cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of MELCOR for severe accident analysis of candidate accident tolerant cladding materials

Abstract A number of materials are currently under development as candidate accident tolerant fuel and cladding for application in the current fleet of commercial light water reactors (LWRs). The safe, reliable and economic operation of the nation’s nuclear power reactor fleet has always been a top priority for the nuclear industry. Continual improvement of technology, including advanced materials and nuclear fuels, remains central to the industry’s success. Enhancing the accident tolerance of light water reactors became a topic of serious discussion following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, resulting tsunami, and subsequent damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant complex. The overall goal for the development of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) systems for LWRs is to identify alternative fuel system technologies to further enhance the safety, competitiveness, and economics of commercial nuclear power. Designed for use in the current fleet of commercial LWRs, or in reactor concepts with design certifications (GEN-III+), to achieve their goal enhanced ATF must endure loss of active cooling in the reactor core for a considerably longer period of time than the current fuel system, while maintaining or improving performance during normal operation. Many available nuclear fuel performance analysis tools are specifically developed for the current UO2–Zirconium alloy fuel system. The MELCOR severe-accident analysis code, under development at the Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico (SNL-NM) for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), is one of these tools. This paper describes modifications made to a version of the MELCOR code by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) that allows its application to alternate fuel-cladding systems. Preliminary analysis results are presented in this paper for candidate silicon carbide and FeCrAl cladding concepts.
Tarp Warrants: How Much to Bid?

In 2009, Tim Laramy, a portfolio manager, was trying to decide what amount, if any, to bid for TARP warrants soon to be up for auction by the U.S. Treasury. This case discusses the 2008 Wall Street bailout, the Capital Purchase Program, and the histories of three major banks. It has been used in a first-year MBA program. Excerpt UVA-F-1642 Rev. Feb. 16, 2016 TARP Warrants: How Much to Bid? For once we'd like to get a fair value when we come into contact with the banking system. We don't want a ruthless bargain. —U.S. Congressman Brad Miller (D-NC), May 22, 2009 In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Laramy Capital Management had managed to rebound nicely. Scooping up beaten-down financial stocks that had become out of favor following the broad market meltdown, portfolio manager Tim Laramy recouped a healthy share of his fund's 30% loss from 2008. . . .
Analyzing at-home prosthesis use in unilateral upper-limb amputees to inform treatment & device design

New upper limb prosthetic devices are continuously being developed by a variety of industrial, academic, and hobbyist groups. Yet, little research has evaluated the long term use of currently available prostheses in daily life activities, beyond laboratory or survey studies. We seek to objectively measure how experienced unilateral upper limb prosthesis-users employ their prosthetic devices and unaffected limb for manipulation during everyday activities. In particular, our goal is to create a method for evaluating all types of amputee manipulation, including non-prehensile actions beyond conventional grasp functions, as well as to examine the relative use of both limbs in unilateral and bilateral cases. This study employs a head-mounted video camera to record participant's hands and arms as they complete unstructured domestic tasks within their own homes. A new ‘Unilateral Prosthesis-User Manipulation Taxonomy’ is presented based observations from 10 hours of recorded videos. The taxonomy addresses manipulation actions of the intact hand, prostheses, bilateral activities, and environmental feature-use (aiiordances). Our preliminary results involved tagging 23 minute segments of the full videos from 3 amputee participants using the taxonomy. This resulted in over 2,300 tag instances. Observations included that non-prehensile interactions outnumbered prehensile interactions in the affected limb for users with more distal amputation that allowed arm mobility.
Introduction: Ontological Frameworks

The chapter traces the historical development of the ontological priority debate through the works of Thales of Miletus, Anaximander of Miletus, Anaximenes of Miletus, and Heraclitus of Ephesus. In doing so, I argue that the ontological priority debate has been framed in terms of either substances of processes. This claim serves as the basis of subsequent chapters to show that the substance framework and its respective methods have been adopted without having given adequate consideration to the process framework.
The Structure of Labor Markets in the U.S. and China: Social Networks and Opportunity Hoarding

Despite the major cultural and political differences between the U.S. and China, in both countries access to jobs is supposed to be guided by fair and equitable procedures. In the U.S., there is a ...
Do similar-ability peers regulate one another in a collaborative discourse activity?

