cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An investigation on the structure and catalytic activity of cryptomelane-type manganese oxide materials prepared by different synthesis routes

Abstract Cryptomelane is an octahedral molecular sieve with a 2 × 2 tunnel structure (OMS-2) and a stoichiometric formula of approximately KMn 8 O 16 . Cryptomelane OMS-2 is gaining increasing attention in a range of applications, including catalysis. However, the impacts of synthesis methods on catalytic performance are still not well understood. Cryptomelane OMS-2 was prepared in this study by three methods: (1) a sol–gel method, (2) a reflux method, and (3) a milling method. The physical and chemical characteristics of these materials were investigated, and the catalytic performances of these materials were compared for the gas phase oxidation of ethanol. A novel aspect of this study is that cryptomelane was prepared by the milling method using post-consumer alkaline battery waste, and this novel cryptomelane material was compared with others prepared from commercially-available precursors and published laboratory methods. Cryptomelane prepared from battery waste via the milling method has a low surface area (4 m 2 /g) and a lower catalytic activity than cryptomelane samples prepared in this study with purchased chemicals. However, all cryptomelane samples used in this study, including the samples prepared from battery waste, could oxidize ethanol vapors at inlet concentrations ⩽500 ppm by greater than 95% at 200 °C. The catalytic activities of all cryptomelane samples studied were stable for up to 8 days at a reaction temperature of 175 °C at an inlet ethanol concentration of 400 ppm. The implication of this study is that post-consumer alkaline batteries may be used as a raw material for volatile organic carbon oxidation catalysts.
Carbon in oxides and silicates — dissolution versus exsolution

A theory of CO2 dissolution in the solid state is developed, using the idea proposed by Freund (1983) concerning dissolution of CO/CO2 in MgO on the basis of their experimental results obtained with an MgO-containing carbon impurity. It is shown that the dissolution mechanism may be linked to an internal redox reaction by which a certain number of lattice oxygens change their formal oxidation state from -2 to -1, while the carbon becomes reduced. The similarities between the mechanisms of CO and/or CO2 dissolution and that of H2O dissolution are pointed out. A hypothesis is proposed concerning the exsolution of reduced carbon from supersaturated solid solutions under conditions which permit C-C bond formation.
The gastric bypass operation reduces the progression and mortality of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus☆

Of 232 morbidly obese patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus referred to East Carolina University between March 5, 1979, and January 1, 1994, 154 had a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass operation and 78 did not undergo surgery because of personal preference or their insurance company's refusal to pay for the procedure. The surgical and the nonoperative (control) groups were comparable in terms of age, weight, body mass index, sex, and percentage with hypertension. The two groups were compared retrospectively to determine differences in survival and the need for medical management of their diabetes. Mean length of follow-up was 9 years in the surgical group and 6.2 years in the control group. The mean glucose levels in the surgical group fell from 187 mg/dl preoperatively and remained less than 140 mg/dl for up to 10 years of follow-up. The percentage of control subjects being treated with oral hypoglycemics or insulin increased from 56.4% at initial contact to 87.5% at last contact, (P=0.0003), whereas the percentage of surgical patients requiring medical management fell from 31.8% preoperatively to 8.6% at last contact (P=0.0001). The mortality rate in the control group was 28% compared to 9% in the surgical group (including perioperative deaths). For every year of follow-up, patients in the control group had a 4.5% chance of dying vs. a 1.0% chance for those in the surgical group. The improvement in the mortality rate in the surgical group was primarily due to a decrease in the number of cardiovascular deaths.
Parkinson disease: Deep brain stimulation versus best medical therapy for PD

A new study indicates that deep brain stimulation (DBS) plus best medical therapy markedly improves quality of life of patients with advanced Parkinson disease compared with best medical therapy alone. The frequency of serious adverse events related to DBS was similar to that reported in other DBS trials, underscoring the need for careful patient selection and counseling for this invasive therapy.
Variant meanings of the terms conditioning and conditioned response.

(1948). Variant Meanings of the Terms Conditioning and Conditioned Response. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 247-255.
Planar spin system with annealed bond disorder

Abstract This is a study of the equilibrium statistical mechanics of a mixed system of planar spins and Ising spins. The Ising spins σr are situated (one on each of the bonds connecting the planar spins sr so that the planar spins interact only via Ising spins. For a one-dimensional lattice the partition function and the two-spin correlation functions (〈σrσr1〉 and 〈Sr·Sr1〉) are calculated ex actly in terms of modified Bessel functions. For a two-dimensional anisotropic generalization of the model an equation is given for the critical temperature and the equation is shown to have one and only one solution Tc such that 0
Preterm Infant Swallowing of Thin and Nectar-Thick Liquids: Changes in Lingual–Palatal Coordination and Relation to Bolus Transit

