cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterizing fire danger from low-power photovoltaic arc-faults

While arc-faults are rare in photovoltaic installations, more than a dozen documented arc-faults have led to fires and resulted in significant damage to the PV system and surrounding structures. In the United States, National Electrical Code® (NEC) 690.11 requires a listed arc fault protection device on new PV systems. In order to list new arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), Underwriters Laboratories created the certification outline of investigation UL 1699B. The outline only requires AFCI devices to be tested at arc powers between 300–900 W; however, arcs of much less power are capable of creating fires in PV systems. In this work we investigate the characteristics of low power (100–300 W) arc-faults to determine the potential for fires, appropriate AFCI trip times, and the characteristics of the pyrolyzation process. This analysis was performed with experimental tests of arc-faults in close proximity to three polymer materials common in PV systems, e.g., polycarbonate, PET, and nylon 6,6. Two polymer geometries were tested to vary the presence of oxygen in the DC arc plasma. The samples were also exposed to arcs generated with different material geometries, arc power levels, and discharge times to identify ignition times. To better understand the burn characteristics of different polymers in PV systems, thermal decomposition of the sheath materials was performed using infrared spectra analysis. Overall a trip time of less than 2 seconds is recommended for the suppression of fire ignition during arc-fault events.
Effects of Low‐dose Gamma Irradiation and Conventional Treatments on Shelf Life and Quality Characteristics of Diced Celery

The effects of 0.5 and 1.0 kGy gamma irradiation on microbial and sensory characteristics of diced celery were compared to conventional treatments such as acidification, blanching, and chlorination. Aerobic plate counts for the irradiated celery diet not exceed 10 7 CFU/g, in contrast, the acidified, blanched, chlorinated, and control samples surpassed aerobic microbial counts of 10 8 CFU/g in 22, 19, 12, and 8 d, respectively. Importantly, the 1.0-kGy treatment eliminated inoculated Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli. While the acidified and blanched samples had significantly different sensory profiles compared to the other treatments, the irradiated samples maintained their color, texture, and aroma longer and were preferred in the sensory tests. The sensory shelf life of the 1.0-kGy-treated celery was 29 d compared to 22 d for the control, chlorinated, and 0.5 kGy, and 15 d for the acidified and blanched celery.
Glutathione in the epithelium and endothelium of bovine and rabbit cornea.

Abstract The concentration of total glutathione (GSH-T) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in the epithelium and endothelium of bovine and rabbit corneas was determined. In bovine and rabbit epithelium GSH-T was 1100 and 700 ng/mg wet weight, respectively, and in the endothelium of both species was about 600 ng/mg wet weight. The fraction of glutathione in the oxidized form in both species was less than 2% in the epithelium and 7% in the endothelium.
Utilization of dental care services among low-income HIV-positive persons receiving primary care in South Florida

We investigated the use of dental care services among a population of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS who had not seen a dental care provider during the 12 months prior to study enrollment. A total of 593 participants were recruited from five HIV primary care clinics in two South Florida counties and interviewed regarding past utilization of dental care services, HIV primary care service utilization, and barriers to care. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine correlates of oral care utilization within the preceding two years. One-third of respondents reported seeing a dentist in the preceding two years. The odds of having seen a dentist were greater for respondents with stable housing, more than a high school education, and who had received help in getting dental care; black respondents (compared to Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites) were less likely to have seen a dentist in the preceding two years. Despite the availability of dental services for low-income HIV-positive persons, utilization of dental care remains low. This study reinforces the need to provide assistance to HIV-positive persons in obtaining dental care. In particular, it indicates that such assistance should be targeted toward Black Americans, persons with low income and unstable housing situations, and those with limited help to navigate the health care system.
Republished: The burden of inappropriate shocks in young people and how to avoid them

Implicated in up to half of all cardiovascular mortality among developed nations worldwide,w1 w2 sudden cardiac death (SCD) is associated with approximately 450 000 deaths annually in the USA and >700 000 deaths in Europe.w3 w4 In 23% of out-of-hospital and 17% of inhospital cardiac arrests, the initial observed rhythm was ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), both potentially treatable with defibrillation.w5 w6 Large scale trials have also demonstrated that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can improve survival through terminating malignant ventricular arrhythmias, particularly among SCD survivorsw7 and heart failure patients with systolic dysfunction.w8–w12 Based on these data, there has been a dramatic surge in the utilisation of ICDs over the past two decades, with 116 000 ICD device implantations in the USA in 2009 alone, of which 53 000 (46%) were implanted in patients younger than the age of 65 years.w6 With increasing use of ICDs, there has also been heightened awareness of device-related complications and associated risk–benefit trade-offs. Specifically, although it is clear that appropriate ICD therapies extend survival, inappropriate ICD shocks are common and occur in a similar magnitude of patients.w12 w13 Frequent ICD shocks are associated with diminished quality of life,w14 w15 and significant anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress in a minority of patients.w16 w17 In addition, inappropriate ICD shocks have been linked to the possibility of proarryhthmiaw18–w20 and are associated with increased mortality in some patients, although any causal relationship remains controversial.1–3 w21–w23 Conversely, interventions to prevent inappropriate ICD shocks reduce morbidity,4 and also have been shown to reduce heart failure hospitalisation.5 As the use of ICDs continues to expand further into primary prevention and younger patient populations, identifying at-risk patients and devising a treatment plan for patients suffering from inappropriate shocks are critical. Strategies to avoid inappropriate …
Controlling the dimensions and orientation of impinging propellant sheets in liquid rocket engine injectors.

