cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renin-Independent hypermineralocorticoidism

Although renin-independent hypermineralocorticoidism is an uncommon form of hypertension, its diagnosis provides the clinician with a unique opportunity in the field of hypertension, that is, to render a surgical cure or to achieve a dramatic pharmacologic response in the treatment of hypertension. Primary aldosteronism is the most common form of renin-independent hypermineralocorticoidism. The plasma aldosterone concentration to plasma renin ratio is an excellent screening test for primary aldosteronism, the diagnosis of which should be confirmed by demonstrating unsuppressible urine or plasma levels of aldosterone. The subtype of primary aldosteronism dictates the most appropriate therapy. Computerized imaging of the adrenal glands and adrenal venous sampling assist in distinguishing unilateral (requiring surgical treatment) from bilateral (requiring pharmacologic treatment) adrenal disease. The forms of mineralocorticoid excess considered in the hypokalemic hypertensive patient with low aldosterone values include congenital adrenal hyperplasia (11 beta-hydroxylase and 17alpha-hydroxylase deficiencies), deoxycorticosterone-producing tumor, Cushing's syndrome, primary cortisol resistance, and 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency (apparent mineralocorticoid excess syndrome). The I1 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency may be congenital or acquired (for example, ingestion of licorice or carbenoxolone).
Rates of aragonite conversion to calcite in dilute aqueous fluids at 50 to 100°C: experimental calibration using Ca-isotope attenuation

Abstract Aragonite was converted to calcite in dilute CaCl2 fluid at temperatures ranging from 50 to 100°C. Surface areas of aragonite and calcite seed crystals were varied by over an order of magnitude to permit independent assessment of calcite nucleation and growth processes. Aragonite conversion rates were measured using isotopic attenuation of dissolved 44Ca, which was added to the fluid at the beginning of each experiment. Measured conversion rates were found to be constant with respect to time and proportional to the initial surface area of aragonite. Rates were independent of the surface area of calcite seed crystals owing to heterogeneous nucleation of calcite on aragonite during experiments. The data imply that calcite nucleates on aragonite surfaces until the level of saturation with respect to calcite reaches a critical threshold value where further nucleation is precluded. Thereafter, conversion to calcite occurs at a steady state rate consistent with aragonite dissolution at a fixed level of saturation. Aragonite converts to calcite under these conditions and in dilute fluids at rates of approximately 10 and 100 microns/yr at 25 and 100°C, respectively.
Brittle-to-ductile transition in NiAl single crystal

Abstract The brittle-to-ductile transition (BDT) of NiAl single crystals was studied as a function of displacement rate and prestraining using double-notched tensile specimens loaded along a 〈110〉 orientation with the crack front parallel to a 〈001〉 direction. The tensile properties were also evaluated as a function of strain rate and test temperature. For specimens tested, the BDT coincided with the onset of net-section yielding. It has been found that decreasing the applied displacement rate reduced the BDT temperature and strain hardening rate without affecting the low temperature toughness and yield strength significantly. Prestraining improved the low temperature toughness level but increased the BDT temperature. It has been shown that fracture in NiAl single crystal occurs by development of microcracks on slip bands and their subsequent instability. The effects of displacement rate and prestraining are discussed in terms of the plastic flow mechanisms and their effects on crack initiation and propagation processes. It has been suggested that the cross-slip of screw dislocations at elevated temperatures and low strain rates retards plastic strain localization, and hence, toughness is improved.
Dielectronic recombination of the Xe8+ ion and satellite lines of the Xe7+ ion

The Hartree–Fock relativistic method (Cowan code) and the relativistic many-body perturbation theory are used to perform a large-scale calculation of atomic parameters for dielectronic recombination (DR) of Pd-like Xe8+. The energy levels, radiative transition probabilities and autoionization rates are reported for 4d94fnl, 4d95l'nl, (n= 5–8) and 4d96lnl (n= 6–7) states in Ag-like Xe7+. The partial and total DR rate coefficients are calculated with account of high-n states, and contribution of different atomic configurations to DR is discussed. The branching ratios and intensity factors are calculated for dielectronic satellite lines. The obtained results can be used for modelling of various Xe plasmas including those used in lithography applications.
Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in solid and liquid 15N2 and 14N2

Abstract The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time T1 of 15N has been measured in pure liquid nitrogen for the temperature interval 63.1 I = 1 2 ), and the angular momentum correlation time τsr, may be deduced. The temperature-dependence graph of τQ in nitrogen exhibits a discontinuity at the triple point which implies that molecules reorient more slowly in the liquid than in the solid. The Hubbard relation τQτsr = I0/6kT (I0 = molecular moment of inertia) developed for rotational diffusion of spherical molecules in a liquid is approached in liquid nitrogen for T
How Do We Know What Works

