cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Protos

Protos has been evaluating by applying it to the problem of knowledge acquisition for expert, heuristic classification. In contrast to an everyday task, such as the common sense classification of animals, an expert classification task provides objective standards for evaluating the performance of a concept acquisition system. The system's learning performance is comparable to that of human students learning the same task and its classification performance is comparable to that of human journeymen and experts. This chapter reports on the experimental application of Protos in the domain of audiology. The first section provides an overview. It discusses the domain and our experimental methodology. The second section presents three examples of Protos processing cases during its training. The final section presents and analyzes the results of the experiment. The knowledge acquired by Protos is characterized, and its classification performance is reported and compared with that of human subjects.
Ion transport in normal and CF airway epithelia.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) of the lung is characterized by chronic suppurative airways infection in which two bacterial species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, predominate. Because no abnormalities in the migratory inflammatory cells or immunoglobulins that protect airway surfaces from infection have been detected in CF, most efforts to analyze the pathophysiology of CF airways disease have focused on elements of the mucociliary transport apparatus. This system is typically analyzed in terms of three components: 1) cilia/cilial activity; 2) mucus glyco-proteins; and, 3) the aqueous, periciliary layer. Most data indicate that cilial motility is normal in CF and cannot account for abnormalities and clearance of secretions. Compositional abnormalities, particularly relating to sulfate ions (1), may exist beween CF and normal mucins but the effects of these abnormalities on mucus clearance are not clear. Because bioelectric abnormalities have been detected routinely in CF airway epithelia, attention has focused on the electrogenic ion transport processes that regulate the depth and composition of the periciliary liquid layer.
Geometry of the Sphere

Euclid’s axiom, as formulatedby Hilbert (see Section 1.1), states that given a point A not lying on a line a, there is at most one line passing through A that does not intersect a. Hyperbolic geometry replaced that axiom with the assumption that more than one line through A does not intersect a. These are the only two possibilities consistent with the remaining axioms. From Hilbert’s axioms we can always construct one line through A not meeting a.
The Importance of the Political in Immigration Federalism

This Article provides a systematic, empirical investigation of the genesis of state and local immigration regulations, discrediting the popular notion that they are caused by uneven demographic pressures across the country. It also proffers a novel theory to explain the proliferation of these policies and queries the implications of this new model for federalism analysis. The story we tell in this paper is both political and legal; understanding immigration politics uncovers vital truths about the recent rise of subnational involvement in a policy arena that courts and commentators have traditionally ascribed to the federal government. Thus, this article connects the proliferation of state and local regulation with the extra-constitutional political institutions and key policy actors who prominently influence both federal and subfederal immigration lawmaking but who remain obscured in traditional, apolitical accounts. This recognition of the political dynamics of immigration law, we argue, fundamentally alters judicial, scholarly, and public evaluations of immigration federalism.
Phagotrophic microalgae production from waste activated sludge under non-sterile conditions.

Abstract In this study waste activated sludge (WAS) was sonicated to release bacteria-sized volatile solids (VS) from flocs, after initial pH adjustment to 10 for higher energy efficiency. The released VS supported growth of phagotrophic alga Ochromonas danica. Initial-rate growth experiments confirmed the Monod-type kinetics but the specific cell growth rate, μ, correlated with the prey-to-predator ratio, i.e., the ratio of (fed VS concentration)-to-(initial O. danica concentration), significantly better than with the VS alone, as the typical Monod dependency on soluble substrates. The best-fit kinetics had the following parameters: μmax = 0.198 h−1 and KM = 1.056 (g-VS/g-algae). Post-sonication reflocculation could render particles too large to ingest by O. danica; therefore, pH and VS effects on reflocculation were investigated. Batch cultivations were then conducted in fermentors at pH 5, under nonsterile conditions. Algae number reached 8.86 × 1010 L−1 after 20 h, corresponding to ∼2.3 g/L dry-weight and volumetric algae productivity of 2.8 g/L-day. VS reduction was 38%, giving an O. danica VS yield of 44.5%. The ultrasonication-algae process can be used to produce algae while achieving at least partial WAS treatment.
Outbreak of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in Interventional Radiology: Detection Through Whole-genome Sequencing-based Surveillance

BACKGROUND Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. The risk of infection from interventional radiology (IR) procedures is not well documented. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) surveillance of clinical bacterial isolates among hospitalized patients can identify previously unrecognized outbreaks. METHODS We analyzed WGS surveillance data from November 2016 to November 2017 for evidence of VRE transmission. A previously unrecognized cluster of 10 genetically related VRE (Enterococcus faecium) infections was discovered. Electronic health record review identified IR procedures as a potential source. An outbreak investigation was conducted. RESULTS Of the 10 outbreak patients, 9 had undergone an IR procedure with intravenous (IV) contrast ≤22 days before infection. In a matched case-control study, preceding IR procedure and IR procedure with contrast were associated with VRE infection (matched odds ratio [MOR], 16.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.01 to 138.73; P = .009 and MOR, 39.35; 95% CI, 7.85 to infinity; P < .001, respectively). Investigation of IR practices and review of the manufacturer's training video revealed sterility breaches in contrast preparation. Our investigation also supported possible transmission from an IR technician. Infection prevention interventions were implemented, and no further IR-associated VRE transmissions have been observed. CONCLUSIONS A prolonged outbreak of VRE infections related to IR procedures with IV contrast resulted from nonsterile preparation of injectable contrast. The fact that our VRE outbreak was discovered through WGS surveillance and the manufacturer's training video that demonstrated nonsterile technique raise the possibility that infections following invasive IR procedures may be more common than previously recognized.
Geophytism in monocots leads to higher rates of diversification

