cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Motivations for St. Perpertua's Martyrdom

Psycho-historical analysis of The Acts of SS. Perpetua and Felicity indicates that the reasons why Perpetua was willing to give up both her life and her infant child in the service of her faith were political and emotional as well as doctrinal. The possibility within the third-century Church of fraternal friendships with men, and visions of their continuation after death, offered relief from the demands of an intense relationship with her father, and the power (ordinarily available only to men) to order the pattern of her existence and environment. N case there is someone here who does not know by heart the story of St. Perpetua's martyrdom, let me summarize briefly how and what we know about it. A narrator tells us about a group of Christians who were executed in Carthage in 203, including Vibia Perpetua, "a newly married woman of good family and upbringing . . about twenty-two years old . . with an infant son at the breast"; with her is her brother, also a Christian convert (2.1-2). The narrator then quotes directly from Perpetua's own memoirs, which consist of her account of her imprisonment and of the dreams she had in prison; she tells how her father, who has remained a pagan, pleads with her to abandon her religion and tries to get the authorities to let her out; detailed, explicit visions tell her meanwhile that she must die. The narrator then tells the story of her fellow martyrs and their joint execution: they were exposed to wild beasts in the arena; Perpetua herself was attacked but not seriously wounded by a wild cow, and finally killed by a gladiator, whose sword she willingly guided to her neck. As you can tell even from this summary, there is ample subject matter here for many sermons, as Bishop Augustine of Hippo knew.' The Acts of SS. Perpetua 'Augustine Sermons 280-82 (P.L. 38. 1280-86); Tertullian de An. 55. 4 cites Perpetua's testimony as evidence for the privileged position of martyrs in heaven. This paper is based on discussions with Dr. JoAnn Fineman and Susan Miller Havens. I am grateful to Prof. Morton Smith, Drs. Bennett Simon and Jay Katz, and Mr. Clayton Fant for suggestions and criticisms. All citatione from Acts of the Christian martyrs are from Herbert Musurillo's text (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1972). MARY R. LEFKOWITZ is Professor and Chairman of the Greek and Latin Departments at Wellesly College, and a Director of the American Philological Association. Author of a book and numerous articles and reviews on Greek lyric poetry, she is co-editor (with Maureen B. Fant) of Women in Antiquity, a collection of readings from Greek and Roman sources, which will be published by Hakkert later this year.
Spectral generalization testing with pigeons using brief discrete trials

Spectral generalization testing with pigeons using brief discrete trials at different stages of extinction
What is new in stillbirth?: important recent articles.

This month we focus on current research in stillbirth. Dr. Andrews discusses five recent publications, and each is concluded with a “bottom line” that is the take-home message. The complete reference for each can be found in Box 1 on this page, along with direct links to the abstracts.
Unobserved heterogeneity can confound the effect of education on mortality

Two opposing hypotheses were proposed to explain the life course pattern in the effect of education on mortality: “cumulative advantage,” where the education effect becomes stronger with age, and “age-as-leveler,” where the effect becomes weaker in old age. Most empirical studies bring evidence for the latter hypothesis, but the observed convergence of mortality patterns could be an artifact of selective mortality due to unobserved heterogeneity. A simulation shows that unobserved heterogeneity can bias the estimated effect of education downward so that the cohort-average effect of education decreases in old age regardless of the shape of the underlying subject-specific trajectory.
A National Survey of Skin Infections, Care Behaviors and MRSA Knowledge in the United States

A nationally representative sample of approximately 2000 individuals was surveyed to assess SSTI infections over their lifetime and then prospectively over six-months. Knowledge of MRSA, future likelihood to self-treat a SSTI and self-care behaviors was also queried. Chi square tests, linear and multinomial regression were used for analysis. About 50% of those with a reported history of a SSTI typical of MRSA had sought medical treatment. MRSA knowledge was low: 28% of respondents could describe MRSA. Use of protective self-care behaviors that may reduce transmission, such as covering a lesion, differed with knowledge of MRSA and socio-demographics. Those reporting a history of a MRSA-like SSTI were more likely to respond that they would self-treat than those without such a history (OR 2.05 95% CI 1.40, 3.01; p<0.001). Since half of respondents reported not seeking care for past lesions, incidence determined from clinical encounters would greatly underestimate true incidence. MRSA knowledge was not associated with seeking medical care, but was associated with self-care practices that may decrease transmission.
Echo suppression and discrimination suppression aspects of the precedence effect

