cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organometallic chemistry of fullerenes: ?2- and ?5-(?)complexes

The reactivity of the fullerenes is primarily a function of their strain, as measured by the pyramidalization angle or curvature of the conjugated carbon atoms. A consideration of the orientation of the π-orbitals shows that η2-complexation reactions lead to reaction products with the fullerenes that are very similar to those obtained from unstrained alkenes. Furthermore, a large amount of strain energy is released in this reaction, so it is clear just why this reaction is important in fullerene chemistry. On the other hand, it is shown that the π-orbitals of C60 are poorly oriented for overlap with an exohedral metal atom centered over the five- or six-membered rings, but well disposed for overlap with an endohedral metal atom centered under the five- or six-membered rings. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 139–143, 1998
Use of esophagocrural sutures and minimal esophageal dissection reduces the incidence of postoperative transmigration of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication wrap.

Abstract Objectives Herniation of the fundoplication wrap through the esophageal hiatus is a common reason for surgical failure in children who have undergone laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Extensive mobilization of the gastroesophageal junction in combination with decreased adhesions after laparoscopy may contribute to the development of this complication. In an attempt to decrease the incidence of wrap migration, we changed our technique to minimal mobilization of the intraabdominal esophagus and to placement of esophageal-crural sutures. In this study, we investigate the impact of these modifications on outcome. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication by the senior author (GWH) from January 2000 through December 2004. Those undergoing operation with extensive esophageal mobilization and without esophagocrural sutures (January 2000 to March 2002) (group I) were compared with those in whom there was minimal esophageal dissection with placement of these esophagocrural sutures (April 2002 to December 2004) (group II). Results Two hundred forty-nine patients underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication during the study period. One hundred thirty patients were in group I, and 119 patients were in group II. The rate of transmigration decreased from 12% in group I to 5% in group II ( P = .072). The relative risk of transmigration with extensive esophageal mobilization and without the esophagocrural sutures was 2.29. Conclusions This retrospective study has shown that placement of esophagocrural sutures and minimization of the dissection around the esophagus results in a more than 2-fold reduction in the risk of wrap transmigration after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
Gas phase far ultraviolet photolysis and radiolysis of vinyl chloride

Quantum yields of the major products formed in the far ultraviolet photolysis of CH2CDCl (C2H2, C2HD, C2H3D, C2H2D2, and 1,3-C4H4D2) have been determined at 147 nm (8.4 eV), 123.6 nm (10.0 eV), and 104.8-106.7 nm (11.6-11.8 eV). The quantum yield of the stable vinyl radicals which can be unambiguously ascribed to the primary process (CH2CDCl + hv → CH2CD + Cl) is 0.3 and 0.05 at 147 and 123.6 nm, respectively. The sharp decrease in the yield of vinyl radicals with the increase in energy of the incident photon beam is in part attributed to the decomposition of internally excited vinyl radicals to give acetylene as a product. At 147 nm, the combined yield of acetylene plus vinyl radicals is 0.95 ±0.05. At the shorter wavelengths, approximately one acetylene molecule is formed per electronically excited vinyl chloride molecule. It is concluded that the dissociative process: C2H3Cl* → C2H2 + H + Cl, occurring via a C2H3 or C2H2Cl intermediate adequately accounts for the reactive neutral species formed at higher photon energies. Isotopic labeling experiments show that the hydrogen atoms are detached from both positions of the parent molecule. Ethylene which is a product over the entire wavelength range is in part formed via the reaction: H* + C2H3Cl → C2H4 + Cl, where H* represents a translationally excited hydrogen atom. The C2H2DC1+ ions formed at 104.8 - 106.7 nm with a quantum yield of 0.47 do not contribute to the formation of acetylene or vinyl radicals. In the gas phase radiolysis of vinyl chloride, acetylene (G ~ 1.5) is mainly formed in the dissociation of neutral electronically excited vinyl chloride molecules. From this value, we may estimate that the ratio of neutral excited molecules formation to ionization in the radiolysis of vinyl chloride is 0.39. Vinyl ions, which are also produced (G ~ 0.28-0.35) react mainly by addition to vinyl chloride.
Role of transport properties in corrosion product growth

Abstract The tendency for corrosion and the observed rate of corrosion are determined in large part by the transport properties of thin corrosion product layers. Both ionic and electronic transport are important. For continued corrosion, a corrosion product film capable of high ionic transport is required at the metal surface. The electronic transport properties will affect the spatial distribution of reduction reactions in the corroding system. In this paper, a generalized model for a corroding system is presented, and the relevant processes that control corrosion are identified. Four systems currently under study in our research group are diagnosed in relation to the generalized model: copper in sulfurous gases, metals in chloride solutions, bronze disease of ancient artifacts and silver in sulfurous gases.
Photo Quiz: A Woman on Hemodialysis for End-Stage Renal Disease with Fever