Tongue–soft palate coordination and bolus head pharyngeal transit were studied by means of postacquisition kinematic analysis of videofluoroscopic swallowing images of ten preterm infants referred from hospital NICUs due to poor oral feeding and suspicion of aspiration. Sequences of coordinated tongue–soft palate movements and bolus transits during swallows of thin-consistency and nectar-thick-consistency barium were digitized, and time series data were used to calculate continuous relative phase, a measure of coordination. During swallows of nectar-thick compared to thin barium, tongue–soft palate coordination was more likely to be antiphase, bolus head pharyngeal transit time was longer, and coordination was significantly correlated with bolus head pharyngeal transit. Analysis of successive swallows indicated that tongue–soft palate coordination variability decreased with nectar-thick but not with thin-consistency barium. Together, the results suggest that slower-moving bolus transits may promote greater opportunity for available sensory information to be used to modulate timing of tongue–soft palate movements so that they are more effective for pumping liquids.
Effect of structural relaxation on helium diffusion and solubility in vitreous B2O3

Abstract Helium permeation, diffusion, and solubility in vitreous B 2 O 3 were measured as a function of thermal history and as a function of time at constant temperature. Volume relaxation measurements were also made on similar specimens. The correspondence between the effective relaxation times for gas mobility and molar volume suggests that the changes observed in both properties results from the same changes in the glass structure. This relaxation mechanism is described by the expression τ ′ = 10 −4 exp(-18 000/ RT ), where τ′ is in seconds and the activation energy is in cal/mole. It is concluded that helium mobility is a function of the molar volume of the glass.
Bilateral femoral neuropathy complicating a combined laparoscopic-vaginal procedure

Excision of a longitudinal vaginal septum combined with operative laparoscopy for treatment of pelvic adhesions was complicated postoperatively by a profound bilateral femoral neuropathy. Prolonged operating time and excessive abduction and lateral rotation of the hip joints may have been contributory factors.
Bonding and decomposition of thiophene, sulfhydryl, thiomethoxy and phenyl thiolate on Mo surfaces

Abstract The bonding of thiophene (C 4 H 4 S), sulfhydryl (HS), thiomethoxy (CH 3 S) and phenyl thiolate (C 6 H 5 S) to molybdenum surfaces has been examined employing MO-SCF calculations (INDO/1) and metal clusters of limited size (Mo n , n =13−19 atoms ). The calculations indicate that the preferred binding sites for the RS species on Mo(100) are the four-fold hollows. The bonding mechanism of thiophene involves a large charge transfer from the S-lone pairs of the molecule (6a 1 and 2b 1 orbitals) into the surface, and electron transfer from the substrate into the C-S antibonding 3b 1 orbital of the adsorbate. Adsorption of thiophene on a hollow site leads to a large weakening in the strength of the C-S and C-H bonds, producing a precursor for the dissociation of the molecule. HS, CH 3 S and C 6 H 5 S behave as electron acceptors when bonded to Mo. For these species, the chemisorption bond is dominated by the interaction between the LUMO of the adsorbate and the Mo(4d,5s) bands. The results of a thermochemical analysis indicate that reactions which involve the cleavage of H-S and C-S bonds of alkanethiols on Mo (RSH g → S a + RH g ) are very exothermic (− ΔH = 40–50 kcal/mol). The thermodynamics suggests that C-S bond breaking should be the most difficult step in the desulfurization process. The hydrogenolysis of the C-S bond (RS a + H a → S a + RH g ) is ∼ 12 kcal/mol more exothermic for CH 3 S than for C 6 H 5 S.
Role of the uterosacral-cardinal ligament complex in protecting the ureter during vaginal hysterectomy

OBJECTIVE: To determine the surgical anatomy of the ureter during vaginal hysterectomy. METHOD: Sixty patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy were studied. All patients had moderate or severe uterovaginal prolapse or complete procidentia. Ureteral position was noted after traction and cutting of each uterosacral-cardinal ligament complex. RESULT: In the 40 patients with moderate or severe uterovaginal prolapse, the ureter did not move significantly when traction was applied to the cervix and there was no upward retraction on the bladder. When the uterosacral-cardinal ligament complex was cut, with forceful traction on the cervix and upward bladder retraction, the ureter was elevated from the operative field. The same was true for those 20 patients with procidentia after cutting the cardinal ligaments. CONCLUSION: Traction and cutting of the cardinal ligaments are the chief factors affecting movement of the ureter during vaginal hysterectomy; this action protects the ureter. Added protection by the cardinal ligament occurs with bladder retraction.
The effect of inoculum density and conditioned medium on the production of ajmalicine and catharanthine from immobilized Catharanthus roseus cells

