cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image Restoration and Analysis of Influenza Virions Binding to Membrane Receptors Reveal Adhesion-Strengthening Kinetics

With the development of single-particle tracking (SPT) microscopy and host membrane mimics called supported lipid bilayers (SLBs), stochastic virus-membrane binding interactions can be studied in depth while maintaining control over host receptor type and concentration. However, several experimental design challenges and quantitative image analysis limitations prevent the widespread use of this approach. One main challenge of SPT studies is the low signal-to-noise ratio of SPT videos, which is sometimes inevitable due to small particle sizes, low quantum yield of fluorescent dyes, and photobleaching. These situations could render current particle tracking software to yield biased binding kinetic data caused by intermittent tracking error. Hence, we developed an effective image restoration algorithm for SPT applications called STAWASP that reveals particles with a signal-to-noise ratio of 2.2 while preserving particle features. We tested our improvements to the SPT binding assay experiment and imaging procedures by monitoring X31 influenza virus binding to α2,3 sialic acid glycolipids. Our interests lie in how slight changes to the peripheral oligosaccharide structures can affect the binding rate and residence times of viruses. We were able to detect viruses binding weakly to a glycolipid called GM3, which was undetected via assays such as surface plasmon resonance. The binding rate was around 28 folds higher when the virus bound to a different glycolipid called GD1a, which has a sialic acid group extending further away from the bilayer surface than GM3. The improved imaging allowed us to obtain binding residence time distributions that reflect an adhesion-strengthening mechanism via multivalent bonds. We empirically fitted these distributions using a time-dependent unbinding rate parameter, koff, which diverges from standard treatment of koff as a constant. We further explain how to convert these models to fit ensemble-averaged binding data obtained by assays such as surface plasmon resonance.
A Self-Administered Stress Management Intervention for Hispanic Patients Undergoing Cancer Chemotherapy.

This study evaluated whether a self-administered stress management training (SSMT) could improve quality of life (QOL) and reduce distress among Hispanics receiving chemotherapy across multiple community clinical settings. Participants were randomized to receive SSMT (n = 106) or usual care (UCO) (n = 113). The primary outcome—QOL (SF-36) and secondary outcomes depression (CES-D), and anxiety (STAI) were assessed longitudinally over four chemotherapy cycles. Acculturation (BAS) and patients’ intervention adherence were assessed. About 63% of participants reported distress after the initial chemotherapy cycle. Hispanics with lower acculturation reported greater STAI-Trait scores (p = .003). No significant treatment effects on outcomes measures were observed for participants receiving SSMT. SSMT intervention techniques were reported useful and improved mental health scores were observed with patients on a psychotropic agent (p = .04). Hispanics experience an elevated level of distress, yet SSMT did not significantly improve primary outcomes. SSMT may be potentially effective when combined with a psychotropic agent. SSMT enhancing strategies are discussed.
The Midcontinent Rift System: An Overview

Combined geophysical/geological studies in the North American craton testify to the widespread development of continental rifts in this region during Proterozoic time. The most prominent of these rifts in terms of extent and effect upon the crust is the Midcontinent Rift system (MCR) which extends in a series of generally linear segments in an arcuate pattern for a distance of over 2000 km from southern Kansas to the Lake Superior basin and then south across Michigan. The rift may also extend southerly from the western limb of the arc into Oklahoma and Texas and into Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee along the eastern limb, although these extensions have not yet been proven. Nearly flat-lying Phanerozoic sedimentary strata overlie the feature except in the Lake Superior basin region; therefore, its location and attributes are for the most part known from its profound geophysical signature and limited, poorly distributed deep drill holes. Except for the East African Rift System, this rift is unparalleled in its extent and impact upon the nature of the entire crust.
Exploiting DNA Immunization to Generate Polyclonal Antisera to Coronavirus Replicase Proteins

Over the last 10 years, a large number of studies have shown that immunization with plasmid DNA encoding an antigen can elicit specific immune responses in animals (reviewed in Donnelly et al 1997; Robinson and Torres 1997). The type of immune response generated depends on several factors, such as the route of inoculation, whether the DNA-encoded antigen remains intracellular or is secreted, and the stability and antigenicity of the protein products. DNA immunization is an attractive alternative to traditional purified protein immunizations because plasmid DNA is relatively easy and inexpensive to generate. However, additional studies are required to determine the optimal route of delivery of plasmid DNA and if additional factors may help “direct” the encoded antigen to elicit a specific type of immune response.
Eating disorder symptoms in affective disorder.