Abstract Despite its popularity, not enough is known about peer collaboration as a vehicle for cognitive development. We examine 64 early adolescents over several months as they collaborate with same-side and opposing-side peers in argumentation – an activity that requires coordinating own and other perspectives to fulfill a joint goal. Results support the claim that collaboration can serve a metacognitve as well as cognitive dimension, with a collaborative partner able to direct and regulate an individual’s thought and action in ways that further their joint goals. Moreover, this process occurs among peers of equal ability (rather than only the unequal relation highlighted by Vygotsky), with partners alternating in serving this regulatory function for one another. Finally, the process benefits as the collaborative relationship continues over time.
Estimation of Winds over the Great Lakes

Past efforts to estimate wind speeds over a large lake have met with very limited success. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that, with a combined theoretical-empirical approach, winds over a lake can be obtained from transformed wind speeds at nearby land stations. The theoretical results provide a basis for comparison of many empirical data sets and establish a rational means of analyzing the expected differences between winds over land and those over a marine surface. This in turn affords a means of examining systematic variations in the ratio of wind speeds over a lake to wind speed over land. The good agreement between theory and observation indicates that wind estimates over the lake can be made for a wide range of synoptic conditions with an rms error of 5 knots. The theoretical curve for the lake wind/land wind ratio provides an estimate of lake winds well beyond wind speeds for which there are good empirical data.
Educated millennial Sikhs: Higher education, social mobility and identity formation among British Sikh youth

Large scale Sikh male migration to Britain in the 1950s gave way to family re-unions, leading to the development of vibrant Sikh communities across major cities and emergence of a millennial second...
The internal friction of glasses

Basic fundamentals of the elastic behaviour of a standard linear solid and the internal friction technique based on this model are briefly described. The internal friction (Q−1) caused by various thermally activated processes in vitreous solids are reviewed for several glass compositions in relation to ionic mobility and other relevant properties. Similar relaxation mechanisms characterize many vitreous solids. The relaxation of alkali ions is essentially independent of the glass network former and has an activation energy of 15 to 25 kcal mol−1. Other processes like the interaction of oxygen ions and protons, alkali ions and protons, mixed-alkali ion interaction and the motion of single bonded oxygen ions have an activation energy of 30 to 40 kcal mol−1. The activation energy for relaxation of the glass network is 100 to 120 kcal mol−1.
Gas holdup in a gas-liquid-fiber semi-batch bubble column

A 4-m high, 15.24-cm diameter semi-batch bubble column connected to one of three perforated plate gas distributors with open area ratios A = 0.57%, 0.99%, and 2.14% is employed to study gas holdup and flow regime in Rayon and Nylon fiber suspensions. This study determines the effect of superficial gas velocity, fiber type, fiber mass fraction, fiber length, and aeration plate open area ratio on gas holdup and flow regime transition in various fiber suspensions. Experimental results show that gas holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocity, and the plot of gas holdup vs. superficial gas velocity depends on aeration plate open area. Gas holdup decreases with increasing fiber mass fraction and fiber length. It is found that Nylon fiber is not an appropriate model system because gas holdup has been shown to vary with time. This phenomenon is mainly attributed to the fact that proprietary additives on the Nylon fiber surface modify the fiber suspension rheology and liquid surface tension with time. Additional results show that gas holdup increases with aeration plate open area ratio when A < 1%; when aeration open ratio was further increased (e.g., A = 2.14%), gas holdup decreases. Contributions to the decrease in gas holdup with increasing open area ratio are discussed.
A Hierarchical Handwritten Word Segmentation

This paper presents a technique to hierarchically segment handwritten words. Handwritten words are broken down into either concave or convex segments called p-strokes (partial strokes). P-strokes are recombined to form Windows of Observation (WO), where the number of p-strokes defines the window size. Once a word is segmented into a sequence of p-strokes, window of observation of different sizes are scanned stroke-by-stroke across the word in a fully overlapped manner, producing a stream of potential characters.
On the Uses and 'Abuses' of Empirical Evidence in the Death Penalty Debate

John J. Donohue and Justin Wolfers [Uses and Abuses of Empirical Evidence in the Death Penalty Debate, Stanford Law Review, vol. 58 (2005): 791-846] critique a number of recent econometric studies purporting to demonstrate a deterrent effect of capital punishment. Donohue and Wolfers argue that the conclusions drawn from most of these studies are fundamentally flawed as their results are highly sensitive to small changes in the employed econometric specification. This paper focuses on Donohue's and Wolfers' criticism of a study by Paul R. Zimmerman [State Executions, Deterrence, and the Incidence of Murder, Journal of Applied Economics, vol. 7 (2004): 163-193]. It is shown that Donohue and Wolfers make a number of misrepresentations and errors in assessing the results and conclusions put forward in Zimmerman's analysis, and as such, their criticisms of the latter are effectively vacuous. And although Zimmerman's ultimate conclusions regarding the deterrent effect of capital punishment are not fundamentally different from Donohue's and Wolfers', the latter authors' comprehensive review of recent death penalty studies (as well as their admonishments concerning the use of potentially fragile empirical models to inform policy decisions) marks their paper as an important contribution to the literature.
Pharmacology: The Chemical Control of Physiology

