cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Second Genoa meeting “Recent Advances on Colorectal Polyps”

The Second Genoa Meeting ‘‘Recent Advances on Colorectal Polyps’’ lectures (April 2014) are now available online. The website [1] can be accessed free of charge (just click on the link below) and includes the talks and slide presentations in high-resolution PDF. The meeting brought together experts from Europe and Japan. The quality of the talks is very impressive; most of the speakers have personally contributed significantly to this field. The material discussed is new and updated to include studies published in the same month the conference took place. A great feature of these lectures is their brevity, averaging less than 15 min each with little to no topic overlap. Basic science and pathology lectures were outstanding with Dr. De Censi on the latest trials of chemo-prevention after polypectomy, Liliana Varesco on the new polyposis syndromes and a thorough review of serrated adenomas. If you want to learn about the latest diagnostic and therapeutic tools in colonoscopy, you should listen to Dr. Galloro and Dr. Matsuda’a lectures (Fig. 1). The ‘‘therapeutic’’ part was not without debate. Most of the controversy was on a very small subset of tumors, the T1 that have penetrated only the proximal part of the submucosa. In these tumors, a combination of histologic features can predict with a 95 % accuracy the absence of involved nodes. There was no doubt among speakers that older patients at moderate to high risk for surgery should have the option of local treatment. However, what local treatment? Speakers were from different planets, Dr Matsuda from ‘‘planet ESD’’, Dr. Rembacken from ‘‘planet EMR’’, Dr. Arezzo from ‘‘planet TEM’’ and Dr. Miles from ‘‘planet TAMIS’’. You can judge for yourself; however, I was convinced by Dr. Rembacken that currently the risks of ESD outweigh the benefits and by Dr. Arezzo that in the rectum the best way to approach advanced polyps is a full thickness excision. Dr. Pucciarelli closed with a lecture on the appropriate surgery for non-FAP polyposis cases. I highly recommend this website to those who want to deepen their knowledge on this topic in a time efficient way and to peruse the slides and their references for further readings. Dr. Gian Andrea Binda is to be commended for rendering such a great service to the international colorectal and medical community.
Matt: Local Flexibility Aids Protein Multiple Structure Alignment

Even when there is agreement on what measure a protein multiple structure alignment should be optimizing, finding the optimal alignment is computationally prohibitive. One approach used by many previous methods is aligned fragment pair chaining, where short structural fragments from all the proteins are aligned against each other optimally, and the final alignment chains these together in geometrically consistent ways. Ye and Godzik have recently suggested that adding geometric flexibility may help better model protein structures in a variety of contexts. We introduce the program Matt (Multiple Alignment with Translations and Twists), an aligned fragment pair chaining algorithm that, in intermediate steps, allows local flexibility between fragments: small translations and rotations are temporarily allowed to bring sets of aligned fragments closer, even if they are physically impossible under rigid body transformations. After a dynamic programming assembly guided by these “bent” alignments, geometric consistency is restored in the final step before the alignment is output. Matt is tested against other recent multiple protein structure alignment programs on the popular Homstrad and SABmark benchmark datasets. Matt's global performance is competitive with the other programs on Homstrad, but outperforms the other programs on SABmark, a benchmark of multiple structure alignments of proteins with more distant homology. On both datasets, Matt demonstrates an ability to better align the ends of α-helices and β-strands, an important characteristic of any structure alignment program intended to help construct a structural template library for threading approaches to the inverse protein-folding problem. The related question of whether Matt alignments can be used to distinguish distantly homologous structure pairs from pairs of proteins that are not homologous is also considered. For this purpose, a p-value score based on the length of the common core and average root mean squared deviation (RMSD) of Matt alignments is shown to largely separate decoys from homologous protein structures in the SABmark benchmark dataset. We postulate that Matt's strong performance comes from its ability to model proteins in different conformational states and, perhaps even more important, its ability to model backbone distortions in more distantly related proteins.
Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline Balls) for the Treatment of Constipation: A Survey of Hospice and Palliative Care Practitioners

Constipation is a common symptom at end of life, impacting patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Hospice and palliative care professionals often use practices based on anecdotal evidence. One such intervention is an oral preparation of petroleum jelly (OPJ), referred to as "Vaseline balls." This survey was designed to collect information regarding healthcare practitioners' knowledge and attitudes toward the use of OPJ for the management of constipation in hospice and palliative care. An online survey was distributed to physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who work with hospice and palliative care patients. A total of 67% (n=237/353) of responders reported being familiar with the use of OPJ. Results indicate there is a need for further clinical research on the use of OPJ to guide practice.
Isolation and Some Physico-chemical Properties of the Acidic Subunits of Soybean 11S Globulin

Four kinds of acidic subunits and three kinds of basic subunits of 11S globulin were separated by polyacryl amide gel electrophoresis in the urea system. The four acidic subunits designated as A1, A2, A3 and A4 (Rm=0.35, 0.40, 0.46 and 0.56 respectively) were isolated by stepwise elution followed by repeating gradient elution with DEAE-Sephadex A-50 in the presence of 6 m urea at 5°C.Subsequently, some physico-chemical properties of the subunits were determined. For example, N-terminal amino acids were determined as phenylalanine for both A1 and A2 and as leucine (or isoleucine) for both A3 and A4 by the DNP-amino acid method. The molecular weights of A1, A2 and A3 were shown as 37,000 and 45,000 for A4 by SDS-gel electrophoresis. The amino acid compositions of the acidic subunits were roughly similar to each other, but some remarkable differences were observed in the content of basic amino acids (lysine, histidine and arginine), serine and proline.
Reassessment of phenylalanine tolerance in adults with phenylketonuria is needed as body mass changes.

