cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Miscibility and transesterification of phenoxy with biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

The miscibility and transesterification of poly(hydroxyl ether of bisphenol A) (phenoxy) and poly(3hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTi.r.). The blends, prepared by casting from a dimethylformamide solution at 80°C and drying in vacuum at 80°C, heated from room temperature to 180°C at a rate of 10°C min−1, are miscible at 180°C when the PHB content is less than about 20 wt.% and almost immiscible when the PHB content is over 20 wt.%. The FTi.r. spectra reveal that the PHB content in the THF soluble fraction of the blends containing 30 wt.% PHB annealed at 180°C increases with increasing annealing time. Both the extraction and the FTi.r. experiments indicate that transesterification occurs between phenoxy and PHB. When the trarisesterification is complete, hence when the annealing time is long enough, a single phase is formed. During transesterification, the number of non-hydrogen-bonded OH groups of phenoxy first increases, passes through a maximum and then decreases with increasing annealing time at 180°C, becoming negligible once a single phase is formed. An explanation is proposed for this behavior.
Perceptions of Graduate Students on the Use of Web-Based Instruction in Special Education Personnel Preparation

This study examined the perceptions of 88 graduate students on the use of Web-based instruction in preparing special education personnel. Following the collection of data using surveys, 6 participants were randomly selected from the original sample and interviewed. Findings supported Web-based instruction as a convenient way for students to pursue their education. Furthermore, findings indicated that Web-based courses with increased structure and organization resulted in improved learning outcomes. Greater opportunities for learner and instructor interaction in Web-based courses increased the probability of acquiring anticipated learning goals and objectives. Finally, technological problems and a lack of user-friendly technology jeopardize the effectiveness of Web-based instruction.
The Smoking Cessation and Reduction in Pregnancy Treatment (SCRIPT) Adoption Scale: evaluating the diffusion of a tobacco treatment innovation to a statewide prenatal care program and providers.

When a new patient education program is being considered for adoption by a public health agency, it is essential to determine provider perceptions of its acceptability for routine use. In 2007, the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health Perinatal Program, Right From The Start (RFTS), decided to adopt the Smoking Cessation and Reduction in Pregnancy Treatment (SCRIPT) Program. RFTS is a statewide perinatal home visitation initiative delivered by designated care coordinators (DCCs). The authors developed the SCRIPT Adoption Scale (SAS) in the absence of a valid instrument to assess the perceived attributes of a tobacco treatment innovation among the RFTS DCC population. They evaluated the validity of the five constructs of the Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations model in an organization (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and trialability) to predict SCRIPT use. After reviewing the literature and developing draft SAS forms, 2 expert panel reviews established the face and content valid...
Simple harmonic analysis of regenerators

A simple harmonic analysis of the performance of regenerators is described. Computer calculations based on the simple harmonic analysis run orders of magnitude faster than time-integration methods, with acceptably small reductions in accuracy. This simple harmonic analysis method is based on previous one-dimensional differential equations of heat and mass flow, with the additional assumption of steadystate operation and with the key approximations that only the magnitudes and phases of the fundamental components of time-dependent variables are of interest and that the instantaneous friction-factor and heat transfer coefficients are determined from the instantaneous velocity via steady-flow correlations. This permits a rapid computation scheme in which complex amplitudes of oscillatory variables are used, without numerical time integrations. The method is presented here using the Kays and London correlations for stacked-screen regenerators, but it can be used for any regenerator matrix for which steady friction-factor and heat transfer correlations exist.
Reduction in Yield and Quality of Cotton Damaged by Green Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Damage to cotton by adult green stink bugs, Acrosternum hilare (Say), was evaluated in field cage studies. Adult green stink bugs significantly reduced harvestable cotton at levels of three bugs per plant in a 6-d exposure. Puncture number continued to increase with longer exposures, but losses in harvestable cotton plateaued at the longer exposures. In addition, lower seed germination rate and fiber maturity of lint harvested from cotton bolls previously exposed to stink bugs occurred. In 1987, the number of punctures was related to boll age, but boll age and amount of harvestable cotton from these bolls were not related. In 1986 boll shed tended to increase with increasing exposure time to green stink bugs, but this effect was not observed in 1987.
Structural Mapping of Divergent Region Domains in the Type 1 Ryanodine Receptor using Two Complementary FRET-based Approaches

