cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A safe and convenient new procedure for reducing aromatic compounds to Birch-type products

Abstract Aromatic compounds can be reduced by a calcium-amine-t-butyl alcohol system to products which are identical to those obtained by a Birch reduction of the same substrates.
Evaluating alkaline microcapsules for pH control and reductive dechlorination of trichloroethylene in sediment

Near neutral pH has been reported in the literature to optimise trichloroethylene (TCE) reductive dehalogenase activity in purified enzyme solutions, cell extracts and cell suspensions. In this study, microencapsulated alkaline buffers were used to evaluate potential use in controlling pH in soil microcosms and columns containing sediment obtained from a TCE-contaminated acidic aquifer at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS). Batch microcosm tests were performed to determine the effect of pH on TCE degradation at different set points (4.0, 5.5, 7.0, 8.5, 10.0). Maximum vinyl chloride (VC) production occurred at a pH of 4 (p < 0.001), which is approximately the groundwater pH at the site. Although more nutrient uptake occurred at all other pH levels, indicating that general microbial activity was greater under less acidic conditions, TCE metabolite production was not maximised at neutral pH. Other factors, such as a small population of active dechlorinators, may have limited reductive dechlorination in the SRS sediment.
Study of Biopolymers and Paraffin as Potential Controlled-Release Carriers for Insect Pheromones

Starch, whey, and soy proteins and paraffin wax were tested as potential controlled-release carriers for insect sex pheromones used for mating disruption of orchard pests. Geranyl propionate was us...
Dopant-induced excimer laser ablation of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene)

Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) does not exhibit excimer laser etching behavior at conventional, e.g., single photon absorption, emissions of 193, 248, and 308 nm, due to the lack of polymer/photon interaction. This is not surprising since the electronic transitions available to the PTFE molecule are high energy and thus require short wavelength the radiation However, by incorporating a small quantity of material into the non-absorbing fluoropolymer matrix that interacts strongly with the emitted laser energy, e.g., a dopant, successful ablation, both in terms of etch rate and structuring quality occurs. Specifically, excimer laser ablation of PTFE films containing 5, 10, and 15% polyimide (wt/wt) as a dopant was achieved at 308 nm in a fluence range of 1 to 12 J/cm2. Ablation rates for the materials increased with increasing fluence and, at the polyimide levels investigated, varied inversely with dopant concentration. All compositions exhibited excellent structuring quality.
Beneficial effects of early hypocaloric enteral feeding on neonatal gastrointesting function: Preliminary report of a randomized trial

In a prospective randomized trial, we studied the effects of early hypocaloric enteral feedings (PO) begun at 48 hours of age in 19 infants compared with 20 infants who received no enteral feedings (NPO) for at least the first 9 days of life. Both groups initially received the majority of their calories by parenteral alimentation. The groups were similar with respect to birth weight, gestational age, sex, Apgar score, and major neonatal diagnoses. The early enteral feeds proved to be significantly beneficial without an increased incidence of complications. The PO group reached full enteral feedings faster than the NPO group (31.2 vs 47.3 days). The PO group had a greater decline in serum bilirubin concentration over the first 2 weeks of life and spent less time under phototherapy (6.8 vs 9.5 days). Less cholestasis was observed among the PO infants (6.7% vs 33%), and peak direct bilirubin levels were also lower (0.7 vs 2.5 mg/dL). Osteopenia of prematurity, manifested by significantly lower alkaline phosphatase activity, was also decreased in the PO group, perhaps because of greater calcium intake during the first month among PO infants (1.3 vs 0.8 g). Compared with complete bowel rest, early onset of hypocaloric enteral feedings has beneficial effects on indirect hyperbilirubinemia, cholestatic jaundice, and metabolic bone disease of very low birth weight infants.
Creating Pan-Karen Identity: The Wrist Tying Ceremony in the United States:

A movement to unite all Karen-language speaking people under the banner of a distinct and unified Karen identity has been afoot for more than a century. Buddhist and Christian Karens from Burma, now living in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, are forging – and contesting – a universal Karen identity through the celebration of the “traditional” wrist tying ceremony. This articulation of pan-Karen identity is an example of Baumann and Gingrich's (2004) theory of identity construction, which they call a “grammar of encompassment.” This case study shows that the theory, which claims that instances of encompassment are often contested by the encompassed (that is, the subordinate people whose alterity is denied), must be extended. In the United States, it is the encompassers (that is, the Christians who have greater economic and political power) who are the most deeply troubled by the denial of difference demanded by the discourse of encompassment.
Test of a new polarized hydrogen target (spin refrigerator) as neutron polarizer