Abstract Lifelong treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) includes a phenylalanine (phe) restricted diet that provides sufficient phe for growth and maintenance plus phe-free amino acid formula to meet requirements for protein, energy and micronutrients. Phe tolerance (mg phe/kg body weight/day) is the amount of phe those with PKU can consume and maintain acceptable blood phe levels; it requires individual assessment because of varying phenylalanine hydroxylase activity. The objective was to reassess phe tolerance in eight adults with PKU considering phe requirements, blood phe levels, genotype and phe tolerance at 5 years of age. Subjects had not received a personalized assessment of phe tolerance in several years, and five subjects were overweight, body mass index (BMI) 25–28. With the guidance of a metabolic dietitian, seven subjects increased phe tolerance (by 15–173%) without significantly increasing blood phe concentration. Increased phe tolerance was associated with both improved dietary compliance and inadequate phe intake at the onset of the protocol compared with current requirements. Improved dietary compliance reflected increased consumption of protein equivalents from amino acid formula and increased frequency of formula intake, from 2.2 to 3 times per day. Predictors of higher final phe tolerance following reassessment included being male and having a lower BMI (R2 = 0.588). This suggests that the rising trend of overweight and obesity may affect assessment of phe tolerance in adults. Therefore, interaction with the metabolic dietitian to reassess phe tolerance in relation to body mass is essential throughout adulthood to insure adequate intake of phe to support protein synthesis and prevent catabolism.
An adaptive control system for delivering heparin to provide anticoagulation during hemodialysis

This paper describes an adaptive control system for delivering heparin to maintain a desired level of anticoagulation during hemodialysis. Adaptive control was based on sparse measurements of the activated clotting time (ACT) measured in blood samples drawn from the extracorporeal circuit. A model-based control law was used in conjunction with Bayesian parameter estimation in the adaptive control system. The adaptive control system was validated in clinical trials during a routine 240-minute hemodialysis procedure. The mean of ACT values measured during adaptive control was 150 percent of the baseline ACT and the standard deviation was 11 percent.
Inertial attitude control of Voyager spacecraft using dry tuned rotor gyro

The inertial attitude control system designed for the Voyager spacecraft, which will carry out flybys of Jupiter and Saturn in 1979 and 1981, respectively, is described. The attitude of the spacecraft in three-dimensional space will be measured by a Dry Inertial Reference Unit (DIRU) based on three identical two-degree-of-freedom dry gyros. A software estimation process has been developed to use DIRU data and other information to obtain optimum estimates of spacecraft position, velocity, and acceleration. The attitude of the spacecraft is corrected using these estimates by activating hydrazine thrusters. The operation of dry gyros is discussed, together with the network compensation techniques used in their associated capture loop to obtain a capture capability of 8 deg/sec and a frequency response of 10 Hz (3-dB point). The control law and estimation process are examined. Results of computer simulation studies of the performance of the attitude control system are presented.
Bound states, Cooper pairing, and Bose condensation in two dimensions

For a dilute gas of fermions interacting via an arbitrary pair potential in d=2 dimensions, we show that the many-body ground state is unstable to s-wave pairing at T=0 if and only if a two-body bound state exists. We further obtain, within a variational pairing Ansatz, a smooth crossover from a Cooper-paired state (${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$${\mathrm{k}}_{\mathrm{f}}$\ensuremath{\gg}1) to a Bose condensed state of tightly bound pairs (${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$${\mathrm{k}}_{\mathrm{f}}$\ensuremath{\ll}1). We briefly discuss non--s-wave superconductors. Insofar as this model is appli- cable to the high-${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ materials, they are in the interesting regime with the coherence length ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$ comparable to the interparticle spacing ${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$.
The N2(A3Σu+) sensitized C2N2(a˜3Σ+ →X˜1Σg+) emission spectrum