The precedence effect is a phenomenon that may occur when a sound from one direction (the lead) is followed within a few milliseconds by the same or a similar sound from another direction (the lag, or the echo). Typically, the lag sound is not heard as a separate event, and changes in the lag sound’s direction cannot be discriminated. The hypothesis is proposed in this study that these two aspects of precedence (echo suppression and discrimination suppression) are at least partially independent phenomena. Two experiments were conducted in which pairs of noise bursts were presented to subjects from two loudspeakers in the horizontal plane to simulate a lead sound and a lag sound (the echo). Echo suppression threshold was measured as the minimum echo delay at which subjects reported hearing two sounds rather than one sound; discrimination suppression threshold was measured as the minimum echo delay at which subjects could reliably discriminate between two positions of the echo. In Experiment 1, it was found that echo suppression threshold was the same as discrimination suppression threshold when measured with a single burst pair (average 5.4 msec). However, when measured after presentation of a train of burst pairs (a condition that may produce “buildup of suppression”), discrimination suppression threshold increased to 10.4 msec, while echo suppression threshold increased to 26.4 msec. The greater buildup of echo suppression than of discrimination suppression indicates that the two phenomena are distinct under buildup conditions and may be the reflection of different underlying mechanisms. Experiment 2 investigated the effect of the directional properties of the lead and lag sounds on discrimination suppression and echo suppression. There was no consistent effect of the spatial separation between lead and lag sources on discrimination suppression or echo suppression, nor was there any consistent difference between the two types of thresholds (overall average threshold was 5.9 msec). The negative result in Experiment 2 may have been due to the measurements being obtained only for single-stimulus conditions and not for buildup conditions that may involve more central processing by the auditory system.
Measurements of argon collision broadening in the CN B2Σ+ ← X2Σ+(0,0) spectrum

Abstract Absorption line shapes in the (0,0) band of the B ← X violet system of CN are measured in shock tube experiments using a rapid-tuning narrow-line ring dye laser. Excimer photolysis at 193 nm and high temperature pyrolysis of C2N2−Ar mixtures are used for CN generation. In experiments using the shock tube as a room temperature (298 K) cell, the rotational quantum number (N″) dependence of the CN-Ar collision broadening coefficient is determined by modeling the recorded line shapes with Voigt profiles. Transitions in the P-branch with lower state rotational quantum numbers of N″ = 4−14 are probed; the expression 2γT=298KCN-Ar[cm−1atm−1] = 0.0560 exp(−0.201 N″) + 0.11 results. Shock tube experiments over the temperature range 1200–4500 K are used to determine the temperature dependence of the collision broadening coefficient, resulting in the expression 2γ CN-Ar [cm −1 atm −1 ] = 2γ T=298K Cn-Ar ( 298 T[K] ) 0.8 valid for temperatures from 298 to 4500 K. Additional measurements confirm the magnitude of the (0,0) band oscillator strength and validate the spectral absorption coefficients calculated with a spectroscopic model of the CN B ← X(0,0) system for a wide range of conditions.
Study of composite joint strength with carbon nanotube reinforcement

In order to strengthen the interface of a composite scarf joint, this study investigated the benefits of using locally applied carbon nanotubes to reinforce a carbon fiber composite scarf joint. The effect of carbon nanotubes on enhancing the fracture toughness and interface strength was investigated by performing Mode I and Mode II fracture tests with and without carbon nanotubes applied locally at the joint interface. Furthermore, the effects of seawater absorption and different carbon nanotube concentration values on Mode II fracture were investigated. Finally, a partial application of carbon nanotubes only near the crack tip area was considered. During the study, the image correlation technique was used to examine the fracture mechanisms altered by the introduction of carbon nanotubes. The experimental study showed that an optimal amount of carbon nanotubes could increase the fracture toughness of the composite joint interface significantly, especially for Mode II, including a physical change in the fracture mechanism.
PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM METHANE AND METHANE/TEAM IN A MICROWAVE IRRADIATED CHAR-LOADED REACTOR

ABSTRACT The production of hydrogen by the decomposition of pure methane and methane/steam mixtures in a microwave -irradiated fixed bed reactor packed with devolatilized coal char was studied. Input power levels from 600–3500 W were used. Low conversions were obtained for pure methane as the feed, but 1:1 molar ratio mixtures of methane and steam gave high conversions. The effects of power level and feed flow rate were determined for the methane/steam case. Additionally, microwave heating and conventional heating were compared for the methane/steam case. Microwave heating was found to require temperatures 3050 °C lower to give the same methane conversions obtained with conventional heating, over a conversion range of 18-53%. Thus, it may be concluded that microwave heating promotes the methane/steam reaction in some type of unique manner.
RE-EXAMINATION OF THICKNESS-RESONANCE- FREQUENCY FORMULA FOR STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY APPRAISAL AND DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS

This study examines rationale of correction factor β in the formula of thickness resonant frequency, fundamental to the thickness estimation of impact-echo (IE) approach in nondestructive testing (NDT) for integrity appraisal and damage diagnosis of infrastructure systems. It shows the role of the factor in the formula from the perspective of testing equipment setup, wave propagation, and resonant frequency identification, much broader than what was first introduced empirically for shape correction of a structure under test. Emphasis is laid in wave-based interpretation of resonant frequency, typically obtained from traditional fast Fourier transform (FFT) data analysis of IE recordings. Since the FFT data analysis provides average, not true, characteristic of resonant frequency shown in the nonstationary IE recordings, it typically distorts the thickness estimation from the formula if the correction factor is not used. An adaptive time-frequency data analysis termed Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) is then introduced to overcome the shortage of FFT analysis in identifying the resonant frequency from noise-added IE recordings. With FFT and HHT analyses of five data sets of sample IE recordings from sound and damaged concrete structures and comparison with referenced ones, this study reveals that the proposed IE approach with HHT data analysis not only eliminates the subjective use of correction factor in the formula, but it also improves greatly the accuracy in the thickness estimation.
A prestack residual time migration operator

