cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methods for assessment of biodegradability of plastic films in soil.

Traditional and novel techniques were tested and compared for their usefulness in evaluating biodegrad-ability claims made for newly formulated “degradable” plastic film products. Photosensitized polyethylene (PE), starch-PE, extensively plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polypropylene (PP) films were incorporated into aerobic soil. Biodegradation was measured for 3 months under generally favorable conditions. Carbon dioxide evolution, residual weight recovery, and loss of tensile strength measurements were supplemented, for some films, by gas chromatographic measurements of plasticizer loss and gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) measurement of polymer molecular size distribution. Six- and 12-week sunlight exposures of photosensitized PE films resulted in extensive photochemical damage that failed to promote subsequent mineralization in soil. An 8% starch-PE film and the plasticized PVC film evolved significant amounts of CO2 in biodegradation tests and lost residual weight and tensile strength, but GPC measurements demonstrated that all these changes were confined to the additives and the PE and PVC polymers were not degraded. Carbon dioxide evolution was found to be a useful screening tool for plastic film biodegradation, but for films with additives, polymer biodegradation needs to be confirmed by GPC. Photochemical cross-linking of polymer strands reduces solubility and may interfere with GPC measurements of polymer degradation.
Abstract MP19: Higher Parity is Associated With Components of the Metabolic Syndrome Among U.S. Hispanic/Latina Women: Results From the HCHS/SOL Study

Background: Physiologic adaptations occurring across successive pregnancies may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular health outcomes in later life. Previous studies have found an association between higher parity and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, no studies have examined this association in a Hispanic/Latina population. Hispanic women have a higher prevalence of the MetS and higher birth rates than non-Hispanic women. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that higher parity is associated with the prevalence of components of the MetS in a cohort of Hispanic/Latina women. Methods: There were 9,482 Hispanic/Latina women of diverse backgrounds, aged 18-74 years, who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) from 2008-2011. Components of the MetS were defined according to the AHA/NHLBI criteria and included abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥88cm), elevated triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL), low HDL cholesterol (<50mg/dL), high blood pressure (systolic ≥130...
Need for multi-aspect measures to support evaluation of complex human-computer interfaces

Inherent to the objective evaluation of a system is the use of evaluative measures. These are metrics or formulas designed to represent one or more aspects of system performance. As the system becomes more complex, it stands to reason that the measures needed to correctly reveal its performance may have to become correspondingly more complex as well. This is particularly evident when the HCl system evaluation of interest must encompass each of: (1) the system, (2) its human user and (3) the dynamic interaction between them. The paper portrays the types of measures that have been and continue to be used. Then, it characterizes the design, testing, and validation of more complex measures for use in evaluation methodology applicable to complex systems. A combination of three major evaluative aspects-synergism, efficiency, and effectiveness (SEE)-is shown to be useful in guiding the design of such measures.
Impaired Accumulation of Ribonucleic Acid Precursors and Depletion of Ribonucleic Acid in Glucocorticoid-treated Bone Cells

Abstract We have examined the effects of cortisol in vitro on RNA metabolism in isolated, cultured bone cells. Treatment for as little as 2 hours decreased the incorporation of radioactively labeled nucleosides (uridine, adenosine, or guanosine) into RNA. This appears to result from reduced influx or phosphorylation (or both) of free nucleosides, since the accumulation of radioactivity in intracellular nucleotide pools (UMP, UDP, UTP) was also inhibited, but efflux of uridine nucleotides was not increased. Inhibition persisted after refeeding treated cells with fresh, cortisol-free medium, and was evident at a high (1 mm) as well as a low (13 µm) starting concentration of uridine in the incubation medium, suggesting that it was not caused by enhanced dilution of radioactive uridine in expanded intra- or extracellular pools of nonradioactive uridine. The possibility that the accumulation of radioactivity in nucleotide pools was inhibited by a feedback mechanism caused by prior reduction in RNA synthesis seems unlikely, in view of the simultaneous and equivalent effects of cortisol on the labeling of nucleotide pools and RNA. Treatment of bone cells with actinomycin D was accompanied by a decrease in the accumulation of RNA precursors only after inhibition of RNA synthesis was well established. Protein synthesis may be required for this response to cortisol since cortisol was ineffective when cells were treated simultaneously with either puromycin or cycloheximide, inhibitors of protein synthesis which did not in themselves block nucleoside incorporation. In addition to inhibiting the accumulation of RNA precursors and their incorporation into RNA, cortisol treatment gradually reduced the total content of RNA per culture (5 to 10% in 5 hours, 20 to 30% in 15 hours) and the amount of 18 S and 28 S ribosomal RNA per culture. Two observations suggest that this loss of RNA results in part from an acceleration of RNA breakdown: (a) the breakdown of endogenous, previously labeled RNA was increased in isolated microsomes derived from cortisol-treated cells and (b) addition of cortisol to cells which had been continuously labeled with radioactive uridine from initial seeding until treatment significantly enhanced the decline in RNA total radioactivity during the chase period. In addition, the rate of RNA synthesis, as estimated from the change in RNA specific radioactivity during the chase period, was decreased by treatment with cortisol. Cortisol effects were related to its glucocorticoid activity, and were directly proportional to its starting concentration, minimal changes appearing at near physiological concentrations (10 to 100 mµm).
Efficient Resolution of Singularities of Plane Curves

