cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural ceramics

Ceramics for high temperature structural applications have a great promise but are hampered because of brittle behavior and lack of acceptable reliability in critical applications. Brittleness is counteracted by ductility and toughness. Early studies dealt with dislocation motion in the grains in an effort to realize ductility. Development of toughness is based on limited crack nucleation and reduction of crack propagation. These studies are most favorable and are being diligently pursued. Reliability is based on uniformity and reproducibility. A critical factor is the occurrence of flaws and defects in a non-uniform manner, both in terms of their nature and distribution. Good processing and fabrication reduces the flaws and assures uniformity of the character (or microstructure) reproducibly. This objective is dependent on the development of a science of ceramic processing.
Resource constrained project scheduling using simulated annealing and tabu search

The concept of the critical path is widely adopted by project managers to identify those activities most worthy of their attention. When resource availability is limited, the critical path is determined not only by the technology relationships but also the resource dependencies. The method of calculating resource constrained float proposed by Bowers is carefully examined and modified in this paper. A new type oflink "precedence link" is proposed in this paper. By introducing the precedence links, the calculation oflatest start times of activities is easier than Bowers' method. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is able to identify the critical paths for the schedules of Patterson's 110 test projects.
Binding of calpain fragments to calpastatin

Their cDNA-derived amino acid sequences predict that the 80-kDa subunits of the micromolar and millimolar Ca(2+)-requiring forms of the Ca(2+)-dependent proteinase (mu- and m-calpain, respectively) each consist of four domains and that the 28-kDa subunit common to both mu- and m-calpain consists of two domains. The calpains were allowed to autolyze to completion, and the autolysis products were separated and were characterized by using gel permeation chromatography, calpastatin affinity chromatography, and sequence analysis. Three major fragments were obtained after autolysis of either calpain. The largest fragment (34 kDa for mu-calpain, 35 kDa for m-calpain) contains all of domain II, the catalytic domain, plus part of domain I of the 80-kDa subunit of mu- or m-calpain. This fragment does not bind to calpastatin, a competitive inhibitor of the calpains, and has no proteolytic activity in either the absence or presence of Ca2+. The second major fragment (21 kDa for mu-calpain and 22 kDa for m-calpain) contains domain IV, the calmodulin-like domain, plus approximately 50 amino acids from domain III of the 80-kDa subunit of mu- or m-calpain. The third major fragment (18 kDa) contains domain VI, the calmodulin-like domain of the 28-kDa subunit. The second and third major fragments bind to a calpastatin affinity column in the presence of Ca2+ and are eluted with EDTA. The second and third fragments are noncovalently bound, so the 80- and 28-kDa subunits of the intact calpain molecules are noncovalently bound at domains IV and VI. After separation in 1 M NaSCN, the 28-kDa subunit binds completely to calpastatin, approximately 30-40% of the 80-kDa subunit of mu-calpain binds to calpastatin, and the 80-kDa subunit of m-calpain does not bind to calpastatin in the presence of 1 mM Ca2+.
Fusion products, Kostka polynomials and fermionic characters of su(r +1 ) k

Using a form factor approach, we define and compute the character of the fusion product of rectangular representations of � su(r +1 ). This character decomposes into a sum of characters of irreducible representations, but with q-dependent coefficients. We identify these coefficients as (generalized) Kostka polynomials. Using this result, we obtain a formula for the characters of arbitrary integrable highest weight representations of � su(r +1 ) in terms of the fermionic characters of the rectangular highest weight representations.
A Machine-Checked Theory of Floating Point Arithmetic

Intel is applying formal Verification to various pieces of mathematical software used in Merced, the first implementation of the new IA-64 architecture. This paper discusses the development of a generic floating point library giving definitions of the fundamental terms and containing formal proofs of important lemmas. We also briefly describe how this has been used in the Verification effort so far.
Truth Becomes Fiction When Fiction Is True: The Story of the Stone and the Visual Culture of the Manchu Court

This paper seeks to interpret The Story of the Stone with reference to the visual culture of the Manchu court. It argues that the Yongzheng reign (1723–1735) inaugurated a new era of visual culture when jia (the unreal or fiction) became itself a productive concept and an indispensable visual device in the illusionistic paintings and interior decoration of the Manchu palaces and gardens. In addressing the intricate interplay and intersections of zhen (the real or true) and jia, The Story of the Stone does more than rehash an inherited literary theme or rhetorical device. Drawing heavily on the contemporary paintings and decorative art of the imperial court, it gives both a gripping expression to and a sophisticated spin on the visual penchant and sensibility of the Manchu royal house and aristocracy.
Regulatory mutations in CHO cells induce expression of the mouse embryonic antigen SSEA-1.

