and the reported partitioning of b p were used to predict: (1) changes in b x from the study conditions that are consistent with a robust range of historic observations of SD, and (2) scenarios of management interest of levels of SD expected from hypothetical changes in b x .
Protein dietary reference intakes may be inadequate for vegetarians if low amounts of animal protein are consumed

Abstract Objective The health benefits of vegetarian diets are well-recognized; however, long-term adherence to these diets may be associated with nutrient inadequacies, particularly vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, zinc, and protein. The dietary reference intakes (DRIs) expert panels recommended adjustments to the iron, zinc, and calcium DRIs for vegetarians to account for decreased bioavailability, but no adjustments were considered necessary for the protein DRI under the assumption that vegetarians consume about 50% of protein from animal (dairy/egg) sources. This study examined dietary protein sources in a convenience sample of 21 young adult vegetarian women who completed food logs on 4 consecutive days (3 weekdays and 1 weekend day). Methods The daily contribution percentages of protein consumed from cereals, legumes, nuts/seeds, fruits/vegetables, and dairy/egg were computed, and the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score of the daily diets was calculated. Results The calculated total dietary protein digestibility score for participants was 82 ± 1%, which differed significantly (P Conclusion This research suggests that the protein DRI for vegetarians consuming less than the expected amounts of animal protein (45% to 50% of total protein) may need to be adjusted from 0.8 to about 1.0 g/kg to account for decreased protein bioavailability.
Sufism and Society in Medieval India. Edited by Raziuddin Aquil. (New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press, 2010. Pp. xxiv, 184. $55.00.)

This volume of nine essays, each backed with ample Sufi archival sources, deals with the different roles Sufis played in medieval Indian society, their conversion work, and their contribution to th...
Gas adsorption characterization of ordered organic-inorganic nanocomposite materials

A critical review of adsorption methods that are currently used in the characterization of ordered organic−inorganic nanocomposite materials is presented, and the adsorption methodology that is potentially useful for this characterization, but has not yet been applied, is discussed. The ordered organic−inorganic nanocomposites include surface-functionalized ordered mesoporous materials (OMMs) with siliceous frameworks (synthesized either via postsynthesis surface modification or via direct co-condensation method), periodic mesoporous organosilicas, and surfactant-containing OMMs. This review covers the methods for determination of the specific surface area and pore volume. The available methods for mesopore size analysis are critically compared and evaluated, with special emphasis on the recent developments related to the application of advanced computational methods for studying adsorption in porous media and to the direct modeling of adsorption using highly ordered surface-functionalized OMMs as model a...
Segmentation using range data and structured light

ABSTRACT A segmentation approach is presented that uses combined information of range data and struc- tured light. Structured light are good for extracting surface patches that cannot be easily obtainedfrom gray scale images. Furthermore, surface normal discontinuity can be detected at light stripe flection points. Accidental alignments of light stripes may confuse the boundaries of surfaces that areat different depths. This problem can be solved using range data that are specially good for detectingdepth discontinuity. 1. INTRODUCTION Image segmentation for the purpose of object recognition identifies "regions" in an image thatcorrespond to different surfaces (or surface patches) of objects in the scene. The basic idea commonto all segmentation approaches is that each region identified in the image bears certain "uniformity" property that may be measured in various parameters, such as intensity values, texture statistics,color variations, or motion dynamics, etc. Raw data or some features derived from the raw data at
Aging with cerebral palsy

Before the mid-twentieth century, few people with CP survived to adulthood. Now, 65% to 90% of children with CP survive. Because of improvements in intensive care techniques leading to the increased survival of very low-birth-weight infants and the increased longevity of the general population, there are a large number of disabled adults requiring medical care. Adults with CP have medical and social issues that are unique to them. Although there is an increasing awareness of the rights of people with disabilities, there is more work to be done particularly as relates to the cost and availability of adaptive equipment and exercise. In recent years, more attention has been given to studying the needs of this growing part of the population. However, much remains to be investigated to improve the quality of life for these patients.
The acetone polymerization problem: effects of electrophilic reagents

Abstract Various electrophilic reagents were used in attempts to polymerize acetone. The potential monomer was treated with Bronsted acids, Lewis acids and Friedel-Crafts systems at — 78, 23 and 56°C for 24 h. No polymer formation was observed, the predominant reaction being the production of mesityl oxide, the amount of which was determined by gas chromatography.
The effect of cycloalkanes on the reaction of hexane with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid

The chain reaction of hexane catalyzed by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) under mild conditions (disproportionation and cracking) was suppressed by small amounts (1–5%) of cycloalkanes, namely methylcyclopentane (MCP), cyclohexane (CH) and cyclopentane (CP). The reaction then proceeded in the isomerization mode. The addition of ferric ions to the acid overcomes the stabilizing effect of cycloalkanes. The formation of substituted allyl cations during the induction period for cracking was also inhibited by very small amounts of MCP. Addition of MCP or 3-methylhexane had the same effect on reduction of the induction period and (minor) on the increase in rate of the reaction stabilized against cracking by CP addition. Incorporation of deuterium into the products from hexane and MCP-1-d shows that MCP acts as a hydride relay in the reaction. Hydride transfer catalysis by the reaction product is disproved for any catalyst. Both the reaction of hexane with MCP-1-d and of uniformly labeled hexane-U-d4.3 with MCP showed H/D scrambling which is extensive among all products (2- and 3-methylpentane, cracking products and CH) and the acid catalyst, smaller in MCP, and is virtually zero in hexane. Thus, the main features of the reaction are the initiation by oxidation and the formation and hydronation of alkenes.
Mission possible CD ROM: Instructional tool for preceptors

Senior student preceptorship is a vital clinical component of many baccalaureate nursing curricula providing a one-on-one partnership with a registered nurse with clinical expertise. Experiential data and literature review support the preceptor's need for guidance with student assessment and evaluation strategies. This article reports on research conducted to assess the perceived increase in a preceptor's knowledge after viewing an author developed instructional CD, Mission Possible CD ROM: Instructional Tool for Preceptors. The results suggest that perceived knowledge increased; however, the lack of time to view the CD was an issue for the majority of the nurse preceptor participants. More research is warranted to build on current literature regarding instructional strategies of benefit to a nurse in the preceptor role.
Synthesis of a C20−C26 Segment of Superstolide A by Addition of a Chiral Allenylzinc Reagent to (R)-N-Boc Alaninal

Additions of chiral allenylzinc and indium reagents to N-Boc alaninal were examined as a possible route to a C20−C26 segment of superstolide A. Allenylzinc reagents, prepared in situ by palladiozincation of (R)- and (S)-5-pivalyloxy-3-butyn-2-ol mesylate, showed excellent reagent control to afford the anti,syn and anti,anti diastereomers as the nearly exclusive adducts.
Letter to the Editor: Surgical Endoscopy

We read with interest the white paper entitled, ‘‘ASGE/ SAGES Working Group on Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery’’ authored by Ratner and colleagues [1] and applaud the efforts of the ASGE/SAGES working group to advance the principles and awareness of naturalorifice surgery among all subspecialties. In the white paper, the working group notes that ‘‘natural orifices may provide the entry point for surgical interventions in the peritoneal cavity.’’ [1] The white paper then cites Kalloo et al. as publishing the initial description of natural orifice surgery [2]. Clarification of this point is required. Kalloo et al. reported the first transgastric procedure, but the first published description of modern natural orifice surgery fulfilling the current definition of NOTES was a report on transvaginal nephrectomy by Gettman et al. in 2002 [3]. Using overtubes and the combination of flexible and rigid endoscopes, transvaginal nephrectomies were successfully performed in a survival porcine model. The work was not reported as NOTES simply because the concept and term had yet to be coined by the ASGE/SAGES working group.
Matters of Relevance

Forswearing venerable doctrine, some now claim that the truth-value of a statement A, and — more generally — that of a theory T, hinges upon (the truth-values of) all other statements from the same language as A or T. I should like to investigate this matter as regards languages of four main sorts: first-order languages without a box (called here L1), first-order languages with a box (called L□), predicative second-order languages (called L2!), and impredicative second-order languages (called L 2).
Microsomal hydroxylation of tryptamine, indoleacetic acid and related compounds, to 6-hydroxy derivatives.

Abstract Liver microsomes hydroxylate tryptamine, indoleacetic acid and related indoles to the corresponding 6-hydroxy derivatives. As with other microsomal hydroxylations, TPNH and oxygen are required. Little, if any, 6-hydroxytryptamine or 6-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were found normally in animal or human urine, but the latter was demonstrated in human urine following ingestion of large amounts of indoleacetic acid. The microsomal system does not form 5- or 7-hydroxyindoles and is therefore not a mechanism for serotonin biosynthesis.
Effects of 17-beta-estradiol on polypeptide synthesis by guinea pig uterine ribosomes.