We used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to localize three divergent region domains within the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1), an intracellular Ca2+ channel that mediates skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (EC) coupling. Initial cloning studies of the three RyR isoforms identified three “divergent regions” of primary sequence dissimilarity spanning amino acids 4254-4631 (DR1), 1342-1403 (DR2) and 1872-1923 (DR3) in RyR1. These regions have been implicated in EC coupling as well as in differential sensitivity to pharmacological agonists. Here, we used permeabilized HEK-293T cells expressing recombinant RyR1 to localize these DRs to the cryo electron microscopic (EM) map of RyR1. First, we measured FRET from a green fluorescent protein (GFP) donor fused to either position 1 or 620 of RyR1, to a FRET acceptor, Cy3NTA, targeted to poly-histidine “tags” inserted into DR1 (at position 4429), DR2 (at position1358) or DR3 (at position 1915). While FRET was not detected for His-tagged constructs containing GFP fused at position 1, FRET was observed from GFP fused at position 620 to all 3 His-tagged positions. Second, we targeted a donor to the RyR1 cytoplasmic domain using FKBP12.6 labeled with Alexa Fluor 488, and then measured FRET to Cy3NTA targeted to the His tag sites described above. Donor-FKBPs bound with high-affinity to both recombinant wild type and His-tagged RyRs. FRET was detected from donor conjugated to each of four, well-separated positions on FKBP to Cy3NTA targeted to each divergent region. Since the fused GFPs and FKBP12.6 have already been localized within the cryo EM map of RyR1, we can now triangulate the DR positions to the cryo EM map from these two complementary data sets. Supported by NIH grant R01AR059124 (to JDF, MM, and TG) and R01HL092097 (to RLC).
Time-Dependent Nuclear Decay Parameters: New Evidence for New Forces?

This paper presents an overview of recent research dealing with the question of whether nuclear decay rates (or half-lives) are time-independent constants of nature, as opposed to being parameters which can be altered by an external perturbation. If the latter is the case, this may imply the existence of some new interaction(s) which would be responsible for any observed time variation. Interest in this question has been renewed recently by evidence for a correlation between nuclear decay rates and Earth–Sun distance, and by the observation of a dip in the decay rate for 54Mn coincident in time with the solar flare of 2006 December 13. We discuss these observations in detail, along with other hints in the literature for time-varying decay parameters, in the framework of a general phenomenology that we develop. One consequence of this phenomenology is that it is possible for different experimental groups to infer discrepant (yet technically correct) results for a half-life depending on where and how their data were taken and analyzed. A considerable amount of attention is devoted to possible mechanisms which might give rise to the reported effects, including fluctuations in the flux of solar neutrinos, and possible variations in the magnitudes of fundamental parameters, such as the fine structure constant and the electron-to-proton mass ratio. We also discuss ongoing and future experiments, along with some implications of our work for cancer treatments, 14C dating, and for the possibility of detecting the relic neutrino background.
Skin surface lipids and skin and hair coat condition in dogs fed increased total fat diets containing polyunsaturated fatty acids

Summary It is generally believed that diets containing increased amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) result in improved canine skin and hair coat (SHC). However, the extent to which dietary fat amount and type play a role remains to be systematically investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of both increased dietary fat amount and type on SHC assessments of dogs. Improvements of SHC conditions were investigated after feeding three diets containing increased total dietary fat (i.e. 13% total fat) for 12 weeks in relation to a lower fat acclimation diet (i.e. 9% total fat). The higher fat diets varied in polyunsaturated and saturated fat types and amounts but total fat was kept constant. Skin and hair coat assessments were performed at selected intervals by a trained group of veterinarians and graduate students. In addition, hair lipids were fractionated by thin layer chromatography after extraction of plucked hair samples. Significant improvements were found in hair coat glossiness and softness in all dogs fed the higher fat diets in relation to the acclimation diet. Improvements as a result of fat type were also seen but only at 12 weeks. A parallel finding was a marked increase in hair cholesteryl ester content determined at the end of the study at which time SHC scores were significantly improved. Skin and hair coat condition improvements may thus be related to increased cholesteryl ester deposited on the hair shaft surface when high fat diets are fed. Whereas this finding is preliminary, hair lipid analysis may be a useful, non-invasive technique with which to help assess dietary effects on canine SHC.
Oxygen polarizability and point-dipole theory in the carbonate minerals

Abstract The validity of the point-dipole approximation in the treatment of anisotropic optical behavior in partially ionic crystals is tested by determining the least-squares oxygen polarizability ellipsoid in fitting the refractive indices of 8 carbonate minerals. Four of these minerals are biaxial but were approximated as uniaxial. By ignoring the carbon polarizability and considering only nearest-neighbor dipole interactions, the 16 refractive indices involved were fitted with an average error of fit of 0·92 per cent using oxygen polarizability values of 1·384 and 1·328 A 3 , perpendicular and parallel to the CO 3 = planar group, respectively. X-ray densities and Wasastjerna's cation polarizabilities were employed. It was concluded on the basis of the closeness of the least-squares fit that the point-dipole approximation yields consistent, accurate results if the polarizability anisotropies and the near neighbor dipole interactions are included. A comparison with previous calculations involving calcite and aragonite is given.
LIMITATIONS TO SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION IN PRIMARY SUCCESSION ON THE TANANA RIVER FLOODPLAIN