We give a new algorithm for resolving singularities of plane curves. The algorithm is polynomial time in the bit complexity model, does not require factorization, and works over the rationals or finite fields.
Off-tracking bounds for a car pulling trailers with kingpin hitching

Presents fundamental calculations that are used in a new method for planning motion among obstacles for a mobile robot system configured as a car pulling many trailers with non-standard kingpin hitching. In the special case of equal length kingpin hitches, the authors show exponential convergence of the off-tracking of the trailers, and compute an upper bound on the off-tracking of the trailers and kingpin hitches. The path planning method then only needs to plan a collision-free path for an "enlarged" lead car, and the rest of the vehicle will follow without hitting the obstacles. Simulation results are presented for a car pulling a single trailer and three trailers. >
GA-based optimal power flow for microgrids with DC distribution network

Microgrids comprise a variety of distributed energy resources, energy storage devices, and loads. The majority of sources are not suitable for direct connection to the electrical network due to the characteristics of the energy produced, such as low voltage DC power from fuel cells and PV arrays or high frequency AC power from microturbines. Therefore, voltage source converters (VSCs) are required to interface them with the network. In microgrids with the DC distribution network, the DC voltage reference setting for the VSCs operating in the voltage regulator mode, and the optimal power reference settings of the remaining VSCs working in the power dispatcher mode must be pre-determined to maintain the DC voltage within desired margins. In this paper, the problem has been formulated as an optimization problem with VSCs switching and conduction losses selected as the objective function. Computational intelligence techniques, including genetic algorithm (GA) and simulated annealing (SA) based optimization methods, have been employed to solve the optimization problem. The results of the optimal power flow have been compared with a conventional power flow.
The Movement of Gas in the Respiratory System of the Duck

1. A single inhalation of marker gas (argon) was administered to unanaesthetized ducks. P argon was continuously monitored in the interclavicular, cranial thoracic, caudal thoracic and abdominal air sacs with a mass spectrometer during the marked inspiration and subsequent respiratory cycles. 2. The sequence of arrival times of the inspired marker at the various sampling sites was determined; ventilation rates of the different air sacs were compared by examining the rate of decrease of P ar during washout of each sac. 3. The experimental results agree with previously proposed patterns of air flow in the duck respiratory system. 4. It is proposed that the movement of gas in the respiratory system of birds is a two-cycle event. During the inspiratory phase of the first cycle, inhaled air is drawn into the posterior air sacs; during the expiratory phase of the first cycle, this air (having mixed with the residual air in the posterior air sacs) is pumped into the secondary and tertiary bronchi of the lung; during the inspiratory phase of the second cycle this air in the lung passage-ways is drawn into the anterior air sacs; and finally, during the expiratory phase of the second cycle, this air is exhaled from the anterior air sacs and the respiratory system.
In Vitro Studies of Rickettsia-Host Cell Interactions: Ultrastructural Study of Rickettsia prowazekii-Infected Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts

Secondary chicken embryo fibroblasts infected in suspension with the Breinl strain of Rickettsia prowazekii and grown in monolayer culture were examined by both transmission and scanning electron microscopy at specific intervals after infection to study the effects of prolonged intracellular growth on the fine structure of the host cell and the rickettsiae. Cytopathological changes in the infected host cells were not apparent until late in the intracellular growth cycle when the cells began to rupture as a result of a large rickettsial burden. The only recognizable changes in heavily infected cells before lysis were the condensation of the intercristal matrix of some mitochondria and the apparent dissociation of ribosomes from the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. Although the effects of intracellular growth of rickettsiae on the fine structure of the host cell were rather unremarkable when compared with those imposed by Rickettsia rickettsii in a similar cell system, noticeable morphological changes in the rickettsiae were recognized during the intracellular growth cycle. These changes first became apparent about 40 h postinfection and consisted primarily of an increased electron density of the rickettsiae, the appearance of numerous vacuoles in the rickettsial cytoplasm, and a slight reduction in size of the rickettsiae. Changes of this nature may reflect transitional phases of growth characteristically seen in free-living bacterial cell systems.
Infinity and givenness: Kant on the intuitive origin of spatial representation