Working equations for dimensions and orientation of impinging propellant sheets in liquid rocket engine injectors
Transient diffusion of heat, mass species and momentum in cylindrical pellets during catalytic oxidation of CO

Abstract Transient diffusion of heat, mass species, and momentum in cylindrical pellets during catalytic oxidation of CO is investigated. Experimental measurements of intrapellet temperature distributions are reported for CuOAl 2 O 3 pellets, 0·25 in. dia., which are subjected to cross-flow of binary mixtures of CO and O 2 , the pellets initially being saturated with pure oxygen. Mole fraction CO and temperature in the free stream ranged from 0·026 to 0·105 and 70 to 200°C, respectively. The Reynolds number based on pellet diameter ranged from 25 to 110. The effects of pellet porosity and copper content were also investigated. Of particular interest is the asymmetric nature of the problem wherein angular variations in free surface transfer rates result in markedly non-isothermal and non-symmetric pellet characteristics. Further insight into the temporal behavior of the intrapellet problem is extracted from an analysis of unsteady diffusion processes in porous media, using the dusty gas model to formaulte mass species and energy fluxes. A quasi-one-dimensional approximation of the problem is solved numerically. Preliminary results indicate that a simple first-order representation of the kinetics as inferred from static experiments is inadequate for predicting the experimental transient behavior of a catalyst pellet.
Oxidation of reactive sulfhydryl groups of sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase

The role of reactive sulfhydryl groups of sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase has been investigated. Incubation of ATPase with 17 mol o-iodosobenzoic acid per mol ATPase results in a 15% inhibition of Ca2+ uptake with only a 5% loss of ATPase activity. When ATPase is treated with 15 mol KMnO4 per mol ATPase, Ca2+ uptake is completely inhibited. From the measurement of remaining SH groups using 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), it is found that the oxidation of approximately four SH groups per ATPase molecule with KMnO4 leads to a complete loss of Ca2+ uptake, while the oxidation of five SH groups per ATPase with o-iodosobenzoic acid results in only 15% inhibition of Ca2+ uptake. The results of amino acid analysis indicate that KMnO4 oxidizes the reactive SH groups to sulfonic acid groups. Among the five o-iodosobenzoic acid-reactive SH groups, at least one shows a distinct Ca2+ dependence. Addition of o-iodosobenzoic acid to the reaction medium containing KMnO4 does not increase the number of oxidized SH groups, indicating that both o-iodosobenzoic acid and KMnO4 oxidize the same SH groups of the enzyme. The different effects of two oxidizing agents on sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase eliminate the possibility of direct involvement of SH group(s) in the ATPase reaction.
X-ray Crystal Structures of Candida albicans Dihydrofolate Reductase: High Resolution Ternary Complexes in Which the Dihydronicotinamide Moiety of NADPH is Displaced by an inhibitor

X-ray crystallographic analysis of 5-(4‘-substituted phenyl)sulfanyl-2,4-diaminoquinazoline inhibitors in ternary complex with Candida albicans dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and NADPH revealed two distinct modes of binding. The two compounds with small 4‘-substituents (H and CH3) were found to bind with the phenyl group oriented in the plane of the quinazoline ring system and positioned adjacent to the C-helix. In contrast, the more selective inhibitors with larger 4‘-substituents (tert-butyl and N-morpholino) were bound to the enzyme with the phenyl group perpendicular to the quinazoline ring and positioned in the region of the active site that typically binds the dihydronicotinamide moiety of NADPH. The cofactor appeared bound to DHFR but with the disordered dihydronicotinamide swung away from the protein surface and into solution. This unusual inhibitor binding mode may play an important role in the high DHFR selectivity of these compounds and also may provide new ideas for inhibitor design.
Jumping and Landing Techniques in Elite Women’s Volleyball