A 73-year-old woman on hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease was admitted to our institution from a subacute-rehabilitation facility due to a fever of 102°F. The patient reported some nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weakness but stated that she had been experiencing these symptoms for some time. Other than the above-mentioned gastrointestinal symptoms, the patient denied any cardiopulmonary, upper respiratory, or genitourinary symptoms. No contaminated food items were identified, and no other residents at the facility were presenting with similar symptoms. Physical examination revealed a diffusely tender abdomen without evidence of any other systemic signs. A computed tomography (CT) examination of the abdomen demonstrated possible right-sided colitis, and the patient was begun on ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. Initial blood cultures (Bactec; Becton, Dickinson and Company) collected in the emergency room demonstrated no growth; however, blood cultures collected the following day, as the patient underwent hemodialysis, grew Gram-positive bacilli. Initial Gram stainings performed directly from the aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles demonstrated long, chaining, Gram-positive bacilli (Fig. 1). The morphology of the Gram-positive rods was suggestive of lactobacilli. The blood culture plates demonstrated pure growth of small, pale-appearing colonies. The colonies were found to be Gram-positive coccobacilli which were catalase positive and oxidase negative. A definitive identification was made from the primary culture plates. Fig 1 Gram stain of bacilli from a blood culture bottle. (For answer and discussion, see page 1655 in this issue [doi:10.1128/JCM.01126-12].)
Origins of Police Officer Stress before and after 9/11:

This article examines the origins of stress amongst police officers after the destruction of the World Trade Centers and compares those responses with a similar group of officers prior to this tragic event. The previous sample consisted of 415 officers and the current sample consists of 310 Boston officers. The survey used and the demographics of both samples were similar. Results show that the ‘before’ 9/11 group felt that harming or killing an innocent person was at the top of their critical incident list as compared with the ‘after’ 9/11 group who selected hate groups/terrorists. The ‘before’ group's most salient outcome led to the abuse of their own children or a lack of parental affection. The ‘after’ group's most salient outcome led to a reduction in self-respect owing, unexpectedly, to structural policy changes linked in part to FBI deception as opposed to job experiences or occupational risks. Recommendations were suggested to enhance police organisational strategies. More research should be condu...
The nuclear disk in M 87: A review

The disk in the center of M 87 is a prototype for gas orbiting a massive central object. Three sets of HST + COSTAR FOS and FOC observations provide strong evidence that the nuclear disk in M 87 is in Keplerian rotation around a black hole with a mass of (2 – 3)×109 M⊙. A deep (6 orbits), high resolution Hα+[N II] PC2 HST image shows a trailing, three arm spiral superposed on the underlying nuclear disk. Several of the extended filaments appear to connect directly to the disk. The filaments extending to the NW appear to be twisted, as in NGC 4258. Earlier arguments that the NW filaments are flowing from the nucleus are supported by the presence of blue shifted non-Keplerian components within 20 pc of the nucleus. The gas in the blue and red shifted non-Keplerian components has negative energy and will fall back into the nucleus. The morphological and kinematical observations can be explained by assuming that the filaments originate in a bidirectional wind emanating from the disk. Such a wind will carry away angular momentum, enabling gas in the disk to move toward the black hole.
Homo profanus: The Christian martyr and the violence of meaning-making:

The martyr is a potent symbol of sacrifice in Western cultural discourse. Understanding martyrdom as sacrifice, however, blunts the potency of the martyr's action. It obscures the violence by which the martyr's death becomes, paradoxically, a means to define institutional life. In this article, I propose an analogous relationship between the early Christian martyr and Giorgio Agamben's enigmatic homo sacer. Like homo sacer, the Christian martyr provides an “other” against which to organize institutional life. Read as a sacrifice, the martyr also exemplifies the threat of biopolitics that Agamben describes, where mere existence can be isolated from political life and made subject to sovereign violence. Distinguishing the martyr from their institutional appropriation is a step toward exposing the modes of violence inherent in sovereign power. It provides the possibility of reconceptualizing the martyr as an autonomous figure of resistance, not as homo sacer but as homo profanus.
Cloud variations in current climate a guide to climate changes

Clouds come in many flavors—like wispy cirrus, cotton-puff altocumulus, and ominous stratus—and each presents a unique set of challenges for scientists trying to understand their effects on climate. Because of this, clouds have long accounted for much of the disagreement between climate models, and for most of the uncertainty in estimates of how much the Earth is expected to warm with a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
Rapid unfolding of a domain populates an aggregation-prone intermediate that can be recognized by GroEL.

