cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a Nanocomposite Hydrogel for Water Shut-Off in Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications: Design, Synthesis, and Characterization

This work involves the synthesis of a nanocomposite hydrogel from just polymer and clay without the use of conventional organic crosslinkers. Conventional hydrogel design usually involves a multicomponent reaction that incorporates monomer (or polymer), initiator, and an organic crosslinker. However, because of the many limitations, setbacks, and inconsistencies involved with organic crosslinkers, authors herein present a nanocomposite hydrogel that incorporates polymer and clay only. It was found that these hydrogels show surprising mechanical toughness, tensile moduli, and tensile strengths. Study of gel behavior reveal physical interaction between polymer and clay, due in part to adsorption of polymer chains onto clay surface and ionic interactions between anionic carboxylate groups of polymer chains and positive clay surface. X-ray diffraction patterns and Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed the formation of intercalated and exfoliated clay morphology. Increase in clay concentration and gel strength had a direct proportionality. The effect of clay concentration on hydrogel decomposition temperature was also reported by thermogravimetric analysis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Patients and jargon: are we speaking the same language?

Abstract Study Objective To assess the ability of surgical patients to understand words commonly used during the anesthetic preoperative visit. Design Questionnaire study. Setting Preanesthetic holding area of a university hospital. Patients 96 perioperative ASA physical status I, II, III, and IV outpatients and patients to be admitted. Interventions Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire that asked each to define 10 terms commonly used during the preoperative interview. Patients also answered three demographic questions as part of the survey. Measurements Understanding of 10 commonly used terms, first language, age, and highest education level were all recorded. Main Results Of the 10 terms, 4 had a greater than 80% correct response rate: EKG , IV , general anesthesia , and local or regional anesthesia , with correct response rates of 92.7%, 91.7%, 81.3%, and 81.3%, respectively. The terms with the poorest understanding were NPO (31.3%), MI (32.3%), and pulse ox (39.6%). The rest of the terms, with their correct response rates, were as follows: GERD (67.7%), hypertension (70.8%), and intubate (60.4%). Whereas higher education was associated with correct answer score, age was not. Conclusions Most patients understand the words EKG and IV . Further clarification might be needed when discussing general and regional anesthesia , and other words should be avoided or else explained.
A critical evaluation of thiocyanate as a biochemical index of smoking exposure

The present paper reviews the literature on thiocyanate as a biochemical index of smoking exposure. A description of thiocyanate is provided, including its characteristic effects on health, relationship to cigarette smoking, and uses in smoking research. The paper critically evaluates the various methods of measuring thiocyanate. The evaluation of different sampling methods concludes that saliva thiocyanate is the most promising method of measuring smoking exposure. Saliva thiocyanate sampling, factors which may increase measurement error, and directions for further research are discussed.
High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of glucosides (glucose conjugates) with post-column reaction detection combining immobilized enzyme reactors and luminol chemiluminescence

Abstract This detection method makes use of sequential immobilized enzyme reactors (IMER) to first hydrolyze β-D-glucosides to β-D-glucose (using β-glucosidase) and then to produce hydrogen peroxide from the β-D-glucose (using glucose oxidase); the hydrogen peroxide is then detected with luminol chemiluminescence. This method has been used for the determination of individual β-D-glucosides (phenyl, p -nitrophenyl, and salicin) via flow-injection analysis and has been extended to the determination of a mixture of glucosides following their separation via reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The use of up to 30% acetonitrile in the buffered mobile phase had very little effect on the efficiency of the β-glucosidase and glucose oxidase enzyme reactors; overall the use of acetonitrile did not affect the linear working range or detection limits for the glucosides. Chromatographic detection limits are approximately 0.1 μ M (2 pmol) with a linear working range of more than three decades.
Can competition be detected using species co-occurrence data?

I determined the equilibrium structure of a model of competition with an arbitrary number of species. The species were assumed to live on a large number of identical islands (patches), and all species were assumed to have similar characteristics. In model system, competition was included by letting the per species extinction rate on patches increase with the number of species. I showed that with reasonable sample sizes and strong competition, it is not possible to show statistically that the resulting species distributions differ from random assortment. In more realistic situations where species and islands differ, competition would be even more different to detect, so using species co—occurrence data to look for competition is likely not to detect even strong competition. See full-text article at JSTOR
INCREASING THE DYNAMIC APERTURE OF ACCELERATOR LATTICES

A method for reducing chaotic dynamics in four-dimensional symplectic maps is presented. The method is to reduce certain chaos measures related to the invariants of the tangent map of fixed points. This method is applied to circular accelerators, where chaotic dynamics determines the dynamic aperture, the region of long-time stable orbits. A factor of 3{endash}4 increase in the phase-space volume of confined trajectories is obtained. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society }
Linear rank tests under general alternatives, with application to summary statistics computed from repeated measures data