Two rare and dominant mutants of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, LEC11 and LEC12, express the mouse embryonic antigen SSEA-1. Parental CHO cells and the revertants, LEC11.R9 and LEC12.R10, do not express this antigen as detected by a sensitive radioimmunoassay with a monoclonal antibody to SSEA-1. The presence of the SSEA-1 determinant correlates with the apparent de novo expression of specific N-acetylglucosaminide alpha(1,3)fucosyltransferase activities not detected in parental or revertant cell extracts. Several differences in the enzymes substrate specificities and their products have been identified. The combined data suggest that LEC11 and LEC12 mutants result from regulatory mutations affecting different fucosyltransferase genes.
Biomimetic transport and rational drug delivery.

Medicine and pharmaceutics are encountering critical needs and opportunities for transvascular drug delivery that improves site targeting and tissue permeation by mimicking natural tissue addressing and transport mechanisms. This is driven by the accelerated development of genomic agents requiring targeted controlled release. Although rationally designed for in vitro activity, such agents are not highly effective in vivo, due to opsonization and degradation by plasma constituents, and failure to transport across the local vascular endothelium and tissue matrix. A growing knowledge of the addresses of the body can be applied to engineer "Bio-Logically" staged delivery systems with sequential bioaddressins complementary to the discontinuous compartments encountered--termed discontinuum pharmaceutics. Effective tissue targeting is accomplished by leukocytes, bacteria, and viruses. We are increasingly able to mimic their bioaddressins by genomic means. Approaches described in this commentary include: (a) endothelial-directed adhesion mediated by oligosaccharides and carbohydrates (e.g. dermatan sulfate as a mimic of sulfated CD44) and peptidomimetics interacting with adhesins, selectins, integrins, hyaluronans, and locally induced growth factors (e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) and coagulation factors (e.g. factor VIII antigen); (b) improved tissue permeation conferred by hydrophilically "cloaked" carrier systems; (c) "uncloaking" by matrix dilution or selective triggering near the target cells; and (d) target binding-internalization by terminally exposed hydrophobic moieties, cationic polymers, and receptor-binding lectins, peptides, or carbohydrates. This commentary also describes intermediate technology solutions (e.g. "hybrid drugs"), and highlights the high-resolution, dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and radiopharmaceutical imaging technologies plus the groups and organizations capable of accelerating these important initiatives.
Studies of biosynthesis of waxes by developing jojoba seed: III. Biosynthesis of wax esters from Acyl-CoA and long chain alcohols

Acyl-CoA: alcohol transacylase activity was demonstrated in cell-free homogenates of developing jojoba seeds. The optimal pH was 8.0–8.1. Under optimal conditions, wax formation had a nearly linear relationship with extract concentration; the time course of wax formation was also linear up to 30 min.cis-11-Eicosenol was the most effective alcohol substrate whereas tetradecanol, octadecanol, dodecanol,cis-9-octadecanol, andcis-13-eicosenol gave progressively lower activities. Either saturated or unsaturated acyl-CoA with 18 or 20 C-atoms had similar activity. The enzyme was fairly stable at 0 C, less stable at RT and labile above 30 C. Differential centrifugation showed that the 12,000 × g fat pad was the most active in wax formation; to maximize the activity, a 12,000 × g supernatant appeared to be necessary. This factor in the supermatant was thermolabile and nondialyzable.
Synthesis of modified SiO2 networks: Polydimethylsiloxane-SiO2 organic-inorganic hybrids via sol-gel chemistry

Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-SiO2 organic-inorganic hybrid networks were synthesized by a two-step, catalyst-free sol-gel process. Reactive PSX (polydimethylsiloxane) oligomers with methoxysilyl end-groups were used as the organic component, and tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS) as the inorganic component of the hybrid. Our studies show that uncatalyzed sol-gel reactions based on TMOS can reach gelation in 7.5 h when reacted at room temperature, with a stoichiometric amount of water necessary for complete hydrolysis in the initial stages, and at a high concentration of reacting species. The relatively neutral reaction environment of this catalyst-free process is important in the synthesis of PSX-SiO2 hybrid networks because it prevents redistribution reactions of PSX modifiers, especially when higher temperatures are used for the drying of the gels. The PSX-SiO2 hybrid networks have reduced polarity, increased water resistance, and improved toughness compared to inorganic SiO2 networks produced under similar conditions.
Identifying trends in sports-related ocular injury among 10-19 year olds

INTRODUCTION: Sports-related injuries have long been cited as one of the chief causes of ocular trauma in young people age 1019. Accordingly, sports regulatory bodies have increasingly supported the use of protective eyewear, with some going so far as to mandate its use in competition. We sought to identify the effect of such interventions on ocular trauma-related visits to Emergency Departments in the US.
BRCA1 and BRCA2: important differences with common interests