Abstract Some amino acid substitutions in phage P22 coat protein cause a temperature-sensitive folding ( tsf ) phenotype. In vivo , these tsf amino acid substitutions cause coat protein to aggregate and form intracellular inclusion bodies when folded at high temperatures, but at low temperatures the proteins fold properly. Here the effects of tsf amino acid substitutions on folding and unfolding kinetics and the stability of coat protein in vitro have been investigated to determine how the substitutions change the ability of coat protein to fold properly. The equilibrium unfolding transitions of the tsf variants were best fit to a three-state model, N⇔I⇔U, where all species concerned were monomeric, a result confirmed by velocity sedimentation analytical ultracentrifugation. The primary effect of the tsf amino acid substitutions on the equilibrium unfolding pathway was to decrease the stability (Δ G ) and the solvent accessibility ( m -value) of the N⇔I transition. The kinetics of folding and unfolding of the tsf coat proteins were investigated using tryptophan fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) at 222 nm. The tsf amino acid substitutions increased the rate of unfolding by 8–14-fold, with little effect on the rate of folding, when monitored by tryptophan fluorescence. In contrast, when folding or unfolding reactions were monitored by CD, the reactions were too fast to be observed. The tsf coat proteins are natural substrates for the molecular chaperones, GroEL/S. When native tsf coat protein monomers were incubated with GroEL, they bound efficiently, indicating that a folding intermediate was significantly populated even without denaturant. Thus, the tsf coat proteins aggregate in vivo because of an increased propensity to populate this unfolding intermediate.
Reduced Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity and expression in LV myocardium of dogs with heart failure.

Studies on the status of multifunctional Ca2+-calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMKII) in failing hearts are limited and controversial. The study was performed in the left ventricular ...
RELATION OF PLASMA FREE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION TO THE ORIGIN OF FFA FROM DEPOT FAT TRIGLYCERIDES.

The fatty acid composition of rabbit plasma free fatty acids was shown to be quite similar to that of depot fat triglycerides thus indicating again origin of the plasma FFA from depot fat triglyceride. The plasma FFA had less dienoic acids than depot fat triglycerides suggesting that the dienoic acid moiety of triglycerides is handled preferentially in a mode different from that of the lipolyzcd acids which are secreted as plasma FFA. A procedure utilizing silicic acid chromatography and anion exchange is reported for isolating more than 10 mg. of FFA from 100–150 ml. of rabbit plasma.
Diagnostic Tools and a Remedial Method for Collinearity in Geographically Weighted Regression

Geographically weighted regression (GWR) is drawing attention as a statistical method to estimate regression models with spatially varying relationships between explanatory variables and a response variable. Local collinearity in weighted explanatory variables leads to GWR coefficient estimates that are correlated locally and across space, have inflated variances, and are at times counterintuitive and contradictory in sign to the global regression estimates. The presence of local collinearity in the absence of global collinearity necessitates the use of diagnostic tools in the local regression model building process to highlight areas in which the results are not reliable for statistical inference. The method of ridge regression can also be integrated into the GWR framework to constrain and stabilize regression coefficients and lower prediction error. This paper presents numerous diagnostic tools and ridge regression in GWR and demonstrates the utility of these techniques with an example using the Columbu...
WE‐A‐217A‐05: Lung Deformations and Airway Stenosis with Distal Atelectasis in Patients Treated with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Lung Tumors

Purpose: To investigate the possibility to use lung deformations to differentiate between radiation‐induced fibrosis and potential airway stenosis with distal atelectasis in patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT) for lungtumors.Methods: Planning and follow‐ ups CT scans were reviewed for 46 patients who received lungSBRTtreatment at our institution between 2002 and 2009, in 3 or 5 fractions, and a median total dose of 54Gy (range, 30–60). Vector lungtissue displacements were studied for patterns of parenchymal deformation only in patients with follow‐up CT scans > 6 months. Planning CTlungsurface contours were matched to the follow‐up scans and at least 50 anatomical landmarks inside the lung (vessel or airway branches) were identified on both scans to guide the deformation of the lung structure. Parenchyma displacements maps for the whole lung were interpolated from the landmark deformations and analyzed to identify tissue migrations towards the observed hyperdense region consistent with distal atelectasis. Results: Out of 46, only 24 patients demonstrated lung density changes with sufficient follow‐up time and image quality. Fifteen patients (62%) displayed converging deformation patterns and their average Hounsfield Unit change for the hyperdense region was 344HU and significantly higher than for the other patients (247HU, p = 0.03) supporting an alternate consolidation mechanism. The mean maximum dose to proximal airways was 38Gy for the converging pattern group versus 20Gy (p = 0.003) and a maximum likelihood Probit fit yielded TD50 = 24Gy, m = 0.56. The mean minimum dose to the hyperdense region was 15Gy versus 18Gy (p = 0.23). Conclusions: A correlation between converging deformation patterns and lung density changes was observed suggesting the possibility of an additional mechanism for lung density increase in addition to fibrosis. Correlations between converging patterns and dose to proximal airways also suggest a 24Gy dose‐threshold effect.
Ion-locked cyclotron resonance: a means for instantaneously changing ion cyclotron orbital radius

