cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P108 Representation of Older Adults in Nutrition Education and Behavior Published Literature

Background In 2019, the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior recommitted to representing the growing demographic of older adults. One metric to assess this commitment may be an equitable representation of articles published in the Society's journal. Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the historic representation of the older adult life stage in articles published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB). Study Design, Setting, Participants Research, research briefs, and report articles published in JNEB from 1969 to December 2020 were examined to determine the targeted life stage, including older adults (>65 years), adults, young adults (college-age), and infants, children and adolescents. Articles, in which older adults were included as part of a greater population, were also quantified. An “other” category included articles that did not target or state a life stage. Measurable Outcomes/Analysis The percentage of research articles, research briefs and reports targeting the older adult life stage published in JNEB. Results Of the 2,454 articles reviewed, 39% of research articles, 51% of research briefs, and 29% of reports targeted infants, children and adolescents. Articles specifically addressing older adults had the least representation and included only 4% of research articles, 3% of research briefs, and 4% of reports. Older adults as part of a greater population, were represented by 8% of research articles, 9% of research briefs, and 5% of reports. Of note, 37% of articles fell into the “other” category. Conclusion Historically, the older adult life stage is underrepresented in articles published in JNEB. Given the Society's recent resolution to increase the focus on the educational needs of a growing aging population, an increase in journal publications targeting older adults is warranted, and thus equitably represent all life stages in future issues. Funding None.
Young Children in Stressful Situations: The Supporting Role of Attachment Figures and Unfamiliar Caregivers

Attachment, affectional bond, emotional tie: when describing the relationship of a young child to his or her major caregiver, we tend to fall back on the same metaphor. Although it has been notoriously difficult to define this bond in behavioral terms, there are obviously aspects of caregiver-infant interactions which lead to the impression that the two partners are, in some way, linked by psychological processes.
Disorders of the Serum Electrolytes, Acid-Base Balance, and Renal Function in Alcoholism

This chapter reviews the disturbances of the serum sodium and potassium concentrations, acid-base imbalances, and acute renal dysfunction that are seen frequently in alcoholic patients. The hyponatremia common in decompensated cirrhotics is caused by an impairment of renal free water clearance and concomitant water ingestion. Excessive proximal renal tubular sodium reabsorption and nonosmotic Vasopressin release underlie the defect in renal water excretion in cirrhosis. Restriction of water intake is the principal therapeutic measure for hyponatremia. Hypokalemia is common in alcoholics but when observed does not always represent true potassium depletion. Although most cirrhotics have a diminished total body potassium content, intracellular potassium concentration is usually normal. In some patients gastrointestinal and renal potassium losses and nutritional potassium deficiency may cause true potassium depletion. Respiratory and metabolic alkalosis are the acid-base disturbances seen most frequently in alcoholics. Acidosis is relatively uncommon and is usually due to renal insufficiency, lactic acid or keto-acid accumulation. Toxin ingestion (methanol, ethylene glycol, or isopropanol) may also cause severe acidosis. Rhabdomyolysis, common in severe alcoholism, may produce various electrolyte disturbances and acute renal failure. The prognosis for recovery is good although temporary dialysis may be necessary.
A self-learning threshold-controlled neural network

A neural network structure is proposed that is controlled by device thresholds rather than multiplicative factors. This network has the feature that the learning parameter is embodied locally in the device thresholds. The network is shown to be capable of learning by example, as well as exhibiting other desirable features of the Hopfield type networks. >
Colon and Anorectum

The large intestine, or colon, about 150 cm long, extends from the terminal ileum to the rectum. The classic divisions are the cecum, colon proper, rectum, and anal canal. The cecum, the first 6 cm of the large bowel just below the ileocolic valve, together with the ascending and hepatic flexures, forms a surgical unit, the right colon.
Ganglion Cell Loss after Optic Nerve Crush Mediated through AMPA-Kainate and NMDA Receptors

PURPOSE. Glutamate antagonists can block ganglion cell death due to optic nerve crush. Although most investigators have focused on blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor, we have chosen to evaluate the efficacy of blockade of the AMPA-kainate (KA) receptor in this experimental paradigm. METHODS. The optic nerves of rats were crushed, and ganglion cell survival was assessed. Groups of animals were treated with an NMDA antagonist, an AMPA-KA antagonist, or both. RESULTS. The AMPA-KA antagonist DNQX was more effective, although not additive in preserving retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush than the NMDA antagonist MK801. CONCLUSIONS. Activation of the AMPA-KA subtype of glutamate receptor may play a role in glutamate-mediated cell death after optic nerve crush.
Connecting Heaven and Earth: Interpreting Early Woodland Nonmortuary Ceremonialism in Northern Ohio