Abstract The first gas-phase emission spectrum of C 2 N 2 (a 3 Σ u + ← X 1 Σ g + ) obtained under relatively low-resolution conditions has been assigned. The C 2 N 2 (a 3 Σ u + ) state was produced by collisions with the metastable molecule, N 2 ( 3 Σ u + ). The spectrum consists of transitions from thermally equilibrated levels of C 2 N 2 (a 3 Σ u + ) to various levels of v 1 , v 4 , and v 5 of C 2 N 2 (X 1 Σ g + ). Transitions to the v = 0−4 levels were measured and the fifth was estimated for v 1 ″. The data give some anharmonicity constants for C 2 N 2 (X 1 Σ g + ): x 11 = −9.0 ± 0.3, x 15 = 2.6 ± 0.2, x 14 = 6.3 ± 0.2, ω 4 = 500.4, x 44 = 3.4, g 44 = −4.4cm −1 . Franck-Condon factor calculations were done to estimate the internuclear distances of the excited ( a 3 Σ u + ) state: r CN = 1.224 ± 0.001A; r CC = 1.323 ± 0.002A. Emission from CN radicals was also observed and may be attributable to collisional excitation of CN ( B 2 Σ + ) by N 2 (A 3 Σ u + ).
The Influence of Incipient Latent Heat Release on the Precipitation Distribution of the 24–25 January 2000 U.S. East Coast Cyclone

Abstract The role of a diabatically produced lower-tropospheric potential vorticity (PV) maximum in determining the precipitation distribution of the 24–25 January 2000 U.S. East Coast cyclone is investigated. Operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models performed poorly with this storm, even within 24 h of the event, as they were unable to properly forecast the westward extent of heavy precipitation over the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic. The development of an area of incipient precipitation (IP) around 0600 UTC 24 January over the southeastern United States prior to rapid cyclogenesis was also poorly forecasted by the operational NWP models. It is hypothesized that the lower-tropospheric diabatic PV maximum initially produced by the IP was important to subsequent inland moisture transport over the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic. A PV budget confirms that latent heat release in the midtroposphere associated with the IP led to the initial formation of a PV maximum in the lower troposphere that propagate...
Attitudes and Emotions as Determinants of Nostalgia Purchases: An Application of Social Identity Theory

Nostalgia implies a yearning for the past, and the feeling or mood that accompanies nostalgia has the capacity to affect preferences for possessions that generate nostalgic responses (Holak and Havlena 1998). To examine this phenomenon, we ground a dual process model in Social Identity Theory, which has not been applied previously to studies of nostalgic consumer behavior. Using a structural equation model, empirical results show that consumers' intentions to purchase nostalgic products are simultaneously affected by a yearning for and attitudes about the past. Marketing implications and future research directions are discussed.
Detection and regulation of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD in rat cochlear tissues.

Relative levels of copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) in individual cochlear tissues were detected by the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A heterogeneous distribution of Cu/Zn-SOD was observed in the individual tissues of control animals: high levels were measured in the stria vascularis (SV), intermediate levels of enzyme were measured in the spiral ligament (SL), and low levels were measured in the organ of Corti region (OC); collectively, these levels were not statistically significant (P = 0.0645). Levels of Mn-SOD in individual tissues of the control group were statistically significant (P 30%) of Mn-SOD in the OC were observed. These results indicate that levels of SOD are tissue specific and that SOD is subject to glucorticoid regulation.
Three-dimensional analysis framework and measurement methodology for imaging system noise

Modern imaging sensors incorporate complex focal plane architectures and sophisticated post- detector processing. These advanced technical characteristics create the potential for multi- component noise generation which can exhibit effects temporally as well as along the vertical and horizontal image directions. Such complex three-dimensional (time, vertical, horizontal) noise cannot be adequately treated by previous mathematical analyses developed for simpler system designs where detector noise was predominant. In a parallel sense, earlier methods for noise measurement are no longer satisfactory. A new methodology has been developed at C2NVEO to characterize the noise patterns exhibited by advanced thermal imaging systems. The methods represents a significant expansion of the standard techniques to characterize thermal system noise. This paper explains the principles behind the 3-D noise methodology and the methods used. It also describes how this methodology is implemented in a laboratory measurement environment.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Geometrical Derivation of the Klein-Gordon Equation

In order to integrate quantum mechanics into geometrical theories of physics, new quantities must be included in the description of the infinitesimal structure of space-time. Using gauge transformations, Weyl's coefficients of connection are generalized to include not just the metric tensor and the electromagnetic potential, but the wave function as well. As the field equations are developed, it is found that invariance of the scalar of curvature under the appropriate gauge and coordinate transformations implies the Klein-Gordon equation. Since the terms required for invariance correspond with known quantum effects, no invariant classical limit is possible. The selection of appropriate fixed gauges and the elimination of small terms does lead directly to the Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Trajectories are defined for all cases, and as an example, the Lorentz force law is derived from these trajectories. The probability density is related to the particle trajectories and a conformal parameter of an additional metric tensor. Because of the gauge transformation, gravitational, electromagnetic, and quantum effects must be described as aspects of the same geometrical structure.
To naturally compute (something like) biology

This paper attempts to suggest a more 'natural' mode of computation; one that can fail if carried out too long, and that might be deployed differently in different contexts. The developmental process of dissipative structures is brought to bear on this question, as well as hierarchical structures.
Measurement of ethylene binding in plant tissue.

