cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Muscle capacity to accelerate the body during gait varies with foot position in cerebral palsy.

Abstract Background Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have altered gait patterns compared to their typically developing peers. These gait patterns are characterized based on sagittal plane kinematic deviations; however, many children with CP also walk with altered transverse plane kinematics. Research Question How do both altered skeletal alignment and kinematic deviations affect muscles’ capacity to accelerate the body during gait? Methods A three-dimensional gait analysis was completed for 18 children with spastic CP (12.5 ± 2.9 years; GMFCS level II). Musculoskeletal models were developed for each participant, and tibial torsion, measured during a static standing trial and assessed using motion capture, was incorporated. An induced acceleration analysis was performed to evaluate the capacity of muscles to accelerate the body center of mass throughout stance. Differences between the root-mean-square muscle capacity for children with CP walking with internally rotated, standard, and externally rotated postures were evaluated. Results Externally rotated postures resulted in a lower capacity to accelerate the body center of mass compared with internally rotated postures. Both changes in skeletal alignment and kinematics contributed to changes in muscle capacity to accelerate the body. Significance Altered transverse plane skeletal alignment and compensatory kinematics should both be considered in surgical treatment of children with CP.
Neonatal Lateral Epiglottic Defects.

Introduction:Multiple congenital abnormalities of the epiglottis have been reported and iatrogenic injuries to the larynx and subglottis are well known. We present a new pattern of defect not previ...
‘An inalienable prerogative of a liberated spirit’: postulating American mathematics

In the early twentieth century, researchers in the United States engaged with foundational studies in mathematics by building and evaluating postulate systems. At the same time, their contemporarie...
Viscoelastic Response of Dispersed Entangled Polymer Melts

Polymer synthesis routes result in macromolecules with molecular weight dispersity ĐM that depends on the polymerization mechanism. The lowest dispersity polymers are those made by anionic and atom...
Evaluating the Implementation of a Before-School Physical Activity Program: A Mixed-Methods Approach in Massachusetts, 2018.

Purpose and objectives Our aim was to evaluate the implementation of a widely available, before-school, physical activity program in a low-resource, racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse, urban school setting to identify adaptations needed for successful implementation. Intervention approach We used a collaborative effort with stakeholders to implement the Build Our Kids' Success (BOKS) program in 3 schools in Revere, Massachusetts. Program structure followed a preexisting curriculum, including 60-minute sessions, 3 mornings per week, over 2 sessions (spring and fall 2018). Programs had a capacity of 40 students per school per session and the ability to adapt as needed. Evaluation methods We used a mixed-methods approach, guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. RE-AIM domains were assessed by use of baseline and follow-up student measures, parent interviews, and program administrative records. Results From a district of 11 schools, 3 schools (2 elementary, 1 middle) implemented the BOKS program. Program enrollment reached 82% capacity (188 of 230 potential participants). Of the 188 enrolled students, 128 (68%) had parental consent for study participation. Among the 128 study participants, 61 (48%) were male, 52 (41%) identified as Hispanic/Latino, and mean age was 9.3 years (SD, 2.2). Program duration varied by school (25-60 minutes), with a mean of 33% (SD, 16%) of the session spent in actigraphy-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), or mean 16.3 (SD, 9.3) minutes of MVPA. Participants attended a median 90% (interquartile range [IQR], 56%-97%) of sessions. We observed no change in body mass index (BMI) z score or self-reported quality of life from baseline to follow-up assessment. Parents reported positive program effects. Enrollment was sustained in elementary schools and decreased in the middle school during the study period, expanding to 3 additional schools for spring 2019. Implications for public health Implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based physical activity program, in a low-resource setting, are feasible and yield relevant information about program adaptations and future dissemination of similar programs.
Design of a parallelized direct position estimation-based GNSS receiver

Theoretical results conclude that Direct Position Estimation (DPE)-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers can achieve more robust localization than their conventional two-step counterparts. However, compared to conventional approaches, there is a much smaller body of work for DPE, and DPE receiver implementations are highly experimental. This work surveys DPE techniques from the literature and presents a software-defined parallelized DPEbased receiver prototype built on popular DPE techniques. The parallelized receiver software, along with a companion sequential implementation, is made available to the community as an open source. The GPU usage of the parallelized DPE-based receiver is profiled and compared to the companion sequential implementation and another sequential implementation presented in the literature. Through the literature survey, discussion of the open-source receiver software, and the performance evaluation of the receiver, resultant insights for design decisions are presented.
Lattice Boltzmann simulation of phase equilibrium of methane in nanopores under effects of adsorption

