cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Herbicide trace analysis by high-resolution fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry : quantification of low parts per trillion levels of atrazine in water

A method for determining trace levels of atrazine in groundwater and tap water by using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry is reported. Low-picogram detection limits were achieved by considering explicitly the chemistry leading to the production of background ions from the liquid matrix (3:1 dithiothreitol/dithioerythritol) and by using the minimum volume of matrix required to achieve ionization. Protonated atrazine was produced abundantly in the gas phase with relatively low abundance background ions at the atrazine ion mass region. The method, which uses a high-resolution magnetic sector mass spectrometer, is sensitive, fast, and simple. The response curve for atrazine is linear from 1 to 1000 pg
Microcrystals of a Modified Fibrinogen

Fibrinogen forms microcrystals after cleavage with an enzyme from Pseudomonas. Electron microscope images reveal a close relation between these structures and fibrin. The results support the view that no major intramolecular rearrangement occurs in the fibrinogen-fibrin conversion.
Multiples, poisson distributions, and chance: An analysis of the Brannigan-Wanner model

Brannigan andWanner argue that the empirical distribution of multiple grades can be more adequately explained in terms of a negative contagious poisson model. This alternative is based on a Zeitgeist theory which places emphasis on the role of communication in scientific discovery. Nonetheless, a detailed analysis indicates the following: (a) mathematically, the simple Poisson is the limiting case of the contagious Poisson when the contagion parameter approaches zero; (b) empirically, the mean and variance are so nearly equal (i. e., the contagion effect is very small) that predictions from the contagious Poisson are virtually equivalent to those of the simple Poisson; (c) in particular, both distributions predict that multiples are less common than singletons and even nulltons, the latter occurring with a probability of over one third (thereby implying that chance plays a much bigger part than Zeitgeist or maturational theories would suggest); (d) estimates from theSimonton, Merton, andOgburn-Thomas data sets all concur that the contagion effect is not only small, but positive besides, yielding a modest positive contagious Poisson that contradicts the principal tenet of the communication interpretation.
Clinical Experience with a New Anticoagulant, Dipaxin (2-diphenylacetyl-l,3-indandione)

Prothrombin levels as measured by the one-stage whole-plasma and the two-stage technics were followed in 80 patients receiving Dipaxin. The induction period is similar to that for Tromexan, namely, 48 to 60 hours and the recovery period 10 to 15 days which is somewhat longer than in the case of either Tromexan or Dicumarol. This recovery period is hastened to some degree by the administration of water-soluble vitamin K preparations and materially accelerated by vitamin K1. The prothrombin level during maintenance therapy is unusually stable. Transient bleeding occurred in two patients. No other toxic effects were observed.
The effect of temperature on bactericidal properties of 10% povidone-iodine solution

Abstract Objective: Ten percent povidone-iodine (PVI) is commonly used as a bactericidal solution before amniocentesis is performed. Warming PVI may increase patient comfort; however, the effect of warming on its bactericidal properties is not known. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of warming 10% PVI on its bactericidal properties. Study Design: Room temperature of PVI was 25°C, and temperature in an ultrasonic gel warmer was 32°C. In vitro experiments were conducted in 25°C and 32°C water baths. Nine milliliters of PVI at each temperature was added to 1 mL of bacteria (10 7 organisms/mL Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus species, Escherichia coli, group B Streptococcus) . After 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 minutes, 1-mL samples were removed and added to 4 mL of 0.5% sodium thiosulfate (to neutralize the iodine and interrupt bactericidal action). The number of viable organisms was determined by plating 0.1-mL samples on trypticase soy agar plates. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and colony-forming units (CFUs) were counted. For in vivo experiments in 40 volunteers, a 9-cm 2 area of the dorsum of each hand was wiped with a sterile cotton swab to obtain a sample of bacteria for culture. The area was then wiped for 15 seconds with PVI at 25°C or 32°C and recultured. The bactericidal properties of PVI at each temperature were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test was used as appropriate, and P Results: In vitro, PVI was bactericidal against E coli, S aureus, Enterococcus species, and group B Streptococcus within 0.25 minutes at both 25°C and 32°C, with median bacterial growth of 0 CFU/plate for each species of bacteria studied (3 replicates at each temperature). Median bacterial growth from skin was 4 CFU/plate (range, 0 to >100). After hands were wiped with PVI at 25°C and 32°C, median bacterial growth was 0 CFU/plate (range, 0-8) and 0 CFU/plate (range, 0-15), respectively (not significant). Conclusion: PVI is as effective at 32°C as it is at 25°C. Use of PVI at 32°C should be considered to increase patient comfort in procedures performed without the use of anesthetics. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:869-71.)
Effect of carbon dioxide on human ovarian carcinoma cell growth.

