cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-modal localization algorithm for catheter interventions

Localization of steerable catheters in minimally invasive surgery is critical with respect to patient safety, surgeon manipulation, and procedural efficacy. While there are many potential benefits to patients including shorter recovery times, less tissue trauma, and lower infection rates than traditional surgeries, localization of surgical tools is still an area of much research. Current technology offers several sensory modalities. However, each system has drawbacks which do not provide a clear best practice. This research focuses on incorporating redundant commonplace surgical sensing technologies to reduce the likelihood of errors, failures, or inherent sensor characteristics causing harm to the patient and/or surgeon while providing accurate localization. Dual particle filters are implemented using both a fluoroscopic-like stereo imaging system and an electromagnetic pose sensor for measurement updates in a prototype catheter testbed. A previously developed catheter model is modified to increase accuracy in the particle filter outputs which are combined using a weighted average based on each filter's particle statistics. Experimental results implementing the combined particle filter multi-modality algorithm in feedback control validates the algorithms ability to provide accurate localization in a surgical setting while overcoming sensor limitations and possible failure modes.
FCLib: a library for building data analysis and data discovery tools

In this paper we describe a data analysis toolkit constructed to meet the needs of data discovery in large scale spatio-temporal data. The toolkit is a C library of building blocks that can be assembled into data analyses. Our goals were to build a toolkit which is easy to use, is applicable to a wide variety of science domains, supports feature-based analysis, and minimizes low-level processing. The discussion centers on the design of a data model and interface that best supports these goals and we present three usage examples.
Properties of a Nucleoside Diphosphokinase from Liver Mitochondria and Its Relationship to the Adenosine Triphosphate-Adenosine Diphosphate Exchange Reaction

A nucleoside diphosphokinase which also catalyzes an adenosine triphosphate-adenosine diphosphate exchange reaction has been extracted from bovine liver mitochondria and purified by conventional methods of protein fractionation. A comparison of the catalytic properties of the two activities indicates that both are catalyzed by the same enzyme, which is different in several respects from the nucleoside diphosphokinase previously isolated by others from rat liver and from erythrocytes. Evidence is presented that the enzyme herein described also catalyzes the dinitrophenol-sensitive ATP-ADP exchange reaction when bound to intact mitochondria and to phosphorylating submitochondrial particles.
Studies of Beam Plasma Interactions in a Space Simulation Chamber Using Prototype Space Shuttle Instruments

In March, 1981, electron beam experiments were conducted in the large space simulation chamber at Johnson Space Center using equipment destined to be flown aboard NASA’s Office of Space Sci-ence-1 pallet (OSS-1). Two major flight experiments were involved: The Vehicle Charging and Potential (VCAP) experiment from Utah State University and the Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP) from the University of Iowa. Apparatus connected with VCAP included a Fast Pulse Electron Gun (FPEG), a Charge and Current Probe (CCP), a Spherical Retarding Potential Analyzer and Langmuir Probe (SRPA/LP), a Digital Command and Interface Unit (DCIU), and associated ground support equipment. The PDP included a wide variety of particle and wave analyzers packaged within a sub-satellite which will both be flown with VCAP aboard the OSS-1 payload eventually be released from the Space Shuttle on the Spa-celab-2 mission for the purpose of making diagnostic plasma measurements in the ionosphere. In the present circumstances principal interest was directed towards determining the characteristic physical phenomena which occur within the plasma column created by the firing of the FPEG into the low pressure atmospheric gases of the space simulation chamber.
Impurity distribution in organic crystals: I. The system naphthalene/2-chloronaphthalene

Abstract The phase diagram of the system naphthalene/2-chloronaphthalene (N/CN) has been reexamined. The previously reported solid solubility of CN in N is erroneous. Crystals of N/CN grown from the melt were found to show very large radial inhomogeneity, with the outermost few μm containing ca. 102 times the bulk concentration. The high CN concentration on the surface appears to result from axial rejection of the CN impurity, followed by surface redistribution through sublimation.
Synthesis and properties of some EPDM graft terpolymers

Two EPDM graft terpolymers, one with polystyrene branches and one with poly-α-methylstyrene, were prepared from a commercial EPDM polymer using “grafting from” techniques. The new materials were characterized by GPC, osmometry and nmr spectrometry; tensile strength properties were also determined.
Introduction to the special section: use of bereavement narratives to predict well-being in gay men whose partners died of AIDS--four theoretical perspectives.

