cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of Viral Acute Gastrointestinal Illness from Nondisinfected Drinking Water Distribution Systems

Acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) resulting from pathogens directly entering the piping of drinking water distribution systems is insufficiently understood. Here, we estimate AGI incidence from virus intrusions into the distribution systems of 14 nondisinfecting, groundwater-source, community water systems. Water samples for virus quantification were collected monthly at wells and households during four 12-week periods in 2006–2007. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was installed on the communities’ wellheads during one study year; UV was absent the other year. UV was intended to eliminate virus contributions from the wells and without residual disinfectant present in these systems, any increase in virus concentration downstream at household taps represented virus contributions from the distribution system (Approach 1). During no-UV periods, distribution system viruses were estimated by the difference between well water and household tap virus concentrations (Approach 2). For both approaches, a Monte Carlo...
Amplification of DNA Sequences

This article discusses some of the tools available to amplify DNA sequences. These techniques are extremely useful for detecting the presence of small amounts of a DNA target sequence. They also can he used to detect short sequences in DNA that has degraded partially. The cloning procedure, useful for producing many copies of a sequence, also is described. Methods for comparing nucleotide sequences within amplified sequences are discussed, including heteroduplex analysis and single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Methods for performing DNA sequence analysis are presented as well.
Lifestyle factors and health-related quality of life in bladder cancer survivors: a systematic review

Purpose Diet, physical activity, and smoking cessation are modifiable lifestyle factors that have been shown to improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in many cancer survivors. Our objective was to systematically review the literature on the associations between lifestyle factors, namely diet, physical activity, smoking status, and HRQOL in bladder cancer survivors. Methods We queried PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane libraries. Two reviewers reviewed abstracts independently, and a third reviewer arbitrated disagreements. A descriptive analysis was performed. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for clinical trials. Results We identified 1167 publications in the initial search, of which 9 met inclusion criteria for full-text review. We were able to obtain data on the outcomes of interest for 5 publications. A total of 1288 patients who underwent treatment for bladder cancer were included. Three studies were observational by design and two were randomized controlled trials. Physical activity was addressed by 4 studies, smoking status by 2 studies, and diet by 1 study. Conclusions The review highlights the limited evidence around lifestyle factors and quality of life in bladder cancer survivors. There is some evidence for a positive association between HRQOL and physical activity, but insufficient evidence upon which to draw conclusions about the effects of consuming fruits and vegetables or non-smoking. Implications for cancer survivors There is limited evidence to support a positive association between health-related quality of life and physical activity, but insufficient evidence upon which to base any conclusions about consumption of fruits and vegetables or smoking cessation in bladder cancer survivors.
The methods for the collimating of strip-geometry laser

The methods for the collimating transform,shaping and energy coupling of the Laser Diode(LD) beam is studied,including that a calculating approximation method of strip-geometry laser applied is put forward,and an emitting antenna of strip-geometry laser for ranging is designed.The analyzed results of collimating antenna shows that the LD divergence of the typical parameters of divergences of 10°×40° and luminous surface sizes of 100μm×1μm can be compressed to smaller than 1 mrad.
Application of Maleic Anhydride in Coatings, Adhesives and Printing

The mass production capabilities coupled with a broad synthetic platform have powered maleic anhydride to an incredibly diverse range of commercial applications. Applications so vast, its broad detailed discussion is well beyond the ability of one book chapter to capture. Consequently, this chapter is written more as a survey, covering many of the most important maleic anhydride applications while discussing a few specific topics in more detail. It is our hope that the reader will finish this chapter with a greater appreciation for the broad applicability and emerging potential for maleic anhydride.
Synergy of Sex Differences in Visceral Fat Measured with CT and Tumor Metabolism Helps Predict Overall Survival in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Combining relative visceral fat area and tumor glucose metabolism measurements can provide a new sex-specific risk-stratification system for patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Beyond subhalos: Probing the collective effect of the Universe's small-scale structure with gravitational lensing

Gravitational lensing has emerged as a powerful probe of the matter distribution on subgalactic scales, which itself may contain important clues about the fundamental origins and properties of dark matter. Broadly speaking, two different approaches have been taken in the literature to map the small-scale structure of the Universe using strong lensing, with one focused on measuring the position and mass of a small number of discrete massive subhalos appearing close in projection to lensed images, and the other focused on detecting the collective effect of all the small-scale structures between the lensed source and the observer. In this paper, we follow the latter approach and perform a detailed study of the sensitivity of galaxy-scale gravitational lenses to the ensemble properties of small-scale structure. As in some previous studies, we adopt the language of the substructure power spectrum to characterize the statistical properties of the small-scale density field. We present a comprehensive theory that treats lenses with extended sources as well as those with time-dependent compact sources (such as quasars) in a unified framework for the first time. Our approach uses mode functions to provide both computational advantages and insights about couplings between the lens and source. The goal of this paper is to develop the theory and gain the intuition necessary to understand how the sensitivity to the substructure power spectrum depends on the source and lens properties, with the eventual aim of identifying the most promising targets for such studies.
Synthetic Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine Applications