Neutron-transmission measurements were made to determine the proton polarization in a single crystal of yttrium ethylsulfate with the aim of exploring its utilization as a spin filter for thermal and epithermal neutrons. The proton polarization is coupled to that of a paramagnetic ytterbium impurity simply by rotating the extremely anisotropic crystal in a magnetic field (spin refrigeration). A proton polarization of 41% was obtained in a helium bath near 1.2 K by rotating a large single crystal at a frequency of 150 sec/sup -1/ in a field of 14.6 kOe. The extrapolation of the results indicates that a proton polarization p/sub H/approx. =65% can be achieved with relatively simple technology. For this value of p/sub H/ the spin refrigerator becomes a competitive neutron spin filter.
Suspicion, Affective Response, and Educational Benefit as a Result of Deception in Psychology Research

This research evaluated participants' reactions to deception in experiments by having them participate in a replication of a deception experiment. Half of the participants were made aware of this deception immediately, whereas the other half were not. Participants reported little negative impact from being deceived, but significant negative effects were reported on the basis of receiving negative feedback (a manipulation in the deception experiment). Furthermore, participants who were informed of the deception became more suspicious than uninformed participants, and this effect lasted for 3 months after the initial experience. Thus, deception may not be as costly to participants as commonly believed. From a cost-benefit standpoint, other issues (e.g., suspicion and negative stimuli in experiments) should be of greater concern.
The Paradox of Japanese Women's Rising Imprisonment Rate

Abstract While there has been a marked decrease in the use of imprisonment in Japan in the post-War era, there has been a startling rise in the female incarceration rate of late. This upsurge is due primarily to the increase in prison admissions of females convicted of stimulant-drug offenses. A careful longitudinal analysis of the distribution of other crimes for which women are sent to prison is presented, as is a discussion of sentence length. The changing role of women in the Japanese culture is also examined.
The Food Environment and Student Weight Status, Los Angeles County, 2008-2009

Introduction One factor believed to affect overweight status is the food environment, or the distribution of outlets that serve healthful or unhealthful foods in residential areas, workplaces, and schools. Few studies have investigated the association between the food environment and the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the distribution of corner stores and fast food restaurants around Los Angeles County public schools and the prevalence of overweight among students.
A large supershell H II region complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the interstellar environment of SN 1987A

Results from narrow-bandpass optical imagery of the LMC, acquired prior to the supernova event are discussed, with special emphasis on the region about SN 1987A. The observations reveal the presence of an extremely large H II region complex, mostly embedded in an even larger dust ring. The H II region is roughly 1 kpc in diameter. This region is ionized by over 700 luminous OB stars that comprise the 'star clouds' dispersed throughout the region. The 1.5 x 2 kpc dimension of the large dust ring or supershell enshrouding this H II region is traced out as enhanced extinction in narrow-bandpass imagery of the continuum at 4215 A. The results also indicate that SN 1987A occurred in the cavity carved out by the combined stellar winds and the previous supernova explosions produced by the large number of massive stars in the region.
Kallikrein activates bradykinin B2 receptors in absence of kininogen

Kallikreins cleave plasma kininogens to release the bioactive peptides bradykinin (BK) or kallidin (Lys-BK). These peptides then activate widely disseminated B2 receptors with consequences that may...
Simple methods for measuring spatial coherence and their relation to the Wigner function

Measurements of the state of coherence of an optical field are important, for example, in the characterization of sources used for illumination in imaging systems. However, within the second order theory of coherence, this characterization amounts to the determination of a four-dimensional complex distribution. Therefore, the use of traditional techniques such as Young's two-pinhole setup would require a very large set of measurements. In this presentation several alternative approaches are described, which were inspired by the description of the field in terms of what is known as phase-space distributions, such as the Wigner and ambiguity functions. In particular, the Wigner function provides an intuitive description of partially coherent fields, which resembles the radiance from the theory of radiometry, i.e. it provides a weight to each ray in the system. One technique that can be used for the characterization of the field's coherence, known as phase-space tomography, is based on the recovery of the Wigner (or ambiguity) function from measurements of the optical intensity over a region of space. We will discuss the generalization of this technique beyond the paraxial regime through the use of generalizations of the Wigner and ambiguity functions. We will also present an alternative technique where the weight distribution of the subset of rays passing through a given point is recovered through the introduction of a transparent binary mask with a phase discontinuity. This technique provides simultaneously measurements of the coherence of the field at all pairs of points centered at this discontinuity.
Alcohol and Pregnancy and the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Foetal alcohol syndrome is a specific pattern of birth defects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. The syndrome's components include somatic growth restrictions, characteristic midface abnormalities and brain dysfunction. ‘Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders’ (FASDs) includes the broad range of offspring effects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol is a teratogenic drug to which the developing brain is particularly vulnerable. Alcohol induces brain injury and dysfunction in the offspring through a variety of mechanisms, one of the most important of which is neuronal death. Alcohol-induced neurodevelopmental sequelae most often include learning disorders, attention deficits and behaviour problems. These deficits can range from mild to severe, depending on dose and timing of the alcohol exposure, maternal and foetal genetics and other conditions of exposure. Because alcohol use is so prevalent and because the developing brain is so vulnerable, FASD is the most important preventable cause of cognitive deficiency in the western world. Key Concepts Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a constellation of developmental abnormalities that results from maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy. Components of FAS include prenatal and postnatal growth restrictions, a characteristic set of midface abnormalities and central nervous system dysfunction. ‘Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders’ (FASD) is an umbrella term that encompasses the full range of adverse effects of alcohol on the offspring. Many children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol have FASD, which most commonly manifests as neurodevelopmental problems, without having the full FAS syndrome. The brain is the most vulnerable of the foetal organs to alcohol-induced damage. Alcohol damages the developing brain in a variety of ways, one of the most important of which is neuronal death. The vulnerability of developing neurons to alcohol-induced injury depends on a variety of factors, including the dose and timing of alcohol exposure. Not all foetuses are equally vulnerable to alcohol-induced injury; some possess certain genes that can increase or decrease their susceptibility to alcohol teratogenesis. The most common neurodevelopmental problems induced by prenatal alcohol exposure are learning disorders, attention deficits and behaviour problems. People with FASD are often particularly disabled by severe deficits in executive functions, a group of cognitive integrative behaviours that reflect the ability to self-regulate, effectively plan, organise, keep focused on and carry out goal-directed activity. Keywords: foetal alcohol syndrome; foetal alcohol effects; birth defects; developmental disabilities; pregnancy outcome; alcohol
Nanostructured semiconductor films for photocatalysis. Photoelectrochemical behavior of SnO2/TiO2 composite systems and its role in photocatalytic degradation of a textile azo dye