Four teams of investigators, representing distinct theoretical perspectives, independently analyzed the same bereavement narratives of 30 men whose partners had died of AIDS within the previous month. The data came from a longitudinal study of the caregiving partners of men with AIDS. Caregivers were interviewed with an open-ended format 2 weeks and 4 weeks following their partner's death. Positive and negative psychological mood was assessed at the time of the bereavement interviews and again 12 months later. Scores derived from the qualitative analyses were used to explain mood at the time of the bereavement interviews and 12 months later. The Rashomon format of the 4 studies provided an unusual opportunity to see overlaps and distinctions among theoretical approaches, resulted in thorough exploration of bereavement processes, and illustrated four different methods of analyzing qualitative data.
Oxidative stress in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive condition characterized by airflow limitation, which is largely irreversible. Oxidative stress and inflammation are the major hallmarks of COPD. Reactive oxygen species, either directly or via the formation of lipid peroxidation products, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and F2-isoprostanes, may play a role in enhancing the inflammation through the activation and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and redox-sensitive transcription factors such as nuclear factor-ϰB and activator protein-1 in COPD. In addition, activation of the MAPK family leads to the transactivation of transcription factors and coactivators (chromatin remodeling). This eventually results in expression of genes regulating a battery of distinct proinflammatory, antioxidant, and stress response genes. The presence of an oxidative stress has important consequences on several events of lung physiology and for the pathogenesis of COPD. These include increased sequestration of neutrophils in the pulmonary microvasculature, oxidative inactivation of antiproteases and surfactants, hypersecretion of mucus, membrane lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial respiration, alveolar epithelial injury/permeability, breakdown/remodeling of extracellular matrix, and apoptosis. Oxidative stress may have a role in the poor efficacy of corticosteroids in COPD. This review discusses cellular and molecular changes that occur in response to smoking and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of COPD.
Chemical Characteristics of Urban Stormwater Sediments and Implications for Environmental Management, Maricopa County, Arizona

On the basis of published guidelines, urban stormwater sediments do not appear to constitute a major regional environmental problem with respect to the chemical characteristics investigated here. At individual sites, high concentrations of organic compounds—chlordane, dieldrin, PCBs, and toxaphene—may require some attention. The possible environmental hazard presented by low-level organochlorine contamination is not addressed in this paper; however, high levels of toxicity in urban sediments are difficult to explain. Sediment toxicity varied significantly with time, which indicates that these tests should be evaluated carefully before they are used for management decisions.
Enzalutamide for the treatment of prostate cancer: results and implications of the AFFIRM trial.

ABSTRACT: Enzalutamide is a second-generation androgen receptor signaling inhibitor that was approved by the US FDA in 2012 for the treatment of metastatic docetaxel-pretreated castrate-resistant prostate cancer. In preclinical studies, enzalutamide demonstrated higher affinity to the androgen receptor compared with the first-generation androgen receptor inhibitors. In the well-designed Phase III AFFIRM study, enzalutamide treatment showed improved overall survival compared with placebo in addition to improvement of all preplanned secondary parameters. Overall, enzalutamide seemed to be very well tolerated with a favorable side-effect profile, with a lower incidence of grade 3–4 adverse events. A potentially concerning adverse effect was the occurrence of seizures that were reported in approximately 1% of the patients receiving enzalutamide (compared with 0% in the placebo arm). This review will summarize the mechanism of action of enzalutamide, the preclinical and clinical development that led to its ap...
A method for adapting headphones for use with infants

To study auditory functioning in infants, a methods was developed for adapting headphones for use with infants.
Investigating peatland stratigraphy and hydrogeology using integrated electrical geophysics

Hydrology has been suggested as the mechanism controlling vegetation and related surficial pore-water chemistry in large peatlands. Peatland hydrology influences the carbon dynamics within these large carbon reservoirs and will influence their response to global warming. A geophysical survey was completed in Caribou Bog, a large peatland in Maine, to evaluate peatland stratigraphy and hydrology. Geophysical measurements were integrated with direct measurements of peat stratigraphy from probing, fluid chemistry, and vegetation patterns in the peatland. Consistent with previous field studies, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was an excellent method for delineating peatland stratigraphy. Prominent reflectors from the peat-lake sediment and lake sediment-mineral soil contacts were precisely recorded up to 8 m deep. Two-dimensional resistivity and induced polarization imaging were used to investigate stratigraphy beneath the mineral soil, beyond the range of GPR. We observe that the peat is chargeable, and that IP imaging is an alternative method for defining peat thickness. The chargeability of peat is attributed to the high surface-charge density on partially decomposed organic matter. The electrical conductivity imaging resolved glaciomarine sediment thickness (a confining layer) and its variability across the basin. Comparison of the bulk conductivity images with peatland vegetation revealed a correlation between confining layer thickness and dominant vegetation type, suggesting that stratigraphy exerts a control on hydrogeology and vegetation distribution within this peatland. Terrain conductivity measured with a Geonics EM31 meter correlated with confining glaciomarine sediment thickness and was an effective method for estimating variability in glaciomarine sediment thickness over approximately 18 km 2 . Our understanding of the hydrogeology, stratigraphy, and controls on vegetation growth in this peatland was much enhanced from the geophysical study.
Occupational sex-role liberality of third-, fifth-, and seventh-grade females