Tobacco leaves were exposed to 14C-labeled ethylene (3.7 × 10−2 microliters per liter) in the presence and absence of unlabeled ethylene and other compounds. Most of the [14C]ethylene appears to be bound to displaceable sites. Lineweaver-Burk plots for a one-half maximum response in a tobacco leaf respiration test gave a value of 0.3 microliter per liter for ethylene, 50 microliters per liter for propylene, and 266 microliters per liter for carbon monoxide. Scatchard plots for displacement of [14C]ethylene from the site gave 0.27 microliters per liter for ethylene, 42 microliters per liter for propylene, and 746 microliters per liter for carbon monoxide. At 2%, CO2 displaces about 35% of the bound ethylene, but increasing the concentration to 10% does not displace the remaining [14C]ethylene. A value of 3.5 nanomolar was calculated for the concentration of ethylene-binding sites available to exogenous ethylene. This does not account for the sites occupied by endogenous ethylene, and the total number of binding sites is probably somewhat higher. Using tissue culture material, the system was shown to be stable to freezing and thawing; and the π-acceptors, carbon monoxide, cyanide, n-butyl isocyanide, phosphorous trifluoride, and tetrafluoroethylene, were shown to compete with ethylene for binding.
Huntingtin-Interacting Protein 1: A Merkel Cell Carcinoma Marker that Interacts with c-Kit

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neoplasm thought to originate from the neuroendocrine Merkel cells of the skin. Although the prevalence of MCC has been increasing, treatments for this disease remain limited because of a paucity of information regarding MCC biology. We have found that the endocytic oncoprotein Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 (HIP1) is expressed at high levels in ∼90% of MCC tumors and serves as a more reliable histological cytoplasmic stain than the gold standard, cytokeratin 20. Furthermore, high anti-HIP1 antibody reactivity in the sera of a cohort of MCC patients predicts the presence of metastases. Another protein that is frequently expressed at high levels in MCC tumors is the stem cell factor (SCF) receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Kit. In working toward an understanding of how HIP1 might contribute to MCC tumorigenesis, we have discovered that HIP1 interacts with SCF-activated c-Kit. These data not only identify HIP1 as a molecular marker for management of MCC patients but also show that HIP1 interacts with and slows the degradation of c-Kit.
Charlie-Gibbs fracture zone: bottom-water transport and its geological effects

Hydrographic sections of the northern valley of the Charlie-Gibbs fracture zone show that below 2000 m this passage through the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is filled mainly with Iceland-Scotland Overflow Water (ISOW). Two current meters moored within this water mass for 9 months, at sites just downstream from the 3675-m sill of the passage, recorded mean westerly currents of 3.8 and 4.4 cm s−1 These averages include mean westerly velocities of 7 to 8 cm s−1 during fall and spring and almost zero during the winter. Another long-termmeter and an array of meters deployed within 100 m of the sea floor showed steering of the Overflow Water current by the complex topography near the intersection of the transform fault and the spreading center. West of 35°W a different, denser water mass fills the deepest parts of the valley below about 3400 m; it also flows westward, as shown by meters moored 10 and 20 m above the valley floor for 1.5 to 4 days. However, its properties (potential temperature <2.3°C; salinity < 34.93% oxygen 6.4 ml 1−1; silica <16 μ mol 1−1) indicate an origin in the Newfoundland Basin west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It probably enters the northern valley from the south, via a leak in the bounding transform ridge near 34°30′W, and is entrained westward, back into the western Atlantic, by the overlying ISOW current. The total westward transport across the sill, below 2000 m, is estimated at 2.4 × 106 m3 s−1. The ISOW carries a significant load of suspended sediment (25 μg 1−1), and there is an intense 100-m-thick bottom nepheloid layer. The seabed, which was examined with a deeply towed instrument package, has been locally scoured downstream from the passage sill, and there are patches of ripples and moated rock fragments. However, most of the floor of the transform valley is a depositional environment.
Plasma cell leukemia with iga paraproteinemia and hyperviscosity

Primary IgA plasma cell leukemia is a rare disorder in which hyperviscosity has not been reported. We studied a patient with plasma cell leukemia and IgA lambda monoclonal gammopathy with an elevated relative serum viscosity and congestive heart failure. Plasmapheresis and chemotherapy were successful in controlling symptoms. We discuss this unusual association and review the literature.
Improving National Park Service and Nonprofit Partnerships—Lessons from the National Trail System

Federal land management agencies are increasingly relying on collaborative partnerships for managing national trails, heritage areas, scenic rivers, and recreation areas. For agencies such as the National Park Service, these joint approaches are significantly different from traditional management approaches. This article uses a case study of the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail to identify partnership lessons for this case and other protected areas that rely on public–private partnerships. The research highlights partnership issues with nonprofit capacity and mission alignment, project momentum, and leadership dilemmas. We suggest that agencies such as the National Park Service need to assess the mission and capacity of community and nonprofit groups to determine their partnership approach. This is a significant shift, from agencies simply needing to find organizations willing to partner on collaborative management efforts, to a role in assessing, forming, and developing nonprofit partners.
Genetic requirements for the development and differentiation of interleukin-17-producing γδ T cells.