Geophytes, plants with buds on underground structures, are found throughout the plant tree of life. These below ground structures allow plants to inhabit highly seasonal and disturbance-prone environments across ecosystems. Past researchers have hypothesised that the bulbous, cormous and tuberous habits promote diversification, but this had yet to be tested. Using a comprehensive monocot data set of almost 13 000 taxa, we investigated the effects of the geophytic habit on diversification using both state-dependent and state-independent models. We found that geophytes exhibit increased rates of diversification relative to nongeophytes. State-dependent analyses recovered higher yet similar rates of diversification for bulbous, cormous and tuberous taxa compared with rhizomatous and nongeophytic taxa. However, the state-independent model returned no difference in rates among the different traits. Geophytism shows higher rates of diversification relative to nongeophytes but we found little support for the hypothesis that the evolution of the bulb, corm or tuber appears to provide a diversification increase relative to rhizomatous and nongeophytic taxa. Our broad-scale analysis highlights the overall evolutionary importance of the geophytic habit (i.e. belowground bud placement). However, our results also suggest that belowground morphological diversity alone cannot explain this rate increase. In order to further test the evolutionary significance of these underground structures, future studies should consider these in combination with other biotic and abiotic factors.
Role of preovulatory concentrations of estradiol on timing of conception and regulation of the uterine environment in beef cattle

The ability to induce ovulation with an injection of GnRH facilitated the development of fixed-time artificial insemination (AI) protocols. However, animals that exhibit estrus prior to fixed-time AI have greater pregnancy success. Thus, the objectives of the present experiments were to determine the impact of estrus expression prior to fixed-time AI on timing of conception and to characterize the role of preovulatory estradiol in regulating changes in expression of uterine genes. In experiment 1, data were collected from 4,499 beef cows inseminated by fixed-time AI in 31 different herds. Animals that did not conceive to AI but exhibited estrus before timed-AI were more likely to conceive during cycle 1 after AI, and overall conceived earlier in the breeding season compared to animals that did not exhibit estrus. In experiment 2, beef cows were synchronized using a fixed-time AI protocol. Uterine horn biopsies and blood samples were collected on Day 0, 5, 10, or 16. Concentrations of estradiol on Day 0 did not influence expression of progesterone receptor, ER beta, or oxytocin receptor. Increased concentrations of estradiol on Day 0 increased expression of ER alpha from Days 0 to 5 of the estrous cycle. Furthermore, cows with increased concentrations of estradiol on Day 0 had increased expression of inhibin beta A, and uterine milk protein precursor. Thus, animals that do not exhibit estrus prior to fixed-time AI had decreased breeding season pregnancy success and conceived later in the breeding season, and preovulatory concentrations of estradiol likely play a major role in this establishment of pregnancy, not only directly by regulating uterine gene expression, but also indirectly throughout the subsequent estrous cycle.
An Update on the Role of Talimogene Laherparepvec (T-VEC) in the Treatment of Melanoma: Best Practices and Future Directions

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is the first agent approved for cancer in the emerging class of oncolytic viral therapies. While T-VEC was approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma in 2015, clinical utilization has been hampered by rapid changes in the therapeutic landscape of melanoma related to advances in both immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapy, cumbersome logistics involved in T-VEC administration, biosafety concerns, and a perception that T-VEC has limited impact on uninjected, visceral disease. However, with further survival follow-up from the phase III OPTiM (OncovexGM-CSF Pivotal Trial in Melanoma), along with new real-world data and consensus guidelines on safe administration of oncolytic viruses, a roadmap for when and how to use T-VEC has been emerging. In addition, preliminary data have demonstrated improved therapeutic responses to T-VEC in combination with immune checkpoint blockade in patients with melanoma without additive toxicity. This review provides an update on recent data with T-VEC alone and in combination with other agents. The emerging data provide guidance for how to better utilize T-VEC for patients with melanoma and identifies critical areas for clinical investigation to expand the role of T-VEC in combination strategies for the treatment of melanoma and perhaps other cancers.
Evaluating landscape characteristics of predicted hotspots for plant invasions