Abstract Objective: Laparoscopy may be associated with increased risk of ovarian carcinoma wound metastases. This study was designed to determine whether carbon dioxide exposure increases the growth of human ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Study Design: Immortalized ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell (SKOV-3 cell line) cultures were exposed to carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, or culture media with decreased pH for up to 3 hours. Cell growth was determined with the use of a spectrophotometric assay, and the results were compared with control cells by paired t tests and linear regressions analysis. Results: Carbon dioxide exposure increased SKOV-3 cell growth by 52% after 4 days in culture. The increased cell growth had a linear relationship to the length of carbon dioxide exposure. Cells that were exposed to either nitrous oxide or media with pH 6.3 showed a trend toward decreased growth. Conclusion: Carbon dioxide exposure increases the in vitro growth of human ovarian carcinoma cells by an effect that is independent of the carbon dioxide–related decrease in the culture media pH. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185:1314-7.)
Puerto Ricans in Our Press.

How often is the Spanish language referred to in connection with Puerto Ricans? Are needs or problems of the Puerto Rican community discussed and if so, are these viewed as remediable? Are particular characteristics ascribed to Puerto Ricans individually or as a group and, if so, are these positive or negative? Are Puerto Ricans viewed as Americans also or is their dual status ignored? In all of these connections two matters are of primary interest: (1) Are there any differences between the English language and the Spanish language dailies in the consideration of these questions? (2) Is the treatment accorded the Spanish language and Puerto Rican culture related to the treatment accorded other topics pertaining to Puerto Ricans or are these matters substantially unrelated?'
Faith in floods: Field and theory in landscape evolution before geomorphology

Abstract Opinions about the origin of topography have long marked the frontier between science and religion. The creation of the world we know is central to religious and secular world views; and until recently the power to shape landscapes lay beyond the reach of mortals, inviting speculation as to a role for divine intervention. For centuries, Christians framed rational inquiry into the origin of topography around theories for how Noah's Flood shaped mountains and carved valleys. Only as geologists learned how to decipher Earth history and read the signature of Earth surface processes did naturalists come to understand the forces that shaped the world. In this sense, the historical roots of geomorphology lie in the tension between faith in theories and the compelling power of field observations—issues that remain relevant to the practice of geomorphology today.
Glucocorticoid activation of deoxyribonucleic acid degradation in bursal lymphocytes.

Abstract Treatment of animals with exogenous adrenal steroids or elevation of endogenous glucocorticoids results in a profound involution of lymphoid tissue. In rodent species, this lymphoinvolution is accompanied by lymphocyte cell death and extensive degradation of the genome prior to lymphocytolysis. In the present study, this process was investigated in the bursa of Fabricius of domestic fowl. Four-wk-old chicks were treated with a single injection of dexamethasone, and bursal regression and cell viability were monitored over a 72-h period. Following hormone treatment, DNA was extracted from bursal lymphocytes and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Dexamethasone treatment resulted in a rapid regression of bursal tissue that could be detected as soon as 6 h posttreatment, but lymphocyte viability was not altered until 24 h afterward. The DNA isolated from bursal lymphocytes of glucocorticoid-treated birds appeared to be degraded at internucleosomal sites and generated a “ladder” of discrete DNA fragments when analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. This form of hormone-induced cell death, referred to as programmed cell death, may play a key role in glucocorticoid-mediated immunosuppression.
On the instability of rapidly rotating shear flows to non-axisymmetric disturbances

The stability is considered of the flow with velocity components \[ \{0,\Omega r[1+O(\epsilon^2)],\;2\epsilon\Omega r_0f(r/r_0)\} \] (where f(x) is a function of order one) in cylindrical polar co-ordinates (r, ϕ, z), bounded by the rigid cylinders r/r0 = x1 and r/r0 = 1 (0 [les ] x1 < 1). When e [Lt ] 1, the flow is shown to be unstable to non-axisymmetric inviscid disturbances of sufficiently large axial wavelength. The case of Poiseuille flow in a rotating pipe is considered in more detail, and the growth rate of the most rapidly growing disturbance is found to be 2eΩ.
Comparative immediate hemodynamic and hormonal effects of amrinone and captopril in patients with severe chronic heart failure