ABSTRACT This commentary raises questions about how we assess therapeutic techniques. In particular, it critiques a recent paper promoting EMDR for use with college students.
Shadowing Jacob’s Journey: Gen 47:13-26 as a Sideshadow

The narrative of the Egyptians selling themselves as slaves to Pharaoh (Gen. 47:13-26) is frequently understood as an interpolation into the larger context of Genesis 37-50. This paper argues that Gen. 47:13-26 should be understood as a "sideshadow," a literary device designed to give a sense of alternative possibilities within a narrative. Understanding the passage in this way enables one to recognize its function within the surrounding narrative of Israel's journey into Egypt in Genesis 46-47.Settling in Egypt contains the inherent threats of assimilation and submission to the authority of Pharaoh, as well as the loss of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The narrative of Jacob's journey, however, exhibits a broad concern for showing how his distinctive identity as a patriarch of Israel is maintained. Within this larger narrative, the episode of Joseph enslaving the Egyptians feels disjointed, standing out as a self-contained unit unconnected to its context. However, if one understands the passage as a sideshadow, Gen. 47:13-26 does shed light on Jacob's journey into Egypt. It illuminates the conditions of the Israelites' entry into Egypt by portraying how the journey might have taken place, but ultimately did not. Instead, Joseph's position of power and his reconciliation with his family prevented their dispossession, ensuring that they entered Egypt with their wealth and identity intact.
Remembering how to stay well: A regenerative tool for counseling center staffs.

This article describes how a college counseling center staff has attempted to help its therapists process both immediate and residual personal traumas. The described procedures allow for the acknowledgement and validation of physical, cognitive and emotional responses to trauma accumulated by counselors working in a residential college environment. It notes the chronological development of a debriefing process that was orignially derived from the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA, 1992) and gradually adapted to meet the needs of the staff and debriefers utilizing the model. Focus is concentrated on both process and content to demonstrate how they are interrelated. The personal nature of content descriptions is included to illustrate how varied and unpredictable the results of the process were, and the range of possible situations unrelated to center activities that influence the psychological experience of counselors. Although the described process undergoes continuing transformations in fo...
All Things Considered: A Reply to Derek Freeman

1935 The Sex Life of the Unmarried Adult in Primitive Society. In The Sex Life of the Unmamed Adult. I. S. Wile, ed. Pp. 52-74. London: George Allen and Unwin. [1950]1962 Male andFemale: A Study ofthe Sexes in aChanging World. Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1960 Weaver of the Border. In In the Company of Man. Joseph B. Casagrande, ed. Pp.175-210. New York: Harper. 1969 Social Organization of Manu'a. 2nd Edition. Honolulu: Bishop Museum. 1973 Preface, 1973 Edition. In Coming of Age in Samoa. New York: Morrow. Robson, R. W. 1965. Queen Emma. PaciE1c Publications: Sydney. Shankman, Paul 1996 The History of Samoan Sexual Conduct and the Mead-Freeman Controversy. American Anthropologist 98:555-567.
Job the Afflicted

Job (Ayyub) is one of God's prophets cited in the Koran. His name, experiences and patience are cited proverbially and as a narrative account in the daily lives of Arabs and Moslems. A seasonal fol...
Usability of Rational Rose and Visio in a software engineering course

Rational Rose (Rose) and Microsoft Visio (Visio) are the two commonly used UML modeling tools in software engineering courses. In the fall of 2002, a project to evaluate the usability of Rose and Visio for UML modeling in an undergraduate software engineering class was started. Through a questionnaire survey, student experiences of using Rose and Visio for UML modeling were collected and analyzed. This paper outlines our findings from the research project, tool features, diagram creation, available documentation, multi-tasking ability and produced output.
δ-Crystallin is a chick lens fiber cell membrane extrinsic protein

Abstract In an attempt to resolve the present controversy concerning the reported presence of δ-crystallin in preparations of chick lens plasma membranes, a study was conducted on the extractability of chick lens fiber cell plasma membranes in the presence or absence of calcium ions. One lens from each animal was homogenized in calcium-containing buffer and the other in (calcium) chelating buffer. Each resulting water insoluble crude cell membrane fraction was evenly divided and membranes isolated from each portion by treatment with urea in either calcium-containing buffer or chelating buffer. The isolated membranes were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Gels of membranes isolated in the presence of calcium showed very prominent δ-crystallin bands while gels of membranes isolated under chelating conditions showed a marked depletion of δ-crystallin. The treatment sequence employed ruled out the possibility that the observed binding of δ-crystallin to the membranes was a result of a spurious association caused by calcium because excess soluble δ-crystallin was removed in discarded chelating buffer washes prior to the isolation of the membranes with urea in chelating buffer. The results of the study showed that δ-crystallin is an extrinsic protein of the chick lens fiber cell plasma membranes, and that its linkage to the membranes is calcium-dependent.
Island formation during deposition or etching