Nanostructured semiconductor films of SnO2, TiO2 and SnO2/TiO2 have been employed for electrochemically assisted photocatalytic degradation of a textile azo dye naphthol blue black (NBB). The degradation rate is significantly higher for SnO2/TiO2 composite films than SnO2 and TiO2 films alone. An effort has been made to correlate the photoelectrochemical behavior of these films to the rate of photocatalytic degradation of NBB. The enhanced degradation rate of NBB using composite semiconductor films is attributed to increased charge separation in these systems. Photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic degradation experiments carried out in both nitrogen- and oxygen-saturated solutions with an externally applied electrochemical bias provide useful information in optimizing semiconductor concentrations in a composite film.
Stability constants for complexes of the siderophore desferrioxamine B with selected heavy metal cations

Abstract Potentiometric titrations of desferrioxamine B were performed in the presence of Zn(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Sn(II), Bi(III) and hg(II). Conditions were 0.1 ionic strength and 25 or 20 °C using KNO3, KCl or NaClO4 as supporting electrolyte. Stability constants for the metal complexes were estimated as follows; DFB-Zn(II): 9.55 in KNO3 at 25 °C, DFB-Pb(II): 10.00 in KNO3 at 25 °C, DFB-Sn(II): 21.14 in KCl at 25 °C, DFB-Cu(II): 13.73 in NaClO4 at 20 °C and 13.54 at 25 °C, DFB-Bi(III): > ∼ 23.5 in NaClO4 at 25 °C.
Optical Properties of [Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ as a Function of Nonaqueous Environment

The complex [Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ is not photoluminescent in water but does emit in nonaqueous solvents (alcohols, acetonitrile) and in the presence of hydrated polymers such as DNA. Here we examine the steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of [Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ in a series of nonaqueous solvents. We find that solvent polarity, as defined by the ET scale, is the single most important parameter in predicting luminescence lifetime and intensity in nonaqueous systems. These results are compared to the data for DNA, and the sequence-dependent microenvironment of the complex bound to DNA also follows the trends observed herein. The addition of high concentrations of water to solutions of [Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ dissolved in nonaqueous solvents leads to decreases in emission intensity that follow the Perrin sphere of quenching model. The nonradiative rate constants for luminescence decay increase as the solvent polarity increases, while the radiative rate constants are relatively unaffected by the local...
Influence of Ca-Based Sorbent Particle Size on the Occurrence of Solid−Solid Reactions during in-Situ Desulfurization of the Coal-Derived Gas

The introduction of sorbents into the gasifier during in-situ desulfurization processes using calcium-based sorbents leads to the occurrence of some reactions, mainly between the calcium (Ca) in the sorbents and some minerals contained in the ash, especially iron (Fe). These reactions, which are between solid phases (solid-solid), affect the absorption ability of the sorbents. The occurrence of solid-solid reactions, however, depends on a number of factors. In this paper, the effect of sorbent particle sizes on the occurrence of solid-solid reactions in desulfurization processes has been investigated using a laboratory-scale fixed bed reactor. Mineral compositions in the spent sorbent-ash mixture were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, and the elemental distribution within individual particles was determined by the electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). Results show that the occurrence of solid--solid reactions increases with decreasing particle size, which is accompanied with the reduction of the sulfur absorption ability of a sorbent. Increasing the iron concentration in the coal ash led to the occurrence of more solid-solid reactions, suggesting that in high-iron-content coals, the effects of solid--solid reactions may be more serious. Despite the fact that iron is the major player in the occurrence of solid-solid reactions, other minerals present in the ash seem to play a catalytic role.
Proton-induced X-ray cross sections for selected elements Fe to As and applications of X-ray analysis to semiconductor systems