Abstract In this paper, we point out that the central Lorentz magnetic force, q v × B O , acting on an ion of velocity v , and charge, q , moving in a static magnetic field, B O , may be increased (or decreased to) by adding a rotating electric field, E , directed radially inward or outward (i.e. along (or opposed) v × B O ). The rf electric field effectively changes the magnetic field to a new magnitude, B eff = B O ±( E / v ), in which v lies in a plane perpendicular to B O . Since the ICR orbital radius, r , varies inversely with B eff , such a rotating rf electric field can be used to pulse the ion cyclotron orbital radius (and ICR orbital frequency) effectively instantaneously to larger or smaller values. For example, following conventional coherent resonant excitation of ions of a given m/q ratio to a given ICR orbital radius, the rf electric field phase can be shifted by ± 90° with a concomitant increase in rf amplitude and frequency to “lock” ions into a smaller (or larger) radius orbit of displaced ICR orbit center. The feasibility of the experiment is treated analytically as a function of m/q , and supported by ion trajectory modeling. Possible applications include: rapid mass-selective ion ejection, mass-selective shift in ICR orbital radius and ICR orbit center, and increased ion energy for collision-induced dissociation. Analogies to the corresponding nuclear magnetic resonance “spin-lock” experiment are discussed.
Update on Vascular Neoplasms

This article provides an update on vascular neoplasms. New immunohistochemical markers for the diagnosis of vascular neoplasms tumor 1, infantile hemangiomas, myopericytomas, perivascular epithelial cell tumors, acquired elastotic hemangiomas, vascular proliferations in radiated skin, and new histopathologic variants of AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma are explored.
Food selection by young larval gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus)

Food selection by young larvae of the gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) was studied in the laboratory at Beaufort, North Carolina (USA) in 1982 and 1983; this species is especially interesting, since the larvae began feeding on phytoplankton as well as microzooplankton. When dinoflagellates (Prorocentrum micans), tintinnids (Favella sp.), and N1 nauplii of a copepod (Acartia tonsa) were presented to laboratory-reared, larval menhaden (3.9 to 4.2 mm notochord length), the fish larvae ate dinoflagellates and tintinnids, but not copepod nauplii. Larvae showed significant (P<0.001) selection for the tintinnids. Given the same mixture of food items, larger larvae (6.4 mm notochord length) ate copepod nauplii as well as the other food organisms. These feeding responses are consistent with larval feeding in the northern Gulf of Mexico, where gulf menhaden larvae between 3 and 5 mm in notochord length frequently ate large numbers of dinoflagellates (mostly P. micans and P. compressum) and tintinnids (mostly Favella sp.), but did not eat copepod nauplii. As larvae grew, copepod nauplii and other food organisms became important, while dinoflagellates and tintinnids became relatively less important in the diet. Since the tintinnids and nauplii used in the laboratory feeding experiments were similar in size as well as carbon and nitrogen contents, the feeding selectivity and dietary ontogeny that we observed were likely due to a combination of prey capturability and larval fish maturation and learning.
Using multichannel wide-dynamic range compression in severely hearing-impaired listeners: effects on speech recognition and quality.

Objective:The objective of this study was to compare speech recognition across a sampling of amplification choices available for listeners with severe loss. This includes conventional options (linear with peak clipping and linear with compression limiting) and newer strategies (multichannel wide-dyn
Anatomy and cell biology of the laryngeal motor neurons: Implications for the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia

Summary Changes in neuroanatomical pathways in the central nervous system presumably play key roles in the pathogenetic mechanism underlying spasmodic dysphonia. However, practical considerations of accessibility to clinical intervention have focused efforts on treatments based on manipulations of laryngeal motor neurons, the most peripheral extent of these pathways. This review discusses aspects of the anatomy and cell biology of the laryngeal motor neurons, which provide a basis for the understanding of current techniques for the treatment of this disorder. In addition, consideration is given to the significance of unusual morphological characteristics of the laryngeal motor neurons and to cellular processes, which may ultimately offer potential for more selective clinical strategies.
Light-loss when measuring transmittance of thick scattering samples with an integrating sphere

Light scattering materials have several uses in solar energy applications, ranging from a purely aesthetic function as a cover glass to a way of increasing the path-length of photons inside a semiconductor. Knowing the transmittance of such elements is of essence to properly model, simulate, and design a solar energy system. The traditional method for obtaining the transmittance is to use a spectrophotometer fitted with an integrating sphere detector. However, it is well-known that most commercial integrating spheres underestimate the true transmittance of thick scattering samples. This study investigates a method to obtain quantitative values of the losses associated with measuring a scattering sample. The International Commission on Glass (ICG TC-10) is conducting an inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) on scattering samples to improve the methodology for characterizing such samples. A fritted glass sample similar to one in the ILC was used as an example. One side of a clear glass sample has a highly scattering layer. The bi-directional transmittance distribution function (BTDF) for the sample was obtained using a goniophotometer and then used as scattering function in a ray-tracing simulation. The ray-tracer was configured to report the amount of light exiting all six surfaces of the sample as well as through various ports defined by the integrating sphere geometry. The sample was then measured with a commercial integrating sphere in several different configurations, verifying the accuracy of the model.
Should bulimia nervosa be subtyped by historyof anorexia nervosa? A longitudinal validation