Volleyball has become one of the most widely played participant sports in the world. Participation requires expertise in many physical skills and performance is often dependent on an individual's ability to jump and land. The incidence of injury in volleyball is similar to the rates reported for sports that are considered more physical contact sports. Though the most common source of injury in volleyball is the jump landing sequence, little research exists regarding the prevalence of jumping and landing techniques. The purpose of this study was to quantify the number of jumps performed by female volleyball players in competitive matches and to determine the relative frequency of different jump-landing techniques. Videotape recordings of two matches among four volleyball teams were analyzed for this study. Each activity was categorized by jump type (offensive spike or defensive block) and phase (jump or landing). Phase was subcategorized by foot use patterns (right, left, or both). Each of the players averaged nearly 22 jump-landings per game. Foot use patterns occurred in unequal amounts (p < 0.001) with over 50% of defensive landings occurring on one foot. Coaches, physical educators, and recreation providers may utilize the findings of this inquiry to help prevent injuries in volleyball. Key PointsThe incidence of injury in volleyball is nearly equivalent to injury rates reported for ice hockey and soccer.Most injuries in volleyball occur during the jump landing sequence, but few data exist regarding jump landing techniques for elite female players.Our data indicate that the vast majority of jumps utilize two feet, but approximately half of landings occur with only one foot.Coaches, physical educators, and recreation providers may utilize the findings of this inquiry to prevent possible injuries in athletes, students, or those who participate in volleyball for recreational purposes.
Speaker Comparison with Inner Product Discriminant Functions

Speaker comparison, the process of finding the speaker similarity between two speech signals, occupies a central role in a variety of applications—speaker verification, clustering, and identification. Speaker comparison can be placed in a geometric framework by casting the problem as a model comparison process. For a given speech signal, feature vectors are produced and used to adapt a Gaussian mixture model (GMM). Speaker comparison can then be viewed as the process of compensating and finding metrics on the space of adapted models. We propose a framework, inner product discriminant functions (IPDFs), which extends many common techniques for speaker comparison—support vector machines, joint factor analysis, and linear scoring. The framework uses inner products between the parameter vectors of GMM models motivated by several statistical methods. Compensation of nuisances is performed via linear transforms on GMM parameter vectors. Using the IPDF framework, we show that many current techniques are simple variations of each other. We demonstrate, on a 2006 NIST speaker recognition evaluation task, new scoring methods using IPDFs which produce excellent error rates and require significantly less computation than current techniques.
Ground truth dataset and baseline evaluations for intrinsic image algorithms

The intrinsic image decomposition aims to retrieve “intrinsic” properties of an image, such as shading and reflectance. To make it possible to quantitatively compare different approaches to this problem in realistic settings, we present a ground-truth dataset of intrinsic image decompositions for a variety of real-world objects. For each object, we separate an image of it into three components: Lambertian shading, reflectance, and specularities. We use our dataset to quantitatively compare several existing algorithms; we hope that this dataset will serve as a means for evaluating future work on intrinsic images.
Point-matched time domain finite element methods for electromagnetic radiation and scattering

Direct time domain computation of Maxwell's differential equations will soon become a practical technique because of the availability of supercomputers. The principal methods used in time domain computations and the supporting theories are presented. The point-matched finite element method is chosen as the main feature of this presentation, which includes the discretization of equations, conforming mesh generation, dielectric and metallic interfaces, numerical stability and simulation of radiation conditions. Numerical results of scattering of Gaussian pulses are presented in time sequences.
How spintronics went from the lab to the iPod

The commercial success of products based on giant magnetoresistance is often cited as a reason for supporting basic physics research. The reality is more complex, given the range of bodies, including IBM and the US military, involved in developing new technologies based on this Nobel-prize-winning discovery.
Hyperoxaluria in Kidney Stone Formers Treated With Modern Bariatric Surgery

Purpose: Nephrolithiasis and renal failure secondary to severe hyperoxaluria were complications of jejunoileal bypass for obesity, leading to the discontinuation of this procedure in the United States in 1980. Bariatric procedures currently in use have not been adequately evaluated for this complication.Materials and Methods: We compared 24-hour urine chemistry studies of 132 patients with nephrolithiasis who had undergone bariatric surgery with the urine chemistry studies of patients who had undergone jejunoileal bypass, those with routine kidney stones and normal subjects. The primary aim was to determine if hyperoxaluria developed in patients who underwent bariatric surgery and had kidney stones as had been seen with jejunoileal bypass.Results: Patients who have undergone modern bariatric surgery had an adjusted mean urine oxalate excretion of 83 mg per day compared to 39 mg per day for routine kidney stone formers and 34 mg per day for normal subjects (p <0.001 for both comparisons), but not quite as ...
Partitioning of evapotranspiration and its relation to carbon dioxide exchange in a Chihuahuan Desert shrubland