Abstract Ionization cross sections and K shell X-ray production cross sections for the elements Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge and As have been measured for incident proton energies from 500 to 2000 keV. A 2 MV Van de Graaff was used to provide the protons and the X-ray energy spectra were measured with a high resolution Si(Li) detector. All measurements were made on thin targets (ϱ x ≃10–30 μg/cm 2 ) as determined by elastic proton scattering. Comparisons with the plane wave Born approximation and the binary encounter approximation theoretical models are made. Applications to Zn-implanted GaAsP have shown that, during an 850°C anneal process, a fraction of the implanted Zn is lost by out-diffusion through a deposited SiO 2 overcoat. Sensitivities for Zn in GaAsP are discussed. Profiling of As implanted in silicon by detecting the As K α X-rays has shown a lower sensitivity limit of 2×10 11 As/cm 2 under the beam with the limiting factor attributed to the proton-induced bremsstrahlung from the silicon substrate. Measurements of Ni-chrome films have been made to determine alloy composition for different deposition conditions and sputtering threshold effects are observed for NiCr systems.
Superfluid 3He and the Cuprate Superconductors

This chapter is devoted to a comparison of two apparently very different physical systems, superfluid liquid 3He and the cuprate superconductors. What these two systems have in common-at least according to almost universal belief-is that they are systems of Fermi particles, already very degenerate, in which not only are the “quasi-dielectronic molecules” which we call Cooper pairs formed, but once formed are automatically forced to occupy a single two-particle state, as regards both their center-of-mass motion and their internal structure. This phenomenon is very reminiscent of the phenomenon of Bose condensation which is almost universally believed to occur in the boson system liquid 4He below the λ-point, and has in the last few years been spectacularly demonstrated in a second Bose system, trapped ultracold monatomic alkali gases. It is therefore appropriate to start this chapter with a brief discussion of the more easily understood phenomenon of simple Bose condensation and its relationship to the apparently more complex behavior associated with Cooper pairing in degenerate Fermi systems.
An intronic splicing enhancer binds U1 snRNPs to enhance splicing and select 5' splice sites.

ABSTRACT Intronic G triplets are frequently located adjacent to 5′ splice sites in vertebrate pre-mRNAs and have been correlated with splicing efficiency and specificity via a mechanism that activates upstream 5′ splice sites in exons containing duplicated sites (26). Using an intron dependent upon G triplets for maximal activity and 5′ splice site specificity, we determined that these elements bind U1 snRNPs via base pairing with U1 RNA. This interaction is novel in that it uses nucleotides 8 to 10 of U1 RNA and is independent of nucleotides 1 to 7. In vivo functionality of base pairing was documented by restoring activity and specificity to mutated G triplets through compensating U1 RNA mutations. We suggest that the G-rich region near vertebrate 5′ splice sites promotes accurate splice site recognition by recruiting the U1 snRNP.
Medical Image Analysis for Image Guided Therapy

The field of image guided therapy has advanced dramatically over the past decade. Innovations in imaging and image analysis have enabled key improvements in a) preoperative planning, b) intraoperative targeting, navigation and control, and c) postoperative assessment. We describe recent algorithmic advances that have enabled enhanced planning of the neurosurgical trajectory from preoperative structural, functional and diffusion tensor MRI, enabled image guided monitoring and navigation based on intraoperative MRI and nonrigid registration for multi-modality fusion with preoperative images, and enabled quantification of postoperative tumor resection through image segmentation.
Execution time behavior of certain high level language constructs on a feedback data flow architecture.

This paper explores the behavior of certain high level language constructs when they are translated to a data flow language and executed on a feedback data flow processor. The better overlapped execution of iterations that may be obtained using repeat ... until construct compared to while ... do construct is demonstrated. The ease with which nested conditional statements can be processed on a data flow processor without using any special purpose processor is also demonstrated.
Some Studies of Radio Broadcast Coverage in the Middle West

Studies of the radio field intensities produced by broadcasting stations throughout the states of North and South Dakota and Minnesota have been made. From these studies and from information concerning the service rendered standards of service based upon field intensities have been suggested for daylight broadcasting in rural communities. Data concerning the distribution of radio sets throughout the three states in question have been gathered and ratios showing the percentage of families owning radio receiving sets have been calculated. The lack of correlation between this percentage and the availability of daylight broadcast service has been pointed out together with the fact that a large majority of radio listeners must rely entirely upon night-time reception from relatively distant stations. Some of the factors affecting reception from distant stations are mentioned. The apparent correlation between rapidity of fading and distance to the transmitting set is illustrated by fading curves.
Sliding trochanteric osteotomy in acetabular fractures: A review of 30 cases