To compare the responses to oral inotropic and vasodilator drugs, maximally effective doses of amrinone (300 mg over 3 hours) and captopril (25 mg orally) were administered to 21 patients with severe chronic heart failure, who had not received either agent previously. Despite similar decreases in systemic vascular resistance with both drugs, amrinone produced greater increases in cardiac index (+ 0.56 vs. + 0.41/min/m2, p < 0.05) and smaller decreases in mean arterial pressure (− 11.1 vs. − 15.2 mm Hg, p < 0.05) than did captopril; three patients became symptomatically hypotensive with captopril, but none did so after amrinone. These differences were due to a significant decrease in heart rate with captopril (− 6.3 beats/min, p < 0.01), whereas heart rate increased with amrinone (+ 4.3 beats/ min, p < 0.01); the increases in stroke volume index with both drugs were similar. Despite similar decreases in left ventricular filling pressures, the decrease in mean right atrial pressure with amrinone was greater than with captopril (− 5.6 vs. − 3.2 mm Hg, p < 0.01). This difference was the result of the greater decrease in pulmonary arteriolar resistance, and hence in right ventricular afterload, with amrinone than with captopril, (− 33% vs. − 16%, respectively), p < 0.01. Despite these superior hemodynamic responses to amrinone, when patients received sequential long-term treatment with both drugs during the follow-up period, only 12% of patients benefitted dining therapy with amrinone, whereas 64% improved clinically with captopril. In conclusion, although the increases in forward output are greater and the hypotensive risk is less with amrinone than with captopril, these superior short-term hemodynamic effects are not translated into greater long-term clinical benefits.
Generation of monodisperse droplets 0.3 to 4 μm in diameter from electrified cone-jets of highly conducting and viscous liquids

The size distributions of droplets emitted from Taylor cones operating in the cone-jet regime are measured by sampling their electrosprays into an aerodynamic size spectrometer (API's Aerosizer). The sizing scheme is not affected by the large charge on the un-neutralized droplets in the range of diameters d explored, 0.3 μm < d < 4 μm. The diameters of the droplets electrosprayed from highly conducting liquids are found to be relatively insensitive to electrostatic variables, depending for a given liquid mostly on the flow rate Q pushed through the jet. At fixed Q, the size distributions consist of one or several fairly monodisperse classes of droplets with diameters di(Q); i = 1, 2, …, N(Q). Near the minimum flow rate Qmin at which the cone is stable, the spray tends to consist of “primary” and “satellite” droplets only, with N = 2. However, at larger flows, the modality of the distributions (N) increases. The largest size mode bifurcates into two branches at a critical flow rate Q1, coinciding with the onset of lateral oscillations of the jet. The diameter d1 of the largest drops scales approximately with r∗=(Qτ)13, where τ is the electrical relaxation time of the fluid. Surprisingly, all the other size classes have diameters di (i ≠ l) nearly independent of flow rate, which scale as dmin = (γτ2/ρ)13 (γ= coefficient of surface tension; ρ=liquid density). Although the jet diameter dj appears to be unaffected by viscosity, its breakup mechanism, and thus the diameters di of all the droplet classes, do depend on the viscous parameters Πμ (μ = coefficient of viscosity of the liquid). The diameters of the smaller droplets are given by functions didmin=Gi(Πμ) (i ≠ 1), which depend steeply on Πμ for values of this parameter below 0.06, but appear to level off above Πμ=0.15. An inviscid asymptote, in which d1r∗=F(η), is approached also for d1 for sufficiently large values of Πμ where η2=ρQγτ. F is nearly constant below the bifurcation, and seems to tend to the asymptote F=0.43 η23 at large η, in qualitative agreement with the behavior of dj(Qτ)13 given by Fernandez de la Mora and Loscertales (J. Fluid Mech. 260, 155–184, 1994). It follows from the scaling laws found that, by varying the electrical conductivity of a given liquid, it should be possible to generate monodisperse droplets with initial diameters of the order of dmin, which may span the whole range between 100 μm down to a few nanometers. The flow rate must, however, be between Qmin and its value at the bifurcation, which requires that η ∼ 1.
Planform Variations and Aerodynamic Efficiency of Movable Tip Strakes

b = span, mm c = chord, mm D = wing drag, lb CL = wing lift coefficient CD = wing drag coefficient d = angle relative to wing chord plane, deg L = wing lift, lb q = 1 2 1V 1 freestream dynamic pressure, kPa Re = 1V1c= 1 Reynolds number based on chord S = reference area, mm V1 = freestream velocity, m=s x, y, z = aerodynamic axes = angle of attack, deg = leading-edge sweep, deg = absolute viscosity, N s=m = air density, kg=m
Where Should Vegetables Be Grown

This is going to be a mostly myopic dissertation since it will be dealing primarily with the United States. This is not to say that I do not recognize that vegetables are grown on all continents ex...
Advanced two tier User Authentication scheme for heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel User Authentication (UA) scheme for heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which employs both Public Key Cryptography (PKC) and Symmetric Key Cryptography (SKC) approaches, such that it takes advantage of both schemes. Our analysis results have shown that, our scheme is not only more secure and scalable than existing SKC based schemes, but also requires lesser processing power and provides higher energy efficiency than existing PKC based schemes.
Three Mile Island: The management communication role