Larner and Beasley (1987) present cascaded migration as a way to increase the power and effectiveness of relatively simple migration methods. In particular, f-k migration (Stolt, 1978) can be made to accommodate a depth‐dependent velocity as a cascade of constant‐velocity migrations. The core concept is that data which have been migrated with an approximate velocity can be effectively migrated to their true velocity by migrating with a velocity that is equal to the square root of the difference between the squares of the true and approximate velocities.
The electron transfer reactivity of cytochrome P-450-CAM. Molecular oxygen dependent multiple turnovers using chemical reductants

Abstract Cytochrome P-450, unlike most other cytochrome,s does not function merely as an electron carrier but is also an enzyme capable of catalyzing oxygenation reactions. This heme-containing monooxygenase activates molecular oxygen for insertion of one oxygen atom into organic substrates with concomitant reduction of the other oxygen atom to water. Bacterial P-450, isolated from camphor-grown Pseudomonas putida (P-450-CAM)†, utilizes molecular oxygen and NADH to hydroxylate camphor at the exo-5 position and initiate camphor degradation [1]. Because the hemoprotein itself cannot react directly with NADH, electrons are transferred from NADH to P-450-CAM via first a FAD-containing flavoprotein (putidaredoxin reductase, fp) and then an iron-sulfur protein (putidaredoxin. Pd). t001 . Product Formation. a A. As a function of P-450-CAM Concentration P-450-CAM Conc. (μ M ) Exo -5-hydroxycamphor formed c (nmol) With Putidaredoxin (3 μ M ) 0 0.1 ± 0.01(2) 0.5 23.6 ± 1.0(2) 1.0 49.8 ± 1.5(6) 2.0 97.0 ± 2.5(2) Without Putidaredoxin 0 0.02 ± 0.01(2) 0.5 1.3 ± 0.1(2) 1.0 2.7 ± 0.2(3) 2.0 5.1 ± 0.2(3) B. As a Function of Time Incubation (min) Exo -5-hydroxycamphor formed c (Mol/Mol of P-450-CAM) With Putidaredoxin (3 μ M ) 1 28.8(1) 2 49.8 ± 1.5(6) 5 101.7(1) 10 188.7 ± 5.0(2) Without Putidaredoxin 1 1.5 ± 0.1(2) 2 2.7 ± 0.2(3) 5 5.8 ± 0.1(2) 10 9.8 ± 0.3(2) C. Control Experiments Exo -5-hydroxycamphor formed c (nmol) Without Pd d With 5 μ M Pd e 1. No P-450 0.02 ± 0.01(2) 0.01 ± 0.01(2) 2. No NADH 0.01 ± 0.01(2) 0.01 ± 0.01(2) No PMS 0.02 ± 0.01(3) 0.01 ± 0.01(3) 4. Boiled P-450 f 0.03 ± 0.02(2) - 5. Myoglobin (no P-450) g None - b Two minute incubations. a Incubations were done using optimized conditions unless otherwise indicated. Optimized conditions; 1 μ M P-450-CAM, 600 μ M d-camphor, 3 m M NADH, and 50 μ M PMS, in 20 m M phosphate buffer (pH 7.40, and 100 m M KCI), 2 ml total volume, with gentle oxygen bubbling. In the presence of Pd (3–5 μ M ), 5 m M NADH was used. c The number in parentheses is the number of trials of a particular experiment. d Ten minute incubations without oxygen bubbling using optimized conditions except as follows: 1.6 m M NADH, 250 μ M PMS. e Same conditions as described in footnote d, plus oxygen bubbling. f P-450-CAM was boiled for 10 minutes prior to use. g 1 μ M myoglobin. of the inhibition and oxygen bubbling studies support the hypothesis that hydroxylation by the NADH/PMS/P-450-CAM system occurs by an oxygen-dependent enzymatic pathway. The role of the PMS in the system appears to be as a mediator of electrons from NADH to P-450. This system provides the first protocol for achieving molecular oxygen dependent multiple turnovers of P-450 in the absence of the fully reconstituted three protein system.
Dissociation pressures and enthalpies of reaction in MgCl2 · nH2O and CaCl2 · nNH3☆