The Opinion article we wrote (BRCA1 and BRCA2: different roles in a common pathway of genome protection. Nature Rev. Cancer 12, 68–78 (2012))1 on the functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 and their different roles in a common pathway of genome protection has generated correspondence by Yu and Shao (Initiation, evolution, phenotype and outcome of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation-associated breast cancer. Nature Rev. Cancer 24 Apr 2012 (doi:10.1038/nrc3181-c1))2 and by Joosse (BRCA1 and BRCA2: a common pathway of genome protection but different breast cancer subtypes. Nature Rev. Cancer 24 Apr 2012 (doi:10.1038/nrc3181-c2))3. This correspondence implies that we have under-represented the differences between BRCA1 and BRCA2. On the contrary, as our title suggests, we emphasized two issues: the common pathway and the different roles. Given that the two proteins clearly have different biochemical functions and operate at different stages in the DNA damage response it is utterly remarkable that mutations in either gene produce an almost identical human syndrome, emphasizing the importance of their involvement in a common pathway. The differences in the subtypes of breast cancer seen in carriers of germline mutation in BRCA1 compared with carriers of BRCA2 mutation are also fascinating and must be connected to their different roles. Our intention was not to minimize the differences between BRCA1 and BRCA2, but to see the entire picture more clearly. The Fanconi anaemia pathway works closely with homologous recombination (HR), but has an entirely different human syndrome that is inherited in an autosomal-recessive manner (rather than in an autosomal-dominant manner as is the case for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer). Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and Fanconi anaemia are both diseases that derive from effects on proliferating cells, but their tissue specificity is entirely different.
Corporate governance and firm performance: Some evidence from Chinese listed companies

Abstract This study explores the linkage between the unique aspects of corporate governance system of Chinese listed companies and firm performance. Test results provide evidence that blockholding effect differs not only between state versus legal person ownership, but also between ownership by financial versus non-financial institutions. Majority ownership by state (legal person)-dominated financial institutions is found to have a negative (positive) impact on firm performance. Outside directorship and CEO independence are found to have a positive effect on firm performance, and the effect is stronger for state-dominated than legal person-dominated firms. The size of supervisory committee (part of the two-tier board structure) has a positive effect on the performance of both state and legal person-dominated firms. These findings provide interesting insights on the development of corporate governance of listed companies in a transition economy. © City University of Hong Kong.
EVIDENCE FOR JAK-STAT INTERACTION IN CHANNEL CATFISH LYMPHOID CELLS

Abstract Herein is described the identification of a putative Jak molecule in the channel catfish. A commercially available polyclonal antibody against human Jak1 was shown to react in Western blot analyses with molecules of ∼140, 80, and 60 kDa from cell lysates of catfish long-term lymphoid cell lines. It is postulated that the 140 kDa protein is a catfish Jak homolog and the 80 and 60 kDa proteins may represent breakdown products of the 140 kDa protein. Both the 140 and 60 kDa proteins appear to be constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated in channel catfish long-term leukocyte lines. Furthermore, immuno-precipitation studies indicate an association between the Jak molecule and a STAT molecule in cloned T cell lines, and to a much lesser extent in cloned B cell lines, indicative of a possible autocrine stimulatory pathway in catfish long-term T cell lines.
Shape control in engineering of polymeric nanoparticles for therapeutic delivery

Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of therapeutics holds great potential for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases. Significant advances have been made in the design of new polymeric nanoparticle carriers through modulation of their physical and chemical structures and biophysical properties. Nanoparticle shape has been increasingly proposed as an important attribute dictating their transport properties in biological milieu. In this review, we highlight three major methods for preparing polymeric nanoparticles that allow for exquisite control of particle shape. Special attention is given to various approaches to controlling nanoparticle shape by tuning copolymer structural parameters and assembly conditions. This review also provides comparisons of these methods in terms of their unique capabilities, materials choices, and specific delivery cargos, and summarizes the biological effects of nanoparticle shape on transport properties at the tissue and cellular levels.
Automatic field problem formulation for CAE stations

A requirement for the successful spread of computer‐aided engineering techniques in the analysis of electromagnetic devices is that the program should be usable by the uninitiated. Many advances have been made in devising interactive, easy to use programs that can be used in the classroom and in design. However, the use of these programs presupposes the ability of the user to formulate the correct boundary‐value problem. While it is straightforward to impose a far‐away Dirichlet boundary, lines of symmetry must be used to reduce the problem to a smaller one with the proper Dirichlet and Neumann boundaries, and no program does this. In this paper a program that automatically formulates the problem is introduced. The rules for searching for lines of symmetry and region reduction are formalized for axisymmetric and translationally symmetric problems.
Competitive electron impact induced methylene imine elimination from methyl‐ and dimethylamino N‐heterocycles. 1—substituted melamines

Competitive intramolecular expulsion of methylene imine is evaluated for heterocyclic methylamino and dimethylamino substituents using selectively labelled N2,N2,N4-trimethylmelamine. In this compound methylene imine expulsion from the dimethylamino group is favored by more than 2:1 over loss from the methylamino group. The effects of other fragmentations and hydrogen randomisation are estimated independently using methylmelamines with each of the groups as the sole source of methylene imine loss.
Multisensory integration across the senses in young and old adults.