Abstract The accident at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 nuclear reactor was the result of a sequence of events that, in part, can be interpreted to have resulted from ineffective management communication procedures. An analysis of the ineffectiveness of these particular procedures yields suggestions that are important for improving nuclear safety. They are also important for improving management communication in general. Eighteen months before the accident an engineer and manager in Bobcock & Wilcox (B&W), the firm which designed the nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island (TMI), recommended changes in operator instructions at nuclear power plants designed by B&W which, if they had been followed by the operators at TMI, could have prevented the accident. These instructions were never issued by B&W because inefficient management communication procedures impeded timely decision-making. Essentially, the lines of communication did not complement the decision- making process. Additionally, management had not established an appropriate communication environment and effective communication practices.
Estrogen and progesterone receptor status determined by the Ventana ES 320 automated immunohistochemical stainer and the CAS 200 image analyzer in 236 early‐stage breast carcinomas: Prognostic significance

The quantitation of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PgR) has become the standard of care in the evaluation of patients with primary breast carcinoma. It has been demonstrated that ER and PgR detected by immunohistochemical methods in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue can be quantified by computerized image analysis. In this study, ER and PgR levels were determined by using an automated immunochemistry stainer (Ventana ES 320) and an image analyzer (CAS 200) in a series of 236 patients with stage I/II carcinoma of the breast. The degree of correlation of the ER and PgR levels determined by the dextran-coated charcoal method (DCC) with image analysis quantitation was high (r=0.75). The agreement between both methods was 77% for ER and 73% for PgR. Hormone receptor levels were correlated with prognosis as determined by overall survival. An ER level of 30 fmol/mg as determined by image analysis was established to stratify the patient population most effectively into favorable and unfavorable prognostic groups (P=0.003). An ER level of 20 fmol/mg for prognostic stratification reached statistical significance (P=0.03). The DCC method was not able to stratify the patients into prognostic groups at the traditionally accepted cutpoint of 10 fmol/mg (P=0.52). We conclude that when used in combination, automated immunohistochemistry and quantitative image analysis offer a favorable alternative to the DCC method in assessment of ER and PgR status in human mammary carcinoma. In addition, quantitative immunocytochemistry techniques may prove superior to the DCC method in specimens in which there is limited tumor volume (including fine-needle aspirates), stroma-rich tumors, and early-stage lesions including intraductal carcinoma.
Longitudinal analysis of Plantago: Age-by-environment interactions reveal aging

We know very little about aging (senescence) in natural populations, and even less about plant aging. Demographic aging is identified by an increasing rate of mortality following reproductive maturity. In natural populations, quantifying aging is often confounded because changes in mortality may be influenced by both short- and long-term environmental fluctuations as well as age-dependent changes in performance. Plants can be easily marked and monitored longitudinally in natural populations yet the age-dependent dynamics of mortality are not known. This study was designed to determine whether a plant species, Plantago lanceolata, shows demographic aging in its natural environment. A large, multiple-cohort design was used to separate age-independent and age-dependent processes. Seven years of results show environmental influences on mortality as evidenced by synchronous changes in mortality across four cohorts over time. Age-dependent mortality was found through an age-by-environment interaction when the oldest cohorts had significantly higher mortality relative to the younger cohorts during times of stress. Neither size nor quantity of reproduction could explain this variation in mortality across cohorts. These results demonstrate demographic senescence in a natural population of plants.
A robust CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation control strategy for multi-zone HVAC systems

Abstract There have been increasingly growing concerns over the quality of the air inside buildings and the associated energy use. The CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation DCV is one of the strategies that could offer a great opportunity to reduce energy consumption in HVAC systems. However, implementing CO2-based DCV under ASHRAE Standard 62.1 2004–2010 is not simple as it was under previous versions due to the changes in breathing-zone ventilating rate calculations. Thus, this paper provides insight into the performance of a multi-zone VAV system under different operating and ventilation conditions, discusses the difficulties in the CO2-based DCV, and proposes a robust DCV strategy based on the supply air CO2 concentration. The proposed strategy offers great benefits in terms of better indoor air control and improved energy efficiency. To evaluate the proposed strategy, energy simulations were performed on various USA locations and for a typical two-story office building conditioned by a VAV system. The results show that a significant energy saving could be achieved by implementing the proposed strategy as compared to the design-occupancy ASHRAE Standard 62.1 2010 multi-zone procedure and the amount of saving that could be up to 23% depends mainly on locations and the actual occupancy profile.
Effect of Precursor Particle Size on the Densification and Crystallization Behavior of Mullite