A multimethod approach was used to assess the liberality of attitudes of third-, fifth-, and seventh-grade females toward sex-role division in adult occupations and activities. Significant differences on responses to an occupational attitude survey were found between grades. Attitudes became more liberal with grade level for some of the survey items, while others remained stable across grades, with grade 7 females being the most liberal. Evidence was found that choosing one's own occupation may not be directly related to responses to a general attitude questionnaire. Career choices of seventh-grade females showed a wider range of possibilities compared to the third and fifth graders.
How effective is biphasic insulin aspart in the treatment of adolescents with type 1 diabetes

How effective is biphasic insulin aspart in the treatment of adolescents with type 1 diabetes?
Structure and Functions of State Public Health Agencies in 2007

We sought to document the structure and functions of state public health agencies throughout the United States in 2007 and compare findings with those from a similar 2001 assessment. In 2007 a survey of the structure and functions of state public health agencies was sent to and completed by senior deputies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (a 100% response rate). The results of the survey showed that all emerging practice areas in 2001 had expanded by 2007. Also, state health departments generally had greater levels of responsibility in 2007 than they did in 2001, emphasizing the need for continued support of governmental public health systems and research on the operations of those systems.
Laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with residual gas analysis for the investigation of moderate temperature benzene oxidation☆

Abstract The simultaneous use of 10.5-eV vacuum ultraviolet photo ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and residual gas analysis using standard electron ionization for the study of the oxidation of a typical aromatic hydrocarbon fuel is shown to provide reliable estimates of species concentration, including radical reaction intermediates. The advantages and limitations of the combined techniques are discussed, with special emphasis on the factors bringing about uncertainties in the concentration measurements and spurious signals arising in quantitative photo ionization time-of-fight mass spectrometry. These factors are shown to be minimized and controllable under appropriate experimental conditions. The results for oxidation of benzene in an argon diluent at 800–1200 K and 30 ms mean residence time provide simultaneous semi-quantitative measurements of the broad spectrum of both stable and labile product masses. Especially interesting features include observation of biphenyl and C 5 H 5 concentrations at low benzene conversions. The data are also consistent with the previously proposed mechanism for phenoxy radical decomposition to CO and cyclopentadienyl radical. Although alternative pathways cannot be ruled out without further structural identification, especially of the C 5 H 5 species, these data provide an opportunity for checks of detailed models for these reaction conditions.
Development and psychometric properties of a brief measure of subjective decision quality for breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer patients face several preference-sensitive treatment decisions. Feelings such as regret or having had inadequate information about these decisions can significantly alter patient perceptions of recovery and recurrence. Numerous objective measures of decision quality (e.g., knowledge assessments, values concordance measures) have been developed; there are far fewer measures of subjective decision quality and little consensus regarding how the construct should be assessed. The current study explores the psychometric properties of a new subjective quality decision measure for breast cancer treatment that could be used for other preference sensitive decisions. 320 women aged 20–79 diagnosed with AJCC stage 0 – III breast cancer were surveyed at two cancer specialty centers. Decision quality was assessed with single items representing six dimensions: regret, satisfaction, and fit as well as perceived adequacy of information, time, and involvement. Women rated decision quality for their overall treatment experience and surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation decisions separately. Principle components was used to explore factor structure. After scales were formed, internal consistency was computed using Cronbach’s alpha. The association of each of the four final scales with patient characteristics scores was examined by Pearson correlation. For overall breast cancer treatment as well as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation decisions, the six items yielded a single factor solution. Factor loadings of the six decision items were all above .45 across the overall and treatment-specific scales, with the exception of “Right for You” for chemotherapy and radiation. Internal consistency was 0.77, 0.85, 0.82, and 0.78 for the overall, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation decision quality scales, respectively. Our measure of subjective appraisal of breast cancer treatment decisions includes 5 related elements; regret and satisfaction as well as perceived adequacy of information, time, and involvement. Future research is needed to establish norms for the measure as is further psychometric testing, particularly to examine how it is associated with outcomes such as quality of life, psychological coping and objective decision quality.
Exotic configurations for gauge theory strings

Abstract This paper discusses a class of string configurations occuring in nonabelian gauge theories, which are such that a component of the charges scalar field responsible for the string has a nonvanishing expectation value in the core of the string. A systematic procedure is given for setting up the ansatz for such configurations.
Splitting phenomenon of a higher-order shallow water theory associated with a longitudinal planetary waves

Abstract The Cauchy–Poisson free boundary problem associated with a nonstationary motion of a perfect incompressible fluid circulating around the equatorial plane of a planet is considered. It is shown that the corresponding theory of a higher-order shallow approximation admits two functionally independent systems, while the classical problem for the flat bottom admits only one system.
Measuring daily fatigue using a brief scale adapted from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ®)