Most effector T cells are generated in the periphery following an encounter with a foreign antigen and exposure to soluble and membrane-bound mediators. There are, however, some T cell subsets, such as γδ T cells and natural killer T cells, that acquire their effector potential in the thymus before their emigration to the periphery. This developmental preprogramming enables these cells to differentiate rapidly into cytokine-producing effectors during the host immune response. This review focuses on murine interleukin (IL)-17–producing γδ T (γδ-17) cells, which have been shown, through their early production of IL-17, to have a critical role in multiple infectious and autoimmune diseases. Specifically, we discuss what is currently known about the genetic requirements for their generation and compare it with what is known about that of the more extensively studied IL-17–producing helper T (Th17) cells. Based on this comparison, we propose a model for murine γδ-17 development and differentiation.
Surrogates for validation of electron beam irradiation of foods.

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify a potential surrogate to describe the radiation sensitivity of the most common pathogens encountered in fruits. Three pathogens: Escherichia coli O157:H7 933, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 51414, and Salmonella Poona, and five non-pathogens: E. coli K-12 MG1655, Listeria innocua Seeliger 1983 (NRRL B-33003 and NRRl B-33014), Enterobacter aerogenes, and Salmonella LT2 were inoculated (populations of 107–109 CFU/ml) into model food systems (10% w/w gelatin) and exposed to doses up to 1.0 kGy using a 2 MeV Van der Graaf linear accelerator. The non-pathogen E. coli K-12 MG1655 was highly resistant to radiation (D10 = 0.88 kGy) in comparison to the other strains while L. monocytogenes was the more radiation-resistant pathogen (D10 = 1.09 kGy). Thus, E. coli K-12 MG1655 could be a suitable surrogate for e-beam studies with L. monocytogenes as the indicator pathogen. L. innocua strains were more radiation-sensitive (D10 = 0.66, 0.72 kGy) than their pathogenic counterpart. S. Poona and E. coli O157:H7 were even more radiation-sensitive (D10 = 0.38, 0.36 kGy, respectively). S. LT2 was the least radiation-resistant pathogen with D10 = 0.12 kGy. In a later study, the radiation resistance of the pathogens and the surrogate was evaluated when inoculated in a real food (i.e., fresh cantaloupe). The D10 values obtained in this experiment were higher than those obtained with the model foods. However, the surrogate was still more radiation-resistant and could therefore be used to indicate decontamination of the target pathogens under electron beam irradiation.
Disposition of 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinoseb) in pregnant mice.

The disposition of 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinoseb) was determined in pregnant mice after ip or oral administration. Plasma levels of dinoseb were determined colorimetrically and isotopically, and dinoseb was separated from its metabolites in tissues by methyl ethyl ketone extraction. Dinoseb was found in all maternal tissues and was shown to cross the placenta, although a barrier was clearly present since embryo levels never exceeded 2·5% of maternal plasma levels. The rate of absorption of dinoseb was 40 times greater after ip than after oral administration. Elimination was first order, but the rate was dependent on the route, the ke being 0·02 and 0·09 hr−1 after oral and ip administration, respectively. Pregnant mice excreted dinoseb in urine and faeces regardless of the route of administration, and metabolites, which were not identified, were found in maternal liver and kidney and in the embryo, but not in maternal blood. While embryonic levels of dinoseb were similar in both cases, peak levels were reached much earlier after ip than after oral administration (8 min and 12 hr respectively), and the initial levels of the herbicide and its metabolites in the embryos were higher after ip administration. These differences may be responsible for the observed teratogenicity and embryotoxicity of dinoseb following ip but not oral administration.
Extrapolation techniques for determining stress intensity factors

Abstract A theoretical basis is developed for the extrapolation technique of Chan, Tuba and Wilson and Ayres and Siddall for determining stress intensities from finite element results. The conditions for which the technique is valid is presented for the Mode I only, Mode II only, and mixed mode condition.
Stable Metallization Systems for Solar Cells

Reactively sputtered transition metal nitride layers can efficiently prevent the interdiffusion between adjoining materials during heat treatments up to 15 min, 800 °C. The layers are electrically metallic and the typical contact resistivity of ≦ 10−4 Ωcm2 between the nitride layer and a solar-cell-type Si substrate is adequate for solar cell applications. Stable test cells using a titanium nitride layer in the metallization are fabricated. Nitride layers can be converted into oxide layers by thermal oxidation. The optical properties of TiO2 layers are comparable with those of TiOx layers used as an antireflecting coating in solar cells.
Early-Age Curling and Warping Behavior: Insights from a Fully Instrumented Test-Slab System