This chapter discusses how drug response is quantified with dose–response curve and how this leads to classifications of drugs based on effect (ie, drugs that produce observed change in cellular processes are termed agonists and those that block such effects are antagonists). The dependence of observed potency of an agonist upon two drug-related parameters (affinity and efficacy) and two cell-dependent parameters (target density and efficiency of target coupling) is also discussed. The way that different tissues process drug stimulus to provide tissue response is considered, along with the null method which can be used to negate cell-dependent effects on drug activity to provide system-independent indices of drug activity. This is imperative in pharmacology as drugs are almost always studied in test systems, and not in therapeutic one(s).
The Structure of Oxalate Decarboxylase at its Active pH

Abstract Oxalate decarboxylase catalyzes the redox-neutral unimolecular disproportionation reaction of oxalic acid. The pH maximum for catalysis is ~4.0 and activity is negligible above pH7. Here we report on the first crystal structure of the enzyme in its active pH range at pH4.6, and at a resolution of 1.45 A, the highest to date. The fundamental tertiary and quaternary structure of the enzyme does not change with pH. However, the low pH crystals are heterogeneous containing both a closed and open conformation of a flexible loop region which gates access to the N-terminal active site cavity. Residue E162 in the closed conformation points away from the active-site Mn ion owing to the coordination of a buffer molecule, acetate. Since the quaternary structure of the enzyme appears unaffected by pH many conclusions drawn from the structures taken at high pH remain valid. Density functional theory calculations of the possible binding modes of oxalate to the N-terminal Mn ion demonstrate that both mono- and bi-dentate coordination modes are possible in the closed conformation with an energetic preference for the bidentate binding mode. The simulations suggest that R92 plays an important role as a guide for positioning the substrate in its catalytically competent orientation. A strong hydrogen bond is seen between the bi-dentate bound substrate and E101, one of the coordinating ligands for the N-terminal Mn ion. This suggests a more direct role of E101 as a transient base during the first step of catalysis.
Falling from Grace: A Mediation on LatCrit II

The presence of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people of color in various spaces has had and continues to have a transformative impact. Our existence challenges beliefs and practices of religious institutions, and our participation in discovering hidden histories connected to spiritual practices contributes to a tremendous diversity of beliefs and values to guide our communities. This article is a reflection on religion and on Latina and Asian lesbians and on space. These reflections aim to begin an exploration of the rupture that queer presence often makes in LatCrit, Asian American and Critical Race Theory.
The Impact of Participation in an Outdoor Education Program on Physical Education Teacher Education Student Self-Efficacy to Teach Outdoor Education

Purpose:Self-efficacy, having been identified as a factor influencing teacher effectiveness (Dellinger, Bobbett, Olivier, & Ellett, 2008), combined with the increased prevalence of outdoor educatio...
The Fatimid Petition

The Cairo Geniza preserved hundreds of Arabic-script petitions to officials at the Fatimid palace. These petitions are more elaborate than those written during the rule of earlier Islamic dynasties. This essay asks three questions about Fatimid petitions and their development: Who were the scribes who wrote them? When (and why) did Arabic petitions assume the elaborate form and format characteristic of the Fatimid period? And why did Fatimid high officials hold the petition-and-response procedure to be so central to governance? The essay includes an edition and translation of an unedited petition to Sitt al-Mulk, the sister of the caliph al-Ḥākim (386–411/996–1021), who ruled the state for more than two years after her brother’s death. A comparison between this petition and another I edited in 2010 sheds light on all three questions.
A phenomenological study of ex-child soldiers’ perceived meaning of reintegration in post war Liberia

The author examined the meaning of reintegration as perceived by 34 Liberian ex-child soldiers. Three textural themes were uncovered: dissatisfaction with reintegration, powerlessness and perceptio...
Methodological Challenges in Retrospective Evaluation of Mental Health Court Effectiveness

Mental Health Courts (MHCs) are problem-solving courts that have been implemented throughout the United States. One critical component of MHCs is determining their effectiveness and limitations. Ho...
Combined surgical treatment of symptomatic carotid, coronary and mesenteric occlusive disease

The surgical management of advanced symptomatic atherosclerotic disease in multiple distributions including the coronary circulation presents unique challenges due to the high risk of perioperative ischemic complications in the setting of coronary artery bypass grafting. We present a novel case of the combined surgical management of symptomatic carotid, coronary and mesenteric ischemic disease. The patient underwent carotid endarterectomy followed by combined coronary and mesenteric revascularization using cardiopulmonary bypass during the same hospital admission. He had an uncomplicated post-operative course and was discharged to home on post-operative day 7 after the combined procedure. Ninety-day follow-up was also unremarkable with the patient having no recurrent symptoms of ischemia. This case demonstrates the feasibility and safety of our approach for this rare clinical presentation.
YIELD OF ADDITION OF TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAM IN PATIENTS WITH CRYPTOGENIC STROKE - SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE

Cryptogenic stroke represents 40% of ischemic strokes. Intra-cardiac source is a main concern in this group, but the need of routine trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) in the work-up remains unclear. Retrospective review from February 2015 to February 2019 of all the TEEs done at our institution
Home Environmental Assessment Protocol–Revised Initial Psychometrics: A Pilot Study:

Efficient home assessments are needed for persons with dementia and their caregivers. Pilot studies to establish a content validity index (CVI), measure concurrent criterion validity, and examine test-retest reliability of the Home Environment Assessment Protocol-Revised (HEAP-R). Six experts reviewed the tool and scored content validity items. Twenty-one caregiver/person with dementia dyads engaged with HEAP and HEAP-R to examine concurrent criterion validity. Seventeen occupational therapists viewed 10 videos of home environments to examine reliability. The CVI score was .980. Concurrent criterion validity for domains: hazards (r =.792), adaptations (r = .742), clutter (r = .843), and comfort (r = .958). Test-retest reliability: hazards (r = .820), adaptations (r = .887), visual cues (r = .487), and clutter (r = .696). Pilot data suggest the HEAP-R has preliminary content and concurrent criterion validity and test-retest reliability. Robust psychometric analysis is needed prior to use in clinical practice.
The role of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation in patients with heart failure

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) frequently coexist, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic options for patients with AF and HFrEF are limited due to few antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) choices and historically equivocal effects of procedural interventions on mortality. However, recent randomized trials examining catheter ablation (CA) in AF patients with HFrEF have shown a beneficial effect on arrhythmic burden and HF symptoms, as well as an improvement in mortality. This review focuses on the role of CA for AF patients with HFrEF.
COVID-19, stress and mental health: What students expect from academic institutions during a pandemic.

Objectives:To learn about the mental health of students, the tools they use to cope with stress, and their perceptions toward the assistance they receive from their academic institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 593 students from two University of California campuses. Methods: The link to an anonymous survey was included in a mass email that was sent to students. Results: 87% of students expressed that their mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, especially in students who already had diminished levels of self-reported mental health. Students articulated the need for increased financial, academic, and mental health support and that they want to have a voice in discussions that will lead to decisions that would impact them. Conclusion: Students reported that the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health and that they wanted academic institutions to include them in the decision-making processes that would contribute to their health.
New Technologies for Manipulating Bovine Reproduction

The reproductive process is a continuum of events that occur cyclically throughout the life of an animal, starting with fertilization, and continuing through embryonic and fetal development, parturition, the neonatal development period (including lactation), puberty, ovulation, and establishment of pregnancy once again. A number of malfunctions and technological interventions can be superimposed on this sequence, including post-partum anestrus, such technologies of selective breeding as artificial insemination and embryo transfer, and such management techniques as inducing twin pregnancies and decreasing intervals between calving. Many aspects of reproduction can be manipulated: induction of parturition, lactation, puberty, ovulation, twinning, abortion, etc. Detection of ovulation, diagnosis of pregnancy, and determining or manipulating the sex of offspring also are of obvious value. In addition, many things can go wrong in the reproductive process, including mastitis, dystocia, venereal disease, embryonic death, cystic ovaries, and dozens of other pathological conditions. Many approaches exist for manipulating reproduction and dealing with reproductive pathology, including more or less new technologies. I have chosen to concentrate on three items. The first is getting the cow pregnant; the second, in vitro oogenesis; and the third, adding genes to embryos.
Conserving Natural Values to Mitigate Environmental Degradation in Africa

One of the gravest predicaments that Africa is suffering from is environmental degradation. Environmental degradation implies the diminishment of the beauty, quality, goodness, and viability of the earth and its ecosystems. Environmental degradation is precipitated by massive deforestation, desertification, drought, forced migration, war, food shortages, atmospheric and ocean pollution from mining and exploitation of natural resources, human insecurities, misappropriation of environmental funds, global warming and climate change, etc. Many of these that lead to environmental degradation are anthropogenic (caused by human activities and behaviours). Anthropogenic activities that degrade the environment are often informed by systems of thoughts that see no intrinsic value in nature or the earth. Nature is simply seen for its utilitarian and human satisfaction purpose. The earth is simply seen as existing for human needs and purpose. Nature exists to benefits human beings. Humans are at liberty to use the earth as they desire. Other organisms have no purpose except for the good and welfare of human beings. The interests of other non-human realities do not count. This paper argues that there are values in the natural world. Beyond the benefits that nature provides for humans and the entire ecosystem, nature has intrinsic value. While humans are to make use of nature to sustain themselves like other organisms in nature, humans have a responsibility to conserve the intrinsic values in nature. The degradation and deterioration of nature takes from it religious, spiritual, aesthetic, intrinsic, ecosystemic, and other values in nature. The paper will use a critical analytic and hermeneutic method to traces various theorists on the value of nature. It will examine the situation and reality of environmental degradation. It will equally present what can be done to conserve natural values. The paper finds and concludes that conserving natural values will help to mitigate environmental degradation
Renormalization group flow in k-space for nonlinear filters, Bayesian decisions and transport