Constraints on nitrogen fixation are the ultimate causes of N limitation of primary production, but hypotheses concerning limitations to N2 fixation remain largely untested in natural terrestrial ecosystems. We examined limitations to N2 fixation by thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia) in two stages of primary forest succession on the Tanana River floodplain (interior Alaska, USA) and focused on the hypothesis that N, fixation was limited by low soil P availability. Paired control and P fertilized plots were established at four replicate early successional alder stands and four later successional poplar (Populus bal- sanzifera) stands (dense alder understories with mature poplar overstories) and N2 fixation was estimated with an acetylene reduction assay. In alder stands, P fertilization increased total nodule dry biomass and increased total ecosystem N inputs, but it had little effect on nitrogenase activity per unit nodule dry mass (specific acetylene reduction activity, ARA). Specific ARA increased only in late July when soil temperature and ARA were at their maximum values. In contrast, fertilization had no effect on these measures in poplar stands where reduced soil moisture may have superseded limitation by P. We detected no differ- ences in specific ARA, total nodule biomass, or N inputs, between alder and poplar stands but all of these measures were highly variable. Leaf area of the alder canopy emerged as the best predictor of ecosystem inputs of fixed N among control plots. Alders resorbed high amounts of P but little N (consistent with low P availability and a high P demand and a high N availability in alder), and P fertilization reduced P resorption but had no effect on N resorption. The timing of N, fixation and N resorption indicate that late-season increases in leaf N, following a midseason reduction in leaf N, were driven by N2 fixation in excess of plant N demands as nodules continued fixing N while alder leaves senesced. These results have shown that P limits N2 fixation in alder stands in this nitrogen-limited sere, but that factors limiting N2 fixation can change over short successional time scales.
The “genetic code” of melody: Cognitive structures generated by the implication-realization model

The general claim herein is that the analysis of melody rests on the perception of implications of continuation and reversal. Continuation is said to be governed hypothetically by the bottom-up Gestalt laws of similarity, proximity, and common direction (common fate); whereas reversal is hypothesized as a symmetrical construct. The hypotheses are context-free and scalable, producing several archetypal realizations (process, duplication, reversal, registral return). And they are recursive, generating hierarchical levels. Separately applying to the implicative aspects of interval, registral direction, and specific pitch, the twin hypotheses generate overall sixteen prospective and retrospective realizations. These types also appear in pair combinations (some 200 are possible), in chains of three or more structures strung together in an infinite variety, and in overlapping networks of different simultaneous structures. A melodic model of psychological encoding is offered, and top-down processing in the form ...
The Problematic and Faintly Promising Dynamics of Corporate Crime Enforcement

In this article, Professor Brown examines some distinctive problems presented by corporate crime enforcement that, on their face, seem troubling but that considered in context, he suggests, may actually have desirable effects. Professor Brown begins by noting that while most of constitutional criminal procedure addresses concerns of excessive governmental power, white-collar corporate offenders are less at risk. In contrast to street-crime defendants, they have ample access to counsel and a variety of means to resist government enforcement strategies. The article describes a range of practical barriers that make corporate crime harder to detect, investigate and prosecute and that, because of the wider range of regulatory possibilities (including civil enforcement), create opportunities for manipulation by corporate offenders. Professor Brown suggests, however, that these seeming difficulties actually provide a desirable counterbalance (albeit imperfectly and largely by coincidence) to a distinctive American preference for excessive use of criminal law to address wrongdoing and social harm. The article concludes that, while risks remain of both excessive government punitiveness on the one hand and excessive influence by corporate offenders to achieve undue leniency on the other, the practical barriers to corporate crime enforcement have the potential to moderate the government's pattern of populist-punitive enforcement in ways that could lead to improvements across the criminal justice enforcement spectrum.
Structural perspective on the activation of RNAse P RNA by protein.

Ribonucleoprotein particles are central to numerous cellular pathways, but their study in vitro is often complicated by heterogeneity and aggregation. We describe a new technique to characterize these complexes trapped as homogeneous species in a nondenaturing gel. Using this technique, in conjunction with phosphorothioate footprinting analysis, we identify the protein-binding site and RNA folding states of ribonuclease P (RNase P), an RNA-based enzyme that, in vivo, requires a protein cofactor to catalyze the 5′ maturation of precursor transfer RNA (pre-tRNA). Our results show that the protein binds to a patch of conserved RNA structure adjacent to the active site and influences the conformation of the RNA near the tRNA-binding site. The data are consistent with a role of the protein in substrate recognition and support a new model of the holoenzyme that is based on a recently solved crystal structure of RNase P RNA.
American Muscles and Minds: Public Discourse and the Shaping of National Identity During Early Olympiads, 1896–1920