Abstract Patients with Major Affective Disorder (MAD), Secondary Depression, Panic Disorder, and bulimia with and without MAD, were given the Eating Disorder Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the General Behavior Inventory at presentation. It was found that patients with MAD have a triad of eating disorder symptoms: a disturbance in interoceptive awareness, the sense of ineffectiveness, and a tendency toward bulimia. The data supported the concept that the sense of ineffectiveness is secondary to major depression. A disturbance in interoceptive awareness exists independently in bulimia nervosa and in MAD providing a common diathesis from which bulimia may arise given family and social pressure. Bulimics with MAD do not respond to treatment as readily as those without MAD. It is recomended that these two groups be treated separately.
Do People Have a Thing for Bling? Examining Aesthetic Preferences for Shiny Objects:

Researchers in the evolutionary aesthetics tradition have suggested that people prefer shiny objects because glossiness connotes water. We consider some methodological issues in past research and p...
Nil-Hecke Algebras and Whittaker -Modules

Given a semisimple group G, Kostant and Kumar defined a nil-Hecke algebra that may be viewed as a degenerate version of the double affine nil-Hecke algebra introduced by Cherednik. In this paper, we construct an isomorphism of the spherical subalgebra of the nil-Hecke algebra with a Whittaker type quantum Hamiltonian reduction of the algebra of differential operators on G. This result has an interpretation in terms of geometric Satake and the Langlands dual group. Specifically, the isomorphism provides a bridge between very differently looking descriptions of equivariant Borel-Moore homology of the affine flag variety (due to Kostant and Kumar) and of the affine Grassmannian (due to Bezrukavnikov and Finkelberg), respectively.
The Vulnerability of the Relational Self: The Implications of Ideals of Gender and Romance for Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

The battered woman’s response to danger … cannot be understood in a vacuum … but was molded by the passivity in which women have been trained. A battered woman who does not leave her husband, seek ...
The Ethical Benefits and Challenges of Biofiction for Children

I don't think that biofiction for kids is very ethical. For most kids, it would be hard to tell if it is fiction or nonfiction. If they can't tell that it is fiction or nonfiction, they might have ...
Concurrent tracking of anatomy and metabolism.

The combination of ultrafast ultrasound and positron emission tomography–computed tomography enables the simultaneous 3D imaging of anatomy and metabolism at high resolution.
Rare Earth Elements in Mineral Deposits: Speciation in Hydrothermal Fluids and Partitioning in Calcite

Studying the speciation and mineral-fluid partitioning of the rare earth elements (REE) allows us to delineate the key processes responsible for the formation of economic REE mineral deposits in natural systems. Hydrothermal REE-bearing calcite is typically hosted in carbonatites and alkaline rocks, such as the giant Bayan Obo REE deposit in China and potential REE deposits such as Bear Lodge, WY. The compositions of these hydrothermal veins yield valuable information regarding pressure , temperature , salinity, and other physicochemical conditions under which the REE can be fractionated and concentrated in crustal fluids. This study presents numerical simulation results of the speciation of REE in aqueous NaCl-H2O-CO2-bearing hydrothermal fluids and a new partitioning model between calcite and fluids at different - - conditions. Results show that, in a high CO2 and low salinity system, bicarbonate/carbonate are the main transporting ligands for the REE, but predominance shifts to chloride complexes in systems with high CO2 and high salinity. Hydroxyl REE complexes may be important for the solubility and transport of the REE in alkaline fluids. These numerical predictions allow us to make quantitative interpretations of hydrothermal processes in REE mineral deposits, particularly in carbonatites, and show where future experimental work will be essential in improving our modeling capabilities for these ore-forming processes.
Semantic Text Parsing for Patient Records

Accessibility to a comprehensive variety of different types of structured patient data is critical to improvement in the health care process, yet most patient information is in the form of narrative text. Semantic methods are needed to interpret and map clinical information to a structured form so that the information will be accessible to other automated applications. This chapter focuses on semantic methods that map narrative patient information to a structured coded form.
Emotion in Speech

Human speech often conveys cues to the emotional state of vocalizers. Listeners, in turn, are able to use speech acoustics to make inferences about vocalizers’ emotional states. Exactly how these aspects of vocal communication work, however, is a matter of some debate. The most common approach has been to propose that emotion-related vocal signals reflect the occurrence of discrete emotional states in the vocalizer. A key alternative view is that emotions are better described using dimensions such as arousal (or activation) and valence (such as pleasantness), and that the acoustics of emotion is associated with these more general underlying dimensions than with distinct, individually organized states. The available data indicate that speech acoustics largely reflects vocalizer arousal. Consistent links to either discrete emotional states or emotional valence have been more difficult to demonstrate, suggesting a need for interpretations outside of these traditional perspectives. One potential resolution is to consider affect-related vocal signals to be unconscious tools of social influence that capitalize on auditory sensitivities and associative processes in listeners rather than highly informative manifestations of vocalizer states.
In vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity of chia protein hydrolysates and peptides