The effects of estradiol on the rates of peptide chain initiation and translocation by guinea pig uterus was studied by incubating ribosome preparations with 3H-puromycin. The rate of chain initiation was determined at various doses and times of estradiol treatment by the amount of 3H-peptidyl puromycin which was released after the ribosome preparations had been incubated either with high concentrations of puromycin or with low concentrations of the antibiotic plus GTP (guanosine triphosphate). The translocase activity of the preparations was determined by the difference between the amount of 3H-peptidyl puromycin which was released when the preparations were incubated with and without GTP. The results showed that 10 μg of estradiol/100 g body weight gave a considerable increase in the rates of both chain initiation and translocation. The increase in the rate of peptide chain initiation occurred prior to the increase in translocase activity of the ribosome preparations. From these results and those of oth...
Adaptive optics wavefront sensors based on photon-counting detector arrays

For adaptive optics systems, there is a growing demand for wavefront sensors that operate at higher frame rates and with more pixels while maintaining low readout noise. Lincoln Laboratory has been investigating Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays integrated with CMOS readout circuits as a potential solution. This type of sensor counts photons digitally within the pixel, enabling data to be read out at high rates without the penalty of readout noise. After a brief overview of adaptive optics sensor development at Lincoln Laboratory, we will present the status of silicon Geigermode- APD technology along with future plans to improve performance.
Large-scale systems - Stability, complexity, reliability

This paper establishes the connective stability concept in the framework of the comparison principle and vector Liapunov functions, as a natural setting for resolving the complexity vs reliability problem in the control of large-scale dynamic systems. The central result is the following: a stable complex system when composed as a competitive structure of the interconnected stable subsystems remains stable despite the on-off participation of the subsystems. This result is important in that it can be used efficiently to synthesize reliable complex systems by multilevel feedback control.
Children's memory for emergency medical treatment after one year: the impact of individual difference variables on recall and suggestibility

This study explores the impact of individual difference variables on children's recall and suggestibility when they discuss a stressful personal experience. It was hypothesized that some differences in social factors, including child self concept and parenting style, would be associated with variations in the way children related their experiences. Participants were 24 3- to 7-year-old children who sustained facial lacerations requiring minor medical emergency treatment by a plastic surgeon. The children were interviewed about their surgeries on three occasions: a few days, 6 weeks and 1 year after the experience. A number of individual difference measures were administered to the children and their parents at the time of the first two interviews. The results support the hypothesis that there are individual difference variables that may help to explain some of the variability in children's recall and suggestibility. Younger children with poorer receptive language skills and children of more traditional parents recalled less total information about their surgeries after one year. Child traditionalism, achievement-motivation and social avoidance, as assessed by use of the Eder Self-View Questionnaire, made a difference in suggestibility at the initial interview, but not at subsequent memory assessments. The results are interpreted as suggesting that both the demand characteristics of the interview and the strength of the memory trace are important in understanding the effects of individual difference variables in memory performance. Implications for child testimony are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Study of a polycrystalline Ni/Cr alloy V. Hydrogen-atom exposure

Abstract An air-exposed polycrystalline nichrome (Ni/Cr) alloy was exposed to a hydrogen-atom flux at room temperature and then sputtered with Ar+ for 15 min. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) were used to examine the changes, which occur at the surface of the sample during these treatments. The near-surface region of the alloy initially consists primarily of nickel hydroxide and carbon contamination. Small amounts of Na and Cl contaminants are also present on the surface, according to the ISS data. The amount of carbon contamination and oxygen in the near-surface region is decreased by the H-atom exposure, and the Ni and Cr concentrations are increased. The hydroxyl groups are rapidly removed during the exposure to H atoms presumably through formation of water molecules, which desorb. Ni(OH)2, NiO, Ni0, CrO2 and Cr0 are present in the near-surface region after the H-atom exposure. A subsequent 15-min, 1-keV Ar+ sputter removes the remaining carbon, nearly all of the oxygen, as well as the Na and Cl contaminants. The Ni is mostly metallic, and Cr is present as Cr0 and CrO2. In previous studies, multiple ion-beam sputtering and annealing cycles were necessary to obtain this level of cleanliness. The process using a H-atom beam flux provides an alternative and less time-consuming method for cleaning Ni/Cr alloy surfaces.
FACTORS IN PERCEPTION AND RIGIDITY.

A 36-variable test battery consisting of 6 rigidity scales, 16 objective perception tests, 10 personality scales, and 4 college aptitude tests was administered to 100 college males. Using the Centroid method of factor analysis and the Quartimax method of rotation, 11 factors were identified. It was concluded that the rigidity scales cannot be represented by a common rigidity factor and that the trait personality rigidity as measured by such scales is independent of S's performance on objective perception and scholastic aptitude tests.
Noninvasive Imaging of Isolated Persistent Fifth Aortic Arch

Persistent fifth aortic arch was suspected by echocardiography and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in an infant with a heart murmur. Selected images including three dimensional reconstruction from MRI demonstrating this very rare congenital anomaly are presented.