Purpose Daily assessments can provide insight into the temporal characteristics of fatigue. They can demonstrate consistency or reveal variability, as when fatigue changes with the underlying medical condition, improves with therapy, or worsens as a medication side effect. We adapted a fatigue measure from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) for daily assessment and examined its psychometric properties in a month-long prospective study.
Moving beyond the limits of mass transport in liquid absorbent microfilms through the implementation of surface-induced vortices

Abstract The slow diffusion of an absorbate molecule into an absorbent often makes the absorption process a rate-limiting step in many applications. In cases involving an absorbate with a high heat of phase change, such as water absorption into a LiBr (lithium bromide) solution, the absorption rate is further slowed due to significant heating of the absorbent. Recently, it has been demonstrated that constraining a LiBr solution film by a hydrophobic porous structure enables manipulation of the solution flow thermohydraulic characteristics. Here, it is shown that mass transport mode in a constrained laminar solution flow can be changed from diffusive to advective. This change in mode is accomplished through stretching and folding the laminar streamlines within the solution film via the implementation of micro-scale features on the flow channel surface. The process induces vortices within the solution film, which continuously bring concentrated solution from the bottom and middle of the solution channel to its interface with the vapor phase, thus leading to a significant enhancement in the absorption rate. The detailed physics of the involved transport processes is elucidated using the LBM (Lattice Boltzmann Method).
Vanadate complex spectroscopy at the RNase A active site

Knowledge of the ionicity of the phosphorane intermediate is important to the analysis of the microscopic mechanism of the hydrolysis of the phosphate ester bond by ribonuclease A (RNase A). Five-coordinate uridine vanadate, an analog of the phosphorane, binds to RNase A as the monoanion. The absorption spectra of the vanadate is a probe of the electronic structure of the active site. An in vacuo theoretical model of H4VO5− is calculated to have transitions only in the far ultraviolet (UV). However, H2VO5C2H4− has one in the near UV as well as others further into the UV. The transition energy of the monoanion calculated in the field of the protein active site with effective fragment potentials shifts modestly to the red. Broad monoanion absorptions are predicted which would overlap an observed incomplete very broad absorption attributed to the complex of uridine vanadate with RNase A. The absorption bands of neutral ethylene glycol vanadate are predicted to be further to the red but also overlap the experimental absorption. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 69: 11–19, 1998
Fracture behaviour of high-temperature polymer composites

In high-temperature environments that are beyond the capability of graphite epoxy composites, polyimide matrix-reinforced composites are gaining wide acceptance, particularly in aerospace applications. These systems are capable of withstanding high temperatures up to about 315 °C. Moreover, these composites are lightweight and have high strength. This significantly increases the engine thrust-toweight ratio. The most promising resins from the family of polyimides are the polymerization of monomeric reactants (PMRs) and the bismaleimides (BMIs). These resins are glassy polymers [1], and hence they are susceptable to brittle failure with relatively low resistance to crack propagation (fracture toughness). In order to increase their load-carrying capability and improve their fracture toughness, they are commonly reinforced with graphite fibres in the form of woven fabric. In an attempt to study the fracture behaviour and examine the validity of linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) in characterizing the fracture toughness of these materials, the present study was undertaken. A polyimide matrix resin (PMR-II-20) with a graphite fabric reinforcement was chosen. The reinforcements is Celion G 30-500 carbon fabric with 3000 filaments per toe, 8 harness satin weave and epoxy sizing. The fibre volume fraction is 0.6. Four-point flexural tests were conducted on unnotched and notched specimens, using an MTS hydraulic system at a crosshead speed of 1.27 mmmin -I. The tests were performed in both translaminar and cross-laminar loading. The specimen geometry and load configuration are shown in Fig. 1. The load versus load-point displacement (LPD) was obtained for both un-notched and notched specimens in both translaminar and crosslaminar loading. A detailed description of the type of tests and results generated have previously been presented [2, 3]. In a specimen loaded in four-point bend, the bending stress at the outer fibre is given by
A MODEL COMPARISON FOR OPTIMAL MARS ASCENT TRAJECTORIES

Maximum payload Mars launch trajectories are computed for a nominal two-stage Mars ascent vehicle. This vehicle transfers a payload from the surface of Mars to a circular parking orbit about Mars in preparation for transferring the payload to an Earth return vehicle. Both gravity turn and pitch-rate control models for controlling the ascent vehicle's trajectory are investigated. For each case, a rather complicated nonlinear programming problem is obtained and then solved using a sequential quadratic programming algorithm.
Nutrition in Chronic Critical Illness