Abstract Owing to the strong interaction between fluid molecules and solid surface, thermodynamic phase behavior of fluids in nanopores deviates from that at bulk condition. In this work, a pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann method is employed to directly model phase equilibrium of methane in nanopores. The effects of adsorption and fluid–solid force on confined phase behavior are studied. In the absence of solid walls, our simulation of nanoscale droplets is consistent with prediction from thermodynamic model coupling Peng-Robinson equation of state and capillary pressure. The shifted phase equilibrium is compared with Kelvin equation. When the pore space is confined by solid walls, heterogeneous density distributions in nanopores are developed by adsorption. It is observed that the apparent critical temperature and critical pressure decrease whereas critical density increases in nanopores from the simulated co-existence curves. In addition, it is found that a larger fluid–solid force leads to a more heterogeneous density distribution in nanopores. However, the average liquid/vapor density and apparent critical temperature in confined space are not significantly affected by the strength of fluid–solid force. Density of gas in equilibrium with condensed liquid, on the other hand, is significantly decreased with increasing fluid–solid force. We propose that the phase equilibrium in nanopores under different fluid–solid forces can be characterized by using contact angle. In the end, we extend this method to model the phase equilibrium in a nanoporous medium with chemical heterogeneity.
Some Thoughts on Administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about access to the Sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. To stop the transmission of infectious diseases by the minister, it has been suggested that the priest could use a nurse to apply the sacred oils to the patient or recipient while he remains in the vicinity but a medically safe distance from the bedside, using a phone to communicate with the patient. Whether or not such a protocol would invalidate the Sacrament requires an investigation of some foundational principles of Sacramental theology, including the use of instruments in the execution of Sacraments, how the form of a Sacrament must be conveyed, and the requisite proximity of the minister to the recipient. A careful analysis of these principles, in light to the suggested protocol, leads to the surprising (although tentative) conclusion that the Sacrament would be valid if executed in this manner.
CO2 Capture from the Air: Technology Assessment and Implications for Climate Policy

Publisher Summary An air capture system removes CO2 from the air and delivers a pure CO2 stream for sequestration. In general, air capture systems will use some sorbent material that selectively captures CO2. The sorbent is then regenerated to yield concentrated CO2 and fresh sorbent ready to be used for capture. A contacting system is necessary to expose the sorbent to fresh air. At the simplest, a pool of sorbent open to the air might serve as a contactor. Active contacting systems might look like water–air heat exchangers that are associated with power plants in which fans blow air past a system of flowing sorbent. Energy is required for regeneration, to pump sorbent and air through the contacting system, and to compress the CO2 stream for pipeline transport or sequestration. The energy could be supplied by any source—fossil, solar, or nuclear systems are all plausible. An air capture system that removed CO2 from the air at the rate that it is emitted from a 1 GW coal fired power plant might look much like a power plant. The physical plant would be about as large and not much more expensive. Instead of the one or two cooling towers required for a conventional power plant, the air capture plant might require about 10 contacting units of similar size and shape as cooling towers (∼100 m in height and diameter) evenly distributed over a few square kilometers. Air capture has important structural advantages over more conventional mitigation technologies, wihch suggest that, in the long-run, air capture may be cheaper than some other methods of achieving deep reductions in net CO2 emissions.
Reinfusion of postoperative wound drainage in total joint arthroplasty: Red blood cell survival and coagulopathy risk

Fifty patients with total joint arthroplasties (28 total hip arthroplasties, 11 total knee arthroplasties, and 11 bilateral total knee arthroplasties) received autotransfusions from their postoperative wound drainage. The blood was collected in a closed sterile drainage system without any additional anticoagulant. Pre- and postoperative measurements were made of the patient's hemoglobin, platelets, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, fibrin degradation products, and D-dimer (a specific type of fibrin degradation product). Red blood cell survival was assessed in 16 of the patients by labeling the shed blood with 51Cr sodium chromate prior to reinfusion. To control for fluid shifts, continued bleeding, and dilution effects of further transfusions in the immediate postoperative period, 10 patients also had their native blood labeled with 111In oxime. In this study, the mean estimated blood loss was 1,062 mL (+/- 1,247) with a mean wound drainage of 836 mL (+/- 338). Of this, a mean of 450 mL (+/- 261) of blood was was given back to the patient in addition to routine, preoperative autologous donated blood. Six (12%) patients experienced transient fevers at the time of retransfusion. Detailed hematologic studies were performed on the shed blood in 19 patients. The collected blood was completely defibrinated, but did contain fibrin degradation products, as indicated by the D-dimer level, and hemolyzed blood as the haptoglobin was reduced. Even though the blood containing the above breakdown products was reinfused to the patients, there were no clinical manifestations of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Both the hemolyzed and defibrinated products were subsequently cleared by the body.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Block diagram in undergraduate engineering courses other than control systems