Abstract Chemical heat pumps based on reactions involving salt hydrates, ammoniates, or methanolates are currently being developed. The efficient operation of a chemical heat pump depends strongly upon such quantities as reaction energies and pressure-temperature relations. Therefore, dissociation pressures as a function of temperature and derived reaction energies are presented for MgCl2 · nH2O (where n = 6.1, 6, or 4) and CaCl2 · nNH3 (where n = 8, 4, 2, or 1). Pressure measurements were made using a capacitance manometer over a temperature range of about room temperature to 470 K (the upper temperature varied depending on the composition being studied). By generating Φo functions from available heat capacities complete second-law and third-law analyses have been done for MgCl2 · 6H2O and MgCl2 · 4H2O. Results for 1 6 MgCl 2 · 6H 2 O yielded enthalpies of dissociation at 298.15 K of (58.3 ± 0.2) and (58.6 ± 0.1) kJ mol−1 for second-law and third-law treatments, respectively. For MgCl2 · 4H2O the values determined were (66.3 ± 1.2) and (67.0 ± 0.4) kJ mol−1. Values for the enthalpies of dissociation of ( 1 n ) CaCl 2 · n NH 3 were also determined; they are (44.4 ± 0.3), (42.0 ± 0.3), (67.8 ± 0.8), and (78.2 ± 0.8) kJ mol−1 for CaCl2 · 8NH3, CaCl2 · 4NH3, CaCl2 · 2NH3, and CaCl2 · NH3 respectively.
Dental anthropology of early Egypt and Nubia

Abstract A survey of dental anthropological literature dealing with the ancient populations of Egypt and Nubia reveals that until recently little information was available. Recent salvage archaeology behind and in the vicinity of the New High Aswan Dam has considerably increased the volume of information. Using this material, an analysis of the dental morphology of ancient Egyptian and Nubian populations (Badarian, Merotic, X-Group and Christian) indicates that the Nile corridor showed considerable biological continuity through space and time and that there is little evidence for mass movements of intrusive peoples into the area as is sometimes argued. The dentitions of recently excavated Sudanese Mesolithic populations and those of early historic Nubian groups (Meroitic in particular) are used to test and partially confirm D.L. Greene's evolutionary hypothesis that contends reduction in tooth size and complexity since the end of the Pleistocene are best explained through selection for caries resistant teeth (i.e. those with simpler fissure patterns) in increasingly cariogenic environments after the Neolithic, rather than via C. L. Brace's Probable Mutation Effect.
Controllable in situ synthesis of magnetite coated silica-core water-dispersible hybrid nanomaterials.

Magnetite nanoparticle coated silica (Fe3O4@SiO2) hybrid nanomaterials hold an important position in the fields of cell imaging and drug delivery. Here we report a large scale synthetic procedure that allows attachment of magnetite nanoparticles onto a silica surface in situ. Many different silica nanomaterials such as Stober silica nanospheres, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and hollow silica nanotubes have been coated with a high density layer of water-dispersible magnetite nanoparticles. The size and attachment efficiency of the magnetite nanoparticle can be well tuned by adjusting the precursor concentration and reflux time. The functionalization of Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles with dye molecules and biocompatible polymers impart optical imaging modality and good colloidal stability in either buffer solution or serum. The functionalized materials also exhibited strong potential as negative contrast agents in T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
Analysis of the curing behavior of unsaturated polyester resins using the approach of free radical polymerization

The approach of free radical polymerization is adapted to develop a kinetic model for predicting the curing behavior of unsaturated polyester resins. The approach taken here is essentially similar to that advanced by Stevenson with some modifications, namely (1) the efficiency of the initiator is assumed to decrease with conversion, (2) no assumption was made a priori on the magnitude of the rate constants for the termination and inhibition reactions, and (3) the propagation rate constant was assumed to be represented by kp = Aoexp(−Ep/RT) ˙[1 − (α/αf)]m, and the termination rate constant by kt = Boexp( − Et/RT)[1 - (α/αf)]n, in which Ao and Bo are preexponential constants, Ep and Et are the activation energies for the propagation and termination reactions, respectively, R is the universal gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, α is the degree of conversion, αf is the final degree of conversion, and m and n are constants to be determined by numerical simulation. A computer program was developed to search for the optimal values of all the parameters involved, to minimize the difference between the predicted and experimentally determined rate of conversion and the degree of conversion simultaneously. An experimental study was also conducted on the cure of unsaturated polyester resin, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under isothermal conditions and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The degree of cure was determined from the total heat generated during cure, with the aid of the IR spectra of the residual double bonds in the cured resin. The predictability of the mechanistic model developed is presented and the usefulness of the model for simulating various processing operations is discussed.
Identification of a minimal cis-element and cognate trans-factor(s) required for induction of Rac2 gene expression during K562 cell differentiation

Rac2 is a Rho family GTPase that is widely expressed in hematopoietic cells and plays a critical role in host defense. This study investigates the mechanisms responsible for increased Rac2 gene expression during myeloid cell differentiation. Treatment of K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) induces megakaryocytic differentiation and Rac2 gene transcription following a lag of 6-12 h. Promoter/luciferase reporter gene assays reveal that a 135 bp cis-element located between -4223 and -4008 bp upstream of the Rac2 transcription start site is necessary and sufficient for PMA-induced gene expression. The AP1 transcription factor binds to three cis-elements within the 135 bp Rac2 gene regulatory region both in vitro and in vivo following PMA treatment, and mutagenesis of the AP1 binding sites ablates the PMA responsiveness of the 135 bp Rac2 gene regulatory region. Over-expression of AP1 is sufficient to induce expression of a transiently transfected Rac2 promoter/luciferase plasmid, but not the endogenous Rac2 gene. Induction of AP1 in vitro DNA-binding activity is apparent within 1 h of PMA stimulation. However, AP1 binding to the endogenous Rac2 promoter exhibits a lag of 5-9 h, which correlates with reduced histone H3-Lys9 methylation, increased histone H3 acetylation, and increased nuclease accessibility within the 135 bp Rac2 gene regulatory region. These results demonstrate that PMA induction of Rac2 expression during terminal myeloid differentiation requires the coordinate induction of transcription factors and remodeling of Rac2 gene chromatin structure.
Biological material imaging using THz-echo analysis method