Abstract Stimuli are processed concurrently and across multiple sensory inputs. Here we directly compared the effect of multisensory integration (MSI) on reaction time across three paired sensory inputs in eighteen young (M = 19.17 years) and eighteen old (M = 76.44 years) individuals. Participants were determined to be non-demented and without any medical or psychiatric conditions that would affect their performance. Participants responded to randomly presented unisensory (auditory, visual, somatosensory) stimuli and three paired sensory inputs consisting of auditory–somatosensory (AS) auditory–visual (AV) and visual–somatosensory (VS) stimuli. Results revealed that reaction time (RT) to all multisensory pairings was significantly faster than those elicited to the constituent unisensory conditions across age groups; findings that could not be accounted for by simple probability summation. Both young and old participants responded the fastest to multisensory pairings containing somatosensory input. Compared to younger adults, older adults demonstrated a significantly greater RT benefit when processing concurrent VS information. In terms of co-activation, older adults demonstrated a significant increase in the magnitude of visual–somatosensory co-activation (i.e., multisensory integration), while younger adults demonstrated a significant increase in the magnitude of auditory–visual and auditory–somatosensory co-activation. This study provides first evidence in support of the facilitative effect of pairing somatosensory with visual stimuli in older adults.
Taylor–least‐squares finite element for two‐dimensional advection‐dominated unsteady advection–diffusion problems

SUMMARY A new finite element method, the Taylor-least-squares, is proposed to approximate the advectiondominated unsteady advection-diffusion equation. The new scheme is a direct generalization of the Taylorealerkin and least-squares finite element methods. Higher-order spatial derivatives in the new formulation necessitate higher-degree polynomials. Hermite cubic shape functions are used. Extensive comparisons with other methods in one dimension proved that the new scheme is a step forward in modelling this difficult problem. The method offers straightforward generalizations to higher dimensions without losing the accuracy demonstrated in one dimension, i.e. the method preserves the important property of the Taylor-Galerkin scheme of being free of numerical crosswind diffusion. Several numerical experiments were made in two dimensions and excellent results were obtained from the representative experiments.
Improved detection of human breast lesions following experimental training

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of breast examination training with silicone models on the detection of lesions in natural breast tissue. Six women with a total of 13 benign breast lumps were examined by 20 trainees before and after a 20--30 minute training session or a period of unrelated activity. Following the training, percentage of correct detections, duration of examination, and reports of false positives increased. Confidence in correct detections and false positives also increased, although confidence in correct detections was greater than confidence in false positives. The results indicate the effectiveness of the training and suggest a need for a more complex model for training discrimination between normal nodularity and breast lesions.
Associations between weight gain and incident hypertension in a bi-ethnic cohort: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between weight gain and changes in blood pressure and the incidence of hypertension in four ethnicity-gender groups. DESIGN: Longitudinal closed cohort studied over an average of 6 y. SUBJECTS: Total of 9309 white and African-American men and women 45–64 y of age who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. METHODS: Weight and blood pressure were measured at baseline and after an average of 3 and 6 y of follow-up. Proportional hazard models with weight gain as a time-dependent variable were used to examine the association between weight gain and changes in blood pressure and hypertension. Multivariate models were used with baseline SBP, DBP, age, BMI, height, WHR, smoking, physical activity, education, caloric intake, fat intake and study center as covariates. RESULTS: Weight gain was associated with increases in SBP and DBP in all groups. Hazard ratios for hypertension associated with 1 kg annual weight gain were 1.36 (95% CI, 1.29, 1.45) in white women, 1.12 (95% CI, 1.03, 1.21) in African-American women, 1.35 (95% CI, 1.27, 1.43) in white men and 1.43 (95% CI, 1.27,1.61) in African-American men. CONCLUSION: Weight gain was associated with increased blood pressure and increased incidence of hypertension. The association was weaker among African-American women compared to other ethnicity-gender groups.
Hybrid strategies in nanolithography

Hybrid nanoscale patterning strategies combine the registration and addressability of conventional lithographic techniques with the chemical and physical functionality enabled by intermolecular, electrostatic and/or biological interactions. This review aims to highlight and to provide a comprehensive description of recent developments in hybrid nanoscale patterning strategies that enhance existing lithographic techniques or can be used to fabricate functional chemical patterns that interact with their environment. These functional structures create new capabilities, such as the fabrication of physicochemical surfaces that can recognize and capture analytes from complex liquid or gaseous mixtures. The nanolithographic techniques we describe can be classified into three general areas: traditional lithography, soft lithography and scanning-probe lithography. The strengths and limitations of each hybrid patterning technique will be discussed, along with the current and potential applications of the resulting patterned, functional surfaces.
Biochemical effects of SIRT1 activators.