Traditional control system topics have included block diagrams and Mason's Gain Theorem. Flow charts have been used in computer programming classes and in planning techniques in industry. This paper proposes the introduction of a systems approach to other parts of the engineering curriculum. It would not require additional mathematics. It would introduce a different interpretation of the phenomena investigation. Functionality of system components is emphasized.
Dissociable effects of disconnecting amygdala central nucleus from the ventral tegmental area or substantia nigra on learned orienting and incentive motivation

Recent evidence suggests that the amygdala central nucleus (CeA) and midbrain-striatal dopamine systems are critically involved in the alteration of attentional and emotional processing of initially neutral stimuli by associative learning. In rats, the acquisition of learned orienting responses (ORs) to visual cues paired with food is impaired by lesions of the CeA, and by lesions that disconnect CeA from the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), a region traditionally implicated in elevated responsiveness to sensory stimuli. Similarly, the acquisition of emotional significance to cues paired with food also depends on the function of CeA and of the ventral striatal nucleus accumbens (ACB), a region often considered crucial to acquired reward and motivation. For example, the ability of a cue previously paired with food to increase the rate of food-reinforced instrumental responding (Pavlovian-instrumental transfer, PIT) is eliminated by lesions of the CeA or the accumbens core. In this experiment, we found that lesions that functionally disconnected CeA from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) impaired the acquisition of conditioned orienting to auditory cues paired with food, but had no effect on their ability to enhance instrumental responding, relative to the effects of unilateral lesions of that region. By contrast, lesions that disconnected CeA from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) had no effect on the acquisition of conditioned orienting, but facilitated Pavlovian-instrumental transfer relative to unilateral midbrain lesions, rescuing that function to sham-lesion control levels. Otherwise, unilateral lesions of either midbrain region impaired transfer. Implications of these results for circuit models of amygdalo-striatal interactions in associative learning are discussed.
Rapid procedure for detecting enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food

A sensitive, specific procedure was developed for detecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food in less than 20 h. The procedure involves enrichment of 25 g of food in 225 ml of a selective enrichment medium for 16 to 18 h at 37 degrees C with agitation (150 rpm). The enrichment culture is applied to a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a polyclonal antibody specific for E. coli O157 antigen as the capture antibody and a monoclonal antibody specific for enterohemorrhagic E. coli of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11 as the detection antibody. The ELISA can be completed within 3 h. The sensitivity of the procedure, determined by using E. coli O157:H7-inoculated ground beef and dairy products, including different varieties of cheese, was 0.2 to 0.9 cell per g of food. A survey of retail fresh ground beef and farm raw milk samples with this procedure revealed that 3 (2.8%) of 107 ground beef samples and 11 (10%) of 115 raw milk samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7. Most-probable-number determinations revealed E. coli O157:H7 populations of 0.4 to 1.5 cells per g in the three ground beef samples. In addition to being highly specific, sensitive, and rapid, this procedure is easy to perform and is amenable to use by laboratories performing routine microbiological testing.
Cognitive aspects of power in a two-level game

The Intergroup Prisoner's Dilemma with Intragroup Power Dynamics (IPD∧2) is a new game paradigm for studying human behavior in conflict situations. IPD∧2 adds the concept of intragroup power to an intergroup version of the standard Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game. We conducted an exploratory laboratory study in which individual human participants played the game against computer strategies of various complexities. We also developed a cognitive model of human decision making in this game. The model was run in place of the human participant under the same conditions as in the laboratory study. Results from the human study and the model simulations are presented and discussed, emphasizing the value of including intragroup power in game theoretic models of conflict.
SAGE: an application development tool suite for high performance computing systems

Commercial, Military and Industrial systems require real-time, high-performance processing and high bandwidth performance. The availability of inexpensive high performance platforms based on commercial off-the shelf (COTS) hardware has made it possible to implement compute intensive applications: however, the complexity of programming parallel or distributed applications has made it difficult for application engineers to fully implement various applications. The potential benefit of using these COTS based computing architectures is often offset by an extensive application refactoring and development effort. By providing a set of user friendly tools that allows architecture trading, automatic mapping and partitioning, and application instrumentation for performance tuning to improve efficiency and throughput, the engineer can save development time while improving performance and lowering cost. In this paper, we describe a suite of system and application development tools, collectively called the Systems and Applications Genesis Environment, SAGE, developed and released by Honeywell for use with distributed high performance computing systems.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Recovered from Humans, Environmental Surfaces, and Companion Animals in Households of Children with Community-Onset Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus Infections

Our objective was to determine the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from 110 households of children with community-onset methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections. Cultures were obtained from household members, household objects, and dogs and cats, yielding 1,633 S. aureus isolates. The S. aureus isolates were heterogeneous, although more than half were methicillin resistant. The highest proportion of MRSA was found in bathrooms. The majority of isolates were susceptible to antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings.
Molecular cloning, sequencing, and overexpression of the structural gene encoding the delta subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme.