The effect of the cell-inoculum size and the addition of conditioned medium on ajmalicine and catharanthine production were studied using immobilized Catharanthus roseus cells. Higher specific-uptake rates of ammonium, nitrate, and sugars were observed in the low-inoculum-density cultures (50 g FW/L) compared to the high-inoculum-density cultures (100 g FW/L). Alkaloid production was not correlated with the exhaustion of a particular nutrient from the medium. The high-inoculum-density cultures produced higher ajmalicine concentrations throughout the experiment. Catharanthine production was similar between the two inoculum-density cultures. The addition of conditioned medium to MS-production medium dramatically improved the production of ajmalicine and catharanthine. The addition of conditioned medium enhanced ajmalicine production from immobilized Catharanthus roseus cultures on day 15 by at least two- to fourfold compared to media without the conditioning factors. Catharanthine production was increased by nearly fivefold in cultures with conditioned medium compared to those without conditioned medium. The enhancing effects of conditioned medium on alkaloid production were attributed to an unidentified factor produced and secreted by suspension cultures of C. roseus. The presence of conditioned medium also decreased the sucrose hydrolysis rate. The ajmalicine concentration in these immobilized cell cultures was found to be a function of the fresh-weight concentration, irrespective of the inoculum density or the culture medium. The medium choice and the inoculum density determined how rapidly fresh weight was accumulated and thus, how quickly ajmalicine was produced. Ajmalicine production correlated positively with fresh-weight concentration, but catharanthine production was not correlated with fresh-weight concentration.
Function of the Cardiac Myocyte in the Conundrum of End-Stage, Dilated Human Heart Failure

Chronic heart failure is a phenotype that marks the final common pathway in a diversity of specific cardiovascular disease states, eg, severe coronary ischemia and myocardial infarction, and chronic hypertension, or it can be idiopathic in nature. A trilogy of clinical signs that includes reduced systolic myocardial function, increased diastolic filling pressure, and an increased likelihood for the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias is eventually accompanied by a markedly dilated heart. The specific role of cardiac myocyte dysfunction in progressive cardiac dilatation that heralds the end stage of chronic heart failure is 1 facet of the conundrum of the end-stage dilated heart. In this issue of Circulation , Hasenfuss et al1 have studied cardiac muscle isolated from the left ventricle of end-stage, dilated cardiomyopathic hearts removed from patients and cardiac muscle from control, non–heart-failure organ donors in an attempt to discover mechanisms that may underlie cardiomyocyte dysfunction in chronic end-stage heart failure. See p 641 As a platform for the discussion of their study, let us first acknowledge that a plethora of hypotheses, in addition to progressive myocyte dysfunction, have been put forth to explain the progressive functional demise and cardiac remodeling and dilatation that characterize end-stage heart failure. These hypotheses were originally cast from observations in heart failure in animal models, including those resulting from chronic experimental mechanical (pressure or volume) overload or chronic ischemia and those resulting from naturally occurring heart failure in specific genetic strains of rodents (eg, the Syrian hamster; the old, spontaneously hypertensive, obese, or diabetic rat; and more recently, heart failure in genetically manipulated mice). In most of these models, progressive cardiac dilatation and functional demise eventually occur. Studies that have attempted to understand the conundrum of the evolution to the progressively dilated phenotype have focused on a diverse array of specific changes in …
KBA: kernel boundary alignment considering imbalanced data distribution

An imbalanced training data set can pose serious problems for many real-world data mining tasks that employ SVMs to conduct supervised learning. In this paper, we propose a kernel-boundary-alignment algorithm, which considers THE training data imbalance as prior information to augment SVMs to improve class-prediction accuracy. Using a simple example, we first show that SVMs can suffer from high incidences of false negatives when the training instances of the target class are heavily outnumbered by the training instances of a nontarget class. The remedy we propose is to adjust the class boundary by modifying the kernel matrix, according to the imbalanced data distribution. Through theoretical analysis backed by empirical study, we show that our kernel-boundary-alignment algorithm works effectively on several data sets.
T. F. Mcllwraith and Anthropology at the University of Toronto 1925-63

Thomas Forsyth McIlwraith a PtP le premier et pendant longtemps le seul anthropologue professionnel a enseigner dans une universiti canadienne. Cet article examine le rBle de McIlwraith au travail musiographique du Musie Royal de I'Ontario, au diveloppement d'un programme de recherches archiologiques dans l'ontario, et i l'introduction de cours d'anthropologie P l'Universit6 de Toronto. A partir d'un manuscrit inedit de J. Norman Emerson et d'autres sources de cette ipoque, cet article Pvalue l'influence que McIlwraith exerga pendant trente-neuf ans P 1'UniversitP de Toronto sur le dkveloppement de l'anthropologie au Canada. Thomas Forsyth McIlwraith was the first and for many years the only academic anthropologist to teach at a Canadian university. This paper examines his contributions to museum work at the Royal Ontario Museum, to the development of an archaeological program in Ontario, and to the introduction of anthropological instruction at the University of Toronto. Drawing from an unpublished manuscript by 1. Norman Emerson and from other contemporary sources, the paper assesses the impact of Mcllwraith's thirty-nineyear career at the University of Toronto on the development of anthropology in Canada.
Formation of a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Core of Optimal Stability Is Crucial for Viral Replication