When the American athletes returned home from the 1912 Stockholm Games, New Yorkers lined the streets from Fifth Avenue and Forty-First Street to the City Hall to honor “the greatest American team that ever left these shores.” By recognizing the “victorious athletes who added greater glory to American prowess,” the parade dramatized many of the key symbolic and ritualistic aspects of American nationalism.
Arc Flash Mitigation Through Use Of Voltage Controlled/Voltage Restrained Overcurrent Elements

This paper explores voltage controlled overcurrent and voltage controlled ground overcurrent elements which provides a means of allowing pickup currents to be set much lower than in conventional time coordinated overcurrent without loss of coordination. These systems will have circuit breaker based switchgear, overcurrent relaying at each breaker and may have other protection, although most are limited to overcurrent protection. Compared to a system using only inverse time overcurrent, use of voltage controlled overcurrent elements reduces the PPE (personal protective equipment) requirements around the switchgear in the system modeled
Mechanism of spontaneous diminution of mitral regurgitation following percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty with the Inoue balloon.

To the Editor: stepwise technique of PBMV with the Inoue balloon [7,8] I agree with Krishnamoorthy et al. [1] that most patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) following percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) with the Inoue balloon showed gradual improvement in their MR and symptoms. My colleagues in China and I [2] reported in 1995 the largest series of patients who underwent PBMV with the Inoue balloon technique. Among 4832 patients, 1.4% developed severe MR (z 3+/4+); emergency mitral valve replacement was performed in 6 patients and elective mitral valve replacement in 12; in most of the patients the preexisting MR did not show any significant change after PBMV [2]. The production of or increase in MR that followed PBMV improved in more than half of the patients at follow-up catheterization [3–5]. Four mechanisms have been postulated: (1) reversible mitral valve stretching by PBMV; (2) better leaflet coaptation following balloon dilation of the stenotic mitral valve; (3) fibrosis and healing of the end of the commissures which may diminish MR resulting from excessive commissural splitting; and (4) improvement in transient papillary muscle dysfunction caused by balloon trauma to the papillary muscles at the time of PBMV [6]. Therefore I always advise watchful waiting in managing mild to moderate MR that followed PBMV with the Inoue balloon. The MR murmur in many of these patients diminished in intensity, or even disappeared, over the follow-up period. Clinically they remained much improved. If the
On Order Invariant Synthesizing Functions

Abstract This paper gives a description of the class of continuous functions that are comparison meaningful in the sense of measurement theory. When idempotency is assumed, this class reduces to the Boolean max–min functions (lattice polynomials). In that case, continuity can be replaced by increasing monotonicity, provided the range of variables is open. The particular cases of order statistics and projection functions are also studied.
Preserving exponentials in synthetic aperture radar data

Examines the conditions necessary to preserve damped exponentials in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) phase histories. A small number of 2D damped exponentials can model SAR data when the radar return is due to a few point scatterers. Error in parametric estimation of the exponential parameters results from the method of data collection, spotlight SAR or radar chamber measurement. This error is quantified and compared to the estimation bound (Cramer-Rao). Methods to reduce this error and preserve true point scatterer locations are successfully applied. Also, a fast method of focusing SAR data to the point scatterer locations is developed.
A Culture of Dependence? The Relationship Between Public Assistance and Public Opinion

In the United States it is widely believed that public assistance may have harmful effects on the social and political orientations of those who receive it. Certain kinds of government support – particularly welfare – may foster a ‘culture of dependence’ comprising values and beliefs that are different from, and perhaps contrary to, the predominant American political culture. We examine the relationship between government assistance and public opinion using survey data taken from the 1992 CPS National Election Study. Our empirical results show that welfare benefits do have some effect on issue attitudes. But recipients of public aid are virtually identical to non-recipients in terms of their core values, reactions to the political system and general beliefs about American society. There is no evidence that a distinctive ‘culture of dependence’ has developed among people who rely on financial support from the federal government.
Numerical taxonomy of catalase-negative cocci isolated from frozen vegetables

Taxonomic data for 135 cultures of bacteria isolated from frozen snap beans and whole kernel corn were analyzed by computer. Of the isolates, 79% were grouped into five major clusters. Two of the groups consisted of leuconostocs, whereas the other three contained homofermentative types. The intergroup similarities suggested a generic level of similarity. Feature frequencies for the groups were calculated, and properties of the different groups are presented. Many of the isolates differed from described species.
Intestinal reperfusion up-regulates inducible nitric oxide synthase activity within the lung*