Key to evaluating the consequences of woody plant encroachment on water and carbon cycling in semiarid ecosystems is a mechanistic understanding of how biological and non-biological processes influence water loss to the atmosphere. To better understand how precipitation is partitioned into the components of evapotranspiration (bare-soil evaporation and plant transpiration) and their relationship to plant uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as ecosystem respiratory efflux, we measured whole plant transpiration, evapotranspiration, and CO2 fluxes over the course of a growing season at a semiarid Chihuahuan Desert shrubland site in south-eastern Arizona. Whole plant transpiration was measured using the heat balance sap-flow method, while evapotranspiration and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 were quantified using the Bowen ratio technique. Before the summer rainy season began, all water and CO2 fluxes were small. At the onset of the rainy season, evapotranspiration was dominated by evaporation and CO2 fluxes were dominated by respiration as it took approximately 10 days for the shrubs to respond to the higher soil moisture content. During the growing season, periods immediately following rain events (<2 days) were dominated by evaporation and respiration while transpiration and CO2 uptake peaked during the interstorm periods. The surface of the coarse, well-drained soils dried quickly, rapidly reducing evaporation. Overall, the ratio of total transpiration to evapotranspiration was 58%, but it was around 70% during the months when the plants were active. Peak respiration responses following rain events generally lagged after the evaporation peak by a couple of days and were better correlated with transpiration. Transpiration and CO2 uptake also decayed rather quickly during interstorm periods, indicating that optimal plant soil moisture conditions were rarely encountered. NEE of CO2 was increasingly more negative as the growing season progressed, indicating a greater net uptake of CO2 and greater water use efficiency due mainly to decreases in respiration. Copyright  2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Unique Structural Organization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex

Dihydrolipoamide acyltransferase (E2), a catalytic and structural component of the three functional classes of multienzyme complexes that catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of α-keto acids, forms the central core to which the other components attach. We have determined the structures of the truncated 60-mer core dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (tE2) of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and complexes of the tE2 core associated with a truncated binding protein (tBP), intact binding protein (BP), and the BP associated with its dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (BP·;E3). The tE2 core is a pentagonal dodecahedron consisting of 20 cone-shaped trimers interconnected by 30 bridges. Previous studies have given rise to the generally accepted belief that the other components are bound on the outside of the E2 scaffold. However, this investigation shows that the 12 large openings in the tE2 core permit the entrance of tBP, BP, and BP·;E3 into a large central cavity where the BP component apparently binds near the tip of the tE2 trimer. The bone-shaped E3 molecule is anchored inside the central cavity through its interaction with BP. One end of E3 has its catalytic site within the surface of the scaffold for interaction with other external catalytic domains. Though tE2 has 60 potential binding sites, it binds only about 30 copies of tBP, 15 of BP, and 12 of BP·;E3. Thus, E2 is unusual in that the stoichiometry and arrangement of the tBP, BP, and E3·;BP components are determined by the geometric constraints of the underlying scaffold.
VSX1 (RINX) mutation with craniofacial anomalies, empty sella, corneal endothelial changes, and abnormal retinal and auditory bipolar cells.

Abstract Purpose To present a previously unreported African American family with 1 variation and 1 mutation of the homeobox transcription factor gene, VSX1 (RINX) , and to describe the clinical features of family members. Design Family genotype and clinical studies. Participants A 3-generation family with 7 available family members. Methods Blood was drawn from all available family members, and the VSX1 (RINX) gene was sequenced. Craniofacial abnormalities, central nervous system defects, anterior segment features, and retinal and auditory function were assessed. Main outcome measures Main outcome measures included identification and molecular characterization of 1 variation and 1 mutation in VSX1 (RINX) of 4 affected family members (3 adults and 1 child). Craniofacial features were documented. Central neuroimaging was performed. Ophthalmologic findings were described. Retinal and auditory functions were quantified. Results Two changes in VSX1 (RINX) were identified: a variation (R131S) not in a critical region and in few controls, and a mutation (A256S) in the critical CVC-domain and not in any controls. Both were present on 1 chromosome at 20p11.2 and were segregated with the 4 affected patients. Clinical features demonstrated extremely variable expressivity. Craniofacial features, including wide interpupillary distance and unusual pinnae, occurred in the 4 affected patients. Neuroimaging demonstrated that the propositus had an empty sella turcica, a posterior fossa cyst, an anterior encephalocele, hypertelorism, and severe hydrocephalus; her mother had a partially empty sella turcica, a small pituitary gland without any subarachnoid extension of fluid, and hypertelorism; and her older sister had hypertelorism but otherwise normal neuroimaging results. Anterior segment anomalies of the corneal endothelium were a constant finding in all affected family members. Electrophysiologic examination provided evidence for abnormal cone bipolar cells (visual evoked response and electroretinogram) in the adult affected patients and for abnormal auditory bipolar cells (audiogram and audio-evoked brainstem response) in the propositus. Conclusions The new mutation in the VSX1 (RINX) gene described in this report results in abnormal craniofacial features, absence of the roof of the sella turcica, and anomalous development of the corneal endothelium. This mutation also impacts on the maintenance of cone bipolar cells of the visual system and of bipolar cells of the auditory system.
Developing an Observation System to Capture Instructional Differences in Engineering Classrooms