SIRT1 is the closest mammalian homologue of enzymes that extend life in lower organisms. Its role in mammals is incompletely understood, but includes modulation of at least 34 distinct targets through its nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase activity. Recent experiments using small molecule activators and genetically engineered mice have provided new insight into the role of this enzyme in mammalian biology and helped to highlight some of the potentially relevant targets. The most widely employed activator is resveratrol, a small polyphenol that improves insulin sensitivity and vascular function, boosts endurance, inhibits tumor formation, and ameliorates the early mortality associated with obesity in mice. Many of these effects are consistent with modulation of SIRT1 targets, such as PGC1α and NFκB, however, resveratrol can also activate AMPK, inhibit cyclooxygenases, and influence a variety of other enzymes. A novel activator, SRT1720, as well as various methods to manipulate NAD+ metabolism, are emerging as alternative methods to increase SIRT1 activity, and in many cases recapitulate effects of resveratrol. At present, further studies are needed to more directly test the role of SIRT1 in mediating beneficial effects of resveratrol, to evaluate other strategies for SIRT1 activation, and to confirm the specific targets of SIRT1 that are relevant in vivo. These efforts are especially important in light of the fact that SIRT1 activators are entering clinical trials in humans, and “nutraceutical” formulations containing resveratrol are already widely available.
A prospective cost analysis of pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background In our cost-conscious health care system hospitals are finding that costs are as important as charges or reimbursements, especially as hospitals compete for managed care contracts. We have prospectively gathered cost data for more than 60 common operations performed at our institution over the last 3 years. Methods Over a 25-month period, from January 1993 to February 1995, 30 pancreaticoduodenectomy procedures were performed for which cost data were available. Cases were divided according to diagnosis (neoplastic or benign) and were evaluated for complications which prolonged length of stay (LOS). Costs were analyzed by an item-by-item prospective micro-cost analysis technique. Items were grouped into two areas: operating room (OR) costs and hospital (ward) costs. OR costs included disposable equipment, nondisposable equipment, OR room, OR staff, postanesthesia care, and anesthesia costs. Ward costs included hospital room, pharmacy, and radiology costs. Results OR costs for the 30 PD patients were similar and represented approximately 21 % of total hospital costs. Of the 30 patients, complications resulting in a prolonged LOS occurred in 10 (33%): intra abdominal abscess in 3 (2 with pancreatic leaks), superficial marginal ulceration in 2, delayed return of gastrointestinal function in 2 (1 with pulmonary edema) and 1 each of bile leak, urosepsis, and chylous ascites. No cost differences were observed when comparing neoplasm versus chronic pancreatitis for all parameters. When comparing patients who had complications versus those who did not, however, there was a statistically significant cost difference for both hospital ward or total costs. Regardless of whether a PD was performed for neoplastic or benign disease, postoperative complications increased hospital ward costs by 76% due to increased LOS. Conclusions This cost analysis study is an example of the methodology that would allow surgeons to investigate any common surgical procedure by first identifying areas of increased costs. This quantitative knowledge focuses the clinician on areas to improve quality which will then lower costs.
Contraceptive method switch and discontinuation among women migrants in indonesia

Using the 2000 wave of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS3) this study attempts to examine the relationship between migration and contraceptive method switch and discontinuation in Indonesia. The major conclusion from the multinomial logistic regression is that repeated migrants are more likely than one-time migrants to discontinue use of the same method. However the differentials in the likelihood of discontinuing use of the same method among women migrants is eliminated after controlling for the quality of health centre/family planning programme and the degree of infrastructure development in a community. The results of this study will contribute important foundational knowledge about the extent of contraceptive use dynamics by women of different migration experiences in Indonesia. This knowledge will provide guidance to policymakers to employ effective means to incorporate migration and issues that are sensitive to women migrants in their family planning and reproductive health programmes. (authors)
Serotonin Modulates Nicotinic Responses of Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

Abstract: 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) specifically and reversibly inhibits nicotine-induced currents and catecholamine release in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells in culture. Pharmacological analysis indicates that the inhibition is not mediated by known 5-HT receptor subtypes. The inhibition is noncompetitive over a range of nicotine concentrations between 1 and 100 μM. Preincubation with either 5-HT or substance P significantly protects the response from nicotine-induced desensitization. It is concluded that 5-HT inhibits nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on bovine adrenal chromaffin cells, probably by binding to a noncompetitive site on the receptor itself. Because both blood and the chromaffin cells contain 5-HT, the inhibition provides an opportunity for negative control of catecholamine secretion from the adrenals.
Should social savvy equal good spatial skills? The interaction of social skills with spatial perspective taking