Abstract The behavior of a non-equilibrium lattice-gas model for irreversible formation of two-dimensional islands during submonolayer deposition or etching is examined in detail. In particular, recent developments in describing capture of diffusing species by islands of various sizes are reviewed. Both exact and geometric descriptions of capture are discussed, elucidating the role of the local environment of the islands, and its dependence on island size, on adatom capture and individual island growth rates. Limitations in mean-field treatments of capture are noted. These results are applied to characterize the growth of Ag islands on Ag(100), Cu/Co islands on Ru(0001), and pits on Si(001) etched with molecular oxygen.
A Two-Pass Method of Midband AC Analysis for Multistage Transistor Amplifiers

A method of ac midband analysis of multistage bijunction and field-effect transistor amplifiers with no feedback loops is presented. The method clarifies the functioning of transistors for students and makes the analysis of an amplifier with any number of stages an easy affair. Two examples are worked to demonstrate the effectiveness and simplicity of the method.
The Superconducting Supercollider and US Science Policy

Reasons for the Superconducting Supercollider’s (SSC’s) termination include significant changes in the attitude of the government towards large scientific projects originating with management reforms introduced decades earlier. In the 1980s, the government insisted on inclusion of elements of these reforms in the SSC’s management contract, including increased demands for accountability, additional liability for contractors, and sanctions for infractions. The SSC’s planners could not have opted out of the reforms, which were by then becoming part of all large publicly funded projects. Once these reforms were in place, management mistakes in the SSC’s planning and construction became highly visible, leading to termination of the machine. This episode contains two key lessons about science policy. One is that the momentum of the government’s management reforms was unstoppable, and its impact on large scientific facilities and projects could not be reversed. The other is that specific measures such as cost and schedule-tracking systems to provide measures of program performance and impact were also inevitable; large scientific projects needed new parameters of accountability and transparency in what can be called the Principle of Assurance.
Justice as mutual advantage and the vulnerable

Since at least as long ago as Plato’s time, philosophers have considered the possibility that justice is at bottom a system of rules that members of society follow for mutual advantage. Some maintain that justice as mutual advantage is a fatally flawed theory of justice because it is too exclusive. Proponents of a Vulnerability Objection argue that justice as mutual advantage would deny the most vulnerable members of society any of the protections and other benefits of justice. I argue that the Vulnerability Objection presupposes that in a justice-as-mutual-advantage society only those who can and do contribute to the cooperative surplus of benefits that compliance with justice creates are owed any share of these benefits. I argue that justice as mutual advantage need not include such a Contribution Requirement. I show by example that a justice-as-mutual-advantage society can extend the benefits of justice to all its members, including the vulnerable who cannot contribute. I close by arguing that if one d...
Molecular symmetry and closed‐shell SCF calculations. I

For efficient integral evaluation, orbital basis functions are grouped into shells and integrals into blocks in the recently developed SCF program Hondo. This shell structure is ideally suited to the scheme of Dacre and Elder for using point group symmetry. An entire block of two-electron integrals is eliminated if it is symmetrically equivalent to another block with a higher index (four label). Using the “petite list” of blocks of integrals, a skeleton Fock matrix is formed from which the true Fock matrix is generated by “symmetrization.” We prove two theorems which provide a clear and rigorous justification for this version of the Dacre–Elder procedure. We compare SCF calculations on the phosphorus molecule using Td symmetry with those using various subgroups of Td. The number of integrals computed is found to be approximately inversely proportional to the order of the group. Integral evaluation time and SCF iteration time are each linear functions of the number of integrals. The computer spends a negligible amount of time in executing symmetry-related code, and the human effort involved is little more than picking the appropriate Schonflies symbol for the molecule.
“A Father’s Touch:” Negotiating Masculinity and Sexual Subjectivity in Child Care

This essay explores changing attitudes towards male caregivers in postwar America to understand conceptions of prepubescent gender and sexuality. While the 1950s have been viewed as a period of rigid gender conventions, the demands of a baby boom generation allowed men unexpected roles as caregivers. In the 1960s and 1970s, challenges to the status quo along with fears of female-headed households encouraged men to move into the field of child care, but this was particularly short lived. Political backlash and a failing economy turned male daycare workers into suspects, revealing the ambiguity that so often distorts children’s interactions with men.
Magnetization dynamics in thin films and multilayers

Abstract The behavior of spin waves is influenced by essentially all the parameters which characterize a magnetic material – exchange interactions, anisotropy, surface effects, dipolar interactions, phase transitions and imperfections. Thus measurements of spin wave frequencies can give important information on characterizing different magnetic materials and structures. In this paper we outline the major results and calculational methods for long-wavelength spin waves in thin films and multilayers. While the primary attention is on ferromagnet-based structures, long-wavelength spin waves in antiferromagnets are also discussed. We indicate how particular measurements of spin wave frequencies can be used to extract the fundamental parameters of the different structures.
Clinical and angiographic outcomes after stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms with Enterprise and Neuroform stents: a comparative analysis of the literature.