In 1999, bioengineering and learning science faculties at four research universities began collaboration on a National Science Foundation-supported Engineering Research Center. The Vanderbilt-Northwestern-Texas-Harvard/MIT Engineering Research Center for Bioengineering Education and Technology is the first such Center to have a specific focus on postsecondary education. Within this project, educators, learning scientists, and bioengineers collaborated to develop the VaNTH Observation System, an assessment tool to capture quantitatively teaching and learning experiences of the bioengineering classroom. The four components of the instrument address the professor's interaction with students, students' lesson engagement, narrative notes, and research-based measures of effective teaching. As professors redesigned lessons to incorporate current learning theory as a guide, observers measured differences in bioengineering classroom experiences resulting from these innovations. Results indicate that the observation instrument captures differences in classroom experiences, and these differences relate to a lesson's incorporation of current learning theory.
Mitochondrial DNA variation and biogeography of eastern gorillas

Mitochondrial DNA variation in 109 individuals from four populations of wild living gorillas in East Africa was ascertained by sequencing the first hypervariable segment of the control region, or ‘ D -loop’, amplified from noninvasively collected hair and faeces. D -loop haplotypes from eastern gorillas fell into two distinct clades, each with low levels of genetic diversity; most observed haplotypes within each clade differing by only one or two mutations. Both clades show evidence of population bottlenecks in the recent past, perhaps concomitant with the tropical forest reduction and fragmentation brought on by global cooling and drying associated with the last glacial maximum.
Bifurcation analysis of the axisymmetric vortex breakdown in a pipe

The paper outlines a numerical investigation of the dynamics of a high Reynolds number axisymmetric vortex o w in a pipe with high levels of swirl. A global picture of bifurcations in the o w is revealed by mapping the branches of equilibrium xed points. These branches characterize a domain of local attractiveness where the o w tends to align itself along a low dimensional subspace. We further study the transient dynamics of the o w along this attractive domain and describe it within the framework of Galerkin Mean Field Theory.
Analysis and Computation

This chapter discusses the significance of analysis and computation in engineering design. The extent of the mathematical analysis that may contribute to a design problem solution is extremely variable. Not only does it depend upon the possibility of formulating a suitable model in mathematical terms, but it also depends on the talents and size of a particular team of designers, as well as the financial support and time available to them. Furthermore, the importance of accurate calculations is different from one case to another. In aircraft design, where safety factors applied to the structure are kept to a minimum so that the lightest structure may be achieved, extensive and detailed prior calculations and exhaustive tests are essential. In land-based structure such accuracy is not always required. In mathematical models the input is usually given in the form of numbers, representing such variables as power to be generated, permissible dimensions, and ambient temperature. Certain of the input variables such as material properties may have to be obtained from experimentation. In a model involving experimentation, the input variables must be provided in real form, such as an applied voltage varying in a specified way or a spring being of a particular stiffness.
Thermal Expansion, Melting Glaciers, and Rising Tides: The Public Trust in Mississippi

This Article explores the impact of rising tides on title to coastal property and suggests strategies to help state and private property owners deal with the far-reaching effects of climate change in the coming years. The continued melting of glacial and polar ice caps will add to rising sea water levels. This will not only have a major impact on private property owners as title to their property will revert to the state when it becomes subject to tidal influences under the public trust doctrine. This accession of land to the state would not require compensation to the private property owner under either the United States or the Mississippi Constitution. The state could convey the property back to the private owner, but in order to do so, the legislature must authorize the conveyance while recognizing that such a conveyance would contradict the public trust doctrine. Unfortunately, naturally rising tides are but one issue coastal states will face in the upcoming years. States will have to wrangle with property issues when rising tides are only indirectly caused by rising sea levels. For example, in efforts to prevent or reduce the impact of rising sea levels some coastal communities may build seawalls and dikes which displaces sea water. The resulting question will be whether the property flooded by the water displaced by artificial methods is subject to the public trust doctrine just as property flooded as a result of climate change. In light of these increasing concerns, coastal communities should take extra care in land use planning to incorporate the likelihood of sea-level rises into their planning decisions. In addition current and interested coastal land owners should recognize that their property may gradually be encroached upon by water.
Humoral responses after lung transplantation.