I advance a novel interpretation of Kant's argument that our original representation of space must be intuitive, according to which the intuitive status of spatial representation is secured by its infinitary structure. I defend a conception of intuitive representation as what must be given to the mind in order to be thought at all. Discursive representation, as modelled on the specific division of a highest genus into species, cannot account for infinite complexity. Because we represent space as infinitely complex, the spatial manifold cannot be generated discursively and must therefore be given to the mind, i.e. represented in intuition.
Elastic behaviors of wedge disclination loops near a free surface

Abstract The elastic field of a wedge disclination loop near a free surface is studied by using the method of Green's function. The behaviors of the loop are quite different from those of twist disclinations and dislocations. For a loop situated at a finite distance beneath a free surface, it may be attracted to or repelled from the surface, depending upon its orientation with respect to the surface. When a loop assumes one of the two particular orientations, it can exist in metastable equilibrium. This type of behavior was realized for dislocations only when they approach a surface film plated on an elastic half-plane.
Absolute left ventricular volume from gated blood pool imaging with use of esophageal transmission measurement

A new method for determining absolute left ventricular (LV) volume from equilibrium gated blood pool images was validated in 36 patients by comparing gated blood pool (GBP) imaging with contrast ventriculography (CV) using both Simpson's rule (SR) and area-length (AL) calculations. The technique is geometry-independent and is the first to correct for tissue attenuation with use of an in vivo point source. An orally administered capsule containing 1 to 2 mCi of technetium-99m (Tc-99m) sulfur colloid is used for this purpose. Left ventricular volumes are determined by dividing attenuation and background-corrected count rates obtained from semiautomated LV regions of interest by the count rate per milliliter from a blood sample. The correlation between GBP and CV (SR) was 0.96 (CV [SR] = 0.99 GBP + 1.32 ml; standard error of the estimate [SEE] = 21.2 ml) for diastole and 0.97 (CV [SR] = 0.93 GBP − 0.03 ml; SEE = 11.9 ml) for systole. The correlation between GBP and CV (AL) was 0.92 (CV [AL] = 0.90 GBP + 16.72 ml; SEE = 27.8 ml) for diastole and 0.95 (CV [AL] = 0.87 GBP + 4.56 ml; SEE = 14.4 ml) for systole. The method is noninvasive and can be performed easily as part of routine gated blood pool imaging and analysis.
SENSITIZATION BY LUMAZINE PROTEINS OF THE BIOLUMINESCENCE EMISSION FROM THE REACTION OF BACTERIAL LUCIFERASES

— Lumazine protein from Photobacterium phosphoreurn blue shifts the in vitro bioluminescence spectra in the reactions using each of the 4 main types of bacterial luciferases: P. phosphoreum, P. leiognathi, Vibrio harveyi and V. fischeri. For the reaction initiated with FMNH2 and tetradecanal at 2°C, this “sensitizing” property of lumazine protein differs quantitatively between the luciferases. An interaction constant characterizing each type of luciferase may be derived from a reciprocal plot of the spectral shift against the lurnazine protein concentration. The weakest interaction constant is in the V. fischeri reaction, 180 μM. For the V. harveyi reaction the interaction is in the range 6–9 μM, and for both Photobacterium reactions it is 2–3 μM. A concentration of only 0.6 μM of lumazine protein is sufficient to cause an observable change in the Photobacterium bioluminescence spectra. For the V. harveyi case the interaction constant is near to the equilibrium Kd for the luciferase-lumazine protein complex, observed directly by Visser and Lee. Both constants are decreased markedly by increase in phosphate concentration so that it is concluded that, with V. harveyi luciferase, sensitization occurs within this protein-protein complex. For P. phosphoreum luciferase, however, the equilibrium complex is too weak to correspond to the sensitizing interaction and it is concluded that the rate-limiting process is a protein-protein bimolecular collision. As judged from their molecular weight around 20000, spectral properties, and ability to blue shift the bioluminescence spectra, lumazine proteins are identified in a second strain of P. phosphoreum and in P. leiognathi.
Effect of pre-heating duration and temperature conditioning on the rheological properties of bitumen

Abstract It is well known that overheating asphalt bitumen can lead to oxidation and stiffening. While heating bitumen is an essential protocol in sample preparation, it is important to identify the oven setting time and temperature for lab testing. Current AASHTO standards do not specify exact oven settings for bitumen sample preparation prior to laboratory testing. This study is evaluating the effect of oven heating duration and pouring temperature during sample preparation in the rheological properties of neat and polymer-modified bitumen (PMB). Rheological properties are measured using Rotational Viscometer, Dynamic Shear Rheometer and Bending Beam Rheometer at grade-specific testing temperatures. A neat bitumen PG64-22 and two PMB PG70-22 and 76-22 in un-aged (original) and aged conditions were tested at two temperatures: 143 °C and 185 °C for 1/2, 2 and 4 h. The effect of short-term aging by rolling thin film oven was also investigated. To investigate the rheological properties over a wide range of temperatures, temperature sweep testing was conducted from 35 °C to 110 °C at a 10 rad/s frequency. The results suggest that there was no significant difference in the viscosity, complex modulus and creep stiffness for the tested bitumen. The RTFO aging index, absolute drop of complex viscosity and temperature aging indices were used to evaluate the bitumen preparation settings. The study recommends using the 143 °C and 2-h heating for proper preparation prior to standard lab testing. The study also investigated the aging influence in rheological properties for neat and PMB using the black diagram, DSR function map, and critical-stiffness temperature.
Interim results from a neural network 3-D automatic target recognition program