Abstract Linear rank tests are used extensively for comparing two or more groups of continuous outcomes. Tests in this class retain proper test size with minimal assumptions and can have high efficiency towards an alternative of interest. In recent years, these tests have been increasingly used in settings where an individual's observation is itself a scalar summary of several outcome measures. Here, simple distributional structures on the outcome variables can lead to complex differences between the distributions of summary statistics of the comparison groups. The local asymptotic power of linear rank tests when the groups are assumed to differ by a location or scale alternative has been studied in detail. However, not much is known about their behavior for other types of alternatives. To address this, we derive the asymptotic distribution of linear rank tests under a general contiguous alternative and then investigate the implications for location–scale families and more general settings, including an example drawn from an AIDS clinical trial where the continuous outcome is a summary statistic computed from repeated measures of a biological marker.
Electronic Properties of Hydrogen Storage Materials with Photon-in/Photon-out Soft-X-Ray Spectroscopy

The applications of resonant soft X-ray emission spectroscopy on a variety of carbon systems have yielded characteristic fingerprints. With high-resolution monochromatized synchrotron radiation excitation, resonant inelastic X-ray scattering has emerged as a new source of information about electronic structure and excitation dynamics. Photon-in/photon-out soft-X-ray spectroscopy is used to study the electronic properties of fundamental materials, nanostructure, and complex hydrides and will offer potential in-depth understanding of chemisorption and/or physisorption mechanisms of hydrogen adsorption/desorption capacity and kinetics.
Lifetime Measurement of the 3P1 State of Helium-Like Sulphur

We have developed an apparatus for direct beam foil measurements of mean lives of x-ray emitters with lifetimes in the picosecond range. The apparatus uses a uniformly linear track which moves the exciting foil in very small steps and a Doppler-tuned spectrometer for observing radiation from the foil and the downstream beam. Sulphur beams at 50, 60 and 66 MeV were excited in passage through a nickel foil to obtain x-ray spectra from helium like sulphur. The measured lifetime for the 3P1 state in helium like sulphur is (1.57 ± 0.18) psec, in agreement with theoretical expectation.
The effect of combinations of growth factors on ligament healing.

Platelet-derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor Type 1 have demonstrated chemotactic and mitogenic properties in vitro that could benefit healing ligaments. These growth factors also have demonstrated in vivo effects when used in skin wound-healing models. In a previous study, bFGF and IGF-1, used alone, failed to improve healing. The authors wished to test the hypothesis that platelet-derived growth factor alone or combinations of platelet-derived growth factor plus insulin-like growth factor Type 1, platelet-derived growth factor plus basic fibroblast growth factor, or basic fibroblast growth factor plus insulin-like growth factor Type 1 would increase the healing efficiency of ligaments because of their effects on different parts of the cell replication cycle and their abilities to induce chemotaxis. Ligaments receiving platelet-derived growth factor alone were 73% +/- 55% stronger than their contralateral internal controls (p controls (p < 0.1). Ligaments treated with a combination of platelet-derived growth factor plus insulin-like growth factor Type 1 and platelet-derived growth factor plus basic fibroblast growth factor also had increases in rupture force, stiffness, and breaking energy over internal controls. Ligaments treated with a combination of basic fibroblast growth factor plus insulin-like growth factor Type 1 also appeared to have some improved healing; the results, however, did not prove to be statistically significant. Synergistic effects of growth factor combinations were not evident.
Target compound analysis by two-dimensional gas chromatography—mass spectrometry

Abstract The use of two-dimensional gas chromatography 1 for the analysis of specific target compounds in complex matrices in combination with mass spectrometry has been investigated. The combination of a high capacity, high polarity packed first gas chromatography column followed with a low capacity, low polarity, high resolution second column has been found useful. A component of interest is switched from the first column into a cold trap and then flash-evaporated into the second column. This combination allows part per billion analyses in complex mixtures such as soil extracts, crude oils, and biological extracts without any prior sample cleanup whatever. Two important advantages arise naturally therefore from this approach: a significant reduction in analysis time and a major improvement in the specificity of the analysis. The method offers a relatively inexpensive yet powerful alternative to mass spectrometry—mass spectrometry.
Effects of Lipids and Processing Conditions on Degree of Starch Gelatinization of Extruded Dry Pet Food

Abstract Effect of fat type (poultry fat and beef tallow), fat content (0–75 g/kg) and processing conditions (initial water content 160–200 g/kg; screw speed 200–400 rpm) on the degree of starch gelatinization of extruded, dry pet food was investigated. Fat content had the most prominent influence on starch gelatinization of the samples. Increasing the fat content significantly decreased the degree of starch gelatinization of the extrudates. Addition of beef tallow resulted in a lower degree of starch gelatinization as compared to poultry fat. Increasing the initial moisture decreased the degree of starch gelatinization of the extrudates. However, the effect was not very significant within the range studied. Interactive effects of screw speed and fat content on starch gelatinization of dry pet foods were observed.
Regularized image reconstruction using neural networks