Purpose of review In recent years, there has been increasing awareness and appreciation for the role of humoral immune responses in lung allograft rejection. This review summarizes our current understanding of this role and the associated challenges. Recent findings Recent studies have described a syndrome of acute antibody-mediated rejection with a generally poor response to therapy and a high mortality. In addition, there is significant evidence implicating donor-specific human leukocyte antigen antibodies in the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. However, the optimal intervention to mitigate the risk of chronic lung allograft dysfunction after donor-specific human leukocyte antigen antibodies development remains unclear. Summary There is mounting evidence that humoral immune responses play an important role in lung allograft rejection. However, therapeutic implications of this increased awareness have been limited. Indeed, there is insufficient evidence to adequately guide therapy, and the optimal treatment is unknown.
Inhibition of Renal Prostaglandin Synthesis and Metabolism by Indomethacin in Rats

SummaryThe effect of indomethacin and other NSAID on renal prostaglandin synthesis and metabolism was studied in nondiuretic rats prepared for acute experimentation. Thirty minutes after the administration of a 2 mg/kg iv dose of indomethacin, the concentration of prostaglandin in renal venous blood as determined by bioassay was reduced 69%. In addition, conversion of radiolabeled arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2in vitro by the renal papillae of indomethacin pretreated rats was inhibited 97%.Pretreatment with indomethacin also inhibited renal cortical-medullary prostaglandin E2 9-ketoreductase activity by 61%. NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxy-prostaglandin dehydrogenase activity was diminished 46%; however, this inhibition was not statistically significant. NADP+-dependent 15-hydroxy-prostaglandin dehydrogenase activity was unaffected by pretreatment. It is concluded that indomethacin alters net renal prostaglandin production by inhibiting both prostaglandin synthesis and its metabolism.
Connectivity-Based Parallel Replica Dynamics for Chemically Reactive Systems: From Femtoseconds to Microseconds

Reactive force field methods such as AIREBO, ReaxFF and COMB, are extremely useful for studying physical and chemical interactions between molecules and materials. However, many chemical reactions have relatively high activation energies, putting them beyond the times-scale of conventional molecular dynamics (MD) at modest temperatures. To capture the low-temperature long-lived radical chemistry in atomistic simulations, we have developed a new transition detection scheme for performing Reactive Parallel Replica Dynamics (RPRD) simulation enabling an extended MD time-scales, essentially up to a microsecond using ReaxFF. In the newly implemented event detection scheme, the transition events are identified whenever there is a change in connectivity of any atom. 1-Heptene pyrolysis is chosen as a model system, and RPRD simulations are performed at temperatures as low as 1350K for up to 1 μs for a system consisting of 40 heptene molecules. The chemical mechanism and the product distribution that were obtained...
Creating science driven system architectures for large scale science

Application scientists have been frustrated by a trend of stagnating application performance, despite dramatic increases in claimed peak performance of highperformance computing systems. This trend is sometimes referred to as the “divergence problem” and often has been assumed that the ever-increasing gap between theoretical peak and sustained performance was unavoidable. However, recent results from the Earth Simulator (ES) in Japan clearly demonstrate that a close collaboration with a vendor to develop a science-driven architectural solution can produce a system that achieves a significant fraction of peak performance for critical scientific applications. This papa discusses the issues contributing to divergence problem, suggests a new approach to address the problem and documents some early successes for this approach.
The effect of oral and intravenous D-ribose on plasma insulin levels in unanesthetized dogs.

SummaryThe administration of D-ribose was followed quickly by a sharp rise in plasma insulin levels in 9 awake, alert, unstressed dogs (16 experiments). The elevated insulin levels occurred while blood glucose levels remained constant or dropped. Oral administration of ribose was not as effective as intravenous administration in causing insulin release. Thus the mechanism of action of ribose in these experiments does not appear to be associated with any gastrointestinal factor.
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor induces the expression of the CD11b surface adhesion molecule on human granulocytes in vivo.

The CD11b (Mol) molecule is a member of a family of surface glycoproteins that are essential for adhesion-dependent granulocyte functions. Brief exposure of granulocytes to human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in vitro increases the surface expression of CD11b and increases granulocyte adhesiveness. To assess the possible in vivo significance of these observations we studied the effect of GM-CSF on CD11b, CD11a (LFA-1), and CD11c (gp 150, 95) expression on granulocytes from nine adult patients with sarcoma who were receiving GM-CSF as part of a phase I trial. GM-CSF was administered as a continuous infusion at a dose of 32 or 64 micrograms/kg/d. Granulocyte CD11b, CD11a, and CD11c expression was determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining of whole blood, thereby minimizing in vitro manipulation. A transient leukopenia developed within 15 minutes of initiation of GM-CSF treatment that was associated with a marked increase in the surface antigen density of CD11b. A mean 1.7-fold increase (P = .001) in the percentage of CD11b-positive granulocytes and a mean 2.1-fold increase (P = .002) in CD11b surface antigen density was noted after 12 hours of treatment. No change in CD11a or CD11c expression was observed over the first 12 hours. The level of CD11b expression was followed in six patients for up to 5 days of treatment with GM-CSF. Compared with the 12-hour value, three of six patients showed a subsequent decrease in CD11b expression, two remained constant, and one showed a continued increase in CD11b surface density. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting of granulocytes into high- and low-density CD11b-positive groups revealed a preponderance of immature myeloid forms in the low-density CD11b fraction, which suggests that the late decrease in CD11b expression in some patients may be related to a greater proportion of circulating immature myeloid forms in the peripheral blood. This study suggests that GM-CSF administered as a continuous infusion rapidly upregulates the expression of granulocyte CD11b in vivo. The influence of this phenomenon on in vivo granulocyte aggregation may be clinically relevant with regard to the toxicity of GM-CSF and deserves further investigation.
Hygienic Investigation on Operation in Hot Environment in Summer in A Railway Area