Ultrafast laser techniques have opened up a tremendous research opportunity in studying the interaction of short pulses of light with matter. With discovering of the picosecond photoconducting hertzian dipoles and high-brightness THz beams characterized with an ultrafast detector, we have seen more and more applications of ultrafast light in non-invasive imaging. Standard methods, when applied to the measurement of thin optical materials, doesnot independently determine the material's thickness and index of refraction. The proposed method is fundamentally different from other imaging such as contrast difference in optical coherent tomography (OCT) or the peak-to-peak intensity ratio as in THz imaging to determine index of refraction and thickness. We show that the application of ultrafast techniques allows simultaneous measurements of material thickness and optical constants in optical precision from transmission measurements. Such finding invites new perspectives in imaging and other applicable disciplines such as imaging processing after recording of the THz waveform of biological samples.
Comparison of state assignment methods for “quantum circuit” model of permutative quantum state machines

The design of state machines for quantum algorithms remains a largely unexplored topic. The abstract models for quantum computation proposed by Feynman [1], Deutsch [2] etc have been related to the theory of Quantum Turing Machines (QTM) and the work was later expanded by Bernstein and Vazirani [3] to lay the foundations of quantum complexity theory. However, no papers deal with the following problem: “how to realize the quantum state machine in hardware as an operational quantum circuit that the internal states of which can be measured and used as inputs in a system of such machines”. This is an equivalent to the fundamental problem of “structural synthesis of FSM”. This paper creates models of quantum state machines that are useful from an engineering perspective. The objective of the paper is to propose models that can be used for circuit-level implementation. We restrict our study to binary logic realized in quantum, the so-called binary permutative quantum circuits; the “permutative machines”. The presented synthesis procedure is analogous to classical logic circuits synthesis and is a necessary step in the entire design procedure of quantum automata. Thus state minimization, state assignment and excitation function realization aspects are also of interest and some preliminary experimental results are presented.
The incidence of depression in new users of beta-blockers and selected antihypertensives

Abstract We studied the occurrence of depression in new users of propranolol ( n = 704), other beta-blockers ( n = 587), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors ( n = 976), calcium channel blockers ( n = 742), and diuretics ( n = 773) in the Harvard Community Health Plan population. The period of the study was from April 1988 to June 1991. All study subjects were followed for new or newly recurrent depression for up to 6 months after receiving their first study prescription. Case status was confirmed by blinded medical record review. We found 10 cases of depression that met DSM-III-R criteria ("major depression") and an additional 18 cases that had one or more symptoms consistent with depression ("minor depression"). Rates of major depression in users of beta-blockers and users of non-beta-blocker study drugs were 5.8 per 1000 person-years of exposure and 9.6 per 1000 person-years, respectively. None of the cases of major depression was propranolol associated. Rates of major or minor depression (combined) in users of beta-blockers and users of non-beta-blockers were 20.2 per 1000 person-years and 25.2 per 1000 person-years, respectively. The age- and sex-adjusted relative risk of major or minor depression associated with the use of beta-blockers compared to non-beta-blockers was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.3–1.9). The relative risk associated with propranolol compared to non-beta-blockers was also 0.8 (95% CI, 0.1–2.7). Therefore, depression occurred no more frequently in beta-blocker users than in other members of the study base.
The Galileo spacecraft system design

The Galileo Orbiter differs markedly from its Mariner, Viking and Voyager predecessors in many aspects of its design, as dictated by its unique mission characteristics. Novel design features include a dual spin configuration, long life bipropellant propulsion, radioisotope thermoelectric generators, and a star scanner. Other major changes are related to Space Shuttle Orbiter compatibility. The selection of a distributed data system employing a high speed data bus represents a major advance over Voyager systems. The command, control and data handling functions for the Orbiter are merged into a single software-controlled subsystem. The paramount importance of software development in the design of Galileo subsystems is noted, in view of the requirement for total engineering and science data acquisition process reprogrammability.
Solid-State Structure and Crystallization in Double-Crystalline Diblock Copolymers of Linear Polyethylene and Hydrogenated Polynorbornene