Iterative methods have long been studied in order to reconstruct images from limited noisy spectral data or low pass filtered noisy images; they rely on minimizing a well-defined energy function. Such methods can be implemented on Hopfield neural networks, as a direct result of comparing energy function parameters. Consequently, a fully parallel (neural) processor can be programmed to implement a reconstruction algorithm. We have studied the properties of these neural solutions and show that they provide a regularized and apodized result with some attractive and interesting properties.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evidence of scaling for acoustic waves in multiscale media and its possible implications

Reflection imaging and inversion methods derive their existence from the presence of singularities in the earth’s material properties that carry the waves. Coherent reflections emerge at these singularities and the aim of this paper is (i) to characterize these singularities locally by Holder scaling exponents and globally by multifractal singularity spectra; (ii) to understand how the singularity structure is mapped from space, the medium, to space-time, the wavefield. The types of media under consideration within (exploration) seismology require such a generalized representation – one beyond those defined by piece-wise smooth functions – because of the complexity inherent in the spatial variability of the medium properties. The proposed generalization permits (i) a broader class of singularities; (ii) an accumulation of the singularities. Subsequently this paper addresses the implications of the generalization by (i) empirically establishing a link between the medium’s and reflection wavefield’s global singularity structure; (ii) finding a theoretical explanation for this link. The latter appears to be difficult within the current wave theory which lacks reference to scale. Therefore a critical re-evaluation is made of the assumptions underlying the current wave theory. It is conjectured that the theory may be generalized in order to contain reference to scale and scale dynamics.
Computational investigation of a pneumatic forebody flow control concept

The effectiveness of a tangential slot blowing concept for generating lateral control forces on an aircraft forebody is analyzed using computational fluid dynamics. The flow about a fighter forebody is computed using a multiple-zone, thin-layer Navier-Stokes code. Tangential slot blowing is modeled by the use of an actuator plane. The effects of slot location and slot length on the efficiency of the system are analyzed. Results of the study indicate that placement of the slot near the nose of the aircraft greatly enhances the efficiency of the system, while the length and circumferential location of the slot are of secondary importance. Efficiency is defined by the amount of side force or yawing moment obtained per unit blowing coefficient. The effect of sideslip on the system is also analyzed. The system is able to generate incremental changes in forces and moments in flows with sideslip angles up to 10 deg comparable to those obtained at zero sideslip. These results are used to determine a baseline configuration for an experimental study of the tangential slot blowing concept.
Pop Plot and Arrhenius Parameters for Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate Single Crystals

Plane shock initiation sensitivity measurements for single crystal pentaerythritol tetranitrate were extended to 20 GPa. The data of run distance versus input stress do not fall on the usual straight line on the Pop plot. From these data Arrhenius parameters were calculated. Computed activation energy was 6.4 kcal/mole, and the frequency factor was 5×106/s. These are much lower than values obtained from isothermal heating experiments. These results can be used to support the idea that the uniaxial strain due to the shock leads to heterogeneous heating of the homogeneous material.
Competencies Needed for Teaching Individuals with Special Needs: The Perspective of Student Teachers

p ublic Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, includes a number of key provisions that have been important to special education. Namely, the mandates of free appropriate public education, nondiscriminatory evaluation, individualized education programs, due process, parent participation, and especially the least restrictive environment mandate have far-reaching implications for the training and updating of school professionals. One concern of many teachers, administrators, teacher trainers, and academicians has been that regular classroom teachers have not had the kind and level of preparation and experience necessary to effectively educate handicapped children in the mainstreaming setting (Crisci, 1981; Gear & Gable, 1979; Reynolds, 1979; Stephens, Blackhurst, & Magliocca, 1982). In order to provide educators with such needed training and preparation, state education agencies (as mandated under P.L. 94-142) have responded by initiating extensive in-service activities for general and special education teachers and for support personnel. Training and preparation programs were also initiated by institutions of higher education involved in the preservice preparation of educators, mainly through infusion of special education content into the general curriculum and/or through development of new courses. An important question in preparation and re-education activities involves determining competencies needed by special and general educators for providing an appropriate education for handicapped children. Several systematic attempts to identify such competency areas are reported in the literature (Alberto, Castricone, & Cohen, 1978; Crisci, 1981; Gable, Pecheone, & Gillung, 1981; Gear & Gable, 1979; Goodspeed & Celotta, 1982; Redden & Blackhurst, 1978; Reynolds, 1979; Stamm, 1980). Although these efforts were based on a variety of methods (e.g., literature reviews, reviews of IEP's, expert opinion, surveys of Deans' Grant Projects, surveys of classroom teachers), there is considerable overlap among the competencies. Most lists include the general competency areas of professional orientation, knowledge, curriculum, instructional strategies, learning resources, assessment, evaluation of student progress, classroom management, and communication. Other competencies often listed were learning styles, motivation, administration, referral, professional values, goal setting, and classroom climate and acceptance. This survey was designed to identify competencies that student teachers perceived as necessary in effectively teaching handicapped learners and in establishing databased training priorities to assist program planners in designing and/or revising instructional activities including these competencies.
The zebrafish lens proteome during development and aging