[Objective] To understand the harmfulness of factors of heating operating environment, and provide scientific basis for preventing and controlling the harmfulness.[Methods]Hygienic investigation was conducted in heating operating points on summer in this area, and the intensity(density) of factors was monitored and analyzed according to operating specifications.[Results]The primary harmfulness of factors were high temperature, dust, CO and other gas existing in hot environment, and the intensity or density of those factors was in connection with the architectural layout and construction area of the building, production technology and ventilation. [Conclusion]The main measure to effectively lower the harmfulness is the adoption of appropriate production technology such as using high-quality coal and wet operation, adopting right detoxification and ventilation methods, and spraying cooling water on ground to enhance cooling.
Analysis on the prevent situation of AIDS-related knowledge,attitude and behavior among middle school students in Taihe county

Objective To understand the current situation of AIDS-related knowledge,attitude and behavior among middle school students of Taihe county,and provide a reference for carrying out AIDS-related health education.Methods Multi-stage randomized cluster sampling method was used to select 800 junior and high middle school students from 4 middle schools in Taihe.We obtained data using a structured questionnaire asking about AIDS-related knowledge,attitude and behavior.Results The total awareness rate of AIDS-related knowledge was 55.0%.There was significant difference between girls and boys.Awareness of girls was significantly higher than that of boys(χ2=12.30,P0.001).Significant difference among different grades was found.Awareness of senior high school students significantly higher than that of junior high school students(χ2=52.55,P0.001).The percentage of students being willing to contact with HIV-infected persons was 48.8%.There was significant difference between girls and boys(χ2=2.27,P=0.321),but significant difference among different grades was found(χ2=38.67,P0.001).The principal sources of knowledge from which the secondary students learned about AIDS was television.Conclusion The total awareness rate of AIDS-related knowledge among middle school students in Taihe was below the national average.The students had limited access to AIDS information,and discrimination against population with HIV/AIDS was found.
The eyelids: some common disorders seen in everyday practice

The eyelids, essential to protecting and cleansing the eye, are a common site for a range of disorders affecting older adults. Some of these are benign and some serious, with the most clinically important being suspicious lid lesions that may harbor malignancy and neurologic disorders, as well as structural malpositions that cause poor lid function and may lead to globe damage and visual impairment. The ability to recognize eyelid problems is important, as they often present first to the primary care physician. Some eyelid disorders can be successfully treated quickly and easily in the office setting, whereas others may be chronic and more difficult to manage, requiring referral to an ophthalmologist or oculoplastic specialist.
Considerations for Implementation of Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Into Clinical Care

Physicians have provided personalized care with as much precision as possible for several centuries. However, increasingly sophisticated understanding of the human genome and of cancer biology has permitted identification of genetic and phenotypic distinctions that might permit development of new tumor biomarker tests for risk categorization, screening, differential diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, and monitoring. Both commercial and academic laboratories are offering tests for single analytes, panels of tests of single analytes, multiparameter assays coalesced into a signature, and total genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic analyses. However, the absence of a consistent regulatory environment has led to marketing of assays without proven analytic validity or clinical utility. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval or clearance does not necessarily imply that use of the test will improve patient outcomes, and FDA discretion to permit laboratory-developed tests results in unknown benefit, or harm, of others. In this regard, a "bad tumor marker is as bad as a bad drug." Caveat emptor is not a satisfactory approach to delivering high-quality care. Rather, adoption of tumor biomarker tests should be based on high levels of evidence generated in scientifically rigorous studies that demonstrate both analytical validity and clinical utility. Doing so will ensure that clinicians and patients are confident that a tumor biomarker test is likely to improve their outcomes.
"These Verbal Puzzles": Wilkie Collins, Newspaper Enigmas, and the Victorian Reader as Solver