Abstract Using an oligonucleotide hybridization probe, we have mapped the structural gene for the delta subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme to 14.6 centisomes of the chromosome. This gene, designated holA, was cloned and sequenced. The sequence of holA matches precisely four amino acid sequences obtained for the amino terminus of delta and three internal tryptic peptides. A holA-overproducing plasmid that directs the expression of delta up to 4% of the soluble protein was constructed. Sequence analysis of holA revealed a 1,029-bp open reading frame that encodes a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 38,703 Da. holA may reside downstream of rlpB in an operon, perhaps representing yet another link between structural genes for the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme and proteins involved in membrane biogenesis. These and other features are discussed in terms of genetic regulation of delta-subunit synthesis.
Bandwidth requirements for fine resolution squinted SAR

The conventional rule-of-thumb for Synthetic Aperture Radar is that an RF bandwidth of c/(2{rho}{sub r}) is required to image a scene at the desired slant-range resolution {rho}{sub r}, and perhaps a little more to account for window functions and sidelobe control. This formulation is based on the notion that the total bandwidth required is the same bandwidth that is required for a single pulse. What is neglected is that efficient processing of an entire synthetic aperture of pulses will often require different frequency content for each of the different pulses that makeup a synthetic aperture. Consequently, the total RF bandwidth required of a Synthetic Aperture Radar may then be substantially wider than the bandwidth of any single pulse. The actual RF bandwidth required depends strongly on flight geometry, owing to the desire for a radar to maintain a constant projection of the Fourier space collection surface onto the {omega}{sub y} axis. Long apertures required for fine azimuth resolution, and severe squint angles with steep depression angles may require total RF bandwidths well beyond the minimum bandwidth required of any single transmitted pulse, perhaps even by a factor of two or more. Accounting for this is crucial to designing efficient versatile high-performance imaging radars. This paper addresses how a data set conducive to efficient processing might increase the total RF bandwidth, and presents examples of how a fixed RF bandwidth might then limit SAR geometries.
The light of Wordsworth's desire for darkness in the Prelude

(1983). The light of Wordsworth's desire for darkness in the Prelude. Romanticism Past and Present: Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 27-40.
EMBEDDING GROUPS OF CLASS TWO AND PRIME EXPONENT IN CAPABLE AND NONCAPABLE GROUPS

We show that if G is any p-group of class at most two and exponent p, then there exist groups G1 and G2 of class two and exponent p that contain G, neither of which can be expressed as a central product, and with G1 capable and G2 not capable. We provide upper bounds for rank(Giab) in terms of rank(Gab) in each case.
Pulmonary toxicity of acrylonitrile: covalent interaction and effect on replicative and unscheduled DNA synthesis in the lung

Abstract Acrylonitrile (VCN)-induced lung toxicity was studied following a single oral dose (46.5 mg/kg). The mechanism of toxic injury was investigated by assessing the covalent interaction of [2,3- 14 C]VCN with pulmonary DNA. The effect of the same dose on replicative DNA synthesis and repair in the lungs of treated rats was also investigated. Histologic examination revealed that lungs of VCN-treated animals showed moderate to marked hyperplasia of the Clara cells lining the bronchioles. [ 14 C]Lung tissue uptake was extremely fast, having a maximum at 0.5 h after treatment (150 DPM/mg tissue). Radioactivity in lung tissue declined gradually as a function of time, but was still detected at 72 h after treatment (59 DPM/mg tissue). Covalent binding of [ 14 C]VCN-derived radioactivity to pulmonary DNA was time-dependent, reaching a maximum at 12 h following treatment (61 DPM/mg DNA) and was still detected at 72 h (27 DPM/mg DNA) indicating the incomplete removal of radioactivity covalently bound to DNA. Replicative DNA synthesis in lung tissue was significantly decreased at all time points studied (59, 55 and 72% of control at 0.5, 6 and 24 h, respectively). The DNA repair in the lung was increased by 2-fold at 0.5 h and 1.6-fold at 6 h following VCN oral treatment. This histologic and biochemical results presented in this study provide evidence for the acute genetic toxicity of VCN (and/or its metabolites) in lung tissue following a single oral dose of VCN.
Biology of Orius insidiosus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae): A Predator in Virginia Apple Orchards

Egg and nymphal development of Orius insidiosus (Say) was studied at 17, 23, 29, and 35°C. There was a linear relationship between development rate (1/days) of O. insidiosus and temperature. Developmental threshold temperatures were calculated as 10.2°C for eggs and 8.9, 7.5, 10.7, 12.4, and 9.9°C for instars 1–5, respectively. A 10.0°C developmental threshold was determined for total nymphal development. Mean degree-day requirements for development were calculated for all stages studied. Laboratory and field observations established that a number of small, soft-bodied insects and mites as well as the eggs of several Lepidoptera are acceptable as prey. O. insidiosus also fed on other beneficial species including predaceous thrips and mites. A number of general orchard predators, particularly spiders, chrysopids, and other predaceous Heteroptera, were found to prey upon O. insidiosus . Numerous weeds and crops serve as alternate sites for O. insidiosus populations. Corn and alfalfa adjacent to apple orchards in Virginia apparently serve as a reservoir for O. insidiosus throughout the season. Thistles ( Carduus spp.) harbor large numbers of O. insidiosus , which prey on thrips. These natural and cultivated alternate sites may be important to management of O. insidiosus populations.
Optimal Growth Modeling