Most previous studies of Early Woodland ritual and ceremonialism in the Ohio region have focused primarily on Adena mound and earthwork enclosures and their attendant mortuary facilities. Recent investigations of other constructions, such as circular post structures, have demonstrated the feasibility of expanding interpretations of Early Woodland ceremonialism to include nonmortuary contexts. In the southern drainages of Lake Erie, small hilltop enclosures are potentially fruitful localities for the study of (non-Adena) ritual and ceremonialism. Recent investigations at the Heckelman hilltop enclosure reveal nonmortuary-ceremonial activity during the Early Woodland period. Archaeological remains point to the construction of an oval ditch enclosing clusters of freestanding (ritual) poles and pits that exhibit evidence of having been used for preparing and serving ceremonial meals. It is proposed that the Heckelman ceremonial precinct was the site of ritually charged activities bearing important cosmologica...
Rabbit α-globin messenger RNA translation by the mouse ovum

Fertilized mouse ova were injected with messenger RNA for rabbit globin. The ova were labelled with [3H]leucine and the synthesized rabbit alpha-globin measured by immunoprecipitation. Injection of rabbit globin mRNA from 4.0 to 15.8 pg/ovum resulted in the synthesis of approximately 1200 dpm/ovum of alpha-globin during an 18 h incubation. A concentration of mRNA that was translated below the maximum level of globin synthesis was used to determine translation efficiency. The efficiency of translation was 14.1 molecules of alpha-globin synthesized/cell/h for each molecule of alpha-globin mRNA injected. The radioactivity in alpha-globin was 1% of the total incorporation in acid-precipitable material. Total incorporation of control and injected ova was not significantly different. This study shows that the fertilized mouse ovum can translate an injected foreign message with essentially the same efficiency as that reported for the Xenopus oocyte but substantially lower than the reticulocyte and that the translational capacity of the mouse fertilized ovum for injected mRNA is limited with little if any spare translational ability.
Research Spotlight: More accurate measurements of total solar irradiance

[1] Radiation from the Sun is the dominant source of energy input to the Earth's climate system; even small variations in solar irradiance can produce noticeable climate changes on global and regional scales. Determining how much of the observed global change can be attributed to variations in the Sun's output and how much can be attributed to human or other influences requires an accurate record of solar irradiance. Measurements of solar irradiance made by the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) on NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite give a value of total solar irradiance that is significantly lower than previously accepted values. Kopp and Lean show that this new, lower value is more accurate than measurements made using older instruments. They used laboratory studies and satellite calibrations to diagnose and quantify error sources on TIM and other space-based solar radiometers and found that earlier radiometers measured higher values of solar irradiance because they included scattered instrument light in their signals, while the different optical design of the TIM radiometer reduces this spurious signal and acquires more accurate measurements. They also show that TIM's high stability gives improved agreement with models estimating solar variability, concluding that this new instrument provides the most accurate value of solar irradiance and helps improve estimates of the Sun's influence on climate. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2010GL045777, 2011)
Measurement of uric acid in biologic fluids using an ion-exchange separation.

A new method for the measurement of uric acid in biologic fluids is presented. It involves the isolation of uric acid by ion-exchange separation and quantitative determination of uric acid in the eluate by ultraviolet absorption, the Folin-Brown method or an enzymatic technic. The enzymatic determination on the eluate is the most specific of the technics. A series of determinations of uric acid in serum compares well with determinations on the same samples using the direct Folin-Brown procedure. The direct Folin-Brown method appears to be in error in determinations on certain urine samples. Measurements of uric acid in bile are reported. The technic can be used in the routine clinical laboratory, and is particularly applicable to fluids which cannot be studied by direct methods.
Facts and the First Amendment (the Melville Nimmer Memorial Lecture)

A pervasive problem in public discourse is the seemingly increasing prevalence in public debate of demonstrably false factual propositions, such as the non-American birth of President Obama, the prior knowledge of President Bush of the September 11 attacks, the intentional creation of AIDS by physicians and pharmaceutical companies, the non-existence of the Holocaust, and the predictive accuracy of astrology. Yet although this phenomenon is a serious problem for public discourse, it is one that the First Amendment tradition fails to address. In relying on the implausible epistemic claims of “marketplace of ideas” and “search for truth” rationales for freedom of speech, the First Amendment tradition is embarrassed by the way in which falsity thrives even under conditions of widespread freedom of speech. Moreover, a close look at the landmarks of the free speech literature from Milton’s Areopagitica to the present shows that the problem of factual falsity was simply not the concern of those who created and fostered our free speech tradition. This is not to say that widespread government regulation of non-commercial factual falsity is wise or constitutionally permissible. It is to say, however, that making progress against the problem of public falsity will require recognizing that free speech doctrine and principles are only a small corner of a wise communications policy, and that such a policy will attempt to deal with widespread factual falsity in ways that the free speech tradition cannot.
Calorimetric and microstructural analysis of deformation induced crystallization reactions in amorphous Al88Y7Fe5 alloy