Double-crystalline diblock copolymers of linear polyethylene (LPE) and hydrogenated polynorbornene (hPN) are synthesized, and their crystallization behavior and morphology are examined using small-angle (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). In symmetric hPN/LPE diblocks with molecular weights above 50 kg/mol, the hPN block has previously been shown to crystallize first and set the solid-state microstructure. Two-dimensional WAXS on hand-drawn fiber specimens reveals that the LPE crystals formed in confinement stack orthogonally to the hPN crystals. By adjusting total molecular weight, the order of block crystallization may be reversed, even while holding the block length ratio fixed. At a diblock molecular weight of 20 kg/mol, simultaneous time-resolved SAXS/WAXS reveals that the LPE block crystallizes first, even when LPE is the minority component, and restricts hPN to crystallize between the LPE lamellae. The relative orientation of the LPE and hPN crystals in the lower molecular weight diblock...
Peritoneal dialysis does not adversely affect kidney function recovery after congenital heart surgery

PURPOSE Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery to correct congenital heart disease is common. We prevent fluid overload and further cardiac compromise in oliguric infants with continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD). The effect of CPD on kidney recovery is unknown, thus indications to discontinue CPD are unclear. We aimed to determine if CPD affects kidney recovery, measured by urine output and novel urinary AKI biomarker concentrations. METHODS Twenty infants <90 days old with congenital heart disease who underwent bypass surgery and were post-operatively treated with CPD were randomized at the time of clinical readiness for CPD discontinuation to 1) discontinue CPD (control) or 2) continue 24 h more CPD (experimental). Urine output (ml/kg per h), total output (ml/kg per h) and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, liver-type fatty acid binding protein, and kidney injury molecule-1 were assessed post-surgery until CPD catheter removal. RESULTS 24 hours preceding randomization, there were no differences in mean urine output or total output; 24 hours post-randomization, the control group had higher mean urine output (4.2 ± 2.6 ml/kg per h vs. 2.8 ± 2.0 ml/kg per h, p = 0.02) but lower total output (6.3 ± 2.1 ml/kg per h vs. 4.7 ± 2.7 ml/kg per h, p = 0.01). Median biomarker concentrations did not differ significantly between groups at any time point. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest renal replacement therapy does not change the time course of kidney function recovery.
The investigation of fluorinated propenes on the Cu(111) surface

Abstract We have examined the effect of fluorine on the bonding of selectively fluorinated propenes (CH 3 CHCH 2 , CFH 2 CHCH 2 , CF 3 CHCH 2 , CF 3 CHCF 2 and CF 3 CFCF 2 ) to the Cu(111) surface using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). The fluorinated propenes adsorb reversibly at low temperatures, desorbing during heating at 120–140 K. TPD measurements indicated that the desorption activation energy increased with increasing fluorination of the propene molecule. Specifically, the desorption activation energy increased from 5.9 ± 0.9 and 5.5 ± 0.6 kcal/mol for propene and 3-fluoropropene respectively to 8.1 ± 0.9 kcal/mol for trifluoropropene. Further fluorination of propene did not increase the desorption activation energy ( E d = 9.0 ± 1.5 kcal/mol for 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene and E d = 8.0 ± 0.4 kcal/mol for hexafluoropropene). HREELS was used to monitor changes in the vibrational spectrum of the fluorinated propenes upon adsorption. Specifically, the v C  C mode was monitored to probe the extent of backbonding that occurs between the molecule and metal. A significant, downward shift in the frequency of the v C  C mode of the propenes upon adsorption would indicate backbonding to the metal surface by the adsorbate. However, no changes in the vibrational spectra of any of the fluorinated propenes were detected upon adsorption, indicating no significant backbonding. Fluorine is found to have a weak effect on the adsorbate-metal bond strength but the vibrational spectra do not indicate that there is substantial backbonding.
Radiation in cylindrical symmetry with anisotropic scattering and variable properties

Abstract Effects of spatially varying absorption and scattering coefficients in radiation transfer in absorbing, emitting anisotropically scattering hollow and solid cylinders having reflecting boundaries are investigated. S 4 and S 6 discrete-ordinate methods have been used to solve the problem. Tabulated results are presented for the incident radiation, net radiation heat flux, the hemispherical reflectivity and transmissivity, and the exit intensity.
Abstract 5394: A high-throughput screening platform for the identification of small molecule inhibitors of MAP2K4

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second highest cause of cancer death in United States males. If the metastatic movement of PCa cells could be inhibited, then mortality from PCa could be greatly reduced. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MAP2K4) has previously been shown to activate pro-invasion signaling pathways in human PCa. Recognizing that MAP2K4 represents a novel and validated therapeutic target, we sought to develop and characterize an efficient process for the identification of small molecules that target MAP2K4. Using a fluorescence-based thermal shift assay (FTS) assay, we first evaluated an 80 compound library of known kinase inhibitors, thereby identifying 8 hits that thermally stabilized MAP2K4 in a concentration dependent manner. We then developed two in vitro MAP2K4 kinase assays to evaluate kinase inhibitory function, one a western-blot based assay employing the biologically relevant downstream substrates, JNK1 and p38 MAPK, and the other an Alphascreen based activity assay. In this manner, we validated the performance of our initial FTS screen. Finally, by coupling our structure-activity relationship data to MAP2K49s crystal structure, we constructed a model for inhibitor binding. It predicted binding of our identified inhibitors to MAP2K49s ATP pocket. We next applied this approach in a high-throughput fashion to over 2200 chemically diverse compounds and identified new inhibitors of MAP2K4. Herein we report the creation of a robust inhibitor-screening platform with the ability to inform the discovery and design of new and potent MAP2K4 inhibitors. Citation Format: Sankar Narayan Krishna, Chi-Hao Luan, Matthew R. Clutter, Rama K. Mishra, Karl A. Scheidt, Wayne F. Anderson, Raymond C. Bergan. A high-throughput screening platform for the identification of small molecule inhibitors of MAP2K4. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5394. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5394
Sexual function and fertility issues in cases of exstrophy epispadias complex