Abnormal fetal growth is associated with preterm birth, stillbirth, neonatal death, respiratory distress syndrome, and necrotizing enterocolitis. An optimal fetal growth standard would be one that most correctly identifies the fetus at risk for poor perinatal outcome. A growth standard that is created using population-specific data is more applicable than generalized growth curves since there is evidence that optimal neonatal outcome is achieved at different birth weights in different populations. The development of fetal growth standards based exclusively on neonatal birth weights is flawed as fetal growth restriction is associated with preterm delivery. Likewise, employing clinically derived ultrasound standards for term gestations would include a population that is more likely to have abnormal growth. Novel approaches to defining normal intrauterine growth combine birth weights at term and fetal growth patterns in-utero to create growth curves useful in defining the normal intrauterine growth experience. This review examines the performance of a variety of the growth characterizing standards that have been employed to define abnormal growth and examines their performance in the prediction of adverse perinatal outcome.
Reforming Public Management: Analyzing the Impact of Public Service Reform on Organizational and Managerial Trust

A factor that has proved important in acceptance of organizational change is the level of organizational and managerial trust. More than 10 years since its passage, civil service reform in Georgia continues to stimulate debate regarding employment at will (EAW) relationships in the public sector. Beginning July 1996, new hires in the Georgia state workforce were designated unclassified, thus serving at the will of public managers. Indeed, the acceptance of EAW in the public workforce may depend upon employee trust in organizational leaders and their ability to act responsibly in personnel matters. Given that managerial flexibility in human resource (HR) practices is a cornerstone of these reforms, confidence in managers and their discretion over HR is critical to easing employee reservations toward EAW. Utilizing a 2006 survey assessing attitudes toward EAW among Georgia state HR professionals, the present analysis seeks to advance understanding of the impact of trust on the EAW relationship among HR professionals. Utilizing ordered logistic regression to explore this impact, we demonstrate that Georgia HR professionals are somewhat receptive to an EAW system but sour on its implementation as evidence of spoils-related activities and actions appear in the workforce. The study findings indicate that EAW systems may have a fundamental flaw in that they may undermine trusting workplace relationships necessary for effective public management.
Implicit versus Explicit Nature of Science Instruction: An Explicit Response to Palmquist and Finley

Randy L. Bell, Norman G. Lederman, Fouad Abd-El-KhalickDepartment of Science and Mathematics Education, Oregon State University, 237 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331Received 11 November 1997; accepted 23 March 1998In a recent article, Palmquist and Finley (1997) described their investigation of changes inpreservice teachers’ views of the nature of science during a teacher education program and theinﬂuences of these views on the teachers’ instructional practices. While we agree with the im-portance of this topic, we differ on the interpretation of some key points and the validity of twoof Palmquist and Finley’s assumptions. Namely, we disagree with their conclusion that the pre-service teachers in their sample learned the nature of science implicitly. This conclusion is con-sistent with the long-held assumption that the nature of science can be effectively taught indi-rectly through hands-on, inquiry-based instruction. However, a closer look at Palmquist andFinley’s data indicate that substantial direct instruction was provided, and supports the view thatthe nature of science, like any other cognitive outcome, should be addressed explicitly. In ad-dition, we contend that the authors’ assumption that teachers’ beliefs necessarily inﬂuence in-structional practices has previously been tested and found wanting.The authors state in their abstract that the preservice teachers comprising the sample madesubstantial shifts toward the contemporary model of the nature of science with “little direct instruction about the nature of science” (p. 595). However, the descriptions of instruction in thescience methods courses, to which these changes were attributed, indicate that (a) teaching aboutseveral tenets of the nature of science was both substantial and explicit, and (b) where the ma-jority of instruction was implicit, the preservice teachers did not make an overall shift towardthe contemporary model.Both instructors were described by the authors as believing “that a proper understanding ofthe nature of science was crucial for future science educators” (p. 597). The authors describedthe ﬁrst methods course as devoting “an entire class period (2 h) to an explicit discussion of thenature of science” (p. 597), which included opportunities for students to discuss their opinionsof several tenets of the traditional and contemporary models of the nature of science. In the sec-
Plasma surface modification of nanofiltration (NF) thin-film composite (TFC) membranes to improve anti organic fouling