Stoichiometric mullite, 3Al2O3·2SiO2, has been prepared from a variety of colloidal and solution precursors. In order to change the level of mixing, the size of the silica particles has been varied while keeping the alumina (boehmite) particle size constant. The effect of varying particle size on the crystallization and densification behavior has been studied. Densification behavior was characterized by measuring the bulk density of pellets as a function of heat treatment temperature and by dilatometry. Phase development was examined by thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Results showed that the formation of crystalline phases including mullite inhibited densification. The formation of mullite was controlled by the initial segregation of alumina and silica in the gel. A heat treatment time-temperature profile designed to optimize the densification of the colloidal powders was investigated in order to compare the ability of the different gels to densify.
Cost of Site Clearance and Verification Operations in the Gulf of Mexico

The cost of site clearance and verification operations in the Gulf of Mexico is examined based on nearly 300 jobs performed by B&J Martin, Inc. from 1997 to 2001. A description of the activities and regulatory requirements involved in site clearance verification establishes the manner in which service cost is determined. Descriptive statistics are provided and relations are derived that estimate the time and cost of clearance and verification based on various descriptor variables. The expected size and potential value of the site clearance verification market in the Gulf of Mexico is also estimated. A major conclusion of the analysis is that the cost of site clearance verification is a time-variant site-dependent function which cannot be predicted prior to performing the service. The analysis represents the first empirical study to construct clearance and verification cost functions for the Gulf of Mexico region.
Spatiotemporal model of barley and cereal yellow dwarf virus transmission dynamics with seasonality and plant competition

Many generalist pathogens are influenced by the spatial distributions and relative abundances of susceptible host species. The spatial structure of host popu- lations can influence patterns of infection incidence (or disease outbreaks), and the effects of a generalist pathogen on host community dynamics in a spatially hetero- geneous community may differ from predictions derived via simple models. In this paper, we model the transmission of a generalist pathogen within a patch framework that incorporates the movement of vectors between discrete host patches to investi- gate the effects of local host community composition and vector movement rates on disease dynamics. We use barley and cereal yellow dwarf viruses (B/CYDV), a suite of general- ist, aphid-vectored pathogens of grasses, and their interactions with a range of host species as our case study. We examine whether B/CYDV can persist locally or in a patch framework across a range of host community configurations. We then deter-
Consistency Between Beliefs and Behavior Regarding Use of Substances in Recovery

1. Lee Ann Kaskutas[1][1],[2][2] 2. Lois A. Ritter[1][1],[3][3] 1. 1Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA 2. 2University of California Berkeley, CA, USA 3. 3California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA 1. Lee Ann Kaskutas, Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Avenue, Emeryville, CA 94608-1010, USA. Email: lkaskutas{at}arg.org This article addresses the assumption that pathways to recovery from substance abuse and dependence, and the language used to define one’s relationship to substances, translate to actual beliefs and behaviors in terms of substance use. We draw on social representation theory and use data from a large web-based study ( N = 9,341) whose goal was to understand how individuals in recovery define what recovery means to them. We often hear people say that they are “in recovery,” and present findings now provide empirical evidence of the prevalent meanings of this ubiquitous expression. The belief that recovery is abstinence was broadly held in our sample, especially among those exposed to treatment and 12-step self-help groups and who define themselves as in recovery —and most (but not all) of such individuals are complete abstainers (no alcohol or drugs). In contrast, among the “self-changers” who did not attend treatment or self-help groups, the most common self-definition was used to have an alcohol or drug problem but don’t any more , half of whom believe that recovery is abstinence while half do not, and only one third are abstainers. Findings are of public health relevance, as it is estimated that among American adults alone, 10% report having had alcohol or drug problems but no longer do. In line with the central concepts of social representation theory, people’s pathways to recovery have a strong effect on how they define themselves and their behaviors and beliefs, but it is not universal. [1]: #aff-1 [2]: #aff-2 [3]: #aff-3
When should homeless families get subsidized apartments? A theoretical inquiry

Abstract How and when should operators of homeless shelters place families from these shelters into subsidized housing? I apply the tools of contract theory to this problem, especially some approaches that have been taken to optimal unemployment insurance. The problem combines moral hazard and adverse selection. When all families are drawn from the same distribution, placement should occur immediately. When families are heterogeneous, the optimal strategy creates a separating equilibrium. Good searchers self-select into a contract with high probability of immediate placement and no probability of later placement; poorer searchers self-select into a contract with a lower probability of immediate placement but a positive probability of later placement.
Assessing Developmental Assessment in Community Colleges.