Background. This study examines the hypothesis that pulmonary inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity is up-regulated during intestinal reperfusion and that inhibition of NO generation exacerbates pulmonary microvascular dysfunction. Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (HR) or sham operation (SHAM). Pulmonary iNOS activity was measured by quantitating the conversion of l -arginine (L-Arg) to l -citrulline. Another set of animals undergoing HR or SHAM received an inhibitor of NOS (NG-nitro- l -arginine methylester; L-NAME; 20 mg/kg intravenously) substrate for NO generation (L-Arg; 300 mg/kg intravenously), or vehicle (normal saline solution; 3 ml). Pulmonary microvascular dysfunction was then quantitated by measuring the extravasation of Evans blue dye (EBD) into the lung. Results. Inducible NOS activity was six times greater in the lungs of animals sustaining HR when compared with SHAM (p=0.0005). The concentration of EBD within the lungs of animals sustaining HR was 30% greater than SHAM (p Conclusions. These data suggest that pulmonary iNOS activity is up-regulated in animals sustaining HR and that this may serve as a compensatory protective response to remote organ injury.
Introduction to signal processing

1. Sampling and Reconstruction. 2. Quantization. 3. Discrete-Time Systems. 4. FIR Filtering and Convolution. 5. z-Transforms. 6. Transfer Functions. 7. Digital Filter Realizations. 8. Signal Processing Applications. 9. DFT/FFT Algorithms. 10. FIR Digital Filter Design. 11. IIR Digital Filter Design. 12. Interpolation, Decimation, and Oversampling. 13. Appendices. References. Index.
Lipolytic Esterases in Staphylococci

Staphylococci split a wide range of lipid substrates by production of an enzyme complex with two main components (i) a lipase acting optimally on fat-soluble glycerides, and (ii) an esterase acting optimally on water-soluble esters. The action is dependent upon carbon chain length, interfacial dispersion, solubility, and pH of substrate and end products. The esterase is less susceptible to organophosphorus inhibitors than mammalian esterases. There is no apparent correlation between lipolysis and markers of pathogenicity such as production of coagulase and toxin, but the possession of a flexible lipolytic mechanism might account for the persistence of staphylococci in the fatty secretions of mammalian skin.
Inhibition by Polyanions of Adherence by Kanagawa-Positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus: A Physicochemical Effect

Rapid adherence of Kanagawa-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus to human fetal intestinal cells has been demonstrated in monolayer cultures. In this study, polyanionic carbohydrates and glycoproteins of various biochemical compositions, structural configurations, and molecular weights were found to inhibit this adherence. Monoand disaccharide components of inhibitory compounds did not themselves inhibit adherence. Levels of Ca++ in the test mixture were similar in both the presence and the absence of chondroitin sulfate, a potent inhibitor of adherence by V. parahaemolyticus. These results, which demonstrate a major effect of surface charge in this model of bacterial adherence, suggest that differences in surface charge may contribute to the varying degrees of adherence by different strains of V. parahaemolyticus. This striking effect of surface charge on adherence by V. parahaemolyticus underscores the importance of experimental conditions and of substances that affect the surface potential of the cell in the interpretation of findings in models of bacterial adherence.
Autoindexing the diffraction patterns from crystals with a pseudotranslation.

Rotation photographs can be readily indexed if enough candidate Bragg spots are identified to properly sample the reciprocal lattice. However, while automatic indexing algorithms are widely used for macromolecular data processing, they can produce incorrect results in special situations where a subset of Bragg spots is systematically overlooked. This is a potential outcome in cases where a noncrystallographic translational symmetry operator closely mimics an exact crystallo­graphic translation. In these cases, a visual inspection of the diffraction image will reveal alternating strong and weak reflections. However, reliable detection of the weak-intensity reflections by software requires a systematic search for a diffraction signal targeted at specific reciprocal-space locations calculated a priori by considering all possible pseudotranslations. Care must be exercised to distinguish between true lattice diffraction and spurious signals contributed by neighboring overlapping Bragg spots, non-Bragg diffraction and noise. Such procedures have been implemented within the autoindexing program LABELIT and applied to known cases from publicly available data sets. Routine use of this type of signal search adds only a few seconds to the typical run time for autoindexing. The program can be downloaded from http://cci.lbl.gov/labelit.
Culturing primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts in a microfluidic system

Primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) were cultured in a microfluidic system for a period of 8 days. The perfusion flow rate for these cells is different from those used for 3T3 fibroblasts and human adult fibroblasts due to the strong dependence on cell secreted factors. Primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts have not been cultured in a microfluidic system before. Our results have potential applications for these cells reprogrammed to a pluripotent state and important implications for primary cell culture using microdevices.
An integrated full-field model of concurrent plastic deformation and microstructure evolution: Application to 3D simulation of dynamic recrystallization in polycrystalline copper