In patients with EEC, the issues such as sexuality, sexual function and fertility gain more importance once theses patients advance from puberty to adulthood. The aim of this review is to critically examine the available evidence on these issues. A systemic literature search was performed in Medline over the last 25 years using the key words: Exstrophy, sexual function and pregnancy. Search results were limited to studies of patients with exstrophy published in English literature. A total of 1500 publications were found and subsequently screened by title and when appropriate by abstracts. Of these, 40 publications pertinent to the subject were included for the analysis. The publications were supplemented by an additional 15 publications obtained from their bibliographies. The studies were rated according to the guidelines published by the US department of health and human services. Heterosexuality is usually expressed in both the sexes and most of them have adequate sexual function. Urinary diversion in some series seems to result in better ejaculatory hence fertility outcome in male patients. Recent series have shown equally good results with primary reconstruction. Most of the female patients have normal fertility while male patients have significantly low fertility. Most of the male and female patients with EEC have adequate sexual function. Most of the female patients have normal fertility while most of the male patients have significantly low fertility.
Mitigation of metolachlor-associated agricultural runoff using constructed wetlands in Mississippi, USA.

Abstract A loss of marginal wetland acreage adjoining agricultural fields has created a potential problem with water quality enhancement of agricultural runoff via wetlands. Current research is investigating the utility of constructed wetlands for pesticide mitigation purposes, thereby restoring water quality enhancement capability to the area. Constructed wetland mesocosms (59–73 m×14 m), located at the University of Mississippi Field Station (Lafayette County, MS), were amended with metolachlor to simulate a cropland runoff event. Target concentrations for wetlands were 73 and 147 μg/l metolachlor in addition to an unamended control (0 μg/l). Water, sediment, and plant samples were collected weekly for 35 days following metolachlor amendment. Samples were collected from sites, longitudinally distributed within each wetland, and analyzed for metolachlor using gas chromatography. Between 7 and 25% of measured metolachlor mass was in the first 30–36 m (from inflow) of wetlands immediately following application and simulated rainfall. Approximately 10% of measured metolachlor mass was in plant samples. Suggested wetland travel distances for effective mitigation of metolachlor runoff ranged from 100 to 400 m. According to the results from this research, aquatic receiving system impacts due to metolachlor runoff could be mitigated by using constructed wetlands as buffers. Landowners and government agencies can integrate this information into a water management plan, allowing for better control of both quantity and quality of runoff water from individual agricultural fields.
Low-frequency impedance of a circular loop over a conducting ground

Using a quasistatic approach, the input impedance of a circular wire loop is calculated for the case where the Earth is represented as a homogeneous conducting halfspace. It is shown that the input resistance is only proportional to the ground conductivity when the loop radius is small compared with the electrical skin depth.
Channel models for underwater vector transducer communication systems

Vector transducers generate or measure signals in the vector components of the acoustic field. Examples of the vector components are acoustic particle velocity and acoustic particle acceleration. In recent years underwater communication schemes using vector projectors as transmitters and vector sensors as receivers have been proposed. Therefore the need for characterization of the vector components of the acoustic field as efficient communication channels has emerged. In this paper we present two vector-field channel models which are suitable for two different multipath shallow water channels. Channel correlations and channel powers are studied in detail for each model, and closed-form expressions are derived in terms of the physical parameters of the channel. The results can serve as useful tools and metrics for communication system design using underwater acoustic vector transducers. They are also useful for estimating channel parameters such as angle spreads, angle of departures or angle of arrivals using vector transducers.
A BIOSYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE GENUS MUSCIDIFURAX (HYMENOPTERA: PTEROMALIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF FOUR NEW SPECIES

Extensive collections of synanthropic fly parasitoids in animal excrement accumulations in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Chile, Denmark, Israel, and South Africa yielded seven forms of a Muscidifurax complex which were totally or partially reproductively isolated. Morphological studies of female and male parasitoids coupled with biological and zoogeographical information permitted the identification of five sibling species. Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders 1910 is redescribed and four additional species are described as new: M. zaraptor, from the southwestern United States; M. raptoroides from Central America and Mexico; M. uniraptor from Puerto Rico, and M. raptorellus from Uruguay and Chile. Biological notes are added to the descriptions, and it was postulated that the genus is undergoing a process of speciation with local populations slowly becoming reproductively isolated and eventually giving rise to morphologically distinguishable entities. Most evidence suggests the establishment of Muscidifurax in the New World, concomitant with or shortly following the establishment of muscoid flies in accumulated excrement. Scanning electronmicroscopy was used in the analysis of some morphological structures.
Monitoring Production Processes By 4-D Multicomponent Seismic Surveys At Vacuum Field, New Mexico