Abstract The industrial production of chia oil is carried out by cold extraction of the seed. This process generates residues, the by-product, currently used in the manufacture of defatted chia flour and animal feed, being a low cost product. The objective of this study was to hydrolyze proteins from the by-product of chia oil and to obtain peptides with antioxidant properties. Chia flour by-product (CF), a protein-rich fraction (PRF), and chia protein concentrates (CPC1 and CPC2) were hydrolyzed with Flavourzyme (F), Alcalase (A), and a sequential system (S). The hydrolysates were then ultrafiltered, obtaining the fractions F1 (>10 kDa), F2 (3–10 kDa), and F3 (
The early stage peptidoglycan biosynthesis Mur enzymes are antibacterial and antisporulation drug targets for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection

Sporulation during Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) contributes to recurrent disease. Cell division and sporulation both require peptidoglycan biosynthesis. We show C. difficile growth and sporulation is attenuated by antisenses to murA and murC or the MurA inhibitor fosfomycin. Thus, targeting the early steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis might reduce the onset of recurrent CDI.
Comparing effects of rest with or without a NK1RA on fibrosis and sensorimotor declines induced by a voluntary moderate demand task.

OBJECTIVES Fibrosis is one contributing factor in motor dysfunction and discomfort in patients with overuse musculoskeletal disorders. We pharmacologically targeted the primary receptor for Substance P, neurokinin-1, using a specific antagonist (NK1RA) in a rat model of overuse with the goal of improving tissue fibrosis and discomfort. METHODS Female rats performed a low repetition, high force (LRHF) grasping task for 12 weeks, or performed the task for 12 weeks before being placed on a four week rest break, with or without simultaneous NK1RA treatment. Results were compared to control rats (untreated, or treated 4 weeks with NK1RA or vehicle). RESULTS Rest improved LRHF-induced declines in grip strength, although rest plus NK1RA treatment (Rest/NK1RA) rescued it. Both treatments improved LRHF-induced increases in muscle TGFβ1 and collagen type 1 levels, forepaw mechanical hypersensitivity (Rest/NK1RA more effectively), macrophage influx into median nerves, and enhanced collagen deposition in forepaw dermis. Only Rest/NK1RA reduced muscle hypercellularity. However, LRHF+4wk Rest /NK1RA rats showed hyposensitivity to noxious hot temperatures. CONCLUSIONS While the NK1RA induced hot temperature hyposensitivity should be taken into consideration if this or related drug were used long-term, the NK1RA more effectively reduced muscle hypercellularity and improved grip strength and forepaw mechanical hypersensitivity.
Evaluation of Genotypic Antiviral Resistance Testing as an Alternative to Phenotypic Testing in a Patient with DOCK8 Deficiency and Severe HSV-1 Disease

Antiviral resistance frequently complicates the treatment of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in immunocompromised patients. Here we present the case of an adolescent boy with dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency, who experienced recurrent infections with resistant HSV-1. We used both phenotypic and genotypic methodologies to characterize the resistance profile of HSV-1 in the patient and conclude that genotypic testing outperformed phenotypic testing. We also present the first analysis of intrahost HSV-1 evolution in an immunocompromised patient. While HSV-1 can remain static in an immunocompetent individual for decades, the virus from this patient rapidly acquired genetic changes throughout its genome. Finally, we document a likely case of transmitted resistance in HSV-1 between the patient and his brother, who also has DOCK8 deficiency. This event demonstrates that resistant HSV-1 is transmissible among immunocompromised persons.
Prospective and Concurrent Affective Dynamics in Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: An Examination in Young Adult Women.

Abstract Affective dynamics, assessed using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), provide a nuanced understanding of within-person fluctuations of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) in daily life. NA and PA dynamics have been associated with psychopathology and response to psychological treatments. NA and PA dynamics have been rarely studied concurrently in association with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB), transdiagnostic difficulties encountered regularly in clinical and community settings. Here we present EMA data from a large, diverse sample of young adult women with high rates of SITB to examine NA and PA dynamics (mean intensity, variability, and inertia). Specifically, we considered the prospective associations between past-year suicidal thoughts and past-year non-suicidal self-injury and affective dynamics, as well as the concurrent associations between affective dynamics, EMA-reported suicidal thoughts, and EMA-reported urges for non-suicidal self-injury. Results demonstrate that elevated mean NA and NA variability are robustly associated with all types of SITB assessed prospectively or concurrently. Interestingly, these associations were weakest for past-year non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors, relative to past-year and concurrent suicidal or non-suicidal self-injurious thoughts. Past-year suicidal thoughts further predicted increased NA inertia. Decreased PA inertia was associated with past-year non-suicidal self-injury behavior, as well as concurrent EMA suicidal thoughts. We found no associations (prospective or concurrent) between SITB and mean PA intensity or PA variability. These results highlight the importance of understanding affective processes to develop real-world interventions to prevent non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior in daily life.
Chronic pain, disease and mortality: will we follow the path of Noah or Pharaoh?