Real-world perspective-taking problems frequently involve interactions among individuals, suggesting a potential social element to this seemingly spatial problem. Previous studies have suggested that the agency of the target in a perspective-taking task might influence reasoning. This hypothesis is tested directly by manipulating whether one takes the perspective of a potential agent or an object. The results were striking: Even though no overall differences in performance were observed with and without agents, performance was differentially associated with social skills. In particular, participants with better social skills were more accurate than less social peers when the target was a potential agent, whereas no such relationship was observed when the target was an object. These results suggest that bringing domain-specific investigations to bear on real-world problems requires understanding how that domain exists in the broader context of interacting skills and biases.
Socio-psychological factors in the Expanded Health Belief Model and subsequent colorectal cancer screening

Objective CRC screening interventions tailored to the Expanded Health Belief Model (EHBM) socio-psychological factors have been developed, but the contributions of individual factors to screening outcomes are unclear.
Trends in preexponential factors and activation energies in dehydrogenation and dissociation of adsorbed species

Abstract The kinetics of the elementary reaction involving the dissociation of an adsorbed molecule into two adsorbed fragments have been studied over the past decade in considerable detail for a number of different adsorbed molecules on a variety of single-crystalline transition metal surfaces. We point out here that the observed preexponential factors for such reactions are generally one-to-three orders-of-magnitude lower than the preexponential factors for the desorption of the same molecules. This result is explained within transition state theory as being due to the conversion of highly excited low energy motions (e.g., rotations) in the adsorbed molecule to unexcited vibrational modes in the transition state. We further show that if this dissociation reaction involves CH bond cleavage in an adsorbed hydrocarbon, then its activation energy follows understandable trends with respect to: (1) the hybridization of the carbon atom involved, (2) the atomic-scale roughness of the surface, and (3) the nature of the transition metal.
Electrochemical deposition of metal ions in porous laser sintered inter‐metallic and ceramic preforms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish a scientific understanding for electrochemical infiltration of laser sintered (LS) preforms.Design/methodology/approach – Electrochemical deposition techniques were modified to induce infiltration of nickel ions inside porous LS structures with deposition on pore walls.Findings – This novel process is feasible and has the potential to produce fully dense parts. Both conductive and non‐conductive preforms can be infiltrated by this method.Research limitations/implications – Removal of trapped fluids and gases inside the porous structure is one of the major challenges in the described electrochemical infiltration process.Practical implications – This work enables low‐cost production of structural parts. It expands the application base for additive manufacturing, especially laser sintering technology.Social implications – The novel process carried out in this research is energy efficient when compared to state‐of‐the‐art vacuum‐melt infiltration.Originality...
The SpaceTime Structure of Extreme Storm Rainfall in the Southern Plains

Abstract The spacetime structure of extreme storm rainfall in the southern plains is examined through empirical analyses of radar and rain gauge data. Two networks of rain gauge data are utilized: a collection of more than 200 rain gauges in the southern plains from the National Weather Service (NWS) climatological network and a network of 168 rain gauges from the Southern Great Plains Research Watershed covering an area of approximately 3000 km2. The NWS climate network is useful for analysis of extreme rainstorms that cover relatively large areas, whereas the experimental network is useful for analysis of heavy isolated rainstorms that have been described as affecting areas less than 1000 km2 and having 14-h rainfall totals exceeding 75 mm. Analyses of rain gauge data from the two networks are used to characterize seasonality and spatial scale of extreme rainstorms. It is shown that there are pronounced spring and fall peaks in extreme rainstorm occurrence and that these peaks depend on the spatial sc...
Seeking Refuge in Literacy from a Scorpion Bite.

The purpose of this study is to examine a refugee boy's experiences with literacy in and out of school in the US. Within these contexts, I explore this youth's literacy development in light of his identity as a poor Yezidi Kurdish refugee from Iraq. Central to the article are two main themes. The first, life as a scorpion sting, explicates the young man's life as a refugee, and the difficulties he faces in and out of school. The second theme, reading for mayonnaise, alerts us to the limitations of literacy programs in which unconnected texts and distanced narratives are prominent, and individuals’ real lives are, for the most part, ignored and marginalized even with the presence of exceptional teachers.
Ablating L-FABP in SCP-2/SCP-x null mice impairs bile acid metabolism and biliary HDL-cholesterol secretion.

On the basis of their abilities to bind bile acids and/or cholesterol, the physiological role(s) of liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) and sterol carrier protein (SCP) 2/SCP-x (SCP-2/SCP-x) ...
Control of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation by the boundary layer, stomata and ribulose 1,5‐biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Abstract Coefficients describing the sensitivity of the rate of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation to small changes in the stomatal conductance and boundary layer conductance are derived. These sensitivity or ‘control’ coefficients, together with those for the carboxylase and oxygenase activities of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, are calculated from standard gas exchange data and apply under conditions where leaf temperature and water vapour concentration at the leaf surface remain largely constant. It is shown that the magnitude of the control coefficients depends on conditions such as photon flux density, ambient CO2 concentration and relative humidity at the leaf surface. The extension of this analysis to encompass the sensitivity of the photosynthetic fluxes to changes in enzyme concentrations and kinetic properties is also discussed.
Core lab, no core lab or automated LVEF?