Recent results from the Artificial Neural VIsion Learning (ANVIL) program are presented. The focus of the ANVIL program is to apply neural network technologies to the air-to-surface 3D automatic target recognition (ATR) problem. The 3D Multiple Object Detection and Location System (MODALS) neural network was developed under the ANVIL program to simultaneously detect, locate, segment, and identify multiple targets. The performance results show a very high identification accuracy, a high detection rate, and low false alarm rate, even for areas with high clutter and shadowing. The results are shown as detection/false alarm curves and identification/false alarm curves. In addition, positional detection accuracy is shown for various scale sizes. To provide data for the program, visible terrain board imagery was collected under a variety of background and lighting conditions. Tests were made on over 500 targets of five types and two classes. These targets varied in scale by up to -25%, varied in azimuth by up to 120 degrees, and varied in elevation by up to 10 degrees. The performance results are shown for targets with resolution ranging from 9 to 700 pixels on target. This work is being performed under contract to Wright Laboratory AAAT-1.
Chemistry of Deltahedral Zintl Ions

This review focuses on the reactivity of nine-atom deltahedral clusters of group 14, also known as deltahedral Zintl ions, toward various main-group and transition-metal compounds. The redox chemistry of these species and their ability to form oligomers, polymers, and functionalized clusters are discussed, and the cluster geometries, their bonding, and electronic structures are described.
Decreased 3 α-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Activity in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes from Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to determine whether peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients have reduced 3 α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 α-HSD) activity as was previously found in POAG-derived cultured trabecular meshwork cells. The availability of PBL from both POAG and control patients makes this a useful system for studying the association of decreased 3 α-HSD activity with POAG. PBL were isolated from the venous blood of 17 POAG patients and 22 non-glaucoma controls and assayed for 3 α-HSD activity with tritiated 5 β-dihydrocortisol as a substrate. The mean 3 α-HSD activity ± s.e.m., expressed in comparable units of specific activity, of the POAG derived PBL was 13.8 ±1.3U as compared to 32.8 ±2.0U for control cells. This reduction ( >50%) was statistically significant (P The results of this study show an association of decreased PBL 3 α-HSD activity and POAG which was not related to antiglaucoma therapy. The reduced levels of 3 α-HSD activity in the readily obtainable PBL may serve as a marker for POAG or those at risk for developing the disease.
What nephrologists need to know about gadolinium

Until recently gadolinium chelates were thought to be safe when used as contrast agents for MRI. These compounds are now known to be associated with artifactual results of laboratory tests, acute kidney injury and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, complications that seem to exclusively affect people with impaired renal function. Penfield and Reilly provide the information that physicians need to determine the relative risks and benefits of administering gadolinium to patients with chronic kidney disease. Gadolinium chelates are commonly used to improve tissue contrast in MRI. Until recently the use of gadolinium was thought to be risk-free compared with alternative contrast agents. Recent studies, however, have raised serious concerns regarding the safety of gadolinium chelates. Although safe in patients with normal kidney function, administration of these agents in people with renal dysfunction can result in up to three clinical problems that the nephrologist should be familiar with. The first is nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), which was initially observed in 1997. Although manifesting primarily in skin, NSF can also cause systemic fibrosis, leading to disabling contractures and even death. Gadodiamide is the agent that has been most frequently associated with NSF, but other chelates might also pose a risk. The second clinical problem is that gadolinium chelates cause acute kidney injury, especially at high doses required for angiography. The third problem is that several laboratory artifacts are associated with gadolinium administration, with pseudohypocalcemia being the most important. The risk of a patient experiencing all three of these complications increases as renal function declines. In light of these problems, nephrologists need to re-evaluate the risks and benefits of gadolinium administration in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3 or greater, as well as in those with acute kidney injury.
The Prevalence and Comorbidity of Specific Phobias in College Students and Their Interest in Receiving Treatment

While the prevalence of specific phobias and social phobias is believed to be high in the general adult population, little data exists regarding the prevalence of these fears among college students. This paper describes an epidemiological study that surveyed 813 college students regarding the severity of fears experienced toward 12 objects and situations. In addition, this study assessed for students' interest in seeking therapy for these fears at their university's counseling or mental health center. The data suggest that fears of spiders (34% of the total sample), public speaking (31%), snakes (22%), heights (18%), and injections (16%) are quite common among college students, and 18% of students are interested in receiving treatment for their fears. The paper concludes with some recommendations on how exposure-based treatments could be conducted through college counseling or mental health centers to address these potentially academic- and socially impairing problems.
Ten-year effect of medical and surgical therapy on quality of life: Veterans Administration Cooperative Study of Coronary Artery Surgery.