Synthetic biomaterials for regenerative medicine (RM) range from nondegradable classic materials like metals that primarily replace damaged tissues to degradable polymers that regenerate tissue structure and function. This chapter discusses the properties of several classes of synthetic materials commonly used in RM, including metals, ceramics, nondegradable polymers, degradable polymers, and hydrogels. Under each class, the merits and limitations of specific materials are reported. Furthermore, clinical and in vivo applications of several of these materials are also discussed.
Measurement of Carbon-Carbon Electrical Conductivity During Pyrolysis

The eddy current sensor described below is one of several sensors that is currently being used to monitor the pyrolysis of carbon-carbon materials. It is part of a larger system that is being developed for the closed loop control of the carbon-carbon manufacturing process [1]. The eddy current sensor is being used to monitor changes in the electrical conductivity of the specimen.
REGULATION OF ADENINE NUCLEOTIDE TRANSLOCATION BY LONG CHAIN FATTY ACYL CoA ESTERS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the regulation of adenine nucleotide translocation by long chain fatty acyl CoA esters. The adenine nucleotide translocase is recognized to be one of the most important enzymes in cell bioenergetics. A model for the mechanism of adenine nucleotide translocation had to take into consideration the asymmetry of the binding of the inhibitors. Long chain fatty acyl CoA esters are the natural effectors of the adenine nucleotide translocator. The receptors on the ADP/ATP carrier for the acyl CoA esters are asymmetric or in different conformational states in that when the acyl CoA is bound to the cytosolic side of the inner membrane, it inhibits like atractylate, whereas when it is bound to the matrix side of the inner membrane, the acyl CoA inhibits like bongkrekic acid. Long chain acyl CoA esters can be physiologically translocated across the inner mitochondrial membrane by the acylcarnitine transferase enzymes and the carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase system.
Sterol Carrier Protein (SCP)

Whereas the nature and function of the cholesterol-binding protein (“transcholesterin”, see Vol. I, p. 94) need much clarification, more information is available on certain tissue proteins that associate with cholesterol by noncovalent bonds. This type of protein is called sterol carrier protein (SCP). It is found in the 105,000 × g supernatant (S105) of the liver homogenate of rat and other mammalian species, and binds squalene, cholesterol and numerous intermediates in the biosynthesis of cholesterol. SCP is a noncatalytic protein; it is required, however, in the enzymatic conversion of cholesterol precursors to cholesterol (Dempsey 1974, 1975; Scallen et al. 1974; Goad 1975).
Das Krankenhaus-Marketing unter DRG-Bedingungen — Konsequenzen für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie —

Bislang ist Marketing in deutschen Krankenhausern leider noch eher ein Fremdwort oder ein groses Missverstandnis. Dabei konnten Kliniken, Patienten, Beschaftigte und Einweiser von den Win-Win-Konzepten des Marketings allesamt profitieren. Meistens wird irrtumlicherweise Marketing mit Klinikselbstdarstellungen, Offentlichkeitsarbeit oder Werbung gleichgesetzt. Unbedarfte Klinikentscheider argumentieren, dass jetzt kein finanzieller Spielraum mehr fur Marketing bestunde, da man sparen musse. Dabei ist die Logik des sozialen Marketing vollig anders: Kliniken, die nicht sparen mussen, brauchen kein Marketing, denn sie konnen aus frei verfugbaren Ressourcen Patienten und Beschaftigte bedienen oder verwohnen. Kliniken, die jedoch extrem sparen mussen, brauchen dringend Marketing, damit sie trotzdem wettbewerbsfahig bleiben und grostmogliche Zufriedenheiten bei allen Beteiligten bewahren.
Oropharygneal articulation of phonemic and phonetic nasalization in Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract The phonological feature [± nasal ] does not distinguish systematic oropharyngeal differences between oral, nasal, and phonetically nasalized vowels. A variety of studies now show that oropharyngeal shape may systematically enhance or compensate for the acoustic effects of nasal coupling. Additionally, the phonetic implementation of [− nasal ] vowels in oral and nasal contexts is a matter of some controversy. While the velopharyngeal opening of these vowels has been inferred from aerodynamics, we know of no attempt to directly study the oropharyngeal articulation of underlyingly oral vowels in nasal and oral contexts in a language that may also have phonemically [+ nasal ] vowels. In this study, real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rt-MRI) is used to study vocal tract configuration in Brazilian Portuguese (BP), a language that arguably has [+ nasal ] (phonemically nasal) vowels and two classes of [− nasal ] vowels (oral and phonetically nasalized). Results show oropharyngeal differences between nasal and oral vowel congeners /a∼a/, /i∼ĩ/ and /u∼ũ/, which arguably enhance well-known acoustic effects of nasal coupling on vowel height. In addition, nasal coda consonants emerge following nasal vowels. Phonetically nasalized vowels, on the other hand, show no sign of nasal enhancement, including nasal coda emergence, implying they are underlyingly oral vowels, despite the environment in which they occur. We argue that nasal vowels in BP are underlyingly / V / , rather than /VN/ sequences, the latter distinction being reserved for nasalized vowels. Articulatory divergence of [+ nasal ] and [− nasal ] vowels has implications in perception, sound change, and the phonetic implementation of nasality.
Vat in Emerging Economies: Does Third Party Verification Matter?