Invasive species are widely recognized as a major threat to global diversity and an important factor associated with global change. Species distribution models (SDMs) have been widely applied to determine the range that invasive species could potentially occupy, but most examples focus on predictive variables at a single spatial scale. In this study, we simultaneously considered a broad range of variables related to climate, topography, land cover, land use, and propagule pressure to predict what areas in the southeastern United States are more susceptible to invasion by 45 invasive terrestrial plant species. Using expert-verified occurrence points from EDDMapS, we modeled invasion susceptibility at 30-m resolution for each species using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling approach. We then analyzed how environmental predictors affected susceptibility to invasion at different spatial scales. Climatic and land-use variables, especially minimum temperature of coldest month and distance to developed areas, were good predictors of landscape susceptibility to invasion. For most of the species tested, human-disturbed systems such as developed areas and barren lands were more prone to be invaded than areas that experienced minimal human interference. As expected, we found that landscape heterogeneity and the presence of corridors for propagule dispersal significantly increased landscape susceptibility to invasion for most species. However, we also found a number of species for which the susceptibility to invasion increased in landscapes with large core areas and/or less-aggregated patches. These exceptions suggest that even though we found the expected general patterns for susceptibility to invasion among most species, the influence of landscape composition and configuration on invasion risk is species specific.
Designing Nanomagnet Arrays for Topological Nanowires in Silicon

A spin-orbit gap is necessary for a variety of proposed topological quantum computing designs and semiconductor spintronic devices. Usually such a gap is achieved using materials with strong spin-orbit coupling, such as InAs or InSb. Considering the mature technology, it would be advantageous to use Si, which unfortunately has only weak intrinsic spin-orbit coupling. Nonetheless, an $a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}r\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}f\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}c\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}l$ spin-orbit gap can be created in Si nanowires using nanomagnet arrays. The authors carefully study a variety of realistic designs, arriving at practical rules and guidance for using this approach to create an artificial spin-orbit gap in Si.
The Vascular Flora of the Lake Thoreau Environmental Center, Forrest and Lamar Counties, Mississippi, With Comments On Compositional Change After a Decade of Prescribed Fire

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems exhibit high species diversity and are major contributors to the extraordinary levels of regional biodiversity and endemism found in the North American Coastal Plain Province. These forests require frequent fire return intervals (every 2–3 years) to maintain this rich diversity. In 2009, a floristic inventory was conducted at the Lake Thoreau Environmental Center owned by the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Center is located on 106 ha with approximately half covered by a 100+ year old longleaf pine forest. When the 2009 survey was conducted, fire had been excluded for over 20 years resulting in a dense understory dominated by woody species throughout most of the forest. The 2009 survey recorded 282 vascular plant species. Prescribed fire was reintroduced in 2009 and reapplied again in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. A new survey was conducted in 2019 to assess the effects of prescribed fire on floristic diversity. The new survey found an additional 268 species bringing the total number of plants species to 550. This study highlights the changes in species diversity that occurs when fire is reintroduced into a previously fire-suppressed system and the need to monitor sensitive areas for changes in species composition.
Characterization of a pericentric inversion in plateau fence lizards (Sceloporus tristichus): evidence from chromosome-scale genomes.

Spiny lizards in the genus Sceloporus are a model system among squamate reptiles for studies of chromosomal evolution. While most pleurodont iguanians retain an ancestral karyotype formula of 2n = 36 chromosomes, Sceloporus exhibits substantial karyotype variation ranging from 2n = 22 to 46 chromosomes. We present two annotated chromosome-scale genome assemblies for the Plateau Fence Lizard (Sceloporus tristichus) to facilitate research on the role of pericentric inversion polymorphisms on adaptation and speciation. Based on previous karyotype work using conventional staining, the S. tristichus genome is characterized as 2n = 22 with six pairs of macrochromosomes and five pairs of microchromosomes and a pericentric inversion polymorphism on chromosome 7 that is geographically variable. We provide annotated, chromosome-scale genomes for two lizards located at opposite ends of a dynamic hybrid zone that are each fixed for different inversion polymorphisms. The assembled genomes are 1.84-1.87 Gb (1.72 Gb for scaffolds mapping to chromosomes) with a scaffold N50 of 267.5 Mb. Functional annotation of the genomes resulted in ∼15K predicted gene models. Our assemblies confirmed the presence of a 4.62-Mb pericentric inversion on chromosome 7, which contains 62 annotated coding genes with known functions. In addition, we collected population genomics data using double digest RAD-sequencing for 44 S. tristichus to estimate population structure and phylogeny across the Colorado Plateau. These new genomic resources provide opportunities to perform genomic scans and investigate the formation and spread of pericentric inversions in a naturally occurring hybrid zone.
Inhibition of Ammonia Oxidation in Nitrosomonas europaea by Sulfur Compounds: Thioethers Are Oxidized to Sulfoxides by Ammonia Monooxygenase