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an important tool that enables early risk stratification, and predicts late clinical outcome in a variety of cardiac diseases. In contemporary cardiology practice LVEF is also critically important in clinical decision-making; for example in determining who receives an internal automatic defibrillator, biventricular pacing, or epicardial restraint devices in patients with heart failure. In addition, LVEF is the gate-keeper with regards access to clinical trials for novel pharmacologic and device therapies. Thus, it is of pivotal importance that LVEF be estimated accurately and reproducibly. LVEF can be assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), cardiac computed tomography (CT), nuclear scintigraphy and real-time 3D echocardiography, but in clinical practice, trans-thoracic 2D echocardiography is used most frequently because it is so widely available. There are two echocardiographic methodologies used currently to assess LVEF. The first is visual estimation of LVEF that requires substantial expertise acquired over many years of practice. The second method requires manual tracing of the endocardial contours of the apical four-chamber and/or the apical two chamber views to obtain single plane or biplane LV volumes from which LVEF is derived. This quantitative method is time consuming and requires expertise to identify true endocardial boundaries. While the prognostic importance of LVEF determined by echocardiography has been established in heart failure, acute myocardial infarction and valvular heart disease, its predictive value for adverse cardiovascular events …
Self-Assembled Hydrogels from Poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] Grafted with β-Sheet Peptides

A new hybrid hydrogel based on poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] grafted with a beta-sheet peptide, Beta11, was designed. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the folding ability of beta-sheet peptide was retained in the hybrid system, whereas the sensitivity of the peptide toward temperature and pH variations was hindered. The polymer backbone also prevented the twisting of the fibrils that resulted from the antiparallel arrangement of the beta-strands, as proved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thioflavin T binding experiments and transmission electron microscopy showed fibril formation with minimal lateral aggregation. As a consequence, the graft copolymer self-assembled into a hydrogel in aqueous environment. This process was mediated by association of beta-sheet domains. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a particular morphology of the network characterized by long-range order and uniformly aligned lamellae. Microrheology results confirmed that concentration-dependent gelation occurred.
An angel with Down syndrome in a sixteenth century Flemish Nativity painting

Artistic representation of malformation syndromes has been of ongoing interest, often as a point of departure for discussion of medical history. We have identified a 16th-century Flemish Nativity painting in which one angelic figure appears distinctly different from other individuals in the painting with an appearance of Down syndrome. Several prior observers have identified Down syndrome in premodern art, sometimes stimulating ongoing discussions concerning its history, its prevalence, and its relationship to hypothyroidism. This may be one of the earliest European representations of Down syndrome. The depiction of an individual with Down syndrome as an angel raises several questions regarding the status of such an individual in late medieval times and societal recognition of minor anomalies, as contrasted with major malformations, in their predictive value for disabilities. In contrast, Langdon Down's description of the condition occurred only after evolution of concepts regarding the clinical significance of physical appearance and measurement.
Data Fusion Enables Better Recognition of Ceiling and Visibility Hazards in Aviation

AbstractLow cloud ceilings and poor visibility claim the lives of more general aviation (GA) pilots and passengers than any other cause of weather-related GA accidents. Experience shows that instrument-rated pilots as well as those rated only for visual flight are vulnerable to low ceiling and visibility (C&V), making total avoidance the most powerful strategy available to a GA pilot dealing with these hazards. The weather awareness needed for avoidance begins with the recognition of current conditions. This article outlines how fusion of surface, satellite, and terrain data yields a graphical analysis product that enables GA pilots, dispatchers, and weather briefers to better visualize the areal distribution of recent and current C&V conditions across the contiguous U.S. The product is available at www.aviationweather.gov/adds/cv and indicates ceilings less than 1,000 ft above ground level, visibilities less than 3 statute miles, and regions where terrain obscuration is possible. The product is also view...
The role of direct surface interaction in surface enhanced Raman scattering by pyridine and CO on silver

Abstract The surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) phenomenon due to pyridine on silver and CO on silver in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) has been compared. The study was carried out for two different kinds of silver surfaces, island films and “cold” films on island films. We have reported earlier that it was necessary to warm the samples to about 70K in order to observe the full surface enhanced Raman spectrum when the pyridine was deposited on silver island films on sapphire substrates at liquid He temperatures. We call this the effect of a “low temperature anneal” and the present work indicates that this effect is more general than we originally thought. It has also been found that island films exhibit enhanced Raman scattering for pyridine but not for CO, although “cold” films enhance the Raman scattering of both CO and pyridine. This is the first clear indication that molecular specificity may be a part of the SERS phenomenon. The interpretation of these observations depends critically on our understanding of the SERS phenomenon.
The ultrastructure of the integument of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata.