Abstract Microcalorimeter and TEM analyses reflect growth of rolling induced Al nanocrystals in shear bands of amorphous Al88Y7Fe5 alloys at 60 °C as well as a lowering of the crystallization onset temperature of cold rolled samples. Deformation induced Al nanocrystals moreover differ from thermally induced Al nanocrystals in their prolate morphology and the presence of dislocations in some nanocrystals.
Teaching the Unteachable: Some Issues of Qualitative Research Pedagogy

In this essay I broach some of the issues surrounding the teaching of qualitative research methods, not in an effort to necessarily resolve them, but so that we might wrestle with them. Some of the issues concerning the teaching (and learning) of qualitative research include, but are not limited to: the schooling trends of pedagogicization; the politics—global, national, regional, and local—affecting teaching; interpersonal and intrapersonal structures, processes, and relations; the status and hierarchies of knowledge and of curricular subjects; the status accorded research in general and qualitative research in particular; the individual qualities of the instructor and his/her pedagogy; and the nature of the various environments within which teaching occurs. Fieldwork, thinking, and writing—as constitutive elements of qualitative research, are considered in light of the issues raised.
Classification and prevalences of plaque streptococci after two years oral use of chlorhexidine

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of two years daily oral use of chlorhexidine (Loe et al. 1976) on the distribution of different streptococcal types in dental plaque. Plaque samples were collected from the molars in 16 persons in the chlorhexi dine group and from 17 control persons having used placebo solution. The samples were homogenized in yeast extract, and dilutions plated on mitis salivarius agar incubated micro aerophilically for 24 hours followed by aerobic storage at room temperature for 24 hours. Colonies of each morphological type present were counted on plates having 30–300 colonies and their number related to the total number. One colony of each type was isolated and identified by biochemical tests. The study showed that 84.8 % of the strains could be classified as S. mutans, S. sanguis, S. mitior, S. milleri, S. salivarius, a group intermediary to S. sanguis and S. mitior, and a group resembling S. milleri, using only five biochemical tests: production of extracellular polysaccharide from sucrose, fermentation of mannitol, raffinose and inulin, and hydrolysis of esculin. In the chlorhexidine group the prevalences of S. sanguis and the group of streptococci intermediary to S. sanguis and S. mitior were higher, and the prevalence of S. milleri plus streptococci resembling S. milleri lower, among the streptococcal flora in dental plaque than those observed in the control group.
POST-MACROECONOMICS: LESSONS FROM THE CRISIS AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AHEAD

The global crisis has not invalidated everything about macroeconomics. However, it has highlighted some of mistakes of the discipline's dominant intellectual framework. Post-macroeconomic thinking recommended in this paper should not be understood as another metanarrative of the end of metanarratives. The use of the prefix post here suggests and emphasises much more than temporal posterity. Post-macroeconomics should follow from macroeconomics more than it follows after macroeconomics. The theorising of post-macroeconomics is therefore neither systematically oppositional, nor hegemonic. It does not advocate a "dialectic opposition" between macroeconomics and post-macroeconomics. Rather, it suggests that the latter builds on the former and goes beyond it.
Effects of disease and leader type on moderators in online support groups

This study examines the effects of illness (cancer and Parkinson's PD]) on three moderators, the expression of positive and negative emotions and cognitive mechanisms. Each illness makes its own unique demands on patients and may influence change mechanisms. Similarly, we are asking, what effects do the type of leadership have on mediators that have previously been linked to positive outcomes. Four types of groups were studied, professional, the wellness community (TWC) chat mixed cancer (N groups=4) and TWC chat PD patient groups (N groups=6). The two peer groups were bulletin boards for colorectal cancer (N groups=1) and PD BBs (N groups=6). The design was a 2i?2, disease and leader type. Computer-based text analysis, the linguistic inquiry and word count assessed the dependent variables. The results of the Manova found that; disease is P=NS, leader type, P=.00, interaction, P=.00. The interaction between disease and leader type is statistically significant, indicating that disease in combination with whether the leader is a peer or professional effects the expression of emotions and cognitive mechanisms.
Heat shock used in combination with amino acid analogues and protease inhibitors to demonstrate the processing of proteins of an insect picornavirus (Drosophila C virus) in Drosophila melanogaster cells

Summary Radiolabelling Drosophila C virus (DCV)-infected Drosophila cells at 37°C resulted in the appearance of virus-induced proteins of high molecular weight which could be chased at 28° C. Canavanine and N-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) pretreatment in combination with elevated temperature further reduced the processing of virus-induced proteins and stopped the appearance of virus structural proteins and VPO (protein precursor).
Comparison of 2-dimensional measurement techniques for predicting knee angle and moment during a drop vertical jump.