Organic sulfur compounds are well-known nitrification inhibitors. The inhibitory effects of dimethylsulfide, dimethyldisulfide, and ethanethiol on ammonia oxidation by Nitrosomonas europaea were examined. Both dimethylsulfide and dimethyldisulfide were weak inhibitors of ammonia oxidation and exhibited inhibitory characteristics typical of substrates for ammonia monooxygenase (AMO). Depletion of dimethylsulfide required O2 and was prevented with either acetylene or allylthiourea, two inhibitors of AMO. The inhibition of ammonia oxidation by dimethylsulfide was examined in detail. Cell suspensions incubated in the presence of ammonia oxidized dimethylsulfide to dimethyl sulfoxide. Depletion of six other thioethers was also prevented by treating cell suspensions with either allylthiourea or acetylene. The oxidative products of three thioethers were identified as the corresponding sulfoxides. The amount of sulfoxide formed accounted for a majority of the amount of sulfide depleted. By using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, allylmethylsulfide was shown to be oxidized to allylmethylsulfoxide by N. europaea with the incorporation of a single atom of 18O derived from 18O2 into the sulfide. This result supported our conclusion that a monooxygenase was involved in the oxidation of allylmethylsulfide. The thioethers are concluded to be a new class of substrates for AMO. This is the first report of the oxidation of the sulfur atom by AMO in whole cells of N. europaea. The ability of N. europaea to oxidize dimethylsulfide is not unique among the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Nitrosococcus oceanus, a marine nitrifier, was also demonstrated to oxidize dimethylsulfide to dimethyl sulfoxide.
Religiosity and Self‐Destructive Crises in the Institutionalized Elderly

The relationship of religiosity to self-destructive behavior has largely been considered in terms of the impact of religious affiliation, or church membership, on rates of suicide for various geographical populations. This study departs from that approach and focuses instead on the relationship of intensity of religious commitment to the use of indirect life-threatening behavior (ILTB) among elderly, chronically ill hospital patients. A rating scale to measure the occurrence of ILTB was developed and administered to a sample of 58 patients in a Veterans Administration hospital. Findings for this sample indicate that intensity of religious commitment is a potentially more meaningful measure of religiosity than is formal church membership, that intensity of religious commitment tends to vary inversely with the extent of ILTB observed for the patient, and that "stigma avoidance" may play a role in the tendency for certain religious affiliates to make more extensive use of ILTB.
Toward Consistent Chronology in the Early Solar System: High-Resolution 53Mn-53Cr Chronometry for Chondrules

New high-precision 53Mn-53Cr data obtained for chondrules extracted from a primitive ordinary chondrite, Chainpur (LL3.4), define an initial 53Mn/55 Mn ratio of (5.1 ± 1.6) × 10-6. As a result of this downward revision from an earlier higher value of (9.4 ± 1.7) × 10-6 for the same meteorite (Nyquist et al. 2001), together with an assessment of recent literature, we show that a consistent chronology with other chronometers such as the 26Al-26Mg and 207Pb-206Pb systems emerges in the early solar system.
INFLUENCE OF ROUTE OF INFECTION AND OTHER FACTORS ON GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN ORGANS OF MICE.

Silverman, Sidney J. (U.S. Army Biological Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.), Lynn P. Elwell, and James F. Drawdy. Influence of route of infection and other factors on growth and distribution of Listeria monocytogenes in organs of mice. J. Bacteriol. 86:355-362. 1963.-The growth of Listeria monocytogenes in the lungs, liver, spleen, brain, and blood of mice was observed after infection by the respiratory, intravenous, and intraperitoneal routes. The lungs of mice exposed to Listeria aerosols contained about 10(6) infected cells per ml within 24 hr, and the number of organisms remained high for at least 9 days. After exposure by the other two routes, fewer organisms appeared in the lungs. The colony counts of organisms in spleen and liver homogenates were similar regardless of the route. Organisms were found sporadically in the brain and blood. When a cell extract of Listeria was injected simultaneously with the organisms, greater numbers of Listeria were found in spleen and liver than when the bacteria were injected alone. On the other hand, the BCG strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis enhanced the resistance of the mice, as shown by the recovery of fewer organisms from tissues when compared with tissues from mice receiving L. monocytogenes alone. Prior administration of BCG also reversed the effect of the Listeria extract. Mice (5 to 6 weeks old) born of Listeria-infected mothers were infected with the homologous organism by the intraperitoneal route. Fewer organisms were recovered and the gross pathology was less extensive than in infected progeny of healthy females. However, there was no difference in the lt(50) (time to death for 50% of the animals) between the two groups. In a similar experiment, using 7- to 8-week-old mice born of infected and healthy mothers, there was no difference in the bacterial counts, gross pathology, or lt(50) between the two groups.
A wideband radar for mapping internal layers in the polar icesheets for estimating accumulation rate