A concrete slab was constructed at Texas A&M University to study temperature, moisture, and creep effects on the curling and warping behavior of jointed concrete pavements under different curing conditions. A saw-cut joint was placed at the mid-slab location, where one half of the slab was cured with a standard curing compound and the other half was mat-cured. The half of the slab under membrane curing was subjected to a larger built-in curling and shrinkage than the half that was mat-cured. Because of differences in the amount of shrinkage and creep between the two curing methods during the hardening process, the two halves of the slab showed different early-age behaviors with respect to strain and vertical displacement. The dowels also affected the early-age behavior of the slab at the saw-cut joint. A linear relationship was found among measured vertical corner displacements, concrete strain, and calculated dowel bending moments. The equivalent temperature differences calculated by ISLAB 2000 present t...
New algorithm for adaptive contrast enhancement based on human visual properties for medical imaging applications

Existing methods for image contrast enhancement focus mainly on the properties of the image to be processed while excluding any consideration of the observer characteristics. In several application, particularly in the medical imaging area, effective contrast enhancement for diagnostic purposes can be achieved by including certain basic human visual properties. In this paper we shall present a novel adaptive algorithm that tailors the required amount of contrast enhancement based on the local contrast of the image and the observer's Just-Noticeable- Difference (JND). This algorithm always produces adequate contrast in the output image, and results in almost no ringing artifacts even around sharp transition regions, which is often seen in images processed by conventional contrast enhancement techniques. By separating smooth and detail areas of an image and considering the dependence of noise visibility on the spatial activity of the image, the algorithm treats them differently and thus avoids excessive enhancement of noise, which is another common problem for many existing contrast enhancement techniques. The present JND-Guided Adaptive Contrast Enhancement (JGACE) technique is very general and can be applied to a variety of images. In particular, it offers considerable benefits in digital radiography applications where the objective is to increase the diagnostic utility of images. A detailed performance evaluation together with a comparison with the existing techniques is given to demonstrate the strong features of JGACE.
Pulsed FT-NMR double resonance studies of yeast tRNAPhe: specific nuclear Overhauser effects and reinterpretation of low temperature relaxation data

Abstract Cross-relaxation effects are demonstrated between the imino protons and other protons in yeast tRNAPhe and H2O. A detailed examination has been made of the observed relaxation rate of the proton resonance at 11.8 ppm from DSS as a function of the D2O content in the solvent. This result, as well as the size and number of observed nuclear Overhauser effects, suggests that dipolar magnetization transfer between solvent H2O, amino, imino, and other tRNA protons may dominate the relaxation processes of the imino protons at low temperature. At higher temperatures the observed relaxation rate is dominated by chemical exchange. The selective nuclear Overhauser effects are shown to be an important aid in resonance assignments. By these means we were able to identify tow protons from the wobble base pair GU4 at 11.8 ppm and 10.4 ppm.
EFFECTS OF FOUR SPECIES OF BACTERIA ON PORCINE MUSCLE 2. Electrophoretic Patterns of Extracts of Salt-Soluble Protein

SUMMARY–Electrophoresis of 0.6 M KCI extracts of porcine longissimus dorsi muscle revealed little change in the type or number of protein bands found either by starch-urea or disc-urea gel electrophoresis. The 0.6 M KCI extracts of muscle samples inoculated with Pediococcus cerevisiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Micrococcus luteus and stored at 2 and 10°C for 20 days did not differ electrophoretically from control samples. Extracts of samples inoculated with Pseudomonas fragi showed a loss in the number of protein bands on starch-urea gel and disc-urea gel electrophoresis, indicating this organism exhibited some proteolytic effect upon the myofibrillar proteins.
Interfacial activity, extractant selectivity, and reversed micellization in hydrometallurgical liquid/liquid extraction systems

Abstract The interfacial activity of hydrometallurgical liquid/liquid extraction systems, namely, di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP)/n-hexane/aqueous chloride solutions of Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+, was investigated by measuring the interfacial tension (γ) as a function of HDEHP concentration at various pH and, in some cases, at different metal ion concentrations. The interfacial excess (and hence the average area per adsorbed extractant molecule at the n-hexane/aqueous interface) was estimated from the Gibbs' adsorption equation and was used to obtain information regarding the interaction and selectivity of HDEHP for metal ions. The metal ions investigated can be arranged in decreasing order of selectivity for extraction by HDEHP as Co2+ > Mg2+ > Ni2+, Ca2+ > Sr2+ > Ba2+, Cu2+ > Na+. The formation of aggregates, presumably reversed micelles, above a critical HDEHP concentration ([HDEHP]crit) is suggested by γ-log[HDEHP] curves under certain conditions. For the Ca2+-containing system, [HDEHP]crit and [Ca2+] were found to be related by the equation log[HDEHP]crit = a − 0.25 log[Ca2+] which is similar to that describing the change in CMC of aqueous solutions of some ionic and nonionic association colloids on addition of electrolyte. This correlation further supports the view that reversed micelles can form in solvent extraction systems which employ HDEHP as the extractant. The role of reversed micelles in enhancing the extraction of metal ions is also discussed.
Security implications of memory deduplication in a virtualized environment