Abstract The long-term effect of medical vs surgical therapy on quality of life was evaluated by New York Heart Association functional classification, severity of angina and exercise performance in 427 surviving patients with stable angina at 10 years. Surgically assigned patients had significantly more improvement in functional classification, relief of angina and exercise performance at 1 and 5 years than medically assigned patients. Relative to entry, functional classification was improved in 65% of surgically treated patients at 1 year and in 51 % at 5 years, compared with 45% and 40%, respectively, of medically treated patients. Marked improvement in angina was observed in 49% of surgical patients at 1 year and in 41% at 5 years, vs 12% and 17%, respectively, in medical patients. At 10 years, quality of life was not significantly different in the 2 treatment groups: 52% of surgical patients had an improved functional classification, compared with 46% of medical patients, while 33% of surgical and 37% of medical patients had a marked improvement in angina. Exclusion of medical and surgical nonadherers had little effect on the 1- and 5-year comparisons. The 10-year treatment differences, however, were accentuated when 123 medically assigned patients who later underwent operation and who benefited from it were excluded from the analysis. In surgical patients, a strong association was observed between graft patency and functional class at 1 year, but not at 5 and 10 years. In general, patients with some or all grafts open had more improvement in functional classification than patients with all grafts closed. Thus, the benefit of surgery in relief of symptoms and improvement of exercise performance remained superior to that of medical therapy at 5 years, but at 10 years symptoms increased and exercise tolerance decreased to levels similar to those of the medically treated patients.
A comparison of cardiopulmonary resuscitation with cardiopulmonary bypass after prolonged cardiac arrest in dogs. Reperfusion pressures and neurologic recovery.

Resuscitability and outcome after prolonged cardiac arrest were compared in dogs with standard external cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) vs. closed-chest emergency cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was with no blood flow from VF 0 min to VF 10 min. Subsequent CPR basic life support (BLS) was from VF 10 min to VF 15 min. Then, group I (n = 13) received CPR advanced life support (ALS) from VF 15 min until restoration of spontaneous circulation to occur not later than VF 40 min. Group 11 (n = 14) received CPR-ALS from VF 15 min to VF 20 min without defibrillation, and then total CPB to defibrillation attempts started at VF 20 min, followed by assisted CPB to 2 h. Total ischemia time (no-flow time plus CPR time of MAP < 50 mmHg) was unexpectedly shorter in group I (14.3 ± 2.5 min) than in group II (18.6 ± 2.3 min) (P < 0.01). During CPR-BLS, coronary perfusion pressures were 25 ± 9 mmHg in group I and 18 ± 8 mmHg in group 11 (NS). Epinephrine during CPR-ALS, before countershock, raised coronary perfusion pressure to 40 ± 10 mmHg in group I and 27 ± 10 mmHg in group II (NS). In group II, coronary perfusion pressure increased during total CPB to 58 ± 16 mmHg (P < 0.01 vs. group I). Spontaneous normotension was restored in 1113 dogs of group I and all 14 dogs of group II (NS). Ten dogs in each group followed protocol and survived to 96 h. Five of ten in group I and six of ten in group 11 were neurologically normal (NS). We conclude that: (1) Reperfusion with CPB yields higher coronary perfusion pressures than reperfusion with CPR-ALS; and (2) even after no blood flow for 10 min, optimized CPR can result in cardiovascular resuscitability and neurologic recovery, similar to those achieved by CPB.
Alterations in nerve-evoked bladder contractions in a coronavirus-induced mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Background Patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s often present with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS, urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia and retention) resulting from damage to the peripheral and central nervous systems. These studies were designed to examine the changes in the function of the bladder that may underlie neurogenic bladder dysfunction using a mouse model of demyelination in the CNS.
Molecular Basis and Structural Insight of Vascular KATP Channel Gating by S-Glutathionylation