Summary Objective To assess the results of using sliding trochanteric osteotomy as an adjunct procedure for acetabular fractures. Design Retrospective review. Setting Level 1 trauma centre. Methods Thirty patients (19 men, 11 women, mean age 40 years, range 23–80 years) having fracture of acetabulum underwent sliding trochanteric osteotomy for a better exposure of the fracture involving the dome of acetabulum during the period January 1999–January 2004. Main outcome measurements Clinical evaluation was based on modified Merle d’ Aubigne and Postel scoring. Motor strength of the abductors was evaluated according to the Medical Research Council (MRC) grading system. Radiographic evaluation of the joint was also documented. Results All the osteotomies healed within 12 weeks without any proximal migration except for one patient with infection in whom nonunion occurred. Two patients underwent removal of implants from greater trochanter because of irritation. The strength of the abductors was of Grade 2/5 in one patient, Grade 3/5 in one patient, Grade 4/5 in six patients and Grade 5/5 in the rest. Clinical scoring was excellent to good in 77%. Heterotopic ossification occurred in six patients and was of modified Brooker's classes 1 and 2. Conclusions This technique can be relied upon to provide an adequate exposure of the dome of acetabulum without the associated complications like malunion, non-union, etc., known to occur with standard oblique osteotomy.
Wavelength-insensitive nonadiabatic mode evolution couplers

We investigate the wavelength insensitivity and fabrication error tolerance of the relative output amplitude and phase for a new type of optical coupler. This new coupler overcomes the long-length requirements of adiabatic couplers, yet achieves similar desirable properties. The three-space geometrical representation of coupled-mode theory, used as the design and analysis method, is presented and an example of a 3-dB coupler is examined.
Effects of target typicality on categorical search

The role of target typicality in a categorical visual search task was investigated by cueing observers with a target name, followed by a five-item target present/absent search array in which the target images were rated in a pretest to be high, medium, or low in typicality with respect to the basic-level target cue. Contrary to previous work, we found that search guidance was better for high-typicality targets compared to low-typicality targets, as measured by both the proportion of immediate target fixations and the time to fixate the target. Consistent with previous work, we also found an effect of typicality on target verification times, the time between target fixation and the search judgment; as target typicality decreased, verification times increased. To model these typicality effects, we trained Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers on the target categories, and tested these on the corresponding specific targets used in the search task. This analysis revealed significant differences in classifier confidence between the high-, medium-, and low-typicality groups, paralleling the behavioral results. Collectively, these findings suggest that target typicality broadly affects both search guidance and verification, and that differences in typicality can be predicted by distance from an SVM classification boundary.
Impact Resistance of Woven Fabrics

A comprehensive model is presented to study the deformation of and damage to woven fabrics under small projectile impacts. The approach dynamically follows the strain wave propagation along each in...
Privatization in Central Europe: The Case of Housing Policy in Hungary

Policymakers in Central and Eastern Europe are encountering difficulties in resolving the clash between market efficiency and distributional equity. A similar tension characterized post-war Western Europe. However, in Central and Eastern Europe expectations emanating from the previous regime presume that distributional equity will compensate for the lack of market efficiency. The possible resolution of this tension is discussed in the context of the privatization in Hungary.
Radiology of nonaccidental trauma

The long-term outlook for infants subjected to nonaccidental trauma is bleak. In a retrospective study with a mean 9-year follow-up, Duhaime et al [63] noted the relationship between acute factors on presentation and the long-term outcome. Infants who were unresponsive on presentation remained vegetative or severely impaired at follow-up. Most of the infants who required intubations were severely impaired at follow-up. In those with acute seizures, 60% were severely impaired, and an equal number had moderately severe to good outcome. Less than 6 months of age at the time of insult resulted in severe disability in most infants. CT findings of diffuse hypodensity or loss of gray-white differentiation led to severe disability at follow-up. Focal areas of hypodensity or contusion had an equal probability of good outcome or severe disability. Child abuse unfortunately is prevalent in our society, and as physicians our profession requires that we help our patients. When dealing with one of our most vulnerable group of patients, it is imperative when a child with injury is examined that physicians keep in their differential child abuse. This article has provided information in regards to radiographic studies that assist a physician in diagnosing child abuse. The importance of this not only is in providing appropriate care, but far more importantly in protecting a child or his or her siblings from future abuse. Language: en
Examining a Mathematical Model of Mastery Learning in a Classroom Setting.