A key stated advantage of the value-added tax (VAT) is that it allows the tax authority to verify transactions by comparing seller and buyer transaction reports. However, there is limited evidence on how these paper trails actually affect VAT collections particularly in low compliance environments. We use a unique data set (the universe of VAT returns for the Indian state of Delhi over five years) and the timing of a policy that improved the tax authority’s information about buyer-seller interactions to shed light on this issue. Using a difference-in-difference strategy we find that the policy had a large and significant effect on tax collections from wholesale firms relative to retail firms. We also find significant heterogeneity with almost the entire increase being driven by changes in the behavior of the biggest taxpaying firms. We also find suggestive evidence that improvement in information and enforcement are complementary for a subset of firms.
Effects Hypoxia/Reoxygenation on Intracellular Calcium Ion Homeostasis in Ventricular Myocytes during Halothane Exposure

Publisher Summary In the experiments presented in this chapter, the researchers test the hypothesis that exposure of myocytes to halothane decreases the severity of hypoxia-reoxygenation injury to the myocardium by preventing the accumulation of Ca 2+ in the intracellular organelles, primarily the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), during the hypoxic period. The object of the present study has been to explore the interaction of hypoxia and halothane on intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis, to examine possible mechanisms by which the anesthetic may protect the myocardium during hypoxic insult. These experiments demonstrate that concurrent exposure of individual myocytes to halothane during hypoxia is associated with a beneficial outcome based on indicies of structure and function. Hypoxia-reoxygenation of ventricular myocytes is associated with pathological changes in the way that myocytes handle Ca 2+ . Even apparently normal cells, with normal morphology and resting [Ca 2+ ] i are impaired. They have an inability to be electrically paced following hypoxia and difficulty in handling large sudden increases in the [Ca 2+ ] i produced by 10 mM caffeine. Exposure to halothane during hypoxia and reoxygenation appears to give some protection to the ventricular myocyte as demonstrated by a huge propensity for maintenance of normal morphology and resting [Ca 2+ ] i in the postischemia reoxygenation period and the ability to handle pacing-induced and caffeine-induced sudden increases in [Ca 2+ ] i . Furthermore, exposure of the myocytes to the anesthetic prevents the large increase in caffeine-releasable Ca 2+ associated with hypoxia and reperfusion. These findings support the hypothesis that exposure of myocytes to halothane decreases the hypoxia-reoxygenation injury to the myocardium by preventing the accumulation of Ca 2+ in the intracellular organelles, primarily the SR, during the hypoxic period. These anesthetic-induced changes in how the hypoxic myocytes handle Ca 2+ can help explain the decrease in myocardial damage and irritability seen in vivo .
Boot Camps and Science Camps: Comparing the KIPP and Harmony Charter School Networks

This paper compares the KIPP and Harmony charter school networks as examples of high poverty/high achievement schools. While each network seemingly succeeds, their different strategies reflect different founders and populations served.
Fungal Prophylaxis and Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction

Purpose Prior studies demonstrate that lung transplant recipients (LTRs) experience the highest rate of invasive mold infections amongst all transplant recipients. Aspergillosis is the most common offender, and aspergillus colonization and invasive disease have been linked to chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). There are no standardized guidelines regarding fungal prophylaxis strategy or agent selection. This study examined the relationship between post-transplant antifungal prophylaxis and freedom from CLAD. Methods This single-center retrospective analysis evaluated 566 adult LTRs from July 2, 2005 to December 28, 2015. Fungal prophylaxis practices evolved during the study period from targeted antifungal prophylaxis (TAP) to universal antifungal prophylaxis (UAP) for the first 6 months post-transplant with either voriconazole or posaconazole. A Kaplan-Meir analysis and Cox regression were performed to estimate freedom from CLAD at 3 years for TAP versus UAP patients. A similar approach was used to examine the relationship between freedom from CLAD and discharge antifungal selection (none, voriconazole, or posaconazole). Results Freedom from CLAD at 3 years post-transplant in the TAP versus UAP cohorts was 65% and 68%, respectively (P=0.35). The relative risk of CLAD was not significantly reduced in the UAP cohort even when adjusting for pre-transplant disease, transplant type, and induction therapy (hazard ratio 0.83; 95% confidence interval 0.63-1.13; P=0.24). Freedom from CLAD at 3 years post-transplant with patients grouped by discharge antifungal regimen was as follows: no prophylaxis 67%, voriconazole 68%, and posaconazole 70% (P=0.65). There was also no significant difference in risk of CLAD across patients grouped by discharge antifungal regimen following multivariable adjustment. Conclusion There was no significant difference in freedom from CLAD at 3 years post-transplant for LTRs managed under a TAP versus UAP strategy or for these patients when grouped by discharge antifungal regimen. These results, while unexpected, pique interest in further investigation, particularly elucidating the relationship between prophylaxis and incidence of fungal colonization and invasive disease. Pursuing these avenues of study will advance our understanding of the utility and benefit of fungal prophylaxis in the LTR population.
mTADA is a framework for identifying risk genes from de novo mutations in multiple traits