Determination of the mass balance of the polar ice sheets requires information on the accumulation rate. Remote sensing methods to determine the accumulation rate are essential in reducing the uncertainty associated with interpolating in situ measurements that are obtained from ice cores and pits. This is essential to reducing the 20% of uncertainty in current accumulation rate maps. Using data from surface-based radar experiments we determined optimum parameters for an airborne radar. We developed an airborne prototype and successfully demonstrated that we can map internal layers with about 1 m resolution to a depth of about 120 m over the Greenland ice sheet. We reported the system design, construction and preliminary experimental results at the 2001 IGARSS meeting. We have developed an operational radar system for routine measurement. This system operates in FM-CW and stepped-frequency pulse modes and it has 20-dB more sensitivity than the prototype radar. We also developed a radar target simulator for testing and evaluating system performance. The target simulator was constructed using fiber optic cables, microwave delay lines and RF/optical transceivers to simulate reflections from the air/snow interface, internal layers and the antenna reflection, which degrades the system's sensitivity. The simulator serves a dual purpose of optimizing the system performance in the laboratory and for internal calibration in the field. We also used a CAD package to design and simulate overall radar performance. The use of CAD package and target simulator reduced cost and time associated with the radar development. In addition, we are also able to obtain an accurate system model to deconvolve the system effects from the received signal. We discuss detailed design, construction and performance of the target simulator and operational radar. We show a comparison of the simulation results and laboratory measurements of the radar system. Also we present analysis of the results from measurements made during the 2001 experiments and preliminary results from planned measurements in May 2002.
ESR study of Rh/γ-Al2O3 and Rh/HZSM-5 promoted by Cu2+, Gd3+, and PO3−4

Abstract In 2.2% Rh/γ-Al2O3, the vast majority of the Rh, >95%, is ESR inactive. The rest, a small proportion, can be made ESR-visible by room temperature sorption of water or other polar molecules suggesting that the interaction of these ESR-active ions with the support is weak. An amorphous alumina support does not stabilize isolated Rh2+ ions even in low-loaded 0.25% Rh/Al2O3. By contrast, quantitation of Rh2+ in ZSM-5 shows that the fraction of ESR-visible ions exceeds 50% for the most dilute 0.25% Rh/ZSM-5 sample. This makes low-loaded Rh/ZSM-5 samples useful model catalysts for in situ ESR studies. Rh2+ and Cu2+ are located at the same cationic sites in H-ZSM-5 but the Cu2+ ion is bound much more strongly in this position. The majority of isolated paramagnetic Rh2+ is replaced by Cu2+ by solid-state reaction at high temperature. Rh2+ and Gd3+ migration and redistribution in ZSM-5 differ from those occurring in samples containing Rh2+ and Cu2+. It appears that Gd3+ ions occupy mainly non-cationic positions and do not impede the bonding of paramagnetic Rh2+ in the cationic sites of ZSM-5. Strong bonding of PO3−4 anionic ligands causes irreversible change in the local environment of both Rh2+ cations and Gd3+ ions in HZSM-5.
Gas Exchange in the Respiratory Distress Syndromes

This article describes the gas exchange abnormalities occurring in the acute respiratory distress syndrome seen in adults and children and in the respiratory distress syndrome that occurs in neonates. Evidence is presented indicating that the major gas exchange abnormality accounting for the hypoxemia in both conditions is shunt, and that approximately 50% of patients also have lungs regions in which low ventilation-to-perfusion ratios contribute to the venous admixture. The various mechanisms by which hypercarbia may develop and by which positive end-expiratory pressure improves gas exchange are reviewed, as are the effects of vascular tone and airway narrowing. The mechanisms by which surfactant abnormalities occur in the two conditions are described, as are the histological findings that have been associated with shunt and low ventilation-to-perfusion.
Contemporary Psychological Approaches to Life at the End of Life

When people have a serious life-limiting illness, physical symptoms are often prominent, both in the experience of the illness and in its treatment. No less important, however, are psychological symptoms. A holistic, bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to quality of life near the end of life must address psychological distress of all types, including frank psychopathology, more moderate problems with living, and existential distress. Responding to mental health issues at the end of life requires (1) systematic and careful assessment, and (2) deployment of evidence-based treatments. In recent years, standardized assessment tools have been adapted or developed for use with people who have serious illness, and the same has happened with psychological treatments. Practitioners have several resources available to them. Given their practice orientation centered on meaningful engagement, occupational therapists can play an important role in responding to mental distress in patients with serious illness whose lives are becoming more circumscribed because of their medical condition or because of the mental distress itself. High-quality end-of-life care depends on scrupulous attention to the full spectrum of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that unfold as death draws near.
Characterization of material outputs from an electronics demanufacturing facility

In a typical disassembly facility there are two classes of outputs, (i) retrieved parts or subsystems, and (ii) material waste. The material waste is shipped out to either a material reclamation facility or a landfill site. A clear definition of this material output is essential to the modeling and analysis of a disassembly facility. These definitions will determine the appropriate disassembly plan, process economics, and handling requirements. In this paper we introduce and define the majority of outputs from electronic disassembly plants. The work is based on studies conducted at several commercial facilities. For each output the purity thresholds, the most likely recycling paths, and the potential reuse values are discussed. Recycling costs tend to increase as the purity of the entering material drops. One of the purposes of disassembly therefore, is to enhance the purity of the output bins. A disassembly planner must address several questions in the context of the bins, such as: is it economical to further disassemble a subassembly so as to increase purity? Is there enough mass to warrant maintaining a high copper bin? We expect the results of this paper will permit the development of assignment type disassembly planning models. We identify eight classes of output bins: ferrous metals, nonferrous metals, sources of precious metals, packaging materials, glass and ceramics, plastics, hazardous parts, and paper. Specific bins are discussed in detail. Common sources of these outputs are also discussed, and the relative market value is evaluated.
Luteolin inhibits myelin basic protein-induced human mast cell activation and mast cell-dependent stimulation of Jurkat T cells.