Objective:To determine the association of 2-dimensional (2D) video-based techniques and 3-dimensional (3D) motion analysis to assess potential knee injury risk factors during jump landing.Design:Observational study.Setting:Research laboratory.Participants:Thirty-six female athletes in cutting and pi
Density of tobacco retailers and its association with sociodemographic characteristics of communities across New York.

Summary Objective To examine the association of community median income, race/ethnicity and age with the availability of tobacco products in New York State and six subareas. Study design Spatial regression analysis applied to licensed tobacco retailer and sociodemographic data in 2009 in New York. Methods This study assessed the association between tobacco retailer density and four demographic correlates (percentage African American, percentage Hispanic, percentage aged Results In New York State, residential census tracts with higher proportions of African Americans and Hispanics generally had a significantly higher density of tobacco retailers. Census tracts with a higher percentage of residents aged Conclusions Tobacco retailers tend to be more densely distributed in areas characterized by high minority or low-income populations, but these associations were not found in all areas. This may suggest that policy measures to reduce the density of tobacco retailers may be more effective at reducing disparities in tobacco availability and exposure to point-of-sale advertising in some areas than in others.
Flares on Mira stars

Fourteen cases of flares reported on Mira type stars have been collected. These flares typically have an amplitude of over half a magnitude, a rise time of minutes, and a duration of tens of minutes. Nine of the 11 stars represent a normal cross section of the Mira population, while the remaining two are in symbiotic systems (CH Cyg and RX Pup). The flares were observed photographically (five cases), photometrically (three cases), visually (three cases), and with radio telescopes (two cases), while CH Cyg has had flares observed by many techniques. The evidence for the existence of flares on Miras is strong but not definitive. It is possible to hypothesize a variety of background or instrumental effects that could explain all 14 events; however, there is no evidence that suggests the data should be taken at other than face value, and there are good arguments for rejecting the possibility of artifacts. It is felt that the current data warrant systematic observational and theoretical investigation of the possibility of flares on Mira stars.
The FACE program

Abstract A large, cooperative, integrated experimental program utilizing free-air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) is being conducted to expose plants to elevated concentrations of CO 2 . The goals are to evaluate the effects of increasing atmospheric CO 2 on plants and ecosystems and, in the long run, to contribute to the evaluation of terrestrial plant feedback regulation on the rate of change of CO 2 in the atmosphere. Having no walls, the FACE system allows plants to be grown under realistic microclimate and CO 2 conditions expected to prevail in the mid-twenty-first century. Data obtained under such conditions are needed for validation of models being developed to predict the effects of increasing CO 2 and changing climate variables on plants, ecosystems, agricultural productivity and water resources. Setup costs for the FACE systems used in these experiments are similar to the costs of field chamber systems. Although annual operating costs are about three times the cost of field chambers, FACE plots are relatively large, leading to an economy of scale, so that per unit of treated plant material, FACE systems are the least expensive approach for well-integrated field experiments. These features have provided an incentive to conduct comprehensive FACE experiments with many cooperating scientists working together to measure numerous plant, soil and micrometeorological parameters, as described in the collection of papers in this special issue of ‘Agricultural and Forest Meteorology’.
Analysis of fractal ion channel gating kinetics: kinetic rates, energy levels, and activation energies.

Abstract Ion channels in the cell membranes of the corneal endothelium, hippocampal neurons, and fibroblasts, and gramicidin channels in lipid bilayers have open and closed times that can be fit, in whole or part, by power law distributions. That is, the gating is self-similar when viewed at different time scales. Hence, kinetic processes at slow and fast time scales are not independent but rather are interrelated. To study how such a relationship can arise we analyze a closed ⇌ open channel with the fractal dimension for leaving the closed state D CO ≈2 and the fractal dimension for leaving the open state D OC ≈1. This special case can be analyzed because it can be represented by equivalent Markov processes. We show that it is equivalent to Markov chains with forward and backward kinetic rate constants approximately equal at each stage, and forming an approximate geometric progression along the different stages. These kinetic rates determine the energy levels and activation energy barriers separating those levels. We find that there are many conformational states (substates) separated by high activation energy barriers. This is similar to the energy structure found for globular proteins such as myoglobin. However, the novel feature reported here is that the activation energy barriers are not independent but are interrelated and form an arithmetic progression. Because of this relationship the fast processes across the low activation energy barriers are linked to slow processes across the high activation energy barriers.
The effects of addressee attention on prosodic prominence