Joint analysis of multiple traits can result in the identification of associations not found through the analysis of each trait in isolation. Studies of neuropsychiatric disorders and congenital heart disease (CHD) which use de novo mutations (DNMs) from parent-offspring trios have reported multiple putatively causal genes. However, a joint analysis method designed to integrate DNMs from multiple studies has yet to be implemented. We here introduce multiple-trait TADA (mTADA) which jointly analyzes two traits using DNMs from non-overlapping family samples. We first demonstrate that mTADA is able to leverage genetic overlaps to increase the statistical power of risk-gene identification. We then apply mTADA to large datasets of >13,000 trios for five neuropsychiatric disorders and CHD. We report additional risk genes for schizophrenia, epileptic encephalopathies and CHD. We outline some shared and specific biological information of intellectual disability and CHD by conducting systems biology analyses of genes prioritized by mTADA. Joint analysis of multiple traits can increase power and provide insights into shared genetic architecture. Here, Nguyen et al. develop multi-trait TADA (mTADA), an extension of TADA (transmission and de novo association test) that jointly analyses de novo mutations of traits for improved risk-gene identification power.
The Great Equalizer? Gender, Parenting, and Scholarly Productivity During the Global Pandemic

Has the global COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the scholarly productivity of academics? Do gender and parenting magnify its effect? To obtain insight into the changes the pandemic has wrought in the lives and careers of women and parents in academia, we surveyed scholars in political science and international studies. The survey was in the field during the period in which many academics were experiencing shelter-at-home orders and adjusting to a new reality. It captures initial reactions to changed circumstances as well as the fears and anticipated consequences of the disruptions. We find that perceptions of a negative impact are broadly shared. The open-ended responses suggest that the pandemic may widen the gender and parent productivity gaps. Although further analysis is needed to better understand the effect of the pandemic on scholarly productivity, we conclude that the pandemic exacerbates existing structural inequalities.
Ornament, armament, or toolkit? Modelling how population size drives the evolution of birdsong, a functional cultural trait

Oscine songbirds have been an important study system for social learning, particularly because their learned songs provide an analog for human languages and music. Here we propose a different analogy; from an evolutionary perspective, could a bird9s song be more like an arrowhead than an aria? We modify an existing model of human tool evolution to accommodate cultural evolution of birdsong: each song learner chooses the most skilled available tutor to emulate, and more likely produces an inferior copy than a superior one. Similarly to human tool evolution, we show that larger populations foster greater improvements in song over time, even when learners restrict their pool of tutors to a subset of individuals. We also demonstrate that randomly sampling tutors from the population offers no clear benefit over sampling only existing connections in a structured social network, and that by allowing a lower quality trait to be easier to imitate than a higher quality one, simpler songs can be maintained after population bottlenecks. We show that these processes could plausibly generate empirically observed patterns of song evolution, and we make predictions about the types of song elements most likely to be lost when populations shrink. More broadly, we aim to connect the modeling approaches used by researchers studying social learning in human and non-human systems, moving toward a cohesive theoretical framework that accounts for both cognitive and demographic processes
DcR3 regulation and its effect on radiation treatment

1231 Aim: DcR3 is a newly discovered decoy receptor (secretary soluble receptor) in the TNFR superfamily. It binds to three important apoptotic ligands: FasL, TL1A and LIGHT, it competes with their intact death receptors, and therefore blocks the death signaling. We investigated DcR3 regulation and its effect on radiation response. Methods: SW480 cancer cells were irradiated and the level of DcR3 was measured by ELISA. DcR3 regulation was evaluated using a panel of inhibitors for various signaling pathways. The extent of apoptosis in irradiated cancer cells was measured by Annexin V and Calcein AM staining. Results: Upon radiation, SW480 cells upregulated DcR3 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The up-regulation of DcR3 can be inhibited by the MEK inhibitor (PD98059), but not the P38/MAPK inhibitor (SB203580). The radiation-induced apoptosis of SW480 cells was enhanced by addition of PD98059 and was blocked by SB203580, as evidenced by a higher percentage of living cells stained with Annexin V and Calcein AM compared to the controls. Conclusion: The induction of DcR3 protects cancer cells from radiation-induced apoptosis. The up-regulation of DcR3 is associated with the MEK signaling pathway, but not the P38/MAPK pathway. It seems that the level of DcR3 is a critical factor determining the fate of irradiated cells. Potential radiation sensitization should occur if the DcR3 effect is down-regulated. This can be accomplished by siRNA, MEK inhibitor, or by blocking its function using of neutralization antibody.
Bacteriophage and the toxigenicity of Clostridium botulinum type D.