For many students entering community colleges, the first stop on campus is to an assessment center. More than half of these students will be placed into developmental education as a result of their scores on reading, writing, and mathematics entry assessments, yet there is little evidence that this improves student outcomes. We examine alternative perspectives on the role of assessment and how it is best implemented, review the validity of the most common assessments, and discuss emerging directions in assessment policy and practice. We conclude with implications for policy and research.
In-silico Investigation of Antitrypanosomal Phytochemicals from Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Background Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), a parasitic protozoal disease, is caused primarily by two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei. HAT is a re-emerging disease and currently threatens millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. Many affected people live in remote areas with limited access to health services and, therefore, rely on traditional herbal medicines for treatment. Methods A molecular docking study has been carried out on phytochemical agents that have been previously isolated and characterized from Nigerian medicinal plants, either known to be used ethnopharmacologically to treat parasitic infections or known to have in-vitro antitrypanosomal activity. A total of 386 compounds from 19 species of medicinal plants were investigated using in-silico molecular docking with validated Trypanosoma brucei protein targets that were available from the Protein Data Bank (PDB): Adenosine kinase (TbAK), pteridine reductase 1 (TbPTR1), dihydrofolate reductase (TbDHFR), trypanothione reductase (TbTR), cathepsin B (TbCatB), heat shock protein 90 (TbHSP90), sterol 14α-demethylase (TbCYP51), nucleoside hydrolase (TbNH), triose phosphate isomerase (TbTIM), nucleoside 2-deoxyribosyltransferase (TbNDRT), UDP-galactose 4′ epimerase (TbUDPGE), and ornithine decarboxylase (TbODC). Results This study revealed that triterpenoid and steroid ligands were largely selective for sterol 14α-demethylase; anthraquinones, xanthones, and berberine alkaloids docked strongly to pteridine reductase 1 (TbPTR1); chromenes, pyrazole and pyridine alkaloids preferred docking to triose phosphate isomerase (TbTIM); and numerous indole alkaloids showed notable docking energies with UDP-galactose 4′ epimerase (TbUDPGE). Polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoid gallates or flavonoid glycosides tended to be promiscuous docking agents, giving strong docking energies with most proteins. Conclusions This in-silico molecular docking study has identified potential biomolecular targets of phytochemical components of antitrypanosomal plants and has determined which phytochemical classes and structural manifolds likely target trypanosomal enzymes. The results could provide the framework for synthetic modification of bioactive phytochemicals, de novo synthesis of structural motifs, and lead to further phytochemical investigations.
Qualities of will

One of P. F. Strawson's suggestions in “Freedom and Resentment” was that there might be an elegant theory of moral responsibility that accounted for all of our responsibility responses (our “reactive attitudes,” in his words) in a way that also explained why we get off the hook from those responses. Such a theory would appeal exclusively to quality of will: when we react with any of a variety of responsibility responses to someone, we are responding to the quality of her will with respect to us, and when we let her off the hook (either for her action or with respect to her qua agent), we are doing so in virtue of her lacking the capacity for the relevant quality of will. Strawson's own attempt to put forward such a view fails, for reasons Gary Watson has given, but several other theorists have advanced their own, more developed, Pure Quality of Will theories in recent years (including Scanlon, Arpaly, and McKenna). Specifically, there have been three distinct interpretations of “will” defended in the literature, yielding three different possible targets of our responsibility responses: quality of character, quality of judgment, or quality of regard.My first task in this essay will be to show that none of these theories individually can capture all of our responsibility responses, given our deeply ambivalent responses to several marginal cases (e.g., psychopathy, clinical depression, Alzheimer's dementia). One reaction to this fact might be to abandon the quality of will approach altogether. Another, more plausible, reaction is to develop a pluralistic account of responsibility, one that admits three noncompeting conceptions of responsibility, each of which emphasizes one of the three different qualities of will as the target of a distinct subset of our responsibility responses. On this pluralistic approach, marginal agents might be responsible on some conceptions, but not responsible on others. In the bulk of the paper, I discuss each of the relevant subsets of responsibility responses, the different qualities of will they target, what the capacities for the three qualities of will are, and how the pluralistic qualities of will approach could account for our ambivalence in the marginal cases.
Graphene-on-SiC and graphene-on-Si transistors and RF applications

The unique ambipolar nature of graphene FETs can benefit various RF circuit applications, such as frequency multipliers, mixers and high-speed radiometers. The future success of the RF circuit applications depends on vertical and lateral scaling of graphene MOSFETs to minimize parasitics and improve gate modulation efficiency in the channel. We present recent progress in epitaxial graphene (n, p)-MOSFETs on both SiC and Si substrates for graphene-on-SiC and graphene-on-Si technologies on 75 mm wafers. The epitaxial graphene MOSFETs are fabricated with simultaneous world-record performance in key device parameters: excellent I–V saturation behaviors, peak field-effect mobility of 9000 cm2/Vs for electron and 3000 cm2/Vs for hole, and peak transconductance of 770 mS/mm.
Soil and Water Conservation: Our History and Future Challenges