The purpose of mathematical models in any discipline is to describe accurately the relationships among significant variables of a system. The use of mathematical models is widespread in the sciences, but has rarely found its way into educational research. In developing a mathematical model for mastery learning, empirical research has shown that prior learning, motivation, and time on task are part of the significant variables that work together in some way in a determination of student achievement. A mathematical model that shows the relationship among these variables has been developed. To test the appropriateness of this mathematical model, carefully designed and controlled experiments must be conducted to collect numerical data on the significant variables. Using the model, the accuracy of its predictions can be compared with actual results. This is the technique used in testing mathematical models in the sciences and should be applicable to mathematical models of learning.
Effect of isolated hyperglycemia on native mechanical and biologic shoulder joint properties in a rat model

Recently, diabetes has been linked to rotator cuff disease and adhesive capsulitis, conditions with increased stiffness and inflammation. Unfortunately, limited research exists examining how hyperglycemia affects the native shoulder (tendon and capsule) properties. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare shoulder joint mechanics, tendon properties (mechanics and immunohistochemistry), and capsule of healthy control and hyperglycemic rats 8 weeks following induction of hyperglycemia with a submaximal dose of streptozotocin (STZ). Eighteen rats were injected with STZ to induce hyperglycemia or citrate buffer (control) and underwent normal cage activity for 8 weeks. Passive joint mechanics demonstrated significantly less external rotation in the hyperglycemic group compared to controls, with no other group differences. Tendon mechanical properties (stiffness and modulus) were not significantly different between groups at both the insertion site and mid-substance. Immunohistochemistry staining of the tendon and capsule demonstrated significantly increased interleukin 1-beta (IL1-β) and advanced glycated end-products (AGE) staining localized to the insertion and mid-substance of the tendon but not the capsule. In addition, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) staining was significantly increased in the superior capsule but not the supraspinatus tendon. This study demonstrates that isolated hypergylcemia does not diminish shoulder mechanical properties but does induce a chronic inflammatory response.
Integration of lakes and streams in a landscape perspective: the importance of material processing on spatial patterns and temporal coherence

SUMMARY 1. We studied the spatial and temporal patterns of change in a suite of twenty-one chemical and biological variables in a lake district in arctic Alaska, U.S.A. The study included fourteen stream sites and ten lake sites, nine of which were in a direct series of surface drainage. All twenty-four sites were sampled between one and five times a year from 1991 to 1997. 2. Stream sites tended to have higher values of major anions and cations than the lake sites, while the lake sites had higher values of particulate carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and chlorophyll a. There were consistent and statistically significant differences in concentrations of variables measured at the inlet versus the outlet of lakes, and in variables measured at upstream versus downstream sites in the stream reaches which connect the lakes. In-lake processing tended to consume alkalinity, conductivity, H + , DIC, Ca 2+ ,M g 2+ , CO2 ,C H 4, and NO3 ‐ , and produce K + and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In-stream processing resulted in the opposite trends (e.g. consumption of K + and DOC), and the magnitudes of change were often similar to those measured in the lakes but with the opposite sign. 3. Observed spatial patterns in the study lakes included mean concentrations of variables which increased, decreased or were constant along the lake chain from high to low altitude in the catchment (stream sites showed no spatial patterns with any variables). The strongest spatial patterns were of increasing conductivity, Ca 2+ ,M g 2+ , alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and pH with lake chain number (high to low altitude in the basin). These patterns were partly determined by the effect of increasing catchment area feeding into lakes further downslope, and partly by the systematic processing of materials in lakes and in the stream segments between lakes. 4. Synchrony (the temporal coherence or correlation of response) of variables across all lakes ranged from 0.18 for particulate phosphorus to 0.90 for Mg 2+ ; the average synchrony for all twenty-one variables was 0.50. The synchronous behaviour of lake pairs was primarily related to the spatial location or proximity of the lakes for all variables taken together and for many individual variables, and secondarily, to the catchment to lake area ratio and the water residence time. 5. These results illustrate that, over small geographic areas, and somewhat independent of lake or stream morphometry, the consistent and directional (downslope) processing of
Theoretical study of the CH bond dissociation energy of acetylene

Abstract We present a theoretical study of the convergence of the CH bond dissociation energy ( D 0 ) of acetylene with respect to both the one- and n -particle spaces. Our best estimate for D 0 of 130.1 ± 1.0 kcal/mol is slightly below previous theoretical estimates, but substantially above the value determined using Stark anticrossing spectroscopy that is asserted to be an upper bound.
The elusive concept of brain connectivity.