Objective: To determine whether a past diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN) predicts longitudinal course and outcome among women with bulimia nervosa (BN). Method: A subset (n = 176) of participants in the Longitudinal Study of Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa who met DSM-IV criteria for BN either at study intake (n = 144) or during follow-up (n = 32; 4 had restricting AN at intake, 28 had binge/purge AN at intake) were included in this report. Over a median of 9 years, weekly eating disorder symptom data were collected from participants using the Longitudinal Interview Follow-up Examination, Eating Disorders Version. Results: While there were no between-group differences in likelihood of partial recovery, women with BN who had a history of AN were more likely to have a protracted illness, relapsing into AN during follow-up, compared to those with no AN history who were more likely to move from partial to full recovery. Conclusion: Lifetime AN is an important prognostic indicator among women with BN and these longitudinal data would support the subtyping of BN on the basis of AN history. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007
Machine performance monitoring and proactive maintenance in computer-integrated manufacturing: review and perspective

Abstract A major problem confronting American manufacturers today is how lo economically achieve high quality in the goods which they manufacture. Equipment reliability and maintenance drastically affect the three key elements of competitiveness: quality, cost and product lead time. Well-maintained machines hold tolerances better, help reduce scrap and rework, and raise consistency and quality of the part. They increase uptime and yields of good parts, thereby cutting total production costs, and also can shorten lead limes by reducing downtime and the need for retooling. The recent rush to embrace computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) has further increased the use of relatively unknown and untested technology. In a computer-integrated manufacturing system, a fault can cause machine and production downtime and create serious productivity losses. Today, many factories are still performing maintenance on equipment in a reactive, or breakdown, mode, since traditional process monitoring systems can detect ma...
A computer graphics based model for scattering from objects of arbitrary shapes in the optical region

A computer-graphics-based model, named DIANA, is presented for generation of objects of arbitrary shape and for calculating bidirectional reflectances and scattering from them, in the visible and infrared region. The computer generation is based on a modified Lindenmayer system approach which makes it possible to generate objects of arbitrary shapes and to simulate their growth, dynamics, and movement. Rendering techniques are used to display an object on a computer screen with appropriate shading and shadowing and to calculate the scattering and reflectance from the object. The technique is illustrated with scattering from canopies of simulated corn plants.
Firefly luciferase as a reporter to study gene expression in Streptococcus mutans.

The utility of firefly luciferase as a reporter was tested in Streptococcus mutans. Under control of an endogenous promoter, the luciferase coding sequence was strongly expressed, while a promoterless version was indistinguishable from the background. Luciferase activity was easily extracted and the assay rapid and reproducible. In addition, the half-life of luciferase activity was found to be comparable to those of other frequently used reporters. Thus, firefly luciferase can readily be used as a reporter in S. mutans, a useful alternative to methods requiring radioactive isotopes.
Molecular catalysis that transpires only when the complex is heterogenized: Studies of a hydrogenase complex surface-tethered on polycrystalline and (1 1 1)-faceted gold by EC, PM-FT-IRRAS, HREELS, XPS and STM

The proton-reduction catalytic activity of two di-iron hydrogenase complexes, [(μ-S_(2)C_(3)H_6)[Fe(CO)_3][Fe(CO)_(2)(PPh_3)] (1) and (μ-S_(2)C_(3)H_6)[Fe(CO)_3][Fe(CO)2(PPh2{(CH2)2SH})] (2), was investigated at polycrystalline and (1 1 1)-faceted Au electrodes in nonaqueous electrolyte. Compound (2) was irreversibly tethered to the surface through the single bondSH group; (1) was present only in the unadsorbed (dissolved) state. No enhancement of the proton reduction reaction was observed with the homogeneous complex. Pronounced catalysis was exhibited by the heterogenized (surface-attached) material. Neither increase nor decrease in activity was observed when unadsorbed complex (2) was added to the solution of the heterogenized catalyst. The conclusion from these observations, that no catalysis transpires unless the subject molecular complex is tethered to the electrode surface, is totally unexpected; it runs counter to conventional wisdom that an untethered homogeneous electrocatalyst, especially one that requires a particular entatic (partially rotated) configuration to complete its function, would invariably perform better than its surface-immobilized counterpart. The heterogenized complex, present at rather low coverages due to its sizable adsorbed-molecule cross section, was further investigated by polarization-modulation Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-FT-IRRAS), high-resolution electron-energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The electrochemistry (EC) and STM results indicated that the catalytic activity of the immobilized complex is a function of its surface coverage but not of its spatial configuration; the catalytic sites are accessible regardless of the particular arrangement of the pendant active site with respect to the surface. The surface-immobilized complex suffered a non-negligible loss in catalytic activity after the ex situ experiments, perhaps due to (partial) decarbonylation.
A branch and-bound algorithm for implementing set convering model expert systems

Abstract The conventional rule-based expert system can be formulated as a 0–1, integer program, specifically, as a set covering problem. However, the implementation of an expert system in this way requires that the set covering model be solved for k-best alternate optima or near-optima. We have devised a branch-and-bound algorithm which accomplishes this. The details of the algorithm are explained in the paper. Computational results are provided.
Rapid classification of a protein fold family using a statistical analysis of dipolar couplings