The impact of chronic pain is immense and immeasurable. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is associated with higher rates of psychological comorbidity, low socioeconomic status, addiction and suicide. Even controlling for these variables, patients with chronic pain may
Ion acceleration in a wall-less Hall thruster

In wall-less Hall thrusters, the ionization of the propellant and the acceleration of the ions occur outside the thruster [S. Mazouffre, S. Tsikata, and J. Vaudolon, in 50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Cleveland, OH, 2014)]. This reduces interactions between the plasma and the thruster parts as compared to conventional annular and cylindrical Hall thrusters and promises a longer thruster lifetime. With a much simpler design, these non-conventional thrusters are also easier to miniaturize for operation at low power levels of a few hundred watts and lower. In this work, experiments demonstrate that a miniaturized (3 cm diameter) 200 W wall-less thruster is also able to achieve similar voltage utilization, propellant utilization, and current utilization efficiencies as conventional Hall thrusters. Yet, thruster performance of the wall-less thruster is generally lower due to a much larger plume divergence than that in conventional Hall thrusters. This plume divergence is a consequence of ion acceleration in the fringing magnetic field. Thrust and plasma measurements suggest that the thrust generated by the wall-less thruster is due to two components: ion acceleration by the JxB force in the region of the fringing magnetic field radially away from the thruster and by plasma expansion in the diverging magnetic field near the thruster axis.
Euro-Med: European Ambitions in the Mediterranean

The European Union is carving out a sphere of potentially vast influence in the Euro-Mediterranean basin, while also cultivating special relationships further south in the Arabian Peninsula. European ambitions do not directly challenge US security policy in the Middle East. Rather, they parallel US interests in the Caribbean Basin and Latin America: for a large regional free trade zone open to imports and foreign investment.
Zinc-Binding Proteins and Immunosenescence: Implications as Biological and Genetic Markers

The ageing process is defined as a decline in performance and fitness with advancing age. The progressive decrease in physiological capacity and the reduced ability to respond to environmental stress leads to increased vulnerability to disease. Consequently, the incidence of many diseases and the mortality rate increases with ageing. Conversely, human centenarians escape many age-related diseases with subsequent healthy ageing and longevity. In order to explain increased mortality with advancing age and at the same time the reasons of an exceptional longevity of centenarians, many theories have been proposed. Among them, “Antagonistic Pleiotropy” seems to fit best with one of the causes of immunosenescence, such as chronic inflammatory status, because some genes related to the inflammatory response, from useful mediators devoted to the neutralization of dangerous/harmful agents early in life and in adulthood, become detrimental in aging where the antigenic load is chronic, resulting in a dangerous self-destructive response. As an example in this context, we discuss here two zinc-binding stress-related proteins, Metallothioneins (MT) and alpha-2 macroglobulin (α2-M). We propose that these alter function from a role in protection against oxidative stress and inflammation in young-adult age, to become harmful agents in ageing, mainly due to their continuous sequestration of zinc allowing low zinc ion bioavailability for a satisfactory inflammatory/immune response. Some MT genetic polymorphisms are related to low zinc status and innate immune dysfunction and with the appearance of cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes, whereas α-2M polymorphisms are associated with the appearance of Alzheimer’s disease and myocardial infarction. Therefore MT and α-2M may be considered as biological and genetic markers of ageing. Their association with zinc transporters (ZnT and Zip family), which are in turn involved in the correct maintenance of intracellular zinc homeostasis, is crucial in order to better understand the genes and the mechanisms involved in longevity and immunosenescence.
Synthesis and structure of a novel microporous titanosilicate (UND-1) with a chemical composition of Na2.7K5.3Ti4Si12O364H2O

Abstract The synthesis and structure of titanosilicate UND-1 with a chemical composition of Na 2.7 K 5.3 Ti 4 Si 12 O 36 4H 2 O are reported. The UND-1 was synthesized in a system using solid titanium oxides as a Ti source. The structure consists of six-membered rings of SiO 4 tetrahedra and isolated TiO 6 octahedra by which, through corner sharing, form an open structure containing channels (ca. 4 A in diameter) running along the [100] direction.
Reason, Bounded Rationality, and the Lebenswelth: Socilly Sensitive Decision Making

Herbert Stmon introduced the concept of bounded rationality to provide a socially sensitive perspective on decision making But he was not entrrely successful in this endeavor Specifically, he has not abandoned the as sumption of perfect rationality All he has done is to recognize that perons rational manner In this paper, and thus are incapable of acting in perfectly rational manner In this paper, the attempt is made to illustrate how Simon's position can be deepened due to the work of a host of modern writers Decistion making, in ohter words, can be made socially sensitive by understanding facts and reason to originate from the I ebensu'elt
In silico analysis identifies genes common between five primary gastrointestinal cancer sites with potential clinical applications.