Nutrition is an important aspect of patient care in acute or chronic critical illness. Appropriate nutritional support during the acute phase of critical illness has the potential to reverse or mitigate adverse consequences of poor nutritional status. The nutritional status of a chronically critically ill patient depends in part on the nutritional therapy given during acute critical illness. Nutrition in chronic critical illness is essential to ensure the restoration of muscle strength and immune status, both of which are necessary to attain optimal patient function and survival. This issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine centers on the chronically critically ill patient. This article discusses nutritional support in chronic critical illness by using patients with respiratory failure as a model of critically ill patients. Clearly, clinical examples could focus on patients with renal or hepatic failure, but much data exist documenting the adverse effects of poor nutritional status on thoracopulmonary function. 2,50,84 In addition, and probably more importantly, a frequent cause of chronic critical illness and admission to special respiratory or long-term care units is ventilator-dependent chronic respiratory failure. 17,28,41 Acute and chronic respiratory failure can be classified nutritionally on the basis of nutritional status and metabolic pathways. Each of these categories defines a specific and characteristic metabolic alteration in which nutritional goals and support differ. Nutritional status is defined as the presence or absence of malnutrition, and hypermetabolism as the degree of metabolic activity in a disease state. Clinical examples of this nutritional classification of respiratory failure include patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), representing a malnourished, nonhypermetabolic patient and patients with septic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) representing a generally well-nourished but extremely hypermetabolic patient. This article discusses nutritional pathophysiology, goals, and support in these two general but diverse types of patients with respiratory failure as a model of nutritional management in chronically critically ill patients. Nutritional assessment, methods of nutrient delivery, monitoring of nutritional therapy, and complications of nutritional support are discussed. Using this nutritional classification of respiratory failure, general principles of nutritional care can be applied to other critically ill patients. Finally, using this approach, the nutritional management of chronically critically ill patients is summarized.
Molecular Recognition and Reactivity of Ruthenium(II) Bipyridine Barbituric Acid Guests in the Presence of Complementary Hosts: Ruthenium(II) Promoted Enolization of Barbituric Acids in Guest−Host Complexes

The binding of the host H1 (N,N‘-bis(6-pivalamidopyrid-2-yl)-3,5-pyridinedicarboxamide) to three different ruthenium polypyridine complexes with an attached barbituric acid and barbital moieties (RuG1, RuG2, RuG3) (where G1 = 5-[4-(4‘-methyl)-2,2‘-bipyridylidene]-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione, G2 = 5-[4-(4‘-methyl)-2,2‘-bipyridyl]methyl-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione, and G3 = 5-ethyl, 5-[4-(4‘-methyl)-2,2‘-bipyridyl]methyl-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione) and Ru = (4,4‘-di-tert-butyl-bpy)2Ru (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine) has been studied in chlorinated solvents by NMR and fluorescence titrations. Significant binding was only observed between H1 and the RuG2 series, while steric hindrance significantly diminished binding between H1 and RuG1 or RuG3. The high binding constant for RuG2 was related to the presence of the enolate form of the barbituric acid guest which forms strong H-bonds with the complementary host H1. For the organic barbituric acid and barbital guests, the keto and enol bind only weakl...
Information Security Program Effectiveness in Organizations: The Moderating Role of Task Interdependence

This research investigates the moderating role of task interdependence on factors influencing information security effectiveness in organizations. Drawing on the literature, the authors develop a theoretical model depicting top management support and awareness & training support as predictors of information security program effectiveness. Further, the model shows security culture as a partial mediator between the predictor and criterion variables. The authors then apply task interdependence as a moderator to the model. Results from a survey given to a sample of 371 certified information security professionals find support for the model while showing certain paths to be significant only under high task interdependence while others only under low task interdependence. In high task interdependence environments, security culture did not mediate the relationships between the predictor and criterion variables suggesting that managers focus on providing greater structural support to maximize security effectiveness. However, in low task interdependence, security culture fully mediated the relationships between the predictor and criterion variables suggesting that the role of culture is amplified and central in those environments.
The Role of Spatial Selective Attention in Working Memory for Locations: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials

We investigated the hypothesis that the covert focusing of spatial attention mediates the on-line maintenance of location information in spatial working memory. During the delay period of a spatial working-memory task, behaviorally irrelevant probe stimuli were flashed at both memorized and nonmemorized locations. Multichannel recordings of event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to assess visual processing of the probes at the different locations. Consistent with the hypothesis of attention-based rehearsal, early ERP components were enlarged in response to probes that appeared at memorized locations. These visual modulations were similar in latency and topography to those observed after explicit manipulations of spatial selective attention in a parallel experimental condition that employed an identical stimulus display.
Ligand migration in the truncated hemoglobin of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The truncated hemoglobin of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt-trHbO) is a small heme protein belonging to the hemoglobin superfamily. Truncated hemoglobins (trHbs) are believed to have functional roles such as terminal oxidases and oxygen sensors involved in the response to oxidative and nitrosative stress, nitric oxide (NO) detoxification, O2/NO chemistry, O2 delivery under hypoxic conditions, and long-term ligand storage. Based on sequence similarities, they are classified into three groups. Experimental studies revealed that all trHbs display a 2-on-2 α-helical sandwich fold rather than the 3-on-3 α-helical sandwich fold of the classical hemoglobin fold. Using locally enhanced sampling (LESMD) molecular dynamics, the ligand-binding escape pathways from the distal heme binding cavity of Mt-trHbO were determined to better understand how this protein functions. The importance of specific residues, such as the group II and III invariant W(G8) residue, can be seen in terms of ligand diffusion pathways and ligand dynamics. LESMD simulations show that the wild-type Mt-trHbO has three diffusion pathways while the W(G8)F Mt-trHbO mutant has only two. The W(G8) residue plays a critical role in ligand binding and stabilization and helps regulate the rate of ligand escape from the distal heme pocket. Thus, this invariant residue is important in creating ligand diffusion pathways and possibly in the enzymatic functions of this protein. © 2011 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 63(3): 214–220, 2011
Research issues on factors influencing the choice of kitting versus line stocking