Abstract Many time-dependent deformation processes at elevated temperatures produce significant concurrent microstructure changes that can alter the mechanical properties in a profound manner. Such microstructure evolution is usually absent in mesoscale deformation models and simulations. Here we present an integrated full-field modeling scheme that couples the mechanical response with the underlying microstructure evolution. As a first demonstration, we integrate a fast Fourier transform-based elasto-viscoplastic (FFT-EVP) model with a phase-field (PF) recrystallization model, and carry out three-dimensional simulations of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) in polycrystalline copper. A physics-based coupling between FFT-EVP and PF is achieved by (1) adopting a dislocation-based constitutive model in FFT-EVP, which allows the predicted dislocation density distribution to be converted to a stored energy distribution and passed to PF, and (2) implementing a stochastic nucleation model for DRX. Calibrated with the experimental DRX stress–strain curves, the integrated model is able to deliver full-field mechanical and microstructural information, from which quantitative description and analysis of DRX can be achieved. It is suggested that the initiation of DRX occurs significantly earlier than previous predictions, due to heterogeneous deformation. DRX grains are revealed to form at both grain boundaries and junctions (e.g., quadruple junctions) and tend to grow in a wedge-like fashion to maintain a triple line (not necessarily in equilibrium) with old grains. The resulting stress redistribution due to strain compatibility is found to have a profound influence on the subsequent dislocation evolution and softening.
Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury in Early Versus Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most established environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is unclear if TBI is specifically associated with early-onset AD (EOAD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between TBI and EOAD (METHODS: We identified 1,449 EOAD, 4,337 late-onset AD (LOAD), and corresponding EOAD-matched and LOAD-matched normal controls (NC) in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform (NACC) database and compared the prevalence of any history of TBI as well as measures of cognition, function, behavior, and neuropathology. For validation, we determined TBI prevalence among 115 well-characterized clinic patients with EOAD. RESULTS: Part A: The prevalence of any TBI in the NACC-database EOAD participants (13.3%) was comparable to that observed in the clinic EOAD patients (13.9%) but significantly higher than in the NACC-database LOAD participants (7.7% ; p CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest, but do not establish, that TBI is a specific risk factor for EOAD and may lead to disinhibition, a feature that often results from the frontal effects of head injury. This study recommends further research on the effects of TBI in EOAD in larger numbers of participants. Language: en
Comparison of Two Accelerators for Monte Carlo Radiation Transport Calculations, NVIDIA Tesla M2090 GPU and Intel Xeon Phi 5110p Coprocessor: A Case Study for X-ray CT Imaging Dose Calculation

Hardware accelerators are currently becoming increasingly important in boosting high performance computing sys- tems. In this study, we tested the performance of two accelerator models, NVIDIA Tesla M2090 GPU and Intel Xeon Phi 5110p coprocessor, using a new Monte Carlo photon transport package called ARCHER-CT we have developed for fast CT imaging dose calculation. The package contains three code variants, ARCHER − CTCPU , ARCHER – CTGPU and ARCHER − CTCOP to run in parallel on the multi-core CPU, GPU and coprocessor architectures respectively. A detailed GE LightSpeed Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) scanner model and a family of voxel patient phantoms were included in the code to calculate absorbed dose to radiosensitive organs under specified scan protocols. The results from ARCHER agreed well with those from the production code Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX). It was found that all the code variants were significantly faster than the parallel MCNPX running on 12 MPI processes, and that the GPU and coprocessor performed equally well, being 2.89~4.49 and 3.01~3.23 times faster than the parallel ARCHER − CTCPU running with 12 hyperthreads.
Generating Code-switched Text for Lexical Learning

A vast majority of L1 vocabulary acquisition occurs through incidental learning during reading (Nation, 2001; Schmitt et al., 2001). We propose a probabilistic approach to generating code-mixed text as an L2 technique for increasing retention in adult lexical learning through reading. Our model that takes as input a bilingual dictionary and an English text, and generates a code-switched text that optimizes a defined “learnability” metric by constructing a factor graph over lexical mentions. Using an artificial language vocabulary, we evaluate a set of algorithms for generating code-switched text automatically by presenting it to Mechanical Turk subjects and measuring recall in a sentence completion task.
Time, Space, and Precision: Revisiting Classic Problems in Computational Geometry with Degree-Driven Analysis, pp. 280.

Computational geometry, as a branch of the theory of computer science, designs and analyzes data structures and algorithms most often for a RealRAM model, which has three unbounded quantities: the time its program can run, the number of memory cells, and the number of bits that can be stored in each cell. Since actual computers have constraints for time and memory — constraints that change as technology advances — we follow the computer science tradition of developing our algorithms to minimize time and memory size, measured using the familiar asymptotic, big-O notation, and tacitly agreeing not to exploit the third unbounded quantity in our model. (Exceptions published with capitalized words in the title [3] merely prove the rule.)
Drug-Eluting Versus Bare-Metal Stents During PCI in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Dialysis.