How do speakers accommodate distracted listeners? Specifically, how does prosody change when speakers know that their addressees are multitasking? Speakers might use more acoustically prominent words for distracted addressees, to ensure that important information is communicated. Alternatively, speakers might disengage from the task and use less prominent pronunciations with distracted addressees. A further question is whether prosodic prominence changes globally or if there are effects specific to the most relevant information. We studied these effects in two instruction-giving experiments. Speakers instructed listeners to move objects to locations on a board. In the distraction condition, addressees were also completing a demanding secondary computer task; in the attentive condition they paid full attention. Results demonstrated that speakers modify their speech for distracted listeners, and in an instruction-giving task they specifically use more acoustically prominent (longer) pronunciations for distr...
Stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in renal medulla by vasopressin.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) interacts with V1, and V2 receptors to stimulate hydrolysis of phosphinositides (PI) and formation of cAMP, respectively. The effects of AVP on V2 receptors in the kidney are well characterized. In order to determine whether V1 receptors, coupled to phospholipase C for hydrolysis of PI, are also present in the kidney, we investigated the effects of AVP on PI hydrolysis in tissue slices from the cortex, outer medulla, and inner medulla of the rabbit kidney. We found that 10-6 M AVP produced a significant increase in PI hydrolysis in the inner and outer medulla but not in the cortex. In the inner medulla, AVP (10-10 M) produced a greater than 50% increase in PI hydrolysis; the effect was much greater at higher concentrations. AVP-stimulated PI hydrolysis was blocked by a V1 antagonist but not by a V2 antagonist. Increasing the osmolality of the incubation to 600 mosmol/kg water also abolished the effect of AVP on PI hydrolysis in the inner medulla. Furthermore, AVP did not stimula...
Mathematical modeling and analysis of fuel rods

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive method of analysis for nuclear fuel rods by first developing appropriate constitutive relations for the fuel and the clad materials that take into account elastic-plastic behavior, primary as well as secondary creep, mechanical densification (hot pressing), fuel swelling, fuel cracking and healing, and fuel redistribution. The geometric problem is treated on the basis of a two-dimensional, axisymmetric, and plane model within the framework of the finite element method. General power histories of the transient, cyclic, and steady-state types are considered. Analysis results uncovering the importance of certain deformation processes, which heretofore have been neglected, and comparisons with experiments are given.
Molecular considerations in the evolution of bacterial genes

Synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates at the loci encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gap) and outer membrane protein 3A (ompA) were examined in 12 species of enteric bacteria. By examining homologous sequences in species of varying degrees of relatedness and of known phylogenetic relationships, we analyzed the patterns of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions within and among these genes. Although both loci accumulate synonymous substitutions at reduced rates due to codon usage bias, portions of thegap andompA reading frames show significant deviation in synonymous substitution rates not attributable to local codon bias. A paucity of synonymous substitutions in portions of theompA gene may reflect selection for a novel mRNA secondary structure. In addition, these studies allow comparisons of homologous protein-coding sequences (gap) in plants, animals, and bacteria, revealing differences in evolutionary constraints on this glycolytic enzyme in these lineages.
A Pulsed-Laser Study of Penultimate Copolymerization Propagation Kinetics for Methyl Methacrylate/n-Butyl Acrylate

The PLP/MWD technique, based upon analysis of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of a polymer produced by pulsed-laser polymerization (PLP), has proven to be a powerful probe for the examination of free-radical homopolymerization kinetics. The same method is applicable to the study of copolymerization propagation kinetics provided that proper calibrations are established for the measurement of copolymer MWDs, as illustrated by an examination of the methyl methacrylate (MMA)/n-butyl acrylate (nBA) system. Statistical analysis indicates that although MMA/nBA copolymer composition is well described by the terminal model, propagation kinetics are not. Like many other systems recently examined, the data are well represented by the “implicit penultimate unit effect” model of Fukuda and co-workers. However, whereas previous systems studied have propagation rates that are lower than those predicted by the terminal model, it is found that the propagation rate of MMA/nBA is greater than the terminal model pred...
Heating of chromospheric magnetic features by direct current dissipation

It is shown that the direct current dissipation is very unlikely to be the heat source of the coronal loop, because it accompanies unacceptably high heating rate in the chromospheric portion of the loop. This also suggests that a rather weak current density can supply the heat to a small (R < 107 cm) chromospheric magnetic features. A larger magnetic element may be heated by the direct current dissipation only if the current changes directions within a single element so that the generated magnetic field is sufficiently weak to insure MHD stability.
Variable Temperature Study of the Cross-Relaxation Dynamics in the Hyperpolarized Xenon-Induced Enhancement of Surface Nuclei

The cross-relaxation rate constants for a three spin system involving hyperpolarized 129Xe, 13C, and 1H nuclei have been determined over a wide temperature range (136−216 K) through observation of ...
Spirituality and Recovery from Cardiac Surgery: A Review