Introduction The most widely used intracranial stents for stent-assisted coiling are Neuroform (NEU) and Enterprise stents (ENT). This study compares published outcomes between the ENT and NEU coil-assist systems and comments on the published safety and efficacy of stent-assisted coiling in general. Methods A literature search was performed through PubMed for all published series of ENT or NEU stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms from 2004 to 2014. All studies including 10 or more published cases of stent-assisted coiling with ENT or NEU were included. Results 47 studies met the inclusion criteria, containing 4238 aneurysms in 4039 patients. 2111 aneurysms were treated with NEU and 2127 were treated with ENT. Mean follow-up was 14.1 months. Overall, thromboembolic events occurred in 6.4% of aneurysms, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in 2.6%, permanent morbidity in 3.9%, and mortality in 2.3%. Initial and final 100% angiographic occlusion was seen in 53% and 69% of patients, respectively. Deployment failures (p Conclusions This literature review represents the largest and most robust comparison of stent-assisted coiling devices to date, containing over 4200 aneurysms in more than 4000 patients. Comparative analyses demonstrate that both devices are reported to be safe and effective with comparable permanent morbidity.
Estimating the benefits of recreation under conditions of congestion: Comments and extension

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to comment on and extend the analysis of a paper by Wetzel. He uses a commonly accepted model of demand for a congested recreational resource and shows how the Clawson method of estimating a recreational demand curve relates to it. Much of his analysis is useful but he errs in his interpretation of the proper value of consumer surplus. In this paper a specific formalization of the demand model is developed for the first time and it is used to show the correct measure of consumer surplus and how to specify the proper level of use for the congested resource.
Creep Deformation Mechanisms in Ru-Ni-Al Ternary B2 Alloys

The creep behavior of five Ru-Ni-Al ternary alloys with compositions across the ternary RuAl-NiAl B2 phase field has been investigated within a temperature range of 1223 to 1323 K. These alloys exhibited exceptional creep strength compared to other high melting temperature intermetallics. A continuous increase of the melting temperature and creep resistance with increasing Ru/Ni ratio was observed. Post-creep dislocation analyses revealed $$ {\left\langle {{\text{100}}} \right\rangle } $$ and $$ {\left\langle {{\text{110}}} \right\rangle } $$ edge dislocations in the Ni-rich alloys, while uniformly distributed $$ {\left\langle {{\text{100}}} \right\rangle } $$ jogged screw dislocations predominated in the Ru-rich ternary alloys. Transient creep experiments, dislocation substructures, and constitutive modeling indicate a transition of the creep mechanism from viscous glide-controlled to jogged screw-controlled deformation with increasing Ru/Ni ratio.
The antibiotic viomycin traps the ribosome in an intermediate state of translocation

During protein synthesis, transfer RNA and messenger RNA undergo coupled translocation through the ribosome's A, P and E sites, a process catalyzed by elongation factor EF-G. Viomycin blocks translocation on bacterial ribosomes and is believed to bind at the subunit interface. Using fluorescent resonance energy transfer and chemical footprinting, we show that viomycin traps the ribosome in an intermediate state of translocation. Changes in FRET efficiency show that viomycin causes relative movement of the two ribosomal subunits indistinguishable from that induced by binding of EF-G with GDPNP. Chemical probing experiments indicate that viomycin induces formation of a hybrid-state translocation intermediate. Thus, viomycin inhibits translation through a unique mechanism, locking ribosomes in the hybrid state; the EF-G-induced 'ratcheted' state observed by cryo-EM is identical to the hybrid state; and, since translation is viomycin sensitive, the hybrid state may be present in vivo.
Chirp managed laser (CML): A compact transmitter for dispersion tolerant 10 Gb/s networking applications

We show that the compact combination of a directly modulated laser and an optical filter, generates a highly dispersion tolerant modulation format suitable for > 200 km reach at 10 Gbps without dispersion compensation.
Fable as History: The Macedonian Context

The goal of the paper is to indicate how the Macedonian context of Before the Rain can enrich a Western reading of the film and also to identify elements that can enrich any reading. The organizing principle is a close reading of selections of the film's text, music, and images. Among the issues and images I examine are the portrayal of disintegration in public and private spheres, including the erosion of older communicative practices and the destruction of traditional values, the history of conflict in Macedonia and the manner in which the film reflects both external (West European/North American) and internal (Macedonian) selective focus on aspects of those conflicts, the use of music and language that makes of the Albanians subjects in a Macedonian drama, and the use of music and images that serves the blur of the ethnic distinction, the use of graffiti that simultaneously reject politics while being political, and the use of typical expressions to render the fable historical. I conclude by commenting...
Rapid calculation of tokamak equilibria with toroidal rotation via minimization of a functional