Neurons and neural populations do not function as islands onto themselves. Rather, they interact with other such elements through their afferent and efferent connections in an orchestrated manner so as to enable different sensorimotor and cognitive tasks to be performed. The concept of functional connectivity and the allied notion of effective connectivity were introduced to designate the functional strengths of such interactions. Functional neuroimaging methods, especially PET and fMRI, have been used extensively to evaluate the functional connectivity between different brain regions. After providing a brief historical review of these notions of brain connectivity, I argue that the conceptual formulations of functional and effective connectivity are far from clear. Specifically, the terms functional and effective connectivity are applied to quantities computed on types of functional imaging data (e.g., PET, fMRI, EEG) that vary in spatial, temporal, and other features, using different definitions (even for data of the same modality) and employing different computational algorithms. Until it is understood what each definition means in terms of an underlying neural substrate, comparisons of functional and/or effective connectivity across studies may appear inconsistent and should be performed with great caution.
First-principles based microkinetic modeling of borohydride oxidation on a Au(1 1 1) electrode

Abstract Borohydride oxidation electrokinetics over the Au(1 1 1) surface are simulated using first-principles determined elementary rate constants and a microkinetic model. A method to approximate the potential dependent elementary step activation barriers based on density functional theory calculations is developed and applied to the minimum energy path for borohydride oxidation. Activation barriers of the equivalent non-electrochemical reactions are calculated and made potential dependent using the Butler–Volmer equation. The kinetic controlled region of the borohydride oxidation reaction linear sweep voltammogram over the Au(1 1 1) surface is simulated. The simulation results suggest that B–H bond containing species are stable surface intermediates at potentials where an oxidation current is observed. The predicted rate is most sensitive to the symmetry factor and the BH 2 OH dissociation barrier. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy confirms the presence of BH 3 as a stable intermediate.
Crowdsourcing Tags in Accounting and Finance: Review, Analysis, and Emerging Issues

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the use of crowdsourcing informal and discretionary tags in accounting and finance. Crowd-provided tags employ short amounts of text to capture some characteristic(s) of documents, messages, financial information, and other objects. Increasingly, tagging is being used in systems for knowledge management, including facilitating search and categorization. The paper reviews previous research on tagging, summarizes accounting applications of crowdsourced tags, investigates problems associated with using crowdsourced tags in accounting, and generates a number of potential research issues. Empirical analysis of Delicious and Twitter data are used to illustrate some of the concepts associated with the emerging technology of crowdsourced tags in accounting and finance. Empirical analysis finds that users provide different tags for the same concept, potentially making it difficult to use tags for search purposes. In addition, users appear to generate redundant tags, with many tags sim...
Adult-onset cerebellar cortical abiotrophy and retinal degeneration in a domestic shorthair cat.

A 4-year-old, neutered male domestic shorthair cat presented for evaluation of ataxia and visual deficits. Neurological examination revealed severe cerebellar ataxia with symmetrical hypermetria and spasticity, a coarse whole-body tremor, positional vertical nystagmus, and frequent loss of balance. A menace response was absent bilaterally, and the pupils were widely dilated in room light. A funduscopic examination revealed markedly attenuated to absent retinal vessels and pronounced tapetal hyperreflectivity, findings consistent with end-stage retinal degeneration. Blood work evaluation included retroviral testing, a complete blood count, serum biochemistry analysis, taurine levels, and toxoplasma immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M titers. All were within reference ranges. The patient was euthanized, and a necropsy was performed. Microscopically, lesions of the nervous system were confined to the cerebellum and were consistent with cerebellar cortical abiotrophy. Selective photoreceptor degeneration wa...
Transferrin receptor in T cell activation and transplantation

Transferrin receptor (TfR) expression is up-regulated during T cell activation after the interaction of the T cell receptor with the antigen-major histocompatibility complex and the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor. We hypothesize that anti-TfR monoclonal antibody (mAb) will prolong allograft survival by altering T cell responses. In a murine heterotopic nonvascularized cardiac allograft model, CBA/J (H-2k) recipients were transplanted with neonatal C57BL/6 (H-2b) donor hearts. Anti-TfR or isotype-matched control mAbs (100 microg) were administered at the time of transplantation and on the following day. Splenocytes from naive CBA/J mice were stimulated in vitro with C57BL/6 alloantigen. Anti-TfR mAb was administered at 5 microg/mL during the initiation of culture. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and mixed lymphocyte responses (MLR) were performed to assess T cell function. After 24 h in culture, cells were harvested, RNA isolated, and semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction performed. Anti-TfR mAb prolonged allograft survival to 25.7 +/- 0.9 days compared to the isotype control (10.7 +/- 0.4 days, P < 0.01, Wilcoxon rank sum). Anti-TfR mAb completely abrogated the CTL response and suppressed the MLR by 70-86% compared to the isotype controls. Anti-TfR mAb suppressed IL-2, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-10, and IL-12 p40 mRNA expression, but had no effect on IL-4, IL-12 p35, and IL-15 mRNA expression. In conclusion, anti-TfR mAb prolongs allograft survival, suppresses T cell function, and alters IL-2, IL-10, IL-12 p40, and IFN-gamma mRNA expression. These data suggest that the down-regulation in IL-12 mRNA by anti-TfR mAb may prevent the development of T helper cells, thereby promoting graft survival and altering cell-mediated immune responses. The partial effect by anti-TfR mAb on cytokine mRNA expression may be due to other contributing factors such as costimulation.
Molecular requirements for a pandemic influenza virus: An acid-stable hemagglutinin protein