A large research literature attests to the positive influence of spirituality on a range of health outcomes. Recently, a growing literature links spirituality to improved recovery from cardiac surgery. Cardiac surgery has become an increasingly common procedure in the United States, so these results may provide a promising indication for improved treatment of patients undergoing surgery. To our knowledge, a comprehensive review of the literature in this area does not exist. Therefore, this paper reviews the literature relevant to the influence of spirituality on recovery from cardiac surgery. In addition, it proposes a conceptual model that attempts to explicate relationships among the variables studied in the research on this topic. Finally, it discusses limitations, suggests directions for future research, and discusses implications for the treatment of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Determination of 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract Using 1-ml plasma samples, levels of 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) as low as 5 ng/ml and azathioprine (AZA) as low as 40 ng/ml can be detected using a high-performance liquid chromatography reversed-phase column procedure following extraction. Both compounds were stable in frozen plasma for seven weeks. AZA stability in blood was temperature dependent; the half-lives of AZA breakdown to 6MP at 37° were 28 and 46 min in blood drawn from two rhesus monkeys. Plasma levels of 6MP were measured in a rhesus monkey following 6MP (1.47 mg/kg) and AZA (3 mg/kg) intravenous administration. 6MP levels were also measured in three renal transplant patients on daily 50- and 100-mg AZA doses. Peak levels (45–75 ng/ml) were reached within an hour and 6MP levels were detected for up to 7 h.
Simple Chemical Transformation of Lignocellulosic Biomass into Furans for Fuels and Chemicals

Lignocellulosic biomass is a plentiful and renewable resource for fuels and chemicals. Despite this potential, nearly all renewable fuels and chemicals are now produced from edible resources, such as starch, sugars, and oils; the challenges imposed by notoriously recalcitrant and heterogeneous lignocellulosic feedstocks have made their production from nonfood biomass inefficient and uneconomical. Here, we report that N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) containing lithium chloride (LiCl) is a privileged solvent that enables the synthesis of the renewable platform chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in a single step and unprecedented yield from untreated lignocellulosic biomass, as well as from purified cellulose, glucose, and fructose. The conversion of cellulose into HMF is unabated by the presence of other biomass components, such as lignin and protein. Mechanistic analyses reveal that loosely ion-paired halide ions in DMA−LiCl are critical for the remarkable rapidity (1−5 h) and yield (up to 92%) of this low...
Two in one: Party competition in the Italian single ballot mixed system

Abstract This paper examines the incentives that the combination of proportional representation (PR) and first-past-the-post realized in single ballot mixed systems provides to voters and parties. In single ballot mixed systems, voters only cast one ballot by which they select (1) a candidate running in a single-member district (SMD) and (2) a party competing for the distribution of PR seats. Through the analysis of district level data of the Italian Senate elections (1994–2001), I investigate the impact of ballot structure and the mechanism by which the interaction of the PR and SMD components of the election affects strategic voting and strategic entry. I find single ballot mixed systems work quite differently from both the SMD and the PR elections held under dual-ballot mixed system, where voters and parties make distinct strategic decisions for each tier.
Dynamic Splinting With Early Motion Following Zone IV/V and TI to TIII Extensor Tendon Repairs

Purpose To investigate the influence of a dynamic splinting protocol on outcomes of extensor tendon repairs. Methods All patients in a prospectively collected database underwent extensor tendon repair by a single surgeon between 2004 and 2008. The inclusion criterion was simple extensor tendon repairs in zone IV and V in the fingers and zones TI to TIII in the thumb. The tendon repairs used a 4-strand core technique and running epitendinous suture. Within 7 days, each subject began using a dynamic extension splint during the day and a static extension splint at night. The extension splint allowed the patient to passively extend and actively flex the digits. After 3 weeks, the dynamic splint was discontinued and the patients were started on active digital motion. Static night splinting was continued for the next 3 weeks, after which time splinting was discontinued and strengthening was instituted. A total of 17 patients with 19 tendon lacerations met the inclusion criterion. There were 5 patients with lacerations of the thumb extensors and 12 patients with zone IV/V finger extensor tendon lacerations. The average time from injury to surgery was 11 days (range, 2–39 d). The follow-up was 43 to 215 days, with an average of 96 days. Results A total of 16 patients achieved good or excellent results by 6 weeks according to our grading system. One patient had a fair result. There were no ruptures and no tenolysis surgeries performed. Conclusions Dynamic splinting resulted in generally good functional outcomes for extensor tendon laceration repairs in zone IV/V and TI to TIII, without complications. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Infrared spectra of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, and nitrogen adsorbed on copper oxide

Abstract Infrared spectra of CO, CO 2 , NO, NO 2 , and N 2 O adsorbed on silica supported CuO have been obtained over the temperature range of 30–250 °C. Bands were observed at 2170, 2140, 1675, 1585, and 1350 cm −1 for CO; 2350 cm −1 for CO 2 ; 1890, 1605, 1575, and 1510 cm −1 for NO; 1740, 1585, 1520, 1490, 1265, and 745 cm −1 for NO 2 ; and 2220 cm −1 for N 2 O. Efforts to obtain the spectrum for adsorbed N 2 were not successful. The spectrum for each adsorbed gas is interpreted in terms of the type and strength of bonding with the surface.
Jimmy: The Robot That Changed It All