THE data of Inoue and Iida1,2 strongly suggest that bacteriophage is involved in the toxigenicity of Clostridium botulinum types C and D. They were able to recover toxigenic isolates from nontoxigenic cultures incubated in broth containing filtrates of the toxigenic strains (Stockholm strain of type C and strain 1873 of type D). Lysis was observed in the cultures, but plaques were not demonstrated on solid medium. The change from hontoxigenicity to toxigenicity in C. botulinum type C strain 468C has been shown3 to require the active and continued participation of a specific bacteriophage designated CEβ.
Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Autoantibodies in Children with Overweight and Obesity with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Objectives To evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of autoantibodies in children with overweight and obesity with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) compared with those with autoimmune liver disease (ALD). Study design This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of children with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of NAFL, NASH, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and a body mass index (BMI) >85th percentile treated between 2007 and 2016. Results A total of 181 patients were identified, including 31 (17%) with NAFL, 121 (67%) with NASH, 12 (6.6%) with ALD (AIH, PSC, or overlap), and 17 (9.4%) with combined ALD and NAFLD. Antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-actin antibody, and anti–liver kidney microsomal (LKM) antibody were positive in 16.1%, 13.8%, and 0%, respectively, of the patients with NAFL and in 32.8%, 15.5%, and 0%, respectively, of those with NASH. Total immunoglobulin G (IgG) was elevated in 27.3% of the patients with NAFL and in 47.7% of those with NASH, but in 100% of those with ALD. The positive predictive value of LKM was 100% for ALD but only 29% for ANA and 46% for anti-actin antibody. Conclusions False-positive rates of autoantibodies were higher in pediatric patients with overweight and obesity with NAFLD compared with the general adult population. Positive LKM had the highest specificity and positive predictive value, and elevated IgG level had the highest sensitivity for ALD. The presence of autoantibodies does not signal more severe NAFLD in children. BMI >98th percentile seems to be an important breakpoint above which ALD is less likely.
The Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Self-Management Behaviors in World Trade Center Workers with Asthma.

Background Comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent and associated with increased morbidity among World Trade Center (WTC) rescue and recovery workers with asthma. However, the potential behavioral pathways underlying this relationship remain unclear. Objective To evaluate whether PTSD is associated with lower adherence to asthma self-management behaviors among WTC workers with asthma. Methods We used data from a prospective cohort of WTC workers with a physician diagnosis of asthma who were prescribed controller medications. Presence of comorbid PTSD was determined based on structured clinical interviews. Asthma self-management behaviors included medication adherence, inhaler technique, use of action plans, and trigger avoidance. We conducted unadjusted and multiple regression analyses to evaluate the association of PTSD with asthma self-management. Results Overall, 30% of 276 WTC workers with asthma had comorbid PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder was associated with worse asthma control and poorer quality of life. However, PTSD was not significantly associated with medication adherence (odds ratio [OR] –0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] –0.5 to 0.2), inhaler technique (OR –0.12; 95% CI –0.7 to 0.5), use of action plans (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.8), or trigger avoidance (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.8). Conclusions We did not find significant differences in key asthma self-management behaviors between WTC workers with and without PTSD. These results suggest that other mechanisms, such as differences in symptom perception or inflammatory pathways, may explain the association between PTSD and increased asthma morbidity.
Peer mentoring in an extracurricular music class

The purpose of this study was to explore how high school students mentored beginning fifth-grade students in an extracurricular music class for double-reed instruments. In this study, I investigate...
The Unfolding of a Catalytic Mechanism for the Remarkable ATP Synthase

In the past two decades, investigators in the field of bioenergetics have shown that a particular multisubunit protein complex (the ATP synthase) on the inner membrane of mitochondria, and on plant and bacterial membranes uses the energy supplied by an electrochemical or pH gradient to drive the net synthesis of ATP (see Figure 1). This energy could exert its effect either indirectly through a physical change in the structure of the protein itself (i.e. a conformational change) which would facilitate changes at the catalytic site, or directly, by the active donation of protons into the catalytic site which would be used in the covalent bond step when ATP is formed from ADP and Pi. Mitchell (1974, 1978) has suggested that effective removal of an oxygen group from Pi could be accomplished by such protonations at the catalytic site. However, over the past 10 years, increasing evidence has accrued showing that the energy provided by electron transport down the respiratory chain is used indirectly for the phosphorylation of ADP by Pi.
An analysis of the dynamic propagation of elastic and elastic-plastic circumferential cracks in pressurized pipes