Purpose: Changes in lens protein expression during zebrafish development results in a smooth gradient of refractive index necessary for excellent optical function. Age-related changes in crystallin expression have been well documented in mammals but are poorly understood in the zebrafish. Methods: In the zebrafish lens, a systematic analysis of protein content with age was performed using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) combined with linear trap quadrupole Fourier transform tandem mass spectrometry (LTQ-FT LCMS/MS; rank-order shotgun) proteomics in lenses of larval, juvenile, and adult zebrafish. Results: α-Crystallins, previously shown to have low abundance in the zebrafish lens, were found to increase dramatically with maturation and aging. SEC determined that β-crystallin was predominant at 4.5 days. With age, the α- and γ-crystallins increased, and a high molecular weight fraction appeared between six weeks and six months to become the dominant component by 2.5 years. Similarly, shotgun proteomics determined that β-crystallins were the predominant proteins in the young lens. With age, the proportion of α- and γ-crystallins increased dramatically. After crystallins, calpain 3, membrane, and cytoskeletal proteins were most abundant. Five new β-crystallins and 13 new γ-crystallins were identified. Conclusions: As expected, SEC and proteomics demonstrated changing levels of protein expression with age, especially among the crystallins. The results also confirmed the existence of novel crystallins in the zebrafish genome. Lens crystallins are proteins expressed at high concentrations in lens cells to achieve the high index of refraction required for normal optical function. Crystallin proteins are organized in short-range, glass-like order in the
MEASURED PERFORMANCE OF A MICRO THERMOELECTRIC COOLER

The measured performance of a column-type micro thermoelectric cooler, fabricated using vapor deposited thermoelectric films and patterned using photolithography processes, is reported. The columns, made of p-type Sb2 Te3 and n-type Bi2 Te3 with an average thickness of 4.5 μm, are connected using Cr/Au/Ti/Pt layers at the hot junctions, and Cr/Au layers at the cold junctions. The measured Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of the thermoelectric films, which were deposited with a substrate temperature of 130°C, are −74 μV/K and 3.6×10−5 Ω-m (n-type), and 97 μV/K and 3.1×10−5 Ω-m (p-type). The cooling performance of devices with 60 thermoelectric pairs and a column width of 40 μm is evaluated under a minimal cooling load (thermobuoyant surface convection and surface radiation). The temperatures of the cold and hot surfaces are obtained with an infrared camera. The average cooling achieved is about 1 K. The measured overall electrical resistance ranges from 51 to 58 Ω. Current challenges include the reduction of the column width, implementation of higher substrate temperatures for optimum thermoelectric properties, and improvements of the top connector fabrication.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
‘The Touchstone of a Nation's Greatness is the Status of its Women’—Responses to Colonial Discourses on Indian Womanhood:

Civilizing discourses about the degradation of womanhood in Indian society have featured as a central reference point not only among colonial rulers and missionaries, they also inserted themselves into the consciousness of indigenous elites and emerging middle classes and remain of relevance even today. This article explores the interventions of women's periodicals in Hindi into colonial civilizing discourses of the late 1910s–1920s. Many contributors suggested that more attention should be turned towards a presumed ideal Hindu past and women's revered status therein rather than using ‘the West’ as a model for civilization, especially with regard to female emancipation. Seeking ‘measurement scales’ from within Indian society became instrumental to reformist and nationalist agendas that ultimately wanted to prove cultural superiority over the West. The article demonstrates how civilizing discourses were not only appropriated in women's periodicals, but were also transformed to serve another civilizatory pu...
Knowledge Management: The “Fifth Face” of Institutional Research

Building on the main themes presented in the volume, this chapter explores their implications for institutional research. Their underlying premise is that institutional research could and should play a critical role in advancing the knowledge management paradigm: transforming data into information into knowledge and ultimately gaining organizational “wisdom” and building competitive advantage. This concluding chapter looks at the advantages and challenges of knowledge management from an institutional research perspective.
Analysis of mRNA levels for the MHC class I-like molecules CD1 and FcRn in preimplantation mouse embryos.