The fixed surface tokamak plasma equilibria are analyzed by a variational steepest descent method employing global functions for the shift, ellipticity, and triangularity of the flux surfaces. The stationary and toroidally rotating axisymmetric tokamak equilibria have specific functionals from which the Grad-Shafranov equations can be derived as the equation for the @j (poloidal flux) variation. These functionals are minimized numerically to obtain the solutions. The global functions characterizing the plasma flux surface shift, ellipticity, and triangularity are conveniently given by a limited set of variational parameters which are obtained iteratively by the aforementioned minimization of the functional. In the case of the stationary equilibrium, the results obtained by the minimization of the functional are compared with those given by the pest code.
SCF calculations of the electronic structures of the sulfate and perchlorate ions by the scattered-wave model

Abstract The scattered-wave model, a new approach to calculating the electronic structures of complex polyatomic molecules, has been applied to the sulfate and perchlorate ions. The generation of self-consistent Hartree-Fock-Slater molecular orbitals by this technique requires a minimal amount of computational effort.
Investigation of Emulsified Oil Wastewater Treatment with Polymers

Abstract Wastewater from metal industry hot milling operations contains oil primarily from coolant sprayed on metal strips to dissipate heat during the rolling of metals. The emulsified oil wastewater for this study was withdrawn from two holding ponds where free oil would rise to the surface and was removed periodically, and used as influent for the chemical addition (CA)-gravity separation (GS) process. The principal objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of different polymer addition systems through a CA-GS process for oil/grease (O/G) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal. Polymers from two corporations were investigated. A dual polymer system was recommended and supplied by Calgon Corporation—a cationic polymer (W-2923) to break the emulsion and an anionic polymer (POL-Z-E 2706) to enhance coagulation. A single polymer system was recommended and supplied by Grace Dearborn (GD) Corporation—a cationic polymer (KLAR-AID 2400) as a coagulant. Two types of experiments were perform...
Searching for quantitative entropy‐enthalpy compensation among protein variants

Entropy-enthalpy (SH) compensation occurs when a small change in DeltaG is caused by large, and nearly compensatory, changes in DeltaH and DeltaS. It is considered a ubiquitous property of reactions in water. Because water is intimately involved in protein stability, SH compensation among protein variants, if it exists, could lead to important knowledge about protein-water interactions. In light of recent theoretical work on SH compensation, we gathered thermodynamic data for >200 protein variants to seek evidence for the simplest quantitative model of SH compensation (i.e., The van't Hoff denaturation enthalpy divided by the van't Hoff denaturation entropy is a constant). We conclude that either the data are insufficient to support the idea that quantitative SH compensation is a general feature of variant proteins or that such compensation does not exist. This study reinforces the idea that DeltaH-versus-DeltaS plots should not be used to provide evidence for SH compensation.
Behavioral and pharmacologic therapies for obesity

This article reviews novel developments in the behavioral and pharmacologic treatment of obesity and explores the potential contribution of genomics research to weight control. A comprehensive program of lifestyle modification, comprised of diet, physical activity and behavior therapy, induces a mean loss of 7-10% of initial weight in individuals with obesity. Two trials demonstrated that weight loss of this magnitude, combined with increased physical activity, substantially reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. A third trial is now investigating whether lifestyle intervention will reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in overweight individuals who already have diabetes mellitus. Pharmacotherapy is recommended, in some patients, as an adjunct to lifestyle modification. Two medications-orlistat and sibutramine-are currently approved in the US for long-term weight loss. Both are efficacious when combined with lifestyle modification, although health concerns have been raised about the use of sibutramine. Several novel combination therapies, which target multiple hypothalamic pathways that regulate appetite and body weight, are currently under investigation. Genomic studies provide further evidence for the role of these pathways in the regulation of body weight. Identification of new genes controlling satiety and energy expenditure may yield valuable clues for the development of novel pharmacologic treatments.
Alternative Acts and the Demands of Morality