The dynamic motion of a circumferential through-crack in an axially stressed pipe was examined with a finite-difference shell code to determine the crack opening shapes and speed of extension of elastic-plastic crack propagation. Calculations were also performed with an additional hoop stress to examine the effect of earlier plastic deformation due to a biaxial stress state. The results were compared with those obtained for elastic propagation of the circumferential crack and those obtained in a study of pressure-driven axially oriented cracks. As previously noted, in the study of the elastic fracture, the crack characteristics are primarily functions of the ratio of the dynamic crack intensity factor developed for a crack of fixed length to the crack initiation stress-intensity factor, K I Q . Elastic-plastic circumferential cracks propagate slower than their elastic counterparts but substantially faster than comparably loaded axial cracks. Although slower moving, the crack openings are much larger. No effect of shell thickness was noted, and no edge flaps were found to exist.
The Role of Insects in the Dynamics of Scleroderris Canker in New york

The twig-infesting scolytid beetles Pityophthorous pulicarius and P. puberulus were exonerated from the role of suspected vectors of Scleroderris canker but a significantly reduced rate of infections in red pines treated with the systemic insecticide carbofuran (FuradanR) indicated that insects may nonetheless exacerbate the disease outbreak by providing infection courts for windborn and rain-splashed conidia.
When more is better.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a highly conserved multi-step process. Congenital NER defects are clinically complex, at least in part because components of the NER machinery also function in the basal transcription factor, TFIIH. A new study demonstrates that reduction in the amount, rather than the inherent activity, of TFIIH is the underlying cause of one such congenital NER defect, underscoring the link between transcription and NER-associated disease.
Tumor promoter benzoyl peroxide induces direct oxidative activation of protein kinase Cϵ and increases phosphorylation of STAT3

3135 Benzoyl peroxide (BPO), a free radical-generating compound widely used in industry, is a tumor promoter and progression agent in mouse skin. Although it elicits many cellular effects similar to phorbol esters, the mechanism by which BPO induces tumor promotion is not known. Previously we showed that BPO induces redox-sensitive modification of protein kinase C (PKC) and that the reversibility of this modification is related to cellular resistance to peroxide induced cytotoxicity. In this study, we observed an oxidative activation of PKCϵ in BPO-treated JB6 (41 P + ) promotable cells. This activation occurred due to direct oxidative modification of the regulatory domain of PKCϵ and was reversible by various thiol antioxidants. BPO induced this activation only for a short duration in the nonpromotable JB6 (30 P - ) cell line. BPO also induced an activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2 in JB6 P + cells. The activation of ERKs was blocked by pretreating cells with high (2 μM) concentration of bisindolylmaleimide and by knockout of PKCϵ by using siRNA. During the period of activation of PKCϵ and ERKs, there was an increase in Ser727 phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). This STAT3 phophorylation was substantially blocked by siRNA-mediated knockdown of PKCϵ, and partially blocked by PD98059, an ERK pathway inhibitor, and H89, a potential inhibitor of mitogen- stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1). This suggests that PKCϵ plays an important role in STAT3 (Ser727) phosphorylation either directly or indirectly via the ERK-MSK1 pathway. However, in JB6 cells overexpressing PKCϵ, inhibitors that block the ERK-MSK1 pathway inhibited STAT3 (Ser727) phosphorylation only to a minimal degree, while PKCϵ siRNA-mediated knockdown maximally inhibited this phosphorylation. This suggests that while the ERK-MSK1 pathway is important in mediating upstream signals to STAT3 (Ser727) phosphorylation, in cells overexpressing PKCϵ, this isoenzyme can directly contribute to this phosphorylation. In BPO-treated JB6 cells, there was also an increase in Tyr705 phosphorylation of STAT3 suggesting activation of additional pathways in response to BPO. Conceivably, this data suggest that the oncogenic PKCϵ plays an important role in STAT3 activation that is intimately involved in cell proliferation and tumor promotion.
Securing service-oriented applications

Securing applications in a service-oriented architecture is challenging, because the loose coupling that characterizes a SOA can also expose existing security implementations’ brittleness. Our solution includes well-defined trust models based on acceptable forms of proof, as well as reliance on policies, Web Services security, and security engineering best practices.
The Libyan revolution and its aftermath / The 2011 Libyan uprisings and the struggle for the post-Qadhafi future

Libya remains an enigma, even for scholars of North Africa and the broader Middle East. While a number of journalistic-style accounts of the 2011 Libyan uprisings have appeared in the past four yea...
New tiling techniques to improve cache temporal locality

Tiling is a well-known loop transformation to improve temporal locality of nested loops. Current compiler algorithms for tiling are limited to loops which are perfectly nested or can be transformed, in trivial ways, into a perfect nest. This paper presents a number of program transformations to enable tiling for a class of nontrivial imperfectly-nested loops such that cache locality is improved. We define a program model for such loops and develop compiler algorithms for their tiling. We propose to adopt odd-even variable duplication to break anti- and output dependences without unduly increasing the working-set size, and to adopt speculative execution to enable tiling of loops which may terminate prematurely due to, e.g. convergence tests in iterative algorithms. We have implemented these techniques in a research compiler, Panorama. Initial experiments with several benchmark programs are performed on SGI workstations based on MIPS R5K and R10K processors. Overall, the transformed programs run faster by 9% to 164%.
Total serum bile acids and the bile acid profile as tests of liver function