Virions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other lentiviruses contain conical cores consisting of a protein shell composed of the viral capsid protein (CA) surrounding an internal viral ribonucleoprotein complex. Although genetic studies have implicated CA in both early and late stages of the virus replication cycle, the mechanism of core disassembly following penetration of target cells remains undefined. Using quantitative assays for analyzing HIV-1 core stability in vitro, we identified point mutations in CA that either reduce or increase the stability of the HIV-1 core without impairing conical core formation in virions. Alterations in core stability resulted in severely attenuated HIV-1 replication and impaired reverse transcription in target cells with only minimal effects on viral DNA synthesis in permeabilized virions in vitro. We conclude that formation of a viral core of optimal stability is a prerequisite for efficient HIV-1 infection and suggest that disassembly of the HIV-1 core is a regulated step in infection that may be an attractive target for pharmacologic intervention.
Redox potential changes in the 2‐keto‐L‐gulonic acid fermentation—II. Relationship between redox potential and product formation

In the investigation of the redox potential changes of the oxidative fermentation of L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, it was found that the 2-keto-L-gulonic acid formation proceeded favourably at low negative redox potential values. Low redox potentials were maintained in a continuous fermentation process in the chemostat, with a resulting high 2-keto-L-gulonic acid formation rate. L-Tyrosine and some of its analogues stimulated the 2-keto-L-gulonic acid formation. The stimulation seemed to be bound to low redox potential values, and suggested the action of a direct oxidase-type enzyme.
Maternal Hyperglycemia During Pregnancy Predicts Adiposity of the Offspring

OBJECTIVE To investigate associations between maternal pregnancy hyperglycemia, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and offspring adiposity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We evaluated these associations in a longitudinal study of 421 mother-daughter pairs at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Maternal pregnancy glucose values were obtained from maternal medical records. Outcomes included three measures of girls’ adiposity, measured annually: 1 ) ≥85th age-specific percentile for BMI; 2 ) percent body fat (%BF); and 3 ) waist-to-height ratio (WHR). RESULTS Adjusting for maternal age at delivery, race/ethnicity, pregravid BMI, girl’s age, and girl’s age at onset of puberty, having a mother with GDM increased a girl’s risk of having a BMI ≥85th percentile or having %BF or WHR in the highest quartile (Q4), compared with those in the lowest quintile of blood glucose (odds ratio [OR] 3.56 [95% CI 1.28–9.92]; OR 3.13 [95% CI 1.08–9.09]; and OR 2.80 [95% CI 1.00–7.84], respectively). There was a significant interaction between the presence of GDM and pregravid BMI; girls whose mothers had both risk factors had the highest odds of having a BMI ≥85th percentile (OR 5.56 [95%CI 1.70–18.2]; Q4 %BF, OR 6.04 [95%CI 1.76–20.7]; and Q4 WHR, OR 3.60 [95%CI 1.35–9.58]). Similar, although weaker, associations were found in the association between hyperglycemia and offspring adiposity. CONCLUSIONS Girls who were exposed to maternal GDM or hyperglycemia in utero are at higher risk of childhood adiposity; risk increases if the mother is overweight or obese. Screening and intervention for this high-risk group is warranted to slow the intergenerational transmission of obesity and its sequelae.
Negative ions in inertial electrostatic confinement devices

The UW-Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) [1] device is comprised of concentric, nearly transparent, spherical metallic grids within a cylindrical vacuum vessel. The central grid, which can be held at high negative potentials (∼ −100 to −200 kV) is the device cathode, while the outer grid, held at ground potential, is the device anode. This configuration accelerates ions, created near the anode, toward the center of the device from a weakly ionized cold plasma which exists outside the anode. The fill gas for this device is typically deuterium at 1–4 mTorr, thus leading to D-D fusion rates on the order of 108 fusions/s. The contribution by fast neutrals from charge exchange reactions in IEC devices has been investigated extensively by Emmert and Santarius [2] at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as Khachan, Moore, and Bosi at the University of Sidney [3]. Important phenomena that have not been considered to date are electron attachment and charge transfer reactions that create deuterium anions within IEC devices. Electron attachment involves the attachment of a thermal electron to a neutral deuterium gas molecule, in an excited vibrational state, thus producing a negatively charged deuterium molecule. Charge transfer in hydrogen occurs at higher energies than electron attachment, and involves a transfer of two electrons from background neutral gas to a positive ion moving through the neutral gas at high energy (∼100 to ∼1×104 eV).
Helicity of short E-R/K peptides

Understanding the secondary structure of peptides is important in protein folding, enzyme function, and peptide-based drug design. Previous studies of synthetic Ala-based peptides (>12 a.a.) have demonstrated the role for charged side chain interactions involving Glu/Lys or Glu/Arg spaced three (i, i 1 3) or four (i, i 1 4) residues apart. The secondary structure of short peptides (<9 a.a.), however, has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of repetitive Glu/Lys or Glu/Arg side chain interactions, giving rise to E-R/K helices, on the helicity of short peptides was examined using circular dichroism. Short E-R/K-based peptides show significant helix content. Peptides containing one or more E-R interactions display greater helicity than those with similar E-K interactions. Significant helicity is achieved in Arg-based E-R/K peptides eight, six, and five amino acids long. In these short peptides, each additional i 1 3 and i 1 4 salt bridge has substantial contribution to fractional helix content. The E-R/K peptides exhibit a strongly linear melt curve indicative of noncooperative folding. The significant helicity of these short peptides with predictable dependence on number, position, and type of side chain interactions makes them an important consideration in peptide design.
Analysis of stability robustness of a power system with loads represented by induction motors