Unless hard determinism is true, alternative courses of actions are open to us at various points in our lives. Often we embark upon a course of action without consciously choosing it from the other available alternatives. At other times we make a conscious, deliberate choice to follow one. It is reasonable to judge that the choices are open to moral appraisal and that the moral appraisal of the choice is distinguishable from the moral appraisal of the subsequent performance of what is chosen. Nevertheless, it is easy to confuse these two types of moral appraisal, and sometimes puzzling or seemingly paradoxical situations arise from the failure to distinguish them or to realize that such confusion has taken place. In what follows we will consider some examples where puzzling or seemingly paradoxical situations arise from the failure to distinguish these two types of moral appraisal and see how they can be resolved. Examining the manner in which the situations are resolved can reveal some valuable insights about the demands of the moral life. The fear of moral laxity which motivates people to reject the possibility of supererogation, offence, and imperfect duty can be overcome by taking note of this phenomenon. An act of supererogation is standardly characterized as an act whose performance is morally praiseworthy, fulfils no moral obligation, and whose omission is not morally blameworthy. Let us suppose that a man has an opportunity to perform an act of supererogation and can choose this act from a range of many potential acts of supererogation that are open to him. From this sizable range he proceeds to perform the act that involves the least amount of selfsacrifice. A visitor to a mission school has an opportunity to tutor children. Some children need a great deal of help, help which would require hours of assistance, while others need relatively little help. The visitor spends a few minutes helping a child who is nearly finished. Later his wife reproaches him and convinces him that what he did was blameworthy. But how can this be the case if an act of supererogation is by definition praiseworthy to perform? The puzzle is easily solved by distinguishing the moral appraisal of his choice from the moral appraisal of the act he subsequently performs. There is nothing morally blameworthy in performing an act of supererogation; on
Inability of [3H]estriol to induce maximal cooperativity of the estrogen receptor

Abstract The interaction of [ 3 H]estriol with the partially purified estrogen receptor from calf uterus shows positive cooperativity that is dependent upon receptor concentration and temperature. At a receptor concentration of 1 nM and 25°C the [ 3 H]estriol-receptor cooperativity was low, the Hill coefficient ( n H ) was 1.03 ± 0.02; however, with increasing receptor concentrations the receptor's cooperativity increased until at approximately intracellular receptor concentration (20 nM) the n H = 1.20 ± 0.04. At 0°C and a receptor concentration of 10 nM the [ 3 H]estriol-receptor interaction was highly cooperative, the Scatchard plot was convex and n H = 1.58 ±0.04 while at 30°C the Scatchard plot approached linearity and n H = 1.03 ± 0.02. In comparison, [ 3 H]estradiol was capable of inducing, at 0 or 30°C and at a receptor concentration of 1 nM or greater, maximal receptor cooperativity, n H = 1.63 . These data demonstrate: (a) the receptor's conformation and binding mechanism change in a specific manner with temperature, so that receptor analysis at 0°C does not necessarily reflect the receptor's properties at biologically relevant temperatures; (b) the dependence of the receptor's cooperativity on receptor concentration, which suggests interaction between dissociable subunits; and (c) the lower cooperativity induced by estriol, in comparison with estradiol, which indicates estriol is less efficient in shifting the receptor toward a higher affinity or the activated state of the receptor.
Dominibrentus leptus, n. gen., n. sp. (Curculionoidea, Brentidae, Cyphagoginae, Dominibrentini, n. tribe), a straight-snouted weevil in Dominican amber

A new tribe, genus and species of straight-snouted weevils (Dominibrentus leptus, n. gen., n. sp., Dominibrentini, n. tribe; Coleoptera: Brentidae; Cyphagoginae) has been described from Dominican amber. The new taxon is characterised by compressed, ventrolateral concavities on the prothorax and abdomen and lateral concavities on the metathorax for reception of the legs. This is the first representative of a straight-snouted weevil in amber.
Late Wisconsinan, pre-Valley Heads glaciation in the western Mohawk Valley, central New York, and its regional implications

The history of late Wisconsinan, pre- Valley Heads glaciation (about 18-15.5 ka) implies that major glaciological controls, as well as overall climatic warming, influenced the pattern of deglaciation in the western Mohawk Valley. The Middleville Formation in the West Canada Valley contains the most complete record of pre-Valley Heads ice recession in central New York. The lithostratigraphic succession was determined through detailed mapping and logging of measured sections, provenance study of diamicton units, and the analysis of declination of detrital remanent magnetization (DRM) in laminated lacustrine silt and clay. The initial recession of southwest-flowing ice from the Adirondacks and at least two glacial re-advances of the Mohawk Lobe are recorded in these units. Glacial Lake Newport, impounded in the West Canada Valley during ice recession, attained levels that required ice-damming by coalescent Ontario and Mohawk Lobes and a subglacial outlet across the Mohawk Valley to the Susquehanna drainage basin. Initial ice recession in the Mohawk Valley was mostly by calving of active valley lobes in deep-water (up to 350 m) embayments and not by regional stagnation and simple downwasting. A shift of ice flow from the Adirondacks to ice flow from the Mohawk Lobe marks the development of low-land lobes during pre-Valley Heads time before the complete uncovering of the Adirondacks. The later dominance of the Ontario Lobe in Valley Heads time may have been the result of (1) a reduced supply of ice to the Mohawk Lobe from a diminished Adirondack ice dome, (2) changing ice-flow conditions in Quebec associated with an eastern St. Lawrence ice stream and calving bay, and (3) nonsynchronous surging of the Mohawk and Ontario Lobes as these lobes became fronted by deep lacustrine waters at different times.
Self-management, preventable conditions and assessment of care among young adults with myelomeningocele