Science fiction prototypes are a great tool for bringing research to life, and they do a much better job of communicating the science and vision of the work than the rather dry treatment of an academic text.
Semistability of switched linear systems with application to PageRank algorithms

This paper investigates semistability and its computation for discrete-time, switched linear systems under both deterministic and random switching policies. The notion of semistability pertains to a continuum of initial state dependent equilibria, and finds wide applications in multi-agent and distributed network systems. It is shown in this paper that exponential semistability on a common equilibrium space is equivalent to output exponential stability of a reduced switched linear system with a suitably defined output, under arbitrary and random switchings. Besides, their convergence rates are shown to be identical. A generating function based approach is proposed to compute convergence rates of the reduced switched systems under these switching rules. The obtained semistability results are applied to performance analysis of PageRank algorithms for distributed web-page systems subject to topology switching. The iteration processes of these algorithms are formulated as switched linear systems. Their equilibrium properties are studied, and convergence rates are characterized via the semistability techniques and the generating function approach.
Active sites of solid acidic catalysts: II. Water-gas conversion on alumina and some other catalysts☆

Abstract The water-gas conversion reaction (CO2 + H2 rlharr2; CO + H2O) on alumina was studied in an attempt to obtain further information on the redox properties of alumina. The kinetics of the forward and backward reactions were investigated separately over a temperature range between 400 and 600 °C: The rate of CO2 + H2 is proportional to the square root of both carbon dioxide and hydrogen pressures while the rate of CO + H2O is of first order with respect to carbon monoxide but almost independent of the water pressure. The apparent activation energies obtained were 16.1 and 22.9 kcal/mole for the respective reactions. A possible nature of active sites is discussed. The activity of some other catalysts including a commercial iron oxide catalyst was also measured. The catalysts studied could be classified in terms of compensation effect into three groups in the following order: catalysts with variable valency; catalysts with Lewis acidity; and catalysts with Bronsted acidity with decreasing activity.
Data envelopment analysis: The evolution of the state of the art (1978–1995)

The purpose of this paper is to briefly trace the evolution of DEA from the initial publication by Charnes et al. (1978b) to the current state of the art (SOA). The state of development of DEA is characterized at four points in time to provide a perspective in both directions—past and future. An evolution map is provided which illustrates DEA growth during the 17-year period, the timing of the major events, and the interconnections and influences between topics. An extensive DEA bibliography is provided.
Water sorption behaviour of highly swelling (carboxy methylcellulose-g-polyacrylamide) hydrogels and release of potassium nitrate as agrochemical

Novel types of highly swelling hydrogels have been prepared by grafting crosslinked polyacrylamide chains onto carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) via a free radical polymerization method. The hydrogels were characterized by IR spectral analysis and by evaluating various network parameters such as average molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc), crosslink density (q) and the number of elastically effective chains (Vc). The hydrogels showed enormous swelling in aqueous medium and displayed swelling characteristics which were highly dependent on the chemical composition of the hydrogel and pH and ionic strength of the medium in which the hydrogel was immersed. The kinetics of water uptake and the water transport mechanism were studied as a function of the composition of the hydrogel and the pH of the medium. The hydrogels were also loaded with potassium nitrate as a model agrochemical and their potential for controlled release of potassium nitrate was judged by measuring conductivity. Various kinetic parameters such as the diffusion coefficient and swelling exponents were also calculated.
Safety and efficacy of ketamine sedation for infant flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

Objective To describe our experience with ketamine sedation during infant flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Design Retrospective chart review. Infants were sedated with midazolam and ketamine with or without fentanyl. The sedation regimen, final procedure performed, procedure duration, and complications were recorded. Complication rates between infants ≤ 6 months or > 6 months of age and between infants with upper vs lower airway symptoms were compared by χ 2 test with a contingency table. Results Fifty-nine procedures were performed in 55 patients aged 6.1 ± 3.1 months (mean ± SD). Sedation was achieved with ketamine and midazolam (n = 30) or ketamine, midazolam, and fentanyl (n = 29). Bronchoscopy with BAL was performed in 44 patients and bronchoscopy alone in 3 patients. In 11 patients, severe upper airway obstruction and/or anomalies prevented subglottic passage of the bronchoscope. One patient could not be adequately sedated. There were no major complications. Minor complications occurred in 14 patients (23.7%), most commonly mild hypoxemia (n = 9). Brief central apnea developed in three patients. Complication rates were unaffected by age or indication for bronchoscopy. Conclusions Infant flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy can be safely and effectively performed using ketamine sedation. Complications, especially mild hypoxemia, appear more common in infants, likely due to smaller airway diameter. Regardless of the sedative(s) used, additional vigilance is required when performing bronchoscopy in this population.
C23 interacts with B23, a putative nucleolar-localization-signal-binding protein