Background Previous studies have investigated differential gene expression in gastrointestinal (GI) epithelial cancers by microarray. The aim of the present study was to use data from the Oncomine database to identify genes that share a similar differential expression in two or more primary GI cancer sites. Methods Five thousand of the most differentially expressed genes in epithelial cancers (compared to normal tissue) arising in the pancreas, liver, stomach, esophagus or colorectum were identified (1,000 per primary site) from Oncomine. Using Venn diagrams, genes common to two or more primary GI sites were identified. Functional and pathway analysis was performed on genes that were similarly expressed in ≥3 of the five areas of the GI tract. Results Forty six studies comprising 5,876 samples were included. Overall, 90.6% genes were unique to the respective primary sites, 7.4% shared between two GI primary sites, 1.8% between three and 0.2% between four GI primary sites. Pancreatic and hepatocellular cancers (HCC) shared most number of upregulated genes (N=66) while HCC and gastric cancer shared most downregulated genes (N=59). Genes encoding enzymes comprised the most commonly shared genes between GI primary sites (30.4% of upregulated and 63.2% of downregulated genes). Those genes that were shared between three or more GI primary sites also showed significant differential expression in the same direction in other non-GI cancers. Conclusion The present study has identified several genes that show similar differential expression in cancers arising from two or more sites in the GI tract. These genes can be potentially useful as novel therapeutic targets. Keywords Oncomine, pathway, network, database, cancer, gastrointestinal, therapy Ann Gastroenterol 2014; 27 (3): 231-236
A global equilibrium model of sudden stops and external liquidity management

Emerging market economies, which have much of their growth ahead of them, either run or should run persistent current account deficits in order to smooth consumption intertemporally. The counterpart of these deficits is their dependence on capital inflows, which can suddenly stop. We make two contributions in this paper: First, we develop a quantitative global-equilibrium model of sudden stops. Second, we use this structure to discuss practical mechanisms to insure emerging markets against sudden stops, ranging from conventional non-contingent reserves accumulation to more sophisticated contingent instrument strategies. Depending on the source of sudden stops, their correlation with world events, and the quality of the hedging instrument available, the gains from these strategies can represent a substantial improvement over existing practices.
Generalized Topological Sigma Model

In this article we will examine a "generalized topological sigma model." This so-called "generalized topological sigma model" is the M-Theoretic analog of the standard topological sigma model of string theory. We find that the observables of the theory are elements in the cohomology ring of the moduli space of supersymmetric maps; in addition, we find that the correlation functions of such observables allow us to compute non-perturbative corrections to the four-fermion terms present in M-Theory on a six-dimensional Calabi-Yau.
New experimental possibilities and the future at far IR wavelengths

The observation of molecular phenomena in interstellar clouds through spectroscopy in the longer wavelength region of the infrared is discussed. This is a region where sensitivity is almost universally influenced by background continua; appropriate methods may be either coherent or incoherent, and work above most of the atmosphere is required for much of the spectral range. Thus far, only a very limited amount of molecular work has been done in the far-infrared, but rapid growth and important results are to be expected.
The Construction of Independent Values among Maya Women at the Forefront of Social Change: Four Case Studies

Life narratives of four middle-aged Maya women in Chiapas, Mexico illustrate how social change toward a Gesellschaft environmentFformal schooling, urbanization, and the development of commerceFleads to an indigenous form of feminism, marked by a desire for autonomy and egalitarian relations between men and women. The study advances Greenfield's theory of social change and human development by illustrating pro- cesses of adapting to Gesellschaft conditions that move women to adopt an individualistic approach to female empowerment. Data also reveal how collectivistic frameworks are combined with new individualistic values and how Maya women are applying new socialization practices designed to transmit these individualistic feminist values to their children, both boys and girls. Their life stories reflect changing power dynamics in gender relations occurring at the level of the family and society among indigenous populations in Chiapas. (Maya, women, autonomy, interdependence, social change, life narratives) In the late 1980s, the first indigenous Maya female actors performed with an otherwise all- male Maya theater group in a play that traveled to indigenous communities throughout the state of Chiapas, Mexico. The spectacle of indigenous women working and expressing themselves in public alongside men was shockingly incongruous with traditional Maya norms that stipulate gender segregation and complementary gender roles (see Lynch 1971; Vogt 1969). The women, who were perceived as prostitutes by some indigenous audiences, were enacting on stage new forms of female behavior that exemplified how changes such as increasing urbanization and commercialization emerging in these communities have been transforming traditional gender norms. In 1994, after a variety of personal struggles, these women established their own theater group and community center, called Fortaleza de la Mujer Maya (Strength of the Maya Woman, abbreviated FOMMA), in the colonial city of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, negotiating new cultural values in an urban cosmo- politan setting as pioneers of a new Maya womanhood. In becoming some of the first professional Maya women in an urban center in Chiapas, these women's life stories reflect a larger pattern of social change happening among the Maya in southern Mexico. The rural and relatively closed communities that characterized indige- nous cultures in Chiapas in the 1950s and 1960s (see Wolf 1957, 1986 for discussion of Mesoamerican indigenous villages as closed corporate communities in the context of the economic and political history of colonization) transformed in the 1970s and especially in
VOTING BEHAVIOR IN THE 2012 ELECTIONS: TOP-DOWN REALIGNMENT IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA

We examine the voting behavior of voters in eastern Oklahoma in the 2012 elections. We focus on explaining why the top-down secular realignment in eastern Oklahoma is proceeding so much slower than in the rest of the state. With our exit polls of the elections of 2012, we examine which arguments on the causes and nature of top-down secular realignments have explanatory power in eastern Oklahoma. The results of the analysis suggest that several factors, including but not limited to the large percentage of American Indians and a populist disposition among the electorate, affect the slow pace of the realignment in eastern Oklahoma.
The effects of lubrication on the compaction and post-compaction properties of directly compressible maltodextrins

Abstract The effects of various concentrations of magnesium stearate as a tablet lubricant on three types of maltodextrins were investigated. The maltodextrins were physically processed by the methods of spray drying, fluidized bed agglomeration, and roller compaction were compared for their compaction and post-compaction properties. The compaction tests were performed using a 10.3 mm round tooling in conjunction with an Integrated Compaction Research System operating at a constant punch velocity of 100 mm/s. The lubricant sensitivity of the materials were determined using the R values (i.e. the ratio of the maximum lower punch force to the maximum upper punch force). The R values for the compacts of all types of maltodextrin reached a plateau when the magnesium stearate concentration was 0.5% (w/w) or higher. The compaction properties of the materials were studied by using the total work of compaction (TWC) and average power consumption (APC) parameters, both of which decreased with an increase in lubricant concentration due to decreased particle cohesiveness. The compaction time data, which were analyzed by dividing the compaction period into four regions, exhibited correlations with the TWC and APC values. The crushing strength of the compacts exhibited a decrease as the lubricant concentration was increased, which was in agreement with the TWC and APC data. The compacts of the maltodextrins generally experienced increased tablet porosity with an increase in lubrication concentration with the exception of one type of maltodextrin which was processed by the roller compaction method. The compacts of the latter were also stronger and less sensitive to lubrication than those of the other maltodextrins examined. In this study, dicalcium phosphate, which is a lubrication insensitive material, was also used as a ‘reference material’.
Application of Naturalistic Driving Data to Modeling of Driver Car-Following Behavior

The driver-specific data available from naturalistic driving studies provide a unique perspective from which to test and calibrate car-following models. As equipment and data storage costs continue to decline, the collection of data through in situ probe-type vehicles is likely to become more popular, and thus there is a need to assess the feasibility of these data for the modeling of driver car-following behavior. This study focused on the costs and benefits of naturalistic data for use in mobility applications. Any project seeking to use naturalistic data should plan for a complex and potentially costly data reduction process to extract mobility data. A case study was based on data from the database of the 100-Car Study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. One thousand minutes' worth of data comprising more than 2,000 car-following events recorded across eight drivers from a section of multilane highway located near Washington, D.C., was compiled. The collected event data were used t...
Heterologous production of the lantibiotic Ala(0)actagardine in Escherichia coli

We report the heterologous production of Ala(0)actagardine in E. coli by co-expression of the substrate peptide GarA and its modification enzymes GarM and GarO. The activity of GarO, a luciferase-like monooxygenase that introduces the unique sulfoxide group of actagardine, was also investigated in vitro.
Reevaluation of the kinetics of polynuclear mimics for manganese catalases.

Considerable effort has been expended in order to understand the mechanism of manganese catalases and to develop functional mimics for these enzymes. For many years, the most efficient reactivity mimic was [MnIVsalpn(μ-O)]2 [H2salpn = 1,3-bis(salicylideneiminato)propane], a compound that cycles between the MnIV2 and MnIII2 oxidation levels instead of the MnII2 and MnIII2 oxidation states used by the enzyme, with kcat = 250 s-1 and kcat/KM = 1000 M-1 s-1. Recently, a truly exceptional high value of kcat was reported for the complex [Mn(bpia)(μ-OAc)]22+ [bpia = bis(picolyl)(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)amine]. On the basis of a calculated kcat value of 1100 s-1 and an efficiency kcat/KM of 34 000 M-1 s-1, this complex has been suggested to represent a significant breakthrough in catalytic efficiencies of manganese catalase mimics. However, a plot of ri/[cat]T vs [H2O2]0, where the saturation value approaches 1.5 s-1, is inconsistent with the 1100 s-1 value tabulated for kcat. Similar discrepancies are observed for...
Iterative extended Hückel studies of some pyridine-Fe(II)-porphin complexes

Iterative extended Huckel self-consistent charge calculations were performed for a number of conformations of Fe(II) porphin, a pyridine complex of Fe(II) porphin, and a pyridine-Fe(II)-porphin CO complex. For Fe(II) porphin, spin zero and spin 2 states were found to have their energy minimum in a planar conformation. Addition of the pyridine ligand results in an out-of-plane minimum energy conformation in the spin 2 case. Ligand bond formation is readily interpreted in terms of conventional chemical bonding theory. An energy-bond length curve was obtained for CO binding to pyridine-Fe(II)-porphin and found to be qualitatively reasonable.
The coexistence of rheumatic and arteriosclerotic heart disease in patients over the age of 40 years.