Recent advances in robust control theory allow for the analysis of stability robustness of power system controls over a wide range of operating conditions. The primary objective of this paper is to apply the robustness procedure to a power system where the loads are represented by induction motors. Uncertainty in the induction motor model is attributed to variations in system conditions as well as in its parameters due to the aggregation of several induction motors into an equivalent induction motor. Numerical results for a test system are obtained and compared with those using nonlinear time simulations.
Two different types of inhibitory effects of pyrethroids on nerve Ca- and Ca + Mg-ATPase activity in the squid, Loligo pealei

Abstract The biochemical process by which various pyrethroid insecticides affect membrane-bound ATPase activities of the squid nervous system was examined. Of the five ATP-hydrolyzing systems tested, only Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activities are seen to be clearly affected by pyrethroids. It was found that the “natural type” pyrethroids (e.g., pyrethrin and allethrin) primarily inhibit Ca-ATPase activity whereas the “highly modified type” pyrethroids (e.g., cypermethrin and decamethrin) mainly inhibit Ca + Mg-ATPase. permethrin, which is considered to possess structural similarities to both the natural type and the highly modified type pyrethroids, was found to have an intermediate property in terms of its inhibitory potency to both Ca- and Ca + Mg-ATPase activities. The level of inhibition of Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activities was generally high in the retinal axons and optic lobe synaptosomes but lowest in the axoplasmic preparations.
RNA-ligand chemistry: a testable source for the genetic code.

In the genetic code, triplet codons and amino acids can be shown to be related by chemical principles. Such chemical regularities could be created either during the code’s origin or during later evolution. One such chemical principle can now be shown experimentally. Natural or particularly selected RNA binding sites for at least three disparate amino acids (arginine, isoleucine, and tyrosine) are enriched in codons for the cognate amino acid. Currently, in 517 total nucleotides, binding sites contain 2.4-fold more codon sequences than surrounding nucleotides. The aggregate probability of this enrichment is 10 ‐7 to 10 ‐8 , had codons and binding site sequences been independent. Thus, at least
More than Precious Knowledge: A Critical Review of Precious Knowledge

Precious Knowledge (2011; dir. Ari Palos) is an award winning documentary that follows the debate over the ethnic studies curriculum (ETHS) in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), including the political climate that surrounded the passage of House Bill 2281--the bill that dismantled the program. The film connects the struggle over ETHS with a history of racism and xenophobia in the state of Arizona. It highlights the capacities of ETHS/MAS teachers and curricula to transform the academic and personal lives of traditionally marginalized students. Despite its emotional intentions and rhetorical strategies, the film leaves itself open to questions regarding how ETHS/MAS and its supporters can analyze racism, anti-immigrant policies and practices from a critical race and feminist framework, a framework that explores the relationship among the state, race and gender. It also leaves unanswered, questions regarding how to support ETHS programs while encouraging an abolitionist critique of the state and its institutions.
What is the most appropriate clinical target volume for glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is one of the most common primary brain tumors in adults and the prognosis is very poor. The standard treatment is gross total resection and postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide. Given its propensity to spread to areas of brain parenchyma surrounding the gross tumor volume (GTV), a generous margin is typically created around the GTV. Peritumoral edema is frequently included in the GTV, especially in the USA. The margin of expansion from GTV to clinical target volume also varies widely among different institutions. There is a lack of consensus as to what constitutes the most appropriate clinical target volume for glioblastoma.
Language as a barrier to care for Xhosa-speaking patients at a South African paediatric teaching hospital.

Background Disease is closely linked to the social context in which we live. Difficulty with communication, cultural incompatibility between patients and health care providers and socioeconomic obstacles are important barriers to quality care when doctors and patients come from different backgrounds and speak different languages. Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCH) is a paediatric teaching hospital in Cape Town where staff members communicate mainly in English or Afrikaans, while many patients speak Xhosa as their first language. Objectives The study aimed to identify barriers to optimal care for Xhosa-speaking parents of patients at RCH. The contribution of language difficulties was assessed as a possible barrier to health care for this group. Design A questionnaire was developed and administered to 53 Xhosa-speaking parents of children admitted to the shortstay ward at RCH. The questionnaire examined parents' perceptions of barriers to their children's care, using openended questions, closed-ended questions and selection from lists. Results Parents experienced significant structural and socioeconomic barriers to access of health care for their children. Language and cultural barriers were cited by more parents as a major barrier to health care than structural and socioeconomic barriers. Parents did not have access to samelanguage practitioners, as only 6% of medical interviews were conducted partly or wholly in the patient's home language. Of the 94% of interviews where no Xhosa was spoken by medical staff, 21% were conducted with the aid of an interpreter (formal or ad hoc) and in 79% no interpreter was used. Parents experienced difficulties with understanding the doctors (64%), making themselves understood (54%) and asking questions (38%). Sixty-nine per cent of parents were dissatisfied with communication between themselves and their doctors and 45% were concerned about negative effects of poor communication on them or their children. Parents tended to blame their own linguistic limitation rather than those of the doctors. South African Medical Journal Vol. 96 (10) October 2006: 1076-1079
Exploiting spatio-temporal correlation for rate-efficient transmit beamforming