Remembering our past is an essential first step into the future. Building on that philosophy, we summarize two presentations from a 2012 Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) symposium focused on soil management challenges in response to climate change to examine: (i) how the Soil and Water Management and Conservation Division evolved, (ii) how soil management research approaches have changed since the division was founded, and (iii) how division scientists are helping an increasing global population respond to a dynamic and changing climate. Our division roots and much of soil science in general were literally and figuratively grounded in field research. Here, we examine the transition from field-scale observational to reductionist research approaches, discuss why the latter approach is inadequate for addressing landscape-scale, cropping system response to climate change, and suggest an alternative soil management research approach for our future. The evolution, challenges, and success of a four-factor landscape-scale cropping system study in the U.S. Great Plains is used to illustrate the proposed approach. Recent developments in research programs that promote a more comprehensive systems approach are also provided. We conclude with optimism that by identifying new funding priorities and approaches, SSSA scientists and engineers will be able to help solve several complex and wicked 21st century natural resource problems associated with a dynamic and changing climate and a population of more than nine billion people.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation for medically inoperable, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose The standard management of medically inoperable Stage I non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) conventionally has been fractionated three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). The relatively poor local control rate and inconvenience associated with this therapy have prompted the development of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a technique that delivers very high doses of irradiation typically over 3 to 5 sessions. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has also been investigated as a less costly, single-day therapy that thermally ablates small, peripheral tumors. The cost-effectiveness of these three techniques has never been compared. Methods and Materials We developed a Markov model to describe health states of 65-year-old men with medically inoperable NSCLC after treatment with 3D-CRT, SBRT, and RFA. Given their frail state, patients were assumed to receive supportive care after recurrence. Utility values, recurrence risks, and costs were adapted from the literature. Sensitivity analyses were performed to model uncertainty in these parameters. Results The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for SBRT over 3D-CRT was $6,000/quality-adjusted life-year, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for SBRT over RFA was $14,100/quality-adjusted life-year. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust across a range of tumor sizes, patient utility values, and costs. This result was confirmed with probabilistic sensitivity analyses that varied local control rates and utilities. Conclusion In comparison to 3D-CRT and RFA, SBRT was the most cost-effective treatment for medically inoperable NSCLC over a wide range of treatment and disease assumptions. On the basis of efficacy and cost, SBRT should be the primary treatment approach for this disease.
Beyond Local Appearance: Category Recognition from Pairwise Interactions of Simple Features

We present a discriminative shape-based algorithm for object category localization and recognition. Our method learns object models in a weakly-supervised fashion, without requiring the specification of object locations nor pixel masks in the training data. We represent object models as cliques of fully-interconnected parts, exploiting only the pairwise geometric relationships between them. The use of pairwise relationships enables our algorithm to successfully overcome several problems that are common to previously-published methods. Even though our algorithm can easily incorporate local appearance information from richer features, we purposefully do not use them in order to demonstrate that simple geometric relationships can match (or exceed) the performance of state-of-the-art object recognition algorithms.
Microalbuminuria and Cardiovascular Disease

To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), management strategies are increasingly focusing on preventive measures following early detection of markers of atherosclerosis. This review focuses on microalbuminuria, which is gaining recognition as a simple marker of an atherogenic milieu. Prospective and epidemiologic studies have found that microalbuminuria is predictive, independently of traditional risk factors, of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and CVD events within groups of patients with diabetes or hypertension, and in the general population. The pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the association between albumin excretion and CVD is not fully defined. One hypothesis is that microalbuminuria may be a marker of CVD risk because it reflects subclinical vascular damage in the kidneys and other vascular beds. It may also signify systemic endothelial dysfunction that predisposes to future cardiovascular events. Based on this theory, periodic screening for microalbuminuria could allow early identification of vascular disease and help stratify overall cardiovascular risk, especially in patients with risk factors such as hypertension or diabetes. A positive test for urinary albumin excretion could signify the need for an intensive multifactorial intervention strategy, including behavior modification and targeted pharmacotherapy, aimed at preventing further renal deterioration and improving the overall CVD risk factor profile. Data from intervention studies suggest that treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers, statins, and/or strict glycemic control (in diabetics) offer significant reductions in cardiovascular and/or renal morbidity in patients with albuminuria. Use of this (old) marker may allow improved use of medications and strategies for secondary prevention.
Green Catalytic Oxidation of Cyclohexanone to Adipic Acid