The vascular ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel is targeted by a variety of vasoactive substances, playing an important role in vascular tone regulation. Our recent studies indicate that the vascular KATP channel is inhibited in oxidative stress via S-glutathionylation. Here we show evidence for the molecular basis of the S-glutathionylation and its structural impact on channel gating. By comparing the oxidant responses of the Kir6.1/SUR2B channel with the Kir6.2/SUR2B channel, we found that the Kir6.1 subunit was responsible for oxidant sensitivity. Oxidant screening of Kir6.1-Kir6.2 chimeras demonstrated that the N terminus and transmembrane domains of Kir6.1 were crucial. Systematic mutational analysis revealed three cysteine residues in these domains: Cys43, Cys120, and Cys176. Among them, Cys176 was prominent, contributing to >80% of the oxidant sensitivity. The Kir6.1-C176A/SUR2B mutant channel, however, remained sensitive to both channel opener and inhibitor, which indicated that Cys176 is not a general gating site in Kir6.1, in contrast to its counterpart (Cys166) in Kir6.2. A protein pull-down assay with biotinylated glutathione ethyl ester showed that mutation of Cys176 impaired oxidant-induced incorporation of glutathione (GSH) into the Kir6.1 subunit. In contrast to Cys176, Cys43 had only a modest contribution to S-glutathionylation, and Cys120 was modulated by extracellular oxidants but not intracellular GSSG. Simulation modeling of Kir6.1 S-glutathionylation suggested that after incorporation to residue 176, the GSH moiety occupied a space between the slide helix and two transmembrane helices. This prevented the inner transmembrane helix from undergoing conformational changes necessary for channel gating, retaining the channel in its closed state.
Becoming Data Driven: The Influence of Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy on Concerns Related to Data-Driven Decision Making

Data-driven decision-making (DDDM) reform has proven to be an effective means for improving student learning. However, little DDDM reform has happened at the classroom level, and little research has explored variables that influence teacher adoption of DDDM. The authors propose a model in which teachers’ sense of efficacy for the skills that support classroom-level DDDM and DDDM anxiety significantly influenced teachers’ DDDM efficacy, which then influenced collaboration concerns that influenced refocusing concerns. The authors used structural equation modeling to analyze data on 537 teachers in order to validate this hypothesized model. Results supported this model and are discussed.
Antagonism of catecholamine inhibition of insulin secretion by methysergide

Isoliertes Maus-, Hamster- und Kaninchenpankreas wurde in einer physiologischen Pufferlosung mit 3,0 mg/ml Glukose inkubiert. Dopamin ruft eine erhebliche Verringerung der radioimmunologisch reagierenden Insulinsekretion hervor. Die durch Dopamin ausgeloste Hemmung lasst sich teilweise oder vollstandig durch den Serotoninantagonisten 1-Methyl-d-lysergsaure butanolamid (Deseril) aufheben.
Urban Trees and Roadside Safety

This paper describes a research project performed as part of a clear zone implementation program for Huntsville, Alabama. A literature review and a field investigation program were the two major components of the project. Investigators visited the sites of 164 urban tree accidents to identify their characteristics. Time of day, day of week, accident severity, roadway geometry, pavement surface condition, lateral distance from the pavement to the tree, tree size, and tree density were among the characteristics investigated. Among the major findings were that: there were strong similarities between urban and rural tree collision patterns, but urban accidents were less severe; the outside of horizontal curves was highly over‐represented; and 80% of the collisions were within 20 ft of the pavement edge. Recommendations were provided for city ordinances and operating procedures for future tree plantings. A plan was also devised for retrofitting the clear zone concept to existing trees along city streets.
The healthy adherer and the placebo effect

Simpson and colleagues report their systematic review's finding that good adherence to placebos as well as to drug treatments is associated with reduced mortality.1 They hypothesise that this intriguing finding supports the concept of the “healthy adherer” effect, whereby adherence to drug treatment may be a surrogate marker for overall healthy behaviour. The potential benefits of any new treatment regimen arise in the context of patients' powerful lifestyle habits and resources, as well as their health status and their histories of health behaviour. In addition, a patient …
Compartment-specific changes in the density of choline and dopamine uptake sites and muscarinic and dopaminergic receptors during the development of the baboon striatum: A quantitative receptor autoradiographic study

In the fetal and young primate neostriatum, cholinergic and dopaminergic markers show patches of high density surrounded by a lower-density matrix. In the adult, the same markers display the opposite pattern, a lower density in striosomes, surrounded by a higher-density matrix. In order to understand the developmental sequences leading to the adult compartmental organization of the primate neostriatum, a quantitative technique was used to study the ontogeny of pre- and postsynaptic components of cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons in baboon caudate nucleus and putamen. The development of specific uptake mechanisms for choline and dopamine and receptors was studied by means of quantitative autoradiography of the specific binding of [3H]-hemicholinium-3 ([3H]-HC3) and [3H]-mazindol ([3H]-MAZ) to the choline and dopamine uptake systems, respectively. [3H]-pirenzepine ([3H]-PIR) was used to label M1 muscarinic receptors and [3H]-spiroperidol ([3H]-SPI) was used to label striatal dopamine D2 receptors. Serial sections were used for each ligand to determine the precise anatomical relationships between the binding patterns of the different markers. Our aim was to determine whether the adult striosomal distribution of the binding sites studied was due to (1) a selective decrease in patch/striosomal binding density or (2) a selective increase in matrix binding density. Our studies show that a postnatal decrease in the density of [3H]-HC3 sites in the patch/striosomes and an increase in the matrix density of [3H]-MAZ sites are the primary, but not the sole, changes in the compartmental distribution of these sites leading to the adult striosomal organization of the striatal cholinergic and dopaminergic innervation. D2 receptors follow the general developmental pattern of [3H]-MAZ and [3H]-HC3, changing their density of distribution in both compartments during the developmental period examined. In addition, M1 muscarinic receptors already display their adult pattern in the newborn baboon striatum, and therefore represent one of the first neurochemical markers to adopt its mature organization.
Serum superoxide dismutase 3 (extracellular superoxide dismutase) activity is a sensitive indicator of Cu status in rats