We derive a new algorithm which avoids normalization of the probability density for particle flow. The algorithm was inspired by renormalization group flow in quantum field theory. In contrast with other particle flow algorithms, this one works in k-space rather than state space. We have roughly 30 or 40 algorithms to compute particle flow, and the three best algorithms avoid computing the normalization of the conditional probability density of the state. We explain why explicit normalization often spoils the flow. This phenomenon has been noticed by other researchers for completely different applications (e.g., weather prediction), but apparently the benefits of avoiding normalization are not well known.
Greater BOLD response to working memory in endurance-trained adults revealed by breath-hold calibration

Background Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with increased frontal and parietal activation during executive function tasks. While these findings suggest fitness-related enhancement of neuronal response, the utility of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may be limited by potential fitness-related differences in global vascular reactivity. The aim of this study was to determine if highly fit adults display differential activation during working memory after calibration for vascular reactivity relative to their sedentary counterparts. Methods Thirty-two endurance-trained and 24 sedentary adults, aged 40–65 years, completed a 2-Back verbal working memory task and a breath-hold challenge during fMRI. Group differences in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response during working memory were examined across the whole brain and in a priori regions of interest (ROI) before and after breath-hold calibration using non-parametric permutation testing. Multiple regression was used to explore the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), age, and calibrated 2-Back-related activation within the one a priori ROI with significant group effects. Results In comparison to the endurance-trained group, the sedentary group exhibited greater BOLD signal changes in response to the breath-hold task. After, but not before calibration, the endurance-trained group displayed significantly higher 2-Back-related activation in the right middle frontal gyrus (P = 0.049). Older age predicted lower 2-Back-related activation (s = −0.308, P = 0.031), whereas fitness predicted higher activation (s = 0.372, P = 0.021) in this region. Conclusions Breath-hold calibration increased detection of working memory-related BOLD response differences between sedentary and endurance-trained adults. Moreover, cardiorespiratory fitness appeared to mitigate age-related changes in BOLD during working memory in this region. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2898–2910, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gas Exchange in Acid‐Base Disturbances

The sections in this article are: 1 Definition of Gas Exchange 2 Acid-Base Terminology 3 Effects of Acid-Base Imbalance on Steps in O2 Delivery Process 3.1 Alveolar Ventilation 3.2 Pulmonary Vasculature 3.3 Airways 3.4 Pulmonary Gas Exchange 3.5 Hemoglobin 3.6 Cardiovascular System 3.7 Tissue Metabolism 4 Measured Net Effects of Acid-Base Imbalance on O2 Delivery 4.1 Tissues 4.2 Whole Animal Stressed by Tissue Hypoxia 4.3 Whole Animal at Rest 4.4 Whole Animal in Exercise 5 Comparative Aspects of Acid-Base Balance and Possible Relationship to O2 Delivery 5.1 Temperature and Acid-Base Balance in Ectotherms 5.2 Significance for Gas Exchange in Homeotherms: Humans 6 Conclusions
An information processing approach for facilitating the fuzzy front end of breakthrough innovations

The initial discussion of innovation has led to an appreciation of differences between incremental innovation and radical innovation. We contend that the processes for successfully managing radical and incremental innovation are different and further that managing incremental innovation might be detrimental to the management of radical innovation. As a way of bringing these differences into focus, we use the lens of an information processing approach to understanding the phenomena. The reason for this is that while the processes of innovation to date have been studied from a variety of perspectives, most of them are context bound. Information processing is largely context free, providing a theoretically parsimonious perspective applicable across contexts. Hence, the aim of this paper is to suggest the use of an information processing approach for comparing the management of radical and incremental innovation. Although innovation processes for both radical and incremental innovation may span many years and consist of multiple phases, in this paper we focus on differences in the early or idea generation phases, i.e. the fuzzy front end (Page and Stovall, 1994), between radical and breakthrough innovation. We discuss differences between incremental and radical or breakthrough innovation. Following that, stages of innovation are discussed and then the notions of information processing as applied to innovation are outlined. Results of a longitudinal study of breakthrough are presented along with implications for a model of information processing at the fuzzy front end of breakthrough innovations.
Cumulative Excess Urinary Excretion of Folate in Rats after Repeated Ethanol Treatment

The folate deficiency that is produced by chronic alcohol ingestion results from poor dietary intake and from effects of ethanol on folate metabolism and absorption. Previous studies in fasted rats showed that singular treatment with ethanol produces an increase in urinary folate levels, in amounts that account for a subsequent decrease in plasma folate levels. The effects of subacute administration of ethanol on urinary folate excretion were studied in fed and fasted rats treating for 1, 2, 3 or 4 d either with ethanol orally in four doses of 1 g/kg each at hourly intervals or with glucose in isocaloric doses. Urine was collected at timed intervals up to 12 h after each daily dose. Rats were fed daily except for the evening prior to the final treatment day. Ethanol treatment produced an increase in urinary folate excretion in fed and in fasted rats, although the effect in fed rats was less marked. The increased excretion was similar on each final day, whether rats were treated for 1, 2, 3 or 4 d, indicating that there was no adaptation to the loss of folate during this subacute treatment. The excess urinary folate excretion accumulated so that the longer the rats were exposed to ethanol, the greater the urinary loss. These results suggest that when animals are chronically treated with ethanol, urinary folate loss could contribute to the development of folate deficiency.
Bacterial conjugative plasmids mobilize DNA transfer between bacteria and yeast