Synthesis of adipic acid by catalytic oxidation of cyclohexanone with 30% hydrogen peroxide in the presence of sodium tungstate catalyst can be well performed under reflux temperature. The adipic acid isolated yield reaches to 82.1%, and the purity of the product is also very high. The catalytic oxidation reaction takes place without any organic solvent and phase-transfer agent. The effects over different acidic ligands and the amount of the ligand on the catalytic oxidation were investigated. The catalysts exhibit high activity for the catalytic oxidation reaction of the mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol to adipic acid by 30% hydrogen peroxide under reflux temperature.
ECOLOGICAL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN FROM POLLUTED WATER

We propose that phosphorus and nitrogen can be removed from polluted water using an ecological water treatment system consisting of periphyton and fish. In the proposed system, polluted water flows through a series of vessels, and the nutrients are taken up by periphyton growing on porous screens. Algal-grazing fish feed on the periphyton and either assimilate or egest the nutrients in mucus-bound feces that settle from the water into a sediment trap. Both the fish and their feces can be harvested as nutrient sinks. In this study we examined the effects of an algal-grazing cichlid (Tilapia mossambica) and a stoneroller minnow (Campostoma anomalum) on nutrient removal by the proposed water treatment system. In two experiments using tank-mesocosms, we found that the algal- grazing fish consumed the periphyton and transferred nutrients into the fish's body tissues or the sediments. The mass of phosphorus sequestered in the nutrient sink in the body tissues of the fish was approximately equivalent to the phosphorus sink in the sediments. High removal rates for phosphorus and nitrogen suggest that the proposed ecological water treatment system may be an effective ecotechnology for removal of nutrients from polluted water.
Fish intake and risk of incident heart failure.

Objectives Our aim was to investigate the relation between fish consumption and incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF). Background The incidence and health burden of CHF are rising, particularly in older persons. Although n-3 fatty acids have effects that could favorably influence risk of CHF, the relation between fish intake and CHF incidence is unknown. Methods Among 4,738 adults age ≥65 years and free of CHF at baseline in 1989–90, usual dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. In a participant subsample, consumption of tuna or other broiled or baked fish, but not fried fish, correlated with plasma phospholipid n-3 fatty acids. Incidence of CHF was prospectively adjudicated. Results During 12 years’ follow-up, 955 participants developed CHF. In multivariate-adjusted analyses, tuna/other fish consumption was inversely associated with incident CHF, with 20% lower risk with intake 1 to 2 times/week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64 to 0.99), 31% lower risk with intake 3 to 4 times/week (HR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.91), and 32% lower risk with intake ≥5 times/week (HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.45 to 1.03), compared with intake Conclusions Among older adults, consumption of tuna or other broiled or baked fish, but not fried fish, is associated with lower incidence of CHF. Confirmation in additional studies and evaluation of potential mechanisms is warranted.
Radiative Heating Profiles in Simple Cirrus Cloud Systems

Abstract Results from one-dimensional cirrus cloud model simulations in the absence of upward velocities are used to show that the growth/sublimation of the ice particles in the cloud, and the fact that they are falling, can be important factors in determining the net heating rate in the air through which these clouds settle. The vertical profiles of the heating rate inside the cloud are stretched as a result of the settling of the cloud. Results for clouds at various altitudes in both midlatitude and tropical atmospheres are compared.
Mobile payments and financial inclusion: Kenya, Brazil, and India as case studies

Although financial inclusion is now recognized as an essential element of any economic development strategy that includes poverty reduction, a majority of the world’s poor remain excluded from formal financial services. Since 2007, the Kenyan mobile payment scheme M-Pesa has captured world attention as a financial inclusion success story, although no other countries have been able to reproduce that success. This paper considers the impact of the regulatory environment on mobile payments as a channel for delivering inclusive financial services using Kenya, Brazil and India as case studies. While Kenya succeeded in rapidly increasing financial inclusion, the Safaricom mobile network operator offering the M-Pesa service ended up controlling 99% of market for mobile payments, posing challenges for regulators and prospective competitors later trying to dislodge it from its dominant position. By contrast, Brazil made slow and steady progress toward achieving 99% financial inclusion among recipients of its Bolsa Familia social welfare program through incremental improvements in its legacy electronic payment systems and by creating a network of business correspondents for banks. Progress in India has been slower as a result of adopting a broad perspective on financial inclusion and pursuing multiple initiatives simultaneously, but inclusive financial services in India may finally be poised to take off. Early attempts to regulate mobile payments and business correspondents erected regulatory and technological barriers to their adoption, but the new “payment bank” regulatory framework may finally have removed those barriers for good. In partnership with the banking industry and to promote competition, India has created an open, public platform for clearing and settlement of electronic payments, and has begun using the new RuPay card network together with the new Aadhaar national identity scheme to deliver direct benefit transfers to the poor.