Background and purpose: Allergic inflammation and autoimmune diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis (MS), involve both mast cell and T-cell activation. However, possible interactions between the two and the mechanism of such activations are largely unknown. Experimental approach: Human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells (hCBMCs) and Jurkat T cells were incubated separately or together, following activation with myelin basic protein (MBP), as well as with or without pretreatment with the flavonoid luteolin for 15 min. The supernatant fluid was assayed for inflammatory mediators released from mast cells and interleukin (IL)-2 release from Jurkat cells. Key results: MBP (10 μM) stimulates hCBMCs to release IL-6, IL-8, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), histamine and tryptase (n=6, P<0.05). Addition of mast cells to Jurkat cells activated by anti-CD3/anti-CD28 increases IL-2 release by 30-fold (n=3, P<0.05). MBP-stimulated mast cells and their supernatant fluid further increase Jurkat cell IL-2 release (n=3, P<0.05). Separation of mast cells and activated Jurkat cells by a Transwell permeable membrane inhibits Jurkat cell stimulation by 60%. Pretreatment of Jurkat cells with a TNF-neutralizing antibody reduces IL-2 release by another 40%. Luteolin pretreatment inhibits mast cell activation (n=3–6, P<0.05), Jurkat cell activation and mast cell-dependent Jurkat cell stimulation (n=3, P<0.05). Conclusions and implications: Mast cells can stimulate activated Jurkat cells. This interaction is inhibited by luteolin, suggesting that this flavonoid may be useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 1076–1084; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.356; published online 22 September 2008
Restart strategies in optimization: parallel and serial cases

This paper addresses the problem of minimizing the average running time of the Las Vegas type algorithm, both in serial and parallel setups. The necessary conditions for the existence of an effective restart strategy are presented. We clarify the counter-intuitive empirical observations of super linear speedup and relate parallel speedup with the restart properties of serial algorithms. The general property of restart distributions is derived. The computational experiments involving the state-of-the-art optimization algorithm are provided.
Rupture process of the June 28, 1992 Big Bear Earthquake

The June 28, 1992 Big Bear earthquake in southern California was assumed to have ruptured along a northeast-trending plane, as suggested by long-term aftershock distribution. No surface rupture was found, however, and mainshock locations determined from both strong motion and TERRAscope data are mutually consistent and do not lie on the assumed fault plane. An integrated study involving waveform modeling, directivity and seismicity analyses suggests a complex rupture pattern, with significant short- and long-period energy propagating northwest along the presumed conjugate fault-plane.
That Baby Will Cost You: An Intended Ambivalent Pregnancy

This personal narrative highlights an intended ambivalent pregnancy, speaking to Sotirin’s call for radical specificity in mother-writing. The author began writing in a creative nonfiction workshop from memory fragments, diary entries, interviews, and scholarly research recognizing the story contained secrets, omissions, places she can’t remember, and places that are still in shadow that ethically need to stay closed. The use of creative nonfiction frames the story as a series of marginalized discourses from a relational dialectics perspective, in particular ambivalence (vs. certainty), bodily knowledge (vs. medicalization, vs. middle-class pregnancy), and flux (vs. cost–benefit ratios). The problem is that these marginalized discourses are not well represented in the totalizing picture of the pregnant lady. The story works as a performance text to transform totalizing oppressive discourse into a restructured aesthetic moment.
Atomic imaging by x-ray-fluorescence holography and electron-emission holography: A comparative theoretical study.

We consider from a theoretical viewpoint the direct imaging of atoms at and near the surfaces of solids by both x-ray-fluorescence holography (XFH) and electron-emission holography (EEH). The more ideal nature of x-ray scattering makes XFH images superior to those in single-energy EEH. The overlap of real and twin features for pairs of atoms at \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}a can cause their XFH or EEH atomic images to cancel for certain combinations of wave vector and \ensuremath{\Vert}a\ensuremath{\Vert}. The relative merits of XFH and EEH for structure studies are considered.
Wave Haptics: Building Stiff Controllers from the Natural Motor Dynamics