Kitting and line stocking systems are common alternatives for component storage in assembly environments. Despite the need for knowledge about when and where each system would be applicable in industry, research on the choice of kitting versus line stocking systems in industry is quite sparse. This paper identifies a number of research issues that might influence this system choice decision based on an analysis of the kitting operations and the potential move to line stocking at an electronics assembly company. Research questions are presented in the areas of product characteristics (volume, variety, and size), storage and material handling, production control, performance impact, and implementation. The issues identified here highlight factors that might influence the choice between kitting and line stocking, and present a rich array of research opportunities in a number of relevant areas.
Pulse Oximetry in Emergency Medicine

Although the recognition of hypoxemia is greatly enhanced through the proper and informed use of the pulse oximeter, the device can never be relied on to take the place of the clinician at the bedside who makes sure that the data provided matches the clinical picture with which he or she is presented.
Polyfluoroalkyl, Polyethylene Glycol, 1,4-Bismethylenebenzene, or 1,4-Bismethylene-2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorobenzene Bridged Functionalized Dicationic Ionic Liquids: Synthesis and Properties as High Temperature Lubricants

A new class of geminal dicationic ionic liquids was formed with a bridging moiety, such as a polyalkyl ether, polyfluoroalkyl, 1,4-bismethylenebenzene, or 1,4-bismethylene-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene link, between alkyl-substituted imidazolium rings. Their properties were modified by varying the linker chains and/or alkyl substituents on the imidazolium ring. The polyfluoroalkyl bridged dicationic ionic liquids exhibit the highest densities and viscosities. Although melting points are directly proportional to the length of the alkyl substituent, the densities decrease concomitantly. With 1,4-bismethylene-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene as the linking chain and with longer alkyl substituents on the imidazolium rings, the nonpolar character of the ionic liquid greatly increases, e.g., the solubilities in toluene of dicationic ionic liquids 36 and 37, where the ring substituents are C10H21 and C14H29, increase markedly. Some of the salts exhibit higher conductivities than an equimolar tetrabutylammonium iodide sol...
Physiologic risk factors for respiratory viral infections and immunoprophylaxis for respiratory syncytial virus in young children with congenital heart disease

Background. Infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are a population at increased risk for infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and its inherent complications compared with the general population. RSV infection increases morbidity from respiratory complications in young CHD patients. Methods. In an effort to guide strategies for reducing RSV-associated risk in patients with CHD, predisposing factors for severe RSV as well as experimental approaches for prevention were reviewed. Conclusions. Risk factors that may exacerbate the adverse effects of respiratory disease in young CHD patients include compromised cardiorespiratory status at baseline, altered pulmonary mechanics, potential cyanosis and/or pulmonary hypertension and ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Furthermore patients with such conditions are at increased risk from RSV lower respiratory tract infection, making RSV prevention in patients with CHD an important goal. Because the efficacy and safety of active immunization for RSV have not yet been established, a number of approaches toward passive immunoprophylaxis have been investigated. Monthly prophylaxis with palivizumab, a humanized murine monoclonal anti-F glycoprotein antibody preparation, reduced the rate of hospitalization in children with CHD by 45%, as well as hospital time and oxygen use in those admitted. Thus palivizumab prophylaxis should be considered in young patients with hemodynamically significant CHD.
Effects of dopant segregation on lattice-diffusional creep of nanocrystalline ceramics

The segregation of dopants whose electric charge is different from that of the parent ions and the formation of a space-charge layer induce a local electric field in the grain-boundary region. Depending upon the valence and local electrostatic potential, the charge carriers controlling diffusional creep can be either accumulated or depleted in this space-charge layer, and the creep rate is enhanced or diminished accordingly. A model was recently developed to examine the effects of a segregation-induced local electric field on the lattice-diffusional creep of nanocrystalline ceramics for spherical grains. However, in order to obtain closed-form solutions, the grain size was assumed to be much greater than the width of the space-charge layer in the existing analysis. This assumption can become inappropriate for nanocrystalline materials as the grain size is reduced; thus, a numerical method is used in the present study to resolve the existing equations without that assumption. Using yttria tetragonal zirconia as an example, the difference between the existing approximate closed-form solutions and the present numerical results is shown to be significant when the grain size is less than 50 nm.
Parental genes do not codominantly confer susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in F1 rats