The human protein C23 (nucleolin) is a major nucleolar protein. Its interactions with other proteins were studied with the two-hybrid system which identified nucleolar protein B23 (nucleophosmin) as being associated with C23. Both proteins were co-immunoprecipitated from HeLa cell nuclear extract by either monoclonal anti-C23 or monoclonal anti-B23. Binding studies utilizing deletion mutants indicated that the binding of C23 and B23 involves specific motifs. In addition to an approximately 46-amino-acid-binding domain in B23 (amino acids 194-239), amino acids 540-628 of C23 were required for binding; this region of C23 is required for the nucleolar localization. In addition, nucleolar protein p120 was also found to be co-immunoprecipitated with B23. A fragment of p120 containing a functional nucleolar localization signal bound to the truncated binding domain of B23, as did C23. These results suggest that the interaction of C23 and B23 may represent a nucleolar-targeting mechanism in which B23 acts as a nucleolar-localization signal-binding protein.
Results of a National Survey of Graduates of Bilingual Education Programs

A national sample of graduates of bilingual education programs at the doctoral, master's, and bachelor's levels was surveyed by mail and by telephone to determine what proportion of them had entered the field of bilingual education and to describe the jobs they held. Results of the survey, conducted under contract to the U.S. Department of Education, indicated that the vast majority of the graduates were applying their skills to the education of students with limited English proficiency. The majority of the graduates of bachelor's and master's programs were working as elementary teachers, 94 percent of them with Spanish-speaking pupils. More than two thirds taught ESL. Three quarters of the teacher-trainer graduates held positions involving either teacher training or administration. Those teaching in college and university settings taught broad-based courses, while those training teachers in school-district settings taught more functionally oriented courses. The survey results provide national baseline data on employment outcomes of bilingual education training programs.
Vigilance Effects for Duration Judgments with Two Levels of Task Demand

Vigilance effects were investigated with a duration judgment task, with or without a requirement also to perform mental arithmetic problems. Judged duration values were larger when only vigilance was performed; addition of the arithmetic task served to improve efficiency. Habituation processes thus are involved in a wide variety of behaviors.
Cryoprotectants Affect Physical Properties of Restructured Trout During Frozen Storage

: Cryoprotectants other than sucrose/sorbitol were evaluated to reduce the sweetness of restructured trout products during frozen storage. Bacterial growth, lipid oxidation, thaw loss, cook yield, color, and texture were evaluated after 1 d, 3 mo, and 6 mo of storage at-20 °C. Sucrose/sorbitol, trehalose, andtrehalose/sorbitol at 8% equally exhibited a cryoprotective action and minimized thaw loss and texture changes, whereas sodium lactate did not at 2% during 6 mo of frozen storage. Raw, carbohydrate-treated products had less L* values than the control and sodium lactate products. After cooking, no difference in L* value was observed. Cryoprotectants and frozen storage time did not affect bacterial growth and lipid oxidation of raw products.
Mechanistic Studies of Adhesion Promotion by Gamma-Aminopropyl Triethoxy Silane in Alpha-Al2O3/Polyethylene Joint,

In order to understand the mechanism of adhesion promotion by organo silane in joints where its chemical reaction with a polymer matrix may be negligible, we studied the role of γ-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (γ-APS) in α-Al2O3/ polyethylene joints. When adsorbed or deposited on α-A12O3/ and moderately dried, γ-APS forms a multimolecular film that is not fully cured. Drying at elevated temperatures for an extended time leads to further curing, resulting in a glassy silane film with a Tg around 108°C, while prolonged dry may cause some degradation. Joint strength is markedly improved by the application of a γ-APS film with a maximum peel strength of 2.3 kg/cm when the silane is applied from a 2 percent aqueous solution. Drying the silane at an elevated temperature prior to joint formation reduces joint strength and also changes the failure mode from cohesive failure through the polyethylene to a mixed mode. Evidence of interdiffusion between γ-APS film and polyethylene at a temperature (149°C) that is above the melting point of polyethylene and the Tg of the silane film was obtained by measuring the Si concentration profile across the interface of the laminate of polyethylene/γ-APS/polyethylene. Diffusion constants in the order of 10−12 cm2/s were obtained, with a teridency toward reduced diffusion as a consequence of extensive drying. DSC results indicate at least partial miscibility of the silane polymer in the amorphous region of polyethylene. It is proposed that the interdiffusion between γ-APS silane film and polyethylene is an important mechanism for adhesion promotion of the joints investigated in this study.