Aim In this multicentre cross-sectional study we aimed to identify whether self-management ability and healthcare service delivery factors were related to preventable conditions [urinary tract infections (UTIs), pressure ulcers] and healthcare utilization [emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations] specifically in a sample of young adults with myelomeningocele. Background Spina bifida is one of the most common congenital birth defects, affecting over 166000 individuals living in the USA. Participants completed a questionnaire comprised of a self-report measure of healthcare services (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care), recent healthcare utilization and preventable medical conditions. A structured clinical interview [Adolescent Self-Management and Independence Scale 2 (AMIS)] was administered to assess self-management. Multiple linear regression models were run to explore individual and combined effects of the AMIS, Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, condition severity variables (shunted hydrocephalus, lesion level) and demographic factors in explaining variability in ER visits, hospitalizations, UTIs and pressure ulcers. Results Higher number of UTIs were associated with no history of shunting, lower educational levels, higher employment levels and lower AMIS scores (adjusted R2=0.774, P=0.002). Higher number of ulcers was associated with higher motor level and higher educational level (adjusted R2=0.378, P=0.017). Higher number of hospitalizations was associated with higher number of wounds and lower AMIS scores (adjusted R2=0.544, P=0.012). A significant model for ER visits was not identified. Conclusions Initiatives aimed at improving self-management skills or providing support for skin and bladder care may be warranted for those with high levels of motor impairment or lower educational levels. Better detection of wounds may be seen in those with higher employment levels. Spina bifida is a complex condition, but one whose most prevalent concomitant secondary conditions may be preventable through simple measures that improve self-management and through health educational initiatives targeted to specific patient groups. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS IN CATS

Despite much research on FUS, there still is no consensus regarding its cause, or even its definition. We recently have demonstrated that some cases of FUS are similar to interstitial cystitis in human beings. Exclusion of anatomic defects, behavior abnormalities, neoplasia, urolithiasis, urethral obstruction, and urinary tract infection leads one to the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis in cats. This diagnosis suggests the need for new approaches to treatment, including pain management and environmental modification.
The macrophage: Switches from a passenger to a driver during anticancer therapy.

We have recently discovered that BRAF inhibitors induce potent macrophage responses that confer melanoma resistance to therapy. Our studies lay a foundation for the hypothesis that macrophages switch their role from a passenger to a driver for tumor survival during therapeutic treatment, suggesting that agents that target macrophages can be an important component of “cocktail” anticancer therapy.
Using leading indicators to measure occupational health and safety performance

A study was conducted to advance the state of knowledge and practice on the topic of using leading indicators to measure occupational health and safety (OHS) performance of organizations. The specific research aims were to (1) describe the extent to which OHS practitioners understand leading indicators; (2) explore organizational practices pertaining to tracking, analyzing, and applying information provided by leading indicators to improve OHS performance; and (3) identify barriers and factors that enable the use of leading indicators. The study design included an expert panel and a quantitative survey to explore the views and experiences of OHS practitioners in relation to leading indicators. The findings suggest several important characteristics (e.g., actionability) that effective leading indicators need to possess and describe modifiable factors (e.g., commitment and technical knowledge of senior executives) that may be correlated with such characteristics. Overall, this study argues for continued effort to improve access to research and practical knowledge among OHS professionals as well as their executive leaders who seek to demonstrate continuous improvement of performance measurement strategies.
Access control over uncertain data

Access control is the problem of regulating access to secret information based on certain context information. In traditional applications, context information is known exactly, permitting a simple allow/deny semantics. In this paper, we look at access control when the context is itself uncertain. Our motivating application is RFID data management, in which the location of objects and people, and the associations between them is often uncertain to the system, yet access to private data is strictly defined in terms of these locations and associations.We formalize a natural semantics for access control that allows the release of partial information in the presence of uncertainty and describe an algorithm that uses a provably optimal perturbation function to enforce these semantics. To specify access control policies in practice, we describe UCAL, a new access control language for uncertain data. We then describe an output perturbation algorithm to implement access control policies described by UCAL. We carry out a set of experiments that demonstrate the feasibility of our approach and confirm its superiority over other possible approaches such as thresholding or sampling.
Nonlinear Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Tracking Control of a Human Limb

A high-level objective of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is to enable a person to achieve some functional task. Towards this goal, the objective of the current effort is to develop a NMES controller to produce a knee position trajectory that will enable a human shank to track any continuous desired trajectory (or constant setpoint). A nonlinear control method is developed to control the human quadriceps femoris muscle undergoing nonisometric contractions. The developed controller does not require a muscle model and can be proven to yield asymptotic stability for a nonlinear muscle model in the presence of bounded nonlinear disturbances (e.g., spasticity, delays, fatigue). The performance of the controller is demonstrated through a series of closed-loop experiments on human subjects. The experiments illustrate the ability of the controller to enable the leg shank to track single and multiple period trajectories with different periods and ranges of motion, and also track desired step changes with changing loads.
Invented requirements and imagined customers: requirements engineering for off-the-shelf software