Motivation: One of the primary aims of the structural genomics initiative is the determination of representative structures from each protein fold family. Given this objective, it is important to rapidly identify proteins that belong to a family that is already well populated (so they can be eliminated from further studies), or more importantly identify proteins that represent new families of fold. Results: Am ethod for rapid classification to a fold family by the statistical analyses of unassigned the 15 N‐ 1 H residual dipolar couplings is presented. The required NMR data can be quickly acquired and analyzed. Using this method, structure determination efforts can be focused on more unique and interesting structures, and the overall efficiency in the construction of an information-rich library can be increased.
Taxation in the proposed metropolitan government of Pittsburgh

Designing a new government for a metropolitan area raises fresh problems of taxation which, however, were sidestepped by the Pennsylvania legislature which permitted no change in the present system of assessment and taxation in Pittsburgh. With respect to these powers the metropolitan city of Pittsburgh is merely the successor of Allgheny Counly.
Dexamethasone treatment of stallions impairs testosterone biosynthesis at a late step: Glutathione S-transferase A3 isomerization of Δ5-androstenedione

Dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, is used as an anti-inflammatory agent in horses. Similar to endogenous stress hormones, dexamethasone lowers serum testosterone within 4 h with levels recovering as early as 24 h post-injection. Weeks later, numbers of motile sperm with normal morphology decrease greatly. To explore the mechanism by which dexamethasone down-regulates testosterone biosynthesis, four adult Quarter Horse stallions were injected i.v. with 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone while four others received saline. Within 10 h of dexamethasone injection, serum testosterone and cortisol were decreased by 60% and 87%, respectively. Twelve h after injection, stallions were castrated and testes recovered. Testis RNA samples were analyzed on Codelink microarrays carrying 55,000 probes for human mRNAs, as described in Davidson et al. (Cancer Res 64: 6797-6804, 2004). A novel gene, glutathione S-transferase A3 (GSTA3), was discovered to be down-regulated by dexamethasone. GSTA3 is a member of a closely related family of enzymes. While GSTA1, GSTA2 and GSTA4 genes arewidely expressed across tissues, GSTA3 gene expression is restricted to steroidogenic tissues in species using the D5-pathway of steroidogenesis, which include livestock species and humans but not rodents. Quantitative PCR, using primers that distinguish GSTA3mRNA from the other GSTAmRNAs, detected a 49% decrease in GSTA3 mRNA concentrations in testes of dexamethasone-treated stallions. The same primers were
Forming and restoring community in a nomadic world: A next generation perspective on the future of the discipline of missiology:

The emergence of a 21st-century participatory culture in a globalized world invites us to reimagine missiology in light of a participatory triune God who forms and restores community amidst difference and otherness. It pushes us toward the local, where we reclaim the centrality of local Christian communities and their ordinary disciples as primary missionary organizations and personnel. The American context must be recognized as a major 21st-century mission field requiring intentional engagement with a diversity of cultures. These realities call for new patterns of giving, receiving, learning, and innovation as missiology accompanies local churches witnessing to and seeking to form community with their neighbors.
Assessing the skill of yes/no forecasts for Markov observations

Abstract Briggs and Ruppert recently introduced a new, easy-to-calculate economic skill/value score for use in yes/no forecast decisions, of which precipitation forecast decisions are an example. The advantage of this new skill/value score is that the sampling distribution is known, which allows one to perform hypothesis tests on collections of forecasts and to say whether a given skill/value score is significant or not. Here, the climate skill/value score is taken and extended to the case where the predicted series is first-order Markov in nature, of which, again, precipitation occurrence series can be an example. It is shown that, in general, Markov skill/value is different and more demanding than is persistence skill. Persistence skill is defined as improvement over forecasts that state that the next value in a series will equal the present value. It is also shown that any naive forecasts based solely on the Markov parameters is always at least as skillful/valuable as are persistence forecasts; in gene...
Understanding the radar backscattering from flooded and nonflooded Amazonian forests: results from canopy backscatter modeling.