PROBLEM: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens expressed on preimplantation embryos are important for the control of development, reproduction, and allo-recognition of the embryo by the mother. Four types of MHC class I and MHC class I-like antigens have recently been defined: class Ia, class Ib, class Ic, and class Id, based on their similar three-dimensional protein structures. Class Ia and class Ib antigens are encoded in the MHC, whereas class Ic and class Id antigens are encoded by genes on other chromosomes. Both class Ia and class Ib MHC antigens are expressed on preimplantation mouse embryos. The function of the class Ia antigens on embryos is unknown, but the function of one class Ib antigen, Qa-2, the product of the Ped gene, has been found to control the rate of early cleavage division and subsequent embryo survival. The expression of class Ic and class Id antigens on preimplantation embryos has not yet been evaluated. In the present study, we report the analysis of mRNA expression of two class Id genes, CD1 and FcRn, in preimplantation mouse embryos. METHOD OF STUDY: A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed to analyze mRNA levels for CD1 and FcRn in 1-cell, 2-cell, 8-cell, and blastocyst stage embryos from C57BL/6 mice. RESULTS: No expression of CD1 mRNA was found in any of the preimplantation embryos tested. As a by-product of this study, we found a mistake in the published sequence of the mouse CD1 gene: nucleotide 746 in the cDNA is a G not a C. This base change is in a site recognized by the restriction enzyme PstI, thereby eliminating a PstI cleavage site. Expression of mRNA for FcRn was found in all preimplantation stages tested. Higher levels of mRNA for FcRn were detectable in 2-cell and 8-cell embryos compared to 1-cell and blastocyst stage embryos. CONCLUSION: This study shows that mRNA for FcRn but not for CD1 is found in preimplantation mouse embryos.
Prologue: low-molecular-weight GTPases in the heart and circulation

This current Special Topic section of the AJP: Heart & Circulatory Physiology focuses on five studies that examine mechanisms involving small GTPase-binding proteins ([3][1], [9][2], [11][3], [16][4], [20][5]). Although formerly primarily in the domain of cancer research, it has become increasingly
Diversity and Citizen Participation The Effect of Race on Juror Decision Making

Juries rarely receive attention in public administration despite the explicitly “public” nature of their function and the determinative nature of their decision making. Applying the theoretical construct of public participation to jury decision making, we find that Black defendants are less likely to be convicted by juries composed of a higher percentage of Black jurors and are more likely to be convicted by juries composed of a higher percentage of White and Hispanic jurors. Thus, analysis of public participation must account for the relative inclusivity and diversity of participants as this will likely affect the output of the process. In short, diversity matters in public participation.
Piezoresistive sensor technology for RFMEMS using p-type polycrystalline diamond

Design, simulation, fabrication and testing of p-type polycrystalline diamond (poly-C) piezoresistive RFMEMS is reported for the first time. The use piezoresistive detection in RFMEMS can lead to an output impedance in the ranges of 20 - 500 Ω and several MΩ for intra- and inter-grain piezoresistors, respectively. The inter-grain gauge factor of the poly-C film with a resistivity of 22 Ω · cm was estimated to be over 20. An Ohmic contact with a contact resistance of 5.21 MΩ was achieved by using a highly-doped poly-C interlayer between metal and lightly-doped piezoresistor.
Sensitivity of cirrus and mixed-phase clouds to the ice nuclei spectra in McRAS-AC: single column model simulations

The salient features of mixed-phase and ice clouds in a GCM cloud scheme are examined using the ice formation parameterizations of Liu and Penner (LP) and Barahona and Nenes (BN). The performance of LP and BN ice nucleation parameterizations were assessed in the GEOS-5 AGCM using the McRAS-AC cloud microphysics framework in single column mode. Four dimensional assimilated data from the intensive observation period of ARM TWP-ICE campaign was used to drive the fluxes and lateral forcing. Simulation experiments where established to test the impact of each parameterization in the resulting cloud fields. Three commonly used IN spectra were utilized in the BN parameterization to described the availability of IN for heterogeneous ice nucleation. The results show large similarities in the cirrus cloud regime between all the schemes tested, in which ice crystal concentrations were within a factor of 10 regardless of the parameterization used. In mixed-phase clouds there are some persistent differences in cloud particle number concentration and size, as well as in cloud fraction, ice water mixing ratio, and ice water path. Contact freezing in the simulated mixed-phase clouds contributed to transfer liquid to ice efficiently, so that on average, the clouds were fully glaciated at T approximately 260K, irrespective of the ice nucleation parameterization used. Comparison of simulated ice water path to available satellite derived observations were also performed, finding that all the schemes tested with the BN parameterization predicted 20 average values of IWP within plus or minus 15% of the observations.
Climate, Niche Evolution, and Diversification of the “Bird‐Cage” Evening Primroses (Oenothera, Sections Anogra and Kleinia)