Abstract Lewis (LEW) and DA rats are highly susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced with guinea pig myelin basic protein (MBP), but respond to different epitopes. The dominant epitope for LEW rats is MBP73-86, and disease is mediated primarily by Vβ8.2 Th1 cells. DA rats lack conventional Vβ8.2 T cells and do not respond to MBP73-86. Rather, DA rats respond to the cryptic epitope MBP63-81, which is not encephalitogenic for LEW rats. Responses to these neuroantigens were investigated in (DA×LEW) F1 hybrids to determine if experimental findings in inbred rats remain valid in more genetically complex models. Surprisingly, MBP63-81, a cryptic epitope for DA rats, induced moderate-to-severe EAE in F1 hosts, whereas MBP73-86, the dominant LEW epitope, was only weakly encephalitogenic in F1 hosts. The poor clinical response to MBP73-86 appears to be a consequence of an inability to expand Vβ8.2 T cells. These results suggest that parental responses to neuroantigens are poor predictors for determining encephalitogenicity in F1 progeny.
The Fisherman's Problem: Ecology and Law in the California Fisheries, 1850-1980

List of figures List of tables Preface Acknowledgments List of abbreviations Introduction 1. The problem of environment Part I. The Miner's Canary: 2. Aboriginal fishery management 3. The Indian fisheries commercialized Part II. Sun, Wind, and Sail, 1850-1910: 4. Immigrant fisheries 5. State power and the right to fish Part III. The Industrial Frontier, 1910-1950: 6. Mechanized fishing 7. The bureaucrat's problem Part IV. Enclosure of the Ocean, 1950-1980: 8. Gridlock 9. Something of a vacuum 10. Leaving fish in the ocean 11. An ecological community Conclusion Appendix Notes Selected Bibliography Index.
Occurrence of coumarin analogues in lemon juice.

THERE has been little or no investigation of coumarin compounds in lemon juice although their presence in lemon oil has been well established1–4.
A New Method for Modeling Large-Scale Rearrangements of Protein Domains

A method for modeling large- scale rearrangements of protein domains con- nected by a single- or a double-stranded linker is proposed. Multidomain proteins mayundergo substantial domain displacements, while their intradomain structure remains essentially un- changed. The method allows automatic identi- fication of an interdomain linker and builds an all-atom model of a protein structure in inter- nal coordinates. Torsion angles belonging to the interdomain linkers and side chains potentially able to form domain interfaces are set free while all remaining torsions, bond lengths, and bond angles are fixed. Large-scale sampling of the reduced torsion conformational subspace is effected with the ''biased probability Monte Carlo-minimization'' method (Abagyan, R.A., Totrov, M.M. (1994): J. Mol. Biol. 235, 983-1002). Solvation and side-chain entropic contribu- tions are added to the energy function. A spe- cial procedure has been developed to generate concerted deformations of a double-stranded interdomain linker in such a way that the polypeptide chain continuity is preserved. The method was tested on Bence-Jones protein with a single-stranded linker and lysine/argi- nine/ornithine-binding (LAO) protein with a double-stranded linker. For each protein, struc- turally diverse low-energy conformations with ideal covalent geometry were generated, and an overlap between two sets of conformations generated starting from the crystallographi- cally determined ''closed'' and ''open'' forms was found. One of the low-energy conforma- tions generated in a run starting from the LAO ''closed'' form was only 2.2 A away from the structure of the ''open'' form. The method can be useful in predicting the scope of possible domain rearrangements of a multidomain pro- tein. Proteins 27:410-424, 1997.
The fluent online shopping experience

Abstract Consumers increasingly use various Internet-enabled devices for online shopping; thus, a critical topic for both research and practice is the visual characteristics of the information presented in this medium. This study builds on fluency theory within an environmental psychology framework. Specifically, this research examines how consumers' perceived fluency of the verbal online information affects their perceived cognitive effort and positive affect within a choice context. The experimental results show that (1) perceptual fluency affects both cognitive effort and positive affect experienced during online shopping and (2) cognitive effort and positive affect influence judgments about the perceived decision quality of the choice made. This research is notable in its simultaneous (as opposed to consecutive) examination of the relationship among the three dimensions of processing fluency (perceptual fluency, positive affect, and cognitive effort) and their impact on consumers' choice satisfaction with an online shopping task.
UNIFIED DISTANCE QUERIES IN A HETEROGENEOUS MODEL ENVIRONMENT

Computing the minimum distance between two models in a virtual scene is a fundamental operation useful in simulation, path planning, haptics, and modeling. In an environment with heterogeneous model representations, distance functions can be difficult to formulate and may require multiple specialized methods. In this paper, we demonstrate a generalized method for finding the distance between models with different representations and demonstrate it on a variety of models.
A modified procedure for the automatic analysis of amino acids.