Conjugative plasmids of Escherichia coli can mobilize DNA transmission from this bacterium to the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The process shares some of the features of conjugation between bacteria and could be evolutionary significant in promoting trans-kingdom genetic exchange.
Detecting and mitigating aging in component cooling water systems

Abstract The time-dependent effects of aging on component cooling water (CCW) systems in nuclear power plants has been studied and documented as part of a research program sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It was found that age related degradation leads to failures in the CCW system which can result in an increase in system unavailability, if not properly detected and mitigated. To identify effective methods of managing this degradation, information on inspection, monitoring, and maintenance practices currently available was obtained from various operating plants and reviewed. The findings were correlated with the most common aging mechanisms and failure modes, and a compilation of aging detection and mitigation practices was formulated. This paper discusses the results of this work.
Peromyscus alcohol dehydrogenase: lack of cross-reacting material in enzyme-negative animals.

Two forms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), coded by allelic genes, have been purified to homogeneity from Peromyscus. Monospecific antisera to the purified enzymes have been raised in rabbits. These antisera fail to detect cross-reacting material in the liver of ADH-negative animals on Ouchterlony plates. Immunotitration of anti-ADH antiserum with ADH in liver extracts from AdhS/AdhS and AdhS/AdhN animals results in identical equivalence points, again suggesting the absence of cross-reacting material coded by the AdhN allele. Over a wide range of anti-ADH antiserum dilutions, radiolabeled protein was not immunoprecipitable from liver extracts of AdhN/AdhN animals. These immunochemical tests, in conjunction with previous studies, suggest that the AdhN allele in Peromyscus does not produce inactive polypeptide in normal levels that bears immunological determinants similar to those of the fast and slow ADH isozymes.
Access to and cost of reproduction of patient medical records. A comparison of state laws.

(2000). ACCESS TO AND COST OF REPRODUCTION OF PATIENT MEDICAL RECORDS: A COMPARISON OF STATE LAWS. Journal of Legal Medicine: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 79-108.
PAC-WHN: Predictive Admission Control for Wireless Heterogeneous Networks

In the 4 G wireless networks, different types of mobile communication systems such as wireless local area networks (WLANs) and cellular networks will be integrated. The 4 G wireless heterogeneous (WHN) networks will support a broad range of multimedia services with guaranteed quality of service. In order to support this requirement, new call admission control and resource reservation techniques are needed to support the integrated architecture in the 4 G of mobile communications. In this paper, we present and evaluate a new predictive CAC and RR technique that can support the 4 G WHN. This technique is based on an efficient multidimensional sequence mining technique called MobilePrefixSpan which is designed for the mobile environment. MobilePrefixSpan is a modified version of the well-known sequence mining technique PrefixSpan and its modified version for multidimensional sequences. Simulation study shows that the new technique has excellent performance which is comparable to the benchmark scheme.
Detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow of breast cancer patients using multiplex gene expression measurements identifies new therapeutic targets in patients at high risk for the development of metastatic disease.

Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) detected in the bone marrow (BM) of breast cancer patients identify women at high risk of recurrence. DTCs are traditionally detected by immunocytochemical staining for cytokeratins or single gene expression measurements, which limit both specificity and sensitivity. We evaluated the Nanostring nCounter™ platform for multi-marker, gene expression-based detection and classification of DTCs in the BM of breast cancer patients. Candidate genes exhibiting tumor cell-specific expression were identified from microarray datasets and validated by qRT-PCR analysis in non-malignant human BM and identical samples spiked with predefined numbers of molecularly diverse breast tumor cell lines. Thirty-eight validated transcripts were designed for the nCounter™ platform and a subset of these transcripts was technically validated against qRT-PCR measurements using identical spiked BM controls. Bilateral iliac crest BM aspirates were collected and analyzed from twenty breast cancer patients, prior to neoadjuvant therapy, using the full 38-gene nCounter™ code set. Tumor cell-specific gene expression by nCounter™ was detected with a sensitivity of one cancer cell per 1 × 106 nucleated BM cells after optimization. Measurements were quantitative, log linear over a 20-fold range, and correlated with qRT-PCR measurements. Using the nCounter™ 38-gene panel, 6 of 8 patients (75 %) who developed metastatic disease had detectable expression of at least one transcript. Notably, three of these patients had detectable expression of ERBB2 in their BM, despite the fact that their corresponding primary tumors were HER2/ERBB2 negative and therefore did not receive trastuzumab therapy. Four of these patients also expressed the PTCH1 receptor, a newly recognized therapeutic target based on hedgehog signaling pathway inhibition. The presumptive detection and classification of DTCs in the BM of breast cancer patients, based on sensitive and quantitative multi-marker detection of gene expression using the nCounter™ platform, provide an opportunity to both predict early distant recurrence and, more importantly, identify opportunities for preventing the spread of disease based on the expression of unique, therapeutically actionable gene targets. This study demonstrates the application of a new technology for multiplexed gene expression-based detection of DTCs in the BM of breast cancer patients and identifies at least two therapeutically targetable genes that are frequently expressed in the BM of patients who develop metastatic disease.
Reference and Incommensurability: What Rigid Designation Won’t Get You