Abstract: We integrate climatic niche models and dated phylogenies to characterize the evolution of climatic niches in Oenothera sections Anogra and Kleinia (Onagraceae), and from that we make inferences on diversification in relation to climate. The evolution of climatic tolerances in Anogra + Kleinia has been heterogeneous, across phylogenetic groups and across different dimensions of climate. All the extant taxa occur in semiarid to arid conditions (annual precipitation of 10.1–49.1 cm and high temperatures in the warmest month of 28.5°–40.1°C), but there is striking variation among taxa in their climatic tolerances, especially temperature (minimum temperatures in the coldest month of −14.0° to 5.3°C) and summer versus winter precipitation (precipitation in the warmest quarter of 0.6–19.4 cm). Climatic disparity is especially pronounced in two subclades (californica, deltoides) that radiated in the southwestern United States and California, apparently including both divergent and convergent evolution o...
Molecular Characterization of Aegyptianella pullorum (Rickettsiales, Anaplasmataceae)

We sequenced the 16S rRNA and groEL genes of Aegyptianella pullorum, a small bacterium that infects and replicates only in avian red blood cells. A specific PCR test was developed to analyze A. pullorum DNA. Phylogenic analysis revealed A. pullorum is most closely related to Anaplasma spp.
Augustus De Morgan's anonymous reviews for The Athenæum: A mirror of a Victorian mathematician

The weekly London-based literary magazine, The Athenaeum, supplied Victorian Britain with news of the latest developments in the arts, science, and politics. Book reviews represented a regular department of the periodical. While these reviews were usually anonymous, The Athenaeum's editors identified the reviewers in their private marked copies of the journal, now held by City University, London. These marked copies reveal that Augustus De Morgan produced around 1000 reviews for the journal from 1840 to 1869. As a reviewer, De Morgan covered books on a wide variety of topics both within and outside mathematics. A consideration of a selection of the mathematical works De Morgan chose to review gives an insight into how he believed issues surrounding mathematics and its study should be presented to the wide and non-specialist audience of The Athenaeum, and thus to the lay reader of mid-Victorian Britain.
Origin of uranium isotope variations in early solar nebula condensates.

High-temperature condensates found in meteorites display uranium isotopic variations (235U/238U), which complicate dating the solar system’s formation and whose origin remains mysterious. It is possible that these variations are due to the decay of the short-lived radionuclide 247Cm (t1/2 = 15.6 My) into 235U, but they could also be due to uranium kinetic isotopic fractionation during condensation. We report uranium isotope measurements of meteoritic refractory inclusions that reveal excesses of 235U reaching ~+6% relative to average solar system composition, which can only be due to the decay of 247Cm. This allows us to constrain the 247Cm/235U ratio at solar system formation to (1.1 ± 0.3) × 10−4. This value provides new clues on the universality of the nucleosynthetic r-process of rapid neutron capture.
AB0894 A Common VEGF -634G/C Polymorphism is Associated with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Nephritis

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evalulate the role of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) –634 G/C at the 59-untranslated region (UTR) of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the susceptibility to children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura nephritis (HSPN) in the south of China. Methods A case-control study was conducted in 100 children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP) of Chinese Han population in the south of China. Patients were diagnosed according to proposed criteria. Patients (n=100) and ethnically matched controls (n=50) were genotyped for the VEGF -634G/C polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP technology. VEGF plasma levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. 100 patients included 50 patients with HSPN and 50 patients without HSPN. All patients were required to have had at least 6 month9 follow-up. Results No significant difference in the allele or genotype frequencies for the VEGF -634G/C polymorphism was observed between HSP patients without HSPN and controls. The VEGF -634 CC genotype and -634 C allele were increased in patients with HSPN compared with HSP patients without HSPN and healthy controls. The -634C allele was associated with susceptibility to HSPN. The -634G allele was a protective factor of HSPN. Furthermore, VEGF plasma levels were significantly higher in subjects with the CC genotype of the -634 G/C polymorphism than in those with the other genotypes. Conclusions These data suggest that the VEGF-634C allele in the 59UTR of the VEGF gene is a genetic risk factor in the development of nephritis in patients with HSP in the south of China. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.5553
On children as syncretic natives: Disrupting and moving beyond normative binaries:

Historically, US schools have failed multicultural and multilingual children of colour and marginalized expansive conceptualizations of home and community literacy practices. Given the importance of fully inclusive education, this article seeks to understand the ways in which young multilingual and multicultural children take up issues of educational success and inclusion through translinguistic oral narratives. Through the analysis of a representative narrative authored by an Afro-Latino boy within the context of an afterschool programme, I introduce the notion of children as syncretic natives, intentionally and skilfully navigating within and across normative binaries set up by teachers who often occupy the role of syncretic immigrants. Because of a lack of support through professional development, teacher education and/or the ideologies promoted in school systems, many teachers tend to stick to a menu of known pedagogical practices and tools, taking on the role of syncretic immigrants as they implement...
Variation in Pathogenicity and Virulence in Single-Spore Isolates of Armillaria Mellea