Haptics, like the fields of robotics and motion control, relies on high stiffness position control of electric motors. Traditionally, DC motors are driven by current amplifiers designed to hide their electrical dynamics. Meanwhile encoder-based position feedback creates virtual springs. Unfortunately this cancellation-replacement approach experiences performance limits due to sensor quantization, discretization, and amplifier bandwidths. An alternate approach is presented, noting the inherent inductor-resistor dynamics of the motor are beneficial to the haptic task. Two main insights are followed, which may be utilized independently or preferably in combination. First, the electrical inductance L can serve as a stiffness, providing a natural sensorless coupling between the virtual environment and the user. Second, the electrical resistance R can create a natural wave transformation, providing a robust computer interface between the discrete and continuous time domains. The resulting analog circuit implements a simple voltage drive and can achieve higher stiffness than traditional approaches, especially in the frequency range where human users are most sensitive. A prototype 1-DOF system has been implemented and confirms the promise of this novel paradigm.
Decay and preservation of stone in modern environments

Stone objects decay in all environments, but the modes of decay vary from one region to another. In the modern industrial countries acid deposition has accelerated the decay of stone. Many objects that survived centuries of weathering without serious damage have, in the present century, decomposed beyond recognition. The black crusts seen on stone structures mostly contain gypsum formed by SO2 reactions with calcareous minerals. These crusts exfoliate, destroying the sculptural form. Because of the absence of proven technology to treat and restore these objects, the caryatids at the Acropolis had to be moved indoors to save them from further disfiguration.
Antibiotic resistance among recent clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae in Japanese children.

Abstract From January 1997 to July 1999, a total of 867 isolates of Haemophilus influenzae were recovered in the microbiology laboratory of Chiba Children's Hospital. The overall prevalence of β-lactamase production was 12.8%. Ampicillin-MICs for all of the 111 β-lactamase-producing isolates was ≥4 μg/ml. A total of 26 β-lactamase-negative isolates (3.4% of all β-lactamase-negative isolates and 3.0% of all isolates) were found to be resistant to ampicillin. The prevalence of β-lactamase negative ampicillin-resistant strains (BLNAR) increased remarkably to 8.9% during the last 7-month period. It is noteworthy that the MICs not only of penicillins but also of cephems for BLNAR were significantly higher than those for ampicillin-susceptible isolates. Eight β-lactamase-producing isolates of H. influenzae (7.2% of all β-lactamase-producing isolates) were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMPC/CVA). Consequently, the overall resistance to ampicillin was 15.8%, and that to AMPC/CVA was 3.0%. The results of this study corroborate the findings of previous investigators in the US (Doern et al., 1997) regarding the emergence of BLNAR and β-lactamase-producing AMPC/CVA-resistant strains (BLPACR) of H. influenzae . Continued monitoring of susceptibility trends will be required to guide appropriate chemotherapy.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Nitro-Chitosan and Its Performance in Chromium Removal

A synthesized polymeric form of chitosan, electrochemically precipitated and photochemically modified, has been found to have significant value in removal of toxic chromate oxyanions from solution. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that a significant percentage of the amine functional groups were oxidized to nitro groups as a result of reactions with hydroxyl ions formed in the electrochemical process with additional oxidation occurring as a result of exposure to ultra-violet light. The adsorption capacity of the modified chitosan for chromate was investigated in a batch system by taking into account effects of initial concentration, pH of the solution and contact time. Nitro-chitosan showed greater adsorption capacity towards Cr (VI) than other forms of chitosan, with a maximum adsorption of 173 mg/g. It was found that pH 3 is the optimum for adsorption, a Langmuir model is the best fit for the adsorption isotherm, and the kinetics of reaction followed a pseudo second order function. Overall, our results indicate that electrochemical modification of chitosan is an effective method to enhance the reactivity of chitosan towards metals.
Expression of the human mismatch repair gene hMSH2: A potential marker for urothelial malignancy

BACKGROUND The human mismatch repair (MMR) gene hMSH2 (human mutS homolog-2) is a DNA repair gene that has been reported to be mutated in 40% of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) kindreds and a small percentage of sporadic tumors. HNPCC is a cancer predisposition syndrome with an increased risk of carcinoma of the colon, endometrium, stomach, small intestine, ovary, ureter, and renal pelvis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated increased hMSH2 expression in sporadic colon carcinoma and in the replicative compartment of normal epithelium. A recent immunohistochemical analysis of hMSH2 in bladder tumors correlated reduced hMSH2 expression with recurrence and higher tumor grade. In the current study, we examined hMSH2 expression in urothelial malignancy using immunohistochemical analysis and developed a molecular assay for the detection of hMSH2 expression in bladder washes. METHODS Immunohistochemical analysis of 17 tumors from the genitourinary tract and reverse transcription coupled with polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of 40 bladder washes were used to investigate hMSH2 expression in noninvasive and invasive urothelial malignancies. RESULTS Increased expression of hMSH2 was detected in all tumors examined using immunohistochemical analysis independent of grade or stage. Reverse transcription-PCR of hMSH2 mRNA from bladder washes detected 17 of 21 patients with primary or recurrent urothelial neoplasms or tumors involving the urothelial system. Four patients with urothelial malignancies without detectable hMSH2 expression from their bladder washes had high grade lesions. Ten of 13 patients without pathologic or cystoscopic evidence of bladder tumors were negative for hMSH2 expression in bladder washes. Two patients with bladder tumors and bladder washes that were positive for hMSH2 subsequently were found to be negative for hMSH2 after treatment of their tumors and at last follow-up had remained recurrence free for at least 1 year. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study suggest that hMSH2 expression is increased in low and high grade urothelial neoplasms, similar to the expression pattern in sporadic colon carcinoma. However, a fraction of high grade lesions may not express hMSH2 as detected by RT-PCR from bladder washes. The ability to detect hMSH2 expression in bladder washes may allow the use of hMSH2 expression as a marker for urothelial malignancy. In addition, the ability to define hMSH2 deficient tumors using bladder washes may have prognostic significance in the treatment of patients with urothelial carcinoma. Cancer 2000;88:2333–41. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
Sex pheromone components and calling behavior of the female dermestid beetle, Trogoderma variabile Ballion (Coleoptera: Dermestidae).