Abstract A simplified scheme for the automatic analysis of amino acids has been developed. It employs a single column, 133 × 0.9 cm, of Dowex 50X12, 25–32 μ (ground), which is eluted with a continuous gradient. The gradient is produced by a nine-chambered device (Varigrad) which allows a wide variety of elution schemes to be constructed. The procedure described allows the complete analysis of a protein hydrolyzate, including collagen, in 24 hr using a single sample. It is also suitable for many other biological amino acid mixtures.
A comprehensive approach for integration of toxicity and cancer risk assessments.

Experimental observations and theoretical considerations indicate a dose threshold for most chemically induced noncancer toxic effects below which the increased risk of toxicity is zero. Thus, the historical approach for minimizing risk from toxic chemicals has been to experimentally determine a no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) and then to apply safety or uncertainty factors to estimate a dose not expected to produce that toxic effect in humans. In contrast, for radiation and chemically induced cancer, it has been assumed that all agents operate by a genotoxic mode of action and that some risk can be assigned to even vanishingly small doses. Accordingly, risk assessments for carcinogens have commonly been based on the assumption that the tumor dose-response curve at low doses is linear and passes through the origin. Mode of action is defined as a fundamental obligatory step in the induction of toxicity or cancer. It is now clear that tumor induction can arise in a variety of ways including not only a DNA-reactive genotoxic mode of action, but also non-DNA-reactive nongenotoxic-cytotoxic and nongenotoxic-mitogenic modes of action. Initial risk assessment approaches that recognized this distinction identified a chemical carcinogen as either genotoxic or nongenotoxic, with no middle ground. The realization that there is a continuum whereby different chemicals can act by a combination of modes of action and the recent explosion of research into molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis indicate that all relevant information should be integrated into the risk assessment process on a case by case basis. A comprehensive approach to risk assessment demands that default assumptions be replaced with an integrated understanding of the rate-limiting steps in the induction of toxicity or cancer along with quantitative measures of the shapes of those dose-response curves. The examples of more contemporary risk assessments are presented for chloroform and vinyl acetate.
A Complicated Friendship

The author presents a complicated friendship with a woman who helped to raise her children. As a feminist therapist, the author is aware of the non-egalitarian nature of an employer/employee relationship, resulting in a complicated friendship. She discusses the valuable lessons she learned from her comadre (co-mother or allomother) on poverty, Latino culture, and immigration. The author applies these valuable lessons to her work as a feminist therapist, supervisor, and teacher.
Nondisulfide Crosslinking and Chemical Cleavage of Tubulin Subunits: pH and Temperature Dependence

Tubulin is known to be extremely unstable. The denaturation process partially involves irreversible aggregation, mediated by disulfide crosslinking. In addition, tubulin is known to undergo chemical cleavage during boiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a process that generates small peptides that have been mistaken for low molecular weight MAPs. Similar peptide cleavage has now been observed during two-dimensional denaturing isoelectric focusing-SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This phenomenon has complicated interpretation of limited proteolysis studies of tubulin by subtilisin. In an effort to avoid this problem we have undertaken a detailed study of the solution conditions that promote chemical cleavage of tubulin. The cleavage reaction is found to be strongly pH, time, and temperature dependent. Nondenatured and denatured tubulin is susceptible to peptide cleavage, suggesting that primary structure is more important than secondary structure in selection of susceptible bonds. After transfer of cleavage products from an SDS gel to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, amino acid sequencing has confirmed cleavage at Asp-Pro bonds, at position 306 in alpha-tubulin and at position 304 in beta-tubulin. We also infer cleavage at the only additional Asp-Pro peptide bond located at position 31 in beta-tubulin. Heat-induced cleavage at Asp-Pro accounts for 5 of the 13 bands observed on SDS gels. In addition, a minor alpha-tubulin band has been sequenced from a two-dimensional gel, corresponds to cleavage at Asp-Cys located at alpha-tubulin position 200, and accounts for two additional bands observed on SDS gels. Under nondenaturing and nonpolymerizing conditions tubulin undergoes extensive intermolecular, disulfide crosslinking. At elevated temperatures and high pH, a small fraction of the crosslinking is not reduced by beta-mercaptoethanol. Disulfide-crosslinked aggregates are not suspected because carboxymethylation of tubulin does not prevent their formation. Lysinoalanine has been found by amino acid analysis and thus covalent lysine-dehydroalanine crosslinks are suspected. Dehydroalanine is formed by beta-elimination at serine and thus the presence of lysinoalanine is consistent with cleavage at Gly-Ser peptides, the most unstable serine peptide bond, and accounts for most of the remaining cleavage data.