The requirements engineering research and consulting communities are not serving the interests of software developers who build off-the-shelf application software. Most of our models and methods evolved with the aid of funding from organizations interested in obtaining unique systems under contract and in which there is a clear interface between "customer" and "developer". These origins have spawned many assumptions about what requirements are. Through several design scenarios I illustrate how these assumptions break down in the case of off-the-shelf software. I then suggest some alternative priorities that would address these shortcomings. My aim is to provoke and stimulate thought, not to propose a developed solution.
RNA Folding and Catalysis Mediated by Iron (II)

Mg2+ shares a distinctive relationship with RNA, playing important and specific roles in the folding and function of essentially all large RNAs. Here we use theory and experiment to evaluate Fe2+ in the absence of free oxygen as a replacement for Mg2+ in RNA folding and catalysis. We describe both quantum mechanical calculations and experiments that suggest that the roles of Mg2+ in RNA folding and function can indeed be served by Fe2+. The results of quantum mechanical calculations show that the geometry of coordination of Fe2+ by RNA phosphates is similar to that of Mg2+. Chemical footprinting experiments suggest that the conformation of the Tetrahymena thermophila Group I intron P4–P6 domain RNA is conserved between complexes with Fe2+ or Mg2+. The catalytic activities of both the L1 ribozyme ligase, obtained previously by in vitro selection in the presence of Mg2+, and the hammerhead ribozyme are enhanced in the presence of Fe2+ compared to Mg2+. All chemical footprinting and ribozyme assays in the presence of Fe2+ were performed under anaerobic conditions. The primary motivation of this work is to understand RNA in plausible early earth conditions. Life originated during the early Archean Eon, characterized by a non-oxidative atmosphere and abundant soluble Fe2+. The combined biochemical and paleogeological data are consistent with a role for Fe2+ in an RNA World. RNA and Fe2+ could, in principle, support an array of RNA structures and catalytic functions more diverse than RNA with Mg2+ alone.
A Public Health Knowledge Management Repository that Includes Grey Literature

Public health professionals rely heavily on resources that are often only available in grey literature format. However, while grey literature may contain comprehensive, concrete, and up-to-date information, the fugitive nature of this material makes access problematic. The public health community needs a knowledge management repository of grey literature and tools for easy and rapid access, so time spent searching across and through materials can be reduced. Design a customizable prototype public health knowledge management repository system and end-user interface with optimal interoperability and the capability to provide timely access to public health information in support of decision making at the point and time of need. Specification of an appropriate metadata schema, which identifies in a standardized way the elements needed to describe a resource, are a critical part of the system. The long-term goal is a system that delivers answers to public health questions, not a list of pointers to resources that may or may not contain information to answer those questions. We are utilizing user needs analysis, user profiling, and resource assessment to inform understanding the information needs of public health professionals in the context of their everyday workflow and enable identification of key grey literature knowledge resources for incorporation into the knowledge management system. Rapid prototyping is being used to translate these findings into system specifications and interface design of a small-scale prototype system. The prototype defines system components and interactivity both among components and with relevant external knowledge resources––for example, the New York Academy of Medicine’s Grey Literature collection, web resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health materials, etc. The collection of materials will be organized utilizing resource metadata (high level formal, standards-based descriptions of documents) to improve location of relevant grey literature and other information sources. Testing and evaluation will result in enhancements to the user interface, information resources, presentation of those resources, etc. We also anticipate that the metadata schema employed in a public health knowledge management system will improve the efficacy and efficiency of locating answers to public health questions from the grey literature. As the amount and breadth of public health information resources continue to expand it is critical that we find ways to provide direct access to the contents of these rich and complex resources. We believe that a public health grey literature knowledge management system with a collection of resources driven by the information needs of public health practitioners and organized using an appropriate metadata scheme will reduce time spent searching across and through materials, enhance public health decision making and ultimately improve the overall quality of public health services.
Hyaluronan Synthase of Chlorella Virus PBCV-1

Sequence analysis of the 330-kilobase genome of the virus PBCV-1 that infects a chlorella-like green algae revealed an open reading frame, A98R, with similarity to several hyaluronan synthases. Hyaluronan is an essential polysaccharide found in higher animals as well as in a few pathogenic bacteria. Expression of the A98R gene product in Escherichia coli indicated that the recombinant protein is an authentic hyaluronan synthase. A98R is expressed early in PBCV-1 infection and hyaluronan is produced in infected algae. These results demonstrate that a virus can encode an enzyme capable of synthesizing a carbohydrate polymer and that hyaluronan exists outside of animals and their pathogens.