Total serum bile acid assay for the evaluation of liver function has been available for many years but its application has been limited primarily by factors such as methodology, equipment and cost. New and improved methods for bile acid assay such as the radioimmunoassay or the hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase techniques have brought the assay for bile acids into the realm of the clinical laboratory. The efficacy of bile acids for clinical diagnostic use in the evaluation of liver function has not been firmly established. Newer methods using high pressure liquid chromatography to develop a profile of the different bile acids may clarify its usefulness and define its role among the many available tests of liver function in animals.
Susceptibility of clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae to BL-S640, a new oral cephalosporin.

The in vitro activity of BL-S640, a 7-(2-aryl-2-aminoacetamido)-3-(heterocyclic-thiomethyl) cephalosporin, was evaluated against 338 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae in comparison with ampicillin, cephalothin, cefazolin, and cephalexin. Against Escherichia coli , BL-S640 was as active as cefazolin and more active than ampicillin, cephalothin, and cephalexin. BL-S640 was as effective as the other cephalosporins tested and far more active than ampicillin against Klebsiella and was more active than cephalexin against Proteus mirabilis and the indole-positive Proteus . The majority of Enterobacter, Serratia , and Citrobacter were resistant to ampicillin and all the cephalosporins tested. With rare exceptions, the zone of inhibition by the BL-S640 30-μg disk was either larger or the same as the zone obtained by the cephalothin 30-μg disk in the Kirby-Bauer disk susceptibility test.
A chronicle of a killer alga in the west: ecology, assessment, and management of Prymnesium parvum blooms

Since the mid-1980s, fish-killing blooms of Prymnesium parvum spread throughout the USA. In the south central USA, P. parvum blooms have commonly spanned hundreds of kilometers. There is much evidence that physiological stress brought on by inorganic nutrient limitation enhances toxicity. Other factors influence toxin production as well, such as stress experienced at low salinity and temperature. A better understanding of toxin production by P. parvum remains elusive and the identities and functions of chemicals produced are unclear. This limits our understanding of factors that facilitated the spread of P. parvum blooms. In the south central USA, not only is there evidence that the spread of blooms was controlled, in part, by migration limitation. But there are also observations that suggest changed environmental conditions, primarily salinity, facilitated the spread of blooms. Other factors that might have played a role include altered hydrology and nutrient loading. Changes in water hardness, herbicide use, system pH, and the presence of toxin-resistant and/or P. parvum-inhibiting plankton may also have played a role. Management of P. parvum in natural systems has yet to be attempted, but may be guided by successes achieved in small impoundments and mesocosm experiments that employed various chemical and hydraulic control approaches.
Hydration of the Counterion of the Schiff Base in the Chloride-Transporting Mutant of Bacteriorhodopsin: FTIR and FT-Raman Studies of the Effects of Anion Binding When Asp85 Is Replaced with a Neutral Residue†,‡

The chromophores of the D85T and D85N mutants of bacteriorhodopsin are blue but become purple like the wild type when chloride or bromide binds near the Schiff base. In D85T this occurs near neutral pH, but in D85N only at pH <4. The structures of the L and the unphotolyzed states of these proteins were examined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The difference spectra of the purple forms, but not the blue forms in the absence of these anions, resembled the spectrum of the wild-type protein. Shift of the ethylenic band toward lower frequency upon replacing chloride by bromide confirmed the contribution of the negative charge of the anions to the Schiff base counterion. These anions restored the change of water, which is bound near the protonated Schiff base but is absent in the blue form of the D85N mutant, though with stronger H-bonding than in the wild type. The CN stretching vibration of the Schiff base in H2O and 2H2O was detected by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. The H-bonding stren...
Surface area measurement of platinum/rhenium/alumina: II. Effects of catalyst pretreatment

Abstract Surface area measurement has been used to examine the effects of catalyst pretreatment on reduced Pt/Re/Al2O3 catalysts. The results indicate significant alloy formation in reduced Pt/Re/ Al2O3 for all drying temperatures of 500 °C or less. While the surface amount of alloyed Pt-Re is insensitive to the drying temperature, the surface amount of unalloyed Re varies significantly with the drying temperature. Reduction of the Pt/Re/Al2O3 catalyst dried at 100 °C, which contains no unalloyed Re, is complete after l h of 500 °C H2 reduction. Reduction of the Pt/Re/Al2O3 catalyst dried at 500 °C, which does contain unalloyed Re, is not complete until after 15 h of 500 °C H2 reduction. For both drying temperature, alloy formation is complete after 1 h of 500 °C H2 reduction.
Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of halide ions on colloidal silver: Morphology and coverage dependence