With multiple antennas at the transmitter, either space-time block coding or beamforming can be used as the transmission scheme depending on the availability of channel state information at the transmitter. Although beamforming can provide superior performance over space-time block coding, it nevertheless suffers from feedback overhead. An efficient beamforming scheme in terms of feedback rate is proposed in this paper. The proposed scheme exploits the channel statistics by using space and time correlation in a joint manner in order to track the channel at the transmitter. Simulation results show improvements compared to a system with space-time block coding.
A Computer Scientist's Perspective on Chaos and Mystery

James E. Huchingson's Pandemonium Tremendum draws on a surprisingly fruitful analogy between metaphysics and thermodynamics, with the latter motivated through the more accessible language of communication theory. In Huchingson's model, God nurtures creation by the selective communication of bits of order that arise spontaneously in chaos.
Design and synthesis of a bivalent ligand to explore the putative heterodimerization of the mu opioid receptor and the chemokine receptor CCR5

The bivalent ligand approach has been utilized not only to study the underlying mechanism of G protein-coupled receptors dimerization and/or oligomerization, but also to enhance ligand affinity and/or selectivity for potential treatment of a variety of diseases by targeting this process. Substance abuse and addiction have made both the prevention and the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection more difficult to tackle. Morphine, a mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonist, can accelerate HIV infection through up-regulating the expression of the chemokine receptor CCR5, a well-known co-receptor for HIV invasion to the host cells and this has been extensively studied. Meanwhile, two research groups have described the putative MOR–CCR5 heterodimers in their independent studies. The purpose of this paper is to report the design and synthesis of a bivalent ligand to explore the biological and pharmacological process of the putative MOR–CCR5 dimerization phenomenon. The developed bivalent ligand thus contains two distinct pharmacophores linked through a spacer; ideally one of which will interact with the MOR and the other with the CCR5. Naltrexone and Maraviroc were selected as the pharmacophores to generate such a bivalent probe. The overall reaction route to prepare this bivalent ligand was convergent and efficient, and involved sixteen steps with moderate to good yields. The preliminary biological characterization showed that the bivalent compound 1 retained the pharmacological characteristics of both pharmacophores towards the MOR and the CCR5 respectively with relatively lower binding affinity, which tentatively validated our original molecular design.
Note on a paper of John W. Miles

The theorem X established by Miles in the preceding paper is here given a simpler and more general proof. Some further theoretical results concerning the stability of heterogeneous shear flows are also presented, in particular a demonstration that the complex wave velocity of any unstable mode must lie in a certain semicircle.
A novel inverse relationship between metformin-triggered AMPK-SIRT1 signaling and p53 protein abundance in high glucose-exposed HepG2 cells

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the NAD+-dependent histone/protein deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) are metabolic sensors that can increase each other's activity. They are also both activated by the antidiabetic drug metformin and downregulated in the liver under conditions of nutrient excess (e.g., hyperglycemia, high-fat diet, obesity). In these situations, the abundance of the tumor suppressor p53 is increased; however, the relevance of this to the changes in AMPK and SIRT1 is not known. In the present study we investigated this question in HepG2 cells under high glucose conditions. Metformin induced activation of AMPK and SIRT1 and decreased p53 protein abundance. It also decreased triglyceride accumulation and cytosolic oxidative stress (a trigger for p53 accumulation) and increased the deacetylation of p53 at a SIRT1-targeted site. The decrease in p53 abundance caused by metformin was abolished by inhibition of murine double minute 2 (MDM2), a ubiquitin ligase that mediates p53 degradation, as well as by overexpression of a dominant-negative AMPK or a shRNA-mediated knockdown of SIRT1. In addition, overexpression of p53 decreased SIRT1 gene expression and protein abundance, as well as AMPK activity in metformin-treated cells. It also diminished the triglyceride-lowering action of metformin, an effect that was rescued by incubation with the SIRT1 activator SRT2183. Collectively, these findings suggest the existence of a novel reciprocal interaction between AMPK/SIRT1 and p53 that may have implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of metabolic diseases.
The Production of Unisexual Broods by Tilapia mossambica Sex‐reversed with Methyl Testosterone

Abstract Tilapia mossambica fry were treated for the first 69 days of life with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µg of methyl testosterone per gram of food in order to change the sex of presumptive females to functional males. After treatment, the fish were raised to maturity, the males were bred with normal females, and the offspring of 24 pairs were raised to maturity and sexed. Seven males sired all-female offspring. This strongly indicates that sex direction has been achieved and that the female is the homogametic sex.
Inherited immunodeficiency in chickens: a model for common variable hypogammaglobulinemia in man?