Memory deduplication has been widely used in various commodity hypervisors. By merging identical memory contents, it allows more virtual machines to run concurrently on top of a hypervisor. However, while this technique improves memory efficiency, it has a large impact on system security. In particular, memory deduplication is usually implemented using a variant of copy-on-write techniques, for which, writing to a shared page would incur a longer access time than those non-shared. In this paper, we investigate the security implication of memory deduplication from the perspectives of both attackers and defenders. On one hand, using the artifact above, we demonstrate two new attacks to create a covert channel and detect virtualization, respectively. On the other hand, we also show that memory deduplication can be leveraged to safeguard Linux kernel integrity.
Evaluation of an experimental low-attenuation gastrointestinal contrast agent for CT imaging of intestinal ischemia in an animal model

Rationale and Objectives. The authors evaluated the use of MRX-320, a low-attenuation, expansile oral contrast agent, for the demonstration of intestinal ischemia in an animal model. Materials and Methods. Nine dogs were given either MRX-320, water, or diatrizoate as an oral contrast agent through a jejunostomy tube. Two dogs received no oral contrast agent. Helical computed tomography (CT) was performed before the intravenous injection of 2.5 mL/kg iohexol at 4 mL/sec, during the arterial phase, and during the portal venous phase. Mesenteric ischemia was surgically induced, and the imaging protocol was repeated. Three readers rated the randomly assigned images for quality and demonstration of ischemia. Attenuation values for the intestinal lumen and wall were recorded. Results. Examinations performed with MRX-320 provided the best discrimination between ischemic and nonischemic conditions ( P P P Conclusion. The use of MRX-320 as an oral contrast agent with an intravenous bolus of iohexol at CT increased reader confidence for the diagnosis of intestinal ischemia and improved subjective measures of image quality.
θ schemes for finite element discretization of the space-time fractional diffusion equations

The numerical solution of a space-time fractional diffusion equation used to model the anomalous diffusion is considered. Spatial discretization is effected using a finite element method whereas the ? -scheme is used for temporal discretization. The fully discrete scheme is analyzed for all 0 ? ? ? 1 to determine conditional and unconditional stability regimes for the scheme and also to obtain error estimates for the approximate solution. The analysis is facilitated by making use of a variational formulation of the equations that is based on a recently developed nonlocal calculus. One-dimensional numerical examples are provided that illustrate the theoretical stability and convergence results.
Growth factor expression with different wound treatments after laser resurfacing

Background: Many studies have demonstrated that the specific method of wound dressing used may affect the healing process. However, the effect of the method of wound dressings on the expression of growth factors is not well documented. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different methods of treatment on the healing process and the expression of growth factors (epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-β2 [TGF-β2], platelet-derived growth factor-A, and platelet-derived growth factor-B) by histologic study, immunohistochemistry, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Methods: In this study, we produced wounds with a CO2 laser on the backs of rats and used 4 different methods of wound treatment: occlusive dressing material, petrolatum ointment, β-sitosterol ointment, and exposure to air (untreated) as a control. Five-millimeter biopsy specimens were obtained 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after surgery for histologic evaluation and expression of growth factors from four different dressing sites. Results: By microscopic examination, there was an acceleration of wound healing in the occlusive dressing wounds, as well as a lesser improvement in healing times with the petrolatum and β-sitosterol-treated wounds, compared with the air-exposed control subjects. With immunohistochemistry, we observed that the tissue expression of TGF-β2 remained at a clearly lower level during the entire duration of wound healing in the occlusive dressing wound compared with the other treatment wounds. With reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, however, our data did not reveal statistically significant differences among the messenger RNA levels. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a decrease in the expression level of TGF-β2 under occlusive dressings could provide an environment in which the growth of human epidermal keratinocytes and re-epithelialization is promoted.
Bonding information from fluorine NMR for alkoxy tungsten pentafluorides

Abstract The 19F chemical shifts have been measured for the fluorines bound to tungsten in the compounds ROWF5 where R is CH3, ClCH2CH2, Cl2CHCH2, Br3CCH2, Cl3CCH2, F3CCH2, F2CH(CF2)3CH2, F3CCF2CH2, and (CF3)2CH. For the series as written, both the axial and equatorial fluorines resonate at progressively lower field, and the change in resonant position from one compound to another is twice as great for the axial as for the equatorial fluorines. These results are interpreted in terms of σ- and π-bonding contributions.
Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Breastfeeding: National, Regional, and State Level Analyses