Abstract Sensitivity of the assay for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3), the predominant form of SOD in serum, can be increased, and interferences caused by low-molecular-weight substances in the serum can be reduced by conducting the assay at pH 10 with xanthine/xanthine oxidase and acetylated cytochrome c (cyt c) as superoxide generator and detector, respectively. Serum SOD3 activity was assayed under these conditions in an experiment where weanling, male rats were fed diets for 6 weeks containing 3, 5 and 15 mg Zn/kg with dietary Cu set at 0.3, 1.5 and 5 mg Cu/kg at each level of dietary Zn. Serum SOD3 responded to changes in dietary Cu but not to changes in dietary Zn. A second experiment compared serum SOD3 activity to traditional indices of Cu status in weanling, male and female rats after they were fed diets containing, nominally, 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 6 mg Cu/kg for 6 weeks. Serum SOD3 activity was significantly lower (P
HINDERED TRANSPORT OF MACROMOLECULES IN ISOLATED GLOMERULI. I. DIFFUSION ACROSS INTACT AND CELL-FREE CAPILLARIES

The filtrate formed by renal glomerular capillaries must pass through a layer of endothelial cells, the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and a layer of epithelial cells, arranged in series. To elucidate the relative resistances of the GBM and cell layers to movement of uncharged macromolecules, we measured the diffusional permeabilities of intact and cell-free capillaries to narrow fractions of Ficoll with Stokes-Einstein radii ranging from 3.0 to 6.2 nm. Glomeruli were isolated from rat kidneys, and diffusion of fluorescein-labeled Ficoll across the walls of single capillary loops was monitored with a confocal microscopy technique. In half of the experiments the glomeruli were treated first to remove the cells, leaving skeletons that retained the general shape of the glomerulus and consisted almost entirely of GBM. The diffusional permeability of cell-free capillaries to Ficoll was approximately 10 to 20 times that of intact capillaries, depending on molecular size. Taking into account the blockage of much of the GBM surface by cells, the contribution of the GBM to the diffusional resistance of the intact barrier was calculated to be 13% to 26% of the total, increasing with molecular size. Thus, the GBM contribution, although smaller than that of the cells, was not negligible. The structure that is most likely to be responsible for the cellular part of the diffusional resistance is the slit diaphragm, which spans the filtration slit between epithelial foot processes. A novel hydrodynamic model was developed to relate the diffusional resistance of the slit diaphragm to its structure, which was idealized as a single layer of cylindrical fibers in a ladder-like arrangement.
Selective Metal Substitution for the Preparation of Heterobimetallic Microporous Coordination Polymers

The designed synthesis of heterobimetallic microporous coordination polymers (MCPs) is reported by a strategy employing the selective replacement of a single metal in homometallic MCPs with two unique metal coordination environments: octahedral and tetrahedral. This strategy is successful in the preparation of six mixed-metal MCPs, where Co/Zn and Ni/Zn versions of MOF-4, MOF-39, and a Zn-BTEC MCP are reported.
Applications of cohomology to set theory I: Hausdorff gaps

Abstract We explore an application of homological algebra to set theoretic objects by developing a cohomology theory for Hausdorff gaps. This leads to a natural equivalence notion for gaps about which we answer questions by constructing many simultaneous gaps. The first result is proved in ZFC while new combinatorial hypotheses generalizing ♣ are introduced to prove the second result. The cohomology theory is introduced with enough generality to be applicable to other questions in set theory. Additionally, the notion of an incollapsible gap is introduced and the existence of such a gap is shown to be independent of ZFC.
Thirty-day mortality underestimates the risk of early death after major resections for thoracic malignancies.