In 1974 we observed several sera from chickens from two particular families of hybrids which by immunoelectrophoresis (IE) had greatly reduced 7S Ig (low molecular weight immunoglobulin). Some of these sera also had elevated amounts of 17S Ig (high molecular weight immunoglobulin) and will be referred to as dysgammaglobulinemic. Examples of abnormal IE patterns observed are shown in Fig. 1.
Residential Patterns of Korean Americans in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: A Longitudinal Study of Spatial Assimilation in a Multi-Ethnic Context

The city of Chicago is home to the third largest concentration of Korean Americans in the United States. It is estimated that four out of five Korean Americans in Chicago live in the suburbs. In this paper, the authors examine the extent of spatial assimilation of Korean Americans with both the â€œmainstreamâ€ American populations, namely, the Caucasian, Black and Hispanic populations, and also their residential patterns vis-A -vis other dominant Asian sub-groups in Chicagoâ€”Chinese, Indians and Filipinos. Their analysis examines spatial assimilation of Korean Americans in terms of their residential segregation/integration from 1970 to 2010 in a multi-ethnic context. Results indicate that in general Koreans are becoming more integrated (less segregated) with the White population over the forty year time period in every major county where they were clustered, while they are generally more segregated from the Black and Hispanic populations. Among the dominant Asian sub-groups, Korean Americans tended to be more integrated with Chinese and Indian populations, and more segregated from the Filipino population.
Optimal Control of a Space Robot to Approach a Tumbling Object for Capture with Uncertainties in the Boundary Conditions

This paper presents an optimal control strategy for a space robot to approach a tumbling object, such as an out-of-control satellite or a piece of space debris, for capture with minimal impact to the base satellite (also called servicing satellite or chaser satellite) with consideration of random uncertainties in the initial and final boundary conditions. The method consists of two steps. The first step is to determine an optimal future time and the target object’s corresponding motion state for the robot to capture the tumbling object, such that, at the time when the tip of the robot intercepts it, the resulting impact or disturbance on the attitude of the base satellite will be minimal. In the second step, the space robot will be controlled to reach the tumbling object at the predicted optimal time along an optimal trajectory. Uncertainties in the initial and final boundary conditions are introduced as errors inevitably exist in the tracking sensing data. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method is employed to solve the optimal control problem with boundary uncertainties. The performance of the method is demonstrated using a dynamics simulation example.
Research and application of control model of IEC61850 in protection and control devices

The paper analyzes the control modes of IEC61850,describes the data structure of the control model according to the requirements of the implementation,and emphasizes the function of the service about the selection,operatation and cancel.The negative response of the control service is discussed in detail.The control service of IEC61850 has been implemented in protection device successfully,and it has passed the conformance test.
When and Why Understanding Needs Phantasmata: A Moderate Interpretation of Aristotle’s De Memoria and De Anima on the Role of Images in Intellectual Activities

I offer a new interpretation of the passages where Aristotle maintains that intellectual activity employs φαντάσµατα (images). In theoretical understanding of mathematical and natural beings, we usually need to consciously employ appropriate φαντάσµατα in order to grasp explanatory connections. Aristotle does not, however, commit himself to thinking that images are required for exercising all theoretical understanding: understanding immaterial things, in particular, may not involve φαντάσµατα. Thus the connection that Aristotle makes between images and understanding does not rule out the possibility that human intellectual activity could occur apart from the body.
Kornilov as a Real Napoleon (August 1917)

Overwhelmed by anarchy, almost the entire country believed that a man of ruthlessness and courage could succeed. And from this perspective, Lavr Kornilov was regarded as quite different from Kerensky, and it was widely held that he could become the Russian Napoleon. Sir Bruce Lockhart portrayed him in this way: ‘General Kornilov, though small in stature with a beard and moustache which gave him some resemblance to the Tsar, was a giant in courage and a first-class commander in the field with all the virtues and limitations which the epithet implies. He was a stern disciplinarian who looked after his men well and was worshipped by them’.1
Chip-packaged silicon photonic nanoscale thermometers

We report on the development of on-chip integrated packaged nanoscale silicon photonic temperature sensors capable of detecting temperature differences as small as 70 μK, thus showing the potential to replace legacy resistance thermometers.
Flying-Domain DC–DC Power Conversion