Multicomponent, time lapse seismology has great potential for monitoring production processes in reservoirs. The reason is simply the presence of fractures. Shear waves are much more sensitive than p waves to the presence of fractures or microfractures and the fluid content within the fracture network. Fractures introduce seismic anisotropy into a reservoir, causing two shear modes to propagate with different velocities and therefore different arrival times. The arrival time difference is referred to as shear wave splitting or birefringence and is a critical parameter for estimating fracture density (see Martin and Davis, 1987).
Molecular-dynamics simulation of effects of relaxation of polarization on atomic line shapes.

The time-dependent difference-potential matrix generated by molecular-dynamics simulation in a system of one sodium atom in a bath of 255 argon atoms is used in a classical-path coupled states formalism to generate a resonance atomic line shape which incorporates the effects of relaxation of polarization. A comparable technique is used to generate the one-perturber spectrum, which is then used in the unified theories of Jablonski, Anderson, and Baranger, of Fano, and of Szudy and Baylis to predict the density-dependent line shape. At the high density used (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{21}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$), the Jablonski-Anderson-Baranger line shape is in excellent agreement with the simulated line shape, but the other unified theories show significant discrepancies. The effects of relaxation of polarization (``m-changing effects'' in quantum theory) on the line shape were found to be small.
Caregivers as Healthcare Managers: Health-Management Activities, Needs and Caregiving Relationships for Colorectal Cancer Survivors with Ostomies

Purpose While the burdens and rewards of cancer caregiving are well-documented, few studies describe the activities involved in cancer caregiving. We employed a social-ecological perspective to explore the work of cancer caregiving for long-term colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies. We focused on healthcare management, defined here as the ways in which informal caregivers participate in healthcare-related activities such as managing medical appointments and information, obtaining prescriptions and supplies, and providing transportation to obtain healthcare services.
Intelligent support of e-management for consumer-focused virtual enterprises

The interest in consumer-focused virtual enterprises (VE) decision-making problem is growing fast. The purpose of this type of enterprise is to transform incomplete information about customer orders and available resources into-co-ordinated plans for production and replenishment of goods and services in the temporal network formed by collaborating units. This implies that information in the consumer-focused VE can be shared via Internet, Intranet, and Extranet for business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business service (B2B-S), and business-to-business goods (B2B-G) transactions. One of the goals of Internet-Based Management (e-management) is to facilitate transfer and sharing of data and knowledge in the context of enterprise collaboration. This paper discusses a generic framework of e-management that integrates intelligent information support group-decision making, and agreement modeling for a VE network. It offers the platform for design and modeling of diverse implementation strategies related to the type of agreement, optimization policies, decision-making strategies, organization structures, and information sharing strategies and mechanisms, and business policies for the VE.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Different questions, different goals.

Fox and her colleagues (2007) present an important and foundational study concerning the character of current ethics consultation services (ECSs). Although we have some concerns regarding the gener...
Organization of the male gonad in a protogynous fish, Thalassoma bifasciatum (Teleostei: Labridae)

Although the testis in teleosts has been investigated for many years, little attention has been paid to the structure of the outer layers that enclose the testis and to their possible contributions to its organization. The present study in a protogynous male labrid, Thalassoma bifasciatum (bluehead wrasse), describes the arrangement and cytology of these tissues (for convenience, referred to collectively as the outer wall, OW) which include: the outer peritoneal layer and subjacent collagen fibers, myoid cells and diverse other cells and tissues, e.g., fibrocytes, presumptive mesenchyme, macrophages, granulocytes, nerves, and blood vessels. Beneath the OW are two compartments; one is the gamete-laden spermatocysts, the other the interstitium, which is composed of cells and tissues that lie between the spermatocysts. Both OW and interstitium contain similar kinds of tissues and cells. Moreover, the layers of the OW immediately subjacent to the peritoneum are continuous with that in the interstitium. It is suggested that the continuity between these two areas provides opportunities for the exchange of cells that could aid in the maintenance and reorganization of the testis and with the myoid and neural tissue to establish an extensive, coordinated motile system that aids movement of sperm from spermatocysts to the ducts. A recent report on the reexamination of the germinal epithelium concept and its identification in the common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, stimulated us to examine the feasibility of applying this concept to gonad organization and gamete development in T. bifasciatum. In addition, the ultrastructure of the Sertoli cell and formation of spermatocysts are described. Spermatocysts increase in size during the development of gametes. Observations and discussion are presented suggesting how Sertoli cells may accommodate this growth and how new populations of these cells may arise in the mature adult. Finally, ultrastructural characteristics for each stage of spermatogenesis are presented and, using (3H)thymidine and autoradiography, data on the chronology of spermatogonia-sperm cycle are included.