Background Operative mortality rates are of great interest to surgeons, patients, policy makers, and payers as a metric for quality assessment. Thirty-day mortality and discharge mortality have been presumed to capture procedure-related deaths. However, many patients die after the 30-day mark or are transferred to other facilities or to home and die there, leading to the underreporting of surgically related deaths. We hypothesized that a longer period of observation would address these concerns and provide a more accurate measure of operative mortality. Methods We retrospectively reviewed institutional databases of patients undergoing resection for lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and mesothelioma. Mortality rates at 30 and 90 days were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results From 1999 to 2012, 7,646 surgical resections were performed: 6,119 for lung cancer, 1,258 for esophageal cancer, and 269 for mesothelioma. Among the different cancers and across operations, the additional mortality from day 31 to 90 (1.4%; 95% CI, 1.2% to 1.8%; n = 111) was similar to that by day 30 (1.2%; 95% CI, 1.0% to 1.5%; n = 95), resulting in overall 90-day mortality (2.7%; 95% CI, 2.3% to 3.1%; n = 206) that was more than double the 30-day mortality. Conclusions Among patients who have undergone operations for thoracic malignancies, mortality attributable to the operation occurs beyond the first 30 postsurgical days as well as after hospital discharge. Because cancer operations constitute a large portion of general thoracic surgery, we recommend national databases consider the inclusion of 90-day mortality in their data collection.
In situ measurement of annealing-induced line shape evolution in nanoimprinted polymers using scatterometry

Thermal embossing nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is an area of continuing interest because it allows direct patterning of nanoscale structures into a wide variety of functional polymer materials. Measuring the shape evolution of nanoimprinted lines during thermal annealing can provide insights into mechanisms of polymer stability and the dynamics of polymer flow. Recently, we have used optical scatterometry to extract the profile of nanoimprinted lines in low- and high-molecular mass polymer gratings during annealing of the gratings at the glass transition temperature. The data are obtained in situ using a spectroscopic ellipsometer and analyzed using a rigorous-coupled-wave scatterometry model. The results obtained from scatterometry are in very good agreement with those measured ex situ by atomic force microscopy and specular x-ray reflectivity, revealing very different decay mechanisms for gratings in low- and high-molecular mass polymers. The role of the selection of grating model in determining the uncertainties the grating line profile extracted from scatterometry is also discussed.
A homogenization theory for the overall creep of isotropic viscoplastic composites

Summary. A field-fluctuation method is introduced into the secant-viscosity framework to evaluate the homogenized effective stress of the heterogeneously deformed elastic-viscoptastic matrix in an isotropic composite. Two microgeometries are considered here: one is reinforced with spherical particles and the other with randomly oriented thin discs. The time-dependent creep strains of the elastic-viscoplastic composites are then calculated as a function of inclusion volume concentration. As these two microgeometries are known to provide the lower and upper bounds of the effective moduli in elasticity, the creep strains associated with these two inclusion shapes are believed to set the upper and lower ranges of the overall creep strain for all inclusion shapes. Detailed comparison with a previously developed direct work-rate method is also made. While the effective stress of the ductile matrix - and therefore the overall creep strain of the composite - are higher by the direct work-rate method, the difference between the two is found to be small. However, when the Laplace inversion of the effective secant viscosities of the viscoelastic comparison composite can be cast in an explicit form, the field-fluctuation method will provide a complete evaluation of the effective stress, and is also substantially simpler than the direct work-rate method.
Predictive analysis of engine health for decision support

Data mining, the discovery of knowledge from data, bridges several disciplines such as database management, artificial intelligence, statistics, visualization and the domain of the data, e.g., biology or engineering. Knowledge discovered by mining the data can be used for various purposes such as developing decision support systems and intelligent tutors. In this paper we present such a data mining problem in the mechanical engineering domain where knowledge discovery from the data is performed using statistical approaches, to conduct predictive analysis for decision support. More specifically, we focus on the engine health problem which consists of using existing data on the behavior of an engine in order to predict whether the engine is capable of functioning well (i.e., it is healthy) and to offer suggestions on preventive maintenance. The data we use for this predictive analysis consists of graphs that plot process parameters such as the vibration and temperature of the engine with respect to time. In this paper we define the problem in detail, propose a solution based on statistical inference techniques, summarize our experimental evaluation and discuss the applications of this work in various fields from a decision support angle.
Sample Attrition in Studies of Psychosocial Sequelae of Abortion: How Great a Problem?1

This study examines sample attrition problems in abortion research and the implications for conclusions reached about psychosocial sequelae of abortion. A review of 17 recent studies shows that the percent of the initial sample lost to follow-up ranges from a low of 13% to a high of 86%. Younger women and Catholic women appear to be less likely to participate in follow-up. Since both of these characteristics are associated with a greater likelihood of negative sequelae, follow-up studies may be underestimating the extent of negative reaction to abortion. Data from a recent study are presented; comparisons are made between characteristics of initial volunteers and the total population and between the volunteers who return for the follow-up interview and those who do not. Results support the suggestion that women for whom the abortion was more stressful are less likely to be represented in the final sample. Factors affecting the likelihood of participating in research are explored and strategies for improving the representativeness of samples are suggested.