Abstract Commercial nanofiltration (NF) thin-film composite (TFC) membranes were treated by low-pressure NH 3 plasma, and the effects of the plasma treatment were investigated in terms of the membrane hydrophilicity, pure water flux, salt rejection, protein adsorption, and humic acid fouling. Experimental results indicated that the membrane surface hydrophilicity was increased by the plasma treatment, and changes in the hydrophilicity as well as membrane performance including permeate flux and fouling varied with the original membrane characteristics (e.g., roughness and hydrophilicity). Water flux of plasma treated membranes was the highest with 10 min and 90 W of plasma treatment, and salt rejection was mainly affected by the intensity of the plasma power. Results of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption demonstrated that the protein adsorption decreased with increasing plasma treatment time. The plasma treatment that resulted in more negatively charged surfaces could also better prevent Aldrich humic acid (AHA) attachment on the membrane surface.
Amniotic fluid lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and soluble CD14 as mediators of the inflammatory response in preterm labor

Objective: Our purpose was to determine the association of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) with the proinflammatory response among women in preterm labor. The binding of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with LBP and sCD14 activates macrophages at LPS concentrations up to 1000 times lower than required with LPS alone. LBP and sCD14 in amniotic fluid could explain the high concentrations of cytokines present in the amniotic fluid of culture-positive women and the presence of cytokines in the amniotic fluid of culture-negative women. Study Design: A cohort of 169 afebrile women in preterm labor with intact membranes had amniotic fluid collected by transabdominal amniocentesis for culture and for LBP, sCD14, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) determinations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-6 levels of >2 ng/mL were considered elevated. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance, multiple comparisons with Bonferroni correction, and linear regression. Results: All 169 amniotic fluid samples had measurable LBP and sCD14. Subjects were categorized by amniotic fluid culture results and IL-6 concentration into 3 groups: (1) positive amniotic fluid culture, (2) negative amniotic fluid culture, elevated IL-6 concentration, and (3) negative amniotic fluid culture, low IL-6 level. Geometric mean LBP and sCD14 levels differed significantly among groups such that levels were approximately twice as high among pregnancies with positive amniotic fluid culture or elevated IL-6 compared with those without evidence of inflammation (both P <.001). sCD14 was inversely associated with enrollment gestational age independent of amniotic fluid culture results and IL-6 concentrations. Among culture negative, low IL-6 pregnancies, sCD14 decreased 3.5% for each additional week of gestation (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01%-6.4%; P =.02). LBP levels showed a similar trend in this group (P =.09). One hundred eleven subjects had detectable IL-6 levels. Among these subjects, IL-6 increased by 2.1-fold for every 10-fold increase in LBP (95% CI, 1.1-4.0; P =.02) and by 28.4-fold for every 10-fold increase in sCD14 (95% CI, 10.4-77.4; P <.001) with adjustment for gestational age by linear regression. Conclusions: LBP and sCD14 are present in amniotic fluid of preterm pregnancies and are linearly associated with amniotic fluid IL-6 concentrations. These molecules may amplify the cytokine response and thereby help explain the presence of cytokines in amniotic fluid when culturable quantities of microbes are absent. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:1241-8.)
Production and performance of metal foil brushes

Abstract Electrical brushes which were made of silver, copper and aluminum foils of 12.5 and 25 μm thickness and were composed of 15–195 individual foils, were tested in purified argon on a polished copper rotor at a speed of 13 m s−1. Brush pressures varied between 3.1 × 103 and 2.8 × 104 N m−2 and current densities were up to about 700 A cm−2 (about 4500 A in−2). The observed dependence of the voltage drop across the brushes as a function of the current densities agreed closely with Holm 's contact theory as applied to foil brushes. The film resistivities were found to be near σ F = 10 −12 Ω m 2 for copper and silver and to be about 3 × 10 −12 Ω m 2 for aluminum. The projected performance of foil brushes based on these results is very favorable and the future commercial use of foil brushes appears to be possible. The total loss, electrical and mechanical, through the brushes is independent of current density if the brush pressure is chosen to minimize the total loss. If so, the loss depends only on the brush speed, the hardness of the softer of the two materials involved (i.e. of foil and rotor or slip ring), the coefficient of friction and the film resistivity. Microscopic surface examinations of rotor and brushes show that the brush surface is smoothed through running the brush, whereas the rotor remains almost unaffected or is mildly roughened, as long as no arcing takes place. Arcing causes considerable surface roughening on both the brush and the rotor surface and debris is thus deposited on the rotor; this can score the brushes. Further experiments are required to determine the rate of brush wear.
Negative-parity structures and lifetime measurements in 71As.