This research builds on literature that suggests a negative association between participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and breastfeeding. Variation in results at the national, regional, and state level has important policy implications for breastfeeding promotion through WIC. Using the 2007 National Immunization Survey dataset, Chi-square, ANOVA, and adjusted regression modeling techniques assess the relationship between WIC participation and breastfeeding initiation and duration. Adjusted regression models suggest a negative association between WIC participation and breastfeeding initiation rates (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.72). Of those who initiated breastfeeding, WIC participation was associated with a mean breastfeeding duration decrease of 0.63 months (95% CI: −0.86, −0.39). At the regional level, 3 of 7 regions showed a negative association between WIC participation and breastfeeding initiation. All of the regions indicated a negative association between WIC participation and breastfeeding duration. Out of 50 states, 13 had a statistically significant reduction in odds of initiation of breastfeeding and 10 had reduced duration of breastfeeding among participants of WIC when compared to non-participants. No state showed a positive association between WIC participation and breastfeeding. Regional and state differences in breastfeeding rates suggest that further research is needed to understand the role of national, regional, and state level policies which may undermine WIC’s breastfeeding promotion efforts. Although WIC revised the food packages to create a stronger incentive for breastfeeding, a disincentive for breastfeeding may exist given the higher market value of the formula packages.
Mechanism of ribosomal subunit association: discrimination of specific sites in 16 S RNA essential for association activity.

Modification of 30 S ribosomal subunits with kethoxal causes loss of their ability to associate with 50 S subunits under tight couple conditions. To identify those 16 S RNA sequences important for the association. 32P-labeled 30 S subunits were partially inactivated by reaction with kethoxal. The remaining association-competent 30 S subunits were selected from the modified population by their ability to form 70 S ribosomes. Comparison of kethoxal diagonal maps of the association-competent subunits with those of the total population of modified subunits reveals nine sites in 16 S RNA whose modification leads to loss of association activity. Eight of these sites were previously found to be protected from kethoxal attack and one was shown to have enhanced reactivity in 70 S ribosomes (Chapman & Noller, 1977). As before, these sites are not distributed thoughout the molecule, but are found to be clustered in two regions, at the middle and at the 3′ terminus of the 16 S RNA chain. We interpret these findings in terms of a simple preliminary model for the functional organization of 16 S RNA, supported by the observations of other investigators, in which we divide the molecule into four domains. (1) Residues 1 to 600 are involved mainly in structural organization and assembly. (2) Residues 600 to 850 include sites which make contact with the 50 S subunit and are essential for subunit association. (3) Sites from the domain comprising residues 850 to 1350 line a pocket at the interface between the two ribosomal subunits. and contribute to the binding site(s) for transfer RNA. (4) Residues 1350 to 1541 also contain sequences which bind the 50 S subunit, but some sites in this domain alternatively participate in the initiation of protein synthesis.
Comparison of Amino Acid Racemization Geochronometry with Lithostratigraphy, Biostratigraphy, Uranium-Series Coral Dating, and Magnetostratigraphy in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the Southeastern United States

The results of an integrated study comprising litho- and biostratigraphic investigations, uranium-series coral dating, amino acid racemization in molluscs, and paleomagnetic measurements are compared to ascertain relative and absolute ages of Pleistocene deposits of the Atlantic Coastal Plain in North and South Carolina. Four depositional events are inferred for South Carolina and two for North Carolina by all methods. The data suggest that there are four Pleistocene units containing corals that have been dated at about 100,000 yr, 200,000 yr, 450,000 yr, and over 1,000,000 yr. Some conflicts exist between the different methods regarding the correlation of the younger of these depositional events between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Lack of good uranium-series dates for the younger material at Myrtle Beach makes the correlation with the deposits at Charleston more difficult.
Faculty Turnover: Discipline-Specific Attention is Warranted

This study investigated the importance of discipline variations in understanding faculty turnover behaviors. A representative sample of university faculty in Research and Doctoral universities was obtained from a national database. Faculty members, self-identified into a primary academic area, were grouped into eight discipline clusters according to an established framework. Multiple regression models were constructed to examine within each cluster the relative importance of a list of factors that have been identified to be related to faculty turnover. Cross-discipline comparisons of within-cluster variable prioritization revealed substantial discipline variations with regard to the major factors that are critical to faculty turnover. The findings produced evidence that discipline-specific information was indispensable to institutional administrators and policy makers for effective faculty retention.
Properties of a-Si1−xGex:H and a-Si1−xGex:H:F alloys

Abstract Selected optical and electrical properties of amorphous silicon-germanium alloys prepared by glow-discharge of fluorides rather than hydrides are reported. The only significant difference is an order-of-magnitude improvement in the photoconductivity.
Absorbed dose measurements at an 800 GeV proton accelerator; Comparison with Monte Carlo calculations

Shielding design at high energy proton accelerators is often done using Monte Carlo computer simulations. This report compares such predictions with measurements made at proton energies up to 800 GeV. Agreement of the measurements with the calculations is quite good (within 20%) at small radial distances from the beam axis (R < 0.5 m) while even for a thick soil shield (R ⋍ 5 m) the agreement is acceptable for radiation protection purposes (typically within a factor of two). The scaling with energy of these calculations is found to be in good agreement with a recently published analysis based on the Moyer shielding model. These results are an indication that present techniques of shielding calculations can be extended to those required for higher energy proton accelerators.