Eleven single-spore isolates from a single basidiocarp of Armillaria mellea were compared with each other and with the parent isolate in regard to pathogenicity and virulence on peach, Monterey pine and dwarf dahlia. Large variations in pathogenicity and virulence were found in the single-spore isolates. None of the single-spore isolates was as virulent and only one was as pathogenic as the parent in this experiment.
When Does Price Impound Information Unrelated to Earnings

Traditional measures of information content, using absolute returns and volume, document a surge in information content lasting several days after earnings announcements (EAs) and below average information content before EAs. These patterns contrast with theoretical predictions that price will immediately impound all publicly available information (Fama 1970) and that disclosure substitutes for private information production (Diamond 1985). We develop a measure of the information content of returns based on the earnings-return relation (ENR), and show that consistent with theoretical predictions ENR is elevated before, during and two days after EAs, but below average for an extended period beginning three days after EAs. ENR is significantly lower than a measure of information content based on absolute returns (ABR) between three and nine days after the EA suggesting a period of excess volatility after EAs. We validate the notion that ENR has incremental information about fundamental performance to ABR by demonstrating that during periods with high (low) ENR relative to ABR, there is increased (decreased) momentum, consistent with behavioral theories that momentum in returns arises because of under-reaction to information. We show ABR unrelated to ENR has a positive association with information acquisition and volume, consistent with a preference for transacting after EAs driving the volatility unrelated to earnings news in the post-announcement period.
Construction and induction of GST-hCAP fusion protein expression in prokaryotic cells

Objective: To construct GST-tagged human c-Cbl-associated protein(GST-hCAP) fusion protein expression vector and induce its expression in Escherichia coli(E.coli).Methods: Total mRNA was extracted from COS-1 cells and cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription.The hCAP coding sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and subcloned into pGEX-5X-1 vector.The insert was identified by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing.pGEX-5X-1-hCAP and pGEX-5X-1 were transformed into E.coli BL21,induced by IPTG and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot.Results: The prokaryotic expression plasmid pGEX-5X-1-hCAP was successfully constructed and confirmed by enzyme digestion and sequencing.The GST-hCAP fusion proteins were identified by Western blot.Conclusion: The prokaryotic expression plasmid of hCAP is successfully constructed and the expression of fusion proteins in E.coli is confirmed.This study provides the basis for the further research on purifying CAP protein and the biological function of CAP.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Athletes: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Context: Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after injury is important. Differences in HRQOL between nonathletes and athletes and between injured and uninjured athletes have been d...
Functional Triboluminescent Nanophase for Use in Advanced Structural Materials: A Smart Premise with Molecular and Electronic Definition

Triboluminescence (TL) phenomenon is synonymous with fractoluminescence (the emission of light from a crystal when external energy is absorbed by a small amount of trapped gas bubbles), which is most likely caused by the separation and recombination of electronic charges. The behavior of photoemission was explained in terms of the tribomicro-plasma phenomenon due to electronic discharge of the surrounding molecular nitrogen gas. The interaction between the charge generation and the charge conversion is responsible for the formation of various TL patterns. In this chapter, some recent experimental outcomes with structural applications are briefly discussed along with the interpretation of this important scientific phenomenon.
Effects of different regional climate model resolution and forcing scales on projected hydrologic changes

Abstract We examine the effects of regional climate model (RCM) horizontal resolution and forcing scaling (i.e., spatial aggregation of meteorological datasets) on the portrayal of climate change impacts. Specifically, we assess how the above decisions affect: (i) historical simulation of signature measures of hydrologic behavior, and (ii) projected changes in terms of annual water balance and hydrologic signature measures. To this end, we conduct our study in three catchments located in the headwaters of the Colorado River basin. Meteorological forcings for current and a future climate projection are obtained at three spatial resolutions (4-, 12- and 36-km) from dynamical downscaling with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model, and hydrologic changes are computed using four different hydrologic model structures. These projected changes are compared to those obtained from running hydrologic simulations with current and future 4-km WRF climate outputs re-scaled to 12- and 36-km. The results show that the horizontal resolution of WRF simulations heavily affects basin-averaged precipitation amounts, propagating into large differences in simulated signature measures across model structures. The implications of re-scaled forcing datasets on historical performance were primarily observed on simulated runoff seasonality. We also found that the effects of WRF grid resolution on projected changes in mean annual runoff and evapotranspiration may be larger than the effects of hydrologic model choice, which surpasses the effects from re-scaled forcings. Scaling effects on projected variations in hydrologic signature measures were found to be generally smaller than those coming from WRF resolution; however, forcing aggregation in many cases reversed the direction of projected changes in hydrologic behavior.
Biosynthesis and Secretion of Immunoglobulins