Abstract To understand the potential of using multiwavelength imaging radars to detect flooding in Amazonian floodplain forests, we simulated the radar backscatter from a floodplain forest with a flooded or nonflooded ground condition at C-, L-, and P-bands. Field measurements of forest structure in the Anavilhanas archipelago of the Negro River, Brazil, were used as inputs to the model. Given the same wavelength or incidence angle, the ratio of backscatter from the flooded forest to that from the nonflooded forest was higher at HH polarization than at VV polarization. Given the same wavelength or polarization, the ratio was larger at small incidence angles than at large incidence angles. Given the same polarization or incidence angle, the ratio was larger at a long wavelength than at a short wavelength. As the surface soil moisture underneath the nonflooded forest increased from 10% to 50% of volumetric moisture, the flooded/nonflooded backscatter ratio decreased; the decreases were small at C- and L-band but large at P-band. When the leaf size was comparable to or larger than the wavelength of C-band, the leaf area index (LAI) had a large effect on the simulated C-band (not L-band or P-band) backscatter from the flooded and nonflooded forests.
A randomized controlled trial of pretransplant antiviral therapy to prevent recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection recurs in liver recipients who are viremic at transplantation. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to test the efficacy and safety of pretransplant pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin (Peg-IFN-α2b/RBV) for prevention of post-transplant HCV recurrence. Enrollees had HCV and were listed for liver transplantation, with either potential living donors or Model for End-Stage Liver Disease upgrade for hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients with HCV genotypes (G) 1/4/6 (n = 44/2/1) were randomized 2:1 to treatment (n = 31) or untreated control (n = 16); HCV G2/3 (n=32) were assigned to treatment. Overall, 59 were treated and 20 were not. Peg-IFN-α2b, starting at 0.75 μg/kg/week, and RBV, starting at 600 mg/day, were escalated as tolerated. Patients assigned to treatment versus control had similar baseline characteristics. Combined virologic response (CVR) included pretransplant sustained virologic response and post-transplant virologic response (pTVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks after end of treatment or transplant, respectively. In intent-to-treat analyses, 12 (19%) assigned to treatment and 1 (6%) assigned to control achieved CVR (P = 0.29); per-protocol values were 13 (22%) and 0 (0%) (P = 0.03). Among treated G1/4/6 patients, 23 of 30 received transplant, of whom 22% had pTVR; among treated G2/3 patients 21 of 29 received transplant, of whom 29% had pTVR. pTVR was 0%, 18%, and 50% in patients treated for 16 weeks, respectively (P = 0.01). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred with similar frequency in treated versus untreated patients (68% versus 55%; P = 0.30), but the number of SAEs per patient was higher in the treated group (2.7 versus 1.3; P = 0.003). Conclusion: Pretransplant treatment with Peg-IFN-α2b/RBV prevents post-transplant recurrence of HCV in selected patients. Efficacy is higher with >16 weeks of treatment, but treatment is associated with increased risk of potentially serious complications. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)
Experimental characterization and simulation of RF intermodulation linearity in a 90 nm RF CMOS technology

This work examines the intermodulation linearity of 90 nm RF CMOS using IP3 measurement, BSIM4 based simulation, and first order theory. VGS, VDS, and device width dependences are examined. Guidelines to accurately identifying the sweet spot biasing current for larger devices used in RFIC design are provided.
Decision support systems process tracing using hypermedia

Two main alternative approaches to analyzing decision processes-implicit input/output inference models and explicit tracing of observable decision process manifestations-are reviewed, with emphasis on explicit tracing methods. An emerging technology, hypermedia, is then examined as to how it may facilitate the process tracing method of decision making analysis. Examples are presented of mappings between hypermedia computer/user interface functions (such as mouse movements and mouse clicks) and underlying decision process functions. Issues of data quality, breadth of application, and implementation cost are discussed. Hypermedia process tracing is compared with other process tracing methods, including monitoring of eye movements, verbal protocols, and non-hypermedia computerized logging. Advantages and disadvantages of the hypermedia approach are identified. Further directions for the application of hypermedia process tracing include areas related to information retrieval, use of models, study of user interfaces, and the potential for using the techniques to identify and compare cognitive processes of decision makers. >
Defects in Muscarinic Receptor Cell Signaling in Bladder Urothelial Cancer Cell Lines

Introduction To explore muscarinic receptor signaling in 4 bladder cancer cell lines, bladder urothelial cells (BUC) have been shown to release and respond to various putative neurotransmitters. Methods Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the presence of m1-m5 transcripts in the J82, RT4, T24, and 5637 lines of cancer BUC. Immunofluorescence was used to detect expression of m3 protein. Cancer and normal BUC were stimulated with carbachol (100 μM), a muscarinic agonist. Carbachol-evoked changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels were measured using fura-2 ratiometric microfluorimetry. Transfection of J82 cells with m3 plasmid was performed, and changes in carbachol-evoked [Ca2+]i were re-examined. Results None of the cancer cell lines expressed m3 transcripts, unlike normal BUC, which expressed m3. None of the 4 bladder cancer cell lines responded to carbachol. However, 47% of normal BUC responded to carbachol. The m3-transfected J82 cells expressed both m3 transcript and protein. Thirteen percent of m3-transfected J82 cells responded to carbachol. Conclusions This is the first description of altered muscarinic signaling in cancer BUC. Unlike normal BUC, bladder urothelial cancer cells neither expressed m3 transcript nor responded to carbachol, as measured by changes in [Ca2+]i. We could partially reverse this defect in one of the cancer cell lines, J82, by transfecting these cells with the m3 plasmid. Although the effects of muscarinic receptor signaling on urothelial cell are unknown, this signaling pathway may play a role in urothelial cell adhesion similar to that in keratinocytes.
Rectal Prolapse Surgery: Choosing the Correct Approach