Causal theories of reference in the philosophy of language and philosophy of science have suggested that it could resolve lingering worries about incommensurability between theoretical claims in different paradigms, to borrow Kuhn’s terms. If we co-refer throughout different paradigms, then the problems of incommensurability are greatly diminished, according to causal theorists. I argue that assuring ourselves of that sort of constancy of reference will require comparable sorts of cross-paradigm affinities, and thus provides us with no special relief on this problem. Suggestions on how to think about rigid designation across paradigms are included.
Spin-Rotation Coupling in the Alkali-Rare-Gas Van der Waals Molecule KAr

We report results of a molecular-beam magnetic-resonance study of the paramagnetic Van der Waals molecule KAr. The experiment yields a value for the spin-rotation interaction $\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\gamma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{N}}$, where $\ensuremath{\hbar}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}$ and $\ensuremath{\hbar}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{N}}$ are, respectively, the electronic and rotational angular momentum. The average spin-rotation constant in KAr is $\overline{\ensuremath{\gamma}}=0.24(1)$ MHz.
HIV-1 Genetic Characteristics and Transmitted Drug Resistance among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Kunming, China

Background Yunnan has been severely affected by HIV/AIDS in China. Recently, the reported prevalence of HIV-1 among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Yunnan was high in China. To monitor dynamic HIV-1 epidemic among Yunnan MSM, HIV-1 genetic characteristics and transmitted drug resistance (TDR) were investigated. Methods Blood samples from 131 newly HIV-1 diagnosed MSM were continuously collected at fixed sites from January 2010 to December 2012 in Kunming City, Yunnan Province. Partial gag, pol and env genes were sequenced. Phylogenetic, evolutionary and genotypic drug resistance analyses were performed. Results Multiple genotypes were identified among MSM in Kunming, including CRF01_AE (64.9%), CRF07_BC (25.2%), unique recombinant forms (URFs, 5.3%), subtype B (3.1%) and CRF08_BC (1.5%). CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC were the predominant strains. The mean of genetic distance within CRF01_AE were larger than that within CRF07_BC. The estimated introducing time of CRF01_AE in Yunnan MSM (1996.9) is earlier than that of CRF07_BC (2002.8). In this study, subtype B was first identified in Yunnan MSM. CRF08_BC seems to be the distinctive strain in Yunnan MSM, which was seldom found among MSM outside Yunnan. The proportion of URFs increased, which further contributed to genetic diversity among MSM. Strikingly, genetic relatedness was found among these strains with MSM isolates from multiple provinces, which suggested that a nationwide transmission network may exist. TDR-associated mutations were identified in 4.6% individuals. The multivariate analysis revealed that non-native MSM and divorced/widowed MSM were independently associated with a higher TDR rate. Conclusion This work revealed diverse HIV-1 genetics, national transmission networks and a baseline level of TDR in MSM. These findings enhance our understanding of the distribution and evolution of HIV-1 in MSM, and are valuable for developing HIV prevention strategies for MSM.
Theory of cohesive crack model with interactive cracks

Abstract A theory of cohesive crack model is proposed to study crack interaction. The elastic behavior of the structure is represented by the influence functions, and the model is cast as integral equations. When there is more than one crack, the behavior of unloading cracks must be studied. The stability property of the cohesive crack model is characterized by its rate equations. As an example, the theory is applied to solve the problem of a half plane with periodic cracks on its surface. Some interesting features of the solution are described.
Dietary fibre level and enzyme inclusion affect nutrient digestibility and excreta characteristics in grower pigs