T HE combination of rheumatic and arteriosclerotic heart disease is not frequently encountered in hospital admissions. The reason is self-evident; rheumatic heart disease is an affliction of the young, and the vast majority fail to survive the age of 45 years. DeGraff and Linggl stated: “To see even the terminal stages of this disease (rheumatic heart disease) after the age of 50 is not a common experience.” One observes considerable resistance to the diagnosis of this dual etiology on the part of some clinicians, as if it were a fact that rheumatic heart disease precludes the arteriosclerotic changes which are common after the age of 40 years. ORSERVATIONS
The measurement of urinary oxalic acid by derivatization coupled with liquid chromatography

Abstract A new method for the determination of oxalic acid in urine, which does not require isolation of oxalic acid, was developed by derivatizing oxalic acid and separating and quantitating the product by automated liquid chromatography. Oxalic acid in urine was reacted with o -phenylenediamine to form the strongly uv-absorbing compound 2,3-dihydroxyquinoxaline. Isolation and quantitation of this derivative were accomplished using a reverse-phase C 8 column, 5% methanol in 0.1 m ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6.6) as eluant, and absorption at 314 nm. The method was linear from 1 to 151 μg oxalic acid/ml of sample and the conversion of oxalic acid to the dihydroxyquinoxaline over this concentration range was 94.9%. The precision of duplicates averaged ±1.1%. Analyses of urine before and after treatment with oxalate decarboxylase were employed to differentiate actual urinary oxalic acid from oxalogenic compounds. Under the conditions employed, no urine was found to contain inhibitors of oxalate decarboxylase. No significant contribution to the method was found in a study of 19 potentially interfering urinary constituents. Levels of oxalic acid found in 27 urine samples from patients by this method averaged 71% of levels found using an earlier colorimetric method.
Cation impurity effects on F + 2 :O 2- color-center formation in NaCl

It is experimentally shown that alkali-metal impurities with larger ionic radius than the ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ ion (${\mathrm{K}}^{+}$,${\mathrm{Rb}}^{+}$) have no significant effect on the formation of ${F}_{2}^{+}$:${\mathrm{O}}^{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ laser-active centers in additively colored NaCl. However, impurities with smaller ionic radius (${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$) suppress the formation of these centers.
Solution 31Phosphorus Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Acid-Extractable Phosphates in Animal Feces

Characterizing phosphates in animal fecal and manure samples is of interest to environmental-monitoring research efforts. Acid extraction removes relatively mobile phosphates from samples, offering a better indicator of the mobility of phosphates in environment, but acidic extracts impose challenges to the solution phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectroscopy, which is commonly used for analyzing phosphates in environmental samples. Acid-extractable metals precipitate phosphates in the alkaline condition under which solution 31P NMR experiment runs, blurring the spectrum for adequate analysis. We found that neutralizing acid extracts with 0.5 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) plus 50 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) before freeze drying eliminated the chemical interferences otherwise observed. The resulting 31P NMR spectra can be used to quantify acid-soluble phytate and other phosphates in animal fecal and manure samples. The improvement in detection will support efforts to investigat...
Letter to the editor: differential killing of normal and cystic fibrosis fibroblasts by dexamethasone.

Letter to the Editor: Differential Killing of Normal and Cystic Fibrosis Fibroblasts by Dexamethasone
Job stress and dyadic synchrony in police marriages: a preliminary investigation.

Despite reports documenting adverse effects of stress on police marriages, few empirical studies focus on actual emotional behaviors of officers and spouses. In this preliminary investigation, 17 male police officers and their nonpolice wives completed daily stress diaries for 1 week and then participated in a laboratory-based discussion about their respective days. Conversations were video-recorded and coded for specific emotional behaviors reflecting hostility and affection, which are strong predictors of marital outcomes. We examined associations between officers’ job stress (per diaries and the Police Stress Survey) and couples’ emotional behavior (mean levels and behavioral synchrony) using a dyadic repeated measures design capitalizing on the large number of observations available for each couple (1020 observations). When officers reported more job stress, they showed less hostility, less synchrony with their wives’ hostility, and more synchrony with their wives’ affection; their wives showed greater synchrony with officers’ hostility and less synchrony with officers’ affection. Therefore, for officers, greater job stress was associated with less behavioral negativity, potentially less attunement to wives’ negativity, but potentially greater attunement to wives’ affection—perhaps a compensatory strategy or attempt to buffer their marriage from stress. These attempts may be less effective, however, if, as our synchrony findings may suggest, wives are focusing on officers’ hostility rather than affection. Although it will be important to replicate these results given the small sample, our findings reveal that patterns of behavioral synchrony may be a key means to better understand how job stress exacts a toll on police marriages.
Phenotypic plasticity in the expression of self‐incompatibility in Campanula rapunculoides