Females of the dermestid beetle,Trogoderma variabile Ballion, exhibit a diel pattern of calling behavior. A potent sexual excitant and attractant for the male beetles can be collected on Porapak Q during aeration of female beetles, but cannot be detected in extracts of macerated females. The attractant has been identified as (Z)-14-methyl-8-hexadecenal. Of the five additional compounds previously identified as attractants in otherTrogoderma species, only two were found; (Z)-14-methyl-8-hexadecen-1-ol is present in extracts of macerated female beetles, but not in extracts of Porapak Q, and γ-caprolactone is present in extracts of Porapak Q. Three collection procedures were necessary to ensure that all the pheromone components had been isolated. Synthetic (Z)-14-methyl-8-hexadecenal elicits attraction and sexual arousal inT. Variabile males.
Evolutionary spectral estimation based on adaptive use of weighted norms

In this paper, an evolutionary spectral estimator based on the application of Adaptive Weighted Norm Extrapolation (AWNE) is formulated and illustrated for analysis of nonstationary signals. The AWNE method produces a stationary extension of the data so that computing its Fourier transform yields a nonparametric, high-resolution spectrum estimate. The evolutionary formulation described here uses a time slice of the time-averaged Spectrogram to select the initial weight function (prior spectrum) used in AWNE for each block of data. This function strongly influences the final shape of the resulting spectrum. The resulting Short-Time AWNE (STAWNE) time-frequency representation yields improved frequency-domain resolution, preserves components which last longer than one time block, and is devoid of cross-terms. Comparison with short-time autoregressive spectral estimation yields improved consistency in the spectral energy levels as time varies. Finally, this sequential spectrum estimator is also illustrated for use in range-Doppler imaging of reflectivity surfaces having prominent scatterers by hybrid two-dimensional spectral estimation in-tandem with the discrete Fourier transform.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Prosopo-affective agnosia as a symptom of cerebral organic disease.

A previously described test for prosopo-affective agnosia (impairment of facial affect recognition) had been applied in 14 disoriented elderly patients with chronic organic brain syndrome, 14 fully oriented elderly patients with non-organic psychiatric disorders, and 14 normal volunteers. In this re-test study of 37 of the 42 subjects, after a six-month interval, the test was found to be reliable (r = .75, p less than .001). The test was also more sensitive in detecting organic disorders than were other frequently applied neuropsychiatric tests. Prosopo-affective agnosia (PAA) appeared unrelated to prosopo-agnosia (PA) (r = .082, ns). Some patients who had the ability to recognize famous faces and faces of ward personnel were severely impaired in the ability to recognize facial affect. The deterioration was more pronounced for the recognition of sadness and anger than for happiness, indicating that patients with this impairment had reverted to an infantile mode of facial-affect recognition. This reversal is another example of the neurologic regression that characterizes dementia.
Effects of Waste Vegetable Oil/Water Emulsions on the Emissions of a Listeroid Diesel Engine

This study presents the experimentally determined effects of filtered, heated, waste vegetable oil (WVO) and water emulsions on gaseous emissions, opacity, and fuel efficiency of a Listeroid diesel engine. Emissions studied are NOx , CO, CO2 , SO2 , O2 , unburned hydrocarbons (UHCs), and opacity. WVO emulsions with water additions of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight, heated to 95°C at injection are studied, and results are compared to diesel. The water addition limit was found to be between 41–49%, inclusive, at 50% load. Emulsions are maintained with a magnetic stirrer prior to entry into the fuel line. The WVO is preheated using heat from the exhaust gases. This reduces its viscosity prior to entering the fuel pump, reducing engine wear, pumping losses, and fuel starvation. The WVO is heated again to 95°C immediately before injection, using an externally powered heater to standardize test conditions. A new metric is introduced, namely, brake specific global warming potential (BSGWP). There is a significant reduction in BSGWP at 50% engine load and 30% water addition. Emissions from 40% water addition most closely resemble diesel engine emissions at all engine loads and are consistently lower than with pure WVO.Copyright © 2009 by ASME