Transmission electron microscopy shows that the colloidal silver used as a substrate for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy consists of 75-135 .~ average diameter faceted crystals, which can be made to aggregate in clusters of a few to thousands of particles. Aggregates are not required for observation of the SER spectrum of adsorbed halide ions or pyridine. Bromide is shown to adsorb more readily than chloride, and in time it displaces chloride on the silver surface. Spectra of halide ions adsorbed on sols with various particle morphologies lend additional support to our interacting dipole model describing the origins of the spectral band fine structure.
The fracture mechanics of glassy polymers

Abstract The application of fracture mechanics to glassy polymers, in particular crack growth in PMMA, is discussed. Particular attention is paid to two processes which modulate the energy supply to the crack tip: viscoelastic dissipation at slow crack speeds and specimen inertia at large crack speeds. The relation between fracture energy and crack speed is reviewed, and, where possible, fracture surface observations are correlated with dynamic behavior.
On a discrete nonlinear and nonseparable knapsack problem

In this paper, a discrete knapsack problem with a convex but nonseparable objective function is considered. Relaxing the discrete requirements (and assuming nonnegativity), we show how the resulting problem can be solved by an efficient algorithm which solves a series of quadratic knapsack problems in O(n) time. This algorithm forms the basis for a branch-and-bound algorithm, which is subsequently used to test the efficacy of a proposed heuristic. Computational results are presented.
Effects of lateral interactions in multicomponent adsorption

Abstract Effects induced by lateral adsorbate—adsorbate interactions were studied in a three-state lattice—gas model of two-component adsorption. For different values of the interactions one may observe either poisoning behavior or enhanced adsorption. These behaviors are closely related to the topologies of the adsorbate phase diagrams. Based on this understanding, quantitative criteria are given, which predict the interactions for which poisoning or enhanced adsorption occurs. Adsorption isotherms. were obtained from numerical transfer-matrix and Monte Carlo calculations. Results are presented for the poisoning by S of H on Pt(111) and, as examples of enhanced adsorption, the electrosorption of naphthalene on Cu and n-decylamine on Ni. The agreement with experimental adsorption isotherms is good.
Analysis of monoamine accumulation in the neuronal tissues of Mytilus edulis (Bivalvia)—IV. Variations due to age

Abstract 1. With age. there is a decline in catecholamine affinity and accumulation by the uptake 1 component. 2. There is a decline with age in Na + dependency, temperature sensitivity and pharmacological sensitivity in catecholamine uptake 1 . 3. There also is a decline in ouabain and K + sensitivities in influencing catecholamine uptake 1 . 4. The serotonin uptake 1 component functions identically for all age groups tested. Thus, at age 4 yr. catecholaminergic mechanisms appear to be preferentially affected.
Reactivity in Cleavage of Dimethoxybenzenes by Sodium in Liquid Ammonia

The sodium/liquid ammonia cleavage of the dimethoxybenzenes and related substances, reported in large part by Birch in 1947, has been re-examined with use of improved techniques. Remarkable patterns of reactivity (e.g., ortho > meta ≫ para) that he described are confirmed and extended. They are agreeably rationalized by means of a simple, approximate adaptation from MO theory.
BIM-Enabled Virtual and Collaborative Construction Engineering and Management

Today's construction engineering and management (CEM) graduates must have strong communication and teamwork skills; they must have the ability to work efficiently within colocated teams; and finally, they must know how to apply fundamental engineering, man- agement, and computer skills in practice. However, the traditional CEM education does not equip future engineers and managers to deal successfully with such issues. The authors describe experiences from a course that focuses on modes of learning involving virtual collabo- ration, problem-oriented project-based learning, and role-based learning. The aim of this course is to combine experimental and experiential learning into a research driven experience. The course was codesigned and cotaught by two instructors from two universities. The learning outcomes and lessons learned during the introduction of this building information modeling (BIM)-enabled virtual and collaborative con- struction engineering and management course are discussed. Specifically, it is shown that the introduction of BIM in a virtual collaborative setting allows instructors to design a course that incorporates the use of more realistic scenarios that better simulate real-world challenges. Such experiences teach students how construction projects are executed in practice, how different disciplines rely on one other for infor- mation, what type of information is needed from relevant disciplines, and when and how this information could be exchanged/shared between tools and processes. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000098. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Construction management; Scheduling; Teamwork; Communication; Information management. Author keywords: Multidisciplinary teamwork; Building information modeling (BIM); Construction engineering and management; Virtual collaboration; Estimate; Schedule; Quantity takeoff.
Collisional ionization of fast K atoms by H2S and D2S

Abstract The process K + H2S/D2S → HS−/DS− + K++ H/D has been investigated for K impact energies from near threshold to ≈100 eV. Positive and negative ion energy spectra have been obtained in the forward direction. The threshold for HS− or DS−production corresponds to the HS−/DS−+ H/D limit of the 2A1 H2S−/D2S− state at 1.55 eV.