An experiment was conducted with 12 grower pigs to determine the effects of (1) manipulating dietary neutral detergent fibre (NDF) level and (2) dietary inclusion of fibre-degrading enzymes on nutrient digestibility and excreta characteristics in pigs. Four diets were formulated to contain three levels of NDF: 1, 66 g kg−1 NDF (low fibre); 2, 121 g kg−1 NDF (moderate fibre); 3, 222 g kg−1 NDF (high fibre); 4, diet 3 plus 2.0 g kg−1 enzyme. Increasing levels of dietary NDF linearly decreased dry matter and energy digestibilities (r2 = 0.99, P < 0.05). Lowering dietary NDF from 222 to 121 g kg−1 improved nitrogen digestibility by 13% (P < 0.01). Faecal production was decreased by 9% for each 1% decrease in dietary NDF content (r2 = 0.99, P < 0.05). Inclusion of fibre-degrading enzymes in the high-fibre diet improved dry matter and energy digestibilities by 2 and 3% respectively, and reduced faecal production by 10% (P < 0.01). Faecal and manure (faeces plus urine) pH values from pigs fed the high-fibre diet and the high-fibre plus enzyme diet were lower than those from pigs fed the other experimental diets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, lowering the dietary NDF level or inclusion of fibre-degrading enzymes in high-fibre diets may offer relatively practical and easy methods for reducing waste production in pigs. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry
The synthesis, structure, and some reactions of sterically hindred α-silylisoxazoles

Abstract 4-(4,5-Dihydro-4,4-dimethyl-2-isoxazolyl)-3-phenyl-5-silylmethylisozazole and 3-phenyl-5-silylmethyl-4-isoxazole-t-carboxamide derivatives were synthesized in synthetically useful yields from the corresponding oxazolyl-isoxazole or t-carboxamide by metalation of the isoxazole systems at the C(5) alkyl group followed by electrophilic quenching with either t-butylchlorodiphenylsilane or t-butylchlorodimethylsilane. The silylisoxazole systems were metalated at the C(5) position, producing the corresponding α-silyl carbanion, which upon quenching with MeOD produced C(5) deuterium incorporation. The reaction of silyloxazolylisoxazoles with titanium tetrachloride caused the oxazoline ring to open forming chloro-substituted carboxamide. The X-ray structure of a silyloxazolylisoxazole was obtained and indicates an “ s-trans ” ring juncture with respect to the heterocyclic rings.
Periodic links and augmented groups

Given a finitely presented group G and an epimorphism χ : G→ Z, constraints on the orders of automorphisms F : G→ G such that χ ◦ F = χ are obtained via symbolic dynamics. The techniques provide new obstructions to periodicity for knots and links.
Cryptosporidium virulence determinants - Are we there yet?

Exposure to Cryptosporidium parvum in healthy individuals results in transient infection that may be asymptomatic or can result in self-limited diarrhoea. In contrast, acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients with cryptosporidiosis can experience severe manifestations of disease. Volunteer studies have demonstrated that as few as 10 oocysts can cause infection in otherwise healthy adults and that isolates from geographically diverse regions differ in infectivity and, perhaps, virulence. Variability in isolate pathogenicity and infectivity has also been seen in bovine and murine models, respectively. Furthermore, isolate specific differences in protein composition and in host immunoreactivity have been observed. The molecular basis for differences in pathogenicity is not understood. Determining which factors are responsible for host selectivity and for the initiation, establishment, and perpetuation of infection with Cryptosporidium is key to rational drug design and vaccine development. To date, no specific virulence factors have been unequivocally shown to individually cause direct or indirect damage to host tissues nor have mutant strains been produced that could prove that particular deletions result in less virulent strains. Nevertheless, a number of candidate molecules have been identified by immunological and molecular methods. Here, we review the salient characteristics of some of these putative virulence determinants, including molecules that are involved in adhesion, protein degradation and the modulation of the host responses.
A Simple Method for Robust Regression

Abstract Estimates of the parameters of a linear model are usually obtained by the method of ordinary least-squares (OLS), which is sensitive to large values of the additive error term. By dividing the sample into nonoverlapping subsamples and computing the trimmed means of OLS subsample regression coefficients, we obtain a simple, consistent and asymptotically normal initial estimate of the coefficients, which protects the analyst from large values of ∈ i which are often hard to detect using OLS on a model with many regressors. The technique is applied to the calculation of risk parameters in the capital asset pricing model for securities on the N. Y. Stock Exchange.
Neuronal cell types and taste quality coding

Over the past 25 years, there have been two opposing views of how taste information is represented in the activity of gustatory neurons. One view, the across-fiber pattern (AFP) theory, postulates that taste quality is represented by the pattern of activity across the afferent population. Stimuli with similar tastes produce similar patterns of activity. The other view is that activity in a few distinct neuron types codes taste quality in a "labeled-line" fashion. Neurons responding best to sucrose, for example, would represent "sweetness," and those responding best to NaCl would code "saltiness." Some of these neuron types appear to have a biological significance, such as the NaCl-best cells, which receive input about sodium stimuli exclusively from an amiloride-sensitive epithelial ion channel. However, the relatively broad tuning of these neurons makes it unlikely that they are capable of unambiguously coding information about taste quality. Rather, these neuron types play a critical role in establishing unique AFPs that distinguish among taste stimuli. The relative activity across these cell types represent taste quality, much like the patterns of activity across broadly tuned photoreceptors code information about stimulus wavelength.