This paper presents a new power conversion method that can achieve both high efficiency and high power density by obviating the need for an area-consuming flying capacitor and replacing it with a flying digital load. The proposed flying-domain (FD) power conversion concept enables higher conversion efficiency than a conventional switched-capacitor converter by reducing charge-sharing and bottom-plate parasitic losses, while also enabling higher power density by eliminating the area occupied by the flying passive itself. This paper presents state-space analysis that shows that the proposed FD concept is well posed and reaches a valid steady state, while also presenting experimental results of several FD converters implemented in 180 nm SOI. With no flying passives, the fabricated FD converter achieves a peak efficiency of 99.2%, delivers up to 11.8 W/mm2 (2.3 W/mm2 with decoupling) at 91.7% efficiency, and can directly power a cofabricated Cortex M0 processor that communicates via flying I/O level shifters.
Characteristic mode analysis of excitation feed probes in microstrip patch antennas

The Theory of Characteristic Modes is proposed as a systematic approach to antenna design to achieve the goal of finding the antenna structure with optimum broadband behavior. This theory provides a physical insight to the radiating nature of microstrip patch antennas and reduces the design optimization time. In this paper, the resonant behavior of different excitation feed probes are analyzed using this theory. The modal analysis concludes that a T-probe feed structure is more resonant and would be a good candidate to achieve the highest impedance bandwidth.
Open Market Operations and Associated Movements of the Federal Funds Rate during the Week Prior to Target Changes

This paper estimates the conduct of open market operations during the week prior to a change in the federal funds target rate over 1994–2005. The paper finds evidence that the Federal Reserve conducted either no or partial accommodation most of the time when target changes were plus/minus 25 basis points, whereas it conducted anti-accommodation when target changes were plus/minus 50 basis points or larger. Observed, and well-documented, movements of the federal funds rate—away from the existing target level and toward an expected new target level during the week prior to a target change—are consistent with these open market operations. An exception is the 1994–2001 period during which the Federal Reserve most likely conducted complete accommodation, thereby keeping the federal funds rate at the existing target, when target changes were minus 25 basis points.
Correlation/prediction of sorption, swelling, and cloud points in CO2 + polymer systems

Abstract We have previously presented an associated lattice fluid equation of state (ALF EOS) and shown that the equation is able to predict the solubility of CO 2 in polymers and, simultaneously, the extent of swelling of the polymer due to CO 2 using a single parameter obtained from one solubility isotherm. In the present study, we show that cloud point curves in CO 2 + polymer systems (at higher pressures) may also be predicted using the same value of the parameter. In addition, we show that the single parameter does not depend on temperature, pressure, or polymer molecular weight.
Courage, cowardice, and Maher’s misstep

Could a Nazi soldier or terrorist be courageous? The Courage Problem asks us to answer this sort of question, and then to explain why people are reluctant to give this answer. The present paper sheds new light on the Courage Problem by examining a controversy sparked by Bill Maher, who claimed that the 9/11 terrorists’ acts were ‘not cowardly.’ It is shown that Maher’s controversy is fundamentally related to the Courage Problem. Then, a unified solution to both problems is provided. This solution entails that gutsy people who lack good ends are not courageous.
Variation in slip rates on active faults: Natural growth or stress transients?

[Bergen et al. (2017)][1] present evidence in this issue of Geology for a marked, fivefold acceleration in slip rate on the Puente Hills blind thrust system, a fault network that directly underlies the Los Angeles metropolitan area (California, USA). Their work thus has considerable implications for
Soft Tissue Neoplasms Causing Apparent Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome (vTOS) usually results from compression of the subclavian vein classically as a result of narrowing of the costoclavicular space. We report 2 rare cases of soft tissue neoplasms resulting in apparent vTOS. The first case is a 46-year-old female with a 2-year history of intermittent unilateral shoulder pain, who was initially diagnosed with intervertebral disk herniation. Cervical fusion was performed; however, her symptoms progressed and she additionally developed paresthesias and venous congestion. Computed tomography (CT) angiogram demonstrated a 13-cm-encapsulated mass within the subscapularis muscle compressing the axillary vein. Radiological findings suggested lipoma. She subsequently underwent complete resection via a transaxillary approach with extension along the lateral border of the latissimus. Final pathology confirmed an intramuscular lipoma. The second case is a 21-year-old female who presented with acute onset of unilateral chest wall pain, palpable nodularity, and venous congestion. CT chest showed pulmonary embolism and an anterior chest wall mass. An initial attempt at resection was aborted due to proximity of the mass to the subclavian vein. The mass enlarged on serial imaging, measuring 3.8 cm in greatest dimension. Additionally, tumor thrombus was seen, and a subsequent ultrasound-guided biopsy was positive for high-grade synovial sarcoma. Positron emission tomography scan showed a pulmonary nodule that was resected thoracoscopically with pathology confirming metastatic synovial sarcoma. Subsequently, she underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by successful resection of the chest wall mass. An extended infraclavicular approach with a secondary transaxillary incision was utilized to achieve adequate exposure and margins. Final pathology was consistent with preoperative biopsy. Venous reconstruction was not needed. Although rare, an extrinsic mass as a cause of apparent TOS should be in the differential diagnosis. Surgical approach is based on tumor type, location, and proximity to the neurovascular bundle.