Abstract Background In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce repeat revascularizations compared with bare-metal stents (BMS), but their effects on death and myocardial infarction (MI) are mixed. Few studies have focused on patients with end-stage renal disease. Objectives This study compared mortality and cardiovascular morbidity during percutaneous coronary intervention with DES and with BMS in dialysis patients. Methods We identified 36,117 dialysis patients from the USRDS (United States Renal Data System) who had coronary stenting in the United States between April 23, 2003, and December 31, 2010, and examined the association of DES versus BMS with 1-year outcomes: death; death or MI; and death, MI, or repeat revascularization. We also conducted a temporal analysis by dividing the study period into 3 DES eras: Transitional (April 23, 2003, to June 30, 2004); Liberal (July 1, 2004, to December 31, 2006); and Selective (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2010). Results One-year event rates were high, with 38 deaths; 55 death or MI events; and 71 death, MI, or repeat revascularization events per 100 person-years. DES, compared with BMS, were associated with a significant 18% lower risk of death; 16% lower risk of death or MI; and 13% lower risk of death, MI, or repeat revascularization. DES use varied, from 56% in the Transitional era to 85% in the Liberal era and 62% in the Selective era. DES outcomes in the Liberal era were significantly better than in the Transitional Era, but not significantly better than in the Selective Era. Conclusions DES for percutaneous coronary intervention appears to be safe for use in U.S. dialysis patients and is associated with lower rates of death, MI, and repeat revascularization.
Studies on the Utilization of Tall Oil II.

In the previous paper, preparation of the mixed methyl esters, consisted of fatty and rosin esters, was discussed. In this paper, these esters were converted into mixed alcohols, consisted of fatty and rosin alcohol, by Bouvealt-Blanc reaction. The kind, amount of reduced alcohol, amount of sodium in the reduction and the distillation of produced crude alcohol were discussed. Tertiary butyl alcohol was most suitable for reduction in the case of all esters. Because saponification value of the esters containing rosin ester can not be accurately determined, theoretical requirement for sodium and reducing alcohol could not be calculated. However, excess sodium and reducing alcohol seems to increase the yield of mixed alcohol. Against author's expectation, these esters have a saponifying tendencies, when excess sodium is present. Methyl ester from distilled tall oil is less saponifiable than that from crude tall oil in the reduction reaction. When distilled the crude alcohols produced, under reduced pressure, fatty alcohols are distilled out firstly and the rosin alcohol subsequently. Distillation residue is considered to be a polymerized rosin esters, the rotation property of which is extremely changed owing to the isomerization caused by heating.
Perspectives on How Nature Employs the Principles of Organometallic Chemistry in Dihydrogen Activation in Hydrogenases

Relatively recent developments in metalloenzyme and organometallic chemistry have targeted a growing link between these outwardly incongruous fields, giving birth to a merger now popularly termed “bio-organometallic” chemistry. The astonishing discovery of CO and CN ligands bound to dinuclear iron sites in billion-year-old hydrogenase enzymes has led to a new paradigm and triggered an explosion of research on bioinspired chemistry. The article will focus on the impressive array of organometallic chemistry principles that work in concert in the structure and function of H2ases. Molecular H2 is at the forefront of bioinspired energy, and its production and storage are critical for renewable energy systems. Biomimetic inorganic chemistry and photochemistry involving water splitting for H2 production has erupted in the past decade and will also be reflected upon here.
Presentation and Prognosis of Incomplete Resection in Thymic Carcinoma

We present a case of a 65-year-old African American female who presented with a chief complaint of shortness of breath. Computed tomography of the chest revealed an anterior mediastinal mass. Biopsy revealed a thymic carcinoma. Histopathology revealed the rare variant of basaloid subtype of thymic carcinoma. Our case demonstrates the various modalities of treatment in such type of cancer and the poor prognosis associated with it when other structures are involved. J Med Cases. 2016;7(4):148-149 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2446w
Spatial Configuration and Preparation of Canavanine

ConclusionsThe spatial configuration of dextrorotatory canavanine has been determined by the method of Lutz and Jirgensons. It was found to be in agreement with that of the other naturally occurring amino acids and should therefore be designated as 1(+) canavanine. A simplified procedure for the purification of the cana-vanine flavianate prepared from Jack Bean has been described.
CONSTANCY OF THE PENTAMEROUS COROLLA PHENOTYPE IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF LINANTHUS.

The fact that genetic variability is a prerequisite for evolutionary advance has become obvious to essentially every biologist; in fact, evolution, reduced to its barest essentials, is simply a change in frequency of different gene alleles (Wright, 1931). While the modern synthetic theory of evolution has quite adequately answered the question of how genetic variability is obtained in natural populations, we are less certain when confronted with questions about its magnitude, and how it is maintained. The studies of natural plant populations to date have concerned measurement characters that are normally highly variable in their reaction to the environment, and therefore, are usually considered as noncanalized (Waddington, 1940a, b, 1942). Examples of such characters are: number of days to emergence, tiller number, heading date, plant height, etc., which would be expected to show considerable phenotypic variation within populations and between ecotypes, regions, etc. For these characters, it is evident that considerable genetic variation exists in natural populations of both outbreeders and inbreeders (see Allard, 1965). This supplies a partial answer to the question on magnitude of genetic variability, but does not include data on characters tending to remain constant within populations and throughout a species' range. It is also of importance to
Sesamoidectomy for hallux sesamoid fractures.