During the immune reponse, antigen induces B lymphocytes to proliferate and differentiate into plasma cells, which then actively secrete specific antibodies (Davie and Paul, 1971). Since the chemical structure of the immunoglobulin (Ig) molecule has been extensively worked out (Porter, 1973), biosynthetic studies may now have great value for the further understanding of humoral immune responses in molecular terms (Williamson, 1973), and will also provide us with an excellent experimental model for molecular studies of the differentiation of lymphocytes as well as other eukaryotic cells (Watson, 1976).
One for All and All for One: Multi-University Collaboration to Meet Accreditation Requirements.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards requires educator preparation programs (EPPs) to ensure instruments used to assess their candidates are both valid and rel...
Abstract BS2-2: PTEN loss by exosomal microRNA primes brain metastasis outgrowth

Of 1.6 million newly diagnosed breast cancer patients per year, about 10-16% will develop brain metastases. Among the different subtypes of breast cancer, HER2-overexpressing (HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) have the highest incidence of brain metastasis. Recently, advances in targeted therapies for breast cancer (e.g., trastuzumab, T-DM1, and lapatinib) have prolonged patient survival through better control of the systemic disease. However, when patients have disease recurrence, their brain metastasis incidence doubles, which represents an imposing challenge. Current treatment options are limited and merely palliative for those patients with brain-metastatic breast cancer, and their one year survival is less than 20%. To develop effective treatments for brain metastasis, we strived to gain global understanding of the mechanisms of brain metastasis to guide rapid development of novel and clinically applicable targeted therapies. We recently found that the brain astrocytes secrete exosomes that contain PTEN-targeting miR-19a, among other biomolecules. After brain metastatic tumor cells uptake these astrocytes-derived exosomes, miR-19a reversibly downregulates PTEN expression in metastatic tumor cells, thereby increasing Akt and NF-kB signaling, leading to an increased secretion of CCL2 cytokine. CCL2 then recruits CCR2 positive and Iba1 positive myeloid cells that promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of brain metastatic tumor cells and facilitate metastatic tumor outgrowth to symptomatic brain metastasis. Importantly, inhibition of exosome secretion or stable ablation of CCL2 inhibits brain metastasis outgrowth in vivo, demonstrating the potential of exosome- and CCL2-targeting for therapeutic intervention of life-threatening brain metastases (Nature, 11/2015). Currently, we are exploring the clinical potential by systematic preclinical testing in animal models. Citation Format: Yu D. PTEN loss by exosomal microRNA primes brain metastasis outgrowth [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr BS2-2.
Pedagogy of Random Variable Transformations: A Matlab Workbook

A course in probability and random variables is a key component of the core curriculum of undergraduate electrical engineering programs. Students often find the course a little bit difficult. Educational software such as Matlab, Mathematica and Maple are increasingly being used to enhance the understanding of complex topics including probability and random variables. A number of demos in Matlab were created to illustrate the transformation of random variables, a topic, students usually find challenging. Suggestions of the students were sought on improving these problem specific demos. Taking these into account, a Matlab workbook has been created. With simple textural input, the Matlab workbook generates the density functions using two approaches along with the range of the output. In addition, it verifies the validity of the pdf and all these analytical steps are displayed as figures. Students were very enthused about the final version of the workbook. It is expected that the workbook will make the study of the transformation of random variables simple, straightforward and easy. The p-coded version of the Matlab workbook (examples, instruction on its use, etc.) will be accessible to the readers at the journal’s website following the publication of the manuscript.
Abstract TP116: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Healing Rates of Duplex Detected Carotid Plaque Ulcers

Introduction: Carotid plaque ulcers confer an increased risk for stroke and TIA in both symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. In historical studies, smoking has been associated with...
Software Defined Network Based Virtual Machine Placement in Cloud Systems

As cloud services become mature and provide capabilities for elastic computation and data management, hosting services become increasingly prevalent such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or RedHat OpenStack. Workloads are hosted in these platforms using hypervisors running on physical machines which host virtual machines (VMs) presented to the customer. Software-defined network (SDN) technologies move many of the network functions into the hosts. Accordingly SDN-based VM placements have received significant attention as a way to minimize network traffic between VMs and hosts. Careful placement of VMs can generate a significantly lower amount of network traffic to the hosting provider. Further, it may impact the level of security risk exposed by the VM placement as each VM may have a different level of security risk. In this work, we consider these two conflicting goals by presenting a Software-Defined Network based VM Placement, called SDNVMP, to minimize both network traffic between VMs (and hosts) and security risk by grouping VMs with similar security scrutiny needs. Our results show that the proposed placement algorithm outperforms the baseline counterparts in terms of network traffic overhead and security risk in each VM introduced by such algorithms.