High-spin states up to (29/${2}^{+}$) and (29/${2}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$) in $^{71}\mathrm{As}$ have been studied via the $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$${(}^{19}$F,\ensuremath{\alpha}2p) reaction at 62 MeV using in-beam \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray spectroscopic techniques. Based on a particle-\ensuremath{\gamma} coincidence measurement a new decay sequence of negative parity has been assigned to $^{71}\mathrm{As}$. Lifetimes for some E2 transitions were extracted from Doppler-shifted line shapes observed in coincidence mode, and experimental transition quadrupole moments were determined. They indicate a moderate to high collectivity in both the positive-parity yrast band and the new negative-parity decay sequence at high spins. Total Routhian surfaces calculated for states of both parities reveal strong triaxial shapes at high spins. A noncollective structure of 19/${2}^{(\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}})}$ and 21/${2}^{(\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}})}$ states is interpreted as a three-quasiparticle excitation.
Monte carlo simulation of an X-ray pixel beam microirradiation system.

Abstract Schreiber, E. C. and Chang, S. X. Monte Carlo Simulation of an X-Ray Pixel Beam Microirradiation System. Radiat. Res. 171, 332–341 (2009). Monte Carlo simulations are used in the development of a nanotechnology-based multi-pixel beam array small animal microirradiation system. The microirradiation system uses carbon nanotube field emission technology to generate arrays of individually controllable X-ray pixel beams that electronically form irregular irradiation fields having intensity and temporal modulation without any mechanical motion. The microirradiation system, once developed, will be incorporated with the micro-CT system already developed that is based on the same nanotechnology to form an integrated image-guided and intensity-modulated microirradiation system for high-temporal-resolution small animal research. Prospective microirradiation designs were evaluated based on dosimetry calculated using EGSnrc-based Monte Carlo simulations. Design aspects studied included X-ray anode design, col...
Emission spectroscopic diagnostics in the cathode region of a high intensity arc

Summary form only given, as follows. Emission spectroscopic diagnostics have been carried out over a wide range of parameters in the cathode region of a high intensity arc. A specially designed plasma torch system has been set up for this investigation and an optical multi-channel analyzer (OMA) and a spectrometer system has been employed. Electron temperatures were obtained from the profiles of the Ar I and Ar II lines assuming PLTE. Electron number densities were derived from Stark broadening profiles of hydrogen Balmer lines, when 1% hydrogen was added to the argon plasma gas. The arc current has a small effect on the arc in the cathode region. The electron temperature as well as the electron number density increase slowly as the current increases. However, the pressure has a significant influence on the arc. Increase of pressure will constrict the arc, which will increase the electron number density and decrease the electron temperature at the arc center with steeper radial gradients of both. Adding about 30% hydrogen into the argon arc also constricts the arc in front of the cathode spot. This constriction has the same phenomena as the pressure constriction except an increasing electron temperature at the arc center. It is very interesting to find that the cathode shape strongly affects the electron temperature, but has little influence on the electron number density. These results provide us with a better understanding of the arc behavior in the cathode region and arc-cathode interaction.
Crystal Structure of TruD, a Novel Pseudouridine Synthase with a New Protein Fold

TruD, a recently discovered novel pseudouridine synthase in Escherichia coli, is responsible for modifying uridine13 in tRNA(Glu) to pseudouridine. It has little sequence homology with the other 10 pseudouridine synthases in E. coli which themselves have been grouped into four related protein families. Crystal structure determination of TruD revealed a two domain structure consisting of a catalytic domain that differs in sequence but is structurally very similar to the catalytic domain of other pseudouridine synthases and a second large domain (149 amino acids, 43% of total) with a novel alpha/beta fold that up to now has not been found in any other protein.
Regulatory Constraints to Carbon Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems and Geologic Formations: A California Perspective

Carbon sequestration in terrestrialecosystems and geologic formations providesa significant opportunity for California toaddress global climate change. The physicalsize of its resources (e.g., forests,agriculture, soils, rangeland, and geologicformations) and the expertise in Californiaprovides a substantial foundation fordeveloping carbon sequestration activities.Furthermore, the co-benefits of carbonsequestration – such as improved soil andwater quality, restoration of degradedecosystems, increased plant and cropproductivity, and enhanced oil recovery – are significant. In fact, carbonsequestration often represents a `noregrets' strategy – implementing carbonsequestration provides multiple benefits,even without the advent of global climatechange.Nevertheless, researchers need to addressseveral issues to determine more accuratelythe potential, benefits, and costs ofsequestering carbon in California'sterrestrial ecosystems and geologicformations, as well as to identify the mostpromising sequestration methods and theiroptimal implementation. One key issue isthe type of regulatory constraints facingdevelopers of carbon sequestrationprojects: what permits are needed fordeveloping these projects? The permittingprocess may impede the penetration ofsequestration technologies into the marketif the costs (including transaction costs)of obtaining the permits are too burdensomeand costly. For example, at least ninefederal regulations and seven stateregulations will potentially influencecarbon sequestration projects inCalifornia. This paper also provides anexample of the types of permits needed fordeveloping a carbon sequestration project,using California as an example. It ispossible that a carbon sequestrationproject may have to obtain a total of 15permits (3 federal, 6 state, 6 local),before it even starts to operate. In theconcluding section, we offer some suggestedareas for research and activities forpolicy makers.
Dementia in a Dish