Influenza pandemics require that a virus containing a hemagglutinin (HA) surface antigen previously unseen by a majority of the population becomes airborne-transmissible between humans. Although the HA protein is central to the emergence of a pandemic influenza virus, its required molecular properties for sustained transmission between humans are poorly defined. During virus entry, the HA protein binds receptors and is triggered by low pH in the endosome to cause membrane fusion; during egress, HA contributes to virus assembly and morphology. In 2009, a swine influenza virus (pH1N1) jumped to humans and spread globally. Here we link the pandemic potential of pH1N1 to its HA acid stability, or the pH at which this one-time-use nanomachine is either triggered to cause fusion or becomes inactivated in the absence of a target membrane. In surveillance isolates, our data show HA activation pH values decreased during the evolution of H1N1 from precursors in swine (pH 5.5-6.0), to early 2009 human cases (pH 5.5), and then to later human isolates (pH 5.2-5.4). A loss-of-function pH1N1 virus with a destabilizing HA1-Y17H mutation (pH 6.0) was less pathogenic in mice and ferrets, less transmissible by contact, and no longer airborne-transmissible. A ferret-adapted revertant (HA1-H17Y/HA2-R106K) regained airborne transmissibility by stabilizing HA to an activation pH of 5.3, similar to that of human-adapted isolates from late 2009-2014. Overall, these studies reveal that a stable HA (activation pH ≤ 5.5) is necessary for pH1N1 influenza virus pathogenicity and airborne transmissibility in ferrets and is associated with pandemic potential in humans.
CAD/CAM Data Representation and Interchange: An Assessment of Current Practice and Future Trends

This paper presents the findings of research conducted in the College of Engineering at Louisiana Tech University. The objective of the project was to study the effects of emerging technological developments within the CAD/CAM industry and university environments. The research project consisted of four work tasks: three which involved extensive surveys of published literature in areas associated with CAD/CAM data representation, translation and interchange, and the fourth which included surveys of CAD/CAM system vendors.
Modeling performance of internet-based services using causal reasoning

The performance of Internet-based services depends on many server-side, client-side, and network related factors. Often, the interaction among the factors or their effect on service performance is not known or well-understood. The complexity of these services makes it difficult to develop analytical models. Lack of models impedes network management tasks, such as predicting performance while planning for changes to service infrastructure, or diagnosing causes of poor performance. We posit that we can use statistical causal methods to model performance for Internet-based services and facilitate performance related network management tasks. Internet-based services are well-suited for statistical learning because the inherent variability in many factors that affect performance allows us to collect comprehensive datasets that cover service performance under a wide variety of conditions. These conditional distributions represent the functions that govern service performance and dependencies that are inherent in the service infrastructure. These functions and dependencies are accurate and can be used in lieu of analytical models to reason about system performance, such as predicting performance of a service when changing some factors, finding causes of poor performance, or isolating contribution of individual factors in observed performance. We present three systems, What-if Scenario Evaluator (WISE), How to Improve Performance (HIP), and Network Access Neutrality Observatory (NANO), that use statistical causal methods to facilitate network management tasks. WISE predicts performance for what-if configurations and deployment questions for content distribution networks. For this, WISE learns the causal dependency structure among the latency-causing factors, and when one or more factors is changed, WISE estimates effect on other factors using the dependency structure. HIP extends WISE and uses the causal dependency structure to invert the performance function, find causes of poor performance, and help answers questions about how to improve performance or achieve performance goals. NANO uses causal inference to quantify the impact of discrimination policies of ISPs on service performance. NANO is the only tool to date for detecting destination-based discrimination techniques that ISPs may use. We have evaluated these tools by application to large-scale Internet-based services and by experiments on wide-area Internet. WISE is actively used at Google for predicting network-level and browser-level response time for Web search for new datacenter deployments. We have used HIP to find causes of high-latency Web search transactions in Google, and identified many cases where high-latency transactions can be significantly mitigated with simple infrastructure changes. We have evaluated NANO using experiments on wide-area Internet and also made the tool publicly available to recruit users and deploy NANO at a global scale.
Conceptual Model of Iodine Behavior in the Subsurface at the Hanford Site

The fate and transport of 129I in the environment and potential remediation technologies are currently being studied as part of environmental remediation activities at the Hanford Site. A conceptual model describing the nature and extent of subsurface contamination, factors that control plume behavior, and factors relevant to potential remediation processes is needed to support environmental remedy decisions. Because 129I is an uncommon contaminant, relevant remediation experience and scientific literature are limited. Thus, the conceptual model also needs to both describe known contaminant and biogeochemical process information and to identify aspects about which additional information needed to effectively support remedy decisions. this document summarizes the conceptual model of iodine behavior relevant to iodine in the subsurface environment at the Hanford site.