Background: Hallux sesamoid fractures are challenging to treat. Symptomatic nonunion is a common problem after nonoperative treatment. Surgical fixation of the fracture can result in successful uni...
ABUTMENT HAMMERING TOOL FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS

One method for installing dental prosthetics uses components fastened with a tapered interference fit. An abutment is fastened into an implant to provide an anchor for the prosthesis. The current method of installation involves hammering with a dental mallet, which provides inconsistent force. A proposal to replace this method is presented. The mechanics of the taper lock were examined to determine the optimal seating force. The chosen design was analyzed for potential weaknesses. A proof of concept prototype was fabricated and a prototype is being manufactured for further analysis. Experimentation indicates that the variance of applied force is significantly reduced.
Transfers on Death Where There Is No Will

Under our law a person is free to make a will or not as he chooses. In this chapter we deal with what happens to his assets on death if he does not make a will. He has, in effect, elected to let the law direct the distribution of his property for him.
The level of the serum CA,ALD and cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease

Objective To investigate the level of serum catecholamine(CA)[including epinephrine(E),norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA)]and aldosterone(ALD)in children with left to right shunt congenital heart disease(CHD),and analyze the correlation between the serum CA,ALD and cardiac function,ventricular volume load,pulmonary artery pressure and myocardial remodeling.Method Totally 53 cases of left to right shunt CHD and 20 cases of control group were induded in the study.We measured the content of serum CA and ALD in the control group and CHD group.We applied real-time three-dimensional echocardiogram to measure the left atrium diameter(LAD),left ventricular end diastolic inner diameter(LVEDD),and cardiac function.Result(1)The level of serum NE and ALD in CHD group was higher than the control group(P 0.01).(2)The level of serum CA and ALD was higher in heart failure group,large shunt group and pulmonary artery hypertension group than in non-heart failure group,small shunt group and non-pulmonary artery hypertension group(P 0.01).(3)The left ventricular end diastolic inner diameter index(LVEDDI),left ventricular end diastolic volume index(LVEDVI)and left ventricular mass index of heart failure group were larger than those of non-heart failure group(P 0.01).(4)There was positive correlation between the serum level of CA and left atrial diameter index(P 0.01)and LVEDDI(P 0.01),LVEDVI(P 0.01).Conclusion The serum CA and ALD may be regarded as an objective parameter in the early diagnosis of heart failure and pulmonary artery hypertension.There is a positive correlation between the serum CA and myocardial remodeling.
The Importance Analysis of Short Circuit Test (Pressure Relief Test) for MOA

To prove failed surge arresters not to damage the other equipment or injure human body,short circuit test is important.In some tests,the magnitude of first cycle of short circuit current should not reach 1.7-2.5 times of the required one in RMS current,and the duration of short circuit should be less than 0.2s,because of the pressure and capacity of the circuit.The test will not prove the function of the pressure relief device without following those regulations.
Performance benchmarks for diagnostic mammography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a range of performance parameters pertinent to the comprehensive auditing of diagnostic mammography examinations, and to derive performance benchmarks therefrom, by pooling data collected from large numbers of patients and radiologists that are likely to be representative of mammography practice in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was met, informed consent was not required, and this study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant. Six mammography registries contributed data to the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC), providing patient demographic and clinical information, mammogram interpretation data, and biopsy results from defined population-based catchment areas. The study involved 151 mammography facilities and 646 interpreting radiologists. The study population included women 18 years of age or older who underwent at least one diagnostic mammography examination between 1996 and 2001. Collected data wer...
Drug Trafficking and Community Welfare in Costa Rica

The article explores the intersections of drug trafficking and community welfare in Costa Rica, a national context that is underexplored in literature. I use an immersive qualitative approach drawing from interviews, participant observation, government reports, and media reports to explore why and to what ends a rural frontier community has become enmeshed in the transport of cocaine northward. I find that the key precipitating factors include poverty, state disinterest, and youth facilitation. The implications of this community’s involvement in drug trafficking are mixed. Negatively, drug trafficking increases violence in the community, weakens community youth development, and undercuts legitimate businesses. Conversely, drug traffickers provide social goods and generate employment. Grounded in empirical evidence, the article suggests that a community economic and social development approach holds promise in addressing drug trafficking specifically in Costa Rica and more broadly in Latin America.