Neurodegenerative disorders of aging represent a growing public health concern. In the United States alone, there are now >5 million patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. No therapeutic approaches are available that alter the relentless course of AD or other dementias of aging. A major hurdle to the development of effective therapeutics has been the lack of predictive model systems in which to develop and validate candidate therapies. Animal model studies based on the analysis of transgenic mice that overexpress rare familial AD-associated mutant genes have been informative about mechanisms of familial disease, but they have not proven predictive for drug development. New approaches to disease modeling are of particular interest. Methods such as epigenetic reprogramming of patient skin fibroblasts to human induced pluripotent stem cells, which can be differentiated into patient-derived neuron subtypes, have generated significant excitement because of their potential to model more accurately aspects of human neurodegeneration. Studies focused on the generation of human neuron models of AD and frontotemporal dementia have pointed to pathologic pathways and potential therapeutic venues. This article discusses the promise and potential pitfalls of modeling of dementia disorders based on somatic cell reprogramming.
Characteristics of Rice Cultivars with Implications for Crawfish Double Cropping1

Twenty-five domestic rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars were evaluated in a simulated rice/crawfish double cropping system in southwest Louisiana during 1983 and 1984. Wide variation was observed among cultivars in parameters believed to be important for maximizing productivity in such a system. Mean maturity ranged from 99 (Labelle) to 118 days (Starbonnet), while height ranged from 76 (Bellemont) to 130 cm (Della, Nato). Significant differences in grain yield response were observed, with yields ranging from 4,101 (Bluebelle) to 6,665 kg/hectare (Newbonnet). Straw dry matter production varied greatly, from 3,831 (Bellemont) to 9,170 kg/hectare (Della), and was positively correlated with plant height (r = 0.64; P = 0.0001). Ratoon biomass production was negatively correlated with both grain yield (r = -0.39; P = 0.0001) and maturity group (r = -0.69; P = 0.0001). Plant senescence at grain maturity also varied greatly and appears to be a factor in post-harvest ratoon capability. Early or very early maturing cultivars with both proven grain production and good ratooning capability appear best suited. Cultivar selection should be based upon individual farm situations and currently employed agronomic practices.
Twenty-four hour variation of α1-adrenergic receptors in the pineal gland of the male Syrian hamster

Abstract Specific binding of [ 125I]iodo-[β-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethylaminomethyl]tetralone ([ 125I]HEAT) was used to assess α1-adrenergic receptors on pineal gland membranes of male Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) housed under a 14:10 h light-dark cycle (lights on at 06.00 h). Saturation experiments with pooled pineal membrane preparations showed the presence of α1-adrenergic receptor sites (dissociation constant Kd approx. 0.1 nM). Analysis of 4 time points indicated no significant change in Kd, but significant (P
Virtual Alternative to the Oral Examination for Emergency Medicine Residents

Introduction: The oral examination is a traditional method for assessing the developing physician’s medical knowledge, clinical reasoning and interpersonal skills. The typical oral examination is a face-to-face encounter in which examiners quiz examinees on how they would confront a patient case. The advantage of the oral exam is that the examiner can adapt questions to the examinee’s response. The disadvantage is the potential for examiner bias and intimidation. Computer-based virtual simulation technology has been widely used in the gaming industry. We wondered whether virtual simulation could serve as a practical format for delivery of an oral examination. For this project, we compared the attitudes and performance of emergency medicine (EM) residents who took our traditional oral exam to those who took the exam using virtual simulation. Methods: EM residents (n=35) were randomized to a traditional oral examination format (n=17) or a simulated virtual examination format (n=18) conducted within an immersive learning environment, Second Life (SL). Proctors scored residents using the American Board of Emergency Medicine oral examination assessment instruments, which included execution of critical actions and ratings on eight competency categories (1-8 scale). Study participants were also surveyed about their oral examination experience. Results: We observed no differences between virtual and traditional groups on critical action scores or scores on eight competency categories. However, we noted moderate effect sizes favoring the Second Life group on the clinical competence score. Examinees from both groups thought that their assessment was realistic, fair, objective, and efficient. Examinees from the virtual group reported a preference for the virtual format and felt that the format was less intimidating. Conclusion: The virtual simulated oral examination was shown to be a feasible alternative to the traditional oral examination format for assessing EM residents. Virtual environments for oral examinations should continue to be explored, particularly since they offer an inexpensive, more comfortable, yet equally rigorous alternative. [West J Emerg Med. 2015;16(2):–0.]