Plants with self-incompatibly (SI) frequently exhibit variable expression of this trait. The study reported here investigates the breakdown of SI in a perennial bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) using a standard quantitative genetics approach to examine the relative influences of genotype, prior fruit-set and floral age on seed-set from self-pollinations with standardized pollen loads. Cross-pollen was used on separate flowers for comparison. The results obtained indicate that genotype (clone) explained a significant amount of the total variation and plants with few developing fruits showed stronger expression of SI on young flowers, and weaker expression of SI on old flowers than plants with many fruits (fruit-by-floral-age interaction, P<0.02). A second experiment determined that the stigmatic curling accompanying floral age does not influence expression of SI. A significant clone-by-floral-age interaction suggests that continuous variation in self seed-set of putatively SI species may be the result of genotype-by-environment interactions. It is concluded that SI is a phenotypically plastic trait in C. rapunculoides and its breakdown responds to conditions that are indicative of low pollinator activity.
Use of tolerance values to diagnose water-quality stressors to aquatic biota in New England streams

Abstract Identification of stressors related to biological impairment is critical to biological assessments. We applied nationally derived tolerance indicator values for four water-quality variables to fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages at 29 sites along an urban gradient in New England. Tolerance indicator values (TIVs), as biologically based predictors of water-quality variables, were determined for dissolved oxygen, nitrite plus nitrate (nitrate), total phosphorus, and water temperature for each site based on observed biological assemblages (TIVO), and for expected assemblages (TIVE). The quotient method, based on a ratio of the TIVs for observed and expected assemblages (tolerance units), was used to diagnose potential water-quality stressors. In addition, the ratio of measured water-quality values to water-quality criteria (water-quality units) was calculated for each water-quality variable to assess measured water-quality stressors. Results from a RIVPACS predictive model for benthic macroinvertebrates and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity for fish were used to classify sites into categories of good or impaired ecological condition. Significant differences were detected between good and impaired sites for all biological tolerance units (fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages averaged) except for nitrate (P = 0.480), and for all water-quality units except for nitrate (P = 0.183). Diagnosis of water-quality stressors at selected sites was, in general, consistent with State-reported causes of impairment. Tolerance units for benthic macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages were significantly correlated for water temperature (P = 0.001, r = 0.63), dissolved oxygen (P = 0.001, r = 0.61), and total phosphorus (P = 0.001, r = 0.61), but not for nitrate (P = 0.059, r = −0.35). Differences between the two assemblages in site-specific diagnosis of water-quality stressors may be the result of differences in nitrate tolerance.
A Note on Closure Properties of Failure Rate Distributions

Increasing generalized failure rate (IGFR) distributions were introduced as a tool in the study of contracting mechanisms in supply chains. In this note, we compare and contrast the closure-and the lack thereof-of IGFR and increasing failure rate (IFR) distributions with respect to standard operations on random variables. Some implications of these results for the use of IGFR distributions in supply chain models are noted.
Decreased resource utilization since initiation of institutional clinical pathway for care of children with perforated appendicitis

Abstract Purpose We instituted a clinical pathway for the care of patients with perforated appendicitis based on outcomes from several clinical trials. The objective of this study was to review effects on resource utilization with this protocol. Methods A retrospective review was conducted to compare all patients undergoing appendectomy during initial admission for perforated appendicitis prior to the pathway (July 2001 to December 2003) to after (December 2008 to March 2011). Demographics and management strategies were evaluated. Results Charts of 151 patients prior to and 259 after the start of the pathway were reviewed. The percentage of patients leaving the operating room with a nasogastric tube (NGT) was significantly lower in the after-group, while similar numbers of patients during each period had a NGT placed on the floor. The proportion of patients receiving peripherally inserted central catheters and total parenteral nutrition, and the number of intravenous antibiotics per day and lab draws were significantly reduced with the protocol. Patients were started on a regular diet significantly earlier, and length of stay was shortened by more than one day. Conclusion The evidence-based clinical pathway developed from prospective trials has drastically reduced resource utilization for children with perforated appendicitis.
Solitons as nonlinear magnons

It is shown that the slowly varying nonlinear envelope of linear magnons satisfies the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. The derivation is based on the Landau-Lifshitz equation. The approximation shows that even weakly nonlinear effects, fully treated, yield types of excitations that cannot be adequately discussed by finite-order linear perturbation theory. This result is analogous to and was motivated by those of Krumhansl and Schrieffer.
New primary standard for specular gloss measurements

A new primary specular gloss standard has been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to overcome the disadvantages of black glass. This new standard is a high-purity BaK50 glass with good mechanical durability and homogeneity. In addition, the index of refraction nD=1.5677 is close to the value specified for the theoretical standard, and the dispersion characteristics are similar to black glass.