Surgical options for the management of rectal prolapse are extensive. Choosing the correct modality to suit patients needs requires an understanding of the principles of each approach and their benefits in correcting the underlying anatomical and functional defects. The abdominal approach has a lower recurrence rate and when performed laparoscopically, offers all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery including early return of bowel function, reduced analgesic requirements, and reduced time to discharge. The addition of resection to the rectopexy depends on the degree of constipation and redundancy of the sigmoid colon. It carries the risk of anastomostic leakage. The coexistence of slow-transit constipation or obstructed defecation will alter the management pathway. Patients with incontinence generally experience an improvement after the rectal prolapse is corrected unless they have significant pudendal neuropathy. Whether the rectopexy is performed with mesh, sutures, or tacks depends on surgeon preference. The technique applied for open or laparoscopic surgery is often determined by the surgeon's previous exposure and training. In patients with significant cardiorespiratory risk factors, a perineal approach consisting of a Delorme or Altemeier may be preferred. These techniques require a considerable skill base, and while there is a lower morbidity, this is at the expense of a higher recurrence rate. We would advise that repeat surgery for rectal prolapse be performed in a specialized center or by a surgeon with experience in the management of recurrent rectal prolapse.
How the horned lizard got its horns.

Many descriptions of evolutionary adaptations are criticized as “just-so stories” ([ 1 ][1]) that are based more on intuition than on direct tests of adaptive hypotheses. The elaborate crowns of horns possessed by many species of horned lizards (genus Phrynosoma ) are classic examples of
Axillopopliteal bypass for limb salvage.

Abstract Forty-one axillopopliteal bypass grafts have been placed in 30 patients for limb salvage in the past 12 years. The mean patient age was 65.6 years; 8 were women; 19 smoked; and six had diabetes. Sixteen grafts were straight axillopopliteal bypass grafts, and 25 were sequential axillopopliteal bypass grafts. Cumulative life-table primary patency rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 70%, 56%, and 43%, respectively; secondary patency rates were 73%, 57%, and 50%, respectively. Corresponding limb salvage rates were 86%, 69%, and 69%, respectively. Ringed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft patency at 3 years was 61% versus 40% for unsupported PTFE grafts ( p = 0.35). Ringed PTFE axillofemoral grafts with sequential femoropopliteal saphenous vein grafts had a 3-year patency of 67%. Graft patency was restored in 25% of occluded grafts by thrombectomy and in 80% of occluded grafts by thrombectomy with graft revision ( p = 0.21). Cumulative 3-year patient survival was 48%. The 30-day operative mortality rate was 20%; patients operated on for graft infection had a 30-day operative mortality rate of 36%. The data support the use of axillopopliteal bypass for limb salvage when standard revascularization techniques are contraindicated. Long-term patency is enhanced by use of externally supported PTFE and sequential femoropopliteal saphenous vein. (J Vasc Surg 1992;15:817–22.)
Forecasting the 2012 Presidential Election with State-Level Economic Indicators

Nearly all forecast models of US presidential elections provide estimates of the national two-party vote (Campbell 2008). Each of the nine forecasts published in the 2008 forecasting issue of PS: Political Science and Politics made national popular vote total predictions for the major party candidates, while only one provided an expected result in the Electoral College (Klarner 2008). These national vote models are assumed to be reliable forecasts of who is likely to win the general election. In most cases, this assumption is reasonable. It becomes problematic, however, at precisely the point that forecasts are most interesting: when elections are close. In tight elections, national forecasts can and have produced a “winner” different from the actual winner. Consider the forecasts and ultimate outcome of the 2000 election. Each of the 2000 presidential election forecasts predicted vice president Al Gore to win a majority of the two-party popular vote, which he did, but none correctly predicted governor George W. Bush to assume the presidency (Campbell 2001). Never in US history have White House residents been determined through a national popular vote. Presidential elections are decided through contests in the states and the District of Columbia. The forecast model we developed explicitly models the presidential contest based on factors inherent to these 51 jurisdictions. This modeling approach allows us to make a projection of the Electoral College result, which popular vote estimates cannot.
On the Existence and Convergence of the Central Path for Convex Programming and Some Duality Results

This paper gives several equivalent conditions which guarantee the existence of the weighted central paths for a given convex programming problem satisfying some mild conditions. When the objective and constraint functions of the problem are analytic, we also characterize the limiting behavior of these paths as they approach the set of optimal solutions. A duality relationship between a certain pair of logarithmic barrier problems is also discussed.
Exposed and embedded corrections in aphasia therapy : issues of voice and identity

Background: Because communication after the onset of aphasia can be fraught with errors, therapist corrections are pervasive in therapy for aphasia. Although corrections are designed to improve the accuracy of communication, some corrections can have social and emotional consequences during interactions. That is, exposure of errors can potentially silence the ‘voice’ of a speaker by orienting to an utterance as unacceptable. Although corrections can marginalize speakers with aphasia, the practice has not been widely investigated.Aims: A qualitative study of corrections during aphasia therapy was undertaken to describe corrections in therapy, identify patterns of occurrence, and develop hypotheses regarding the potential effects of corrections.Methods & Procedures: Videotapes of six individual and five group aphasia therapy sessions were analysed. Sequences consistent with a definition of a therapist ‘correction’ were identified. Corrections were defined as instances when the therapist offered a ‘fix’ for ...