The morphology and ultrastructure of the lateral body integument of the leptocephalus, glass eel, pigmented elver, and adult stages of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, were examined with light and electron microscopy. The integument consists of an epidermis separated by a basal lamina from the underlying dermis. Three cell types are present in the epidermis in all stages. Filament-containing cells, which are the principal structural cell type, are increasingly numerous at each stage. Mucous cells, which secrete the mucous that compose the mucous surface coat, are also more numerous in each subsequent stage and are more numerous in the anterior lateral body epidermis than in the posterior lateral body epidermis of the adult. Club cells, whose function is unknown, are most numerous in the glass eel and pigmented elver. Chloride cells are common in the leptocephalus which is marine and infrequent in the glass eel. They are not present in the pigmented elver and adult which inhabit estuaries and fresh-water. Lymphocytes and melanocytes are also present in some stages. The dermis comprises two layers: a layer of collagenous lamellae, the stratum compactum, and an underlying layer of loose connective tissue, the stratum spongiosum. There is a progressive increase in epidermal thickness at each stage which is paralleled by an increase in the thickness of the stratum compactum. Rudimentary scales are present in the dermis of the adult. The increase in the number of epidermal filament-containing cells, epidermal thickness and stratum compactum thickness is correlated with an increased need for protection from abrasion and mechanical damage as the eel moves from a pelagic, oceanic habitat to a benthic, freshwater habitat. The increase in mucous cell numbers is likewise correlated with an increased need for the protective and anti-bacterial action of the mucous surface coat in the freshwater environment.
The Industrial North: The Future of Jobs, Productivity, and Community

The frostbelt faces problems embodied in decaying cities, numerous plant closings and growing unemployment. This crisis has generated fear in the general public and reconsideration in the political and academic worlds as "the conventional wisdom" no longer explains and rectifies economic problems. New ideas and plans have been explored by academics, labor leaders, and businessmen but they lack the crystallization and acceptance to form a new public agenda. This juxtaposition of crisis and exploratory thought and practice provided the occasion for a conference on "The Industrial North: The Future of Jobs, Productivity, and Community" held at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pennsylvania, October 21-23, 1982. Conference participants presented general outlooks based on free enterprise or cooperation of labor, management, and government to promote international com petitiveness or a combination of national planning and legislation with democratic decentralization and offered specific policy recommendations within the framework of each mode. Stuart Butler and Richard McKenzie, associated with the Heritage Founda tion, presented a free market perspective, based on the writings of Adam Smith and the classical economists, which emphasized economic growth and freedom as our historical benefits from free enterprise. Both libertarians criticized big business and big government as dangerous concentrations of power which produced inefficiency and undermined freedom. Mr. Butler noted the role of small business as a source of employment, a guarantor of freedom and a linchpin of a stable community. Plant closing legislation, according to Mr. McKenzie, illustrated the detrimental effects of government intervention on economic growth and sound decisionmaking. Propo nents of legislation exaggerated the extent of business migration to the sunbelt, overlooked our success in job creation, and underestimated the value of a free market system for a free society. Staughton Lynd, a Youngstown attorney who has assisted Youngstown, Ohio, and Homestead, Pennsylvania, workers faced by severe job loss, and Barry
The matrix-valued Hp corona problem in the disk and polydisk

Abstract In this paper, we consider the matrix-valued H p corona problem in the disk and polydisk. The result for the disk is rather well-known, and is usually obtained from the classical Carleson Corona Theorem by linear algebra. Our proof provides a streamlined way of obtaining this result and allows one to get a better estimate on the norm of the solution. In particular, we were able to improve the estimate found in the recent work of Trent in [J. Funct. Anal. 189 (2002) 267–282]. Note that, the solution of the H ∞ matrix corona problem in the disk can be easily obtained from the H 2 corona problem either by factorization, or by the Commutant Lifting Theorem. The H p corona problem in the polydisk was originally solved by Lin in [Bull. Sci. Math. 110(2) (1986) 69–84, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 341 (1994) 371–375]. The solution used Koszul complexes and was rather complicated because one had to consider higher order ∂ ¯ -equations. Our proof is more transparent and it improves upon Lin's result in several ways. First, we deal with the more general matrix corona problem. Second, we were able to show that the norm of the solution is independent of the number of generators. Additionally, we illustrate that the norm of the solution of the H 2 corona problem in the polydisk D n grows at most proportionally to n . Our approach is based on one that was originated by Andersson in [Math. Z. 201 (1989) 121–130]. In the disk it essentially depends on Green's Theorem and duality to obtain the estimate. In the polydisk we use Riesz projections to reduce the problem to the disk case.