In 1861, in a review of Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White, a critic for the Spectator complained that, “We are threatened with a new variety of the sensation novel … the whole interest of which consists in the gradual unraveling of some carefully prepared enigma” (“The Enigma Novel” 20). He was hardly the only reviewer to use a vocabulary of “puzzlement” or “enigma” when discussing Collins's work. Whether we look to an earlier review of The Woman in White to find Collins faulted as “not a great novelist … the fascination which he exercises … [is] that he is a good constructor. Each of his stories is a puzzle, the key to which is not handed to us till the third volume” (Rev. of The Woman in White 249) – or whether we turn to a critic of The Moonstone, who found Collins and his latest production “[un]worthy”: “We are no especial admirers of the department of art to which he has devoted himself, any more than we are of double acrostics or anagrams, or any of the many kinds of puzzles on which it pleases some minds to exercise their ingenuity” (Page, ed. 171–72) – we come up against the fact that Collins's novels, and especially his sensation novels, were sometimes known as “enigma novels” in the Victorian period. We can see too that this was not necessarily intended as a complimentary label. Indeed, though our own contemporary tendency has been to employ this particular moniker in a more neutral, descriptive register – to denote simply some fictions' reliance on mystery – we quickly find that Victorian reviewers were not so dispassionate in their usage. Instead, tracking names like “conundrum novel” or “enigma novel,” and terms like “puzzle,” “enigma,” and even “anagram,” shows that Collins's critics often used such phrases to index some of the same kinds of problems or concerns they more familiarly described with a rhetoric of “sensation.” A short survey suggests that their language of “puzzles” and “enigmas,” like their language of shocks and nerves, expressed disappointment at Collins's tendency to create anticlimaxes (the novel fizzles when the “puzzle” is solved); his emphasis on plot – or “carefully prepared enigma[s]” – over character; and his potential to render readers amoral and passive – patient attendants of solutions (“the key to which is not handed to us”) – rather than creatively engaged thinkers or moral questers. A simple nickname would seem to be a damning label indeed, on fuller survey.
Selective and Serial Suzuki-Miyaura Reactions of Polychlorinated Aromatics with Alkyl Pinacol Boronic Esters.

Among cross-coupling reactions, the Suzuki–Miyaura transformation stands out because of its practical advantages, including the commercial availability and low toxicity of the required reagents, mild reaction conditions, and functional group compatibility. Nevertheless, few conditions can be used to cross-couple alkyl boronic acids or esters with aryl halides, especially 2-pyridyl halides. Herein, we describe two novel Suzuki–Miyaura protocols that enable selective conversion of polychlorinated aromatics, with a focus on reactions to convert 2,6-dichloropyridines to 2-chloro-6-alkylpyridines or 2-aryl-6-alkylpyridines.
Leading Under Adversity: Interactive Effects of Acute Stressors and Upper-Level Supportive Leadership Climate on Lower-Level Supportive Leadership Climate

Abstract While supportive leadership has been shown to help employees cope with stressful circumstances, little is known about how stressors impact leaders themselves and their ability to offer support to those they lead. Drawing on the transactional model of stress and stress rigidity theory, we thus examine linkages between acute stressors and upper- and lower-level supportive leadership climates for teams of leaders. Employing survey data collected by the U.S. Army from military leaders and their subordinate soldiers in combat, we found support for a negative relationship between acute stressors and lower-level supportive leadership climate. Additionally, upper-level supportive leadership climate moderated the stressors-supportive leadership linkage, such that when upper-level supportive leadership climate was low, there was a more negative relationship between acute stressors and leaders providing supportive leadership to followers. In turn, this lower-level supportive leadership climate resulting from the acute stressors and upper-level supportive leadership climate interaction promoted followers' social cohesion.
Assimilating Lagrangian data for parameter estimation in a multiple-inlet system

Abstract Numerical models of ocean circulation often depend on parameters that must be tuned to match either results from laboratory experiments or field observations. This study demonstrates that an initial, suboptimal estimate of a parameter in a model of a small bay can be improved by assimilating observations of trajectories of passive drifters. The parameter of interest is the Manning’s n coefficient of friction in a small inlet of the bay, which had been tuned to match velocity observations from 2011. In 2013, the geometry of the inlet had changed, and the friction parameter was no longer optimal. Results from synthetic experiments demonstrate that assimilation of drifter trajectories improves the estimate of n , both when the drifters are located in the same region as the parameter of interest and when the drifters are located in a different region of the bay. Real drifter trajectories from field experiments in 2013 also are assimilated, and results are compared with velocity observations. When the real drifters are located away from the region of interest, the results depend on the time interval (with respect to the full available trajectories) over which assimilation is performed. When the drifters are in the same region as the parameter of interest, the value of n estimated with assimilation yields improved estimates of velocity throughout the bay.
Integrating Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development Policies in Least Developed Countries

The least developed countries (LDCs) have recently been referred to as the battleground on which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be won or lost. Figuratively this suggests that the LD...
Plant-Based Diets for Mitigating Climate Change

Abstract Diet change toward more plant-based diets is very likely critical for avoiding catastrophic environmental damage, including climate change. This is primarily because animal foods contribute such a large proportion of food system climate impacts, which in turn contribute a large portion of the total human impact. However, our understanding of the details of the impact of different diets is also limited due to lack of data, uncertainty, and differences in methodology. We address three key questions that need to be answered for an informed discussion of the climate impact of plant-based diets: How can diets be measured to assess their climate impact? How can climate impact be measured and attributed to diet? What do we know about the relative climate impact of different plant-based diets?